As much as I live for acquiring designer clothing, there really is something to be said for the thrill of a thrifty find. I mean, selecting your size from a neatly arranged rack of Helmut Lang at The Room really can’t compare to digging something amazing out of a pile of crap at the The Salvation Army.
That’s how I felt when I stumbled upon this jacket, which fits perfectly, hardly believing that it could really have an ancient Grecian battle scene embroidered onto its sleeves. What I love most about it, to be honest, is that it reminds me of an ’80s blazer of my mother’s that is covered in a print of black and white Dalmatians — only this version’s shoulder pads have been cut down to about an eighth of the size of hers. It is just the piece to smarten up a casual summer look while still keeping it fun.
These days, it’s hard to get me out my white eyelet crop tank from one of my favourite up-and-coming local designers, Leilanni. While I am generally a firm believer of the “the little white cotton top” in the summer months, there’s just something about this one that seems to work so well with everything in my wardrobe. Perhaps that’s because my summer wardrobe mainly consists of high-waist shorts, just like these by Gentle Fawn.
So if something as simple as slipping on a $4.99 jacket can allow me to look ready for a night on the town without having to disrobe from my preferred daily uniform, I guess you could say it is a truly great find.
What I Wore: vintage blazer from The Salvation Army, white eyelet top by Leilanni, shorts by Gentle Fawn, shoes by Aldo, vintage leather mini-purse.
Grace Carroll is a Toronto-based freelance writer whose work has appeared in ELLE UK, ELLEcanada.com, Plaid magazine and FILLER magazine. Keep up with her daily blog at www.graciecarroll.com.