Pix-Elated

Now that I think of it, my last post could have gone under this category, too. This is my new red merino sweater from Simon's. I'm getting my plaid in with the footwear this time. I refuse to let go of these Paul Green plaid combat boots. I keep trying to see if I can find a cobbler who can fix them, but so far, no luck. The zipper on one boot is broken (but I can use the laces). The heels are starting to wear down. But the body of the boots are in great shape -- they look good as new. So I feel like there is hope? 

My outfit doesn't use black, but charcoal, which is as close as I get to black. 

As I said on Irina's colour thread, I wear red in various combinations almost every day throughout December. It's my favourite mood-lifting colour on these dark days. 

A friend came to lunch yesterday and brought me the grey cotton rib button front sweater, also from Simon's. She'd purchased it for herself but it didn't fit her so she gave it to me! 

Hope you are all enjoying the holiday feasts and celebrations. The days are getting longer, yay! (At least for those of us in the northern hemisphere!) 

I've been wanting to try this outfit formula. I usually wear this skirt with stompy boots or booties, and have also worn it with tall heeled boots. But I wanted to try it with the flat waterproof riding boots today -- a cold day with crazy intermittent showers. 

I haven't worn these boots in a couple of years so it was really fun to haul them out! 

I know the red and green (and blue) might not be everyone's cup of tea, nor the double plaid in the outside outfit, but for rme it hits a fun holiday note. 

Nothing here is new. Everything is old to very old. 

I've had the first Comrags dress since 2017. It was expensive for me then, but wow, it has proved its worth and then some. It is still a summer favourite and I can't see retiring it any time soon. It barely wrinkles and dries in a flash. Besides, after all these years, handkerchief hems are enjoying another moment. :) Wore it last night and a woman shouted out at me: I love your dress! 

The other one, from Zara, is on its 3rd year in the closet and still going strong. It is great for sun coverage! (Waving to Angie, my dress twin, and several forum members who are dress cousins on this one.) 

The Eileen Fisher sandals are my second pair of the same style. I bought them when my first pair wore out -- maybe in 2020 or so? and then almost never wore the second pair -- to the point where I wondered if I had made a mistake in repurchasing. Suddenly, they are feeling fresher again to me and I am wearing them. Go figure! 

I bought the little Ecco pot bag a few years ago, too, and then never used it. Why? I finally realized it was because it was too small for me to carry my usual case for my sunglasses. A new pair of sunglasses with a different case suddenly made it wearable! 

And no, I was not on my bike with these outfits! First was out for a casual supper with Mr. Suz and second was for a morning appointment. 

And look! I have found a better way to snap pictures -- at least as far as the light is concerned. The proportions are off because I have to stand close to the mirror, but at least the light is better. :)

I definitely bat for Team Stripe in all seasons and since I'm also Queen Blue and Viscountess White, summery stripes are pretty much my every day. LIke today -- I was already dressed when I saw the blog post. 

For summer, I have many tops with stripes -- from the tone on tone of the Everlane blouse to bolder stripes on some of my J. Crew shirts. 

I have striped tees of various types, and a striped dress. I used to have striped pants and skirt but those are no longer represented in my closet. I wouldn't say no to the right items if they came along, though! 

From the blog, I really enjoyed the third option -- tan and black linen. I have nothing even remotely similar but it made me think that it might be fun to put something like it together in my own colour palette. Going to give that some thought....

I don't have a flag but I did wear various versions of red and white all day. Here was the one I wore in the evening. In the daytime, it was red bike, red and white top, white shoes, white helmet, white shorts. :) 

The graphic on the tee is advertising a Canadian literary journal, though you can't really see it clearly. 

And a funny story. 

Wearing my uniform of wide legs and blue & white. 

1. The Zara open weave sweater. So far, no kitty snags! :) 

2. The new Zara culottes and a denim jacket Angie featured a while back. Got compliments on this get-up. But funny story. I wore it for a trip to get a haircut in the big city. (Photos taken pre-haircut).

On the ferry trip back, I went to get a little snack of soft serve ice cream in the cafeteria. The cashier thought I had not given myself a proper sized serving and went to get me some more. As I stood in front of the machine, she pressed the lever and SPLAT!! 

Chocolate ice cream all over my white jacket! Stains have not completely come out yet. I should get them out with a second soak. 

I guess I lack the Angie stay-pristine gene! 

Carol has been drawing our attention to the shirtdress and button through shirt of late. Well, Carol, it turned out to be a great reminder for me this week. We'd had hot temperatures for days so I was tentatively planning one outfit for my kid's graduation....only to find that the day itself dawned much cooler and nothing without sleeves would do. What to do? 

My trusty shirtdress to the rescue! 

We had a very long day, with arrival required two hours before the ceremony, then a looooooooong ceremony, followed by photos, followed by dinner out. Mr. Suz and I had to twiddle our thumbs for an hour and a half between arrival and ceremony, so we elected to go for a walk, and for that, I brought a casual option of my outfit -- denim jacket and sneakers. Back to the car and quick change jacket and shoes and presto, I was ready for the more formal event! (Mind you, people showed up in all levels of dress, from bright pink Docs and shorts to ball gowns and sky-high heels.) 

The outfit felt great and we were proud of our graduate, who has had a long and tumultuous road to get here. 

What I wore: 1901 dress, Naturalizer shoes, Zara jacket, Pom Pom London bag and rainbow strap in solidarity with my kid. Denim jacket and Cole Haan sneakers for the walk. 

This dress is absolutely stunning quality fabric. It barely wrinkles (despite being cotton). I wish Nordstrom had kept up with that 1901 label. 

I don't wear this often, but wow, I'm so glad to have it in the closet. Ditto for the little Zara jacket -- it hasn't had a lot of outings but it has still been an excellent purchase. YLF has taught me the value of keeping seldom worn items in the closet if they fill a specific role. No shopping required, and no last minute panic. 

How about you? Have you pulled an oldie but goodie out for service lately and thanked yourself for hanging onto it? 

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?