How is it that Christmas Eve is exactly two weeks from today…
THE STORY
…I think it crept up on us all so quickly because Thanksgiving fell particularly late in the month this year thus cutting the time between it and Christmas short. Seriously, is it just me or do you feel like Christmas just jumped out of a dark corner in your basement and screamed “I’M HERE!!” in your face?
It’s not so much that I’m super stressed about it; this is where that whole “not having a lot of family and/or festivities to worry” about that I mentioned awhile back comes in handy. There’s not much planning needed for our holiday other than what I’m making for Christmas Eve brunch with our boys (it may involve ham loaf this year as per my son’s request). Our decorations are all up and looking gorgeous and I have probably 2/3 of my shopping done…truth be told, the 1/3 that isn’t done is stressing me just a tad bit, but I’ll get it done like I always do. I think that it’s just feeling like Christmas staged a sneak attack this year even though we all knew it was inevitably arriving on December 25th just like it always does that is making me feel a smidge anxious.
I’m still making sure to enjoy the moments though. I sit in my cozy living room each night and just look at the tree and all of the twinkling lights; or I sit in our extra room and enjoy the awesomely obnoxious purple and turquoise peacock tree that my daughter and I created this year. I promise I’ll remind myself to take pictures of all of it to share with you guys in the next week or so. I’ve also been loving being totally basic and binge watching cheesy Christmas movies on Netflix and Hallmark with my husband on the weekends.
Sneak attack or not, this is my very favorite time of the year and I’m making sure that I enjoy every minute of it. Speaking of which, be on the lookout later this week because I’ll be sharing the breathtakingly beautiful shots I took this past weekend at a holiday light show we went to in Pittsburgh with our boys. For a sneak peek, hop over to my Instagram and check out my post from Sunday…
THE OUTFIT
Obviously these shots were taken back in October, however this red off the shoulder sweater is destined to become a year ’round staple. Actually in my last post I was wearing the pink version of the same off the shoulder sweater, and I own it in three other colors…yes, I love it that much. It’s lightweight enough to layer, but still warm enough to wear on its own on a chilly day; it’s slouchy and comfortable, but could easily be belted for a more streamlined look; it can be dressed up (and worn on the shoulder) for work or dressed down for a lazy day at home; it comes in a bajillion colors and it’s under $20 on Amazon…so really, what’s not to love?
Even though red is an obvious (and I typically don’t do the obvious) pairing with camo and olive green, it’s a combination that I reach for often. Something about the color combination just works so well. Another favorite pairing with camo for me is leopard. This time I went for the subtle approach and brought in the leopard via my leopard booties. Adding some print mix through your shoes or bag is an easy beginner level way to try print mixing if you’re not feeling particularly adventurous. I finished it off with just a tiny bit more print mixing with the floral embroidered denim jacket which was seasonally appropriate the day that I wore it…sadly it’s now been retired for the year in favor of the winter coat selection.
THE TIP
No matter how you feel about your body, typically the collarbone/shoulder area is a spot none of us really have an issue with…enter the off the shoulder sweater. An off the shoulder sweater adds just a little bit of sassy sexiness and is particularly cute with a lacy bralette peeking out. If you don’t care for the visible bra strap look then go for a strapless bra instead. There are a few things to keep in mind when searching for the perfect off the shoulder sweater:
- The neckline needs to be just wide enough…meaning that you get a nice amount of drape when it’s worn off the shoulder, while still allowing you to wear it on the shoulder without it falling down your arm if the situation warrants shoulder coverage.
- Look for a soft neckline with a not too wide band. It the neckline is stiff or if there is a band around the collar area that is too thick, the sweater will not drape properly when it’s off your shoulder.
- Make sure that when you’re wearing the sweater off the shoulder it still allows for relative ease of movement. If the neckline is too tight it will constrict your arm movement when it is off your shoulder.
THE LINK UPS
Check out the weekly link ups I participate in for even more fashion and style ideas…
Sweater: Amazon; Pants: Similar; Boots: Similar; Jacket: Similar
