Another year, another season of thrift. My commitment to the secondhand life is long-standing, and hardly needs reaffirmation, but it’s nice to start a new chapter with clear intentions, isn’t it? The Memoir That Probably Never Will Be is basically my ode to secondhand and the ways in which it has changed my life. Sounds hyperbolic, but I assure you it isn’t. Here is an excerpt from the last draft of the MtPNWB, which represents one of my attempts to articulate the life-changing magic of thrifting:

At its core, a treasure hunt isn’t about consumption; nor is it about an object. It’s about a process of discovery, a way of looking at the world. When people say that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure, it’s usually in reference to the subjectivity of value-making, which is, of course, an idea so obvious as to be trite. But what if we looked at it, not as theory, but as praxis? To me, it speaks directly to what I find most meaningful and satisfying about treasure hunting: the practice of looking for beauty in humble places and in small moments, guided by the compass of my own values. It calls for a curious mind which is, itself, a kind of practice, a way of engaging with the world: mindfulness married to openness to learning. Rick Rubin wrote that “[l]iving in discovery is at all times preferable to living through assumptions,” and I think about that at least once a week. To live in discovery: I can’t think of a more joyful way to live.

This might seem like an odd way to start what is intended to be a practical discussion, but I think this is a good time to re-establish the table stakes. It was discouraging to witness, once again, the social media spectacle around the consumption-fest bookended by Black Friday and Boxing Day. I would like to think that it’s a reflection of corporate desperation to buck up a system that is going off the rails, rather than actual human behaviour, but who knows. I can only do my part, and that includes sharing my perspective, in both actions and words. Actions do speak for themselves, of course, and they’re often a more effective form of persuasion even if the impact takes longer to be felt. But words have their magic too. So I’m saying the quiet part out loud today.

Ok, but this post promised you a list, and a list you shall have.

Now, I think you know me well enough to know that I wouldn’t dream of telling you what clothing to buy. Personal style is personal. Trends are suggestions, not mandates. My list today is about something else: finding value at the thrift store. Of course, value is also subjective, so what you’re getting is pure opinion. Proceed accordingly 😉

Leather Jackets

Leather jackets are both trendy and classic. That is to say, styles of leather jackets cycle in and out of popularity; as a concept, leather jackets never really go away. If your climate permits, a leather jacket can be a fabulous outerwear option. They can be dressed up and down and are wonderful in juxtaposition (whether against other materials and textures, or an opposing aesthetic). Secondhand leather offers many advantages. Environmentally, the most sustainable materials are those already in circulation, and this is particularly true with leather. Even with ever-increasing thrift prices these days, secondhand leather jackets cost a fraction of retail. Why pay $500+ when you can pay $50 or less? And styles tend to be recycled with minimal innovation between trend cycles, which means that the 20-year old version of today’s trendy jacket is going to be quite similar. Plus, it has the added cachet of being “vintage”, which is everyone’s favourite buzzword at the moment.

The main thing to watch out for when it comes to thrifting leather jacket is smell. More people smoked in the 80s and 90s, and their leather jackets have probably been hanging in a closet, unaired, for years. While perhaps not impossible, getting cigarette smells out of leather is a hassle I recommend avoiding if you can. Personally, I also avoid buying suede jackets that have water or other stains on them because the rehab process looks rather more involved than I want to attempt. Absent those complications, cleaning leather jackets is fairly straightforward. I wipe the leather down with a moist towel (or brush with a suede brush, if applicable), then steam clean the interior lining and spray it liberally with vodka.* Between those two, most germs and smells are eradicated.

Wool and Cashmere

Good quality wool and cashmere is hard to come by these days. So many items advertised as such are, in fact, made from blends that almost inevitably include polyester or acrylic. I am not categorically against polyester, but I don’t like it in knit garments like sweaters. It doesn’t insulate as well, it traps odours more, and it doesn’t wear as well as natural fibers. Polyester and acrylic knits gets pilly easily and can’t be rehabilitated by a sweater shaver as well as wool.

Wool and cashmere is, of course, much cheaper to buy at the thrifts than retail, and still relatively easy to find. Vintage sweaters often come in fun patterns, which means they can be unique statement pieces. I also love stocking up on “basics” like merino wool turtlenecks, which are great for layering.

Belts

If, like me, you consider belts a key outfit-making accessory, head to the thrifts. You will find a much more varied, and better-made, selection there than at the mall. Fun colours, funky buckles, interesting styles and designs. Most of the time, they will be leather as well – and under $10. The only downside is that a lot of vintage women’s belts tend to fit small. Men’s belts can be a good alternative when it comes to basic styles and neutral colours.

Men’s Shirts

I love men’s shirts. You can instantly change up the vibe of a basic jeans-and-tee outfit by substituting a men’s shirt, without losing any comfort. Vintage ones, especially, are great; they’re usually made from lovely, thick cotton that has a nice drape. I tend to buy them oversized because that gives me a lot of styling options. Wear them open, buttoned up, tied at the waist, even wrapped. So many possibilities! You can also cut them up into dickies; perfect layering pieces when you want to add a pop of collar to an outfit without having to deal with the extra bulk of sleeves or shirt-fronts.

Good quality men’s dress shirts are hella expensive, but the thrift stores are filled with them, often in like-new condition, for under $20 a piece. Vintage Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfiger are my favourite, because I love the cotton they used in the 90s and early 2000s. Always check the inside of the collar and armpits for signs of wear.

Jeans

Across pretty much every metric, jeans are some the most resource-intensive items of clothing to be produced. Given how much denim the fashion industry pumps out every year, I shudder to think about the environmental impact. I can think of no other single category of clothing that is as over-represented in thrift stores as jeans. There are plenty of secondhand jeans to satisfy demand, across a wider spectrum of sizes than is available for other clothing, and no shortages of styles – enough to satisfy the next half dozen trend cycles, I’m sure. For the most part, there is no need to buy new jeans. And that’s my goal. One less new pair of jeans means 3,781 fewer litres of water used up. It all adds up.

_{*Cheap vodka works fine. We’re going for the alcohol content, not the taste. In fact, rubbing alcohol is just as effective (or, in fact, more so given its higher concentration). However, vodka is typically considered to be gentler on fabrics and less likely to cause damage or discoloration. Some people mix essential oils, like lavender, into their vodka spray but I don’t bother.}

Details: Babaton turtleneck, Supply & Demand tee, Frye belt, unbranded skirt, Levi’s jacket, Ricki’s bag, Laredo boots (all secondhand)

Thoughts: This outfit was so good, my daughter borrowed it afterwards. I am not joking. She wore the exact same thing, minus the accessories. I can hardly blame her, because it’s one of my fave recent outfits. I just can’t get enough of this slate blue paired with grey and black. Obsessed is an understatement. We are also obsessed with this Levi’s jacket. I was originally on the fence about spending $25 on it at the thrifts, but it has paid off over and over again.

Details: Tahari shirt, Pitlochry sweater, Ralph Lauren jacket, BDG jeans, Land’s End bag (all secondhand)

Thoughts: I love the 70s academia vibes here — and, of course, the colour palette. You may remember how long I spent looking for the perfect pair of palazzo-style jeans before I finally found this one; it was worth it. BDG is actually a brand I always keep an eye out for at the thrifts, not because the quality is phenomenal necessarily, but because they’re a youth-oriented brand which means that they tend to offer a wider selection of trendy pants, especially jeans. Some of them are terrible, but I’ve found a few gems — styles that I wasn’t able to find from other brands. And have you noticed the bag? I saw a blue suede bag in someone’s Reel a few months ago and instantly fell in love. It’s a more saturated version of my slate blue. (See how I just assumed ownership of that colour? Hah!) Anyway, the bag I originally saw was Michael Kors and the only listing of the same style I was able to find on Poshmark expired before I pulled the trigger. But then I found this very similar style — in the same shade of blue — from, of all things, Land’s End. And it was less expensive, score! The downside was having to wait while it sat in some depot during the month-long postal strike in December, but when it finally arrived … it was worth the wait.

Details: Babaton turtleneck, unbranded dress, Wilfred shacket, Ricki’s bag, Laredo boots (all secondhand)

Thoughts: This outfit? Nothing special … just the turtleneck/dress combo I’m utterly obsessed with at the moment. And one of my favourite bags to make up the colour combo I simply can’t stop wearing. No biggie.

Details: Nomi turtleneck, unbranded cardigan, Club Monaco skirt, Brown’s shoes (all thrifted)

Thoughts: I remember when Club Monaco rolled out the collection featuring this iris print. I coveted the dress, but it was pricey (even on sale) and by then I was already a dedicated thrifter with an aversion to paying retail prices. Fast forward about a decade, and here we are: as soon as I spotted this skirt at the thrifts, I knew I had to get it. One, because I adore irises. And two, because of the nostalgia factor. Y’all know I’ve sworn off pencil skirts — BUT — this purchase wasn’t a cheat because it’s short enough not to count as such, in my books anyway. I’m officially classifying it as a mini skirt. A mini skirt, for me, means tights. I recently saw someone talk about what kinds of tights go with what kinds of skirts, and it had to do with the skirt fabric. Basically, they said that if the skirt is silk, you should wear sheer or semi-sheer tights not opaque ones; conversely, if the skirt is a thicker, chunkier material, you should wear opaque tights not sheers. I have no idea if this is some universally known truth — or even categorically true — but it was news to me, and I like the results when applied. So here we are. Make of it what you will.

Details: Babaton turtleneck, Smythe jacket, Mondi skirt, Chicwish skirt, Donna Karan belt (all thrifted)

Thoughts: I know I’ve made fun of beige in the past, and it’s still not my favourite colour by a long shot, but I think it’s possible to make it not-boring. This was an attempt, by moi.

Details: Ralph Lauren shirt & vest, Hudson skirt, Nocona belt (all secondhand)

Thoughts: I was unsure about buying this skirt. I have a LOT of skirts. I need one less than a fish needs a bicycle. But I’m a sucker for this tiered maxi style, and the colour intrigued me. It was $7 at Goodwill so I allowed myself to be swayed — not the best approach, admittedly, but I’m not perfect (at thrifting or life in general). It remains to be seen how much wear it will actually get, because with a closet as large and diverse as mine, it’s a matter of diminishing returns per item; but there is no question that the skirt checks off a lot of important boxes. This outfit is good evidence of that. Also of the power of a men’s white shirt. Ahh, summer: you can’t come soon enough!

Details: Babaton turtleneck, Chaps vest, BDG jeans, vintage belt (all secondhand)

Thoughts: I don’t normally buy Chaps or long vests, but something about the colours of this one appealed to me. Well, I’m pretty sure that “something” is the slate blue/red combo because … do I even need to explain anymore? Anyway, my challenge now is to figure out how to style it in a way that works for me, despite it being outside my wheelhouse. I liked the simplicity of this attempt. Notice how those BDG jeans came in clutch again. Also, shoutout to my cream turtleneck that I practically wear non-stop these days. I’ve abandoned my black turtlenecks and discovered a whole new world of possibilities. This cream one is the most versatile new option — I think of it as the fall/winter equivalent of a white tee.

Details: Tahari shirt, Uniqlo sweater, Coach bag (all thrifted), J. Crew blazer, Zara pants (both retail)

Thoughts: I’ll leave you with this “casual mom” fit featuring a blazer that’s more than a decade old and still continues to elevate every single outfit I throw at it.

Today, we are going back in time to 2013, a year I predominantly growing out the previous year’s ill-considered pixie haircut and being pregnant and, thus, in various degrees of discomfort. I remember struggling a lot to find cute maternity clothes, and making do by buying oversized regular stuff, mostly dresses. This was a time when I was starting to be obsessed with Anthropologie and J. Crew – cute, twee, colourful stuff. Everybody wanted to be Zooey Deschanel back then, ok? Not an aesthetic particularly adaptable to pregnancy, so you can understand why I struggled. But at least my bag game was on point.

Let’s take a look!

Pour one out for these three bags I no longer own. I only regret one of them. Can you guess which one? I sold the black Chanel one so I could buy a different version (which I still have), and the Mulberry Alexa never really did it for me, but the Coach? Ahhhh, she was a beauty and she is missed.

This collage is a pretty good cross-section of my 2013 style, attempting to translate my whimsical pixie dream girl aesthetic to my dichotomous downtown lawyer/suburban mom lifestyle. There were some hits, and many, many misses, I have to say. Proof that an eye for personal style is developed, not bought. And in 2013, I was still at the beginning of that journey. That being said, these outfits were terrible; at worst, they are of their time. Skinny jeans, round-toe ballerina flats, colourful statement necklaces, skinny belts, ‘nude’ shoes – they were inescapable in 2013, and we all thought they were the cat’s pyjamas. Don’t even try to tell me otherwise; I’ve got Tumblr to back me up.

Anyway, here’s the 2024 version:

The overall effect is very different, but a lot of the elements are actually quite similar. Minus the J. Crew bauble necklace, which I don’t propose to revisit any time soon. But look: button up shirt, check. In 2024, we are doing texture and layering. Belt, check; but chunkier and with a fun buckle. (Statement buckle, not statement necklace could be the slogan of 2024, hah!) Pencil skirt, check; but longer, always. Fun fact: I’m actually wearing this Ralph Lauren skirt backwards, because having the slit in front makes it a little edgier. As for the accessories, they’re also not dissimilar. I wouldn’t wear ‘nude’ shoes anymore, but these beige-and-black ones are so fun. You can’t see the bag I’m wearing in the right-hand photo, but it’s a small crossbody Dooney. It has the structure that the Alexa didn’t, but a similar vibe.

Again, I chose a current outfit that incorporates a lot of similar elements, but to different effect. Instead of a striped top, I chose a (cotton) striped sweater; both are J. Crew, and actually from the same era (2013-2014). In both cases, there is a white underlayer, but for different reasons. The 2013 striped top wasn’t maternity and, thus, not long enough to go over my bump; a longer, plain tank covered the gap. In 2024, I am all about the high-waist life, so everything is tucked in – but I’m also all about layers (for the sake of fashion, not exclusively function), and a pop of white collar always works. Jeans, check. Obviously, the silhouette is different and makes a big (visual) impact. Skinny jeans are starting to make a comeback, but I am not ready to go (back) there again. Flats, check; but instead of ballerinas, I’m wearing loafers.

And, last but not least, 2024 has (i) a belt, of course, and (ii) a third, ‘outfit completer’ piece, the trench. The power of the third piece cannot be underestimated. In terms of “styling” an outfit, it makes the biggest impact. One area of my wardrobe that has expanded significantly since 2013 is my coat collection; I have different styles in different fabrics, so I am never short of options for my ‘outfit completer” piece, no matter the season.

The dress-with-blazer formula used to be a big favourite back in my law office days, but these days, I tend to prefer separates. Still, the biggest different between these outfits is (a) the style of blazer, (b) the length of the dress, and (c) the styling of the whole look. These days, if I wear a classic, structured blazer that hits at hip level (as in the left photo), it’s always in a heavier wool or tweed material, and never in suiting wool or ponte. In general, I tend to gravitate towards jackets that are either cropped and boxy, long and lean, or oversized. If I’m wearing a mid-length cut, it’s usually in an unstructured, non-traditional cut, like the photo on the right.

Of course, the difference in hemlines should come as no surprise. I spent altogether too many years wearing just-below-the-knee dresses and skirts, which is probably the worst choice for someone like me, who has short legs and a long torso and would like the world to believe the opposite. These days, it’s the 3 Ms or bust: mini, midi, or maxi. Midi is my current favourite, and specifically mid-calf, like the skirt on the right.

As for styling, the differences are small but important. My focus is on subtle details, like belts or a touch of layering, to add balance, depth and visual interest. I went through an overtly maximalist phase back in 2020-2022, but that chapter is now closed, at least for the time being. While maximalism remains part of my style DNA, it manifests in different ways now: layers, texture, richness of colour and materials, minimal but impactful accessories. The eye has developed … and it continues to develop.