This is not a brand new piece, but it’s … newish. New-adjacent. It’s a bright, cheerful dress, which is basically the opposite of my current mood. Dressing as an antidote to The Funk? Sure, why not.

But, wait! The bag is new! My long-awaited Mag bag. She was everything I’d hoped for … and a disappointment. Style- and function-wise, she is perfect.

Honestly, if you’re looking for a casual bag that still looks put together, this is it: a hobo/satchel/cross-body hybrid of perfect dimensions. My disappointment stems from the condition of my particular bag. I knew she wasn’t in perfect condition from the eBay listing, but I had irrationally hoped for better. I don’t mind the general patina (as my husband says, it adds character to a good bag), but I’m really sad that the original burgundy colour has worn off to a reddish brown. Sigh.

So ends my Mag bag saga … for now.

Happy July 4th to my American readers! And TGIF to the rest of ya!

What I Wore: Weekend Playdate

With the 30 x 30 challenge fiiiinally over, of course I had to wear all the new things. I promised I would, and I’m a woman of my word. So. New things! (Just not all of them, because that would be impossible considering my, ahem, shopping habits.)

First, a maxi dress I thrifted sometime last fall; it meets my not-really-exacting maxi dress requirements by being (a) under $10, (b) bright; and (c) cotton blend. It does hug the body a little more than I’d like, so I’m officially on the lookout for a second (more hands-offish) maxi dress for days when a big lunch is on the agenda.

Second, my newish Mulberry Bayswater bag. Can you believe I bought her all the way back in February and never wore her? Well, until now. I was going to wait until September, because she’s more an office bag than a mom-of-wildlings bag, but my patience and willpower have limits. So, at the risk of looking ridiculous, I brought her out to be paired with a cheap ‘n loud maxi dress. If that’s not the epitome of hi/lo pairings, I don’t know what is. You better believe I guarded her closer than Castle Black.* I’m happy to report she suffered no ill effects on her first outing.

Oh, and this is what I wore earlier on the same day (hello, fickle Edmonton “summer” weather):

* I’m still in the throes of Games of Thrones withdrawal. Bear with me, and if you’re feeling especially charitable, send me pics of Kit Harington. Bless.

What I Wore: Erranding

Here’s the scoop. Last year, I decided I needed a shirt dress. Why? Well, somehow I became convinced it was a classic wardrobe staple missing from my closet, and that it was imperative that I redress the oversight. Don’t ask, just go with it. Initially, I had my eye on a Sophie Theallet for Limited dress, but the bidding on eBay went above my budget, so I had to reconsider. This J. Crew dress is … nothing remotely similar, save for meeting the generic shirt dress criteria. The photos on the listing were bad, but the price was pretty good, so I took a chance.

And then.

If you guys think this dress looks borderline dowdy now, you should have seen it when I first got it. My husband took one look, and proceeded to laugh for thirty minutes, give or take. Picture it about 5 inches longer, and firmly in Duggar family territory. Still, nothing makes me want to double down on questionable fashion choices more than my husband’s ribbing. Length issues aside, the dress fit well and had a nice hand-feel (seersucker-ish, perfect for summer). I decided to have the hem taken up above the knee to try to de-dowdy-fy it as much as possible. And there you have it.

At least we’re in hausfrau territory now. I’ll take it.

Here’s a closer look at the details, and my fifty shades of mismatched brown.