Bland As Oatmeal

In all my musings about new style horizons and what not, one thing I never really considered was what other people might think about it all. Like, it never even occurred to me to do so, which is actually strange because I’m generally a very self-conscious person. But then a reader asked me last week how people had reacted to my new style, which put the question squarely in front of me. (The answer, by the way, is that no one has really reacted in any particular way. I’m not sure if anyone has noticed and/or cares.) Later, I was talking to my BFF about it, and she described my current aesthetic thusly: bland as oatmeal.

This outfit, I feel, is a perfect representation of that blandness. Like, she’s not wrong, you know? But I love it. One person’s bland is another person’s understated classic.

I told my BFF I was seriously considering re-branding as Oatmeal & Red Lipstick. You have been warned.

(For those playing along at home, this was an Artist outfit.)

Fringe Benefits

Spring has finally arrived. Except that it’s not sure if it wants to be spring or summer. Temperatures are all over the place. I’m not complaining, mind you; at this point, if it’s above zero and non-snowing, I don’t complain. It’s just a wee bit difficult to know what to wear. After 6 long months of winter, I have no idea what “transitional dressing” even means. This was a recent attempt to break away from coats – knit fringe vest, anyone? I was driving down to Calgary to surprise a friend for her birthday, so I needed an outfit that was comfortable for the road-trip, but also suitable for a celebratory dinner. Call it Adventurer with a dash of bling.

Corporate Witch

I rarely do black-on-black, but when I do, I go all out. If the Prince and the Artist had a baby, and that baby was a Ravenclaw who ended up working in a Muggle office (wouldn’t happen but just go with it), this is what she would wear. This obi-style belt continues to be a real winner, even though it’s a bit too close to a corset for my comfort – pun intended. Still, we suffer for fashion, yes? The Rick Owens turtleneck dress is comfortable AF though, which counts for a lot.

It`s the last Friday of the month, so it`s time to talk shop. Or swap. or trade. If there is something you`re looking to buy, or something you`d like to sell or trade, here is your chance to reach out to your fellow BCRL readers.

A reminder of the disclaimers/ground rules for Community Trading:

One, while I believe in the BCRL community, I do not know each of you personally, so I cannot vouch for any person or item. Please use your best discretion, both when buying and trading. While I think this idea has great potential, its success is premised on trust and the honour system – please be fair and respectful of others. If anyone becomes aware of concerns over another poster/reader’s actions, please let me know. I do not have time to police people, but I also don’t want anyone to be using my site to rip others off, so should something of that nature happen, I will shut down these posts immediately.

Two, I would ask that people at least consider international shipping, provided the other party is willing to assume the costs. I say this as a Canadian who often feels shut out of trading sites where the members are predominantly from the US. Of course, I can’t and wouldn’t force anyone to do something they feel comfortable with, but I know there are BCRL readers all over North America (and the world), and I think it would be nice if everyone had the option to participate.

Three, please feel free to include links to specific items you are selling/seeking as long as they are not affiliate ones.

Four, please be clear about the specifics of what you are looking for and/or are offering, including payment, shipping, etc. Alternately, you can include an email address for inquiries, but please note that this would be visible to the public/anyone visiting the blog.

See you in the comments!