despite the fact that it was 94-degrees at home yesterday, my mom and i had fall on the brain as we stopped by madewell to take a peek at their latest batch of seasonal arrivals. unfortunately there weren’t as many pieces from their upcoming collection as originally hoped so this week’s projected fitting room fables post will have to be tabled for a few weeks, HOWEVER, i did get a chance to try-on this sweater and as evidenced by the photo above, it definitely found a home in my closet.

while i normally gravitate toward simple silhouettes in solid colors when it comes to my cozy knits, the playful southwestern-inspired design of the ‘el rancho’ sweater was just too charming to pass up. pattern aside, the pullover is well-made (and appropriately priced at under $100) and its blend of merino wool and recycled poly fabrics results in a knit that’s super soft to the touch (not at all itchy like many wool items can be). it has a slightly swing-fit, but not so severe that it appears baggy or ill-fitting. it’s kind of that happy medium between bodycon and oversized -perfect for front-tucking into a pair of skinny jeans or wide-leg cropped pants. i tend to be between an x-small and small at madewell but when it comes to sweaters, i tend to lean toward the latter. with a little breathing room, i can comfortably layer a tank or t-shirt beneath it.

i have a feeling this cute little crew is going to be on heavy rotation this fall so off the top of my head, here are three ways i plan on styling it:

olive wide-leg crops + leather mules + felt hat + tassel earrings

button-fly skinny jeans + nude d’orsay flats + bandana

black denim + leather calf-high boots + olive jacket

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