What to wear in December

Well, friends, we are back in lockdown in San Francisco, which means no outdoor (or indoor) dining, no hair or nail salons, no gathering with people outside of your household, and a bunch of other no-nos. It is, to say the least, a really depressing development in this a dumpster fire of a year, although one that I recognize as necessary to help flatten the spread of COVID and address the ICU capacity issues in hospitals all over the state. My heart really goes out to all of the small businesses who have to lay off workers again (and especially to the workers themselves), right before the holidays; I'm going to take this as an excuse to not cook for the rest of the year and instead order takeout so all of my favorite restaurants don't go out of business. But unlike the first lockdown, I'm not going to retreat into my cozy cocoon of sweatpants. It's the holiday season, goddamnit, and I'm going to dress like it! Here's what I'll be wearing.



I've wanted a Max Mara teddy coat for awhile, and while one almost seemed in reach this year, I unexpectedly had to shell out $2680 for a new water heater, so like nearly everything else in life, that will probably have to wait till 2021. I did, however, want to get a nice, warm coat to wear while eating outside, and what's the saying that when you make plans, you make god laugh? That said, I did get quite a few meals in while wearing this warm and fuzzy Uniqlo coat before outdoor dining got shut down. This coat was a Black Friday score (and it's already incredibly well priced), and while I was wary about the fact that it's polyester, it's so freaking warm and soft. Even the pockets are lined with fleece! I was debating on getting the camel version of this versus black (it also comes in army green), but black felt a little more sophisticated to me, and not so blatantly teddy. Then again, you could afford to get it in two colors and not feel too guilty, as long as you promise to wear both and not let them end up in a landfill. This coat is cut rather generously; I'm wearing my usual size small and there's plenty of room for a thick sweater underneath. 




While I may not be reaching for sweats, I am living in cashmere sweaters at the moment. You last saw this one paired with a floral skirt, and while I have it tucked in again here, it's actually a bit oversized and a good length to wear with leggings too. I particularly like to layer this one under my teddy coat because then I have a natural fiber against my skin, which keeps me extra warm without a lot of bulk. I probably could have gone with a lighter colored sweater for a bit of contrast, but black felt a little fancier and thus holiday-appropriate. I sized up to a medium in this sweater for a more oversized fit. 




And speaking of holiday-appropriate, you last saw this skirt around the same time last year, and sadly, I have not had many events to wear it to this year, so I decided to start wearing it anyway. It's such a fun, sparkly style without all of the weight or awkwardness that comes with a sequined or beaded skirt. And it was obviously a popular style, because Isabel Marant brought it back for another year. I particularly like this skirt for the holiday season because it has an elastic waist; I may not be wearing sweatpants, but I don't endorse torturing yourself with a buttoned waistband this time of year. I'm in a size 40 here and probably could have gone with a 38 (I think Isabel Marant has changed her sizing recently, because I certainly haven't dropped a size during shelter in place). 




Accessory-wise, yep, it's more black—the bag because I was too lazy to change it after last week's post and the boots because I didn't want an ankle boot, nor did I want a knee-high. These slouchy suede boots (which you first saw here) hit at the mid calf, which can be a tricky area, but I love how they look with a shorter skirt. They are also, like all of Calla's shoes, ridiculously comfortable. I may have changed out of my sweats, but flat shoes are here to stay. 




OUTFIT DETAILS: Uniqlo fleece coat | Equipment sweater | Etoile Isabel Marant Benedicte skirt | A.P.C. sac demi-lune | Calla Giorgia boots (c/o) (similar here)




11 comments

Laura B said...

I think you did well with the black one! It's really cute and I think has more wearing options than a camel one. It seems a bit dressier. Love your metallic skirt!

Lovely said...

This is a great outfit for sparkly and festive December. Love the skirt!
xoxo
Lovely
www.mynameislovely.com

Avec Amber said...

Loving your sequin skirt and coat here - this is such a great outfit for the holidays!

I hope you are having a great week!

Amber

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Gail Is This Mutton? said...

Gorgeous metallic skirt, love how you styled it. The teddy bear coat looks very cozy. Sorry to hear about the water heater expense, the MaxMara coat will have to wait a little longer! Thanks for joining #WowOnWednesday

Nancy 's Fashion Style said...

Oh a total lock down? What a horror year right! Lets think positive and look forward to better days. Love that skirt, it's perfect!

Avec Amber said...

This sequin skirt is a perfect holiday piece, regardless of how much we can or can't go out and celebrate this year. =)

I hope you are having a great week!

Amber

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Jessica Jannenga said...

Lockdown is tough, but we are just about doing that anyway Just going to the grocery store and getting curbside food. Taking walks..
Love your teddy coat in black, very stylish and of course the sparkly skirt is just the thingt to wear for the Holidays! I am dressing up too, there will be plenty of time for sweats and joggers in Jan/Feb, right?
thanks for linking!
jess xx
www.elegantlydressedandstylish.com

Shelbee on the Edge said...

Cheryl, I love this sparkly skirt and your cozy teddy bear coat. What a fun outfit for the holiday. I am with you, I cannot go back to the sweatpants mode from the spring. I have to keep getting dressed in order to maintain my sanity! I love your dedication to helping out all the restaurants by ordering food. What a sad time for small business owners. Thanks for linking with me.

Shelbee
www.shelbeeontheedge.com

Elegance and Mommyhood said...

Well we have had a semi lock-down for 4 weeks now but not as strict as yours. Our restaurants offer outdoor dining, our salons are all open as are all the stores and repair places but no bowling, movie theaters or any entertainment of any type. But luckily, the first doses of the vaccine will be starting this week everywhere. We have another 5-7 months of this nightmare but there is light at the end of the tunnel. We dined out the other day under the beautiful lights of Detroit, but it was cold still because this is Michigan, after all.

I am loving that you are keeping your spirits up and you chose a bright sparkly skirt for the occasion, too. The skirt and coat are lovely and I see you dressed them down a bit, with those slouchy boots. =)

mummabstylish said...

Very sweet outfit, love that skirt and I love the teddy bear coat. Jacqui x

Mica said...

That skirt is so cute and sparkly and a nice texture mix with the coat! Sorry to hear you are in lockdown again - I hope that you are still able to have a good Christmas, and it's nice you will be able to order more takeaway to support your local restaurants.

Thanks so much for joining the #WeekdayWearLinkup! Hope that you had a great weekend :)

Away From The Blue