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.