We are in the thick of the #winter10x10 now! I’m hosting this wardrobe remix challenge with my girl Lee of Style Bee and we’re using 10 pieces to create 10 outfits over 10 days. Curious? Interested? It’s not too late to join and you can get started in 15 minutes flat — details here.
Now, let’s get down to outfit four!
FIRST IMPRESSION
Like yesterday’s outfit, today’s has the cashmere dress as it’s foundation, but the look itself is completely different. In fact, I feel like a 2017 version of Kathleen Kelly in this outfit.
I’m not going to lie — I adore it.
I was twelve when You’ve Got Mail came out, and I wanted to BE Kathleen Kelly in the worst way. I’d sit in math class and daydream about the future when I could run my own book store, wear turtlenecks and jumpers, and have my own AOL account.
Ah, AOL. It was fun while it lasted.
WEATHER + DAILY ACTIVITIES
(New section alert! I’m sharing a little about the weather and my daily activities to give you a better understanding of why I chose this particular outfit today.)
Today actually feels like winter! It’ll be in the 40s, so I’ve got three layers going on — a base layer tee, my cashmere dress, and a swingy sweater on top that I can add or remove as necessary.
We also have a slight chance of rain, but these booties can get wet and be just fine.
Activities? It’s a typical day for me: gym time, working from home with my pup, and running a few errands if needed. This outfit works well on a day like today because:
- Dog hair brushes right off these faux leather leggings, yay.
- The whole ensemble is insanely comfortable and warm.
- Yet, it’s cute enough to get out and run errands if needed.
Tonight? Well, it may be Friday, but I’m feelin’ a chill night at home, so I’ll probably end up in PJs pretty early.
PIECE #4: SWING SWEATER
This is the first piece I’ve gotten from Hackwith Design House, and I’m over the moon about it — the shape, the color, the movement, and especially that it’s made responsibly in Minnesota.
FIT | The fit is boxy and cropped. It’s kind of like a poncho, which is excellent because it can be layered over other sweaters, like I’ve done here.
The beauty of this sweater is in the movement. If you try it on, while looking at yourself straight on in a mirror, you might feel like I felt at first — that it’s too square. But just remember, this sweater is dynamic. The ever-changing drape, the way it moves when you move — it’s like a living piece of art.
MATERIAL | The material is unique, a little fuzzy, and wildly textured as you can see in that last photo. It doesn’t shed, it doesn’t pill, but it is getting more texture-y the more I wear it, if that makes sense. As far as how it feels on skin, I might compare it to wearing a fine merino wool — a little itchy but not too bad. Usually I wear a super soft base layer underneath.
You can find this exact sweater here. Also, in the same color, here’s a tunic sweater with pockets and here’s a slouchy v-neck sweater.
STYLING NOTES
LAYERS FOR WARMTH | Since it’s chilly, I’ve got on a base layer, a cashmere dress, and a swing sweater on top. Safe to say, I’m nice and toasty.
TURTLENECK + COWL NECK | Have you ever tried layering a turtleneck with a cowl neck? I hadn’t, but it works, plus it adds even more warmth.
ROLLED CUFFS | Nothing groundbreaking here, but I gave my sweater sleeves a couple little rolls. Just a little finishing touch.
FITTED ON BOTTOM + VOLUME ON TOP | This is one of my favorite proportions. See the contrast? The leggings and the dress are fitted on bottom, highlighting the legs, while the swing sweater gives volume on top.
• • •
And there you have it!
I’d love to hear from you: When it comes to the #winter10x10, do you have any questions for me so far? Want to see anything specific covered in my IG Stories or in these 10×10 blog posts? Let me know in the comments below and I’ll do my best to answer ’em.
Have an excellent weekend, friends. I’ll see you Monday for outfit five — half way there! :)
xo,
• • •
Liked today’s outfit? You can shop it and support Unfancy at the same time by using these affiliate links:
01 | Swing sweater (made responsibly) | similar color | similar color for less
02 | Cashmere dress (old) | similar (in cashmere, $286) | similar (chunkier in a cotton blend, $89)
03 | Coated leggings (old) | similar | similar for less
04 | Cognac booties (old) | similar by TOMS | similar by Eileen Fisher | similar (made responsibly)
05 | Bag (old) | similar for less | similar (made in USA)
I already adored you, but your love for You’ve Got Mail just sealed the deal. And yes I LOVE this outfit – sassy and slightly boho Kathleen Kelly!
P.S. And 100% tried to style my whole wardrobe (*in high school* bahaha) to be just like Kathleen Kelly!
YES. I was in 8th or 9th grade when the movie came out and wanted to be Kathleen Kelly too. I watch it at least once a year and still admire her style (and that bookstore…all the feels).
Hands down fave so far girl!! We definitely both got the same colour memo :) Caramel and Black for the win!
Stories request: More STEVE! Not that your aren’t super cute too :P
Happy Friday! xo
Yes! Finally an outfit that actually does work for WINTER as the majority of this country would define it! Thank you. Although if you lived where your sweater was made, you’d either have on taller boots or socks that cover that little bare ankle! Otherwise, bravo, I lovely winter outfit. Thank you for the comments on proportion, too.
Hi Caroline!
I did the same today with a long sleeve sweater and I feel great! I have added a long necklace and there you go!
I think this look is cozy and styilish and I am planning to use it a lot this winter and also push the limit to other combinations similar to this.
I love everything about your outfit today!
Have a great weekend!
Agree with the above… fave outfit so far!
And yes, more doggo-cameos! How’s your more recently adopted pup?
Hey Maxie, thanks for asking about Margot — although a tough one to answer! She and Steve got into some terrible fights (one sending us to the pet ER) we realized it wasn’t in either of their best interests to keep them together. It was the worst! Broke our hearts. But the good news is that she’s already settled in a new home, safe and loved.
I’m sorry to hear that, Caroline. I know how hard that decision must have been, but you did the right thing for you and your family. I’m glad Margot found a new home, and I hope, once you are all healed, that you again try adding a new pup. The right canine will bring you all much joy. Keep us posted. :-)
Love this outfit, love the colours, and how cozy you look!
Hi Caroline, I really like the #winter10x10 challenge. I have a chance to get to now my style better. My wardrobe is full, when I have moved to Dallas from Poland in April the biggest baggage was my clothes. And I came to my mind that I do not need all that stuff, I can live without another pair of shoes, bags, jewelry, etc. And I always thought that black and white outfit is for people with no imagination…. and now I chose more black and white pieces for winter10x10 :) and one more thing: having less makes me more creative….. What with you winter coat you asked? Did you find the perfect one? Hugs form Dallas, Kasia
Hey Kasia! I ordered a cocoon coat from Aritzia, but I haven’t decided if I’m keeping it yet. I originally wanted more of a parka, but this one is so darn pretty (and warm), we’ll have to see if I end up keeping it. :)
Really like the notes on what weather you’re getting, what you’re doing, and such – offers nice context for your choices. Also love the texture on this sweater! Looks special but comforting…and not too *precious*.
So fun hopping between your and Lee’s daily posts this week! I’d love to see you two do more together in the future!
I am wowed by your ability to pull of such a cool color, and I also wanted to compliment you on your wonderful taste in movies. Can’t wait to see what’s next for your 10×10 challenge!
-Emily
http://www.emilyseye.com
I love the shape and color of this! Even though it’s a similar shape and color to your other swing top, the texture of the fabric gives it a totally different vibe.
My third outfit had the same colors, and most of the same pieces, but I really felt the fit changed the feeling. https://lesslessyes.wordpress.com/2017/01/12/winter-10×10-outfit-3/
So far, I have only used 5 or 6 pieces total. I wonder if I’ll even use the full 10!
It’s 26 degrees in Chicago and I am working from home all day and will not be going out. I am wearing a fleece pullover and pants over long underwear and none of these items count, because I would never wear them out. Tomorrow I have a vet appointment, manicure, attending an open house for a new condo and dinner out at a Dutch-Indonesian restaurant with another couple, so I’ll dress cute then. :)
Love this!
You look amazing! I’m so excited each day to look at this challenge. Love how everything is pulled together, especially the leggings, dressy, but casual for daily errands, color combo. Now I need a pair of pleather leggings. Love your style?
Kathleen Kelly…yessss! I’m right there with you! And I love the mustard; it’s one of my favorites. I love mustard and other earth tones like olive too plus navy, maroon and tans. Perfect. I only got olive into my 10×10 though
I love love love your focus on practicality as well as style – beautiful AND functional is always where I trip up!
Somewhat unrelated, but I notice that your wardrobe for a particular season looks quite different from year to year, whereas I add/remove at most a couple pieces. Do you buy a new “capsule” set each year, and if so how do you find the funds?
Hey Trish! Oh no, I certainly don’t buy a new capsule every year — some of my pieces are years old and get rotated in and out of storage. I do buy a few new pieces each season to freshen things up and keep the capsule modern, but I try to be really intentional with anything I decide to buy. The items that I do purchase, I’m hoping will last a long time! Hope that gives you some insight. :)
You look fantastic, such style! Love the swingy sweater. Your weather, though. 80 to 40s in the space of days. Oof. That is nuts. I guess it makes for mad capsule wardrobe skills! ;)
Oh P.S. any hot tips on how you get the dog fur off? I’ve got a gorgeous golden retriever whose fur is… somewhat less lovely on my black clothing. I should invest in lint roller stock, I go through it so fast.
Hey Ann, yes — I would say that a lint roller is your best bet :)
Love this outfit! Question for you: how do you keep finding these cool “made in USA/sustainably made/slow fashion” brands (i.e. Hackworth Design House)? I feel like every time I read your blog, there’s a new one that you mention. Which is way cool!
Hey Emily! Thanks. It’s not always easy, but I do dedicate a lot of time to the blog and that includes researching and sharing my findings with you all! :)
I must say I’m very shocked by the negative commentary on if an outfit is wintery enough or not. I live in Dallas, Texas and have had to dress for temps ranging from 15 degrees to 78 degrees over the past seven days — I promise that is not an exaggeration. It might not be ideal, but it certainly is reality.
Caroline, I think your 10×10 outfits are excellently demonstrating how a pared down wardrobe can still accommodate crazy weather swings. Thank you for being authentic and showing what you’re actually wearing instead of a wishful-thinking winter outfit. I really like that you and Lee have joined together on this 10×10 challenge. We are able to see how two different people, with different wardrobes, different style aesthetics, and different climates make 10 pieces of clothing work for 10 days. Keep it up!
Thanks for the support, Stephanie! :)
I just saw your recording on instagram, and you are adorable! I would love to see more of what you do on video.
Caroline! It’s so funny you mentioned Kathleen Kelly because when I started following your blog over a year ago, I had an aha moment. I realized as I was curating my capsule wardrobe that the reason why Kathleen Kelly’s wardrobe is so appealing is that, although she doesn’t wear anything particularly “on-trend” or colorful, her wardrobe is pared down to a small number of well-tailored basics that all look great on her — basically a capsule wardrobe!
She wasn’t buying a large number of clothes, but she was buying high-quality.
On another note, I’m following along with the 10×10 for the first time, and am loving it. It feels like a vacation because I get to wear all my favorite clothes only, and I hardly have to think about what I’m going to wear each day.
Digging these new saturated neutrals you’ve been adding to your wardrobe!
Really enjoying this 10X10 series, Caroline. THANK YOU!! I, too, am a huge fan of all of the Nora Ephron/Meg Ryan movies– You’ve Got Mail is probably my favorite!. But listen, I really want to thank you for including links to all of your features, and if they’re old, to similar ones and/or more affordable ones. I can only imagine how time-consuming it must be to do this!! I really, REALLY appreciate it! Recently I decided to invest in a small, black handbag but I just couldn’t pull the trigger on the Marc Jacobs (though I really do love it!) We are raising a family and I just can’t justify that kind of expense for an accessory. I remembered, however, you had linked to one by Fossil a while back so I looked it up in your archives and low and behold, it was still available and ON SALE!! Yahoo! It arrived today and is beautiful– just what I was looking for. THANK YOU so very much!! This is the kind of thing that keeps me coming back– I love the inspiration but I also love a chance to implement the inspiration in my life in a way that fits in my budget. We hard-working Mamas like to be stylish too! :) Here’s the link, for anyone else who might also be interested:
https://www.fossil.com/us/en/products/preston-small-flap-sku-ZB5873206C.html?rrec=true&recid=department2_rr–ZB5873206C-1226-1
Yay, Annie! That’s so exciting. What a steal! Glad you found something you love, and thanks for sharing with us. :)
I love how you layered the swing sweater over the dress! Loose, cropped sweater layered over more fitted (/straight-falling) skirts/dresses is one of my favorite silhouettes, but I’m not really able to make outfits like that out of what I own already…perhaps things to add to my never-ending wishlist. :) Hope you’re staying cozy!
I love your blog and you always look wonderful, but your style is definitely not my style. With this 10×10 remix, though, I’m seeing outfits that I actually would love for myself. In fact, I wish I had the pieces to put together yesterday’s and today’s outfit right now. So cute!
Genuine merino wool, particularly super fine stuff, shouldn’t be scratchy. It makes me wonder whether the stuff you’ve experienced in the past is either a wool mix or a lower grade wool fibre. I’ve checked out the fabric content of this jumper of yours and most of it is acrylic, which is why it’s scratchy. Acrylic also doesn’t breathe well, which is why you feel so toasty with it on too.
I’m so excited that weather and activities section was added, it makes it easy to match the outfit and occasion. I’m tempted to join you all but restrict it to work days (say Mon-Fri for the next two weeks)…. I’ll decide Sunday evening :)
Loving this–opened an instagram account so I could follow the winter10x10 challenge although I haven’t posted yet! I purchased the top shop side zip sweater and the Madewell flannel last month because I adored that outfit on you, and as I included both in the challenge I am having fun figuring out how to style them–esp fun and challenging is the flannel because it is such a bold piece and not my typical style. Unrelated question–I adore your blog and while I occasionally see something on your instagram about home decor, I am wondering if you have a favorite blogger or two in that area–someone who has your philosophy and personal style and applies it to the home rather than fashion. Thanks!
Hey Emily! Yes, my favorite home decor bloggers are Emily Henderson and Sarah Sherman Samuel. :)
Love the mix of textures in this outfit as in the leather leggings paired with the textured sweater. Happy to see that your still love your leather leggings too :)
Love, love, love this outfit, Caroline. It suits you beautifully. Cheers, Ardith
That looks great, Caroline! My favorite outfit yet! Love the color and the fuzzy loose sweater…love the cognac booties…smart smart smart pairing leggings with the short dress. Super fun look!
I just dropped down to 9 items in my 10 X 10!!! I’m letting one piece go, permanently…on to greener pastures.
I’m excited that the 10 X 10 challenge has offered me some clarity on my personal style–and you were right!!!
Holly J
http://closetmatters.blogspot.com
That’s so awesome to hear, Holly! Glad you’re embracing the challenge. :)
you look adorable in your sweater; it is a beautiful sweater. I also wear a layer under my sweater for comfort. letsdolifestyle.com
hi!
Love your blog – it has completely changed my way about how I think about clothes and I’m so much happier with less! I had to run an errand at the mall today and walked out with nothing because I know I ultimately want to save up for some quality pieces. The old me would’ve bought 5 cheap/disposable tops when making my return.
I think it would be awesome to hear more about your hair regimen– from cut and color to maintenance and styling – I love the casual/care free waves you always seem to pull off :)
Hey Carter! The most recent post about my hair/beauty routine can be found here: http://bit.ly/2bZaqy2 Might have to update it again soon. :)
Hi Caroline! This is by far my most favorite outfit from your 10×10 challange. It’s comfortable AND stylish. The layering and color matching looks perfect. I love that you picked up the sweater’s color with your shoes!
Great that you discovered layering a turtleneck with a cowl neck. It’s one of my favorite outfit formulas in winter, too.