Details: Ralph Lauren turtleneck, Michael Kors skirt (both thrifted), Stella & Dot necklace (Poshmark), Zara shoes (retail)

Thoughts: I loved this outfit so much. This skirt makes for an even better dress! The waistband is elastic, so it can comfortably stretch to wear as a strapless dress. And it’s super comfortable! The turtleneck doesn’t look exciting in this context, but it was a great recent thrift find. Turtlenecks are a staple for me in the colder seasons — I use them as a base layer most days. I have a few versions. The Club Monaco ones you’ve see me wear a lot are a wool/viscose blend that is very lighweight and non-scratchy — this is key for anything that I wear next to my skin. I also have a couple of cotton blend black turtlenecks that can also be worn next to skin, although they are less warm than the wool blend ones (which makes them better for some outfits, depending on what I am layering on top). I then have a couple of cashmere ones — a thicker one (Jones New York) which is more of a top layer, and this medium weight one (Ralph Lauren). The latter is more of an “intermediate” layer for me; I usually wear it over a cotton tank top because it’s a little bit too scratchy against my torso (but fine on my arm skin), but still thin enough to layer under other things. Developing this arsenal of basic layers has been a game changer for me in terms of allowing to wear my favourite clothes year-round in a cold climate. It might not be minimalist to have 5-6 different turtlenecks in dark colours (which look almost indistinguishable) but they all serve their purposes and are indispensable to my closet.

Details: J. Crew shirt, vintage vest, Tabitha jacket, Laura Ashley skirt, Ferragamo shoes (all thrifted)

Thoughts: I called this Academichic Jo March, and it’s a mash-up of styles that I really enjoy in general. I thrifted this velvet vest almost 3 years ago, specifically after I saw Little Women and fell in love with Jo’s costuming, and it has served me so well since then.

Details: Club Monaco turtleneck (retail), Northern Reflections shirt, Theory blazer, Banana Republic jeans, Cotton Ginny belt (all thrifted), turquoise necklace (Poshmark)

Thoughts: This outfit is 100% a tribute to Papa Ralph himself — he has worn some version of this outfit many times (shirt over another top, tucked into belted pants, with some kind of jacket, often tweed). It was also an opportunity to test these bootcut, low rise jeans; they’re circa 2013 Banana Republic. I think I prefer the Frame flares I got recently (posted last week) but I do enjoy this silhouette too. The low rise is what I don’t love. I simply don’t like the visual proportions of it on my body. But maybe I need to just get used to seeing it. Sometimes, the more you see a “new” trend, the more it grows on you. I definitely think that the only way I would do low rise jeans again is balanced against an oversized or layered top half — not paired, say, with a tight-fitting top that will only emphasize the fact that the top part of my hips sits well above the waistband of the jeans, making me look like I’m getting squeezed out of the same.

Details: Toni T dickie, Gap sweater, Nanette Lepore jacket, Babaton pants, Ferragamo shoes (all thrifted)

Thoughts: I think I’ve mentioned before how much I love the combination of this sweater and this jacket, so I had to wear them together again. This time, with navy corduroys. I’ve never been a fan of traditional navy — it’s too dark to count as blue, and not dark enough to be, well, black. But I recently discovered this lighter, bluer version of navy and I’m really liking it. I actually had no idea that navy came in different shades — duh, like any other colour — so now I’m reevaluating my old prejudice.

Details: InWear sweater, Vince dress, Gap jacket (all thrifted), Mia shoes (retail)

Thoughts: Brown really was the colour of the fall season for me this year. I managed to squeeze in one last black-and-brown outfit before the snow hit the ground and I was forced to, regretfully, retire my beloved platform loafers until next year.

Details: J. Crew top, Zara duster, Linda Lundstrom pants (all thrifted), J. Crew shoes (retail)

Thoughts: These vintage lamé palazzo pants are quite fabulous, but I have been stuck on how to style them ever since I got them. I think it’s because they are actually a lavender-ish silver colour, not plain silver (which would be easier to pair with other colours). It would be easy enough to wear a black turtleneck with them but … that’s too obvious. The combination here — with navy and burgundy — is not bad, though.

Details: Club Monaco turtleneck (retail), vintage vest (thrifted), Tradlands jacket (thrifted), Bebe skirt (Poshmark), Zara shoes (retail)

Thoughts: Another favourite fall outfit. I was surprised by how well this skirt worked with the rest of the outfit. At first blush, I didn’t think this skirt would be a good transitional piece but I’ve changed my mind. The dark floral pattern helps a lot. Come winter, this will be an indoors-only skirt (the length makes it impractical when we have calf-deep snow outside) but I think it can continue to work with my evolving seasonal aesthetic.

Details: Club Monaco turtleneck (retail), MaxMara sweater (Poshmark), Gap blazer (thrifted), Cartonnier pants (thrifted), Everlane shoes (thrifted)

Thoughts: I liked the subtle pattern mix between this sweater and the striped pants, and the fact that the colours are so well-matched as well made it an easy outfit.

Details: Tabi sweater, Frame jeans, Ash sneakers (all thrifted)

Thoughts: I am really liking the fit and look of these Frame flared jeans. I am still looking for a pair of palazzo jeans (they would have similar volume at the bottom but would come straight down rather than going in at the knee) but I am happy with these for now. I’ve been wearing them a fair bit before the snow hits. This was a basic outfit but I really liked it a lot – the sweater elevates it, it’s so fun.

Details: Club Monaco turtleneck (retail), Talbots sweater (Poshmark), Ralph Lauren skirt (thrifted), Mackage jacket (thrifted), Arnold Churgin shoes (thrifted)

Thoughts: A very quintessential fall outfit, just in time. I love these colours this season, and this skirt was one of my favourite recent thrift finds.

Details: Equipment blouse (thrifted), Susan Bristol vest (thrifted), Topshop pants (thrifted), J. Crew blazer (retail), Mia shoes (retail)

Thoughts: This outfit was inspired by the Ralph Lauren S/S 2023 runway collection, natch. I went pretty bold with the pattern mixing, but used the blues to tie it all together. I am very pleased with how it turned out.

Details: H&M blouse, Ralph Lauren top & blazer, Suncoo pants, Everlane shoes (all thrifted)

Thoughts: I haven’t worn (faux) leather pants for a while now, but I was intrigued by the style of these (I love paperbag waist pants, as you can probably tell) so I decided to thrift them and give them a try. I think they are a fun alternative to leggings, which used to be my go-to as far as leather pants go. They can be dressed up in a more preppy fashion, like here, as opposed to leggings which are more streetstyle/casual/punk. Paperbag waist pants are great for full tucks which works for me because it maintains the proportions created by the high waist (elongating the leg line). I was so pumped to have found this 90s Ralph by Ralph Lauren knit tank top, because it looks very similar to RL’s classic fair isle vests that I have been coveting for the better part of the year. Under a blazer, you almost can’t tell that this is a tank and not a proper vest. Considering how $$$ those vests are, this was a real find!

Details: Ralph Lauren turtleneck (thrifted), BR belt, (thrifted), Michael Kors skirt (thrifted), J. Crew blazer (retail), Manolo Blahnik shoes (thrifted)

Thoughts: I LOVED this outfit. So much. It felt like something that Papa Ralph would approve. Not all sequin skirts are made equal, and this is a good one. Not only because it looks like molten metal when I move, but because it’s quite comfortable to wear — stretchy and not itchy (even though it’s not lined).

Details: Gap shirt, Zara vest, H&M Studio skirt (all thrifted), Mia shoes (retail)

Thoughts: Wore this outfit for the second day of the art market, and I got a ton of compliments on this skirt. It’s H&M Studio, which I *think* is their “designer” collection. I got this summer on a whim, even though it didn’t really match my summer aesthetic, because I was intrigued by the graphic pattern and pleating. With this outfit, I was testing out a potential new aesthetic for winter. I liked this outfit a lot, but I am still figuring out where that aesthetic is going …

Details: Talbots sweater (Poshmark), Talbots skirt (thrifted), Mia shoes (retail)

Thoughts: I’ve been wanting to try this combination since last spring! I got the sweater and skirt separately, but I swear they must have been from the same collection — the colours and patterns are just too close not to be intentionally similar. I like that the size of the patterns are different; I think it makes the outfit more interesting.

Details: Joie sweater (Poshmark), Tommy Hilfiger jeans, Gap shirt, Rebecca Minkoff bag (all thrifted), Converse shoes (eBay)

Thoughts: I broke my own rule of “never buying Joie”. What can I say: this sweater was just too cool to pass up. The quality is, predictably, not great. It’s not terrible but, at best, on par with Zara. (The issue being that Joie costs way more at retail.) It’s currently in good condition, but I expect it will pill quite a bit with wear. Luckily, I am prepared for that and hope that my sweater shaver will be up to the challenge. Anyway, this was a super fun outfit. I’m wearing the same white shirt as the previous outfit — how versatile is that?

Details: Bl^nk London top (thrifted), BCBG belt, Rachel Comey skirt (both Poshmark), Manolo Blahnik shoes (thrifted)

Thoughts: Speaking of “cute look, crap quality”, I may have to add Bl^nk London (sold at Anthro) to my “do not buy” list. I love the colours and pattern of this top, but the material is absolute crap. It feels so cheap. I can’t believe these blouses sell for $100+. Don’t pay full price; even the Poshmark prices are too high, imo. Anyway, I paired it with one of my fave skirts, and used my BCBG peplum belt to tie the outfit together. This belt never lets me down.

Details: J. Crew shirt, MSGM sweater, Zara pants (all thrifted), J. Crew shoes (consignment)

Thoughts: This outfit was inspired by the Ralph Lauren S/S 2023 runway collection, and I am quite pleased with it. Except for the pants. I don’t know what I was thinking when I decided to keep these. I bought them at Value Village, where there are still no changing rooms, and tried them on at home to see if they would fit. And I must have thought they did, because I took the tags off *cries* After wearing this outfit, I realized that they are too short. I wear a lot of cropped pants but these are cropped too high above the ankle — no bueno. On the plus side, I realized that a pair of camel-coloured pants is nice to have, so I will be looking for another pair (in the right length).

Details: Club Monaco turtleneck (retail), Jil Sander coat, Ralph Lauren skirt (both thrifted), Echo scarf (consignment), Mia shoes (retail)

Thoughts: Not much to say here except that I am living my Historian aesthetic and loving it.