End of June 2024 – Blue Collar Red Lipstick

Details: Anthropologie dress, Lena Bernard necklace, Coach bag, Brixton hat, cowboy boots (all secondhand)

Thoughts: A simple outfit — you can’t get more simple than this — that is ALL about the accessories. I didn’t know how much I needed a black felt hat in my life until I thrifted this one. I was surprised by how wearable it is even on a warm day, which is great because it offers a nice alternative to my straw Panama hat. I like having different options to suit different aesthetics, and this one works better with the SW/prairie side of my closet compared with my other option. I am also surprised by how much I love this short dress/cowboy boot combo. Now that I have acquired a pair of (black) bike shorts, making it a proposition fraught with a lot less risk (of flashing), I see a lot of appeal in it. Too bad I only have 2 short summer dresses in my closet. Just imagine a flirty, swirly eyelet number! Something to think about, anyway. In the meantime, this dress never not gives 110%.

Details: Reitmans top, Lira jacket, vintage skirt, Dooney bag, Chie Mihara shoes (all secondhand)

Thoughts: I found this patchwork skirt at a garage sale, which is noteworthy insofar as (a) it’s fab! and (b) I never find clothes at garage sales! It is a teeny bit sheer, which is fine because — remember my bike shorts? Yeah, that was a good thrift purchase too. They’re another staple I never knew I needed and now can’t live without. Sometimes, it’s “boring” pieces like it that can make the biggest impact on your wardrobe, by unlocking the potential of other items or combinations. I might add this striped tank top to that list. I have a love-hate relationship with stripes; they’re so versatile — this top will go with so many things in my closet — but if they’re the wrong type, they make me sick. Literally. Thin stripes spaced too close together make me dizzy. This version? Works great.

Details: Tommy Hilfiger shirt, Fossil belt, H&M pants, Coach bag, Ferragamo shoes (all secondhand)

Thoughts: Vertical stripes, on the other hand, I can wear all day long. I love this men’s shirt so much; the navy, red, white and yellow combo is eye-catching but classic. This was a super basic outfit that punched above its effort level.

Details: Ralph Lauren shirt, Dries Van Noten skirt, tulle skirt, vintage belt, J. Crew shoes (all secondhand)

Thoughts: Speaking of stripes, this was my homage to Dries Van Noten upon news of his retirement from his eponymous label. As many of you know, DVN has been an inspiration to me for many years, and I treasure the pieces I own — including this skirt, which a dear friend gifted me years ago. It’s knee-length, which isn’t a style I enjoy wearing as much these days, but it’s too fabulous and precious for me to ever part with it. To make it fit the me of now, I layered it over my blue tulle skirt; the colours work together perfectly, and the skirts are compatible, size-wise as well. The DVN is loose enough to accommodate the extra layer, and the tulle skirt is not so voluminous as to be impossible to accommodate. Call it kismet.