Have I lost track of time? Maybe.

Sporty Spice

I have been on the fence about this skirt before because it skews sportier than my usual style. Let’s face it, I am not sporty in the least. However, things have changed. No, I am still not sporty. But I have a new appreciation for bright colours and funky details, and this skirt checks those boxes. It’s also stretchy and comfortable, which is the most important box of all. So, it stays. Plus, it works really well with this stretchy sneaker-type pair of shoes which is also a bit of an “odd duck” in my closet. Win win. Is this outfit “too much” for a neighbourhood walk? In these strange times, does it even matter?

Sweatshirt On Repeat

Errrm, what the title says. I have been wearing this sweatshirt a LOT, and I am not mad about it. It goes with pretty much everything, it’s a perfect weight for spring, and it hits that sweet nostalgia spot. Speaking of nostalgia, long term readers will recognize the pants. Grandma’s couch rides again! These pants are still so good. And fun. I’ve pretty much given up on pants that aren’t leggings, but I will always make an exception for these. Also, hello? Another pair of sneaker-adjacent shoes? Who am I even? Rhetorical questions aside, these Ash wedge sneakers are really excellent – nice soft leather, cute detailing, and comfortable. Plus, I can sneak an extra inch or two of height without having to deal with real heels.

Nostalgia, Part 2

Here’s another super old piece that some of you will remember well. I used to be the “face”, so to speak, for this J. Crew “Dutch floral” sweatshirt – my blog images always showed up in search results for it. So you could say that we have a history. I think it goes back to 2013 or thereabouts; I think I bought it shortly after my daughter was born. Time is a meaningless concept at this point, but I think that makes it 7 years old. My baby will be going into Grade 2 this fall. None of it computes! Anyway, on the other side of the spectrum, the necklace is brand new … I made it. Working on a new idea for upcycled/handmade jewelry, and this was a prototype of sorts. I am quite pleased with how it came out, although I have some ideas for improvement. Gotta stay busy!

There are many things I miss about my BC (Before Corona) life, and it’s probably not a surprise that thrifting is one of them. I’m an introvert homebody, so my daily habits likely were less impacted than others’; even so, the loss of the concept of being free to go about as I please hit me harder than I thought it would, especially in the beginning. And I miss the treasure hunting aspect of thrifting a lot; the “me time” as well as the bonding time with my BFF (a fellow thrifter). What did surprise me was the fact that I didn’t really miss the clothes shopping. I haven’t purchased any clothes since the end of February. I have occasionally looked online – at secondhand sites and local consignment shops – but closed the browser each time without feeling any desire to buy anything. For someone who has occasionally wondered if there was a compulsive aspect to her shopping habits, this was an interesting development.

Thinking about it, I came to realize that there is a huge element of “I have nowhere to wear this” in my current apathy about clothes shopping. I never thought of myself as someone who “dressed for others” but I do; clothes, for me, are a form of expression and without an audience (so to speak) the desire to create in that medium has waned. Instead, I’ve poured my creative energies into other pursuits. An interesting related discovery? I still wear jewelry. Even when I choose a relatively simple (and comfortable, above all) WFH outfit, I find myself reaching for one of my favourite jewelry pieces – earrings and necklaces, especially – to wear with it. I do that for me, because it makes me feel a little better, prettier.

I am not sure how things will change once quarantine is over. [I hesitate to say “when things go back to normal” because who knows what “normal” will be.] I assume I will buy clothes again once thrift stores reopen. I may shift some of my priorities; for examples, blazers is not a category I need to expand, though I may make exceptions for soft/unstructured toppers, and perhaps some of my favourite designers. Same with pants. I will probably stop buying jeans altogether. And high heels.

One thing I will try to do more is wear my “special” pieces regularly. If that means wearing an Issey Miyake skirt to run errands on a weekend, so be it. Life is too short.

I will also prioritize clothes that have versatile silhouettes. Loose, long dresses are a good example. I have been wearing them a lot around the house because they make me feel better than wearing sweatpants 24/7, but they can easily be “dressed up” – cinched with a belt, polished up with accessories – if I need to be presentable for the office. I want clothes that are comfortable enough to wear at home, but also nice enough to wear outside – and I am not talking about leggings. Although leggings will probably replace jeans as my go-to “bottoms” option. I am never breaking up with comfort now.

I am also struggling to visualize what thrifting itself might look like in the future. In the short term, I think it will resume familiar patterns. I’ve heard from a lot of folks that they have been busy decluttering their homes during this time, so I expect thrift stores will be bustling in the months after quarantine is lifted. After that, who knows? A lot of folks on social media have also been talking about consuming less in the future. Thrift stores have become big business precisely because a lot of people over-consume and adopt an “everything is disposable” mentality. If that begins to change, the thrift scene will start to change too. We will have to wait and see whether the changes people are contemplating now, in the midst of the pandemic, will take root or whether humanity will eventually simply swing back to the old “normal”.

I would love to hear from you about your thoughts on changes — to your style, shopping habits, fashion industry as a whole, etc. — in the After Corona era. See you in the comment section!