chore jackets and linen trousers

what i bought, wore, and read this past week

This past week was a good week when it came to finding things I always wanted to get but couldn’t because of issues due to availability and sizing.

What I bought: shoes

Out of all the purchases I made, I am most excited about this one:

I managed to find a pair in my size (IT 35) on the secondhand market, that was “never worn.”

I was always fascinated by the bright fuchsia and the extreme pointy toe. I did pay just over $460 for a pair on Vestiaire, which is steep. But for a pair in my size with very minimal scuffs (from what I could see in the photos at least), I was sold.

Speaking of unique footwear, I finally took the plunge and bought these two:

Tibi has had me in a chokehold since last fall; I enjoy reading The Creative Pragmatist and recently listened to Amy Smilovic’s interview on The Glossy podcast. It’s one of my favorite interviews on The Glossy.

I personally find this Borg sock shoe inspiring for what I can style it with

Speaking of sizing, I somehow managed to find a pair of tabi ankle boots in the Maison Margiela L.A. boutique the other day:

Maison Margiela in L.A. had this pair in the vintage-y leather finish and another in a smooth, but a more stiff leather. I liked the first pair because it was frankly more comfortable on my feet but both types need at least 3-4 wears to mold to feet.

And these jelly shoes were a definitive throwback to the glittery, clear jelly shoes with low block heels I wore back in the 5th grade:

Made from hemp plastic, these Sandana Jelly Sandals from Salter House were perfectly comfortable to wear with my linen trousers.

What I wore: linen pants and chore jackets

I wore the jelly sandals with this outfit:

I absolutely love mixing textures and different types of fabrics together when an outfit leans more “classic” rather than “unexpected” or “quirky.”

Button down is APC (similar pattern here but in different colors), and the wide legged linen pant is Eileen Fisher.

Looking back, this outfit sort of reminds me of Nora’s in Past Lives. Is it the slouchy, undone-ness?

Even though I wasn’t intentional in dressing like her, I love how it’s sort of emulating the essence of Nora’s effortless style even though the pieces I am wearing are nowhere similar to what she has on.

Linen will be my essential material to wear for this summer and the reason why Eileen Fisher is my go-to brand for linen bottoms is because they carry petite sizes in the wide legged silhouette I love.

The bucket hat is the Felix from Janessa Leone. Here I styled my look with the woven tote from St. Agni and a pair of leather slides from Cos. To give it something a little extra, I wore my light blue socks from Comme Si. I like the subtle blue even though it’s been ages since I wore socks with slides, or even slides in general.

Another one of my go-tos this past week was chore jackets.

I like the look of a nice, light jacket with a long skirt, like this one from Rails.

I have Ralph Lauren chore jacket in blue that is lovely, and this black one from Mate the Label which I found last week at the L.A. pop up store and have been loving ever since.

I feel like chore jackets came out of nowhere, even though it has a storied background. Chore jackets are functional enough to move around in, and light enough to wear over a basic tee or sweatshirt. Its simplicity makes it easy to style with accessories, shoes and bags. I would even button it all the way up and style it with a long skirt or shorts and loafers for warmer days.

In my last post I mentioned the large cross bag from Digo Studio.

I am so in love with this large black cross bag. Because it is made of cotton twill, it is light and easy to carry, especially if you have a laptop, screen device, books, pens, and papers. It also doesn’t dig into the shoulder due to the thick strap.

Because of its slouch and oversized shape, I wore it with my trench with a hoodie underneath:

Surprisingly, it was super comfortable. That day was cold, wet, and gray, the perfect trench coat weather.

Also, this isn’t style related, but what I’ve also been wearing nonstop is this lifesaver of a lip moisturizer:

This Santa Maria Novella lip moisturizer was an impulse purchase that I do not regret for a second. My lips and skin have been incredibly dry this season, and I’ve been applying lip balm nonstop. The vanilla scent is light and the texture is so nourishing.

What I read: Boy Parts by Eliza Clark

So I am still reading this book. I’ve read reviews where it was compared to American Psycho, and I can see why and how. I think the inversion of the “male gaze” is intriguing and dark, but this book (for me anyway) is hard to get through. It started off interesting, but I can’t seem to care too much for the main character Irina. I do want to see how her story plays out, which is why I will not give up on this book just yet. Perhaps I missed something in the story, but even when I realized her dark secret, I just don’t feel so invested in her.

And because you are here, can I share something?

I have fallen down the Row rabbit hole.. I actually went back to The Row boutique yesterday to take another look (I promise!) at the N/S tote (medium and large) and really contemplated getting the medium tote in the beautiful burnt wood color. I eventually walked out (sans bag) but can I just say, it truly is a gorgeous piece of art.