Fashion

Look what I found!

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LogoEvery spring and fall when I do my seasonal closet switch, there are decisions to be made about what to put away for the following year and what to get rid of. At the beginning of each season, I turn all the hangers in my closet around. If the hanger is still turned at the end of the season, I know that that item was never worn and that I should think about shipping it off to the second-hand store. This year is a little different though. We had such a non-summer here in Alberta that there are more unturned hangers than usual. There simply weren’t enough truly warm days to wear all my summer clothes!

Sometimes there are items in my closet that I haven’t worn for a long time that I can’t bear to part with. Those go into storage and sometimes they remain there for several years. Eventually some of them come back into circulation. I’ve shared a few of those on the blog before and today I’m going to show you one that’s coming out of hibernation this fall.

In a recent post about wearing black and brown with confidence, Pam Lutrell of Over 50 Feeling 40, shared this outfit.

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The Eileen Fisher jacket, which had apparently been in her closet for a long time, immediately brought to mind a similar one that I used to wear. I knew that it would look great over my new zebra top, but did I still have it? I couldn’t remember for sure! It was a much loved piece, gifted to me by my very generous sister-in-law. Surely, I wouldn’t have gotten rid of it. I went looking and sure enough, there it was, just waiting to be resurrected!

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I used to wear a lot of brown. So much so that I eventually tired of it. Now that brown is so on-trend again and I’ve had a nice long break from it, I’m definitely ready to put this piece back into circulation.

Though the jacket is old, you may have noticed something brand new in my photo… my haircut, fresh from the hairdresser! Now that summer is pretty much over and I don’t need to be able to put it in a ponytail to golf, it was time for a shorter do.

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How do you decide which garments to keep and which to get rid of?

The art of getting dressed

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LogoBefore we look at how we dress, let’s consider why we clothe our bodies. First of all, not to would be considered immodest and in most cases illegal! Of course, we also dress to protect our bodies from cold and from the damaging rays of the sun. If those were our only reasons for wearing clothing though, we could all dress the same and we’d only need two outfits each, one to wear and one to launder. We’d need very little closet space, it would be so much easier on the environment, and just think of how much money we’d save! It would also be incredibly BORING!

Clearly, our clothes serve another purpose. They are an expression of who we are, of our individual uniqueness. That’s why I encourage you to identify your personal style if you haven’t already done so.

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It’s also important to dress the body you have, not the one you want or the one you used to have. Like most fashion bloggers, I don’t show you how I dress in hopes that you’ll copy me. Absolutely not! My goal is to encourage and inspire you to experiment with fashion and to learn how to dress in a way that fits your personality and makes you happy. I love the comment that one reader left on another blog recently. She said, “You wear you and I’ll wear me!”

Getting dressed is like creating a work of art. Every morning, you start with a blank canvas. Many artists begin a painting with the background. We, too, need a good foundation to build our work of art on. That means wearing good quality undergarments that fit well and keep everything in place.

Next we begin to fill our painting with the larger shapes. As you look into your closet and choose which pieces to use to build your outfit, consider where you’ll be going, what you’ll be doing, and what you want your look to say about you. Once you’ve established that, use accessories and makeup to add finishing touches to your work of art.

Artists also experiment with colour. While having your colours “done” and sticking to a specific palette (no, I haven’t found my swatches!) may seem too restrictive, it does help to know which colours make you come alive and which, especially when they’re worn close to your face, make you look tired or washed out. Knowing whether your skin has cool or warm undertones can help in choosing the colours that are best for you. One easy way to figure this out is to look at the veins on the inside of your wrist. Do they look blue or green? If they appear more blue, you are cool-toned; if they’re more green, you’re warm toned. The study of colour can be a complex one, but essentially, if you are cool-toned, take your inspiration from the cool end of the spectrum. Bright blues, deep purples, emerald greens, and frosty shades of lavender, ice blue, and pink will look good on you. If you’re warm-toned, look to the warm end of the spectrum for your best colours. Think fiery reds, peach, coral, oranges and rusty tones, creams, camel, and earth tones. Of course, there are also those universal colours that look good on everyone. In addition to experimenting with colour, you might enjoy mixing patterns as well.

Now, at the start of each day, whether you’re going somewhere special or just staying home, take a look in your closet and create a fabulous work of art! You are so worth it!

 

Zebra stripes, more than just a fashion trend

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LogoIn August 2013, I was diagnosed with neuroendocrine cancer (NETS). In August of this year, I attended a cabi party and treated myself to a zebra print top from the Fall 2019 Uniquely Us Collection. Those might seem like two completely unrelated random facts, but they aren’t.

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The zebra is the symbol of neuroendocrine cancer. Neuroendocrine tumours are difficult to diagnose. The symptoms are usually vague and similar to more common health problems. Many family doctors have never encountered a NETS patient. When presented with symptoms like stomach pain and diarrhea, they naturally think of things like Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Crohn’s Disease or lactose intolerance. Flushing, especially in women of a certain age, makes them think menopause, not cancer. Medical students are taught “when hearing hoofbeats, think of horses, not zebras.” Neuroendocrine tumours are rare and therefore they are considered to be zebras.

Some NETS patients and advocates think the zebra symbol is foolish, that it trivializes the grave nature of our disease, and would like to see us stop using it. I disagree. I think we need to take advantage of every opportunity to draw attention to our cause and if that includes zebra stripes, I’m all for it!

Since my diagnosis, I’ve noticed zebra stripes everywhere! As I mentioned in last Friday’s post on trends for fall 2019, the zebra motif is particularly popular this season, but animal prints never go out of style and the zebra has been around for a long time. I’ve seen zebra t-shirts, zebra leggings, zebra jeans, zebra pjs, and zebra bras. I’ve also seen zebra handbags, zebra luggage, and even a zebra golf bag.

I remember trying on a darling zebra dress a couple of years ago, but I didn’t buy it. Like most zebra garments, its stark black and white pattern wasn’t flattering on me. With my pale Spring complexion, I look better in warmer tones. That’s why my new cabi top is so perfect. With its creamy vanilla background and chocolate ganache stripes (doesn’t that sound yummy?) it’s perfect for me.

With soft flutter sleeves, the top is a good stand alone piece for the occasional warm summery day that we enjoy at this time of year, but worn under sweaters and jackets, it will transition well into fall and winter. When worn alone, underarm insets provide good armhole coverage. While the neckline isn’t immodestly low, it leaves enough décolletage exposed to nicely frame a statement necklace. The top looks great tucked in, worn loose, or belted.

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I even tried mixing animal prints. Because both prints are within the same colour family, I think it works!

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For today’s photo shoot, I wore my DIY frayed white jeans. Later in the season, I’ll pair the zebra top with darker pants or skirt, but obviously I don’t adhere to the antiquated don’t wear white after Labour Day rule!

And what am I wearing on my feet, you ask? A pair of flip flops that I bought for $5 at Walmart’s end of season clearance sale. They perfectly match my golden summertime toes!

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Talking about trends: Fall 2019

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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!

How to shop like a celebrity

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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!

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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?

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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Too busy for fashion!

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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.

Wardrobe building with neutrals

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LogoTo an interior designer, neutral means without colour and is used to refer to shades of beige, ivory, and taupe as well as black, white, and grey. In fashion, we expand this list to include all those great colours that don’t compete with anything else; colours that can be worn with pretty much anything in the closet. No wardrobe is complete without them.

Earth tones including shades of brown, tan, olive and khaki can be added to our list of fashion neutrals as can navy blue. If you’re not sure about navy being a neutral, just ask yourself where most of us would be without blue jeans. One of the reasons for their popularity is the fact that a dark jean goes with absolutely everything. Like the other neutrals, they make getting dressed easy.

Just because neutrals can go with any other colours doesn’t mean that every fashion neutral looks good on every woman. It’s important to identify which ones work best with your colouring. For most of my life I hesitated to wear black or white, especially close to my face, because they washed me out. Instead, I gravitated toward the warmer earth tones. As I’ve aged and my hair has greyed, I can get away with wearing black and white, but when I do I still need to add a bit of colour near my face or amp up my makeup a bit. A bright lip helps a lot.

Metals including gold, silver, pewter, copper, and bronze are also considered fashion neutrals. They most often appear as jewelry, but they can also work their way into our wardrobes as other accessories such as shoes and handbags, and sometimes even as clothing for special occasions or holiday dressing.

Patterns that are made up of neutral colours are also considered neutrals in the fashion world. Animal prints in black, white, grey, brown, gold, or tan are a good example of this, but stripes, plaids, and geometric patterns can also work as neutrals.

Neutrals can be worn year round, though the lighter shades tend to be more common in summer and the darker ones in winter. Off-white, tan, beige, brown, olive or moss green, and dark navy are particularly on trend this season, but you can never go completely wrong with any neutral. They have the advantage of being timeless colours. Because they go so well with everything, they’re also great wardrobe multipliers allowing you to create many different outfit combinations. This makes them especially valuable for building a small but versatile travel wardrobe.

A good wardrobe building tip is to choose two or three neutral colours that you like and that look good on you and begin by collecting fashion basics in these colours. Wearing only neutrals is very conservative, perhaps even boring, so you’ll probably want to add some brighter colours to wear with them. Unless you have an unlimited clothing budget, though, it’s a good idea to spend the bulk of it on neutrals.