Winter Dressing

*not* for the cool girl

Is anyone else tired of seeing Instagrams and TikToks that start with, “This is what the cool girls are wearing…”? I usually swipe and think, nope, not me.

I’m a gal who likes to dress for my actual life, in pieces I think are cool (not what someone else tells me is cool). My goal isn’t to dress like everyone else, but to dress like me - in things that make me feel good.

Right now in Chicago, it’s oppressively cold and gray (it’s currently -9). All I really care about is being warm and comfortable. And because of that, it’s easy to get into a bit of a rut. But I’ve found a few simple things that genuinely give me life this time of year.

Over on ABBY ALLEY, we just dropped our limited edition collection of Bordeaux and Ivory Croco leather bags, which are exactly the pop I need for this time of year. I’ll show you what I mean using some images from Pinterest of women in actual repeatable outfits.

I love a monochromatic look, and this time of year, winter white is the easiest way to make me feel chic even in all my layers. I’m not a belt gal, so I’d skip the belt, but otherwise this outfit is pretty easy to recreate. Off white denim or corduroys. I have these that I love. And any cream sweater will do, but if you’re in the market for one, I liked a few favorites.

I love Bordeaux with blue and brown. Such an easy outfit formula. Any shade of blue and any shade of brown will do! Navy and camel are gorgeous too. I’d swap out the baseball cap for a winter hat, but other than this is a very “me” look. This pair of denim is what I’d wear and I’d probably wear my Uggs, but these are super cute too.

Rather than going fully monochromatic, a more tonal look can be just as chic, and often easier to pull together with what you already own. A good neutral turtleneck is a true staple. I have this one (I’m actually wearing it as I type this!). I love the black kitten heel boots too. If you’re in the market for these, Jamie Haller, Margaux, and Madewell have some good ones at all different prices. Bordeaux or Ivory Croco leather are the perfect cherry on top!

I am drooling over this sweater. Straight leg denim, a collared shirt, and an oversized sweater is such a classic formula. You could easily swap the denim shirt for an oxford - anything works here - but I do like the mix of denim shades. Bordeaux looks especially good with denim, and the Croco texture plays so nicely with cable knit. For shoes - she’s wearing loafers in this photo. I’m not a loafer gal, so I’d probably do sneakers or lug soled boots.

Last but not least - this one is really similar to the other ones, but I just love how the accessories really make this outfit - the sunglasses, leather gloves, the gorgeous wool coat, and of course the bag! Honestly you can swap the jeans for the sweats you all loved from last week and it would look just as good. I do that at least once a week! :)

Dressing for real life doesn’t have mean boring or overly complicated. Sometimes all it takes is one piece that makes the whole outfit feel intentional - even on the coldest, grayest days.

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