Fashion Friday!

Pretty in plaid

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logoThere are a few classic prints that never seem to go out of style. Though their popularity may wax and wane, they are a safe bet in a modern woman’s wardrobe season after season. Stripes, florals, animal prints, polka dots and plaids are timeless.

 

Last time I volunteered at our local thrift store I came home with this basic black and white flannel shirt, a steal at just $3 and oh so comfortable!

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I’m especially impressed with this hidden feature that eliminates the possibility of gaping at the bust line.

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Though the look may be a bit too matchy matchy, for the purpose of this post I also donned another recent purchase, my new rubber boots!

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I’ve been eying cute patterned boots every spring for the past few years, but my plain old navy blue ones, purchased more than four decades ago when I first visited my in-laws’ farm, refused to wear out and since I usually only use them for camping, investing in another pair seemed wasteful. This year, however, the old rubber finally deteriorated and a split up the back of one of the boots sent me shopping for a new pair! Considering how long I might have them, what could be better than a timeless pattern like plaid?

Given that the weather forecast is calling for lots of rain while we’re here in Vancouver, I’m glad I brought them with me. Whether it’s checking out the creek that runs through our son’s backyard or going on adventures in the forest with our grandsons, I’m probably going to need them.

Retirement dressing

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logoIt’s hard to believe that it’s been almost ten years since Richard and I walked out of our respective classrooms and entered a new phase of life called retirement! That meant I no longer needed a working wardrobe. I spent most of my career teaching elementary school, so my workwear wasn’t as formal as some women’s, but I was a professional and it was important to dress like one. Now I no longer needed to, so what should I wear?

To me, retirement meant a new and exciting life was opening up in front of me. I didn’t feel old and I certainly didn’t want to look frumpy! I didn’t need a working wardrobe, but I wasn’t happy to spend the rest of my life wearing the shapeless t-shirts and sweatshirts that I’d once worn during my out of school hours. I began to take a greater interest in fashion and now I would call my retirement style dressy casual.

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Yesterday, we were reminded that age is creeping up on us. We’ve been fortunate to be able to stay on the excellent Alberta teacher’s benefit plan for the first ten years of our retirement, but next fall I turn 65, the magic age at which we must transfer to the retired teacher’s plan. That’s why we were in Edmonton yesterday to meet with a representative of the retired teacher’s association. Here’s what I chose to wear:

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It was the first day this spring that it was warm enough to be out and about without a jacket. A light sweater in pink, one of this season’s most popular colours, was a perfect topper for the Cleo Top from cabi’s last season. Worn with dark wash jeans from Old Navy, this is what retirement wear looks like to me.

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New looks

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logoHave you ever noticed that adding a new basic to your wardrobe can breathe fresh life into older pieces?

I’ve only purchased one item from this season’s cabi collection, the Indulgence Tank. With it’s wide ponte waistband and two floaty layers of lightweight polyester creating a beautiful blouson effect, this pure white sleeveless top will go with practically everything.

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Here I’m wearing it with a short navy cardigan that hadn’t been out of my closet all winter. Purchased at Uniqlo shortly after my arrival in China in early 2013, it was once a wardrobe staple, but I’d grown somewhat tired of it. When I paired it with the Indulgence Tank, however, it felt almost new again.

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In these photos, you’re seeing me with more hair than usual. I normally have my hair cut every six weeks, but it’s now been almost nine weeks since I last visited my hairdresser. That’s because I’m trying to decide whether or not it’s time for a longer style. Some days, like the one pictured here, I’ve been playing around with its natural curl instead of straightening it. Regardless of what I decide, I know that it needs a good trim to give it shape, but what do you think? Cut it short again or let it grow? I really want your opinion!

One year!

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logoTomorrow it will be exactly one year since I introduced Fashion Friday to my blog! One year of writing a weekly fashion post, something I would not have imagined myself doing just a few years earlier. I thought today would be a good day to reflect on that first year and do a bit of self-evaluation.

I stated a number of goals in that first post:

“I want this to be much more than just a “look what I’m wearing today” feature. I hope that together we can explore the topic of personal appearance and how what we wear affects our daily lives.”

One of my early posts, F is for Fashion, is one of my favourite examples of this. Though it does include one photo of me, it focuses on six F words to consider when shopping for clothes.

“You can expect posts on everything from fabulous footwear to dressing on a budget, and packing a suitcase to purging your closet.” 

Before I wrote my first Fashion Friday post I brainstormed a fairly long list of ideas, enough to keep me going for quite awhile. The topics mentioned in that first post were on that list and I’ve written about all four of them. Dressing on a budget has definitely been a popular theme. I’m a frugal fashionista who loves thrift store shopping and over the past year I’ve written several posts featuring some of my favourite finds. You can find the first of a three week series here.

“I also intend to do a bit of investigating and share what I learn about some of my favourite clothing retailers.”

I haven’t been as successful with this part of my original plan. Early on, I emailed several retailers expressing my interest in featuring them on my blog and asking a few pertinent questions. Disappointingly, none of them responded! I have, however, written unsolicited posts about Cabi and Uniqlo and both of them responded favourably. I was also approached by American eyeglass brand, Warby Parker, and asked to write my very first collaborative post featuring their newest collection. Perhaps with these successes under my belt I should consider contacting a few of those retailers again.

“I want this to be an interactive feature, so I will be encouraging you, my readers, to participate by sharing your insights, ideas and questions in the comment section.”

This is where you come in! While several of you have liked or commented on posts, I would love to encourage more of this. Some readers leave comments on my Facebook page, which is fine, but I would rather you left them here on the blog where they remain permanently and can be seen by other readers. I’m not looking only for accolades. If you don’t like something I’m wearing or disagree with my point of view, please feel free to say so and tell me why. All I ask is that you do it politely. Over the past year, I’ve received some great fashion tips from readers and I especially love it when you ask questions and I’m able to help you with your own fashion concerns. I’ve made it my habit to respond to every comment left on the blog and I will continue to do so.

As part of today’s evaluation and to help me choose future topics,  I also took a look at my stats to see which Fashion Friday posts were most popular. My most read fashion post so far was Ideas and inspiration with Favourite fashion blogs for women of a certain age taking second place.

So, what has writing a regular fashion feature done for me? In addition to exploring a topic of growing interest, it has ensured that I keep writing and posting on a regular basis even during those times when we aren’t traveling or doing anything else that’s interesting enough to write about. It’s also caused me to take an even greater interest in fashion, reading the work of and sharing ideas with other fashion bloggers. It has inspired me to take more care with my own appearance and has led me to experiment with new and different looks that I might not have tried in the past. Here’s just one example of that. Most of all, it’s been fun, so unless the well of ideas runs dry Fashion Friday will continue to be a regular weekly feature here on Following Augustine.

It would be remiss of me not to take this opportunity to thank my husband, Richard, for the time he’s spent being my fashion photographer. For a man who had rarely used a camera in the past, I think he’s done a pretty good job! Here are a few of my favourites from the past year.

Happy Birthday, Fashion Friday!

 

Column of colour

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logoColumn dressing begins with a solid base in one colour, usually a neutral. It can be either a top with pants or a top with a skirt. Add accessories and a topper and voila!

Here’s an example from my wardrobe. I wore this to church recently.

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I started with my skinny black pants purchased about a year ago at Dynamite and a stretchy high-necked tank top that I’ve had for years. Though I seldom tuck my tops in, this one is a bit on the short side and tends to ride up if I don’t. A narrow black belt with a black and gold buckle helped keep everything in place. To this basic column, I added tall black boots, a grey mix cardigan and simple jewelry in a gold and silver combo.

By simply exchanging one waterfall cardigan for another less structured one in a colourful silky fabric and the boots for a pair of black pumps, I was ready for a date night with my hubby. We started the evening with dinner at a new restaurant and then went dancing.

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Here’s a third look built on the exact same basic column. This time I styled it with a bright red leather jacket that’s on loan from my sister-in-law, Sue, who thinks I need to add more colour to my wardrobe. For the purpose of this post, I wore the same jewelry for all three photos, but imagine how I could create many different looks by changing my accessories.

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Though it would be boring to dress this way all the time, there are many advantages to creating a column. First of all, it’s easy and who doesn’t like easy? Even better, it’s cost effective. The basic pieces of a column can be worn over and over again in so many different ways making them excellent investment pieces. It creates a long, lean look which is highly sought after by many women and it makes packing, especially for business travel, a dream. Depending on the length of the trip, one or two basic columns with several toppers and a mix of interesting accessories might be all you need!

How to host a successful clothing swap

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logoThey say that you should write what you know, but this time I’m going out on a limb and writing about something I’ve never tried. Everything I suggest here is based on what others have written.

A clothing swap is a party where you and each of your guests bring an agreed upon number of garments and/or accessories to the event to trade with one another and thus breathe new life into your closets without spending a cent!

So, how does this work?

1.  Choose your guests

The first step to hosting a successful clothing swap is to decide who you’ll invite. Include friends of all sizes and shapes making sure that no one feels left out because there isn’t anyone in a similar size for her to swap with.

2.   Choose the time

The best time to host a clothing swap is toward the end of a season when people are likely tired of what they’ve been wearing and ready for a few new pieces to freshen up their wardrobes. They may be planning to clean out their closets anyway and your party will be just the incentive they need.

3.   Set some rules

Decide on a minimum and maximum number of items that each person should bring and include this information in the invitation. You want to ensure that there are plenty of items to trade but not so many that it becomes overwhelming to look through everything. It’s also best to ensure that you don’t have a situation where some people bring lots and others hardly anything at all.

Encourage your friends to bring accessories as well as clothing. Shoes, handbags, scarves and jewelry add to the fun and ensure that everyone, regardless of size, is able to find something that fits.

It should go without saying, but make sure to stipulate that everything must be clean and in good condition. It’s also a good idea to remind your guests to empty all pockets so that they don’t inadvertently give someone a cash bonus or find themselves trying to track down lost ID after the party is over!

4.   Set the scene

Presentation is important. If possible, have a hanging rack available as well as a table or two so that items can be organized and displayed attractively. No one wants to feel as if they’re digging through someone else’s laundry!

Designate one or two rooms for changing and have at least one full length mirror available. It’s also a good idea to have a belt or two on hand for your guests to use when they’re trying things on. Belting a loose-fitting dress or top might be just the thing to make it work for one of your friends.

5.   When your guests arrive

Start by going over some basic ground rules and then let the fun begin. Set a time limit for the swap so that when it’s over you can all relax and enjoy some wine and cheese or whatever you decide to serve. It is a party, after all!

Depending on the size and make up of your group, you may want to consider dividing the time into five minute segments allowing each person to choose only one item per round.

If two or more friends have their eye on the same thing, have a predetermined method of determining who gets it. Having them each model the item and letting the group vote on who wears it best can be fun, but if you’re afraid of hurt feelings, flipping a coin might be a better idea.

No one should go home with more than she brought.

6.   Serve snacks

Wait until the swap is over to bring out the goodies. This helps keep things moving along during the exchange and also helps prevent spills. Keep it simple. You might even want to ask each guest to bring something to share.

7.   When the party’s over

Choose in advance a local charity or thrift store that will appreciate the overflow from your swap. Give each guest the option of taking home anything she brought that wasn’t chosen, then pack up the leftovers to be donated.

Have you ever hosted or attended a clothing swap? Do you have any tips or suggestions?

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Shopping Sue’s closet

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logoMy sister-in-law, Sue, loves to shop and has a larger clothing budget than I do. She has excellent taste and knows what looks good on her. Many of the sales clerks in her favourite mall know her by name and are familiar with her personal style. I am often the lucky beneficiary!

As a child I didn’t wear hand-me-downs, not because we were well off or because I didn’t want to, but because I was the oldest daughter in the family and had only one female cousin who is ten years older than me. There wasn’t anyone to hand clothing down to me. As an adult, however, and a frugal fashionista, I am more than happy to wear pre-owned clothing, especially Sue’s! Though I’m taller, we are very similar in size and can usually wear one another’s clothes without alteration. Though Sue tends to wear dramatic colours (she says I need more colour in my wardrobe!) and I favour neutrals, we have similar taste in clothing and we love to shop together.

Last month, we got together for our annual girls day out… lunch and shopping. Though I bought a couple of items, most of what I came home with came from Sue’s closets! Before I arrived for the weekend, she had done a major closet purge and I was met with several large bags of clothing to sort through and try on. What fun! I came away with one dress, one skirt, four sweaters, three golf shirts (like me, Sue is an avid golfer), three dressier tops, a warm fleece pullover and two handbags. That was just a tiny fraction of what was in the bags which then went to my daughter and, after she chose the items she wanted, to a thrift store.

Here’s my favourite item from Sue’s most recent castoffs. I love its loose fitting blouson style. With elastic at the hem, it’s great at camouflaging a midsection bulge and the colours coordinate with so much that is already in my wardrobe. I know I’ll wear this one a lot especially when the weather gets warmer.

This is far from the first time that I’ve benefitted from Sue’s extensive wardrobe and her generosity. In the past, she has also acquired a few items from me, but I’m a minimalist in comparison, so her gain has not been as great as mine. Shopping Sue’s closet started me thinking about clothing swaps in general. I’ve never taken part in a clothing swap party, but I’ve been reading up on the idea and I’ll share what I’ve learned next week on Fashion Friday. See you then!

Stripes and other trends for spring and summer

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logoMy oldest son was born on February 21st. That was back in the day when they kept you in the hospital for a full week following a c-section. Though 37 years have come and gone, I clearly remember entering the hospital in the depths of an Alberta winter and coming out a week later into what felt like the beginnings of spring. Of course, we saw more of winter before it finally relinquished it’s icy grip, but ever since that year, as the end of February approaches, I begin to think that spring must be on its way.

What does that have to do with fashion, you ask? It will be awhile before those of us living this far north can begin switching over to our warm weather wardrobes, but it’s time to start thinking about the trends. What’s new for spring and summer 2017?

My favourite trend for the coming season is stripes! Stripes were all over the spring and summer catwalks in every form you could imagine. Horizontal, vertical and diagonal stripes; stripes of all colours and sizes; broad bands of colour and skinny hypnotic stripes. There were striped t-shirts, striped pants, striped dresses, striped swimsuits, even handbags and shoes with stripes. Stripes everywhere!

There’s nothing really new about stripes which is one of the reasons that I’m happy about the trend. I already have a couple of classic striped tees in my closet as well as my Ernest Tee from cabi and the striped swimsuit that I bought last summer. I don’t even have to go shopping to be on trend!

If stripes aren’t your thing, what are some of the other trends for spring and summer that you might find more to your liking? Apparently pink is the colour this season, especially shocking pink and shades of fuchsia, but bubblegum pink is also trending. Sadly, there’s only one pink item hanging in my closet right now, a t-shirt that’s past its best and only good for wearing around the house or to exercise in. Come to think of it, there’s also a bright pink sleeveless golf shirt and cap waiting for the snow on the golf course to melt, but perhaps another basic t-shirt like this one would be a good addition to my wardrobe. After all, it would kill two fashion birds with one stone.

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Apparently shoulder grazing statement earrings are also going to be big this spring and summer. Though I don’t have any that are quite that dramatic, I might have to go through my earring collection and pull out a few dangly pairs that I haven’t worn in quite awhile.

Speaking of shoulders, apparently shoulder pads are also coming back this season. Romantic ruffles will also be popular and so will t-shirts bearing slogans, particularly of the feminist variety.

Do any of these trends appeal to you? Which ones will you be adding to your shopping list?

What’s your best sleeve length?

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logoSleeve length can enhance or detract from a woman’s appearance by drawing the observer’s eye toward or away from specific parts of her body. Though we’re probably not conscious of it, our eye is automatically attracted to the part of the body where the sleeve ends thus emphasizing that spot.

Let’s take a look:

img_1955Even if they aren’t perfectly toned, your arms will usually look longer and leaner in a sleeveless garment as it has the advantage of the unbroken line. In my younger years, I was self-conscious about showing off my arms feeling that they were too skinny. It wasn’t until I was almost 40 and started to work out with weights that I felt comfortable going sleeveless. Now it’s my favourite look for summer. I especially like the freedom of movement that it allows when I’m golfing and it also ensures that I don’t end up with a “farmer’s tan”.

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img_1799-version-3If you are truly uncomfortable going sleeveless or you work in a corporate environment where it isn’t considered appropriate, you might prefer a cap sleeve. Depending on your body shape, you might also appreciate cap sleeves for their shoulder-widening and therefore hip-balancing effect.

 

Short sleeves tend to fall parallel to the bust. This is great if you want to emphasize that part of your body, but not so great if you’d rather not.

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3/4 sleeves, considered by many to be the most flattering length, are my all time favourites for several reasons. I have long arms, so finding long sleeves that fit properly can be difficult. 3/4 sleeves eliminate that challenge. They’re also cooler than long sleeves when the weather is warm, but they usually provide adequate coverage when it’s cooler. Unlike longer sleeves, they don’t get in the way and, as a cancer patient who often has to deal with blood tests and IVs, they make it easy for me to expose the crook of my arm. They do tend to end close to the waist, however, so if that’s a part of your body that you’d rather the eye was drawn away from, they might not work for you.

Long sleeves draw the eye down providing a good option for anyone who would like to distract attention from their midsection, but they do place more focus on the hips. On me, long sleeves often end up as 3/4 length!

Do you have a favourite sleeve length?

Introducing Ella and Silvan!

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logoAs a wearer of prescription eyeglasses since the tender age of two, I’m delighted to introduce the newest collection of glasses by American brand Warby Parker!

In collaboration with fashion and portrait photographer and TV host, Amanda de Cadenet, Warby Parker designed two new gender neutral frames named after Amanda’s twins, Ella and Silvan.

Warby Parker, a company that strives to offer quality, on-trend eyewear at affordable prices, was pleased to have the opportunity to team up with Amanda on the new frames in support of her latest venture, #GirlGaze. #GirlGaze is a multi-media project that showcases the ways in which young women view the world as shown through their photographs. It also generates visibility and support for the next generation of female photographers.

Silvan

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That’s Amanda herself modelling my favourites, the Peony pink Silvan frames. They pair beautifully with this spring’s most popular colour and look at how they make her blue eyes pop! Silvan is available as either prescription eyeglasses or sunglasses with silver reflective lenses.

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Ella

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Ella is an optical frame with the same modern oversized silhouette as Silvan, but it comes in Jet Black with gold accents on the temples. Though I’m afraid that this bold look would overwhelm my face, black is a very popular look in eyewear for 2017 and it looks great on lots of people.

Each of these frames is crafted from a single sheet of cellulose acetate to maintain colour parity throughout. Warby Parker lenses are made from polycarbonate, the most impact-resistant material for eyeglasses, and offer 100% UV protection. Anti-scratch and anti-reflective coating is included with every pair.  

This is definitely a company with a social conscience. Not only is Warby Parker partnering with Amanda de Cadenet to promote #GirlGaze, but through their Buy a Pair, Give a Pair program, they work with nonprofit organizations to train individuals in developing countries to give basic eye exams and to bring affordable glasses to their communities.

You can purchase your own Ella and Silvan eyewear online or at Warby Parker showrooms across the United States or in Toronto, Canada.

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Disclaimer:  This is not a paid endorsement. Information and images were provided by Warby Parker, but the words are my own.