Someone mentioned that this outfit reminded them of a sunset, and I can totally see that – which makes me love it even more. This homemade skirt continues to be one of my best thrift finds, and I will not stop singing its praises; I love the colours and the muted rainbow pattern – it’s such a cool fabric. But this sweater is no slouch either in the looks department. Together, they make for one lovely silhouette. It’s the epitome of Adina 2020 Style.
Black, White and Red
I can never resist pairing a black-and-white piece of clothing with red shoes. Sooner or later, it happens. Maybe not right away; but eventually and inevitably. There is something so satisfying to me about that combination. But what really makes this outfit is that Gemma Redux necklace I scored on Poshmark. It’s a most unusual design (kinda like the dress – I tried to show the back this time but it’s still impossible to capture all the details) and the colours are perfect. Here is a close-up:
Funky Time
Is this skirt a little bit ridiculous? Of course. Camo and cars … what in the world? But I personally love its randomness, and I leaned into its slightly chaotic energy by adding yet another pattern into the mix – stripes. In the interests of full disclosure, I was influenced in that regard by the skirt waistband, which is a blue-and-orange striped band; whenever possible, I like to use the original design as a cheat sheet for pattern mixing. This is not a look I might attempt at the actual office, but it’s one that cheered me up immensely at my home office. That being said, if I ever do go back to the real office again, I would totally wear this skirt, albeit with a black sweater most likely. Talk about a conversation starter!
I’m obsessed with this matching top-skirt set. It’s from a Canadian brand, Kaliyana, whose general vibe is a more boho Eileen Fisher. This is very parachute-chic and I love it. The brushstroke print is cool, as are the design details – asymmetrical shirring on the top, interesting volume and draping on the skirt not to mention the three (3!) pockets. It’s also hella comfortable. Honestly, what more could I ask for? This is probably peak WFH style, and while I would miss all the creative expression that styling different pieces brings me, there is something to be said for a matching set that does all the work for you.
Different Lengths
As you guys know, I’m a ride-or-die for midi skirts. But once in a blue moon, it’s fun to try something different. In this case, a mini skirt. And not just any mini skirt, but one paired with sexy over the knee boots. Ooh la la! Too bad I had nowhere to go except a virtual brunch with friends. The boots, alas, came off as soon as the pics were taken. But a girl can dream, right? Anyway, the rest of the outfit was solid on its own. I love this darkened teal Carven skirt I lucked into thrifting not too long ago, and the colours works so well with the overall palette of this Wilfred sweater (a current fave). I’ve been slowly adding more aqua/teal back into my wardrobe — it used to be my fave colour and then I stopped wearing it at some point in my early 30s — and it’s sparking so much joy. There is something very invigorating about wearing a colour you love.
Waspish
My dresses have been terribly neglected lately so, out of guilt, I decided it was time to wear one. I wants to keep things fairly simple and somehow ended up with this waspish ensemble. I dig it. I was gonna make a joke about murder hornets but, honestly, we’ve been through enough in 2020 and I don’t want to even go there. Let’s just pretend they’re not a thing anymore.
Can you believe it’s December already? I can’t quite wrap my head around doing the usual year-end posts but … maybe? Meanwhile, if there’s a topic you’d be interested in reading a post about, let me know.
Another quarter has flown by, and here we are with the FabFitFun Winter 2020 box. I believe this is my 8th (!) box, and the last one of my second annual subscription. As much as I sometimes gripe about my experiences with FFF, I won’t lie – it remains a fun splurge/distraction, especially this year, so I expect I will re-sub in the new year.
FFF has moved to more environmentally friendly packaging, which I appreciate. I will miss the fun designs of the old boxes. I still have a few of them, which my daughter uses to play with her dolls.
This time, I only got one item from the Add On sale. I am running low on my R&Co shampoo/conditioner (a previous Add On purchase), and needed to replenish. I used to buy all my shampoos and conditioners at Winners – whatever was cheap and looked/smelled nice. My hair isn’t fussy and, honestly, I have never felt much of a difference once I moved past drugstore brands. These days, saving myself a trip to Winners is worth it. Anyway, I was planning to buy more R&Co, but the sets they had in the Add On sale were for curly hair so I hesitated. Then I saw this set, and was instantly sold. I received the hand cream from the same brand in a previous box, and I am OBSESSED with the smell. It’s fruity and medicinal at the same time, which sounds odd, but I can’t get enough. So, yeah, I bought this set for the smell alone. It was under $20CAD, I think. It works fine for me. Sadly, the smell dissipates almost immediately but it makes for a pleasant shower experience.
I wasn’t taken with any of the other options in this tier, so I chose these Mukluk socks because I thought they would make the best gift. They look really nice, so I debated keeping them, to be honest.
Retail value: $25USD
I don’t typically buy cooking utensils because I don’t spend that much time in the kitchen, but I thought these would come in handy. In the past, we’ve used wood chopping blocks and we always seem to damage them somehow; hope these are sturdier.
Retail value: $20USD
I really liked the Jenny Bird bracelet I got in my last box, so I decided to give jewelry another try. Plus, I figured that you can’t go wrong with some plain, classic studs like these. I recently lost/misplaced my last pair of CZ studs so it was a timely selection.
Retail value: $68USD
Another slightly out of character choice for me – I have a big head circumference and most headbands pinch me so I don’t bother – but I was swayed by the fact it’s the brand that all the cool girls wear on IG (or did? I have no idea if this is still trendy). Anyway, I have only briefly worn this to date, and it seemed fairly comfortable. If I don’t end up using it, I know my daughter will.
Retail value: $49USD
This was my top pick because (a) I have wanted to try Caudalie for a long time, and (b) I am running out of moisturizer and my skin is feeling the effects of winter weather plus the dreaded maskne. This smells and feels divine, although I haven’t used it long enough to reach a verdict.
Retail value: $39USD
This was one of 3 FFF Picks, and a bust for me. I don’t need something like this. It looks nice, though, so I will re-gift it. I really wanted the pimple patches that were the alternate option in this tier; it’s disappointing that we don’t get to pick for ourselves the last 3 items.
Retail: $35USD
Another miss – I don’t wear eyeliner. I’m pretty sure I indicated “no makeup” in my original FFF survey. Sigh. I will be gifting this to my SIL.
Retail value: $21USD
Now this, I was intrigued by. Not something I might have picked for myself, but I am interested in giving it a try and seeing if it helps with my winter skin problems.
Retail value: $20USD
Overall, I’m pretty happy with this box and, again, the surprise factor is always fun. Since I am cutting out non-essential public visits for the next while, it’s nice to be able to feel like I’m getting some pampering without leaving the house.
