Details: Tahari shirt, Ralph Lauren sweater, Ports jacket, Ricki’s pants, Fossil belt, Pedro Mirailles shoes (all secondhand)

Thoughts: Favourite recent outfit by a significant margin, and I hope you can understand why. I’m very happy to have found these (a) pants, and (b) shoes recently, because I think both of them fit in very nicely with my current wardrobe. Ricki’s isn’t a brand I normally look for, but after a good experience last year (my white skirt, purchased new), it’s one I’m now open to considering. At the end of the day, if the style and quality are good, I’m not fussed about the brand. Sadly, a friend told me that Ricki’s is now going out of business. My intent is to not buy any clothing items at retail this year, but if you are shopping at the mall, you may be able to stock up on some solid workwear during their liquidation sales.

Details: Babaton turtleneck, Ralph Lauren sweater, Dalmys skirt, vintage shoes (all secondhand)

Thoughts: We love this sweater, but how do we feel about this skirt? The colour is perfect and, yes, I am saying that about grey oatmeal. Listen, it’s a good neutral for other colours I’m feeling lately (red, white, blue in particular), ok? This is a pretty monochromatic outfit, but the sweater is interesting enough on its own. Getting back to the skirt, I am also a fan of the length and faux-wrap style, but I am not sure about the material. It has a tendency to wrinkle, I think, and I don’t typically have patience for that. I may have been a bit over-hasty in thrifting this skirt, rather than wait for an even better option. On the other hand, maybe I’m too picky, lol! I’ll def be giving it a few more spins — I have several outfits already in mind — before I decide whether it’s worth going back to the drawing board thrift store or sticking with what I already have.

Details: Michigan Rag Co jacket, Club Monaco sweater, Tabi skirt, Coach bag (all thrifted)

Thoughts: Micro-trends keep getting churned out, and I keep mostly tuning them out … except when they happen to align with my own interests. Case in point: fisherman core. I hear that, and I think Ralph Lauren meets Jessica Fletcher and I am immediately DOWN. I mean, this outfit took me all of 10 seconds to put together, and most of that time was spent debating which Coach bag I wanted to wear with it. In the end, the decision was made via the tried-and-true methodology of “eeny, meeny, miny, moe”.

Details: Ralph Lauren shirt, Eddie Bauer cardigan, Anne Klein belt, Levi’s jeans, Brown’s shoes (all thrifted)

Thoughts: I could call this “dressy fisherman core” but that would be just silly. I think both Ralph and Jessica would approve of this outfit, though, and that’s all that matters. Well, that, and the fact that I liked it. OBVI.

Details: Ricki’s skirt (retail), Mexx cardigan, BR belt, Zara shoes (all thrifted)

Thoughts: Another micro-trend I’m seeing a lot lately on IG is the white, long, full skirts. Again, I approve the message, as I am very fond of my own white, long, full skirt that I spent month and months trying to find. A combo that’s been speaking a lot to me is this type of skirt paired with black (and silver) pieces … so, voila! Option #1, straight from my closet. Needless to say, I have a few other combinations in mind, and I feel confident in saying that this skirt is going to see even more action this year than last.

Details: Ricki’s turtleneck, Ralph Lauren sweater & jacket, BR jeans, Fossil belt, Coach bag (all secondhand)

Thoughts: I got so fed up with the weather recently that I went to dig out this (lighter) jacket from my off-season closet and proceeded to put on eleventy layers of clothing so I could wear it. I just needed some joy in my life, ok? Also, I was outside for exactly the 90 seconds it took to secure these photos, plus the walk to and from the car and (a) the thrift store, (b) the library, and (c) A&W, our family’s weekly “dining out” treat. These are the only acceptable reasons for which I will leave a warm house on a Saturday in February in the middle of a -30 C cold snap.

Details: Gucci blouse, Uniqlo sweater, unlabelled skirt (all thrifted), Zara shoes (retail)

Thoughts: I really liked this sweater/shirt combo last time I wore … so I wore it again, this time with a totally matchy matchy skirt. And a matchy matchy necklace. The end.

Ahhh, 2014. It was a good vintage. The first half of that year, I was on maternity leave, which meant that I got to spend lots of quality time with my babies, but also with my mom, who was helping us with childcare. It would prove to be the first and last time in my adult life that we would hang out so much and so often, and I cherish the memories of that period dearly. We got to know each other on a different footing than when I was growing up, both of us older and wiser and mothers. This April will mark 4 years since my mom passed away; her absence remains lodged deep inside me, life growing around it like scar tissue. Maybe because so much has happened in the last decade, 2014 feels like a whole lifetime ago. I’m not sure I’d recognize the person I was then, were it not for the fact we wear the same face. Well, give or take a few wrinkles. And a whole closet.

2014 was the year I fully embraced the twee, the beginning of my “no Anthro left behind” era. I couldn’t get enough of that stuff! I couldn’t afford Anthro’s retail prices, so I shopped secondment wherever I could find it — consignment shops, eBay, thrift. Coincidentally or not, 2014 was the year I started thrifting again in earnest, after a decade-long break. In fact, it was something my mom and I loved doing together. But Anthro wasn’t the only brand I was obsessed with; there was also J. Crew. Always bargain-minded (and with a reduced shopping budget, thanks to mat leave), I haunted the clearance racks at the Factory store, which was conveniently located a 10-minute drive from my house. I’m pretty sure the sales associates working that store got to know my entire family by their names, considering how often we used to pop in. It might be hard to believe now, but J. Crew was still very cool at that time — thanks to Jenna Lyons’ trend-setting creative vision — and also something of a novelty in Edmonton, having then only recently expanded into Canada.

My maternity leave wardrobe was casual and fun and generally easy, but going back to work threw up some sartorial challenges my way. I had to figure out not only how to adapt a new aesthetic to my working environment (still in private practice), but also how to dress a different body. After my second pregnancy, I didn’t lose all the “baby weight” immediately, and for about a year and a half, I was a couple of sizes bigger than previously. It might not seem like much, but the difference was noticeable. It wasn’t only a question of personal hang-ups; I also found it objectively harder to find things that fit me properly right off the rack. I have since learned that one of the ways in which brands keep their production costs down — a key metric in the fast fashion paradigm — is by using fewer fit models (aka actual humans) to develop their patterns. So, for example, instead of using size 2-3 fit models to develop patterns across the size range from, say, 2 through 12, they might only use a size 6 fit model and then scale the pattern up or down for the other sizes; as you might imagine, the result is a lower likelihood of the clothing having a halfway decent fit. But that’s a story for another time. I’ve been lucky to fit into straight sizes even at my heaviest, but my postpartum experiences in 2014 did help me understand a little bit better what many, many women struggle with when it comes to fashion and clothes shopping.

But let’s take a look at what I was wearing in 2014!

As always, I tried to pick outfits that reflect a representative cross-section of my 2014 aesthetic: Anthro, J. Crew, bold patterns, chunky necklaces, colourful bags. God, I loved me a coordinating bag! Bags were, hands down, my favourite accessory back then. I used to carefully pick one to match each outfit, even when I was on mat leave and my daily schedule usually revolved around playgrounds and trips to the library. Well, I suppose I always relied on my outfits to bring some fun and joy to the mundaneness of everyday life.

Now, it will not surprise you to hear that I wouldn’t wear any of these outfits in 2025; but, as always, it might surprise you to see how much of a difference a few tweaks can make. Nothing I wear these days looks like these 2014 outfits, but the basic formulas are not that different.

I’m back on the chambray shirt bandwagon again (what goes around comes around, always) but these days, I’m all about the oversized version. Or, in some cases, the oversized denim jacket. We don’t do chunky necklaces anymore, but floral skirts are still dear to my heart. They’re just a bit longer these days. I have also returned to flats (after an intervening decade of wearing heels at the office), but now it’s chunky loafers rather than brightly hued, round-toe ballerina flats. I still have that burgundy Marc by Marc Jacobs bag, by the way — the only item from this 2014 outfit that I still own — but haven’t used it in years. I’m sure its time will come again, though, and nothing beats the leather of 2000s MJ bags. I also wish I’d kept the skirt because, while the length wouldn’t work for me now, I still love that pattern. I’ve saved quite a few of my old Anthro skirts, hoping my daughter might enjoy wearing them one day. That day hasn’t come yet, but there is still hope. Otherwise, I might ask one of my crafty friends to upcycle the fabrics for me — perhaps a fabulous patchwork coat of some sort.

I picked this simple outfit because I was surprised to see myself wearing a trench. After 2014, I pretty much stopped wearing them … until last year. You can easily see, I think, that the trench I thrifted last year is much nicer than the old one I used to have. Both outfits are quite basic, but the 2024 version is even more streamlined — no chunky necklace, no pop of colour. These days, I trust myself to put together an outfit that’s interesting without being loud. Other subtle styling choices that make a big difference: tucked in t-shirt (vs peplum top), straight leg jeans (vs skinny pants), classic loafers (vs ballerina flats).

I chose this dress outfit because it features one of my earliest Ralph Lauren pieces. At the time, I was quite enamoured of these patterned dresses from the LRL diffusion line; they were stretchy and had some ruching, which made them easy to fit even as my body size fluctuated, and were made from a jersey material that was machine-washable, which was a bonus for a busy working mom. I had them in a few different prints, all of them floral and — in retrospect — not especially memorable. Also, if I hadn’t told you, you probably wouldn’t have guessed they were part of the RL universe because they have zero Papa Ralph vibes. I find that amusing; 2014 Adina wouldn’t have foreseen the direction of her sartorial adventures. The outfit on the right is quite a bit different, but I chose it because it features one of my current favourite patterned dresses. You can easily appreciate how different the silhouette and colour palettes are; the dress is also silk. Not having small kids around anymore, and the purchase of a steam cleaner, has expanded my horizons, fabric-wise. On the other hand, thin, long cardigans and “nude” shoes have dropped off my map. My coat game has levelled up, a lot.

And it seems fitting, I think, to include an outfit that also features a special item: the black bag that used to belong to my mom.

Details: Jones NY turtleneck & jacket, A&F cardigan, Babaton skirt, Twinset collar, Coach bag (all secondhand)

Thoughts: Lately, I’m loving this combo of “black & white + accent colour”, so I’ve been experimenting with different versions. Yellow is not my best colour, but in small doses we get along just great. Plus, I am obsessed with this jumbo XL Coach bag I thrifted recently, so I will take any and every chance to wear it. Can you believe I paid less than $20 for it? And it’s in pretty good shape, so there is no explanation for that price, considering small, beat-up Fossil bags are routinely marked up to $35 or more. My working hypothesis is that the thrift gods were feeling extra generous with me that day; that, or whoever priced that bag was having an “ahh, f*ck it” kind of day. Either way, I am grateful for my blessings.

Details: Ricki’s turtleneck, Classiques Entier blazer, Wilfred skirt, Michelle Ross accessories (all secondhand)

Thoughts: This vintage, made in Japan, blazer is so stunning and well made, and was priced something quite ridiculous like $8, so I simply had to get it. This purple, though, is another tough colour for me. Not only does it feel like it wants to fight me (not, like, violently but still enough to leave me looking a bit wan), it doesn’t seem to want to play nice with other colours in my closet. For example, I can’t wear it with any shade of brown because I am inevitably reminded of Cadbury and, by process of lateral association, Willy Wonka. I keep wanting to tell this purple that I’m just a girl, standing in front of a colour, asking it to love her just a little bit … or something like that. Anyway, maybe it works. Because this outfit ain’t half bad.

Details: Ines de la Fressange x Uniqlo shirt, Jaeger vest, vintage blazer, Garage skirt (all thrifted)

Thoughts: Y’all, I finally did it. I found a blazer in my favourite shade of blue. It is, admittedly, just a teeny tiny bit more periwinkle than slate blue, but IRL it pulls less purple than it looks here. Close enough; I’m happy. Of course, I had to pair it with chocolate brown because TWO things you love is better than one. This vintage Garage skirt took me all the way back to 1997. It’s got a little slit to one side because … actually why? Why did so many mini-skirts back then have it? What was so important about that extra inch or two of visible thigh? The 90s were weird, man — but we love them. Of course, I’m wearing tights, so this whole discussion is moot. But I see you, odd little 90s detail, I see you.

Details: Uniqlo sweater, J. Crew cardigan, vintage pants, Etienne Aigner shoes (all thrifted)

Thoughts: Can you believe I got these vintage leather pants for FIVE (Canadian) dollars? True story. The thrift price rollercoaster rollercoasters on. Anyway, the pants fit perfectly, and they’re lined so I don’t have to pull a Ross Gellar to put them on. Some of you will get that reference; the rest of you bébés will have to look it up.

Details: Anna Sui top, Jones NY cardigan, Ralph Lauren skirt, Fossil belt (all secondhand)

Thoughts: I decided to pull out my fave summer skirt in order to console myself about the fact that winter has been here for 3 years already. Ok, fine, it’s only been horrible for the last 6 weeks or so, but it’s wearing badly on my nerves. Actually, 2025 in general is wearing very badly, and quickly. All the more reason to find joy in simple things, like one’s outfit.

Details: Babaton turtleneck, Philip Lim x Target dress, American Apparel coat, MbMJ bag, Asos boots (all secondhand)

Thoughts: I pulled out this dress from my archive closet and you know what? It’s still a cutie. I thought my daughter might like it, but she’s decided she doesn’t, so I’ll have to make a decision soon about what to do: keep the dress for myself or pass it on. Short dresses, even more so than short skirts, aren’t really my bag right now, but this one has such a neat design and a lot of memories attached to it. I remember shopping this Philip Lim collab in the store by my parents’ house during the short window when Target operated in Canada. I don’t even want to do the math on how long ago that was. Anyway, this particular dress actually came to me later, via one of my friends who sent it to me in a clothes exchange we did some years ago. So, in a way, it’s doubly nostalgic. Sigh, I think I’ve just talked myself into keeping it a little while longer.