What I Wore: September 2021, part 3

Plaid Szn!

Apologies for the radio silence last week, I have been struggling lately. I was going to write something else (a vague covering statement) but eff that — let’s normalize acknowledging when we are not okay. I have also been working on being kinder to myself when I am struggling, and imposing less demands of the non-critical variety on myself when I am beyond peak capacity. That being said, I’m back to tell you about what I’ve been wearing. As you know, getting dressed is one of my favourite forms of self-expression, which is almost another way of saying self-care; you’ll know things are really really really bad when I don’t feel like dressing up.

Anywhoo, this outfit was one of my recent faves. I’ve been saving this skirt since … I can’t even remember (what is time?!), but at least several months. Its time has come! This is my preferred skirt silhouette these days (long column, like an elongated, relaxed pencil skirt fit) and I love the colour of this plaid. It’s a vintage-ish Tabi skirt, of all things. I’ve been buying more and more vintage than ever before, because I finally feel more confident about knowing my style; now, I know how to pick and choose vintage pieces that will fit into my aesthetic without overwhelming it and making me feel like I’m wearing a costume.

Plaid Szn, part 2

Oh boy, this MaxMara sweater! Such an impulse buy (Poshmark, of course) but one of the best. It does not have the aesthetic that I normally associate with this brand but this entire collection (called Chatmise, I believe) was actually incredible. This hits the sweet spot of my love for kitsch. And cats. I didn’t know it was a thing until I randomly ran across this sweater, but now I am actively hunting for a few other pieces from the collection.

Another great impulse buy (for which I blame my best friend who enabled me) are these beaded earrings from a local Edmonton artist. They were a splurge but so beautiful. And they have inspired me to get back into beading myself. I don’t use this technique of beading, but I want to explore how I can make more beaded jewelry myself using my own technique.

Something New

Gorman is a brand I recently discovered thanks to my amazing Aussie followers on IG. Of course, I fell in love with its amazing prints immediately, and proceeded to hunt down some on Poshmark. This dress was the first thing that jumped out at me — it reminded me of an old Marni runway dress that I have been lusting over for years. This is like a more wearable/everyday version of that. It has its own self-tie at the waist, but I decided to add my peplum belt for a bit of extra drama. My verdict on this dress: gorgeous print, fits true to size, material is meh (it’s organic cotton, kinda on the thinner side).

Grey Mist

This turned into one of my favourite outfits for this Saint Laurent blazer and this Rick Owens tunic; two statement pieces that were brought together with help from these palazzo-style pants. Who would have guessed that white pants would be so versatile? I love layering them under shorter dresses and tunics; the light colour makes outfits feel fresher and more unexpected. Of course, I have to be extra careful about spillage but … c’est la vie (fashion is work, hahaha!)

Back to Black (and White)

It’s been a hot minute since I’ve done a monochrome outfit (with a pop of red!) but I feel like it won’t be as long now that I found this incredible Kenzo top at a local consignment store. I loooove the trompe l’oeil bustier effect. So clever and so fun. I’m all about mixing prints (see above) so of course I had to pair it with another black and white graphic pattern, but I think it would also look killer with solid colours. Or jeans. Or … the possibilities are endless, really.