the mid-length gloves

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The wrist-length (or not quite wrist-length) glove is smart and sleek, the standard winter glove around 2 inches past the wrist is practical—though a bit dull without any inherent charm of its own—, the opera or elbow-length and beyond glove is formal and elegant…and then there is this length: a few inches short of the elbow but decidedly long. This length strikes me as an excellent modern compromise; neither the (now very bold/costumey) elbow length common in the 19th century nor the short (quaint, retro) day gloves of the early 20th century. And they are not the standard issue glove, either. They are something a bit new to the casual ensemble, and this gives them the ring of style.

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To accentuate this out-of-the-ordinary feel I chose a dark purple shade instead of brown or black.

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I only took my jacket off for a moment to show what was underneath. One really needed a jacket.

Warm climate style mavens really have the rest of us at an advantage.

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I’m squinting slightly due to the wind and end up look like a reserved matriarch or something. I kind of like it.

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This look features a bunch of textures, which I like doing lately. I think I will always like doing that.

Tweed coat (thrifted) with fur collar (eBay), monki scarf, Sorel boots, leather gloves (thrifted), J Crew buttoned shirt, Cotton Candy (?!*) skirt, golden akoya pearl studs from Pearl Paradise, love necklace via asos (right, like I was saying, cute things in moderation), Mulberry bag (thrifted), Japonesque Velvet Touch blush (which will tell you about soon). On the lips: Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in Esprit. This sheer lipstick is blotted, with a bit of a pink Rimmel pencil (Pure) added to the center such that the color fades to nothing at the edges. Nothing too precise about it (that irregular have-been-eating berries stain effect), and I would experiment with this kind of gradation more.

*Where do I get this stuff.

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the chunky knit scarf

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Nothing reads cozy like a chunky knit. Really pleased with this find from Monki, which is in a lovely washed out periwinkle shade I realize I have so little of and wonder why. This is the kind of sky color I like best, a pale, slightly ominous blue-grey. I like it despite its somewhat maddening tendency to curl up at the edges like all of its stockinette-stitched brethren. So many compliments on the street with this, which I like, too.

These leather mittens are another effective winter acquisition. So soft (lined with rabbit fur) and insulating. I haven’t had mittens in years so there is a childlike element to wearing them, the pleasant sensation of the fingers all together, keeping one another warm.

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Hot chocolate also key. 

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I would show you more of what I’m wearing but honestly it is so cold and dark out that a) I can’t be bothered and b) you aren’t missing much. I am either outside wearing a coat (this coat, usually) and muffled to the eyes or inside wearing a sweater. Like, one of three rotating sweaters. So many new things I want to show you, though. On the coldest days it cheers me to shop for another, warmer life.

Scarf from Monki (via asos), mittens from Pratt and Hart (truly wanted the red pair but they were sold out of XL…we’ll see if I forget but I may go for the red next year. Not that I don’t like brown. I do very much like brown.), golden akoya pearl earrings from Pearl Paradise, Old Navy sweater. On the lips: MAC Huggable lipcolor (their glossy new formula, on which more later) in Love Beam.

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