035/ What I'm Wearing: 2023 Weeks 23 & 24
A week of minimal effort casual outfits + utility vs. denim jackets + mismatching your sets.
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 links, styling notes and related thoughts. If you see an outfit you like on my Instagram, you’ll find it here.
I’ve been under the weather for over two weeks now (still am), and Day 1 was the first day I felt well enough to walk a few errands around town. I was grateful to be feeling better because taking my daily hour-long walks is so important for my physical and mental health. It’s a realization that crystallized last summer, and has been a life-changing habit for me.
Anyway, onto the outfits…
Day 1
First of all, big news: Tibi’s nylon balloon skirt is coming back for Fall 2023! Tibi resale page, @tibi.fans, says it’s their most requested item, yet no one resells it. And with good reason.
It was my first regular price Tibi purchase, and — not gonna lie — my heart dropped when I initially unboxed it. How could this flimsy piece of nylon cost US$475?! But, I was quickly proven wrong.
The cut is very flattering, while also being so versatile and functional. It’s wash-and-wear, easily dressed up and down, packs compactly, and ideal for my lifestyle, i.e. it can get filthy with stains, but no one can tell!
The one thing that bothers me about its design is that only one side has a pocket. Interestingly, pockets in women’s garments have come in and out of favour over the centuries and has long been a feminist issue. I mean, of course we need to give women utilitarian pockets during the war years so they can work the factories, but once the war was over, it was back to: “men have pockets to keep things in, women for decoration,” Christian Dior reportedly said in 1954. I guess one pocket is better than none, but a second one would be much appreciated — even if it’s just somewhere to put my hands when I’m anxious. IYKYK.
Moving onto my jacket, I’ve been throwing on this Riand28 utility jacket a lot lately, and I’ve realized it’s now acting as my “summer jacket” in the same way many others use a denim jacket. I’ve never felt like myself in them (or a denim shirt, let alone a Canadian tuxedo) even thought I understand their utility and how chic they can be, e.g. Khaite’s take on the classic shape, an oversized shacket by the Attico, or these Toteme and Isabel Marant takes — all of which I would heartily recommend if denim is your vibe.
Maybe you feel the same as me? If so, here are some other utility jacket options for you: Arket’s cotton utility jacket, Toteme’s cargo jacket, Fortela’s herringbone-twill jacket, and an Acne mens jacket.
Day 2
On Day 2, I took two Zara sets I got in the fall, and paired the top of one with the bottom of the other (centre). In an effort to get more use out of the parachute top (which I wear far less frequently than the bottom), I came up with a few minimal effort casual outfits for last week’s newsletter, and here is another.
Day 3
Tibi pre-fall 2024 continues to inspire, this time prompting me to reach for my white tights and stirrup pants. Although the rain foiled my attempts at the tights + sandal look, the white loafer did the trick this time around. (I’ll be sure to try this look soon.)
Day 4
Button-up shirt + jean = minimal effort outfit in the most classic of combinations, but it’s the cut of both that help this outfit feel modern. I added the glitter shoe, and was off to my piercing event. Thank you to everyone who attended!
Day 5
With the interesting shape of the Proenza sweater and the ick of the Riand28 joggers, this minimal effort outfit could have lived on its own, but for some reason I kept wanting to tie a blue shirt around my waist. After Tiia from
DM’d me, I realized that I had watched a story of her outfit that morning (top right) and, it turns out, I quite literally couldn’t get her blue shirt out of my (subconscious) mind. Consider me influenced!I took a poll on my Instagram stories about whether you preferred shirt vs. no shirt, and no shirt won with 57% of the vote. Which I get: the no shirt outfit looks just fine, and if it ain’t broke don’t fix it. Except sometimes you’re curious and want to experiment, so I went with the shirt! The fresh blue sheen brightened up the neutral outfit, and it felt really good.
Day 6
Other than my home sweats (which regularly migrate into my going-out outfits), I probably wear this grey COS sweater more than anything else in my closet. Relaxed oversized sweaters in multiple neutral shades form the basis of so many of my outfits, thus are essential foundational pieces. Much like the oversized white shirt outfit ideas from my last newsletter, throwing this sweater over a bottom — any bottom! — whether sweatpants or statement skirt, gives me an instant outfit 80% of the time. Or, at least, a good base from which to build. Here, I added the biker shorts (I preferred the longer length to one higher up on the thigh). Also which shoe? The artificial lighting is atrocious here, but instead of going with a tonal silver, a stark black, or a modern white, this apple green Margiela slingback was speaking my name. White = modern and expected, while the mint green = modern and unexpected. Winner, winner, chicken dinner.
That’s it for this edition of WIW. Have a wonderful weekend!
Love and gratitude,
Irene
I’m on a no-buy but your mention of the Tibi balloon skirt has gotten me quite excited. It’s one of the first few Tibi pieces that intrigued me about the brand and I’ve been waiting for a secondhand version to surface somewhere to no avail.
Love it all Irene-that COS striped shirt haunts me as I waffled after trying it on (did I need another striped shirt etc...) but later regretted and now it’s sold out. How do you find some of these cool lesser known brands like Riand28?