Footwear

2024 fashion shopping review

/ edebock / 2 Comments

logo-by-samFor the past seven years, I have 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. What I’ve found is that over those years, my shopping habits have changed significantly.

In 2018, I bought 35 items. 30 of them were purchased new and the other 5 were thrifted. I spent approximately $1135 CAD. This year, I bought only 14 items. 9 of them were new and again, 5 were thrifted. I spent $420.58.

Why such a dramatic change? In the past, I tended to buy on impulse. I saw something I liked and I bought it. Now, most of my purchases are planned. Also, for several years, I regularly shopped with friends. I often gave in to their opinions about what looked good on me or what I ought to buy instead of trusting my own instincts. Although most of the clothes that I bought were good quality and I still have some wonderful pieces that I wear regularly, I also ended up with a number of purchases that I regretted making and seldom wore. Discovering more about my personal style and deciding on 5 style adjectives to describe it made a big difference to my shopping habits.

I also find that I don’t actually enjoy shopping as much as I used to. I’ve spent so little time in stores over the past few years that unless I’m looking for something specific that I’ve already looked at online, I tend to find them quite overwhelming. Time is also an issue. Whenever we’re in the city, we have so many things to accomplish that I don’t have time to simply browse, try things on, and enjoy the experience. Perhaps one goal for the coming year should be to set aside some time to do exactly that.

So, after all that self-examination, let’s take a look at what I bought this year.

  • 1 pair of lightweight, wide legged pants
  • 6 tops
  • 2 sweaters
  • 1 denim jacket
  • 1 pair of knit gloves
  • 1 ball cap
  • 1 pair of hiking shoes
  • 1 pair of slippers

I didn’t buy any accessories this year. In fact, I’ve decided that I have way too many and one of my goals for the coming year is to sort through them and narrow down my collection to those that I actually wear or am likely to wear again. I also didn’t buy any socks, underwear, or sleepwear. That will likely change in the coming year as those things do wear out.

By far the most expensive item that I bought this year was my Merrell Moab 3 hiking shoes, but they are worth every cent that I spent. As much as I enjoy thrift store shopping, good quality footwear is something that I’m willing to spend a significant amount of money on. I consider it an investment in healthy feet and I’m excited about all the places that those shoes might take me.

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Here are a few of my other favourite fashion purchases from the past year. All of them have appeared on the blog before.

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A simple cropped linen top.

Both these sweaters have been getting lots of wear this winter. The one on the left was thrifted, the other one bought new.

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My denim military jacket.

Not all of my purchases were as successful as these ones. One shirt was only worn a couple of times before I decided that it didn’t suit me. I donated it back to the thrift store where I bought it and hope that it has found a place in someone else’s wardrobe who will appreciate it more than I did. The pants were completely appropriate at the resort where I bought them last January, but they don’t fit my at-home wardrobe very well and were only worn once or twice during the summer. I guess another goal for 2025 should be to not make any more fashion shopping blunders!

My other fashion shopping goals for the coming year are really a continuation of the things I’ve learned to do over the past few years. They include avoiding fast fashion and buying quality pieces that will last, attempting to shop for ethically sourced garments (which is much easier said than done), and continuing to track my purchases so that I can evaluate again a year from now.

Staying chic in winter: essential outerwear tips

/ edebock / 4 Comments

logo-by-samIn response to last Friday’s post, one of my regular readers made this comment on Facebook… “In addition to your tips, there are two items I think will help you look put together. In our cold climate most people we meet will only see our outerwear, so I invest in a nice flattering coat and boots. They go a long way to creating good first and lasting impressions.” That reminded me of a hilarious story that has been told many times at my poor hubby’s expense. 

Many years ago when we were in the city for our annual teacher’s convention, we went out for dinner with a colleague who is also a good friend. It was a cold, blustery evening in early March. Hubby dropped us off in front of the restaurant and then went to park the vehicle. We were seated in the lounge while waiting for a table and our drinks had just been delivered when hubby came in to ask if I had some change for the parking meter. He was wearing a ratty old winter coat that I had been trying to convince him to replace for a very long time. I wish I had a picture to show you! It was bad! I gave him the change he needed and as soon as he left, the waiter came over and asked, “Ladies, was that man bothering you?” He thought hubby was a vagrant begging for money! Guess who bought a brand new winter coat the very next day!  

So yes, outerwear is important! It’s often the most visible part of a winter outfit and in many cases, it’s all that people see. Climate should, of course, dictate your choice of outerwear. Here on the Alberta prairie where temperatures plunge to -30ºC (-22ºF) and sometimes even colder, warmth has to be our first priority, but we don’t have to give up looking good in order to stay warm. Six years ago, I wrote this post about how to buy a winter coat. Believe it or not, I’m still wearing that coat and it still looks as good as it did when I bought it. 

If we lived where winters were less harsh, I’d maybe wear this coat all season long or perhaps I’d invest in a longer wool coat, but as soon as the temperature dips much below 0ºC (32ºF) I reach for the warmth of my insulated jacket. 

The second piece of outerwear that will keep you looking put together in the depth of winter is a good pair of boots. If I wasn’t such a frugal fashionista, I’d probably have a very large collection of those. I’m not really a fan of winter, but I do love boots!

Whether choosing tall boots or an ankle style, there are several important factors to consider. As with any footwear, comfort is my first priority. Part of comfort is warmth, so that’s another very important consideration. Wet feet equal cold, uncomfortable feet, so if your winters are rainy and wet, look for boots that are waterproof. Falling on an icy surface is a very real risk where I live and I don’t want to end up breaking a hip or a wrist, so soles that provide good traction are essential. Thankfully, there are plenty of fashionable boots that tick all these boxes. I do have a couple of pairs of ankle boots that are less practical, but I’m very careful when and where I wear those.

As with any footwear, keeping your boots clean and in good condition is part of looking put together. Using a water-repellant spray will help protect them from water, stains, and dirt.

So, now that winter is upon us, don’t forget that you can stay warm and still look good even when you’re out in the cold. 

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2023 fashion shopping review

/ edebock / 9 Comments

Logo by SamAt the beginning of 2018, following the example of one of my favourite bloggers, Sue Burpee of High Heels in the Wilderness, I started keeping a list of all my fashion purchases including clothing, accessories, and footwear. I was interested in finding out more about my spending habits and I wanted to be more intentional about wardrobe development. In addition, I wanted to become a more ethical shopper. I’ve continued this practice every year since and at the end of each year I publish a fashion shopping review analyzing my purchases and setting some goals for the next year.

What surprises me most when I look at this year’s list is how short it is. I only bought 17 items! That’s less than half as many as most other years. Of those, 12 were thrifted and only 5 purchased new. I spent a total of $395.50 (CAD), again less than half what I’ve spent most other years. Research shows that some women spend that much every month!

So, what did I get for less than $400?

  • 2 pairs of pants
  • 7 tops
  • 1 vintage jacket
  • 1 vest
  • 1 scarf
  • 1 swimsuit (which hasn’t actually been worn yet, though I hope to remedy that soon)
  • 1 swimsuit cover up (also not worn yet)
  • 1 pair of earrings
  • 1 necklace
  • 1 pair of sandals

The last item on that list was by far the most expensive. At $175 my Ecco walking sandals were worth every cent. I love thrift store shopping, but good quality footwear is something that I’m willing to spend a significant amount of money on. I consider it an investment in healthy feet.

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Trying to shop ethically is complicated and how successful I’ve been is always very difficult to assess. One of my fashion shopping goals in recent years has been to avoid buying items, especially new ones, that were made in China. I loved living and teaching there, but these days Canada-China relations are chilly at best. Conditions for many factory workers in that country are abhorrent and human rights are being increasingly eroded. It’s a personal choice, but I prefer not to support China if I can avoid it. One of the items that I bought new in 2023 and several of the second-hand ones were made in China and others were made in Vietnam and Cambodia. It’s virtually impossible to find out whether they were made in sweatshops where workers are exploited and forced to work in unsafe conditions or manufactured in socially and environmentally responsible factories. Unfortunately, since the vast majority of fashion manufacturing takes place overseas, those of us who live in North America have little choice but to buy clothing made in these countries.

Until recently, thrift store shopping was lauded as being ethical and sustainable, but now that’s a topic that’s up for debate. I still feel that it’s often a better option than buying new, but I plan on writing a post about this early in the new year, so I won’t go into it here.

Having done this exercise for the past six years has definitely made a difference to how I shop. I’ve become much more intentional, making fewer impulse buys and limiting them to things that I love and pieces that go well with what I already own. My goal for the coming year will simply be to continue in this vein. Some new blue jeans will probably be on my shopping list as a couple of pairs of old favourites are starting to show their age. I’d like to try a pair of wide-legged ones while they’re in style. I also need some new capri pants for summer as most of mine are quite worn. The worst ones didn’t make the cut when I did my seasonal closet switch in the fall.

And now, in addition to the sandals shown above, here are a few of my favourite fashion purchases from the past year. They’ve all appeared on the blog before.

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When winter rolled around again, I was very happy to start wearing the dark brown button fly cords from cabi again. Purchased in a season end sale last January, they’re a little dressier than my jeans.

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The neutral plaid shirt, originally from Gap, was an excellent second-hand purchase that only cost me $2! 

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As comfortable as pjs, these striped linen blend pants were a great addition to my summer wardrobe. They were also thrifted.  

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Finally, I was very fortunate to find this sleeveless top from cabi’s Fall 2018 Collection in our local thrift store in September. I don’t know where it had been hiding for the past five years, but it looked as if it had never been worn!

And now, with with just two days left in 2023, I want to take a moment to wish you and yours a very Happy New Year!

The 3rd piece rule

/ edebock / 2 Comments

Logo by SamIt’s been an unusually hot summer this year and I’ve spent most of it in shorts and sleeveless tops. Lately, however, there’s been a hint of fall in the air, especially first thing in the morning. I sometimes find myself putting on longer pants and reaching for a third piece.

Though you know that I’m not a follower of fashion rules, there is a “3rd piece rule” that actually makes sense a lot of the time. The idea is that for an outfit to go from good to great, it needs three key elements. Usually, your top and bottom (skirt, pants, or shorts) are the two main elements and the third piece is something extra that finishes the look. It could be a blazer, sweater, vest, scarf, or hat, but for me, it’s often an unbuttoned shirt.

Here’s just one example from my closet. All three pieces have appeared on the blog before. 

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During the hotter part of the day, I’ll break the 3rd piece rule and abandon the overshirt. For me, the third piece is more about warmth, than style. 

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You might be wondering about shoes and how they fit into the 3 piece formula. Apparently, they don’t. Shoes, boots, or sandals definitely add interest to an outfit, but they aren’t counted as a third piece. In today’s photos, I’m wearing the ECCO walking sandals that I bought back in May. Although they still look new, I’ve put a lot of miles on them over the past 3 months. As I mentioned then, I challenged myself to walk 350 km between May 1 and October 31. At the halfway point, the end of July, I’d walked just over 200 km! 

New walking sandals

/ edebock / 10 Comments

Shortly after returning from our latest trip to Mexico in February, I found myself dealing with metatarsalgia in my right foot. At first, I didn’t know what it was. It felt like I had a pebble in my shoe and was particularly bothersome when I walked barefoot on the hard floor. Thankfully, the symptoms didn’t show up until after we got home, but they were likely caused by the amount of walking that I did on uneven surfaces in less than adequate footwear. I had my good Asics sneakers with me which I bought specifically for walking, but on hot days I chose to wear sandals or flats instead. Unfortunately, they didn’t have as much cushioning or support.

My foot is better now, but it became very obvious that I needed to buy a good pair of walking/hiking sandals, especially since I’ve challenged myself to try to walk 350 km between May 1 and October 31! This week I found exactly what I was looking for.

I’m a frugal fashionista and I love thrift store shopping, but good quality footwear is something that I’m willing to spend a significant amount of money on. I first saw the right sandal at Atmosphere, “Canada’s Outdoor, Hiking, Camping and Adventure Store” but they didn’t have my size, so I went directly to an ECCO store. Not only did they have the right size, they had it in six or seven different colours including a couple that don’t even appear on their website! I wanted something neutral that I could wear with anything and, as the very helpful salesperson pointed out, the ones I chose look great with my gold summertime toes!

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Most of the hiking sandals that I looked at had closed toes which would definitely be an asset on a rugged trail, but I’ll continue to wear my trusty Merrell hiking shoes for that. The sandals will mostly be worn to pound the pavement in and around town and on easier trails.

These boots!

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These boots are made for walkin’And that’s just what they’ll do 🎵

Ever since I unwrapped my Christmas gift from hubby, the lyrics of that old Nancy Sinatra song have been going through my mind! Back in November, in this post, I wrote about wanting a pair of warm ankle boots that would be safe and comfortable for winter walking. When hubby didn’t know what to get me for Christmas, I decided to help him out.

This is my third pair of Taxi boots, the other two purchased second-hand. Taxi is a well-established footwear brand developed by a design team based in Toronto, but shipping is now available to customers in the US as well.

My new red boots are water resistant and have durable rubber soles and soft faux fur lining. I added a pair of thermal insoles for added warmth. The outer zipper is purely decorative, but there’s a fully functional inside zipper meaning that I don’t have to adjust and tie the laces every time I wear them! How easy is that?

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While these boots are made for walkin’, they’re also stylin’. Though they look great with jeans, I decided to be adventurous and wore them to church on Sunday morning with a sweater dress and leggings. I thought they gave the outfit a slightly edgier look than when I wear it with shoes or tall fashion boots.

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Would you wear ankle boots with a dress?

Musing about sandals

/ edebock / 11 Comments

Logo by SamWhen I took my sandals out of storage this spring, I realized how worn they were getting. That’s not surprising considering the fact that the newest pair is at least five years old! I only know that because I’ve been keeping track of all my clothing, footwear, and accessories purchases since the beginning of 2018 and there aren’t any sandals on the list!

I have a couple of pairs that are still quite serviceable, but really, it might be time for this girl to be thinking about buying some new ones!

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Fishermans sandals are very much on trend for 2022, but something about a closed toe sandal just doesn’t sit well with me. They’re great for women who are self-conscious about exposing their toes for any reason, but when I wear sandals, I want my golden summertime toes to show.

Then there’s the recent popularity of fishermans sandals with socks. That one is a definite no for me! I haven’t spend all these years teasing hubby about wearing socks with his sandals to succumb to that fad!

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What about you? Are you a fan of this look? I always say that, first and foremost, we ought to wear what makes us happy.

I’m not a girly girl, but if I do go shopping for sandals, I’ll be looking for something a little more feminine looking than the closed toe fishermans sandal; something more like this pair from Naturalizer. I like a sandal that’s casual, but a little bit dressy looking, and something that I can comfortably walk a long way in.

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Sadly, the Naturalizer stores in Edmonton closed last year and I’d have to order these online. Not only do I much prefer shopping in person, but I have very narrow, difficult to fit feet. Ordering shoes online just doesn’t work for me. So, for now, until I have an opportunity to shop and try on, I’ll just continue wearing my old sandals and musing about new ones.

And then…

As usual, this post was written earlier in the week so that it would be ready to post first thing this morning. Yesterday, after getting my monthly injection, I stopped at one of our local thrift stores to drop off a bag of books that I’d finished reading. Of course, I had to take a look around and guess what I found? Sandals! Almost brand new Clarks in my size for $2.00! Similar sandals online sell for $110 and up. I’ll still be keeping my eye out for a dressier pair similar to the ones above, but in the meantime, I’m delighted with my find. They’re comfortable and supportive and the soft sage colour goes well with my summer wardrobe.

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On a totally different topic, I recently had the privilege of writing a guest post for the parenting blog, Leaf and Steel. I hope you’ll pop over and check it out here. 

Are you high maintenance?

/ edebock / 4 Comments

LogoWhen we travelled to Europe two years ago I learned that I could easily fit everything I needed for three and a half weeks away from home in a teeny, tiny carry-on, but when we take the vehicle, moderation or minimalism go out the window! After all, there’s a lot of space in a large SUV! On the way home from our recent trip to Jasper, we spent the weekend in Edmonton with our son and his family. I took some good-natured teasing from both hubby and son when they discovered that I’d packed six pairs of shoes for one week away! I was laughingly told that I’m high maintenance.

That led me to wonder… what makes a woman high maintenance? One definition I found online says that a high maintenance woman “places a strong emphasis on her own image, wants, needs, and desires. Her feelings are her highest priority, and she expects everyone around her to conform to her self-created worldview and value.” Ouch! That’s certainly not the kind of woman I want to be!

As often happens, the idea for this post took me down several online rabbit trails looking for information about what people really mean when they refer to a woman as high maintenance. I found lists that included traits such as needy and controlling, self-obsessed, hard to please, always plays the victim, wants you to be her personal chauffeur, makes you feel like her errand boy. Interestingly, most of these were written by men. I can’t help wondering how many of them were coming out of a bad relationship when they wrote these things!

I also found several “How high maintenance are you?” quizzes that assign points to traits such as wears high heels every day, owns 20+ pairs of shoes, wears makeup daily, takes 15+ minutes to apply makeup, buys high end makeup, has painted nails, wears acrylic nails, has nails done professionally, has a regular pedicure, gets a massage regularly, wears a lot of jewelry, carries a designer purse, etc. According to those, I am definitely NOT high maintenance!

Clearly, there are women (and men) who excel at self-indulgence and others who take absolutely no interest or pleasure in their own appearance. Then there are the rest of us who fall somewhere in the middle. Not only do we not really know for sure if we’re high maintenance, we probably don’t even care! Instead of worrying about whether or not I’m high maintenance, I prefer to focus on what kind of person I am. Am I a person of integrity? Am I kind, compassionate, and self-controlled? Do I exhibit patience and humility in dealing with others?

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And now, about the six pairs of shoes! I took my hiking shoes, my walking shoes, my white leather sneakers, a pair of casual flats, and two pairs of sandals. I wore all of them except the dressy sandals which I would have worn to church except that it was cool and rainy that morning. Instead, I wore the flats. Come to think of it, I actually had my water shoes with me too and wore them when we went kayaking. And my rubber boots were in the back of the vehicle! They stay there all summer in case they’re needed when we’re camping.

Don’t anyone tell my husband or my son that I actually had eight pairs of footwear with me! 🤣

On the river again…

/ edebock / 4 Comments

There isn’t going to be a Fashion Friday post today. We spent the last few days camping at Big Knife Provincial Park and when I’m camping, fashion is the furthest thing from my mind! Instead, I’m going to share a couple of kayaking experiences with you.

The weather forecast for Monday called for extreme heat, so after a leisurely breakfast we decided to head for the river before the day got too hot. The sun was shining, the air was almost still, and everything was so fresh and green!

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At this time of year the water is high, so we were able to leave the Battle River for a bit and paddle up the much shallower Big Knife Creek. It was like entering another world; a world of untouched and incredibly peaceful wilderness. Unlike last year, we spotted just one beaver and heard only one mighty tail slap. The rest of the time, the water was like a mirror and the reflections were amazing. 

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Returning to the main river, we continued upstream. On the way, we chose a spot where we’d pull ashore for a picnic lunch on our way back. 

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It was there that we had the most amazing experience. We were just returning to the boat when we heard a loud splash just upstream from us. A moose was swimming across the river and I had the camera in my hand!

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She even stopped on the hillside and posed for me before heading into the bush!

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When we started kayaking four years ago, I could only paddle for about an hour and a half before feeling like my arms were going to fall off. On Monday we paddled for almost four and the GPS told us that we’d travelled 10.5 miles (16.9 km). We were pretty impressed with ourselves, but also glad to be back in camp by the time the temperature rose to 35ºC (95ºF) later in the afternoon! 

Our second kayaking adventure was quite different and I didn’t even think to take any photos. We’d done some hiking on Tuesday and left camp for much of the day on Wednesday to go to Camrose for medical appointments, so we decided that we’d go for a short paddle yesterday morning before packing up and heading for home. There’s a bridge not too far downstream from the campground where Secondary Highway 855 crosses the river, so we decided to kayak there and back. The river widens in that area and when we got out on the water, we realized that the wind was MUCH stronger than it had appeared back in the campground which is quite sheltered. It was at our back, so we had no problem getting to the bridge, but when we turned around we quickly realized that there was no way that we were going to be able to battle our way back to the boat launch. Paddling as hard as we could, we were barely able to move forward. Water was splashing over the bow and I was immediately soaked from the waist down. Thankfully, we knew that there was a small road down to the riverside by the bridge that people use to go fishing, so we found a spot to land the kayak nearby and only had to carry it a short distance to that road. Of course, the vehicle was still at the boat launch and now one of us had to walk back to get it! Since I’m trying to walk lots anyway, I volunteered. Richard waited with the kayak while I walked almost 3.5 km (2.16 miles) back to the vehicle. That’s not a lot farther than I walk most days, but much of it was uphill and that horrendous wind was trying to blow me off my feet; the feet that were wearing only water shoes! That definitely wasn’t a fashion statement, but I can say that I’m very thankful that I don’t kayak barefoot! 

 

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!