Sweater Weather and Other News

Blazer and sweater weather is my absolute favourite time of year. You know, when it’s cool enough to wear light merino sweaters under fall blazers and still warm enough not to require a winter coat on top. When it’s chilly enough for wearing socks, but there’s no snow yet so loafers and sneakers are still doable.

The weather has been most cooperative for blazers and sweaters since we came home from Portugal. But seeing how I was drowning in laundry the first few days, and then feeling pretty rugged (as my step-father used to say) for a few days more, this week has been my first chance to get out and about in blazers and sweaters.

This is what I wore to my dentist appointment earlier in the week. A navy cashmere turtleneck from Uniqlo, my old Max Mara dress pants, Paige jean jacket, and my Veja sneakers. I love this outfit. I feel like myself in it. Classic and casual, but with a pinch of edge. I also like that even though I bought this jacket back in 2014, Paige is still making this classic style.

I think this may be the final outing this year for my old Max Mara dress pants. They are summer weight and should probably be packed away now. But this old navy Uniqlo cashmere turtleneck looks so good with them I couldn’t resist.

This is what I wore, below, to run errands. My new slim straight black jeans and the wine merino sweater, both from Uniqlo and both purchased for our fall trip. My Stuart Weitzman ankle boots, black Holt Renfrew saddle bag, and black Max Mara blazer. The boots are seven years old, and the bag and the jacket were both bought in the nineties. Virtually vintage. Ha. The soft lilac scarf I bought when the girls and I were in Montreal last fall.

I like this outfit. The pants look much better with my ankle boots than they did with my sneakers. I have a wool, double-sided scarf that has the exact shade of wine in it, but I preferred the lilac. I like that they don’t match. I bought the black Uniqlo jeans to wear on our trip but they didn’t make it out of the suitcase until the trip home. Turns out they’re too heavy for hot weather wear. I did wear the merino sweater a couple of times to dinner with my white jeans and burgundy loafers. I really like the weight and fit of this sweater. It has a tidy crew-neck but is slightly loose through the body. Not clingy at all. I may purchase another one in a different colour.

Below is what I would have worn yesterday when I was struck down with the dreaded plague. Just kidding. Well, only slightly kidding. I wasn’t feeling up to snuff when I took these photos. Oddly enough my hair would not cooperate. Seriously, it hurt to comb my hair. Then I just felt worse and worse as the day wore on, until I finally took a Covid test. It was positive. I had all the symptoms. Cough, sniffles, sore throat, nausea, fatigue, headache, aching chest, aching everything else… including my hair. Ha. So, I’m down for the count. For the foreseeable, anyway.

I really like this all-burgundy look. These jeans are NYDJ from 2015, the Akris sweater I bought a couple of years later. I searched and searched for a simple, heavy burgundy turtleneck before I found this one at Nordstrom. I like that the only embellishment is the cabling down the arms. The Uniqlo vest is from 2018, and the burgundy bag is from a Nordstrom Anniversary Sale a few years ago. When Anniversary Sales were good, and when we still had a Nordstrom here in Ottawa. I like how the different textures work together, the shiny vest, the pebbled leather on the bag. I’m disappointed I didn’t get to wear this outfit. But, when I’m feeling up to going out again, I won’t have to plan an outfit.

So sweater weather continues apace here in Ottawa, my friends. But I will not be partaking in the sweater wearing. I feel as if the fashion gods are against me this year. I was so sick of my tank tops and tee shirts when we came home from Portugal. So looking forward to wearing fall clothes. Hopefully the rest of November will continue coolish, but sunny, warm enough for sweaters and blazers with no coats.

And … if sweater weather does turn into coat weather before I’m out and about… I can console myself with my green Max Mara coat. I am really looking forward to wearing that baby again this year.

Anyway… if Covid… and not participating in sweater weather are the two worst things that befall me this year, I count myself lucky. Many, many are NOT so lucky. As I am very well aware.

Now… I’m heading back to bed. I had a burst of energy and thought I would try to bang out this post before it subsided. Hope you are all well. And enjoying the splendours of autumn. Unless you live down under where it’s spring, isn’t it?

P.S. Some of the pieces I’m wearing are still available. They are linked in the post with affiliate links. If you make a purchase after clicking my link, I will earn a commission which helps to pay for the blog.

P.P.S. I thought I might add a few words about Uniqlo since a couple of people have asked in the comments. I’m not sure where my head was yesterday, but I forgot to add info about sizes. I’ve become quite a fan of Uniqlo over the past four or five years. At first I dismissed them as fast fashion. And while I do not know their track record as far as sustainability goes, I know the pieces I have purchased have all been of good quality and wearable for years. As far as sizing goes, I think it depends on the item you want to purchase and the fit you like.

Let’s talk about sweaters first. I like a sweater that fits loosely and does not hug my body. I would say that most of my sweaters no matter the brand are size large: Everlane tees and sweaters, my Vince tee shirts and sweaters. However if I happen to stumble into Zara (which is not often) even an extra large is often not big enough. My “fine merino” sweater from Uniqlo and my cashmere turtleneck are both large. So I did not size up when I bought it. It fits quite loosely as you can see on the model on the website.

Both my down vest and jacket from Uniqlo are size extra large. I bought them both several years ago so I don’t know if the sizing has changed.

The black “slim straight jeans” I bought are size 29. I haven’t worn a size 29 in years. But the pants are so loose around the hips that I needed to size down to keep then on. I like the loose fit, though.

As far as Uniqlo’s reputation as running very small, I had heard that too. And now I’m wondering if after years in the North American market they have adjusted their sizing.