The End. The Beginning.

Hi Blogger friends! Looks Good From The Back has had an amazing 14+ year run (seriously!) but the time has come for a new project. I'm moving over to Substack and changing things up a bit. I hope you'll join me at Looks Good. 

What I Bought: A Pants Follow-Up!

A quick follow-up to my last post! I've been wearing my new olive green Kut From The Kloth Meg Wide Leg pants weekly and actually remembered to take pics of my outfits. I didn’t get super creative or anything but I wanted to show you because PANTS ARE HARD and I think this pair is easy:

The Meg Wide Leg pants have an un-aggressive high rise and they hit a place on me that looks like a deliberate crop rather than the just-grazing-the-top-of-my-shoe awkwardness that drives me crazy. And they’re comfortable! Here I’m wearing them with my favorite Everlane sweater (still on sale!) that I wear so often it’s in danger of becoming my whole personality. I’m also wearing my all-black Birkenstock clogs which are my can’t-wear-flats solution. Yes, sometimes I even wear them with socks. I know. I don’t want to talk about it.

I think these pants will be a great spring/summer option too! We had a warm-ish day recently and I wore them with my super-favorite AYR So-Cone tee:

...and my Birkenstock clogs again because these days I wear the same five things over and over again. I’m semi-retired as a blogger and who’s keeping track anyway? Not me. My necklace is Gorjana (more on that soon) and my belt is Madewell. 

That's it for now! I'm working on a new "stuff I like" post so stay tuned. 

What I Bought: So Many Pants.

I mostly wear pants these days and I realized that I didn't have much variety in my closet. What I do have is many pairs of jeans and a couple of pairs of pants that really should be filed under "athletic wear pretending to be work-appropriate." So,  I went on a tear and bought three new pairs of pants. Also, fine, one of the pairs I bought is jeans but they're really good. Shush. 

To start, I bought these jeans from Madewell but didn't really love them on me so I returned them and on the way back to my car I fell into EverEve and bought this pair of cropped pants by Kut From the Kloth:

I don't have an outfit photo yet but I am here to say that these are good and comfortable and I highly recommend them. They aren't life-changing but they are easy and they look cute with both Birkenstocks and boots. 

Then Marianne bought these Everlane jeans and y'all, I had to have them too because I am an enormous copy-cat, yes, but come on, these are great:

They are VERY high waisted on me but I love the weird hem and the wide-leg  sailor flair. I just NEEDED THESE JEANS. I'm happy to say I love them though I did go up a size because they run a little bit small. This is what they look like on half of me:

So cute. They come right up to my boobs and sitting down is sort of challenging but I still love them. I'm kidding. Mostly. Since I was already ordering the jeans, I also ordered these tencel utility pants because they looked like a great spring/summer option and y'all, they are so good. They are definitely a more relaxed style than I usually wear but I love how the material feels - weighty and flowy at the same time. I wore them twice during my recent work trip to Hawaii:

Hey, look, an actual outfit! I mean, it's a crumbled end-of-the-day outfit, but still. These pants run true to size, just FYI. I'm wearing them with my two-tone Birks, a Madewell tee and my AYR button up. 

So, three pairs of pants, one actual outfit photo. I'm doing great. 

Outfit of the Day: In Which I Wear All My Favorite Stuff At Once.

When I start feeling wanty about some imagined thing that will make my wardrobe complete I remind myself that I already have some truly great stuff that I'm not wearing enough. Lately I've been trying to use all my good stuff as much as possible. 

Does this stop me from wanting more stuff? Sometimes. Does it make me feel slightly overdressed at the grocery store? Probably. But, it's been really fun to not "save" stuff for occasions but instead to wear the leather jacket every chance I get, to carry a nice bag even if I'm just going to the post office. For example, we went out for tacos last week and this is what I wore:

My very favorite jeans by Mother: the Weekender Fray, which I wear more than any other pair I own right now. I'm actually wearing them right this second! I reviewed back in 2022 if you're curious. They're truly comfortable and just the right length. I'm also wearing my Pikolinos boots which are very comfortable and decently cute and only pair of boots my dumb foot will currently allow. I am curious about this style, which is a bit taller and might work in place of the Chelsea boots I can't currently wear.

But okay, let's talk about the leather jacket. Its an AllSaints Belvedere jacket I found on TheRealReal because my other AllSaints jacket is currently, um, extremely tight. This one fits perfectly and I can wear a thin sweater under it, no problem. 

My scarf (this is it in a different colorway) was an impulse purchase at Liberty of London. It was on sale and there was only one left but they still steamed it for me and packed it up like a gift. I wore it for the rest of the trip, even the part where I had to sleep on the floor in JFK because we missed our flight. SO FANCY. 

Finally, that bag. It's the Mulberry Amberley (mine is in oxblood) and was a London purchase that was definitely on sale. HOWEVER, do not casually wander into the Mulberry flagship store in London and think you're not buying something because you absolutely will and you will love it and carry it A LOT because cost per wear and all that shit. Okay, on to my second "favorites" outfit:

Now, I talked about my striped Everlane sweater a few entries ago and it's still my #1 favorite sweater that I wear way, way too often. (And it's currently on sale!) Oh, Everlane. I quit you and you drag me back with cashmere and stripes. It's a great sweater - somehow boxy and slightly cropped but still hangs just right? It's magic and I just really love it, if you can't tell. 

I'm wearing it with my patch pocket jeans from Madewell which are getting quite a bit of wear. They are trendy but in a fun, not-too-young kind of way, I hope. Just to keep things extremely grown up and serious, I'm wearing them with my Comme des Garçons PLAY Converse which are so cute and spark all kinds of joy. 

My necklaces are my favorite weird bird skull from Paxton Gate and my labradorite necklace from Etsy. 

So, that's it. I'm really trying to use and enjoy what I have and stop being so wanty all the time. It's sort of working? Sort of. 

January: The Absolute Worst.

Listen, January is my birth month so I'm allowed to talk shit about how lame it is. Oh, freezing rain? Sleety snow? More freezing rain? Everyone is sick? COOL. WINTER IS SO GREAT. (But seriously, you winter-loving weirdoes. Why do you like it? What's to like?)

Despite my bad attitude I do have some new things to tell you about that I like very much. For context, I spent the last two weeks of 2023 unable to walk (yes, again) because I had foot surgery (yes, again. But this one was to remove the hardware installed during the first one.) During this time I did a lot of reading and watched too much TV. I also bought some stuff because what else could I do? 

This Book of Weird Ass Short Stories
If you've never read any Kate Atkinson maybe don't start with Normal Rules Don't Apply (start here instead) because even for her, it's weird. If you're already a fan, absolutely go for it. Technically this is a collection of short stories, which I don't generally go for, but all the stories intertwine and interconnect in that devious way Atkinson has and it's dark and apocalyptic and beautifully written. Plus, the actual hardback is gorgeous so this is not one for your Kindle. 

This Twisty Mom Thriller That I Liked Just Fine
If you want a twisty thriller page-turner of a read, Katherine Faulkner's new book The Other Mothers is definitely that. Overall it was a compelling page-turner, though I found the ending a bit too explainy (she ran out show and went for tell.) Also, I am not a mom so some of the play-group nuance didn't hit but I still enjoyed reading it. Her first book, Greenwich Park (which I wrote about here), was also a fun, twisty read and both books are perfect for a sick day or a vacation read. 

This Documentary That's Pure 90s Girl Nostalgia
Y'all, as a 90s-era young adult there are not enough words to explain how huge the supermodels were at that time. They were very much a part of the culture of the time in good ways and bad. The Super Models documentary on Apple+ is so freaking great - a real hit of Gen-X culture and nostalgia. Plus, you get the George Michael video! Vivienne Westwood! Todd Oldham! Marc Jacobs! I just freaking loved it. 

This Crazy Movie I Somehow Missed
I'm not much of a Disney person so when Cruella came out, I didn't pay much attention. Then I saw a very clip of it online with Emma Thompson being deliciously campy and mean so I decided it might be fun. Y'ALL. I had no idea. No idea! This is a wild fashion movie and a little bit punk rock. I mean, London in the 70s! Liberty of London! Emma Stone! That weird guy from Fleabag! A dog dressed as a rat! Incredible costumes! An amazing soundtrack! suffice to say I loved it. If you're snowed in or home sick and haven't seen it, I highly recommend it for a weirdly wonderful good time. 

I Found My Perfect T-Shirt
This will be disappointing for some but I found the perfect long-sleeve crewneck cotton tee and it's the Lululemon Love tee. I know. I KNOW. I'm sorry. But its so perfect! This is not a thin and droopy tissue tee, this Pima cotton/lycra tee has enough shape and heft that you can wear it by itself but it also layers nicely under a sweater. I went with my normal size and it fits perfectly - skims the body without being clingy. I've thrifted a few of the short sleeve Lululemon tees and they are great but it's SO hard to find a good long sleeved tee. I bought one in black and now I'm thinking about this striped version. (I'm so predictable.) PS. I also bought this hoodie which I was Very Not Sure About and then I started wearing it around and now it's my favorite stupid hoodie. What can you do? The heart wants the hoodie it wants. 

My New Favorite(?) Mascara
I'll be frank: "favorite mascara" is a tenuous category because mascara can start good and go very bad or start bad and then get better with a bit of age. It's true, right? But whatever, my current-as-of-this-month favorite is Lancôme Lash Idôle Lengthening & Volumizing Mascara. I got the mini size and so far it's a great everyday option. The wand is fairly small and curved so you can get even your puniest lashes covered and it's nicely lengthening without being crazy dramatic and it was still hanging in after a late afternoon workout.  

A Few Dumb Things I've Bought.

My apologies for this being incredibly un-exciting, but I bought a few items of winter clothing that I've basically been wearing like a uniform and I thought I'd post about them. 

I actually posted an IG story about this sweater because I like it so much which kind of pisses me off. I boycotted Everlane successfully for several years and then started looking for the perfect slightly cropped striped sweater and goddammit, the perfect one kept popping up and it was stupid Everlane. UGH. FINE. I ordered it with a discount and it's really good. I'm sorry. I give up. Everlane, you win. It's just the right amount of cropped and boxy so it falls in that casual way without looking too oversized. I got a medium and that size works well for me. And, its nice, soft cashmere which doesn't hurt.

I also ordered another Quince $50 cashmere sweater because they had a nice moss green and I got a large instead of my usual medium because I wanted a bit more slouch in this one. It's so nice! The perfect green. Here's the thing about these sweaters - they aren't high-end cashmere and yes, the will pill. But, for $50 it's still softer and nicer than that $98 acrylic blend sweater that's tempting you at Madewell. I promise. And you can wash them! Handwash or wash on delicate, roll in a towel to get the water out and then flat to dry. 

Remember this Athleta Whisper jacket? I finally bought the parka version in black and Y'ALL. It is the perfect coat for the PNW winters and for travel because it's really lightweight yet still warm. Plus, it has a hood and it's water resistant enough to handle a little bit of rain. Athleta will be having a sale soon so hang tight and pounce on this when it's marked down. Also, I think it runs a size big but it depends on how much layering you want to allow for. 

Finally, I'm sure I've posted about these before but Uniqlo makes the best under-sweater layers! I can't wear wool or cashmere next to my skin so I always wear a Heattech top as a base layer. They disappear under a sweater and will also keep you warm. They have a ton of styles and colors and they're on sale right this second! 

That's it for now! Tell me what you've gotten lately that you love, even if it's that Madewell sweater (which is cute, I'll admit.)

Stuff I Like: Not A Gift Guide.

Somehow it’s mid-December and I am, as always, shocked. Shocked! It’s like how PMS takes me by surprise every single month. (Hm, why do I suddenly feel like everything is doomed? *looks at calendar* Ooooohhhh, right.) Anyway, here we are and for the first time in more than 10 years I’m not posting gift guides. I mean, honestly, how many cute dang Anthro ornaments can I throw at you? (Apparently, at least one.) 

Okay, so instead of a gift guide you don’t actually want, shall I tell you about some holiday-ish stuff I’m enjoying right now? And maybe a few suggestions? Yes? Okay:

This Book Marianne Recommended
How did I not know about Sophie Cousens? Marianne recommended This Time Next Year which is delightful and funny in the manner of Mhairi McFarlane or Jenny Colgan. Light and easy to read, but also well-written. And, it’s going to be a movie with the hot guy from Emily in Paris which should be a good time. It’s not really a Christmas book (more of a New Year's Eve thing) so if you’re looking for that, I made some recommendations a few years back.

This Is The Only Candle You Need
Listen, if you want a truly amazing Christmas tree candle? You want the Thymes Frasier Fir candle. Trust me, this is THE ONE. It’s not super expensive it's pretty and it’s excellent quality. I bought this one which has a nice glow as it burns down but it also comes in a bunch of sizes and container options. It’s 100% worth it. 

This Thing I Bought Myself
While in London I spent a happy few hours at Liberty of London touching literally everything I could get my paws on. I bought a few gifts for other people and also bought this pretty Iphis print wallet for myself. I’m going to wrap it up and put it under the tree because I’m a weirdo like that. Anyway, it’s compact and beautiful and I love it.  

This Thing I Might Buy Myself
Okay, here’s a jaunty little cat that will hold my AirPods on my desk if I’m not using them. Um, but why tho. Also, I love it. But why. Do I need this? I absolutely do not. Do I want this? Of course I do.

This Thing Marianne Gave Me That I Still Love
I posted about the Dior Crème Abricot Strengthening Nail Care a while ago and wanted to give an update: I continue to love it. It's such a thing and makes a very luxe gift. The packaging is fancy-pretty and it's just a really nice product. Best of all, it falls in that excellent gift category of "thing people might not buy for themselves" and right now it's under $30!

Welcome to Adrien’s Sock Corner
Look, I know I just talked about Smartwool socks but I didn’t see this exact pair and now I want them (so pretty!) and I think you should know about them too in case you also want them. YOU ARE WELCOME. Happy Holidays, y'all!