Barbour Sandsend Jacket

I wanted a Barbour jacket since my freshman year of college. I saw a blogger in one online and immediately looked up the site and did some heavy duty research. I never thought to shop it during the Nordstrom sale prior to this year for some crazy reason. Once my mom got wind of the perfect birthday present for me, she was on top of it. Who was I to object?

Now I know how lucky I am that my mom was willing to get me a Barbour jacket. I am so very thankful for that. (Also, I know my birthday is not until December but she didn’t see the need in it sitting in her closet while I could be wearing it!) After owning one, I can 100% tell you that they are worth every penny. No matter what style, the quality is top notch.

I went with the Sandsend jacket from the new Costal Collection. I actually love so many other pieces from the collection. (I’ll share below). The lining, instead of the typical Barbour plaid, is of lighthouses and I thought it was perfect for me. What could be better than an iconic British brand + lighthouses? Especially since we all know my obsession with both Great Britain and lighthouses. The Sandsend jacket, like many of their other iconic jackets, is waxed. Which basically means it has the look of leather in comfortable, water-resistant, cotton. I may have to retire it until spring since it snowed here yesterday but it still kept me warm out there. The jacket didn’t get soaked through and it has a double closure with a corduroy-lined collar to keep you cozy.

I cannot say enough great things about all of Barbour’s jackets. They are lightweight enough for those early October temps but easy to add layers underneath on cold winter days. They are an investment that you’ll definitely get your price per wear down to pennies. (Does anyone else justify purchases that way? haha)

Outfit Inspiration

While I love following bloggers on Instagram, their styles tend to be different than my own. That silk slip dress looks bomb on you girl and that crop sweater is fire but neither are my style nor could I pull them off with my body type (I know and accept that by the way). So where do I turn for my inspiration? Pinterest is vibing the same way as Instagram and it is harder to find things I like or would look good in. I head to Tuckernuck.

Tuckernuck is a retail brand that I totally adore. They have a some of their own designs and pieces that are exclusive to the site or store and they also carry big name brands like VINCE, Emerson Fry, and Barbour. They have curated the best of the best to make it easy for us to shop our favorite timeless pieces. In their words, Tuckernuck is “a boutqiue curated for the classic, American lifestyle and inspired by good, old-fashioned fun.” If that doesn’t make you want to shop there, I don’t know what will.

Tuckernuck publishes a Lifestyle Guide seasonally (I believe?) and it is filled with inspiration. While it would be nice to have all of the clothes featured, I can easily draw inspiration and use it as a guide for the clothes I already have in my closet. The styling is amazing and the guide itself is pretty to look at also since the photography is top notch. Basically, it tells a story. They are able to capture outings and adventures that you could realistically take on the Eastern Seaboard. Tuckernuck does not make you feel like they are out of reach or above you. You are reading through an attainable fashion guide and I love that. I’ll give you an idea of what their photos look like below. These images are all from the FW 2018 lifestyle guide.

I think we sometimes forget that there are still look books and magazines out there to find inspiration in. We are so used to scrolling through Instagram or Pinterest (which obviously I still do) that we forget there are so many other ways to find inspiration. I often feel that people forget real blogs and websites exist since they are so often just turning to Instagram. I challenge all of you to find a new blog or website as a source of inspiration this week. I would love for you to come back and comment your favorite blog or shoot me an email and tell me. I can totally come back here and write another post with other sources of inspiration for all of you. Don’t forget to go outside and look around at your surroundings as well. That will always be my favorite source of inspiration.

Here is a little fun fact for all of you also… today marks Dakota’s 5th birthday. I cannot believe this little lady has been on Earth for five years. She may still act like she is a puppy but that post will be coming soon.

THE LOW-KEY HOLIDAY PARTY

December is now here which means holiday parties are in full swing.  Red is a color that always makes me feel party ready and combining red with a coral shade is something I love as of late.  Throw on fabulous statement earrings with even more fabulous block heels and spritz your favorite perfume.  Good to go.

#caitlinthechristmaself

SWEATER WEATHER

If you do not have an L.L. Bean fisherman sweater, you must go pick one up.  Seriously, run!  This specific sweater is the tunic version in beige but I am dying to get my hands on the original version.  

Thankfully, instagram friend, Meg Hall, gave me sizing advice!  The tunic version definitely runs a bit larger however, I got my usual size and it fit the way I wanted.  The original fisherman sweater fits quite snug.  I tried it on and definitely sized up to a large in the fitting room.  

outfit details:

sweater | jeans | handbag