Zara winter coat + petite jeans and sock booties

I’m all for effortless outfit formulas that require minimal effort in the morning and this is one of the easiest combinations that never let me down! Start with the jacket of your choice, then choose a sweater from the same color family. Once you get the top two pieces, the bottom combinations abound. Finish by layering it on a patterned scarf or keep it monochromatic with a jacket. Depending on the situation, I usually do one of these subcombinations:

Express sock booties (3 colors)

I first mentioned these on IG a few months ago that they’re perfect for wearing under straight or tapered jeans due to the sock-style shaft (surprisingly hard to find in smaller shoe sizes!). These fit my narrow ankles well and have some stretch in the shaft, plus a zipper for easy on and off. The square toe and angular block heel give these a modern look, giving them a surprisingly stable and walkable feel for the heel height. These are a very good price right now at 50% off and are actually stocked in size 5 (very rare for Express)!

Quince Alpaca crew neck sweater

if you’re staring Everlane sweater a similar option that I wear very often, that I want to try! It has a very similar cut, but the Quince size XS actually fits slightly smaller (about 1″ smaller all around) than the Everlane XXS. The Quince one is also slightly lighter in weight and has more of a balloon sleeve cut compared to the direct Everlane sweater. This Quince the sweater also has a lower wool content and less itching factor than Everlane, but I will say my Everlane sweater started out quite itchy but softened with a few wears!

Zara Coatigan

I stopped by Zara to buy winter clothes for the kids and there were loads of racks of this coat in my favorite neutrals. It’s super affordable for under $50, and in addition to this light gray I’ve also seen a dark camel, black, and taupe (“sand”).

It only comes in sizes S, M, L, and XL, so keep in mind that this is a large size for someone who typically buys xxs, and the sleeves keep someone’s arms long (I folded them under). It’s also completely unlined, so I’d call it a good “coat” for layering rather than a heavy-duty winter coat. Despite all this, I went back and tried it about 3 times before I brought it home! I love that the overall cut is tailored with clean lines and the sleeves look pretty good when shortened and it’s something I’ve reached for a few times already!

My lazy self just folded the sleeves (you can also secure them with a folded piece of fashion tape), but since it’s unlined, it’ll actually be pretty easy to hand-stitch at home!