Reaching Beyond My Cold Weather Comfort Zone

It's finally ACTUALLY cold here today—as in cold enough to wear a sweater and not, well, sweat. I never thought I'd be excited to say any of these things, but this bizarro weather has got me worried about being able to complete the winter portion of the challenge. Oh, and about the environment too. 

When sifting through my closet, which I have FINALLY changed over, I came across this floaty printed skirt that I seem to have neglected all of spring, summer and basically every day up until now. I found this at INA, my fave designer consignment spot, over 3 years ago and I adore the print and color palette. But, it's also a whole lot of look. Plus its wide, high waistband makes pairing tops with it challenging. Today I took the challenge. I've been working with a bunch of cool, smart and fashion-savvy women at my current freelance gig and their style has inspired me. So today, I tried this skirt with my beloved Isabel Marant Étoile sweater (also an INA find) and Voila! I love the look. It's something I'd never have thought of before but it's a super comfy, cute look and it saved my skirt from the bye-bye pile!

I tried a few different shoe options. I thought my Frye moto boots would be great but they looked a little clunky and took away from the floatiness of the skirt. Then I thought to try these *new* Dolce Vita Booties. Yes, that's right. I said new. I promise I did not seek them out, they CAME TO ME. Even though I've unsubscribed from daily GILT emails (a big contributor to my closet excess), I must've wanted these awhile back when they sold out and put my name on the wait list. Last month, I got an email saying they were available in my size. DAMMIT. I couldn't resist at least ordering them just to see if I like them, and guess what? I don't like them. I love them. And I definitely did need a bootie like these that have a comfy, walkable heel and a more tapered top so they work better with skirts. Overall, I'm thrilled with them but also astounded that even when I try not to shop, the universe conspires against me! 

OutFIT or LeaveIT?: Keeping it all. And, I have newfound love for the skirt! That's like a double-keep, right?