Fashion Friday!

Lessons from my fall wardrobe transition

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As much as I hate to see summer come to an end, I have to quit denying reality and accept the fact that fall is here! The days are getting shorter, the furnace is coming on in the morning, coloured leaves are falling, and the farmers around us are finishing harvest. I actually love autumn, but it’s a bittersweet season because it means that our long, cold winter is just around the corner.

Another sign that fall is here is the fact that I recently found myself reaching for the warmer items in my closet. As a result, I finally made the switch from my summer wardrobe to my fall/winter one this week. As I moved my summer clothes into storage and brought out warmer ones, I tried to do a better job of purging than I’ve done in recent years. So, what went into the donate pile and what, if any, lessons can be learned?

  • Items that I bought because someone else said they looked good on me, but that I didn’t wear very often because they never really felt like me. Lesson: Don’t dress to please others. I need to consider my 5 style adjectives (classy, casual, comfortable, confident, and authentic) when I’m deciding whether or not to buy something.
  • Thrifted items that were too good to pass up, but that I’ve seldom worn.  Lesson: A bargain is only a bargain if you’re actually going to wear it.
  • Garments that no longer fit the way they should. Lesson: Dress for the body that I have today, not the one I used to have or wish I still had. My aging body is changing; there’s more around the middle than there used to be and that’s okay.
  • Items that I have too many of.  Lesson: A woman who hardly ever wears leggings doesn’t need 7 pairs!
  • Pieces that I’ve hung onto for sentimental reasons.  Lesson: I don’t need a closet full of nostalgia for my kids to clean out someday.

Now that I’ve finished sorting clothes, I need to do the same with footwear. Once that’s done, it will be time to take a close look at my wardrobe and decide whether or not there are any gaps that need to be filled before the really cold weather arrives. In the meantime, I’m hoping that our beautiful fall weather lasts for awhile longer!

A vintage thrift store find

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Fashion Friday is back today!

Out for a walk one day last week, I decided to stop in at the local thrift store and look what I found!

Although my wardrobe is largely made up of neutrals, the colourful vintage jacket immediately caught my attention and the sleeveless yellow top worked perfectly with it. I didn’t have my Spring colour swatches with me, but I knew immediately that these were Spring colours. Look how many of them are represented on my swatches.

Typically, clothing is considered vintage if it’s at least 20 years old. Three things tell me that my jacket was probably made in the 1980s meaning that it would definitely qualify.

  1. It has shoulder pads which peaked in popularity in the 80s, but since they’re presently making a comeback my jacket might be right in style again soon!
  2. Neon colours were also all the rage in the 80s.
  3. It’s size 12 and I haven’t worn size 12 since, well probably the 80s! The fact that I usually wear size 8 now doesn’t mean that I’ve shrunk though. Over the years, so-called vanity sizing has changed what the numbers on clothing mean. As North American women have grown physically larger, brands have shifted their metrics to make shoppers feel skinnier – so much so that a women’s size 12 in 1958 is now a size 6.

Regardless of what the number on the tag says, the jacket fit perfectly. I particularly like the way that it nips in a bit at the waist giving my boyish body a slightly more feminine shape.

The tag also tells me that the jacket should be dry cleaned, but since it’s made of 97% cotton, I didn’t think that was necessary. I always wash thrifted clothes before I wear them, so I put the jacket in a mesh laundry bag, put it through my washing machine’s hand wash cycle, hung it to dry, and ironed it with a warm iron. It came out looking perfect.

For today’s photos, I’ve styled the yellow top and the jacket with a pair of dark wash jeans, but I can also visualize them with white jeans. With all those bright colours in it, the jacket is very versatile. For a dressier look, I think it would look quite stunning over a column of black. Perhaps I’ll try that next!

Judith Viorst: Embracing age with style

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After writing about heavier topics the past couple of Fridays, I wanted to write something lighter this week and I really felt like it was time for another fashion related post. Earlier in the week, I was still thinking about what to write when Pam Lutrell shared a link to an article on her blog, Over50Feeling40, that caught my attention.

If you’re like me, you might be familiar with the children’s book, Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, but what I didn’t know was that the author, Judith Viorst, has published at least 50 books, many for children, but some for older readers. In fact, I didn’t really know anything about Viorst until I read the article, At 94, I’m Still Worth Looking At.

It was fun to read about her “looks” throughout the years. There was her Greenwich Village Girl look in her 20s followed by her With-It Mommy look in her 30s. Later came her Hat Lady years when she seldom went out without a hat from her vast collection. Hats, she says, flattered her face, drew attention away from her aging body, and hid her hair on bad hair days. I can identify with that! Now 94, she says she’s not finished finding new looks yet. Her newest look is Tattooed Grandma. No, she hasn’t gone under the needle. Instead, she wears a temporary tattoo of a rose on the side of her neck, slightly below her right ear. Each tattoo lasts about a week.

I hope I look half as good if I live to be 94!

But what really resonated with me was what Viorst had to say about aging and invisibility, something I’ve written about before on the blog. She asks, “Why does it feel so important to be seen? Aren’t there more meaningful things to think about, to read about, to do?” She writes about people who feel that attention to looks will “obscure and distract us from what is truly significant”. In response she writes, “But the people I love the most embrace what’s playful and fun as well as what’s profound. Celebrate as well as cogitate. And are willing to discuss, without apology, both eyeliner and the meaning of the universe.”

I love that! In times like these when the world seems upside down and sometimes tragedy hits close to home, regardless of our age, let’s not forget to embrace both the serious and the fun side of life. Right now, I’m looking for joy in the little things. In the coming of spring. In the tiny green shoots coming up in the garden beneath my kitchen window and the teeny, tiny buds forming on the trees.

Simple skin care

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What’s the one thing that every human being wears every single day? Their skin, of course! Unlike our clothing, we can’t buy a new skin when the old one starts to show signs of wear and tear. An effective skin care routine is the only way to protect this most important “garment” and keep it looking and feeling its best.

There are a myriad of products available, but skin care doesn’t have to be complicated. The important thing is to choose the right products for your skin type… oily, dry, or combination… and then use them consistently.

My daily routine involves just three products; a cleanser, a day lotion, and a night cream. Morning skin care should focus on prevention and protection, so I simply wash my face, neck, and decolletage with warm water and apply a moisturizing day lotion with SPF. Nighttime is about cleansing and repair, so that’s when I wash with the cleanser before applying my night cream. When I was younger my face was oilier and I also used a toner, but as skin tends to get drier with age, I eventually found that I didn’t need it anymore.

I’ve been using Olay products for years and have always been happy with them, but unfortunately they’re made in the United States. In light of the current president’s reprehensible behaviour toward my country, I felt the need to find an affordable made in Canada alternative. Yesterday I spent over an hour in a very informative free online consultation with a Beauty Advisor from Marcelle, a company that has been caring for Canadian skin for 150 years. While the products are available in most London Drugs and Shoppers Drug Marts as well as Walmart, I plan on placing an online order to take advantage of the International Women’s Day sale that’s on until March 16. Once I’ve used the products for awhile, I’ll let you know what I think.

I would be remiss if I didn’t also mention sunscreen. As much as I love sunshine, it isn’t friendly to our skin. In fact, in spite of the fact that I’ve always been diligent about using sunscreen when I spend time outdoors, I’m presently healing from a treatment of liquid nitrogen to a spot under my right eye where the rays of the sun, intensified by the lens of my glasses, did some damage. Unfortunately, I’m also going to have to search for a replacement for my favourite sunscreen as it, like so many other things, is produced in the States. I’d better do that soon before the last of the snow disappears from the golf course and the hiking trails!

Cognac and olive inspired by Greetje

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If you’ve been reading my fashion posts for very long, you might remember me mentioning Greetje, author of the blog No Fear of Fashion. I look forward to her entertaining posts every Sunday. In each one, she shares an outfit and tells a bit about what she’s done that week. Her outfits aren’t always new. Instead, she looks for new ways to combine pieces that she already owns. Greetje is Dutch and always chooses interesting locations for her photo shoots, so I also get to enjoy glimpses of life and architecture in the Netherlands when I read her posts.

Greetje is very outgoing and her style is much more colourful and flamboyant than mine. She says that she writes to entertain, not to inspire, but once in awhile an outfit of hers does inspire me to put together something similar from my own closet. That’s what happened this week. 

As soon as I saw Greetje’s cognac coloured trousers and green sweater in this post, I knew that I had similar pieces in my own closet, but couldn’t remember if I’d ever worn them together. I don’t have a scarf like hers nor do I have white combat boots, but the idea was to take inspiration from her outfit, not to copy it. Here’s the outfit I came up with. 

I didn’t like the bulk of the eternity scarf wrapped around my neck, but the colours worked so well with the outfit that I knotted it and wore it this way. The boots, top, and scarf are all thrifted items. Only the pants were bought new and they are several years old. 

This outfit fits all my style adjectives… classy, casual, comfortable, confident, and authentic… and I’ll definitely be wearing it again. Thank you, Greetje!

The Rule of 5… could you do it?

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Throughout 2024, two of the bloggers that I regularly follow reported on their attempts to follow the Rule of 5. What’s that, you ask?

The vast overproduction of clothing by the fashion industry is responsible for almost 10% of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide. In 2022, Berlin’s Hot or Cool Institute determined that in order to meet the internationally agreed upon goal of limiting global warming to 1.5ºC, we should purchase no more than 5 new garments a year. That led to the Rule of 5.

Here’s how it works:

  1. Buy no more than 5 new items during the calendar year.
  2. Socks, tights, underwear, and nightclothes don’t count.
  3. Shoes, boots, and accessories DO count.
  4. Second-hand shopping is allowed, but don’t go overboard.
  5. Gifts count. (This is to prevent cheating by having someone else buy for you!)

I haven’t actually participated in the Rule of 5, but looking back I discovered that I inadvertently met the goal in 2023 before I’d even heard of it! I didn’t do as well last year, buying 8 items that would count. The bloggers that I follow didn’t meet the goal either, but they both agreed that trying had changed their shopping habits and made them much more intentional about what they bought. I’d consider that success.

Although the idea has merit, I haven’t committed to the Rule of 5 for this year either. I will continue to keep track of my purchases though and see how close I come. So far, 7 weeks into the year, I’ve only purchased one item, a colourful necklace that cost less than $10 at a tiny shop in the bus station in Xalapa, Mexico. The anchor and cross symbols are very meaningful to me, but if I’d been committed to the Rule of 5, I probably wouldn’t have bought it.

So, what do you think? Would you ever try the Rule of 5? Do you think you could do it?

Fashion and self-care

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What comes to mind when you think of self-care? Eating nutritious meals? Exercising? Getting enough sleep? Scheduling some “me” time? In reality, there are a myriad of ways that we can take an active role in preserving or improving our own well-being, but when I asked what comes to mind when you think about self-care, you probably didn’t think about fashion.

The morning ritual of getting dressed is an often overlooked aspect of self-care, but it plays an important role in our well-being. In fact, a common symptom of depression is difficulty showering and getting dressed.

There are times, like during the incredible cold snap that we’ve experienced here in Alberta recently, when getting dressed truly is a matter of caring for our bodies. Keeping warm and protecting ourselves from the elements is priority #1.

But dressing contributes to self-care in ways far beyond keeping warm. Taking care of our mental and emotional well-being is just as important as caring for our physical comfort and fashion can play a vital role in that. We’ve all heard the term “dress for success”, but dressing mindfully is about more than impressing other people. It’s also about feeling confident, comfortable, and empowered. When we dress in ways that make us feel good about ourselves, we’re also more likely to participate in other self-care practices like exercising, eating well, engaging with others, or getting out in nature. In addition, intentional dressing sparks creativity which is also good for our physical and mental health.

Please note that this is not a post about “retail therapy”. Retail therapy is the act of shopping for clothes to make yourself feel better which may or may not actually work. Instead, as I’ve done before, I urge you to shop your closet. Take time to put together outfits that enhance your mental and emotional state; that make you feel truly good about yourself. If there are pieces in your closet that don’t do this for you, that drag you down emotionally, consider getting rid of them.

In the dark days of winter and a time when what’s going on in the world around us might seem overwhelming, it’s easy to begin to feel like we’re in an emotional rut. In times like this, more than ever, we need the boost that looking and feeling good in our clothes can give us.

Ricki’s and Cleo closing: a major loss for Canadian shoppers

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LogoAs a Canadian shopper, I was deeply disappointed this week to learn that two of my favourite retail brands will be permanently closing their doors. Parent company Comark Holdings Inc. announced the upcoming closure of all 221 Ricki’s and Cleo stores across the country due to financial difficulties.

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Image: CTV News

The loss of these two brands will be deeply felt as they filled an important fashion shopping niche for many women. Both were what could be referred to as middle retail; not low-end fast fashion, but not high-end either. Instead they offered quality clothes at reasonable prices. They also carried styles that appealed to a wide range of ages. As a 72-year-old woman I knew that I could find clothes in these two stores that would keep me looking current, but not like I was trying to look like a teenager. In fact, my closet is full of clothing with Ricki’s and Cleo labels that fit my style adjectives; classy, casual, comfortable, confident, and authentic.

I recognize that there are many challenges facing Canadian retailers today. Overhead costs are high and it’s difficult to compete with online retailers that ship directly to the customer’s door, but I still prefer to go into a brick and mortar store where I can see the clothes in person, feel the fabric, look at the construction, and try them on. With two of my favourite stores closing, that’s going to be much more difficult and I’m sure I’ll be mourning their loss for quite some time.

2024 fashion shopping review

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logo-by-samFor the past seven years, I have kept a list of all my fashion purchases including clothing, accessories, and footwear. Initially, I had three goals in mind. I was interested in finding out more about my spending habits, I wanted to be more intentional about wardrobe development, and I wanted to work on becoming a more ethical shopper. At the end of each year I’ve published a fashion shopping review analyzing my purchases and setting some goals for the next year. What I’ve found is that over those years, my shopping habits have changed significantly.

In 2018, I bought 35 items. 30 of them were purchased new and the other 5 were thrifted. I spent approximately $1135 CAD. This year, I bought only 14 items. 9 of them were new and again, 5 were thrifted. I spent $420.58.

Why such a dramatic change? In the past, I tended to buy on impulse. I saw something I liked and I bought it. Now, most of my purchases are planned. Also, for several years, I regularly shopped with friends. I often gave in to their opinions about what looked good on me or what I ought to buy instead of trusting my own instincts. Although most of the clothes that I bought were good quality and I still have some wonderful pieces that I wear regularly, I also ended up with a number of purchases that I regretted making and seldom wore. Discovering more about my personal style and deciding on 5 style adjectives to describe it made a big difference to my shopping habits.

I also find that I don’t actually enjoy shopping as much as I used to. I’ve spent so little time in stores over the past few years that unless I’m looking for something specific that I’ve already looked at online, I tend to find them quite overwhelming. Time is also an issue. Whenever we’re in the city, we have so many things to accomplish that I don’t have time to simply browse, try things on, and enjoy the experience. Perhaps one goal for the coming year should be to set aside some time to do exactly that.

So, after all that self-examination, let’s take a look at what I bought this year.

  • 1 pair of lightweight, wide legged pants
  • 6 tops
  • 2 sweaters
  • 1 denim jacket
  • 1 pair of knit gloves
  • 1 ball cap
  • 1 pair of hiking shoes
  • 1 pair of slippers

I didn’t buy any accessories this year. In fact, I’ve decided that I have way too many and one of my goals for the coming year is to sort through them and narrow down my collection to those that I actually wear or am likely to wear again. I also didn’t buy any socks, underwear, or sleepwear. That will likely change in the coming year as those things do wear out.

By far the most expensive item that I bought this year was my Merrell Moab 3 hiking shoes, but they are worth every cent that I spent. As much as I enjoy thrift store shopping, good quality footwear is something that I’m willing to spend a significant amount of money on. I consider it an investment in healthy feet and I’m excited about all the places that those shoes might take me.

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Here are a few of my other favourite fashion purchases from the past year. All of them have appeared on the blog before.

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A simple cropped linen top.

Both these sweaters have been getting lots of wear this winter. The one on the left was thrifted, the other one bought new.

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My denim military jacket.

Not all of my purchases were as successful as these ones. One shirt was only worn a couple of times before I decided that it didn’t suit me. I donated it back to the thrift store where I bought it and hope that it has found a place in someone else’s wardrobe who will appreciate it more than I did. The pants were completely appropriate at the resort where I bought them last January, but they don’t fit my at-home wardrobe very well and were only worn once or twice during the summer. I guess another goal for 2025 should be to not make any more fashion shopping blunders!

My other fashion shopping goals for the coming year are really a continuation of the things I’ve learned to do over the past few years. They include avoiding fast fashion and buying quality pieces that will last, attempting to shop for ethically sourced garments (which is much easier said than done), and continuing to track my purchases so that I can evaluate again a year from now.

Inspiration from J.Jill

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Although they do ship to Canada, I’ve never made a purchase from American womenswear retailer, J.Jill. When I saw this ad, however, my mind immediately went to items in my own closet.

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When that happens, whether I see something in print, online, or on another woman, I don’t try to replicate the look exactly. Instead, I simply take inspiration from what I see. In this case, though I can’t imagine why, it had never occurred to me to style the denim military jacket that I bought in September with the aqua top that has been a favourite in my wardrobe for the past three years. Once I saw the J.Jill ad, however, the combination seemed like a no-brainer. 

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The first scarf that I tried worked very well with the colours in this outfit, but it was too bulky. I didn’t care for that look, so I went back to my scarf collection to see what else might work. I received this one as a thank you gift for taking part in a very special event while I was teaching in China more than ten years ago. I tied it loosely to fit the V neck of the top and cover its short zipper. When the tails hung too long, I decided to knot them. A pair of hand painted earrings, a gift from dear friends who live in Mexico, completed the look. 

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