Ok, the title is a misleading sort of pun, because you know that shopping secondhand never leaves me feeling blue. So, while this outfit has me wearing a lot of aqua, that’s the only kind of blue in the picture. Har har.

But, yes, other than the necklace, this is an outfit made entirely of consignment or thrifted pieces. Coincidentally (or not?), it’s also made up of some pretty fancy pieces – things I certainly wouldn’t want to buy at retail prices. Lucky, then, that this outfit cost me only about 24% of its original retail value – on things (like the bag and shoes especially) that looked to be brand new. Have I told you lately how much I love shopping secondhand?

I should also tell you, if I haven’t lately, how much I love this J. Crew blouse. The silk has a nice drape to it, and gives off a lovely romantic vibe when it’s tucked in. It works as beautifully with a pencil skirt as it does with my Zara midi skirt.

Last weekend, I took advantage of what looked to be one of our last sunny days of summer to wear the silk Etro tunic I “rescued” from consignment earlier this season. The truth is that it’s not a super versatile garment, and I’m not entirely sure how to make it more so, given that what I assume to be its actual function (fancy beach cover-up) is useless to me, 99% of the time. Still, let it not be said that I don’t try. I did enjoy wearing it as a top, and I kind of wish that it was. (Although, I’m sad that half of the print can’t be seen when worn as such).

Here for comparison is how it looks “untucked”:

I’ve written about my compulsion to “rescue” closet “orphans” from consignment (and thrift) stores, and it has not abated. The problem arises when, as much as I may love them, they don’t really fit my style or wardrobe needs. This tunic is a case in point. It’s not so much that it doesn’t spark joy; I just don’t get to wear it enough to justify keeping it in my closet … if the goal is to have a purely functional wardrobe, rather than a “collection”. Since you guys are also familiar with my collecting tendencies, I’m sure you can appreciate my struggle here.

I don’t have much to say about this outfit, save that it was probably a little too princess-y for the office, but I liked it anyway. I tried toning it down by removing the sparkly necklace from the equation, but the result felt a little, um, bare so I put it back on. It’s kind of difficult to accessorize a print this busy, but I think this necklace actually does a pretty good job.

I still adore this Zara midi skirt, and have never regretted paying full retail price for it. The shape is so pretty! And, let’s be real, incredibly flattering. Considering that a midi hemline can be tricky on the vertically (somewhat) challenged, that’s a huge bonus. I do still struggle to find the right kind of topper to go with it, since so many of my blazers are on the long and/or slouchy side, but it’s almost summer now which means the struggle can wait a few months. #TheStruggleIsReal

Oh look, close-up of mah joolz. Sometimes, the Crewlet really hits it out of the ballpark. It almost makes up for all the other times when I end up with loose rhinestones after 2 wears. #TskTsk #StillGonnaGoBackForMore #NeverLearn