I’m not embarrassed to say that I thoroughly enjoyed the Twilight series of movies (I didn’t read the books). So a few weeks ago Greg, Rosie and I took a little road trip to Forks and the surrounding area, which is where the Twilight stories were set and is about four hours drive from Seattle. We had a ball! 

While there I wore this woodsy outfit, which feels to me like a combination of the styles of the main Twilight protagonists, Bella Swan and Edward Cullen. We had every intention of shooting the outfit in the Hoh rainforest near Forks, but the rainforest was true to its name and it was just too wet. So we ended up taking these photos back home in our own woodsy arboretum, minutes away from where we live. The sun unexpectedly came out to greet us, which was extra fab.

I am following my own outfit formula for bundling up for a woodsy walk. I wore a flannel shirt Bella-style, which I realize after our discussions about casual plaid shirts last week, is not everyone’s cup of tea. But I fell in love with casual plaid shirts all over again and with J.Crew’s ivory tartan shirt in particular. It’s super soft and very cozy. I like to wear it buttoned to the top with a popped collar and scrunched sleeves. I also prefer a boxy torso fit because the effect is “more boyish”. 

I’m wearing my slouchy skinnies because I prefer that silhouette tucked into mid-calf boots these days. The roominess of the proportions looks and feels refreshing to my eye. From now on, no more purchasing of tight skinnies. I’ll happily continue wearing the ones I already have, but will only purchase slouchier looks.

It’s far too cold to walk around in just a flannel shirt at the moment so I had to pack on the layers. I hinted that I wanted that classic navy and cream striped turtleneck from J.Crew. Well, I got it and couldn’t be happier with it. I often wear it on its own, layered under a jacket or coat. And it’s also fun to wear over a plaid shirt for a pattern mixed effect when the cuffs and hem peek through. The elbow patches are playful and the wool blend is itch-free.

Although I’m no longer into the rugged boots vibe for my own style, I love the few pairs I have, like my 20 eyelet Dr. Martens and these shorter brown Donald Pliner biker boots. You saw them worn with an equestrian jacket and tighter skinnies last year. They are warm, weatherproof, very comfortable and perfect for muddy, wet, slushy weather. An absolute must when you live in Seattle. 

I’ve had an ink blue wool coat on my shopping list for years. It had to be knee-length and double-breasted, with shiny buttons and a military integrity. In other words, quite androgynous. I was not prepared to compromise on this styling requirement because I needed the vibe to be classic enough so that it could be worn with just about anything. After all, mixing up timeless classics with on trend items is the foundation of my style. I eventually found exactly what I was looking for at yoox for a steal. 

Greg calls this my Edward Cullen coat, and quite right, it does remind me of the character’s style in the Twilight movies. I like this coat best worn open because the double breasted fronts hang in an interesting way. It’s pretty lightweight, which suits me fine because I already have an assortment of warmer wool coats. 

I didn’t need a scarf because I was wearing thermal undies and a turtleneck. And actually, I like the more minimal look of no-scarf. Unfortunately I forgot my black leather gloves, which would have been most welcome (it’s no coincidence that my hands are in my pockets in most of the photos). Specs, watch and wedding ring are all I need in the accessory department. No bag required for this woodsy walk. 

This outfit went from looking like I was wearing a pajama top with jeans, to a cuddly look with the layered sweater, to a tailored and strict vibe with the coat. The only girly part of the look is my blush lipstick. In fact most of the pieces in this ensemble look like they might have been bought in the menswear department. Yet I feel feminine wearing this outfit because it’s still girly me underneath the clothes.