Fall Color + an Updated Frye Melissa Boot Review

Jacket: J.Crew (this year's longer version here) | Sweater: J.Crew in XXSP | Denim: 7FAM | Boots: The Frye Company (also at Zappos) | Sunglasses: Valentino | Jewelry: Gorjana via Rocksbox

After going bare-legged for the last few days, I finally reached for jeans and my favorite Frye boots yesterday morning after a "winter storm" blew through Denver the night before. The storm didn't quite meet expectations, but we had a nice, crisp fall day afterward. The sunlight coming through the trees was just gorgeous on our walk to a brunch spot in our neighborhood.



I wrote a review of the Frye Melissa Button Boots previously when I bought them, but I thought it worth mentioning again how much I love them. The lower shaft height, narrow calf, and slim ankle make the Melissa Buttons a great style for petite ladies. I own them in two colors, distressed black and the pretty reddish color I'm wearing here (cognac seems to be the closest current color), and they have held up well over the last couple years. I'm not particularly gentle with them and often wear them to walk longer distances in cooler weather. I try to avoid overly wet conditions, but a splash here or there or snow on the ground doesn't seem to affect them at all.

Hope you're having a wonderful week!

x, Tam

Fall Back

Blazer: J.Crew (on sale!) | Scarf: Nordstrom | Jeans: J Brand (the Mid-Rise Crop with its 27" inseam is perfect for no-alterations, ankle-length petite jeans) | Boots: Frye "Melissa Button" | Bag: Coach | Sunglasses: Karen Walker | Bracelets: Banana Republic, Tiffany, Vintage | Watch: Michael Kors | Lips: NARS "Funny Face"

I pulled out my beloved Frye Melissa Button Boots (read my review here) for the first time since last spring over the weekend. Sean and I trekked over to one of our favorite breweries to sample their fall selection, and this outfit kept me comfortable and cozy for the long walk.

The J.Crew blazer I'm wearing was my first purchase of their Schoolboy style, and I really liked the proportions of it on my frame. This houndstooth wool is warm and on-trend, but I subsequently snagged a black, lightweight wool version during one of their 25%-off-full-price promotions, and I have been wearing it constantly for work over the last couple months. (For reference, I am wearing a 00P here, and it didn't require any alterations.)

Hope you are having a great week!

x, Tam

Valentine Plaid

Coat: J.Crew (still available! Love this classic peacoat too) (last seen here) | Sweater: Crewcuts | Jeans: J.Brand | Scarf: Gift | Sunglasses: Chloe | Socks: Nordstrom (also like these & these) | Boots: Frye Melissa Button (read my review) | Bag: Coach | Bracelets: David Yurman, J.Crew

Happy Valentine's Day!

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Layers upon Layers

Coat: J.Crew (temporarily out-of-stock, but love this classic peacoat too) | Top: Limited | Jeans: J.Brand | Scarf: H&M | Sunglasses: Karen Walker | Bag: 3.1 phillip lim, available at Barney's or Otte NY (read my review) | Socks: Nordstrom (no longer available, but I have my eye on these & these) | Boots: Frye Melissa Button (read my review) | Bracelets: David Yurman, Tiffany | Watch: Michele

Last week's warm weather quickly fizzled here in Denver, and it got very, very cold over the weekend (as it did in most of the country, it seems!). When it's this chilly, I love layering nice, thick over-the-knee socks over thin socks and skinny jeans to keep my legs toasty. A big, soft scarf also helps keep the chill at bay. Hope you're all staying warm!

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Afternoon Sun

Sweater: ASOS c/o (on sale in petite and regular sizing) | Jeans: H&M | Boots: Frye (read my review) | Sunglasses: Karen Walker | Bag: Reed Krakoff | Necklace: Amrita Singh | Bracelets: David Yurman | Watch: Michele

I'm back to warmer temperatures and back to work this week. The holidays seem to have gone by so quickly this year! If I can get my act together this evening, I'll post my 13 favorite outfits from 2013 tomorrow (no promises, though!).

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Hello, November

Tee: J.Crew (still available on sale in solid or stripe) | Scarf: Nordstrom BP | Jeans: BLANK_NYC | Sunglasses: Valentino | Boots: Frye (read my review) | Bag: Reed Krakoff | Bracelet: J.Crew | Rings: Vintage

The J.Crew classic Painter Boatneck Tee is one of my favorite items for fall, winter, and spring. This weekend it was warm enough for me to style my tee with a pretty mustard-and-gray scarf that was just the right weight for the weather.

Black jeans and my trusty Frye boots got me through a session at the park with the pup where all he wanted to do was run helter-skelter, kick up leaves, and bark at and chase after other dogs. I eventually passed him over to boyfriend, who was them wrangling both camera and dog, but all in all, it was fun (don't worry--boyfriend's fun came later when we stopped by a nearby brewery he likes for a few beers!).

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Restyling a Summer Dress for Fall

Jacket: Zara (this season's version) (similar here) | Dress: Anthropologie (last worn here | Cardigan: J.Crew | Sunglasses: Valentino | Boots: Frye (read my review) | Bag: 3.1 Phillip Lim (read my review) | Bracelets: David Yurman | Watch: Michael Kors

I thought I'd style one of my favorite dresses from this summer, the Empress Dress from Anthropologie, for a cute transition-to-fall look. Tempertures here remain sunny, but with a definite chill in the air and the threat of storms developing in the evenings.

I added another layer under the jean jacket that you can see peeking its way out: a fitted, wool leopard-print cardigan, which added a nice bit of insuluation for a fall evening.

Thanks for all your feedback in the last post about my future calligraphy posts! I'm hoping there are people out there who want to learn and who will enjoy it, and if there are, we can even do a pen-pal round-robin or something so we can all get pretty snail-mail. You'll be seeing that new series here soon, but not to worry--it won't affect style posts at all (a girl's still gotta wear clothes!).

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Boot Season

Sweater: J.Crew (similar style here) (last seen here) | Skirt: F21 | Belt: Madewell | Sunglasses: Valentino | Boots: Frye (read my review) | Bag: Coach "Penny" | Bracelets: David Yurman

It's been a gorgeous fall week this week in Denver--sunny, but cool enough to pull out my favorite boots for the first time in months. I added a leather jacket to this ensemble once the sun went down for extra warmth. I'm looking forward to a weekend of fall weather and colorful leaves.

I'm planning on doing some pumpkin carving and maybe a corn maze--what are you doing this weekend, readers? Any fun autumn plans?

P.S. Pattern-mixing still relatively novel to you? Scan through my painless pattern-mixing tips.

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Flurry

Striped Shirt: J.Crew (last seen here) | Button-Down: Abercrombie | Skirt: F21 (last seen here) (similar style here) | Belt: Madewell | Sunglasses: Chloe | Boots: Frye "Melissa Button" (on sale!) (review here) | Bag: Rebecca Minkoff (similar here)

As I was getting ready to take these photos, the few flurries of snow coming down outside suddenly turned into big, pretty flakes--guess winter decided it was better late than never in the mountains this year!

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Snow White (+ a Frye Boot Review)

Coat: J.Crew (or in solid colors here) | Shirt: J.Crew | Jeans: Joe's (similar here) | Sunglasses: Chloe | Scarf: Target | Boots: Frye "Melissa Button" (on sale in the color I'm wearing--burgundy brush-off) | Bag: Rebecca Minkoff (similar here | Necklace: LOFT (similar here) | Watch: Michael Kors

Quick review for you guys today! I'm loving these gorgeous Frye boots that recently made their way to me. I ordered two colors--both on sale--from Zappos (burgundy brush-off and dark brown waxy suede), and while the brown boots were lovely, these reddish-brown beauties were the clear winner.

I have wanted a pair of Fryes for a while and spent some time researching and trying on different styles in stores. I loved the Lindsey Plate and the Paige Tall Riding, but both were tall and wide at the top, so the proportions looked off on me. The Melissa Buttons were definitely my favorite--slim through the calf and ankle, but still roomy enough to wear them with skinny jeans and socks. The dip at the top of the shaft is very flattering, and their not-quite-knee-high rise is great for petite ladies. On top of that, they were comfy and blister-free right out of the box.

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