That’s life, right? I loved this Floreat dress as soon as I laid eyes on it, which must explain how I managed to overlook the fact that it’s definitely not built for my hips. Alas. It would have been a lovely fall/winter piece, but it’s now in the blog shop waiting for a new lease on life. The coat, on the other hand, was a good buy. I remain skeptical of its quality, but for $8, I have no doubt that I will get good value out of it — even if it’s only for one season. And speaking of good value, yes, those are the same Clarks ankle boots I have been wearing non.stop for the last month. They certainly have a certain air of “granny” chic, but I dig it. They’re undoubtedly comfortable, though. Granny would approve.

One of the first things I did when I got this kimono-style jacket home was pin it close, like so, with my feather/leaf brooch. I like how the design of the brooch echoes the pattern of the jacket, and the whole thing has a utilitarian purpose too: the jacket fits loose, so it looks sharper when closed. I thought this was a nifty alternative to belting it (which I’ve done before).

There isn’t much more to say about this outfit — the jacket is a lot of “look”, so the rest of the ensemble inevitably has to be pretty simple. I did go with blush pink shoes, rather than black, for a bit of variety (and because these pretty Prada pumps don’t get nearly enough love). The result was very “lady who lunches” but … they say that one should dress for the job one wants, yes? Haha #justkidding

Isn’t this *such* a fall outfit? Blame it on the autumnal palette, plus the fact that I’m wearing a wool coat. A beautiful wool coat (thanks again, Nicole!), but a coat nonetheless. Our erratic weather patterns continue, but the mornings have remained decidedly cool. And getting darker by the day, which means that I will have to bid adieu to the garage door, and say bonjour to the basement dungeon soon. For those of you who are newer readers … well, you will find out what I mean by that shortly.

But enough lamenting from me, how did the rest of the outfit look?

Pretty good, if I say so myself. The skirt is ancient — and, in truth, infrequently worn (speaking of “quintessentially fall” pieces) — but I still enjoy it. I know the Queen of Spain is a big Hugo Boss fan, and I believe she once wore a dress of the same pattern; it always makes me feel extra fancy when I do wear this skirt. The blazer and top are thrift finds from earlier this year, both of which are quickly becoming wardrobe staples. I highly recommend the blazer, by the way — it’s comfortable and has a decent weight (for anyone else living in a cold climate), and I find it elevates my black/monochrome pieces in a way that a plain, black blazer doesn’t. The brand is Cartonnier, and I believe this style was called “Dashes”, for those who are interested in some eBay/Poshmark stalking.

Note: BCRL was recently awarded the first runner up spot for Best Fashion Blog in Vue Weekly’s Best Of Edmonton 2016, based on votes cast by Edmontonians. I am extremely happy and humbled, and would like to thank all of you (local and overseas peeps) for reading and sharing your love of fashion with me.