Tunic, Etro (thrifted); sweater, Theory; pants, Aritzia (thrifted); shoes, Ferragamo (thrifted); bag, Gucci (via consignment)
Tunic, Etro (thrifted); sweater, Theory; pants, Aritzia (thrifted); shoes, Ferragamo (thrifted); bag, Gucci (via consignment)

Change is good. As with all things that are inevitable in life, I think it’s best to make peace with change and look upon it with equanimity, but quite apart from all that … I like it. I don’t always enjoy the process of change — it is rarely pain-free and I’m someone who loves her comfort — but I thrive on it. I love stability, but I know I need what only change can bring. I think of it as a forest after a big fire: full of new possibilities, new perspectives, new life.

Being in the midst of change, as I have been over the last month or so, often feels like living in the middle of a blur. Everything speeds up around you, and shifts, and moves past and away from you, and your first instinct is to reach out and grab hold of it. Keep everything in place. Keep everything close. I always have to fight that instinct; to trust that, when it’s all over (and ready to begin again), the important things will still be with me, and only the things that rightfully belong to the past have been left behind. I’m getting better at that, with time. Practice makes perfect, they say.

hello, change!
hello, change!
florals are always special
florals are always special

I wore this outfit on my last day at my old job. I worked there for 8 years and 3 months, give or take a week. I worked in the same office tower for over 11 years – almost my entire professional life. That last day marked a big milestone in my professional life, which now begins a new chapter — perhaps a whole new book even. It was also just a regular Wednesday; people come and go, it’s no big deal. I wanted to mark the occasion in some small, personal way so I decided to set aside the outfit I had originally picked to wear, and choose something a little more special. I figured this Etro tunic top and a favourite pair of pumps fit the bill. I built the rest of the outfit around them, and felt great in it. On a bittersweet day, it was a small comfort.

tunic lengths
tunic lengths
etro tunic
all the special pieces

P.S. Today is my 37th birthday. It seems appropriate to post this outfit today. Change is always with us, even when we don’t notice it. Here’s to another trip around the sun!

26 Comments on Swing, Baby, Swing

  3. Happy Birthday, and good luck in your new job! I’m not that keen on change either, but being a military wife, I’ve had my fair share and learned to go with it. Onward and upward!

  6. Happy birthday! Best of luck with all the changes; sometimes you just have to blow everything up and change it all to see where the pieces land. I don’t much like change either, but sometimes it’s necessary.

  7. Holy shit! Today is my 37th birthday too. I knew there was a reason I liked your blog and your voice so much. Happy birthday 🙂

    • Are you a redhead too because … Parent Trap time! Hahaha! I don’t know any other Aug 1 babies so this is very cool. It was a good day to be born, is all I’m saying 😉

      • It’s a historic day, I say!

        Am a brunette actually. But I also had an inexplicable love for bright colors and prints that’s only mellowed in the last couple of years. So there you go.

  8. Wow congrats on the new changes! I’m also transforming my life – renovating and moving house, starting a new job in September… I hope for your sake the new job will not require you to drain yourself so much (I remember your many posts where you remarked on such) and if it does, the rewards match the sacrifice. Onward!