Return of Coat Season

Thanks to thrifting, I became a “coat person” over the last few years. Coats used to be a big investment for me, back in my retail shopping days, so my focus used to be on practical functionality only. Living in Alberta, that still needs to be accounted for in my coat collection, but thrifting has allowed me to expand into new territory. Coats as a fashion statement? Oh my. But they can be, and it’s one of the reasons why fall is my favourite season for style. This is a good example; I paid up (relatively speaking) for this L.A.M.B. coat — I think it was $25 — but it was still a great find and super fabulous. Instant outfit elevation. But let’s also take a moment to appreciate these rainbow plaid Converse — my 41st birthday present to myself. They are so fun! AND practical too! Because, let’s face it, outside of outfit photos, I am mostly living in sneakers and flats these days.

Butterflies on the Grid

A very simple outfit, but the pattern mixing was so satisfying that I didn’t feel the need to add anything else to it. Red and blue is one of my favourite colour combinations, and this sky blue one of the best shades for it (along with aqua blue). I like how the grid-like pattern of the skirt complements the stripes of the sweater. The butterflies become my accessories – almost like brooches.

Summer’s Last Hurrah

I am a fan of wearing “summer” clothing year-round, but this was probably the last bare-leg outing for this Roolee dress. Next time, fleece tights and extra layers will likely be in order (unless I wear it solely indoors). But here, I had fun pairing the buffalo plaid with my patchwork cardigan; a good pattern mix with some extra pops of colour.

Fluffy Flouff

This Zara tulle top was a sorta-impulse buy on Poshmark but that neck ruffle proved irresistible. The top is verrrrry cropped, which I usually don’t mind except in this case it’s basically a bra with ruffles attached. Still, gonna make that tulle-exploding-from-my-torso thing work for me because … I never don’t love a good tulle explosion. The blue colour is fun too; it’s been a while since I’ve worn it.

It has been a year, I can’t keep track of time or details like old blog posts. I think we are quite far along the “Things Adina Has Made” path in any case, although my journey has stalled a bit in recent months. But let’s not dwell on the sad bits, let’s look at some colourful things!

First, a few more upcycled necklaces

I also made an embroidery commission for a friend in Germany:

And, lastly, as I mentioned in a previous post, I went back to my crafting roots with a fully beaded pendant:

Beaded necklaces (mostly bibs) were the first projects I got into, a dozen years ago, so it was cool to revisit this type of work with the benefit of added years of experience. I did create a waterlilies-based design as part of my on-going exploration of waterlilies as a theme (inspired by my family trip this summer to a lake in BC).

I Got Coat Game

I think I said this before, but my coat game went to a whole different level once I started thrifting extensively. Coats are pricey at retail, so I never used to have more than a few. With thrifting, it’s easy to find many different styles for under $30 a piece, so I have been slowly accumulating a very (ahem) large collection. In my defence, in Edmonton, one definitely needs 4 season’s worth of coats. Not in my defence, I probably have enough for 8. And yet, I keep buying more. But also, how could I resist this Elena Wong number? It’s so unique and fun. I paid $13. It’s the perfect weight for transitional/early fall weather, and the colours are also perfect for this season.

Forever Mad For Plaid

I love how the traditional plaid of this vintage Saint Laurent skirt mixes with the more avante-garde plaid of the Clover Canyon top. It’s giving me some Alexander McQueen vibes. Just a fun fall outfit.

When Avatars Unite

I feel like this is a mix of the Artist and the High Priestess avatars in colour palette and silhouette, and I am quite pleased with the overall effect. It’s one of those outfits that doesn’t meet any of the traditional “figure flattery” check points, but I appreciate as a kind of abstract art installation — because it’s visually interesting and has intriguing movement and angles. I was reminded recently of how amazing Michele Lamy’s style is, and I am inspired to double down on doing a (very watered down!) version of her “marching to one’s own drumbeat” thing going on.

Monochrome Sublime

I really wanted to call this Monochrome Epitome but English is a weird language and those two words don’t rhyme. Anyway, this outfit is one of my favourite new ways of doing black-and-white — this Lida Baday dress is a trompe l’oeil delight. It has some medieval allusions with the heavier jacquard-like faux overlay and the ruched black fabric insert. Layered over black culottes, it looks almost like I’m wearing a fun coat. Because the dress is a bit of a shorter length that I prefer these days, I am looking at clever ways of layering it over longer pieces.