style

Fashion humour

/ edebock / 4 Comments

LogoI’m quite surprised at how easy it’s been to keep Fashion Friday going for over five years without running out of new topics to write about, but lately the well of ideas seems to be running dry. I think it’s more than writer’s block though. I’m sure it’s partly due to the fact that I’m bored with the clothes in my closet and I’ve hardly bought any new ones in the past 14 months, but I think it also has a lot to do with the state of the world we’re living in. Writing about fashion seems pretty frivolous when you’re living in the province with the highest rate of active Covid cases in Canada and the United States and the situation is getting worse every day.

After wracking my brain for something meaningful to write about this week and coming up empty, I decided that maybe what we actually need is a bit of fashion humour to lighten the mood. We don’t have to look any further than the runway fashion shows where designers display their latest creations to find a few laughs and ask, “What were they thinking?”

Perhaps it would be best if designers didn’t let their creative juices flow when they’re hungry!

20(64)

I’ve always said that a mother should grow a new arm with each new child. Perhaps that’s what this designer had in mind, but that would be one big family!

d9a8f3d82289d3e8ec980866ff4d4de6

There’s a lot going on in this Easter bunny inspired outfit, but look at the sleeves. They’d be perfect for a mom whose arms are tired or perhaps for someone who’s broken both arms. The mask is also a nice touch during these pandemic days.

c424383e522778a604e4a8b70745e136

Then, of course, there are the styles with no arms at all!

Cozy is nice, but this is a bit much, don’t you think?

anemone

This one would certainly keep you warm on a cold winter day.

meme_1_line_700-5c3ca92ad1f7f__700

Layering for warmth is a better idea, but it would appear that this designer didn’t quite grasp that concept.

meme_2_lines_700-5c3c983c06e4a__700

Some outfits are creepy…

and others are just too weird for words!

28979d55453b16c01ed2d9b88ef75358

A few the outfits shown above are clearly unisex, but today I also have two special designs for any men in the audience who like to show off their underwear!

Though I can’t actually imagine anyone wearing any of these creations except on the runway, I do have to admit that some of them are walking works of art. In some cases, very weird art, but art nevertheless. In my opinion, this one from China is both artistic and quite beautiful.

a546322393a01a5f5b2ee0f4cb6a5296

Though I’m obvously struggling with it a bit at this point, I do want to keep Fashion Friday going, so if you have any suggestions for topics you’d like me to write about, I’d love to hear them! Please feel free to leave your ideas in the comment section.

More about flats

/ edebock / Leave a comment

Screen Shot 2021-03-17 at 10.15.26 AM

What a strange language English is! Take the word flat, for example. In Britain, a flat is what we in North America would call an apartment. Flat can mean smooth and even, without bumps and indentations. It can be a musical note or a piece of stage scenery. We can be flat broke, lie flat on our backs, or turn someone down flat. Today is Fashion Friday, however, so once again we’re talking about shoes, ballet flats in particular. 

LogoThe ballet flat, a timeless, polished, and quietly chic style of footwear, was inspired by the dance slippers worn by ballerinas in France in the mid-18th century. It was French film actress, Brigitte Bardot, who would ultimately transform the ballet slipper into it’s present day form. Once trained as a ballet dancer, Bardot asked French footwear designer, Rose Repetto, to design a pair of flats for her that were as flexible as ballet slippers, but softer and more comfortable. Bardot wore the now-iconic style in her 1956 film, And God Created Woman. 

Fashion trends come and go, but the ballet flat has remained a wardrobe staple for women for nearly 70 years. Other famous fans of the tried-and-true style have included Audrey Hepburn, Rita Hayworth, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Princess Diana, Michelle Obama, and Meghan Markle. 

As I mentioned in last week’s post, with spring comes lighter footwear including the ubiquitous ballet flat. Though these lightweight, flexible, and comfortable shoes are traditionally rounded at the toe, square-toed and pointy pairs can also be found. Apart from highly formal, black tie events, ballet flats are suited to almost any occasion from the office to a party. They are, of course, perfect as part of an everyday casual outfit. I would not, however, suggest wearing them when you plan to do a lot of walking as they don’t provide adequate support for that.

And now for a few styling tips: 

  • Avoid tights and socks. Ballet flats look best over bare feet. 
  • Show some skin. Ballet flats look most flattering when your ankles or lower legs are showing. They look great with dresses, skirts (especially loose, flowy styles), and cropped pants. 
  • Simple ballet flats also look great with skinny jeans or leggings. 
  • If you want to create the illusion of longer legs, choose a simple nude pair. 
IMG_2237

Wearing my blue suede shoes!

Do we ever age out of fashion?

/ edebock / 2 Comments

Logo

I love the Baroness von Sketch clips that pop up on my Facebook News Feed from time to time. They’re irreverent and funny and touch on real life, everyday situations. If you haven’t seen this one, take three minutes to watch it and then we’ll talk about whether or not we ever age out of fashion.

If she’s aged out at 48, I’m in big trouble! I’m 20 years older than her! No, ladies, what we like might change and what looks good on us might be altered by time, but we’re never too old for style; never too old to look our best.  

Take Jane Fonda for example. She’s 83! Yes, she’s had cosmetic surgery and colours her hair, but look at how she’s dressed. She isn’t trying to look like a teenager, but she hasn’t given up on fashion either. She hasn’t aged out. 

Jane Fonda 83

I’m sure you can think of others. Diane Keaton, Helen Mirren, and British actress, Charlotte Rampling, all age 75, come to mind. You can probably think of older women you know whose style you admire. One thing that I suspect they all have in common is that they care about their appearance; they haven’t given up on themselves simply because there are more candles on their cake than there used to be. They wear what they like, what makes them feel good about themselves, and they don’t worry about following arbitrary “age appropriate” rules. 

Attitude not age

What fashion is NOT

/ edebock / Leave a comment

LogoI’m noticing a common theme amongst the fashion bloggers that I follow and I completely identify. As the pandemic drags on and on, we’re finding it increasingly difficult to come up with new and interesting content. I refer to Following Augustine as a “lifestyle, travel, and fashion” blog, but when life is mostly stay-at-home, travel has been non-existent for almost a year, and I’ve only shopped for absolute essentials, what do I write about? I’ve been depending on my own closet for most of these weekly fashion features, trying to come up with new ways to wear old pieces, but I’m rapidly running out of ideas!

In preparation for a weekly study that I lead, I’ve spent quite a bit of time lately looking at what the Bible has to say about women, so I’m going to draw on that for today’s post. 1 Peter 3:3-4a says, “Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit.” Does that mean that a Christian woman shouldn’t concern herself with style, dress in fine clothes, wear jewelry, use make-up, or write a fashion blog. Not at all! 

When looking at the Bible for guidance we need to ask ourselves what the timeless principles behind the scriptures are and how we can stay true to them in our day and age. First century Israel was under Roman rule. It was the practice of the upper class Roman women to flaunt their position by wearing elaborate hairstyles adorned with genuine jewels. They intentionally used their clothing and jewelry to set themselves apart from the lower class women. I believe that it was this attitude that the apostle Peter was warning against.  

46777e2aa293da928de45001227531de

Wall painting from the Vila San Marco, Stabiae, 1st century

I’ve written before about the 3Cs, the things I want my wardrobe to say about me. When I look in the mirror, I want what I’m wearing to say classy, confident, and comfortable. I could add to that casual and creative. I do NOT want my wardrobe to say that I think I’m better than anyone else! Fashion is not, or should not be, a competition! 

I actually had no idea where this post was going when I started writing it, but perhaps I’ll just leave you with this thought.

129944384_236449687835181_6603705724580703289_o

Why accessorize?

/ edebock / Leave a comment

download

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?

Logo

Shopping like a goddess

/ edebock / Leave a comment

LogoIf you’ve been reading Following Augustine for long, you know that I love thrift store shopping. In fact, one of my most popular posts over the past year has been this one. I’m not crazy about big city stores like Value Village where there’s an overwhelming amount of merchandise to sift through. Instead, I prefer smaller not-for-profit stores like the two that I shop locally. 

Other than one pair of pyjamas that I picked up at Walmart, the only clothing that I’ve bought in the past four months has been second-hand. One of my most recent finds was the Goddess Blouse from cabi’s Fall 2018 Collection. Although it’s two years old, it’s like new and it fits into my wardrobe for several reasons. 

IMG_1745

Like many cabi pieces, it isn’t trendy. Its timeless quality means that it’s something that I’ll be happy to wear for a long time. The cream coloured background is flattering to my complexion and the abstract pattern, in colours that are part of my spring palette, doesn’t overwhelm me. The blouse also coordinates with lots of things in my present wardrobe including many other cabi pieces. That’s one of my favourite things about cabi; the fact that pieces from one season are intentionally designed to coordinate with those from several previous seasons so that you can build a cohesive wardrobe over a period of time. 

In the first photo, I’m wearing the Goddess Blouse with my grey skinny jeans, also from the Fall 2018 Collection. My necklace is another recent thrift store purchase.

I love the next look which is entirely cabi. I styled the blouse with my Brick Dust skinnies from Spring 2018, the Tudor Cross necklace from Fall 2019, and one of my oldest pieces of cabi, the Shirttail Cardigan from Fall 2016. It might be four years old, but it’s still going strong!

IMG_1756

Next, here I am wearing the blouse with a pair of dark wash jeans and yet another piece from cabi, the Checkmate Jacket from a year ago. 

IMG_1777

And finally, here’s my very good friend and cabi stylist, Deborah, wearing her Goddess Blouse with several items from this season’s cabi collection. 

Deb

By now, you might be wondering if this is a sponsored post. It’s not. I just have a lot of cabi in my closet and I’m delighted that I was able to add another piece for just $3.00 by shopping my local thrift store! 

Dressing up and dressing down

/ edebock / 6 Comments

LogoWhen my grandmother died, she left behind a drawer full of brand new towels and linens that she’d received as gifts. They were too nice to use, she’d always told us. My mother had a lovely set of china that seldom came out of the cabinet. Instead, she used her everyday dishes every single day. Many of us are like that with clothes. We have lovely things hanging in our closets waiting for special occasions that hardly ever happen. Why do we do that?

I grew up in an era when girls wore dresses to school and changed into play clothes when we got home. Perhaps that’s what taught us that certain clothes should be saved for good. As a result, we end up wearing the same things day in, day out and rarely, if ever, do we wear our nicer pieces. Maybe it’s time to change that! What are we waiting for?

Perhaps the middle of a stay-at-home pandemic isn’t the best time to suggest this, or maybe it actually is. Are you beginning to feel cooped up? Do you need a pick me up? I’m not suggesting that we clean house in our best clothes, but why not make a special dinner, chill a bottle of wine, light some candles, and dress up! And while you’re in your closet planning what to wear for your no special occasion, at home celebration, take a look and think about how some of your dress up clothes might be dressed down and worn more casually.

Here’s an example using photos from a couple of previous posts (here and here).

The same dress looks quite different worn with a jean jacket and sneakers.

Now let’s take a look at another example. This is the black lace Display Top from cabi’s Fall 2018 Collection. I wore it to one or two Christmas events that year and I think I’ve worn it to church a couple of times, but for the most part it’s simply been hanging in my closet.

m_5d4a1576138e18b216600182 (1)

To me, lace says fancy, but it doesn’t have to be.

IMG_0945

I this photo, I’ve styled the top with the grey skinny jeans that you saw in last Friday’s post and a charcoal Bianca Nygard jacket that I picked up at our local thrift store several years ago. The silver threads running through the jacket fabric and its big sparkly buttons give it a dressy look, so this outfit is one that I might wear to a movie with hubby or lunch with my girlfriends. I’ve finished the look with a simple lariat necklace and one of my favourite pairs of flats.

IMG_0932

Dressing it down a bit more, I’ve paired the top with the same jeans, a grey blazer that’s been in my closet since my teaching days, and a pair of black ankle boots that were also thrifted. My Tudor Cross necklace from cabi finishes the look.

IMG_0920 2

For a truly casual look, I’m wearing the lace top and grey jeans with a classic jean jacket and sneakers.

So, do you have clothes that you only wear for dressy events? What could you do to style them more casually? Would you wear a dress with sneakers and a jean jacket or casual cardigan? Perhaps you have a sparkly sweater that you could wear with a pair of dark wash jeans or dress pants that you could wear with a t-shirt and sneakers.

Let’s not leave all our best clothes hiding in our closets!

Fashion trends for spring 2020

/ edebock / 8 Comments

LogoIt’s still winter here on the Canadian prairie and will be for a couple more months, but when February rolls around I always begin to think about spring. Today, let’s take a look at 11 fashion trends for the season that lies ahead. I must be getting old as I’ve seen many of them come and go before. In fact, this season looks very much like a 1970s rerun!

1.  Crochet  

crochet-spring-2020-fashion-trends-look-style-details-tendencias-moda-godustyle

Definitely not your Grandma’s doilies, but crochet is being seen in dresses, suits, tops, and evening wear. Runway looks are usually a little over the top for most of us, but I have fond memories of a crocheted vest in my high school years and I could certainly see myself wearing something like this.

crochet-outfit-ideas-3

2.  Hot Pants  For those of you who weren’t around in the 70s and may not yet be familiar with the term, hot pants are teeny, tiny, ultra short shorts worn not as beach wear, but for much dressier occasions. Back in the day, I thought I was quite something in my black velveteen hot pants, but looking back I suspect that they weren’t particularly flattering with my toothpick legs. This is one trend I definitely won’t be revisiting!

3.  Neon Colours  You’ll never see me in head to toe fluorescents, but it would be easy to add a touch of this trend to your spring wardrobe by opting for a neon accessory. Perhaps a pair of sneakers, a purse, a scarf, or even a simple bracelet.

Neon

4.  Bras  We’re not talking under garments or exercise wear here, but bras worn under blazers or alone with high waisted pants and skirts. Again, not something I’ll be wearing!

5. Suits With Shorts  If I was still teaching instead of happily retired, I could definitely see myself investing in one of these menswear inspired suits with Bermuda shorts. It’s a nice take on business casual and if the trend doesn’t last, the pieces could still be worn separately.

Processed with VSCO with a9 preset

6.  Vests  Here’s another masculine inspired trend. Vests are being worn as part of three piece suits, mismatched with a blazer, or alone. I’m kicking myself for getting rid of the ones I wore back in the 80s or 90s. If I still had them, I’d definitely wear them again.

7.  Psychedelic Prints  Think 1960s wallpaper!

8.  Leather  Once reserved for fall and winter, leather is having a moment this spring. Brightly coloured and buttery soft, leather is appearing as skirts, pants, jackets, and coats. I’ll definitely be getting out my leather jackets as soon as the weather warms up a bit.

leather-trend-outfit-1568311780

9.  Polka Dots  Big dots, little dots, colourful dots, dots on dresses, dots on pants, dots on shoes… polka dots are everywhere! This is a trend that’s been around for awhile and shows no signs of fading. It’s one that I haven’t fully embraced yet, but I actually like both these looks. It’s also a trend that’s easy to introduce in smaller amounts with polka dotted accessories.

10.  See-through Sheer  Chiffon and tulle create airy looks that no woman in her right mind is going to wear as shown on the runway, but I’m sure we’ll see this trend translated into looks that will be very wearable. I’m thinking of sheer sleeves and overlays.

11.  Trench Coats  Nothing says spring like a practical, dependable trench coat. This is another trend that isn’t going anywhere. This year we’re seeing classic beige as well as some lovely feminine colours.

Loro Piana RTW Spring 2020

Clearly mine is still in style and I look forward to wearing it again!

Will you be wearing any of these trends this spring? If so, which ones? Do tell!

The art of getting dressed

/ edebock / Leave a comment

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

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

433d67c8a179d2f32e67c87f8df403b4

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

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

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

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

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

 

Building a cohesive wardrobe

/ edebock / 2 Comments

LogoI’ve written before about my 3Cs of fashion… classy, confident, and comfortable, but today I want to look at another C… cohesive. Cohesion could be the difference between a wardrobe that works and one that doesn’t, so what does this C word mean?

According to the Cambridge Dictionary, cohesive means “united and working together effectively” and the Collins English Dictionary says that something that is cohesive “consists of parts that fit together well and form a united whole”. That sounds like a workable wardrobe to me!

So what makes a wardrobe cohesive? I would suggest two things… most of the tops work with most of the bottoms and the majority of the garments are versatile enough to be dressed up or down for a variety of venues and occasions.

How then do we build that cohesive wardrobe? Obviously, few of us can scrap our entire closet full of clothes and start from scratch, but begin by evaluating what you already have and then work toward making purchases that add cohesion.

  • If you haven’t already, define your personal style. I’ve written about how to use Pinterest to help you do that here.
  • Choose a colour palette. Build your basic wardrobe around a few colours that suit your complexion, that you feel drawn to, and that coordinate well with one another. This doesn’t have to be boring. Scarves and accessories are a great way to add pops of other colours. Pattern and texture also add variety.
  • Only buy pieces that will go with what you already own. Ask yourself, can I wear this at least three different ways with items that I already have in my closet? If so, it will probably be a good purchase. This may not work for something like a special occasion dress, but it’s a good rule of thumb for most other wardrobe purchases.

If you follow these simple suggestions, you’ll end up with a cohesive wardrobe that will make getting dressed in the morning easy and enjoyable. No more staring at a closet full of mismatched clothes and moaning about having nothing to wear!

Nothing to wear

image

I’ve been thinking a lot about cohesiveness lately for two reasons. First of all, spring is finally coming to the Canadian prairie and I’ll soon be doing my seasonal wardrobe switch. As I bring out my spring/summer wardrobe, I’ll be looking at it with a critical eye and deciding where the gaps are and what I need to fill them with. Secondly, it’s less than two weeks until I’ll be packing that teeny tiny suitcase and flying off to Europe for three and a half weeks. This will be our first attempt at traveling with carry-on luggage only, so whatever goes into that one little suitcase is going to have to work well together!