Details: Pendleton sweater (swap), BCBG skirt (thrifted), turquoise necklace (swap)

Thoughts: Head to toe in my favourite colour? All the yes. I don’t normally pair a long top with a long skirt because it can feel a bit suffocating and make me look extra short (I have a complex, okay? lol). However, doing a solid colour like this, plus keeping the pieces streamlined — or, in the case of the skirt, light and swishy — helps a lot. I did not feel swaddled in metric tons of fabric, but rather like a tall mermaid. Haha!

Details: Superluckycat top (swap), Ines de la Fressange x Uniqlo pants (thrifted), stone necklace (from my mom), J. Crew shoes

Thoughts: This top has a very retro (late 90s/ early 00s) feel to it for me, so I feel like I need to be careful when styling it so it doesn’t look pastiche. Paired with this pants, in a complementary but neutral-leaning colour, it works for me.

Details: Papillon dress (thrifted), Patrons of Peace wrap (thrifted), belt (Poshmark), Old Navy shoes (Poshmark)

Thoughts: I had been looking for a white maxi for a while, as I thought it would be a great addition to my summer wardrobe which has developed a certain southwestern/prairie/cottagecore vibe. I thought it would be an easy item to source at the thrift stores, but that was not the case. Eventually I found this dress, with which I am very happy (though it’s not as swishy and voluminous as I had hoped), and it is proving to be as versatile and useful as I had hoped.

Details: Farm Rio top (Poshmark), Thierschmidt skirt (thrifted), selfmade necklace, J. Crew shoes (retail)

Thoughts: Sometimes I wear all white, sometimes it’s all colour. Two things I realized recently. One, all of my crop top (bar one) are not cropped enough for my high waisted skirts like this time. I think the proportions of this outfit would have looked better if the top had been an extra 2-3 inches shorter. I’ve started looking for my bralette-style crop tops, but no luck so far finding one to my picky specifications. Two, I love silk but we do not get along. To wit, I somehow managed to get some kind of stain on this skirt which isn’t coming out with spot treatment; luckily, it’s small and not super noticeable due to the pleating, but still annoying. I probably need to stick to cotton, linen, or silk-blend materials (I love silk-linen blends, but they are usually only designer items) that are a bit hardier.

Details: Gap dress (Poshmark), For Cynthia top (retail), Adriano Goldschmied jeans (thrifted), Lena Bernard necklace (ebay), Barbara Barbieri shoes (thrifted)

Thoughts: I initially got this Gap dress to wear precisely like this — open, like a duster — before realizing that it looked amazing as a dress too. But this also works, and once again I am patting myself on the back for finding a special piece like this in the haystack that is Poshmark.

Details: Le Chateau vest (Poshmark), Topshop skirt (swap), J. Crew shoes (retail)

Thoughts: I have been coming around to brown a lot in the last year or so. This orangey shade is my favourite. I picked up this skirt from the swap precisely because of that colour, and also the length and general swishiness which is on full display on the left photo. It’s the kind of skirt that definitely looks better on the body and in motion, than on a hanger.

Through one of my friends in the local resale community, I recently heard about a vintage warehouse sale and was immediately intrigued. My love of vintage (late 80s through early 00s, specifically) has grown a lot lately, and it’s nice to find new places to indulge my obsession. The thrifts are not bad, of course, but you have to sift through a lot of fast fashion and mall brands to find those vintage gems. The prospect of shopping at a vintage-only place was very attractive.

For Edmonton peeps, the warehouse sale is hosted by @97st.vintage (their handle on IG) once or twice a month at their southside location. It is a literal warehouse, so do not expect a curated or fancy shopping experience. There are large bins of clothing where each item is $5, as well as racks of stuff that is individually priced (mostly around $10-$30, although there are higher ticket items too). The bin experience was somewhat reminiscent to me of the Goodwill Impact centre, albeit much friendlier and less hectic. The warehouse isn’t very large, and they do have capacity limits, but there was a small crowd there when I shopped. However, everyone was nice and helpful — I got to talking to a few others who were digging through the same bins as me, and we even swapped some items and helped each other make decisions about pieces.

I would say that, based on what I saw during my visit, it’s worthwhile to go if you are on the smaller side, sizing wise (most skirts, for example, were too small for me and I wear size 4/6 in modern sizing), and if you like vintage styles from the 70s and onwards. There were some older pieces (40s and 50s), but they were mostly individually priced and more expensive.

Overall, I really enjoyed my experience despite being initially nervous about it (as I prefer to shop alone, without large crowds around), and I managed to score some great things. Wanna see?

Of course you do.

This vintage Eddie Bauer sweater was the only off-the-rack item I bought. It was $15, which is a good deal as it’s selling online for $50 and up. It’s giving me Jessica Fletcher vibes and I can’t wait to wear it this fall.

Okay, I know this vintage Tabi sweater has a similar vibe but I couldn’t resist it for $5. Plus, it’s a turtleneck, which is totally different.

This is a vintage TeenFlo corduroy skirt immediately caught my eye because it’s a style I adore. Plus, the colour is dreamy. I quickly tried it on over my clothes (there are no changing rooms) and realized that it was a very, very, very snug fit. I almost put it back … and then I have a brainwave. I will show you how I plan to wear it soon.

This Erika midi dress is such a sweet little piece – perfect to throw on for walks in the neighbourhood or even some gardening, when I want a little colourful pick-me-up.

I was kinda on the fence about this Jones New York shirt; the fabric is a heavy rayon, and I wasn’t sure how wearable it would be. However, I really liked the pattern and thought it had potential for fall outfits. For $5, I decided to take the risk.

The warehouse inventory is regularly replenished, so I am making plans to go to another sale in a month or two. Here’s hoping that some vintage RL pieces might find their way there soon.

Details: H&M top (Poshmark), Max&Co skirt (thrifted), Zara shoes (retail)

Thoughts: It must be obvious why I got this Max&Co vintage skirt. The colour is fabulous, it’s swishy and long, and high waisted. Extra high waisted because it’s so tiny and the only way it will fit is if I hike it up quite high. I’m not mad about that because I love skirts that show off my waist (and accommodate my ample behind), plus it gives me a chance to wear crop tops like this one. It’s a silhouette I really enjoy at the moment. By the way, don’t sleep on Max&Co — it’s a MaxMara line, and the quality is generally quite good (comparable, IMO, to MaxMara Weekend).

Details: Gai Mattiolo jacket (Poshmark), Roulee dress (thrifted), vintage belt (thrifted), Stuart Weitzman shoes (thrifted)

Thoughts: I fell in love with this funky vintage jacket (by Italian designer ai Mattiolo) on Poshmark and decided that I had to have it for the eccentric, colour-loving side of my personality. The seller had a beautifully curated Poshmark closet with a lot of boho pieces that are are styled really well. We ended up chatting a bit and then connecting on Instagram as she lives in the same area as me. Long story short, I realized that I had seen her not that long before at a local thrift store! I recognized one of her jewelry pieces, which I had admired in person (and she had posted on her IG account). Isn’t it such a small world? This is the second person I’ve met through Poshmark whose style account I now follow for inspo — I love that.

Details: Kate Hewko top (gift), vintage belt (Poshmark), Madewell jeans (thrifted), Barbara Barbieri shoes (thrifted)

Thoughts: I am always hesitant to wear white (hello, klutz here!) but I do love it for summer. Paired with jeans, what could be more classic?

Details: Denim & Supply dress (Poshmark), Ralph Lauren shirt (thrifted), Pelican Cove vest (thrifted), J. Crew shoes (retail), metal belt (thrifted)

Thoughts: Still exploring layering options for this dress I love, but which has the worst bust fit. I’m quite proud of this double-plaid situation here. I think Papa Ralph would approve. [One of my online friends told me she has always called RL “Papa Ralph” to herself for decades, and now I’ve started saying the same, hehe.]

Details: Vince top (thrifted), One Hundred Stars duster (Poshmark), L’Agence jeans (thrifted), Ralph Lauren bag (Poshmark), Rafael Alfandary necklace (eBay), J. Crew shoes (retail)

Thoughts: I love duster-style coats, especially for summer. They are so light and airy, and if there’s a breeze, you can get some real cape action going. I snagged this particular duster on Poshmark, and I am quite happy with it. It’s very comfortable but looks fancy. The brand is from the UK and they have dusters in many, many beautiful prints. This was the only one I’ve been able to find on Posh (so far), and while it wouldn’t have been my first choice, bargain-hunters can’t be choosers — I paid less than a third of the retail price (not even including taxes, customs, and shipping!) and it came NWT. Anyway, this was a simple outfit for running errands and such, but I felt really good in it. Win!