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  • Affordable Makeup Recommendations & Other News

    Greetings intrepid fans of all things beauty and style-related! This affordable makeup recommendations post has been rattling around inside my brain for months. I've been somewhat behind the curve since the launch of Highland Fashionista Mercantile, but there is something even more exciting that has entered our lives here at Highand Fashionista HQ that has caused me to veer off course a bit. Those of you who subscribe may remember a post from this past summer about how we lost our nearly 16 year old bearded collie Fergus. Fergus was truly one of those once in a lifetime kinds of dogs, and we felt his loss very deeply. However, we are overcome with joy to announce the arrival of a new bundle of bouncing bearded collie joy in our lives (yes, we are ride or die beardie people here at Highland Fashionista.) So everyone...meet Oskar. Oskar is going to be helping out around here from now on. Oskar also happens to be of the same bloodlines as our beloved Fergus, so we are thrilled for this little bit of shared DNA that carries on the Fergus legacy, which is considerable. So for your viewing enjoyment, and also as a means to give visual credence to my excuse for not being able to get anything done because for God's sake look at his little face... please enjoy this gallery of weapons-grade cuteness to help usher-in the era of Oskar the Beardie - Chief Operations Officer (Chewing Division) at Highland Fashionista. And Now the Affordable Makeup Recommendations While I am a fan of cosmetics and the magic that they do, I am equally not someone who likes to pile it on indiscriminately. Something like a bottle of foundation rarely gets past the halfway point in my collection before I either feel compelled to throw it away because it's too old, or more likely because it wasn't ever quite right to begin with. The products on this list of recent favorites are not new; most of them have been widely available for some time now. However, they are special in that they have not, to date, met with the usual fate of being tossed out, unused after a half dozen or so uses. Not only have I been regularly using these products, as it turns out, I have been using them up! All of these products are from the drugstore, and can be obtained easily and affordably, which you may have noticed is the point of the exercise. I have included options for both sides of the pond where I can so that everyone can play along. This post does contain a few affiliate links, but the opinions in the piece are mine and mine alone! Let's get to it. Maybelline Super Stay 24 Hour Skin Tint (US) | (UK) Skin tints are kind of a thing right now, and I am here for it. Not being a person who has ever liked, or even felt comfortable in a full-coverage look (unless there are camera and lighting crews involved), I'm an absolute sucker for any product promising me a natural finish, some sort of glow, hydration, breathability, or even the most basic suggestion of an even, lit-from-within complexion. Some people may be easy marks because they believe anything they see on Facebook, but me? I believe anything you print on the side of a foundation bottle. All kidding aside, this stuff is pretty amazing for 13 bucks! I get complements on my skin nearly every time I wear this stuff. Not complements on my makeup, mind you. My skin. to me, that's the ultimate mark of a good foundation. It should be a leg-up, not a cover-up. Historically I have disliked makeup formulas with long-wearing claims attached to them. I am still traumatized from the early formulas of 90s drugstore matte Revlon colorstay lipsticks and long-wearing foundations that used to turn to chalk the moment they left their containers and hit the atmosphere. However, things have advanced since the 90s. The formula of this skin tint goes on elegantly and has a tiny bit of pearlescence in it to give your face some depth (don't worry, it doesn't look glittery or overly shiny.) I do think that when you put this foundation on straight from the bottle, or even with a foundation brush, it comes off with more coverage than the name "skin tint" might suggest. However, I get around that by prepping my face well with moisturizer (or sometimes a primer, or both), then using a damp sponge to apply the foundation, so I don't get too much product at once. This is how I feel this product looks best. This makeup is very buildable, so you can always add more if you're a full coverage gal. While I cannot vouch for whether or not this foundation does what it says on the bottle and lasts a full 24 hours, I can attest to it lasting for 12! I've worn this both for a 12 hour hospital night shift and on a long transatlantic flight, and while I'm not going to claim I looked fabulous after either of those events (who does), the skin tint certainly did remain - if not in its original permutation, certainly to a level I found respectable. The above photo is what this product looks like on the skin, applied with a wet sponge and set with a hint of powder. For reference, my shade is shade 220, and yes, my hair is still a little wet here. It is what it is. Collection Filter Finish Gorgeous Glow Illuminator & Primer (UK) This product, by UK-based brand Collection, is supposedly a dupe of the much sought-after Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless filter. While I've never tried the Charlotte Tilbury version (because £40 for a primer/highlighter is far too rich for my blood), if it is anything like the dupe it must be amazing. I use this stuff a lot. I use it under foundation, mixed with foundation, and perhaps most often I use it all by itself, without any foundation. The product has a lightweight feel and a subtle, glowy presence on the skin that melts right in and makes everything look more even glowy, and just all-around better. When I don't want to look too "done", I use this, some concealer, blush and mascara and call it a day. The photo on the left is from my previous winged eyeliner post, so I'm wearing a bit more eye makeup and concealer, but all I have on as a base is the Collection Filter Finish! I use the shade medium, although you could easily use any of the shades for various highlighting purposes. Personally, I feel like the weight and feel of this product place it more in the illuminator camp than the primer camp, but regardless of how you want to use it, the thing we can all agree on is the price tag; this stuff is a mere £6.99! I suspect that Collection cosmetics are not available in the USA, but worry not my fellow Americans, ELF Cosmetics makes their own dupe of Tilbury's cult classic with their Halo Glow Liquid filter. I have tried this product and it is very similar to the Collection version. If I had to tease-out the differences between the Collection version and the ELF version, I'd say that in addition to having significantly more shade choices, the ELF is slightly more reflective with the glow particles. That said, the formulas are very similar and if you're planning on mixing this product with another foundation or tinted moisturizer, I sincerely doubt that you'd be able to tell the difference at all. The ELF Halo Glow filter comes in at just over $13.00. Honorable Mention Products I have a few more drugstore products that are in my current rotation that are showing promise, and in the following photo I'm wearing all of them at once! Revlon Illuminance Skin-Caring Liquid Foundation (US only) I found a single bottle of this foundation the last time I was in the States while I was pawing-though a sale bin at Target (pardon me...Targée (pron: TāR - JAY). I imagine that perhaps this is because it might be being discontinued or phased-out or some such thing but I grabbed this random bottle in the shade 301 "Cool Beige" for four bucks. I am not really a "cool" undertone person but for the sake of four US Dollars to try something new, I decided I could pretend to be cool. In a perfect world, I would have gone for shade 317, "tan sand." This is a really lovely foundation. In the photo, I put on a bit more than I might normally wear so I could really test it properly, and I used a dry beauty blender sponge to apply it, instead of my normal wet sponge. This foundation feels light and moisturizing on the skin (its claim to fame is the hyaluronic acid and squalane in the formula). It also claims to be medium coverage, and I would say that claim is exactly right. This foundation still has enough sheerness for me to feel comfortable in it, but you get a nice even complexion with it, and it doesn't feel drying or tight. It also isn't overly luminous, glittery, chalky or matte. I'm quite pleased with this foundation, and think you might be too. And hey, if I'm wrong, you're only out $13! Or $4 if you can find it in a bin at your local Tār- Jay like I did. Sadly UK friends, I was not able to reliably find this product in any quantity in the UK. Hard Candy Marilyn Monroe Beauty Marker Winged Eyeliner Stamp I found this product at my local Walmart on my last trip to the States and I absolutely love how easy it makes getting a (near) perfect winged liner. Winged liner is sort of a new obsession of mine, as you may remember from my recent post about easily creating a winged, "puppy" liner look. Unfortunately as I write this, I'm finding it very difficult to source this item. Hard Candy, while once a coveted 90s brand known for their funky nail polishes, eyeshadows and lipglosses, now only serves-up a handful of products, mostly shadows and liners, and the stamp liner must have been limited edition. If you can find one in stock at your local Walmart good for you, but luckily there are other options out there that are pretty much identical. The cult favorite of all the options is this Lottie London Stamp Liner (USA) & (UK). this is a very popular product, available on both sides of the pond, and is likely here to stay. While these stamp liners do leave you with a one size fits all "wing", don't be put off if you feel like the wing is too much for you. You can easily modify your wing with a damp q tip swab or angled brush, and soon you'll develop your own personal method and wonder what any of us were thinking trying to do the whole thing freehand! Revlon ColorStay Creme Eyeshadow in Espresso I've spoken at length about this product over the years on the blog, and my favorite was always the shade Praline, a peachy pink that goes on more like a highlighter shade. This is quite literally a stick your finger in and go product; I am drawn to anything that gives me a quick and easy option to make myself up (I never leave enough time). This formula not only goes on easily, it's also buildable and works well as an eyeshadow base. As I've gotten older, I have adjusted my shade selection. The Praline shade (along with most of the other shades in this Revlon creme shadow collection) has quite a bit of reflective pearlescence in it. I felt like it was starting to wash me out a bit and accentuate my 50-plus lines. I also think that all that highlight on the lid looked a bit dated, and I was looking to update my look bit, while sticking with something really natural. The espresso shade is really lovely; it has a bit of sheen to it, but isn't as shiny and reflective as some of the other shades - just enough to provide a bit of depth. This has become my everyday go-to one and done product. You have to move quickly with the formula to get it even (it dries down really well) but it is sheer and buildable, and I find that I can apply it with my finger better than any fancy brush I might have been tempted by in the past; the warmth of your finger does make it much easier to get an even blend. This is a great color that will work well on most light through medium olive skin tones, and even on darker skins this would add a bit of depth and act as a lovely one and done or a base for a more complex look.

  • OOTD: An Oversized Plaid Shacket for the Winter of Your Discontent

    This oversized shacket (if you're new here, that's shirt + jacket = shacket) was an unexpected pleasant surprise. Having ordered it as a sample for the HFmercantile boutique, I had relegated it to the "wait and see if it's any good" pile to await further review. Despite the very serious look on my face in the above photo (!?) I was very pleasantly surprised by this piece; it's essentially the sartorial equivalent of wearing a very lightweight but cozy blanket; it's soft yet sturdy, casual yet unique and memorable, and as it turns out, a fantastic option to wear over a pair of stretchy leggings or jeggings on a long-haul flight. There really is no better trial run you can do with a garment than to wear it on a long travel day. If it comes out the other end looking good, it's a win in my book. This shirt, officially called The Renegade shacket on the website, kept me cozy all the way from Edinburgh to Minneapolis last weekend, and I think it has more than earned its place in my closet as a reliable cold climate travel piece; especially nice in the winter when the long, dark, cold days tell our natural instincts to curl up in a blanket and hibernate. In classic fashion, I completely forgot/was too lazy to snap a quick airport selfie so you could see the garment "in action", but the look was pretty much identical to what's posted here, but with a pair of Durango harness boots instead of the tall Fryes shown here, and the Charlie One Horse hat stayed home. Added bonus - the shacket washes up beautifully, although full disclosure, I have not, and probably won't put it in the dryer. I rarely put things in the dryer these days if I can air dry it. I feel like that practice helps my clothes look better for longer. I do feel though that since it's a poly blend it will likely be just fine if you do like to throw things in the dryer. Naturally, the grey plaid pictured here is no longer available (because of course it isn't), but if this shacket looks like it might be your vibe, it's still available in pink, black, and khaki (the khaki is nearly exactly the same as this grey one only warmer in tone, and would look great if you're blonde or "bronde"). I think I may be hitting up the supplier for the pink one as well. You know....because I need to test it. For science. Feeling the vibe? Use code WMERC15 for a discount!

  • Introducing Highland Fashionista Mercantile!

    Greetings loyal readers and new arrivals to the blog! I'm pleased to report that the reason I've been so sporadic in posting of late has now manifested into something that I can finally talk to you about. So to that end..... TA DAAAAA! (jazz hands) Highland Fashionista Mercantile is my long-awaited e-commerce website - now operational! You can click the photo if you want to check it out; HFmercantile is the shortened domain name. You may recall a post I made (what feels like ages ago now) where I shared my plans to merge my blog and e-commerce ventures into a single platform. I've had this blog for a long time (over 12 years!), so trying to figure out how to accomplish this type of merge without diminishing any of the involved assets has been a real mind-bender. For now, I have decided the easiest way to accomplish this was with branding. The blog and the new venture are still separate platforms at the moment, but with the same branding, voice, and style sensibility. The secondhand marketplace still lives on the blog and links out to Etsy and Ebay, while HFmercantile is a standalone site. Eventually they will all be under one roof, but it's a big job, particularly considering all the vintage inventory is one of a kind, so consider this a large and purposeful step in that direction; part of Operation Work Smarter Not Harder, if you like. So that's me officially launching my soft opening of the HFmercantile website. Many of you loyal readers have been with me for such a long time (and thanks for that, by the way...love you guys), I figured you would have already noticed the steady changes in the overall branding of the blog, and I wanted to read you in. What does this mean going forward? Ultimately, I'm hoping for a more streamlined, cleaner, sophisticated (grain of salt there, it's me) user experience. But to address the specifics of what the plan is, I thought it would be easiest do so in a Q&A section, which appears at the end of this post. But first, I'm going to ask for a favor. One of the most helpful things you could do for me at this stage would be to take a moment to leave a review on the Highland Fashionista Facebook page. Whether it's a review of the new website (again, link in the photos), or the blog, it matters not. By leaving a review it lets the internet mind hive (better known as the Facebook algorithm) know that there are in fact real human beings here doing real human being things. New websites often fall into an algorithmic black hole because to an AI tool, a quiet webpage is a bot. Please and thank you. For your trouble, you can use the code WMERC15 for 15% off at checkout on the new site, should you see anything in your browsing that tickles your fancy. Highland Fashionista Mercantile Launch Q&A Q. Will you still be continuing with the blog? A. Yes. Absoluely. There will inevitably be a few gaps in posting here and there while I manage the growing pains of a new offshoot business venture, but I will keep the blog until the day they have to pry the laptop out of my icy hands. And even then, I might still continue. Q. Where do the clothes you sell at Highland Fashionista Mercantile come from? A. All over the place, really. But when people ask me this, often what they're really asking me if I am using Chinese fast fashion suppliers. The answer is no, but also yes. I currently work with several different suppliers ranging from a few small and midized indie brands to larger, commercial suppliers. These suppliers have stock in the USA, Spain, Italy, and yes, China. I order as many samples at a time as I can afford to, but inevitably some things will likely fall through the cracks. Also, pieces can change over time due to the availability of materials, so it's a constant process of evaluation. As someone who spends most of her days searching for, cleaning, prepping and photographing old clothes, I feel that I am uniquely qualified to assess a garment's suitability for the shop. Q. Will you still be selling on Etsy? A. 100%. I have been an Etsy seller pretty much since the beginning of Etsy, and I have no desire to leave, even after I am to a point where I have vintage offerings on the new site. Etsy has gone through a lot of permutations over the years, and if you've ever been in a seller forum you'll know that sellers love to complain about it, but I will always love Etsy, and I will always have a presence there. Q. Isn't it sort of hypocritical for someone who is such an advocate for shopping secondhand to have modern clothing website? (Yes, this is an actual thing someone said to me recently) I don't see it that way. Not at all. As I've often stated, I'm not anti high street fashion, but rather I'm anti wastefulness. The practicality and promise that any garment offers its wearer is way more important to me than provenance. As with life, our sartorial choices are never completely made up of all one experience. While I do everything I can to ensure that the things I pick are vetted, equally I feel that as someone who loves clothes and loves to make other people happy through clothes, its my sacred sworn duty (too much?) to show people the potential in things that they might have otherwise ignored. To do that, you literally have to consider all the options. To that point, I'm not looking for a shop full of expensive, high-end, branded material, but rather an eclectic mix. Most of my wardrobe is still thrifted, and probably always will be, but woman cannot live on thrift alone.

  • A Ridiculously Simple Outfit Planning Strategy for Your Vacation

    My husband and I recently had a planned week away with some of his family, and I found myself needing to pack for a trip where the daytime temperatures would be warm enough to hit the beach, but the nights would be cool enough for a sweater or light jacket. In my 52 years on the planet, I've travelled extensively, worked in jobs where I had limited space for clothes and personal effects, and have just generally spent a lot of time with a suitcase in my hand, so I feel like I have an exceptionally strong packing game. I am reminded of this every time I'm at the airport; I am quite often standing at the check-in surrounded by people who are going away for a week or maybe a ten day vacation, and they have these giant suitcases (often bigger than the one I use to transport my shop inventory), and they're at the check-in desk holding up the line while they desperately try to re-pack everything because their bags are coming in overweight. Trust me, nobody wants to be that person at 5am in an airport, and with what airlines are charging these days, it's an expensive way to kick-off your trip. Over the years I've developed a simple personal vacation outfit-planning strategy that really works for me, and it has resulted in me having more than enough looks for the trip, everything gets worn, and you don't end up hauling a bunch of stuff you're not going to wear all around the planet. Anyone can do this. All it takes is just a little bit of careful "front end" consideration before you start packing. The best part? Each time you do this, you'll get a little better at it. Nowadays, I can pack for a few weeks away in a pinch. Outfit Planning for Vacation: The Basics There really is no art to this other than to take the time to put a bit of thought into it before the suitcase comes out. If you take only one thing away from reading this article, let it be that. Once the suitcase comes out, commit to finishing your packing in one go. Leaving a half-packed suitcase out and open is a guaranteed recipe for overpacking. Every time you walk past that open suitcase you will throw something else in there. You know you will. Resist the urge. Trust the process. Take a moment before you start to create your plan and stick to it. If you're historically not a planner, I suggest starting with sitting for a moment with a pen and paper and making a few notes. I still often do this for longer trips or trips where I have specific events to attend. I'll often even begin this process while I'm out and about in some waiting room or on a work break. Though I may be writing down what seems like the obvious, I feel like I'm getting a jump start on packing, and the simple act of writing helps me focus and gets my creative juices flowing. I can pretty easily visualize the items in my closet, and before long, outfit ideas start popping into my head. Basic outfit-planning considerations, phase 1: the obvious stuff How many days/nights are you away (i.e. how many bras and pairs of underwear will I need?) Don't forget to count any hotel stay nights in transit, and consider if you'll be willing or able to wash things either in a sink or via a hotel laundry. What will the weather be like? Tropical and hot? Cold? Will I need layers? Heavy sweaters? Boots? Will I be walking a lot? Working out? Do the research here. Google the weather if you're unfamiliar. This will save you a lot of hassle if you have what you need going in. Consider any pieces that you really want (or need) to have with you. Consider making one (or more) of these pieces your anchor piece(s) that you will rely on during your stay to help create multiple looks. Anchor pieces create cohesion in your vacation wardrobe and cut down on the amount of stuff you need to carry. For our recent trip, I knew we would be spending our days casually relaxing by the pool or on the beach. Packing for that is easy (you barely need anything!), so I concentrated my efforts on packing my nighttime, casual dinner looks. I chose these distressed Dan Post "Jilted" boots as my anchor piece; a bigger piece than I normally would bring with me for only a week away, but I didn't have many restrictions, so to me bringing something a bit bigger felt a bit luxurious and apart from my norm. Outfit planning phase 2: trying things on & picking your looks Now that the anchor pieces have been selected, we're on to the creative part - trying things on. The act of trying things on ensures that all the pieces you end up choosing look right together; pant lengths work with shoes, high rise or low rise have shirt lengths that work with them...you get the idea. In dong this, you will invariably start to see other outfit ideas emerge from within your selections, which will lead to the creation of more than one look for your trip. This practice really helps create a cohesive capsule wardrobe, and has the added benefit of helping you actually wear the clothes that live in your closet. Likewise I have also culled things from my closet on more than one occasion while packing for a trip, realizing that I hadn't worn something in ages and likely was not going to. If you're a person with an overflowing closet in need of some organization and this practice makes you feel anxious and overwhelmed, don't worry about it. Dive in. You can finish organizing your closet in small stages over time, and you'll probably find that you're more motivated to do so once you've gotten into the rhythm. Phase 3: add accessories & double-check foundation garments Phase 3 is a quick once-over of the looks you've chosen. Considering your looks, choose belts, hats, and jewelry. Here you'll likely find that you will be able to use the same accessories for multiple looks, so you don't have to go nuts and try to bring every little thing. For our trip, I chose a selection of my turquoise and beaded pieces to take with me, all of which pretty much worked with any of the looks I chose. Phase 3 is also a good time to make sure that you have chosen bras with straps that will work under your shirts, the right colors of undergarments (at least one nude set always seems like a good idea), and the right socks for workout shoes and/or boots. This is also a great time to take stock of the other things you'll need for your trip, like swimsuits, gym gear, and pajamas. Keep in mind when packing your basics - you can always wash things in a pinch, especially workout gear and swimsuits, so don't go nuts. For our trip, the end result for me was a very cohesive, Western/Southwestern-inspired capsule wardrobe made up of pieces that were very interchangeable, appropriate for the cooler nighttime temperatures (layering!), and most importantly, looked and felt pretty much as I wanted them to. In retrospect I might have gone harder with the accessories (an area where I am inherently lazy and vow to do better), maybe layered them up a bit more, but on that first night I had literally seven minutes to get ready. Yes, seven minutes. So I guess that's another reason why having a wardrobe plan really makes a difference...sometimes your husband forgets to tell you the dinner reservation time has changed (because, men) and you have to get dressed fireman-style. The Results: Seven Outfits in Seven Days thrifted vest, similar | thrifted Gap jeggings | H&M Blouse (old), similar | vintage printed vest, similar | vintage concho belt, similar vintage LOFT sleeveless shirt dress, similar (on sale!) | vintage concho belt (as worn on Day 1) | thrifted Aztec open cardigan, similar thrifted free people tell tale tunic | thrifted Gap jeggings (as worn on Day 1) thrifted Zara sheer lace top, similar | thrifted Old Navy raw hem denim skirt, similar | turquoise buckle vegan leather belt (old), similar | Tasha Polizzi flannel serape tunic (old), similar | turquoise heishi bead necklace (old), similar thrifted Lipsy sleeveless blouse, similar | turquoise buckle vegan leather belt (as on day 4) | Grace in LA bootleg jeans (old), similar | thrifted cardigan (as worn on day 2) | H&M sandals (old), similar | beaded earrings (old), similar Ryan Michaels flare sleeve blouse (old), on ebay (sm), on ebay (lg) | black concho belt as worn on days 1 & 2 | skirt as worn on day 4 thrifted No Boundaries Aztec print dress, similar, similar vibe | white shirt as worn on day 1 | heshi turquoise necklace as worn on day 4

  • Styling a Feminine Lace Thrift Store Top for an Unexpected OOTD

    On a recent trip to the thrift store, I saw what at the time I thought was this rather odd, intriguing lace tunic style top. At first I dismissed it, regarding its saccharine femininity as something outside of what I would normally go for (and it is), but I kept coming back to it for another look. It had a kind of edge to it that I found intriguing, and it felt somehow oddly familiar, like an estranged old friend I should try to reconnect with, even though I most certainly had never seen it before. I ended up bringing the thing home. I figure when something catches your attention like this top did mine, there must be a reason. I wasn't sure exactly what I was going to do with something so unabashedly girly, but that's the beauty of thrifting - the ability to step out and try new looks without the looming threat of instant bankrupcy. The former owner of the top had removed all of the inside tags (I hate it when people do this), so it took me a minute or two online to find out exactly what this thing was, but as it turns out, this is the Tell Tale Sheer Lace Tunic by Free People, a discovery which completely explains the edgy, bohemian vibe I was getting from this top. I've always been a fan of Free People and at any given moment there are several of their pieces on my sartorial wish list, so the seeming familiarity of this top suddenly made a lot more sense. Styling-wise there's really not a lot to be added to something so heavily decorated. This top with its keyhole peekaboo neckline and flared sleeves is definitely giving 90s Shania Twain vibes, so I just added some beaded jewelry, a pair of vintage (also thrifted) Dan Post boots and I left it at that. I think adding a blazer over the top would be layering perfection, letting the full flowy hemline peek out the bottom. But me being me, I didn't think of this until after the rain came on, forcing me inside to try and finish my little photo shoot with a smudged screen and the inadequate indoor lighting characteristic of the Scottish winter months. The takeaway here is that the weird thing that you saw in the shop and and keep thinking about...that thing should come home with you. Just do it. Take it home. You'll figure it out. The Tell Tale lace tunic can still be found online secondhand and as overstock, and it comes in various colors, sleeve lengths and sizes. I've linked some of them below* if you're interested, or you can search the entire complement of options on eBay. *some links may generate a small commission to Highland Fashionista at no cost to you

  • It's Black Friday, Now What? Some Gift Guide Inspiration for 2023-2024

    Guys, it's time. I know, I've been trying not to think about it too, but try as we might, even the most holiday-shy among us is probably going to have to think about the upcoming festive gifting season. Or maybe you're just in the mood to do a little shopping for yourself? That's ok too, hey...no judgement here. I've compiled a few different idea boards for inspiration, complete with links to the larger collections of things I've seen online of late that caught my eye. Maybe you'll like them too, or know someone that will. And as ever, some of the products featured are affiliate links, which may generate a small commission to Highland Fashionista at no cost to you. As always, a girl's gotta eat, and Highland Fashionista promises not to spend her millions all in one place. Not even at Sephora, which by my calculations, would get you about three or four things that fit in the palm of your hand. But I digress. Let's get to it. For the sake of time and space I've limited the scope of these gift guides to adults (okay...and their pets too). Click on individual items for more information, or click the collection link buttons to visit the extended collections in my LTK feed and don't forget to follow me over there as well! Gift Guide Inspiration for Her I know, I know...it's literally impossible to create a 2023 gift guide for every single taste on the planet. It simply cannot be done. I've tried to be as eclectic and inclusive as possible here, but at the end of the day if you're still unsure, I am firmly of the belief that gift cards are not a cop-out; they may not have the personal touch of a traditional gift, but there's something very satisfyingly pragmatic about getting someone something that you know they will be able to put to use in the way they see fit. 2023 Gift Guide Inspiration for Pet People We don't just love our pets...we really, really love our pets. Luckily those of us who are pet obsessed have a virtual embarrassment of riches to choose from when it comes to creative pet-adjacent gifts. The matching dog walk outfits featured below particularly tickled my fancy, but there is also a ton of really great customizable stuff out there as well, particularly on Etsy. Gift Guide Inspiration for Him A few collections for that most notoriously difficult to shop for demographic, the men in your life. I always feel more of a pull to make the gifts I buy for men pragmatic as well as stylish. Maybe that's just me, or maybe that's a thing you feel as well. Either way, there are options this year that fit the bill.

  • Shop With Me: Some Unexpected Mainstream Fashion Finds

    Every once in a while I like to haul myself into a few "big box" fast fashion retailers and try on whatever catches my eye. These days, most of what I prefer to wear is thrifted and/or vintage, so I consider these little outings more like fact finding missions than actual shopping with intent, but taken purely as an exercise, it's fun! Every time I do this I unearth a few "secret" fast fashion pieces that I feel are are worth mentioning, I learn something new about my own sartorial tastes as a 50+ customer, and every so often I even end up with something new. Last week I was in the city for the day, and took the opportunity to do a try-on recon mission. There were a lot of misses (like always), but also some pleasant surprises! Let's jump right in, shall we? A Quick Word on Mainstream Fashion Fit and Quality At this point in our collective sartorial history it should come as no surprise that both sizing and garment quality is all over the place with mainstream fast fashion. You can easily pick two similar pieces off the rack in two identical sizes and get two wildly different fits and fabrics. This is where try-on recon missions like this really come in handy, and why it's so important to not talk yourself out of trying something you think you might like...you just never know. Hiden Gems at H&M: Everyday Chunky Sweaters Fall 2023 is definitely the Season of the Chunky Sweater, and H&M has a lot of them on display. Quality-wise, not all of them are great. In fact, some of them are downright awful (as is the way with modern fast fashion knitwear), but as I often find with H&M, there were also a few pieces that stood out because they are of surprisingly good quality and are worth a look. The 90s-inspired pieces below appear in various permutations all over H&M, and I'm into it. I really like their take on the high-low mix of a basic thick funnel neck in a warm neutral with a slim, sequinned gold midi skirt; it's a perfect way to deploy a bit of holiday bling without going over the top. While quality-wise the sequinned skirt certainly isn't a masterpiece, for the amount of times you will probably wear a gold sequinned skirt, it's comfortable, looks great, and the price is right. At the end of the day, the difference between a stretchy $35 sequinned midi skirt and a $3500 stretchy sequinned midi skirt seems like a pretty big chasm to cross. The simple chunky-knit ribbed sweaters featured here are of a really nice quality that you do not often see in mainstream knitwear. My favorite is the first of the two "Shaker" knit style sweaters; these knits have a louche, casual appearance and a substantial hand to them. The cropped version is also decent, and makes for a great layering piece if you're not wanting to show the world your 52 year-old midsection. Just...you know... ahem...for example. *Hover over the individual items in the photos for more information on pieces! Hidden Finds at Zara: Edgy & Unique Pieces Zara and I have always had a rather adversarial relationship. Personally, I've always found that they have fantastic designs in theory, but dubious execution and sizing. Zara gets a lot of traffic, and I often find that on the rare occasion that I'm in there trying things on, I find that the garments already have ripped seams, holes, and signs of wear that definitely should not be there off the rack, no matter how busy the store...it's hardly the best prognostic indicator for garment longevity, even with our modern fast fashion expectations permanently set to "low." Sizing in particular at Zara has historically run on the small side, but to their credit, I noticed on this last visit that they have added a lot more plus sizing to their inventory, something that's really good for inclusivity, but also gives you more wiggle room if you need to size up - and if you're tall like me or are at all long-waisted, you will probably need to size up. And even then, fit can be questionable. I find that as a long-waisted 5'10", US size 10 (considered a "transitional" size in the industry...whatever), separates at Zara rarely fit me properly, even when I do try to size up. The armholes and busts don't quite hit at the right place, the rise in the jeans is always in the wrong place, and going bigger almost always means these problems still exist, compounded by the addition of a too-big waist or bust. However, this season they have some cute, 90s-inspired (again) shift and column dresses that seemed to work on me, once again driving home the point that you really do have to try things on to be sure. As an aside, their dressing room lighting is the pits...it casts a harsh, film-noir type shadow over everything you try on, so I'm preemptively apologizing to you for that. It is what it is. The first dress here is a crinkled satin, loose mock neck in a midnight blue. The quality of the garment isn't great, but I really liked the color and the casual coolness of the shape. I even liked how it looked over my jeans (evoking more ghosts of the 90s - Y2K era). I think this piece would work best dressed-down, layered with denim and or leather, chunky knits, and boots. I'm wearing a medium here (over my jeans), and I would probably ideally want to size-up to a large. The long column dress is a faux leather dress that I tried on just for giggles. I ended up loving it. I am sort of regretting not buying it, even though I hardly have the need for such a thing with my current boots and jeans lifestyle. But the fit was surprisingly perfect without sizing up (I'm wearing a large in the photo). The Blooper Reel: Pieces That Didn't Make the Cut *Select items in this post are affiliate links, and may generate a small commission to Highland Fashionista at no cost to you. As always, Highland Fashionista promises not to spend it all in one place.

  • Orange-Based Eyeshadow With Gray Hair: Fun Fall Trend or Too Weird?

    First off, if you know anything about this blog, you'll know that this title was a trick question, because here at Highland Fashionista, nothing is too weird. We are GenX and have an angsty and misunderstood reputation to uphold. Okay so I overcooked it a bit with the gold highlight from this palette because it wasn't showing up well in the photos. Whatever, it's fine. Everything's fine. The larger point is, if you're anywhere hovering about the middle age bracket, you'll have undoubtedly noticed that the beauty industry has started marketing everything to you in what feels like a modified version of the fun, trendy product you actually thought you wanted. Sometimes for the better, often not. We are inexplicably still being sold the bill of goods that it's time to tone things down. Those of us with gray hair are marketed eyeshadows in conservative shades of dusty matte taupe (glitter makes your wrinkles show!), told to avoid bronzer (too muddy!) and instructed to not put highlighter anywhere near our wrinkles (someone might actually know they're there!). Yet at the same time we are sold greasy, "illuminating" products that contain so may "youthful", light-reflecting particles if you use more than one or two on a given day your face can reflect so much light you might just get a visit from NASA, wanting to know why all their satellites are pointing towards your house. The Advice We Get When We Have Natural Gray Hair When I started letting my natural hair grow in, one little advice nugget that unfortunately stuck in my mind was that with a ageing face, one should avoid a warmer, orange-based palette. This was something I struggled with since I am outside a fair amount of time and always have a bit of a tan (yes, even with sunscreen), still have quite a lot of dark brunette hair, and a naturally warm complexion. I love my warm shades and am still drawn to them, despite my rapidly-cooling hair. I'll admit it. Not being a savvy makeup person, I fell for it. I fell for the "tone it down" company line. This year, at the tender age of 52, I made a conscious decision to try and get better at makeup. I am doing this pretty gradually (old dog, new tricks), but I am quickly learning, thanks to a handful of YouTube and TikTok makeup content creators. I am still not comfortable wearing the amount of foundation that many of these creators are using in their videos, but the small changes that I have already incorporated into my routine have been easy and really impactful (see my recent winged eyeliner post). Here are two of my go-to middle aged makeup content creators if you're interested: Erica Taylor has over a million TikTok followers, and those of you in the USA will perhaps have seen her face on the marketing from her partnership with Ulta. Taylor has been a makeup artist for decades, and her posts are quick and to the point. She's also funny, which is an absolutely non-negotiable requirement for me. Most of her full content is short form on TikTok, but she also has a YouTube channel as well if you can't stomach TikTok (hey, I get it.) This is a great resource for quick, everyday application techniques; small shifts in technique and placement that make a huge difference on our middle aged faces. Sonia Ramos is my absolute favorite pick for bolder looks and more out of the box makeup application at any age. She's also a naturally silver Latina woman, so if you are more medium to olive-toned and have natural silver hair and like to play with your look, you'll perhaps relate. I really appreciate her zero F's approach to makeup, if not just life in general. Sonia may not be everyone's cup of tea; if you are the type to clutch your pearls when you hear cursing, she may not be your flavor. Personally, I absolutely love and appreciate her unadorned, tell it like it is advice on makeup , skincare and handbags. She is on TikTok The Result of My First Pass at Orange Eyeshadow With My Gray Hair This whole thing started as summer turned to fall; I kept seeing all manner of bronze, russet, "latte", and orange-based shadow posts being done by makeup creators. Up until that point I had been dutifully sticking with the aforementioned cooler-based pinky taupes and I was bored. I decided I wanted in on something a little more seasonal and trendy. I watched a few videos, and I just sort of went for it. For this little experiment I used the I Heart Revolution Mini Chocolate Eyeshadow Palette in Chocolate Fudge (affiliate link alert!) that I got from the local drugstore. In these photos, I feel like I didn't quite get the application quite right, as my placement still looks a bit late 90s - early 2000s for my tastes, but I realize now that I simply didn't take the techniques I was learning far enough. I also used a very light hand, another habit that I would like to be comfortable breaking more often now that I'm trying to be braver. However, the object of this experiment was really just to see if these shades were even going to be wearable on me in a way that I would wear them on the daily, as opposed to a full-on influencer mode application. To that point, I'm happy to report that even as a light wash of everyday color, the answer is yes. It works. The conclusion - go forth ladies, and purchase that weird eyeshadow you saw on the internet that you love the look of in the pan but are not sure what to do with! If all else fails, the internet will keep you right!

  • Early Deals Sale Starting at Etsy!

    Well hello there fashionphiles! This is your official one day's notice to make you aware of Etsy's early deals that are starting October 23rd (that's tomorrow if you're reading this in real time). This year Etsy is really extending their sales so you will be able to grab deals for the next month at all participating shops! I will be running the following sales for the entire duration of the sale period through the end of November! Highland Fashionista Vintage - 25% off orders of $60 or more, and buyers in *participating countries (*US, UK, Germany and Canada) can make offers on items marked final sale. Puzz Factor Vintage Puzzles - 25% off orders of $40 or more, and *participating countries can make an offer on all shop items The Etsy early deals sale will be running site-wide, so there will be many participating shops, so come have a poke around and pick up some deals, grab a sustainable holiday outfit, and help support small businesses!

  • The Halloween Lover's Guide to Zombie Movies

    If you've been around the blog a while, you will already know that I am an unrepentant zombie movie nerd. Yes, they all start in the same manner; maybe some powerful organization tries to play God by manipulating some DNA until such time as there is a lab leak or someone gets bitten by a lab rat or an inattentive worker mislays a test tube or accidentally mixes some organic matter then tries to cover it up then inadvertently becomes patient zero, but of course meanwhile nobody wants to listen to the lone wolf but exceptionally hot epidemiologist warning of the coming plague that he or she may or may not have actually had a hand in creating...anyway, I know you know how this goes, we all do. For those of us who enjoy zombie fiction, It's not the plot of these movies that make them so fun to watch - like I said, everyone already knows what's coming. No, the fun lies in how they choose to unroll said plot. The sweet spot for any zombie movie is that time right in the beginning of the film where you are on tenderhooks with anticipation. The filmmakers have a blank slate at that point, and we as the audience are quivering with anticipation. How is this thing gonna start? Who will go first? How fast will it spread? Is it gonna be airborne? Will the undead be fast? Slow and shambling? Hungry for brains or just really, really angry? Is it going to take the traditional head shot to put them down? (Yes to that last one. Almost always.) This is the bit where the storytelling decisions are made, and often the place where filmmakers show us something we've seen a million times, only done in a different way that makes it feel new. And that my friends, is the zombie movie high we're all looking for. During the sweet spot of a zombie movie the plot turbo-accelerates, causing the lead characters (and the audience) to quickly learn about the characteristics of the zombies. As our protagonists get better at killing the zombies off, their (our) knowledge base of the undead grows, and the sweet spot begins to wane. The sweet spot is soon replaced by phase two - survival mode. In survival mode, the characters are met with the realization that in the wake of the apocalypse, there is a slice of the still-human population that is every bit as dangerous as the undead. This is the part of the film where you will dig into your ethical dilemmas, ranging from the manipulation of the natural world to how far one is willing to go to survive. It's about losing your humanity either by force, persuasion, or by voluntarily giving it away. There are themes of surviving vs living. There is always an ethical dilemma in a zombie movie - you didn't think you were going to get away from this without being accountable, did you? Such is the allure of the zombie movie. What's even better is that after all that, have I spoiled the plot for you? No I have not. Because as we've just learned, the plot is beside the point. With no further ado, I present to you some of my favorite zombie movies. Granted, this is not an exhaustive list, and if you've got some of your own, by all means please pop them into the comments. If I haven't seen any of of them (unlikely) I'll definitely want to watch them! Five of My Favorite Zombie Movies Night of the Living Dead (1968) Any zombie movie list that does not include the original Night of the Living Dead is simply incomplete. Night of the Living Dead is a film about a group of people trapped in a rural Pennsylvania farmhouse, trying to survive a night of being attacked by what we now identify genre-wise as the undead. This film, written by George Romero and John Russo (and directed by Romero) seems entirely corny when watched through our modern lens, but it was considered highly controversial when it was released, due to the shocking and graphic subject matter. That notwithstanding, the film quickly became a cult favorite, grossing 12 million domestically and 18 million internationally, making it one of the most profitable films of its time. Since then, Night of the Living Dead has occupied the primo spot as one of the most important horror films to really help create and shape the genre. Additionally, this film is often discussed in academia for its reflection of the socio-cultural changes that were sweeping America in the 1960s. 28 Days Later (2002) In addition to being completely and utterly terrifying, this 2002 film (written by Alex Garland and directed by the incomparable Danny Boyle) is credited for breathing new...er..."life" into the undead genre. Boyle's zombies are fast. Like, really, really fast, and angry AF. It's said that Danny Boyle himself does not classify 28 Days Later as a zombie film per se, but ask anyone what their top three terrifying zombie films are, and this will feature heavily. Just sayin'. This movie, based in the UK, is a tale of a very fast-moving epidemic of the "rage virus", a disease that (surprise surprise) escaped a lab after a test subject monkey ravaged someone. This movie really stood apart from the genre at the time of its release, as it has a really character-driven plot, beautiful cinematography, and a haunting original soundtrack by John Murphy. This movie also has a standalone sequel, 28 Weeks Later (directed by Juan Carlos Fresnadillo), and despite my usual distaste for sequels, it's every bit as terrifying, and stays true to the character driven, cinematic style of the original. Shaun of the Dead (2004) Another UK based cult classic is Shawn of the Dead. If you are unfamiliar with the handful of modern British comedies that have come out over the years starring Simon Pegg and Nick Frost (like the absolutely stellar Hot Fuzz), this is a great place to start. Shawn of the Dead is an irreverent comedic sendup of the zombie fiction genre, done to absolute perfection. When you watch this comedic interpretation, you'll notice the importance of the aforementioned zombie movie sweet spot, and how the writers (Pegg himself along with director Edgar Wright) expertly manipulate the sweet spot with great comedic success. I won't say more than that as not to call out any specific moments, other than to tell you that yes, the poster is correct. It's a romantic comedy. With zombies. Train to Busan (2016) If you're a genre nerd like me, you are already well aware of the fairly large amount of really good zombie content coming out of South Korea. Train to Busan is an excellent example of the genre, it essentially follows the traditional zombie movie sweet spot plot acceleration, but it hits hard, as one might expect from a zombie movie that essentially develops within the confines of a moving train. This film is character-driven, fast-moving, claustrophobic and heart-wrenching all in one (OMG the ending). This one is definitely on any zombie nerd's must-watch list. Train to Busan was written by Joo-Suk Park and Sang-ho Yeon, and was directed by Yeon. It was South Korea's highest-grossing film of 2016. There has since been a stand alone sequel called Peninsula, but I have yet to see it. Warm Bodies (2013) Since I had committed to only highlighting five films here, it was a toss-up for me whether I included Warm Bodies here or Zombieland, both similar comedic expressions of the genre that really sort of occupy the same space in my head and in my (cold, dead) heart. Warm Bodies is unique in that it opens eight years after the zombie apocalypse has already happened, so you don't have that sweet spot acceleration that you get with the traditional zombie movie plot. However, what you do get is the juxtaposition of some very recognizable (and hilarious) human behavioral traits coming from the undead protagonists in the film, and it makes for a delightful watch. The film was written and directed by Jonathan Levine and based on the 2010 novel (of the same name) by Isaac Marion. Five More Notable Zombie Films The Girl with All the Gifts (2016) Night of the Comet (1984) Zombieland: Double Tap (2019) I am Legend (2007) World War Z (2013) All of us are Dead (S. Korean TV series - 2022)

  • Yes, You Absolutely Can Wear Winged Eyeliner in Your 50s

    I've learned a thing or two in my 52 years on the planet, but nothing really prepared me for the sheer volume of untapped knowledge that I was going to have access to once I joined TikTok. Granted, a lot of what you see on TikTok boils down to where in the algorithm you end up, which of course depends on which rabbit holes you choose to go down...then of course there are the very real national security and data concerns.... But all that aside, last week, I happened to be in the right place at the right time, I found myself in the makeup TikTok algorithm! There I came across several videos all showcasing what the kids are calling "puppy liner." Twee name notwithstanding, puppy liner is essentially a more user-friendly version of a classic winged eyeliner, that works with the natural shape of your eyes to produce a flattering result that (allegedly) works on everyone. After watching a few of these videos, I realized that it did indeed look ridiculously easy, that I needed to check it out as a matter of urgency, and that I had probably been attempting (unsuccessfully) to achieve winged eyeliner the wrong way for pretty much the entirety of my life. National security be damned, this is winged eyeliner we're talking about here! Up until that point, I had mostly moved away from the liquid and felt liners that one needs to use to create a winged eye. This is really due to their difficulty of use (for me) and harsh appearance, which I realize now speaks more to my lack of skill than to the actual product itself. Of course there's also the inconvenient fact that putting on winged eyeliner in your 50s is a little like trying to put eyeliner on a 17 year-old hairless Shar Pei. It can be particularly daunting when you get it wrong, and hoo-boy do I excel at getting it wrong. Luckily for me, turns out it's never too late! Since adopting this ridiculously simple technique, I have done some version of a winged eye just about every day since I learned this little trick, and now I find it fun. Needless to say I've also been scouring the internet for every imaginable color of liner, trying to make up for lost time! Read on for the basics on how it works. Winged Eyeliner in Your 50s: Puppy Liner Basics As the kids on the TikTok tell it, the reason that puppy liner works so well on everyone is that instead of trying to create the upward flick of a cat eye by drawing it in an upward direction, you use the natural canthal tilt of your eyes as your guide. We'll get to what that is in a minute. This technique is quite subtle, and for people with quite positive canthal tilts it may not change what you're doing all that much if you do a winged eye on the regular. However, for those of us with maturing skin, hooded eyes, who anyone else who struggles with wings (or any eyeliner potentially ending up "above the fold"), it's a life-changing adjustment, even if it does at first feel a bit counterintuitive. Besides a good name for a band, what on Earth is canthal tilt? Having witnessed the absolute flurry of anxiety on TikTok that ensued after the canthal tilt filter was introduced, I'm not going to dwell too much on canthal tilt other than to provide a brief overview. I believe that using digital trends to inform any assessment that affects your self image is a slippery slope, and quite frankly, kinda dumb. However, from an eyeliner perspective, the filter does a pretty good job of putting the line in the right place, making it as good a jumping-off point as any. For the sake of neutrality, let us now turn to our good friends at Wikipedia for a quickie definition of canthal tilt to get started. The tilt of a line drawn from the outer corner (the lateral canthus) to the inner corner (the medial canthus) of one's eyes; a lower inner corner is referred to as a positive tilt while a lower outer corner is referred to as a negative tilt. There are all sorts of scientific (and a whole lot more pseudo-scientific) theories on how a positive (upwards) or negative (downwards) canthal tilt influences whether or not we percieive someone as attractive. I am not touching any of that with a 10 foot barge pole. This article is quite simply about where to start the base of your winged eyeliner. If however you're interested in learning more about canthal tilt, This recent article written by Danielle Sinay for Glamour goes into greater detail about what canthal tilt is, how it supposedly influences our perception of attractiveness, and why it is a source of consternation for those who harbor anxiety about all things appearance-related. A word of warning however if you're on TikTok and specifically wish to scroll the canthal tilt search results; the incels have grabbed hold of this trend mightily, so if you're going to wade in there I strongly suggest you tread lightly, bring something sharp with you, and always know where your exits are. My winged liner road map So this is what I started with; this is the notorious TikTok canthal tilt filter. If the filter is to be believed (and in the context of eyeliner it can be), I have a neutral to very slightly positive canthal tilt. You can see that over my nose it makes a slight v-shaped dip then very subtly goes up towards the temples. For me, that means my perfect winged liner will have a baseline right where the little line extends from the outer corner of my eye in a very gentle slight upwards slope in the direction if my temple. This is a lot less of a steep incline than I had been attempting to draw before, and a whole heck of a lot easier! A quick word about tools When I made my first attempts at this liner, I actually found that I was more relaxed and more able to practice without angst when I was using a cheaper tool that I didn't have to worry about wasting. Really, the only requirement when you're starting out is that you're comfortable with whatever eyeliner you choose, so I'm not gonna dwell on products too much at this point. That said, you'll have an easier time if you have a nice thin brush or felt tip to work with, and plenty of product left in whatever eyeliner you decide to use. For what it's worth, I've found that felt tip liners promise convenience and ease of use but ultimately are actually more problematic than liners you use with a little brush. Felt tips can be difficult to handle because product-wise the formula gets dry and they tend to skip and pull a bit, whereas with a brush you have more control over how much product is on the bristles and you can ensure a nice glide. Whatever tool you're using, create your winged eye using the following guidance, beginning with the bottom line based on your cantal tilt. I've made the liner orange for this particular demonstration so it stands out (it does look kinda cool though - Halloween). Start small. There is nothing wrong with using multiple small strokes to get there, that's how I do it. You can continue to layer and shape as you go, and you can use a q-tip and some micellar water to walk it back if you mess-up. As you get better with practice, you'll be able to use longer, more confident strokes. Personally, once I get the liner where I like it, I often will finish mine with a layer of eyeshadow on top to smoke it out and soften the edges, giving it a less "done" appearance. What you do after you get the basic shape done is completely up to you, but the basics stay the same. Play with it, have fun, and don't be afraid of color! PRODUCTS USED (includes affiliate links)| Loreal Infallible Super Slim Liner, Brown | Loreal infallible Flash Cat Eye Liner in Black | Mayblline Tattoo Studio Liner in teal | ELF Bite Size Eyeshadow in Cream & Sugar , Hot Jalapeno

  • Western-Inspired Fall Layering Look

    Welp, it's fall. I can't deny it any longer. I generally like fall, but equally I'm not one of those people who goes mad every year and buys a zillion pumpkins, bags full of faux autumn-hued leaves from the craft shop, and pumpkin-spice everything (because, eew). I spend a bulk of the year in Scotland, where it literally always feels like fall, so it isn't exactly a huge transition. That said, this year, I still managed somehow to feel a bit caught-out by the changing weather. This past summer I spent most of my time sweating it out in the US in the heat, so I sort of feel like I've been suddenly thrust back into the cold and have had a bit of a slow start getting up to speed. So here we go. This is me throwing it into gear with a long overdue fall outfit of the day. With the exception of the boots, everything you see here is thrifted, but the corduroy shirt was practically new when I found it at the thrift shop, and I was actually able to still find a link to it online! I've offered you some other options as well should you care to attempt to recreate the look and don't have all the parts (the actual faux sherpa vest shown here is available in my eBay shop). And yes, many of the product links I offer are affiliate links where I might make a (very) small commission, but don't let that put you off - I promise not to spend my millions all in one place. Fall Layering Looks: From T-Shirts to Fleece-Lined Jackets and Back In One Afternoon I always think of fall as "forget your jacket at work" season. It's cold, even frosty in the mornings, but it heats-up in the afternoons forcing you to take off that cashmere sweater or favorite blazer and drape it over the back of your chair, then instantly forget it's there, where it shall remain as you slowly amass a pile of similar garments over the top of it with each passing day. Don't worry, you'll take them all home in mid to late November once it's properly cold out and you've run out of sweaters and blazers. While this look isn't really "office friendly" in the traditional sense, these days that hardly means anything since a lot of us are working from home at least some of the time. This is more of what I like to think of as an overall foolproof strategy for dressing in transitional weather, and is the same strategy I employ when shuttling between the cold of Scotland and the heat of Florida. At it's core, this fall layering look is a t-shirt and a denim skirt; a base look that can work with sandals in hotter temps as well. Using a base look like this is a ridiculously easy formula that I use religiously, and it never lets me down. Oh, and I almost forgot. See that t-shirt? That's not thrifted either. I actually got that t-shirt at Express... in the 90s. I know right!? I can't believe it's still in one piece, let alone wearable! Aztec print accent corduroy shaket | thrifted Levis a line skirt, similar | Dan Post "heartbreaker" vintage distressed boots (no longer available), similar | Knox Rose faux sherpa fleece lined vest (L) | Or Paz silver and cultured pearl ring (no longer available), similar | sterling silver feather cuff bracelet (no longer available), similar | Silver long dangle star and chain earrings (no longer available), similar | Accessorise UK sunglasses (no longer available), similar | thrifted belt, similar

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