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Okay, if you live somewhere where it's -20 C right now, you're probably going to laugh at this post... but whilst the Scottish climate is relatively mild, I'm one of those people who tends to feel cold a lot. Sure, it's a great excuse to drink more coffee and wear baggy sweaters all the time, but I could probably deal with this issue in a more stylish way, i.e. any way that doesn't involve the fleece I'm wearing right now (let's just say "hiking shop" and "men's size medium" and leave it at that).

Thermal layers are the obvious solution, but it's been surprisingly hard to find thermal tees that aren't just, well, underwear. My Aerie waffle crew is too tight and sheer to wear by itself, but I'd happily wear it under a button-down shirt with the cuffs, hem and neckline peeping out. I can't say the same about my Marks and Spencer thermal, which is good for warmth but not much else - it just doesn't look like it should be a visible part of an outfit, if that makes sense.

What I'm looking for is thermal tees with a waffle-knit texture, not too sheer or too tight. I've found plenty of them online... on sites that either don't ship to the UK, or charge an exorbitant amount to do so. I thought I was on to something when I got the Fab Knit Thermal from Forever 21, so I tried to order it in two more colours, but was thwarted by problems with the website. I've also noticed some slight pilling on the shirt after just one wash, so ordering multiples might not be the best investment...

Of course, I could just get some non-thermal long-sleeved tees for layering and leave it at that. H&M's long-sleeved kids' tees are cheaper than the F21 thermals (£4.99 vs £6.50 plus shipping) and the quality is probably better, so I might just go with those. Oh, and if this Topshop pyjama set ever goes on sale, I'll be doing my best to snap it up.

If you live somewhere truly cold, I hope you're staying warm today... you're probably better at it than I am. :P I'm still working on my AE post, plus some sketches based on the new Uniqlo +J collection, and being far too perfectionist about both... I've got to kick that habit.

Lastly, I'm not really a shoe person, but I was walking through John Lewis when I spotted these and my eyes widened a little:
 
 Unfortunately, I think the sale price is £59, and I probably couldn't walk in 4.3" heels anyway... but aren't they pretty?

Labels: thermal

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When my F21 parcel arrived last week, I promised myself I wouldn't open it until I'd finished my major task for the day. Ah, motivation. (It worked.)

I must apologise for the lack of fitting-room-type photos in this review, but if I waited until I could take ones I was satisfied with, it'd never get posted. I don't have much in the way of mirrors to work with, and there's not much natural light at this time of year.

Fab Knit Thermal in Charcoal, size small


I love this. It's warm, it's so soft, and it's thick enough to wear as a top in its own right. I wasn't sure about the width of the neckline, but luckily it's not quite wide enough to reveal bra straps; I'd hesitate to call it a true boatneck (though maybe I just have broad shoulders).

F21 provides product measurements for each item in size small (sometimes medium), and whilst it would be good if they could do the same for other sizes, this is still a very useful feature. This shirt in a small measures 32" in the bust; I have about a 31" bust so it's slim-fitting but not tight on me, which is exactly what I wanted. I can even layer a camisole underneath. The other thermals on offer seem to run a lot tighter (22-27" bust in a small), which is good news if you're my size or smaller and want something very slim-fitting.

Crochet Bib Knit Dress in Navy, size small

I liked this dress, it just didn't look great on me. The description read "empire waist", which is usually a deal-breaker for me, but the photos seemed to show the waistband sitting at the model's natural waist so I risked it. It turned out to be not quite empire but too high for my taste, giving an overall boxy look with little definition (my mum said it looked a bit like I was wearing a child's dress). The extra fabric around the waist area didn't help.

Luckily, my sister loved it and it looked much better on her, so it's hers now and my parents offered to reimburse me the £13.50. I plan to sew another navy t-shirt dress myself.

Little Bow Hair Clips in Hot Pink and Cream

Even cuter in real life, and the colours are as shown on the website (the pink doesn't look as vivid in my photo).

Labels: forever 21, hair accessories, reviews, thermal

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