113/ What I'm Wearing: Weeks 29 & 30

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.

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Dear readers,

This edition of What I’m Wearing features the outfits I wore as our family moved from the eternally sunny, searing dry heat of Sardinia to the humid, maritime climate of Pays Basque.

• I’ve started scouting vintage shops in the region, so you can expect an upcoming newsletter on my favourite finds. If you happen to be in Paris for Les Jeux Olympiques, and have some free time between events, perhaps some secondhand shopping might interest you? Handy map included. Side note: have you ever seen such celebrity-focused media for a previous Games?

• Also upcoming: I haven’t cared much for Dolce & Gabbana in a while, but I was completely taken by their recent Alta Moda show which took place at an archaeological site in Nora, near where I was staying in southern Sardegna. The collection was said to have drawn inspiration from the island’s traditional artisanal legacy and underscored the designers’ commitment to preserving the island’s cultural heritage. Forgive me for being skeptical, but was it true, or just a marketing gimmick? I went to a local Sard designer to find out.

• Last note before we dive into WIW: My next newsletter will be my quarterly AMA for paid subscribers. If you have any styling questions for me, please drop them in this chat!

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Sardegna — Palau/Arzachena

Unpopular opinion, but Costa Smerelda, the popular northwestern stretch of the island, was my least favourite part of Sardegna. It’s beautiful, to be sure, but too built-up for my liking. Instead, the sparse, semi-arid interior and wilder southern coast stole my heart.

This outfit came straight out of my experiment with mens short-sleeve button-ups. The shirt belongs to my husband and the skirt was a thrifted birthday present from a friend. Said friend is the only person I know whose — large, I might add — wardrobe is entirely secondhand. Her eye! Her confidence! A while ago, I asked her if I could interview her for this newsletter, but she’s so private, she demurred.¹

Husband’s Transit shirt, thrifted silk Aritzia skirt, me Issey Miyake pleated trunk bag, Ancient Greek Celia sandals,

The easiest dress to wear and clean:

Zara dress, me Issey Miyake pleated trunk bag, Bottega sunglasses, Los Angeles Apparel jellies.

Narbonne, France

Two ferry rides later, we dock in Toulon and make our way to Narbonne. The sleepy city is halfway to our final destination, Ahetze, which is fortuitous, because after I read

Lauren Collins

’ New Yorker article on Les Grands Buffets, aka “France’s hottest resturant”, I had to see it with my own eyes. On the day Lauren’s article came out (April 1), I was so lucky to snag an outdoor table on the exact day we would be driving through (July 19) — the only available spot for weeks.

For dinner, I took a chance and wore this svelte and unforgiving Tibi dress again. Now that I’ve figured out a hack to keep my breasts from flopping around (explained here), the robe has become an evening go-to.

Tibi asymmetrical cami dress, me Issey Miyake pleated trunk bag, By Alona Adella pearl necklace, Fortruss paperclip necklace, Sarah Abaza turquoise/diamond necklace, Jessica Jewellery H & R initial charms.

Pays Basque

Three weeks into our summer and a couple of changes in climate later, I’ve been pleased with the versatility of the pieces I’ve packed. We’ve navigated temperatures ranging from 15C(59F) to 40C(104F) and activities ranging from the beach, hiking, city strolls and dressier dinners. As usual, these are the steps I go through when I pack for any trip:

Fresh from an overnight rainfall, our first day in the Basque was cool and cloudy. I threw on my thicker-weight cottons and my single outerwear layer — this denim jacket.

Icon Denim Noa jacket, Polo Ralph Lauren rugby shirt via Poshmark, me Issey Miyake pleated trunk bag, Comme des Garçons skirt via VSP Consignment (get 10% off regular price with code IRENEKIM10), Ancient Greek Celia sandals.

The following day, the weather flipped into clear, sunny skies, and mid 30Cs temps plus humidity. While we were waiting in Ajaccio, Corsica for the ferry back to the mainland, I found this airy cotton gingham set at a boutique called Paulette. It’s by a French brand called Hod Paris and I’ve only been able to find the shorts here, the online outpost of a brick-and-mortar shop in the town of Carpentras, just outside of Avignon.

Hod Paris set, me Issey Miyake pleated trunk bag, Los Angeles Apparel jellies.

More hot and sticky weather:

Posse Mylah mini dress, Zara bag, Arizona Love pearl trekkies.

Seven years on, and these denim shorts continue to serve! If they’re too narrow for you, Agolde’s Stellas are a roomier, slouchier option.

Icon Denim Noa jacket, Loewe x Paula’s Ibiza top via via VSP Consignment (get 10% off regular price with code IRENEKIM10), Agolde 90’s denim shorts, Ancient Greek Celia sandals, me Issey Miyake pleated trunk bag.

I found this Erika Cavallini dress at a consignment store during my aforementioned vintage crawl. “It’s giving neutral clown,” says a friend to me over Instagram, “and I mean it as a compliment!”

On the French front, “c’est canon” seems to be the common refrain used by shopkeepers and fellow shoppers. Initially I took “canon” for its English meaning, i.e. that a piece is a standard/classic must-have in one’s closet, but it actually means “it’s gorgeous”.

Erika Cavallini dress found at a consignment shop in Bayonne (here on Poshmark), Ancient Greek Celia sandals, APC Eva bag (similar Grace bag).

There’s a TikToker named Tanner Leatherstein whose schtick is to cut open luxury bags to examine the quality of their leather and construction. Your eyes will pop out of their sockets the first time you see him cut open a Bottega Cassette tote (which he bought himself), but I guess he’s making enough to cover his costs from his own brand, Pegai, and the TikTok revenue from his 1.1M followers.

As a leather craftsman himself, Tanner also gives what he believes is the actual cost of making the bag which is often far lower than the retail price (although, crucially, he does not take into account the time taken to design the bag). Check out his breakdown of YSL’s Loulou bag which he estimates costs US$190 to make vs. the US$2,950 retail price.

I bring this up because I have been wearing my two APC bags for years, and whether it’s APC or something else, the all-purpose, single-flap, shoulder bag has been so practical for me. A similar bag people often ask me about is Sezane’s Romeo bag, and according to Tanner Leatherstein, it’s a great deal. Have a watch here.

Descending La Rhune on the border between France and Spain. Note how green and lush the surroundings are compared to Sardegna!

A win for versatility — I wore this outfit for our hike:

Polo Ralph Lauren rugby shirt via Poshmark, vintage YSL shorts via The Vintage Takeaway, Keen trail shoes.

And the next day, I wore this to La Grande Plage in St-Jean-de-Luz:

Ayr Pool Boy linen shirt, Donni nylon cargo shorts via VSP Consignment (get 10% off regular price with code IRENEKIM10), Mimi a la Mer bikini, Janessa Leone Felix hat, Los Angeles Apparel jellies.

Remember to drop any AMA questions in this chat!

À la prochaine
Irene

1. If you’re not so private and would like to talk about your almost entirely secondhand wardrobe, please DM me!