July 2017 – Blue Collar Red Lipstick

28
Jul
2017

The Closet Diaries, Volume 1

A reader recently mentioned that she would enjoy reading a post that detailed my rationale for choosing pieces as part of my on-going closet purge. I aim to please! In fact, since my closet is a metaphorical revolving door – with things going in and coming out of it with some regularity – so this is probably a good topic of a recurring series. So, without further ado, I bring you: What’s Leaving My Closet, summer 2017.

Theory Blazer

This was a hard decision. The blazer fits very well, is decent quality, and in very good condition. I originally paid $40 for it at a local consignment store, and I’ve worn it less than 10 times in the two years that I’ve had it. I do wear it … occasionally. The reality is that the frequency of wear is unlikely to increase. In my current wardrobe plan, bright red is reserved for accents – i.e. bags and shoes. This blazer stands out, and not in a way that works with the rest of my closet.

I am probably going to try to re-consign it, and if it doesn’t sell, then it will go into next year’s swap pile. I’m not planning to replace it, though I am sure I’ll be adding more blazers to my collection soon enough. I always do. #noregrets

J. Crew Pants

I thrifted a pair of green J. Crew Minnies back in January-ish (or maybe December or March, I don’t even know, sigh) for $2, and I wore them twice. I am letting them go for a couple of reasons. One, I am not as fond of this style of trouser; more precisely, this style combined with the (stretchy) fabric. I now prefer a slightly looser cut, tapered to the ankle, as well as a dressier fabric with a bit of drape to it. Two, while I like this colour and it’s fairly close to the forest green I have chosen for my wardrobe palette, I have come to realize that I prefer black trousers over coloured ones. I am not sure why the “polarity” makes a difference, but it does. My preferred combo is coloured top + black pants.

This pair is going into my donations bag. I have no plans to replace them, though I did recently thrift two pairs of Aritzia trousers. Both of them are black.

J. Crew Sandals

I was sad to see these go, but their time had come. I’ve had them for about 3 years (bought new at the Factory store for $25) and have worn them countless times, most recently on my trip to Palm Springs. That proved to be their death knell. They went into the garbage, sadly, because there was nothing there to be salvaged.

I have actually replaced them with a new pair of (slide) sandals, also from J. Crew Factory (on sale for $30). Black sandals are a summer staple for me, so this was non-negotiable. I think the fact that this new pair doesn’t have an ankle strap will make them even more convenient for casual wear.

Old Navy Sandals

Same story here. This pair was even older than the J. Crew ones, and had also seen much better days. I wasn’t looking to immediately replace them but then I spotted this cute pair at the Factory store (on sale for $25), and I couldn’t help myself.

That’s it for now. Stay tuned for another thrilling instalment, coming your way … soon, probably.

27
Jul
2017

The Blazer Vest

categories: style

Blazer, Zara (via consignment); dress, ASOS (via consignment); shoes, French Connection; bag, Gucci (via consignment)

I’ve been wanting a sleeveless blazer like this one for a good six months at least. At the beginning of the year, when I went through my Club Monaco phase, I had my eye on one of their pieces, but the price never dropped enough to meet my budget requirements. The thrift store didn’t yield any likely options either, so I put the search on the back burner … where it sat until a few weeks ago when I stumbled on this number at my local consignment store. It was on the very last rack I checked that day, too. Do you sometimes get the sense that there are clothes out there looking for you? No? You don’t anthropomorphize your clothing? Well, alrighty then.

I have a million ideas for this blazer (vest? vest blazer? blazer vest?) and there were no particular intention behind making this the inaugural outfit except that I had planned to wear this dress to work, and I hadn’t yet chosen a topper. Outfit kismet! I love the silhouette, definitely not the same old, same old for me.

For those interested, the blazer is from Zara. It’s probably at least a couple of seasons old, seeing as it made its way through to a consignment store. I am pleasantly impressed with the quality (I bought it for looks in the first place); it’s polyester, but the kind that looks and feels more expensive than it is. The tailoring is quite good; on par with the Club Monaco version I had earlier considered. It’s probably a piece that can be found on eBay with a bit of luck. (For sizing reference, I am wearing the Small and it fits very well.)

26
Jul
2017

I Like Big Bows

categories: style

Top, H&M (thrifted); skirt, Eva Franco (via consignment); shoes, Ralph Lauren (thrifted); bag, Chanel (via consignment)

… and I cannot lie. Just kidding. No, really; I’m actually kidding because I don’t like bows all that much. Not anymore, in any event. But I am keeping this Eva Franco skirt around because I always get a ton of compliments when I wear it. I’m shallow, what can I say. It’s a good thing that it looks so cute, because the fit and the quality are rather underwhelming. The ____ fabric is on the fragile side; the kind that starts falling apart at the seams way too early. The fit is really weird. This is a size 2 and fits like a loose 6, perhaps even an 8. I had to pin the waistband a bit in the back to make it sit closer to my natural waist, which is annoying. The bow is placed exactly down the middle of the skirt, and I can’t quite tell if it’s intended to be asymmetrical or if the skirt is twisting away from its lining in a strange fashion. I probably should have been pickier when I bought it (at my local consignment store) but … eh, it’s cute. Still, consider all this your warning if you’re inclined to chase it down online.

The top is a bit of a compromise too. It’s (thrifted) H&M and the quality is so-so, but I love the colour and the plain style. I want the same top in each one of my core wardrobe colours … in a sturdy, non-transparent silk … please and thank you. Sigh. I’ll probably never find these magical tops, so I’ll settle for this one in the meantime. It’s a great basic for a lot of my statement print pieces. Big bow or not.

Month: July 2017