Details: Ralph Lauren blouse & skirt, vintage vest, BCBG belt, Thierry Raboutin shoes (all secondhand)

Thoughts: To me, this is a quintessentially Jo March outfit and I love it so much despite its very muted colour palette. It’s all about the details, like the delicate paisley pattern on the blouse and the lace insert, and the texture contrasts. I chose a jeweled belt instead of something more southwest-inspired because I wanted to lean more into the late Victorian vibe than the prairie vibe with this outfit, and also felt that a juxtaposition of influences might overwhelm the outfit. Sometimes, it doesn’t have to be loud to be special.

Details: Dries Van Noten dress (eBay), Zara jacket, vintage scarf, Thierry Raboutin shoes (all thrifted); DKNY skirt (Poshmark)

Thoughts: Remember this dress? It’s been a while since I wore it last, but it’s as lovely as ever. Dries Van Noten truly is a genius when it comes to patterns. I decided it was time to pull out the dress again because I wanted another go at a Ralph Lauren collection look (from 2014, I want to say but don’t quote me on that) that has lived rent-free in my head for a long time. It’s a long, floral, diaphanous dress with a brown tweed long-line blazer; long patterned scarf, sandals with chunky wool socks. It’s one of my core moodboard looks for the Bohemian avatar, and I’ve done different takes on it before. I’m still hunting for the original RL dress, but use this dress in the meantime because the bottom part is floaty floral chiffon so it has a similar movement. I added to it by wearing my sheer panel DKNY skirt underneath, to extend the floatiness. I skipped the sock-with-sandals part because it’s not my thing, but did use my sock-shoes as a hat tip to that idea.

Details: no label cardigan (thrifted), CoH jeans (thrifted), Ralph Lauren belt (Poshmark), J. Crew blazer (retail, old)

Thoughts: I loved the stripe pattern of this cardigan and wanted to build an outfit around juxtaposing it against the blazer pattern. (Side note: I always used to call that pattern a “check” but recently saw a Reel that revealed I was wrong: it’s actually a houndstooth, but colourful not monochromatic. The more I know!) But the cardigan has a deep V neckline, which means, by the time I tuck the front and put the jacket on, little of the stripes can still be seen. So I wore it backward! Instant sweater.

Details: Uniqlo sweater, Cartonnier jacket (both thrifted), Ralph Lauren skirt (eBay), Tignanello bag (Poshmark)

Thoughts: For this outing of THE skirt, I decided to pick green as the focus colour, and add the yellow as a pop. The jacket was a compromise to the weather, which required me to wear a heavier topper. I don’t love-love it, but it’s ok and it was the best option I had in relation to the rest of the outfit. I hate when Mother Nature gets in the way of my sartorial goals, haha!

Details: Ralph Lauren shirt & vest, Ports International jacket, Ferragamo shoes (all thrifted), Paul Smith pants, Ralph Lauren belt (both Poshmark)

Thoughts: Just another Historian outfit, remixing pieces I call “old faithfuls” — reliably great staples. The vest and jacket, in particular, fit that bill perfectly. I can wear them in so many different combinations, with so many different pieces and different colours. And they also work great together. The pants are great too, though they’re a little more statement than staple thanks to the plaid pattern; I feel they tend to stand out a bit more. But I love the cut, and I wish I could find more pants like this — I’m really struggling lately to find trouser-style pants that are neither skinny nor full wide-leg. Anyway, on to the rest of the outfit. I picked the green shirt to pick up on the green in the plaid, and added the belt as a nod to Papa Ralph, who often wears a big buckle number with his preppy fits.

Details: InStyle sweater, American Apparel coat, CoH jeans, Asos boots (all thrifted), Brave belt, Tignanello bag (both Poshmark)

Thoughts: This outfit was built around the turquoise/orangey brown colour combo. That’s basically it. I added the grey coat because I’ve noticed how well it works with outfits that feature brown; as a “grounding” neutral, it works better than black in this kind of situation, I think.

A few weeks ago, my husband sent me a link to a Homes & Gardens article and told me the good news: our house is finally trendy. You see, the newest trend making the TikTok round is called “bookshelf wealth” which is everything you probably imagine from that title: maximalism with books.

If you’ve been around for a while, you probably know what my house looks like (and has looked like for more than a decade):

So, you see, my husband wasn’t kidding. Our house is trendy. The first thing I thought about as he was telling me about it was that one time, a few years ago, when someone who saw a picture of our living room called it “old fashioned”. Little did they know!

As I read the article my husband sent me, I felt rage build up inside me. Before I let it all out here, let’s take a moment to appreciate this passage; it resonated with me deeply, and it’s important context for the rest of the discussion.

“Books serve as windows into one’s soul, revealing a person’s identity and interests. They carry the power of evoking specific places and hold memories of where they were read. Some books become inseparable, akin to old lovers with whom you’ve shared countless moments. The physicality of books, in an era dominated by digital media, adds a homely, tangible, and nostalgic element to decorating. They are not just objects; they are vessels of personal history, making them a perennially significant and cherished component in interior design trends.”

The article got my hackles up from its subtitle, and things didn’t improve much from there. This quote, in particular, encapsulates everything I find enraging about it:

“The ‘tyranny’ of minimalism has perhaps led us to put these things away, and this new ‘trend’ has perhaps given us permission to liberate these possessions and proudly showcase them. Critics of the trend have said it encourages overconsumption but my tip is to start with what you’ve got, however modest, and transform your space into a reflection of your unique journey. And if you find you want more books to read you know where to come.”

The critics are goddamn right!!!

Ahem.

I am sad whenever I hear people worry that their clothes are “dated”. I am never not convinced that the concept of “outdatedness” is, above all, capitalist consumerist propaganda designed to make us feel inadequate and in need of stuff to compensate. But I also understand that personal appearance has a social dimension. People are judged on how they present themselves in public, and clothes play a role in that. I understand why people are concerned about living up to certain standards or expectations. (Though I still believe that the average person, including anyone whose opinion has a direct and quantifiable impact on our livelihood, isn’t sufficiently conversant with every fashion micro-trend to form adverse opinions about us based on the fact that we’re wearing last year’s ankle booties. YMMV) So, whether I share it or not, I get the preoccupation with fashion trends. Interior design is a whole other story.

For those of us fortunate enough to have one, a home is the only truly private space, a place where we can exist without fear of judgment, fully and wholly ourselves. The notion that we need “permission” to display things that are meaningful to us is so absurd to me, it leaves me barely coherent. It’s positively Orwellian. It is the curse of social media’s flattening of aesthetic; when everyone and everything looks the same everywhere all the time, anything even slightly different begins to look and feel transgressive — like it needs permission and/or justification.

You don’t need permission to have a minimalist home. You do not need permission to have a a maximalist home. Neither one is good or bad, or better than the other. You shouldn’t feel constrained to make your choice based on what everyone else is doing. They don’t live in your house.

The other thing that enrages me about the “bookshelf wealth” trend at a more general level is something the article does touch on. This isn’t just an aesthetic; it’s a way of living, which then creates an aesthetic. It’s a certain set of values, a mindset. It’s not something you can do and then not do as trends come and go. My book collection — along with every other collection in my house — represents a decades-long labour of love. It’s the story of my and my family’s life; each piece reflects something of us — our hobbies, special moments, travels, family traditions. You can’t buy a life in one fell swoop. You build it, piece by piece.

The article’s suggestion that “now’s the time to take out all those books and things you’ve been hiding in shame” is utter nonsense. Nobody who actually cares about and has collected these things over the years is keeping them in a secret stash somewhere. Why would they? Who does that when they love and value something? This whole angle is a way to pay lip service to the notion of authenticity and intentionality, when in fact all articles like this are doing is promoting consumption, period. Mindless consumption. If you don’t value something unless somebody tells you it’s trendy, buying it is the definition of mindless consumption.

And books? Damn. Books deserve better. Not to mention our trees.

Details: Tahari shirt, Ralph Lauren sweater & skirt, Ports International jacket, Asos boots, Coach bag (all secondhand)

Thoughts: Here it is: THE skirt! Isn’t it amazing? You can ignore my derpy expression, caught in the act of giving my recalcitrant photographer instructions on how to shoot this pretty dope outfit (if I do say so myself). My photographer is almost always recalcitrant. If it’s my son, it’s as a matter of principle because he thinks taking photos of what one is wearing is, to quote, “dumb”. If it’s my husband, it’s because he knows how much it annoys me, and gets a kick out of it. Ah, true love! Whatever would we do without it. Anyway, I loved this outfit and wearing it gave me all the feels. I’m so happy to have the chance to wear this dress, and I can’t wait to style it up again and again.

Details: Ralph Lauren sweater, Twik pants, Fossil belt, American Apparel coat, Frye boots, Coach bag (all secondhand)

Thoughts: Another side of my aesthetic: the Historian in grandpa mode. This colour palette — brown with a complementary shade, plus grey as a neutral — is something I keep coming back to. I love using black as a neutral with brown, but there is something about grey as a substitute that I find very appealing. It’s a different vibe, for sure. Sometimes I find myself wondering if I’m wearing too much brown these days (and does it even suit me?) but then I give my head a shake and move on with my day. I’m going to enjoy my Brown Period and not overthink it.

Details: Banana Republic sweater, Mr. Edwards dress, DKNY skirt, Club Monaco belt, Nine West shoes, Rafael Alfandary necklace (all secondhand)

Thoughts: OK, but how good is this shade of purple? I am a little bit obsessed with it, and slowly working my way through all the colour combinations I can think of. Here, I took a hint from the dress pattern, and pulled together a purple/dark red palette. I also decided to extend the vertical line of the outfit by layering my DKNY skirt under the dress; the only part you can see is the sheer panel at the bottom, which doesn’t pull focus away from the rest of the outfit, but helps to change up the silhouette. I love a long column!

Details: Michael Kors top, Tristan jacket, Issey Miyake skirt (all secondhand)

Thoughts: I LOVED this outfit! I’ve had this vintage Tristan jacket in my closet since at least 2012, but haven’t worn it in years because it fell out of style — which is to say, it didn’t suit my style as it evolved over the past decade. But I thought it was too special to part with, so I kept it. Recently, I took it out of the archive closet, feeling the time had come to give it another try. I specifically wanted to wear it with my Issey skirt … and then I had the idea to add the sequin top underneath as a sort of sleeve-extender. Genius! It picks up the sequin work on the jacket, and adds to the texture of the outfit without being too in-your-face-sequins about it. I actually got the top because it matches a long sequin skirt I thrifted a few years ago, and I was planning to wear them together to create a dress, but paired with this jacket, it feels like a match made in heaven too.

Details: Selected Femme sweater (retail, old), Jones NY blazer, Margiela skirt, vintage belt (all secondhand)

Thoughts: A super simple outfit, made interesting with a fun belt. I love metal belts because they function like jewelry, but feel a bit more unexpected that, say, a necklace. Speaking of unexpected, I feel like the velvet lapel on this blazer falls in that ballpark too; plus, it ties together the top and bottom halves of the outfit.

Details: Everlane sweater, Ralph Lauren blazer, Gap belt & jeans (all secondhand)

Thoughts: This was an even simpler outfit, with a much simpler belt too. My version of keeping things casual 🙂

Details: Ralph Lauren turtleneck & skirt, vintage belt, Oak & Fort coat, Office London shoes (all secondhand)

Thoughts: One strong pattern calls for … another? That was my philosophy in putting together the two halves of this outfit, using red as the unifying colour. It’s a bold look and I know it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but it’s mine and I enjoyed every sip of this one. Look at me, making a funny! Anyway, I am a little bit sad that you can’t see more of my contrasting tights in this photo, because it was a lot of work picking a colour that clashed just the right amount. Not too much, not too little. It’s harder than you’d think!