Since closet purges have been a regular occurrence in my sartorial life even before my most recent wardrobe overhaul, there aren’t many pieces in my closet that are older than a few years and mostly unworn. Generally, things I don’t wear, I don’t keep. Some avoid their fate as consignment or donation fodder by being gifted to my mom; and some of those clothes eventually find their way back to me when my mom decides to embark on a closet purge of her own. So it was with this skirt.
By my best estimate, this skirt is about 8 years old. I’m pretty sure I bought it some time during my first year out of law school, either at Winners or at a consignment store. It’s so not what you’d expect from a Tommy Hilfiger skirt, no? Cool print, but boy, is it a problematic skirt, to say the least. The colours, while lovely, are challenging to match, especially in this brocade-like, semi-shiny fabric. The pleated A-line silhouette has never been particularly flattering on my figure, pre- or post-baby. The skirt is supposed to sit at the natural waist, but this size is slightly too big and as a result the skirt slides down closer to my love handle area (ugh, that term!). As a result, the length was on the stumpifying side, being an inch or two past the knee; this, at least, was easily rectifiable.
That’s a heck of a lot of problems for just one skirt!
I had pretty much decided to finally get rid of it for good, when my mom persuaded me to give it one last chance. (We do this a lot, hence the back-and-forth of items between our wardrobes.) I had the hemline taken up, and had a good look through my closet for matching pieces. As you might imagine, my wardrobe as evolved greatly since the last time I wore this skirt (probably 3 or 4 years ago). Does it help?
Yes.
Rather than wearing it with a black turtleneck, I now have a few other options.
Blazer & sweater, J. Crew Factory; shoes, Nine West
Necklace, J. Crew Factory
Tucked in might be better?
… hmm, or not
I think I like this better.
Cardigan & blouse, J. Crew Factory
Shoes, Lauren Ralph Lauren
Ooh, arty pose!
But.
It still doesn’t strike me as a very versatile piece, and I’m not sure that it fits in easily with the rest of my wardrobe. Also, I’m still not crazy about the fit.
You may remember my thrifted Simons tunic from this previous post. That’s a whole lotta print. Probably why I gravitated to it in the first place. But … it’s short. Accidental-flashing-incident-waiting-to-happen short. I bought it when I was pregnant, and obviously miscalculated its length post-baby bump. Regardless, I still love it so I’m gonna make it work, somehow, if it’s the last thing I do.
The short hem line makes it perfect for wear as a “top” with my paperbag BCBG skirt. Which … is tighter than I remember. Umph! Thankfully, it still fits, because I would otherwise have a case of the wardrobe sads – I adore this skirt.
Shoes, J. Crew Factory
Did I mention that I also adore these shoes? Oh, I did? Like, a million times. Well, a million and one now. Blue shoes are da’ bomb. Or whatever kids these days say.
Ring, Coach; nails, Butter London Dahling
I thought this outfit would look more office-ready with a black blazer. Like so:
Blazer, Theory (via consignment)Serious business
But, looking at the photos, I feel like this is a lot of black. A LOT. It kind of drowns out the rest of the outfit. I like it better without, even if it’s still a bit loud for the office.
Take Two: pink + sparkle
Cardigan, Joe Fresh; leggings, Old Navy; necklace, J. Crew Factory; shoes, Target
When in doubt, throw a cardigan on it. That’s one of my mantras, and it rarely fails me. Because this particular cardigan covers my butt, I tried wearing only tights. Bad idea. I looked like I forgot my pants. So I threw on leggings instead. Much better!
Bag, Rebecca Minkoff (via eBay)
Can I take a moment to say how much I love my new Rebecca Minkoff Mini MAC? The colour is called Pink Iris, and it’s all kinds of wonderful. I’m not sure why it took me 33 years to realize it, but pink is a totally awesome colour – and if you end up looking like you’re carrying Barbie’s purse, who cares? Rose gold is pretty nice too:
Leggings, Winners; shoes, J. Crew FactoryBracelets; J. Crew & Swarovski; rings, Old Navy & Cartier
Here’s another thing I only recently discovered: fleece-lined tights. How is that even possible? I live in Deep Freeze, Alberta for 6 months of the year, and I wear skirts most of that time. Better later than never, I guess. Fleece-lined tights are also da’ bomb.
Bag, Chanel (via consignment)
What’s that? Am I wearing tights as pants? Ummm … they’re fleece-lined tights? Like, practically leggings? Still no? What if I throw on a coat?
Coat, J. Crew (via Kijiji)
The J. Crew Lady Day coat (thanks, Kijiji!) makes everything look 80% more put-together and less oops-I-forgot-my-pants. And yet.
Guys, I don’t think I can really make this work as a tunic. It’s just too damn short for this 33 year old. I’m pretty sure it’s due for the same treatment as my former DVF tunic. Thoughts?
Every year, on December 26, I trek to some place of commerce in search of promised bargains. Every year, a little later on December 26, I vow never to fall for the whole Boxing Day marketing hype. This is proof either that hope springs eternal, or that I suffer from recurring, eggnog-induced amnesia.
So, this year. Same deal. I vowed not to go anywhere near a mall, but I couldn’t just not go anywhere at all. Based on my experiences with Black Friday this year, I decided to only hit up the J. Crew Factory store. It’s a 5 minute drive from my house, and there were a few things I had been eyeing, waiting for a good sale. And if anyone is good for a decent sale, it’s J. Crew. I know. I’ve hit you over the head with my Crew love enough already. But their shopping math. It is amazing!
Take this jewel collar Oxford shell.
J. Crew Factory Jewel Collar Shirt
I bought the blue version during the Black Friday sale, and love it so much that I decided I needed the white one as well. They are fantastic for layering under cardigans and sweaters, with the bonuses of a) being sleeveless (less bulk in the arms); and b) not requiring any accessorizing. Regular price on these is $90. That’s … a lot. And I say that as someone who, well, loves these shirts so much she bought two. But! I only paid $36! Shopping math, you guys – amahzing!
Of course, I also spotted a couple of other wardrobe staples on clearance so I had to buy those as well. My fave Charley sweater in camel (regularly $80, paid $16) and the Jackie cardigan in orchid pink (regularly $60, paid $14).
J. Crew Factory Charley SweaterJ. Crew Clare Cardigan
Oh yeah, and then I saw these Anya flats.
J. Crew Anya Ballet Flats
Tried them on just on a whim. Couldn’t believe how incredibly comfortable they are. I need a new pair of shoes like a fish needs a bicycle, but I couldn’t pass these up for the comfort factor alone. I’m curious to see if they’re as amazing over the long haul. Pity they are suede, though. Again, the regular retail price is steep: $104. I paid $26, which makes these a great deal based on the quality. [The colour I bought is Chrome Green, not the pink pictured above]
Here’s 3 out of my 4 Boxing Day picks:
Skirt, Lands End; sweater, blouse, shoes, J. Crew Factory
How were your Boxing Day shopping adventures?
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