Well well well we really lived this summer! I’ve been outside every weekend - mainly with little chicken but when I partied - I partied lol. Caribanna had me outside for 4 days straight, it is my favourite time of year for real. I hope you guys had A TIME this summer. My philosophy is that I’m already tired so I’d rather be tired because I had fun - dancing like I’ve never danced before than just tired by the doldrums of adulting and parenting.
She’s back again and ready to step into a new season - but wait nothing is new?
Now please explain to me why I’m seeing influencers and trend forecasters alike talking about what is trending this fall and its “collegiate”, “chunky sweaters”, “riding boots” like BFFR!!!! I’m going to let you in on a not so secret secret - what is trending for fall is what was trending last year, 5 years ago and decades ago! See some examples below:
Layer a chunky sweater over a dress, try wearing that sporty skirt you haven’t worn in 3 years with some cute loafers. Another option, would be changing up your accessories - if you normally wear dainty necklaces and earrings, try something a little larger. Add a bandana or a scarf as a belt or skirt over pants.
As we’re on the “what we’re not buying” wave what are these! (image below- stirrup tights) I have to agree with the poster, these never look right on 95% of bodies - I wish these designers would leave some things in the drafts. However, if they want to bring back the American Apparel (RIP) riding pants-we can definitely talk.
Hard pivot but I had asked on my insta stories if anyone had underwear/brands they’d recommend and barely anyone had suggestions but plenty of people asked for recommendations. I purchased organic stretch cotton bikini cut underwear from the GAP, in black and I can report they are good basic underwear. Not my favourite but get the job done (no wedgies) regular price $14.95 CAD/undie. As the story goes, once your phone knows you’re looking for something you get a ton of ads - one ad caught my attention which was Huha, a Canadian mineral underwear brand. I purchased 5 pairs of underwear ($28CAD/undie) in the high rise bikini cut. I can say that these feel really soft and comfortable. It's only been a month so, I can’t say how the minerals factor in but they are great undies.
I want to take a moment to remind everyone that sustainable fashion is super simple - wear what you already own. Are items too long or too wide? Have you considered a tailor/seamstress to take the item in? Depending on the item, you could remove the sleeves to make the item more versatile. By simply hemming the pants or dress you’re making the item more functional and you’re able to wear it regularly rather than it gathering dust in your closet or waiting for an event where you’ll be wearing heels. I’ve done this with a number of items here are 2 examples:
Following the care instructions is also a key piece to keeping your clothes (no matter the brand and fabric makeup) looking good and useful longer. For all things holy or precious in this world - do not put any type of wool (cashmere/merino), silk, linen, denim etc. in the dryer! For your woollens, after gently hand washing or using the gentle cycle on your machine, lay the sweater on a towel and roll the towel and sweater up to get rid of excess water and lay flat to dry. I would use this method for the above mentioned fabrics too.
Alright y’all I’m going to leave you here as I already edited out 500 words (it was almost a short story lol). I’ve been thinking about moving to a monthly newsletter as some of the topics I want to opine on are somewhat topical; we’ll see as my schedule is jam packed between my full-time job, styling, toddler/partner/running a household. You may notice some changes on my social media channels as I play with different formats.
chau - Yateh <3
Late October preview:
With all of the tariffs levied against Canada and the 51st state rhetoric, for Canadian readers you’ve probably been triple checking the shipping and duties and origins (from the US) of most of your purchases. As we move into holiday season - Canadian thanksgiving is 3 weeks away (where is time going) to save money/make sure you get the items that you want - scoping out other Canadian brands to support will save you on the foreign exchange and shipping. Keep an eye out for my gifting guide at the end of October featuring 80% Canadian brands and 20% brands that ship to Canada with no duties.