Monday Musings : What I Wore to A Gala & Other Festive Clothes

Happy Monday, ladies. This week’s musings are sort of random, but they do have a bit of a theme. Over the weekend, we attended a Black Tie Gala fundraiser for the G02 For Lung Cancer Foundation. We have a long history of supporting the fight against lung cancer, but it became very personal here. Monday Musings- A Surprising Diagnosis

If you’re a subscriber to this blog, you read yesterday about my wardrobe angst over what to wear. Anywho…I bought this Banana Republic Velvet Blazer in deep teal and wore it with my Jennifer pearls (save 15% sitewide with AWSL at checkout) and a simple black tank, pants, and kitten heels that are as old as the hills. I over thunk what I would wear and, in the end, looked just fine.

Below are a few pieces from the latest Chico’s holiday collection that I tried on in the store and a few they sent me to style for an Instagram campaign. I opted not to wear this red jacket to the gala because I didn’t want to look like I was wearing holiday clothes.

This lightweight jacket is the prettiest rose/red shade. I put it with charcoal gray pants and a top, rather than black, to keep the look soft. I wore this outfit to an event last week and quickly realized we were overdressed. I’d rather be that than underdressed…but by removing the jacket, I was wearing head-to-toe gray, which was the right amount of casual.

I’ve bought a few of these turtlenecks because they come in tons of great colors and are a great weight for layering.

This Zenergy Cotton-Cashmere pullover and pants looked so cozy I couldn’t resist. They’re a 52% cotton, 26% rayon, 17% nylon, 3% spandex, and 2% cashmere blend that feels amazing on. The silver metallic thread makes them feel festive. I topped them with this white faux fur vest, which is a ringer for this brown one I wear so often.

I added these simple silver hoops with a sequin “disco-ball” type detail in the center.

At my local Chico’s, I tried on a few other pieces with a holiday theme. This sequin tee is a great piece to wear all season long with anything to add a festive feel. The sleeves are the perfect length to wear while cooking if you feel so inclined.

This Chianti color is front and center on my radar this season, and Chico’s has a fair amount of it. It’s pretty flattering on many complexions and a nice change from red. The embellished jeans are the girlfriend cut with nice slim legs. The ruana is fun but a bit over the top with these jeans, don’t you think? I’d dial everything back with it and toss it over a great white shirt and plain pants or jeans. The reversible velvet vest is quilted and thin, so it doesn’t add bulk and could be dressed up or down.

This faux suede moto jacket is super soft and lovely. This photo makes the color appear brighter than it really is. The fabric is a polyester blend with 13% spandex that’s machine washable. The Brigitte rivet ankle pants are a pull-on style in petite, which illustrates why I seldom buy petite pants.

These Juliet pants are a size too large for me, but I wanted to try them because I love the side stripe and mini houndstooth print. They come in regular, petite, and tall. The Juliet style is similar to the Brigitte style with a more substantial-feeling ponte knit fabric. This sequined cardigan is a melange of black with gray shades in an animal print motif. The sleeves have a slight bell, so I would not recommend these for cooking:).

Have you added anything festive to your wardrobe this season?

Remember, I am giving away two $50 Nordstrom gift cards each week from now until Christmas, but you need to be a subscriber 🙂

Thanks for reading, and be sure to wear what makes you feel confident.