Proud to be a Mott & Bow Affiliate. All opinions are my own.
Tags: Mott & Bow • Style

One of my favorite winter clothing staples to stay warm and have cute cold weather outfits is definitely a cozy turtleneck sweater. 

A simple outfit for cold days would be to wear the black (or any color) turtleneck with some jeans.

​In this case I am wearing these high waisted jeans from Mott and Bow together with tall riding boots like these. 

An easy way to dress up this cozy look for a date night could be the addition of some cute ankle booties! 

This pair are incredibly comfortable once broken in and look so polished. I have been wearing these booties 4-5 days a week lately! 

The modest heel is enough to elevate an outfit while remaining comfortable for walking. 

​See my review of the Dari Boot here. 

Another way to wear a turtleneck sweater in winter or fall time is to wear it overtop of a dress, or as in this case, a high waisted maxi skirt! 

This skirt was custom made on Etsy and the fabric is Rifle Paper co Garden Party! If you're a whiz at sewing, check out rifle paper co fabric here and here! 

​As you can see, the Cashmere turtleneck works beautifully knotted up to create the illusion of long legs that I surely do not have, when combined with the lengthening lines of the maxi skirt. 

​The Dari Boot With Skirt

I'm still doing almost everything from home as far as work, volunteering, and socializing at this time, which is actually ideal for breaking in a new pair of leather boots. I wear them all over the house, at the desk, doing laundry, etc.

I've actually worn them for 5-12 hours each time and have never had any blisters or real "hot spots" which can be common when breaking in new shoes.

​Granted, I believe that the way you walk around your house differs from how you walk when you're out and about. If I was going out I would wait until they are fully molded to my feet or just for short periods of time until they are.  

The top of the shaft where it hits against my shin is the one part that feels stiff on me out of the box which is expected unless you're wearing sock booties. 

​It definitely helps to wear some taller socks when breaking this area in. Alternatively my favorite skinny jeans and leggings work great for adding a little cushion as the shaft breaks in and the gentle creases form in alignment with the way you move.

​When I was younger I used to want everything to look totally perfect and pristine, but I am learning to embrace every unique crease that develops on these booties and the way leather changes with time. They are all part of my story, just like every wrinkle and laugh line gained over time.

When it comes to the Dari Boot I decided to size up to a size 9 from an 8.5 for a few reasons.

First, I wanted to be able to wear socks with this boot, so I needed to account for that.  

Also, sometimes I pop in insoles (like these cozy sheepskin insoles) or little ball of foot cushions (Sheec review here) In case the slope is steeper than expected or I plan to do a lot of walking and want extra comfort.

Finally, the pointed toe is my favorite shoe silhouette hands down, but can sometimes compromise space in the toe box. Often just sizing up half size will give you so much more comfort!  

So overall I'd say the Dari Boots fit true to size, but size up if your foot is on the wider side or you want to wear thicker socks etc.