As the days get shorter (sob!) and the mornings dawn a bit cooler (at least where I live), I'm thinking about what worked and what didn't, this summer. It was a strange season for me. Some typical favourites barely saw the light of day (white shorts, I am looking at you), and some wildcards became workhorses.
To wit: orange Cole Haan sandals. These are comfy, versatile, and work well with my blues. I never wear orange because it looks horrid on me, but even at 5'4", my feet are pretty far from my face. I wore these for some portion of almost every day. A+
However, the Zara top I bought to wear with them was less successful. I was hoping to replace my much-beloved blue gingham cotton voile Loft top, which I wore on repeat for nearly a decade of summers. This top is the same fabric and also patterned (to disguise the sheerness of voile) so it should have been a summer slam dunk, right? Hmmm. Not so much. Don't get me wrong. I wore it. It is more yellow than in the photo and therefore less flattering on me, but that wasn't the main problem. The main problem is that unlike my old gingham top, it is a fitted shirt -- which means it is not as cool and airy as my old blouse. Hence, much less wearable. C-
What was a hit was my very boxy blue Everlane cotton top. LOVE this and have worn it a ton. Simple, oversized, minimalist -- I feel almost as cool and stylish as Irina, wearing this. It works with all my shorts and cropped pants. A+ (and if they had any other colours left, I'd be duplicating, but they don't.)
Slightly less successful but not unsuccessful -- the striped Everlane soft cotton shirt. It's truly soft, doesn't wrinkle a lot, and is nicely sun protective. But due to the short length and lightweight fabric, it doesn't drape quite as well. B+
My other footwear purchase was also something of a middling success. I love the look of these Mary Janes and they are super fun with various outfits. And comfy for short trips when I am mostly driving or on the bike. But they are too flat for real comfort, for me -- definitely not walking shoes. Which, given my lifestyle, means I didn't wear them a lot. I will probably get some use of them in September and again in May, next year. A for fun factor and looks, C for real comfort. (sigh)
How about you? Did you have surprise MVPs this season (fall/ winter if you are in the opposite hemisphere)? Did you have any mistakes or flops? To what do you attribute their success or lack thereof?
