Finally!! My long-promised review of my (and I don’t say this lightly) favorite new winter-must haves: Dudley Stephens Turtlenecks!
When I first started noticing the brand (maybe last year?), I admit, I thought they looked comfy and cozy, but I wasn’t that intrigued. But then, I began to see some of my friends and favorite bloggers (Kelly, Grace, Krista, and Ailsa, to name a few) RAVE about them–and I was officially intrigued.
***This is the moment when I pause in the story for what can probably be considered a little “woo-woo” interlude. The universe works in mysterious ways. This example in particular? Actually, I had both of the following thoughts about a month ago:
- “‘I really want to try out Dudley Stephens to see if they’re worth the hype.”
- “I really want to do more brand partnerships with small, women-owned, do-good brands”.
And what email do I receive? An email asking if I wanted to team up with Dudley Stephens! (Which, I did NOT know––but to my surprise and delight––is a small, women-owned brand, sustainably made from recycled yarn!)
Pretty crazy, right?
So–while yes, FULL disclosure––while this is a sponsored post, this is a brand that has very quickly drawn me in like a moth to a flame––in the best way. I love everything about them, I love their products––I GET the hype now! And I’m really excited to introduce you to them today, too! (FYI you’ll be seeing a lot more *unsponsored* coverage of them from me, because, again…I’m in love and I really love to promote the brands I’m truly passionate about!)
The Dudley Stephens Backstory + Why they are an AMAZING brand:
In 2015, sisters Lauren and Katherine reached for their go-to zip-up fleece jackets before heading out for an evening on the Long Island sound, thinking that it would be REALLY great if someone could re-imagine the fleece to be something both warm AND fashion-forward–so, they decided to take matters into their own hands! Their mom, Bonnie, helped design the prototype, which was taken to be produced in Brooklyn––and the rest is history!
Their brand is built on the notion of “Do good, feel good, look good.” Years later, all of their designs are still locally made in their Brooklyn–from sustainable recycled yarn, no less! The material is incredibly soft, insanely warm, and best of all–low maintenance! You don’t need to iron it, it doesn’t pill, you don’t need to dry clean it, and the styles are classic––so easy to dress up OR down!
For my first intro to the brand, I chose to test-drive their two most classic, popular styles: The Cobble Hill and Park Slope–so that’s what I’ll be reviewing today! Let’s jump into those, shall we?
Shop my favorite Dudley Stephens styles + colors:
Dudley Stephens Cobble Hill Turtleneck Review:
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I will not lie to you, I had a pretty good feeling I’d love the classic Park Slope turtleneck (below) but I had my reservations about the tunic length Cobble Hill. You guys KNOW I front tuck everything. I own nothing tunic length–but I’d heard SO many people rave about it, I felt like I needed to give it a go.
You guys.
I FREAKING LOVE IT. Don’t tell anyone, because this is kind of embarrassing, but I’ve worn it the past three days in a row. ?(I mean…I wasn’t seeing the same people…nobody would know. ?) So far, I’ve worn it on a date, I’ve worn it to run errands, and I’ve worn it to a meeting. Like…I have a problem.
I also shocked myself in that I fell in love with the Cranberry color. You know me––always black, cream, and camel––but I’m so glad I broke out of my standard mold for this. It’s the perfect color that can be festive for holiday, but isn’t SO red that you won’t want to wear it before or after Christmas!
Best features about the Cobble Hill:
So soft. So warm. Seriously, I wore this under a blazer the other day and that’s all I needed (and it was like 40 degrees out!)
Flattering cut: The cut is structured with a slight bell shape, so it fits really nicely through the hips and waist. I love the structured, stand-up collar, making it extra chic looking.
POCKETS! Need I say more? What’s better than an ultra-cozy, chic fleece with pockets?
Dudley Stephens Cobble Hill Sizing: I would say this one runs small in the arms. I originally ordered an XS in this (what I’d typically order for something that is typically oversized) and the arms were VERY TIGHT. The small, however, fits great! Another tip from my friend Ailsa–if you are busty or have broad shoulders–go up a size!
How to style the Cobble Hill:
With Faux Leather Leggings, OTK boots + a Beret:
Dudley Stephens Cobble Hill Turtleneck, Faux leather leggings, Boots, Old scarf, Beret
This is the exact outfit I have repeated several times over ?but I first wore it out for a date night with Neal! He usually calls me “Granny” when I wear anything that is extra warm or oversized ?but to my surprise, I came out wearing this and he told me I looked “absolutely darling”––WIN WIN!! I think this is a great example of the Juxtaposition rule––a little classic/cozy, a little edgy––it just works!
With work pants + pumps for the office:
Dudley Stephens Cobble Hill Turtleneck, Office pants, Cap-toe shoes
You know I am ALWAYS thinkin of my 9-5 girls, so I definitely wanted to throw in a great “office appropriate” look here. The key to styling this longer tunic style for the office is to pair it with skinny, form-fitting trousers! (Ponte pants would work great here too!) I love how the pretty cranberry shade of the fleece pairs with the tan houndstooth of the pants. The classic cap-toes pull the whole look together!
With jeans and sneakers for a casual weekend:
Dudley Stephens Cobble Hill Turtleneck, High Rise Ankle Skinny Jeans, Sneakers
We’ve had a beautiful resurgence of fall weather here lately. (After, you know, that OCTOBER BLIZZARD.) This outfit is perfect for throwing on to go on a walk through the neighborhood–to grab a drink at your favorite bar, or to grab a movie! It’s just as comfortable as throwing on a hoodie, but so much more polished and pulled-together. I also feel the need to stress again just how WARM these turtlenecks are––they would be especially key if you spend a good amount of time––from walking the dog, to kids soccer games––whatever!
Dudley Stephens Park Slope Turtleneck:
Now, we move on to the Park Slope––another one of Dudley Stephens classic styles! This has the same cute structured collar, the same super cozy, low-maintenance fleece. But instead of a tunic length, it’s the perfect, tuckable (or not) classic length.
Sizing: I found this to run less small through the arms than the above Cobble Hill turtleneck. Here I’m wearing an XS, and it fits great. I like that it’s not too tight but not too loose. If I wanted it to be looser/more oversized, I would’ve gone with a small!
I went for it in (shocker) classic black, because a black turtleneck is my ultimate winter wardrobe staple. I wear them EVERYWHERE–and I love this Park Slope in black especially because it can be easily dressed up or down. You can wear it with a mini skirt to go out if you want–or wear it with your favorite pair of leggings! There is no limit to how much you can wear this one!
Classic Black on Black:
Dudley Stephens Park Slope Turtleneck, Jeans (size up–I also cut off the bottoms to make the hems raw myself), Cap-toe shoes
I have worn variations of this exact outfit at least 5 times since this turtleneck arrived. ?Neal helped me shoot this post and when I pulled on this outfit he said, “OH BOY. THE UNIFORM IS BACK!”
I love this look because, again––Juxtaposition rule! The jeans are a little more fashion-forward and edgy. The turtleneck is super classic and cozy, and the cap toes are the feminine polish that pulls it all together!
With easy pants for the office:
Dudley Stephens Park Slope Turtleneck, Pants, Old flats
Again, always keeping my 9-5 gals in mind, this is a great way to style this ultra-cozy fleece for the office! (Not to mention, it is the PERFECT way to combat an icy cubicle!) To add a bit of extra interest, incorporate a pop of pattern–which you can easily do with something like shoes, a scarf, or even a headband!
With wide leg crops + sock booties:
Dudley Stephens Park Slope Turtleneck, Wide leg crops, sock booties, similar headband
Last, but certainly not least––this fleece is a match made in heaven with my favorite wide-leg crops and sock booties! (Not to mention, it’s a really warm outfit from head to toe, haha!) I would wear this outfit anywhere from meetings to date night, or dinner with the girls!
Which look is your favorite!?
Shop my favorite styles + colors:
This post brought to you in partnership with Dudley Stephens. I hope you love this awesome brand and their cozy turtlenecks as much as I do! Thank you for supporting the brands that I love, and the partnerships that allow me to keep creating the best possible content for you––my best gals!
