How cute is this skirt, amirite? Still loving its whimsical vibe, and still determined to wear it to the office. I added a nice bright sweater, but kept accessories simple to keep this from going down the twee slide. I also added a wool cape because the temps nose-dived again. After three days of +20C weather, going back to the low teens (for a high, and much colder in the mornings), seemed like a particularly cruel joke on Mother Nature’s part.

But … onwards and upwards. (Hint, hint, Mother Nature.) I felt extra kicky all day with my hip flounce (ruffle?), though that may have also had something to do with the fact I wore this outfit on the Thursday before my Vancouver weekend getaway. Happy day, happy outfit — weather be damned.

Zara yesterday, Zara today. Just like my blazer, this piece came to me pre-loved — in this case, from the thrift store. It’s definitely a bold statement … maybe TOO bold for the office, but I decided to wear it anyway. On a quiet, no-meetings-sitting-at-my-desk-all-day Tuesday. Safe, right?

In any case, people seem to love this dress, and I always get positive comments on it. Seeing as it’s an eyeful on its own, I kept everything else pretty simple. To break up all the brown (rust? copper?), I added cobalt blue accessories — I guess I’ll never get tired of the “pop of colour” approach to accessorizing. Everything is matchy matchy, just as I like it. Yeah, baby.

By rights, this outfit probably shouldn’t work — what with the clashing necklines, and the navy overload — but somehow it does. In fact, it was hugely popular on IG … well, “hugely” by my standards anyway. So I’m counting it as a success. It makes me extra happy to have gotten a second chance at this Boden skirt, thanks to the lovely Lou who shipped it back to me after I changed my mind about getting rid of it. How nice is that? And, to give credit where it’s due, Lou is responsible for introducing me to Boden in the first place — she always makes it look fantastic.

My other fave piece of the outfit is this Zara peplum blazer I scored at my last clothing swap. It has the best lines, doesn’t it? I don’t have a lot of Zara pieces in my closet (5 in total if we’re counting shoes), but they are definitely standouts. The construction of this blazer and the finishing details (lining, trim, etc.) are surprisingly good quality for a “fast fashion” brand. Have you had a similar experience of getting more quality than you bargained from a “cheap” brand?