This dress is a bit short for the office, but I wanted to try out this combo and it seemed a bit much for weekend wear … so I waited for a quiet day at work and — bam. Outfit deployed. I’m glad I did it because I really enjoyed wearing it; it’s way more orange than a ginger like me should ever wear, but somehow I don’t mind. As a bonus, no one at work raised an eyebrow over the extra couple of inches of exposed knee; mostly because they weren’t around to notice it but still. I’m calling it a success.
This is a really simple outfit, but it doesn’t matter because my blouse is all kinds of funky. The print? Funky. The neckline? Funky. (Also, I pinned it with a safety pin because it was basically open all the way to my navel. Funky but highly impractical.) The contrast back? Funky.
The blouse is Derek Lam 10 Crosby, and I got it at My Favourite Aunt’s for $25. Prices like that are what I love about MFA; that, and the great selection. I’ve been going to this store for the better part of a decade, and it continues to be, in my opinion, the best consignment store in Edmonton. They have a good mix of mall brands and designer labels, and very budget-friendly prices, and they are quite picky about what they will and won’t accept so there isn’t any “dross” to sort through. This is not a sponsored plug, by the way … although, if MFA wants to throw a sponsorship my way, CALL ME.
criss crossback detail
I love me a good black-and-white outfit, but I also can’t resist throwing a red accent into that mix. I haven’t been wearing my red shoes much lately, so I thought this was a good time to rectify that. It was a fortuitous decision too, because everyone loved them and I love getting a compliment or three.
I loved this outfit so, so much. Others seemed to really love it too, if Instagram is anything to go by. Love all around, you might say. If only sartorial success came so easily every time – because, seriously, this was the easiest outfit to pull together, ever. To be fair, I’ve noticed that my outfits are generally coming together much more easily these days, a fact which I attribute to the increasing (slowly but surely) cohesiveness of my personal style. I also feel like my outfits are simpler than ever — featuring few or no accessories — which used to bore me, but now delights me. Adding a necklace used to be instinctual; now, as often as not, I take it off before I leave the house, or never bother with one in the first place.
close-upcool blues
Clearly, this outfit was an exception. I couldn’t say no to my favourite necklace, which has been seeing the light of day less frequently than before. It’s still a great piece, and I still wish Banana Republic made stuff like this nowadays instead of the cheapo crap that falls apart in a couple of wears. Yep, I’m still bitter about the last pieces of costume jewelry I bought there. Anyway, this necklace is great and I am actively hunting for a back-up on eBay. In the meantime, I am also pondering this Verena necklace from Anthro (non-affiliate link). Does anyone have thoughts on the quality of Anthro jewelry? Lemme have them in the comments.
