So, I haven’t done a monthly work outfit recap in a while; mostly because life happened, and I got out of the habit of it, after which my natural laziness just prevailed. I also feel like my current style evolution being what it is, there is less material to showcase. I am now much more likely to repeat outfits, or outfit formulas, which does not make for particularly interesting blog fodder. I also work from home a lot more often, which means fewer outfits overall. But, really, this is not so much an explanation as an excuse for my laziness, which I plan to continue indulging when it comes to the blog #sorrynotsorry

I decided to make an exception today because April was the first month following my recent epiphany/ paradigm shift regarding personal style, and I was curious to see how that ended up being reflected in my outfits.

I will say that, with the significant uptick in the time I spend on other hobbies these days, outfit planning has taken a huge step down in my list of priorities. I still plan my outfits in advance – simply so I don’t have to think about them in the mornings before I rush off to work – but I spend less time doing so. Overall, I think there is less active creativity involved, but I also feel like the individual clothes are now doing most of the heavy lifting in terms of creating the image/expression that I want. In other words, it’s less about me expressing who I am through the combination of clothes I put together, as much as through the clothes I buy in the first place. Does that make sense?

Anyway, here are my outfits for April:

The most noticeable differences for me are: (1) a much stronger sense of cohesiveness; and (2) All The Pants! There is also a much narrower colour spectrum represented in these outfits, fewer prints, more oatmeal. In fact, the outfits I like best are probably the blandest of all. I would guess that compared to, say, a month from 2016, there would be a pretty stark contrast. I can also see why a lot of people would say that they preferred my old style. Alas, since this is a personal style blog and not a marketing tool, we shall carry on with the current mandate. In the long run, I can see this space becoming less about my outfits and more about other style-adjacent (or not so adjacent) interests of mine. Which, I think, is natural in the scheme of things.

This week marks what would have been the 8-year anniversary of the blog, if I were still keeping track of things like that. That makes it one of the longest relationships of my life, which is pretty cool – especially considering that some of you have been here from the beginning. Thank you for that, by the way. Blogging has been going the way of the dodo for a while now, if you go by what the social media pundits are saying, but it doesn’t actually look to be giving up the ghost any time soon. So who knows what the next 8 years will bring? It’s been an interesting ride so far, and I’m sure it will continue to evolve in newly interesting ways.

Got predictions for the future of blogging? I’d love to hear them. Got requests for stuff you’d like to see on the blog? Let me have those as well 🙂

For background/context, please read this post.

The Bohemian (casual/fancy)

Key words: bold, assertive, idiosyncratic, DGAF

Vibe: boho, quirky, comfortable, dramatic

Style notes: sack dresses, chunky knits, bold colours/prints, bold accessories

Favourite colours: all of them

I struggled the most with the name of this avatar (more so than even the Artist), and I am still not entirely satisfied with my choice. Old Lady Who Doesn’t Give a F***k doesn’t quite trip off the tongue, though it captures the spirit better. The “old” is most certainly not a pejorative here, and it’s intentional. First, we have discussed at length my stereotypically grandma-ish hobbies and interests. Second, I find that age is a bestower of confidence, especially for women; it’s the trade-off for all those dewy perks of youth. And there is nothing more powerful than a woman with experience, who is not afraid to stand her ground.

The Bohemian is my inner badass. She doesn’t care what people think; she doesn’t cater to the male gaze. She will wear whatever she damn well pleases. She is a little bit ornery, maybe, but also has a great sense of humour. Experience has made her more generous – to herself and others. Everyone should feel happy in their own skin!

My icon? The legendary Iris Apfel of course.

And here is some of my inspo:

And some past outfits that kinda fit here (it’s a work in progress):

This concludes my series detailing my new perspective on personal style. I have been working within the parameters of my 4 characters for about a month now, and I am starting to see progress – in my closet, in how I feel in my clothes day-to-day, in my overall attitude. I feel like my wardrobe is much better aligned with my inner sense of my current self. I have re-discovered the joy of getting dressed, and feeling like I’m coming out of a rut I didn’t even know I was in.

What I like about this approach is that it avoids the pitfalls of trying to define your style within certain pre-determined aesthetics. Like “preppy chic” or “boho” or “classic” or whatever. What does that mean? Those categories are so generic and amorphous. Meanwhile, really specific aesthetics (“corporate witch going on a space journey”, or whatever) are too constrictive and one-dimensional, at least to me. Style is dynamic and reactive; my avatars are the embodiment of that. Some days, the Prince might be feeling a bit dark; other days, he might feel sassy – leopard print pumps, anyone? But the spirit, the inner core is consistent and it establishes guidelines that are clear yet flexible. I can ask myself: would the Prince (or the Artist, or the Adventurer, or the Bohemian) wear this? And I instantly know. Sometimes, I wish I didn’t because it means having to leave behind cute pieces. But I have also been having fewer purchase regrets.

If you have been following along, I would love to hear your thoughts. Have you considered what your style characters or avatars might be? Are you interested in this kind of experiment? And if you have tried it or are trying it, how did/is it coming along?

Quick programming note: a new Community Trading Post will be going up on the blog on Friday, so if there are things you are looking to buy or sell, this will be a chance to get your stuff out there.

For background context, please read this post.

The Adventurer (casual/off-duty)

Key words: adventurous, confident, inquisitive, cocky

Vibe: androgynous, utilitarian, comfortable

Style notes: Scandi chic, dash of safari, knits, jeans + leather jacket, boots

Favourite colours: olive, mustard, denim/blue

The Adventurer is my tomboy side, coming back to life after a thirty-year dormancy. (Can you believe I used to be a tomboy? True story.) To be fair, this has been my go-to vibe for casual weekend wear for ages now – I’m just refining and fully embracing it. The Adventurer, as the name suggests, likes to roam and hunt for treasure – which is one way of looking at weekend errands, mom duties, and thrifting. There is a hint of safari in the Adventurer’s aesthetic, but he is rather more at home in the urban jungle than the wilderness. He is the Prince, incognito, gone on a modern day Grand Tour – metaphorically speaking, of course; most of my roaming is of the literary sort. In spirit, if not in sartorial matters, there is more than a dash of this guy:

As I mentioned, this is one persona whose style I have been perfecting for a while, but in browsing online for inspo, I realized there a couple of new directions I might explore here. Some ideas:

And some of my past outfits that fit this aesthetic/avatar: