020/ What I'm Wearing: Weeks 14 & 15
A closer look at what I'm wearing: transitional outfits (finally!), the good tension in a fleece + skirt; the drop-shoulder vs. structured-shoulder blazer; and the limits of defining your style.
Hello dear readers,
A heavy work-from-home week + the Easter long weekend + feeling like bumming around in sweats = me barely getting dressed last week, hence two weeks of outfits rolled into one post.
Day 1
This outfit came to me as outfits sometimes do: as I was putting my head down on my pillow to sleep the night before. The yellow Rag & Bone fleece was a last minute addition after my morning coffee. It’s unexpected (the colour, especially), but it felt right! This season I’ve really embraced the normcore casual fleece as an effective tension-adding counterpoint to an otherwise dressier outfit. My go-to this season has been the Essentials fleece (I sized up) which I post about non-stop because I wear it that much, while I picked up the Rag & Bone fleece at a sample sale in New York last month.
This week I noticed @sylviemus_ had on the same idea, which she described as “a random combo.” After this season’s success in experimenting with it, for me this combo has moved out of the “random” category and into a go-to styling option.
Also, about Sylvie’s bag: I was at VSP Consignment this week for my regular-ish edit, when I spotted this vintage Hermès Vasco bag which I adore the profile of. Sadly, this one is slightly out of my budget so I’ll be actively on the lookout for a similar vintage piece.
Day 2
And live from the washroom of the movie theatre for the Super Mario Bros. movie, here I am wearing a Celine blazer I found at Collectif Consignment. It’s two sizes up from my usual size, but still works as a slightly oversized fit. It’s one of the two navy blazers I wear regularly, the other being Tibi’s Liam blazer.
Why do I have two navy blazers? First, I think navy is the most versatile blazer colour and the one most people should start with (men too!). I often get asked, “why not black”? To my eye, black is often too harsh against most colours and neutrals, making it less easy to wear. Navy, on the other hand, is on the colour spectrum and allows you to play with shades of other colours more easily.
Secondly, sometimes an outfit works with a drop shoulder blazer like the Liam, but other times, it works better with a structured shoulder like the Celine (and sometimes an outfit can go either way). I haven’t been able to articulate why that is, exactly, but I know it when I see it. I’ll think about this more and when it comes to me, you’ll hear it here first! Here’s a reel I made of my two essential blazers: one a drop-shoulder blazer, the other a structured-shoulder.
Day 3
Starting on Day 3, we hit unseasonably warm temperatures in Toronto (25-28C/77-84F), so for the rest of the week I milked bare leg transitional outfits before the cool spring air returns again next week.
Being in a reflective, contemplative mood is pretty standard for me, but I think that was intensified this past week from reading Bittersweet: How Sorrow and Longing Make Us Whole by Susan Cain. I deeply related to the stories of moving through feelings of sorrow, longing, pain, and transcendence. In a way, the stories softened me, and I think that came across in my outfits for the rest of the week.
Days 4 & 5
A girlfriend of mine who only shops vintage (literally nothing she owns is from a regular retail store) gave me this thrifted Le Fou skirt for my birthday and I was so touched by her thoughtfulness (and confidence!).
It’s definitely on the more feminine end of my wardrobe, yet still very much me. Reader Emmanuelle posed a very thoughtful question about exploring the range of personal style which I’m going to explore in a future newsletter. It’s a question that’s compelling to me because, even as a personal stylist, I have yet to be able to articulate what “my style” is. Any definition feels too limiting as it’s a constantly evolving concept: I’m at once pushing myself into new style territory that feels more authentically me, while at the same time pruning away what’s not working any more.
Speaking of pushing myself into new style territory, I never imagined that, at the age of 42, I’d be wearing mini skirts again, let alone hip-slinging ones, but here we are! The last time I wore them was probably in my early 20s, and even then I wasn’t entirely confident in them. What makes me so comfortable in this Tibi one is that it has the right amount of ease (I also sized up), and styling it with roomier tops which I wrote about in my last newsletter.
Days 6 & 7
Riand28 and Toogood are brands I discovered whilst on a fruitful trip to London late last year. The Toogood dress is in a linen/silk blend and I feel so connected to it because it reminds me so much of wearing a traditional Korean hanbok.
I’m running up against my newsletter limit length, so I’ll have to end it here. I’ll be continuing my AMA later this week — ICYMI, here’s a preview of what you can expect. Have a wonderful week!
Love and gratitude,
Irene
Hi Irene, just recently subscribed to the paid version so now I can ask questions :) Can I ask what size you sized up to for the Essentials fleece? I have a black fleece from Arket that I do like but its very tight around the wrist impossible to push up the sleeves. I love the oversized styling of this one but I want to make sure I am getting the same vibe.
Hi Irene, I’m really enjoying the news letter thanks. I am very tempted by the silver Mary Janes. Are they true to size and good for walking in? I do a 4km round trip to school every morning