K/R jackets, vest, sweater for my new life—heavy on the photos Update: keeping it all!

Hello Fabbers,
I am newly retired and beginning to decide what clothing items I will want/need for my new, more casual lifestyle. I pulled these items on over what I have on today. None of these will be styled with what I am currently wearing.
I have picked up a few toppers and I am in love with the pockets, zippers and other details. I need some help with color, fit, style suggestions. Please feel free to share your thoughts.
I have 14 days to return the vest and cargo jacket for a full refund. 30 days for store credit. The quilted jacket and sweater offer a 30 day return policy for either a refund or store credit. Time is on my side.

Photos 1-3 Ash Mustard cargo vest from Switch Hoods. This is a lightweight vest, not meant for warmth. I will likely wear it open as shown in photo two, with a jersey or lightweight turtleneck underneath. It comes with a mustard hood. Photo 3 shows a plaid hood I brought home to try with the vest and jacket.

Photos 4-6 Sterling Gray cargo jacket from Switch Hoods. This is the same lightweight fabric. it comes with a Sterling gray hood. I will wear it open or zipped, but with a cami underneath, sort of like a blouse. Again, I do not need or want this to combat the chill. I really want it for fall days that are still a bit warm, but I want my arms covered.
Photos 7-8 are a neutral quilted bomber jacket from Joie. This is a heavier weight and intended for those colds autumn days. This piece is outerwear. I have a medium weight sweater under it with plenty of room for a heftier one.
Photo 9 is a two tone stripe from Rachel Zoe. I love the softness of the sweater and would wear it alone or under other layers.
What are your thoughts? Keep? Return? Exchange for a different size?
Thank you for taking the time to look.

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4 years ago

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

LOVE THE CREAM BOMBER in #7 and #8! KILLER

LOVE the striped pullover in #9, and gorgeous with the bomber. KILLER

#1 is SUPER cute, and the plaid in #3 too! Do you need a size up on the mustard cargo vest? At least try the size up to compare.

#5 is FAB

Suz

Veteran

Oh, I'm totally in love with these cargo items -- so fun!! I am with Angie -- try a size up to compare. I like both colours on you and they seem like really cool additions for a retired lifestyle.

Bomber is super cute, too. As is the sweater!

Cardiff girl

The yellow vest is fun,it has a nautical vibe to me and l really like the cargo jacket,good colour and a very flattering cut.Would you find a longer length in thewarmer jacket more practical?I only ask as l have a warm jacket this length and whenever it’s cold enough to warrant wearing it l wish it covered more of me!But your climate is very different to mine so you will be the best judge of that.What fun to have something to plan a wardrobe change for though!

CocoLion

Love the cargo jacket in 4-6! Keep for sure. The yellow vest is fun but you need to make sure you can create great outfits with it, perhaps take a look at how many other yellow items you have in your wardrobe.

CarolS

How exciting to be embarking on a new lifestyle! Congratulations.

I love the mustard vest and the gray jacket -- whichever size feels right for you. The concept of switching hoods is new to me, but is very cute.

The bomber is adorable, but I have the same question as Cardiff girl about the length. Much depends on your weather and your own internal thermometer, of course, but I often want a warm jacket to cover my butt.

LOVE the sweater.

slim cat

I like the cheery yellow vest and the cargo jacket. The sweater is pretty and fits great.
The bomber is cute - would like to see darker top underneath ( or printed scarf ) and fuller bottoms like sweater skirt, wide leg pants ( or jeans ).

Mainelady

Thank you for your kind and helpful replies.

Angie, thank you for the Killer comments! Angie and Suz, I will try the next size for the vest and cargo jacket, just to compare. If not too roomy, I may size up. That would give me more options, if I want to wear heavier under layers.
CardiffGirl and Carol S, you raise a good question about the length of the bomber jacket. I’ll think on it. My first thought is that I won’t need to have any playground duties and that will change what I need to wear! Hahaha! I was thinking this would be a good choice, because other than a jean jacket, I really don’t have this length of outerwear represented in my closet. Most of my other fall coats are longer, to cover more and to keep me warmer.
CocoLion, yours is an excellent suggestion. I will do some flat lays to see what outfit options I have. I know I have 3 pairs of floral jeans that will look great, but the colors lean toward summer and I am hoping to nudge myself toward fall. I have plenty of solids that look great with he mustard. I need to take a look at prints and patterns in tops and scarves.

SlimCat, I agree. I like the color of the bomber, but it needs a boost of some color either under it, or up near my face. Oooh! I love the idea of a sweater skirt and wider legged pants. I tend to wear lots of slim fitting pants, tucked into tall, or chunky, boots in the fall. I am eager to try some different silhouettes!
At this point, I think the sweater and oatmeal colored bomber are keepers. I love the gray cargo, but am going to try the next size up, before deciding. The mustard vest is my favorite, but I need to try the next size and see how much I might actually get to wear it. Of all the pieces, the yellow is the least practical, due to the light weight…then again the pockets provide a huge boost for function and if I size up, chunkier sweaters could be worn underneath. The nautical vibe works very well for my New England style. I might wear the vest walking along the beach, but I would not wear it out on the water. I really love the cute factor…..it just makes me smile.
Thank you all for sharing your thoughts. I appreciate your feedback.

Anonymous

I like 4-6 most of these. Have to admit I'd like the bomber more with side rather than square pockets and just a little longer. Happy retirement

Jaime

You look fantastic in all of this. I do not see the fit issue with #1 but trust Angie and try a larger size. I love the bright yellow for you. Honestly I like it all - enabled and out!

Cee

Congratulations on your retirement, ML !

rachylou

I wore my Rachel Zoe pants yesterday. I like her stuff. The jackets look good - I was just wondering what the comfort level - good movement, good coverage? … admittedly, the bomber would be too short for me, I feel the drafts if jackets aren’t well below my waist…

Stagiaire Fash

You are so cute that it is hard to evaluate items fairly.

The vest could be instead of a bag. I don't know how much you usually carry, but surely keys, wallet, phone, and mask would all fit somewhere in those pockets.

Janet

ML, I’m late to this but all of these look super cute on you. I’d just make sure that you can layer underneath the vest/jacket as much as you will ever want to, and still be able to close them up. Happy retirement!

Bijou

I love all of them and think the fit looks great with what you are wearing. The items that really stand out to me are the yellow vest and the cream bomber - they are beautiful with your colouring.

Thank you all for your ideas, suggestions, questions and wisdom. I sized up on the mustard vest and am really happy I did. I have many items I could layer under the larger size. I am a huge fan of double hoodies and they fit great under the new size……haha now I have even more hood options for the Switch Hood vest!

Like StagiaireFash suggested, I can use the functional pockets instead of carrying a bag.

I am keeping the Sterling Gray cargo jacket and sweater just as they are. I snugged up the front patch pockets, the wrist openings and the hip area of the cream bomber and am super happy with the extra structure. Big wins to my eye and to the fit.

Thank you also for the warm wishes for my retirement. Summer just felt like summer, but as my family and friends all began to return to classrooms, I finally started to feel a difference. I didn’t know how stressed and tired I was until I didn’t have to be so stressed and tired.

It feels like a huge luxury to see how each day unfolds.

viva

I am in a family of educators - not me, but my husband is an assistant principal in Maine and my daughter is a teacher in New York City. I wish you the very best in your retirement! Your job is often thankless but oh so important. So thank you for all you have done.

I especially like that cargo vest! Glad you are keeping. I may get something like your bomber, although - as you know - the "season" for lightweight jackets is so, so short!

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