Details: H&M top (Poshmark), Thierschmidt skirt (thrifted), Stella & Dot necklaces (thrifted), J. Crew shoes (retail)

Thoughts: This skirt is one of my favourite recent finds — it’s floaty silk (double layer) in the most incredible deep turquoise colour. It’s vintage, with a very 80s style waistband, but it fits my current style perfect, not to mention my waist. I adore high-waisted maxi skirts, and they feel fresh and modern to me paired with crop tops.

Details: Giambattista Valli x H&M dress (Poshmark), Anthro wrap (thrifted), Esprit belt (thrifted)

Thoughts: Another outfit that perfectly encapsulates my summer style. This belt has been the most versatile accessory I bought this year; it goes so well with the boho/romantic vibes of my outfits, and I find that the brown is a better neutral than black in most cases — I think because it’s less of a high contrast.

Details: indie maker corset (retail), Ralph Lauren shirt (Poshmark), Atlantic Pacific x Halogen skirt (Poshmark)

Thoughts: I had some struggles trying to style this RL shirt (which I love on its own) but this quirky combination was a pleasant surprise. I am not in a “tulle and sequin” season of life at the moment, but it’s nice to occasionally incorporate some of these old pieces into new outfits.

Details: Chaus shirt (thrifted), J. Crew tank (thrifted), Adriano Goldschmied jeans (thrifted), Chico’s belt (thrifted), J. Crew shoes (retail)

Thoughts: Believe it or not, I had never attempted a Canadian tuxedo look before; this was my first ever try. I don’t think it’s really my thing, to be honest. However, I do love these relaxed, straight leg jeans – the style is called “ex boyfriend”. I’d been looking for some lightwash denim, and this cut is a nice complement/contrast to the more romantic pieces I’ve been wearing this summer. I’ve always been a fan of juxtapositions, so I think there is a lot of potential to explore here.

Details: Ralph Lauren tank top (gift), Wilfred jacket (thrift), Ines de la Fressange x Uniqlo pants (thrift), Esprit belt (thrift), Fluevog shoes (thrift)

Thoughts: I’m really fond of the accessories here. The belt — again, it’s so versatile. The shoes — love at first sight, and that’s before I even saw the brand. They remind me of my favourite Grandma’s Couch pants, except in a tapestry fabric. So fun! I should also give a shoutout to these linen-blend pants because they are a stealth wardrobe workhorse; easy to wear and very versatile.

Details: Max Studio dress (thrifted), Esprit belt (thrift), Dooney bag (Poshmark), J. Crew shoes (retail)

Thoughts: Max Studio is not a brand I normally would pay up for, but I did in this case — thrift prices being what they are these days — because I immediately saw that the style was right up my alley. It fits like a dream too. My goal is now to find the same style in a lighter colour — perhaps white, or a white floral of some description. I don’t mind the dark green colour (the opposite, in fact) but it does strike me as a more fall colour than a summer one. Nevertheless, a win for the books.

One. Seaside walks

I have always been a homebody, and never more so than since the pandemic. I love being at home, and for the most part I am content to “travel” places via my books. But I do miss the sea. I’ve been watching a lot of shows set in rural England, and it’s always the coastal regions that make me long to visit again. I hope that next year, we will be able to travel to Vancouver and at least see the Pacific again. I would love to visit the east coast (Nova Scotia, PEI) but it’s such a long trip from here, it seems a bit daunting these days.

Two. Turquoise

I am so obsessed with turquoise these days; both the colour and the stone. Both work very well with the summer style I have adopted. Turquoise was my paternal grandma’s favourite colour, so for a long time, I stayed away from it because it seemed like “her thing”. But I have been adopting more and more into my wardrobe lately, as well as rediscovering some of the pieces that she left behind. The image above is from a scrapbook I made back in 2008/2009 and, not gonna lie, I would love to find a necklace like that now. How fabulous!

Three. Long Dusters

This Ralph Lauren runway outfit lives rent free in my head at the moment. My biggest thrifting wish currently is to find a duster/robe/coat like the one in this photo. I don’t think I would wear anything else this summer if I had the choice. I’ve been getting creative, trying to recreate the same vibe/mood using pieces in my closet or things I am able to find at the thrift stores. I think I found a few options, but none quite as stunning as the original, alas.

Four. Vintage ad

Leafing through the stash of 80s fashion magazines I managed to score on FB Marketplace a few months ago is one of my favourite “treats”. I enjoy the glimpse into the past, the celebrity gossip (never mind that it’s old now, good gossip never ages), and the fashion inspo. Perfume ads are so fascinating — you can dissect the images and taglines, and they say so much about the culture of the time. This Fendi ad, however, is just visually stunning.

Five. Cabinet of curiosities

Speaking of coastal chic — this cabinet of curiosities (spotted in a design book I thrifted) has reignited by obsession with such items. I have a somewhat similar cabinet — with shallow shelves instead of cubby holes — that my husband built me years ago for my nail polish collection. Since I have mostly downsized in that category, I am now using it as a jewelry display for rings and bracelets. So, a cabinet of curiosities of sorts. But I would like to maybe have a separate, larger one for my (miniature) pottery and miscellaneous collections.

Details: Athleta tank (thrift), Denim & Supply jacket (thrift), H&M pants (thrift), Esprit belt (thrift), Tommy Hilfiger bag (thrift), J. Crew sandals (retail)

Thoughts: I felt great in this outfit. It’s totally my Summer 2022 aesthetic, and felt very comfortable. This jacket was something of an outlier, style-wise, for me when I bought it last year; but it turned out to have been simply anticipating my evolving tastes. I have picked up a few pieces like that over the years — prophetic clothing, if you will (hehe) — and I always feel lucky to have had the presence of mind to buy them when I find them (only later fully appreciating them) … but, at the same time, I’m also mad at myself for buying stuff that isn’t quite my style and never becomes my style. Sigh.

Details: Topshop dress (ebay), Farm Rio top (Poshmark)

Thoughts: Speaking of “prophetic clothing”, I would never have guessed the surging popularity of crochet when I (randomly) bought this top on Poshmark last year. At the time, it looked very novel (and I bought it for the colours, not the style); now, of course, crochet is everywhere. I will say that a top like this is great for summer, as it comes with built-in aeration. I usually wear just a (red) bralette with it, and since I’m not going to the office, it’s more than enough.

Details: AllSaints blouse (thrift), Talula shrug (gift), Rachel Comey skirt (Poshmark), Ferragamo shoes (thrift)

Thoughts: This shrug is almost vintage – my husband bought it for his sister almost 20 years ago. She recently found and since it’s not something she would still wear, she passed it along. It’s very teeny — I so remember when these were popular along with “going out” tops and low rise jeans — but I am intrigued by its layering possibilities. So I’m going to keep it and play around with it.

Details: Vince top (thrift), Susan Bristol skirt (Poshmark), Esprit belt (thrift), Golden jacket (thrift), J. Crew sandals (retail)

Thoughts: I’ve been wanting a quilt-inspired, patchwork skirt ever since I saw the Ralph Lauren versions from the 80s. Alas, I don’t think I’ll ever be lucky enough to find one of those, but this Susan Bristol number is a sweet alternative. I actually hemmed and hawed over it for many weeks, as I was worried it might be too twee. But I really like it. And it’s a lovely piece for summer.

Details: Twinset dress (Poshmark), Lena Bernard necklace (ebay), Patrons of Peace wrap (thrift)

Details: Wilfred top (thrift), Miss Sixty skirt (thrift), Golden jacket (thrift), BR belt (thrift)

Thoughts: I love voluminous skirts and dresses in lightweight cotton or linen for the summer — easy, breezy, and oh so dramatic.