The post sponsored by Nordstrom and ShopStyle Collective

Winter and sweaters go together like ham and eggs. (And you thought it was peanut butter and jelly; or peas and carrots.) Lately, I’ve been getting a lot of questions about easy-to-pull-together style uniforms ready at a moment’s notice to head out the door. Nothing is better to slip into than a cashmere sweater during the cold and dreary winter months. Unless it’s an oversize cashmere sweater. It’s cozy and comfy and keeps the winter chill at bay.

Easy-to-pull-together style uniforms

One reason I love Nordstrom, besides their in-house brand Nordstrom Made, is that they’ve got one-stop shopping from a variety of brands. Last year, I picked up a pair of Spanx black pants (limited sizes, check out this pair of black pants from Open Edit) that are on style repeat all winter long. Seriously, every woman should own at least one pair due to their flattering yet comfortable fit. That’s Spanx for you! Recently, I purchased this funnel neck cashmere sweater in a neutral color from the Nordstrom Signature Collection. It’s a match made in heaven! Two brands, one retailer. It doesn’t get easier than that.

pants | sweater | coat | similar boots | sunglasses | earrings | bangle | watchband

Nordstrom Made brands like Halogen, Caslon, and Zella are oh-so affordable and carry an extensive lineup of activewear, sweaters, pants, and shoes. But when I’m looking for timeless classics that are the backbone of my wardrobe, I head to Nordstrom Signature, which epitomizes sophisticated luxury.

Leopard coat

While I was online shopping at Nordstrom, I decided to check out leopard coats. This is one animal print that never gets old. Am I right?! Much to my delight, I spied this leopard print coat (limited sizes, similar here and here) with a timeless appeal that goes perfectly with my style uniform of a sweater and black pants.

Besides shopping for clothes, I also love to add a pair of sunnies to my collection now and again. These Givenchy sunglasses available at Nordstrom are currently on sale. In the shopping cart, they went  One-stop shopping, which is convenient but can be dangerous. Well, it’s hazardous to my Nordstrom card statement…

pants | sweater | coat | similar boots | sunglasses | earrings | bangle | watchband

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Nordstrom

These are a few of my favorite things about Nordstrom.

• free shipping and returns by mail or in-store
• buy online pick up in store
• curbside pick up (no muss, no fuss  Nordstrom brings your merchandise to you while you wait in your car)
• the Nordy club earns 1 point per dollar, status based on spend, and enjoys perks to beauty and style workshops, curbside pickup, and the first to shop select brands.

pants | sweater | coat | similar boots | sunglasses | earrings | bangle | watchband

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A big thank you to Nordstrom and ShopStyle Collective for this sponsored post. And thank you, lovely readers, for supporting the brands that allow me to bring you fresh ideas.

In case you missed it

If you’re looking to upgrade your winter wardrobe, make sure to check out the Backcountry post and save 15% on your order with code BETH15.

the name of the game this week is mixing styles and fashion flexibility.  yesterday, i featured lightweight summer cargo pants from Talbots that are easy and breezy to wear. today,  i’m featuring another pair of cargo pants this time from Banana Republic.  in this day and age, we want to get the most out of our wardrobe, and mixing styles is a great way to do it. 

mixing styles and fashion flexibility with banana republic

way back in the 1990s and 2000s Banana Republic was the IT brand that always had the coolest and chicest items on hand. but somewhere along the line, they lost their footing and their focus and veered away from classic items with a twist. that’s when J.Crew stepped in with Jenna Lyons at the helm and wonder-boy CEO Mickey Drexler guiding her behind the scenes. for over a decade J.Crew could do no wrong and was regularly worn by the likes of First Lady Michelle Obama or the Duchess of Cambridge. one thing to remember from Jenna Lyons’s tenure at J.Crew was how adept she was at mixing styles. it became hip to wear sequins for day and a jean jacket for the evening. the concept flipped traditional style rules on their head and we’ve been going strong ever since. in all fairness, Sharon Stone led the way in 1998 when she donned that gorgeous Vera Wang lilac satin skirt and crisp white button-down from Gap for an outing to the Academy Awards. 

pants | similar top | sandals | denim jacket | similar handbag | similar bracelets | earrings

cargo pants revisited 

so in keeping with mixing styles, i decided to start with satin cargo pants and pair it with a simple leopard top (similar here and here). both are from Banana Republic.  the top was purchased this past weekend at a Banana Republic store but i couldn’t find it online. not to worry as Banana has lots and lots of leopard tops to choose from. the pants are dressy without going over the top and can easily be dressed down for day. sizing on the pants run tight around the waist so consider sizing up. i am wearing my typical size 8 and they just fit. 

pants | similar top | sandals | denim jacket | similar handbag | similar bracelets | earrings

can you believe Georgia started off Tuesday with temps in the low sixties? it was glorious. those are the days when a jacket is required. so why not choose a white denim jacket? it’s a great alternative to the traditional jean jacket.

 you would think as much as i love animal print, i would’ve featured it more this summer.  well, i’m correcting that “wrong” today and showcasing one of my favorite tunics so far this summer.  we’re also revealing our next top summer blockbuster, so stay tuned for that.  but first,  let’s talk  how to wear animal print this summer.

how to wear animal print this summer

we preach it all the time here on the blog:  animal print is a neutral that can be paired with other neutrals for great visual effect.  today, i pulled together this sleeveless animal print tunic and these slim ankle pants.  they’re both from Chicos. (i’m loving their summer line this year!)  animal print is fun.  it’s exciting.  and it puts a little pep in my step.  if you’re looking for a little mid-week pick-me-up, then add some  to your wardrobe.  

animal print tunic | slim ankle pant | bracelet set | similar sandals | similar sandals 2 | bucket bag | similar bag

a tunic & white pants

animal print pairs well with any neutral base.  for my base, i’m sticking with white, as i’ve done much of this summer.  (but if white isn’t your color, try anything from an olive green to black.) this slim ankle pants from Chicos are crisp and comfortable.  i’ve gotten a lot of use out them already this season—they’ve become a real go-to.  in fact, it’s hard to imagine what they won’t pair perfectly with.  they certainly go great with this bucket bag, one of my favorite accessories this year.  

animal print tunic | slim ankle pant | bracelet set | similar sandals | similar sandals 2 | bucket bag | similar bag

summer blockbuster:  jurassic park

we’re continuing on with our favorite summer blockbusters today.  in case you missed it, yesterday i chose Jaws.  my oldest son picked today’s, and he’s going with Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park.  

based on Michael Crichton’s novel, it’s hard to think of a “bigger” movie than Jurassic Park.  to see full-scale, fully animated dinosaurs on the silver screen in the summer of 1993—there was nothing quite like it.  i think it took all of our collective breaths away.  the sheer spectacle of it puts the movie in a class of its own, rivaled only by movies like Star Wars.  mr. style took my son to see a late showing of it—a real privilege for a then third-grader.  my oldest loved the movie so much that he had a Jurassic Park themed birthday party that year.  it was his first real experience with a summer blockbuster, and that’s why it topped his list.   

animal print tunic | slim ankle pant | bracelet set | similar sandals | similar sandals 2 | bucket bag | similar bag

what’s one thing you’ve always wanted to do but just haven’t gotten around to do it yet?  is it a trip you’ve always wanted to take?  a car you’ve always wanted to buy?  a restaurant you’ve always wanted to patron?  a career change you’ve always wanted to make?  this week has been all about taking chances over here on the blog.  so let’s take another one today and have a little fun here on a hump day.  i’ve got a chic fall outfit for you:  an oversized leather shirt paired with leopard jeans and spiced up with a pair of pumps.  

on monday, we discussed the importance of self-care.  yesterday, we talked about the confidence, wisdom, and freedom that comes with age.  but as we all know, aging can bring about it an unfortunate side-effect:  an aversion to change.  it’s easy to get stuck in our ways.  routines are comfortable.  repetition is therapeutic.   and sometimes it can be really difficult to break out of our self-imposed molds.   

livin’, lovin’… she’s just a woman 

i’ve found a real easy way to shake things up is to make a simple list of the things i’ve always wanted to do but have never actually done.  and that list can be extremely simple:  eat dinner for breakfast.  go to a heavy metal show with my son.  (indeed i have!) and so on.  and so forth.  you get the idea.    

faux leather overshirt | similar leopard jeans | similar white shirt | shoes | handbag | bracelet | earrings

lions, tigers, leopard print jeans… oh my 

for those of us that lived through the 60s we saw change on societal level.  (and we’re seeing a similar thing today.)  that sort of change can be uncomfortable, scary, but sometimes necessary.  but not all change has to operate at such scale.  change can happen in our daily lives in small and deliberate ways.  

faux leather overshirt | similar leopard jeans | similar white shirt | shoes | handbag | bracelet | earrings

take, for example, our personal style.  i talked yesterday about my go-to style: modern preppy. 

i love that aesthetic.  and i’ve worked my entire life to cultivate it.  but a departure from my baseline is always good.  keeps me young as they say.  keeps me on my toes.  and today i’ve got a faux leather overshirt from Zara paired with a simple white shirt and leopard jeans.

walk in the park

i’ve spent a lot of time this fall talking about and showcasing animal print.  what an easy way to spice up our wardrobe and break out of our own go-to aesthetic.  whether its snakeskin booties from JCPenny or a simple leopard rint shirt from Banana Republic, i can’t get enough of animal print this year.  today is no exception;  and i’ve compiled a list of similar leopard print jeans at varying price points in the slider below for you.  

faux leather overshirt | similar leopard jeans | similar white shirt | shoes | handbag | bracelet | earrings

over the past few weeks, i’ve gotten a lot of comments from you, my readers, asking me to link my jewelry and other peripherals in the blogpost. i usually pull out my handbags for showcase, but today i’ve also got my earrings and  bracelet for you to take a look at.  (keep letting me know what you want to see in the comments, and i’ll do my best to accommodate!)  

alright gang, that’s a wrap!  we’re halfway through the week and headed straight into friday.  stay tuned, as we’ve got a lot of exciting things coming up on the blog in the next few weeks.  (hint, hint:  travel week!).  so many of you have reached out this week, so don’t stop now.  let me know how you feel about change in the comments below.  do you struggle with it?  do you embrace it?  how do you try to get out of your fashion comfort zone?  are you a secret leather lovin’ mama like me?  

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