Winter Staples for Less

Hey everyone! I’m Jessica, and Amanda has asked me to guest blog this weekend while she’s away. It’s my first time contributing to Farmgirl Writes, but also her 200th post! So today, I’ll be talking to you about Winter Staples for Less, as well as throwing in a few splurges for those who have money burning a hole in their pocket.

It’s nearing the middle of January, and although spring is just around the corner, there are still a bit over two months until the birds start chirping and the flowers begin to blossom. Let’s make these last eight weeks of winter stylish ones. I’m going to share with you some of the cutest trends right now that are perfect for a casual weekend with friends, easy and hassle free yet still chic for school or work, and also able to be carried on into the early days of ppring and taken out as soon as fall rears it’s head.

Starting off the list are an essential for city and farm girls alike: boots. We all need a simple, go-to pair of boots that we can slip on in a hurry with jeans or dress up with some dark skinnys and a blouse at night. Uggs are great, but what about when you want some more style with the same comfort?

The pair I own are from Target, and have lasted me for about three years, though truth be told I haven’t actually started to truly wear them until a few months ago. They’re comfy, have a small, wide heel for style that doesn’t effect the overall comfort, and were purchased for only $30 dollars! There’s currently a pair at Target that is no more than $40 dollars, and perfect for this season. First up is Mossimo’s Katharine Leather Engineer boot for $37.49, available in both brown and black.

For something a bit dressier, try the Commuter Boot at Payless, which is currently being sold for $49.99.

Before, I was total anti-skinny jean. They were too tight, looked silly and just weren’t me. That was until a friend recommended I buy a pair just for the purpose of wearing jeans. “They won’t bunch up when you tuck them in,” she said, and so the next time we went clothes shopping, I tried out my first pair.

I’ve since been converted, and now can’t get enough of the skinny jean. I realized that not all of them are the tight, legging like pants that I saw others wearing. It’s all about finding the right brand and cut for you. Hollister has their famous Jeggings (leggings that stretch but are actually styled to look like denim jeans) priced from $40 to $50 dollars, and are a great buy if you have the money and time to spend trying out the different styles, colors and cuts. Be careful about the sizes, this store is tricky. The biggest number they go up to in theses is an 11, or sometimes only a 9, so if you’re over those sizes this may not be the right choice for you.

While I do like my pair of HCO Jeggings, they’re impossible to wear w/o a belt because after I brought them home and really started to wear them, the stretch material did just that. Overall, a good purchase and perfect for not only boots, but flats and sandals during other seasons. You can wear it over a too-short Sweater dress in the fall, or a light blouse in the Summer. Either way, you can’t go wrong.

Check out Hollister’s collection of Jeggings here.

They also have the Basic Skinny for those who have never bought before and don’t want to be confused by all the other sub-types (Hurricane Skinny, Super skinny, etc.)  To me, I don’t see a big difference between the Basic Skinny and the Skinny, but perhaps when trying them on the difference would be seen there.

Macy’s has wonderful pairs, from this Cejon, Geo printed square scarf to this black studded number. Both are $30 dollars or less. If you ever mange to score a trip to New York City (or you’re lucky enough to live here already) than try one of the Pashmina scarves sold by vendors on the street. They are gorgeous and at only $5 dollars, there’s not a better deal in the entire city.

Thanks to Amanda for asking me to guest blog. You can read more posts by me at my own site, http://diaryofasimcrazedgirl.blogspot.com/, and be sure to keep an eye on my up and coming writing blog, http://mydevinetherapy.blogspot.com/