What I Wore: April 6-12, 2019

Grunge Revival

I never got to be a fashionista as a teenager in the 90s. I never got to be cool, or even attempt it. I’m mostly over it, but then again – some of that teenage chip on my shoulder will never completely crumble. I initially resisted fashion’s current obsession with the 90s in part because it brought back those memories of being inescapably, perpetually on the outside looking in. But hey, a few things have changed in the last two decades. One, I figured out how to be comfortable in my own skin. And two: thrifting is a whole ‘nother ballgame now. All the cool clothes I longed to wear back in the day? They – or their current iteration – can be mine for next to nothing.

Case in point: this vintage Saint Laurent Rive Gauche pleated plaid skirt; the stuff that schoolgirl grunge chic is made of. I scored this for $13 at Value Village, and it’s in beautiful condition. I always marvel when I find pieces like this at the thrift store because, honestly, who gives them up? I am, of course, eternally grateful for their generosity. I went all 90s with this outfit – cropped sweater, leather jacket, and mini backpack. Everything is thrifted or secondhand, except for the jacket. I wore the outfit on a Sunday which included, naturally, a stop at Goodwill. There, I found the perfect matching accessory:

Power Up

I love the incredible tailoring of this Philosophy blazer, but it can be a tough piece to pull off. It’s cropped, and very fitted, and its lines are severe; in many ways, it’s the epitome of The Prince aesthetic. And yet I struggle with it. I am not ready to give it up, though, so I keep experimenting. This combination was interesting. I liked how the architectural angles of the tiered skirt worked with the lines of the blazer. The ruffled blouse added a touch of softness. It’s what I would call a “power outfit”.

Blue Skies Ahead

The top part of this outfit reminds me so much of beautiful spring skies – the blue and white, with the embroidered swallows on it, feel so light and airy. I added the black Aritzia skirt because (a) I wear it with everything these days, and (b) it helps to ground the outfit somewhere on the “biz caz” spectrum – obviously, the casual end of it. Have I mentioned lately how much I appreciate my work dress code? I don’t work in a traditionally creative field, so it’s wonderful to have room for self-expression when it comes to clothing.

In Neutral

A quick, casual weekend look. Gotta show some of those on the blog too, right? I really enjoyed this soft palette; I wear a lot of black and I love it, but it’s nice to do something different from time to time. Also nice? Being able to wear a blazer as my outermost layer. Hello, Spring, my beautiful friend!