Blazer, Cartonnier (thrifted); top, Deletta (thrifted); skirt, Boss (thrifted); bag, Gucci
Blazer, Cartonnier (thrifted); top, Deletta (thrifted); skirt, Boss (thrifted); bag, Gucci
… but in the meantime, I will continue to dress like it’s fall. Because when it’s late, late November and the temperatures are just starting to dip below freezing, you take advantage of it. All the advantage. The Starks would approve, I’m sure.

This outfit is very fall-inspired, what with the colour scheme and the cozy layers. I’ve been meaning to wear this Deletta top for ages, and I’m glad that I finally did. The wrap neckline required a small tweak to make it office-appropriate; I pinned the flaps together just below the keyhole so that they would not gape when I bent down – easy peasy. As for the bottom half, I deployed my usual trick for keeping tops securely tucked into skirts: nylons. I know nylons are a divisive topic among office-dwellers (judging from reactions to the last post in which I talked about them, and from commentary on sites like Corporette), but I am firmly in the “nylons every day” camp. At this point, I think they transcend the issue of professionalism; for me, there are practical reasons for wearing them (such as the aforementioned “trick”) although I’m perfectly willing to concede it’s a YMMV situation.

all the fall colours
all the fall colours

faux wrap
faux wrap
Moving on, I’m wearing my ubiquitous Cartonnier blazer because why not, and a very old Boss skirt I thrifted back in 2012 or so. It’s one of the pieces I periodically question, but haven’t taken the plunge to purge. I’m kinda bored with the print, but not enough to let it go; having invested some money in getting the skirt tailored after I lost weight, I feel like I need to hang on to it a bit longer than I would otherwise. First world problems, y’all.

not feeling like winter
not feeling like winter

13 Comments on Winter Is Coming

  1. If I could be bothered to go to the shops that actually sell flesh coloured tights (nylons sounded so much classier doesn’t it but there we go, I call them tights) I’d be all over them in winter as I could then wear all manner of shoes to work. I struggle wearing coloured shoes with black tights, I have done it in the past but grey is as much as I am willing to try these days!

    • I call them tights too (IRL), but for blog purposes I have to be careful to distinguish them from the thick opaque version. Most people here call flesh-coloured tights “pantyhose”, but I hate that term, so I use “nylons”.

      I also can’t pull off the black tights + coloured shoe combo, so nylons are my saving grace in the winter. Luckily, I don’t have to spend much time outside (and I do double-up on extra thick socks with my boots during the commutes).

    • I love the idea of fleece-lined tights, but I’ve struggled with them in the past because (a) I wasn’t able to find a pair that didn’t sag and bunch around my ankles, and (b) I can’t wear coloured tights + coloured shoes. I just can’t pull it off, sadly. Given that a lot of my shoes are brightly coloured, I just have to stick with nylons, sigh.

      You’re in luck if you want to track down that blazer … there are a few of them floating around on eBay at any given time. Hope you find one, and love it!

  3. Could you please give more information about your nylons? I have such a hard time finding the right color/denier. Yours look very professional and not super shiny like a lot of ones out there.

    • 9 times out of 10, I wear Calvin Klein nylons that I buy at Winners/TJ Maxx. I think they are the “Infinite Sheer” style, but let me check when I get home. Not sure about the denier, but I think it’s pretty low. I do know that I wear Colour 2 and size 3. Although I found that this brand/style doesn’t come with a strangling-your-organs control top, I still like to size up for extra comfort.

      I would say that I get at least 3 weeks of wear out of each pair, but more often double that. They’re quite sturdy, in my experience.

      Whenever I haven’t been able to find them at Winners, I’ve tried other brands (including DKNY and Hue) but I haven’t liked any of them as much, and none of them match my skin tone as well as the CKs. If you’re even more pale than me, you’re in luck: CK has an even lighter colour which is pretty rare (I find most brands’ shades to be too dark as it is).

  4. I am determined to integrate more dresses into my work wardrobe, and I think “nylons” (pantyhose, stockings, whatever) may be the key. Thanks for the post!

  5. I’ve expanded my black shoe and boot collection in order to wear more tights in the winter, but the rest of the year I do wear nylons. I get blisters from my shoes unless I’m wearing something on my feet, and nylons provide enough protection for that. That being said, when it’s as cold as it is today, I’m wearing pants!

  6. I love nylons! I only wear them in the summer though and switch to fleece lined tights in the winter. It’s very hard to find the right color though… I have tanned, yellow-based skintone and most nylons are too ashy or pink for me. Hue carries a shade that works perfectly but they don’t last more than two wears which is crazy. I have found the Burlington brand nylons recently – they have a range of shades, last longer and are cheaper than Hue.

  7. I’m on team nylons. I succumbed to the pressure and went barelegged some this summer, but it took a lot of work. I had to find some super thin, super low profile socks or my shoes would feel sticky and get hotspots, and I had to get slipshorts so my thighs wouldn’t chafe. I still felt like my legs were too pale and blotchy.

  8. This answers something I have wondered for a while: whether your legs are that smooth or you wear nylons. It is hard to tell in pictures, so clearly those are some great nylons!