Cheryl Shops

When it comes to skirts, I have a type: above the knee, tiered, with a slight A-line shape. Off the top of my head, I can think of five of these already in my closet, although I probably have more. There's a reason I have a type—it's the most flattering on my body—but the downside is that my wardrobe starts to look the same after awhile. This was the argument that ran through my mind as I was contemplating buying this skirt, but I decided screw it, I really love it—plus I had a Free People birthday discount to burn. Once the weather started to cooperate, I ended up wearing this skirt three days in a row, which I almost never do, but that's how much I'm into it. Long story short, just wear what you love.



I first saw this skirt on another blogger's Instagram (with the turtleneck sweater that was also part of my birthday spree, with this linen blazer too), and I debated for weeks about whether to buy it. I have a very similar ivory skirt but finally concluded that this one is different because it's eyelet and more lightweight (and thus more summery); see how I rationalize things? I'm really trying to shop less and buy things I only really, truly love (and will wear the crap out of), hence my lengthy internal debate.  Long story short, I made the right decision, so it was worth it. And for reference, I'm wearing a size small and I'd say it runs pretty true to size, if a little big.



I had a slightly different outfit planned for this shoot, but as it's wont to do in San Francisco, the weather became unexpectedly cold and foggy in minutes, so I went with a few more layers than I had originally intended. You last saw this military jacket back in August—I love to wear it with more feminine things like dresses and skirts because it's so casual and slightly masculine. It's unfortunately no longer available in the black color I'm wearing here, but they do still have it in green, which I kind of like even better. I'm in a size small for reference, and like nearly all of the Free People pieces I've featured here recently, it runs big.




I pretty much live in this sweatshirt; it's the perfect length to wear with casual things like leggings (as I wore it back in January), but it's fun to dress up too. The fabric is really soft and cozy, and I like that you can adjust the zippers on the sides too. To be honest, I wore it strategically to stay warm while shooting, but I really like how it looks—it prevents the skirt from feeling too fussy and girly. Plus, I always like to contrast a lighter bottom with a darker top. I'm in a size medium for reference—I sized up for a little extra slouch.



I had also intended this to be my first sandal post of the season, but alas, the best laid plans...so here we are with my white knee-high boots (last seen in this rainy post). They're a true white, which I thought was going to look weird with my ivory skirt, but as the theme of this post is turning into happy accidents, I was actually quite pleased with how it all looked together. I figured you guys were probably tired of my A.P.C. bag by now, so I grabbed my Jerome Dreyfuss Bobi instead (last seen à la Kate Moss), which was fine with me, because I love that bag too!



We shot these photos on a random little street in our neighborhood; we've shot in the next block several times before but not on this part. Our logic was strategic—afterward, we wanted to grab a drink at Elite Cafe, a restaurant in our neighborhood that has now closed after 38 years in business. Of course, it was totally packed that night, as is usually the case when you hear that something is closing, but we had one last delicious cocktail there, warmed up, and walked home to cook dinner—the perfect end to a moody Friday night.



OUTFIT DETAILS: Free People military skirt jacket | Stella & Dot side zip pullover | Free People eyelet mini skirt | Jerome Dreyfuss Bobi bag | Sam Edelman Rowena boots