I cannot tell you how much I love this outfit. Well, I just did, or tried to, but I am not sure my enthusiasm has been properly conveyed. I REALLY REALLY LOVED IT! There, that’s better. I loved how this looked, and more importantly, I love how it felt to wear it. It is an outfit whose charm, I am afraid to say, is not easily captured in iPhone photos, especially since it’s at its most potent when in motion. The skirt swishes and twirls as I walk, and that just puts an extra bounce in my step for some reason. This is also Peak Minimalist Moment for me, which was not a conscious goal in this case, but I am happy to enjoy it nonetheless.

I have been looking for a knife pleat skirt like this for ages, but wasn’t able to find one I truly loved — one with the requisite amount of swishy movement to it — until I clapped eyes on this Babaton number. Of course, it’s Aritzia; what else would it be, sigh. It’s not too stiff, but also not too flimsy. It does fit small; I am wearing a large, and it fits snugly an inch or two below my natural waist (similar to a mid- to high-rise jean).

The sweater was an impulse buy; I bought both pieces on the same visit to my fave consignment store because I loved how they looked together. But it’s a funny thing; I normally avoid aqua — I think it’s a pretty colour, but not one I enjoy wearing. Wearing pastels in generally makes me sort of … squirmy inside my own skin. Anyway, this colour is a desaturated, slightly greyed out aqua and I ADORE it. I call it “mist” which might mean nothing at all, but sounds suitably ethereal. The sweater is a lightweight knit which is very comfortable and non-scratchy. It’s also Aritzia, doyouevenneedtoask. The shoes are not, but they could be; they have the right aesthetic. One of the soles is already coming unglued but I don’t care because I can’t get enough of the style; these shoes go with everything. Time to get the super glue out, I think. I foresee a long future ahead for this skirt-loafer combo.

Some days, it really feels like my main style goal is to see how closely I can get to wearing pyjamas to the office. These pants are probably skirting that line, no pun intended. Paired with an oversized blazer, the slouch factor is nearly off the charts. But pointy loafers help to bring it down a notch … one hopes. They are definitely a step above slippers, right?

There isn’t much I can say about genesis of this outfit except that these are all pieces I love individually, so I figured I’d love them together as well. Also, the top does have both purple and grey in its print, which I hoped would serve to tie together the other pieces. I think it all came together nicely so hurrah for realized potential. It’s not always a given, that, even after years of remix experiments. That’s one of the reasons why, being so short on time lately, I have been gravitating more towards the tried-and-true than outfit innovation. On that note, this post from Cassie about clothing ruts really resonated with me.

Hey, look at me being all punny and stuff. I don’t wear a lot of green normally, and it’s not because I’m trying to avoid looking like the Hulk. (Mark Ruffalo is fine. I’m a Winter Soldier fangirl, but I also have eyes. No shame in embracing the Hulk is what I’m saying.) Strangely, it’s because finding a green I like is a challenge. As I get older, I find that I am increasingly sensitive to nuances in colour; a green that is too bright, or too blue, or too yellow can set my teeth on edge.

That reaction is not limited to green, by the way. I have the same visceral response to all the “wrong” colours. Sometimes, the thing that makes a colour “wrong” is so subtle, I actually start to wonder if it’s all in my head … rather than my eyes, ahem.

Anyhulk.

Finding the “right” kind of green is tough. I think that my fave shades are actually fairly popular these days, but they haven’t yet reached thrift stores, at least not in large quantities. Give it another year or so. For now, I treasure my little growing hoard, including this sweater and top. Why not wear them together, I asked myself one day and proceeded to do just that. Mark would approve.

Now, your turn. Tell me this: what colour would be your superhero costume?