This post is about … exactly what the title says. With summer (almost) officially over, it’s a good time to look back and assess what outfits struck a chord. You can see patterns — for successful outfit formulas, colour combinations, etc. — and use the information to refine sartorial strategies. I can talk all I want about theoretical concepts like avatars or about aspirational style inspo, but the proof is in the pudding. What do I like to wear?

A quick glance at my Instagram main page suggests my personal aesthetic is all over the place. Colours, proportions, vibes … all just a mad jumble. I used to get very discouraged by this apparent inconsistency, before I landed on the avatar concept which, essentially, embraces the fact that my style has radically different facets (i.e. different personalities). When you drill down, patterns or throughlines do emerge. For summer 2023, I identified 7 “themes”. If I want to super reductive, each theme can be assigned to an avatar — more on that below — but the reality is that outfit-avatar alignment is not an exact thing, and lots of outfits fall on the periphery of the avatar “identity”.

Theme 1: Colour Maximalism

This “theme” has been a constant one since 2020. In the past, it was strongly aligned with the Bohemian avatar, but as the vibe of that avatar has changed, this association has become looser. If the Bohemian vibe this summer was a prairie-romantic one, the outfits above don’t really fit the bill. But in terms of silhouette and ethos, they are still very much “me”. Note the layering in the 2 outfits on the right; the play with proportions; the length of the hemlines. All very Adina.

Theme 2: Boho Prairie

This theme aligns well with the Bohemian avatar, and not just because of the name. It’s a little bit 70s, a little bit arts-and-crafts, a little bit eclectic. Wide leg pants, voluminous (maxi) dresses, funky/organic jewelry, and everything patchwork. The pants silhouette and dress length is something that will carry through into fall and winter, although the plan is to set aside patchwork in favour of plaid, and go with slightly more streamlined dresses. The vibe will also be darker and a bit more goth than folk, if that makes sense.

Theme 3: Romantic Southwest

This also aligns with the Bohemian avatar, and is obviously deeply influenced by my obsession with Ralph Lauren. My goal lately has been to incorporate southwest elements into outfits without going “full cowgirl”. Usually, that means using one (or at most, two) southwest element so it doesn’t overwhelm the outfit. Again, you see that skirts and dresses are my go-tos, usually with long hemlines (though the addition of cowboy boots to my wardrobe is changing things a little bit) — I call that the “romantic” element.

Theme 4: Preppy

I hate the word “preppy” but I am using it here as a catch-all for convenience. This theme aligns with my Historian avatar. Some of the elements that I plan to carry into fall include vests, men’s shirts, “preppy” blazers, fisherman-type sweaters, and short skirts (with tights). As you may have noticed, I don’t wear short skirts a lot; the main exception is academichic-type outfits (like the outfit on the right, above). I think I will also explore a second exception this fall, in the context of my 90s revival obsession — see more below.

Theme 5: Black and White

This has been a theme in my outfits for the past year, and it’s not aligned with any specific Avatar. For example, of the outfits above, the ones on the left and right are Bohemian fits; the one in the middle might be best described as an older version of the Artist (pre Fall 2023). There is no real rhyme and reason to my black and white outfits, other than my delight in, well, wearing black and white as a high contrast, hyper graphic combination.

Theme 6: Monochromatic Minimalism

Not to be confused with the previous theme, this is a softer approach to monochromatism — a limited palette of neutrals, rather than stark black and white. A better name for it might be “minimalist neutrals” but for some reason, I don’t think that captures this vibe as well. This theme is difficult for other reasons too. I think the outfits above clearly share a certain amount of DNA, but they don’t readily align with any avatars. I detect a subtle 90s flavour that is coming through with these outfits, though, so I am going to put them down as the early prototypes (or fringe examples) of my updated Artist vibe. The key notes here are the toned-down colour palette and relative minimalism of the outfit elements.

Theme 7: 90s Revival

Towards the end of the summer, this theme really kicked in and, as I wrote in an earlier post, will be the touchstone of my updated Artist avatar. I am still working through the elements of that — silhouettes, outfit combinations, prints and colours, etc. — so the outfits here are only a small sample of what is to come. But 90s maxi skirts (long tubular skirts, wrap skirts, and/or dark florals) along with baby tees and graphic tees are sure to feature prominently.

Details: Wilfred tank, Talbots skirt, Fluevog shoes (all thrifted), Paloma Picasso bag (Poshmark)

Thoughts: I love this outfit so much. The skirt was a recent thrift find and it has a great 90s vibe; it’s faux wrap and made of linen. Don’t sleep on vintage Talbots, people. The weather is getting trickier by the minute, so I’m glad I had the chance to wear this skirt before the end of the season. The bag is another recent buy; I’ve had my eye on this style for a long time, and patiently waited for a good deal — and finally found it after about a year! I paid about $50 (shipped) and it usually sells for about double that on resale platforms. The design is everything I want in a bag right now in terms of shape, size and functionality, the leather is beautiful, and I love the gold hardware. It’s a Paloma Picasso “signature” element. Last but not least, I love this weird Wilfred tank top that always puzzles people because the image/lettering is mirrored. I flipped the photo on the right so you can see what it actually says. Odd things are my jam.

Details: Revello top (retail), Zara blazer (thrifted), Jessie skirt (thrifted), Dooney bag (Poshmark), Chloe shoes (gift)

Thoughts: Another 90s inspired outfit that I loved. Obsessed with this skirt about as much as the Talbots one above. The material is so soft and flowy, and the black floral is definitely giving me teenage flashbacks. Actually, I think the skirt is a very dark navy, but close enough. This white baby tee is about to get a TON of wear. I bought it from Winners and I have no ragrets because it’s exactly what I need it to be: cropped, tight, and stretchy. The quality is nothing to write home about, but that’s ok. I have so many outfits planned for it.

Details: Emmy Deveaux bodysuit, Issey Miyake skirt, Ralph Lauren jacket, Stuart Weitzman shoes (all thrifted), metal belt (Poshmark)

Thoughts: Taking a page from an old RL runway, this black-with-turquoise-accents outfit has been on my mind for a long time. To make it happen, I’ve been looking for a metal concha-style belt like this for a while. I saw a similar one at Cody & Sioux this summer, but it was $100 and the quality was very meh. I paid $40 for this one on Poshmark and I think the design is nicer too (the quality is so so). I’m happy with it and I think it will come in handy considering my RL obsession is going strong, and Papa Ralph loves a good belt. The original inspo outfit featured a full-length sequin skirt which you best believed that I will recreate come the holiday season; for now, this was a more “subdued” version. This Issey Miyake skirt is always a delight to wear, so no complaints.

Details: Marc Cain top, BCBG skirt, Highline gilet, Kimchi Blue pants, Lena Bernard necklace (all thrifted)

Thoughts: The magpie in me couldn’t resist this sequin BCBG skirt and it was only $3 so I got it even though it’s rather large and also rather too short. Perhaps “even though” isn’t strictly correct because the sizing gave me an idea, and I bought the skirt in order to test it out. Layering! Of course. Sequin skirts are not usually very forgiving, but this one has an elastic waistband and plenty of room in the hips so it went over these pants, no problem. And, surprisingly, it was pretty comfy/easy to wear. I hate fussy layers. I chose this Marc Cain top because I thought the semi-abstract pattern would be a good match for the sequins, and I think I was right. This outfit is a bit Old Skool Adina, but I enjoyed it anyway.

Details: Revello top (retail), LizSport coat, Zara pants, Stuart Weitzman shoes (all thrifted), metal belt (Poshmark)

Thoughts: I called this Sporty Prairie (Spice? lol). I like to take southwestern pieces and mix them with things that have a total different vibe for a sort of “contemporary country” effect. At least, that’s what I call it in my head. I like juxtapositions and weird mash-ups, and I think it keeps things interesting and less likely to veer into costume territory.

Details: Ralph Lauren shirt, Esprit belt (both thrifted), Ralph Lauren skirt (gift), Chie Mihara shoes (swap), Dooney bag (Poshmark), Turquoise necklace (Poshmark)

Thoughts: I cannot get enough of this striped RL men’s shirt — or men’s shirts in general. So nice and breezy to wear in the summer, and wrap-tucking gives it a much more relaxed vibe; literally less buttoned-up, if you know what I mean. As y’all know, I love pairing blue and brown, and this outfit was no exception. I loved it. Again, it has a subtle southwestern vibe, without making me look like I’m ready to go to the rodeo.

Last week, we talked about fall fashion inspo. This week, I’m taking stock of my closet and figuring out what pieces I might want to add to help me bring my fashion board vision to life this season.

White baby tee

If I am going to commit to a 90s revival, I realized that this one is a must. Last month, I thrifted a satin slip dress and that unlocked a core memory for me. I have at least one other dress of a slip type (and it’s plaid!) to make this a mini-trend for my fall wardrobe. I was fully planning to thrift this, but ended up stumbling across the perfect white baby tee at Winners — it must be a sign that the 90s revival has reached full market penetration — and getting it immediately rather than waiting and taking my chances. I know, I know. I really do try to buy secondhand first, but this piece was a top priority for me and I knew, from experience, that thrifting something to meet my specifications (tight-fitting, cropped, cap sleeves, unyellowed) might take a while. I didn’t want a repeat of my white dress saga — still ongoing, by the way.

Black floral slip dress

This goes along with the white tee, but also other outfit formulas I have in mind. It’s something I’ve been low-key looking for since last year. I have some Ralph Lauren inspo saved that features chiffon, spaghetti-strapped, maxi slip dresses, and that’s the vibe I would ideally like to achieve, but I am open to alternatives. I want something vintage ideally, so thrift and Poshmark is where I am looking. I could buy a current iteration of this trend but I would prefer not to. How is this different from the white tee? Well, vintage white tees are hard to come by in good used condition. Quality also matters less to me, to be honest, with a tee; as long as it’s cotton, I’m not too fussy. With a dress, I definitely appreciate the higher quality of vintage pieces over their contemporary versions. Plus, I just like the idea of using an item original to the era when I am reinterpreting and updating that era’s vibes.

Vintage Coach bag

Yep, this is still on my list. I haven’t put a lot of effort into stalking these on eBay or Poshmark because, while they’re easy to find, the prices are ridiculously high these days. I am pinning my hopes on the thrift gods deigning to bless me again. It might be a faint hope, but you never know; one of my friends recently thrifted a 90s Coach bag. The leather ones would be great accessories for both my Historian and Artist outfits. I would love a black, navy, cream or brown one, but I’ll take anything and everything I can get.

Mary Janes

This is not a high priority because I still have my platform loafers that work with the 90s revival vibe, but it’s something I would pick up if the right pair popped up at the right price. The right pair would be black with a chunky sole.

Ralph Lauren teddy bear sweater

Still on the list from last winter. Still looking.

RL fair isle sweater vests

I have a couple of Ralph Lauren fair isle sweater vests but I would love one or two more in different colour palettes. I love sweater vests. This fall, I want to branch out and experiment with pairing them with skirts rather than pants. You know, that Molly Goddard vibe.

Black or grey tiered tulle skirt

This is something I have carefully considered. I have a couple of tulle skirts I like a lot but don’t wear very often. Does adding another one to my closet make sense? I’ve decided it does, although it’s not a top priority item nor something I want to spend a lot of money on. But I think it’s worthwhile as it would serve a few of my avatars, and serve me well with any witchy outfits I might put together this winter. I initially thought black would be the best option, but I am now leaning more towards (warm) grey instead as I think it would be more versatile (i.e. cover a wider range of aesthetics more easily than black).

Full velvet skirt

I think a full skirt in a dark jewel tone velvet offers intriguing possibilities for the Historian and Bohemian avatars. For what I have in mind, it would almost certainly have to be a vintage number. It’s a silhouette I have in a few flavours already but in summer fabrics (cotton and silk) so what I want is a winter version. I’m pretty flexible, though, so I’m putting out this idea into the universe and seeing what is manifested.

What’s on your shopping list this fall?