Fashion

Seasonal changes

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I love to hang onto summer for as long as I can, but after looking out my window at this for several days in a row, I knew that the time had come to do my semi annual closet switch. I decided that I would make the seasonal change as soon as we got home from spending the Canadian Thanksgiving weekend with our daughter and her family.

Then this happened while we were there and that definitely confirmed my decision!

This is the time of year when I put away my spring/summer wardrobe and bring out fall/winter, but it’s also a time to cull my wardrobe and get rid of things that should no longer take up space in my closet. That could be because they’re worn out, because they no longer fit as well as they once did, or simply because I no longer enjoy wearing them. If they don’t speak my style adjectives, classy, casual, comfortable, confident, and authentic, they need to go.

This year, in addition to putting several items into a donate pile, I had another option for some of the pieces that I no longer want to keep. I put them aside to take to the new consignment shop that opened in our area this summer.

As I put each new season’s clothes into the closet, I turn all the hangers around. Then, when I wear an item, I turn its hanger back the right way. At the end of the season, if an item is still hanging backwards, it’s a clear signal that I need to consider whether or not to keep it. Unlike some, however, who advise getting rid of anything that hasn’t been worn during the current season or in the past year, I sometimes hang onto pieces that I haven’t worn for quite awhile. Over the years, I’ve occasionally enjoyed resurrecting some of those items and have even shared a few of them here on the blog.

While a seasonal closet change is essential for most of us living in a northern climate, there is one change that won’t be happening here this year. Our clocks won’t be falling back an hour in late October or early November. Despite the fact that Albertans voted in favour of continuing the twice yearly time change in a so-called binding referendum in 2021, our provincial government has made the decision to eliminate seasonal time changes and adopt year-round daylight savings time. Although I like the idea of having sunlight for an extra hour during winter afternoons, many object to the fact that darkness will last later into the mornings. Needless to say, they’re unhappy that their vote appears not to have meant anything and it definitely makes me wonder whether or not our government will adhere to the outcome of next week’s referendum on whether or not there’s enough support to move ahead on the issue of Alberta separating from Canada. But, enough about politics! I have strong feeling about the topic of separation, but I’m not ready to air them here.

Although I never like letting go of summer, there are some things that I do like about this time of year. It’s bittersweet because we know that the long, cold winter is just around the corner, but the sunny, golden days when snow doesn’t fall are glorious. As I turn my closet, I look forward to wearing cozy sweaters and boots again and this fall I’m finally able to start wearing my new leather jacket. It’s also a time to return to routines and activities that were suspended over the summer months.

Do you live where there are four distinct seasons each year? What do you like or dislike about seasonal changes?

Styling a new jacket from The Jacket Maker

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Today I’m delighted to share with you a new addition to my wardrobe, the Suzy Mocha Suede Trucker Jacket from The Jacket Maker. A leather jacket is a timeless, stylish, and practical wardrobe staple that looks fantastic on men and women of all ages.

Founded in 2015, the goal of The Jacket Maker is to give consumers high quality leather jackets at affordable prices. They do this by cutting out the retail middlemen, designing and manufacturing their products in-house and selling them directly to consumers online. Shipping is free and the jacket comes to your door directly from the manufacturer in Karachi, Pakistan. It even comes with its own breathable, fabric garment bag.

Women’s leather jackets from The Jacket Maker come in standard sizes from XXS to 3XL, but for a very reasonable extra charge, they can also be made to measure. Choosing the right jacket can be a challenge though as there are so many styles to choose from!

I have always loved the soft, rich feel of suede so that helped narrow my choices. Although the label is less specific, the website says that my jacket is made of goatskin and like the majority of the fashion industry, The Jacket Maker uses leather that is a co-product of the meat industry.

I knew that I wanted my jacket to be a dark, warm brown. Not only has brown always been a favourite neutral of mine, one that compliments my complexion, but chocolate brown continues to be a dominant colour trend for fall 2026. It serves as a new, softer alternative to black.

Although I’ve just received the jacket and can’t speak to its durability, the quality and workmanship appear to be very good. The bronze colour of the YKK zipper and the snaps compliment the dark brown very nicely. The jacket has four outside pockets as well as two inner ones that are both large enough to hold my cell phone.

My one complaint would be that the lower front pockets aren’t big enough to fully slip my hands into, but I do like the way that they fit into the seams of the jacket’s front panels. The jacket is fully lined with quilted viscose, a premium quality lining fabric.

The boxy trucker style, very similar in cut and design to an iconic jean jacket, has a relaxed feel that makes it a great go-to item for casual wear, but the luxe suede makes it easy to dress up for an evening out. Let’s look at five different ways that I might style my new jacket with items that are already in my closet.

A leather jacket always elevates the look of a casual jeans and t-shirt outfit. Here, I’m wearing a pair of worn and slightly faded jeans, a simple white tee, and white sneakers.

For a slightly dressier look, I switched out the jeans for a newer dark wash pair, the t-shirt for a classier animal print top, and the sneakers for black shoes.

I probably won’t be wearing the jacket much during the heat of summer, but when fall arrives, it will be perfect! Although the trucker style has a fitted silhouette, there’s room for a sweater underneath for added warmth when it’s needed. Here, I’m wearing the jacket with a cozy knit pullover instead of the sleeveless animal print top and I added a slouchy cap.

Now let’s really change things up and go for a dressier, date night look.

And finally, I paired the jacket with a black t-shirt, a paisley patterned skirt, black boots, and a hat. I called this my Bohemian look, but hubby, who also acts as the patient photographer for all my fashion posts, thought I only needed a rifle to look like Annie Oakley!

And, my friends, as they say in show business, that’s a wrap! If you’re looking for a leather jacket (men’s or women’s), you won’t go wrong with The Jacket Maker!

Disclaimer: I was provided with free product for this post, but the words are entirely my own.

Exploring Saskatoon in style

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Today I have a little bit of Fashion Friday and a little bit of travel for you all in one short post! Hubby and I spent three days this week representing our church at a denominational conference in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. While most of our time was spent in meetings, we had some free time to do a bit of exploring on Wednesday afternoon. We decided to spend it walking a small portion of the Meewasin Trail, a scenic multi-use pathway that stretches over 105 km in and around the city, mainly along the South Saskatchewan River.

A big question for me was what to wear when I would be spending a significant amount of time in an air-conditioned venue, but also a couple of hours walking outdoors in 32ºC (90ºF) heat!! Here’s what I chose.

The white jeans were a thrift store purchase several summers ago and have appeared on the blog before, but the open-weave crocheted top, worn here over a white cami, is a recent acquisition purchased at a new consignment shop in our area. The sunglasses in my left hand and the hat were very important accessories on such a hot, sunny day and I also wore my Ecco Yucatan walking sandals that provided much needed support as we ended up walking 7 km (4.3 miles) on paved pathways.

We accessed the trail and started our walk across the street from the historic Knox United Church. Built between 1912 and 1914, it is a designated municipal heritage building.

Another historic building along our route was the iconic Bessborough Hotel, Saskatoon’s castle on the river, which is presently closed for major interior renovations.

A little further along, we passed some much more modern architecture.

The beautiful Zhongshan Ting pagoda in Victoria Park was donated to the city in 2015 to commemorate the first Chinese immigrants and their contributions to early Saskatoon.

Fragrant blossoms and the presence of many pairs of Canada Geese were signs of the season. This fellow kept a close eye on us as while his partner grazed and we were careful not to annoy him. While these large birds become very comfortable in urban areas, they can also be highly aggressive, especially during their spring breeding and nesting seasons.

For the last bit of our walk back to the vehicle, we left the riverside and walked along Spadina Crescent. There, we came across one of the most recognized and photographed landmarks in the area, the Tribute to Youth statue. The life-sized bronze sculpture featuring five children with interlocked limbs forms a sphere and captures a sense of childlike play and energy. They definitely appeared to have more energy than I did at the end of our 7 km walk!

Dressing intentionally for medical appointments

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It’s been quite awhile since I last published a fashion post or said anything about my health on here, so I today I thought I’d tell you how I dressed intentionally for two medical appointments earlier this week. I did, of course, want to look well put together for a trip to the city, but there were many other factors to consider as I reached into my closet that morning.

The first appointment was for an ultrasound on my left ankle to take a look at a growth that I noticed recently. It’s likely another schwannoma (benign nerve sheath tumour) like the one behind my left knee, but we need to know for sure that it isn’t something more worrisome. Since spring is finally here and the forecast called for a warm day, it made sense to wear sandals and pants that easily exposed my ankle for the test. Also, capri pants are back in style for 2026 which makes me very happy!

When we arrived at the Cross Cancer Institute for my second appointment, a routine CT scan to check on my neuroendocrine cancer, I had hubby snap a few quick photos for this post.

When I dress for these CT scans, there are many things that I take into consideration. First, there can be absolutely no metal on anything that I wear into the scanner. I have very few pairs of pants that don’t have metal on them somewhere… zippers, buttons, snaps, or grommets. I usually have to change into a pair of baggy hospital pj pants for my scans, but this particular pair of stretchy capris are completely metal-free. They were a win for both appointments!

The animal print t-shirt ticked several important boxes. Like the pants, it has no metal bits or pieces. I do wear an underwire bra though, so that has to come off. I could don a hospital gown, but I much prefer to wear my own top. In order to do that, I want it to be loose enough and made of dense enough fabric that the unfettered girls aren’t too obvious when I’m sitting in the waiting room. Also, I have to have an IV placed in the crook of my arm to deliver the contrast dye during my scan, so a cap-sleeved top like this one works well for that. This time, I also wanted to wear a top with a high neckline to cover two fairly large moles on my collarbone area that were burned with liquid nitrogen a week earlier as they were still looking pretty nasty.

The jean jacket was simply a topper to complete the outfit. It came off for the scan, of course.

Although I like my outfits to meet all five of my style adjectives… classy, casual, comfortable, confident, and authentic… the primary thought behind this one was practicality. It warmed my heart, however, when the receptionist at the first clinic told me that I looked elegant! Her compliment reminded me how easy it is to make a positive difference in someone’s day. She went on to comment specifically on my blue and silver earrings and brooch. If you look closely, you can see part of one of the earrings in this photo.

With the exception of my sandals, and earrings (and of course, my undergarments), this outfit was entirely thrifted. The brooch, which elevates the jean jacket from ordinary to eye-catching, cost me a whopping 25¢ several years ago!

The Devil Loves Prada 2

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Since we don’t live close to our grown children and their families and weren’t going to be seeing any of them yesterday, hubby suggested earlier in the week that we should go out for dinner and a movie on Mother’s Day. I chose The Devil Wears Prada 2. Considering the fact that it’s been 20 years since the original movie was released and close to that long since we had seen it, we decided to watch it on Disney+ on Friday evening to refresh our memories. I’m glad we did. While the sequel, with its return of the original cast, could be enjoyed as a stand alone, it definitely features character callbacks and references to the original.

I wasn’t sure what to expect as sequels are often disappointing, but in this case, I was pleasantly surprised. We both thoroughly enjoyed the movie. The script writers did an admirable job of handling the 20-year time span and I loved seeing 76-year-old Meryl Streep still rocking the big screen. The movie also showed very clearly the major changes that have taken place in the world of journalism and the magazine industry over the past two decades.

Of course, how could I not enjoy a movie about fashion and writing? The often flamboyant outfits were a sight to behold, but one piece especially captured my attention. I absolutely loved Miranda Priestly’s (Meryl Streep) cropped and tasseled Dries Van Noten jacket!

It’s interesting to note that the jacket almost didn’t make it into the movie. Apparently, it sparked quite a controversy with some in the studio wanting to axe it, but Meryl Streep herself convinced them that it was an important addition that fit the scene very well. It has rightfully become a fan favourite and I foresee similarly embellished jackets becoming a trend!

I also enjoyed the portions of the movie that were filmed on location in Milan, Italy as they brought back wonderful memories of our very brief time there in 2019. Glimpses of the magnificent Duomo reminded me of our astounding time on its very ornate rooftop and watching Meryl Streep walk the length of the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, a very high end shopping mall that we also walked, was definitely a fun moment. You can read about our afternoon in Milan and see more photos here.

At one point in the movie, Stanley Tucci’s character, Nigel makes the rather disparaging comment, “Look what TJ Maxx dragged in.” For those of you, especially amongst my Canadian readers, who aren’t familiar with TJ Maxx, it is similar to our Winners and is, in fact, owned by the same parent company. Obviously, the off-price retailer wasn’t impressed with the snarky line in the movie, but rather than respond in a negative way, they saw it as a “can’t miss” opportunity. Flipping the script, they hired Tucci and came out with this absolutely brilliant ad.

So, if you’re wondering if The Devil Wears Prada 2 is worth seeing, I say yes!

Family, fashion, and waiting for spring

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I can’t believe it’s been almost three weeks since I last published a blog post! That’s not because I haven’t been writing though. I’m going to be speaking at a ladies retreat at our church a couple of weeks from now and although I know what I want to say, I’m not a confident enough speaker to do that off the cuff, so yes, I’ve been busy writing! I’ve been asked to speak for about half an hour in the morning and another half hour in the afternoon.

Did you know that an hour of public speaking involves about 8000 words? Considering the fact that my blog posts average about 1000 words each, that’s equal to about 8 of them. I’m actually thinking that what I’m preparing for the retreat might provide material for a few posts once it’s over, but we’ll see how it goes first. 

As usual, life has been busy with other things as well. Shortly before Easter, we spent several days with our daughter’s family visiting and then helping out while she had surgery. (She’s recovering well and back to work now.) On the morning of her operation, after getting up early to see the kids off to school, I managed to slip over to the nearby mall to do a bit of shopping. I had just one thing in mind. New jeans. My old favourites, the two pairs that I wear more than anything else in my wardrobe, are definitely showing their age. It was time to find some new ones before they wore out completely. 

I knew that finding the right jeans might take awhile as I often have a hard time buying pants that fit because of my boyish figure. I’m definitely not a curvy girl and a lot of pants bag at the hips. I tried on several styles in the first store I visited, but none of them were what I was looking for. Just down the mall I found a Mark’s, a Canadian retailer that specializes in casual clothing, footwear, and industrial workwear. They carry a vast array of jeans. I had no idea where to begin, but I received the best service that I’ve experienced in any store in a very long time. The salesgirl was unhurried and totally attentive. After asking a few questions about my preferences, she directed me to shelves full of Levis and suggested that I try the 314 Straight and 315 Bootcut styles. She also wisely advised that I try one waist size smaller than usual as these shape-enhancing jeans have a lot of stretch. Although both styles fit perfectly and the super-soft denim was very comfortable, the bootcut style won out. Even if they hadn’t been on a buy one, get the second pair 50% off sale, I would have bought two pairs. 

Levi’s 315 Shaping Mid-rise Bootcut Jeans

Thankfully, the search for new jeans didn’t take as long as I thought it might. Shortly after I paid for them, my phone rang and I had to leave the mall in a hurry to pick up a grandson who wasn’t feeling well. When I arrived at the school, he looked sickly pale, but apparently it was only anxiety over Mom being in surgery. Once we got the news that she was out and all had gone well, he was fine again! 

The following day, once Mom was home and settled in, we left and headed three hours north to our youngest son’s home. His kids were on their spring break that week, so we enjoyed a few days with them as well. 

Speaking of spring, it’s been very slow coming this year. Earlier this week, there was a flock of robins in our backyard one morning, but a couple of hours later a mini blizzard dropped a couple of inches of fresh snow. Today the sun was shining and the temperature finally crept above 10ºC (50ºF). We watched thousands of snow geese fly high overhead on the way to their Arctic breeding grounds, but now I see that there’s more wet snow in the forecast! I fear that it will be a while yet before we’re out on the golf course and before I’m ready to do my seasonal wardrobe switch. 

In the meantime, I must get back to preparing for the ladies retreat.  

2025 fashion shopping review

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I know it’s not Friday, the day I usually try to write about fashion, but it’s that weird limbo between Christmas and New Years when we’re all out of routine and no one seems to know for sure what day it is, so bear with me.

For the past eight years, I’ve kept a list of all my fashion purchases including clothing, accessories, and footwear. Initially, I had three goals in mind. I was interested in finding out more about my spending habits, I wanted to be more intentional about wardrobe development, and I wanted to work on becoming a more ethical shopper. At the end of each year I’ve published a fashion shopping review analyzing my purchases and setting some goals for the next year.

When I started this exercise back in 2018, I bought 35 items. 30 of them were purchased new and the other 5 were thrifted. I spent approximately $1135 CAD. In 2024, I bought only 14 items. 9 of them were new and again, 5 were thrifted. I spent $420.58. This past year, I purchased 14 items again, 11 new and 3 thrifted, and spent a total of just $318.29!

Although buying less is good for both the planet and the pocketbook, I’m not entirely happy with my 2025 clothing purchases. In addition to replacing worn out underwear (I counted a package of 6 as one item) and pyjamas, I bought a pair of warm winter gloves, a few tops, and a jacket. That’s all! I feel like I’ve let my wardrobe slip and I find myself reaching for the same old pieces over and over again. That’s also why I’ve found it hard to maintain the Fashion Friday aspect of the blog with any regularity. After all, who wants to read about my same old, same old boring wardrobe? 😂

I did purchase two accessories this year, but both could also be considered souvenirs. I bought a necklace in a little kiosk in a bus station in Mexico and a pair of silver earrings in an open marketplace in Armenia.

My most expensive wardrobe purchase this year was the one pair of shoes that I bought, a pair of classic leather Clarks with low heels and a patent toe cap that gives them a dressy look. They’re super comfy and can be worn with anything from a fancy dress to jeans. One thing I’ve learned as I’ve aged is that comfortable, quality footwear is always a good investment and I’d been looking for something like these for quite awhile.

As I look ahead to 2026, my main wardrobe shopping goal is quite different from previous years. I actually want to shop more! As a frugal fashionista, I’m not about to go overboard, but my closet definitely needs some updating. At the same time, I fully intend to continue avoiding fast fashion, buying quality pieces that will last, and attempting to shop for ethically sourced garments (which is much easier said than done). I’ll also continue to track my purchases so that I can evaluate again a year from now.

Dressing for the holiday season

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I used to think that dressing for Christmas events meant putting together festive outfits that incorporated sequins, glitter, metallics, satiny fabrics or velvet in holiday colours like red, green, or gold. But what if that’s not you? If glitz and glam is your thing, then by all means, indulge your inner princess, but if it’s not, don’t try to be someone you’re not. I’m here to tell you that dressing for the holidays shouldn’t turn you into a completely different person. Instead, consider your style personality, how you like to dress the rest of the year, then elevate it slightly to make it appropriate for the holiday events you’ll be attending.  

I’ve written about style adjectives many times before. These are three to five descriptive words that describe your personal style and help you create outfits that say what you want to say about yourself. My adjectives are classy, casual, comfortable, confident, and authentic. In creating outfits for Christmas events, I might want to play into the classy aspect of my style a bit more than the casual side, but I definitely want to be authentic; true to who I am as opposed to trying to look like someone I’m not.  

Holiday outfits should feel special, but they don’t have to involve buying dozens of Christmassy pieces that will languish in your closet eleven months of the year. Instead, look at what’s already in your closet that might lean toward festive with the addition of the right accessories. A black skirt or pants paired with a cream or red sweater could form the basis of an outfit that would be appropriate for most Christmas occasions. Add some glittery earrings or a festive brooch, a dressy handbag, and the right shoes or boots and you’re ready to go. 

Now let’s look at what I wore for the one Christmas event that I’ve attended so far, a ladies banquet and fashion show. Since my style uniform throughout the winter months often consists of jeans, a pullover top, and a third piece, it was easy to follow the same formula but dress it up with pieces that have been in my closet for several years.

The black pants are left over from my teaching days, so they’re probably 20 years old or more! They were hidden away in storage for many years when wide legs were out of style; one of the few times that I was smart enough to hang onto something until a trend returned! Now they’re my go-to pants when I need something dressy. The simple sleeveless top has also been around for years. It’s one of those sparkly items that only comes out at this time of year and adds a Christmassy feel to the outfit. The cozy sweater jacket was thrifted several winters ago. I knew that it would keep me warm even if the venue was a bit cool. I accessorized the outfit with a simple black belt, black booties, and a pair of sparkly earrings.  

Before I close, I want to thank everyone for the very kind responses to last week’s post that were left here on the blog or on Facebook. I appreciated them so much! ❤ I’m happy to report that I’m feeling much better now. My appetite has returned and my energy level is improving day by day. I’m still committed to keeping Christmas simple this year though! 

Book of the month – November 2025

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CLAIRE McCARDELL The Designer Who Set Women Free

Elizabeth Evitts Dickinson

When Jennifer Connolly of A Well Styled Life, mentioned this fascinating biography in a post a couple of months ago, I knew I had to read it. A book about fashion and a woman ahead of her time all wrapped up in one! What’s not to like? I immediately searched our interlibrary loan system and requested it. I was not disappointed.

At a time when American designers were still copying Parisian fashions and dressing society women who could afford to change their clothes three times a day, McCardell fought to introduce functional ready-to-wear clothing for modern women who, like herself, were going to work, playing sports, and traveling. She introduced “menswear” fabrics like denim and tweed into womenswear. She invented ballet flats and although they shocked beachgoers at the time, she designed swimsuits that were actually comfortable to swim in! Thanks to her, we have wrap dresses, hoodies, and leggings, and although she didn’t use the term, she introduced the concept of a capsule wardrobe; a small collection of versatile, quality clothing items that could be mixed and matched to create a wide variety of outfits. And, perhaps best of all, she insisted that women’s clothing should have functional pockets! 

When interviewed by a popular radio host who asked her, “Do you believe the old saying that you have to suffer to be beautiful?”, McCardell responded, “I certainly don’t. When you’re uncomfortable you are likely to show it. That’s why I make even my most formal dresses as comfortable as a playsuit. Clothes should stay put too, so there is no temptation to be forever pulling, pinching, and adjusting them which spoils your own fun and makes everyone else fidgety. You never look really well-dressed when you’re overconscious of what you have on. Comfort should be a keynote of style.” Definitely a woman after my own heart! 

The great zebra debate

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There’s a great debate in neuroendocrine cancer circles over the use of the zebra as our symbol. At one extreme are patients, usually women, who show up at meetings and conferences decked out from head to toe in zebra stripes and who refer to one another as fellow zebras. On the other side of the debate, the world’s best known and most highly revered patient advocate is so opposed to the idea that he doesn’t allow anything zebra on his social media sites. He thinks that it’s an infantile gimmick that trivializes the grave nature of our disease and that it’s actually detrimental as an awareness tool.

So, how did the zebra become our symbol in the first place? In North America, medical students are taught “when hearing hoofbeats, think of horses, not zebras.” Neuroendocrine tumours (NETS) are very difficult to diagnose. The symptoms are usually vague and similar to more common health problems. Many family doctors have never encountered a NETS patient so when they’re presented with symptoms like stomach pain and diarrhea, they naturally think of things like Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Crohn’s Disease or lactose intolerance. They think of “horses”, not “zebras”.

When it comes to the great zebra debate, I stand somewhere in the middle. I think we need to take advantage of every available opportunity to draw attention to our cause and if that includes zebra stripes, I’m fine with that. After all, branding works. For example, the pink ribbon and the colour itself have become highly recognized symbols of breast cancer. While you’ll never see me wearing zebra stripes from head to toe, partly because I think it looks silly and partly because I don’t look good in black and white, I do have a zebra striped top in cream and brown and on occasion, wearing it has led to a conversation about my cancer.

Although within weeks of learning that I had neuroendocrine cancer, I wrote a blog post entitled I’m a zebra!, I’ve now joined the ranks of those who cringe at being called that. Referring to ourselves as zebras makes it sound like we’re part of an exclusive club or a cult! Zebra refers to a diagnosis, not a person. While I have NET cancer, I am not my disease.

In my advocacy role and as a support group leader, I work with patients on both sides of the great zebra debate. I would really like to know your opinion. Do you think that symbols like the zebra and the striped ribbon can be effective in spreading awareness of a disease? Or do you think that they’re silly and make light of an important topic? Please leave a comment and let me know.

And, in closing, although it has very little to do with today’s topic, I can’t resist sharing the cover of the January 15, 1926 issue of Vogue magazine!