25 Days of Style: a Fashion Blog series -- Day 4

     
     Day 4 and the cold winter weather is back (with a high of 55 degrees!)  Saturday is one of my favorite days of the week -- aside from the fact that it's the weekend and I have the weekends off -- because this is the day that I usually get a lot of my shopping done, which is exactly what's on the agenda today! So when the temperature drops the first pieces that comes to mind are flannel in plaid, heavy knit, and leather boots! 


     And speaking of plaid, nothing irks me more than hearing others using erroneous names for a print and fabric. Yes, there's a distinction between print (or pattern) and fabric. For instance, flannel is a type of fabric which is made from a soft cotton or wool. And in terms of print, there's also a great distinction between plaid, gingham, and buffalo checks (oh yes, you heard that right -- there's a difference.) Here's a little visual:
(1) plaid - Different colored yarns in a crossbarred pattern. 
(2) gingham - Think Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz or a picnic table cloth. The squares are usually two colors: white and some other color. 
(3) buffalo checks - Like gingham, but with larger checks or squares and usually consists of more than two colors.

1. plaid                                                                       2. gingham 

3. buffalo checks

     Shopping days usually require one important thing -- comfort. Which means comfortable shoes (you're going to be walking around all day. duh), weather appropriate clothing (anticipate the weather outside and inside), and a hands free purse (for easy access flipping through the racks.) BUT keep in mind that just because we're going for comfort does NOT mean we have to sacrifice for style. So for today's ensemble, I went for a comfortable brown riding boots which will keep my feet warm and happy for all the walking that's to come. And in terms of clothing, I've layered a plaid shirt under a thick knit sweater, all of which are rolled up at the sleeves (it looks very relaxed and bit of a personal touch) I can opt for a basic pea coat for outwear (for the trip between the car and the mall or if it's an outdoor shopping establishment.) And I usually carry a cross body purse when I go shopping because I like my hands to be free from all the drama of carrying an over the shoulder bag which can be a lot of hassle. Oh! To keep my ears warm from the cold chilly wind, I usually go for some kind of headwear, whether it be a knit beanie, a beret (ooh la la) or a head wrap. Today, I've opted for this flower head wrap -- a little gem that I found at Saks 5th Avenue a couple of years ago.  Happy shopping! How do you like our temporary makeshift studio? Still working on the action shots. 

Love, KB

plaid shirt by BDG -- Urban Outfitters 

knit sweater by BDG -- Urban Outfitters 

jeans by BDG -- Urban Outfitters 

boots by Steve Madden 

purse by Marc by Marc Jacobs

flower head wrap by 5|48 -- Saks 5th Avenue