Cheryl Shops

It's wild to think that a little over 10 years ago, I left NYC after 14 years to move to San Francisco. In those years since, I've been back to visit at least once a year (even in 2020, before the pandemic), although usually in summer or fall; I am the first to say that living in California for the last 10 years has definitely made me much less tolerant of actual winter weather (I do not miss it in the least). That said, I will never turn down a free hotel room in Manhattan, so when Sean had a last-minute work trip come up, I decided to join him. What was meant to be a super-quick 2-day trip turned into a really regenerative 4-night trip (thanks to Alaska Airlines for canceling my flight home!), and in spite of the COLD AF weather, we had one of our best NYC getaways ever. Here's what I wore in New York City in January. 

Thursday, on the plane

I know that in this day and age, it's perfectly acceptable to wear sweats on a flight and nobody bats an eye. I just can't do it. Also, I feel like airplanes can be so unpredictable in terms of temperature; I've been on flights where I've stripped down to a tank top and was still sweating (not even in the summer!), so I always make sure that I'm wearing many lightweight, breathable layers that can be removed (or added) to adjust for comfort. You've seen all of these pieces before—the Iro jacket is comfy yet chic, the Toteme fine-gauge sweater is one of my recent favorites, the belt and pants were among my best buys of 2023, and the Veja sneakers are a recent buy (honest review coming soon). 

OUTFIT DETAILS: Iro shavani jacket | Toteme sweater | Celine Triomphe belt | Madewell Harlow pants | Veja V-10 sneakers

Friday

As much as I complain about the cold, I actually do kind of enjoy the snow. New York got a light dusting on Friday—it was not cold enough for much of it to stick—so it felt like a good time to break out my trusty UGGs. The silver pants, otherwise known as my party pants, held up really well in the snow; considering they're super-synthetic, they repel precipitation quite nicely. As a bonus, they are unexpectedly flattering and comfortable (they don't make your butt sweat, thankfully), and several of my friends have ordered a pair after seeing mine IRL. As for the shearling jacket, I have always wanted one; I ordered this one knowing I had a trip to Chicago coming up, and by luck of the draw, it arrived the day before I left for NYC. The temperatures dipped into the teens while we were there, but I was so warm and cozy the entire time—and sometimes, even too warm. If external validation is what you're after, this jacket gets so. Many. Compliments. Let me reiterate: it is real shearling. And it is a gloriously good deal. It's true to size; I'm in a medium, which is my usual size from Quince. 

OUTFIT DETAILS: Quince shearling jacket | Gap silver jeans | A.P.C. Sac Demi-Lune | Ugg Kristin boots (current version)

Saturday

As East Coasters and Midwesterners will tell you, it's actually warmer when it snows, so when it got even colder on Saturday, I was prepared. (Not pictured in this outfit: my Uniqlo Heattech top and leggings.) However, one thing I always forget is that while you need to bundle up like crazy when you're outside, you need to be able to strip down inside, because everyone is cranking up the heat (especially in older buildings that have forced steam heat). This outfit struck the perfect adaptable balance, and I really was feeling the Chanel scarf, which I found when I was cleaning out my closet (I bought it years ago on sale at Saks, during their 2008 panic sale). I feel like I'm now the age where I can pull off a silk scarf at the neck, so you can look forward to seeing more such accessorizing in the future. 

OUTFIT DETAILS: NakedCashmere sweater (current version) | old Chanel scarf (similar here) | Celine Triomphe belt | Madewell Harlow pants | A.P.C. Sac Demi-Lune | Veja V-10 sneakers

Sunday

We were supposed to fly home Sunday afternoon, but I don't think I've ever been happier to have my flight cancelled (especially since it was supposed to be on a Boeing Max!) and reschedule to the next day; this allowed us to enjoy another full day in NYC, and we celebrated by going shopping, eating pizza, and seeing a mind-blowingly good jazz show at the Village Vanguard. I decided it was "warm" enough to bust out my jeans sans Heattech and even unzip my jacket for 5 minutes while we took these photos. (Full disclosure: later in the evening, I switched back into my Madewell Harlow pants and Heattech leggings.) This is my first time featuring these jeans on the blog (you saw the turtleneck bodysuit last year), and there's a reason the Levi's 501s are so iconic—the fit on these is just *chef's kiss*. They are 100% cotton and TTS, however if you eat like I do, you may need to undo a button after dinner. Look for them in my best straight-leg jeans roundup soon. ;) 

OUTFIT DETAILS: Quince shearling jacket | Iro shavani jacket | Wolford Colorado bodysuit | Celine Triomphe belt | Levi's 501 jeans | A.P.C. Sac Demi-Lune | Veja V-10 sneakers