Cool Cool

Can I say how much I love this blue-and-green palette? It’s very cool, and while I have been leaning towards more balanced colour palettes lately, this is … well, cool. The coat is one of my new obsessions. It’s the same brand as my pink wool coat (Amaryllis) and it’s a vibrant cobalt colour of which I can’t get enough. The culottes (Vero Moda) are also new and, while I don’t love the quality, I thrifted them for the colour and the style. Cropped culottes have become my go-to pants. I want them in every colour, and I’m well on my way to getting the rainbow.

Technicolour Dream

Speaking of the rainbow, this duster was a dream come true. One of the IG accounts I follow is a local textile upcycler who takes vintage fabrics, including crochet blankets, and re-fashions them into new pieces. I’ve been wanting a granny square blanket coat for a while, and recently I found the perfect material for it — this vintage blanket:

Prairie Trail Goods made it over into this amazing duster-style coat. I am so in love! It’s cozy and colourful and it sparks so much joy. I’ve been wearing it non-stop around the house during these colder days.

Christmas Shine

This was a very subdued Christmas for my family, but we did follow our long-standing tradition of going to my parents’ house for Christmas Day dinner. Although it was bittersweet (we all missed my mom more than words can say), I did want to make an effort for my dad and the kids. So I threw together a low-key festive outfit: a jewel-collar sweater and a velvet skirt, nothing over-the-top but still a little fancy.

Orange to the Max

I guess I became an orange-lover this year. Orange was one of my least favourite colours, for years, and now it seems to be one of the fastest growing categories in my closet. I blame a lot of that on this Zara skirt; it’s a great skirt, and now I keep buying things that “will look so good with it” because, well, one has to. Like this Marimekko x Uniqlo top. Such a fun pairing between the graphic floral print and the oversized houndstooth.

Layers Upon Layers

I would say ’tis the season for layers but, let’s face it, it’s always layering season in my world. I love changing up the proportions of certain clothes by adding layers. Like a pair of culottes under a short(ish) dress. I love this Tory Burch tunic, but it’s quite a bit shorter than my current preference; adding the pants instantly transforms it. Adding the mesh turtleneck also adds a certain je ne sais quoi to the outfit. I almost prefer the neckline modified in this way than the original. It’s funkier and more unusual.

Tulle Makeover

Speaking of transformations by layer, this old Anthro dress — also too short for me now — got its own by the addition of a tulle skirt over it. I couldn’t put it under because the skirt portion of the dress is too tight for that. But this works even better. My favourite part of the dress was always the top, anyway. I could have it altered into a top by a tailor but this “fix” is much cheaper (aka free) and easier.

A Last Hurrah

Don’t get me wrong, this skirt isn’t going anywhere. But it was a last chance to wear it in 2021, as it’s been quite neglected this year. I’ve been adding a bit more magenta to my closet recently, so it was a good time to bring it out and try a new combination. The turquoise accessories really make this outfit for me; I love the combination of blue and pink.

Hope you all enjoyed a nice holiday break, and here’s to having a pleasant start to the year.

Here we are: the final “best of” post for the year. I promise. These posts may not be what y’all are dying to see, but they’re probably better than another gift guide you don’t need, so let’s look on the bright side. Plus, collages are fun, aren’t they? Let’s look at some:

I can’t tell you how pleased I am with how this one turned out; there is nice cohesion amidst all the chaos of colour and patterns.

This is slightly less cohesive, but I loved these outfits too and had to make sure they got featured.

Let’s have a closer look now.

Long hemlines, interesting patterns, texture galore.

Long column skirts, again. A trend you will see over and over. Despite all of the upheavals in my life this year, my closet was strangely not a battleground. There were no sartorial identity crises. I bought and wore things that brought me joy without overthinking any of it too much; it’s funny how consistent my tastes proved to be. Which, in retrospect, was probably not a coincidence. Through everything that happened this year, I have never felt more confident in knowing who I am.

This length of skirts is also, clearly, acceptable.

Layered looks, especially with pants, were also my jam.

More maxi skirts and dresses. Hey, look, my favourite belt!

2021 was the year of colour. My brain craved colour. I still do. In my art and in my clothes, colour makes me happy.

Which is not to say that I don’t enjoy a monochromatic look; though, in 2021, that meant black and white, rather than pure black. I especially like mixing patterns and textures in a B&W palette. Very contrast-y and fun.

But I also had some softer neutral outfits that I quite enjoyed.

Big fan of plaids of all stripes (no pun intended).

Aqua blue, in its various shades, was a big closet trend for me this year.

I had some good “casual” outfits too. Didn’t wear jeans a lot this year (pants, in general, are not my go-to) but I did enjoy culottes of varying descriptions.

These are a bit more of a mish-mash of outfits, but on the whole, pretty reflective of my style this year. Prints and colours ruled supreme.

Last but not least, tulle. Tulle is a great cheerer-upper (not a word, don’t care).

I haven’t tried to analyze my outfits too much in relation to my style avatars, but I think that if I were to do that, they would align quite well. On the whole, because I feel like I have a very good handle on my style, I don’t think about my avatars as often as I used to; I do find it helpful to revisit them once or twice a year, while looking at the seasonal runway collections, in order to get new ideas for colour, silhouette, and pattern combinations. Otherwise, they’re at the back of my mind, but not front and centre if you know what I mean.

I do find that, as the year closes, my closet is in need of some editing. There has been a lot of accumulation lately, and I’m running out of room. The problem is … I like everything. Deciding what to keep and what to let go is harder than in the past. But … that’s a 2022 problem 😉

Happy holidays and a wonderful New Year!

Cozy Reds

I really loved this outfit, even though the colour palette is warmer than my usual. In the past, I’ve tended to stick with blue-toned reds, or poppy red; this brickish shade is a recent discovery. It pairs really well with other warm colours. The outfit is a bit “thrown together” but it’s the colours that pull it all together and make it seem like I made an effort. I love that for this time of year – minimal effort is my only speed right now.

A Little Bit of Nostalgia

The kids call this Twinset fur collar my “lady beard”. It is a name that has stuck (my husband has adopted it) and will likely never go away. Oh well. I still like it. And it seemed like a good match for this Pulp Fiction sweatshirt I thrifted a while back. Now, if I could only find a Moulin Rouge sweatshirt, to go along with this one and the Romeo+Juliet one, my 90s movie nostalgia collection will be complete.

Cat’s Meow

I love doing low-key festive looks, but this is probably more on-the-nose than most. Is there anything more Christmassy than red and green? It’s a combination I usually avoid for that reason, but this pairing is solid. I think it’s because the greens in the skirt are darker shades. Plus, cats! The fact that it appears as though one of the kitties is playing with my sparkly necklace (one of my Xmas presents last year) is just *chef’s kiss*.

Clowning Around

I hate clowns. Hate them. But apparently, I enjoy dressing like one. I was going to suggest that this discovery may lead me to reevaluate my feelings about clowns but … nah. Clowns are creepy forever. But this dress is super fun, even if I can’t quite zip it all the way up. I will have to figure out clever ways to wear this without the back showing. Never fear, I have some ideas.