Clothing is a fun aspect of life! There are so many ways to incorporate your unique tastes and preferences into what you wear. And cozy clothing is what I'm all about! While I always tend to go for a more casual, comfortable, cozy type of clothing all year round, my favorite clothing always comes out at this time of year. In the summer, it's loose shorts or comfy capri pants or jeans with the bottoms folded up. It's cute tops or casual t-shirts and always, always sandals or flip flops. And they have to be my favorite pairs...I tend to stick to just a few pairs and wear them out over the course of several years before buying new pairs that look exactly like my old ones. I also love light, flowy sundresses in the early spring, before it gets too hot. But as soon as I am able to pull out my autumn and winter clothing, you'd better believe I'm all for it!
Cozy clothing to me means being comfortable and being myself and not "putting on" any fakeness. There's this terrible idea out there that in order to be "put together" one must dress up, spend hours on their hair, wear makeup and put on a pair of high heels. I'm here to say that is an awful, horrible, terrible, no good, very bad belief! I've shared before, but I, in no way, believe in wearing makeup, nor do I spend hours on my hair. I am of the very firm belief that the best kind of beauty is all-natural, authentic and genuine, and anything other than that is just fake. In a world of fake eyebrows, fake eyelashes, fake freckles, fake beauty marks, orange skin, big lips, and other ridiculous ideals for beauty, I am even more of the belief that natural beauty is best and the important message it sends to the world.
As I've already mentioned before, I am not a minimalist. And that also applies to my clothing...I don't have a capsule wardrobe, nor are all my clothes in the same color scheme. I enjoy a variety of colors, textures, and styles. I am not always in the shops or scouring magazines or online stores. All of my clothing has been collected over the years and lots of pieces are at least five to eight years old, with some being over a decade old. I do not get a whole new wardrobe each season; typically, I just pick up a few new pieces just for fun. I shop at regular retail shops like Target, different places online, as well as thrift stores. I love the freedom of not tying myself down to any one sort of clothing style or shopping method...it makes for a heck of a lot less stress that is often unnecessarily placed on people in regards to clothing and fashion and shopping.
Creating a cozy wardrobe doesn't have to happen overnight, nor should it. That would be expensive, stressful and honestly, not as fun as allowing it to naturally be collected over many years. Today, I thought it would be fun to share some of the clothing pieces that I consider essential to any cozy wardrobe.
Cozy attire is anything that you feel comfortable in. Think plaid patterns, big woolly sweaters, leggings, scarves, toques, flannel shirts, plush socks, and cozy winter boots. Don't forget some big fluffy slippers!
Clothing tends to be casual. There's no need to fuss over how you look. Life isn't a fashion show, after all. Nobody cares about that when you're having a good time. If you feel like you have to be too stylish, you're feeling the need to pretend. Don't pretend. You have to feel at home. If you don't feel at home, then it's not hygge.
-Pia Edgerg-
Let's start at the bottom and work our way up...
First, shoes. I'm a lover of boots, particularly brown boots. I have several styles, some ankle boots and others that come up mid-calf. I have two pairs of rainboots and snowboots...one of each in an ankle style and the others are mid-calf. This nice because it offers choices depending on what pants I'm wearing as well as how wet or cold it is outside. I also love a comfy, cute pair of clogs and sneakers. All of these shoes look great with nearly any sort of outfit, too, so they're very versatile.
Socks...I like warm socks that keep your toesies all nice and toasty. There are so many cute patterns and designs out there that you can even have fun with what you put on your feet! And they look so cute with boots, too.
For pants, I'm a leggings gal myself. I just love them! You can dress them down or up, with a dress or a sweater or sweatshirt or just a cute top. I also like my skinny jeans...boot cut or straight just don't suit my taste. For lazy days at home, or if I just feel like it, yoga pants are also a nice change. Corduroy skirts are my favorite for this time of year. Several years ago, I was able to find a variety of colors in several styles for a great price and they're great on their own or with leggings or tights under for extra warmth. (see above photo)
Next comes tops...I am a sweater lover...and sweatshirts. Both of which I have quite a few. Whenever we go on vacation, I love getting a sweatshirt from the place we're visiting. So far I've gotten them from Chicago, Florida, Nashville, New Jersey, Vermont, and Ireland. We also love showing support for our local or favorite sports teams with sweatshirts, too. Sweaters in all sorts of colors and textures are my kind of thing. {{smiles}} Where I live, I don't get a lot of use out of the super thick ones, so I opt for the medium or lightweight ones instead. And when it comes to regular tops, I think soft and comfy is the way to go. Flannels are, of course, always delightful, too! (The same ideas go for dresses...soft, casual, comfy, warm and cute.)
Jackets and coats are essential for the colder weather. I find it smart to have a few different styles...one lightweight rain jacket, a heavy waterproof coat, and a dressier coat. To be honest, I have a couple of each style that I've collected over the years...all on sale for bargain prices. I love cardigans to wear as part of an outfit or as a sweater, and I think they are such cute additions to any wardrobe.
Now for some of the most fun parts of a cozy wardrobe...
Scarves and cowls. I'm of the belief that one can never have too many of them! {{winks}} I have enjoyed collecting quite a few over the years, also picking up several on our travels. The cowls in my collection are all handknitted by me as I just love doing that on cold evenings around the fireplace. I love having a variety of colors, styles, textures and weights when it comes to scarves and cowls in my drawer.
Gloves and mittens. I think the cozier the better when it comes to these items. Truly, how much better does it get than to have warm, thick woollen gloves on your cold hands on a freezing wintry night. And, of course, a pair of waterproof gloves are a must for snowball fights and building snowmen!
Hats. I love cute hats! The ones with the pompom on top are just the best, though I also love the handmade ones I've gotten in Ireland at a craftswoman's home shop. All of the items in this section here are also great for gift ideas come Christmas time and perfect for stocking stuffers. {{smiles}}
And the final section of a cozy wardrobe is pajamas! In our home, we love comfy, cozy pjs! Flannel, fleece, sweatshirts or sweatpants...we're there for it! Warm socks with the little rubber bits on the bottom to prevent slipping down stairs and fluffy slippers are also favorites, especially of my mom. She's a bit obsessed!
Well, friends, there you have it! My idea of the perfect cozy wardrobe!
I'd love to hear what your favorite clothing is this time of year and what you consider "musts" for a cozy wardrobe, so do share below!
Stay cozy!
♥