Details: Ralph Lauren dress (Poshmark), Lord & Taylor cardigan (thrifted)
Thoughts: I love this dress even though the halter neckline is a style I normally avoid. The good news is that the back is high enough to allow me to wear a strapless bra; not all halters are. But the plaid patchwork pattern — ahh! It’s so good. But it is loud. I keep this dress for days when I feel like leaning all the way in with colour.
Details: Equipment shirt, Denim & Supply jacket, Nocona belt, H&M pants (all thrifted), J. Crew shoes (consignment)
Thoughts: This outfit is a good example of warm weather layering. Obviously, I wouldn’t wear this outside in +30 degree weather, but for an average Edmonton summer day, it works. The shirt is a cotton-silk blend and very lightweight. The jacket is a cotton knit, also light. The scarf gives the illusion of an extra layer but it adds nothing to the actual weight of the outfit. The pants are also cotton and roomy (with built-in air venting). I feel like I’ve unlocked an extra achievement when an outfit is practical *and* perfectly suits my style.
Details: Lee x H&M top, Laura Ashley skirt, Golden jacket, Napoleoni shoes (all thrifted)
Thoughts: It’s crop top season, baby! I’m almost 43 and, yes, I wear crop tops. Don’t let people who weren’t even alive when you were in high school tell you what you can and can’t wear. I love crop tops because they pair so well with high-waisted bottoms, which I love. It’s a marriage made in heaven for a long torso like mine. I had been looking for a denim bustier-style top for a while before finding this Lee x HM collab piece at the thrifts last fall; it was too late in the season to wear it then, so I’ve been patiently waiting for the opportunity to bring it out. And, now, I’m happy I did. I debated what topper to use for this outfit, but decided against my 2 usual defaults — something black or my greyish Tabitha cropped jacket. Both would have worked, but I ended up feeling this olive-blue colour combo more. It felt fresh and unexpected.
Details: Topshop dress (thrifted), Prairie Trail Goods jacket, Toni T dickie (thrifted), Steve Madden shoes (retail)
Thoughts: Here is another clevel layering trick — this collar dickie totally switches up the vibe of this dress, plus it nicely bookends the chunky shoes. I liked how cream/off-white ended up being the grounding neutral in this outfit. Gives it a totally different feel than when using black as the neutral.
Details: Club Monaco shirt, Kimchi Blue pants, J. Crew shoes (all thrifted), Rafael Alfandary necklace (consignment)
Thoughts: I spent months, back in 2015-2016, looking for this Club Monaco shirt secondhand after seeing it on a coworker. I guess what they say about thrifting is true; wait long enough and look long enough, and you can find pretty much anything eventually. I had stopped looking for it in the meantime, but when it popped up on a rack near me recently, I had to get it. For the sake of nostalgia if nothing else. But it *is* a cute pattern too, plus one of my favourite shades of blue. This was an outfit that 2016 Adina would have worn, but it’s an outfit that works for 2023 Adina too.