Fashion Friday!

Show yourself a little love

/ edebock / 8 Comments

LogoI’m easily frustrated by the messages that advertising and social media give women about their bodies. Perhaps that’s why I was so moved by a poem that I ran across this week. Written by Hollie Holden, it first appeared on her Notes on Living & Loving Facebook page in June 2016.

Today I asked my body what she needed, 
Which is a big deal 
Considering my journey of 
Not Really Asking That Much.

I thought she might need more water. 
Or protein. 
Or greens. 
Or yoga. 
Or supplements. 
Or movement.

But as I stood in the shower
Reflecting on her stretch marks, 
Her roundness where I would like flatness, 
Her softness where I would like firmness,
All those conditioned wishes 
That form a bundle of 
Never-Quite-Right-Ness, 
She whispered very gently:

Could you just love me like this?

Do you stand in front of the mirror and find fault with what you see? If so, I would urge you to stop being so hard on yourself. Take a few minutes and think about all the amazing things that your imperfect body can do! Think of it as a tool that can help you live life to your full potential. Listen to it, honour what it needs, treat yourself to a healthy lifestyle, but don’t beat yourself up over minor imperfections or natural signs of aging. Life is hard enough, without being at war with your own body!

Advertising seldom presents natural healthy bodies. It sets us up for disappointment, so it’s up to us to ignore the nonsense and aim for something more realistic. Doing anything less convinces us that we’re not good enough, that we’re not what we ought to be, and disrespects the amazing bodies that we’ve been gifted with.

We can have a closet full of beautiful clothes but if we don’t love the body that we’re putting them on, we’ll never be truly happy with how we look. Don’t let unrealistic expectations rob you of joy! Show yourself a little love today!

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A quick and easy wardrobe winterizer

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Here on the Canadian prairie, there are lots of things that need winterizing at this time of year. I cleaned out the flower beds before the snow came and Richard took care of other winterizing tasks around the yard. He winterized the travel trailer to make sure that the water lines don’t freeze. We switched to winter tires on the vehicle, added antifreeze, and ensured that there’s a windshield scraper, a shovel, and other emergency gear stowed in the back.

LogoWardrobes need winterizing too. I did my big closet switch early last month reluctantly moving most of my summer clothes into storage and bringing out my warmer ones. This year, however, I’ve added a quick and easy wardrobe winterizer to my closet which is going to allow me to continue wearing some of my summer tops all year round! The Prep Pullover from cabi is a modern twist on an arm warmer and can be worn over sleeveless summer tops and t-shirts to ward off the winter chill.

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Here are a couple of the ways I’ve worn it so far.

In the first photo, I’m wearing the sweater with cabi’s Align Tank and a pair of faded jeans from Gap that I’ve had for several years. I added a homemade necklace to finish the look. Like the sweater, the Align Tank is from cabi’s Fall 2018 collection. In the second photo, I’ve paired the pullover with a sleeveless blouse from Uniqlo and dark wash jeans from Old Navy.

Though the Prep Pullover works well for very casual occasions, I decided to see if I could dress it up. After playing around in my closet for a bit, here’s what I came up with. I’m wearing the sweater over black leggings and the Treasure Dress from cabi’s Fall 2017 collection. What do you think? Does it work? I added a pendant necklace that mirrors the colour and shape of the pattern in the dress.

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Disclaimer:  This is not a sponsored post. I do not sell cabi nor do I benefit in any way from mentioning this brand on the blog so frequently. Obviously, though, there’s a lot of it in my closet!

How to buy a winter coat

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When you live in Canada, a winter coat is more than just a fashion item. It’s a matter of survival! So how do you choose one that best meets your needs? There are many factors to take into consideration.

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Style

The first step should be to determine what kind of coat will best meet your needs. While there are jackets made specifically for high intensity winter sports, you might only be looking for a coat to wear around town and back and forth to work. Some jackets include a mix of features allowing them to serve both purposes, looking great and performing well on the ski slopes as well as around town!

Insulation

A major consideration when searching for a winter coat is what kind of insulation it should have; down or synthetic. Synthetic is generally somewhat bulkier and weighs more than down does, but it’s less expensive and is better in wet weather.

Outer Shell

The outer shell provides protection against wind and precipitation. Again, there are two main options to choose from. A weatherproof shell made from Gore-Tex is the best choice for an area with lots of wet weather while a coat with a water resistant exterior treated with DWR is sufficient for an area that sees more snow than rain.

Hood

An insulated hood goes a long way toward providing adequate warmth on cold winter days. An adjustable hood that is equipped with toggles so that it can be tightened when the wind picks up is ideal.

Pockets

Whether you’re looking for a casual, around town coat or a more technical winter jacket for outdoor sports, pockets are just plain practical! Look for one with insulation on the outer side of the pockets that you might use to keep your hands warm. Many winter coats also come equipped with an audio compatible, inside pocket that allows you the option of listening to tunes while out and about. This pocket can also be a safe spot to carry important cards or spare cash when you’re going to be too active to carry a purse or a bulky wallet.

Cuffs

Rib knit inner cuffs are ideal for keeping cold air from going up your sleeves.

Closures

A storm flap either outside or behind the zipper is another very important factor in weather resistance and warmth. Two-way zippers are a great addition to any coat longer than waist length as they allow the wearer to sit down in comfort.

Fit

Once you’ve found the kind of coat that will best serve your needs and determined that it has all the features needed to ensure that you’ll stay warm in the worst of weather, fit is the final consideration. It’s always a good idea to leave room for layers underneath.

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This one, purchased earlier this week, ticks all the boxes for me. It’s long enough to cover my hips which is important when spending any amount of time outdoors at low temperatures, but unlike a full length coat, I’ll be able to wear it for cross country skiing and snowshoeing. It has synthetic insulation and is cold weather rated for -30ºC (-22ºF). Here on the prairie, our winters are dry and the snow is powdery, so the Hyper-Dri HD1 shell, which is breathable and water repellant in light rain and snow, should serve me well. The zip off hood with faux fur lining can be cinched in to keep my ears toasty warm and there’s a hidden drawcord in the waist so that it can also be pulled in for a fitted look and to keep cold air out. Storm cuffs in the sleeves serve the same purpose and I can use the zippered front pockets to warm my hands. A flap behind the two-way zipper will keep cold air from entering there and when it’s particularly cold out, I can turn the collar up and zip it right to the top to keep my chin warm!

It’s been a long time since I’ve had a brand new winter coat. I wore the last one for many years and finally replaced it with a second-hand one from the thrift store two years ago. I am not a fan of our long, cold winters, but with this brand new coat, I’m ready to face it head on!

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Bring it on, winter! My new coat and I are ready!

Wearing sneakers with a dress

/ edebock / 16 Comments

LogoAs I mentioned last week, I really like a dressy meets casual look, but I wasn’t sure that wearing sneakers with a dress was something I’d ever do. Though this isn’t exactly a brand new idea, there was a time when it would have been considered a huge fashion faux pas and I’m old enough to remember those days. That sometimes makes adopting a new trend difficult. The popularity of the look made me want to give it a try though, so this is what I wore to church last Sunday.

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You’ve seen all the pieces on the blog before, but never together. The navy lace dress is several years old and the sneakers are Circus by Sam Edelman, purchased on sale last February. Since it was a chilly morning and I was going for a somewhat casual look, I added one of my thrifted jean jackets.

I suspect that the sneakers with a dress look began when sensible businesswomen started wearing these comfortable shoes to walk or take public transit to work, changing into dressier ones when they arrived at the office. Gradually, the look which seemed incongruous at first, caught on and became an enduring trend. Today, it’s a go-to ensemble for up-to-date fashionistas. Even brides are seen wearing sneakers under their wedding dresses!

IMG_6481 - Version 2The key to making sneakers with a dress look polished is to make sure that they’re clean and new looking. Though some women choose to wear actual athletic shoes with their dresses, fashion sneakers like the ones I’m wearing are not the same as the ones you’d wear to the gym. Rather than a sole that’s designed for running, walking, or any kind of high impact exercise, these have a thinner, smoother sole.

There are definite advantages to the sneakers with a dress look. You can look feminine and put together without sacrificing comfort which is definitely important to me! I knew it was a big departure from my usual look though when my husband commented on my footwear on the way out the door. I think he thought I’d accidentally put on the wrong pair of shoes!

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What about you? Do you wear sneakers with dresses? Would you?

Pearls and plaid

/ edebock / 10 Comments

LogoPearls and plaid are both very much on trend this season, but would you wear them together?

Just before leaving on our recent trip to BC, I hosted a cabi party. As hostess, in addition to other benefits, I was entitled to one piece of cabi jewelry at 50% off. I chose the Black Pearl Heritage Necklace.

When I opened the parcel that was waiting for me on my return, I happened to be wearing the black and white plaid shirt that I purchased for $3 at our local thrift store a couple of years ago. Trying on my new necklace resulted in an aha moment! I might never have thought to wear my new black pearls with my old plaid shirt, but I loved the dressy meets casual combination; the bit of boy meets girl trend that has been popular for the past couple of years.

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So, yes, I will wear pearls and plaid together!

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Capitalizing on the timeless elegance and edgy feel of black pearls, this single strand of faux pearls meets with a toggle closure and a cluster of silver-finished charms which can be worn in front or back. I’m certain that its versatility will make it a go-to piece in my wardrobe this season and for a long time to come.

 

Will I wear them again?

/ edebock / 2 Comments

LogoThere are many different ways that I could go with today’s post…I could write about where I get fashion inspiration from, I could talk about age appropriateness, or I could add to last week’s topic about resurrecting old fashion favourites. I think I’ll do all three!

I follow several fashion bloggers who write specifically for women over the age of 50. I’ve learned a great deal from them and this is not the first time I’ve taken inspiration from Alyson Walsh, writer of the blog, That’s Not My Age, and author of Style Forever: The Grown-Up Guide to Looking Fabulous and Know Your Style: Mix It, Match It, Love It. I love Alyson’s creative, casual style. On her blog, she recently wrote a post entitled Am I too old for dungarees? That sent me back to the storage room to dig out another of my old favourites that had been hiding there for years!

In case you’re wondering, Alyson is British and dungarees are what we on the North American side of the Pacific call overalls. I’ve loved overalls since infancy when, according to my mother, I called them “weewalls”.

As I mentioned last week, I try to adhere to the wisdom of getting rid of clothing that I haven’t worn for the past year or two, but there are certain pieces that I just can’t part with. My khaki overalls are one such item.

So, here we are, Alyson and I in our dungarees/overalls.

I’m sure I’ve had this pair for at least 20 years, probably longer. The last time I remember wearing them was around the house after abdominal surgery in 2006 because they were the most comfortable thing I could find! I know that they’d already been residing in the storage room for quite some time by then. I’m happy to report that they’re still as comfortable as ever.

The title of Alyson’s blog post asked the question “Am I too old for dungarees?” and I completely agree when she replies, “I’m not too old.” I’m delighted to live in a time when we no longer feel the need to adhere to rigid fashion and age appropriate rules. As far as I’m concerned, as long as something is comfortable, fits well, makes you feel confident and isn’t beyond the bounds of decency, I say wear it with pride regardless of what age you are!

I was astonished, however, at some of the responses to Alyson’s post. Apparently, there are women don’t share my love of overalls! “It’s not that you’re too old. It’s just that they’re unflattering. Gardening only attire.” said one. “I will leave these to the young and construction types. I’m sorry but they look ridiculous on anyone over thirty, unless you are going out to work on your car or into your garden.” said another. A third woman wrote, “At the end of the day, it does look like a factory uniform.” Thankfully, there were also many positive and complementary comments.

So will I resurrect my overalls and begin wearing them again, or will I hang them back in the storage room? I’m not sure. I may have to think on that for awhile!

Resurrecting an old favourite

/ edebock / 5 Comments

LogoIn last Friday’s post, I told you about a leopard print shirt that I almost gave away, but didn’t. I try to adhere to the wisdom of getting rid of things that I haven’t worn in the past year, but once in awhile old favourites take up long term residence on the hanging rack at the back end of our storage room and wait for a day when they might be resurrected and put back into use. This shirt was one of those. I have no idea how long I’ve had it, but I do remember ordering it from the Sears catalogue. That may even have been before the now defunct department store chain introduced online shopping in 1998! The fact that it was made in Canada is another indication of its age since it’s very hard to find anything that isn’t produced offshore anymore.

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Though animal prints are very much on trend this season, they are an enduring fashion that never really go out of style.

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I could dress the shirt up by wearing it with black pants and a dressier top, but I was going for a very casual look here. I folded back the cuffs and styled it with a well worn pair of Gap jeans, sneakers, and my 65 years bold t-shirt which is technically a lie now since today is my 66th birthday!

I’ve always preferred to wear this shirt as an unbuttoned third piece over a simple top. This breaks up the expanse of animal print which might otherwise be a bit overwhelming. Though the soft, velvet-like fabric is quite warm, it definitely wasn’t warm enough for the 4ºC (39º) afternoon when these pictures were taken! This was a very quick photo shoot and my photographer hubby was wearing a warm jacket. Perhaps the cold explains my clenched fists!

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Making trends work for you

/ edebock / 1 Comment

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Photo – Getty Images

Chances are, you aren’t going anywhere dressed like this this fall. Neither am I, but this intriguing outfit incorporates, to some extent, at least nine of this season’s biggest fashion trends! Let’s take a look at what they are:

  1. Red
  2. Plaid
  3. Oversized tote bag
  4. Oversized blanket coat
  5. Large, colourful floral print
  6. Flowing maxi dress
  7. Animal print
  8. Extreme layering
  9. Slouchy boots

Screen Shot 2018-09-03 at 7.51.11 PMPlaid is really a returning trend from last fall and winter, but this year’s reinvention includes plaids in wild colours, head to toe plaid, and mixing plaids. Similarly, while animal prints are an enduring trend and are usually considered a neutral, this season you can also expect to see neon zebra and garishly coloured leopard prints. If you want either a plaid or an animal print to have enduring value though, opt for a more traditional look that you’ll be able to wear for years.

For those of us who live a cold climate, layering is a no-brainer during fall and winter, but this year’s trend takes it to the extreme with multiple layers often topped with a bulky oversized coat. One of the great things about this trend is that it allows you to continue wearing some of your spring and summer pieces right into fall and winter. For example, think about layering a sleeveless summer dress over a long sleeved shirt or tee and leggings, then don’t be afraid to pile on a few more layers!

Have fun with the trends, but don’t become a slave to them!  As always, the key to incorporating the latest fashion trends into your wardrobe is to consider how you might put your own interpretation on them while staying true to your own style. Begin by shopping your closet to see how you can make the trends work with what’s already there. For example, I’ll definitely be wearing the black and white plaid shirt that I bought second hand in the spring of 2017 as well as the Check Shirt from Cabi’s Fall 2017 collection again this year. I also have a couple of leopard print items in traditional neutral colours that will be in circulation again this season. I’ve been doing a major closet cull lately and I almost let go of an older leopard print shirt that I haven’t worn for a long time, but I changed my mind and snatched it back out of the bag that’s destined for the thrift store! I’ll show it to you next week.

Your Perfect 10

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LogoThis weekend I’ll be packing for another trip to Vancouver. You may remember that we were there in June to celebrate my father’s 95th birthday. On that trip, a lot of things never came out of my suitcase because the weather was unseasonably cool and damp. Spring and fall are easily the most difficult times of year to pack efficiently for in this part of the world because weather can vary widely and one needs to be prepared for almost any eventuality. I’m hoping to do a better job this time though!

So how am I going to do that? I’ll definitely be packing layering pieces for warmth and versatility. I’m also going to adopt some ideas from “Your Perfect 10 – Building a Core Wardrobe for Maximum Versatility” which my friend Deborah, an independent stylist for cabi, recently shared with me. The Perfect 10 is a variation of the popular capsule wardrobe idea and allows you to mix and match creating many outfits with a minimal number of pieces.

In a nutshell, here’s how it works:

Choose 3 colours that work well together. A dark, a light and an accent colour. Choose a jacket, top and bottom in each of the colours and then choose one extra bottom in your darkest colour = Total of 10 Garments. Those 10 garments, when designed around colours that work well together will give you 25 to 30 different outfit options, a must have for any traveler!

I’ll be tweaking this list to suit my own style and I’m sure that I’ll end up with more than the 10 basic items in my suitcase, but it’s a great starting point for planning. If this was a business trip, jackets would be appropriate and at least one of the bottoms would probably be a skirt, but I’m retired. I don’t go on business trips! Our main reason for going to Vancouver this time is to be with Dad when he has a minor surgical procedure. Of course, we’ll also be spending time with our son and his family. Rather than jackets, I’ll be packing cardigans and my bottoms will be pants, mostly jeans. I simply can’t imagine only taking 3 tops though! If I was going to restrict myself to 10 items, I would definitely make a trade and pack 4 tops and only 3 bottoms. At least one of the tops would be a print that included 2 or 3 of the colours I was building my perfect 10 around.

Do you have any packing tips that have worked well for you?

 

Fashion and social justice

/ edebock / 6 Comments

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Famous jeans maker, Levi Strauss, made news last week by jumping into the gun control fray calling for stricter gun laws in the US and pledging $1 million in grants to be distributed over the next four years to non-profit and activist groups fighting to stop gun violence. The company “simply cannot stand by silently when it comes to issues that threaten the very fabric of the communities where we live and work,” wrote the firm’s president and chief executive, Chip Bergh, in a piece for Fortune magazine.

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Levi’s action followed hard on the heels of Nike who, on September 3rd, unveiled a giant billboard featuring former San Francisco 49ers quarterback, Colin Kaepernick, over San Francisco’s Union Square. Similar billboards followed in other cities. Kaepernick has been a controversial figure since he took a knee during the national anthem to protest racial injustice, a gesture that spread to players on other NFL teams and sparked a nation-wide debate. Nike followed up by releasing an ad featuring Kaepernick which aired during the NFL season opener on September 6th. In spite of the fact that many customers blasted the company on social media and some filmed themselves destroying Nike products and claiming that they will boycott the company, Nike reported a 31% increase in sales over the Labour Day holiday this year compared with the same time period last year.

Levi Strauss and Nike are far from the first members of the fashion industry to involve themselves in social issues. Women’s apparel brand, Eileen Fisher, proudly supports a long list of environmental and human rights groups.  Through its Heart of Cabi Foundation, Cabi, one of the largest direct sale women’s apparel businesses in the US, supports several initiatives to encourage and empower women in need around the world. Even fast fashion giant, H&M, has collection boxes in their stores worldwide aimed at recycling clothing items (any brand) and reducing the tonnes of textiles that end up in landfills. These are just a few examples.

Should companies like Levi and Nike stick to producing products and making money and leave issues like gun control and racial inequality to politicians and lobby groups or should they put consumers in the position of deciding whether or not to support these issues with our clothing dollars? When you shop for clothes do you want to have to think about whether or not you agree with the manufacturer’s ethics? After all, when you give money to a company, you implicitly support the values that that company stands for.

I’d love to hear your opinion!