It never bodes well for a blogger to compared herself to Audrey Hepburn. You know that. I know that. So let’s agree that no comparison whatsoever is intended here, post title notwithstanding. It’s just that this outfit reminded me of something AH wore in the movie Roman Holiday; it’s not exactly the same, but the vague flavour is there.
I don’t wear this skirt as much as I should because the full silhouette falls a bit outside my style wheelhouse at the moment. It’s quite romantic (with a hint of twee — those buttons on the pockets!) and most of the romance is gone from my closet. Wait, that sounds wrong. Vibe aside, the skirt is a whole lot of look, so I paired it with simple pieces to balance things out. I finally got around to re-soling my ancient Ferragamo Vara flats, so they are back in rotation after a long absence. They’re still among the most comfortable shoes I own; I’m only now starting to realize how much I’d missed them. Last but not least, my Coach Willis bag because it goes with everything and I can’t stop wearing it.
Dress, Numph (secondhand); shoes, J. Crew Factory; bag, Marc Jacobs (via eBay)
This is one of my “easy breezy” dresses for summer 2017, and it’s a good one. The style is similar to the Dex dress I thrifted for my Mexican vacation, and it’s one of my favourites. The chiffon overlay doesn’t just add some visual interest to the plain black jersey; it provides some good camouflage for a less-than-washboard set of abs. (Guilty as charged.) I prefer this dress over the Dex version because I think the pattern here is a bit less juvenile … but, truth be told, I am keeping both dresses for the time being. The Dex will be more of a vacation cover-up, but I’m saving this one for my hometown-bound erranding. It’s super easy (and comfortable) to throw on, and can still be dressed up if necessary. Also, I’m pretty sure it’s machine washable, which is a nice bonus for a casual dress. The brand is Numph, if anyone is interested in tracking it down.
Blazer, MaxMara (thrifted); sweater, Selected Femme; pants, Aritzia (thrifted); shoes, Jimmy Choo (via eBay); bag, Gucci (via consignment)The title says it all: pretty simple. But I felt so comfortable wearing this, you guys. I felt polished but understated, which is slowly becoming my preferred sartorial “message”. I’ve said this before: separating my love of colours from my personal style has not always been easy. I love colour, and I even love wearing bold colours, but not necessarily in the way that I used to. But after wearing outfits like this one, it’s hard to deny what the heart wants.
The colour here is obviously muted, but can I just mention how much I love the green of this sweater? The label called it “thistle”, which I also love. (I have an odd fondness for thistles.) Though I very rarely buy clothes at regular retail stores, I couldn’t resist this Selected Femme piece at Saks Off Fifth. It’s not a brand I knew before, but it’s something I’d definitely look for at thrift stores in the future. The funnel-like neck (wider than a mock turtleneck) is so chic, and gives it a bit of that effortless Euro appeal I’m always chasing.
green shoes for the win muted paletteSpeaking of colour, a funny story. I recently discovered that I experience Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) — and fell into the, hands down, strangest internet rabbit hole ever, but that’s another story. I have been experiencing ASMR for as long as I can remember, but I had not realized, until that point, that it was a “thing” or that only some people experience it. That got me thinking about other everyday sensory experiences that one might have without realizing that they are unusual. While I am not a synesthete (though I think that would be super cool), I do have really strong emotional/physical reactions to colours. The reactions are very shade-specific; certain reds feel suffocating/oppressive to me, for example, while others are cheerful. Salmon pink makes me feel irritated, while fuchsia makes me feel excited. Some blues are soothing, others are depressing. I am thinking of making of list of the feelings associated with each of my favourite colours, so I can see if I can manipulate my mood by strategically deploying them in my outfits.
Does anyone else associated colours with certain moods or feelings? Any synesthetes in the crowd? I’d love to hear about your experiences.
