Black & Olive

Dress, Banana Republic (swap); sweater, J. Crew Factory; jacket, Joe Fresh (thrifted); boots, Seychelles (thrifted)
Dress, Banana Republic (swap); sweater, J. Crew Factory; jacket, Joe Fresh (thrifted); boots, Seychelles (thrifted)

As the days turn dark, so does my style, it seems. Welcome to the season of black, black, and more black. Though, to be fair, I did throw some olive into the mix, thanks to these impulse-thrifted Seychelles boots. The key to wearing a lot of black, I’ve found, is texture. Throw together some silk, knits and (faux) leather, and you’ve got yourself a somewhat interesting, mostly monochrome look.

spotty, with a chance of rain
spotty, with a chance of rain
all the black ...
all the black …

Remember this skirt … well, dress actually? It’s been in and out of my “purge” pile for what feels like years, but it’s currently on reprieve once more. The elasticized waist drives me crazy — both for the elastic part, and for sitting way too far above my natural waist — but I’ve decided to put up with it a little longer because I love the fabric and pattern so darn much. Plus, it’s perfect for those dark winter days.

what say you, neighbour?
what say you, neighbour?
... with a side of olive (just call me a martini, already)
… with a side of olive (just call me a martini, already)

Note: Chapter 7 of A Temporary Engagement is live — run, don’t walk, and read it over here.

You Win Some, You Lose Some

Coat, Gianni Ferraud (thrifted); dress, Floreat (thrifted); boots, Clark's
Coat, Gianni Ferraud (thrifted); dress, Floreat (thrifted); boots, Clark’s

That’s life, right? I loved this Floreat dress as soon as I laid eyes on it, which must explain how I managed to overlook the fact that it’s definitely not built for my hips. Alas. It would have been a lovely fall/winter piece, but it’s now in the blog shop waiting for a new lease on life. The coat, on the other hand, was a good buy. I remain skeptical of its quality, but for $8, I have no doubt that I will get good value out of it — even if it’s only for one season. And speaking of good value, yes, those are the same Clarks ankle boots I have been wearing non.stop for the last month. They certainly have a certain air of “granny” chic, but I dig it. They’re undoubtedly comfortable, though. Granny would approve.

my husband's a comedian ...
my husband’s a comedian …
weird grey tights for the win!
weird grey tights for the win!

Brooching the Subject

Jacket, BCBG (thrifted); skirt, J. Crew (consignment); shoes, Prada
Jacket, BCBG (thrifted); skirt, J. Crew (consignment); shoes, Prada

One of the first things I did when I got this kimono-style jacket home was pin it close, like so, with my feather/leaf brooch. I like how the design of the brooch echoes the pattern of the jacket, and the whole thing has a utilitarian purpose too: the jacket fits loose, so it looks sharper when closed. I thought this was a nifty alternative to belting it (which I’ve done before).

There isn’t much more to say about this outfit — the jacket is a lot of “look”, so the rest of the ensemble inevitably has to be pretty simple. I did go with blush pink shoes, rather than black, for a bit of variety (and because these pretty Prada pumps don’t get nearly enough love). The result was very “lady who lunches” but … they say that one should dress for the job one wants, yes? Haha #justkidding

brooch, thrifted (natch)
brooch, thrifted (natch)
check out those bows
check out those bows
pin one on
pin one on