Corporate Goth, Redux

As soon as I spotted this Sarah Pacini tunic thing at the thrifts, I knew I had to have it. It’s weird and unique, and perfect for layering. Outside-the-box layering is one of my obsessions du jour. Wearing head-to-toe black is another. Architectural angles and lines keep things interesting, as does playing with different textures. A piece like this tunic has so much potential, in both regards. And black is the safest colour, when you’re taking risks.

This Smythe blazer wasn’t a favourite until recently, when I started to explore some new silhouettes. I don’t like its sharp shoulders and hyper-tailored lines paired with slim fitting pieces – pencil skirts and cigarette pants – but I think they look great juxtaposed with softer, more fluid pieces. The other thing I’ve come to learn about Smythe is that the shoulder fit is the most important; if I wear a size too large, even if the blazer as a whole looks fine, it makes me look like a linebacker. As it is, a strong shoulder is not an everyday lewk for me, but it does do wonders when I’m trying to project some “boss b*tch” vibes.

Cozy Green

I know most people aren’t crazy about the current trend of loose, slouchy sack-like dresses, but I for one am HERE FOR IT. A sack dress might not seem particularly appealing at first glance, but a well-cut one comes alive in motion. I tried to capture that in photos, but it’s not easy. Oh well, life is more than just Instagram, right?

Eileen Fisher doesn’t own the monopoly on sack dresses, but they know how to turn them out. This one is made out of some kind of boiled fine wool, and feels a bit like fancy terry cloth; perfect for a day when you just want to wear pyjamas, but also have to get out of bed. Throw on a cape-like sweater and some sparkly jewelry, and no one is any the wiser.

Fancy Friday

I still can’t get over the fact that I can casually throw on a YSL blazer whenever I feel like it, like it’s no big deal. I’m living my best thrifter’s life, you guys. The rest of the outfit is as boring as it gets, but those sleeves have enough personality for a whole month of Fridays. So much so that it’s probably best paired off with the boringest bores of the closet.

Elevated Casual

Bonus weekend outfit. That olive AllSaints sweater is a men’s (99% sure of it) but it’s the warmest knit I own, so it was perfect choice for going parka-less on one of our cold-but-not-yet-Arctic days. It’s also a good colour match (and a study in contrast) for my old J. Crew Lady Day coat. To add to the mix, the Madewell jeans bring their own flair with those raw hems. Okay, so maybe this outfit is a bit all over the place, but it still, somehow, comes together nicely.

Vintage Revival

This is a vintage Escada dress I picked up a couple of years ago and proceeded to set aside for a “special occasion” which never came. I was recently digging through my archive closet and thought, forget that noise, I’m wearing this now! To the office, even! On a Monday, no less! And, really, why not? This dress is fabulous – the details and workmanship are exquisite – and deserves to be worn. And it fits like a dream: flattering without being constrictive in the least. I am also digging midi skirts and dresses at the moment, so all in all, it was a no brainer. I received a ton of compliments on it which, while not a requirement for me to feel good about an outfit, is (let’s be honest) always nice.

Business Not So Casual

I almost never go to court these days, so I had to think a little bit about this outfit when the occasion arose unexpectedly. While my presence in the courtroom was purely of the spectator kind, I still felt the need to up the formality of my usual work attire a bit. Instead of a loose, linen jacket, I wore something a bit more structured; instead of vintage high-waisted velvet pants, trousers of a more, ahem, sedate nature. I added a bit of “flair” with the brooches because … well, “a little flair” is My Thing. Speaking of brooches, these actually started off as two ends of one of those cardigan chain thingies. You know, the thingie that holds a cardigan closed when there are no buttons. A friend gifted it to me, and while I loved the stars (so Deco!), I don’t wear a lot of cardigans. So I took the chain off, which was super easy, and hey presto: brooches.

Office Goth

Continuing the Dark Theme for Halloween week, this outfit is one I have been dying to wear for a while. Ever since I bought this Sarah Pacini leather vest, actually. I’m going through a late-onset goth period at the moment – only, oh, 20 years later than most – and this type of outfit speaks to my soul. And, also, is a fairly accurate barometer of my mood, which has been perma-set to “grumpy” for a while. It’s the weather, the lack of sleep, the news, the lack of a much needed mental break that won’t be coming until the Christmas holidays, maybe.

Anyway, this morning is a brand new day and a fresh start in more ways than one, so here’s a really cheerful outfit to end of a more positive note:

Natori Feather Strapless Bra

Yes, here I am: talking about unmentionables again. Ahem. I know I am not alone in loathing strapless bras, but sometimes they’re awfully useful. Scratch that; I pretty much uniformly hate all bras, and sometimes the strapless kind offer a bit of extra convenience when dealing with an unusual neckline. Natori bras are the least annoying, so I have been wearing them exclusively for the past 18 months. When I recently decided that it was time to reinvest in a new strapless bra, I naturally looked there first. As our Nordstrom Rack still hasn’t opened yet (side-eye, since it’s been advertised as “coming soon” since 2016), I did my looking on Amazon. And I lucked into finding my size in a neutral beige colour for under $60 (it’s this Natori Feathers Strapless bra). Not a bad deal.

When I say “my size”, I actually mean one band size down and one cup size up from my preferred size. I can wear 36B or 34C largely interchangeably, though I prefer the former in regular bras because I find it digs into my ribcage less. However, I chose the 34C in the strapless version because I wanted to be sure that it would stay up. I think that was the right choice. I haven’t worn it out in the “wild” yet, but it felt good while I was trying it on.

[Edited to add: our Nordstrom Rack just opened about a week ago. I haven’t decided how much I like it, but I did spot some Natori bras, so that’s a bonus.]

Triple Claw Ear Jacket

The credit for finding this gem goes to IG-er (and new blogger) M Gets Dressed. I admired this earring jacket on her Instagram page, and promptly ordered my own. Note: this does not come as a set, so if you want one for each ear, you will have to buy two. I purchased one to begin with, just to see what the quality was like in person. I was not disappointed; the jacket is made from stainless steel, not silver, but it looks more expensive that it is. I was also concerned about potential allergic reactions, but did not have any. [Note: I do not have known metal allergies, but my ears can become sensitive to costume jewelry at times.] I am debating getting a second one now, because I’m kinda old skool about wearing matching earrings.

Unrelated sidenote: if you’re into capsules and wardrobe analytics, you really should check out M’s blog. She goes into a lot of detail, and her posts are incredibly thoughtful and well-written.

Leggs Nylons

I used to be quite loyal to the Calvin Klein CK brand of nylons, which I could find at Winners for about $8 a pair. I stopped wearing nylons this summer, but even before, the CKs were getting increasingly hard to find. With winter on its way, I had to come up with an alternative. I’d had good luck with the L’eggs nylon socks (10 pack for $7CAD) I bought last year on Amazon, which I always wear with trousers. (I find that nylons socks/knee highs are less slippery/fidgety than those little shoe sock thingies, and help to cut down on foot odour.) So I decided to give their regular pantyhose (ugh, that word) a try as well. I got the L’eggs Women’s Energy 3 Pack Control Top Sheer Toe Panty Hose in “Nude”, which is a pretty good match for my pasty skin tone. The 3 pack cost about $17CAD, which is a great deal. So far, so good. They’re sheer but seem quite sturdy, and the control top doesn’t feel like it wants to strangle my inner organs. I’m pretty sure I ordered the Q size (second largest), but somehow ended up with the Q+ (the largest). Other than being a little bit long — not so much that they sag, at all — it’s fine. For reference, I am usually a size 4-6, and 5’7 (though I have a borderline petite-size inseam). Most of the reviews suggest sizing up, and I concur. I will probably go with the Q next time, but I’m happy with the Q+ too.

Paint by Sticker Books

I like to look on Amazon for book and craft ideas for my kids, which is how I came across the new version of the colouring book craze: paint by sticker books. They work precisely as you might imagine: instead of colouring the areas per numbered directions, you apply the appropriate numbered sticker. I got a bug version for my kids, and also tried an adult version with vintage travel posters. The sticker books weren’t a huge hit with my kids, but I have to say that I quite liked mine. To be honest, part of the reason why I got it was because I wanted to see if I could hack the templates for my embroidery. I haven’t tried it yet, but I think it’s doable.