Pix-Elated

Every spring I break out my mum's Land's End twin set and it never gets old. I bought it for her maybe 15 years ago or more -- and kept it after her death a decade ago. She would have been 100 this year on her birthday, April 7. 

One of my favourite wardrobe items is the workhorse that does not become a workhorse immediately but shows its true colours later ---  at the very moment you need a bit of a refresh. 

I've had many of these over the years and they always bring me great joy. 

This pair of Old Navy jeans definitely qualifies. I bought them 3 years ago. Wore them on a San Francisco trip that summer, but not a lot otherwise that season since I was in the mood for dark wash jeans at full length, or cropped jeans in the summer. Last summer, same thing. Suddenly this year, they're the jeans I'm reaching for multiple times a week. I don't mind their mild distressing, I'm in the mood for their light wash, the days are sunny but cool enough so far that I often prefer full length to cropped -- and they are just generally a great jean to wear! Thank you, Old Navy and thank you, fashion world, for A-line wide leg jeans! 

Do you have any items like this in your seasonal closet? What made them suddenly workhorses, do you think? 

I love to find an outfit I can repeat for various occasions during a season — particularly a dressy capsule outfit. I don’t have a lot of need for dressy clothes so if I find the right combination of items that makes me feel fab and is practical, I will often repeat it again and again within one year (or up to three years). After that, I’ll typically want to find a new combination. I will continue to wear the  individual items in different combinations, but perhaps less frequently. 

Last night, Mr. Suz and I went to dinner and a play -- a rare outing, yay! Weather was pleasant and dry. I wore my trusty flocked navy menswear pants (Anthro), my mesh top from Allsaints, my silver belt from Anthro, Pom Pom London bag, and my vintage leather trench. Plus Ecco booties and Merjuri pearl earrings. 

This -- with only minor variations (e.g. the belt and the outerwear/ bag) has been a go-to outfit for dinners out and festive dinners at home since early November when I purchased the top, belt, and pants. I've worn the combination even more times than I've shown it here on the forum. I didn't plan to post today  because I know you've all seen it a bunch of times, but the subject of Angie's blog made it fit right in. 

I've done this with slightly more casual outfits, too. I used to wear my sarong shorts, a navy tee (for a column of colour) and a denim jacket on repeat for so many in -between occasions in warm weather. Ditto my two piece J. Crew dress with a denim jacket. Red velvet pants with off-white sweater or top has been a real winter repeat outfit; ditto my lilac pleather pants and the print velvet top from Anthro. 

If you do this, what have your favourite outfits or formulas been? 

My outfit doesn't conform exactly to any of the (amazing) inspo pics from Angie's blog post (all of which I really loved) but it is what I wore tonight for a shared belated birthday celebration (for me) and a big brava for our adult kid, who recently won a literary prize. :). 

 J. Crew cashmere polo (ink navy, not black, BTW). 
Anthro flocked menswear trousers (ink again, with black velvet flocking). 
Ecco boots, black patent. 
Brave belt. 
Save the Duck puffer. 
Pom Pom London bag. 

Lanterns in Chinatown, where the restaurant is located -- CNY parade here today! The restaurant is also Chinese inflected. 

I love these pieces because they are casual yet sooooo luxe in feel. While the outfit is mostly monochrome, the bits of silver, the ponyhair silver/ grey belt, and the pearls plus patent boots (and the contrasting pearlescent oyster or abalone jacket -- when I was outdoors) give it the dynamism I enjoy. Super easy and comfortable and very "me" yet also dressed up enough for a winter night. 

Thanks for looking! 

I love burgundy but usually don't think of it as a statement, exactly. I'm not even sure it qualifies as such here. Even though my sweater is a bit brighter than burgundy, more of a cranberry colour. Anyway, this is my indoor version of Outfit #4 from today's post. I didn't have pants or a skirt with a dark red stripe, believe it or not, or even a top that could take that role, so I went with monochrome navy. 

This Pure Amici sweater is one of the oldest items in my wardrobe and it is still going strong after more wears than I can count. A fabulous NAS purchase, one I worried a bit about at the time (even on sale, it was not cheap) but wow, has it proved its worth. I love it -- it's been worn to fancy dinners and to lounge around in at home or on retreats. 

The minute I saw outfit #1 in this series that Angie posted,  I wanted to try it myself. (Unlike Laura, I don't have the actual skirt, but I do have a similar plaid skirt.)  It took me until today to try the outfit. Alas, the lighting is so poor, you can't see the colours, but the hoodie is navy, and the skirt is Black Watch plaid -- green and navy and cobalt. I don't have stompy lace up black boots but I do have stompy chelsea boots, so I went with those. Such a simple formula, but really fun and a 90s look I can really get behind. 

On another note, I visited the atelier of the person who made the skirt on Granville Island the other day. It was really nice to meet her and see what she's up to this year. She had some fun red plaid items. if one of those goes on sale I might just have to spring for it! 

PS, I have continued the tonal experiments and have more outfits to show, but will save them up for a summing up post, I think. :) 

ETA: added a photo of what I wore to go out -- tall boots! I remembered them! Plus coat hat scarf mitts. And you can see the colours better outdoors...the navies are brighter than they appear in my indoor shots. 

I've worn this outfit before for at-home festive events (and will likely wear it again, too!) But today I wore it to a daytime drag performance with brunch. I was more dressed up than anyone except the performers. ;)  No, I take that back. There was one woman who was celebrating her birthday in style, including a kind of feathered jacket and sparkles. I kept her company in my rhinestones. It was a fun event! 

and Colour, Pattern, Texture, Shine! 

Is this "older and bolder"?   

My kiddo is turning 25 today and we are going out for dinner. Time to break out a few new items from Anthropologie (and some very old items also.)

This also brings up the issue of duplication. Twice! :)

But not anxious duplication. Considered duplication, I think I'd call it. 

My new items: Colette crops in lilac pleather. Last year, I bought the red velvet version -- and I adore them. For the last few years I have been trying to increase colour in my closet, as well as texture. These seemed like a natural choice. I've already worn them twice (in four days).

In this version, I sized up one size. Angie has often mentioned that the different fabrications of this pant fit on quite differently, and that was my experience with these. (I took my regular size in the red.. I didn't want the pleather to be too tight.) The Find would not come up in the lilac but you can see the actual colour in the photo or if you click through.

Velvet shirt in a moody dark floral pattern. The background is navy. In many Anthro items I have to size down to get a fit, but in this top I took my ordinary size for a very slightly oversized fit. I like the fact that the sleeves can be scrunched and stay put, and also the navy backing on both cuffs and collar is a nice touch. 

The older items are my Ecco booties. I purchased them first in the cream, which I adore. And then decided to duplicate in the black patent when they went on sale. I wear both frequently enough to justify the purchase. I am also considering a back-up pair in cream (anxious duplication) if they go on sale again this year. 

My Pom Pom bag in silver. Another considered duplicate: I bought it on super sale and got two for pretty much the price of one. 

One of my oldest pieces of clothing, bought in my first season on YLF -- cranberry knee-length coat. Still going strong. 

Thanks for looking and for any thoughts. Are you working on adding colour or texture or some other quality to increase the zing factor in your closet? How successful have you been so far? (Confession...it has gone slowly for me, having been a goal at least these past four years....but I'm improving things.) 

The last time I was at Butchart Gardens, the pandemic was in full swing and I could wander its pathways almost entirely alone.  It was glorious! 

Yesterday, I met friends there for high tea and while our tea was delicious and very fresh and it was fun to sit in the old house, which was closed during the pandemic, the gardens were packed with tourists taking selfies at almost every opportunity! Consequently, I didn't get many good photos. There is supposed to be one of me and my friend (taken by her husband) but he hasn't forwarded it. Photo now of the tea and me and my friend! Notice how our outfits were colour coordinated. We did not plan on that. But we do wear very similar colours, despite our different complexions, and these colours suit us both equally, I think. 

Nothing new here except the jeans are a this year purchase and they confirm the good sense in Angie's advice to consider current or trendy bottoms. 

Despite the crowds, it was a beautiful day and the dahlias were stunning! 

It promises to be a rare mostly sunny and cool day here in my part
 of the Pacific Northwest and I'm on my way to Vancouver for some medical appointments (not serious) and a much needed haircut -- it has been 3 months and I have been hacking at myself with nail scissors! Time to bring out the seldom worn but deeply loved Rag and Bone coat vest! Everything here is from 1 year (the boots) to 11 years old, and I love it all.