Cheryl Shops

Procrastinators, this one's for you. There's one Amazon Prime–able thing here (also available for instant download on Kindle) but otherwise these are all e-giftable, making them both environmentally friendly and quick. Here are ideas for people you might have forgotten, or just for shoppers who really like to leave things till the last minute.

I live in San Francisco, but I was born and raised in Chicago, and that's where I go every year for Christmas. Chicago is a lovely city, and I'd recommend visiting in the spring or fall; winter is an entirely different beast, although there's something so traditional and comforting about an actual winter. It doesn't look like we'll have a white Christmas this year—thanks, global warming!—but it will be cold. So Christmas in Chicago is an excuse for me to break out all of the wintry things I rarely get to wear in San Francisco. Here's what I'm planning on wearing.

And now, the most fun installment of my holiday gift guide: gifts for meeeee! These are the things on my wish list, from affordable to dream on, girl. Hence the name, dream gifts. Let's hope Santa sees this one before it's too late!

There's really no formula to mixing prints—with the right attitude, you could probably pull off anything. But as a general rule of thumb, I stick to three main guidelines. One: you want similar color schemes. Two: vary the scale, with one larger pattern and one with a smaller one. And three: no more than two prints per outfit. Then again, I will tell you time and time again that rules were meant to be broken, so perhaps the best answer is that there's no wrong way to do it. But while you're here, this is how I like to mix prints.

There really is no rule about not wearing white after Labor Day—it's something the department stores made up to encourage people to buy fall clothes when the weather was still too warm to wear them. That said, I see why people don't wear white as much in the winter—it's hard to keep clean in snow or rain, and with less daylight, we somehow gravitate toward darker colors. But I love wearing white jeans year round, and I find them very refreshing in cold weather. (Although, true, I rarely wear them when it's raining). This look is all about wearing a mix of lighter-colored neutrals for a breath of fresh, wintry air.

There are two camps: those who think men are easy to shop for, and those who think they're hard to shop for. I tend to fall into the former—like most gift giving, it's a matter of knowing your audience. In this case, I had a particularly stylish, do-gooder, food- and drink-loving guy in mind, but these gifts would work in general for the dads, brothers, husbands, boyfriends, sons, and various other guys on your list.

As I shared with you in this post, plaid coats are the fall trend I'm most excited about, and thankfully it's finally cool enough for me to wear mine! You will probably be seeing a lot of this coat over the next few months, but here's the first look I created with it. I'd add in a scarf and tights when the weather gets even colder, but this is how I'm wearing it now.

The Black Friday sales have already begun, which is both a blessing and a curse. Thankfully, I find shopping for holiday gifts for women—friends, sisters, moms, and so on—to be the next best thing to shopping for myself. So go forth, be generous, and take advantage of all those promos flooding your inbox!

Remember The O.C.? And Laguna Beach, the reality show it inspired (which then led to The Hills)? I always think of those shows when I visit Orange County, where my boyfriend's mom lives, which is funny, because I've found it to be nothing like any of them. It's just a sunny stretch of southern California—yes, it's wealthy, but it's pretty laid-back for the most part. It just kind of feels suburban to me. The nice part, though, is that along the coast, the weather is perfectly temperate—even when it's blazing hot in the rest of Los Angeles, it's usually somewhere in the 70s with a cool breeze in Huntington Beach, where we shot these photos. Thus, my outfit is usually some combination of summer and fall. This is the first year in awhile that we won't be spending Thanksgiving weekend down south, but if we were, this is what I'd be wearing.

Real talk: I have been looking for a black jumpsuit forever. I have tried them on everywhere from Neiman Marcus to Target, and just couldn't seem to find one that was right. I had some specifics—I wanted sleeves and wider legs—but otherwise was open to all sorts of styles. I brought some challenges to the table, too, as I have a freakishly short torso, which makes dresses tricky too. So as with dresses, I finally figured out a jumpsuit style that works for me: one without a defined waistline. But unlike with dresses, finding this in a jumpsuit presented a bit of a challenge. Thankfully, at long last, I finally found one that works for me, and here's how I've been wearing it.

This post is sponsored by Cuddl Duds but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

Surprise, it's a bonus post! In tomorrow's post, I'll be showing you what I'm wearing on Thanksgiving, but first, let's plan our Black Friday shopping outfits. Now, I prefer to shop online from the comfort of my own home, but this is a comfy option even if you plan on braving the crowds at the mall. I've partnered with Cuddl Duds and Macy's to show you the perfect thing to wear. It's all about soft, cozy layers. Let's break it down.

It's been a minute since I've done a Get the Look post, and since then, I've had a pin go viral on Pinterest! This most-pinned look from my Outfit ideas for ageless style Pinterest board is at 2,844 repins and counting, and I can see why—it's a very classic-with-a-twist look, and very fall-friendly. I also love wearing lighter neutrals in fall, because I feel like it's a nice transition from warmer to cooler weather. So before things get too chilly (and snowy), here's how to get the look.

It probably doesn't surprise you that I don't own any sweatpants. Well, I didn't, until I bought this pair a few weeks ago. What spurred me to actually buy a pair of sweatpants, you may ask? The answer is that I needed something to wear when I walk my dog. More specifically, I needed something to throw on first thing in the morning when she needs to go outside to pee ASAP. So sometimes I end up putting these on at 7 a.m. on a Sunday morning...and then I don't take them off all day. Long story short, sweatpants are comfortable, people. So I decided to try to dress them up a little bit, to see if I could get away with wearing them all day. Here's how the experiment turned out.

It's hard to pick my favorite amongst the fall trends I've featured here, but if I have to, it would be this one. I own probably far too many coats (and jackets) for someone who lives in a mild climate, but my love of outerwear knows no bounds, nor season, apparently. This year, I'm all about the plaid coat. In spite of fact that temperatures are still in the upper 60s here, I've already bought my coat (read on to see which one), and I can't wait to wear it. Here are all of my favorites this season.

I was tempted to call this post "50 shades of grey," but that's so three years ago, and all things considered, I'm probably only wearing like five shades here. Also, some of them are maybe technically taupe. That said, monochromatic looks can be kind of tricky to pull off when you're wearing anything but black, but gray is actually a fun color to play with, because there are so many shades of it—probably more than 50, so there! There's really no wrong way to do it, from a charcoal and a heather to several similar shades, but an easy way to wear it is to pair pieces in similar shades but different textures. In this case, I wore a heathered, ribbed gray sweater with a satin skirt, and while it's not Seattle, I picked the moodiest background I could find to showcase this look.

While the origin of the statement stripe sweater (say that 10 times really fast) is unclear, there are a gazillion takes on the trend this season, and I'm here for all of them. Some are more subtle than others, but if you're like me and find yourself starved for color in the winter, this is a pretty easy solution. From skinny rainbow stripes to a more bold, wide, colorblocking, there's something out there for everyone. (There are also softer, more neutral versions, but meh, this is all about bright color.) Here are my favorite statement stripe sweaters for fall.

This post could also be titled "how to wear a sundress in fall." As I've noted in the last few posts, fall in the Bay Area is one of the most beautiful, temperate times of year, and most visitors are surprised by how warm it is. Wine country—Sonoma and Napa counties especially—tends to be much warmer in the summer, but by fall, it's just right, with highs in the upper 70s. It's the perfect weather for a sundress...but as with weather year-round in the Bay Area, layers are key. I recently went up to Sonoma and Napa for the day, and here's what I wore.

I know what you're thinking: enough with the leopard print. I've worn a skirt, a dress, and a coat here this year (not to mention a belt), and while it's true that leopard is a major trend this season, to me, it's a classic. It's my second-favorite pattern after stripes, my true love, which I also consider to be a classic. And as far as classics go, no apologies are needed. Which is just a very roundabout way of saying that, sorry not sorry, I'm going to keep wearing lots of leopard, because I like it. Here's my latest acquisition.

I wore a lot of corduroy in the '90s. In fact, I wore so much that I probably haven't worn much since. But like everything else from the '90s, it seems to be back in fashion, and while I'm passing on some things this time around—babydoll dresses and Doc Martens, I'm looking at you—corduroy is something that I feel like I can still pull off. The key is wearing pieces that don't feel too juvenile—think tailored rather than cute. Not only are there a ton of ways to wear it, but there are a bunch of bright, unexpected colors too. Here's what I'm loving for fall.

As I mentioned in last week's post, this is the warmest time of year in San Francisco, and while I'm enjoying the balmy 70s temperatures, I totally have fall on the brain. Luckily for me, the other 10 months of the year are totally sweater weather in San Francisco, and I managed to wear one of my newest purchases just a few weeks ago, before things started to heat up. Now, statement sweaters are a big thing for fall—I will be featuring a trend report post on them here shortly—and while I always just say no to a trend that's not right for me, thankfully there are many interpretations of the statement sweater. I said yes to this one, and I already know it's going to be one of my favorites this year.

Now that it's actually fall, we can talk about fall trends, and first up is animal print. I'd argue that as far as animal prints go—especially leopard—they're more of a classic than a trend. That said, there are all sorts of different animal prints out there this season, like zebra, snake, and cheetah, and some of my favorite takes on the trend play with color and scale, as well as pattern. Here are some fresh new ways to wear animal print for fall 2018.

While the rest of the country is breaking out the sweaters, boots, and pumpkin spice lattes, San Franciscans are busting out their sundresses and sandals. Strangely enough, September and October are our warmest months—it's something to do with the land and ocean temperatures evening out, which then keeps the fog away. After a particularly rough Fogust, I'm not complaining about it. At all. There will be enough time to wear cashmere and scarves and vests later in the year. So here's how I'm dressing for Indian summer* in SF.

When asked to describe my style, like many people, I have a hard time putting it into words. I would call it "classic with a twist," but so would 80% of other women, and as a fashion blogger, I'd like to think I'm a little more unique than that. (That could be wishful thinking, however.) How I usually describe it is if Françoise Hardy and Betty Catroux had a child. In case you haven't heard of either of these iconic French women, Françoise Hardy was a folk singer in the '60s (still going strong today!), and Betty Catroux was one of Yves Saint Laurent's muses (and is now Tom Ford's). The former is a little boho-meets-rock-and-roll, the latter is sexier yet tailored. Together, they'd create a look that's edgy but feminine, classic but interesting, fresh but timeless. What better place to find the components of this look than in Paris?

I first traveled to Paris when I was 13 years old—I participated in an exchange program in middle school—and while I've been incredibly lucky to travel all over the world since then, Paris remains my favorite city in the world. I'll take any chance I can get to visit it, even if it's only for a day or two. This was my fourth time visiting the city of lights, and while it was definitely a whirlwind, it was totally worth it. We only had 48 hours there, but we covered a lot of ground. Here's what we did.

I have a go-to pants cut, and that is straight leg. I think it's the most flattering for my body shape, and while I've been known to dabble in skinny or flared from time to time, I pretty much stick to it. But fashion has been stuck in a skinny rut for over 15 years, and the industry is itching for a change. Wide-leg pants are the latest contender, and while I had resisted them for months, I finally tried on a pair after seeing nearly every chic woman in Paris in a wide-leg crop. I still think straight-leg is my go-to silhouette, but I'm happy to have another fit in my repertoire. Adapting to a new cut is always a challenge, so here's how I put it all together.

As you might expect with a name like Cheryl Shops, I shop quite a bit. Probably too much. I had read Ann Patchett's column about her year of no shopping at the end of last year and it definitely stayed with me; a year of not shopping is probably unrealistic for most people (especially me, with the blog), but I figured I could do a month, especially so that I could shop in France and not feel guilty about it. I decided to not do any shopping in the month of August, until I landed in Paris on August 29th (to be fair, I started July 28th, so I had a full month). I was allowed to buy groceries, or to replace anything that ran out (like mascara or sunscreen), but no new clothing, shoes, accessories, etc. It was frequently a challenge to resist, but overall, a very eye-opening experience.

Paris is probably the most stylish city in the world, and it's my favorite for people-watching (it's my favorite for a lot of things, but I'll cover that in another post). I know it's a cliché, but the women—and the men—are just so incredibly chic. This may be because Paris is a global fashion center, but probably more because dressing well is a culturally ingrained behavior. In other words, French women are just innately stylish. There's no way you can compete, but there is a way to blend in, and that's dressing in such a way that feels, as the French say, bien dans son peau—good in your skin. So I wore something that made me feel pulled together, confident, and like myself, and it was a reminder that I should always dress that way. Maybe I should go to Paris more often!

Perhaps you have seen the Realisation Par Naomi skirt on Instagram. It's been sold out for months (although now, of course, it looks like it's back in stock in some sizes) and like many bloggers out there, I've been obsessed with it. I do know, however, that bias cuts do not do my lower half any favors, so instead, I got a leopard-print midi skirt during Zara's sale last month. I wear it all. The. Time. It's great to dress up for work, but it's even better on the weekends with a T-shirt and sneakers. Expect to see it here again, but in the meantime, here's one of my favorite ways to wear it.

Have you ever seen the "Girl, you don't need makeup" sketch from Inside Amy Schumer? (Ok, hopefully you have now.) It's hilarious on many levels, but what resonates the most for me is the male belief that they don't like makeup...but then realize that women need, as the song says, "Just a little makeup, some natural-looking makeup." Which is exactly what I sing whenever my boyfriend tells me I don't need to put any on. I do, believe me. That said, I like to look as natural as possible—I personally feel my best this way, but I hold no judgment against anyone who prefers a more dramatic look—and I also like to use as many clean products as possible. Here's what my current routine looks like.

Some of the outfits I feature here take months of careful planning. Others come together at the very last minute. Today's look falls into the latter group. I had worn the dress during the day and totally intended on changing into something else, but after a pre-shoot drink (a ritual to loosen me up) turned into two and the light started to fade, I realized I had to pull something together ASAP. The result felt very "me," if a little haphazard; there are some things I would have changed, but more on that later. The key takeaway for me is that sometimes a little spontaneity is a good thing.

Usually the most-pinned looks on my Outfit ideas for ageless style Pinterest board are neutral and minimalist, with the occasional leopard print. So I was, ahem, tickled pink to see that the most-repinned look this week was this totally bright, unapologetically feminine all-pink shot of what I'm pretty sure is street style icon (and now author) Giovanna Battaglia Engelbert. The best part? I've recreated her look with pieces that are all under $100.

Happy blogiversary to me! Exactly a year ago today, I had an epiphany that I needed to start blogging again, so after a three-year break, I wrote this post announcing my intentions, and here I am a year later. I am amazed and humbled by what I've achieved so far, and I'm grateful to you for reading and supporting me! To commemorate this occasion, I built an outfit around the dress I wore in my first outfit post back in August of last year. (I am almost embarrassed to link to it—we shot it in broad daylight, so there are shadows all over my face, plus my boyfriend has since upgraded his lenses and become an overall awesome photographer. Needless to say, we have learned and grown a lot in the last year!) And because I was so happy with how this shoot turned out, I'm including lots of extra photos. Ready to start scrolling?

I'm leaving for a brief European vacation in a few weeks, and not only am I incredibly excited about it, I'm already thinking about what to pack. The last time I went on vacation—back in March, when I went to French Polynesia for my birthday—I shared my packing technique on Instagram stories and got several questions about it, so I've decided to do a two-part story here. As my boyfriend will tell you, I am a very efficient and light packer, especially considering I'm a fashion blogger. But then I will tell you that I pack light so I have more room for souvenirs. ;) I have it down to a science. Basically, think of your vacation wardrobe as a capsule wardrobe—you should be able to wear everything together, in different combinations. There are 18 pieces pictured here—mostly black, white, and gray, with pops of bright red—and if you pack tightly, you could fit all of these things in a carry-on. Which brings me to...

Denim-on-denim tends to get a bad rap, because when it's done poorly, it can be pretty hideous (anyone remember the JT and Britney head-to-toe denim debacle?). And perhaps you've heard the term "Canadian tuxedo," which is often used derogatorily, but actually has a noble origin: after Bing Crosby was denied entry by a Canadian hotel whilst wearing a matching denim jacket and pants, Levi's made him an actual tuxedo jacket out of denim, which Crosby proudly wore. I think that's pretty sweet, and also proof that denim-on-denim can look classy—if you do it right.

After a month of so many dresses, it's kind of funny that this week's most-pinned look on my Outfit ideas for ageless style Pinterest board involves jeans, because it's been so cold in San Francisco lately, that's all that I've been wearing! I can see why this one is popular, though: it's a summery spin on one of the most classic outfits out there, a white shirt and jeans. Since the original image came from Instagram, I was able to find most of the exact items this woman was wearing, but since most of them are almost sold out, I decided to recreate the look for even less!

It's the last day of July and the last day of Dress Month here at Cheryl Shops, so I'm wrapping it up with an outfit featuring pieces you've seen before (with one slight exception). It's a little segue into August—side note: how is it August already?!—a month in which I will be on a shopping diet in preparation for my trip to France at the end of the month. So until I go on a major shopping binge in Paris, I'll be finding new life in things I already own and resisting the urge to shop the clearance sales (or the new fall merchandise). So without further ado, here's my last dress outfit of July and my first throwback for August.

This post has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #NatureMadeBiotin #CollectiveBias

A few weeks ago, I told you all about my new hairdryer, and I touched on how it's made my hair healthier. While you can do a lot to take care of your hair from the outside in—going easy on the heat styling, using protective products—I also like to do what I can to keep it healthy from the inside out. I'm talking about diet and vitamins, people, and they're important! I take two very easy steps every morning; here's a little peek inside my routine.

A few weeks ago, I did a post on button-front midi dresses, and while I'm still searching for the perfect one, I did manage to find a button-front mini dress after seeing it on another blogger (see, bloggers are just like you—we shop on Instagram too!). I've worn it a bunch of times already in actual summer weather, but this was my first time wearing it in the city which, as I mentioned last week, is not really "summer," hence my jacket. But, I'm still keeping things summer-ish with accessories, and the best part? Nearly everything I'm wearing is under $100!

We are nearing the end of Dress Month here at Cheryl Shops—how is it almost August already?!—but I've saved one of my favorite posts for last. Here are eight essential dresses every woman should have in her wardrobe. You've seen me wear all of these silhouettes—I hate to make blanket statments like this, but they are truly universally flattering on a range of body types. The best part? All the styles below are all under $100. (You're welcome.)

Perhaps you've heard this famous quote that's often attributed to Mark Twain: "The coldest winter I ever spent was summer in San Francisco." Mark Twain didn't actually say that, and it's an exaggeration, of course—I can assure you, winter in Chicago is much, much colder than summer in San Francisco—but the fact that it's often cold and foggy in the morning (and in the late afternoon) really throws people off. One minute it's pleasant and sunny; the next minute, you're buying an I ❤️ SF sweatshirt from a street vendor because you literally can't feel your extremities. Such is the challenge of dressing for a San Francisco summer, and it all goes back to my golden rule: always carry a light jacket.

There are many amazing things that happen in July: Independence Day, Bastille Day...and the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale, or, as I like to call it, Christmas in July. Most of the bloggers you follow are probably losing their minds over it, and that's because it's one of the only sales in which seasonal product gets marked down at the beginning of the season, rather than at the end. In other words, it's the perfect opportunity to score fall staples like coats, boots, and jeans at sale prices. If you are a Nordstrom cardmember, you get to shop the sale starting Thursday, July 12; otherwise, it opens to the public on the 20th. Here are my top 10 sale picks, and keep scrolling all the way to the end for your chance to win a $500 Nordstrom gift card! Let's do this!

It's high summer—and still Dress Month here at Cheryl Shops—so what better thing to wear than a little white dress? This highly-pinned look from my Outfit Ideas for Ageless Style Pinterest board revolves around a white eyelet dress that looks so fresh and cool to me, I can see why it's been so popular. So without further ado, let's put it together.

And what is a peasant dress, exactly? Good question. They're usually inspired by traditional, folkloric dresses, and have embroidery, tassels, and/or full sleeves. They're very boho in feel, and thus perfect for summer, especially when they're made in more lightweight fabrics like cotton and linen. One of my go-to brands for a boho, summery look is Loveshackfancy—I really love how they modernize these summer staples (they make a good little white dress too). They made this dress, which I bought  many months ago and which has appeared several times on my Instagram, but never here. Seeing as how it's Dress Month here at Cheryl Shops, I thought it was finally time to give it a proper outfit post.

Every summer, there's a trending dress silhouette that I absolutely must have, and this year it's the button-front dress. It's not a shirtdress—there's no collar involved, and this style is definitely more feminine by design. It can be belted or not, with a defined waist or not, and with sleeves or without. In other words, there's pretty much something for everyone, which is why I find the button-front dress so appealing (and why I decided to feature it here). The best part: all of the dresses below are under $150, with half under $100. That way you can get more than one!

In most of the country, it's hotter than, well, July right now, and while it's a not-so-balmy 59 degrees in San Francisco today, I do remember what it's like to live in a climate that's so hot, all you can think of doing is jumping into a pool of ice water, or a meat locker, or a cryogenic tank. I also know that when it's that hot, the best thing to wear is a dress, preferably something lightweight enough so that if there is actually a breeze, it might circulate to your skin. So in honor of those of you suffering from Actual Summer, I'm officially declaring July Dress Month here at Cheryl Shops. There will be dress outfits, dress shopping guides, and simply so many dresses, you will be begging me for pants by August. But in the meantime, here's a dress!