Patchwork Girl
Posted: June 29, 2020 Filed under: Clothes, Style Imitating Art | Tags: beige plaid dress, belt, blue, blue button-up, brown, brown heeled oxfords, style imitating art 3 Comments
For this week’s SIA, inspired by Anne Ryan’s “Number 453” (it looks like patchwork, hence my post title), I knew I’d wear something blue and something plaid, both of which I have plenty of in my closet. However, I didn’t want to wear my blue jean culottes again, and my plaid shirt doesn’t quite match the colors of the piece.
Then, by a stroke of luck, I came across this plaid dress at an online thrift store, so I snatched it up. The problem is, I didn’t realize it was an empire-waist dress (that’s the thing with thrifting online; the photos can look deceiving) and the top is too short on me. Luckily, the waist is elasticated, so I could just unbutton the top, tuck it into the waistband, and voila, I have a skirt! I paired it with my blue linen shirt, brown oxfords, and navy belt, and it’s a perfectly acceptable outfit for SIA. I thought about chopping off the top of the dress to turn it into a skirt permanently, but in the end, I decided to keep it as a dress. That way, I can wear it both as a skirt and a dress.
Don’t forget to check out Daenel’s blog on Wednesday to see other outfits inspired by this piece!
Cutouts And Lacing
Posted: June 26, 2020 Filed under: Life | Tags: blue, blue lace-up flats, mustard baggy pants, white, white eyelet top, yellow 1 Comment
Since I rediscovered thrifting earlier this year, it has offered me a lot more choices in shopping, so instead of just following the trends in the shop, I can pick and choose what I really like. This has given me some insights into my style. I’ve realized that I tend to navigate toward nature-inspired patterns, that I prefer embroideries to prints, and cutouts/broderie anglaise to laces, and that as much as I wish to pull off that clean, minimalist look, I can’t. I have to rely on colors and patterns to bring interest to my looks. This outfit has no thrifted pieces, but it kind of reflects my newfound style insights. It’s all solid colors, but the cutouts of my top and shoes, and the lacing of the shoes make it look more interesting (if I say so myself).
Triple Portrait
Posted: June 15, 2020 Filed under: Clothes, Style Imitating Art | Tags: blue, blue jean culottes, blue lace-up flats, brooch, navy print sleeveless blouse, style imitating art 6 Comments
For this week’s SIA, inspired by Kehinde Wiley’s “Triple Portrait of Charles II“, I immediately knew I’d wear this top and these culottes (which means I’ve worn the culottes for SIA twice in a row). I thought about wearing my silver-vine brooch to mimic the silvery vines in the painting, but it gets lost in the print of the top, so I went with this safer choice instead. For the shoes, luckily I just bought these lace-up flats – they’re new, and I know I’ve made a point to only buy secondhand, but they were on deep sale, so I couldn’t resist. Plus, they’re perfect for the challenge.
If you haven’t sent me your outfits, you still have until tomorrow. And don’t forget to come back on Wednesday to see other outfits inspired by this gorgeous work of art!
One Dress Two Ways
Posted: June 12, 2020 Filed under: Clothes | Tags: belt, blue, brooch, brown, brown flat sandals, navy print dress, red, red suede heels 2 Comments
I’m definitely wearing more dresses this summer. Usually, I don’t worry much about my summer style, because at this time of year, my work would be winding down as we prepare for the summer break, but due to the pandemic, we are still playing catch-up and it looks like we’re going to be working all summer. This means I have to step up my style a little, but dresses are an easy way to look put-together. Before, I used to stay away from dresses because one dress is just one silhouette, but now, thanks to all these cotton dresses I recently thrifted, I can vary my looks without feeling like I’m repeating myself.
Castaways And Cutouts
Posted: June 10, 2020 Filed under: Clothes | Tags: blue, navy paperbag pants, pink, pink cut-out heels, white, white eyelet top 3 Comments
As I mentioned in my post last week, I’ve resolved to only buy secondhand from now on, including accessories and shoes. However, I’ve discovered that the business for secondhand shoes in Vietnam is not as thriving as for clothes – I haven’t found a lot of secondhand stores that sell shoes, and those that do only carry tiny sizes. But it doesn’t matter. I have enough shoes, and it makes it much more special when I found a pair that I like and fit me – like these cutout heels, for example. (And of course, that’s why I title my post after an album by The Decembrists. There are cutouts on my shoes and my shirt, and my shoes are kind of castaways, being secondhand and all.) I keep the rest of the outfit simple, since I think the shoes provide enough interest.
