wanting and waiting (and distracting)

I have been trying my best to avoid buying things from Uniqlo, especially fashion-y items that aren't necessities, just to get off the fast fashion train, and also just to shop less in general. 

But I feel like the collections by Lemaire for the Uniqlo U range deserve a shout-out for delivering underrated goodness. The pieces often look unimpressive on the hanger, but once you try them on, you start to notice the little things that make them unlike other things. They are cut with more volume, more length, and the seams are usually curved or in a diagonal to create a more interesting shape. The fabrics are sometimes better quality, but never precious.  

I find I usually end up buying a piece or two every year, and these pieces never leave my rotation. A cream lambswool jumper (pictured) and a down scarf from 2016 have been my winter staples these past few months. A pair of petrol blue high-waisted pants and a pair of high-waisted denim shorts from 2018 have somehow managed to grow with my weight gain. A black cotton knit racerback tank and a couple of seersucker dresses from the old Uniqlo x Lemaire collection in 2015 are waiting for summer to arrive. And the perfectly cut crew-neck t-shirts are always on call, regardless of season. 

Last year's buys were a black calf-length skirt with a little flared hem and an oversized denim shirt jacket.  This year, I am resisting, but just barely; from their spring/summer collection I am in love with a striped cotton shirt dress with little gathers at the neckline and cuffs, and a black shirt-coat made from a soft, washed denim. Both items are delightfully exaggerated versions of things that you can't quite pin down -- is it a shirt? a coat? a dress? -- but are still easy to wear. 

I don't know where I am going with this, except to say that I channeled some of the urge to shop towards one of the many secondhand boutiques in my neighbourhood. I didn't find anything like the shirt-coat or the dress, but I did find a really nice pair of wide-legged, high-waist linen trousers that will perfect for summer WFH days. 

Am I still thinking of the Uniqlo U pieces? Yes. Will I end up going back for them? I suspect so. But until then, I'll admire from a distance...