What I Wore: March/April 2021

Double Leopard

So, here’s the medium-long story: I thrifted this Anthro skirt a while ago, taking something of a gamble on the size which didn’t quite pan out. Rather than try to squeeze myself into it, I decided to sell it. Except it didn’t sell. I was tidying up my basement recently and setting aside stuff for donation, when I saw the skirt and decided to give it another try. Maybe the stars were aligned; maybe my lunch that day was a little lighter. Whatever the reason, the skirt seemed to fit better. So I decided to give styling it a whirl. And I don’t know what came over me, but the first thing I grabbed was this Phillip Lim x Target blazer. The colours match, and the prints are similar, albeit different scales. It’s so wrong, yet somehow it works just right. This outfit has me excited for the possibilities of this skirt.

Waisted

I know you will all get sick of this belt soon enough, but for now, it’s my favourite accessory. It transforms everything and makes every outfit a little bit more interesting.

Pattern Play

On IG, I called this outfit my Joan of Arc/Joan Holloway mash-up, and I stand by that. This skirt skews a little too “traditional pencil skirt” for my taste — I wish it were longer — so I am looking for ways to make it more intriguing (to me). Pairing it with a futuristic print helps.

A Colourful Display

I have been eyeing this dress online for years, but never pulled the trigger. Then, when I finally spotted it at the thrift store, I had some reservations; it’s made from that kind of soft, drapey jersey that hugs every curve and bump and I’m not interested in wearing Spanx. I ended up getting it because I love the colour-blocking and you know what? I’m glad I did. The cut of the dress (particularly the top overlay part) is very forgiving, so my bumps have nothing to worry about. It’s a soft, comfy dress you can just throw on and go, and I think it will be a summer staple.

Cupcake Chic

Yes, friends, I finally managed to track down the cream version of my H&M tulle dress. It’s the same, yet not. The vibe is totally different, and I’m glad to have both. I will say that the sizing is a bit of a wild card; my black dress is an XL, and this cream one is a S. They both fit, with varying degrees of extra room. What I prefer about the XL is that it’s longer, on me, and has extra skirt volume. I don’t hate the length of the Small, but as always, wish it were mid-calf. But all that aside, I love this dress and I love it paired with this Anthro cardigan which I rescued from my pile of unsolds. Now I have to figure out if the cardigan is a one-outfit pony, or if I can make it work with other pieces in my closet.

Chartreuse By Any Other Name

This vintage Louben vest was a bit of a thrift fail; I eyeballed the size and knew it would be a tight fit, but I was way off. It’s practically a child-size vest. I can’t come close to buttoning it up. But … there is a silver lining. Left open, it can better showcase the base layer — here, my scarf-print Marni top. I do love this chartreuse colour (it feels fresh and offers lots of combo-pairing potential) so I’m going to keep the vest and play around with it some more. The accessories here were also on point:

Graphic x 2

I found this Icone top and Zara skirt separately; the fact that they look like a coordinating set is pure serendipity, but I simply had to wear them together for that reason. Paired with these Ash sneakers (my faves), this is a no-fail combo.

April Flowers

This Zara dress was an impulse buy on Poshmark, but I think I can say with confidence that it’s a winner. I love how vibrant and cheerful the floral print is; pink is a recent obsession of mine. I also love the cut, especially the full skirt and midi length. It’s on the cusp of being retro, without going full 50s housewife. I will definitely play around with the styling more in the future, but for now, I wanted to wear the dress “as is” (so to speak) the better to showcase its appeal.