Notes from November
My outfit round-up of the month, a craving for shiny things, and thoughts about jumpers.
The days have gotten warmer — a tad grudgingly, but it’s happening! — and a certain rhythm has set in. Coffee on the balcony in the mornings, bare arms on sunny afternoons, ice-cream in the evenings.
Over the past month, I rewatched a few favourite movies, which seemed to help me sleep better: Happy Together (Tony Leung is a legend), Jurassic Park (they don’t make action films like this any more), In the Mood for Love (there’s no such thing as too much Tony Leung; also Maggie Cheung forever), Lost in Translation (still a vibe), My Neighbour Totoro (probably my 10th time watching it), A League of Their Own (I’ve written about how much I loved this movie here). Nothing demanding, but they fully engaged my attention.
Apart from doom-scrolling, the month ended on a quiet note. I survived the call of the sales with one purchase that wasn’t an impulse purchase. Work has been winding down and I found more time for small mending projects, like repairing some ripped hems, and taking in a skirt that had become too big — I forgot how satisfying hand-sewing can be! I plan to spend December doing other things I’ve put off all year — more mending, organising the photos downloaded from my camera, — and think about 2024.
Favourite item of clothing of the month: My Uniqlo U white tees are getting a lot of love this month. I wear them in winter under jumpers, but they really shine in summer when they’re the hero of my outfits, especially when paired with denim.
November outfit round-up
The warmer days mean that I’ve been able to ease into lighter pieces with a crisp and cool hand feel, as opposed to the soft, plush layers of the colder months I tried out my new Studio Nicholson jeans (top right, worn with the black tee); they are the aforementioned sale buy of the season and I am so pleased with them: a crisp, bright white, no copper hardware in sight (I don’t like copper or brass hardware with white denim), and just the right amount of controlled volume.
All the above are WFH outfits, hence I’m not wearing shoes and the outfits are very simple; perhaps a little flat sometimes — I do enjoy the days when I add layers or play with shoe choices.
It’s unsurprising then, that I feel more of an urge to shop online when I work from home, than when I work in an office or library — I miss that little spark of joy that comes from pulling together the details that make an outfit feel complete. Something to think about when I feel triggered to shop.
Things that caught my eye in November
Shiny things on TRR. A metallic taffeta cropped jacket from Marni that’s kooky and glamorous. A leather skirt treated to look like shiny croc from Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche. A lustrous pair of black velvet trousers and a satin evening coat that looks like liquid silver, both from Giorgio Armani. The magpie instinct is strong in me and every now and then I get a bit itchy and crave something shiny to add to my wardrobe of sensible cottons, wools and linens. But the truth is that these items are difficult to work into my wardrobe as they don’t go with anything I own, so I let the feeling pass. For now!
Chunky jumpers. I’m on a quest to buy a jumper for next winter, and it took a bit of willpower not to settle for one during the BFCM frenzy — there were decent options on sale, but none of them ticked all the boxes.
I considered joining the Babaa bandwagon — this emerald colour is stunning — but I worried about my tolerance for their famously raw and scratchy wool so I decided to sit out their holiday sale to think it over. Then I found this cable knit from &Daughter that was marked down an additional 25%, but I’m ambivalent about cable knits so I passed.
Elsewhere, I like this style from L’envers, but I’m not keen on the colours currently available, plus the cost of shipping to Australia is eye-popping. Shaina Mote and Ozma of California also look promising, but many of the styles are cropped, which isn’t what I’m looking for.
My fantasy buy is a Lauren Manoogian piece — her beautiful textures and shapes have captivated me for years. But even if I did save my pennies for one, it’s little nerve-wrecking to spend so much without ever seeing her pieces in person. I also think I would feel precious about such a purchase because of the high price point, which would be at odds with the lifestyle I envisioned for my future jumper (something I can wear every day and maybe even go camping in). So it’s not quite the right piece for me at this point.
And of course, I’m keeping an eye out for secondhand options; I’m forever saving vintage Shetland wool jumpers on eBay, but they tend to be super classic, and I’m realising that I already have classic jumpers; I’m seeking something more oversized, perhaps a bit of a statement.
In my mind, The Perfect Jumper is:
A chunky knit
Long enough to cover my bum
Crewneck (or a high v-neck)
100% wool (any wool except angora and mohair)
Roomy enough in the sleeve for me to layer a shirt under
In any case, winter is over for the year (in Australia), so I’ll take my time to mull this over.
How was your November? What are your thoughts on jumpers?
Thank you! The more Babaa thoughts the better as they’re come up so often as a jumper suggestion. Something that can be worn on its own or when working from home is actually perfect for me!
Chiming in here on &Daughter. A few years ago I bought a Fintra turtleneck on deep NAP sale, as an oversized navy turtleneck sweater had been on my wishlist for a while. I have to say I’m very pleased with it. I only wear short sleeved t shirts under my sweaters and this sweater, while very heavy wool, doesn’t itch at all. It’s very soft for its weight, if that makes sense. The turtleneck part is hugely long (like I have to fold it down twice - it looks like newer ones are less long) but it’s very cozy on the coldest days. And like I said, it doesn’t itch at all. When the right one (eventually) pops up I will get an &Daughter crew neck sweater too. I really like the weight and heft of the wool as a sweater option.
I like your idea of a sweater that’s not too precious to take camping! But really, that should be all our clothes, right? Things we love so much that we use them for everything!