As the title suggests, this outfit was mostly an excuse — or a backdrop, if you will — for wearing these shoes and this bag. Starting at the bottom, the shoes are Vince by way of Winners, for the bargain price of $28. I’ll be honest: I probably wouldn’t have bought them were it not for the price, because they’re suede and will likely get wrecked in no time flat. But! They are very nice, and the white sole adds a certain je be said quois.

The bag is an Arcadia bowler I scored at VV’s 50% off sale for $4. It had a bunch of scuffs (some of which came off with a bit of alcohol and some elbow grease, and some which didn’t but are luckily not very noticeable), but it was a fantastic find nonetheless. I used to be a huge Arcadia fan back in the day, and their bags are still pretty great. I’ve had a large black patent leather tote since circa 2009, which I use to schlepp my work crap (including the kitchen sink) during my commute, and it’s proven to be indestructible. So I have high hopes for this bag too. I would say that, if you’re in the market for a reliable, good quality work bag, Arcadia is a brand worth checking out; you can often find them at Winners for around $125-$150, and they are worth it, in my (unsponsored) opinion. Or you can keep an eye out for then at the thrift store, but then you’ll have to arm wrestle me first.

I love this outfit a lot, you guys. The dress is an older Anthro piece I stalked, on and off, for about a year and, happily, it was worth the hunt. The gold jacquard fabric is lovely and a compliment-magnet, the silhouette is flattering and classic, and the overall construction is great (there is lining and a built-in camisole under the sheer-ish top). I paid CDN$60 for it on eBay, which might as well be a fortune compared to the thrift prices I’m used to, but I think it’s worth at least that much. (It does fit large, if anyone is interested in tracking it down.)

Let’s look at some details:

Something in the colour scheme (turquoise, cream, and gold) and the necklace makes me think of the Mediterranean — or maybe it’s simply my vacation-starved brain drowning in wishful thinking. I realized the other day that the last time I took a holiday longer than 6 business days was probably my honeymoon — almost 6 years ago. I know that’s pretty standard in some places, especially in a professions like mine, but, man, it makes me miss my university years something fierce. Oh, to have 4 months “off” every summer!