THIS POST IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY FILORO CASHMERE BUT ALL OPINIONS ARE MY OWN.

Shoot Location: 219 E 44th St PH listed by Douglas Elliman / Photos: Madison Pittman

One item you can definitely count in my closet during the fall and winter season is cashmere. It’s luxe, soft and oh so cozy. Not to mention the warmth it brings to any chilly day! And without that bulky feeling when wearing heavier sweaters. It’ll make you feel rich even if you’re not (HI) and if taken care of properly, can last a good while. I mean… really, what’s not to love about cashmere? In today’s post, I’m sharing four staple cashmere pieces that are super stylish that are affordable while also still maintaining high-end quality cashmere.

WEARING: BLACK CASHMERE SWEATER | LEOPARD ANKLE BOOTS | WIDE LEG JEANS

I think most women have had more than one time or another a black cashmere sweater. It is most certainly a staple piece. Can be worn with pretty much anything and it is classic chic to a T. Perfect with jeans and fabulous boots or a print midi skirt. Slacks, over a dress… you name it, it’s a guarantee yes in the fashionable department.

WEARING: CAMEL CASHMERE TURTLENECK SWEATER | WHITE PANTS

Another classic fall and winter piece is a camel-colored top. How about a cashmere camel-colored turtleneck sweater? I love camel with white, but this color also complements well with black, olive, purple, red and more. I’m also a huge fan of turtlenecks so this sweater is another must in my wardrobe. This sweater would look great with a leopard or snake print skirt/shoes or even with jeans… a monochrome look also.

WEARING: PINK CASHMERE SWEATER | PINK RUFFLE SKIRT | PINK WESTERN ANKLE BOOTS

To add a little color in your fall clothes, why not a fun cashmere sweater like this one?! I’m really into hot pink lately, and this one is also a favorite. I love the details of this pink sweater such as the lattice texture and the balloon sleeves. These make the top alive and just fun. I styled this look with more pink accents such as the blush pink ruffle skirt and western snake print ankle boots.

WEARING: CARDIGAN CASHMERE SWEATER | BLACK SUEDE BOOTS

I love a good cardigan top, but cashmere?! Oh yes, indeed. This one to me is like a hybrid of Mad Men and Martha Stewart vibes, but chic AF. Want to be a good wife? Wear this and some sexy boots with a martini in your hand when he arrives home from work. LOL. All kidding aside, I love the lace appliques and length of the cardigan. All very elegant. This cardigan cashmere sweater would also look great with black trousers if you want a more polished look.

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LOVE & XX’S,

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1. IT HELPS YOU SET BOUNDARIES

For many of us, social media can feel like an anxiety-fueled space, and it’s up to us to decide when to say enough is enough and not let any form of negativity into our personal space. Even on an everyday basis, I try and restrict myself to about 2 hours of social media postings and scrolling. But by setting a daily routine like a time limit of my time on my phone and taking mini-breaks even this way can be the healthiest boundary you set for yourself , which is the ultimate form of self-care. This weekend, I forbade myself from posting on social media, no matter how guilty I felt not doing so. I am exhausted, sick (migraine all day Sunday) and in need of recuperating from my job where there are literally no days off. And you know what? It led to learning other reasons why this is great to do every so often. (or as much as you like… you are your own boss, no?)

2. GET YOUR CREATIVE JUICES FLOWING

Whenever I really start to feel burnt out, I will go off the grid for a couple of days. I also have a tendency to do this when I’m suffering from writer’s block. This doesn’t bring forth my creativity per se, but you’d be amazed how great you’d feel after a full weekend of rest and just doing things you love to do, like read a book, go to the museum, have a phone call with a friend, taking a long walk with my dog, these mini-breaks not only take my mind off and recharge my batteries, it is then when these types of activities help influence my creativity. Sometimes freeing the mind and not trying to think so hard about the next amazing photo shoot actually will bring the next amazing photo shoot. Trust in the retreat your mind and body absolutely need to take every now and then.

3. RECLAIM YOUR TIME

You know you can’t buy back time, but you can reclaim it. With Apple iOS 12's “Screen Time” feature, you can track your social media usage. I'm currently using this tool and discovered that I could have likely read Murakami’s new novel in the time I spent scrolling Instagram last week. YIKES. Which in turn gives you more time for other things in your life aside from social media. Because I guarantee this is not the most important part of life by any means... it doesn’t define you as a person. Life is short. Spend it wisely.

4. KEEP YOUR EYE ON THE PRIZE

Others’ comments or who has viewed your Insta-stories, or what’s currently trending… Yet another distraction when it comes to social media. It all leads to nowhere. I always remind myself why I started the blog in the first place. And I think the immense desire to someone’s “15 minutes of fame” is more and more outweighing the desire to create quality content and/or visual story-telling. So when whatever I see online all starts to become white noise and very little is inspiring me, it’s time to take a breather from the overly saturated social media world. When I de-tach myself from it temporarily, it always brings me back to where I started and why. Which is really important if you want to continue visualizing the big picture, too. Remember why you started.

5. RECONNECT AND COME BACK STRONGER

This kind of coincides with number 2 in this post. But this is more about our inner work. As I just said, social media is not the definition to life, nevertheless, it doesn’t define you. It’s a brand, a label, a front to what really is reality. Because in the world of advertising, not everything is ever the complete truth. And the same goes with what I do. Every photo is staged. Choreographed with makeup, hair, clothes, location, a lens, etc to end the final result with a quality image and a story behind it. It’s simply never just a snap. So when it comes to comparing yourself to others, for example, be clear about your goals and do the self-work IRL to come out confident; it will help curb the anxiety that the Instagram comparison game creates. Focusing on other parts of your life aside from social media/work isn’t just a simple “distraction” from the other not so glamorous side to what I do, it’s always a resetter. It helps me regroup and reconnect with loved ones and yes, myself. Sometimes a little self-care goes a long way, and if you’re feeling a bit unsure about what you’re doing online, it’s time to take a step back and regroup, reset and reconnect. And in the long run, you will always come back stronger. Remember this too… social media isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.