I always spend extra time picking outfits I am going to wear when I give client presentations, the question being, of course: who do I want to (appear to) be? The answer really depends on the audience. Sometimes, “quietly polished” is the best way to go; other times, “in your face florals” is more the ticket. In this outfit, I’m easy to spot in the crowd (all the better for post-presentation client schmoozing) and, hopefully, cheerfully approachable. This particular client group is a fun, easy-going bunch, and I think my (style) vibe matched the mood of the room fairly well.

While I kept my blazer on throughout the day’s professional activities, I did take it off during the 3 hr road trip there and back. Although it’s made from a ponte-like knit, it’s still a blazer; even with my extensive blazer collection, and my love of the blazer aesthetic, I’m still a take-it-off-to-get-comfortable kind of person. I rarely wear cardigans anymore, but I still do miss their comfort level. Speaking of which, the nice thing about not having had this dress tailored is that there is plenty of extra hip room — a big plus when it comes to comfort on a long-ish car ride. A wide belt can always be counted upon to cinch things in where it counts. This particular belt might well be one of the oldest accessories in my closet — possible circa 2007 or earlier. It had been “lost” for the last few years, so I was thrilled to re-discover it; when you’re a dress-loving hourglass, one can never have enough stretchy belts.

This is a dressy take on my fave weekend uniform. Instead of a casual jacket, I subbed in a casual blazer, which might seem like a subtle distinction, but it somehow seems to make a real difference in the overall vibe of the outfit. I wore it for a family event that was casual but not, like, sweatpants casual. A print blazer is not usually one of my go-tos, because they can be one-trick ponies, but the print of this one features pansies (unless my eyes deceive me), so of course I had to have it. Luckily, it was comfortable enough that I didn’t feel the need to take it off at any point in the evening, which is high praise for a blazer in my books. The fabric is not particularly stretchy; it’s the roomy, slouchy cut that’s the main source of comfort here. I’m not complaining.

Although light grey is one of my wardrobe palette neutrals, I don’t wear a lot of it very often. Unlike dark grey, light grey is hard to colour match; there are definitely “warm” light greys, and “cool” light greys, and they look *terrible* together. Although this Antonio Melani sweater and my AG jeans are not precisely the same shade, they’re close enough (and on the same side of the warmth spectrum) to go together decently well.

Sorry, this post has nothing to do with the opera of the same name. I have simply run out of titles, and this was literally the first word association with “butterflies”. Sorry, Puccini. Anyway, the outfit is pretty good, my lack of title creativity aside. And, well, simple too. But simple can still be good, right? And simple can certainly be excused on a (casual) Friday. I chose the silk shirt because I was getting my Lasik surgery, and was told not to wear wool or other fibers that might shed. The cotton chinos were pure comfort. As for the metallic loafers … well, they need no explanation, I think. They’re just bomb awesome.

One of my fave things about this outfit, though, is the fact that it’s a perfect embodiment of my current shopping habits: part thrift, part consignment, part eBay. Only the sunglasses are retail, and that’s because I’m sometimes a greedy, impatient person. With that said, they’re pretty awesome and I would definitely recommend them. The brand is Quay, and I bought mine through Simons (with free shipping!) because they were cheaper there than on (Canadian) Amazon. Not that I`m trying to enable your (retail) consumption but … well, maybe I am. Nobody`s perfect.