TBMD

My initial reaction upon seeing myself in the mirror was, "Whoa, I look frumpier than what I had envisioned." (It's the pants! So used to wearing skinny jeans that trousers + flats throw me off)

But now after seeing the photos? I'm amending my earlier word choice to conservative. There's a time and place for looking prim and proper -- presentations, interviews, and endless meetings. Needless to say, this outfit won't make it into my regular rotation, but will definitely be pulled out when the occasion calls for me to be presentable.

The mere thought of wristlets conjures up memories of my first "purse", the Coach wristlet. <insert laughing/crying emoji> Who else lived in this glorious era and what did yours look like? Mine was the signature C monogram in green.

In the years since, my love for bags have grown, collection has expanded, and tastes have matured (I'd like to think so anyway). So it's funny to feel like I've come full circle with the latest purchase: Polene Numero Six.
The shape of this clutch/wristlet/small purse is simply stunning in its simplicity. I love the way the wrist strap loops through the gold hardware to keep the inner contents secure while maintaining its shape. Tangent: one of my pet peeves with traditional wristlets is the floppiness of the wrist strap.

With so many colors to choose from, I had a hard time deciding. Ultimately my eyes kept going back to the crocodile print, and felt the navy version fits with my wardrobe better than burgundy or black. If I were to choose between the monochrome colors, peach would be my pick (not a fan of the contrast stitching with some of the other color options).

As much as I loved the Numero Six, I couldn't hit the checkout button due to reservations of it fitting in with my lifestyle. You see, with the dimensions being 18 x 14.5 x 5.5 (in cm), would a smartphone even fit (I have the iPhone XR)? Let alone my other daily necessities like car keys and credit cards. In the Coach wristlet era, this would not even be a dilemma.
I scoured the Internet but couldn't find definitive answers. Some said only smaller iPhones would fit; others said bigger phones will have to be placed inside diagonally. I ended up spamming a handful of Numero Six Instagram photos asking if the owners can fit their phones inside (pats self on back for resourcefulness). Thank you to all who replied with assurances that though the clutch is small, XR phones fit fine inside!
As you can see, the right side is slightly larger, and I'm able to fit my iPhone XR with Casetify case snugly inside with no more room to spare. I actually placed my phone diagonally initially, but was not able to close the clutch. There is also an inner compartment for credit cards and bills. Then in-between fits my car keys comfortably. Whew! I'm happy to say this practically impractical clutch will fit in with my lifestyle just fine.

What's your one piece of clothing that instantly elevates an outfit from drab to chic? For me, hands down, is a leather jacket. Leather jackets have that way of upping the coolness factor for an outfit (do I sound like a dork right now?) and it works in almost every situation. When I'm unsure of an outfit -- too sloppy? too matronly-looking? too anything, I grab a leather jacket of choice, and voila, I'm ready to head out the door.

When it comes to wearing statement pieces, I typically alternate between two options: 1) with head-to-toe neutrals, 2) go matchy-matchy on the colors. For today's outfit, I went with the latter to center around these eye-catching preppy silk tie print loafers. I didn't think they were that much of a departure from my norm (or maybe I'm known as the "shoe girl" at work?), but caught multiple co-workers staring and fielded a couple conversational starter-type comments. I'm thinking there is only one way to tell -- an experiment by pitting the loafers against a bold-colored outfit. One has to win out, right?

I've now worn this pink dress + pink jacket combo for the third time this season on this blog (see previous two outfits here) -- and even more often in real life! When an outfit works, why mess with a good thing? As always, I switched up the accessories for a different look. Today's features two companions, piglets named Rosa and Scarlett drawn by the talented Catherine Rayner in a collaboration with Strathberry for Chinese New Year. Absolutely. Adorable. When not in use, I display the purse like a piece of art -- it's the first thing I see when I walk into my closet. For those who celebrate, Happy New Year!

I re-discovered this plaid jacket a few weeks back when I moved into the new closet. It had been hidden in a garment bag for... years?! months!? Sad to say, it was one of those out of sight, out of mind situations. I think one of the reasons this jacket slips the mind is because of the pattern. Solid colors are so much easier to mix and match with outfits, whereas patterned items often end up needing to be the statement piece.

See past outfits with this jacket: 1) with a fur stole, 2) with a chambray shirt, 3) with ankle boots, 4) pattern mixing, and 5) soft pastels (my favorite of them all!)