Chalet Chic

I almost forgot about this vintage Gap sweater, which is a shame because it’s so good. I got it for my son (I think it’s a kid’s size, it’s marked XL but is very small) last year, and instantly nabbed it for myself. Don’t worry; he wasn’t devastated or anything. But I do need to give it justice and wear it more often. I love how well it pairs with this Zara skirt; the pattern mix and the colours are excellent together. I already miss our early November weather, before the snow hit (because of course it did). It’s such a good time of year, sartorially speaking. You can wear sweaters (I love sweaters ) AND skirts (I love skirts) AND cute non-parka coats (I love those too) which is definitely a very nice trifecta.

Warm and Cool

I’m talking about the colour palette here, not the weather. Historically, I have always favoured cool colours over warm ones. I think it’s because I have a “warm” (i.e. pink and ginger) complexion, and I always feel like cool colours suit me better. But! I have been re-discovering warm colours lately, and enjoying them a lot, especially paired with one contrasting shade from the opposite side of the spectrum. Here, the blue YSL bag (my old favourite!) provides that contrast. I stuck with muted tones in both sides of the spectrum, so they would look cohesive, and I am very pleased with the result.

Geometric Mix

This might be my favourite way to wear this Carven skirt, which is saying a lot because I have enjoyed all my previous outfits very much. I just love the way the oversized polka dots match up with the irregular stripes in the skirt. Again, the colour palette is very cohesive, which is pleasing to my eye. But it’s the pattern mix that elevates this, imo. Is that predictable of me these days? Quite possibly. But hey, I’m all about leaning into your of-the-moment feelings.

Victorian Goth

Speaking of favourite ways to wear things, ditto for this Giambattista Valli x H&M dress. The way the dress is cut makes it a tad revealing in the bust for everyday wear, and this mesh turtleneck is my best (so far) solution. It looks like it belongs with this dress — like, if you told me it was a built-in mesh, I would believe it. I will say that this turtleneck has been one of those unexpected closet superstars in the sense that it has an uncanny ability to transform outfits. It’s just a cheapie one, too — nothing fancy. But if you enjoy a goth/dark romance type of aesthetic, I recommend looking into something like this, especially if you live in a cold climate where layering is de rigueur.

I signed up for my very first Christmas Craft Fair on November 27 (hosted by a local community league) so I have been working madly to add pieces to my inventory. The vendor fee was relatively inexpensive, so I decided to go for it even though I’m not sure that my work (especially jewelry pieces) lends itself to Xmas shopping. But, maybe, people will be tempted to buy for themselves as they’re shopping for their friends and family. I know I do that all the time.

Lately, I’ve been inspired to go back to doing more embroidery and beading. So I have focused on that, along with some embroidery hoops. Here are some of the pieces I made:

Once the craft market is over, I actually have a few commissions to get done. I am so happy to have people ask me to make them special pieces; it makes the work more meaningful somehow. Because of the time-intensive nature of the work, making a profit on these items is almost impossible. I am usually just happy to recoup my material costs, and creating custom pieces means having an extra bit of satisfaction on top of that, knowing my work will be appreciated and worn.

If you are able to, please consider supporting local independent artists and makers this holiday season. They are probably pouring a lot of themselves into their work, for the love of their craft more than anything; and the things you can get from them will be far more special than anything mass-produced. Plus, you will help to keep alive artisan skills and traditions.

Peacock Blue

I recently added this wonderful vintage London Fog wool coat to my winter arsenal, and my only regret is that its colour is impossible to photograph. It’s much more saturated in real life, and a perfect deep turquoise-with-green-undertones. I love it so much, and it really brightens up a grey day. I would love to do a fully monochromatic look with it some day, but finding this exact shade of blue/green is incredibly difficult, it seems, even at thrift stores (where variety is the order of the day, every day). Anyway, I used to be the kind of person who only bought black or neutral coats, but don’t be like me and sleep on the possibilities of a brightly coloured version. I am actually still hunting for a replacement for my old MaxMara camel coat, but in the meantime, I’m having fun with something a little bolder.

Sparkle & Shine

Winter is the season for sequins. It’s not even just the association with the festive holidays; sequins twinkling remind me of sunlight on snow. I hate snow, but I will grudgingly admit that, in the dead of winter (before the melt), it can look very pretty. Probably not rainbow-coloured, but that is where sequins are superior. I did a stripe-on-stripe outfit here, and I was very pleased with it.

Bloomsbury Girl

Hopefully you don’t get whiplash from all the back-and-forth, stylewise, that’s happening here. Some days, though, one craves a little bit of neutrals. Beige doesn’t have to be boring. Okay, it usually is (to me), but I love this Anna Suit crochet top and silk-wool Claude Poitras wrap, so I am making them work. The outfit ended up feeling evocative of the Bloomsbury Group (maybe I’m still secretly obsessed with Living in Squares), which I enjoyed very much. Most of my Bohemian outfits are usually every colourful, but this was a lovely change of pace.

Not So Fast, Buster

… because, yes, back to colour again we go! Candy stripes and abstract faces? Why not. I like that the unifying colour in this outfit is white. White always feels fresh when used intentionally like that. While I probably wouldn’t have worn this outfit at the office, I love that I could wear it at my home office; it makes me happy.