Layering

An on-trend inVESTment

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I’ve always loved the tailored look of a menswear inspired vest (or waistcoat), so I was delighted to see them back on-trend for fall/winter 2023. When I found this one in our small town thrift store for just $2.50, I was thrilled! 

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In addition to being a versatile layering piece, it ticked another box for me. I usually wear longer tops, but I’ve been wanting to try the cropped length that’s so popular this season. 

I knew immediately that I wanted to style the vest with the same cabi blouse that you saw in this post two weeks ago, my dark brown button fly corduroy pants also from cabi, and my tall brown boots. I’m sure it will look equally good with jeans and I look forward to trying it with several other items from my closet.

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I love the boy meets girl, masculine/feminine contrast between the tweed look front and the lace on the back. 

Another plus is that the vest will take up almost no space in a suitcase should I decide to take it traveling.

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In addition to the vest, the blouse, boots, and necklace shown today were all thrifted. 

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Changing seasons

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Logo by SamThe seasonal closet switch that I mentioned last week actually happened this week. Almost. I did leave a few pairs of summer pants in the closet in case we get some more warm days, but the shorts have all been put away. Most of my summer tops are now in storage too, although I do leave a few sleeveless tops in my closet year round as I’ll wear them under jackets and sweaters during the colder months.

These twice a year seasonal switchovers are an excellent time to evaluate and decide what to keep and what to get rid of. As I put the 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. This year there were several spring/summer items that I hadn’t worn, but I didn’t feel ready to let go of some of them yet, so I separated them from the others in storage. I’ll reevaluate in the spring and decide then whether to keep them for another season or not. I did get rid of a few things though. Two pairs of capris that were too worn out to keep or to pass on to anyone else went out with yesterday’s garbage and a few other pieces are destined for the second-hand store. Bringing the new season’s clothes back into circulation almost feels like having something new to wear. There were even a few pieces in my fall/winter wardrobe that I’d forgotten all about over the summer!

But how do we dress for this “wear a sweater in the morning and regret it in the afternoon” shoulder season without constantly changing clothes? After all, the temperature can be barely above freezing in the morning, above 20ºC (68ºF) in the afternoon, and chilly again as soon as the sun starts to go down.

As always, layering is the key.

In this example, my base layer consists of a sleeveless top and a pair of mid weight chinos. In the morning, I added warm socks, sneakers, and a cardigan. In the afternoon, I shed the socks and sweater, rolled up the cuffs of my pants, and switched out the sneakers for a comfortable pair of flats.

Everything I’m wearing in these photos has been in my wardrobe for at least three years and has appeared on the blog before except the sleeveless top which is new to me. It was part of the cabi Fall 2018 collection. I have no idea where it’s been hiding for the past five years, but when I found it in our local thrift store recently, it looked like it had never been worn. It originally sold for $99 CAD and I bought it for $2.50! Is it any wonder that I love thrift store shopping?

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And, totally off the topic of today’s post, you may remember that on May 1st, I challenged myself to walk and/or hike 350 kilometres by the end of October. I’m excited to report that I crossed the imaginary finish line yesterday afternoon, a full month early!

What I wore to travel

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Logo by SamIt was unseasonably warm when we boarded a plane in Calgary on Sunday morning, but even -1ºC (30ºF) is chilly. When we left the airport in Mexico City at almost midnight it was +19ºC (66ºF). How do you dress for a day with that kind of temperature variation?

The answer, of course, is layers.

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My base layer was a long-sleeved, striped sweater. Next came a hoodie and then my ultralight down vest from Uniqlo. The final layer was a spring jacket that is both wind and waterproof. While each layer was very lightweight, together they provided ample warmth on a chilly Alberta morning. After the photos were taken during a layover at the Vancouver airport, the vest came off and was tucked into an outer pocket of my tiny suitcase. Some people find jeans uncomfortable for long days sitting on a plane, but I practically live in them and find them very comfortable. A pair of good walking shoes completed my ensemble.

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Not only is YVR Vancouver’s international airport, but it’s also home to a permanent collection of more than 210 pieces of art, much of it work of British Columbia’s indigenous artists. The pieces behind me represent The Story of Fog Woman and Raven. Carved of cedar wood in 2007 by Dempsey Bob, they tell the story of how the annual salmon run originated to benefit the people of the northern coast of BC and the southern coast of Alaska. Immediately behind me, Raven perches on the side of a pool, beak uplifted, smiling and well fed, while to the side, Fog Woman kneels at the head of a stream.

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Once we reached our destination, the clothing that I wore to travel in was set aside and won’t be worn again until our return trip unless we have a really chilly day while we’re here.

Dressing for a fantasy pub night

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LogoOver the past year, while Covid has left most of us missing the opportunity to socialize safely, Sue Burpee, writer of the blog High Heels in the Wilderness, has hosted four fantasy get-togethers for her readers. The first, in early April, was an afternoon tea party at the Chateau Laurier in Ottawa. In mid July, Sue invited us to her home overlooking Ontario’s Rideau River for a backyard book party and in early December, we spent a weekend in Paris! Then, most recently, we crossed a magical bridge in the falling snow and gathered for a fantasy pub night in the small village of Ashton, Ontario. 

A retired high school English teacher, Sue is a fashion, lifestyle, and travel blogger, but she’s also a delightful storyteller! A couple of weeks before each fantasy event, without giving away too many details, Sue issues an invitation on her blog. She tells us the basics of what we’ll be doing or where we’ll be going and gives us some suggestions about what might be appropriate attire for the occasion. Then she asks us to send her photographs of what we would wear. By the time we’ve read the resulting blog post and enjoyed the photos, we feel like we’ve been on a wonderful adventure and enjoyed the company of a group of likeminded women! 

Sue’s invitation to the recent pub night suggested that we choose an outfit that would be “dressy enough to make you feel good, and casual enough to wear to a pub.” The pub would probably be a bit drafty, she advised, so we should try to come up with some winter layering ideas. Here in Alberta, we were in the midst of an extreme cold snap at that time, so I was dressed warmly even in the house. In fact, I looked at what I had on that morning and realized that I was almost ready to go! I was wearing dark wash jeans, a favourite animal print t-shirt, a cozy sweater jacket that feels like I’m wrapped in a blanket on a chilly day, and a pair of silver earrings. 

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All I needed to add was a pair of black ankle boots and a bright blue pashmina scarf for a pop of colour. I purchased the pashmina in a market in Cambodia several years ago. If I got too warm, I could easily remove the sweater and drape the pashmina over my shoulders.

How’s that for a good reason to get dressed in the middle of a pandemic shutdown instead of spending the day in your pjs? You never know when you might be invited to a fantasy pub night! 

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What is a shacket?

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I’m a self-professed word nerd. I love words and I’m always delighted when I learn a new one. My latest new word is shacket. 

Shirt + Jacket = Shacket

Maybe I’m the last one to the party because now that I’m looking, I’m seeing the word all over the place in advertising. In simple terms, a shacket is a cross between a shirt and a jacket. Usually slightly oversized, it’s heavier than a regular shirt, but lighter than a winter coat. Some retailers refer to them as shirt-jackets or overshirts. Whatever we choose to call it, a shacket is a perfect layering piece for fall, winter, spring or even a cool summer evening. It can also be worn under an overcoat in winter. 

While the word is new enough that it doesn’t appear in most dictionaries, the garment is not. In fact, the one I’m wearing here is more than 40 years old!

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Shackets are worn by both men and women and this one originally belonged to my Grandpa who passed away early in 1980. It was handed down to my older brother and ended up hanging in the cabin that my parents built overlooking a little lake northeast of Yellowknife. My brother may have worn it some, but whenever I visited the cabin it was I who wore it. When my parents left the north, my mother, knowing how much I loved wearing Grandpa’s old shirt-jacket, brought it to me and it’s been my campfire jacket ever since. It usually stays in the trailer year round. With a hole in one elbow and a slightly tattered cuff, it’s a little worse for wear, but I still love it. 

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In keeping with our pandemic desire for casual comfortable clothing, shackets have been very popular this fall and winter and they’re a trend that isn’t likely to disappear anytime soon. Though my shacket is 100% wool, most of the ones sold today are made of a cozy wool blend. Since I only wear Grandpa’s for camping, I may just have to add another one to my wardrobe! I especially like the colour and length of this BB Dakota Eldridge version. It also has side pockets.

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A quick online search will result in many others like these two. 

 

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. 

 

Making trends work for you

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Photo – Getty Images

Chances are, you aren’t going anywhere dressed like this this fall. Neither am I, but this intriguing outfit incorporates, to some extent, at least nine of this season’s biggest fashion trends! Let’s take a look at what they are:

  1. Red
  2. Plaid
  3. Oversized tote bag
  4. Oversized blanket coat
  5. Large, colourful floral print
  6. Flowing maxi dress
  7. Animal print
  8. Extreme layering
  9. Slouchy boots

Screen Shot 2018-09-03 at 7.51.11 PMPlaid is really a returning trend from last fall and winter, but this year’s reinvention includes plaids in wild colours, head to toe plaid, and mixing plaids. Similarly, while animal prints are an enduring trend and are usually considered a neutral, this season you can also expect to see neon zebra and garishly coloured leopard prints. If you want either a plaid or an animal print to have enduring value though, opt for a more traditional look that you’ll be able to wear for years.

For those of us who live a cold climate, layering is a no-brainer during fall and winter, but this year’s trend takes it to the extreme with multiple layers often topped with a bulky oversized coat. One of the great things about this trend is that it allows you to continue wearing some of your spring and summer pieces right into fall and winter. For example, think about layering a sleeveless summer dress over a long sleeved shirt or tee and leggings, then don’t be afraid to pile on a few more layers!

Have fun with the trends, but don’t become a slave to them!  As always, the key to incorporating the latest fashion trends into your wardrobe is to consider how you might put your own interpretation on them while staying true to your own style. Begin by shopping your closet to see how you can make the trends work with what’s already there. For example, I’ll definitely be wearing the black and white plaid shirt that I bought second hand in the spring of 2017 as well as the Check Shirt from Cabi’s Fall 2017 collection again this year. I also have a couple of leopard print items in traditional neutral colours that will be in circulation again this season. I’ve been doing a major closet cull lately and I almost let go of an older leopard print shirt that I haven’t worn for a long time, but I changed my mind and snatched it back out of the bag that’s destined for the thrift store! I’ll show it to you next week.

All weather packing

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logoThe geese are back, the gophers have come out of hibernation and tulip sprouts are peeking through the soil in my flower beds. It must be spring, right? Then why is there snow in the forecast? Because I live in Canada, of course!

I’m envious of those who live in warmer climes, the lucky ones who have already done their seasonal wardrobe switch, putting away winter wear and bringing out shorts and sandals. I had to laugh when I saw this on Facebook the other day because it’s all too true!

Spring in Canada

My dilemma right now is how to pack for our upcoming trip to Vancouver. The coast can be beautiful at this time of year with sunshine, daffodils and a profusion of cherry blossoms OR it can be chilly and damp. The forecast seems to indicate a bit of both.

The answer, of course, is layers. There will be at least 3 camisoles in my suitcase; black, white and khaki. They take up almost no room and make a good base layer providing extra warmth when days are cool. They can be worn under almost anything. I’ll pack tops that can be worn alone or layered with one of the camis and/or a light sweater.

Pants are trickier. I don’t go anywhere without jeans, but I’ll definitely throw in a couple of pairs of capris in case the weather is warm enough. Since we’ll be spending most of our time visiting family, I won’t need anything too dressy, but I’ll take a basic pair of black dress pants that could be worn to church or out to dinner.

When it comes to outerwear, layers are once again the key. I’ll take a light waterproof, windproof jacket and a fleece hoodie that can be worn individually or doubled up on colder days. A tiny pair of knit gloves tucked into a pocket, a scarf and a compact foldable umbrella will take me on outdoor adventures with my grandsons on even the rainiest days.

As far as footwear is concerned, I’m glad that we’re driving not flying. Since I can’t decide if I’ll need sandals, sneakers, casual flats, dress shoes or rubber boots, I may just take them all!