Happy Thursday, Ladies! One of my favorite things about fall and winter fashion is plaid. Bold prints are so much fun all year long, and I love how the prints and patterns we wear change with the seasons. If there is a pattern that screams fall and winter, it’s definitely plaid! Plaids come in all kinds of color combinations; in the fall we have warm mixes of orange, browns, reds, and grey. In the winter we have wonderful tartans of red, green, black and grey. Throw in a wild card like yellow or blue with those red and greens and I am all in! But the best thing about plaid is that depending on your personal preference, you can go subtle and neutral, or bold and bright – there’s a plaid for everyone.
These Bonfire Plaid pants are from last year, they are still around at Talbots, but the sizes are limited, so I gathered up a couple more styles available in petite sizes at Talbots. Try the Hampshire Ankle Pants in Apple Cider Plaid or the Chatham Slim Ankle Pants in Haystack Plaid.
With the Christmas cheer starting earlier and earlier each year, I am comfortable wearing the more holiday-inspired color combinations like Apple Cider Plaid in November, but if you’re not ready for that yet, the Haystack Plaid is a lovely fall color combination. As for the Bonfire Plaid, its dominant color is grey, so I feel it’s a great in-between plaid for November.
Slim Ankle Pants - Bonfire Plaid | Alternate Pants - Hampshire Ankle Pants - Apple Cider Plaid | Demi Cotton-Silk Sweater | Similar Brogues | Similar Clutch
Slim Ankle Pants - Bonfire Plaid | Hampshire Ankle Pants - Apple Cider Plaid | Chatham Slim Ankle Pants - Haystack Plaid
The petite Demi Cotton-Silk Sweater in grey is nearly sold out, but try the White, Red, or Black Version available in petite sizes. I love this sweater! Even if you go for it in a different color, it’s a very soft and comfortable sweater – and is substantial in terms of weight, perfect for a chilly November day!
The Mongolian Cashmere Boatneck Sweater from Quince
The Alpaca Crewneck Sweater from Quince
Ballet flats or loafers pair well with the collegiate look of plaid pants. I went for brogues because I love the menswear-inspired look. My pair has sentimental value for me; they were my first expensive fashion purchase. Many years ago, I invested in these brogues, completely handmade in Italy, with leather insoles. They are the most comfortable shoes I have ever worn and well worth the investment.
The term “brogue” refers to the perforations in the leather of the upper. Back in 16th century Scotland and Ireland, brogues were outdoor work shoes for farmers in wet terrain, the perforations in the leather allowed for water to get out of the shoe. Now just an aesthetic detail of an Oxford-style shoe, brogues became popular in fashion in the 1920s and Jazz Age.
Now, you can have more formal Oxfords (without brogue), Brogues, and then there are Oxford Wingtips, which you can find with or without brogue detail. Wingtip refers to the wing-shaped detail on the toe cap of the shoe. Mine have the toe cap, though it’s not a wingtip because it lacks the wing shape.
Slim Ankle Pants - Bonfire Plaid | Alternate Pants - Hampshire Ankle Pants - Apple Cider Plaid | Demi Cotton-Silk Sweater | Similar Brogues | Similar Clutch
is our 40s+ fashion & food contributor. She posts a Daily Look on Tuesdays, writes about Fashion on Thursdays, joins Beth for Fridays with Oscar and shares a new recipe Sunday evenings.
She’s 47, 5’0, and a petite 0/XS.
Kelly also has a food blog called Djalali Cooks, which you can find by clicking the world icon below.
Great post, and I love your whole outfit. I wear boots rather than brogues, but the pricing on the “vegan” leather is low enough to maybe try them. I am not into the extra long sleeves. How do you feel about them? Could you prepare food in this sweater?
Hi Maeve, Thanks for stopping by today! Personally, I try not cook in sweaters, I prefer short sleeves in the kitchen and I don’t love rolling up sweater sleeves because it stretches out the cuffs. That said, I did wear this sweater in last week’s Fridays with Oscar post. I made a flatbread which didn’t require serious preparation, so it wasn’t a big inconvenience to wear this sweater. I hope that answers your question! xo Kelly
Hi Kelly, love the brogues. Classic. I would wear these with everything. With funky jeans and a vest would be superb.
I love that idea, Judy! Thanks for stopping by today, xo Kelly