The New Uniform

MaxMara Ragni coat; Lilka purple print dress
Dress, Lilka (thrifted); sweater, J. Crew Factory; scarf, consignment; boots, Target; coat, MaxMara; bag, Marc Jacobs (swap)

So, this is basically my new weekend uniform: dress + sweater + tights + coat + scarf. Anything (and everything) to avoid pants. I missed last weekend’s deep freeze – when the temps dipped to something utterly preposterous like -18F – but this formula has gotten through everything else. So far. I really shouldn’t tempt Mother Nature.

MaxMara Ragni coat; Lilka purple print dress
hiding a red, red nose

I have to say, this is perhaps not my favourite iteration of the uniform. It looked better in my head. I hate when that happens.

sparkly gel manicure
a manicure any Frozen-obsessed 6-year old would love

Speaking of questionable choices, how ridiculous is this manicure on a 34-year old? A French woman somewhere just threw up in her mouth a little bit, and the poor thing doesn’t even know why. It’s like the butterfly effect, except for tacky (awesome) manicures.

MaxMara Ragni coat; Lilka purple print dress
the weekend uniform

The Remix Is in the Details

Ralph Lauren purple floral dress
Dress, Ralph Lauren (thrifted); cardigan, Joe Fresh; necklace, Swarovski; shoes, Nine West (via consignment); bag, Marc Jacobs (via eBay)

I find some dresses hard to remix. Take this one for example: no matter what I slap on it, it’s instantly recognizable. It is the centre of attention. It almost defeats the purpose of remixing because, no matter the accessory pieces, you will always remember the dress and not the other things. But, I try.

Ralph Lauren purple floral dress
all the odd colours

This time around not that hard, clearly. I just threw a bunch of things together, all of which vaguely go with the dress, although perhaps not each other. I promise I’ll try harder next time. You may or may not notice. Because, dress.

Ralph Lauren purple floral dress
cute bag, tho

This Old Thing

Marc Jacobs Blake spearmint; Pilotto for Target top
Top, Pilotto for Target; cardigan, Joe Fresh; jeans, Cleo (via consignment); shoes, Stuart Weitzman; bag, Marc Jacobs (via eBay)

This top used to be a dress. It was a nice dress, but not the greatest silhouette for me. For a dress that fitted to work, I need it to be made out of something … more Spanx-esque. Cotton, though comfortable, doesn’t quite cut it. For that reason, I haven’t worn this dress much lately. Well, not just that reason. It was also a very casual dress; I have a lot of other casual dresses I like better. So. What to do?

Initially, I was going to try to sell it. But, honestly, a $30 dress is hardly worth selling (especially Target quality, which is already showing its wear after 6 months). I like the print a lot, and the cotton material is very comfortable. So, I did what is starting to become a habit … a major alteration. But also a simple one (or so my grandmother tells me). I had the dress made into a top. And here we are.

Speaking of old things, I bought these earrings in a long-defunct boutique in Kits, back when I started dating my husband (who was then living in Vancouver). It’s hard to believe that was almost 7 years ago. I don’t wear them very often, but it’s always a special occasion when I do.

Chanel like camellia flower earring
Chanel-esque earrings

And speaking of more old things … my trusty Stuart Weitzman pumps are going on 5 years, and still looking pretty darn good. But the prize for longevity has to go to my Blake bag; though still relatively new-to-me, this bag is almost a decade old. At the risk of beating an old horse: splurging on bags and shoes is where it’s at, you guys.

Marc Jacobs Blake spearmint; Pilotto for Target top
better this way?