Jewelry

The Rule of 5… could you do it?

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Throughout 2024, two of the bloggers that I regularly follow reported on their attempts to follow the Rule of 5. What’s that, you ask?

The vast overproduction of clothing by the fashion industry is responsible for almost 10% of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide. In 2022, Berlin’s Hot or Cool Institute determined that in order to meet the internationally agreed upon goal of limiting global warming to 1.5ºC, we should purchase no more than 5 new garments a year. That led to the Rule of 5.

Here’s how it works:

  1. Buy no more than 5 new items during the calendar year.
  2. Socks, tights, underwear, and nightclothes don’t count.
  3. Shoes, boots, and accessories DO count.
  4. Second-hand shopping is allowed, but don’t go overboard.
  5. Gifts count. (This is to prevent cheating by having someone else buy for you!)

I haven’t actually participated in the Rule of 5, but looking back I discovered that I inadvertently met the goal in 2023 before I’d even heard of it! I didn’t do as well last year, buying 8 items that would count. The bloggers that I follow didn’t meet the goal either, but they both agreed that trying had changed their shopping habits and made them much more intentional about what they bought. I’d consider that success.

Although the idea has merit, I haven’t committed to the Rule of 5 for this year either. I will continue to keep track of my purchases though and see how close I come. So far, 7 weeks into the year, I’ve only purchased one item, a colourful necklace that cost less than $10 at a tiny shop in the bus station in Xalapa, Mexico. The anchor and cross symbols are very meaningful to me, but if I’d been committed to the Rule of 5, I probably wouldn’t have bought it.

So, what do you think? Would you ever try the Rule of 5? Do you think you could do it?

How to wear mismatched earrings

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Logo by SamIn last Friday’s post, when I mentioned that mismatched earrings are on trend this season, I included a photo of this pair, which I love. Unfortunately, I found the picture on Pinterest with no explanation of where or whether they’re available, so I guess I won’t be adding them to my collection.  😦

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This pair from cabi’s fall 2021 collection is my only mismatched pair. They’re among my favourite earrings and I wear them quite often. The difference between them is subtle and might not even be noticed by some because they are identical in length and the shape doesn’t differ much.

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While there are plenty of mismatched pairs to be found, some cutesy and others elegant, you don’t need to buy more earrings to try this trend. Instead, why not mix and match from your existing collection? The key is to ensure that your choice looks intentional, not like you crawled out of bed and accidentally put on the wrong earrings! Here are a few tips to help you do that effectively. 

  • Choose two earrings that are obviously different from each other so that it doesn’t look like you simply mixed up two similar looking pairs.
  • Ensure that there is some correlation, some connection, between the two. It could be a common theme. For example,  earrings that are sold as mismatched sets often feature moons and stars. Choosing earrings made of the same metal  could also be a connecting factor as could colour. 
  • Play with lengths. Perhaps try wearing a stud in one ear and a longer or more dramatic earring in the other. 
  • Mix up shapes. For example, wear a round stud in one ear and a star shaped one in the other. Try a round hoop in one ear and a square or triangular one in the other. 
  • Experiment with sizes. Wear a small hoop in one ear and a larger one in the other. 

Here are a few examples from my earring collection that I’m going to try wearing. 

Wearing mismatched earrings might seem a little quirky. It’s a departure from tradition and may take you outside your comfort zone, but it’s an easy way to add an element of creativity to your look. There’s also one more advantage to this trend… if you’ve ever lost a favourite earring and it’s partner is sitting alone in the bottom of your jewelry box because you can’t bear to part with it, now’s the time to take it out and find it a new companion! 

Do your ears hang low?

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Do your ears hang low?
Do they wobble to and fro?
Can you tie them in a knot?
Can you tie them in a bow?

When we sang this silly ditty around the campfire at girls’ camp when I was growing up, we didn’t know that when we reached our senior years, our ears might, in fact, begin to droop! As we age, our skin loses elasticity causing the tissue of our ears to sag and stretch. Sometimes this is worsened by wearing heavy earrings which can also cause the piercings themselves to stretch. 

Logo by SamI’ve been wearing pierced earrings for approximately 50 years, but I’ve always been very careful about their weight. I clearly remember two pairs over the years that felt heavy when I put them on for the first time. In both cases, that first time was also the last. I wasn’t going to take a chance on developing droopy earlobes if I could help it! Thankfully, there are many earrings, even large ones, that are made of very lightweight materials including aluminum, titanium, and stainless steel as well as plastic and acrylic. 

When my children were very young and there was the possibility of one of them grabbing an earring and pulling, I wore mostly studs. While a torn earlobe can be surgically repaired, I certainly didn’t want to have to go that route! 

If you have a pair of heavy earrings that you can’t bear to part with or if your earlobes are beginning to sag, there’s help for you! Easy to use, clear and unnoticeable, EarLite patches applied to the backs of the earlobes Screen Shot 2022-11-16 at 4.56.24 PMprevent stretching or tearing or provide relief for already damaged lobes. While I haven’t used these myself, I’ve been told that they are effective. “Bullet clutch” earring backs with plastic pads also provide extra support for larger, heavier earrings.  

And finally, while we’re on the topic of earrings, let’s look at some of the popular trends for fall and winter 2022. These include hoops, geometric shapes, florals, colour, pearls, crystals, chain links, and mismatched sets. 

Fashion rules I don’t follow

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Logo by SamWhen I asked awhile ago what you’d like to read about on the blog, one reader suggested a post about fashion rules I don’t follow. That’s a great idea because, as British fashion designer and couturier, Alexander McQueen, is quoted as saying, “It’s a new era in fashion, there are no rules. It’s all about individual and personal style.” 

Don’t wear white after Labour Day

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No one seems to know for sure how or why this became a rule, but regardless of its origin, it’s outdated and very few people actually follow it anymore. Personally, in spite of the fact that many fashion influencers insist that every woman’s closet should contain at least one white button-up shirt, mine does not. If your skin has warm undertones, as mine does, wearing white close to your face at any time of year will make you look tired or washed out. I love my white jeans, however, and as you’ve seen in recent posts, I certainly didn’t stop wearing them after Labour Day. I wouldn’t want to wear them during wet, sloppy weather when rain might cause spots on them or worse yet, they might get splashed with mud, but once the temperature is consistently below freezing, I might try them with ankle boots or my tall brown boots.

Don’t wear black with brown 

When I was growing up, there were lots of rules about colour combinations. For example, we were taught that “blue and green should never be seen” and yet navy and emerald look striking together. Don’t pair brown with black was another popular rule, but there are many shades of brown that go beautifully with black. After all, leopards have worn this colour scheme for eons! They look great doing it and leopard print is consistently a popular fashion print. Brown is very much on-trend for fall 2022 and I’m guessing that we’ll see plenty of it worn with black. Like white, however, wearing black close to my face drains me, so when I do wear this colour combination, black will usually be on the bottom and brown on top.

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Don’t mix patterns

While some fashionistas like to mix bold and colourful patterns, I’m more conservative, so while I definitely will mix patterns, there are a few guidelines that I like to follow. Keeping the fabrics within one colour family is a simple way to keep from looking like I got dressed in the dark! I also like to vary the size of the prints. Some patterns mix much more easily than others. In the world of mixing and matching, stripes are considered a neutral because they will go with almost anything. Grid patterns and polka dots also mix well with other patterns.

Don’t wear horizontal stripes

When I was young, we were told that wearing horizontal stripes would make us look fat, while vertical stripes would make us look taller and thinner. It turns out that this fashion advice was actually wrong. According the the Helmholtz illusion, horizontal stripes won’t make you look fatter. In fact, they may even make you look thinner! Since I was always skinny and tall for my age anyway, I disregarded this fashion rule long before I knew whether or not it was based on fact. If you’ve following my blog for very long, you know how much I love a Breton striped t-shirt!

Don’t wear double denim

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We call this a Canadian tuxedo! When I wear head to toe denim, I like to mix darker and lighter washes.

Don’t mix gold and silver jewelry

When I was young I wore only gold jewelry. I instinctively knew that it looked better with my complexion than silver did. With the passage of time, however, I began to notice a change. When silver streaks began to appear in my hair, I also began to add silver jewelry to my collection. I particularly like pieces that combine both metals.

Make sure your purse matches your shoes

For a very formal occasion, I might consider matching dressy black shoes with a black evening purse, but who am I fooling? I don’t remember the last time I attended an occasion like that! In real life, I’m pretty much a one bag goes everywhere girl. In the summer and when I travel, I like a handbag that’s big enough to  carry my camera, sunglasses, and sunscreen in addition to all the usual items found in my purse. At this time of year, I usually switch to something a little smaller and more structured. My latest choice is taupe and it doesn’t match a single pair of shoes in my wardrobe!

Always wear stockings with dresses and skirts

Not long ago, no respectable woman would be seen wearing a skirt without hose, but thankfully, that’s another fashion rule that’s gone out of style! I’m old enough to remember wearing a garter belt to hold up my stockings and no, my dear younger readers, it wasn’t sexy! It was annoying and uncomfortable! The introduction of pantyhose in the mid 1960s was revolutionary, but the freedom to go bare legged is even better!

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The key thing to keep in mind in this era of no rules is that you should wear whatever makes you feel happy and confident. If you feel uncomfortable mixing patterns, don’t do it. If you prefer to wear stockings with a dress, by all means do. That’s the beauty of no hard and fast rules! On the other hand, if you’ve always followed a rule simply because you thought you were supposed to, maybe it’s time to say “no” to that rule and “yes” to your finding own individual style.

Brooches are back!

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LogoBrooches, once considered stodgy and old-fashioned, have made a fashionable comeback and are now a stylish and versatile accessory that can add a spark of glamour and attitude to almost any outfit. Unlike our grandmothers, who tended to wear a bit of elegance pinned to their lapels or upper bodices, today’s brooches are often styled in unexpected ways.

If you’re lucky, you might have inherited some vintage ones from your granny, but if not, second-hand stores are a good source. I found these two in one of our local thrift shops for 25 cents apiece!

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The newest trend where brooches are concerned is wearing a cluster. Why wear just one when you can wear two or three? Some are even sold in sets like these ones found on Amazon. Though insects wouldn’t be my personal choice (except maybe the dragonfly and the butterfly), having a theme can sometimes help pull a look together.

At the moment, since I only have the two to work with, I’ve been wearing them together.

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As a gal who loves casual glamour, I like the juxtaposition of a little sparkle on a basic denim shirt. I’d also wear them on a plain t-shirt, a sweater, a cardigan, or a jean jacket.

Brooches didn’t actually begin as jewelry. Historically, they were functional items used to hold pieces of cloth together. The pin on a Scotsman’s kilt comes to mind as a good example. Today, however, there are numerous ways to make a statement with a brooch. Here are just a few ideas:

  • use one or more to dress up a purse or a bag
  • add one to a hat
  • use one as a hair accessory
  • position one at the point of a V neck
  • add one to the waistline of a skirt or dress instead of wearing a belt
  • attach one to a belt
  • pin one to the wrist of a shirt or jacket

I even read about one woman who liked to pin a sparkly dragonfly to the back of her shoulder!

If you’re wearing a brooch, or especially a cluster of them, be careful that they aren’t too heavy for the fabric. To prevent them from pulling it down, try pinning a piece of felt or sturdier fabric behind your garment to provide support. A cotton makeup pad will also work well.

A post about brooches would be incomplete without mentioning Queen Elizabeth II. Apparently she owns 98 of them and is seldom, if ever, seen without one. Many of them have historic and personal significance and some are meant to convey a message. I’m not a monarchist, but I can’t help chuckling over the fact that on July 12, 2018, the day that Donald Trump arrived in the UK for a three day royal visit, she wore one that had been given to her by the Obamas!

That skirt again

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LogoThree weeks ago, I shared this skirt with you. It was one of my most recent thrift store finds. One of my personal fashion rules is that everything in my closet should be able to be worn at least three ways, so I’ve been playing around with the skirt and looking for other things to wear it with. Today, we’re going to look at two combinations that I tried and discuss why I think one works better than the other.

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First, I tried the skirt with this turtleneck sweater that’s been in my wardrobe for many years. The colour worked, but I felt frumpy. That definitely wasn’t a look I was going for! But what was the problem? The sweater is a bit bulky and very straight. I don’t have a girlish figure and the shapeless sweater emphasized that. It made me look thick in the middle! I tried adding a long necklace and belting it at my natural waist, but I still felt frumpy, so this look was a no go for me.

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I think this look is much better. The V neck, the shape of the sweater and its shirttail hem give me a more streamlined look. The necklace and the glimpse of navy at the neck draw the eye away from my midsection and toward my face.

What do you think? Do you agree with my assessment?

I meant to have hubby take a close-up shot to show you the jewelry I was wearing, but I forgot, so here they are.

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I’ve had the necklace for about 20 years. it was a gift from a very dear friend who lost her battle with breast cancer 15 years ago, so it’s very special to me. The cameo earrings are my latest purchase from cabi. Aren’t they exquisite? I felt a bit like I should be walking around a heritage house or maybe a stone castle instead of my 1980s bungalow!

Why accessorize?

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Accessories are the finishing touches that can take an outfit from drab to dramatic. They also add versatility to your wardrobe enabling you to create many different looks with the same basic outfit. Almost any outfit will benefit from a few carefully chosen accessories, but think beyond jewelry to watches, scarves, belts, shoes, handbags, gloves, and hats. These days even masks are accessories that can complement an outfit.

Accessories are an opportunity to express your personal style, taste, and preferences. They can add a pop of colour to an otherwise neutral outfit. Accessories can also draw attention to your finer points and away from those you might not want to accentuate. For example, a short necklace and statement earrings will draw the viewer’s eye to your face and away from your bust while a long necklace will make you look taller and leaner than you really are. In addition, some accessories have sentimental significance and add a feel good aspect to getting dressed. This could be something you’ve received as a gift or something you picked up while traveling. In my case, I also have a few pieces of jewelry that belonged to my mother. Rather than storing them away for safekeeping, I like to wear them occasionally.

Choosing which accessories to wear can be intimidating, so let’s look at a few tips from the style experts.

  1. Think of your outfit as a blank canvas. What does it need to enhance it? For example, is the neckline very plain and simple? Perhaps it needs a necklace or a scarf to fill it in.
  2. Create balance by giving centre stage to one dominant piece and adding more subtle accessories as supporting characters. For example, if you’re wearing a statement necklace, choose earrings that won’t compete for attention.
  3. Keep the proportion of your accessories appropriate to your body. If you are petite, you can still wear fashion jewelry, but smaller scale pieces will enhance your outfit rather than overwhelm or distract.
  4. Wear what suits your personality and makes you feel comfortable. Several months ago, a reader shared a quote from an O. Douglas novel that really resonated with me. “When you’re sure your clothes are right you can forget all about them. When you’re wrongly dressed you’re miserably aware of it all the time.” The same is true of accessories. If something makes you feel self-conscious, don’t wear it.
  5. Keep your accessories appropriate to the occasion. For example, you might wear the same little black dress to the office, to a funeral, and to a New Years Eve party (though maybe not this year!) but each circumstance would call for different accessories. The glitzy pieces that you might choose for a special evening event would be totally out of place in either of the other two situations.
  6. For a modern look, coordinate your necklace and earrings rather than matching them. The matchy-match look will immediately make you look dated. If you have a matching set, you don’t have to stop wearing them. Simply break them up. Wear the earrings with a scarf or a different necklace that has a similar “flavour” or feel. Do the same with the necklace.
  7. My last suggestion would be to store your accessories in such a way that they’re organized and easy to see. Unfortunately, I haven’t mastered that yet and I’m often found trying to untangle necklaces from one another! If and when I figure out a method that works well, I’ll share it on the blog. How do you organize and store your accessories?

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Digging deeper!

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LogoNow that winter has arrived, challenging myself to wear skirts and dresses to church every Sunday has resulted in me digging much deeper into my closet. Last Sunday morning, the temperature was -10ºC (14F), a strong wind was blowing, and it was snowing. Clearly, dressing warm was a priority. 

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I started with a camel coloured pencil skirt that I bought in early 2013, just before we left for a teaching term in China. Named for it’s long, slim shape, a pencil skirt is a timeless garment that never goes out of fashion. It’s a basic wardrobe piece that many different outfits can be built around. In addition to this one, I have navy and grey pencil skirts that both date back to my teaching days. 

I wore the same tall brown boots and patterned top that were part of last week’s outfit. Though only barely visible in the photo, I wore a pair of dark brown leggings under the skirt, partly for warmth, but also because the skirt wasn’t quite long enough to cover the top of my boots and I didn’t want a sliver of bare skin breaking up the look. Next, I added my cozy Checkmate Jacket from cabi’s Fall 2019 collection which you’ve seen on the blog a couple of times before. 

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Costume jewelry can be a fun and inexpensive way to finish off an outfit. The name dates back to the early 20th century and simply reflects the use of the word “costume” to refer to what we now call an “outfit”. To complete Sunday’s “costume”, I chose a pair of dangly earrings and a simple bead necklace. The beads are made from coconut shell. We spent the summer of 2011 as short term missionaries on the Pacific island of Saipan and it was there that I purchased the necklace from a Chamorro woman who made them to sell to tourists. The Chamorro are the indigenous people of the Northern Mariana Islands. 

Now that winter has arrived, I’m not sure that I’ll continue wearing skirts and dresses to church every week, but it’s been fun digging deeper into my closet and coming up with new ways to style some of my older pieces. 

 

What’s the story?

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This is what I wore to church last Sunday. Before the service began, a friend who reads my blog regularly told me that she liked my skirt and asked if there was a story behind it. That got me thinking and I quickly realized that my closet is full of stories. Today I’m going to tell you how I put this outfit together and the story behind each piece.

Since our church reopened in early July, I’ve made a point of wearing dresses and skirts on Sundays so this outfit started with the skirt which has been in my closet for more than thirteen years. I don’t remember exactly when I bought it, but that’s how long I’ve been retired and I know that it dates back to my teaching days. It’s funny the things that stand out in your memory, but I distinctly remember wearing it to a district wide teachers’ event when it was new. I don’t recall where I was prior to the event or what I was doing, but I do remember arriving at the venue with my outfit for the evening in a bag and slipping into the ladies room to change!

When I decided to wear the skirt to church, I knew that I’d be wearing it with my tall, dark brown boots. They were a lucky find at our local thrift store early last winter when the pair that I’d been wearing started to leak. The closest shoe store is an hour away, so I was very fortunate to find a suitable replacement in my size in our small store.

Next, I had to decide what to wear on my upper half. I decided that the sleeveless patterned top would add a bit of visual interest. It was purchased last November while I was on my annual Christmas shopping weekend in the city with several close girlfriends. In the 18 (soon to be 19) years that we’ve been making this trip, I’ve missed only two of them. In 2008 I was living in Japan and in 2013 I was isolated in a lead lined room at the Cross Cancer Institute.

It’s chilly in Alberta at this time of year, so I clearly wasn’t going anywhere in a sleeveless top without something over it. Would you believe that I tried on five different toppers before I finally settled on this one? It was given to me by my very generous sister-in-law several years ago and is one of those well loved pieces that remains in my closet even though I don’t wear it very often anymore.

Accessories put the finishing touches on any outfit and the necklace that I chose to wear with Sunday’s outfit has a very special story.

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I was a young teenager in the 1960s when my aunt visited a friend who was teaching in Japan and brought the necklace back for me. Over 50 years later, it’s now considered vintage. (Perhaps I am too!) The back of the pendant is stamped with the name, Amita, a Kyoto company that started selling damascene jewelry like this in 1932. Damascene is made by etching an intricate design into oxidized metal and then pressing gold and/or silver metal into the chiseled design. The images on Japanese damascene are usually either pagodas or floral designs like this one. I have worn mine over and over throughout the years and it still looks as good as it did the day I received it.

Are there any stories in your closet? Why not share one of them in the comment section below.

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What to wear while working from home

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LogoIt may seem frivolous to be writing or even thinking about fashion in the midst of a worldwide pandemic, but I believe that maintaining some sense of normalcy in these trying times is wise and helps alleviate stress. For many of you, your new normal includes working from home, perhaps for the first time. While it might be tempting to let your appearance go, I’d like to suggest that you’ll probably be more productive and feel better about yourself and your current situation if you don’t.

If your workplace has a strict dress code, this might be a time to enjoy a more relaxed look, but that doesn’t mean lounging around in pyjamas. Instead, perhaps think of every day as casual Friday.

As a retiree, except when I go to a student’s home to tutor, which obviously isn’t happening right now, I “work” from home all the time. Once I retired, I didn’t need a career wardrobe anymore, but I still wanted to look like I mattered; like I cared about myself. Now I try for a classy casual look even on days when I have no plans to leave the house and I’ll continue to do that through these days of sheltering in place.

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This week, my “job” has included doing reams of paperwork related to the settling of my father’s estate and my temporary office has been the kitchen table. The animal print top and cardigan that I’m wearing here have both appeared on the blog before. They’re comfortable workhorses in my day to day wardrobe. Though you can’t see them in the photos, I’m also wearing dark wash jeans.

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I’ve always been a minimalist when it comes to makeup, but even on stay at home days I use mascara and a bit of blush. I also wear accessories. Layering necklaces is a thing right now, so I’ve been experimenting.

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Both these necklaces have special significance to me and lately I’ve been enjoying wearing them together. The string of pearls was a gift from my grandmother when I was just a girl and I was given the pendant necklace by a very close friend who died of breast cancer in 2006.

During my teaching days, I had a small home office in the basement, but when I retired it became a playroom for the grandchildren when they come to visit. Nowadays, when I’m not working at the kitchen table, one end of the living room couch is my “office”. This is where the blog happens and here’s what I was wearing as I finished up this post.

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Again, everything I’m wearing has been seen on the blog before, in this case skinny grey jeans and a favourite sweater both from past seasons of cabi. I could be working in pyjamas or sweats, but it only takes a few minutes to dress for the day and even if no one but hubby sees me, I feel better about myself and I like what I see when I pass by a mirror!

If you have school age children, you’ve probably had a second job thrust upon you in these unusual times; that of teacher or learning coach. As important as maintaining routine and some sense of normalcy is for adults, it’s even more important for children and getting dressed for school is part of that. Here’s what’s happening at my daughter’s house.

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photo: Melaina Graham

These three love to lounge around the house in their pjs, but right now they’re up and dressed for school each day in their new “classroom”. Mom and Dad are both working from home and each has a separate workspace in this same room.

How are you faring in these unusual days and what are you wearing?