Browns and Blues

I have this sneaking suspicion that I am headed into a period of wearing browns and blues.

And, I have to say, of all my purchases from Sally Jane Vintage to date that I have worn so far, I think that this dress is definitely one of my favourites.

dress: vintage (from Sally Jane Vintage on Etsy)
sweater: Gap, old
socks: ?
shoes: Fluevog
pin: Trove

Waiting

Today's outfit was inspired by an editorial in a now defunct fashion magazine (whose lack of presence today has recently been lamented).  Sadly, I can't display the editorial, but I can say that it had to do with a back-to-school wardrobe inspired by school marms and librarians.  The editorial featured crisp white shirts, dark colours, pleated skirts, heavy woolen cardigans, woolen vests, knee and ankle socks, oxfords, bows and granny-like spectacles.  I can't recall ever gravitating to these back-to-school looks at this time of year.  For some reason that I can't quite put my finger on, though, I really wanted to wear this back-to-school look today.

Today's outfit is, in fact, a second version.  The elements that made up the first version are long gone.  I don't like to regret, nor do I usually regret, divesting myself of clothing.  That said, there was a period in my life when I had some very interesting clothing and accessories (including those that made up the first version of today's outfit).  It was a dark period in my life and, reacting to the darkness, I impulsively got rid of much of what I wore during it.  I do regret parting with that clothing and those accessories.  I have learned from that mistake:  I wait until clothing no longer evokes memories, and strong reactions and emotions, before deciding on its fate.

coat: Gap, old

blouse: Gap, old

sweater: H&M, old

skirt: Gap, old

socks: ?

shoes: Fluevog, old

Grey, Grey. Brown, Brown.

Grey, grey.  Brown, brown.  That's how I would describe today's outfit.  Perhaps some would say:  Grey, grey.  Tan, tan.  Or:  Grey, grey.  Caramel, caramel.  The latter description doesn't really roll off the tongue.  The former is okay.  But, I will stick with my original description:  Grey, grey.  Brown, brown.

After yesterday's rest, I tried to get back to my normal routine today.  I wanted the transition to be easy, which is why I chose to wear an outfit not unlike yesterday's outfit.  I wanted some tangible reminder of yesterday's self-imposed rest.  It did the trick.  It's curious how clothing can help one act in a specific way.  (In my case, laid-back, care-free, stress-free.)  Or, perhaps, this is obvious.  After all, clothes are used as costume, are they not?

dress: Gap
vest: Gap
belt: Old Navy, old
leggings: American Apparel, old
socks: ?
shoes: JCrew

Taking A Bit of A Rest

I took a bit of a rest from my usual routine today.  I put together an outfit that would ensure that I was going to be comfortable no matter what I ended up doing on my "day off".  I ending up doing a little bit of shopping.  Some of the shoes that I spotted on yesterday's shoe shopping trip for my friend are now happily ensconced in my closet.

dress: Zara, old
sweater: Zara, last season
belt: Old Navy, old
leggings: American Apparel, old
socks: ?
shoes: JCrew

Propping Myself Up

My outfit photos are usually an accurate reflection of what I wear on any given day.  Sometimes, rarely though, I will add something into a photo that I didn't actually wear.  I did that today.  The purse didn't accompany me on my travels today.  I wanted to photograph the outfit with the purse because, the last time I wore the outfit, the purse did accompany me.  I liked the result, so I wanted to document it.

Today was much cooler than it has been over the past four or five days, so it was kind of odd that today, of all days, I opted to wear, what many referred to as, a very "Spring-y" suit.  It's almost as if it took me four or five days to internalize the warmth and project it on my clothing choices.  Which, I guess, means that my "clothing clock" isn't keeping up with reality.

On another note, today's outfit comes from a time when I was focussed on 60s outfits.  I realized recently that, when I first start working with a clothing theme, it's all or nothing.  Every day, every element of an outfit has to reflect the theme.  Without such commitment, I don't think it's worth pursuing the theme.  Once I exhaust a theme, though, I am more inclined to dabble in a variety of themes.  I find this interesting.

When I arrived home tonight, there was a parcel waiting for me in my mailbox.  I knew immediately what was in the parcel and I was excited to open it up.  I was not disappointed.  There was clothing in the parcel, but I don't want to spoil my fun by saying anything more about the clothing until I actually wear it.  But, I do want to say, "Thank you Bunny and Pear!  It's gorgeous!  I love it and I can't wait to wear it!"

suit: H&M, old

turtleneck: Esprit, old

tights: ?

shoes, bag: Aldo, old

A Beloved Bag

The bag that I carried today is a beloved bag:  It has seen me through some tough times and some really good times.  There are tons of memories associated with it.  Some time ago, one of the pieces of hardware on the bag "malfunctioned", and I was no longer able to carry the bag.  I could not, however, part with it.  I inquired at the store where I had purchased it whether they could repair the hardware.  They said they could.  I would just have to bring the bag in.  It took some time after that for me to actually take the bag in for the repair.  Deep down, I thought that if I took the bag in, it would disappear.  I am not sure why I thought this, I just did.  The time that I took to take the bag in for repair was spent reconciling myself to the fact that I might be parted from the beloved bag, so full of memories, forever.  Finally, I reached a point where I was ready to say good-bye to the bag, so I took it in for repair.  Two months later, the bag was returned to me in fully functioning form.  I was ecstatic.  I was in no way influenced by the store/company to say this:  Thank you so much Roots for my beloved bag, for repairing my beloved bag and for returning my beloved bag to me!  I am really hoping that today will mark the start of some more great memories with the bag.

I was pretty sure that today's outfit was inspired by a past designer's collection.  So I started looking through my books of past designers' collections.  I couldn't quickly locate the inspiration look, which means I am either wrong about the inspiration for the outfit or I am looking in the wrong year or season.  In any event, I can't show the inspiration for the outfit.  All I can do is promise to add an "addendum" to this post if and when I find the inspiration.

suit: H&M, old
sweater: Eddie Bauer, old
tights: ?
shoes: Fluevog, old
beloved bag: Roots, old

Girl's Guide to Hunting and Fishing: Spring Edition No. 4

I did say yesterday that, when it comes to picking clothes to wear, nothing is ever for sure with me.  Yesterday, I declared that I had had enough of wearing wellies, relying on weather forecasts that don't come to pass, and that I wouldn't wear wellies anymore.  So what do I go and do today after listening to a weather forecast calling for rain?  I wear wellies!  On the other hand, yesterday, after wearing a "Girl's Guide to Hunting and Fishing" outfit two days in a row after having given the theme a rest for a period of time, I expressed some hesitation in accepting that the "Girl's Guide to Hunting and Fishing" theme was back in full force.  Yet, today, I couldn't think of anything that I wanted to wear more than another "Girl's Guide to Hunting and Fishing" outfit.  Whichever way I seem to think I might be going, chances are pretty good (in fact, I would say that the odds are 50/50) that I will go in a different direction.  It's probably a good thing that I don't plan and that I just go with the flow.  Otherwise, I might be very frustrated.

It isn't very common for me to wear patterned tights, of the sort that I wore today (or of the sort that I wore in April).  But it is starting to feel right to wear patterned tights, so I am just going to go with it.  Regrettably, the pattern on the tights that I wore today probably doesn't show up too well in the photos that I posted today.  Let me just say that it is a floral pattern.

I really want to keep exploring the "Girl's Guide to Hunting and Fishing" theme for Spring, which means I want to do so immediately.  Unfortunately, I am going to have to wait at least until Friday to do so.  Tomorrow and Thursday are going to be serious days for me, which means I will be wearing "business suits" on them.  We'll see what happens on Friday.  I have some ideas, but as I said yesterday, and proved today, nothing is ever for sure with me when it comes to getting dressed.

coat: Gap, old
dress: Pure by Alfred Sung for Zellers
sweater: Kersh, old
tights: H&M
socks: ?
boots: Aigle (from JCrew)
pin: ?