Hey, look: it’s that painted dress again! I mentioned in my last post that I was excited to remix it, and here’s the proof. Of course, the first choice was my (current) favourite blazer. If I seem to be wearing it a lot, that’s because I am. I love it so much, I even went hunting for another colorway on eBay. No luck on that end, yet, but I did manage to find the *identical* blazer in a local thrift store — so I bought it as a back-up!
I don’t typically advocate buying doubles of things (undergarments excepted) because I find it difficult to predict what items will become true staples. For example, you might consider that a black pair of pumps would be a staple, but it’s not always immediately apparent if a particular pair will have true longevity; over time, you might come to realize that it’s not as comfortable as you originally thought, or as durable, or even as versatile (due to heel height, toe shape, etc.). Or you might realize that you don’t wear the item as often as you thought you did, making a back-up unnecessary. The only times I’ve purposefully bought back-ups, I did so long after the original purchase (after properly “test driving” the item in question). Generally, this approach means that acquiring a back-up is close to impossible, since retail cycles move incredibly fast these days; eBay is usually the only solution in such cases. Or, as here, thrifting.
FYI, I don’t think there IS another colorway. I own that blazer too, but I bought it in stores at Anthropologie, and I just remember the one option.
There are 3 or 4 , I think. Purple, red, and a light teal/blue (in addition to the black). Perhaps from different seasons? I’ve seen them all on eBay, I just haven’t pulled the trigger yet (aka found a good deal). I *almost* did it with a purple one recently … may have to go back and revisit it 😉
LOVE this dress on you; can see why this blazer is your (current 😉 fave!
I agree with your thoughts around back-ups, but seeing as how the thrifting universe offered fave blazer #2, it was prudent of you to take advantage of the opportunity!
Share your love of handbags, but find I don’t switch them up as much these days… Wondering if you have ever written about how you organize the contents of your bag, in order to facilitate transferring from one to another? I suspect I stick with the same-old, because I’d have to clean out the first bag before I transferred the contents to the next, etc etc! Now THAT’s laziness right there!
Best always!
No tips/hacks over here. I carry all my make-up/emergency essentials in a pouch, and I transfer that along with my wallet and keys whenever I switch bags. Everything else gets taken out every day regardless because I use the stuff at home (phone, iPad, etc.). The only thing I tend to forget from time to time are my ear buds (I like to listen to music on my commute); I’ve stashed back-ups at work for those occasions, although I should probably also keep one in my pouch. I usually carry my office shoes and lunch in a separate (commuting) tote, and I re-pack that every day as well. I try not to accumulate receipts and other odds and ends in my bags, and that helps a lot (although I have to do a clean-out every now and then).
The biggest PITA is putting the unused bags away nicely (in their dust bags, etc.) — I’d much rather just toss them in a corner of the closet, so i have to remind myself not to be lazy, haha!
Care to share the name of that Anthropologie blazer? Got me curious and want to look it up on ebay. Thanks!
I believe it’s called the Dashes blazer by Cartonnier. There are a few sizes and colours currently floating around on eBay. Some but not all of the listings refer to it by name, so those should come up if you do a name-specific key word search. Otherwise, you can do a generic search for “Cartonnier blazer” and just scroll through the listings. You can tell this one from the heathered knit fabric, one button closure, and the colourful contrast lining.
Thank you!
I’m happy to see the painted dress again! I love it and given it’s such a striking dress it looks to be actually quite versatile – a win-win!
Also, I was reading some of your older posts and I came across the ‘A How of Success and Failure’ post from January. It struck right at my heart, especially what you wrote about fear of failure. It’s something I’ve been trying to work on as I so often feel the paralysis that fear causes.
So, thank you! It has given me lots to think about and inspired me to take responsibility for my own actions and words in working towards those things I would like to achieve.
I’m so glad the post resonated with you. I struggle with writing posts like that, which are more “personal” for lack of a better word, and balancing my privacy. But they do create opportunities to connect with people, and I do appreciate that. It’s easy to feel silo-ed even in this age of over-sharing, but I never cease to be amazed by how universal our fears (or hopes) are once we actually open up about them.
What a beautiful dress and I like that it’s a little ‘different’ while still work-appropriate. What color is your nail polish?
It’s Chanel Riva. It’s a beautiful colour, but a PITA to apply. Someone on IG recommended Sally Hansen Gel Polish in Greyfitti for a similar hue (with easier application), but when I went to see it in person, that struck me as more grey than Riva. I did see another SH colour that seemed closer though — sorry, I forgot the name of it. But it’s from the same gel polish collection (the kind you can do at home without a UV light).