What I Wore: December 2023, part 4

Details: Ralph Lauren vest & shirt, J. Crew blazer, H&M pants, Fossil belt, Ferragamo shoes (all thrifted)

Thoughts: I loved this outfit so much and it kinda bummed me out that it didn’t get more love on Insta. Generally speaking, I don’t pay any mind to IG stats because I know the algorithm can’t be trusted to show my photos to my followers, so nothing counts as actual “feedback”. Still, when I’m excited about an outfit and, like, 5 people see it, it sucks. I love sharing the excitement of something cool, you know? Anyway, here it is, for posterity. I felt really good in this; the shirt-vest-pants-belt combo in particular hit the “effortless style” benchmark for me. And I think Papa Ralph would approve.

Details: Orvis shirt, Maison 500 blazer, Issey Miyake skirt, Rebecca Minkoff belt (all thrifted)

Thoughts: I wore this to the office when I went in — for the last time in 2023 — for our team’s holiday lunch. I did feel a bit like a Christmas tree, but I have such a short window every year to wear this fun blazer that I HAVE to make the most of it. What better time to look like a Christmas tree? I like to think that my colleagues appreciated it, LOL!

Details: Club Monaco turtleneck (retail), Eddie Bauer sweater, Ports International blazer, BDG pants, Fossil belt, Office London shoes (all thrifted), Coach bag (Poshmark)

Thoughts: This was a “sleeper hit” in my books: I surprised myself by how much I loved it. Something about this green/grey/brown palette is just *chef’s kiss* to me. Also, yes, I’m hard launching the newest addition to my Coach collection 2.0. I’m re-building said collection after I made the dumb decision to sell most of my vintage Coach bags in the mid-2010s when I was getting into high-end designer bags. The joke was on me. I never wear all those high-end designer bags these days, and vintage Coach has soared in price. But I’ve been lucky this year, and I’ve been able to score a couple of beautiful pieces (in addition to the red bag that my mom held on to for me). One came from a blog follower via a trade, and this mahogany one was a lucky Posh find. I think the whiskey coloured bag suits my summer and fall palette better, whereas this darker brown works really well with stuff I’m wearing these days. I love them both so much!

Details: The Fifth Label shirt, LizSport vest, Frame blazer, Cotton Ginny belt (all thrifted), Banana Republic jeans (retail)

Thoughts: Plaid and velvet for the holidays? Groundbreaking. I’m sure Anna Wintour is somewhere rolling her eyes, but I love plaid and I love velvet, and this time of year is perfect for both. So I’m gonna make the most of my opportunities.

Details: Club Monaco turtleneck (retail), MaxMara sweater (Poshmark), Escada blazer (thrift), Banana Republic pants (retail), Coach bag (Poshmark)

Thoughts: I am also making the most of the opportunities that the weather is giving me this year, and dressing like it’s still kinda fall. The key is wearing all the cozy layers. Here, I am wearing a cotton tank top (which you can’t see); a merino blend, thin turtleneck; a thicker wool sweater; and a thick cashmere blazer … and no bulky coat needed! I loved the mahogany + navy combo too, and I gotta remember to wear it again. (I will say that, as much as I love the warmer weather, it also really freaks me out. Climate change is scary. If this is a harbinger of even more wildfires and drought next year, we are screwed.)

Details: Nine West jacket, Ralph Lauren sweater, Gap belt & jeans, Coach bag (all secondhand)

Thoughts: Guys, I might have saved the best for last. I am obsessed with this distressed leather jacket!! I had been thinking about a piece like this for some time. I’ve seen a few influencers with masculine-leaning, distressed leather jackets and I liked the vibe (especially paired with hyper femme pieces for contrast), but I wasn’t sure if it was a trend for me as I don’t love very oversized jackets on me — they tend to make me look like a linebacker. When I found this jacket (Nine West of all things!), it was an immediate “yes”. It has that sort of “tough” edge, but while it is a boxy cut, it’s not too oversized. I’m pretty sure it’s an older style — possibly even vintage — and it was new-with-tags. While it’s leather, it feels a bit fragile so I don’t know how well it will wear long-term. The fact that it came to me unworn, at least, buys me some time. I love that it has a cotton lining on the body (the sleeve lining is poly) because it makes the jacket extra warm somehow. Perfect for this brown winter!