Pix-Elated

I bought a lot this year. About double my usual. I also edited out a significant number of items that were around a decade old in some cases. This makes sense. It has been a full decade since I built my wardrobe from scratch ...and I was due for a real style refresh. 

Almost all my purchases, I'm pleased to say, have been hugely successful. I'm wearing all the things and enjoying them! Thanks to Angie and the forum for helping me refine my style to the point where I make fewer errors and even my "experiments" tend to work out well. 

Having said that...there were mistakes! 

1. The EOS sneakers. I am not beating myself up about this. They were so comfy in the store! I spent a good 20 minutes walking around in them to be sure. But IRL, they were torture, and no amount of playing around with insoles, socks, bandages, or moleskins would help. Sigh. 

2. Aritzia shell, bought on consignment. I have an identical top in ecru (no pattern) that I have worn a lot. So you would think this would be a no-brainer, right? Umm. Not so much. The cut under the arms is ever so slightly different (just enough to bother me because it shows many of my bras) and every time I reached for it, I reached for something else instead. Not an expensive fail or one that is so bad for the climate, since it was second hand. But still. 

3. Cole Haan Zero grand penny loafer. This was a case of jumping on board too far, too fast and wearing sales goggles. I loved the Cole Haan stitchlight oxfords so much and I loved my last year's Sarto at-home loafers so much that I thought -- hello, this on-sale loafer could be the perfect at home shoe this winter! But no. It is nowhere near as comfy as the oxford, to start, it slides off my foot (as most loafers do), it looks cheap (as the oxfords do. not) and I feel unstylish when I wear it. Passing it on. 

4. BR cotton top. This was not a complete fail. I wore it at least 10 times during the summer. But although it looks good on me (I think) I just didn't enjoy it as much as I had anticipated. LisaP commented on her own version of this that it just didn't feel like "her" in the end. It doesn't feel not me, if that makes sense, but neither does it fill me with joy. I think -- maybe -- it's the thickness of the stripes and the stripes going in different directions on the same piece and the piece being quite short and square. But I'm not 100% sure. Anyway, it's in good condition but I'm passing it along. 

5. Sandwich top. This was actually a massive success -- to the point that it failed. I wore it so much, I literally wore holes in it! don't think these holes can be easily or invisibly repaired since it is a modal knit. I'm going to try, though. This was on repeat all summer -- I must have worn it at least 3 times a week for 4 months. And I purchased it for $30. So it worked out to more than 30 wears in one summer and less than $1 per wear. But I'll be sad to dispose of it, since it was so incredibly useful. 

I'm not sure I have any smart takeaways from this except don't purchase just because you're making another purchase or you want free shipping. The Aritzia top purchase was made at the same time I bought the Dries van Noten pants. Why not just the pants? There was no reason to add to the bag with something that might have seemed more "practical." And I bought the loafers to get free shipping on another pair of shoes (that worked out much better.) The shipping costs would have been much cheaper than the shoes! 

I've enjoyed all the summaries popping up about favourite purchases. I bought so much this year that it's hard to restrain myself to five top picks, but here's my attempt along with some reflections. 

1. The Cole Haan knit oxford. These immediately took the place of the white sneakers that decidedly did not work out. (sigh) And a more comfortable flat I have never owned. Lucky for me, they wash up beautifully in the washing machine (!) and are still in great shape after a summer's worth of heavy wear. They look great with almost everything. They are lightweight for travel, they work on my bike. They don't have the flatform/ platform I actually wanted so I could wear my full length wide legs with them, but that's ok; I have other footwear for that purpose. I love them so much that I duplicated at a sale price so I have a pair in reserve. 

2. The Zara asymmetrical knit skirt. Easy to wear, adds a bit of interest to what is, for me, an essential. 

3. Dries van Noten plaid trousers. Bought on consignment. They may come from a collection that's a decade old, but for me, they are new and fun! They were an instant summer workhorse, could be dressed up or down, did not show wrinkles. I always get compliments when I wear them. 

4. Bernardo coat. A HEWI for me, and I got it at a steal price. 

5. Paige wide leg A line jeans. Full length on me and I love the drama.

Adding another item -- the Furla satchel -- an extremely generous gift.  :)  I gave up on my quest to find bags with silver hardware. It just became impossible. But beginning with this beauty, I seem to be adapting to the gold hardware as long as it is restrained. 

Of course, all of these except the shoes are blue! And the picks are "bottoms" dominant. That makes sense in light of Angie's pronouncement about my style being "trendy on the bottom." I was way overdue for a significant reset in this area and it has paid off in wardrobe satisfaction, big time. More on that in another post. 

I wore the same red outfit to a recent Hannukah/ Holiday party (live music!) and for a festive dinner we cooked for my cousin and her husband six days later. Casual but festive and fun. 

Love the Colettes! They are so comfy and easy to wear. 

Love the Garçonne shirts from J. Crew. I now have 3 of them and am enjoying them so much I would love to add more. They have a fun cut -- slightly oversized in the body, with long cuffs meant to be worn scrunched. 

The Bling is very old Banana Republic. 

I'll probably wear this again on Christmas Day. It's such a fun and easy outfit. 

Oh, and I finally got my hair cut -- it had been more than 3 months and I was going insane!! Decided to keep the asymmetrical longer fringe in front this time. 

Although I enjoyed dressing to a theme last spring, before my life got interrupted by my accident, I felt stymied in coming up with a new theme for the autumn—mainly because I was dealing with so much on so many fronts, I didn't have time to think a whole lot about fashion. But  I'm returning to the idea now, for the holidays, because why not?

My theme for December is "Laid Back Luminous Garçonne Paints the Town Red."     :) 

Okay, so this is a bit aspirational. I have very few holiday events to attend this year. Just a few small parties and dinners with friends. All casual. But despite the surprising paucity of red at retail, I've collected a range of items in various reds over the years, and have added in particular to the "cranberry" capsule this season. 

See Finds, below. I'm going to be wearing these items on repeat all December, together with silvery items, whites, and of course my blues. I started on Dec. 1, dressing down my daytime outfit with my cranberry utility pants and red plaid boots for a rainy night reading/ book launch. 

Apologies for the kitty box! Since the light is better in the laundry I may just take photos there in future. 

Meanwhile, any Canadians remember Kathy Stinson's little book? I have always felt like the protagonist of that story. 

I love Boden knits. But trying on is difficult (no stores here) and there is a cost for delivery and returns. So it's tricky. 

I took a chance at the sale price on two sweaters, one of which I am keeping and one I'm returning. 

Keeping the Effie sparkle stripe sweater. Very subtle daytime sparkle and comfortable and easy to wear. They'd sold out of my regular size  in this colour, so I took a chance and sized down, because my experience with this type of ribbed sweater at Boden is that it is generous. That is the case here -- even a size down it's quite fluid on me. 

I'm returning my other purchase. It's a lovely sweater but the reds are too rust for my needs (in the photo I thought they were a little more neutral dark red) and the knit gauge is too heavy for my needs -- it's a true pullover for layering under, not a top to wear on its own, really. 

At the doctor's with my kid....

As I mentioned in the blog post today, I'm a huge Ecco fan and have done well with many of their boots, sandals, and sneakers. My current Eccos in Finds. The flip-flop isn't perfect -- the footbed on it is not quite right -- but I use it only as an at home summer shoe. The other sandal and the Biom sneaker are gear, but gear that crosses over to casual day wear. The Soft 7s and LX 35s are fashion -- but practical fashion, if that makes sense. I think that's what appeals to me most about their footwear. These are comfort shoes, but look good and go the distance.