Outfit formula: Sweatshirt Chic

We talked about sweatshirts and hoodies earlier in the week, and there were lots of fans. I’m a fan too. Today it’s on to some easy sweatshirt and hoody outfits that will see you through many casual settings in comfort and style. You might find them just right for working and staying at home. 

To keep it very simple, these sweatshirt outfits are all combined with denim bottoms.

1. Pastels with White Jeans

Pastels look good with white because there’s a lot of white in a shade of pastel. So combine any shade of pastel with white jeans, and chances are high it will work. Finish things off with white or brown footwear and bag. Dressy boots were chosen with this outfit but feel free to keep the shoes casual.

REMAIN BIRGER CHRISTENSEN Rimini Gathered Cotton-jersey Sweatshirt

2. Earth Tones with Animal Print

Here, an earthy sweatshirt and snakeskin sneakers sandwich a pair of trendy wide crop blue jeans. The short boxy sweatshirt creates just enough structure by lengthening the leg line from the hips upward, and showcasing a tailored hip fit. The result is smashingly trendy, super easy, and very comfortable.

Eloquii Button Sleeve High-Low Sweatshirt

3. Rock ’n’ Roll

This version is for Team Hard Edge. Combine a black slogan hoody with a pair of black or grey jeans. Layer a black blazer, black jacket, leather blazer, or moto over the top, and pull out the hood so that it’s visible over the jacket. Finish things off with stompy black boots and bag. I like the texture of the grey jeans and the splash of red, which effectively breaks up the mass of black.

BLOUSE No Romance Printed Organic Cotton-blend-Jersey Hoodie

4. Skirted Combat

And last, a version for those who prefer to wear denim skirts. Choose any colour palette. Combine the skirt with a welted, or short and boxy sweatshirt or hoody, and finish off the look with casual boots. Sneakers, hi-tops, oxfords and loafers could work too. Add jewellery, bag, and watch as desired.

KENZO Embroidered Cotton-jersey Sweatshirt

Fab Find: Slip Sleep Mask

Some of of my clients and friends swear by the slip sleep mask to help them fall asleep at night. It’s especially effective when light keeps you awake at home, or when you travel. The soft, silky fabric is comforting so once it’s on, your brain equates it with rest, relaxation and sleep. I’ve seen people wear them at the end of a restorative yoga class too. You can buy it with a scented lavender and chamomile room mist that is supposed to create a calm environment for sleeping, but I don’t know how effective that really is.

Apparently the slip sleep mask fits most head and face shapes. I haven’t tried it yet, but with my very small head I haven’t yet found a mask that fits. That said, this one looks quite alterable and I’m going to try it because I do have trouble falling sleeping in our loft in Salt Lake City. There is a very bright street lamp right outside our gigantic window that we have no control over. It shines into our open loft space and keeps things bright all night. Hopefully this will help.

Over to you. Do you wear a sleep mask? If so, which one do you use?

Sweatshirts and Hoodies: Yay or Nay

Sweatshirts and hoodies have been around for as long as I can remember. They are the most common item of clothing on children, teens, and young adults in their twenties in my neck of the woods. Older adults wear them too, and in all sorts of settings. 

For me, sweatshirts and hoodies fall into three distinct groups:

  1. Basics: when they are worn as loungewear, pyjamas, and for working out.
  2. Affiliation: when they are worn leisurely or for events to communicate which sports team or university you support.
  3. Fashion: when they are incorporated into trendy seasonal looks to make a stylish statement.

This collection showcases a few FASHION sweatshirts and hoodies,

Mango
Cotton Sweatshirt
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Top Pick
4
Mango
Studded Sweatshirt
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Top Pick
2
J.Crew
Shrunken hoodie
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Top Pick
5
Boden
The Sweatshirt
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Top Pick
1
Boden
Jersey Lounge Hoodie
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Top Pick
5
Boden
Jersey Lounge Hoodie
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Top Pick
4
Boden
The Sweatshirt
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Top Pick
2
Boden
Jersey Lounge Hoodie
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Top Pick
6
Zappos
Joules JoulesMayston
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Top Pick
2
Zappos
Joules JoulesMayston
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Top Pick
2
Boden
The Sweatshirt
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Top Pick
3
Boden
The Sweatshirt
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Top Pick
1
Boden
The Sweatshirt
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Top Pick
1

The only person I know who doesn’t wear a sweatshirt or hoody is my sweet 88-year-old Papa who lives in the Netherlands. He sticks to knitwear for warmth, and wears a robe over pyjamas for lounging. Other than that, everyone I know wears sweatshirts and hoodies at some point, even if it’s just for sports events, team-building events, camping, lounging at home, or to nostalgically showcase the university they attended.

I love sweatshirts and hoodies and vote with a great big YAY. I wore them in neon colours in the ‘80s with gigantic shoulder pads and scrunched sleeves as a fashion statement. I wore them more casually in the ‘90s over the weekends, but never to work because of business dress codes. I’ve always lounged in some type of sweatshirt or hoody. Sometimes they were Greg’s sweatshirts, but for the most part they were mine.

I have all groups of sweatshirts and hoodies covered. I wear basics like an Adidas and Simple Minds hoody for lounging, or walking to and from yoga practice. I wear a Seattle Seahawks hoody for sports events, although it comes out for lounging. And I have some fun fashion sweatshirts and hoodies. The exact items from my wardrobe are shown in the collection. I’m wearing the sweatshirts in these outfits.

I’m not a T-shirt wearer, but I like a good fashion sweatshirt or hoody because it’s more substantial. Or possibly because it brings back fab fashion memories of the ‘80s. I like wearing them casually with jeans or pants when I travel, work from home, or run errands. I also like incorporating them into outfits with dressier pieces when I work with clients. I always wear them with my pearls to amp up the glitz. I hope to add more fashion sweatshirts to my wardrobe this year because they’re comfortable, versatile, and do a great job of dressing down a more formal piece.

Over to you. When and how do you wear sweatshirts and hoodies, or are you a naysayer? Have you been wearing them more regularly as we shelter and isolate in our homes?

Roundups

Simpler Items

This week's list of top picks list is about basic pieces.

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Assorted Items

Items for Summer, both in and out of air conditioning.

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Casual Summer Vibes

This week's top picks are good for a casual Summer vibe.

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Summery Earth Tones

These items are for those who like to wear casual earth tones in warm and hot weather.

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Hints of Spring

Some tried-and-tested winning items to refresh your style for Spring.

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Dressier Items

An assortment of dressier top picks might be just what the doctor ordered.

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Sassy Summer Shorts with a Pup

A new outfit from Psyche Southwell of Economy of Style, whom we introduced to YLF in July 2015.

This dressy Bermuda shorts meets Maritime Casual outfit is fun inspiration for Summer, when we can hopefully be more out and about again. Psyche has tucked a black and white striped tee into tailored black Bermuda shorts. A black, dressy hip-length gilet is the third piece that creates streamlined structure. The striped tee dresses down the look and adds a breezy classic touch. Combining the dressy bottoms and topper with white platform sneakers also casualizes the look. The rope soles on the platform sneakers cleverly bookend the sassy straw fedora. Both have a laid-back Summer vibe which creates a fab juxtaposition with the dressier items of the outfit. Psyche finishes off the look with bold earrings, a logo baguette bag and bright red lipstick. And isn’t her sweet doggy the perfect pick-me-up. It’s super cute that Nevis’ lead matches Psyche’s lipstick!

Psyche Southwell - 1

Psyche Southwell - 2

DIY Haircut, Anyone?

I have short hair that needs a professional cut and foil every six weeks. My hair is easy to style until week five. By week six it looks unkempt, out of shape, and I am very ready for a cut and highlight refresh. 

It’s been nine weeks since my last cut and foil because of COVID-19 shutdowns. The colour looks fine because I’m a natural blonde. The regrowth of my roots is subtle and not that noticeable. I do not have grey hair yet. But my short asymmetrical haircut looks out of shape, and is getting difficult to style. My next cut is in four weeks, if salons are even open by then.

So I asked hubs Greg to cut my hair.

We do not have hair-cutting tools at home. But Greg has a pair of beard clippers, so that’s what we used. I asked Greg to trim the darker bottom back bit so that it looks less straggly. He did not touch the top lighter portion of my hair at all. He also took a regular razor to trim the edges and fluffy bits. The result isn’t bad at all!

DIY Haircut

DIY Haircut

It’s AMAZING how much better I feel about my hair just by neatening up the bottom part. It has successfully taken the edge off. Hopefully by mid May I can have a professional cut and foil again. In the meantime Greg was blessed with the best hair. It grows into a stylish longer look with ease. He continues to trim his beard to look neat and well-groomed. Yorkie Sam is sporting the hippy woolly sheep look, and is as adorable as can be.

Over to you. With salons shut down, how are you handling your growing hair? Are you also on Team DIY Trim? If you colour your hair, how are you managing the regrowth of your natural colour?