‘Tis the season

Fashion Friday is putting in its appearance much later in the day than usual. In fact, I wasn’t sure that it was going to happen at all this week. We arrived home last night after a whirlwind trip to Vancouver (the second in seven weeks) to assist my 96-year-old father with his move into long term care and to deal with everything in his previous apartment. Though he wasn’t very happy about having to leave the assisted living facility where he lived for the past six years, it was actually exactly what he needed and he seems to be settling in well.

We were thankful to make it home in time to attend the first event of our Christmas season this evening. I was especially glad that I didn’t have to think about what I was going to wear. Last year, I planned my outfits for each Christmas event in advance writing down exactly what I was going to wear including shoes and accessories. It made the season so so much easier that I decided to do the same thing this year. Though I hadn’t quite finished doing this when we got the call to go to Vancouver, I did have this evening’s outfit planned. Here’s what I wore.

I decided awhile ago that I’d put together outfits for each event this season from what was already in my closet rather than buying anything new. The dark green sequinned top added a festive look to this evening’s simple black outfit. I added an emerald necklace that was my mother’s, sparkly earrings that I bought last year, and a silver bangle.

One thing to think about when planning an outfit for a special event is what you’ll be doing. Since I would be sitting at a table for tonight’s dinner and the entertainment that followed, what I wore from the waist down was less important than what would be seen above the table. I’ll wear something entirely different when we go dancing tomorrow evening.

How you see yourself

We were on the way to the city to finish up our Christmas shopping earlier this week when the cell phone rang. It was the call we’d been waiting for for a month and a half. A space had finally been found for my very frail 96-year-old father to move into a long term care facility in Burnaby, the suburb of Vancouver that has been his home for over 30 years. He would be moving before the end of the week!

So here I am back on the road again today heading for the coast (wasn’t I just there?) to clean out the little assisted living apartment where Dad has spent the past six years and to make sure that he’s comfortably settled into his new surroundings.

There wasn’t time to write the fashion post that I had planned for today, so it will have to wait for another time. In the meantime, I’ll leave you with this thought.

A little piece of Paris

Everywhere we went when we were in Paris in May, I saw people wearing berets. Most of them were women, but I did see at least one man sporting one. I hadn’t worn a beret since a pastel green one I had in high school, but before long, I decided that I needed to bring one home with me. It was easy to do as there were inexpensive ones available in almost every souvenir shop. My only dilemma was deciding what colour to buy. I finally settled on navy blue, but now that winter has arrived and I’m seeing more and more berets being worn here in Canada, I wish I’d bought more than one!

Wearing pins or brooches on knit caps (or toques as we call them here in Canada) is a trend this year, so when image consultant and fashion blogger, Brenda Kinsel, suggested adding them to berets, I decided to give it a try. I don’t often wear pins, but I knew that there were a few hiding in the back of one of my drawers. Here, I’ve added a silver rose to my little piece of Paris.

There are several ways to style a beret. It can be worn as I’m wearing mine or tilted to one side or the other. Every beret has a brim that fits snug to the head and holds it in place. Though I’ve seen them worn with the brim to the outside, the “correct” way is to tuck it inside.

 

Inspiration everywhere

Earlier this week, image consultant and fashion blogger, Brenda Kinsel, offered readers of her Tips & Teasers Facebook page this challenge:

“See all the colors in the background of this pic? Using any colors in this palette create an imaginary outfit – pants, top, jacket, jewels, etc. Tell us what it looks like!”

Rather than creating an imaginary outfit, I shopped my closet and this is what I came up with.

It’s a casual look built entirely of neutrals, but I think the pattern in the top lifts it out of drab. The grey skinny jeans, oatmeal cardigan, and black pearl necklace are all cabi from previous seasons. The taupe ankle boots are also several years old. Only the sleeveless V-neck top from Cleo, one of my favourite Canadian brands, is new.

Who would have thought that anyone could take fashion inspiration from a rusty old wall of corrugated metal? Brenda, that’s who! I absolutely love her blog and have learned so much from her. She seems to find inspiration everywhere!

Thank you, Brenda! Obviously I need to start looking at old walls and other random things with a new eye!

 

Pendants for a Cause

One of the things that I enjoy about blogging is connecting with readers and other bloggers around the world. This week, I “met” Dr. Phoebe Chi, an internal medicine and public health physician and author, when she liked last Friday’s post and began following my blog.

In September of this year, after hearing about the devastation in the Bahamas caused by Hurricane Dorian, Phoebe wanted to do something. She was aware of the dire need for medical care and resources, but even with her formal training as a physician, she felt helpless to do anything to meet these needs.

With nothing but a few small pieces of sea glass, a pair of pliers, an assortment of wires, and a deep desire to give hope and help to those whose lives had been devastated, Phoebe decided to put her artistic skills to work and Pendants for a Cause was born!

For the first month, all proceeds from the sale of the necklaces were donated to help meet the emergency health needs of Hurricane Dorian victims. Once those needs were met, the focus of Pendants for a Cause changed to another passion of Dr. Chi’s. Proceeds now go toward helping children around the world with heart conditions get the life-saving surgeries they need.

All Pendants for a Cause are available here. I think the wire wrapped necklaces are my favourites. I absolutely love these two.

Sea glass comes in every colour imaginable and some of Phoebe’s pendants are personalized with tiny charms. Perhaps it’s time to do some Christmas shopping!

In addition to necklaces, there are also earrings to choose from.

As one who loves to wander a beach looking for bits of glass that have been softened by the sea, I wondered how Phoebe was able to find enough to continue producing her jewelry. She told me that she has two sources. Most of her pieces are genuine, bought from a friend who lives in Italy. “She literally has a beach in her backyard that is full of them,” said Phoebe. I must admit that I’m terribly envious! The round pieces, used to make earrings like the ones shown on the left above, are cultured glass produced in a tumbler and purchased from a distributor.

Dr. Phoebe Chi wearing one of her own creations.

 

Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post. I have not been compensated in any way. Information and photographs provided by Pendants for a Cause.

I want to age like sea glass

One of the things that I love doing whenever I’m at the coast is beachcombing; walking the shoreline listening to the surf and searching for shells, driftwood, and bits of sea glass. Sharing that time with my two coastal grandsons is even better!

Spending time with my very elderly father as well as these two boys doesn’t leave much time for writing about fashion, so this week I’m simply going to share this beautiful poem that was found on a fitting room door in a shop on Sanibel Island off the west coast of Florida.

❤

Corduroy comeback

I still remember my favourite corduroy bell bottoms from the 1970s. They were a warm toffee colour with dark brown patch pockets. Though its roots go back to ancient Egypt, corduroy as we know it today has been around since the late 18th century when it first appeared as factory wear in Manchester, England. It remained a working class fabric for the next hundred years before becoming a popular alternative to denim in the 1960s. While its popularity probably peaked in the 1970s, corduroy has never completely disappeared from the fashion world and it has been making a comeback this fall. Pants, skirts, jackets, and even dresses are showing up in this comfortable, easy care fabric.

The only corduroy garment in my present closet is this pair of tan pants.

Unlike most corduroy, with its characteristic ribs, these are made of uncut corduroy which more closely resembles a very short napped velvet. A traditional five pocket skinny jean style, these cotton pants with just a hint of spandex came from Reitman’s, Canada’s largest womens’ clothing retailer, and are amongst the most comfortable in my closet. The only problem with them is that they’re several years old and beginning to show some wear. Perhaps this season would be a good time to find a replacement. Similar pair here.

I’m wearing the cords with the Wonder Tee from cabi’s Fall 2019 Collection. You’ve seen the ultra light down vest from Uniqlo here and here and the gold sneakers that I wore all over Europe in May here.