Cheryl Shops

Well, friends, we've (almost) made it to Thanksgiving, which means we have slightly over a month left of this godforsaken year, and for that, I'm thankful. I am also thankful that in spite of the global Covid pandemic, Sean and I are getting out of town (alone!) for a few days; while I am thankful for my beautiful apartment, I really need a break from it. And while our Thanksgiving celebration will look much, much different than normal, I am nonetheless thankful that we are healthy and safe, and that we can afford to put food on the table. Speaking of food, I am wrapping up a three-week detox as we speak, so I am going to go to town on Thanksgiving dinner. Coupled with the fact that this year's event will be a little more casual than in years past, I am planning on dressing down for the occasion. This year, the holidays are about leggings (stretchy!), sweater tunics (camouflage!), and boots (what are heels?). So here's what I'll be wearing. 

The weather forecast is calling for sunny and 64 degrees, so a lightweight but lined coat is in order. This Ganni coat is a year-round one for me (you last saw it in August), and it will be the perfect top layer this weekend. This particular coat is several years old, but Ganni brought it back this season in their iconic leopard print that's just so good. I love how the shape hangs a little bit away from the body in a super-flattering way. It's so classic and timeless—as I always say, leopard print is a neutral. This coat runs TTS, if a bit big; I'm in a size 38.

One of my coworkers always hosts a Turtleneck Week at work; it tends to fall in mid-November when the weather takes a turn. I'm bummed that I missed the in-person version, but happy that it is chilly enough for turtlenecks. This is technically a dress that you last saw with knee-high boots but I'm wearing it over leggings here. It's cashmere and thus very soft and cozy; thankfully there are a lot of affordable cashmere options out there right now, and this one is under $200, which I feel is totally worth it. I sized up to a medium because I was worried about length, and because I wanted extra room for my Thanksgiving food baby—a good decision on both accounts. 

I could have worn tights underneath this dress (it's definitely too cold for bare legs at the moment), but I've decided to embrace leggings instead—if you can't beat 'em, join 'em. I love this pair from Cuddl Duds because they're silky-soft and lightweight. The fabric is on the thinner side, however, so I'd recommend making sure you have butt coverage when you wear them. I'm in a size small and they're TTS. 

While in reality I probably won't be carrying a bag to my own Thanksgiving dinner, I wanted to break this one out for a photo shoot, since I waited forever for it. I love Mango (even more so than Zara at the moment, if you can believe it) but sometimes they ship their products from Europe and it literally takes a month for them to arrive. Anyway, this is a straight-up knockoff of a Bottega Veneta bag (or a "dupe" as kids these days say) and I absolutely love it, especially knowing I'd never pay several thousand dollars for the real version. As chic as this bag is, it is also teeny-tiny, so keep that in mind. 

While I have failed miserably at my no-new-clothes resolution for 2020, I have been shopping secondhand sites quite a bit, and I happily scored these Jimmy Choo boots on Poshmark (they are half a size big, which was due to an error in the listing, but I wear them with thick socks and they're good enough, especially considering the major deal I got on them). I love this pair because they're a slightly more refined version of the combat boot trend that's all over the place this season, but they still have a nice, thick rubber lug sole, which makes them perfect for fall and winter. They're comfy, but I put insoles in mine and now they're like buttah. I'd say these run true to European size—normally I'd be in a 39, but these are a 39.5 and just a bit too long. Then again, maybe the extra half size was a blessing in disguise, especially when it comes to post-Thanksgiving foot swelling!

OUTFIT DETAILS: Ganni coat | Everlane cashmere turtleneck dress | Cuddl Duds leggings (c/o) | Mango bag | Jimmy Choo youth boots