I don’t propose to dwell too much on the events of the past month, as it would not make for especially light reading, so instead I will focus on – duh, what else – what I wore. There were days when getting dressed was pretty much the only achievement I could boast of, but it was something to hold on to. I’ve been on a leave of absence from work, so what I wore reflected my somewhat twilight-zone-feeling existence, but I tried to inject as much colour into it as I could, on the principle that colour = much needed cheer.

But I also wore pyjamas in public and tried to make it fashion.

Here are a few of my other favourite outfits from last month:

One of the blessings of an otherwise pretty sh*tty year has been an early, beautiful summer. I am making the most of it, as much as I can, which means being outside more than usual (compared to when I’m working). Recreating my aesthetic on the casual end of the spectrum has been interesting for sure. I haven’t felt like myself at times (well, many times to be honest) but I think that’s a function of grief, more than anything else. Getting dressed has been a largely reflexive thing, rather than a creative outlet as in the past. I expect that will change again as time goes on. I’ve let go of expectations about what this journey will look like and where it will take me.

I’ve been doing a fair bit of “thrift therapy” lately – it’s a nice way to lose myself in a pleasant activity for an hour – but I’ve been focusing mostly on jewelry and house wares rather than clothes. I love finding treasures, especially the kind that I can use for an upcycling project, but when it comes to clothes, fewer things spark my interest. As in all things, I’m rolling with it. I’ve been thinking for a while about how, some day, I would love to have a little vintage (house wares) shop, and that dream is speaking to me even more these days. It’s not something I plan to jump into any time soon, as I have much to learn and plan first. If you would like to see more of the non-fashion stuff I’m thrifting, let me know.

I didn’t intend to drop off the face of the earth last month but life knocked me sideways and, well, it happened. My mother passed away at the end of April after a short and terrible battle with pancreatic cancer. It is still unfathomable to me that she was fine 3 months ago, then she suddenly wasn’t, and then she was gone. She was at the centre of my world. I am left trying to make sense of it all, and of the world without her.

I have no desire to write about that part of my life here, but at the same time, my mom is a part of everything I am, so it seemed impossible not to acknowledge what happened in some way. Grief is a journey I have only started, but I know that I am already someone different than I was.

I am not ready yet, but I hope that I will be back to writing here again soon.

Committing to Colour

My “safety” colour is black (I think because it was drummed into me that black is classic, and always in style, etc.) so as much as I love colour, wearing it can feel a bit intimidating at times. Especially if I’m out in public. The upside of all this working from home is that, well, I’m not in public most of the time. Which means that I get to wear colour more than before – more often, and more of it. This outfit is a case in point. Even the shoes aren’t black (a default option). Red and aqua are such a powerful combination, and the pops of yellow enhance their dynamic rather than dulling it, as too much black might otherwise do. Black is good for anchoring other colours, but too much of it can rob the colours of their vibrancy.

Blooming Layers

I’ve done plenty of layering experiments in the past, but for a long time, used to limit myself primarily to turtlenecks. And, don’t get me wrong: a black turtleneck is always a solid choice for a base layer. But this year, I’ve been stretching my horizons. For example, rather than cover my arms in this tank top by adding a topper (or a turtleneck, which wouldn’t really suit the style), I added a cotton blouse with statement sleeves. It makes the tank top appear almost like a corset or bustier which, of course, I’m very into these days. I used the floral appliques as a guide to choosing accessories, picking green accents to complement the reds and purples.

Chasing Erdem

It’s a bit of a standing (non) joke on my Insta that, for this spring/summer, I am obsessed with re-creating the vibe of the Erdem SS2021 collection, which had a decided Regency flavour to it. All long/lean silhouettes with empire waists, cropped jackets and some high collars. As soon as I got this (ironically) Giambattista Valli x H&M dress from Poshmark, I knew it would be perfect for this purpose. It has a very deep V neckline, which is perfect for showcasing a peek of blouse; in this case, my jewelled-collar J. Crew oxford. In retrospect, this blazer feel a bit too heavy (even though it’s actually a linen blend) for this outfit, likely because of the colour (black is not a very Regency colour) and the length not being sufficiently cropped. Still, on the whole, I was quite please with this look, especially as I wore it sans blazer at home.

Casual Patchwork

The first time I wore this cardigan, it was paired with a very classic pencil skirt; I figured a 180 was in order, so jeans and a T-shirt it is. And not just any tee, but my very favorite one. It’s bold and fun and the pops of red are perfect – it always makes me want to dig up my red shoes. Which I did. Along with some black denim and, voila. A perfectly comfortable but fun Friday outfit.