Talking about trends: Fall 2019

/ edebock / 3 Comments

LogoWhile much of the world was experiencing extreme heat, it was a non-summer here in Alberta. Our big blue sky decided to take an extended vacation and left us with gloomy grey clouds and endless rain. Our furnace literally came on almost every morning! It’s hard to think about fall when you haven’t really had summer, but the fashions are out in the stores and it’s time to talk about trends.

Rich autumn colours are huge this season. Think pumpkin, caramel, cinnamon, gold, and spicy browns. Green, from light pistachio all the way to deep forest, is also very popular. Animal prints never go out of style, but they are bigger than ever this season. Leopard has been leading the way for the past few seasons, but now it’s being joined on centre stage by zebra and snakeskin. Plaids and checks continue to be popular as do floral prints.

Belts are showing up everywhere; wide ones, thin ones, and colourful ones, worn over blazers, sweaters, dresses, and coats. Perhaps an animal print belt is what’s needed to add a bit of flair to your fall wardrobe.

Shoulder pads, reminiscent of the 1970s, have made their way back into the fashion mainstream over the past few years and are definitely being seen again this fall. Though there’s no one skirt length for this season, maxi skirts have definitely made a comeback. Jumpsuits also continue to be on trend. Capes and long coats are very popular.

As always, some of the season’s trends may appeal to you and others probably won’t. Don’t feel compelled to wear something simply because it’s on trend. Instead, pick and choose those colours that suit your skin tone and looks that fit your personal style. And, before you go shopping for this season’s trends, remember to shop your own closet. Chances are, you’ll find something there that fits right in with the current trends.

Let me show you what I mean. Though I was tempted to dig into my fall/winter wardrobe more than once this non-summer, I haven’t actually done my seasonal closet switch yet and I had to go into storage to retrieve these items. None of them are new.

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I started with a pair of chocolate brown boot cut jeans, taupe booties, and a comfy brown sweater that has been around for a very long time. I haven’t worn it much in recent years and almost got rid of it several times, but now I’m glad I didn’t. This was a good beginning, but the outfit definitely needed some dressing up.

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I added a dark brown leather belt, a leopard print scarf, and a pair of gold tasseled earrings. That’s much better!

Now let’s go outside.

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For a chilly fall day, I’ve added the reversible wool cape that was my Mom’s. I don’t know for sure how old it is, but I think it was quite new when I wore it, ivory side out, over my wedding dress in October 1976! My daughter also wore it over hers 30 years later in December 2006! A gift from my husband last Christmas, the hat is by far the newest item that I’m wearing.

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Now, how many of this season’s trends did I hit without going shopping?

Uniqlo is coming to Edmonton!

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LogoFor those of you who might be wondering, I still haven’t found my fabric swatches! The plus side to this is the fact that I’ve now cleaned out and reorganized all twelve of my bedroom drawers. That’s right… 12! I didn’t even realize that I had that many drawers! I also went through my sewing and craft supplies. I didn’t think they’d be there, but since they weren’t where I thought they’d be, I figured it was worth checking. I even looked through a trunk full of odds and sods and keepsakes from the past in our basement storage room. When the little packet of swatches wasn’t there either, I came to the conclusion that I might have thrown it out some time in the past. I sure hope not!

On a completely different note, however, I want to share some exciting news for those of us who live in my part of the world. Popular Japanese fashion retailer, Uniqlo, is opening a store in West Edmonton Mall on Friday, September 27 at 10:00 AM! The first 200 people in line will receive a special edition tote bag and there will be other branded giveaways for the first 500 people to enter the store on opening day. When we lived in Japan, I could hop on my bike and ride over to the nearest Uniqlo store, but we live 190 km from the mall and don’t have any other reason to go to Edmonton that day, so I likely won’t be in that line up. I do have a doctor’s appointment in the city on October 8th though and I’ll definitely be checking out the new store that day!

Uniqlo (pronounced you-nee-klo) currently has 11 stores in Canada with 7 in the Greater Toronto area and four in and around Vancouver. The chain is known for innovative yet functional apparel and simple, modern designs as well as high-quality, reasonably priced, easy-to-wear basics for men, women, children and babies. Like its over 1500 stores around the world, Uniqlo’s Edmonton store will carry business attire, leisurewear, intimate apparel, and some accessories. The store will also feature a recycling initiative where customers can drop off gently used Uniqlo clothing to be passed on to those in need.

With winter approaching, Canadians might be particularly interested in the brand’s HeatTech line made of innovative fabric that absorbs body heat and stores it in air pockets deep within the fibres to keep the wearer warm. I’ve also been so impressed with my Ultra Light Down vest that I’m seriously considering buying one of the jackets as well. For additional winter comfort, the brand offers cashmere sweaters and extra fine merino garments suitable for our cold climate.

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Uniqlo has recently collaborated with UK-born fashion designer, Hana Tajima, to create the 2019 Fall/Winter HANA TAJIMA FOR UNIQLO collection. I’ve had my eye on this simple V-neck tunic since I spotted it on the website. I seldom buy clothing online, but if it’s in the store on October 8th, I’ll definitely be trying it on.

Hana Tajima for Uniqlo tunic

Welcome to Alberta, Uniqlo!

Universal colours

/ edebock / 15 Comments

LogoI’ve been turning the house inside out lately looking for something. Has that ever happened to you?

Back in the 1980s, when I had my colours “done”, I received a little packet of fabric swatches in the Spring colours that were deemed to be most flattering for someone with my skin tone and colouring. For several years, I carried it in my purse and used it as a guide when I shopped. In time, however, I started colouring outside the lines, so to speak. I found myself using my swatches less and experimenting more with other colours. Eventually, I put the little packet of fabric pieces away in a drawer in my bedroom, or at least that’s what I thought I did!

In recent months I’ve noticed a resurgence of interest in knowing your colours and dressing accordingly amongst some of the fashion bloggers that I read regularly. That led me to wonder how far I’ve strayed from my own colour palette, so I went to the dresser drawer to retrieve my swatches. The only problem was, they weren’t there! That’s when the search began. I’d estimate that the little packet is about 10 cm x 6 cm x 1.5 cm thick. There are a LOT of places in this house where something that small could be hiding!

Since I haven’t found it yet, perhaps this is a good time for me to think about universal colours. Six weeks ago, I wrote about neutrals, those colours that go well with all the other colours in the closet. Universal colours, however, are the ones that look good on just about everyone. If you don’t know what season you are, what colours look best on you, you really can’t go wrong with universals. They flatter all skin tones.

There are six colours that are most often listed as universals:

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Soft white and stone, a medium to light grey, also appear on many lists. I’ve sometimes seen red referred to as a universal colour, but I would disagree because though there is a red for everyone, not every red looks good on every person. Those, like myself, with warm skin tones should choose orange tinted reds, while those with cool skin tones look better wearing blue-based reds. Not sure which one is right for you? Click here.

Universal colours are frequently chosen for staff uniforms because they look good on everyone. If you’re planning a wedding and want to keep a bevy of beautiful bridesmaids happy and looking their best, selecting a universal colour for their dresses is also a sensible choice.

Now, back to searching for that little packet of fabric swatches. Wish me luck!

DIY frayed hem jeans

/ edebock / 7 Comments

LogoYou may have noticed that frayed, raw hems (really no hem at all) are very much on trend this summer, especially on jeans. They aren’t limited to any particular denim fit but are seen on just about every style from skinny to straight leg to flares.

Some say that if you wore something the first time it was in style, you shouldn’t wear it again the next time it comes around. I guess that’s a gentle way of saying that you’re too old for whatever it is, but I’m not into the dos and don’ts or the shoulds and shouldn’ts of fashion. I say, if you like it, wear it! If it makes you feel fabulous, go for it! I’m not sure if frayed hems are going to make me feel fabulous or not, but I’ve decided to give them a try even though I wore them way back in the 60s and 70s! 

Rather than rushing out to buy a pair of the latest style, I looked at the jeans I already owned with an eye to eliminating the finished hem on one of them, but none seemed to be just right for the project. Then I was browsing in our local thrift store when a pair of white jeans caught my eye. White jeans have also been on my wish list for awhile, so I took a closer look. These were my size! They looked brand new, but I knew that they’d been hiding in someone’s closet for quite awhile because they were Jockey. Much to my dismay, Jockey Person to Person went out of business in March 2015.

I thought I’d found a real treasure until I tried the pants on. They fit perfectly except for the length. They were too short; not short enough to be crops, just awkwardly short. The store was having a “brown bag” sale though; everything you could fit in a grocery bag (except jewelry) for just $5. I was already well on the way to filling a bag, so in went the white jeans. That night I took the hem down and voila! I had both my white jeans and my frayed hems! They’re nothing like the drag on the ground frayed jeans that I wore in my teens and early 20s!

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The top in the photos is also thrifted.

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Do you wear frayed, raw hems? Would you?

 

How to shop like a celebrity

/ edebock / 9 Comments

LogoI thought that taking my oldest underwear to Europe was a great packing tip, but actress Helen Mirren goes much further than that.

“I love a good charity shop, especially when I’m travelling. When I’m going to cold places, I take nothing – just underwear. On my way from the airport, I ask the driver to take me to a good charity shop, and I buy boots, socks, trousers, jumpers, sweaters, hats and scarves… On the way back to the airport, I have it all in a big bag and drop it off at another charity shop,” she said in August of 2010.

She’s also been quoted as saying, “The whole thing of clothes is insane. You can spend a dollar on a jacket in a thrift store. And you can spend a thousand dollars on a jacket in a shop. And if you saw those two jackets walking down the street, you probably wouldn’t know which was which.” 

I first learned of Mirren’s penchant for thrift store shopping when I saw this meme on Facebook. I immediately knew that we were two of a kind!

Helen Mirren thrifting

Apparently Helen Mirren is far from the only celebrity who shops for second hand clothing. Julia Roberts, Drew Barrymore, and Sara Jessica Parker are just a few others who can be found searching the racks of thrift stores. Eva Mendes even attended her first movie premiere in a $6 dress from Goodwill. I love the fact that they prove that thrift stores aren’t only for people who haven’t any other financial options, but why would stars who can easily afford to be selective about where they shop choose second hand? Perhaps it’s because it allows them to find unique pieces that they know their fellow actresses won’t be wearing. Perhaps they hate fast fashion and see thrifting as a way to contribute to the well-being of the environment. Or perhaps, like me, it’s more about the fun of going on a treasure hunt.

So, if you’d like to dress like your favourite celebrity, it might not be as expensive as you think. Instead of dreaming of hiring a stylist and shopping luxury stores, why not be a frugal fashionista and check out a few thrift stores?

The value of a compliment (and a challenge for you)

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LogoAs we made our way back down the Johnson Canyon hiking trail with our grandson last week, I noticed a woman on her way up resting beside the trail. She wore a simple black t-shirt with the word “Blessing” in large white script across the front. I liked it, so without breaking step I looked her in the eye and said, “I like your shirt” as I passed by. Her face lit up and she said, “Thank you!” That was the extent of our exchange. I’ll probably never see her again, but I hope I brightened her day.

Complimenting a stranger isn’t something that comes naturally or easily for an introvert like me, but a genuine compliment is a gift that doesn’t cost a cent and it only takes a moment to give. It also has the power to completely reshape someone’s day.

It never seems to fail that on a day when I’m about ready to give up on my unruly curls and chop them off, another woman will ask if they’re natural and tell me how lucky I am to have them, how much she admires them. It reminds me that most of the time I love them too!

Since I started taking a greater interest in fashion a few years ago, I started watching other women more closely. I take note of what they’re wearing, how they put an outfit together, how they accessorize. I’m not looking with a critical or condescending eye. I want to see what works and what doesn’t. I want to learn from the creativity of others. When I notice something that I like, it makes sense to say so, to pay the wearer a compliment, so I’m trying to learn to do that more often.

Amazingly, giving a compliment goes two ways. Telling someone that the colour they’re wearing looks great on them or that they have beautiful eyes not only gives them a boost, but it can also enhance your own sense of well-being. It’s a win-win situation.

Too often we women view other women as competition. The same is probably true of men. Instead, we ought to encourage and build one another up, so this week I offer you a challenge. Look around you, notice someone that you can give the gift of a genuine compliment to, then do it. Take notice of the person’s reaction and then, once you’ve done that, come back and tell us about the experience in the comment section below. It can be a compliment about their appearance, but it doesn’t have to be. There are many other things that we can affirm in the people around us if we just take a moment to notice.

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I can’t wait to hear your stories!

Not picture perfect, but real

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LogoOur culture has long bombarded us with unrealistic, unattainable and deeply problematic images of women. Pornography objectifies women and gives men a warped idea of love, sex, and relationship while advertising aimed at women creates poor self-image and leads to unhealthy behaviours including eating disorders. Sadly, social media has followed suit with online lives portraying unrealistic perfection in all walks of life including body image.

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Last week as I sat in my doctor’s waiting room, I picked up a magazine that reminded me of a post I wrote last year about a company that chose to use real women with “imperfect” bodies, women with visible stretch marks and cellulite, as models. The current issue of popular Canadian women’s magazine, Chatelaine, is a swimsuit edition with a difference. Unlike the annual Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition, which could legitimately be classified as soft porn, Chatelaine chose to use only unretouched photos of all the women who appeared in the latest issue, including those shown in the swimsuit feature. I admire the seven “Everywoman” models who were willing to be photographed in swimwear knowing that they would appear in print exactly as they really are.

Unfortunately, there are other women who are part of the problem. I realize that many of those who appear in porn are not there by choice. In fact, many of them are the victims of human trafficking, but that’s not true of those, including supermodels and female athletes, who have appeared in Sports Illustrated. When a male athlete appears on the cover, he’s dressed in performance gear, but a female athlete appears scantily clad. Why is that? Simply because, unlike the other issues of the magazine, the Swimsuit Edition isn’t about celebrating sport and it certainly isn’t about honouring women. It’s about making money. Plain and simple. That issue alone accounts for 10% of Sports Illustrated’s overall revenue. One out of every ten dollars comes from people paying to see nearly naked women. Are their bodies beautiful? Of course, they appear to be, but they aren’t genuine. Just like most of what we see in magazines, they’re taken by professional photographers using strategic lighting and filters and then edited to remove every imperfection. That’s why, according to the Dove Project #ShowUs, 70% of women don’t feel represented in the images that they see every day in media and advertising.

I truly appreciate the fashion bloggers that I follow who take their own photos or recruit friends or husbands to act as their photographers and who don’t then retouch the photos before publishing them. I’m committed to doing the same; to being authentic.

So, here are a couple of my own makeup free and totally unretouched swimsuit photos taken at Banff Upper Hot Springs earlier this week on a special outing with our oldest grandson.

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I know I’m pale, but that’s the real me, especially this summer when we’ve had so little sun!

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Jami’s special day

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If you read my last post, you already know that we gave each of our two grandchildren who had birthdays in the spring a special day on their own with Gram and Grandpa instead of adding to the abundance of toys, games, and books that fill their home. Today was 9-year-old Jami-Lee’s day.

Jami is an animal lover, so our day started at Butterfield Acres petting farm on the outskirts of northwest Calgary. She was most excited about going for a pony ride and even though we thought that the single lap around a small track was a bit lame, she was delighted. So much so that Grandpa surprised her with a second ride before we left the farm!

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There were a wide variety of typical farm animals, but also a few more exotic ones like emus, llamas, peacocks, and even a yak.

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The baby goats were adorable and I think this is my favourite photo of the day.

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We also went for a tractor-pulled wagon ride and ate our picnic lunch in a tipi on the grounds. After finishing at Butterfield Acres early in the afternoon we drove about 15 minutes to Bowness Park, a beautiful 30-hectare urban park on the Bow River. There we rented a pedal boat and explored the lagoon where we’ve skated in the winter. Jami loved the duck families that shared the water with us.

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After treating her to a giant ice cream cone, we found cover and waited out a sudden rain shower before taking a ride on the miniature train.

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As the afternoon wound down, we went for a walk along the river. Rocky breakwaters at regular intervals slow the river’s flow and keep its banks from eroding. Jami decided that climbing the rocks would be fun, so we spent some time doing that and then found a playground.

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She still had enough energy left to swing like a monkey!

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Our day ended with a delicious dinner at The Old Spaghetti Factory. I think both Jami-Lee and her brother would agree that spending time together and making memories were great birthday gifts! I hope we can do as well next year!

Drew’s special day

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Our grandchildren have been blessed with an abundance of toys, games, and books so when two of them had birthdays this spring, we decided to be creative. Our gift to each of them was a special day on their own with Gram and Grandpa once school was out for the summer. Yesterday was 11-year-old Drew’s day.

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We left his Calgary home early in the morning and headed for Banff National Park where our day started with a hike in beautiful Johnson Canyon. Drew was beyond excited when we spotted a black bear crossing a hillside shortly before we arrived at the trailhead. The bear was too far away to get a good photo, but the entertaining little ground squirrels (like the one shown above) and red squirrels along the trail certainly weren’t!

Catwalks affixed to the limestone cliffs make the canyon easily accessible to everyone and the 1.1 km trail to the lower falls involves very little change in elevation.

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At the lower falls, a bridge crosses the creek allowing both an excellent spot from which to view the falls and access to a water-formed tunnel through the rock to a closer viewing platform.

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The crowd thinned out a little as we moved on toward the upper falls, another 1.5 km up the trail. Spectacular views continued to surround us as we climbed.

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We knew that the water level was much higher than when Richard and I did the same hike almost three years ago, but I didn’t realize how much until I compared photographs. Considering how much rain Alberta has been getting this season, I guess it shouldn’t be surprising.

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August 2016

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July 2019

After reaching the spectacular upper falls, we stopped to enjoy our picnic lunch before continuing our adventure.

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As we started back down the trail Drew announced, “This is the best birthday present ever!” It was then that I realized that the day was as much a gift to ourselves as it was to him! It definitely filled my heart to overflowing.

In addition to the hike, Drew had been eagerly looking forward to relaxing in the Banff Upper Hot Springs. I love this photo of his “floating head”!

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After soaking our tired feet and muscles in the hot pool, we made a quick stop at the Bow Falls Viewpoint then ended our day with a delicious restaurant dinner and a browse through a few gift shops before bringing a very tired boy home!

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Tomorrow we have a completely different agenda planned for his 9-year-old sister’s special day.

Too busy for fashion!

/ edebock / 2 Comments

LogoI haven’t had much time to think about fashion this week. In fact, I wore the same bright blue t-shirt every morning. It identified me as one of the volunteer staff at Vacation Bible School at our church. Every morning I’ve taken kids from kindergarten to grade 6 on Wild Bible Adventures, telling them the Old Testament Exodus story and teaching them about God’s goodness through interactive, experiential storytelling. I made 24 pounds of playdoh. I created the Red Sea and the Jordan River with sheets of blue plastic and other bits and pieces. I converted the kitchen door into the entrance to Pharoah’s palace and one of the church teens into Pharoah. I scrunched up bits of paper until my hands hurt making hail for the kids to throw at Pharoah. You can bet that they loved that part! It’s been fun and it’s been tiring and it reminded me that even after twelve years of retirement I still love teaching!

Yesterday was a particularly long day. Richard and I snuck out of VBS a bit early and drove two hours to the city to meet with my doctor and discuss possible options for dealing with Cancer #3. Once again, Dr W assured me that papillary thyroid cancer is usually slow-growing and non aggressive. After using ultrasound to determine that mine has not changed noticeably since he last looked at it three months ago, he suggested that simply monitoring it might be the best direction to go. I love the fact that he sees me as a whole person though and that he wanted me to have a part in the decision making process. He was perfectly willing to go ahead and schedule surgery if living with another, different cancerous growth was going to freak me out too much. Since I assured him that it wasn’t and that I trust his judgement, we’ve decided to leave it for the time being and look at it again in three months.

After running a few other errands in the city and stopping for supper on the way home, we were back at the church later in the evening setting up for our final day of VBS today.

So, since I really haven’t had time to write a proper fashion post this week, I’ll simply leave you with a thought provoking quote from French fashion designer, Coco Chanel, who passed away in 1971 at the age of 87, and next week I’ll do my best to get back to writing something more substantial!

Coco Chanel quote

Do you agree? I’d love to know what you think.