Things I Wore Recently

And not so recently

It’s been a while since I did one of these articles, and I now have a backlog of two months worth of outfits. In the past, I’ve seriously struggled with spring and summer dressing. What is a girl who loves blazers and coats and jeans supposed to do when it is 98º in June? Well, I work in an office now so I can still wear blazers! (AC and I do not get along. Why are all office buildings set to arctic temps?) But I’ve spent the last few weeks hunting down a few really great vintage tops to add to my summer rotation, so buckle up - this is a long one. Without further ado, I give you my culled down looks - still about three weeks worth.

Look 1

Starting off strong, if I do say so myself. After bridal appointment #2 in Old City, Philly, (I spent the weekend attending my sister’s wedding dress shopping appointments, and it was a success!) I lured my hungry family into Sioux Zanne Messix after I saw the word Vintage printed on their door with the promise that “It will be quick, I just want to look!” They rolled their eyes but begrudgingly trudged in after me. And I immediately saw this blouse and new I had to have it. It was marked as an XL, and after some internet sleuthing I have concluded it is in fact Zara - any and all tags had been cut out, but I guess it’s ok because it’s secondhand? Here is the exact blouse in a S. And here are some similar options - Ganni for $31 (!), D&G, and Nili Lotan. The pants are thrifted linen that I’ve had for years, and the belt is a recent eBay find. The Limited makes great belts, and this looks like Khaite - and I only paid $40. Here is the same belt in brown, cream, and red.

Look 2

This look is from a cooler time (mid April). I am a sucker for a Really Good Jacket, and this is one. It’s vintage from the 70s and I hunted for months to find the perfect option. This is from eBay and it was under $100. With the exception of the shoes, this entire look is secondhand. Top is Brooks Brothers from Goodwill, belt is vintage from Seven Wonders in the LES, pants are Gap via Buffalo Exchange, and the scarf is another eBay find. The shoes are my current go-to Zara mesh flats. I think I’ve worn them the most out of any shoe so far this spring. At this point, the cost per wear is practically free.

Look 3

Another look from months past. This was what I wore on the first day of my new job, because no matter what, it always feels like the first day of school. I went for fashion-professional. This vintage Talbots blazer is a staple piece in my wardrobe, and if you ever find Talbots at the thrift store I beg you to give it a shot. It is not just for your grandmother! The top is another Goodwill button down. Check the men’s section! This was tucked into the men’s shirts, but is definitely a women’s cut. The pants are Abercrombie - I was happy with these when I bought them initially, but after a few seasons, they are starting to pill and look a bit sad. I have a depilling tool, but it started to pull on threads so I gave up on that very quickly. I guess it’s time for a new pair of tailored pants. As for accessories, the belt is vintage and one of my go-tos. The croc leather, the gold buckle, the width - it’s pretty perfect. The loafers are GHBass and I cannot recommend them enough. I can walk 20,000 steps in these and not even mind. And the bag, you ask? Wilson leather via eBay that just so happens to look like Chloe FW 2003. Another steal for $100.

Look 4

The barrel leg/belt combo is back! The knit top is from Rihoas before I realized that they are pretty much Zara level quality. But, I own it now, and I’ve gotten a surprising amount of use out of it. I love this JCrew version and this Kule version. The jacket is Jacquemus from a few years ago - I will never get rid of it. It’s heavy enough to wear in the fall, but the color is light enough that I can also get away with wearing it into the summer. And finally, the bag is vintage Saks that just so happens to look like a lot like this vintage Gucci Jackie.

Look 5

I got this top from Behida Dolic Millinery a few years ago, and for some reason never really wore it. I think I felt weird with how big the collar is, but this year I’ve stopped limiting myself from wearing my own clothing simply because I’m afraid of what others will think. It’s a cute top. And the rest of the outfit is very basic, to balance the top out. These are my favorite vintage white tag Levis, and I added a vintage pinstripe Ferragamo bomber style tailored jacket because, once again, the office is cold. The top is no longer available but check out what else she has to offer- it’s all made locally in NYC with very high quality materials.

Look 6

A fully thrifted fit! I got this tiered skirt at Goodwill last summer, and it was well worth the $6. The top was a whopping $3 at Big Reuse in Brooklyn and while I feel a bit like a referee in it, I like the opposition of the sporty and the feminine in this look. The jacket is vintage Levis that I got at Brooklyn Flea. It was not cheap, but sometimes vintage shopping sends me into a spiral. (I’ve gotten better.) The boots are Frye that I got for only $40 on eBay. It is one of my proudest eBay finds to date. And the belt is vintage horsehair. I am a strong believer that leopard can be a neutral, and this helped to tie the brown from the boots back in.

Look 7

These Handover pants are a dream. They are every lazy girl’s dream. They are sequin, but feel like sweatpants. So even if I am feeling uninspired and have absolutely no desire to get dressed, these give the illusion that I tried. (Plus, they’ll earn you at least two compliments.) The Brooks Brothers button down is back because I love an oversized men’s shirt. And I found this perfectly worn vintage crew neck sweatshirt at The Vintage Twin. Somehow, even though it is a sweatshirt, the cut of it makes it feel elevated. I threw on my Golden Goose Ballstars - another staple and shoe that I swear by. Love them or hate them (and I know a lot of people hate them), they are the most comfortable everyday sneaker I have ever owned. And they have lasted me four years. And to finish it all off and tie the red from the sneaker back in, I wore a vintage Le Silla purse. I sourced this for my vintage shop, but I fell in love with it. So I will wear it for the time being until someone scoops it up.

Look 8

This look was all about the belt. I found it a few years ago at Manhattan Vintage, and still find it hard to style. But, I managed this one outfit so I will be repeating variations of this forever. The white button down was thrifted at some point in the last three years, but I couldn’t tell you when or wear. The denim top is Zara from a few seasons ago, and the pants are H&M from years ago. Mango has a similar top, minus the asymmetrical neckline, and, despite myself, I can’t help but love this new Zara version. And I found the exact top here in an XS and here in a S.

Look 9

The most fall looking a spring look could get. I got this Marc Jacobs skirt at Consignment Brooklyn because I could not stop thinking about the slight drop waist detail and contrast side panel. It’s hard to see in this photo, but I found the exact skirt here in a size 2. And I love this Ralph Lauren linen skirt - it has the same contrast panel and plaid motif but feels much more summer appropriate in terms of color. The top is (I think) a Brandy Melville tshirt I have had since high school. Embarrassing, I know, but sometimes you just need a good graphic tee. And the jacket is a new suede blazer I purchased a few weeks ago. If you’re looking for similar options, check out this article I wrote where I hunted down alternatives to the viral Prada blazer.

Look 10

If you are in NYC, go check out the new brick-and-mortar location of Allegra Vintij on the Upper East Side! I met the owner Michelle years ago at one of many vintage shows or flea markets, and because I love her pieces, we got to talking. She opened her store two weeks ago and I wore this to the opening party. The top is purchased from her shop, and if you saw my note last week, you would know that this is the first ever yellow piece of clothing I have ever owned. The base is a knit, and is embroidered with sequins, so while it might look fancy, it is in the same boat as the Handover pants - so comfy. This is a much brighter option, but I love the details of the beading here. And this is a very similar option, sans sleeves. The jeans are the Banana Republic pintuck jean, but I warn you, the inseam is short. This isn’t even the petite size, and I am 5’1” on a good day.

Look 11

A very casual look. I purchased this sweater at Unearth Vintage last summer, and this is the first time I am wearing it. This is the year I wear what is in my closet! It’s a bit itchy, but the open knit is the perfect layer for the office, so I added this Agolde racer tank underneath. I love that the sweater neckline is just wide enough to see the shaping at neckline of the tank top. The bag is back again - it’s become my go-to everyday bag because it fits everything I may possibly need for work, plus a book for my subway journey, and even an umbrella if it is raining. The jeans are vintage Levis 550s from the Reformation vintage section, and if you, like myself, simply cannot make 501s work for you, I highly recommend this style as an alternative.

Look 12

I heard someone on TikTok say the best vintage shopping happens in basements and townhomes, and I tend to agree. My sister and I stumbled upon a pair of fabulous twins in their 80s (their Instagram bio verifies this) selling vintage out of their Brooklyn townhouse. Check them out on Instagram to see when their next event will be! They’ve been collecting for decades, and they had amazing pieces. We had a different destination in mind, and I saw the words “Huge Vintage Sale” written on the sidewalk in chalk. I couldn’t not go! I included a screenshot from my TikTok video (lol) because I have zero photos of the top sans jacket. This is one of my favorite recent vintage purchases, and there are SO many ways I want to style this in the coming months. Linen skirt, linen pants, maybe even jorts? Here is the whole TikTok video if you want to see just how amazing their collection is:

@kendallflavinThe best vintage shopping is random sales you stumble across in a Brooklyn townhouse #vintageshopping

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Look 13

And this is how I wore the perfectly buttery sequin top to work! The blazer is back as well - it ties back to the green sequins in the flowers. These linen pants (which, admittedly, could use a steam) are from Buffalo Exchange, and this is my favorite summer belt from eBay. (I linked similar in this article.) And to tie the cream leather from the belt back in, I wore the Staud Scotty bag in croc. I’ve had this for years, and still love the shape and size. In an ideal world, the shoes would also be cream, but maybe I will get there one day.

Look 14

I saw the below photo on Pinterest months ago and have been thinking about it ever since.

In theory I absolutely love this look, but I have yet to find a robe that I like. They’re either the wrong color, way too long, or tie in weird places. So, when I saw Katie Casper post this short bed jacket, I immediately headed to eBay to find one for myself.

kkatie.ccasper

A post shared by @kkatie.ccasper

And find I did! I love the inserted lace and self covered buttons, and while I do not typically lean towards pastels in my closet, the sheerness of this makes the baby blue feel less in-your-face. (My mom did ask if I was wearing children’s pajamas, but I did not let this phase me.) Like the inspiration photo, I wanted an oversized bottom, so I paired the top with Zara pinstripe jeans. I like that the subtle white stripes tie back into the white of the lace. And, because I do not have cream or white shoes, I opted for black accessories to tie back to the black flats. I thrifted this woven leather bag at Goodwill, and it’s deceptively large. Great for work.

Look 15

The final look - like I said, three (work) weeks. Both the top and bottom are from Raxx Vintage in Philly. If you’re ever in Philly, I highly recommend stopping by - these vintage white tab Levis were $40. And I of course had to add a hint of grandpa vibes to the look - I got this watch necklace from Unearth Vintage. It’s not the most wearable piece for day-to-day, but I loved the hint of red peeking out from behind the bow.

Honorable Mentions

This is how the kids are styling skirts now, isn’t it? This is the linen skirt that I bought for vacation, and wanted to figure out a casual way to wear it. So, as all the Pinterest girls do, I went for the slightly oversized graphic tee.

I wrote at the beginning of this year that I wanted to embrace accessorizing outside of my extensive ring collection, starting with necklaces. Well, it’s been slow going. But, beaded necklaces are having a revival and I am fully embracing them for summer. The best part? I made them for a whopping $10 each. Michaels sells strands of beads, and they were on sale for 50% off, so I went a little overboard. I’ve since made a few more, and still have an entire pile waiting for me to dive into. I purchased the jade pendant at Manhattan Vintage, and the pearls were a steal in New Orleans for $10. The two daintier gold necklaces are my go-to Mejuri pieces, and I found this very Tiffany-esque chain at Nordstrom Rack.

If you read this whole article, thank you for sticking around and I hope you had as much fun with these looks as I did. I struggle with summer style, so it’s been a welcomed challenge getting dressed everyday without automatically going for the white-tee-jeans combo. Not that I have anything against it. I still wear it regularly. But, I wanted to push myself out of my comfort zone, and having this community on Substack has taught me a lot about building looks beyond the very basic. I can style a summer look for someone else with ease, but still struggle within my own wardrobe. So, here’s to a summer of playing with fashion and not being afraid to go outside our comfort zones.