Outfit Diary: Katie Casper
A fresh new series on LWSF...
Hey friends,
Can you believe it’s March already? January felt like an entire year dragged by, while February vanished in what seemed like a fortnight. Not gonna lie, my motivation to get dressed since the new year has been... well, missing in action. When the vibes are off—at least for me—it’s become harder to lose myself in the usually reliable escape of clothes and fashion. You’ve probably noticed my publishing schedule has been a bit all over the place lately.
Thank goodness spring newness is finally injecting a much-needed dose of inspiration back into my life. I’m excited to share a fresh series here on Letters We Send Friends—our beloved outfit diaries is evolving to spotlight women with exceptional style and the outfits they wear in real life. I know many of you love seeing actual outfits that creatives, professionals, and influential women wear day-to-day. I find myself constantly inspired by stylish women around the world, so highlighting them in our community just makes perfect sense.
To kick off this series, I’m thrilled to feature one of my favorite style creators,
. I’ve gotten to know Katie through Instagram over the past year, and what I admire most about this gal is her knack for making pre-loved and vintage shopping feel less daunting through her expert tips and clever tricks. She’s also a genuinely sweet, supportive creator who consistently champions her peers and isn’t afraid to experiment with her style. Simply put: an awesome human being.
Below the fold, scroll on to see Katie’s outfits IRL.
More about Katie and her style:
My name is Katie Casper and I'm a director of software engineering by trade, but a vintage fashion lover by heart. I got into thrifting out of necessity in college when I needed to feed my shopping addiction on a tight budget. That really spurred my love for vintage and unique pieces. Like most things nowadays, my love for the thrill of the hunt was transformed by technology. I've leaned into the online secondhand shopping experience, so much so that I've even started my own weekly newsletter to share my online vintage finds *queue shameless plug*.
It's hard to narrow in on a specific theme when it comes to describing my style, as it fluctuates so much. I'm expecting my first child this summer, so that fluctuation is even more dramatic as my body and lifestyle shift into this next phase of life. Whether I'm done up for date night or a total tomboy at the farmers market, I always want to feel a certain way: effortless and chill, with a hint of something unexpected. I never feel fully ready unless I have some type of juxtaposition to my outfit.
Katie’s Outfit Diary
What she wore: Secondhand men’s plaid cotton button-down, Levi's XL chinos, Prada sling-backs, vintage Jimmy Choo bag
Where she wore it: Outdoor patio pizza dinner for my birthday on 2/23
Thoughts behind the look: I was hyper fixated on The Row Nesson top, but was not about to spend $1300 on something I could source secondhand. I found this men’s button-down on eBay for $22.
What she wore: My dad’s old t-shirt, Prada belt, Thrifted pinstripe skirt, Pinstripe trousers, Mango heels (similar)
Where she wore it: Happy hour!
Thoughts behind the look: I loved the look of a skirt over trousers, which I saw all over the runways. I knew this was easily something I could recreate in my own closet, so I simply threw on a skirt over trousers! I picked options that both had pinstripes to keep some continuity.
What she wore: Vintage Eileen Fisher linen wrap kimono coat, Dissh tunic, Vince satin bias pants, Zara sandals (old)
Where she wore it: Out to dinner with my in-laws. This was when I first started to show, so my silk pants are only halfway zipped up, hence the long tunic!
Thoughts behind the look: I think people are afraid of wearing black and brown together, but they look incredibly chic! Just keep any other color you may add in the same neutral color family. I found these pants for a screamin’ deal on eBay (more here).
What she wore: H&M oversized button down (similar), Same Vince satin pants as above, Wrap sandals, Vintage silver belts, Madewell tote .
Where she wore it: Worn to dinner and a movie for date night.
Thoughts behind the look: An oversized button-down and trouser combo is always an easy go-to, but I loved how the double belt action added something elevated and unexpected.
What she wore: H&M oversized tee (similar), vintage Prada cargo skirt, Zara sandals found on Poshmark, cherry clip
Where she wore it: Worn for Saturday afternoon cocktails.
Thoughts behind the look: The oversized tee paired with the straight cut skirt was a little too shapeless at first, so I add this cherry claw clip in place of a brooch to cinch it in a bit. I didn’t use a standard brooch at the time as I didn’t want to add any holes to the thin tee. Now, I have this cool magnet brooch which I would probably wear instead - but the cherry detail was fun!
What she wore: Vintage suede trench coat, white t-shirt, Levi’s baggy dad jeans, The Row loafers, Demellier bag (suede version here)
Where she wore it: Worn for weekend errands.
Thoughts behind the look: I’m a big fan of ‘the coat is the outfit’ outfits. Easy, still looks put together, and a great excuse to invest in some fantastic coats.
What she wore: Cashmere cardigan, H&M silk trousers, jelly flats, vintage cuff, vintage shell bag
Where she wore it: Worn out to dinner with the gals
Thoughts behind the look: Take your cardigan from winter to spring simply by folding the top collar in to make it a v-neck. Also, buy the pieces that immediately spark joy — that was these pair of pants for me. I have worn them more times than I’d like to admit.
What’s in Katie’s bag: vintage Furla Leather Tote (similar) // Wallet and keys // Vintage Gucci sunglasses (similar) // Hand sanitizer / Lip liner // Mini perfume // Face mist // A pocket mirror // A ballpoint pen // Emergency protein // First trimester nausea has stopped, but my obsession with these have not.
Which of Katie’s looks did you love most? I’m waiting in the comments…
Note: Katie and/or I may earn a commission if you shop using one of the affiliate links above — at no extra cost to you.
Catch up with me on @linkswesendfriends
I would have LOVED to have someone like Katie as my director of engineering back when I was a software engineer.
I loved the suede trench outfit, but I was also very drawn to the red + claw clip combo outfit.
I have been a long time Katie Casper obsessee! Truly I kept a TikTok account JUST to check her amazing vintage finds. That suede trench is truly droolworthy. Katie, if you see this, SOS on how to best search for a trench (doesn't have to be suede)?! There are thousands of listings so I need to know how to narrow it down!