Everything I Rented from Nuuly This February
Packing for a winter trip plus a few Hawai'i staples.
Published February 21, 2025
Hello, my dear friends. On the other side of book revisions, my brain has seemingly lost the ability to form coherent passages, but I'm itchy to be on here: so we're going to do our best. (This is where I love other hobbies and modes of language: for when the verbal part goes out the door. More on that later.)
Anyway, y'all know I adore Nuuly—a rental service I've been championing since 2019, and my go-to method of refreshing my closet. I'm not much of a shopper myself (but do occasionally have the privilege of writing style and gift guides in my career as a journalist) and pick out six items per month.
This is especially great for living in Hawai'i because I occasionally have upcoming travels or events that might require a wardrobe item that frankly doesn't fit in the closet of my tiny studio (over half of which is occupied by my house's giant water heater.)
Japan and Alaska in winter (and summer, for that matter) are both on my bucket list, but I keep my ski gear and puffy coats at my childhood home in Tampa, FL. But I'm headed to Québec directly from Honolulu this time, so it's incredibly helpful to get to rent a chunky sweater or two ahead of my work trip.
For more about why I love Nuuly, with examples of why it's so fabulous, check out my previous posts—like my November haul and December wrap-up.
The Rough Formula of My Nuuly This Month
I did miscalculate because my renewal date actually meant I could have filled a full Nuuly for exclusively Hawai'i wear, but I'd thought I had to accommodate my trip to Canada in the same haul. All's well that ends well! So mine this time was roughly split, covering Valentine's Day, daily North Shore wear, and then my trip to Québec next week.
The December Nuuly
I'm one-hundred-percent underpacking in terms of layers to head to Canada in February, but having my sweaters and bundles here just doesn't make sense. So I added in a pair of thick jeans, a warm-looking sweater, and a more polished coat; I do have one head-to-toe ski outfit from Halfdays, so largely plan to rock that parka all week long.
Plus, a lot of our daily activities look very active: snowshoeing, cross-country and downhill skiing, and the like. So I'm assuming having winter sports gear will get me through most of the trip, and that I should mostly just worry about being work-appropriate (i.e. fancy) for dinners and whatnot.
At home (the North Shore)—sure, I've been in full-on hermit mode and emerging out of my revision cave. But in 2025, I've wanted to be polished rather than comfy; dressing up makes a big difference for my headspace while working, and broadly motivates me to be more social and get out of my projects more. The fatigue of the last year has been so bad that I'll do any shift that promises to give me energy.
1. Line+Dot Ginger Long Overcoat: I wish it buttoned, but the green colorway is so deep and rich, and the fit is perfectly slouchy.
2. BTFL-Life Donegal Blouson Sleeve Sweater: Some reviewers don't love the drama of the sleeves, but I'm such a maximalist. Instant chic, love the flecks of color, and it's extremely warm (in my air-conditioned apartment, at least.) So I'm excited for this one.
3. Levi's Ribcage Wide-Leg Jeans: I thought I hated jeans for the longest time, but wide-leg ones are so comfy. I'll be packing my go-to pair for cold weather, but black was needed for the repertoire. Plus, I can absolutely wear these on-island too.
4. Free People Roselle Denim Mini Skirt: I wanted to love this because I'm dying to go line-dancing and have been really leaning into my Southern roots lately (and all things country.) But I think for a tall gal, it maybe hits at a weird length, and I don't know if I pull it off.
5. Anthropologie Strapless Gauze Jumpsuit: Jumpsuits are ideal for casual wear—errands, coffee shop work sessions, etc,. I grabbed this one especially for a cover-up for the beach and ballet too.
6. Lusana Melody Linen Maxi Dress: Valentine's Day vibes. Need I say more?
My Fit Notes
Height: 5'10
Weight: 135(?)
Body Type: Hourglass
Chest: 32C
Olive skin, brunette, hazel-ish eyes. Please do excuse my paleness; I've been grinding.
My Verdict
Line+Dot Ginger Long Overcoat
Originally $221, now $73 (67% off)
Since I have hazel eyes, wearing green makes them look greener (which I prefer.) Burgundy also has the same effect. That's color theory for you, baby! Dark green is also one of my favorite colors, because a really rich shade can just be so gorgeous.
I'm curious how this will hold up in the freezing temps, but so far, so good. This is the exact type of coat I would have snatched up when going to school in Virginia, or when living in NYC, because it would look good (dare I say effortless?) over a lot of different outfits while tying the look together. The length is fantastic.
My only note is that because it doesn't button, I am somewhat worried about its durability in cold, cold weather. But I'm going to try it, if only for a layer for dinners.
BTFL-Life Donegal Blouson Sleeve Sweater
Originally $90, now $42 (53% off)
Statement sleeves are absolutely not for everybody, but I say the bigger, the better. I love a dramatic flare, especially in winter when outfits can all feel a little shapeless. The detail feels immediately polished, elegant, and fun.
In picking out winter sweaters for myself, I've also noticed that I'm drawn to everything with multicolor—even subtle. So the flecks of rainbow in this are absolutely divine (they perk up an otherwise gray day) while the base shade is neutral enough to go with just about everything. I have the feeling I'm going to absolutely live in this one; it's very thick.
The only bummer is that this is a full-on sweater-sweater, so I can't get away with throwing it on over a t-shirt in Hawai'i the way I would with others. (I say you can tell who lives here vs. who vacations here based on who's wearing a sweater because it's February and/or nighttime.)
Levi's Ribcage Wide-Leg Jeans
Originally $98, now $88 (10% off)
These are comfortable, broken-in without being worn-out, and that ideal in-between of dressing up or down an outfit. Sometimes, you just need to Nuuly a staple. I have no real commentary here other than the high waist hitting at the optimal spot, them fitting easily over my singular pair of winter boots, and their necessity in my wardrobe.
Free People Roselle Mini Skirt
Originally $78, now $62 (21% off)
I want to love a denim skirt. I want to rock one with cowboy boots. However, in execution: it's flippy enough to be breezy for dancing, but I am quite tall. That in itself wouldn't be a problem (it's not egregiously short), but I feel like the proportions are slightly off, so it doesn't hit at the most flattering spot on my legs. I took a stupid amount of photos trying to get a good one, and have the feeling I'd spend all night somewhere just tugging it down.
Still, I've been leaning into that light Southern barbecue vibe. I've been listening to practically all country, wearing my boots whenever possible—even just to run errands in town á la Mamma Mia—and digging the beach cowboy aesthetic. I would maybe rent again, but I'd have to figure out the prime outfit combo to make this skirt worth it (and it might feel better if you're slightly shorter.)
Anthropologie Strapless Gauze Jumpsuit
Originally $73, now $88 (17% off)
To be entirely honest, this jumpsuit was primarily fabulous because I hit the point in my book-induced solitude stint in which my sleep was trash, the words were sort-of flowing, and I was so in-the-zone that the chores really piled up.
Because so much of my identity is built around self-sufficiency and being a capable individual, having a clean space (and more broadly) having my shit together household-wise makes me feel "like myself" in a way that I value. But one of the toughest realizations for me book-wise is that I can't always run everything to my preferred standards all the time alone while on deadline—so sometimes, something's gotta give. In this case, that was laundry. Frankly, I wore this because I ran out of t-shirts and activewear and couldn't afford to look away from what I was doing.
It was comfy, but still looked polished enough for my town ventures. Fit-wise, the elastic on this rental is absolutely worn out because I was tugging it up the whole time, and don't normally have that problem with jumpsuits. The side slits made it delightfully breezy for those sticky-hot beach town days, and it was a very easy wear. I might not rent again, but I appreciated its versatility.
Lusana Melody Linen Maxi Dress
Originally $289, now $220 (24% off)
I do love Valentine's Day! And the sentiment! And the vibe! I love that my local café has heart garlands and a festive, colorful, beet-flavored latte I'm afraid to try. (Tragically, they phased out my peppermint go-to. The tragedy of a seasonal bev.)
So I did want an outfit in that pink and red. Not to wear on the actual day-of with a beau, but just for rosé and happy hour another time. Very cute! The linen wrinkled immediately, so it's a high-maintenance look, but I just absolutely love any opportunity to wear a girlish sundress.
I honestly don't think this frock is worth the price listed (even discounted), but appreciate its aesthetic and don't know enough about the material or construction to be able to speak to the brand.
Random aside: this model was in the New York Fashion Week presentation for Alice & Olivia this February—which was Shakespeare-inspired. Obviously, I write about fashion, and appreciate my NYC stints. I'm a nature gal at heart, but can love and relish my city moments too.
And when I tell you this presentation actually made me so obscenely jealous...I wanted to be there so badly. At some point, I'll write about Paris Fashion Week this last fall, or previous NYFW experiences! Aside from Marathon Sunday in November, this is the one pulse point of the year that makes me desperate for NYC.
The Proof's in the Mirror Selfies
