Sweet & Tough

Jacket, Joe Fresh (thrifted); blouse, Equipment (thrifted); skirt, Anthropologie (thrifted); shoes, Stuart Weitzman
Jacket, Joe Fresh (thrifted); blouse, Equipment (thrifted); skirt, Anthropologie (thrifted); shoes, Stuart Weitzman

Who doesn’t love some good juxtaposition? Leather & silk, black & soft pink. Of course, if you’re me, you won’t be able to stop at any sort of subtle statement; no, you will also throw in a psychedelic skirt because it’s kinda matchy and also because it’s cute and you need more occasions to wear it. I love my Sunday afternoon “date nights” because they can excuse (or justify) just about any outfit.

close-up
close-up
skirt side profile
skirt side profile

Everything here is old apart from the blouse, which is Equipment and was thrifted for $3, new with tags. Did I mention how much I love Goodwill? I don’t wear a lot of pink, but I’m a sucker for silk. I also had a tank top in the *identical* shade of pink — perfect for layering under this blouse (which would otherwise be a tad too sheer, and a tad too low cut). Typically, I avoid tops that require undershirts, but this was a closet pairing waiting to happen. Who am I to get in the way of fate?

juxtaposition
juxtaposition

Boho Style 

Dress, Anthropologie (thrifted); boots, Seychelles (thrifted); necklace, Stella & Dot (thrifted); bag, Gucci (via consignment)
Dress, Anthropologie (thrifted); boots, Seychelles (thrifted); necklace, Stella & Dot (thrifted); bag, Gucci (via consignment)

This, my friends, is schmatta chic — kinda shapeless, kinda kooky. Kinda awesome, too. Needless to say, I love the print mix happening with this Vanessa Virginia tunic dress; the silhouette is not my usual kick, but I will always pick “too loose” over “too tight”, so I’m not hating on it. In fact, it’s a perfect weekend, throw-it-on-and-go dress. On top, I added my ubiquitous leather jacket because that is how I roll on weekends, as long as this unseasonably warm weather continues. I’m not the only one hoping it lasts until Christmas, am I?

jacket, Joe Fresh (thrifted)
jacket, Joe Fresh (thrifted)
(faux) leather & florals
(faux) leather & florals
that sleeve detail tho
that sleeve detail tho

My favourite dress detail is definitely the embroidery on the sleeves. Nice touch, Anthro!

As for the rest of the outfit, I like how the boho vibe of these olive-grey Seychelles boots pairs with the dress, but looking at these photos, I think the olive green tights were overkill — mostly because they’re a mismatched, darker shade. I’ll probably choose black tights or leggings next time. Live and learn.

taking advantage of the early November "heatwave"
taking advantage of the early November “heatwave”

Office Treat (or Trick?)

A Work Of Art!
A Work Of Art!

It all started when I was reading an article about “Halloween costumes you can find in your closet”. I had just received this dress in the mail (more on that in a minute), and I experienced a moment of inspiration — pun intended. I was going to be … a Work Of Art. Well, perhaps something more like “Aunt Jane’s amateur watercolour”, but you get the picture. [Ba-dum-tish! Don’t forget to tip your server.] I already had the frame at home, so all I had to do was spend $7 at Michaels to complete my costume. And it was office-appropriate to boot!

perhaps an Old Master?
perhaps an Old Master?
partially committed to the theme (I forgot to prep the brush, d`oh)
partially committed to the theme (I forgot to prep the brush, d`oh)
easy peasy costume, but a bitch to carry on the train
easy peasy costume, but a bitch to carry on the train

Speaking of which, I totally cardigan-ed it up, like so:

Dress, Anthropologie (via eBay); cardigan & necklace, J. Crew Factory; bag, Mulberry (via consignment)
Dress, Anthropologie (via eBay); cardigan & necklace, J. Crew Factory; bag, Mulberry (via consignment)
feeling the old Anthro vibe
feeling the old Anthro vibe

So, back to the dress. I’ve been stalking it on eBay for over a year, patiently waiting for it to pop up in my size and within my budget. The brand is Odille, and this is old skool Anthropologie stuff; it’s a bit of a rare sight on eBay, and typically priced rather high. I finally got lucky, and nabbed a BIN for US$30 with low shipping costs. I have a feeling the seller was a thrifter reselling his or her finds, and if that is the case then I appreciate their reasonable pricing approach. The dress came fast and I was a happy camper, and not just because I got an awesome Halloween costume out of it. I can’t wait to remix it, and get a little more creative with it!

Just a quick note: if you’re interested in hunting down the dress, note that it runs a bit small, especially in the hips and bust (although it’s oddly a bit loose in the waist).

a fresh canvas?
a fresh canvas?
last one, I promise
last one, I promise