Details: Bozzolo top (retail), Pelican Cover shirt, Jil Sander coat, Emmanuel belt, Ralph Lauren skirt, Storey’s shoes (all thrifted), Dooney bag (Poshmark)

Thoughts: Trying out olive green paired with camel, and I think I’m a fan. Layered outfits like this one represent my favourite styling approach for cool weather dressing. A relatively lightweight cashmere jacket can be sufficiently warm when paired with 2-3 thinner layers (cotton and wool, ideally). I will go to any lengths to minimize the amount of time I need to spend swaddled in my heavy-duty coats … and layering doesn’t require me to take too drastic measures. Plus, it allows me to wear more of my clothes, which is a bonus because I have a lot of clothes to wear 😉

Details: French Connection sweater, DKNY blazer, Gap belt, Calvin Klein jeans, vintage bag (all thrifted), Mia shoes (retail)

Thoughts: This might seem a relatively basic outfit — minimal layering involved, simple colour palette — but I loved how beautifully all the individual pieces came together. The wood bead necklace and the bag tie everything together, and also provide visual interest. Something for the eye to pause upon and delight in. Which is the only way I can embrace any semblance of minimalism.

Details: Ralph Lauren sweater & trench, Do+Be skirt, Storey’s shoes (all thrifted)

Thoughts: Still rocking this leopard print skirt and having fun exploring its styling possibilities. This time, I paired it with brown-and-cream stripes. I’m trying to stay away from using too much black in these outfits, because I want to dial back the contrast. (A black bag was my sole exception, and a special one at that as this is one of my mom’s old bags.) To create depth and richness, I mixed different shades in the same colour family: dark brown and camel; cream and beige.

Details: J. Crew shirt, Lord & Taylor sweater, Gap jacket, Fossil belt, Eddie Bauer pants (all thrifted)

Thoughts: The idea behind this outfit was pretty simple: brown and blue (one of my fave combos) and textural contrast. Again, you’ll notice that I mixed 2 different shades: light blue and cerulean; chocolate brown and whiskey brown. I think this helps make the outfit “pop” more than sticking to a strictly binary colour scheme, but still creates the impression of a harmonious minimalist palette.

Details: Jeanne Pierre sweater, DKNY blazer, Dolce & Gabbana skirt (all thrifted), Manolo Blahnik shoes (eBay)

Thoughts: I don’t buy (or wear) knee-length pencil skirts these days, but I had to make an exception for this one because I could not resist that beautiful tulip pattern. (It was an exception in more ways than one, because I also don’t usually buy or support D&G as a brand. I have mixed feelings about making that exception, but ultimately decided to go ahead since I was not directly putting money into the brand’s hands.) I paired it with a vintage longline blazer and sleeveless turtleneck for a look that, to me, feels very “Y2K corporate chic”. I have a nostalgic appreciation for it, but I am not sure if it feels very “me”. Next time, I think I’m going to try adjusting the proportions of the skirt, probably by rolling the waistband a little bit so the hem comes up above the knee. I don’t want to permanently commit to making it a mini skirt, however; it’s possible that I’ll come back around to knee-length skirts again in the future, or else I may pass it on to someone who prefers it as-is.

Details: Club Monaco turtleneck (retail), Danier vest, Kate Hewko skirt, Ermo bag, Ann Marino shoes (all thrifted

Thoughts: Here is another red and navy pairing, with plum picking up a minor supporting role. That would be the turtleneck, which I assure you is not black, though it may look like it is. In fact, the only black to be found in this outfit is on my feet; these shoes are black and navy, which is a handy combination for footwear (much like brown and black) because it allows one to wear the said footwear with either colour as the base neutral. The star attraction, however, is that fabulous vintage suede vest (featuring my new favourite shade of red) and that no less fabulous velvet bag (ditto).

Details: vintage sweater, Danier jacket, Donna Karan belt (all thrifted), Banana Republic pants (retail)

Thoughts: More vintage suede! I love the cut of this jacket — it’s serving some Jackie O vibes, I think. I didn’t want to go full “first lady” mode with this outfit, so I paired the jacket with pieces that have a more casual vibe thanks to their fabrics (corduroy and chenille). The palette is, once again, mostly brown — in different shades, natch, to keep things interesting as well as cohesive. That cream belt came in clutch, and not for the first time — nor last, I should imagine.

As an only child, I experienced a not-insignificant amount of wistful longing for a sibling while growing up. Above all, I wanted a sister – though, in truth, what I wanted was a built-in best friend. Because it’s hard to make friends when you’re an introvert and a teenager and your life is entirely uprooted not once but twice within the space of a few years. Of course, having a sibling is no guarantee of harmonious companionship, but I didn’t know that at the time, what with being an only child and having no friends. There is nothing to say that, had I had a sister, we would have (happily) shared the same interests or opinions. Much less the same closet, although I dreamed that dream for a long time. In any event, my idealized expectations of female bonding rituals, nourished by books, magazines, and TV, never had the chance to rub up against prosaic realities. My mom was never especially interested in fashion or makeup, and I never lived with roommates (until I met my husband, whose interest in those things is also essentially nil.) For more than 30 years, I was the undisputed queen of my realm. And by realm, I mean my closet. I loved fashion and I painstakingly built a little universe around it. OK, maybe not so little. And if there was nobody in my day-to-day life with whom I could share bits of that universe, well … that’s what this blog was for — whose added bonus is that none of you have ever asked to borrow a pair of shoes and forgotten to return it.

And then I had a daughter.

There were many reasons why, before she was born, I hoped to have a daughter. I wouldn’t say that they were bad reasons but, for the most part, those reasons are not the same reasons why, today, I am grateful that I have a daughter. Life teaches you things you had no idea that you didn’t know or understand – not just about the world and what’s important in it, but about yourself. (Maybe those are two sides of the same coin.) One of things I had hoped for, before my daughter was born, was that we might share the sort of connection that my mom and I didn’t really have when I was growing up – one forged in common interests and experiences. I knew that it wasn’t a given simply by virtue of biology, but that didn’t stop me from hoping it might happen.

The answer wasn’t obvious from the jump, as such things rarely are. One of the joys of parenthood has been watching my kids’ personalities slowly unfold before my eyes. As a parent, one’s role in that process is a curious one: not wholly a spectator, not unilaterally a director, often on the spot but never in the spotlight. Something of a Jill-of-all-trades, hoping always for the best and being frequently surprised by what ends up transpiring during the performance – because there’s no dress rehearsal, of course. Anyway, in the fullness of time, it became clear that I had been granted my wish. My daughter is a chip off the old block; that block being me, to be precise. She loves to draw and read, and her “happy place” is the library; she has a weakness for accessories and plans her outfit the night before. We are two peas in a pod.

Well, sort of.

One of the most emotionally fraught transitions of parenthood – less immediately tumultuous than the arrival of a brand-new human being in one’s life, but no less profound in consequence – is the emergence of boundaries. For the first few years of their lives, my kids felt as much a part of me as they had been while in utero. Like an extra appendage tacked onto my body, sometimes quite literally. I don’t know exactly when this started to change; it happened so gradually, I hardly noticed. But there came a day when it hit me: my kids are people. I know that sounds silly – what else would they be? – but the reality of that, as a parent, is different from the abstract concept. So, then: my daughter is a person, with her own opinions and her own perspective on things … including those things that we have in common. She loves books, but she likes different books from me. She loves clothes, but she doesn’t like wearing all the same things I do. (She also likes leaving her, and some of my, clothes on the floor, which gives me the vapours, but I digress.) Our convergences bring me joy but so, too, do our divergences. She is her own person, and getting to know that person is a delight and a privilege. She is constantly surprising me, testing and enriching my view of the world.

And that is the reality against which my childhood dream of “playing closet” with a confidant is unfolding. It’s fun and it’s challenging all at the same time because, unlike the imaginary sister I used to conjure up in my mind when I was young, my actual daughter isn’t always agreeable to playing by my rules. The things she wants to borrow from me are only sometimes the things I’m willing to lend, and almost never the things I would pick out for her. Her track record of returning things in a timely manner is spotty, and I expect it will only get worse with time. Occasionally, she asks for my opinion or help with her outfits, and sometimes she even implements it. I can foresee a day, in the not-so-distant future, when I’ll be on the receiving end of an (unsolicited) opinion on my outfit, and I am hard at work mentally preparing myself for that particular paradigm shift.

But I love it. I love seeing her explore her identity and her creativity. I love hearing her opinions, and the way in which she expresses them. It’s wonderful, and it’s bittersweet. She is my daughter and she is becoming herself. In the clothes we share, we have a common language. We are writing our story, but also our own stories. It’s not precisely what I had dreamed of, all those years ago — it’s infinitely better.

Details: Rixo dress, Amaryllis jacket, Chloe shoes, Anna Paola bag (all secondhand)

Thoughts: My social life is only occasionally exciting, so I make the most of my opportunities to dress up. A dinner with friends, with a side of drag show and burlesque, was definitely an opportunity not to be missed — sartorially and otherwise. This Rixo dress I recently thrifted at Goodwill seemed like the perfect bold choice. I chose the other pieces, including accessories, to complement the dress: leopard jacket, green bag. I used to wear opaque tights exclusively, but I’m currently digging sheer black nylons as a cool(er) weather practical accessory. At least until the snow hits, hah!

Details: Club Monaco vest, Zara blazer, Ralph Lauren skirt (all secondhand), J. Crew shoes (retail, old)

Thoughts: A layered, textured monochromatic brown moment. The longer vest/shorter jacket combo was a bit of a “climb out on a limb” choice, but I think it turned out quite nicely. And I took a further risk by choosing green, rather than brown, tights. I felt like the outfit needed something extra, and when in doubt, a pop of colour isn’t a bad bet — though, in this case, I didn’t want anything too stark or contrasting which might unbalance the colour palette.

Details: Club Monaco sweater, Michigan Rag Co jacket, Fossil belt, Dooney bag (all secondhand), Zara pants (retail)

Thoughts: I have collected so many wonderful coats over the years, it’s sometimes a challenge to find time to wear them all regularly. But I try to give each one at least one outing per season (and, of course, some get much more frequent wear) and it was time for my Bird Coat aka the Jessica Fletcher Special to make its fall appearance. It might not be my most versatile coat, but I love it so dang much! In the past, I’ve worn it with jeans, but I thought these brown Zara pants would be a nice alternative. TBH, they’re a nice alternative in a lot of cases … which is why I bought them. And I like to feel vindicated in my decisions, so here we are.

Details: Tahari shirt, Ports International blazer, Auxiliary belt, Liz Claiborne pants, Tommy Hilfiger bag (all thrifted), Mia shoes (retail, old)

Thoughts: I told you I would be wearing these white pants until the bitter end weather makes it impossible, and I am a woman of my word. Beyond the fact that they’re supremely comfortable and look great, it comes down to white. White is such a fabulous pairing for brown and blue — separately or together — and we all know how I feel about those colours. I don’t own a lot of white clothing (because I’m a klutz, I’ve avoided it for years) so I have to make the most of the items I do have. And if that means wearing these pants ad nauseam, well, so be it.

Details: Tahari jacket, Ralph Lauren skirt (both thrifted)

Thoughts: I love the Dior New Look vibe of this vintage jacket (probably 90s, but definitely retro-inspired) and I am forever looking for ways to emphasize it. My favourite swishy skirt plays the supporting role here nicely, I think. Bonus points for the green and blue palette, which never disappoints me. The overall energy here is what I’m calling Not-So-Dark Academia.

Details: Tommy Hilfiger shirt, Jones Collection sweater, Babaton pants, vintage belt, Ferragamo shoes (all thrifted)

Thoughts: I wrote about my fave colour pairings last week, and here’s another one of them: navy and dark green. With white as an accent colour, just imagine 😉

Details: Tahari tee, A&F cardigan, Fossil belt, Eddie Bauer pants, vintage shoes, Coach bag (all secondhand)

Thoughts: Super casual look, elevated with cool accessories. I thrifted this vintageish layered necklace and am obsessed with it as a subtle statement piece. Or is that an oxymoron? I know that piling on multiple delicate necklaces is trendy again, but while I don’t mind layering bracelets, I hate fussing with multiple necklaces. How do people keep them from getting tangled?? Anyway. A piece like this that does all the work for me? Genius. Love it. Also brilliant? These vintage shoes. They are definitely from the 90s, and my teenager self approves of them whole-heartedly. The square toe, the chunky strap, that gorgeous oxblood colour: what’s not to love?