Details: Tahari shirt (thrifted), Topshop skirt (swap), Rafael Alfandary necklace (ebay), J. Crew Factory shoes (retail)

Thoughts: I think I mentioned this before, but when I originally picked this skirt at the clothing swap, I wasn’t entirely sure about it. I liked the style and colour, but the pattern was a bit too close to animal print (which isn’t something I tend to wear). With the benefit of hindsight, I’m glad I got it because I have enjoyed wearing it. It’s very light and floaty, which is nice for summer. And the pattern doesn’t bother me; the colour compensates for it, and works nicely with other stuff in my closet … like this chambray shirt.  

Details: Gap dress (Poshmark), Tabitha jacket (thrifted), BR belt (thrifted), sun necklace (thrifted), Napoleoni shoes (thrifted)

Thoughts: Not much to say about this one except that I always enjoy wearing this dress. Still one of my faves!

Details: Jessica jumpsuit (thrifted), Oak & Fort top (Poshmark), silver tone necklace (thrifted), Manolo Blahnik shoes (thrifted)

Thoughts: I’ve only started exploring the layering possibilities of this pinafore jumpsuit, and we have another winner here. I think a few more options will present themselves comes fall – can you picture this with a black turtleneck, for example? You will soon 😉

Details: Only &Sons shirt (thrifted), Babaton skirt (consignment), vintage belt (thrifted), BR necklace (thrifted), Fluevog shoes (thrifted)

Thoughts: This is a shirt I picked from the men’s rack by lucky chance; it was hanging at the end of the rack and the interesting pattern caught my eye. And it fit me perfectly! I thought I would be wearing it mostly with jeans or other pants, but then I had the idea to try something different. And that is how we ended up with this Prairie Goth moment. I like it very much.

Details: Old Navy tank (thrifted), AG jeans (thrifted), Nocona belt (thrifted), Denim & Supply jacket (thrifted), turquoise necklace (Poshmark), turquoise pendant (swap), Old Navy shoes (Poshmark)

Thoughts: A peak summer aesthetic moment that also happens to be a very easy, comfortable option for running errands and the like (aka my version of “casual dressing”). I’m slowly building up my collection of turquoise jewelry, which gives me more options for incorporating my favourite colour into my outfits. Luckily, turquoise seems to go with everything.

Details: Twik tee (Poshmark), Max & Co skirt (thrifted), YSL belt (thrifted), J. Crew shoes (thrifted)

Thoughts: Next to turquoise, this saturated magenta has become my other favourite colour. (Spoiler alert: the two of them also work together really well – bonus!) And this skirt is right up there on the favourites lists too. This is an outfit formula I haven’t used a lot this summer (graphic tee + skirt) but it’s a classic that never fails me. Pink on pink is always a happy moment.

Details: April Cornell dress (thrifted), En Saison top (thrifted), pearl necklace (thrifted), Kurt Geiger bag (retail), J. Crew Factory shoes (retail)

Thoughts: I picked up this wrap-style chambray shirt primarily for the sleeves – I love the romantic details – but I have struggled with how to style it for precisely the same reason. The sleeves are quite voluminous and with some of the outfits I had tried, they seem to be overpowering. Here, I feel like the dress and top don’t “battle” each other too much, and in fact, play harmoniously together. I couldn’t resist adding the bag because the colour of the eye is such a good match and also because it’s brand new and I’m obsessed with it. It’s the first clothing item I purchased at retail this whole year (although it was technically a birthday present).

I know that fall is a far off thing, still, for many of you; in Alberta, fall is often a state of mind as much as a season – it’s not unknown to have a first snow in late September. But with school about to start around these parts, I’m gonna go ahead and talk about fall fashion inspo because, even 25 years later, my mental calendar still says “school = fall”.

I mentioned in a previous post that my fall avatar is the Historian. Here is a non-exhaustive list of ideas and “vibes” that are influencing my interpretation of the Historian for Fall 2022:

• Diana Bishop / A Discovery of Witches (of course)
• English countryside cottagecore (with a dash of Sloane Ranger)
• 90s Ralph Lauren (think Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy)
• Autumnal colours – burgundy, camel, brown, olive/chartreuse, black, darker blues, plum and dark purple
• Texture: velvet, corduroy, wool
• All the layering!

Silhouette-wise, I am mostly going to stick with my tried-and-true maxi and midi dresses and skirts, along with high-waisted cropped pants … but! … I am also going to experiment with 2 new things: (1) mini skirts, and (2) bootcut flares.

I have 2 specific mini skirts in mind, which I put away this summer (one thrifted, one from the clothing swap); both have a colour palette and style that perfectly line up with my fall aesthetic – plaid wools in darker colours. My plan is to wear then with very opaque tights and either heeled Oxford-style shoes or boots of some sort. I’m still working out the details.

As far as flares go, I don’t have anything answering that description in my closet … yet. I did have a pair of dark wash J Brand flared jeans, but ended up selling them (which I now regret, of course). I am planning to start looking for something similar at the thrifts – either jeans or corduroys. I want something that’s basically a bootcut with a modest amount of flare, not the 70s style ones. It’s not a cut I’ve seen a lot in thrift stores recently, so it remains to be seen if I am able to find something.

I’ve got a bunch of photos saved on my phone for inspiration so let’s have a look, shall we:

Have you started to think about your fall wardrobe and/or style? What is inspiring you these days?

Details: Pilcro tank top, Tahari shirt, H&M pants, Holt Renfrew belt, Rafael Alfandary necklace, Chelsea Crew shoes, Tommy Hilfiger bag (all thrifted)

Thoughts: This outfit was inspired by a photo from Ralph Lauren: In His Own Fashion and specifically an outfit that Papa Ralph himself wore. I really like how this layering formula (tank top under a shirt) works with these high-waisted, loose pants (which happen to be my most versatile pair of pants, hands down). It’s classic but it feels fresh too. I will definitely be experimenting with this “look” again.

Details: Anna Sui top (thrifted), Lucca Couture skirt (Poshmark), Suttles & Seawinds vest (thrifted), Esprit belt (thrifted), Rafael Alfandary necklace (secondhand)

Thoughts: I love this skirt so much, and really leaned into its cottagecore vibe with this outfit. The vest was a lucky thrift find; I love anything patchwork so, of course, it speaks to me. I think it’s a piece that will transition easily to fall.

Details: Erika dress (thrifted), Atlantic Pacific x Halogen skirt (Poshmark), vintage belt (thrifted), Barbara Barbieri shoes (thrifted)

Thoughts: I call this “bubblegum princess”! This colour combo of turquoise, pink, and purple is what my childhood dreams were made of. I know it’s a bit over-the-top, but hey — one of the perks of WFH is that you can be as over-the-top as you like. I decided to add the tulle skirt under this dress because the dress, on its own, is a bit too short for my liking and its cut/style can feel a bit dowdy. The tulle makes it a lot more fun and funky, imo. The nice thing about dresses with buttons all down the front is that they can be worn closed, fully open, or somewhere in between, which creates lots of potential for layering (and, in turn, changing up the look of the dress).

Details: Re/Done tee (thrifted), Rachel Comey skirt (Poshmark), Anne Klein belt (thrifted), Barbara Barbieri shoes (thrifted)

Thoughts: I haven’t worn a graphic tee in a while, so it seemed like a good time to fix that. Of course, I had to pick my favourite graphic tee to get back into the game. I’ve always said it goes with pretty much anything, and here is another example.

Details: Pilcro top, AG jeans, Cotton Ginny belt, Barbara Barbieri shoes (all thrifted), upcycled jacket from Prairie Trail Goods

Thoughts: I love pieces that I call “outfit makers” — you know, the kind that can instantly elevate an outfit, or make any old things look like, well, a thought-out outfit. This jacket is one of those pieces. Every time I wear it, I feel instantly great. And I get compliments too. It’s extra special because it was made by my friend, who used thrifted and upcycled materials for it.

Details: Farm Rio top (Poshmark), Max&Co skirt (thrifted), BR necklace (thrifted), Lena Bernard necklace (Poshmark), Barbara Barbieri shoes (thrifted)

Thoughts: The colourful maximalist side of the Bohemian is not dead yet! Here is a bright, eclectic and fun outfit that feels very 2021 Adina, but in a way that speaks to my current sartorial self too. I love layering these 2 necklaces together (this is not the first, or last, time) and they are a go-to combination whenever I need jewelry that delivers a bright punch of colour. Because this top is so bright and colourful itself, it calls for a statement piece(s).