A Thrifter's Take on the Fall Celine Collection
When the Celine Fall 2019 collection was released last spring, I felt like it was designed just for me, my closet, and the types of clothes I thrift. I think I may have been a 70's bourgeois French girl in a past life, because I loved every single look. And I know I'm not alone.
Every item--the ruffled neck silk tops, dresses, and scarves paired with the rich and textured wool skirts, jackets, and culottes, belts with brass hardware, over-the-knee boots, denim, and wide brimmed hats, all in a neutral palette--spoke to me. This vintage-inspired effortlessly chic collection plays with feminine and masculine, soft movement and structured tailoring. The separates are so interchangeable, you can easily create hundreds of iterations.
Since I'd developed a bit of an unhealthy obsession with this collection, in my mind I'd been conjuring up my own fall/winter looks inspired by this collection.
I decided to finally do something about it, and created 10 looks from my closet, inspired by Fall Celine 2019. Each look incorporates at least one secondhand or thrifted piece. Because I'm not six feet tall, I did some modifying to suit my body. Here, I'm presenting all the looks, counting down from 10, based on popularity.
LOOK 10: SWEATER + CULOTTES + HEADSCARF
Photo credit left: vogue.com
This is my ode to Cam Newton and thus I took some creative liberties with the thrifted headscarf. Cam Newton is a pro football player who wore an Hermes headscarf and ended up with his photo ridiculed all over Twitter with captions that described him as 'ridiculous,' 'hilarious,' and 'crazy.' Let the man wear whatever the hell he wants. We are who we are, and that is enough.
This was pretty far out of my wheelhouse, but with three kids of my own who are struggling to find their identities, I really wanted to draw attention to so many people out there who are trying to muster up the courage to express themselves and are ridiculed for it.
Thrifted: culottes and scarf
LOOK 9: SILK BLOUSE + SKIRT + HAT + SNEAKERS
Photo credit left: vogue.com
The silk blouse is an essential piece of this collection. I thrifted this silk top and particularly like the tuxedo-like placket with all the delicate pleating and the more modern boxy fit. Sneakers add a streetwear flair, and the sling bag in lieu of the scarf is functional and warm in tone. My skirt is not pleated, but vintage A-line skirts are plentiful in thrift shops, and the herringbone wool is necessary to achieve a similar mix of rich textures.
Thrifted: top and skirt
LOOK 8: SILK BLOUSE + CULOTTES + BOOTS + HAT
Photo credit left: vogue.com
I thrifted these culottes as wool palazzo pants and hemmed them. Over-the-knee boots help create a longer line with the culottes and keep you warm enough for fall transitional weather. The silk top and brass necklace were both thrifted and echo the original look.
Thrifted: top and culottes
LOOK 7: SILK BLOUSE + CULOTTES + BOOTS + CARDIGAN + HAT
Photo credit left: vogue.com
The scarves from the Celine show are gorgeous but the ones I tried overwhelmed my more petite frame. I took a tie from a top in my closet to add a neck accent. These culottes are a vintage pair likely from the 70's with some unique construction details on the front. A long sweater is a bit softer than a trench but still pulls everything together and generally helps avoid the tv detective vibe.
Thrifted: top.
Secondhand: culottes
LOOK 6: SWEATER + CULOTTES + BOOTS + HAT
Photo credit left: vogue.com
Here's my loose interpretation of this modern Celine Fisherman's sweater. A slouchy sweater and culottes are the main elements to this effortless yet tailored look.
Secondhand: culottes
LOOK 5: BLOUSE + BLACK DRESS + NECK TIE
Photo credit left: vogue.com
Ties replace the Celine model's gold accents, but still add visual interest down the center front of this outfit in a more subtle way for everyday wear. A a crisp white collar peeking out from underneath a more loose-fitting dress juxtaposes slouchy with a tailored accent.
Thrifted: top and dress
LOOK 4: BLAZER + CULOTTES + BLOUSE + SCARF
Photo credit left: vogue.com
The same Celine outfit from look 7 inspired this iteration. A silk houndstooth blazer is less dramatic than the trench coat in length but bolder in pattern. My version of a neck scarf is a pocket square that echoes the contrasting geometry in the blazer. The mix of texture is evident in both mine and the Celine versions. Brass accents from the model's belt and necklace are reflected in the trim on my purse.
Thrifted: Blazer, top, pocket square, purse. Secondhand: culottes
LOOK 3: TURTLENECK + CULOTTES + FAUX LEATHER SKIRT + BOOTS
Photo credit left: vogue.com
This look is all about monochrome black with leather. In real life, it's nice to break up the black a bit. I layered a faux leather skirt over the culottes for some dimension.
Thrfited: culottes
LOOK 2: MIDI DRESS + BLAZER + HAT + BOOTS
Photo credit left: vogue.com
Not everyone will opt for a python print, but a midi dress in a fall tone is really versatile, and silk makes it truly wearable across seasons if layered. I went with the thrifted houndstooth blazer again so I wouldn't be swallowed up by a long coat over a long dress. I translated the model's scarf and belt in a more minimalist way with some collar detail on the dress and skinny tie belt. Again, the long boots help achieve the look and feel quintessentially fall.
Thrifted: blazer
LOOK 1: BLACK BLOUSE + CULOTTES + TWEED BLAZER + BOOTS
Photo credit left: vogue.com
For my most popular look, I've incorporated culottes again with this oversized blazer that I thrifted a few sizes bigger than my usual size. Thrift shops are overflowing with well-constructed blazers in beautiful fabrics. Look on off-size racks or the men's section to achieve the oversized trend.
Thrifted: culottes and blazer
And now, as promised, some bonus Celine-inspired thrifty looks that didn't make it to the Instagram top 10. The combinations are truly endless.
Follow me on Instagram for more styling and thrifting inspiration. Happy thrifting!