First I picked out this Classic Full-Zip Hoodie in Green.

It’s just so snuggly and the fit is amazing.

Then I decided on this Classic Popover Hoodie in Navy.

This one is slightly thicker, and it’s just as snuggly and cozy as the other one if not more so.

I also took advantage of their 5 for $26 sale on their Down Undies and picked up some really cute prints.

My favorites are the snowflake printed ones. Obviously because I bought them in all 3 colors. But the stripey ones are adorable too.

Please excuse the fact that my makeup looks a bit wrecked in these photos, they were taken at the end of a very long shooting day.  That also explains my Victoria’s Secret star print pajama pants. Which reminds me the next time I place an order I simply must get some of the flannel pajama pants from Gilly Hicks. They just look so perfect for laying around the house in on Sundays or cozying up in after a very long day.

Seriously I just want to curl up in one of these hoodies with a pair of those flannel pants, a good book and some apple cider. What’s your favorite thing to wear on a lazy day?

I’m certain that no one here has forgotten how much I adore H&M. They’re priced well and their clothing is great quality. So since they recently began stocking their Fall Clothing, I thought hey even if you can’t shop right now, why not “window” shop anyways. So I of course found everything that I would like to add to my closet for this fall, added into my cart, stared at how much it cost, and then decided to make a wishboard. So here it is:
1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9

I dunno if I’ve ever mentioned it before, but I love Fall. I can’t help it, I’m pretty sure it’s because I was born in the Fall. Nothing gets me more excited than leaves changing color, the smell of wood smoke in the air, bringing out my boots, and snuggling into sweaters and coats.

Honestly everything above would pretty much complete what I need for Fall. Ever since I did that closet clear out last year, I’ve been slowly rebuilding my clothing. Fall is such a great season for me, because I don’t tend to buy anything overly trendy. Unfortunately in the Spring and Summer I get a bit stupid and buy trendy stuff I won’t wear that often or even the next year. I don’t really know what comes over me. But my Fall purchases are always practical, because I just adore sweaters. I can picture these styled a bazillion different ways. I adore them all. I’d love to buy that 3rd sweater in every color. It looks so cozy. Those pajamas are perfect because they have little bows all over the leggings which I of course adore.

What’s on your Fall must have list?

Since I’ve been sick I thought I’d do another Ins and Outs post. It’s not like I have anything better to be doing, trapped here on my couch. Mostly I’ve just been lying here with Howl wishing I weren’t sick.

Ins:

• Howl, he’s still absolutely adorable. I love his little puppy face off!
• Planning what I’m going to wear for my upcoming birthday. It’s over a month away, but seriously it’s my favorite day of the year.
• Kitchen Nightmares on Netflix. I don’t know why I wasn’t watching this show before, but I’m obsessed right now.
• Catching up on Supernatural, since I have the flu and can’t do anything, I have a lot of time for catching up on T.V.
• Fall scents out in stores, I love the fall and winter candles and air fresheners and stock up to try and have enough to carry me through the year to next fall.
• Bangs. A little while ago I decided to get rid of my bangs, and I’ve regretted it ever since.
• Pajamas. Being sick means I’ve spent a lot of time in my comfy clothing, and has left me craving some new pajamas.

Outs:

• The Flu. Seriously it’s 2013, why haven’t we cured this yet?
• The Cost of high end cosmetics. I have sensitive skin and have to be careful about what I use. I am absolutely hating how much I have to pay for them though.
• Howl chewing my moccasins. Seriously, does anyone know where you can get Minnetonka Moccasins repaired? I left them out one night and he chewed the insides. Now if I leave my closet open he goes and gets them.
• Painting my nails, what? I can’t be bothered with them right now. I dunno why but I’m just not into it.
• Shopping. Oh I’ve still got things I want to buy, but no money for it. Thanks to things like student loans, and being sick, I’m broke. So right after my birthday it’s a spending ban til Christmas. Only thing I’ll be buying extra are presents.

Thankfully it looks like I have more ins than outs, so I guess I should cheer up. What are your Ins and Outs?

Our Holiday Traditions start with putting up our Decorations on Black Friday. They start with putting up the tree, and the lights, running out for more lights and finishing with The Grinch. We always put it up in the same way with the most special ornaments going on the tree last.

Then the very next weekend my husband and I take our son our local mall. First we go to Macy’s to mail his letter to Santa and then we always buy one of the Yes Virginia, There Is A Santa Claus ornaments. Next we make a stop at the Angel Tree to pick out a child’s name to buy a present for. This is probably my favorite part of this Tradition, because then my son picks out a present for the other child, and I get warm fuzzy this is so adorable feelings. After all this is done we go see Santa for his pictures. Sometimes this gets down out of order, and depending on how people feel and how busy places are.

Another favorite Tradition I have is one that’s all my own. A few days before Christmas I stay up after everyone’s gone to bed and wrap presents and watch my favorite Christmas movies. This usually involves spiked eggnog and is usually done on a Friday so I can sleep in the next morning.

Somewhere in here is ABC Family’s Harry Potter Weekend, and when that comes around I cancel all my plans and curl up with my son to watch as many of the movies as we can cram in. I love Harry Potter and the first movie makes me feel so Christmas-y. I’ve watched this every year since the movies started coming out. Surprisingly I don’t own the movies. I really want them though and you can buy all 8 here for $33.

Then comes Christmas Eve and the pajama exchange. I love this, we’ve done this every single year since our son was born and it’s definitely my favorite. I love picking out different pajama’s for my son and husband and I love seeing the pajama’s my husband picked for me. It makes me feel warm and cozy to go to sleep in fresh pajamas and wake up on Christmas morning.

Another tradition from when I was growing up, that has held out and my family loves is the one where I fall in the tree every year. It always happens no matter how hard I try not too. Last year I even sorta caught it on video, fast forward to about the 8:30 mark, it happens soon after that. This has to do with how klutzy I am and somewhere along the way members of my family noticed it happening and started waiting for it.

• First of all you’ll need a favorite blanket, it could be a cuddly throw you knit yourself, or bought (V.S. Pink usually has some cute ones), or whatever blanket you have that is the schnuggliest. You want to stay warm when your sick and it’s better if your blanket makes you really happy. I have one that I use only when I’m sick, which I think makes it more special. 
• You’ll need your schnuggliest, coziest, cutest sweats or pajamas. Just because you’re ill doesn’t mean your loungewear can’t be adorable, the better you look, the better you feel, and if you’re feeling cute in your sweats, with your hair in a top knot or alice band, you’ll feel better about yourself. And there is plenty of extremely comfortable adorable loungewear/pajamas out there. I recommend Gilly Hicks for that
• Next you’ll need a cute cup to drink water or ginger ale from. Staying hydrated is really important when your sick and it definitely helps if you’re using a super cute tumbler cup. Mine is a polka dot one from Hallmark, but I really want to get one of the Elle and Blair ones from Glitzy Glam. I love the monogramming and they’re really cute, especially the polka dot ones, and the stripey straws you can buy to go with them instead of the plain clear straw. 
• I also have a special soup bowl, it’s red and shaped like an over-sized mug and it says soup all the way around it. This isn’t necessary, but you’re favorite soup is, chicken soup is best but really whatever soup is your favorite will do. 
• You’re also going to need a good movie or a few of them. My personal sick day favorites are Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, and Easy A. Those are all movies I’ve seen so many times that I can watch them while drifting in and out of sleep and I don’t feel like I’ve missed anything. 
• I’m also really fond of having a candle burning, usually I can’t smell it so I pick a cheap one that doesn’t have much scent anyways so I don’t feel like I’m wasting it, but still the burning candle makes me feel cozier.
• Before you settle in you’ll need to make sure you have your cup filled to the brim, and you have tissues (I prefer puffs plus lotion because a nose in need deserves puffs indeed), chapstick, lotion, hand sanitizer (bath and body works do the best ones), and a small trashcan or bag so you don’t have to keep getting up to throw away your tissues.
• Finally you’ll need an activity, I like to knit, usually something that I don’t need a pattern for. If you knit you know what I mean, there are things like a simple plan scarf you don’t need a pattern for because you’ve done the stitches so many times your hands just seem to know what to do. I also like to read, and listen to music. You want an activity that you enjoy, but one that if you fall asleep doing it or need to leave as it is so you can go to sleep it won’t be ruined.
• Then you just need to snuggle into your favorite spot, whether it’s a large arm chair, the sofa, or your own bed and you’re set.

Obviously, I vary how I spend the day each time I’m sick, since I’m usually ill for at least a week, but this is mostly what I do. In the winter, if I’m feeling especially poorly I’ll add in a cute schnuggly scarf and mittens, even sometimes a hat, and the pajama’s of boots (UGGS), and unless it’s summer or really hot outside, I bundle myself like that if I have to go to the doctor. The more frivolous you are with your routine, the happier you’ll be. I also have a pillow pet, a pink unicorn that I schnuggle with on especially yucky days.

VS Pajamas and Sweats are just the ultimate cozy girliness to me. They’re always sparkly and shimmery and the models are so gorgeous. And who doesn’t want to feel like a VS model.  Their winter campaign is most likely my favorite because of all the snowflake themed-ness (Not a word. What? I made it up) of it. I love snowflakes I think I lamented about this last year. I have a pair of pink pjs from VS that I love that have snowflakes all over them that I’m heart broken about because it seems that I’ve lost them somewhere in my massive laundry pile. They’re my favorites though and I’ll be hunting for and laundering/ironing them later today. (What, you don’t iron your pjs? Bah they’re mostly the only things I iron.)

Now I know, I know, sweats and pajamas are not appropriate for wear outside of the house, well I’ll let sweats and yoga clothes slide if you’re on your way to or from the gym, are really ill or flying trans-continental, or on an 8 hr roadtrip. I know people break this general fashion ‘rule’ all the time. If you’re going to do this, then there are some sub rules you should follow.

1. No pajamas outside ever, seriously you have no reason to hit up Target, Walmart or worse the Mall, in your pjs.
2. Make sure your sweats or yoga clothes cover all your bits.
3. And that they’re clean, and look like they are clean, really if they are stained don’t wear them out, I don’t care if you’re running out for more paint, paint splattered jeans are cute, paint splattered sweats are skanky.
4. No sweats with Uggs
*exception to 4, you’re sick and on the way to the doctor, being warm and comfy when you’re sick trumps all else. 

Also these rules only sort of apply to hoodies, as long as it’s not stained, fits you well, and goes with what you’re wearing/doing that day then wear them, they are outerwear. Just remember as with anything else there is a right and wrong way to wear them. The wrong way is if it’s ill fitting, dirty, stained, or torn.  

These are really just my opinion, I can’t force you to follow these rules, but remember, first impressions are everything. That guy behind the paint counter could totally be the one, or you might run into your boss at the hardware/ grocery store.

But back to the VS Sweats, there’s one hoodie I’ve wanted ever since I saw it a few years ago and they’ve always brought it back in different colors but it’s always sold out in my size when I try to get it, but they have it now, I’m hoping to convince my husband it’s a perfect 8 yr anniversary present. *8 years from our first date, our relationship is a second grader, it can do multiplication tables. Because we usually buy each other schnuggly if not entirely practical presents for our anniversary’s.  So not only do they have it in my size but they have it in one of my favorite colors and I would wear it to death. Until it’s no longer acceptable to wear anywhere but to bed when I’m ill. Which would be a long time, because I have a hoodie from vs in this color (but not this pattern) that has been warn to what should be it’s death and it still looks like new, I’ve miraculously not stained or torn it, and it isn’t fraying at all. I usually wear it with shorts and sperrys on the fourth for fireworks (if you aren’t from the states that’s Fourth of July) or great jeans and chucks if I’m taking my son to the park and plan on playing with him, or running errands if I’m not feeling to well. It usually makes me feel better because it’s cozy and still pretty cute (it’s all about how you style it people)

  *Side note: I know that buying the same sweats Miranda Kerr models will not make me look like her, they won’t make you look like her either, but I do feel a little bit hotter when when I wear them, because lucky for me cozy in sweats with no makeup and my glasses is just as sexy to my husband as all dressed up is. And I love cozy.

Edited to add: I’ve just found out the fashion show will air December 4th this year on CBS at 10pm

I don’t know what it is about Victoria’s Secret at Christmas time for me, but I just adore every thing about them in the winter time.  You’d think that’s odd since even in their fashion show they’re almost naked.  But for me, Victoria’s Secret is all things warm, cozy and decadent.  I know they’re not all that expensive, but they’re definitely higher priced than Forever 21 and WetSeal. Their pajamas and sweats are so well made and soft that they feel, at least to me, far more expensive than they are.

For the longest time I was obsessed with the PINK line, but now that I’ve turned 25 (and am a mother) I feel that I’m a bit to old for the line.  I don’t feel that way for everyone else, but because where I live it’s mostly 13 yr olds traipsing  about in their PINK sweats and boots, I do feel a bit silly waiting to pick my son up from school in a PINK hoodie.  But I’ve recently noticed that they have a VS line of sweats in Velour and Fleece and in Terry cloth and that makes me very happy.  I’ve already fallen in love with a few of their hoodies and pants online.  I can’t wait to pick up a few pairs to essentially live in.  Okay now that I’m working I’m certain it will eventually be more than a few pairs.  Still though lounge wear is always necessary.

There is one Victoria’s Secret item that I covet that I will most likely never be able to get.  The pink Santa Hat with the rhinestones. I’ve wanted one for years, but unfortunately they came out at a time when I wasn’t working, and my parents refused to buy me one, and now that I am working they are no longer for sale.  So I will always covet it, and be slightly jealous of those that managed to snag one when they were for sale.

I don’t know what it is about the movies that make me feel like Christmas, maybe it’s that Christmas is featured in most of the movies or that ABC Family runs them at this time of year, or perhaps it’s that they’ve each been released on DVD or in Theaters each year for roughly the past 9 or 10 yrs at Christmas time. (They missed a year or 2 due to production issues.) Or could be that they’re filmed in the UK and I’ve always wanted to be in the UK at Christmas time.

Every-time I hear that magical theme though I want to put on my snuggliest pajamas and curl up under my favorite blanket with a cup of cocoa or hot tea and a nice apple cinnamon candle burning.  I’m mostly there as it is in yoga pants and a black and Technicolor striped jumper.  I just need some slippers and cocoa and I’ll be the happiest Harry Potter viewer in the world.  They’re running the first Harry Potter now, and I can smell my candle, even though it’s not lit yet.  Well I’m off to find some slippers and enjoy the rest of the movie