Cheryl Shops

A what? A coatigan is a cross between a coat and a cardigan; it's longer than a swacket, or sweater jacket, and has more of a ring to it than "sweater coat." As I noted in my fall trend report, a coatigan is a must-have for fall 2020, so I wanted to show you what I'm wearing with mine ASAP, seeing as how we're already in October. (Seriously, how is it October already?!) I know this won't be the last time you'll see this one, but it's definitely the first, so let's get to it. 

The coatigan is basically the perfect outer layer for San Francisco—it's soft and cozy, yet the knit is thick enough to keep out the chill without overheating you. I've worn mine several times already to happy hour, to walk the dog in the morning, while I'm working from home, and so on. This is J.Crew's Ella sweater coat, and it's basically a longer, slouchier version of my beloved Sophie blazer, which you last saw with sweatpants. (Full disclosure: I bought mine on Poshmark and it's from last year; this year, J.Crew is making it in a darker, charcoal gray, as well as camel and black.) I like it so much, I'm contemplating ordering it in black too. Like many J.Crew things, it runs rather large, and I probably should have followed the guidance and sized down to an XS, but I actually like how oversized it is on me—I'm going to try wearing it with a belt at some point, and to be honest, I'm into anything that makes me feel skinny. I'm wearing it more casually here, but it feels polished enough to dress up too; I'll try it with a skirt next!

Late in the summer, I felt like a white linen shirt was missing in my life, but then I realized I could achieve a similar effect with my white linen shirtdress (last seen in June), plus it gets bonus points for covering my thighs. This shirtdress has been around for awhile—I wore it on my very first outfit post, which I'm not going to link to because it's embarrassing, but you can find it if you look long enough—and while I always knew it was versatile, the fact that it works as a tunic is an unexpected delight. I unbuttoned the bottom few buttons so it feels more like a shirt and less like a dress, and to help break up the proportions a bit. I'm wearing a very old Gap dress here, but I've linked to a super similar style below. 

These Mott & Bow jeans have quickly become one of my go-to pairs since I first got them, and as I noted before, they are perfect for when you've gained weight. (In case anyone was wondering, I've lost 3 pounds and have 2 to go. When you are my age, weight loss is slooooow.) They are soft and stretchy yet substantial enough to hold you in, and I find the straight-skinny shape of the leg to be super flattering. They run true to size—I'm in my usual 28. Also, sorry I don't have a better shot of them; fun behind-the-scenes fact: we realized the battery in the camera was running out after we left to shoot, so we cranked these out in record time before it died. But rest assured, I'll definitely wear these again. 

Speaking of things I'll wear again, I had forgotten about my Audette bag (last seen in Carmel) until I straightened out my closet a few weeks ago. But I've definitely not forgotten about my Calla boots, which I've worn with everything from white jeans to summer dresses, most recently with all black. I worry that my feet have atrophied from wearing slippers and Birkenstocks for the last six months, but I'm happy to report that these booties are just as comfy as they were three months ago when I first got them. Of course, Calla makes their shoes especially for bunions, which I have. They run true to size, and I'm sure this isn't the last you've seen of them. 

OUTFIT DETAILS: J.Crew Ella cardigan | Gap linen shirtdress (similar here) | Mott & Bow mom jeans (c/o) | Audette coffret bag | Calla Camila boots (c/o)