Her Waise Choice

A Vancouver Personal Style Blog by Jen Tam

Recycled Fashion

{Photos by Paul Milaire and Roderick Fung of Fotowok}

As a little girl, I remember seeing my mother sport a “clown” like coat once in a while: an oversized, sweatshirt like number in an almost unbearably blinding shade of orange. Since I’d always been used to seeing very safe options from her when it came to fashion (she often wore sweater sets and trousers to work), I just didn’t understand this choice. How things have now changed: I opened her coat closet the other day and was astounded at how I never saw the potential in this before: oversized was now chic, the sweatshirt shape was now “cocoon”, and the orange? So on trend now as one of the Spring 2011 Runway’s most well-loved hues.

Ladies: Are there any pieces you remembering seeing on your mother in your childhood that you just did not get, but now have grown to love?

Wearing: vintage Thierry Mugler coat, Zara shoes and sweater, 7 For All Mankind ponte double knit pants, vintage Bally bag

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. That coat is perfection! Love how you paired with the leopard shoes. Adorable.

    And unfortunately for me, my mom is an obsessive closet cleaner, so that means no vintage treasure hunting in her closet!

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  5. love the coat, and I saw the shoes at Zara a few weeks ago too! I considered purchasing them but they were pointed toe, not for me unfortunately!

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  7. Wow! You look stunning. You really rock that coat, so lovely and elegant. Speaking of mother’s wardrobe, a fav is her coloured suits. I mean I don’t think I really thought much of it when I was younger but i’ve recently claimed her apricot linen 2 piece suit. I’ll be wearing it separately ofcourse…at least for now.

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  8. This is testament to the fact that if you hold on to something long enough, it’ll come back around! I love this coat – and you made it so modern and fresh with those pumps!

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  9. Love the orange! My mom had lots of goodies from the 60’s and 70’s that I would just kill to get my hands on now…but unfortunatly I have just been able to enjoy the treasures through old pictures as my mom donated most of her before I was old enough to call dibs! xoCatxo

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  14. Ohhh, you both look just lovely!
    The outfit is gorgeous!
    Love the color that brings the coat to the outfit!
    xoxo
    SL.
    PS: Our blog is about our outfits, maybe you like it and we could foloow each other?
    🙂

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  15. I know what you mean. I have a lot of things from my mother and back then I hated them :)) Haha. The coat seems really comfy and I love the color! 😀

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  21. You really rock the animal print shoes! I almost regret not picking up a pair of flats/pumps this season, as they seem to instantly add class to any outfit! I love the little zipper detail on the coat, and wish my Mom had cool pieces that I could “borrow” 😛

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  22. Wow, what an amazing piece to find in your mother’s closet! My mom and I are different heights and sizes, so there isn’t too much that she owns that I can claim for my own. 🙁

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  24. Oh my goodness you are too cute! So glad to have found your blog 😉 Thanks for your sweet comment about long distance relationship being rough… no fun!

    And love love love that orange coat as well as you leopard print kitten heels so cute!

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  25. jennnnnnn your colovartion rocks. these pics are so vivid. an explosion of beautiful colours.
    gastown is the perfect location. i keep saying to george that gastown would be the perfection location to shoot due to so many intesrting backgrounds.
    i have to give it a try too.
    xoxo
    mina

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  34. So you find it in your mother’s closet? How amazing, I am not a fan of orange but the coat looks spectacular.
    I remember there where a lot of clothes I hated when I was a child. Like sweaters and turtle neck blouses. Now, I gave them a try and they are not that bad.
    About the faux fur vest, I got mine from a store in Bucharest, it’s not from Zara.
    I scrolled down a little and I saw yours in the previous post.
    So beautiful, I like how you belted yours.

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  37. Hey Jen! I missed you 🙂 Sorry for my lack of comments. But I’m gonna make up for it now. Your pictures are getting more beautiful by the day and so are you! The bright orange coat contrasts really well with your complexion. And those leopard pumps are the perfect accessories to pull this look together. BRAVO 😀

    ps. I got my Dolce Vita pumps from the boyfriend, he bought them online (not sure which website though!. One of the most painful heels I have but they’re so preeettyyy 😀

    http://www.monochromachic.com

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  38. Wow, your mom has some serious style.

    There are quite a few things that I wish my mum had that I would love to snag, but most of them were striped tube tops I outgrew by the time I was 19, because my boobs got too big for them, and T-shirts that eventually wore out and became cleaning rags.

    My mum’s style isn’t enviable at all, and I wonder what I would find if she had kept any of the clothes that are my size (she’s now twice the size she was when I was young). 🙁

    I hope your 7AM class went okay, and you were alert and able to absorb knowledge. 🙂

    XX.
    Mae Lu, @ thereafterish.

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  40. I think only you would be able to pull this off 🙂 What a gorgeous colour! Orange on light-olive-skinned girls like myself is disastrous.. or maybe it’s just me 🙂 But I also love looking through my mama’s closet to see what wonders she has. Unfortunately she sells her clothes when she doesn’t want them any more, so I don’t have any amazing finds from the 70s or something. But it’s always nice when your mom is the same size as you, right? Have a lovely day pretty lady.

    Xo Chelle
    discoveringelegance.com

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  42. Uh oh did my previous comment go through? If not, I said this outfit is so bold and chic, I love the orange on you. I also have a “recycled” orange coat, a petticoat, from my mother’s youth. I love it! Orange is a color that takes confidence to wear. So kudos to you.

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  44. Omg. That Thierry Mugler coat <3

    I’m about 110% sure that I would trade closets with you any day, you can even take my new bag! I’m not even joking hahaha

    And the three items on the bottom left are from H&M and Urban Outfitters. The first pair are shorts, the second is actually a high waisted skirt – both from H&M and the abstract top is actually a playsuit from Urban Outfitters. The majority of the things in the picture are from H&M, Urban Outfitters, American Apparel and simple skirts from Forever 21. The blue bird top was also from H&M, they had a blazer version too! As for the shoes, they were from a store called Wild Pair, I’m not sure if they have any Wild Pair stores in Canada but they certainly don’t back in Australia 🙁 the store was in the Miracle Mile shops in Vegas. I could of shopped forever in Vegas!! Haha

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  45. Hi! Thank you so much for visiting my blog. I appreciate it so much that you took the time to leave me a comment. Your blog is soo nice 🙂 I love your style esp these recent winter outfits! I’m following you now 🙂 Drop by my blog again when you have time! 🙂

    hearts,
    Melai of Style and Soul

    Reply

  48. What a beautiful coat! I wish I could raid my mother’s closet.. only she told me she has gotten rid of a lot of her stuff from when she was younger, items that have once again become trendy. 🙁 I only have her handbag collection to look forward to inheriting someday haha

    Blue Valentine was beautiful! I guess I wouldn’t say you should avoid seeing it with your boyfriend entirely, but it IS a movie about a couple falling out of love after all 🙁 Then again, the flashbacks from when they first got together are so sweet. I say go for it! Let me know how you like it!

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  52. That is a beautiful color on you and I absolutely love it with the leopard shoe, too. You look fantastic.

    I used to wear my mom’s clothes a lot when I was in my teens, but now I’m a little smaller than she is so they don’t fit anymore.

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  57. I’m definitely guilty of making fun of my mom’s old clothes when I was younger – I guess you never really appreciate different styles until you’re older! You look gorgeous in this coat though and those leopard kitten heels are stunning. 🙂

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  60. Jen you are absolutely stunning!! I can never stop saying that! I love this colour and style of jacket on you and the pants and kitten heels are the perfect combo! So wish I could be sportin clothes that cool right now! Instead I am in full parka/winter boots all the time! boo! 😉

    xo

    Reply

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