REFORMED AND ALTERED

I don't know why it took me so long to realize the convenience and money-saving power of tailoring. Over the past five years-ish, my weight has fluctuated. Not slightly. A lot. Like size 2, to 000, to 4, to 8, to 2. Negative body image will do that to you. Over and over again. With my weight varying so much, shopping has become somewhat of a nightmare. I never really know what size I am, I end up hating most of the things I try on, and when my weight changes again I have to buy new clothes.  

When I was cleaning my room the other day I realized I had jeans, skirts, and dresses I had purchased sometime within the past year. Some of these pieces were multiple sizes too big, and not in the cool/oversized/boyfriend-look way. Internally crying at the thought of all the money I had "wasted" on items that no longer fit, as I stuffed them into a donation box, I had an epiphany. I could take all of these items to my local cleaners and have them altered! Not only would I avoid having to buy replacements for these items, but I could also support a local business.

Having one dress, two skirts, and a pair of jeans altered cost me roughly $70 (equivalent to half or three-quarters of a pair of jeans from Madewell). In other words, I am now obsessed with having my clothes altered. This green faux leather skirt I bought at ZARA last winter was one of the items I had taken in, and I am SO thrilled that I now get to wear it. I have a love-hate relationship with ZARA. Do I love that they always stock on-trend pieces, and that their shoes are AMAZING and very affordable? Yes. But as a "fast fashion" company, they contribute huge amounts of pollution to the environment, fail to provide workers with safe conditions, and perpetuate waste and a throw-away society. I figured that the least I can do, if I am choosing to support a fast-fashion company, is to be selective about what I buy, and to recycle those pieces in any way I can. 

When I think about it, this look is pretty sustainable. The camel turtleneck I'm wearing here is from Reformation, an LA-based womenswear brand that prides itself in its sustainable practices. If you check out their website, you'll see that on each item page is a breakdown of the environmental impact caused by the production of that piece. Not only does Reformation have a mission statement that I full-heartedly support, but they also happen to make great clothes. This sweater is incredibly cozy, and the perfect camel color. Want something soft and warm to cuddle, but can't deal with a pet? But yourself a fuzzy sweater, instead. Rest assured, I will be wearing mine all Fall and Winter.

I'm heading to New Orleans for Thanksgiving, and I have no idea what I'm going to wear. I would probably wear this outfit to Thanksgiving dinner just because it screams Fall (at least, to me), but I plan on stuffing myself with turkey, mashed potatoes, and pie until I assume a comatose state, so I figure a leather mini skirt isn't the most strategic choice. 

There is no doubt, though, that both pieces in this outfit will be coming with me on my trip. After all, it is already almost Thanksgiving, and my days to wear green leather skirts and turtleneck sweaters are probably numbered.

Sunglasses - Ray Ban | Sweater - Reformation (similar here) | Skirt - Zara (similar here) | Shoes - MissGuided

20.

Yesterday, Fall made an uncharacteristically (but wholly welcome) early appearance in the form of light showers, cloudy skies, a brisk breeze, and 60º temps. Considering the fact that this type of weather usually doesn't occur in LA until late October, I was more than happy to whisk some of my recent F/W buys out of the closet and romp around the neighborhood. 

In other exciting news, today is my 20th birthday. 20 is a bit of an odd place to be — not a teenager anymore, but also not 21...

At times I still feel uncertain of who I am, what I want to do, where I want to be in 5 years, etc., but I think at day one of 20, I have a much better sense of how I might answer those daunting questions than I did at day one of 19. 

After a tumultuous 18th year of life, 19 was pretty incredible. By taking a semester off from school, and taking time to collect myself and reorganize my wants and needs, I grew so much. None of the happiness I felt, or things I achieved, would have been possible without my best friend/boyfriend, who has always been there to encourage me and just tell it to me straight, and my family. 19 taught me to be confident, loving, and ambitious, and I only hope that I can continue to apply these lessons as I take on what 20, and the rest of my life, has to offer. 

Returning, from the tangent of birthdays and lessons learned, to the topic of this Fall outfit, I cannot contain my obsession with this Reformation blazer coat. It's perfectly boyish, yet sophisticated — a staple piece that can go with everything from dresses, to jeans and a t-shirt. One of the things I love about Fall in LA is that it's cold, but not too cold to where layering a coat and some boots over a pair of shorts isn't an option. Knits remind everyone of Fall, right? Sure, a basic cable-knit sweater is an obvious go-to, but what about something like Zara's ribbed knit turtleneck short sleeve? I am so in love with this piece. The weight is heavy, and the stark whiteness is balanced out by the simple detail of a black stripe across the sleeve hems. Another highlight of this look is the sock boots I'm wearing, which were gifted to me by Aldo last year. The multi-textural element of these boots is irresistible, and makes for a unique look that isn't over-the-top. 

I'm going to keep this outfit (and several variation of it) on loop for the rest of Fall and Winter. I guess this is what 20 looks like.

Top - Zara | Coat - Reformation (sold out) | Shorts - Asos (similar here) | Boots - Aldo