Transitional Weather
and how I find myself dressing (and navigating) it
One morning I woke up to the sight of a giant yellow blob through the slats of my shutters covering the tall French doors opposite of my bed. Still processing in the haze of my interrupted slumber, I was confused at what I was looking at. I then realized that the once vibrant, perky tree on my street had turned heavy and golden, signifying both the end of a cycle and the creeping beginning of a new one to come in a few months time.
The weather has been cold, yet not frigid. Sunny, but somehow the gloomy clouds sporadically make their way in. Navigating a consistent way of dressing is tricky. I’ll wear my trusty Nuptse puffer from The North Face, but I’m sweating after the walk to class. It’ll stop raining for a few days and I find it safe to wear my worn-in Sambas, only to realize my toes are freezing even with socks. I think to myself that maybe the cycle is ending and finding a new cycle of outfits is beginning, but I don’t want to let go of the only things holding me stable during this time of transition. I want to be like the tree outside — overnight it turned a bright canary, almost flawlessly, as nature had inevitably beckoned. Nature is calling me to change, but will I do it as promptly as the tree? Probably not.
So I analyze the items that’ll make me feel like the ‘old me’ while ushering in a new version. Not a perfect version, but one that resembles the former.
I’m not quite sure why I didn’t pack any boots during my move to Switzerland. Probably a combination of nerves and lack of space. But I love wearing boots, and the thought of slogging through rain and slush during fall and winter in a pair of Sambas makes me promptly not want to leave my bed at all. I’m also in a bit of predicament: my eBay options are limited at the moment due to shipping costs and the fear of receiving a customs duty. Usually, I’d take the time to find a secondhand pair of leather boots with lots of life left in them, but in this case, purchasing new was the easiest and best option.
Enter the Dorah Boot by Vagabond. I was drawn to this pair because of the classic Chelsea silhouette, but with an added heel made of sturdy rubber. My favorite go-to outfit is a pair relaxed jeans with a touch of flare and a sweater. I’ll finish off the look with some height through a pair of boots.
Fortunately, I could see myself trudging through wet, leaf-strewn streets with these. Never underestimate the power of a versatile shoe to make your day a little bit easier to navigate. I’m happy with them so far. I recommend sizing up, so that they’re not too tight with thick socks or a cushioned insole if you want to add one.
When I find myself getting tired of a black turtleneck (which is hard), I still feel comfortable in boatneck styles or knits with added flair to them. Before I moved, I scored this vintage Sonia Rykiel black & white sweater on eBay for $45. I wore it for a night-out after the temperatures dropped and kept warm. See below for a photo and some other options that are currently on eBay right now (!!!)
And to top it all off, a trusty jacket is needed. Like I said before, I have been wearing my favorite North Face puffer—that I actually didn’t buy full price, but bought from a overstock seller on eBay last September. I’ve also being wearing this Mango coat I bought second-hand off Depop earlier this year as well. The product page is up on their site with a waitlist, and they periodically restock. Of course, I would recommend trying to find it on a resale site first.
But I’ve always wanted a Barbour coat. They’re expensive on eBay, and I could never commit to buying one (the best ones are always coming from the UK with high shipping fees). That was until I came across a $54 Alexa Chung x Barbour one on Japanese Mercari. I waited too long and missed out on it, but then found one on JP Yahoo Auctions that I loved, and scored for $33.33 (which I posted on Substack Chat by the way). Check out Viv from The Molehill’s guide on navigating Japanese eBay and Buyee if you want to get in on the deals.
Outside of fashion, I’ve been listening to Bowery Electric’s Lushlife album, and also the new album, Hold, by Wild Nothing. I’m still in the middle of reading The Master and Margarita by Bulgakov (classes are getting in the way, but I’m trying to hit my goal of 11 books by the end of the year). Somebody needs to take the weather app away from me, and I also can’t stop making hand rolls for lunch.
Thanks for reading! See you in the next one :-)