Graphic, With A Twist

This was such a fun outfit, and fun is in short supply in my life at the moment, so I will take anything I can get. I’ve been obsessed with graphic tees lately – and this one might just be my favourite – and ditto for tulle skirts. Put the two together and … magic! It’s frilly but not too sweet, and definitely not twee. Those red shoes, they bring the spice 😉

The Most Versatile

I briefly entertained the idea of getting rid of this Elizabeth & James vest, but I am glad I came to my senses and kept it. It’s such a handy, versatile layering piece. For example, if you have a blouse with an interesting print that you would like to show off; a regular blazer would cover most of it, bah. But this vest – au contraire! Perfect for showcasing a cool print and/or interesting sleeves (should the need arise). Plus, it’s a very self-effacing tweedy grey, which allows other pieces to take centre stage. Gucci demands nothing less.

Boho Dreams

This Issey Miyake dress is a bit of a chameleon. On its own, it can look positively regal. But it can get down too. Here, I threw a floral velvet wrap on top, and suddenly the vibe is very much “cool art teacher” (except that, come to think of it, art teachers probably would have paint all over their clothes and are probably more likely to wear coveralls or something, but I digress). That’s the power of a perfect little black dress. It can be whatever you want it to be.

Bat Signal

A friend remarked on IG that this had a certain superhero flavour to it and, honestly? Yeah, I can see it. Normally, yellow and black are more likely to evoke bees, but I think it’s the angles of the top on this Lulu’s jumpsuit that make it more Batman than insect. Either way, it’s all good. I had originally thrifted this Marimekko shirt for the fabric. Literally. I was planning to cut it up and use the fabric for some projects. It’s a very bright, slightly green, almost neon yellow – NOT a colour I normally favour on myself. It also has small orange dots on it; again, not a combination that screams “Adina”. But the shirt is very well made, and fits well, so I had to give it a try. I’m still not sure I’m sold on it, for me, but I’m willing to give it a few more tries.

It’s been a hot minute since I posted an update on my craft project, so guess what? You’re in luck. Okay, maybe “luck” is a subjective choice of words here; I know some of you are only interested in my fashion content. This is sort of fashion-adjacent? I’ve been focusing exclusively on jewelry upcycling efforts lately, and I guess that counts as “accessories”, right? Let’s take a look.

My recent pieces fall into one of two categories: polymer clay pieces, or embroidered pieces. The latter are more time-consuming, in general, so my output there is lower; by comparison, polymer clay pieces take less time to create, but getting the raw materials has been difficult. Stones, in particular, have been difficult to source in the size and condition that I want. I’m wary of sourcing them online, without being able to handle/see the stones before I buy, but I also have limited options to purchase locally. I would love the chance to attend a gem tradeshow but, for obvious reasons, that’s not currently in the cards. Polymer clay has also been surprisingly hard to source lately; it’s sold out all over the place! I guess lots of people are exploring their creative sides.

For my embroidery-based projects, recently I was fortunate enough to receive a huge box of textile scraps from a friend’s relative who was wrapping up her seamstress business. These are high quality fabrics in some amazing patterns, so they’ve really inspired me to indulge my maximalist flights of fancy (as you will see). I love being able to take scraps and other odds and ends, and making something I think is beautiful out of them.

So, without further ado:

This is the Catherine necklace (named after Catherine II of Russia). With these more ornate pieces, I decided to draw inspiration for their names from various queens.

This is the Fortuna necklace. I got the inspiration for it from a broken brooch (shaped like a cornucopia) that someone gave me to upcycle.

The Medusa necklace. While most of my pieces are available for sale, some I end up keeping for myself. This is one of them. It was one of my first pieces using black clay, and I am obsessed now.

The Alexandrina necklace – named after Queen Victoria (who was known by her first name while growing up).

The Tory necklace. This one has a more unusual back story: I was inspired by the fabric of a Tory Burch skirt I saw on Poshmark. Hence the name!

These earrings had no name, but I was inspired by the interesting, big, geometric shape of the metal pieces. They’re a bit heavier than I normally like (due to the metal components), but I think they’re such a cool statement piece.

Another piece that I didn’t properly name. I’ve been trying to get more creative about using jewelry odds and ends. This was made from bits of 4 different necklaces.

The Trident necklace. No explanation required 🙂

Another untitled piece. I guess you can say I like dangly pieces.

The Antoinette necklace, named after, who else, Marie Antoinette. This was such a fun piece to make – I love the intricate gold lace (part of my box of scraps).

The Diana necklace. I have been using names from Greek mythology for most of my clay pieces, but made an exception here to choose the Roman version instead because it also happens to be an anagram for my name, and this is one of my fave pieces.

The Arachne necklace. Inspired by a heroine from Greek mythology who challenged the goddess Athena to a weaving contest, and proved to good for her own good. She ended up as a spider. I love how this piece turned out.

The Margot necklace, named after Marguerite of Navarra (aka la reine Margot) – daughter of Henry II of France and the infamous Catherine de Medici, and wife of Henry IV.

Another untitled piece, also currently in my personal collection. It has a certain brutalist flair that I really like. The stones are raw rainbow fluorites (like many of the other pieces above).

More to come … a promise or a threat 😉

Tulle Explosion

I “upgraded” my tulle skirt into a real tulle explosion and I couldn’t be happier, hah. I put quotation marks around upgraded because it’s not a real upgrade, quality-wise; my old tulle skirt was Boohoo and this one is Chicwish, so both are fast fashion. But until the tulle Dior skirt of my dreams comes up at the thrifts, I will take this. I love the tiers upon tiers of tulle – it’s so frothy and swishy and fun. I’ve been wanting to try this total fantasy lewk of tulle paired with a blazer for while, and recently rediscovered this old Theory plaid wool number which proved to be a good choice. Slapped a belt on for extra waist definition and — voila! A lovely confection, if I do say so myself.

The Cool Spectrum

It’s no secret that I love cool colours – blues, greens, and purples have long been my favourites. This outfit checks off a lot of boxes for me, in addition to colours. I love the mix of textures, the chunky knits, and of course, that wonderful midi skirt I love so much. I think I could honestly wear it every week, with everything in my closet, and never be bored of it. It’s rare to have an item purchased online work out so well, but I am so grateful I found this one. I am also really fond of my accessories here, especially after I added one of my own creations to the mix:

Back to the Past

I’ve never been super into nostalgic clothing until recently, but now it seems to hit differently. I have a newfound appreciation for stuff from the 80s and 90s. Not all of it, of course, but some. This tee was a fun thrift find; I love the colours, and I thought they would really pop with my old pink coat. The heartbreak came later … when my son asked me what the heck Back to the Future meant. Oy! There is some movie education in his future, I think.

Black and White

This monochrome Oak & Fort sweater was a bit of an impulse buy on Poshmark, but I couldn’t resist the graphic colour-blocking – it’s so unusual. I also love the sleeves, although they’re perhaps a bit too voluminous for real life. One thing I wasn’t expecting is how cropped it is; it was hard to gauge that from stock photos. I don’t mind, but it will change a bit how I can style this sweater. More layering (as with this culotte jumpsuit), and fewer low-waisted bottoms. But, let’s face it, that’s my motto in general.