H&M Holiday Looks: My Fashion Haus, 12.2019

Fashionistas, today’s fashion haus post is featuring some H&M holiday looks I’ve been playing dress-up with.  Until recently, I would have said the clothes at H&M were too youthful for me.  And it’s not that I am all of a sudden a whole lot younger today than I was this summer!! Ha! But maybe their fall and winter collections just seem more mature or grown-up or age-appropriate – whatever that looks like for a 61 year-old grandma.

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Favorite H&M Fall Finds

After church each Sunday, PC and I walk around the outlet mall to “get our steps in.”  Not that we can’t do that around our neighborhood or on the treadmill at the gym.  But it is more fun at the outlet mall.  And the first store I walk through each week, is…yup, you guessed it, H&M.  You might remember the H&M plaid blazer from this post.  A plaid blazer (similar, similar) was one of the pieces on the Get Your Pretty On fall 2019 capsule wardrobe.  H&M has quite the assortment of lined, double-breasted blazers in a variety of plaid patterns and silhouettes.

Another fall capsule wardrobe piece that I found at H&M was the chunky sweater.  I have purchased 3 ribbed mock neck sweaters, like this one,  in tan, olive and winter white.  And 3 turtleneck sweaters in navy, maroon, and black like this one, at my new favorite store.

H&M Holiday Looks and Try-on

As the holidays approached, my favorite outlet store rolled out racks of sequins and sparkle, tulle and faux leather.  One morning, after taking Cia to school, I decided to pop in for a holiday look try-on.  With that in mind, I had slipped my Target black tulle skirt from home into a bag to try with some of the pieces I had seen.  Have a look.  Wish the pictures were a little better but it is hard to take good photos in the confines of a fitting room full of clothes and try to look like an over-60 fashionista at the same time.

These were the tops that caught my eye on the Sunday before my try-on session.  Just snapped quick pictures of them.  Found it interesting that body suits are back.  Don’t remember them being terribly comfortable when I was younger.  Wonder if they’ve improved any?  One thing’s for sure, they stay tucked in.  And I thought that would be a plus with my tulle skirt.

My Comfy Shopping Outfit

As I explained above, I had my tulle skirt in a bag along with my black pumps but I dressed comfortably in jeans and a Shein snake skin print sweatshirt for the day.  It was such fun grabbing things off the racks that I wanted to try on as if I had all the money in the world to buy them with!!

Selected to try several colors of this dazzling sequin top (exact, similar) and this long sleeve mock neck sequin top (exact, similar) to try with my skirt from home.

Feeling Frumpy in the Tulle Skirt

Had such hopes that all of the H&M sparkle and holiday wear would look flattering and festive paired with my tulle but, alas, that wasn’t the case.  Tucked in or untucked, none of the tops seemed right with my skirt.  I kind of look like I am wearing a potato sack…and I am the potatoes!  See what I mean?

Did buy the skirt before I lost weight.  Maybe it is too big?  Also noticed the sizing seemed off for the holiday tops that I tried.  Or maybe I have a skewed view of what size I am now?  Have always worn larges and mediums in tops.  These tops are medium.  Felt like I was swimming in them.  Asked the  fitting room clerk to fetch me some smalls.  She mentioned that H&M is struggling with adjusting their sizing from European standards to U.S. sizing standards.  The smalls were a better fit but something still felt off.  There was nothing else to do than to change out the tulle for another skirt.

A Little Something in Faux Leather

Wore my 3-4 year-old Loft faux leather skirt to church the other day.  Paired it for several looks in this post.  But when I got home that day, I realized the (p)leather was deeply scratched in back across my behind.  On the day of my try-on it seemed providential that H&M happened to have a half-dozen styles of midi and above-the-knee vegan leather skirts.  Selected one short style and one longer skirt and dashed back to the dressing room.

Here’s the long sleeve mock neck sequin top in a small with the short H&M skirt (exact, similar).

Better?  Yeah, I think so.  This top was designed to be oversized (I think), so it’s roominess didn’t bother me as much.  Maybe the structure of this skirt balances better with the blousy fit of the top.

If I look red in the face, it is only because I was squeezing into this skirt.  Opted to buy the next size up so I could breath while wearing it.

Here is the same top with the longer leather skirt (similar, similar).  Having to suck things in a bit with this one, too.  But nothing a good pair of Spanx won’t contain.

Can you tell I kind of like this look?  But I made a near fatal mistake.

I didn’t buy anything even though I loved the leather skirts and the smaller holiday tops.  Instead, I hid the skirts on an out of the way rack.   At the time, there was only one of each in my size in the store and I was afraid someone else would get them.  And I had to wait to closer to payday to buy them.  But wasn’t worried about the tops because there were (seemingly) plenty of them.

When I went back to buy them, the skirts were right where I had hidden them.  I know, I’m naughty.

More H&M Holiday Looks

This sequin top is available in a gold tone, black and this emerald green.  Which one do you like best?

 

 

Was thinking I could even pair this great top with skinny jeans and pumps for date night.

Yes?  No?  Maybe so?  And maybe even with tennies, just for fun?

One of the pieces on the winter 2019 capsule wardrobe shopping list was faux leather pants.  I had a pair from Loft but they were a little loose when I got them and more so now.  I donated them and have been on the fence about buy another pair.  Really, really wanted to try Spanx faux leather leggings.  Just couldn’t justify the price for the number of times I thought I would wear them.  Found this pair at Express for less than a third the price, and a 5-star rating.  They will arrive tomorrow.  Stay tuned!!

Your Turn

Where have you shopped for your holiday sparkle?  Do you ever shop H&M?  Until this past spring or summer, I assumed that H&M only had clothing for teens and ‘tweens.  But I have been converted!  Now days I am hitting up H&M as often as I shop Loft Outlet.  Looking forward to wearing my H&M holiday looks in the coming weeks.

Thank you for spending a bit of your day with me.  Hope your holiday shopping is completed and now you can relax and just enjoy.  We will be having Christmas on the 25th and again on the 27th, when Brennyn, Mustafa and Cady arrive.  Lots of housecleaning and baking needs to go on over here between now and then.

Linking up with my favorite fashionistas:  Laura, Gail, Carrie, Jill, Jennie, and Nancy.

Hugs and kisses,