What I Wore: February 2024, part four

Details: Wilfred vest, Ralph Lauren skirt, Escada blazer, Rafael Alfandary necklace (all secondhand), J. Crew shoes (retail, old)

Thoughts: I haven’t worn much red in years, but this vest has been like a shot of adrenaline to my closet. It’s what I consider my “best” red — a poppy red, slightly orange-leaning shade. I had to pair it first with this skirt, to pick up on the pattern of the skirt. It feels like such an electric combination somehow. Kept the outfit very simple, but felt smashing in it.

Details: Wilfred sweater, Topshop dress, Jones NY blazer, BR belt (all secondhand)

Thoughts: Can you believe I’ve had this dress for 3 years and this is the first time I’m wearing it as “separates”? That must be a record for dresses in my closet, as this styling “hack” is one of my favourites. I adore the contrast polka dots pattern and wanted to make it the focal point of the outfit, so I kept everything else very neutral. This grey blazer is a great option for outfits where black would be too overwhelming; here, I think that a black blazer would have made the outfit feel unbalanced, with the top too visually “heavy” compared to the bottom. What makes this blazer perfect is that black velvet collar which brings in just a touch of black, so the grey doesn’t feel too disconnected from the rest of the outfit.

Details: Ralph Lauren shirt, Talbots dress, J. Crew necklace & shoes (all secondhand)

Thoughts: It’s taken me years but I am finally a convert to the power of a crisp white (men’s) shirt. It took me a while but I finally found the perfect one at the thrifts — vintage RL, of course. Here, I paired it with my vintage wool Talbots dress for a super classic combination. I love the simplicity of the clean lines and subtle accessorizing.

Details: Frank & Oak turtleneck, Pitlochry sweater, Ports blazer, Icone skirt, Fossil belt, Dooney bag, Zara shoes (all secondhand)

Thoughts: I loved this outfit so much! I can’t explain why, but I felt incredibly cool in it. Historian off-duty all the way, in the best way. This vintage made-in-Scotland sweater is one of my fave recent thrift finds; I love the colour palette and the design, and it’s in fantastic shape for being thick, Shetland wool. The skirt is another recent find and while I swore off buying black skirts a while back, I had to make an exception for this one because it’s my favourite silhouette and it’s made from a wide-wale corduroy fabric. I am obsessed with corduroy at the moment! In fact, this is a double corduroy outfit, with the jacket being cord as well (albeit very fine wale). I think the skirt was a great buy, as I can see it working very well with my current aesthetic; it’s a good colour and texture pairing for all the brown and wool/tweeds I’m doing. I decided to let go of an older black skirt to make room for it (and that one went to my daughter, so it’s still kicking about!).

Details: Club Monaco turtleneck (retail, old), Eaton vest, Akris jacket, Joseph belt, Tignanello bag (all secondhand), BR jeans (retail)

Thoughts: This Akris jacket was another recent thrift find that I had to grab because (a) the quality is so good, which is harder and harder to find these days, and (b) it intrigued me. It’s a bit on the periphery of my current aesthetic, but could be a direction worth exploring. I’m kinda feeling the 70s preppy vibes — like, the Historian on an Ivy campus in the 70s, you know? It worked really well with this jeans, for a start. A good start, I think. Let’s see where it goes from here.

Details: Ralph Lauren turtleneck, Denim & Supply dress, If By Sea shacket, BR belt, Laredo boots (all secondhand)

Thoughts: It’s been a hot minute since I wore this dress, so I decided it was time to get it out again. I was thinking about how to wear it (outside, on the weekend) and remembered this shacket. Plaid on plaid is always alright in my books, plus the colours play together nicely. Luckily, the weather decided to cooperate for once — it’s been very up and down lately, after getting us used to a mild season. I am definitely ready for spring, though. More dresses and more spring jackets, please!

Details: Ralph Lauren shirt, Pendleton blazer, Cotton Ginny belt, CoH jeans (all seconhand)

Thoughts: Another very classic outfit that is sort of a “new thing” for me. I’ve never done something quite like this before, but I was inspired by this incredible wool Pendleton blazer I picked up on Poshmark for a ridiculously low price. It’s in perfect condition and the quality is amazing. I wish the colours picked up better in photos, because I love the lush green/blue combo. Just a crisp white shirt and jeans, and I’m set!