if i was your boyfriend, i’d never let you go.

To the jeans with a nine-inch inseam,

Thank you for finding me. I searched high on the shelves of Madewell—overpriced, but probably sturdy, and still too much for me to pay for a pair of jeans. I searched low in the recesses Gap’s sale section. The fit too tight to claim to be my boyfriend’s jeans. You see, I wanted the saggy, the shredded, the “I took these right out of my boyfriend’s laundry hamper and cinched them just tight enough to rest on my hips with his belt” look. Alas, I have no boyfriend to comb through dirty clothes baskets and every pair of boyfriend jeans I’ve found seem like they’d suffocate my metaphorical boyfriend’s nether region. The boyfriend I’d steal clothes from does not wear the same jeans as me.

But I found them. Forever 21 has my back. I bought them three sizes “too big” they didn’t fit just the way I wanted. They are as unflattering as I had envisioned—saggy, frumpy, ragged—and they’re perfect.

xoxo,

Abbey

[sweater-j.crew, jeans-forever21, boots-zara, bag-rm]

suit up

Matching skirt sets are usually likened to Judy Bonner-esque red suits and floral patterned legging/tunic combos from pre-k. But 2014 brings with it refined digital prints and modern silhouettes worth replicating on both the top and bottom halves of your ensemble.

2013 was a year of print mixing; from plaid and polka-dot to stripes and florals, the perfect concoction of mis-matched was prized among street style gurus. This year it’s all about making a big statement with coordinating prints from head to toe. Mara Hoffman and Vivienne Tam offered their take on coordinating separates on their spring 2014 runway looks. The models used the conservative hemlines to their long-legged advantage—bathing in tribal and geometric prints.

I have been searching for the perfectly printed skirt/pant/shirt set for more than a year now—shying away from large floral suit sets, I looked for something on the neutral side; because practicality. You know. I found it in the form of a Zara basic skirt/shirt combo and it was love. Paired with a few bright accessories and I think it will be one of my favorite professional-ish looks I so often find myself in need of.

Yeah, the Miley buns? I really have no explanation. I thought they looked cool.

[skirt/shirt-zara, shoes-zara, necklace-dannijo, bag-dsw, glasses-warby parker]

burrr

To round out my Christmas break, I took a trip to see my lovely summer roommates in our old stomping grounds. It was so nice to see New York in all of her wintery, snowy glory. Due to the “polar vortex” sweeping across the country, mostof my carefully calculated outfits—deemed unworthy to wear to Chili’s or Panera Bread at home—ended up not being able to keep out the bitter cold, thus remained at the bottom of my suitcase. However, our trip to brunch at Rosemary’s and walk around Central Park proved perfect weather to sport my most prized Christmas present, my J.Crew moto skirt. I’m crossing my fingers this will be my last visit.

Also, this bag is everything I’ve been looking for in a carry-on, carry-all, out and about bag for a couple years now. Plus it adds a punchy chic note to any drab legging/sweater look I find myself in when school starts.

[sweater-h&m, skirt-j.crew(on sale!!), bag-dsw, hat-gap, scarf-h&m, coat-mamaw’s, boots-thanks syd]