Inspired by the way Irina styled an oversized fisherman sweater over a blue button-down shirt. A pair of dark jeans and pointed toe boots complete the casual chic outfit.
This comfy sweater poncho has gotten its fair share of wear from me this season! I know a few of you have it as well, so I'd love to hear how you've been styling it. I usually do my basic striped tee underneath, but have been liking chambray too with the sleeves exposed and cuffed. My only complaint is I can't wear anything over this other than my cape coat (not pictured) due to the connected sleeves...but that's a poncho for ya, I guess! Just a quick post today on this short but hectic week. We're excited to relax a bit tomorrow at a "post-holiday" holiday party (really the best kind of holiday party). Hope you all have a great weekend, and DC-area friends, hope you're getting ready to hunker down with lots of wine stocked up!
These flared denim overalls look incredibly cool when worn with a classic camel coat and contrasting chambray shirt. Super inspired to give this a try!
It was a frigid and windy one this weekend! I wore this triple-layered pairing of many old favorites for running errands. We got in just a few snaps before Nick's hands almost froze off - any good recommendations for photographer-friendly winter gloves? I first tried on this Burberry Daylesmoore coat (also referred to as their funnel-neck wool cashmere trench) in size 2 in 2013, then did a more detailed review in a size 0 last winter. I finally purchased it this winter after not having found a camel coat I loved more after all this time. I wanted to answer more of your questions on this coat, and also show why I chose the size 2. Having tried on three years' versions of this coat, I feel like sizing has shifted to be a little slimmer over time. If you look at my 2013 post in a size 2, the coat was noticeably baggy, although I was wearing a lighter cardigan. This winter when I went coat shopping, I wore my faux leather moto jacket which I like to layer under winter coats on the coldest days. The weight was also a good representation of a thicker blazer or sweater. Please note all fitting room photos below are with this jacket on underneath!
Here is the size 0 - please excuse wrinkles as they had brought this right from storage:
Compared to sizing on American brands, I feel the Burberry Brit line runs at least one full size small. I'm typically a 00p / xxsp in American retailers, and the size US0 coat here was very fitted on me without my extra layer. I really loved the snug feeling, until I looked at the 360 deg. pictures. As you can see in the pics above, with the extra layer on there are noticeable signs of bulging on me both at the front buttons as well as the back torso vent. I did love the narrow fit in the shoulders of this size, though.
Here is the size US 2 in comparison:
The shoulders were not as fitted on me, but the entire coat was more comfortable throughout. After reviewing these photos it was clear to me which size to get. I had my usual alterations done of shortening the sleeves and raising the belt loops. The sleeves were not super long on me and the belt loops were only about .5 to 1 inch low, so those even a little taller than me (I'm 5 feet) may not need any alterations! Coat try-on tips: definitely try on outerwear with an additional layer, representative of what you'd typically wear on a cold day. Also, have someone else take photos of you in the coat from the front, side, and back so that you can take a closer look from all angles! This lets me see fit issues, like pulling across the back, which I'd miss otherwise. I haven't found any super similar options for less, but here are two other camel coats that do come in extended petite sizing: - ASOS long funnel-neck coat, starting in 00p (likely fits like 000p)! In my experience their sizing runs small (I usually wear 0 or 2P there) and their coats are on the lighter-weight side. - J.Crew zip Melton coat, starting in 00p in three neutral colors.
As much as we love dining out, my favorite part of the week is cooking Sunday supper with Nick. We usually reserve this day for any slow-cooking or soups / stews, and start early so that the aromas fill the house by the time afternoon sports are on. This weekend we made both my favorite dutch oven crusty bread and white chicken chili - the chili is easy enough for beginners, takes under an hour, and boy is it flavorful! Nick likes his brunch-style topped with a sunny side up egg. Read on below for the recipes!
I'm also partnering today with Macy's wedding registry - I know several of you are planning a wedding (a huge congrats!), so I wanted to share some of our favorite, useful registry-friendly items. Snapchat friends probably see our Le Creuset cast iron oven on the regular, producing stews, roasts, bread, and so much more. It's quite heavy, so an added benefit of use is an extra arm workout! Martha Stewart also makes a more affordable cast-iron collection that my mom uses and likes as well. Ours was thanks to a generous friend Liz who makes yummy "dutch oven crusty bread." It's soft on the inside, just perfect while warm with a pat of butter or olive oil. She got her pot as a wedding gift with the bread recipe card inside, and passed the tradition on to me since I always asked her to make it! We couldn't resist baking a loaf to go with dinner (recipe here; instructional video here) - I'm no baker, but this is the simplest bread you'll ever make. Just make sure to use instant yeast per the recipe, or proof your non-instant yeast first. On to the chili - I love a good recipe that serves as a guideline, but can easily be adapted for individual tastes or for vegetarian friends (try veggie broth instead of chicken; extra beans and veggies instead of meat). White Chicken Chili Recipe Adapted from Cathy on Allrecipes. Serves 4.
* If you like it hot then put some seeds in since that's where the heat lies. Be careful and don't let your bare hands linger on the inner membrane & seeds! I learned this the hard way years ago and had hands on fire. ** Original recipe calls for 2 cans, or 3.5 cups broth which was a little soupy. You can tweak the ratios of broth, chicken, and beans based on your liking. *** We love flavorful dark meat, so used boneless, skinless chicken thighs seasoned with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Wrap in foil to keep juicy, and bake for 20 minutes on 400 degrees. If they're not fully cooked at this point they will be in the chili. Ground chicken or turkey would be interesting too!
1. Heat the oil over a large pot on medium-low heat. Cook and stir the onion until tender. Mix in the garlic, jalapeno, green chile peppers, cumin, cayenne, and oregano. Continue to cook and stir the mixture until tender, about 3 minutes. Mix in the beans then chicken broth, and simmer for 15 minutes stirring occasionally. 2. At this point if you want a thicker texture, dip an immersion blender into your pot, and pulse a few times to puree some of the beans before adding chicken. Otherwise, just stir in the chicken and simmer another 15 minutes. We're obsessed with the Cusineart smartstick (ours is a prior model) which we also got as a gift - it's a food processor, whisk, mini blender, and immersion blending stick all in one. The immersion stick is a must if you like making creamy soups - no messy & dangerous step of pouring hot soup into a blender!
3. Stir in optional corn at the end before turning off the heat. Serve hot and top with garnishes. I just love the sweetness of the corn and some fresh cilantro with the spices in this!
Bloopers - got hot beans up my nose due to an impatient Nick
Here's a few other gift-able items that we have and love. Readers - what was your most memorable wedding gift received?
