30: Everything I wore this week
exercising intentional dressing
Good morning. The AC is not working in my apartment, but at least I look (and feel) hot.
I kind of like the way my 19/99 eyeliner is smudging around my eyes, don’t you? I think it reminds me of the puffy eye makeup trend. A throwback indeed.
Some housekeeping: thank you so very much for the love on my list of jewellery brands to watch. That was a fun one to put together, and I’m already working on round two. But I’ll give you time to absorb and soak in part one! I’m ecstatic to support these artisans who create such beautiful works of art in any way I can.
29: Jewellery brands you should know about
I love jewellery. So much. I love sourcing it, wearing it, holding it, looking at it. I love every kind of jewellery, from costume to semi-fine to fine to high jewellery. My mother calls me a magpie for the way I gravitate towards anything sparkly and shiny. You might remember this love letter to jewellery I wrote earlier in the year:
On another note, a few weeks ago I put out this piece on dressing with intention:
The spark notes version: for the past little while I’d fallen into a habit of mindless dressing, which is particularly detrimental if getting dressed is literally your job. I had to return to my roots and hone in on why it was I dressed the way I did. What was the intention behind the pieces I adorned myself with?
I swore to go forth and dress with this philosophy, and here I am holding myself accountable. Here’s a roundup of everything of note that I wore recently, and a breakdown of each outfit.
01.
Activities/tasks: Nutbar run, farmer’s market run.
Outfit description: Damson Madder t-shirt, Zulu & Zephyr pants (similar here), The Row shoes, Chanel bag, Sophie Buhai necklace.
Notes: This whole look felt very Leandra Medine, and I think it’s because I saw a similar outfit in this piece of hers. Sans embellishments, the t-shirt and pants alone look just like wearing pyjamas. The trick to a look like this is to throw on something that feels fancy, which might feel incongruous at first due to the mere casual nature of the outfit. But I promise you it will make you feel “lazy chic”, as in you just naturally look fabulous. Damson Madder is not a new brand by any means, but I love how casual fun cool chic they are. This yellow t-shirt is literally that perfect faded vintage tee we all look for and cannot find anywhere. I will admit to cutting the tshirt - it was a bit long and I wanted it to be boxy, so I sized up and cut the t-shirt just below the washing instructions label. The result was better than I imagined.
02.
Activities/tasks: my sister’s med school graduation ceremony.
Outfit description: The Row dress (similar twisty vibes here, here, here, and here, all except the last are under CAD$500), The Row shoes (goodness what is wrong with me. A kind follower pointed out that Joe Fresh makes a similar style, as does Jeffrey Campbell), Chan Luu necklace (similar here), J. Crew bracelets, Callista bag (the bag is no longer available, but this one is incredible).
Notes: Nobody knew I was wearing The Row. This outfit is literally The Paperbag Princess. The instructions received were to not upstage my sister, so I dressed like I could have funded her medical degree instead (I didn’t).
03.
Activities/tasks: getting a pedicure, regular day/ordinary time.
Outfit description: Posse dress, Nour Hammour jacket (this style is out of stock but this one is gorgeous and on sale), Gap flip flops, Nananita bag (sold out but keep an eye on this brand - similar bag here).
Notes: I love the juxtaposition of lace and leather - there’s something so cheeky about the good girl/bad girl dichotomy at play here with the materials. This lace dress is probably all I’d pack if I decided to go to Europe this summer (sadly I’m not, but I’ll create a Toronto summer so insufferable), and the leather jacket was a bit of a whim/wine-fuelled purchase that turned out to be a very good one. Because I wear it all the time and it’s the recipient of many compliments. Plus, the longer length and sleek design make it a unique silhouette for a zipped-up leather jacket. And the flip flops! Well, that’s just me giving the finger to convention.
04.
Activities/tasks: Venturing to Do West fest before it actually started, lunch.
Outfit description: Dôen top and skirt, J. Crew tote, The Row shoes (again, Jeffrey Campbell linked for your convenience), Chan Luu necklace (similar here).
Notes: I don’t know why the photos are so dark, but this is my take on colourwashing. I’d mentioned recently that I loved mixing vibrant blues, and this outfit was the catalyst. At first I was stressed that it was too much - too much blue can toy a fine line of looking chic and cosplaying Cookie Monster. I think the clear jelly shoes and textural contrast of both the silk skirt and cashmere top, as well as the woven straw bag, made it a little more mermaid-esque if anything. This J.Crew bag has gotten a lot of air time recently as well - I used it as my personal bag on a train ride home from Ottawa and it fit my laptop and mini Saie makeup case.
05.
Activities/tasks: Coffee run, window shopping.
Outfit description: Zara tank top, Reyem skirt, ATP sandals, Freja x Heaven Mayhem bag, Tamle necklace, Sapir Bachar belt.
Notes: I’m going to have to do a whole Substack on the white tank top alone, but I firmly believe you can never have too many of them. There’s a specific white tank for every occasion/coverage preference. I live a large proportion of my summer in a white tank top and long skirt of some sorts - it’s the perfect outfit recipe. This ribbed one from Zara is great if you like a little sheer. And this skirt from Reyèm (a brand I’m particularly excited about) has a beautiful gather integrated into the skirt, so every stance you are in is instantly more flattering. It is this type of detail that makes the piece a little more interesting than your average black column skirt. I felt like accentuating this pleat with a decorative belt, because it feels extra summery to adorn your hips in carved coral pieces (and my neckline! That’s on matching materials). The shape of this bag just makes this look a little sexier, likely more suitable for an evening out rather than the daytime. But you never know - I could be going to a really chic lunch. As for the shoes, this one is for my girlies with bunions (read: excellent distracting coverage while still feeling comfortable wearing open-toed shoes, a.k.a. there is a toe spacer).
06.
Activities/tasks: Going to the AGO.
Outfit description: COS tank top (this tank is the closest I could find), Rue Sophie pants, Chan Luu sarong as belt, Manà necklace, Vanessa Bruno bag, Frame sandals (similar here, price alternative option here), Lié Studio earrings
Notes: Another case of the unnecessary belt! First of all, I like that this provides an accent of pink and green - this is my favourite colour combination and it sparks so much joy. Secondly, how flattering are these pants? And the pop of orange that comes from this crochet clutch brings me so much joy. Originally I was concerned about the multiple colour combinations happening here, but I think each hue is saturated enough that it works.
Some notes for your weekend:
Maha Alavi is doing a popup at River Crossing in Toronto that is absolutely worth seeing IRL
Issues magazine shop on Dundas West is giving out free issues of LOEWE magazine
Materialists is out! Are we ready to debrief?!
I have some very fun newsletters coming up now that I’ve given myself a chance to focus on this. Thank you to those who have already pledged their support with a paid subscription! It costs less than a cup of coffee to receive tasteful updates in your inbox, and a stylist costs a lot more than that. I keep this newsletter free at this time as I want people to see what is available. However, I will soon start making the post archive only available to paid subscribers, as well as activate the chat. Next week is going to be fun!
How did you tie the sarong to make it a belt?! Love that look.