How I wore it: I broke a promise to myself

Hi, all. So, I know you're all gonna be shocked, but in order to leave my home today for tutoring and a Byzantine music concert organized by an old classmate of my husband's (and one of my former students was in the choir!), I wore a very ... familiar outfit:

Pay no attention to the mouse-shaped scratching post hanging from my bedroom door

I'm wearing my new HUE jeggings and, because the streets were a bit slippery (lots of snow yesterday!), my most badass of boots, the blue Fryes. But would you believe me if I told you I had actively planned on wearing something else on my top half? No black tunic or striped long cardigan in sight? Probably not, huh. I originally planned on wearing a light-colored tunic and an Actual South American Poncho (I have a beautiful one from Chile that's super warm). However, upon putting on the poncho, I looked a little too "huaso on an outing," so I went with my safe black top and favorite sweater.

As you can see, in the winter I'm in serious danger of falling into a fashion rut. This happened also two years ago, when I wasn't working full-time either - I LIVED in skinny jeans, tunics, and boots (I didn't own my long cardigan yet). I've now graduated (?) to leggings. As much as I bitch and moan about my last job's dress code, wearing a skirt or dress every day did really make me play with creativity in the winter. Anyways, I'll try to make a concerted effort of, y'know, branching out my options next time I leave my home. 

I also planned on wearing my hair long and loose, as much as I invariably hate the way my hair looks loose after an inadvertent look in a reflective surface. With this sweater, I thought it looked too messy, so I bunned it up. I had also planned on wearing my bright red lipstick. But I thought I looked scary in the mirror, so I wiped it off and put on the nude. 

Dudes, how embarrassing.

Anyway, now that I've gotten the excuses and apologies out of the way, let's talk about my last new pair of leggings: the jeggings I'm wearing. I ... LOVED them! I loved the way they looked, they were super-comfy, and I might never go back to wearing real pants again. I think I'll go ahead and buy them in grey so as to repair my favorite grey jeans that are slowly falling apart. Since I tend to wear skinny jeans almost exclusively with boots (and always with a long shirt anyways), I like the idea of substituting them with leggings, which are cheaper. The thing that did shock me with these jeggings (God! Every time I type that word, I feel my heart shrinking a little more) is that they were way more denim-y than I had imagined, and, um, way less stretchy, unlike the corduroy ones. Putting them on was a challenge, let me tell you. I would've felt bad about myself, but I weighed myself this morning and I've lost three pounds since the last time I'd weighed myself, so I knew it wasn't my fault that these leggings felt mysteriously tight and unforgiving. Once squeezed in, though, I quickly fell in love with the look and pranced around Boston feeling breezy and sassy. 

So, Style Nation (hat tip to the ladies of In Professorial Fashion), here's a pledge that I will solemnly try to keep: the next time I leave my house - for anything other than exercise - I will wear something that does not include this long striped sweater. I might even veer away from leggings! I would promise not to wear boots, but that's just insane. 

*Deep breath* Let's do it.

Striped cardigan: Banana Republic, remixed

Black tunic: American Apparel, remixed

Blue jeggings: HUE, by way of Lord and Taylor

Blue boots: Frye Veronica Slouches, by way of Zappos, remixed