085/ What I'm Wearing: February 2024
What I’m Wearing is a series where I share all of the outfits I’ve worn over a given week (or two), along with styling notes, links and related thoughts. If you see an outfit you like on my Instagram, you’ll find it here.
It’s been a month of low-key outfits, which would have been punctuated by a few high-key outfits had I made it to NYFW, as originally planned. Long story short, I misplaced my temporary front tooth on the Thursday evening before I was supposed to leave. Despite frantically flipping the house inside-out, I couldn’t find it, and by Friday morning I decided to get another denture made. By the time it was ready (Tuesday), fashion week was basically over. C’est la vie!
But, may I direct you to
’s Milan Fashion Week diary for some delightful high-key outfit inspo. I consume a decent amount of the street style content, and while I get that there’s no better opportunity than fashion week to be experimental and have fun with fashion, I do wonder sometimes how much of what I’m seeing is based on the wearer’s true personal style.There are no rules that it has to be, but it’s just something that crosses my mind. Beyond loving Jenny’s sublime MFW outfits in and of themselves, I guess I find them especially intriguing because I can see her pushing her creativity while staying consistent with her point of view, and recognize her style DNA woven through each and every outfit. Enjoy!
Low-Key Occasion Outfits
Eventually I did make it to New York, but not until Wednesday, which happened to be when hubby also had to be there for a conference, so we celebrated Valentine’s Day together. How sweet. I kept packing to a minimum by simply switching out my bottoms — from the joggers of my plane outfit to a mini skirt for dinner:
Similarly, when hubby and I went on a 24-hour getaway to a nearby inn, I travelled in a Riand28 set which I levered casual with a baseball cap, sneakers and an everyday tote, and then switched out the accessories for dinner:
A close-up of my dinner baubles and husband’s cocktail:1
Heading home the next morning wearing sweatpants and the sweater I had tied around my shoulders the day before:
We also went to a couple of birthday parties this month, including a 40th birthday dinner party for my newly-immigrated German neighbours:
Leopard-Themed Birthday Lunch
…and for a leopard-themed, all-girls birthday lunch:
Work Outfits
A few outfits I wore to work this month…
I was playing around with belting this bomber and was pleasantly surprised by how the belt gave it a completely different shape, while also emphasizing the cocoon shape of the sleeves. More about these stirrup leggings below…keep reading!
We’ve had some wonky temperatures in the upper teens (unheard of for February), which I took full advantage of to bare some skin:
And this was a Sunday work outfit, i.e. super casual:
Donni kindly sent me a pair of their much-discussed rib kick flares:
…and I thought this would be a good opportunity to discuss gifting.
My approach to gifting is that I will accept gifts if the product is of interest to me and/or my readers and private clients. My reason for this is because a big part of my work as a stylist is sourcing/touching/trying on what’s in the market, so I’m better able to serve you. I’m grateful when brands give me an opportunity to do so, especially when — as is the case with these Donni pants — getting them into Canada is a bit of a headache because of the duties situation.
If I know I’m not going to wear it, but want to see the product (because, from my perspective, it’s research), I’ve asked for product to be sent to me on a loan basis, and then I send it back. If I know I’m not interested in the product at all, I will (hopefully, graciously) decline the offer.
If a gifted piece is mentioned in this newsletter, it’s either because I truly like it and am happy to recommend it, and/or I have some notes on it that I think are relevant to you. Gifted pieces are about <0.1% of what I’m actually wearing, and I have yet to accept a gift where I’m required to post about it. Encouraged, yes! Required, no. I’m not saying sponsored content will never happen, but if it does, I hope you will trust that I’ve carefully considered whether it’s a good fit for you, my readership.
As for these Donni pants, if you read Part 3 of How To Build A Foundational Wardrobe, you’ll know that I generally don’t like wearing fitted bottoms because I think I look vertically out-of-balance (long torso/short legs). At the same time, you’ve probably come across plenty of discussions around High Sport’s kick flares (including in one of my chat threads where I tried them on for you), and pants of similar shape, including these Donnis. It was important for me try them on for myself so I can answer your questions.
Back to the outfit itself, the key to me feeling comfortable wearing these kick flares is to visually balance out my vertical proportions. I did this by wearing a looser top, and tying the rugby shirt higher up on my waist so that I create the illusion of shorter torso and longer legs. I used a similar styling trick with the belted grey bomber/Isabel Marant stirrup pants. It’s very rare that I would wear fitted pants like these with a fitted top, which is why they’re an occasional pant for me, and not a foundational one.
And having said all of that, they’re a good pant! The material is a cotton blend that feels like a comfy pyjama pant, and is very different from the High Sport’s thick, compressive fabric. Because of the material, they read more casual than the High Sports, and after an all-day wear, I can report that they retained their shape and didn’t sag in the bum and knees. (Feel free to ask more questions the comments!)
Bonus Outfit
In my Styling Tips from NYFW article, I shared my favourite outfit from Altuzarra’s F/W’24 collection (below right, at left). Just for fun, I tried to recreate the look with what I already had at home:
I mean it’s broadly similar, but I’m not even going to pretend that I achieved the subtle proportions that makes Altuzarra’s outfit so spectacular. The harem-shaped pants which are so evocative of a past time and place, yet in a modern khaki fabrication. Their generous pleats, curvature through the leg that tapers down into a slim ankle that sits right on top of the foot. The proportion of the gold belt buckle and how harmonious it is with the gold embroidery in that regal blue sweater, and the chunky gold earrings. That incredible mockneck that has the height of a turtleneck yet somehow stays upright, while sitting away from, and framing, the neck. The hat which is also evocative a past time and place. DREAM outfit. No notes.
Until next time!
Love and gratitude,
Irene
Had a sip and it was delicious. Ingredients: Laneway Ever Gin, “limeless lime,” evergreen tips, sage, bog myrtle, verbena, chlorophyll, foam.
Irene- I enjoyed seeing your past month’s looks as always. I truly appreciate you addressing the gifting point here. What I have found in this crazy online world is that I can get really excited about someone’s IG or Substack for awhile but inevitably they tend to start partnering with brands and I lose sight of the reason I ever followed them in the first place. I think it is critical to keep your through line. It is your personal style that we all came here to see and admire. I thank you for knowing that and keeping it real. That’s why I think it is vital we all do our part by subscribing to people’s Substack and paying for their authenticity. Keep being you! We love it.
Your ability to transform an outfit using your lever system is bar none! I’m scribbling notes to my future self from this.