remembering the holidays: christmas
it’s holiday memory week over here on the blog. you all really seemed to love Kelly’s Thanksgiving holiday memory. and we got a lot of requests for tutorials on how to make tamales. we just might have to feature them on fridays with oscar sometime in the near future. today, my oldest son will be sharing his favorite Christmas holiday memories, and i’m giving you the first taste of winter over here on the blog.
outfit of the day
i’ve got a warm and cozy fall outfit that i’m going to transform into a winter one. to start off, i’ve paired a J.Crew mockneck sweater with an Everlane denim pencil skirt. i’ve pulled out my knee-high boots for the first time this fall. what a statement piece. am i right ladies? and if you’re looking for fall or winter shoe suggestions, make sure to check out the list below.
J.Crew mockneck sweater | Anthropologie wool sweater coat | Everlane denim pencil skirt | leather belt | boots | Talbots hobo bag
skirt and boots
as you all know, i’m big on skirts. and with skirts, it always comes down to what you pair them with. you can’t go wrong matching these knee-highs with this Everlane denim pencil skirt. and if you want more advice on dos and donts with skirts, make sure to check out my latest friday fives.
J.Crew mockneck sweater | Anthropologie wool sweater coat | Everlane denim pencil skirt | leather belt | boots | Talbots hobo bag
Christmas holiday memories
guest post by Alex
“I remember clearly Christmas when I was in sixth grade. So that puts me about 12 years old, and my two brothers 8 and 5. You have to understand that, at the time, my dad (mr. style) had gone out on his own professionally. So, money was tight to a certain extent.
Not that any of us knew. That’s the thing: “God always provides,” my parents used to say. And He did. (And he does.) To my 12-year-old mind, we were the richest family in the world: the year prior, we had moved into a mid-century farmhouse on a few acres. A real fixer upper in retrospect, but imagine being 12 years old and being able to run around for what seems like miles and miles—in your own backyard. I’ll never forget it.
But back to that Christmas. All three of us—my brothers and I—got sick with the flu. We were totally bedridden the entire winter break: Christmas straight through New Years. But here’s something I’ll never forget. Remember now—and unbeknownst to my brothers and I—money was tight that year. But all year we had begged and begged for Starter jackets.
I wanted a University of North Carolina one. (why? God only knows. I have no connection to the school.). My middle brother wanted a Dallas Cowboy one, and I *think* junior style wanted a Forty Niners one. All midwest mother’s raising boys in the late 90s/early 2000s will remember Starter jackets. And it’s worth pointing out, they’re not cheap. Especially for three boys, all of which will outgrow them by the following year.
But that Christmas morning, the starter jackets were there under the tree. My parents had listened and provided, even when it was probably hard for them to justify the economics.
Where the jacket is today, I have no idea. But when you throw together the flu, a winter wonderland, a powder blue UNC jacket, and a family that loves and cares—-there’s a memory I’ll never forget.”
winter preview
it’s hard to believe, but winter is right around the corner. here in Athens, we’ve got a freeze warning out today. feels like almost yesterday, we were facing 90 degrees. (probably because it was!) how cute is this Anthropologie wool sweater coat? the red color pop on the sleeves just makes this coat and pairs quite nicely with my Talbots hobo bag. so easy to turn a fall outfit into a winter one when you have the right outerwear.
J.Crew mockneck sweater | Anthropologie wool sweater coat | Everlane denim pencil skirt | leather belt | boots | Talbots hobo bag
in case you missed it
all week on the blog, we’re sharing our favorite holiday memories. yesterday, my daughter-in-law, Kelly, shared her favorite Thanksgiving holiday memories. today, my oldest son shared his Christmas holiday memories. and stay tuned tomorrow for my favorite New Year’s one.
for those of you following my YouTube channel, you may have noticed we’re no longer publishing a daily fashion flash. instead, we’re aggregating them into one, single video and demoing them on Wednesday. below, you’ll see last week’s. and tomorrow, we’ll have an all new one for you. don’t miss it.
Oh how I loved Alex memory! And what we keep in our minds as kids those will be the best of memories. Thank you Alex for sharing🎄. Love the coat Beth.
I too had forgotten about Starter jackets! Just like Alex my sons had no idea why they chose the teams they picked. I smiled when I read the post, it brought back such great memories.
For tamale lovers out there…..making tamales is a day-long process at the least. May I suggest ordering from Delia’s in Edinburg, Texas? Fabulous tamales! They are the gold standard for tamales in south Texas. Delia’s has multiple locations and expanded out of the Rio Grande Valley up to San Antonio due to demand. I have NO connection to Delia’s other than being a south Texan who has been on a tamale run to Edinburg!
Hi Beth, loving the outfits. I have a pair of boots like the ones you are wearing, in fact I’m meeting a couple of the ladies I used to work with tonight, we are going for a curry and because it’s raining and cold I’m putting my boots on, and I’m pairing it with a denim skirt too. Xoxo
Thank you for guiding us through the style process. It’s raining all day today so I’m tackling my closets and getting rid of 1/2 of my closet.
Loved the Christmas memory and I liked your son immediately for wanting a UNC jacket. Go Heels!
I too have 3 boys. I had forgotten about Starter jackets. They were under the tree one year for our sons too. A stretch for us at the time but worth the smiles on Christmas morning. Love your outfit. I’m a fan of sweater coats!
Another lovely holiday memory. I think we do tend to remember most moments with family. Somehow, we always try to pull through for one another, right? A few years’ Christmas presents might stand out in memories, but mostly, I remember family interactions and celebrating that time together, surrounded by grandparents and sibs and parents. Priceless…
Alex, I loved your post today about your Christmas memory. I bet your mother did too!
When I was a kid I came down with measles one Christmas. AFTER I got a very painful measles shot. That Christmas my parents gave me a brand new bicycle with a real cool banana seat (remember those?). Anyways I had to stay in bed while my little sister got to ride hers all over the neighborhood.
Both “Remembering the holidays” are just wonderful! (And so is that coat) Thank you for sharing.
I’m loving the nostalgic posts from your loved ones, Beth! I am a child of the 80’s and a teenager of the 90’s. I remember the Starter brand well. I was a bit of a tomboy and wore my Phoenix Suns jacket everywhere. Like you with your UNC jacket, Alex, I had no allegiance to the Suns team and am from Texas! (Go Spurs go!) Perhaps it was a jacket that had been on special and my mom took the opportunity to buy it for me. Money could be tight around my home at times, too, though we 4 kids never really knew it, either. Thanks for unlocking some good memories for me! And by the way, looking stunning as ever, Miss Beth. The beautiful coat becomes you!
I remember Starter Jackets! Bought my 2 boys one for Christmas about that same time. They were so excited.
I loved reading the Christmas memory from your oldest son. He talked about her and his brothers wanting Starter jackets. Instant flashback to our son wanting a Starter jacket from University of Michigan. I remembered where we bought it. Saw him trying it on and hoping he’d grow into it eventually. Thanks for reminding me of such a happy time.
Thank you all for the memories! Love walking down memory lane with your family! Starter jackets were under our tree too when our sons and daughters were in grade school! Love the fashion looks in the last few blogs! You brighten my day, Beth! I wish you the best as you face the holidays without Mr. Style, although he is in your hearts!
Your guide is very meaningful. Also, I’m a fan of knee-high boots. Certainly, I will mix it with a long skirt for Christmas.
The fashion rule I always break is wearing shorts. I’m 62 and still wear shorts. I started noticing that most of my friends have quit wearing them (and most of my friends are 5-10 years younger than me!). No, my legs aren’t what they once were but they’re the legs God gave me. I refuse to confine myself to long pants in summer just because of my age. I’ve noticed, though, that this isn’t as common in Florida as the midwest. I guess midwesterners are more inclined to follow the “rules”?