Mimi Takes Five - #386

ONE // Floral Puffer Coat

I got swept away in the new releases at Old Navy back in October and could not resist this floral puffer coat. It's the most fun coat to add a splash of colour on a dreary winter's day. I love the black background with blue and purple/pink flowers. I also love the high collar and slightly cropped cut. It's not the warmest winter coat, but will do the trick for a milder Canadian winter day. I also think this coat will be a great match for my black ski pants. I might need to wear layers under this coat to play out in the snow, but there's plenty of room for layers so it would be good to go! I'm a fan of colourful snow gear, we need that cheerfulness because our winters are long at times...

TWO // Green Christmas

I know I talked about having a white Christmas last week, but in truth we escaped to a warm weather locale for Christmas this year... It was a last-minute decision and we decided to just go for it. We had a less than two-week turnaround between buying our tickets and boarding our flight. For the first time in my life, I experienced a truly green Christmas without cold or snow. For this traditional Christmas-lover, it was a very different experience. We are no strangers to the resort life but spending Christmas on the beach with a mojito hit differently. We did make time for a big family get-together but that was always going to be for New Year's, so we had time for a little vacation beforehand. Going from a relaxing couple's vacation in the sand to a full-blown family shindig in the snow was quite the contrast, ha ha! Also, let's just say packing for a beach vacation over Christmas was a real challenge for this girl who likes a theme. Red and green swimsuits for the win!

THREE // Winter Pocketbac Holder

This year's selection of cute hand sanitizer holders has been really great at Bath & Body Works. I can't stop adding to my collection... While my fall and Christmas options are great, my collection was lacking a bit in the winter category. So, when I saw a cutie little penguin with a white tuque and frosted sugar cookie snowflake, I knew it was a must! I know it's part of the holiday line-up, but to me, it reads more like a winter option. At least, that's when I'll be using it! No matter your interpretation of the design, I think it's a really cute one!

FOUR // New Boots

Last year, I got myself some really great heavy-duty winter boots for the coldest of weather. They are great and I love them! This year, I was long overdue to replace my in-between winter boots. You know, the ones you wear on dry, milder winter days? They still need to be warm, have good traction and keep you dry but they don't need to be the hardiest of winter boots. My last pair lasted longer than I could have imagined, but they were done. Finding the right winter boot is a bit like finding the perfect jeans - you need to try on a lot before you find the right fit. So my journey began and I went to countless stores to try on many different styles to not find anything suitable. I then spotted this Blondo style at Steve Madden and rushed to my local store to see if they had them. They did not. But they were able to locate a pair in my size and order them. I was anxiously awaiting their arrival to try them on and see if it was a good fit. Lo and behold, I got my Cinderella moment of winter boots. These lace-up leather boots are perfect and I've worn them multiple times to put them to the test. They are true keepers!

FIVE // Green Swimsuit

I'm a little all over the place with today's post, but that's also very representative of life lately... Going to a warm climate for Christmas was a first for me. Making a festive packing list of items that also work for a beach vacation was a challenge. I tried to stick to a traditional Christmas colour palette and brought swimsuits that fit within that. When doing that I realized I could use a green swimsuit, so I decided to look around and see what I could find. Then I remembered a swimsuit I got last year and love the fit and quality so I turned to Cupshe. I found a classic dark green one-piece halter and pulled the trigger. I was feeling pretty confident about the sizing and I was right. It fits like a dream and was the ideal green swimsuit to wear during a Christmas vacation! I love it when things work out!