Cheryl Shops

I have been searching high and low for the perfect fur vest for years. I thought I wanted a longer one in a lighter color, but that just made me look like a polar bear. Then I tried black and drapey, but that made me look strangely...well, like a black bear. In true Goldilocks fashion, the third vest I bought was just right, and now that I have it, I find myself wearing it constantly. It's like a nice, warm hug. And god knows I could use one this dark, cold, wet time of year. Here's one of my favorite ways to wear a fur vest.

Last weekend when I was talking to my mom, she asked what I wanted for my birthday, which made me realize yikes, my birthday is next weekend! And also, I hadn't thought at all about what I wanted. I usually do my taxes right before my birthday, then treat myself to a nice pair of shoes with my refund, but I haven't done mine yet (full disclosure: without getting into politics, I'm apprehensive about what my refund is going to look like this year after the new tax caps, because I live in California, a state with very high income and property taxes). Long story short, it got me thinking about what I want for my birthday, and while there's nothing I truly need this year, there are a few things I have my eye on. Some are within reach, some are not. But, hey, a girl can dream! Conveniently, they all would work together as an outfit. Here's what's on my birthday wish list this year.

It's winter. It's cold. It's rainy. (Or possibly even snowy.) Wearing light colors is like taking your life in your hands—too many things dripping or splashing or smearing all over you to risk it. So dark colors it is. I've been living in some combination of sweaters, leggings, and waterproof outerwear for what feels like forever, and keeping it fresh is definitely a challenge. Lately I've been playing around with different combinations of dark neutrals, and one of my most recent discoveries is navy and charcoal gray. Navy is such an underrated neutral—black tends to get all the glory, even though navy is a little softer and thus more flattering on most people—and charcoal gray just goes with everything, plus it's excellent at camouflaging winter schmutz. Here's one of my favorite winter weekend outfits of late.

When I decided to start blogging again after a three-year hiatus, I did so because I wanted to explore what to wear when you're over 40. I was kind of nervous about it, because blogging (or "influencing," which is a term I hate) is a young person's game—or so I thought. It turns out, there are a ton of amazing over-40 bloggers out there, and not only are they super stylish, they're also warm, welcoming, and incredibly supportive. In the year and a half that I've been blogging again, I've made a bunch of connections, and even though we've never met in person, I'm happy to call these ladies my friends. So in the spirit of Galentine's Day, here are five inspiring over-40 fashion bloggers that you should follow.

Pink and gray are two of my favorite colors, which makes them even better together. This outfit could be a late contender in the Valentine's Day game—Sean was a big fan of it, but more on that later—but it's so comfy, you could wear it on the weekend too. I also maybe went a little overboard on the accessories in this post, but 1) I wanted to layer in a bunch of different shades and textures, and 2) it was freaking cold outside and I wasn't wearing a jacket, so I was trying to stay as warm as possible. Oh, the things I do in the name of art!

It's been so cold in San Francisco, I've been living in some combination of sweaters, leggings, and boots for what feels like forever. The other day, my car even told me it was very cold—36 degrees, for the record, which I think is the coldest it's ever been in the five years I've lived here. I'm not yet totally sick of all my winter clothes, but I know that day is coming soon. For the time being, I wish I could just wear a dress with bare legs, and that must be how you guys must feel too, because the most-pinned post from my Outfit ideas for ageless style Pinterest board is definitely a spring-transitional one. It's also classic and chic, and one you can totally recreate, so let's do it.

Full disclosure: I don't have any plans on Valentine's Day yet. I'm assuming I'll be spending them with Sean, seeing as how we live together, but as I mentioned in my gift guide post, we don't like to go out to eat on Valentine's Day, so we usually end up cooking something decadent at home. Of course, if you are going out, don't let me stop you from getting all dressed up in your date-night best. The age-old question is, are you dressing up for yourself or for your partner? I truly believe that sexiness comes from feeling comfortable in your own skin. You could have the perfect body and be wearing a Hervé Leger bandage dress that leaves very little to the imagination, but if you don't feel good in it, you won't look good in it. Conversely, you could be wearing a muumuu and both look and feel like a straight-up goddess (which is actually how I feel when I'm wearing one). Which brings me to the conundrum of what to wear on date night.

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

Whenever I hear the name witch hazel, I think of a friendly witch named Hazel—like, she has spiky auburn hair and freckles, and maybe she's not into the whole being wicked thing—which is kind of a good metaphor for actual witch hazel. (Stick with me, I promise I'm going somewhere with this.) Witch hazel is a natural ingredient, known for its ability to tighten pores, purify, and heal skin—a good witch, not a wicked one. So it totally makes sense that Bioré®, champion of all things pore-related, has come out with a new line of products containing witch hazel to deep-clean and refine your pores. Here's how I'm incorporating Bioré's new Witch Hazel Ultra Deep Cleansing Pore Strips and Pore Clarifying Toner into my skincare routine.