This is a hella basic casual Friday outfit, but I’m a sucker for burgundy, and a sucker for loose, slouchy tops, and here you are: a possibly extra mundane blog post. In my defense, there is leopard print involved. Also, the top has some neat features like mixed fabrics (silk on the front, some kind of stretchy material on the back and arms) and a hi-low hemline. Like so:

Because it was a work outfit, I threw on a blazer. It’s a bit oversized, so I like wearing it almost as a jacket. The dark grey (with a faint pinstripe) goes well with many things. It also provides coverage for when, say, you discover that your silk top-front is very, ahem, clingy. Maybe that is why someone donated an otherwise perfectly nice top. I always wonder, you know.

I’ve been wearing this sweater constantly since I bought it late last month. If you don’t believe me, Instagram will back me up. It’s just so darn cozy and interesting looking. I guess I’m a sucker for cocoon silhouettes — who knew? To be fair, this sweater has other things going for it, like that gorgeous dark green colour. Right up my alley, erm, wardrobe palette. It’s not an easy colour to find in stores; many similar greens are either too teal-leaning, or too bright. This green looks almost black in some lights, but up close it has those darkened emerald depths to it. This MaxMara skirt (thrifted 2 years ago) is the same, rare shade, which is what prompted me to try the two pieces together one morning when I was trying to figure out a topper for this outfit.

The outfit felt incomplete without a topper, but nothing I tried really worked for me. Black makes this green feel “blah”, and (dark) navy didn’t feel right either … and then I had a light bulb moment. Green sweater for the win! I loved the result, which felt like an updated take on an old uniform (cardigan + pencil skirt). My favourite part, I think, is the tweaked silhouette. In the past, I have tended to gravitate towards “flattering” silhouettes that highlight my hourglass-y shape, but I am finding myself increasingly drawn to more architectural shapes that don’t necessarily do anything for my figure but are somehow quite pleasing to the eye. My eye, anyway. I like clothes with a bit of slouch to them. It’s the nonchalance about them that feels fresh. After doing this for this many years, “fresh” is a nice bonus.

It’s the “difficult blazer” again! Admittedly, it works pretty well with this dress because of the colour palette. It IS, however, a lot of print, if you take into account the subtle heathering pattern on the blazer. Nonetheless, there is enough black in here to balance it all out. When in doubt, add black. That’s my motto. Or, at least, one of them. It’s hard to commit to just one, you know?

I am still not convinced that this blazer is a wardrobe star, but I will admit that it’s pretty comfy. The dress is also stretchy, and therefore comfy, which is as good as it gets for an office outfit. Spending 8 hours in a chair in front of my computer really calls for all the comfort I can get. It also probably limits my ability to reach new sartorial heights but … ah well.

In completely unrelated news, Rimmel has decided to suddenly discontinue my beloved Color Rush line of lip crayons. To say that I am devastated is not a huge exaggeration. I have been using these almost exclusively for at least 2-3 years, and nothing else I’ve tried from time to time has even come close to comparing in terms of the quality-cost equation. So I need your help. Tell me your favourite lip products, but please keep in mind: (i) drugstore brands preferred; (ii) lip crayons or similar, not lip glosses; (iii) the cheaper the better. And go!