Well, it’s official. The snow is here. And it’s here to stay. But, I’m not entirely mad about it. First, we need snow for a white Christmas. Can you even imagine the holidays without snow? That would be bizarre. Imagine waking up on Christmas morning and just seeing grass outside. All my festive holiday spirit would just vanish on the spot. And second, this has been such a tame winter so far. I don’t think there has been a single day that has dropped below -10°C this winter! That’s unheard of. But don’t start celebrating yet. I’m sure my fellow Edmontonians remember the horrible winter last year where it was warm and tame like this before Christmas and then once January and February hit, it was -40°C every single day.
But, even after the cold weather had gone away, a couple of months into the pandemic, I was wearing sweatpants, hoodies or leggings every single day. And a whole lot of tie dye. That should have been the first sign that my mental health was wavering but I ignored it. Although it was refreshing at first to not wear makeup or spend time picking out an outfit that wasn’t even comfy, I very quickly fell into a slump. Afterall, I dress nicely and spend the time doing my makeup because I enjoy it, not because I feel forced to due to society’s expectations. It’s my “me time”. My self-care time. And so, when I was neglecting my appearance, I really didn’t feel my best. I’m not sure which caused which. Was I feeling sad so I didn’t bother to dress up? Or was not dressing up making me sad? It was a whole question of what came first- the chicken or the egg? But regardless of what was the starting factor, it was a cycle of not feeling good and not dressing well and I very quickly fell into a depressive state.
However, I’m pleased to say I’ve finally conquered the pandemic (at least at this current point in time, I don’t want to jinx anything). And I’ve returned to actually putting on business casual (definitely leaning more towards the casual side of the spectrum) clothes and taking the time to do my hair and makeup. I’ve never felt better. But, with that being said, although I still want to put effort in, I don’t want to be working from home in uncomfortable clothing. What’s the point? And thus, for the past couple of months, I’ve really tried to scout out some cute yet comfy WFH apparel.
I’m wearing two pieces that fall into that category today. The first is this sweater from Mango. If you follow me on Instagram (@whenimolderblog), you will know I received it a couple of weeks ago when I did a partnership with Swipe, a subscription service that lets you order up to 5 items, try them on at home, and only pay for what you keep! But, this is no ordinary sweater. It’s CASHMERE. Yeah, I’m bougie now. Now, blue really isn’t my colour but I’ll make an exception just because it’s so cozy. I love that it’s lightweight and not bulky but definitely keeps me warm throughout my work day. Does anyone else get so cold when they’re just sitting at a desk all day?! Thank god for space heaters.
And my pants are DEFINITELY both cute and comfy (leaning more towards comfy). Let’s be real, they’re practically pyjama pants. I picked these up during Zara’s semi-annual sale back in the summer and I’m just now getting around to wearing them. They’re a plaid, wide leg trouser with an oversized cuff at the hem and an elastic waist. Pyjamas also feature plaid patterns with wide legs and large cuffed hems and elastic waists. See. They’re the same. Nobody can convince me otherwise. To complete the look, I’m wearing tall suede boots and my black wool coat from Aritzia. I’m so excited to wear this coat again this winter! When I picked it up last year, I felt like I didn’t wear it as much as I should have. I’ll definitely get it’s full use out of it this year.
Shop The Look:
Coat – Aritzia // Sweater – ℅Mango via Swipe // Trousers – Zara // Boots – Zara // Earrings – Oak and Fort // Dog – Oakley the Goldendoodle
*ftc disclaimer: Items marked ‘℅’ were sent free of charge for review consideration. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make When I’m Older possible!