Street Style

Not gonna lie: this is 100% outside my style comfort zone. I mean, I am comfortable with maxi skirts and leather jackets, but this particular combo is not really in my wheelhouse. I feel it’s what the young kids might call “street style”? I don’t even know. But I do know these marble-print Docs are amazing and deserve more wears that I have been able to give them so far. I thought they would be a cool pairing with the sporty vibe of this Phillip Lim skirt, which was one part of my most amazing thrift haul ever. [More on that later.] I like how it all came together, but I’m still not sure it’s “me”. Oh well, sometimes experimenting is the main point.

Notes: Line sweater (thrifted, $8.50), Mackage jacket (thrifted, $50); Phillip Lim skirt (thrifted, $7); Doc Marten boots (swap, free).

Walk On The Wild Side

I don’t usually buy H&M pieces, even secondhand (their aesthetic doesn’t appeal as much as, say, Zara) but I had to make an exception for this animal print jacquard coat. It’s utterly ridiculous, and utterly fabulous at the same time. I could picture Tilda Swinton wearing the luxe version of it, and decided I needed to have this regular-person version in my closet. I paid $40 for it at the Wardrobe Exchange event which is a LOT for me as a thrifter, but also not really in the bigger scheme of things. I love the swampy green colour the most; truly, if it had been a regular black/tan animal print, I would not have given it a second glance. I also love the shape of it – masculine and slightly boxy – which is hard to capture in photos; you have a hint of it in the righthand photo.

I would love to say that I went all out and paired this coat with some fantastically over-the-top outfit – hello, Bohemian! – but I wanted to wear it to work so … plain black it was. For now.

Notes: H&M coat (secondhand, $40); Theory top (thrifted, $5); Aritzia pants (thrifted, $8); Rafael necklace (eBay, $160); Cole Haan shoes (thrifted, $20).

The Best Outfit

Does this qualify as burying the lede? Because this is one of my favourite outfits ever, and by that reason alone, maybe I should have put it first. However, we can also look at it as your reward for reading this far into the post. Ta da! This represents the pinnacle – for the time being, if I am gonna be optimistic – of my thrifting career. I found a Rick Owens leather vest, friends. After years of searching and hoping and searching and hoping, it finally happened. It was a personal style victory, because RO is one of my most favourite designers, and a thrifting victory, because this stuff is EXPENSIVE AND ALSO WHO THE HECK JUST GIVES IT AWAY?! Ahem. I am very very grateful to that person. Thanks to them, I got to wear head to toe (almost) Rick Owens and I felt like a million bucks.

Notes: Line sweater dress (thrifted, $17); Rick Owens tunic (secondhand, $133); Rick Owens vest (thrifted, $9!!!!); Stuart Weitzman boots (thrifted, $20).

The Artist

I don’t know what it is – the proportions and lines, the arty necklace, the colour palette – but this whole look strikes me as very artistic. I have been struggling a bit to come up with toppers to wear with this amazing Maria Cornejo dress, because the deep dark green colour doesn’t shine next to black. I like the green-on-green happening here, but I think I will need to branch out to some more exciting colour combos next. Maybe lilac?

Notes: Zero + Maria Cornejo dress (thrifted, $19); Elsamanda sweater (thrifted, $8); necklace (thrifted, $5??); Tory Burch boots (thrifted, $20).

Return of Hygge

Last but not least, this is a pretty simply outfit that ended up being a real winner. I love the look of these over-the-knee suede boots (even though I wish there were flats, not heels) but they have a short shelf-life here in Edmonton. I pulled them out for a dinner date to celebrate my husband’s birthday and, sure enough, it started raining that night and the temps dipped below zero. Sigh. But while it lasted, it was fun. This Pringle of Scotland dress has come to be my go-to when I want to show off some leg; the volume and loose fit balances out the high hemline. Also, the geometric print is aces. For warmth, I added a chunky Line sweater (also part of my epic haul) and a knit beanie (not picture). It’s what ya gotta do when you’ve been working from home and haven’t washed your hair, and your husband says “why don’t we run out for dinner”. Hashtag: real life glamour.

Notes: Line sweater (thrifted, $6); Pringle of Scotland dress (thrifted, $8.50); Paco Gil boots (thrifted, $??); YSL bag (eBay, $500).

am not a huge Potterhead, but I recently fell down a rabbit hole of Slytherin-inspired fashion – green and black, cool textures, what more could a woman ask for? – and that’s how I eventually found out about fashion magick. It’s a thing. And apparently I’ve been a witch for some time? Wait, what?

Let’s back up.

As best as I can tell – and, necessary disclaimer, I don’t have any actual witch training – fashion magick appears to be subset of (or possibly another name for) glamour magic. Glamour magic is, simply put, the creation of an illusion. Our contemporary usage of the word “glamour” is somewhat different, but not entirely unrelated. Excuse this brief Wikipedia detour, but I like the quote and wanted to share it:

“Virginia Postrel says that for glamour to be successful it nearly always requires sprezzatura—an appearance of effortlessness, and to appear distant—transcending the everyday, to be slightly mysterious and somewhat idealised, but not to the extent it is no longer possible to identify with the person. Glamorous things are neither opaque, hiding all, nor transparent showing everything, but translucent, favourably showing things.”

Anyway, back to magick. A glamour is a spell or enchantment whose purpose is to manipulate the perceptions that other(s) may have of a person or object. There are various ways to cast a glamour, and various reasons why you would want to do it – some more ethical than others. As best as I can tell from my brief foray into the subject matter, there are 3 key steps to casting a glamour: setting the intention, visualizing the result, and willing it (reinforcing it). You can read more on Tumblr, hah.

Ok, but what about the fashion part? Well, obviously, clothing is a tool that can be used to cast a glamour! Per Gabriela Herstik in an article for i-D Magazine:

“a glamour is being intentional with your style. It’s a way for you to take control of the way you’re perceived. It’s a way to disguise what is beneath. Personal style is exactly what a glamour is – it’s a way for you to shape how others see you.”

Fashion magick is more than just wearing clothes; it’s wearing clothes with intention.

If old school glamour is about “favourably showing things”, fashion magick is about choosing what things to show. I guess standing in one’s closet asking oneself “who do I want to be today” is not just a question of indecisiveness, after all. Speaking for, um, a friend.

Although I am generally a skeptical person when it comes to things that cannot be scientifically measured or proved, I do believe in the transformative power of clothes. In glamour, if you will. All major fashion icons cast glamours over us, the general public. They create a powerful persona – an identity – crafted in large part based on their sartorial presentation. Do we really know who Audrey Hepburn was? No, but we all think we do. Is Tilda Swinton a benevolent alien goddess in exile on earth? No, but I am, like, 97.5% sure of it anyway. These two women might not have a lot in common, but they each had/have a very distinctive personal style. They’re both excellent at that 3rd step of (magickal) glamour-casting — sustaining the image (illusion). Not every fashionable woman in history has done that; some are merely well-dressed – not iconic.

I am obviously not in the latter category – and debatably in the former – but reading about fashion magick has reinforced my interest in dressing with intention. I already think a lot about the language of fashion, so this is right up my alley. The right piece, and the right combination of pieces, delight me in the same way as a beautiful turn of phrase. Not everyone thinks about clothing that way, I know; but I am also convinced that, whether consciously or not, most people are far more susceptible to the messages of the medium that we credit it. Don’t worry, I plan to use my powers (such as they are) for good!

One more thing, to bring this full circle back to glamour. I think there is a common notion that true style – the aspirational kind – is effortless. In fact, part of its perceived merit is tied to effortlessness. French girls, etcetera. I couldn’t disagree more. Yes, as with any art form, some people might have an inherent predisposition, an “eye” for it. But Picasso wasn’t born “Picasso, painting genius”; all great artists work at their craft, and if the results look effortless, then that is just proof of their mastery of the craft. Go back to the definition of sprezzatura – per Wikipedia again, because I’m lazy:

“Sprezzatura [sprettsaˈtuːra] is an Italian word that first appears in Baldassare Castiglione’s 1528 The Book of the Courtier, where it is defined by the author as “a certain nonchalance, so as to conceal all art and make whatever one does or says appear to be without effort and almost without any thought about it”. It is the ability of the courtier to display “an easy facility in accomplishing difficult actions which hides the conscious effort that went into them.’”

It is a studied carelessness – emphasis on studied. Effort is always a very much required ingredient. There are no shortcuts, in style or in magick.

Tell me: do you believe in fashion magick? Have you practiced it (knowingly or unknowingly) and with what results?

Biker Ballerina

It always makes me laugh when r/FemaleFashionAdvice refers to “witchy” anything because, 9 times out of 10, it turns out the person means “wearing a lot of black”. I am sure that practicing Wiccans are tired of the rest of us co-opting their terminology. I admit I’m as guilty as any; I like the idea of looking witchy without really knowing anything about being an actual witch. But! Apparently there is something called fashion magick and, guys, I am about to fall down a rabbit hole!

Anyway, in the meantime, I decided not to call this lewk “Biker Witch” lest I unintentionally cause any eye-rolls in my audience. Tulle = ballerina, right? Are there any ballerinas in the crowd? No? Good. Biker Ballerina it is, then.

All kidding aside, this was a super fun outfit. I layered my distressed, vaguely dystopian cropped sweater over a very boho eShakti dress, thereby changing its vibe entirely. The leather jacket upped the coolness factor (if you ignore my inherent uncoolness, that is) and added some much-needed warmth. Mornings have been so nippy here lately – we’re talking 40F on a good day, sigh. I have to say that this Mackage jacket is the real deal when it comes to warmth; the leather is so thick and there must be some extra insulation built in somehow, because I was nice and toasty.

Notes: eShakti dress (thrifted, $14); Art Point sweater (thrifted, $7); Mackage jacket (thrifted, $50); Clark booties (retail, $60).

Headmistress in Charge

I love this outfit so much even if it looks like a nothingburger on first glance. All the details please me. The crisp white, bejeweled collar. The midi dress that’s comfortable like pyjamas. The subtle herringbone vest. The classic Manolo pumps. I feel like a Woman Who Seems Very Responsible And Boring But Actually Has A Very Interesting Secret Life. I don’t, but I like to pretend that I do. That is the power of clothes, my friends.

Notes: J. Crew top (thrifted, $6); Elizabeth & James vest (thrifted, $18); Ovate dress (thrifted, $8.50); Manolo Blahnik (eBay, $250ish?).

Formula on Repeat

I have worn this sweater + scarf combo more times than I can count, and I never get tired of it. This light mauve/lilac colour is one of my favourites, and I wish it was easier to find because I want more of it in my closet. Can we call this “millennial purple” and get it declared a trend? Please and thank you. The scarf is a couple of years old now, but proof that fast fashion isn’t always crappy quality. The skirt is a recent thrift find and I really dig its design. It’s a faux wrap effect created by the front of the skirt folding back on itself. The fabric is a thick silk with nice weight to it which, hey, I will take over polyester any day of the week. The brand (Crea Concept) was not familiar to me when I bought the skirt, but I trusted my my assessment of the quality and bought it anyway; I’ve since learned that it’s a French contemporary designer brand (for reference, sold at places like Blu’s). Definitely worth the $8.

Notes: Moth sweater (thrifted, $7); Crea Concept skirt (thrifted, $8); Zara scarf (retail, $30ish?); Stuart Weizman boots (thrifted, $19).

Boyish Charm

I’ve worn some version of this outfit before but it still works and why reinvent the wheel? Especially on a Friday. I love the woodsy colour palette; the brown tweed works very harmoniously with the mossy green of the sweater even if brown-and-green is not a combination that often springs to mind. The metallic loafers add just a bit of pizzazz to what would otherwise be a straight copy of the outfit that my husband wears to work every day.

Notes: AllSaints sweater (thrifted, $8.50); Zara blazer (thrifted, $9.50); Aritzia pants (thrifted, $8); Louise et Cie loafers (retail, $35).