Details: French Connection top, Judith & Charles jacket, Paul Smith pants (all secondhand)

Thoughts: Is there anything more festive than sequins? As much as I love shiny things all year round, sequins for me are a winter item. I don’t know why. Maybe because it’s easier to rationalize or justify wearing them around the holidays in particular. Not that sequins need an explanation but … it does tend to cut down on the “are you really wearing that?” questions. Yes. Yes, I am. Also, this is Sequins Level 1: Pretty Damn Subtle. So if you’re wanting to dip a toe into sequins, this is my suggestion for easing yourself in.

Details: Tabi sweater, Primavera dress (both thrifted), Zara shoes (retail)

Thoughts: I love how these 2 floral patterns — which, for the record, are not the same — look so well matched. One is roses and the other peonies (I think?) but the colours are almost identical. This sweater continue to delight me every time I wear it.

Details: Gap top (thrifted), Dries Van Noten skirt (Poshmark), Danier x Greta Constantine belt (thrifted), Zara shoes (retail)

Thoughts: I haven’t done a “big fashion moment” outfit in a good while, and felt like it was time to flex those muscles again. This used to be one of my favourite skirts; I say “used to be” not because I don’t love it — I will always love it — but because it doesn’t really align with my current aesthetics, so I don’t wear it as often as I used to. That being said, I can always make an exception for it. I decided to go a bit further on a limb with it this time, pairing it with this Y2K Gap shirt; I thought the pattern mixing would be interesting. I also like the green as a colour pairing with the purple. It doesn’t give me “villain colours” vibes, probably because it’s such a light green — it doesn’t have that same badass energy.

Details: United Colours of Benetton sweater, Babaton skirt, Tignanello bag (all secondhand), Clarks shoes (retail)

Thoughts: Pulled this outfit colour story from the sweater, and I am very happy with how it came together. I’m exploring this outfit formula of big sweater+long skirt which isn’t quite within my comfort zone, but does carry a 90s vibe that I quite enjoy.

Details: Joie sweater, H&M skirt (both secondhand), J. Crew shoes (retail)

Thoughts: The infamous Joie sweater! Is it infamous yet? It is to me. I love wearing. I just found a small hole in the sleeve. This damn sweater, I tell you! Anyway, this is Sequins Level 3: Getting Sequinny. I love sequinned skirts; it’s my favourite way to incorporate sequins into outfits in a way that feels “everyday” to me. Your mileage may vary, of course. Again, try it out around the holidays if you’re not sure — it’s much less likely anyone will bat an eye. Unless they’re Scrooge 😉

Details: Gap sweater, Ralph Lauren vest, Tommy Hilfiger jeans, Office London shoes (all thrifted)

Thoughts: This pattern mix somehow feels more festive to me than wearing sequins. Not mad about it, either. I’ve been wearing this vest a lot as an extra layer under my big winter coat (which isn’t super duper warm on its own); it also works as a topper over a chunky sweater for those rare warmer days. I love this particular plaid, but RL has a bazillion different versions in other colours too. I’m wearing a Large which fits a bit on the smaller side, but is perfect for me to wear over thicker layers (like aforementioned chunky sweater) without adding a lot of bulk itself.

Details: Toni T dickie, Pilcro sweater, Nanette Lepore jacket, Cartonnier pants, Emmanuel belt, Manolo Blahnik shoes (all secondhand)

Thoughts: I love purple and yellow together almost as much as purple and green (what I call my villain colours). I think you can almost see the subtle pattern mix happening here; I’m obsessed. Adding this touch of lavender to my wardrobe has suddenly opened up so many possibilities when it comes to colour combinations.

Details: St. John top, H&M crop top, Banana Republic belt, Acne skirt, Poppy Barley shoes (all secondhand), Copper Canoe Woman earrings

Thoughts: It’s been a while since I wore this skirt. It’s a forever favourite, although it has more of a “cool girl” vibe than my current aesthetic. Some pieces have their own strong aesthetic, and there is no point trying to fit them into a different mould. So I pull out this skirt when I feel like going with its flow, rather than vice versa. Here, I made black the accent colour; very happy with the results.

Details: Massimo Dutti sweater, J. Crew shirt, Ralph Lauren skirt, Free People belt (all thrifted)

Thoughts: This is more my usual speed these days; quite a simple formula, but ever so effective. It has a bit of a vintage flair, but I don’t think it looks … gasp … dated. (Not that I would care unduly if it did, to be honest.) That said, there is a difference between not looking dated and looking trendy, and this is not trendy. Does that mean it’s, dare I say it, timeless? I don’t like to use that term because nothing is, strictly speaking, timeless; and I also don’t like the word “classic” because it’s too vague. An outfit like this is, to me, neither trendy (aka a trend of this moment) nor dated (aka the trend of a past moment) but rather floats somewhere in the ether between. Clear as mud? Maybe it should be called trendless …

Details: Vero Moda tunic (swap), H&M skirt (Poshmark), Debew poncho (thrifted), Fluevog shoes (thrifted), Michelle Ross long necklace, Lena Bernard short necklace (both Poshmark)

Thoughts: Speaking of outfits that are trendless … I present you this outfit which I call my High Priestess chic. Something about the silhouette and proportions of this outfit are incredibly appealing to me. I have a love-hate relationship with this terracotta colour; sometimes I love it, sometimes I feel overwhelmed by it. But I think it works here because of the layering of textures.

Details: Wilfred tunic (Poshmark), Zara scarf (retail), Anna Paola bag (consignment), Tommy Hilfiger jeans, Office London shoes (both thrifted)

Thoughts: I was obsessed with this sweater dress for years because I finally snagged it on Poshmark. That was a couple of years ago, and now to be honest, I am less enamoured of it. It doesn’t align all that well with any of my current aesthetics, so I never seem to reach for it. But I still like the colours and colourblocked effect, and it’s very cozy; so for a super casual outfit like this, it works — especially worn as a very oversized sweater, rather than a dress.

Details: COS sweater, H&M Studio skirt (both thrifted), Zara boots (retail)

Thoughts: I decided to pair these 2 pieces because the patterns struck me as sort of similar, with the through-line of orange as a cohesive element. I think it was a successful experiment! I’m glad I went with an outside-the-box pairing, since my default for this skirt would be black and white pieces. I am still figuring out if the skirt is a “forever” piece for my closet, but I am enjoying what it brings to the table at this moment.

Details: Tabi sweater, Ralph Lauren skirt, Fluevog shoes (all thrifted)

Thoughts: I loved this outfit even more than I thought I would, and I knew it would be a good one because I love both of these pieces a lot — separately and, evidently, also together. There is something about pairings of contrasting black-and-white patterns that feels very satisfying to me right now. And, of course, floral and plaid is always a winning pattern mix.

Details: Joie sweater, Tommy Hilfiger jeans, Office London boots (all secondhand), Amaryllis coat (retail)

Thoughts: Winter casual at its best. This sweater continues to disappoint quality-wise (it is already pilling) but it is so fun to wear. As you know, I find colours to be mood-enhancing, especially on cold, grey winter days. The other elements of this outfit are all unqualified successes, though. We know this coat; it’s 6 (7?) years old and still going strong. The jeans are my new go-to — the kick flare is perfect with winter boots. Speaking of which, this Office London pair was a great find. They have a nice, grippy bottom (a mini lug sole) and walkable heel which makes them perfect for errands and outings that don’t involve a ton of outdoor trudging in snow (they don’t have enough insulation for that, though wearing them with a thick pair of socks makes them quite toasty).

Details: H&M dress, BCBG belt (both secondhand), Zara boots (retail)

Thoughts: If you’ve been around for a long time, you know how much I love a “potato sack” dress. They’re so fabulous! And comfortable! And easy to wear casual — full potato mode — or dressed up (half potato? lol). Case in point: add a belt (or harness!) and voila! The bold graphic print of this dress really appealed to me as well, and I think the colour palette offers interesting remixing options from my wardrobe. Picture this with a lavender sweater …

Details: Le Lis top, Holding Horses tunic, Topshop pants, Stuart Weitzman shoes (all thrifted), selfmade necklace

Thoughts: I love this colour palette of muted blues and terracotta brown. I also like the mix of plaid and windowpane patterns — both geometric but different.

Details: Eddie Bauer sweater, H&M dress, Mexx skirt, Geox boots (all thrifted)

Thoughts: I looooooooved wearing this outfit. It was shockingly warm too (I wore a coat over it). Layering the Mexx skirt under the tulle dress — and over some fleece leggings — kept my legs nice and toasty. I also had 3 layers on the top, but the one that really matters is this vintage Eddie Bauer sweater that I adore. This outfit was inspired by a 1980s Ralph Lauren look (what else) and has that Jo March-on-the-prairie vibe that I’ve been loving this year.

Details: Babaton turtleneck, Tommy Hilfiger cardigan, Denim & Supply jacket, H&M pants, Brave belt, Eileen Fisher shoes (all thrifted)

Thoughts: Once again, bringing the prairie/southwestern vibe into the winter season with some judicious layering. What I liked there was the different textures and contrasts — black cotton turtleneck, white chunky knit, patterned jacket. It gives depth and intentionality (is that a word??) to the outfit.

Details: Equipment shirt, Lord & Taylor sweater, Etro skirt, LAMB coat, Office London boots (all thrifted)

Thoughts: I took advantage of some warmer weather to wear one of my lighter winter coats, this fabulous plaid number. I used some of the colours in that pattern — yellow and olive, to be precise — to guide the rest of my outfit-building. It was a bit of a cheat, as I wore this sweater/skirt combo before, but it worked so well in this iteration too.