Shopping

Uniqlo is coming to Edmonton!

/ edebock / Leave a comment

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.

IMG_7163

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:

xUniveralcolors400.jpg.pagespeed.ic.R-J9_jsNLd

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

/ edebock / 9 Comments

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!

Helen Mirren thrifting

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?

Afternoon in Milan

/ edebock / 5 Comments

It wasn’t originally part of my plan for us to visit Milan while we were in Italy. I had hoped to book a day of train travel all the way from Florence to Paris, but since that wasn’t possible, we had to overnight somewhere along the way. We didn’t want to take an overnight train as our main reason for choosing to travel by train instead of flying was to see a bit of the countryside.

We arrived in Milan early in the afternoon the day before yesterday and had the rest of the day to experience a bit of the city. Milan is a financial hub as well as a global capital of fashion and design. At first glance, it looks much like any other modern city, but it has a historical side as well.

As soon as we were settled into our guest house near the train station, we jumped on the metro and headed for the Duomo, the Milan Cathedral. Dedicated to the Nativity of St Mary, it is the seat of the Archbishop of Milan. We’ve seen a lot of amazing churches on this trip, but emerging from the metro right in front of the Duomo was definitely another breathtaking moment!

IMG_8221

The sheer immensity of the cavernous interior was amazing. Look at the size of that pillar!

IMG_8224

It was the stained glass windows that most astounded me though. There was no way to truly capture them in photographs. This shows just two of the three enormous panels at the front of the building and there were many more narrower ones along its sides.

IMG_8233

Each section depicts a scene from the Old or New Testament. The ones toward the top are so high up that we couldn’t even see the details in them.

After visiting the interior of the church, we took an elevator to the rooftop which was without question the highlight of our short stay in Milan. We could have saved the price of a ticket and climbed the approximately 250 stairs, but our old knees have had a major workout on this trip and the elevator was worth every cent. It also saved us time which we didn’t have a lot of.

After leaving the Duomo, we walked through the gorgeous and glitzy Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, a very high end shopping mall. With it’s glass ceiling, the whole place has a light, airy feel.

IMG_8302

The entire floor of the gallery is mosaic and near the centre is the image of a bull. Tradition has it that good luck will come to anyone who places their heel on the bull’s testicles and spins in a circle three times. Of course, I had to place my heel in the indentation that has been worn into the floor in that spot and spin myself around!

IMG_8316

IMG_8315

Our final stop in Milan was Castello Sforzesco, a medieval castle in the middle of a mostly modern city. Built first as a fortress in 1368 and later transformed into a magnificent palace, it now houses many museums. We didn’t have time to enter any of those, but we enjoyed a quick exploration of the grounds.

IMG_8328

IMG_8338

The next morning, we were back on the train on our way to Paris but very glad that we’d had to stop in Milan!

 

2018 fashion shopping review

/ edebock / 3 Comments

LogoOn January 4 of this year one of my favourite bloggers, Sue Burpee, writer of High Heels in the Wilderness, published a post entitled Is It Possible To Be An Ethical Shopper? In it, she analysed the progress that she had made over the previous year in her quest to be a more ethical shopper and gave herself an overall mark of B-. By the time I was half way through reading her post, I had decided that I would keep a list of all the clothing purchases that I made this year and then analyse my own shopping habits. In addition to wanting to be a more ethical shopper, I was interested in finding out more about my spending habits and I wanted to be more intentional about wardrobe development.

Sue’s advice at the end of her post was

Plan carefully. Purchase wisely, not too much. Mostly quality.

And ethically… if possible. 

I divided my list into three categories: Clothing, Accessories, and Footwear. Within each category, I kept track of each item that I bought listing the date and place where it was purchased, where it was made, the regular price, and if it was bought on sale, the amount that I actually spent. I also indicated which items were thrifted.

So how did I do?

Alhough it’s difficult to find accurate information on women’s spending habits and it clearly varies from place to place, a survey of 1000 American women conducted by ING Direct and Capital One banks in 2012 found that most women, on average, spend somewhere between $150 and $400 on clothing per month, which equals approximately $1,800 to $4,800 per year. According to the research that Sue did for her post, the average American woman added 70 items to her wardrobe in 2013. Based on these statistics, I would give myself an excellent mark! In fact, I can’t even imagine spending or buying that much. All told, I purchased 35 wardrobe items in 2018. In addition to accessories and footwear, this included socks, underwear, and three badly needed bras. I paid full price for only 10 of the 35 items and I spent a total of approximately $1135 (CAD). Had I paid full price for everything, I would have paid somewhere around $2000. I can only give a rough estimate of that because I don’t know the original prices of the 5 thrifted pieces that I bought. For example, I spent $4.00 for a classic trench coat that would probably retail for $100 or more.

IMG_5731

Although I love thrift store shopping, I purchased fewer second hand items this year because I was determined not to continue filling my closet with impulse buys simply because the prices were fantastic. Instead, I spent more and focused on buying items that I needed and that could be worn at least three ways with things that I already owned.

My most expensive purchase was my new winter coat. It was a planned purchase and I shopped around to find  exactly what I wanted. I paid the full price of $179.99, but considering cost per wear it will probably be one of my most economic purchases. By buying the coat when I did, I also received a $50 rebate on any item in the store which my husband was able to use for a new pair of jeans.

IMG_6504

I did purchase one item that I’ve never worn; a piece of costume jewelry that didn’t look as good as I thought it would with the items that I planned to wear it with. Thankfully, I bought it at half price and only paid $8.98.

Now, back to the topic of Sue’s post. She came to the conclusion that trying to shop ethically is complicated and discouraging and I completely concur. 22 of the items that I purchased this year were made in China and 5 in Vietnam, but were they made in sweatshops where workers are exploited and forced to work in unsafe conditions or are they manufactured in socially and environmentally responsible factories? It’s often impossible to find out. I’ve learned that retailers seldom respond to inquiries especially ones that touch on sensitive subjects like this one. I bought 8 cabi garments this year. I’ve been told by two different cabi stylists that their products are ethically produced, but I can’t find anything on their website to verify that. Likewise, I purchased 3 garments from another retailer who assured me that she carries only ethically produced clothing, but how do I know for sure and even if the garments are produced in safe and responsible factories, we have no way of finding out anything at all about the production of the fabric itself. As a result, though I very much want to be, I really don’t know if I’m an ethical shopper, so I won’t be as bold as Sue and attempt to give myself a letter grade for this year’s fashion shopping.

What are my goals for 2019?

  • I will continue tracking my purchases for the coming year so that I can review and evaluate my shopping habits again a year from now.
  • I would like to buy less and spend less.
  • I intend to buy basics that I need and items I love that work well with what I already have.
  • I will resist the pressure of friends to buy pieces that they like, but that aren’t right for me.
  • I will continue to buy quality pieces, not wasting money on fast fashion items that are poorly made and end up in the landfill after only a few wearings.
  • I will continue to write a weekly fashion post!

And finally, here are of a few of my favourite fashion purchases this year:

 

 

Can I wear it 3 ways?

/ edebock / 3 Comments

LogoI frequently drop into our local thrift stores in search of used books, but invariably the clothing beckons and I have to take a look! I’ve been more disciplined in recent months, buying less and not filling my closet with impulse buys simply because the prices are irresistible. I’ve accomplished that by asking myself one simple question: Can I wear this at least 3 different ways with items that I already have in my closet? If so, it will probably be a good purchase. This doesn’t work for something like a special occasion dress, but it’s a good rule of thumb for most other wardrobe purchases, new or used.

On my most recent foray into a second hand store, this blouse caught my eye.

IMG_6600

Could I style it 3 ways? Easily! It’s light and airy, so I could immediately visualize myself wearing it with capris next summer or perhaps sooner if we take a winter holiday to somewhere warm. It’s also long enough to wear over leggings or skinny jeans with some of my winter sweaters including the Prep Pullover that I showed you a couple of weeks ago. I decided to try it on.

On the way to the fitting room, I spotted this.

IMG_6599

A plain white cotton t-shirt dress. Could I style it 3 ways? I wasn’t sure, but I thought it would be a great layering piece and that it might actually look good under the black and white blouse.

What do you think?

IMG_6604

Even though I might have broken my 3 ways rule with the white top, both pieces came home with me and here I am wearing them with my light grey High Skinny jeans from cabi and a pair of black booties that were also purchased second hand.

Anniversary on Lonsdale

/ edebock / 4 Comments

IMG_6265

In recent years, we’ve been coming to Vancouver at least twice a year. Dividing our time between my very elderly father, my mentally handicapped brother, and our oldest son, his wife, and their two growing boys always seems to be a balancing act. We planned our current trip specifically because my father was having minor surgery last Thursday. Thankfully, that went extremely well and as we did when we were last here in June, I decided that we ought to take a bit of time to enjoy the city. Of course, the fact that today is our 42nd wedding anniversary was also a good reason to do something a bit out of the ordinary!

Though we spent the first few days of this visit staying in one of the guest suites at the assisted living facility in Burnaby where my father lives, we relocated to our son’s home in North Vancouver on the weekend. After walking the boys to school this morning and then having a late breakfast, we headed off to spend a few hours exploring Lower Lonsdale.

With stunning mountain views in one direction and Burrard Inlet in the other, bustling Lonsdale Avenue is main street North Vancouver and Lower Lonsdale is its oldest neighbourhood. There past and present come together in a unique area bursting with shops, restaurants, cafés and pubs. At its heart is Lonsdale Quay.

IMG_6255 - Version 2

Lonsdale Quay Market has an abundance of unique shops and services selling everything from fresh seafood to authentic west coast art to kitchen ware and handmade chocolate. It’s also the northern terminus of the SeaBus, the passenger-only ferry that crosses the inlet and connects the North Shore to downtown Vancouver.

IMG_6248.JPG

After wandering the shops inside the market and enjoying a delicious lunch of fresh fish and chips overlooking the harbour, we made our way outside.

IMG_6253

Public art reflecting the heritage, culture, and environment of the area is found all over the city of North Vancouver. The 100 foot mural “Coastal Energy” on the side of Lonsdale Quay was designed by North Vancouver students in collaboration with local artist, Dennis Creighton.

IMG_6259

After leaving the Quay, we walked a few blocks up one side of Lonsdale Avenue and back down the other checking out a few of the shops and enjoying the character of the place.

IMG_6262

IMG_6264

IMG_6267 - Version 2

IMG_6270

Then, anniversary or not, it was time to return to our real reason for being in Vancouver; time to pick up Dad and take him for a follow up appointment with his doctor. Thankfully, he is doing well!

Fashion math… thinking about cost per wear

/ edebock / 9 Comments

LogoIf you’re like me, there have probably been times when you’ve stood in a dressing room trying to decide whether or not to buy an item because the price seems too high. It fits well, looks great on you, and you love it, but can you really justify spending that much?

That’s when you need to think about cost per wear (CPW). I was never very good at math, but this formula is so simple that even I can handle it!

Screen Shot 2018-08-23 at 11.56.29 AM

The simplest version involves dividing the price by how many times you estimate that you’ll wear the item. Of course, there are other factors to take into consideration. For example, does the item need to be dry cleaned. If so, it’s a good idea to factor that cost into the equation.

Screen Shot 2018-08-23 at 11.57.28 AM

Obviously, no one knows exactly how many times they’ll wear a particular item, but here are some questions that can help you estimate:

  • Where will I wear it?
  • Is it a single season item or something that I’ll wear year round?
  • Is it a trend that will likely disappear quickly or something that I’ll probably wear for several years?
  • Is it well made? Will it keep its shape and colour through multiple wears and washes or will it wear out quickly?
  • Will it play well with other items in my closet?
  • Will I get tired of it?

Let’s look at a couple of examples. I’m planning to buy a new winter coat this year. Imagine that I find the coat I want for $250. I live in a climate where winter lasts from late October until March. Unless I slip away to somewhere warm for a couple of weeks, I’ll likely wear that coat at least once a day all winter long, so let’s estimate that I wear it 150 times over the winter months. If I keep that coat for just one year, the cost per wear would be $1.67, but I’m likely to wear it for several winters so let’s multiply the number of wears by 3. Now I’m dividing $250 by 450 and the CPW is only 56 cents! On the other hand, if I spend $250 on a dress to wear to a wedding and I only wear it a couple of other times, the CPW is over $80! In my mind, the coat is a good buy, but the dress probably isn’t.

Here’s another way to look at it. Let’s imagine that you’re shopping for a basic black sweater and trying to choose between buying a high quality one for $120 or a cheaper, poorer quality version for $24. Which one is the better buy? As counterintuitive as it might sound, sometimes buying cheap is actually more expensive. If you would wear the more expensive sweater 200 times over the next few years, the CPW would be 60 cents, but you might only get 20 wears out of that cheaper sweater before it starts to pill, stretch out of shape, or even unravel. In that case, the CPW would be 83 cents. Clearly, the more expensive sweater is actually the better buy.

For CPW to work to your advantage, you have to love and enjoy wearing your clothes to such an extent that you’re willing to continue wearing them long term instead of constantly buying new ones; you have to be willing to make fewer and more intentional purchases. That’s the whole idea! Rather than forking over more and more of your hard earned dollars for cheap quality pieces that won’t last, you’ll spend more for clothes that will last longer.

Cost per wear isn’t a hard and fast rule. Splurging on something trendy that you won’t wear long term isn’t all bad. Getting dressed ought to be fun, so achieving a low cost per wear isn’t always the desired end, but it’s a handy tool to use, especially when you’re considering a major purchase or when sales racks tempt you to buy on impulse.

So next time you go shopping for clothes, shoes, or accessories, why not do the fashion math?

A Christmas shopping suggestion

/ edebock / 2 Comments

LogoIt’s December 1st and the Christmas season is upon us! I like to get my Christmas shopping done early before the mad rush begins, but if you’re still trying to figure out what to buy for some of the people on your list, perhaps I can help.

Kiva is an international nonprofit with a mission to alleviate poverty through micro loans. By lending as little as $25, anyone can help a Kiva borrower start or grow a business, attend school, or improve their living conditions. I’ve written several posts about Kiva in the past, but what I haven’t written about is the Kiva Store, a partnership between Kiva and its partner NOVICA, a mission-driven company that works with artisans around the world. By purchasing some of your Christmas gifts at the Kiva online store, where you’ll find unique and high-quality products (jewelry, fashion, and home decor) at very reasonable prices, you can help support the efforts of artisan producers and strengthen the fair trade movement.

Here are just a few of the over 1400 fashion items currently available through the Kiva Store.

The Kiva Store isn’t only for women though. There are many suitable gifts for men as well. Here’s one of my favourites.

If jewelry would suit someone on your Christmas list, the Kiva store has a vast array of necklaces, bracelets, rings, earrings, pins, and even anklets. Personally, I think this sterling silver cuff with amethysts and pearls is exquisite

and I could certainly see myself wearing these earrings! That’s the only problem with doing your Christmas shopping at the Kiva Store. You might end up ordering for yourself too!

Kiva ships to over 100 countries worldwide making it a truly global marketplace for both artisans and customers, but don’t wait too long to order. Christmas is just around the corner and you want your gifts to arrive on time.

What kind of purse do you carry?

/ edebock / 7 Comments

When my husband and I were walking through the mall last week doing a bit of early Christmas shopping, I couldn’t help noticing how many women were wearing cross-body bags.

LogoDoes a woman wear her purse? If it’s a cross-body bag, I guess she does. That’s one of its main advantages. In addition to being a deterrent to purse thieves, a cross-body bag is a functional fashion accessory that offers easy access to its contents while allowing hands-free shopping. It definitely makes me wonder why I’ve never carried one!

Though there are many, many handbag styles, most of them would fall into one of four categories: cross-body, shoulder, satchel, or clutch.

Cross-body

Cecalocco from Globo

Shoulder

Perfect for everyday use, a shoulder bag has a strap long enough to hang from your shoulder. Like a cross-body bag, it also leaves your hands free. Some shoulder bags have an adjustable strap so that it can be carried higher or lower on the body depending on your preference and height. Shoulder bags have always been my purse of choice.

Astilaniel from Spring

Some shoulder bags, like the one shown here, have straps that are long enough to also be worn cross-body, making them very versatile. I actually have one of these in my purse collection. Perhaps on my next shopping trip, I’ll wear instead of carry!

Satchel

With one or two top handles short enough to be held in your hand or on the crook of your arm, satchels have a ladylike look, but I find them uncomfortable and impractical for shopping. Many come with a detachable shoulder strap which would help, but I would likely leave it on most of the time which would make the top handles redundant. I might as well buy a shoulder bag in the first place.

Blaikie from Spring

Clutch

Except for the occasional dressy evening out, I find a clutch, often with no handle at all and virtually no space to carry anything, the most impractical bag of all!

1834941

What about you? What kind of purse do you prefer? Cross-body, shoulder, satchel, or clutch? Please leave a one word answer in the comments section, or if you prefer, explain your choice.