August 2024, part two – Blue Collar Red Lipstick

Details: Chepe dress, Maguire shoes (both retail), Anna Paola bag (consignment), Warren Steven Scott earrings

Thoughts: It’s very very rare, these days, that I wear (almost) head-to-toe retail but here you have one of those unicorns. Winners got me. I usually only shop there for skincare, but I received some gift cards for my birthday just as they were running their summer clearance sales and I ended up having a good nose around. I found the black version of my “perfect blank canvas” dress and I could not resist getting it. Here’s the thing: I had spent a long time looking for a dress like this one — the cut, the style, the length, the fabric — before I found the original last year. I had been hoping for either black or white but, at the time, Winners only had it in navy. So I got the navy because, colour aside, it checked off all my boxes. And I have not regretted that decision even though navy is not one of my fave neutrals. It proved to be a good option for me, as it works well with lots of colours in my wardrobe. But black is still my OG so when I found this colourway … well, I just had to get it. I think this outfit shows what I mean when I call this my “perfect blank canvas” dress; it’s so incredibly easy to dress it up and down with different toppers and/or accessories. Speaking of the latter, peep those shoes. Now these were a total impulse buy, but as soon as I touched them, I had to have them. They are made from the most incredibly soft leather I have ever felt. I normally avoid shoes with a narrow peep-toe opening because they tend to cut into my feet and feel like torture … but not these ones. THE most comfortable sandals I own. And the colours are fun too!

Details: Ardene top (retail), Icone blazer, vintage skirt, Rafael Alfandary necklace (all secondhand)

Thoughts: It might seem bonkers to add more pattern to an outfit that features this skirt, but in fact it somehow makes a lot of sense. You just have to pick a good pattern. This one looks like it could almost be part of the skirt, so it works quite well. To keep the outfit from sliding into total pattern mayhem, I stuck with a plain white cropped tee as my third piece. Cropped tees — usually white, but sometimes black — have been my wardrobe MVPs this summer. They are the “glue” that holds together all my fun statement pieces.

Details: Glamorous top, Prairie Trail Goods cardigan, BDG jeans, Ralph Lauren belt, Coach bag (all secondhand)

Thoughts: Really leaning into a 70s boho vibe with this outfit, and I loved it. The mahogany brown accessories complement the pink and blue colour palette so well. The pattern mixing might seem a bit adventurous but it feels very harmonious thanks to the cohesiveness of that palette.

Details: Ardene top (retail), Lira jacket, vintage skirt, Hondo cowboy boots, vintage belt, Dooney bag (all secondhand)

Thoughts: I’ve been loving my cowboy boots so much this year, I bought another pair — this one. Now, I was hoping to find a brown pair (still looking!) but when this beauty walked into my life, so to speak, I couldn’t let it get away. It’s similar to the boots I already have, which are also grey and black, but the design on the shaft is different. For $30, I’m happy to have a second pair … especially since my daughter now wears the same shoe size and has started to, ahem, take advantage of that fact. Cowboy boots are hella expensive, so I’m considering this pair a hedge against future replacement needs. Anyway, since I love my boots so much, I’ve also started to wear shorter dresses and skirts again. In fact, I ended up buying this skirt specifically to wear with my cowboy boots. Is it too on the nose with the cowboy theme? Quite possibly. But it’s hella fun so YOLO yeehaw!

Details: Zara top, Pelican Cove vest, Brave belt, Ralph Lauren skirt, Coach bag (all secondhand)

Thoughts: You can’t tell from this photo but this top is actually dark green, not black. It’s important for me to tell you that because, IRL, that little detail made the outfit even better. Otherwise, what can I say about this? It’s my “climate control” three-piece outfit formula for summer days: crop top, vest, skirt. For me, the 3rd piece is a one of the easiest ways to make outfits look intentional, and in hot weather, vests are the ideal 3rd piece to incorporate extra colour, or pattern, or texture into an outfit.

Details: Ardene top (retail), Only & Sons jacket, Suttles & Seawinds skirt, Aldo shoes, Coach bag (all secondhand)

Thoughts: I was not kidding when I said that cropped white tees have been my summer wardrobe MVPs. Here, it plays a supporting role in a composition I would like to call “Juxtaposition”. The jacket and shoes are a different vibe from the skirt and bag, but I really enjoy the conversation they’re having. It’s unexpected, and unexpected is usually jolly good fun. As far as fashion goes, anyway 😉

Details: vintage dress, DKNY belt, Coach bag (all secondhand)

Thoughts: Funny story: I thrifted this dress for my daughter thinking that she would appreciate its fun, whimsical pattern. It was a bit of a risk, since she’s becoming increasingly picky about her style, but worse case scenario I knew that if she didn’t like it, I could exchange it (VV doesn’t do returns). I showed it to her at home and had her try it on, and she loved it. Great! I took off the tag and popped it in the wash. A week later, we’re getting ready to go for brunch and I ask her if she wants to wear it. She puts it on and decides she hates it. Gah! Pre-teens, man! It was too late to take it back to the store, so I guess this dress is mine now. It’s fine. Joke’s on her: it’s hella comfortable and perfectly breezy for summer. I’ll probably mostly wear it around the house, but it’s cute enough to take outside too. And I love cherries!

Details: Old Navy swimsuit (retail), vintage pants, Birkenstock shoes (both secondhand)

Thoughts: And now for something completely different … this is what I wore on a family outing to Voyageur Park in Devon. We had a lovely time hanging out on the “beach” by the North Saskatchewan River — the kids swam a bit, I walked along the shore and looked for rocks (which is almost as much fun as looking for seashells by the ocean), and we had a lovely picnic en plein air. This is a beautiful little spot, just a short drive from our house, and relatively quiet on weekday mornings/early afternoons. We will be going back again for sure. As far as my outfit, a wide brim hat is always a must when I’m going to be out in the sun (along with sunscreen, of course) and my plastic Birks are my go-to choice for outdoorsy shoes. I mean, I probably wouldn’t hike in them, but I can walk for miles and they’re great for sand/water. For my “cover-up”, I love these elastic waist, lightweight cotton pants because they’re breezy, easy to roll up or take off, quick to dry, and machine washable. And they just happen to coordinate really well with my favourite bikini.