On the streets: Lightening up

We had a beautiful Easter weekend in Montréal, with blue skies and sun you could feel on your face. Dressing to go to a neighbourhood bistro, I skipped past the black, choosing an aqua v-neck. The season evokes lightness, if not yet in fabric, in colour.

At the bus stop, we were charmed by a young woman in a bunny beret; the rabbit is a pin, the pearls are permanent:

Lapin du jour

She had a pink bag with a dangling bunny charm, and pink Converese high-tops:

The pink girl

Whimsy is not limited to the young; this woman had a rich amethyst ruff atop her grey:

The reader

My friend B. recently spent a week in New York and sent, at my request, a few shots of women on the street. They reflected similar individuality, such as these friends strolling in their spring coats:

The ecru friends

Nothing heralds spring like an all-ecru ensemble, or, like the woman on the right, white leather boots. Here, where we're still likely to get what the meteorologists optimistically call "mixed precipitation", white is going to be spattered with the detritus of winter, but it sure looks good.

But the shot that lingers—and I want to hear what you think—is of this woman:

The ultra-classic woman

My first thought was that her outfit is precisely coordinated, and everything seems of very good quality, but it is not current. An ultra-classic look has its adherents, and may not date as quickly as the graphic coat, but there is no dialogue with the present. This is an effect I hope to avoid, and yes, to each her own!

It's not about any one item, but that they are all worn together. For example, the ruana over jeans would be more appealing to me, but I'm searching for what to do with the tweed fedora. 

By contrast, I grabbed a couple of screen shots from a YouTube street videographer, "Starlinc", who stops passers-by to ask what they're wearing, and also asks philosophical questions like, "What advice would you give your younger self?"

Though he favours young adults, this woman is older, and an exemplar of a lighter, looser ensemble. She too has high-end gear (Givenchy bag and cargo trousers; Sacai sweater), but looks modern. He asked, "Where do you get your style inspiration?" She replied, "You know, I think it's just age, just knowing what feels comfortable. I actually don't like to shop."

The streetwear woman

Neither outfit may suit you (or your budget); I'm as far from owning a Givenchy crossbody as that prim, printed bag, but we inhabit the present; we're live-streamed, not recorded. I'm not suggesting that the hat-wearing woman should adopt streetwear, but she could consider this Banana Republic cape-coat, which is worn over full black trousers and a white tee, which she probably already has.

Between a fossilized classic and an ultra-trendy approach, there's an wide range of possibilities, so a beloved staple can find new life with a current shoe or fresh jacket. A good thing, because who wants to start again from scratch? Other times it's just over, at least for the present decade—but secretly, I do miss shoulder pads.

Excuse me now, I'm off to take an unsparing look at my springtime closet!