Someone on redditt/FemaleFashionAdvice recently posted an inspo album that deeply appealed to my newly awakened “goth” sensibility. These two photos in particular caught my eye:

What do we call this? Vaguely Edwardian goth dandy? Is that a thing? Let’s make it a thing.

Typically, I don’t like to put together outfits that are literal copies of someone else’s; I like to add my own spin on things, if only because that way I’m less likely to be disappointed if I don’t end up looking as cool as the original. [Sometimes, it’s not so much that I want to dress like someone one, as it is that I want to be the person I imagine them to be. Know what I mean?] This was an exception. My first thought was “damn, too bad I don’t have a cane and top hat” because, yes, I wanted to wear this literal outfit immediately. Since that wasn’t option, my next thought was to try to figure out how I could get as close as possible using the pieces I have in my closet.

Attempt No. 1 was fairly predictable, if you’re at all familiar with my closet.

My AllSaints ruffle blouse was a natural choice. The Sarah Pacini tunic thing was a good match, because the stretchy, deep V-neckline allows the blouse to shine; the bottom half of the tunic also adds some volume and texture and angles when layered over my Aritzia Johan skirt. [Sidenote: that skirt has become one of the cornerstones of my wardrobe. I probably wear it once a week which, given my wardrobe numbers, is quite a feat.] To further emphasize the waist, I added a wide obi-style belt.

I liked the result a lot, but it had one drawback. To account for the lack of sleeves and the weather, I had to add a cardigan before leaving the house, and that kinda spoiled the effect I was going for. Oh well.

Attempt No. 2 was a much less literal interpretation.

The skirt and shoes are the same, but I substituted a simple silk button-up shirt (Equipment) in place of the fancy ruffle blouse. I buttoned it all the way up to emphasize the collar. In a stroke of inspiration, I added the cropped faux leather top (Zara) for a bit of extra texture and edginess. [Sidenote: this cropped top is also becoming a key piece in my wardrobe. It’s shockingly handy for adding interest to outfits.] Then I threw on a sharply-tailored blazer (Smythe) because I was going to the office, and wanted to look extra badass.

I wish I had taken a photo of the outfit sans blazer as well, because it looked very cool both ways. This was an outfit I loved, and it received quite a few compliments at work as well.

Attempt No. 3 was a kind of compromise between the two previous ones.

Here, I used the skirt, blouse, belt and shoes from the first outfit, but subbed in a long coat (Boss) for the tunic. The higher neckline of the coat allows less of the blouse ruffle to be seen, so the effect is more subdued. However, the coat sleeves add their own bit of drama.

This was a fun little exercise in outfit-making, and I plan to use this photo for general inspiration when out on my thrifting adventures. Who knows, maybe I’ll even find a cool cane one of these days.

Acceptable Ruffles

So, in principles, I don’t like ruffles. They tend to the Twee side, and Twee is the enemy of Adina’s Current Style. But! There are exceptions. Previously, I thought that the only exception was Dramatic Neck Ruffles (see: my favourite AllSaints blouse) but now I think we need to add another one for Ruffles Adding Architectural Elements of Interest. Too unwieldy of a category? Maybe. But case in point: this Gap skirt I recently thrifted for $8 at Value Village. Ruffles aside, it has a several other things going for it: it has a high waist (fun for playing around with proportions), it’s midi length, and it’s black. But the ruffles really kick it up a notch. This isn’t something I would have expected from the Gap, but I dig it. A lot.

Also digging this Anthro brand sweater (Moth), with its mock-necked business front and party back. And, bonus, it’s not itchy. [I always add a light layer, like a cotton tank or t-shirt, under sweaters. This one doesn’t itch through the extra layer, nor does it bug me around the arms where it meets bare skin.] I paid $8.50 for it at Goodwill. Rounding out my outfit is this sweet pair of LK Bennett pumps – $15 in like-new condition. Technically, they were free because I used a coupon. But no matter how you slice it, this outfit cost me way less than $50, top to bottom, and that’s worth a not-so-humblebrag. Ahem

Rick Revisited

I tried, but it’s hard to capture the IRL awesomeness of this Rick Owens dress. It looks cute enough in photos, but trust me when I say that it’s 10x cooler in person. It’s also pretty easy to dress up or down. To make it office appropriate, I added a classic, collarless blazer and some red pumps for an extra bit of oomph. It’s been a while since I’ve done a red shoe.

Here are the other ways I’ve worn this dress before:

Valentine’s Day

I’m not a huge fan of Valentine’s Day. Honestly, I don’t know many people who are, outside of the blogosphere. Maybe I’m too old and/or cranky. But the day falls adjacent to the anniversary of my husband and my first date – and, yes, 11 years later we remain the kind of people who consider that an anniversary – so I try to make an effort. And by “effort”, I mean getting dressed up and going out to eat. Which, come to think of it, probably doesn’t count since those are 2 of my favourite things anyway.

This outfit came together because I wanted to wear a couple of recently thrifted pieces: a Zara velvet blazer, and a vintage embroidered handbag. You might think I would go into a boho-romantic direction with that, but you’d be wrong. It is still the winter of my discontent, so distressed/destroyed jeans and stiletto booties it was. I like all the juxtaposition happening. It’s possibly a little extra, but that kinda encapsulates my current style approach, doesn’t it?

Let’s also take a moment and appreciate that bag. Do you remember how obsessed I was 2 or 3 years ago with finding an embroidered bag? Never happened until a few weeks ago; that’s how thrifter life goes. I’m mostly over that obsession, but this was a nice bag, in pristine condition, and ten whole Canadian dollars – it was calling my name. I got rid of the awful original strap (barely long enough to wear in the crook of the arm, and I hate to carry bags like that) and thrifted myself a crossbody strap replacement for an additional $3. I think it updates the bag in a nice way.

Here are a few other ways I’ve worn the same jeans:

And that’s all she wrote, folks.

Headmistress Chic

I really loved this outfit. It doesn’t scream “look at me”, but I find it to be lovely and chic in its own way. It helps that it features a few of my current fave pieces, like this Theory belted blazer and the Johan (?) skirt from Artizia (both thrifted, natch). The shirt is old, and it’s a piece that’s fallen out of and risen in favour with me several times in the years since I purchased it. I’m glad I held on to it because it works very well with my current aesthetic; I’m actually sad that I got rid of the white version a while back. [In my defence, white tops are a challenge for this clumsy klutz. It’s always a minor miracle when I don’t spill something on myself as soon as I wear white, and the stress just gets to me.] Speaking of the shirt, here are a few past outfits:

Casual Thursday

Here, I’m repeating a combo I first tried at the thrift store when I bought this Zara blazer. I was wearing the same olive AllSaints sweater (a men’s, and just about the warmest article of clothing I own) and some black jeans (not these Mother chinos, but close enough), and I loved how those colours worked with the dark brown of the blazer. For this office version, I added metallic loafers because … well, actually, they don’t need any justification. They’re simply awesome.

This kind of menswear-inspired look is becoming a big favourite of mine, to the point that I would happily wear some version of this (mixing up the sweaters and blazers from time to time) any time I’m going for a polished-casual vibe. Is that a blogger faux pas? If so, it wouldn’t be my first.

Mermaid Inspired

here’s the story with this H&M skirt: I thrifted it last year because, hello, it is perfection. I am a magpie at heart, sartorial evolutions notwithstanding. I love anything iridescent, and the hues here – ranging from green to blue to purple – are my favourites. Moreover, it was in perfect condition; no missing sequins, no unraveling seams. But! There was a but … or, more precisely, a butt. My butt. It didn’t quite fit into the skirt.

I could do up the zipper, but was also probably 5-7 pounds away from fitting in comfortably. I couldn’t even think about sitting down, lest I sent a shower of sequins flying in every direction. Now, normally, I don’t buy clothes that are too small, even a little bit. Not worth it; I have no plans to lose weight. But … ahh, it was such a nice skirt, and I thought “but what if it just happens that I lose a few pounds, without trying, oh what if?”

Spoiler alert: did not happen.

The skirt just sat in my closet. And then one day I decided enough was enough. I tried it on again, and realized that the problem was the lining; the actual sequins are sewn onto a mesh that has some give to it and could accommodate my hips and behind. If I were more skilled, I would have tackled this problem myself, but instead I took it to a tailor. For $20, she let out the sides of the lining. And, voila, it fits!

And so concludes this story time.