Details: Giambattista Valli x H&M dress (Poshmark), Prairie Trail Goods jacket, vintage brooch (gift)
Thoughts: Still dreaming about summer, as you can see. I decided to mix ALL the florals for this outfit, taking inspiration from this glorious upcycled jacket. For extra fun, I pinned it closed with a large vintage brooch gifted to me by a friend. Sometimes, more is just right.
Details: Gai Mattiolo jacket (Poshmark), French Connection sweater (thrifted), Banana Republic pants (retail)
Thoughts: Someone on IG once said this jacket looked perfect for a clown costume, and it has been the “clown jacket” to me ever since. I love it, unironically. It’s fun and it doesn’t take itself seriously, which is very much my jam. The colours also make it a super versatile piece. For example: one of the colour blocks is a perfect match to my wide leg corduroy pants. Outfit done and done.
Detail: Wilfred sweater, Ralph Lauren jacket & skirt, Frye boots, Paul Smith scarf (all secondhand)
Thoughts: I’ve come to think of purple and green combos as my “villain colours” — the colours I would wear if I were a comic book villain. Paired with each other, they just feel badass to me. This outfit is the alter ego version; you know, for blending in with the ‘normies’. My villain alter ego is, apparently, a suburban mom with an affinity for Ralph Lauren. What is my villain self? I haven’t decided yet. But I’m sure that version of me ALSO likes Ralph Lauren 🙂
Details: Mango sweater (Poshmark), Greta Constantine x Danier belt, no name vintage skirt, Banana Republic necklace (all thrifted)
Thoughts: It’s hard to see from the photos, but there is a teeny bit of aqua in the paisley pattern, which explains why I decided to pair these pieces. Paisley is really growing on me as a pattern, and I especially like this version against a black background. The elastic waist of this skirt is a bit loose, and I’m too unmotivated to try to fix it, so I used a wide belt to cinch it in. Now you know all my secrets.
Details: Club Monaco turtleneck (retail), Ralph Lauren vest, jacket and belt, Pilcro jeans, Dooney & Bourke bag (all secondhand), Clarks shoes (retail)
Thoughts: Another “casual mom on errand duty” outfit with an twist. I’ve been pushing myself to get more creative with layering — this isn’t a great example (it’s kinda basic) but I am moving away from sweaters back to vests as we get closer to spring. I am also proud of myself for remembering that I have some cute wool socks, even if only a small peek is visible once I put my shoes on. I think of it as a fun surprise for myself.
I love many of your outfits (some of your pattern mixing isn’t to my taste) and I notice that most of it is second hand, thrifted, etc. How do you find the time to do that? I find that thrifting and such is incredibly time consuming to find good pieces. I also rarely see good brands or current styles. Any insight would be helpful.
I have many posts about thrifting in my archives, including lots of tips and general information. I’ve been thrifting my clothes (almost exclusively) since around 2015, so I’ve built my closet over a long time. It does take time and patience, so it’s not for everyone — you have to enjoy the treasure hunt aspect. Thrifting is my hobby, so I usually go at least once a week for an hour or two. I don’t do any other kind of shopping these days, except on Poshmark. I live in a city with really good thrifting options — lots of stores, with lots of decent inventory. Successful thrifting mainly comes down to 2 things: having good options available (this varies from city to city) and going often (because the inventory turns over very quickly). Luckily, if in-person thrift options aren’t great where you live, there are lots of online platforms for secondhand shopping these days (Posh, eBay, Mercari, ThredUp, Depop, The RealReal, etc.)
Have you listened to the latest season of the Articles of Interest podcast? It’s all about Ivy League style, with a significant proportion devoted to Ralph Lauren. Your green/purple outfit made me think of it 😊
No, but I’ve been meaning to listen to it for ages. I just keep forgetting!