Style Avatars, Part Three: The Adventurer

For background context, please read this post.

The Adventurer (casual/off-duty)

Key words: adventurous, confident, inquisitive, cocky

Vibe: androgynous, utilitarian, comfortable

Style notes: Scandi chic, dash of safari, knits, jeans + leather jacket, boots

Favourite colours: olive, mustard, denim/blue

The Adventurer is my tomboy side, coming back to life after a thirty-year dormancy. (Can you believe I used to be a tomboy? True story.) To be fair, this has been my go-to vibe for casual weekend wear for ages now – I’m just refining and fully embracing it. The Adventurer, as the name suggests, likes to roam and hunt for treasure – which is one way of looking at weekend errands, mom duties, and thrifting. There is a hint of safari in the Adventurer’s aesthetic, but he is rather more at home in the urban jungle than the wilderness. He is the Prince, incognito, gone on a modern day Grand Tour – metaphorically speaking, of course; most of my roaming is of the literary sort. In spirit, if not in sartorial matters, there is more than a dash of this guy:

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As I mentioned, this is one persona whose style I have been perfecting for a while, but in browsing online for inspo, I realized there a couple of new directions I might explore here. Some ideas:

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And some of my past outfits that fit this aesthetic/avatar:

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What I Wore: April 5-13, 2018

Variations on a Theme

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Does it count as a “power outfit” when it’s a simple sweater+pants combo? For years, I gravitated towards clothes that were interesting because of their prints or eye-catching colours; I am now enjoying more subtle details, like the shape of these sweaters, their texture, their plain unadorned-ness. A part of me is concerned that this aesthetic evolution is going to put an end to any pretensions that I may still have as far as being a style blogger. These outfits might read as rather “blah” and repetitive as blog fodder, but they feel perfect to wear. I think I look good in them, but they are not outfits that call attention to themselves in any way. Again, that’s great for real life … perhaps less so for a blog.

Leaving blogging conundrums aside, let’s talk a bit more about the pieces here. I ended up adding a couple of bracelets to the first outfit, to join my fave Alexi Bittar earrings (which you can’t see). One chunky bracelet, one delicate one. As I mentioned on Instagram, I have been very inspired by Iris Apfel lately, so I have been exploring chunky jewelry. The funnel neckline is my favourite part of the sweater so I didn’t want to detract from it with a necklace or even a brooch; a chunky bracelet (silver-grey) seemed like a good bet. I added a thin, gunmetal-coloured rhinestone loop bracelet to the other wrist as a juxtaposition. Sadly, I wasn’t able to take photos of my wrists, so you will have to take my word for how cool it all looked.

The sweater in the second pic is another recent thrift find. I adore the greyish green colour; it’s a kind of foggy, washed out celadon. I have no idea if it’s a most flattering shade for my complexion, but it’s incredibly soothing, so I love wearing it. I added my fave MaxMara chunky necklace, of which I am sure Iris would approve.

Winter Casual, Redux

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Winter is a terrible guest this year; it simply won’t go away, no matter how many hints we all drop that it’s time for it to move on. As a result, I am very much still in boots-and-cozy-outerwear mode when it comes to weekends. I still try to have some fun with it; wearing these patched Holding Horses jeans is currently my idea of fun, anyway. They are so very ugly-cool in the very best way possible. They work with all my chunky knits, and you know how much I love those.

Purple Reign

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This DVF sheath is the right colour, but a little too feminine for my Prince persona; still, it was free (through my clothing swap), so I am giving it a try. I like it a lot, but I’m not sure that I love it. I think I need to think outside the box a little bit when it comes to styling it, to make it more “Adina, 2018”. In the meantime, I’m including it in this round-up to give y’all a break from my current obsession with pants. You’re welcome.

Style Avatars, Part Two: The Artist

For context on this discussion, please see this post.

The Artist (work)

Key words: creative, intuitive, confident, elegant

Vibe: Minimalist, soft, flowing structure, dramatic silhouettes

Style notes: draping, interesting texture, muted lighter colours, bold but limited accessories

Favourite colours: mauve/blush, sage, cream, grey

The Artist and the Prince (see previous post here) share a lot of DNA; the Muse is a more relaxed, softer version – one that reads as more “femme”. The silhouettes are still architectural, but they are created through the use of volume (softness) rather than angles (sharpness). The colour palette is also lighter. The Artist wears skirts and dresses, instead of trousers, but in non-expected pairings. Like the Prince, the Artist is an analytical creature; she is more Alien Goddess than Earth Goddess, if that makes sense.

My inspiration/icon here is the divine Tilda Swinton. I adore her aesthetic, and actually I think she would look amazing wearing any one of my 4 styles. (She would make a phenomenal Prince, for example.)

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And here’s some more inspo:

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And some of my past outfits that sorta, maybe fit this vibe (it’s a work in progress, folks):

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