Clothes IRL #01
What I’ve been wearing on repeat. Plus, what’s catching my eye for the fall.
More than seeing a photo of a really good outfit, I love knowing the story behind it. Where are they going? Why did they choose to wear the white shirt over the black one? And what are the other ways they wore that shirt? Maybe it’s a bit nosy, but that kind of context is interesting to me because it’s insight into how people are dressing for real life.
As much as I love fashion Substacks where writers recap what they’re wearing in a week, I think mine would get boring fairly quickly because I tend to repeat the same outfits. So instead, this series is going to be dedicated to the pieces I’m getting a lot of wear out of. It’s about the pieces we wear over and over again, whether for practical reasons or for how they make us feel. The ones that get us through multiple occasions and our day-to-day.
Here are some of the pieces I’ve been wearing on repeat. (*Click “view entire message” if this email gets cut off, or read it through the Substack app or website.)
A satin slip skirt
An old satin slip skirt I bought from OAK + FORT two years ago (similar here and here) has been a true workhorse in my wardrobe this past spring and summer. I took two trips this year—Paris/London and Vancouver/Kelowna—and I resisted the urge to buy a new vacation dress, opting instead to pack this lightweight skirt. My thinking was that it would fill the need for “something pretty” to wear and would be easy to mix and match with whatever tops I was already packing.
Where I wore it: The DIOR museum in Paris and touring Kensington Palace and Gardens in London. I paired it with a tube bodysuit (not a bodysuit, but similar tube top here) and dressed it down with Sambas because of all the walking. A testament to Allison Bornstein’s “wrong-shoe theory”, I love how wearing sneakers can relax the look of a satin skirt.
During a trip to Kelowna to visit my friend, Laura, I wore the skirt again for a day well-spent doing wine tastings at several wineries. I swapped out the black bodysuit and crossbody bag for a white ribbed tank and raffia tote to make it feel a bit more summery. I definitely like to tone down the dressiness of the skirt with something more casual on top.
The great thing about a satin skirt is that it’s not only limited to vacation wear—I’ve been able to get a lot of use out of it as part of my regular wardrobe, too. Anytime I need something “nice” but “not fancy”, I reach for this skirt. I wore it to my daughter’s dance recital, pairing it with the FLORE FLORE Esmé tank and heeled mules for a very 90’s minimalist vibe.
Linen pants
I have two pairs of linen pants, also both from OAK + FORT—one is cropped with a drawstring and more casual, and the other, which is my favourite, is more of a lightweight trouser (similar here). I’m not a fan of shorts, so I live in my linen pants in the summer.
Where I wore it: Touring Grandville Island in Vancouver. We spent a whole morning with friends touring the market and shops and stopped at a restaurant on the water for a bite to eat. I wanted to be comfortable but polished, so I paired the linen trousers with a cami bodysuit, raffia tote and flip-flops.
To dress it up, I swap out the bodysuit for this sculpt knit crisscross tank. I wore this outfit recently to a dinner my mom hosted for extended family from the Philippines and Vancouver.
On any regular day I’m working from home, I like to pair the linen trousers with this Staud Soleil top. It almost feels like I’m wearing loungewear but am still put together enough to find the motivation to work.
Green track pants
My husband, who doesn’t quite get the aesthetic I’m going for, calls these my “Jlo pants”. I’ve written about these pants before, and while for the most part, I like to stick to pieces that suit my style, these were a low-stakes way to experiment with the track pant trend and a pop of colour (a reminder that fashion is meant to be fun!)
Where I wore it: Summer camp drop-offs and pick-ups and my son’s Monday night baseball games—basically, what I wear as a mom on the go. These pants (similar here and here) have now replaced my Lululemon Align leggings on those days when I need something easy and low-maintenance. I try to pair them with nicer tops, like this white knit squareneck tank, to counterbalance the sporty look.
Summer in Canada has been cooler this year (surprise, surprise), so sometimes I throw a button-up on top. Also works if you’re going from the heat to a cooler place—for me, that’s going in and out of cold arenas for my son’s summer hockey. I find it helps to approach styling these pants more like trousers so it feels more age-appropriate to me.
Black linen skirt
Last summer, I really maximized wears in my denim skirt and this year, it’s been my black linen maxi (mine is sold out now, but I found similar versions here and here). For one, it’s a lot lighter and easier to move in. I figured a long black skirt is pretty classic and I wanted a darker linen option as an alternative to the lighter-coloured pants I already owned.
Where I wore it: Usually on weekends, when we’ve got places to go, like the farmer’s market or a restaurant for brunch. My go-to is to wear it with a white ribbed tank, flip-flops and my raffia tote bag. Some may think it’s basic, but I’m a minimalist at heart so it works for me.
Reading
’s The Audacity of Black in Summertime also inspired me to try this all-black, head-to-toe look below.
Most recently, I wore the skirt out to dinner with my in-laws. We were going out for Mexican food, so I wanted something comfortable and stretchy in case of any after-dinner bloat. I styled the skirt with a grey ribbed tank (higher-end option here, inexpensive here) and threw a grey cardigan over my shoulders because it was chilly.
Style notes for fall
I realize this newsletter is a bit summer-heavy, and to be honest, that’s where my head is still at. Maybe I’m procrastinating but I haven’t been able to fully wrap my head around fall just yet. A few things have started to catch my eye, though, and I’m taking note:
Really wanting to add a polo or rugby shirt to my wardrobe, preferably with navy blue in it. I have my eye on this one and this one.
Also, on my wishlist? A slim v-neck in pretty blue hues: a cashmere version on sale or a more affordable men’s option that I would definitely wear. For more neutral colours, I love this Jenni Kayne one, a black cashmere option and a less pricey, wool version here.
Not a ‘want’ but more of a ‘need’ is a baggy crewneck sweatshirt, like this, for layering. I was freezing at my son’s baseball game the other night and realized all my comfy sweatshirts and hoodies are cropped.
Inspired by
’s How to Dress Like The Row (Without Buying From The Row) I’m excited to try experimenting with mixing seasons, like she so stylishly does here.
Photo: @thefoundjournal Are we now tying our sweaters around our waist instead of our shoulders? This may be a tricky switch for me… I’ve been trying it out, but it always seems to look a bit funny to me and nothing like the photo below. I’m open to tips, please!
What else
You can read my review on the FLORE FLORE Esmé tank, which I’m wearing in one of the pictures above with my satin slip skirt on
' One Star Reviews. I feel so lucky to have connected with Kelly through Substack—she’s an incredible writer who brings a genuine, thoughtful and refreshing perspective to shopping and style. Her Midimalism newsletter is truly one of my favourite reads, and I can’t recommend it enough.
*This post contains some affiliate links, and I may receive a small percentage from anything you purchase through a link, at no extra cost to you. Including affiliate links helps support the work that goes into these newsletters, and I carefully select recommendations based on what I love and would wear, regardless of a commission. As always, thanks for your trust and support! x
As always your closet is full of thoughtful pieces that I can tell you ACTUALLY wear. I loved seeing your hero pieces. I’ve been feeling inspired lately to lean into my favorite pieces without caring about outfit repeating, this post came just in time 🫶
Excellent article, you are such a smart shopper. Classics, Basics, on repeat is the way to go. We always have to be fashion conscious.❤️❤️❤️