Return of Transitional Dressing

I had an epiphany earlier this year: although I am a summer baby all the way, I actually love fall (and spring) when it comes to clothes. Transitional outfits are my jam! So many opportunities for layering! So many exclamation marks! But, seriously, I love fall weather … which is what we have in Edmonton this August. I know some of you may marvel at the things I wear, but we’ve had so many mornings of high-50sF weather – if anything, I am under-dressed. My arms were definitely a bit chilly in this outfit, but je ne regrette rien because how awesome is this vest-blazer? It pairs so well with the velvet dress, toning down the evening-wear vibe. I also took a page from one of my fave Instagrammers (@nitrochique) and layered the dress over a button-down shirt. Me likey!

Notes: Floreat dress (thrifted, $8), For Cynthia top (thrifted, $4); Elizabeth & James vest blazer (thrifted, $18); Napoleoni shoes (thrifted, $6).

Jump to It

Guys, I have finally found a jumpsuit that works for my very long torso! I can now jump on a trend that was hot, like, 5 years ago. Yay. I ain’t mad though, because this Bailey44 number is comfortable like pyjamas, plus has some kind of thigh-slimming magic that I very much appreciate after my vacation indulgences. I threw on a cropped, cute blazer and felt very put together for a day of (fun) errands.

Notes: Bailey44 jumpsuit (thrifted, $17); Rafael necklace (gift); Tabitha jacket (thrifted, $5); AGL shoes (thrifted, $12); Marc by Marc Jacobs bag (thrifted, $20).

Zoo Abstract

Yes, it’s the same vest-blazer again. What can I say, I really dig it. Here, I paired it with distressed jeans and a bright print. Animal prints are not usually my thing, but I like this abstract version by Joie. (Remember, friends: don’t pay retail prices for Joie, it’s not worth it quality-wise; thrift it for a fraction of the price.) The poppy red is one of my fave accent colours, and I went the matchy-matchy route with the shoes.

Notes: Joie top (thrifted, $8.50), AG jeans (thrifted, $9.50); Elizabeth & James vest (thrifted, $18); Madewell shoes (thrifted, $8).

Take Me to The Farmers’ Market

Keeping things simple for a Saturday morning outing with the family – black linen pants (chic and comfortable!), a loose knit sweater (chilly morning strikes again), and some plain black loafers. I added a bit of pizzazz – I couldn’t help it, you know me — with a funky necklace I thrifted recently. I wish it had a few more beads for extra impact, but I like the scale of it and the Pop Art appeal.

Notes: Line sweater (thrifted, $8.50); Boo Radley pants (thrifted, $9.50); Everlane shoes (thrifted, $10); no-name necklace (thrifted, $3.50); Fossil tote (thrifted, $7).

I’ve been flirting with the idea of taking up painting for months, but kept finding excuses not to try. I don’t have space for it. Supplies are expensive. I already have too many hobbies and not enough time. Still, I kept thinking about it. I tried to scratch the itch to create with colour through embroidery and beading, but it didn’t quite work. One day, someone I follow posted a story on Instagram of a picture they spotted at HomeSense. Something about that image drew my eye; it stayed in my mind.

A few days later, I went to HomeSense to see if I could find it, or something similar. I didn’t. Instead, I found a set of acrylic paints, brushes, and some canvases. The universe seemed to be saying something to me.

So I listened.

My first attempt at painting was, ahem, a solid effort.

Ok, fine, it wasn’t much good but I found that I enjoyed the process anyway. For my next attempt, I tried something a little safer: a still life of flowers. I like big, bold swaths of colour so I decided to pursue a primitive style – which, not entirely coincidentally – suits my drawing and painting abilities just fine. I was (and still am) quite pleased with the result.

I decided to get a little more adventurous. This is where I started to learn a bit about layering and building colour. I like to learn by doing, rather than following how-tos, so my lessons are haphazard at best. On the plus side, I find it helps me to develop my own style at my own pace.

Next, I turned my attention to landscapes. Again, with the first try, I was inspired by a picture I saw on social media (and, sadly, didn’t save) but I tweaked it to work with birch trees rather than pines. This was a lesson in building texture, dry-brushing, and layering again. The result was still a bit “naif” but with some decent effects here and there.

Emboldened, I decided to level up again. Here in Alberta, we have beautiful prairie vistas. There is something both simple and incredibly majestic about a flat horizon and huge skies. I thought the latter, in particular, would give me scope to do big, bold things with colour and texture. What I didn’t know … was that clouds (like water) are among the hardest things to paint well. Oops.

Nevertheless, I think this was a solid effort. As a sidenote, this was the first piece I sold! After I posted it on IG, someone contacted me to ask if she could buy it, and since she lived locally, I thought “why not?” It’s wonderful and also kind of intimidating to think of my work hanging in someone’s house.

Anyway, I hadn’t learned my lesson about clouds yet, it seemed, so I leveled up again – to a sunset. Because what could be more fun than an extra dramatic sunset, right? Well, the bloody thing was nearly the undoing of my painting hobby. I lost track of how many layers of paint I went through before I was finally somewhat satisfied with it.

Ugh, no more skies for a while. I think it’s time to tackle some cacti 😛

Have you picked up a new hobby out of the blue? How did it go? Do you prefer to learn by watching/following directions, or by doing/hands on?

Stealing this idea from Xin who always writes the most thought-provoking and interesting posts, not only on fashion-adjacent topics but also everything from law to personal finance. Go check out her blog (Invincible Summer) now if you haven’t already, then come back and find out how I spent some of my shopping budget in the last 12 months.

Age: 39

How much you spent: $2,617 (August 2018 to July 2019)

How much you spent without accessories (shoes, bags, jewelry): $1,794

A Purchase You Planned – For the most part, I don’t plan specific purchases. The closest I get is having a list of designers to look for (whose aesthetic tends to work for me, based on past experience). Possibly the only recent exception has been Rafael Canada jewelry. After I thrifted my first piece, I started researching the designer and quickly fell in love with his work. I compiled a list of “most coveted” pieces using photos I found online, and then proceeded to haunt eBay, Etsy, and vintage seller sites to see if I could find them. All Rafael pieces are handmade and are, in that sense, unique; however, he used certain designs more than once, so it’s possible to find similar pieces. My approach was planned in the sense that I knew which styles I wanted, but I was open to variations in terms of metal finishes and the colour of glass cabochons used.

The main reason why I had to take a more planned approach was price; I wanted All the Things, but I had to budget. Because Rafael pieces are somewhat rare and collectible, the price points can vary wildly; I’ve been lucky to find a few pieces under $100, but most seem to be around $120-$200, with some listed as high as $400+. In the scheme of things (and considering my overall financial situation), my purchases haven’t been exorbitant, but when you’re used to thrift pricing, they took some mental adjustment. That being said, I adore my Rafael pieces, and I consider them more of a collection than a simple clothing purchase.

An Impulse Buy – Almost everything I purchased in the last year can be characterized as an impulse buy. I see, I buy; that’s how thrifting works. You can’t really “sleep on it” because good stuff moves quickly. That being said, if we look at “impulse buy” as something on which I took a risk, then one of the best was the Zara faux leather crop top. I have been loving leather jackets for a few years now, but this was the item that opened my eyes to the possibilities of incorporating leather into my regular outfits outside of outerwear. It was $12, which at the time seemed ridiculous for a secondhand fast fashion brand (and a crop top, of all things), but it was a bargain considering I have already worn it 9 times and counting. Time and again, it has been that perfect finishing touch to an outfit, adding texture and visual interest and generally elevating my style. The cut makes it a great layering piece, which means it works more or less year-round. As I said, it also made me look at leather pieces in a different light. I now have a few leather skirts, a pair of leather culottes, not to mention my beloved Sarah Pacini leather vest, and I believe that my closet is better for it.

Your Favourite Purchase:This is impossible, you know that, right? Picking one favourite thing? Forget it. I can maaaaybe commit to a top 5 … for today. Ask me tomorrow, and it might be something else. What can I say, I love my whole closet. For what it’s worth, today’s top picks would be:

• Aritzia midi skirt – I wear this every other week, it seems. I just love everything about it, and it’s super comfortable to boot. I paid $13 for it, and the cost per wear is already well under $1. It’s a wardrobe staple for me.
• Dries Van Noten floral dress – If money were no object, I would be a collector of Dries’ beautiful creations. As it is, I feel very fortunate to have been able to find this gorgeous dress on eBay for a reasonable price (not cheap, but it’s all relative). Every time I wear it, it feels like a treat.
• il Sander blazer – I’ve found a ton of awesome blazers in the past year, but this one inches ahead of the rest on quality alone. It’s a wool cashmere blend, and it feels like heaven. It’s also a classic colour and design, so it’s one of those unicorn timeless pieces that fashion magazines always tout; I can see myself wearing this for years to come.
• YSL plaid skirt – This skirt just brings me so much joy whenever I wear it. And I don’t even like plaid that much! Or, at least, I didn’t until I found this skirt. Now, I’m reconsidering my stance. This skirt is the best kind of vintage; it still looks so cool and modern, plus is a bit of fashion history. It was $13 at Value Village and, honestly, I would cry if anything happened to it.
• Cartonnier fur collar coat – I don’t know what it is about this coat, but it makes me feel like such a bada$$ every time I wear it. I am … the opposite of cool and deeply aware of it, so this is quite the sartorial magic, you guys. It’s also the kind of coat that I can slap onto any outfit, and it just works. Like, I said, MAGIC.

Honourable mention to all my Rafael Canada pieces, but I decided to keep them off this list because I already talked about them above.

A Purchase you regret – There are ** items I purchased in the last year which I’ve decided to pass on (sell, donate or swap). That sounds like a lot (and it is) but keep in mind that almost all of these pieces were thrifted and I should be able to recoup a decent portion of my out-of-pocket costs. (In some cases, I already did through the pop-up clothing sale back in March. Will be doing the same event again in September.) So in terms of actual regret, I have little.

A Purchase you regret not making – Nothing comes to mind. Probably not surprising, given how much I buy.