I’ve been wanting a sleeveless blazer like this one for a good six months at least. At the beginning of the year, when I went through my Club Monaco phase, I had my eye on one of their pieces, but the price never dropped enough to meet my budget requirements. The thrift store didn’t yield any likely options either, so I put the search on the back burner … where it sat until a few weeks ago when I stumbled on this number at my local consignment store. It was on the very last rack I checked that day, too. Do you sometimes get the sense that there are clothes out there looking for you? No? You don’t anthropomorphize your clothing? Well, alrighty then.

I have a million ideas for this blazer (vest? vest blazer? blazer vest?) and there were no particular intention behind making this the inaugural outfit except that I had planned to wear this dress to work, and I hadn’t yet chosen a topper. Outfit kismet! I love the silhouette, definitely not the same old, same old for me.

For those interested, the blazer is from Zara. It’s probably at least a couple of seasons old, seeing as it made its way through to a consignment store. I am pleasantly impressed with the quality (I bought it for looks in the first place); it’s polyester, but the kind that looks and feels more expensive than it is. The tailoring is quite good; on par with the Club Monaco version I had earlier considered. It’s probably a piece that can be found on eBay with a bit of luck. (For sizing reference, I am wearing the Small and it fits very well.)

… and I cannot lie. Just kidding. No, really; I’m actually kidding because I don’t like bows all that much. Not anymore, in any event. But I am keeping this Eva Franco skirt around because I always get a ton of compliments when I wear it. I’m shallow, what can I say. It’s a good thing that it looks so cute, because the fit and the quality are rather underwhelming. The ____ fabric is on the fragile side; the kind that starts falling apart at the seams way too early. The fit is really weird. This is a size 2 and fits like a loose 6, perhaps even an 8. I had to pin the waistband a bit in the back to make it sit closer to my natural waist, which is annoying. The bow is placed exactly down the middle of the skirt, and I can’t quite tell if it’s intended to be asymmetrical or if the skirt is twisting away from its lining in a strange fashion. I probably should have been pickier when I bought it (at my local consignment store) but … eh, it’s cute. Still, consider all this your warning if you’re inclined to chase it down online.

The top is a bit of a compromise too. It’s (thrifted) H&M and the quality is so-so, but I love the colour and the plain style. I want the same top in each one of my core wardrobe colours … in a sturdy, non-transparent silk … please and thank you. Sigh. I’ll probably never find these magical tops, so I’ll settle for this one in the meantime. It’s a great basic for a lot of my statement print pieces. Big bow or not.

Sometimes, an outfit finds you. I got this top and these jeans on the same visit to my fave consignment store. The top is RW&Co, which is not a brand I usually buy, but I loved its aesthetics (picnic chic and all), especially that soothing blue/grey colour palette. To be honest, though, the deciding factor was how good the top looked with these jeans. Speaking of which, white denim that is not remotely see-through? Yes, please! I had given up on finding such a thing, but these Frame skinnies are the real deal. They are relatively high waisted too, which is a nice bonus; like new, they set me back under $40. Gotta love consignment.

I have already worn this outfit a couple of times on weekends, and since each piece is independently versatile, you’ll be seeing a lot of both this summer. White jeans, in particular, have been something of a summer closet staple for me in recent years; I have to keep them away from the kids, but for the most part, I’ve managed to keep them spill-free with relatively little effort. Well, I probably just jinxed myself. It was a good run.