Black and white and red all over

cardigan: Forever 21 | dress & belt: vintage | tights: Goodwill | oxfords: some shop in Bucharest

I've been feeling a little bit stale lately when it comes to my wardrobe, so lately I've been challenging myself when I open my closet: today, I'm going to wear an outfit I've never worn before. So far, I've only done it a couple of times, but I've been really happy with the results! Sometimes I find that I think way too much about any given outfit. It sounds counterintuitive, but it can be liberating to go on autopilot and just grab the first couple of things I see.

It's amazing to me how much history can be contained within one outfit. The cardigan, though I love it, is just from Forever 21 - not much history there. But I picked up this vintage belt at an estate sale, and this dress actually belonged to my grandmother. It's growing worn in several places, and though you probably can't tell from this picture, it is in need of some mending and TLC. But I'll keep it forever.

The shoes, too, have a very special place in my heart. I got them almost exactly one year ago when I was on a spring break mission trip to Romania. I almost didn't buy them. It was the last day of our trip, and after sightseeing in Bucharest, we stopped in a huge mall. Even though these shoes were something I'd been wanting for a long time, I passed them by because I really wanted to buy something authentically Romanian. But it turned out that mall just wasn't the right place for things like that. As it turned out, I had just about exactly enough money for them, so I paid for them and immediately put them on to finish sightseeing. (They're surprisingly comfortable!) That same trip is happening again this year, but since I am no longer a student and instead work full time, I won't be going. It breaks my heart a little.

Do you know the history behind anything in your closet?

photos by Chris

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