As seen in a recent post, I’ve been reaching for black-on-black a lot as a winter pairing that requires virtually no thinking! It’s a timeless combo that can go in the direction of either polished or cozy depending on which winter footwear and coat layers I choose to add on. For this post I went with an everyday casual look that keeps me toasty warm even in cold Boston weather, and wanted to review this puffer coat and water resistant boot down below!
You can see these looks in motion in my Instagram Reel video. And if you’ve been waiting for these sunglasses to be restocked, both colors are back today and they’re one of my best quality shades for this $15 price point (see on me)!
First up, a few boots I own or have tried on that are currently pretty marked down:
Sale Shoe Finds
- Cole Haan waterproof boots – 40% off. See on me above in 5.5, and reviewed below in more detail.
- Sam Edelman Garrett – my favorite combat boots are on super sale, but only a few sizes are left. See them on me here, here and here. After lacing on boots almost daily this past week, I’m really appreciating ones like this with an added side zipper or stretch gore for easy in, easy out!
- The popular Laguna chelsea boots are a cleaner option with no laces and also on sale in several colors.
- Miller chelsea booties – 30% off the current version of my Caslon chelsea boots, seen on me below.
- Sam Edelman Harriett pump – up to 30% off select colors, see on me here.
1. Quick Reviews: Caslon Pocket Tunic Sweater
I wear a lot of leggings so have been searching for tunic sweaters that hit crotch length but aren’t overwhelmingly loose and long. This one is so cute with the little pockets in the front! It’s also easy to pair for work with slim pants and a pair of loafers.
FYI this knit blend does have wool in it, so if you’re sensitive to wool then this probably isn’t for you. I usually wear a tee or Uniqlo thermal underneath to mitigate any potential itchiness. In terms of sizing, compared to the XXS, I like the length of XS a little better for more coverage but the sleeves are a little long and need to be cuffed up. It’s hard to see any difference in photos, but below I’m wearing camel in XS vs black in XXS. The XXS hits just at my crotch whereas the XS covers it a little more.
2. Winter Boots
These Cole Haan waterproof boots have become my go-to footwear for school pickup on days too cold for sneakers, but not quite cold enough for heavier winter snowboots boots. They’re a great commuting boot as they’re very lightweight. I have found them to be comfortable and a 5.5 is fitted on me with light socks but I wouldn’t size up, and I do agree with reviewers that it’s a touch narrow. It doesn’t seem to say anywhere in the listing that they are waterproof but the box and tags that my pair came in all specify the style as waterproof. A few other options:
- Ugg Adirondack – these are excellent and well known as a heavy duty, warm boot for cold and snowy weather. They never go on sale year after year but are solid quality. Would recommend if you live somewhere that gets pretty cold and snows.
- Sorel Lennox – this is a newer-to-me style that I just recently tried on. They aren’t as thick as the Uggs for very cold weather, but I thought they were very flattering and fairly slimming for a cold weather boot. Usually boots like the Ugg and Cole Haan above are a little “fuller” shaped due to the faux fur trim, but when I tried on the Sorels they felt a little more sleek, at least for cold weather boots.
3. Sam Edelman Puffer Coat
Prior to buying my Mackage coat this was the one I kept borrowing from my mom’s closet for daily school pick in the winter. She left it here as her “Boston coat” and after using it for two years, I can say that it’s held up very well with pretty much no signs of wear, and I stay dry in moderate rain or snow. And after trying on and buying much pricier alternatives this year, I believe this is a pretty solid and warm parka for the price.
Fit: The fit is TTS and with XS being the smallest size offered, it’s big and a loose fit on me. I used 2 safety pins to shorten the belt from the back center as a quick invisible “fix” (or Nordstrom can easily make the alterations), which makes a noticeable difference in the shape of the coat on me! Because the belt is elasticized and stretchy, it’s still quite comfortable. The hood is generously sized and pillowy shaped with a cincher to keep out the elements like the Canada Goose coats I recently tried on.
With all of that said, unless you’re looking for something oversized that you can really layer under, I would recommend this to those who are the true sizes and take a true XS and up. My mom is 5’ 1.5” and 105lb and it fits her well over a thick sweater. She got this on sale a few winters ago so I’d wait for a hopeful sale on this one!
Below is another option I tried on in store. This is my first time trying Bernardo after eyeing it online for a while and I’m definitely interested in trying more of their styles! An XS was a casual fit on me. I’d say not as loose as the Sam Edelman belted one, not as fitted as Mackage.
Thank you to Nordstrom for partnering on this post.
