Cozy Edgy

When the weather stays cool for a few months, outerwear practically becomes our main outfit. This simple fact took me a long time to understand, even though I come from Siberia, which is famous for its extremely cold and long winters. When I lived there, I would have one or maximum two coats for Winter, and one or two for Spring and Fall. Since Siberian climate absolutely does not give you a break in terms of cold temperatures (unlike here where even if temps drop a few degrees, they will be back to mild in a day or two), you are stuck with coats for a bigger part of a year. So by the end of each season, you can't stand them, no matter how beautiful they are. When I moved to America, I immediately found myself in a much more comfortable climate. I first spent a few years in Southern Michigan and Southern Ohio where there are four distinct seasons and winter sometimes brings snow and cold temperatures...but not as severe, by Siberian standard. So one of the first things I quickly and happily unlearned was wearing winter coats and hats all together. Oh that felt gooood for a change!

When we relocated to the Pacific Northwest 10 years ago, we found ourselves in even milder climate. As far as I'm concerned, there is no real winter here. The whole cold period here is like Spring in Siberia - sometimes unpredictable and it can get cold, but never to any significance. I know people who don't own any coats here at all - they find that a sweatshirt and light raincoat is enough for this climate. (My daughter is under this impression now.) However attractive the idea of not wearing cold weather gear might seem, I learned that it simply isn't very wise to skip coats. Dampness can be quite penetrating when you go for a walk or wait for a bus (which Justin did for the few first years here as his job commute, and Anya does on a daily basis as a student now). A good coat can save your life then! It's even better to own two or three coats which you can rotate, depending on the situation. And even better if you have a lovingly curated collection of coats which will brighten any gray day! So over the last few years, I've collected quite a few coats which really help me to feel better about winter, however "not real" I think it is. 

Feeling a bit tired of my "fashion coats" (with more style than substance), I was craving a well made wool coat, substantial but still stylish. This boyfriend coat was a great find. It was my first purchase from Navabi, a Germany based plus size company. I snapped it up during a Summer sale and could not believe my luck - it was the last one! It is a wool blend (including alpaca and mohair) which provides beautiful texture, and feels luxurious. And it is in my favorite colors!! Green and orange (in all different shades of it, from carrot to rust, bronze and copper) is my favorite color combination, but it's not really popular nowadays, so it is hard to find. The coat has a distinct European flair to me, which is a huge part of who I am... When you live in different cultures (and continents), you learn that everything you knew about beauty and cuteness is relative. Just like every individual has his/her own taste, every culture develops its own idea of what is beautiful, or elegant, or cute. Often what appeals to my Russian eye simply isn't popular (read: impossible to find) in America, and on the other hand the American eye for beauty and cuteness influences my own taste.

I typically share my more elaborate outfits on the blog, but it does not mean that I always look dressed-up. Elaborate outfits bring me joy, but there are days when I just want to be comfortable. When I am at home, I wear soft loose dresses which do not restrict movements. When I go out, but want to stay comfortable and cozy, I can wear something like this outfit. I showed these faux leather pants before (OCTOBER 2016), they are definite favorites for this time of year, soft and comfy. When my dear friend BEATE showed her newly self-made OVERSIZED SWEATER (with a pattern and sewing instructions!), it reminded me of this jersey top which I like to combine with my pants/leggings. I bought it a couple of years ago, but I don't think it made it to the blog until just now. 

Just like my coat, it has an irresistible to me color combination. It looks like I'm hitchhiking, and there is some personal symbolism in it (I'm a bit obsessed with travel ideas lately), but actually I'm just showing off the sleeve, extreme width and asymmetric hem of this top. If they made this top in more warm color combinations, I would buy them all...alas, it was only available in gray/silver combo which isn't my cup of tea.

The pants are stretchy and comfy just as leggings, but they are made in a little more pants-like manner, with zipped pockets, wide waistband and pieced legs. I wear them with loose tops, sweaters or dresses for an edgy modern look. My edgy is still kinda cozy though. I guess that's what personal style is...when you bring a part of yourself into any look you try on, not on purpose, but when you just can't help it.  

Photos by Justin

Coat - Navabi (Summer sale)

Top - Lane Bryant (old)

Faux leather pants - Melissa McCarthy (old)

Boots - Born (old)

Hat - Lane Bryant (old)

Scarf, gloves - via TJ MAXX (old)

Sunnies - Christian Siriano for Lane Bryant (old)

Faux leather backpack - via TJ MAXX

Linking with Patti's Visible Monday

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