The Queen of Visual Illusions

Dress, Ivanka Trump (via eBay); shoes, J. Crew (via consignment); necklace, J. Crew Factory; bag, Mulberry
Dress, Ivanka Trump (via eBay); shoes, J. Crew (via consignment); necklace, J. Crew Factory; bag, Mulberry

A reader recently commented that I am the queen of separates that look like dresses, and dresses that look like separates. Guilty as charged! This is an example of the latter. I bought this dress earlier in the year, but haven’t worn it very much – despite loving the print mixing – because it was a little too loose and shapeless on me. After a trip to the tailor, it fits much better. It’s still a looser silhouette, but it no longer looks like a nightgown. I’m cheap, so I hate taking clothes in to be altered (now that my grandmother is, sadly, no longer able to do my alterations), but I have to admit that it’s worth it if it means re-discovering a loved piece.

tailoring pay-off ...
tailoring pay-off …
check out mah bag ...
check out mah bag …

I wore this to the office with a navy blazer, which I didn’t bother photographing because, let’s face it, it’s the dress that’s the star here. I think that yellow pumps would be its perfect side-kick, but since I don’t have any (yet! note to self!), blue ones had to fill in. And then, of course, a big bag because it’s how I roll.

blue suede shoes!
blue suede shoes!

Tweaking the Formula

blazer, Topshop (via eBay); top, LOFT (swap); skirt, J. Crew (via eBay); shoes, Stuart Weitzman; bag, YSL (via eBay)
blazer, Topshop (via eBay); top, LOFT (swap); skirt, J. Crew (via eBay); shoes, Stuart Weitzman; bag, YSL (via eBay)

I liked this blush on blush combo so much, I wore it again. Honestly, I think it might just go with everything – and certainly with this floral J. Crew skirt.

sassy!
sassy!

Everything else is old stuff you’ve seen time and time again. My beloved YSL bag, my most worn pair of black pumps, and that necklace I wear all the time. That’s the nice thing about a well-functioning closet – you can add just one (newish) piece, and you have a brand new outfit that’s guaranteed to work. Hurrah!

blush goes with everything, apparently
blush goes with everything, apparently

The Wedding Crashers

Dress, RACHEL Rachel Roy (via consignment); necklace, Winners; shoes, Steve Madden (via consignment)
Dress, RACHEL Rachel Roy (via consignment); necklace, Winners; shoes, Steve Madden (via consignment)

Don’t worry – we have not taken up wedding crashing as a hobby. I just liked having an excuse to name-check one of my fave silly comedies from the mid-aughts. My husband and I are now at an age when weddings are rare events. Most of our friends are married, but the next generation is still, mostly, in diapers. Ironically, I actually now enjoy weddings, whereas in the past, I hated them. So I’m always excited when an invitation comes. This one was for the wedding of a co-worker, and it took place out in the country, about an hour’s drive away from town. I’d never been to a “country” wedding before, and this one was a blast. It is always lovely to watch two families come together at such a happy time, and the atmosphere this time was especially laid-back and welcoming. The home-made moonshine wedding favours did not exactly hinder the fun, if you know what I mean.

beautiful Fallis, Alberta
beautiful Fallis, Alberta
the best kind of wedding favour ...
the best kind of wedding favour …
looks good from the back?
looks good from the back?

The dress code for the wedding reflected its venue (business chic, I think was the term used), so I picked a dress that would look nice, but not too fancy. The necklace was, admittedly, a little bit over the top, but I’ve been waiting for an excuse to wear it with this dress for ages. The wedges were a compromise because I knew we would be in a field outdoors the whole time, which meant that heels were a no-go. In retrospect, I wish I had worn close-toed shoes, because the weather turned pretty chilly by the time we got there, and I could have used the extra warmth. Another reason to be thankful for the moonshine …

Rachel Roy really does make the prettiest dresses ...
Rachel Roy really does make the prettiest dresses …