Dresses

My one dress Christmas season

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Logo by SamPrior to the pandemic, hubby and I had half a dozen or more Christmas events to attend each December. When we were still working, there were staff parties, of course, but even in retirement there were dinners, dances, and parties. All that seems to have changed and this year we had only one Christmas event to attend together, a catered banquet and program put on by our church.

In 2018 and 2019, I actually sat down in late November and made lists of what I’d wear to each December event, right down to the accessories. It made getting ready so easy, but this year there was no need to do that. Even without all those events, it’s been a busy month and I don’t know how we would have fit in much more, but I do miss all those opportunities to dress up! 

In addition to the church banquet, I did have one other very special event to attend. Last Thursday evening, my daughter-in-law Colleen, granddaughter Harlow, and I had a girls’ night out. We went to see an adaptation of Charles Dickens’ beloved classic, A Christmas Carol, at Edmonton’s Citadel Theatre. We even had front row seats. Front row might not actually be the best seats in the house, but for 13-year-old Harlow’s first exposure to professional theatre, being so close to the action was very exciting!

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I saw very few dresses on women in the audience, but I was happy for an opportunity to wear an old favourite of mine, the midnight blue Dream Dress from cabi’s Spring 2019 collection. You first saw it on the blog here. Since it’s winter in Alberta, I wore it over leggings and tall black boots this time. 

After spending the weekend in the city, we got home just in time to get ready for the church banquet on Sunday evening. I pulled the dress out of the suitcase and wore it again, changing only my accessories! That’s one of the things I love about the Dream Dress. The floaty polyester fabric and the underslip take up virtually no space in a suitcase and come out without a wrinkle. 

Speaking of suitcases, I’ll soon be packing for our trip to Vancouver where we’ll be spending Christmas with our oldest son and his family. I don’t know that we’ll have any need for dressy outfits, but I’ll tuck in something that would work just in case. 

 

Made in Canada?

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Logo by SamThose of us who live in small towns in particular are used to hearing the “shop local” mantra, but buying affordable domestically made clothing has never been more challenging. As of 2019, the majority of clothing purchased in Canada was imported from China, Bangladesh, Vietnam, and Cambodia, countries where workers’ rights are often limited or non-existent. Many proudly Canadian brands including Roots, Lululemon and Joe Fresh design their clothing in Canada, but the majority is actually produced elsewhere. The situation is similar for those of you who shop in the US.

As one who attempts to shop ethically, I was delighted to purchase three items recently that boast “Made in Canada” labels. Delighted, that is, until I discovered that even those labels can be deceptive. According to Canadian law, designers can legally use that term as long as the last substantial transformation of the garment occurs in Canada and a minimum of 51% of the cost of its creation is incurred in this country. Some items are partially assembled cheaply in Asian factories and then imported to Canada where finishing details and those all-important “Made in Canada” labels are added. Then, of course, there’s also the question of where the fabric and notions were produced, but that’s another rabbit trail that I haven’t managed to go down yet.

In spite of knowing that they may not have been 100% produced in Canada after all, I’m quite delighted with my recent purchases, two tops and a dress. One of the tops was thrifted which is, of course, an ethical way to shop regardless of where the item originated, but the other pieces were new.

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The dress was totally an impulse buy. It caught my eye as soon as I entered the store, but I didn’t really need another new summer dress. After all, I’d just bought this one a few weeks earlier and had only worn it a couple of times. I looked at everything else in the store, but my eye kept going back to the dress, so I finally decided that I had to try it on. I do my best to be a mindful shopper, but once in awhile an impulse buy just has to happen!

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The dress is as comfortable as a favourite t-shirt and as you can see, it’s easy to dress up or down. The lightweight polyester knit is machine washable and will hardly take up any space in a suitcase when we finally decide to fly again.

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The beautiful floral backdrop is our neighbour’s. She’s an amazing gardener and we thoroughly enjoy the results of her labour! Thank you, Connie!

Date night

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In many parts of the world, Monday was Valentine’s Day, a celebration of love and romance. In past years, that might have meant going out for a special dinner for hubby and I, but our province recently lifted the public health restrictions that would have assured us that we were eating in the company of people who have chosen to protect themselves and others by being vaccinated against Covid. As a result, we aren’t eating out these days. Instead, we decided to celebrate with an at-home date night. 

Preparing in advance, we ordered a special Valentine’s meal to be picked up at The Wooden Spoon, a local bistro that’s a favourite of ours. We also put a bottle of wine in the fridge to chill. The table was set with tablecloth and candles and we sat down to enjoy a fabulous dinner. Afterward, we enjoyed a romantic comedy in the comfort of our own living room. 

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Since this was a date, we dressed as though we were going out. I chose a favourite dress from cabi that I haven’t had occasion to wear since the beginning of the pandemic. It was a little snugger than I remember it being, but thankfully, it still fit! 

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The lighting wasn’t great for getting good photos, but if you want to see some great pictures of the dress, which is a deep midnight blue, check out this post by Dutch blogger, Greetje, who writes No Fear of Fashion. It was fun to discover not too long ago that she has the same dress as I do! 

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You might also notice that I had my hair cut recently. It’s not quite what I had in mind when I went to the hairdresser, but it was time for a change! 

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One woman’s cast-off is another woman’s treasure

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LogoIf you’ve been reading my blog for very long, you’re already fully aware of the fact that I love thrift store shopping. Although I often come up empty-handed, every visit to one of our local second-hand stores is like a treasure hunt. 

After doing the seasonal wardrobe switch that I wrote about last week, there were things to drop off and as always, I also had to look around. I figure that as long as I come home with less than I take, I’m doing well! Sure enough, I found two items that I’m in love with!

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The tunic/dress is soft and cozy with just the right amount of stretch. It’s perfect for relaxing at home on a cool autumn day, but dressy enough to go out for lunch, pick up groceries, or stop by the library. I love the pockets and the 3/4 length sleeves and it was even made in Canada!

Then there are the booties! Here’s a closer look. 

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Aren’t they cute? They’re not something I’d walk a long way in, but they sure dress up an outfit. They were made in France and look almost new. The bare ankle with bootie look won’t work for very long in our climate. In mid winter it would mean almost instant frostbite, but it’s a fun look for fall. 

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While we were busy taking photos, our beautiful next door kitty came over to see what we were doing and had to get in on the action! Sophie considers us some of her people and is always curious about what we’re up to. The photo gives you another close-up of the booties as well as a look at the colourful beaded bracelet that I wore with the outfit. 

We live in a small rural community and often when I wear something from one of our local thrift stores, I wonder if the original owner will notice and what they’ll think of how I style their cast-off. Interestingly though, in spite of the number of things that I’ve donated over the years, I’ve never seen anyone wearing one of them. I hope whoever wears my cast-offs next are as happy with them as I am with my new treasures. 

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Inspiration for a hot day

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LogoI often get outfit inspiration from other fashion bloggers. Back in April, when I saw this post from Jennifer Connolly, writer of A Well Styled Life, it sparked an idea for me.

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I bought a similar poly cotton dress at one of our local thrift stores several years ago, but until now I’d only used it as a cover up at the beach. I dug it out of the beach bag, washed it, hung it in my closet, and waited for the heat of summer to arrive here in Alberta. This week’s heat wave was the perfect time to try it out.

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As you can see, there are several differences between my dress and Jennifer’s, the most obvious being that mine is sleeveless and the stripes are much narrower. On closer inspection, you’ll see that the hemlines are also different. When we’re inspired by the way another woman dresses, the idea is not to copy her, but to take elements of what she’s wearing and make the look our own. I started by pairing the navy and white dress with a pair of black sandals, but I also tried it with my white leather sneakers. 

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If I was to step out of the shade where the photos were taken, I’d also want a hat to shield my face from the sun. 

And though it was much too hot for a jacket when the photos were taken, I really like the way the dress looks with a jean jacket. 

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One thing I did learn from all of this was how comfortable a dress like this can be on a really hot day. We rarely get a week like this one with temperatures in the high 30s C (90s F) but from now on, I think I’ll make sure that there are at least one or two casual dresses in my summer wardrobe.

PS. Happy Independence Day to all my American readers! We celebrated Canada Day on the 1st. 

 

How to wear a sweater dress

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LogoSweater dresses are a big hit this winter, perhaps because they’re so incredibly comfortable. If there was ever a year when we craved comfort, this has to be the one! I was fortunate to find this one on sale while doing some Christmas shopping recently. I bought it in midnight blue. 

Tall boots and sweater dresses are a very trendy look. They’re often shown with bare legs, but that doesn’t work in our climate, so I’m wearing mine with leggings. Since the boots are dark brown, I chose navy blue leggings rather than adding a third colour.  

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For a slightly edgier look, I switched the tall boots for a pair of black ankle boots and added a pair of cozy knit socks in almost the same shade as the dress.

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As far as footwear is concerned, almost anything goes with a sweater dress. In the remaining photos, I’m wearing a pair of flats, but the possibilities range from stilettos to sneakers. Come spring, I might try wearing the dress with bare legs and one of these pairs that both reside in my closet.

Some knits are loose or chunky and hide your figure, so cinching them in with a belt can be flattering. The heavier the knit, the wider you can go with the belt. Mine is a finer knit, so it looks best with a narrow belt. I’m not sure that it’s my best look though as it emphasizes the fact that I don’t have a very girlish waistline!

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Today’s photos aren’t as clear as I would have liked, so it might be a bit difficult to see that my dress has a split neck. In the next photo, I’ve buttoned it up to form a turtleneck. I haven’t worn turtlenecks much since my extensive neck surgery six and a half years ago because I haven’t found them comfortable, but this one was loose enough and soft enough not to bother me.

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As always, accessories complete a look. The finer the knit, the easier it is to dress up. The V created by a long necklace is flattering and elongates your look. Scarves are another way to enhance an outfit. This worked well enough with my turtleneck, but might look even better with a crew neck or V neck. 

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With Covid numbers escalating rapidly in our province and everyone being urged to stay at home, I probably won’t be shopping again for awhile, but I definitely wouldn’t mind adding another sweater dress to my wardrobe. They’re so versatile!

Styling an old favourite

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LogoI don’t wear dresses very often, but since our church reopened its doors in early July, I think I’ve worn a dress or a skirt every Sunday morning. I sometimes dress more casually for church, even wearing jeans on occasion, but since we haven’t been going very many places in recent months, it’s been nice to have a reason to dress up once a week. 

Fall has definitely descended on us here on the Canadian prairie and it was quite chilly this past Sunday morning. When I went to my closet to choose something to wear, I realized that almost all my dresses are better suited to the warm summer months. Then I spotted something in the back of the closet that I’d totally forgotten about.

I have no idea how long I’ve had the long, faux suede, sleeveless shirt dress, but it’s probably been in my closet for 20 years or more. It’s one of those pieces that I never got rid of simply because I’ve always loved it. It actually appeared on the blog almost exactly eight years ago, three and a half years before I started my weekly fashion feature! Here’s how I styled it then. The olive colour, very much on-trend this fall, is actually truer in this photo than in the ones we took on Sunday.  

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So, back to Sunday morning. I looked at this old favourite and wondered how I could style it for a chilly fall morning. Clearly, I would need to wear it over something with sleeves. I pulled out the Garden Blouse from the cabi Fall 2018 Collection which you saw earlier this year on this post and decided that it worked. Though the dress has a matching belt, I thought it looked better unbelted. 

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As I mentioned, it was a chilly morning and though you can’t tell from the photos, the wind was blowing. We snapped a few very quick pictures and headed back indoors! 

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Covid-19 continues to keep me out of the stores and shopping my own closet, but I do think I need to add some warmer dresses to my fashion wish list for the day when I’m finally able to go shopping again! In the meantime, I’m going to be looking for some more ways to style this old favourite with pieces that I already have. 

Busting the LBD myth

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LogoEvery woman needs a little black dress or so we’re told, but is it true? What about those of us who look completely washed out in black?  

The idea behind this so-called “essential”depositphotos_79714730-stock-illustration-fashion-little-black-dress-template is excellent. The LBD should be simple and elegant, something that can be dressed up or down depending on the occasion. It can be worn to work, to dinner, on a date, to a professional event, to a funeral, to church, to a party – the list is endless. It’s a classic piece that can be quickly and easily accessorized making it a simple choice when something unexpected comes up. It stands the test of time and never goes out of fashion.

But, does it have to be black? Absolutely not!  

For those of us with warm skin tones who don’t look good in black, navy is an excellent alternative, but your LBD that isn’t black could be another neutral colour or even bright red.

So, whether your LBD is black, navy blue, chocolate brown, charcoal, camel, or red, how do you choose the right one? First of all, make sure that the fit is perfect and choose a simple style that flatters your body shape. When you slip into it, you should feel glamorous. Length is optional. You can go as short as above the knee, choose a longer maxi style, or go for something in between. Avoid trendy hemlines as you want to wear it for many, many seasons.  Though the LBD is most often sleeveless, this is also a matter of choice. If you aren’t keen on your upper arms being seen, you can certainly opt for one with sleeves. If you travel a lot, choose a fabric that doesn’t come out of the suitcase looking like a wrinkled mess, ideally one that you can wash in a hotel sink and hang to dry.  

The power and versatility of the LBD of any colour is in the accessories. You can wear it with shiny jewelry and heels for a fancy party or pair it with ballet flats and a cardigan for a casual night out. Play around with scarves, wraps, necklaces, belts, and other accessories. Wear it with a blazer, a jean jacket, or a sparkly sweater. With one simple dress and the things you already have in your closet, you’ll create a multitude of different looks. 

So ladies, if you don’t already have a dress like this in your wardrobe, what are you waiting for? Just remember, it doesn’t have to be black!  

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The life story of a dress

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LogoOn October 2, 1996, Richard and I celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary with an intimate catered dinner party for ten people including our three teenage children, my bridesmaid, and his best man. I wanted a new dress for the occasion, so a girlfriend and I went to the city to shop. I had no idea what sort of dress I wanted, but I knew that it had to be special. After trying on a LOT of dresses and almost giving up entirely, we found the perfect one. Dark green embossed rayon that draped beautifully, tea length, flutter sleeves, scoop neck. I felt like a princess!

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October 2, 1996 with daughter, Melaina

Over the next few years, I wore the dress for a few other special occasions and then I carefully put it away in storage. I knew that I didn’t want to part with it, but little did I expect that our daughter would ask me to wear it to her wedding on December 16, 2006!

After Melaina’s wedding, the dress went back into storage and rested there for another twelve years. Last Saturday, I wore it again! Very close friends celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary with a vow renewal ceremony and reception. Like Melaina, Dan and Michelle were university students who married during their Christmas break from school. They didn’t have a big celebration or a dance, but thirty years later they had the “wedding” that Michelle had always dreamed of! I knew I’d want to wear something special.

Clothing is generally considered vintage when it’s at least 20 years old. My now vintage dress seemed the perfect thing for the occasion! This time I wore it with light pink pumps, Michelle’s favourite colour, and an emerald necklace that was my mother’s.

Girlfriends! We call ourselves the Rav4.

That’s the “bride” on my left. The flower girl had just knocked her headpiece askew!

I wore the dress again on New Year’s Eve and now it’s back in storage. I wonder if it will appear again someday and what the occasion might be?

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!