Variations on a Theme

Does it count as a “power outfit” when it’s a simple sweater+pants combo? For years, I gravitated towards clothes that were interesting because of their prints or eye-catching colours; I am now enjoying more subtle details, like the shape of these sweaters, their texture, their plain unadorned-ness. A part of me is concerned that this aesthetic evolution is going to put an end to any pretensions that I may still have as far as being a style blogger. These outfits might read as rather “blah” and repetitive as blog fodder, but they feel perfect to wear. I think I look good in them, but they are not outfits that call attention to themselves in any way. Again, that’s great for real life … perhaps less so for a blog.

Leaving blogging conundrums aside, let’s talk a bit more about the pieces here. I ended up adding a couple of bracelets to the first outfit, to join my fave Alexi Bittar earrings (which you can’t see). One chunky bracelet, one delicate one. As I mentioned on Instagram, I have been very inspired by Iris Apfel lately, so I have been exploring chunky jewelry. The funnel neckline is my favourite part of the sweater so I didn’t want to detract from it with a necklace or even a brooch; a chunky bracelet (silver-grey) seemed like a good bet. I added a thin, gunmetal-coloured rhinestone loop bracelet to the other wrist as a juxtaposition. Sadly, I wasn’t able to take photos of my wrists, so you will have to take my word for how cool it all looked.

The sweater in the second pic is another recent thrift find. I adore the greyish green colour; it’s a kind of foggy, washed out celadon. I have no idea if it’s a most flattering shade for my complexion, but it’s incredibly soothing, so I love wearing it. I added my fave MaxMara chunky necklace, of which I am sure Iris would approve.

Winter Casual, Redux

Winter is a terrible guest this year; it simply won’t go away, no matter how many hints we all drop that it’s time for it to move on. As a result, I am very much still in boots-and-cozy-outerwear mode when it comes to weekends. I still try to have some fun with it; wearing these patched Holding Horses jeans is currently my idea of fun, anyway. They are so very ugly-cool in the very best way possible. They work with all my chunky knits, and you know how much I love those.

Purple Reign

This DVF sheath is the right colour, but a little too feminine for my Prince persona; still, it was free (through my clothing swap), so I am giving it a try. I like it a lot, but I’m not sure that I love it. I think I need to think outside the box a little bit when it comes to styling it, to make it more “Adina, 2018”. In the meantime, I’m including it in this round-up to give y’all a break from my current obsession with pants. You’re welcome.

The Tweaked Formula

This is a very similar silhouette to an outfit I posted last week, which I suppose is a testament to its versatility. Or to my laziness. The cropped jacket is, as last time, by Rebecca Taylor but it fits much better which is why it’s a keeper. (For now. That ominous caveat is necessary given the purge upheaval currently happening in my closet. I was going to make a Stalin joke here but, um, maybe not.) I would love to find some more high-waisted pants – of the non-culottes variety – but they are tricky, tricky things. I like the look of the ones I’ve spotted on ASOS, but I have concerns. One, quality – there is nothing worse than polyester pants that make you feel like you’re wearing a garbage bag that might burst into flames if your thighs rub together for too long. Two, the danger of polterwang. I recently learned that delightful term thanks to FFA on Reddit, and it perfectly captures the awfulness that is an unintentionally baggy crotch.

So.

I have to actually go out there and try high-waisted pants if I want to find a decent pair, and I’ll be honest: unless I find these magical unicorns at the thrift store, it ain’t happening. The thought of going to the mall is exhausting even before I lift a digit off the couch.

The Tweaked Formula, Part 2

This sweater+dress combo is one of my faves, and my thought process in putting together this outfit was simple: how can I wear this combo to work? Add a blazer, duh. Boom. Done. Did I mention how much I love working in a business-casual office? Before you @ me, please note that the dress is lined to the knee, so the devoré overlay does not actually reveal anything scandalous unless you are a time-travelling Victorian, in which case – welcome to the 21st century, but also, why are you wasting time reading this blog? There are far more exciting things of which to partake these days, like Tinder, sky-diving, and watching Black Panther in 3D.

Rust-ic Casual

Yeah, ok. There is nothing rustic about this outfit, per se, but it was the only pun that came to mind. Sorry. The outfit is A-OK, though; 10 out of 10, will wear again. A few years ago, I wouldn’t have been caught dead wearing a shade even remotely close to my hair colour, but times change (see above). This rust/brick red is growing on me. I also dig the deconstructed look of this blazer, so it has that going for it as well. This is almost head-to-toe Anthro, but without a heavy dose of twee which I take as a kind of personal triumph.

The loafers/bag combo is also great, though possibly a little too matchy. But wait! Have we gone all the way back around to the point where matching your shoes to your bag is a cool thing or nah? I guess, sometimes, the more things change (in fashion), the more they stay the same.

Hey, look: time for another community trading post. I noticed there hasn’t been as much activity on these posts as in the past (though, to be fair, the blog as a whole is quieter in terms of traffic than before) so I am going to invite your feedback again on whether these should stick around or not. Another alternative, would be to use these as a forum for just random discussion in the comments – with me, or among yourselves. If you have questions, rants, whatever – this could be a chance to unload. Let me know what you think!

For now, a reminder of the disclaimers/ground rules for Community Trading:

One, while I believe in the BCRL community, I do not know each of you personally, so I cannot vouch for any person or item. Please use your best discretion, both when buying and trading. While I think this idea has great potential, its success is premised on trust and the honour system – please be fair and respectful of others. If anyone becomes aware of concerns over another poster/reader’s actions, please let me know. I do not have time to police people, but I also don’t want anyone to be using my site to rip others off, so should something of that nature happen, I will shut down these posts immediately.

Two, I would ask that people at least consider international shipping, provided the other party is willing to assume the costs. I say this as a Canadian who often feels shut out of trading sites where the members are predominantly from the US. Of course, I can’t and wouldn’t force anyone to do something they feel comfortable with, but I know there are BCRL readers all over North America (and the world), and I think it would be nice if everyone had the option to participate.

Three, please feel free to include links to specific items you are selling/seeking as long as they are not affiliate ones.

Four, please be clear about the specifics of what you are looking for and/or are offering, including payment, shipping, etc. Alternately, you can include an email address for inquiries, but please note that this would be visible to the public/anyone visiting the blog.

See you in the comments!