Those [pantsless] days are gonnnnne…
I got rid of my super-short shorts. (Well, okay, by “get rid of” I mean “put in the back of my drawer.”) It was time. I’m not in the “once you hit a certain age you can’t wear x y and z” kinda person, but when you can see actual buttock, it’s maybe a size-up moment. No shame!
And truly, even the not-so-eagle-eyed among you have possibly observed that I’ve owned and worn the same handful of pairs of cutoff shorts for a decade, at least. (This is mildly exciting from an ooh-they-still-fit perspective, but a) I mean…barely, and b) I regret to inform you that there is, nevertheless, escaping buttock and perhaps a touch of muffintop, which means c) no.)
This is all to say that I’ve winnowed down my wardrobe in a major way lately – ooh, does my daughter have some good stuff coming in a few years – and have also done some shopping for slightly more…ah…”elevated” versions of my usual shorts-and-t-shirts.
This kaftan-thing was SUCH A GOOD FIND. $2.99!
Now, a couple of years ago I made a vow myself to always prioritize secondhand shopping for both ethical, financial, and aesthetic reasons – and I do; I’d say 50% of our clothing purchases in recent years have come from either online resale sites, Goodwill, or similar. I also recently had an epic Canadian thrifting session that we need to get into later (that kaftan pictured above is everything), but when you’re looking for specific pieces, sometimes you have to buy new.
Enter: End-of-season sales, hello! (Seriously, the pieces I picked up from J.Crew were practically free after all the discount codes were applied – don’t forget to put in WEEKEND at checkout for 50% off on top of the already-low sale prices. Yes.)
So, because OOTDs are fun even (especially?) when bedrooms are messy, here is…well…basically what I look like every day lately. Does temperature matter? Occasion? Not really; this is California. But I still feel like I should try to consistently wear pants.
Jeans | Tank | Laibach & York Glasses from 9026Eyes
First off, we have to discuss these jeans. They are perfect, and I’m terrified that they’re going to get discontinued, but the lady at checkout assured me that won’t happen so I’m going to take her word for it rather than hoarding enough pairs to last me the rest of my life. Maybe.
Stretchy, lightweight, high-waisted but so comfortable, adorable sailor accents, and the perfect amount of flare. I wear them with relatively low heels because I seriously don’t want to walk the backs off of them (fellow ’90s teen girls, you know what I’m talking about), and because they’re super-elongating when worn this way.
Sweater Vest | Shorts | Sandals
Sweater vests: I love ’em! Who knew? They give my shoulders a little structure without going full shoulderpad, and have a slouchy fit that feels very ’70s Diane Keaton to me (I go up a size).
Also, back to the shorts issue: My grandmother wore shorts into her 90s, and I plan to do the same. But I decided to invest in a few pairs of pairs a couple of inches longer in the leg and higher in the waist than I usually go for. Above are a Pilcro pair with similar nautical detailing to the jeans…
Shorts | Button-down | Shoes (similar)
And these are the Maeve Colette shorts. Apparently they are very popular. I understand why; I’ve alternated the black and army-green pairs pretty much daily since they arrived.
OK, I’ve been trying very hard not to gatekeep about my new favorite brand. Dressed in Lala is a fever dream of everything I want in clothing: Oversized, colorful, extremely comfortable, occasionally funny. Their oversized t-shirts, their cardigan sweaters, their maxi dresses: All A+. But I have to say…this is my favorite piece that I own.
Another Dressed in Lala sweater, this time with thrifted Lacoste sneakers for $7.99 (Canadian!). I replaced the laces with some also-thrifted ones that say “California” in red and magic-erasered them, and they’re now the most comfortable sneakers in my closet.
V. dramatic, v. opinionated over here
This is a screengrab from a Straight Arrow News opinion segment (did you know I publish these every week? I do!), which isn’t ideal, but you need to know about this denim jacket.
And finally, these on-sale lounge pants come in a bunch of colors and are cute enough to be worn in public with a low heel (in addition to 24/7 at home) IMO. Red is no longer available, but I love the dark grey, too.
I do make my bed every day, promise. Just apparently not before I take outfit photos.
Scroll down for more current favorite pieces – these are all highly recommended (although I still recommend secondhand more highly, if you can find the pieces on Poshmark or similar), and most are on sale.
