Details: GWG vest, Smythe blazer, J. Crew shoes (all thrifted), Ricki’s skirt (retail)
Thoughts: Well, friends, it’s true: I shopped … retail. But hear me out. Do you remember how long I’ve been looking for the perfect voluminous white maxi skirt (or dress)? More than a year. I thrifted a few “compromises” along the way, but they were not 100% right in terms of silhouette. And then! I was at the mall recently on my mission to spend the Simons gift card, and ended up being pulled into a different store by something in the window display. The store was Ricki’s, which I’m fairly certain I haven’t been in for at least a decade. Turns out, they have some very cute stuff! My SIL found an amazing floral coord set (top and skirt) and I found the perfect white skirt … and dress. As you can see, I ended up choosing the skirt, (A) because it had more volume, and (B) because I thought it would be more versatile overall. I was very impressed with the quality given the price point. It’s 100% cotton, and it’s a nice cotton — thick and pretty opaque because, did I mention? It’s also fully lined. And the lining is the same kind of cotton. Honestly, it was unexpected and a very pleasant surprise. The original price was $70 but I got it on sale for 40%, which was an extra pleasant surprise; I felt it was worth its original price, which is rare these days with stuff I see at the mall. I am very happy with this purchase and will happily tempt fate (and put my spill-avoidance skills to the test) by wearing this very white and very fabulous skirt all summer long. This outfit was inspired by something I saw on IG; wearing white and denim is a no-brainer, but I loved the twist of introducing denim via a vest and using a dressier jacket option as a contrast. It turned out so well!
Details: Ardene top (retail), St. John jacket, BDG jeans, vintage belt (all thrifted)
Thoughts: OK, the story of this (retail) Ardene top is rather more prosaic than that of the Ricki’s skirt. A friend told me there is an Ardene outlet at the City Centre mall, so on one of my rare in-the-office work days, I went to check it out because my daughter is constantly growing out of her clothes and I’m struggling to find her tween-approved options at the thrift store. I’m not planning to make this a regular thing, but I was desperate to find her some jeans, in particular (she has very specific requirements). I ended up buying her a few pieces, including this ivory crop top which I figured would be an easy summer staple to wear with all her high waisted jeans. And it would be … if she didn’t hate how it fit. Sigh. I refuse to let clothes go to waste, so I took it over. The quality isn’t great but it’s the sort of thing I can easily throw in the washing machine, and it will probably last forever as long as I keep it out of the dryer. Anyway, the rest of the outfit: so cute, right? I got this St. John jacket at a clothing swap a few years back, and it’s finally getting its day in the sun. Its style pairs well with the retro 70s-ish vibe I’ve been feeling lately. Case in point: these jeans. Dressy casual in the best way.
Details: Everlane top, Only & Sons jacket, Fossil belt, Ralph Lauren skirt, Coach bag (all secondhand), Mia shoes (retail)
Thoughts: The weather this spring has been inconsistent, but I refuse to let it stop me from wearing my fave summer pieces. Transitional dressing or bust! Basically, that means wearing my long-sleeve turtlenecks and tights a bit longer than I had hoped, but also means I can wear stuff like this skirt. I consider that a win.
Details: Tahari shirt, Silverado jacket, Frame jeans, vintage belt (all secondhand)
Thoughts: This outfit also ended up having a bit of a 70s vibe, largely thanks to the pants and belt combo, I think. But it felt fresh and not, dare I say it, “dated”. The dreaded verdict, LOL! Which, for the record, I don’t really believe in. A mix of current and vintage pieces will rarely look dated; there is a difference between referencing a particular decade and looking like you walked off the page of history textbook — and, honestly, people worry entirely too much about the latter because you’d have to work quite hard to achieve that effect.
Details: Everlane sweater, Hemant & Nandita jacket, Fossil belt, Ralph Lauren skirt, Coach bag (all secondhand), Mia shoes (retail)
Thoughts: Pulled this old Anthro jacket from the storage closet because it had been sitting there for too long. Time to wear it, or part with it. I felt like this was a good time for that test, because its vibes dovetail nicely with my current style; if I can’t make it work for me now, I probably never will. There are little things about it I don’t love — the sleeves are a bit too long and ‘heavy’ for me, the cut is a bit more boxy than I prefer, and I wish it was a bit shorter/more cropped — but I am giving it a whirl. I played off its colour palette to assemble this outfit, and was not displeased with the result. The experiment continues!
Details: Mexx shirt, Fossil belt, Ralph Lauren skirt, Naturalizer shoes (all secondhand)
Thoughts: Just a quick, easy outfit featuring a couple of fave pieces.
Details: Dries Van Noten dress, Toni T dickie, Lida Baday jacket, Boss belt (all secondhand), Warren Steven Scott earrings
Thoughts: Another piece I recently pulled from my storage closet is this DVN dress. It feels a bit too dressy for my current style (primarily due to the more form-fitting style) but it’s a good length and a fabulous pattern, so it deserves a few wears. I played around a bit to come up with an outfit that felt like “me, now” and I think the result speaks for itself.