Why vests are my favorite fall/winter fashion piece

Greetings, stylish readers!

Today I am talking about my all time FAV fashion piece that is trending this fall and winter. VESTS.

Vests stepped on the scene last winter and the trend has carried over into this fall. Last year, I was very hesitant at first. Down vests are so puffy and bulky; I had no confidence that I could pull that look off. I thought I would look part marshmallow, part oompa loompa, and ZERO part fashionable.


But lucky for me, Pinterest saved my life, like it always tends to, and I started seeing lots of outfit inspiration when it comes to incorporating a vest.

I mean, did you know a down vest can look PERFECT with a flannel button up?! It's like those two pieces were made for each other. Destiny. True love.

But let's not stop at down vests. There's fur vests, cargo vests, sweater vests, quilted vests, herringbone vests... I mean, I'm rambling, but seriously. The list goes ON.

But enough talk; let me SHOW you some of the great vests I have hunted down this season:

Kohl's Croft and Barrow Quilted Vest 

Any article of clothing that is a shade of maroon naturally catches my eye in the fall and winter; it's my favorite color to wear! This cranberry quilted down vest from Kohl's is going to pair perfectly with a black and cream striped long sleeve.  

Kohl's Chaps Quilted Vest

 I love this simple tan quilted vest. I found it at Goodwill for $4. It's originally Chaps from Kohl's. I styled it recently with maroon pants and a navy polka dot sweater with riding boots. 

Kohl's Chaps Quilted Vest, Kohl's Croft and Barrow Polka Dot Crewneck, The Limited Jeans, Rocket Dog Boot, Kenneth Cole Reaction Bag, Fossil Watch

I love that this vest can pair with a variety of colors and styles. I really enjoyed putting together this look here, but the vest is so versatile that I know I will be wearing it a lot of ways this season.

Herringbone Quilted Vest from Etsy

I JUST got this trendy vest in the mail. The J. Crew herringbone vest took the world by storm last season. It seemed that every Pinterest photo and every major fashion blogger owned this piece, but the main struggle for me was it's way too expensive. 

I've been on the hunt for a similar looking vest for less, and this vest is the perfect look-a-like! I found it on Etsy for only $34, which is a steal compared to the J. Crew original. (Over $100!)

The Etsy seller offers a monogram option, which is super cute! But I also loved that you could get it without the monogram, and I went for that. I can't wait to pair this vest with a plaid scarf- one of the biggest vest trends of the year!

Takeout Faux Fur Vest

Okay- the faux fur vest trend is definitely a place in the fashion world that feels a bit rocky. I was completely afraid to try rocking this piece, but as a mentioned before, Pinterest inspired me and I soon found great ways to make this vest work.

I found this Takeout faux fur vest at Goodwill for $4. I love this one a lot because the front of the vest is faux fur, but the back is a knit material, so you don't come across as an oversized teddy bear.

Pair this vest with jeans and ankle boots, a plaid button up and a bold statement necklace for an outfit that will make others jealous. (PROMISE!)

Relativity Suede Button up Vest

I found this black Relativity suede vest last year at Goodwill for $3. It was the first vest I purchased because I thought starting simple would be the best choice with a piece I don't normally wear. And let me tell you, it is definitely a good choice.

I wore this a lot last year- it was my go-to piece when I was unsure of what to wear. I love pairing this vest with a solid colored long sleeve top and a knit scarf.

Old Navy Military Vest

Another huge vest trend to go along with that herringbone one from earlier is the green military vest. Green military jackets and vests took over last year too, and they are back on the scene this fall and winter. 

I love pairing this vest with a simple black and white striped shirt dress and ankle boots. Here is how I styled it last fall: 

Old Navy military vest, Target Merona striped dress, Target Merona ankle boots

The green military vest is a great alternative for the fall before busting out your green military jacket for the winter. 

Target Mossimo Supply Co. sweater vest

Finally, if quilted, faux fur or cargo vests are not your thing, a simple sweater vest may be what you are searching for. Free of any marshmallow puff or furry teddy bear looks, the sweater vest is a perfect layering piece. 

This tribal print one from Target (a $4 Goodwill find) will looks great with a short or long sleeve top. 

*****

Now that I've broken down the vest game for you this season, it's time for the cookie recipe I promised last post.

I visited my best friend's new apartment this past weekend, and naturally, I had to bake something. I get a natural positive energy from trying out a new recipe and seeing others enjoy it.

The Pinterest recipe I tried out this time around were Pumpkin Chocolate Chip cookies. I was originally going to make Pumpkin Spice pudding cookies, but I couldn't find the pudding I needed anywhere! So I found a new recipe that still stuck with the pumpkin theme of fall.

Here is what they looked like:

Photo provided by Nicole Krage

And here is the recipe:

Recipe courtesy of Two Twenty One blog

The recipe says to use two cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips. I used two cups of semi-sweet chocolate CHUNKS instead. It made the cookies soft and gooey, with the perfect amount of chocolate.

I can't recommend these cookies ENOUGH for the fall. They are super delicious, and everyone loved them! This recipe was really easy and would make a great treat for Thanksgiving.

Okay, I know after looking at those pictures, you are running off to bake some of your own.

Two things for your agenda: try out an awesome vest this season, and of course, make these cookies.

Toodaloo,