Details: InWear sweater (thrift), Zara blazer (thrift), Cartonnier pants (thrift), A&F bag (thrift), Chelsea Crew shoes (thrift)

Thoughts: I loved this combo of brown and purple. It works better than I would have thought, but once again it’s that orange-brown that pulls it together. I really enjoy wearing this pants; they are a surprise hit because I had some reservations about them when I first bought them. Not all high waisted pants work on me, but these ones are great.

Details: Pendleton sweater (thrift), Cartonnier jacket (thrift), MarkAntoine x Icone skirt (thrift)

Thoughts: Not much to say here except that the colour of this cotton Pendleton sweater is pretty much perfect, and is a great accessory to this fun, funky skirt.

Details: J. Crew shirt (thrift), Line sweater (thrift), On the Verge skirt (thrift), Mackage jacket (thrift), J. Crew shoes (retail)

Thoughts: I don’t buy short skirts anymore but I made an exception for this one because I love the vintage floral pattern. It’s a vintage (made in the US) denim wrap skirt. It has a nice little touch – there is a piece of elastic that connects the two side of the wrap skirt so that it doesn’t fly fully open on a windy day. Since I wore it on a windy day, I really appreciate that, hah!

Details: Maeve top (thrifted), Zara robe (thrifted), Acne skirt (ebay), J. Crew shoes (retail)

Thoughts: Another blue/burgundy combo and it works so well. I think it grounds this formal-casual mix of pieces, so the result is cohesive. This is my kind of WFH outfit — dressed up but comfortable.

Details: Wilfred sweater (thrift), YSL blazer (thrift), Ralph Lauren skirt (thrift), Manolo Blahnik shoes (thrift)

Thoughts: This outfit combines my old style — more traditional business wear — with the new (aka my obsession with all things Ralph Lauren). I’ve worn this blazer a few different ways over the years, but this might be my favourite outfit to date. It’s a simple outfit with a minimalist colour palette, but it has a lot of visual interest for me.

Details: Talbots sweater (Poshmark), Pilcro jeans (thrift), J. Crew shoes (retail)

Thoughts: Not gonna lie — I knew I wanted to pair these two pieces as soon as I bought the sweater. The colour palette is the same and the patterns are very similar, albeit at different scales, which screamed “perfect combo” to me, I guess. And you know what, it was great — comfy and fun.

Details: Kate Spade sweater (thrift), Maeve skirt (Poshmark), Manolo Blahnik shoes (thrift)

Thoughts: I liked this outfit a lot, but not as much as people on IG did. In fairness, this skirt *is* pretty darn amazing, so I understand why everyone loves it. This was a cute outfit, but I wouldn’t say that it was my favourite of the week. It’s always so interesting to see the difference between what resonates with me and what impresses other people. Posting outfits on IG can create a sense of needing to please other people, but I’ve learned that it’s not the key to long-term personal fulfillment — sartorial or otherwise.

One. Quilts

Patchwork quilts. Clothes made from patchwork quilts. Anything patchwork. I can’t get enough. The image above is of a beautiful Seven Sisters pattern quilt I was able to find for $5 at the thrifts. It needs some loving care to fix a few rips, but it’s so lovely. I’ve found another patchwork quilt that I love (mixed plaids!) but I’m still looking for my Holy Grail: Ralph Lauren’s vintage (80s) patchwork clothing.

Two. This outfit

It’s Ralph Lauren, of course. It so perfectly encapsulates the Historian avatar of 2022. I don’t wear berets, but I am almost tempted to try. I’ve talked a lot lately about my preferred skirt length, and this is a perfect example of what my current ideal. I think it was a fairly popular style in the 90s, so I am keeping an eye out for them at the thrift stores. I am probably rather late to this game, as 80s and 90s items are starting to become more and more rare, but better late than never. In coming years, I expect thrift stores will be completely overrun with fast fashion … but that is a story for another time.

Three. Neoclassical

I am still in full nesting mode, and thinking a lot about interior design. I’ve started watching home & garden type shows again (a change of pace from murder mysteries) and it’s interesting to see the design trends as well as “average” people’s decorating choices. I can safely say that my (and my husband’s) taste is something of an outlier, which I am okay with. Seeing very different houses and design aesthetics doesn’t make me question mine, but it does help me look upon it with a more critical eye which is helpful for refining my aesthetic. Interior design is a lot like fashion in that sense.

Four. Iris season

It snowed again last week. I am so tired of this weather seesaw. As much as I am enjoying this sartorial season of wool blazers and skirts, sweaters, leather, and all the layers, I also long for summer. I want my garden to be green and blooming again. I want to see my irises. Since we are not planning any travel until the late summer, for now I have to be content with waiting and looking at other people’s images of spring.

Five. A moat!

A couple of weeks ago, I posted some stories on IG from a book of English interiors. One of them was taken at Eltham Palace in London, which is open to the public. One of my friends who lives in London decided to visit, and sent me some more photos of the grounds – including this amazing moat. So dreamy! I have no desire to live in a castle (or even a very large mansion) but I kinda want to have a moat.

Details: Dries Van Noten dress (eBay), Selected Femme sweater (retail), Cartonnier jacket (thrift), Banana Republic belt (thrift)

Thoughts: Another Ralph Lauren-inspired outfit (see below). It was a chance for me to pull out an old favourite dress; the soft, floaty silk ruffle at the bottom perfectly captures what I love the most about the original inspiration – that fabulous skirt. It’s a bit shorter than I would like, and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t low-key looking for the RL version of the skirt (or something just like it). But in the meantime, this made me feel fabulous so it’s a win.

Details: Myne dress (thrift), Hemant & Nandita jacket (thrift), Anthro belt (thrift), Napoleoni shoes (thrift)

Thoughts: It’s been a while since I’ve done a Bohemian outfit, and this one felt like a nice change of pace. I do adore this pink dress, it’s so lovely and bright; the cut is also interesting – it almost looks like harem-style pants.

Details: Tse sweater (thrift), Escada blazer (thrift), Gap skirt (retail), Rafael Alfandary necklace (eBay)

Thoughts: Pulled out the oldest item in my closet: this Gap silk skirt from 2000. That’s right; it’s officially vintage. I still remember buying it — on clearance sale, and it was still a splurge for me at the time. It was unlike anything else I’d seen at Gap at the time, and felt quite luxe. It still does, tbh. The fabric is lovely to the touch, and the pattern is beautiful. And although I paired it with other vintage pieces here, the outfit doesn’t feel dated to me at all.

Details: Wilfred sweater (retail), Urban Outfitters pants (thrift), YSL belt (thrift), Echo scarf (consignment), J. Crew shoes (retail)

Thoughts: I hope Jessica Fletcher would approve this scarf experiment. It’s such a gorgeous (lightweight wool) scarf, I had to keep the rest of the outfit very simple. I quite like how that turned out.

Details: Oak & Fort top (retail), Tabitha jacket (thrift), Miss Sixty skirt (thrift), YSL belt (thrift)

Thoughts: I haven’t come across Miss Sixty in yeeears, and then this skirt randomly popped up on a rack at my local thrift store. I thought it was a vintage skirt at first, before I saw the label; it doesn’t look like Miss Sixty piece to me, based on what I remember of the brand. However, it’s a truly fabulous skirt — and so long! I actually have to cinch it high with a belt so I don’t trip on it when I walk. This is not a problem in my books because I love a high-waisted skirt … especially paired with a cropped jacket.

Details: J Crew shirt (thrift), Tse sweater (thrift), Gap jacket (thrift), Ralph Lauren skirt (thrift), J. Crew shoes (consignment), MaxMara belt (Poshmark)

Thoughts: I didn’t use a Ralph Lauren runway look as inspo for this outfit, but the essence is there, I think. I found this amazing, real suede Gap jacket (also from the early 2000s) last year, and have been patiently waiting for the chance to wear it. I have never been a huge fan of brown, but this whiskey/tobacco colour is quite interesting. It also pairs really well with blues and greens, which are my favourite, so I’m looking forward to trying out a few more combinations.