To Black Friday or not to Black Friday…

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Black Friday is – well, one could say that any sale is my Achilles’ heel. Je réponds présente à chaque fois. That being said, I’m working on it.

That’s because the pandemic made it hard for me to justify buying stuff. No matter how great the dress looked on me or how much of a discount COS was offering, it just felt pointless. I’m the first one to say that I dress for myself. Yes, for myself to go somewhere.

That is not to say that I didn’t have the urge to buy. As rational as this behaviour might seem – let’s not buy things that you don’t need – the pandemic also highlighted that I’m an emotional shopper. 2020 was all about survival: that’s probably why I can’t recall buying any clothing item that wasn’t an absolute necessity from March until December. Things now are much different though: this past year has thrown me for a loop. Not being able to see my friends and family at will, working from home, being alone for most of the day, not being able to make clear mid- or long-term plans – all of it has been difficult for me. So I resumed shopping because it’s something that I can do from home while going to the mall gives me a respite from being at home 24/7. Plus, I enjoy shopping alone.

Thankfully, being stuck at home made me realize that I needed to find a more qualified therapist.

That explains why after virtually dog-earing many sweaters on aritzia.com and a few pairs of boots on theoutnet.com, I only got a black blazer and a headband. It’s all I really want – I mean, need.

Oh by the way, should you want/need a belt, my beloved Lecce is on sale – of course, it is – at SSENSE. You’re welcome.

✌🏾Sergelyne

Tale of a coat

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I’ve parted ways with my beloved Canada Goose parka. I loved that coat as much as one can love an inanimated object. Still, after a decade, we had to part ways.

Ok, full disclosure: it no longer fitted me. When I purchased it, I told everyone that it was the last winter coat I was ever going to buy! I figured that a $600 parka with a lifetime guarantee was bound to last me a lifetime. Clearly, I didn’t account for the weight gain… Anyhow, since those parkas retain their value, I sold it this past August. May it live on for another decade…

I really wanted to get another Canada Goose – ideally a calf-length parka. But as you know, their prices are now as steep as their coats are warm… So thank you, but next.

So my Trillium parka has been replaced by the long version of Aritzia’s Super Puff. Now, seeing how it gets rave reviews year after year, you might think that this decision was an easy one. Ce serait très mal me connaître… Back in September, after much deliberation, I had settled on it. I liked its price and I figured that getting it in black was a sure bet. But then two weeks ago, I saw the Powder Parka in dark olive and it was love at first sight. So I bought it in an extra-small and it was perfect. Perfect to wear over a t-shirt, that it. So I exchanged it for a small. The small was also perfect… for someone else. On paper, the Powder Parker has a lot going for it: it has a great temperature rating and it’s water- and wind-proof. And it comes in nicer colours than the Super Puff. But I found it quite heavy. Plus, it’s noisy: the fabric makes a weird swoosh sound when the sleeves rub against the rest of the coat. I really wanted to love it, but I ended up exchanging it as well.

So it was back to my original plan. It might not be the most exciting puffer out there – it’s actually quite basic. But strangely enough, I get the hype around it: it does what it needs to do. It’s simple and to the point – just the way I like do dress. My only regret is that it doesn’t come in dark olive.

Photo provided by aritzia.com
Photo provided by aritzia.com

Well, let me not speak too soon: temperatures here have yet to dip below 0° C. Alors à suivre.

✌🏾Sergelyne