What I Wore: November 2023, part 3

Details: MaxMara sweater (Poshmark), Jessie skirt, BR belt, Chie Mihara shoes (all thrifted)

Notes: It’s been far too long since I last wore this MaxMara sweater. I still adore its whimsy; it makes me smile. As I was debating what to pair it with this time, I realized that the colours of the flowers matched those of the skirt flowers. The design is different, but visually “close enough” is good enough. I really love this pattern mix, if you can call it that. I was a little bit concerned at first that it might be too chaotic, but I don’t think it is.

Details: mystery dress, necklace (both thrifted), Zara boots (retail)

Notes: When I say this is a mystery dress, I mean it. I have so many questions about it, none of them satisfactorily answered. There is no brand tag. The inside tag lists the RN # for Michael Kors, but a Google Image search for this pattern only returns Dries Van Noten dresses. It’s silk with hand-finished hems, which you would not expect from a counterfeit (assuming that’s what could explain the other oddities). So, who knows? I like this weird, mystery dress and I paid $4.50 for it, so I am not too fussed about it. It certainly has a 2018 Adina vibe to it, but I enjoy a good throwback now and then.

Details: vintage sweater, Woolrich vest, Everlane pants, Laredo shoes, Coach bag (all secondhand)

Notes: My husband said that I looked very Canadian in this outfit, and it’s hard to argue with that. I love this not-really-Hudson’s-Bay-but-pretending sweater and it makes a statement outfit out of any basic pieces. That being said, the accessories are maybe my favourite part; these shoes and this bag are on repeat and I just can’t get enough. Luckily, they go with everything.

Details: Lewit sweater (swap), Elena Wong coat, H&M pants, Gap belt, Modern Vice shoes (all thrifted), Tignanello bag (Poshmark)

Notes: Remember this coat? It’s still one of my faves. I love how unusual it is; the graphic pattern makes a great visual impact. I like to play up the yellow accents. Here, I doubled up with the yellow bag, and added blue for contrast. This shade complements the yellow really well. I wanted to keep the rest of the outfit neutral so I chose my tan paperbag waist pants; they are the best “blank” canvas piece.

Details: Oak & Fort turtleneck, H&M Studio skirt (both thrifted), BCBG belt (Poshmark), J. Crew shoes (retail), Warren Steven Scott earrings (retail)

Notes: I don’t like to wear orange; I feel like it clashes with my hair and isn’t kind to my complexion either. But I enjoy it in this context, because it’s a splash of colour far enough away from my face not to cause me any grief, but bold enough to make a statement. Since I don’t have a lot of orange in my closet, I decided to use red as an accent colour since the rest of the outfit is very neutral. Red and orange might not seem like a very felicitous combination, but I like it here. I added the white belt to tie the outfit together and I think it does that very well.

Details: Toni T dickie, Esprit vest, Higher State dress, vintage petticoat, Nine West shoes (all thrifted)

Notes: I call this Jo March, winter edition. I know petticoats are old-fashioned, but I like how the mostly-black outfit is bookended by white in this way. I think it makes the outfit “pop” more. The grandpa vest gives it some visual definition – otherwise, the black might be a bit overwhelming (and too Wednesday Addams, which isn’t the vibe I was going for this time).

Details: Oak & Fort turtleneck, cashmere cardigan, Twik pants, Fossil belt, American Apparel coat (all thrifted), Mia shoes (retail), Coach bag (swap)

Notes: I’m obsessed with this shade of brown — I call it whiskey brown — in case you couldn’t tell. I’ve been wearing it a lot this fall, and I especially like it paired with black. Here, I softened the palette a bit, adding yellow and grey into the mix. The grey wasn’t something I came up with on my own; I was inspired by the coat itself, which has a brown collar. It made me realize that brown and grey could work together too. See … inspiration is everywhere!