It’s been a while since I’ve done an Adventurer-inspired outfit, and these recently thrifted faux leather shorts gave me the push I needed for it. Initially, I tried to do a sort of “hypebeast”/streetwear inspired outfit, which as you can tell from my inability to even use the right reference language, was doomed to fail because that’s not really my wheelhouse. It did get me thinking about what “effortless” means to me in the context of clothing, which is a post for another day. Instead, I decided to challenge myself to style these shorts in a way that better suits my aesthetic. Even if the result is less trendy or cool, this felt like “me” and not a costume. Plus, any chance to wear my Jo March vest makes for a good day in my books.
Starry Night
I have been obsessed with a star-print Valentino dress for what feels like ages, though in reality it’s only been about a year or so. I have been unsuccessful in hunting down the original, so I recently caved and bought this Target dress as an experiment. It checked off most of the relevant boxes: the length (maxi), the feel (dark boho), the fabric (it has a poly chiffon-like overlay which gives it the right amount of floatiness even if not the ideal quality), and the print (not too big, not too small, not too regular). And, honestly? Other than the quality, I really like this dress. For $20, it fills this star-print dress-shaped hole in my closet really well. And I love wearing it and playing around (creatively speaking) with it. I can think of so many ways I want to wear it, especially heading into fall/winter. The best part is that I can wear it to work, considering my WFH situation, so bring on the dark fairytale outfits!
Formula Repeater
I am very fond of this particular wrap/belt combo so here it is again over a different dress this time. If it ain’t broken, etc. It works so well with the arty flair of the dress, adding texture and some subtle visual interest without competing with the bold print. And it’s a nice way to ease into transitional dressing, which is just around the corner for us.
Last week Monday was National Thrift Shop Day, but that’s pretty much every day around here. There are many reasons why I love to thrift, and I am fortunate to live in a place with a thriving thrift scene. Even as popularity of thrifting has surged in recent years, stores are still overflowing with inventory and plenty of cool finds. If you follow some of my fellow Edmonton thrifters, you know I am not an exception; I am constantly marveling at the neat things that others find, and it motivates me to hunt for my own treasures.
This is probably as good a segue as any into looking at my best thrift scores from the past month.
Y3 Adidas bag
I wasn’t too familiar with Yohji Yamamoto’s Adidas collab, but then a funny coincidence happened. A few days before my thrift visit, while out for a walk in our neighbourhood, I saw someone carrying a backpack with the Y3 logo. Out of curiosity, I googled it once I got home, and that’s how I learned about the line. So when I spotted the Y3 logo on this bag at the thrift store days later, I immediately went for a closer look. Even though it’s a mass market collab, you can tell from the quality of leather and stitching that it’s pretty good quality. I researched a bit and found out this was a bag from 2007 – and I was even able to find what I think is a picture of it from the runway. Pretty neat, eh?
GAP Rainbow Heart sweater
I am low key collecting GAP rainbow stripe sweaters (I have 3 soon to be 4 others) so I was pumped to find this version. I don’t typically wear stripes but there is something so cheerful about wide stripes in rainbow colours that I find hard to resist. They also provide a nice, graphic contrast to many pieces in my closet, and add just a touch of whimsy that doesn’t feel too twee for me.
Jimmy Choo shoes
Not my first time thrifting Jimmy Choos, but always exciting to find a pair in my size. I like that these are more of a kitten heel; if and when I got back to the office, they will be part of regular rotation. Jimmy Choo and Manolo Blahnik are my two fave designer shoe brands for looks and comfort. This pair was almost brand new, with a portion of the original Holt Renfrew sticker still on the sole; while I did pay up a bit ($25), it was still a great deal.
Zara crop top
Not all my favourite finds are designer. This Zara crop top is a case in point. I spotted it a while back at VV, but balked at paying $10 for it. But it haunted me. I even looked it up on Poshmark, only to realize that it would cost more. So, I went back the following week and, luckily, it was still there. I paid the ten damn dollars and have no regrets. I have a feeling this will be one of those “surprise” super versatile pieces that I will be happily styling for years.
Tulle skirt
Ok, yeah, not the most versatile piece. But I am obsessed with tulle skirts at the moment, and this one makes me so happy. My dream is to some day own a fluffy Dior or Comme des Garcons tulle skirt, but in the meantime I will happily take this Boohoo version for $6.50 and play around with it.
MCM candle holder
This on the other hand, was something I grabbed so fast, your head would have spun if you saw it. I’ve been looking for a MCM candle holder exactly like this one for ages, after seeing it on a vintage reseller’s Instagram. They resell for $200CAD and up, which was more than I could justify, so I had kinda resigned myself to never getting one. Plot twist! I have never had much luck in the candle aisle before, especially at Goodwill, so this was a huge and pleasant surprise. I paid $15 and I couldn’t be happier.
Eileen Fisher top
I haven’t thrifted Eileen Fisher for a while, as my local stores have started marking up prices on this brand a lot. Most EF pieces I see are rather bland, and I don’t want to spend $20 and up for plain basics like that. But while technically plain, I guess, this tunic top is anything but boring so it was worth the $15 price tag. I love velvet – always feels so luxe – and the silk side panels (not visible here, sorry) are a nice detail.
In other news, this past month I finally starting experimenting with the Poshmark app (as a buyer) and I think I may need to do a whole separate post on that experience because it’s been … interesting. Stay tuned.
I have been hunting this Babaton skirt for ages, both in thrift stores and on eBay. I finally found it recently on Poshmark. Paid up for it too (about 50% of retail value, which is high for a secondhand item that’s not designer but Aritzia tends to be like that), but no regrets. I have the same skirt in black, so I knew it had all features I wanted in a gold pleated skirt. And it looks so good in real life: not too brassy, just the right amount of shine. I was hoping these shoes would be a closer colour match, but it’s okay – I like the mixed metals look too. Normally, a safe pick for me would have been a black top to complete the outfit but I’m glad I went with this cream sleeveless knit top; after all, gold goes with everything so why not experiment?
Cropped Lengths
Speaking of experiments, this was QUITE outside my comfort zone. High waisted skirts are one thing but pairing a crop top with jeans? Intimidating. However, these Madewell jeans have a very high rise, which manages to cover a good chunk of my (very long) torso. Thankfully, my abs were no required to make an appearance. This is probably one of the trendiest outfits I’ve worn recently, or at least it feels that way to me. It doesn’t fit nicely within any of my style personas which is probably why, while fun to wear, it was less comfortable of an outfit for me than usual. Maybe if there was more black involved, hah!
Hearts & Rainbows
This is more comfortable, on the other hand, as an extension of my Bohemian avatar. Plus, as you know, I am obsessed with rainbow sweaters. This is a recent addition to my Gap rainbow sweater collection, and I love that it’s a heart. I went for a maximalist vibe with a loud plaid. Some days have been getting colder temps, so I feel like a return to “transitional dressing” is just around the corner. Sartorially, I am ready! Mentally, not so much. I wish we could hang on to summer as long as possible, especially this year. Sigh.
