Cheryl Shops

Happy new year, dear readers! I've been traveling and not working for the last week and a half, which has put me into that weird state of mind where I'm not sure exactly what day of the week it is or where I'm supposed to be. And while I enjoyed my time off, I have high hopes for 2018 and am excited to tackle a lot of new things in 2018. That said, one of my pet peeves is "new year, new you." I am all for making resolutions—as you'll see, I'll be sharing several of my own here over the next few weeks—but you don't need to totally reinvent yourself. Just do you. A better version of you, maybe, but still you. Which brings us to this week's outfit, starring one of my favorite sweaters, the classic ivory cable knit.


A cable-knit fisherman sweater is so classic and cozy, and for the next few months, I'll pretty much be living in one. This particular sweater is from last year's Madwell collaboration with Sézane, although Madwell pretty much makes the same one every year—the one linked below is a very close approximation. Obviously, you can wear it with jeans, but I decided it dress it up a bit for a stroll down one of my favorite streets in San Francisco, Maiden Lane.



One of the many benefits of living in San Francisco is that even in winter, you can pretty much be comfortable in a thick sweater and a trench coat. (I will go into this in more detail in next week's outfit post.) This is one of my lighter trenches—it's unlined and has a very drapey look, and I can get away with wearing it over dressed-up looks, but it adds a little polish to casual looks too.



Winter is also a good time to break out my suede skirt (although not on a day when there's precipitation). It's unexpectedly warm, especially with a good pair of thick opaque tights (I'm wearing my favorites here, by Commando) and I like the warm shade of this one. One thing to note when putting together an outfit with a suede (or leather) skirt: I like to make sure my outwear is a fiber, like wool or cotton, rather than an animal material. It's a bit more balanced—and less costumey—that way.



But leather footwear is ok, and so my Acne Pistol boots are back (last seen here with black jeans). Proving how versatile they are, I think they look just as good with skirts as they do with jeans. Pairing them with black tights has a streamlined, slimming effect, so even though they hit at the ankle, there's no segmenting to the leg.



I've been so into delicate, minimal jewelry lately, and I've had these bracelets on repeat. The solid bangle can be engraved with up to 80 characters; mine says "nolite tes bastardes carborundorum," which, if you're a fan of The Handmaid's Tale, you'll appreciate.



I am also in love with this clutch, which came in my most recent Zoe Report Box of Style—it has a pearly effect that reminds me a lot of Edie Parker's clutches, but for a fraction of the price. Full disclosure: my Box of Style was very late this season—mine was delivered on December 23rd, in spite of being charged for it a month prior, and I'd be this close to cancelling my subscription if the contents weren't so darn good. This clutch may have been too late for the holiday party season, but I have a feeling I'll get a lot of wear out of it—even, in this case, on a Saturday night.



OUTFIT DETAILS: Madwell x Sezane sweater (current-season here) || Banana Republic trench (similar here) || Forever 21 skirt (similar here) || Commando tights || Acne Pistol boots || Rachel Zoe clutch via Box of Style (similar here) || Stella & Dot pavé cuff, engravable bangle, hammered hoops, and signet ring