Cinnamon and Cords (Weekend Outfits)

Is there an expiration date for OOTD posts? I'm sorry to bother you with my LAST weekend outfits when the NEXT weekend is just around the corner (when I used to work the joke was that the weekend officially started on Wednesday after-noon, when the first half of the week was officially behind us), but because I spent the day of Monday almost in bed with flu-like symptoms (I had the two flu vaccines, I can't possibly have a flu!) and yesterday I still wasn't feeling well (but had to deal with it because my daughter had a busy schedule), today is the first day where I can stomach to look at the computer screen for more than two consecutive minutes. And I really liked these outfits, so I'm going to share anyway.

Before posting the outfits, I wanted to update you on my last week purchases. I was saving what was left on my gift card for something "cinnamon spice" on sale. I LOVE this color, it is one of the prettiest Jcrew "fall-winter" colors ever in my opinion. I wasn't hoping to find the cashmere boatneck popover any longer (I had tried in October but apparently it sold out quickly) but when I saw that it was down to $69.99 on the website last week I had to at least try a few stores in the city. Well, not only I found one in my size but I also found a Celosia cardigan in the same color for $39.99 (probably a return).

While I was in the store I noticed that another item on my wishlist since they came out in the summer, the toothpick cords, finally came down to $29.99, so I decided that it was the right moment to buy a couple of colors while my size was still easily available. I bought the soft ochre first and then the navy and deep aubergine. I am still regretting not buying more of last year's matchsticks, and I'm not sure that they are going to redo the toothpick style next year, so I thought that I'd better get them while I could ((no need to say that I don't have anything left on the gift card). I have to say that after these last purchases I felt like a lot of stress went off my shoulders and I haven't even checked the website or the JCA blog in the last three days because I bought everything that I wanted to buy and I could even envision not buying anything else until the spring. OK, maybe it's because of the flu, but still.

And now the outfits. Saturday was very cold and I wore my new soft ochre toothpick cords with the warmest sweater that I own. It's a very thick cashmere turtleneck by the French brand "Zadig and Voltaire" (which has now a store in the Meatpacking district) and it is all what a cashmere turtleneck should be: incredibly soft, warm and luxurious (I have to say, I remember spending a small Euro-fortune on this but it was just before moving to NY - I moved around Thanksgiving - and I was afraid that the winters in NY would be too cold for my wardrobe. And in fact they were exceptionally cold the first two years that I was here):





You can see that I'm holding something in the first pic. Let me introduce you to a girl's best friend:



Cashmere (even the best) piles but we are lucky to live in a world where someone (a genius) has created the Magik Fuzz Buster and our sweaters can look like new in less than 5 minutes. I have a Jcrew red cashmere sweater that I had bought when I was almost five months pregnant and after a few wears over my pregnant belly (and also a passage in the regular cycle of the washing machine by my husband who used to do the laundry) looked like an old sock and it is almost in like-new conditions after an intensive Fuzz Buster session. If you don't have one of these I urge you to run to the closer Walmart and buy one (it costed me $5 a couple of years ago). I'm one of the laziest person on the planet when it comes to housekeeping duties but you can really do this while watching TV. Plus, don't underestimate the pleasure of seeing a beloved cashmere (but it works on any blend) sweater that you had given for dead coming back to life before your eyes. It is Magik, I tell you.

On Saturday night we were invited at friend's for dinner. I wore my black matchstick cords from last year, my black Gap "layering" turtleneck with the snow-gem tee over it (both tucked in the cords) and a red lipstick very similar to the lipstick that the model is wearing in the latest catalog (mine is by Giorgio Armani). It was VERY pretty and festive. Unfortunately I couldn't take pics because it was already dark and the day after I didn't have the time to wear the whole thing again just to show you. But in case you have something similar in your closet, I would give it a try.

On Sunday we went all the way downtown (Tribeca) for a Xmas brunch with friends that we hadn't seen in a while (it was kind of a reunion). The restaurant with its big windows and wood panels was the perfect spot. I wanted to wear something festive but casual, so I broke out my new Celosia with the check shirt (that I surprisingly liked together). In the pic I'm wearing the toothpick cords in navy but I had to switch them for jeans at the last minute because it was starting to rain and cords don't love rain as you probably know (I apologize for my daughter's stuff in the background):



Fun fact about the Celosia cardigan: there was another baby at our table (younger than my daughter, barely a year old) and she was mesmerized by the cardigan's ruffles. When she was about to cry, all I had to do was come closer and show her the intricate design of the ruffles and she would just look at them and giggle. Who knew that a cardigan could babysit? I was surprised that the mother didn't ask where she could buy one!

Have a nice week!