Zara Sweater: Oversized & Highly Prized

So the title of this blog is a little cheesy, mostly written so that I could rhyme something with oversized. But the sentiment is 100% sincere - I absolutely adore one of the latest additions to my wardrobe. A dreamy, comfy and super trendy sweater that I got from Zara. I actually got this about 2 months or so ago, but am barely getting to it in my content line-up. 

Quick story time and then we'll get straight into the deets. 

As I was preparing for the new year and new content, I of course swept through Zara as part of my shopping rounds in SoHo. I actually got quite a few things from there, which was nice because my previous shopping experience hadn't lended too much to my fashion objectives. Items included the blue button-down and turtleneck that I featured in my latest blogs. But as far as the sweater is concerned, it was another one of those love-at-first-sight situations. One of those "I'm going to get this if they have it in my size" first glances that have you darting to your new favorite wardrobe addition. That's what this sweater did for me - and I can't wait to get into why. 

I Am Preppy

I've said it before and I'll say it again - huge fan of the preppy looks here. They fit personality and I've mastered bringing out the best in this style. So when I saw this sweater at Zara, giving me studious and dapper vibes from across the floor, I immediately had visions of how I would style it. That vision included a spotted button-down to set the base for a preppy look. It's like I went back in time and enrolled in a modern-age boarding school - where students dress the balance between being classically uniform, while still trendy as heck.

I have always been a fan of oversized shirts and sweaters even since I discovered that style, but this particular piece takes the top spot in my list of favorites. The deep V comes down to a perfect point, allowing you to give sufficient display to what you're wearing underneath. Needless to say that this look came out exactly as I had envisioned, from top to bottom. But as great as this outfit is, unfortunately not everything can be perfect all of the time. Let's take a step down and talk about the boots. 

These Boots Weren't Made For Walking

So I have been in the market for the perfect pair of brown boots for a while now. I had to retire my beloved Calvin Klein's mid last year, and since then I have been leaning on black footwear almost exclusively for my everyday outfits. So during the shopping trip to Zara I mentioned above, I also picked up a pair of what I thought I could make my new go-to brown boots until I find something more chic and one of a kind. Plus, these boots were on sale, so I figured I couldn't go wrong. 

Well, when I went to shoot this outfit, that was my first time wearing these boots, and while at first they were everything I ever wanted, they turned out to be a nightmare. 

• Positive - It is truly a solid fit, which in this case is sleek and tight. I really enjoyed that because the jeans wrapped perfectly around the boots and that straight, tight fit from legs to feet was a great contrast to the fluid and oversized form of the sweater. And obviously the design and color are great, which is why I got them in the first place. 
• Negative - The structure of these boots is terrible. The boot being solid is both an alright thing, as well as what makes this boot such a disaster. The back of the boot, lined-up against and heel and Achilles tendon, is extremely rigid. So when you step, the boot is literally pressing and scraping the top of your heel - gradually tearing your skin.  This may only be a problem for people with wider feet, which I understand. And while I could complain that my feet and toes felt cramped, that much I am confident could have went away as I wore out the shoe. But the back of the boot - just gives validation to the fact that I should no longer be buying cheap shoes from Zara. 

It's All Good

Overall, I am still completely pleased with how this outfit came out. Even though the sweater is oversized, it is not too flamboyant of a statement piece and you can easily wear it as part of an everyday look. In fact, since getting it, I have already worn it to work and gotten several compliments. Hence why it's such a favorite. But this outfit was the straightforward look - given how much I love this sweater, I wanted to explore how else I could style to get a sense of its versatility. With this outfit, I gave you sophisticated. And with this next one, I think I'm giving you some sexy. 

Cold Spring 

With seasons transitioning still, the weather is not in a consistent state of warmth. But as we've discussed in previous content, these kinds of conditions can inspire some creative looks.  Breaking this outfit down, while the sweater could pretty much be considered neutral, I loved the color so much that I wanted it to pop a little more than in the last outfit. So I went with my standard pair of gray jeans, and by beloved black Maddens for true neutral complements. 

I think it is pretty clear how ready I am for Spring sunshine with how I could not resist showing a little skin in this look. With the deep V of the sweater falling as low as it does, it gives me an opportunity to be pretty flashy with my chest if I wanted. But with the weather still being Fall-like and me not wanting to put that much on display, I found that a nicely positioned scarf was the perfect final touch to the outfit. Even though the stripes on the sweater are a deep navy blue, the black scarf still coordinates with the stripes well, and also helps tie the outfit together in coordinating with the black boots. 

From Elegant to Exotic

It goes without saying that I will have this sweater in my wardrobe for years to come, and I have a strong feeling that it will never fall out fo style. I consider it a big win when you actually happen to snag pieces like this before they sellout, and then have them end up working with your clothes just as you had dreamed. Despite the reality that I will have to retire it soon as Spring really starts kicking in, I'll have all Spring and Summer to think about how I'll wear it next Fall. I love a lot of things in my closet, and I say how much I love everything in general, but I genuinely adore this sweater. Officially stapled in my closet until the end of 2018.