I’m sure you’ve noticed that fashion clothing and shoes these past few years have been made of mesh, see-through fabrics, and cutouts. I’m not sure what to make of this trend. I think it says something about the need to share even more of ourselves in an effort to be unique. Any deeper discussion on this topic goes beyond the scope of this blog, so I’ll stop right there! Let’s just say that when I saw these Adidas Stan Smith Cutouts, I decided to give them a try.
I consider myself to be a conservative dresser: classic, simple, easy style. One of the best ways to dress up a plain outfit is to reach for a scarf. I have quite a collection of fashion scarves that I tend to wear with plain t-shirts, sweaters, and blazers. And, yes, they’re mainly in blues and browns!
Recently, I had the chance to sit down with the designer and owner of Kala Scarves, a Canadian-based company that makes beautiful, hand-crafted scarves using premium quality natural fibers. After seeing the extensive collection of Kala scarves, it didn’t take me long to consider stepping outside of my comfort zone in terms of color and design.
It’s that time of year when you don’t know what to wear: spring. We get bits and pieces of spring in between cold and rainy days, when the weather doesn’t know what to do. But, in Toronto, when spring actually comes, it typically lasts all of 3-4 weeks in a row.
If you’re like me, your closet is set up for one season or another. In the Fall, I put away my warm weather clothing in the basement. Because I’m always cold, my winter clothing consists of lightweight, long-sleeved t-shirts and a sweater or blazer. For six months of the year, I have to wear two long-sleeved layers of clothing, including some kind of wool top. So, when it’s those in-between temps like we’re having now, I find myself turning to thin wool sweaters or thick cotton sweaters.
That’s where the cardigan in this post comes in. It’s a thick-knit cotton cardigan so it has some structure and weight and acts as a blazer-like top, giving the outfit a smart casual look. It’s perfect for wearing now. It might be hard to tell in the photos, but it’s all navy, except for the black 2-inch detailing around the neck, sleeves, and placket. The two-toned knit makes it easy to pair the cardigan with jeans, navy, or black pants. Continue reading
There are a few treats that remind me of my childhood, and Rice Krispies Treats is one of them. When I was a kid, I went to school on a trimester system. That means we went to school for 12 weeks at a time, then had a 5 week ‘intersession’ period.
During one intersession, I took a baking class. I was 9 or 10 years old. That class is what started me on my lifelong baking adventure. My mom’s an amazing baker (and cook and entertainer…) and I used to watch her bake all the time. But, at the intersession class, I was the one baking and creating – on my own!
The first item we made was Rice Krispies Treats. They’re simple and fun. With all the sweet and bran-type cereals that followed Rice Krispies, I must admit that I don’t often choose Rice Krispies as my breakfast cereal. This means I usually buy a box of Rice Krispies, just to make the Treats. They’re so easy and quick to make, and everyone loves them. They’re the perfect snack for school or travel, too. Continue reading
It’s technically spring in North America, but the temperatures outside tell me we’ve got a few more weeks to go before we can wear short-sleeved clothing without a jacket. In the interim, a blazer and wax coated pants are the perfect pairing for this weather.
This navy blazer is a classic. It’s from J. Crew and it’s their ‘Schoolboy’ blazer, now available as their ‘Rhodes‘ blazer. It’s wool, lined, has gold buttons, and can be dressed up or down. I love that it’s wool because it keeps me warm on cool spring days – yet it’s not bulky. I also love that it’s a petite size, so no alterations were necessary. The sleeve and jacket length were just right.
These wax coated pants, though, are one of my go-to wardrobe items, especially in changing weather. They’re Canadian-made by a Montreal-based, socially conscious company called I Love Tyler Madison. I think the best part about these pants is that they’re pull-on, with no zippers or buttons. The founders of this company love that these pants work for many body types and I agree with them. I’ve seen them on others and they look great. Continue reading
It’s Valentine’s Day and last year I wrote a post (link here) about why I’m okay with Valentine’s Day.
Valentine’s Day is as good a day as any to talk about love because every day is a good day to talk about love. But, what is love, really? It’s lots of things and it’s about describing how you feel about lots of things. It’s about falling in love with a person or your first-born child. It’s about loving something inanimate like your first home. It’s about forgiving people and accepting them for who they are, and that, to me, is the most important part.
The title of this post comes from my Dad, who, since I’ve become a parent, has repeated to me: ‘always with love’. By this, he refers to how I parent, discipline, guide, and teach my kids things. It’s so hard to be patient, to forgive the things your kids say to you or about you. It’s so hard to punish or tell a child you don’t approve of what they’re doing, nicely. But, that’s what you have to do, and, to do it properly, you have to do it with love. Continue reading
It’s been a relatively mild winter in Toronto this year, which means it’s been an interesting season for wearing winter boots.
If you don’t live in a very cold and snowy climate, then you might not understand that one usually has an assortment of winter boots. For example, you have your ‘snow’ boots, which are higher, warmer, waterproof, and come with a tread sole. You need snow boots for when it’s snowing, when you’re shovelling snow, and when you have to walk on the snow-covered sidewalks, streets, or ravine paths.
But, when it’s cold and dry and the sidewalks aren’t snow-covered, your boot options are practically endless. Translation: you can wear fashion boots! This means the boot can have a smooth sole, be made out of suede or leather, and be as impractical as you want. This is where my obsession for Chelsea boots comes in.
The Chelsea boot is an ankle high boot with elastic side panels, as well as a tab on the back of the boot for easy wear. According to Wikipedia, Chelsea boots were patented by Queen Victoria’s shoemaker in 1851, and meant to be a practical shoe. The boots became known as Chelsea boots in the 1950s and 60s when they were popular in the Chelsea part of London. The Beatles and many rock stars have worn them. Continue reading
It’s the middle of winter in the northern hemisphere, and, in Toronto, it’s been an interesting one. One week, it’s below zero, and the next two weeks it’s mild, rainy, and cloudy. I’m not one to complain about warmer temps in the winter, so I’m good. One of the ways to enjoy the winter months is to surround yourself with beautiful things, like flowers!
The pants in this post are so much fun because they’re winter pants with sedate flower patterns, giving one a little pick-me-up this time of year. Every time I’ve worn these pants, I get unsolicited compliments. That’s my favorite kind of compliment! Continue reading
Do you have an electric or hybrid car? Have you ever thought about owning an electric car? My family doesn’t own one, but after recently test driving the Chevrolet Volt, I’m wondering why it’s taken me so long to seriously think about the perks of owning an electric car.
We’re in a car industry revolution now, like it or not. The rules of the game in vehicle technology and how we think about transportation in general have changed significantly over the last few years.
Not only do we have connected cars, but automated or self-driving cars are here, with the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers forecasting 75% of cars on the road will be automated by 2040. And, electric cars are becoming easier and more economical to own, in part due to advances in clean energy, increased battery life, and wider availability of charging stations in buildings and malls.
Given all of these exciting advancements, my husband and I were definitely interested in test-driving the latest Chevrolet Volt at Hogan Chevrolet, in Scarborough, Ontario. Continue reading
I thought I’d write a quick post on Joe Fresh, a clothing retail store founded in 2006 in Canada. If you’re not familiar with Joe, let me place it for you. Joe Fresh stores are smaller than H&M and Uniqlo, but generally in the same price range and offerings, with Joe showing more collections per season.
I’ve been a bit obsessed with Joe lately because I scored a few great deals over the holidays and every time I wear them, I get lots of compliments. Continue reading