Not Your Dad's Tilley Hat

     I admit it, the first thing I think of when someone utters the phrase "Tilley Hat" is the above snap.  My handsome dad, sporting his well-loved Tilley, which has travelled with him on various adventures close to home here in Canada, on journeys to Texas, Florida, the Napa Valley, until it met what might have been the beginning of its end: a trek to the Costa Rican rainforest to find a wandering primatologist (my sister), where it acted as valued headgear, shade-provider and even saw use as an emergency water bucket.    
Beautiful it is not, but beloved it is.        That said, when I opened a release about a collaboration between Tilley and Canadian fashion illustrator Jocelyn Teng, I was intrigued.  Her work is gorgeous and super-stylish, and I was interested to see what aesthetic she would bring to such a traditional brand.  When I took a look at the various styles in the range, I very much liked what I saw.  My particular favourites were the floppy brimmed fedora and the vintage style cloche.

Sweater: Joe Fresh Hatt: c/o Tilley    I decided upon the cloche in the end, because I thought it offered a few more options for dressing up (although my eye is on that fedora, which I might have to snatch up in burgundy before this winter is through), and I loved the brown version with the burnt orange ribbon. It arrived beautifully boxed, and it is precisely the high quality my dad has known from Tilley for as long as he's worn his, but with the style that suits my taste.  It's pretty, but functional.  It was a mild 3 degrees when I snapped these photos, but I know that on chillier days, this woolen topper will keep me warm, especially when pulling down the headband that hides just inside the brim.  On my windy corner of this island, I know that that will definitely come in handy.     Our choice of chapeaux may look quite different, but I think that after my reluctant start, I'll definitely be joining in the tradition started by my dear father - the love of the Tilley. Follow

10 Ways to Transition Your Wardrobe Through Weight Loss

When I embarked on a journey towards a healthy lifestyle and a healthy body, I knew there would be challenges and obstacles to meet head-on, hard work to put in, and temptations to overcome. A lifestyle overhaul was in order, for sure. After putting many kilometres in on the jogging trail, making multiple trips to the gym, and adapting a renewed view on clean, healthy eating, the progress began. Thanks to this lifestyle change -- no fad diets here! -- over the course of the last year, I've been able to shed 65 pounds and move down from a size 18-20 to a size 12-14. It has absolutely been a rewarding journey thus far! And the rewards are definitely motivation to continue. 

But, along the way, I realized that my wardrobe needed some major changes as well. Garments (and in some cases, shoes!) that had been in major rotation became far too big, while favourite items saved from before I'd gained weight were still much too small. I certainly didn't want to break the bank by investing in a new wardrobe at each of five size changes I've had thus far, but I still wanted to dress the body I had in a stylish way. Over the course of this (very much ongoing) weight loss process and transformation, I've picked up a number of ways to transition my wardrobe along with my changing shape, and I wanted to share 10 of the tricks I've learned along the way, especially for those who may be facing a similar sartorial challenge.

1. Shop, and EDIT your closet
It's crucial to take a long hard look at what you already have. To streamline, donate or sell things that no longer fit. Get creative with pieces you already have, or have a second look at things that may previously have been a touch snug that might fit after a few inches lost. I often started out feeling I had nothing to wear, when to my surprise, there were already some decent options hiding in my own closet.

2. Hit the clearance rack
If new is the only way to go, shop those sale racks. When I knew my shape would likely be changing again, I wanted to scrimp and save on clothing items wherever possible. Sale and clearance racks allowed me to find what new pieces I needed without spending heavily on a temporary wardrobe.

3. Embrace knits
Of all of the items in my closet, I found that my knitwear was what was most easily adaptable as my size changed. Fitted sweaters became looser fitting, of course, but most still managed to look slouchy instead of sloppy, and I was able to use those as key transition pieces. Crucial.

4. Online marketplaces are the greatest 
I found so many plus-size (and later, straight size) picks on eBay and kijiji from great brands that allowed me to pick up on-trend items for a great price. Similarly, selling off my outgrown items helped add a few dollars back to my pocket, which is always a good thing.

5. Accessorize
During the weight loss process, my wardrobe became much smaller, simpler and streamlined out of necessity. To change up my look when certain pieces got repeated, accessories (that always fit!) --from bags to shoes to statement necklaces and more -- made a huge difference in changing up a look.

 

6. Befriend your tailor At my biggest, I didn't invest in many pieces I wanted to keep. However, there were some items that I really loved and wanted to keep, even though they no longer fit. Rather than getting rid of them, I took them to the tailor. Often, getting pieces taken in is much more economical than you'd think, and certainly much easier on the pocketbook than buying a whole new garment.
7. Belt it Honestly, I don't know what I would have done without my selection of belts. From giving shape to suddenly sack-like shift dresses to magically holding up loosened trousers, skirts, or jeans, they were, and are, essential. Pro tip: Play with layers and lengths to cover up the dreaded belted fabric-bunching with a tunic, blouse, or sweater.
8. Shop secondhand Thrift shops are always a treasure trove for adding unique pieces to a wardrobe, and they especially come in handy when trying to maintain an often rapidly-changing wardrobe on a dime. More than once I'd bring bags of clothes in to donate, and then spend some time perusing the racks for new-to-me items in a smaller size. Win-win.
9. Stretch is best Stretch jersey and ponte fabrics have been a staple throughout the weight loss process. The same goes for denim -- look for stretch! As an example, I was at one stage wearing jeans two sizes too large that still looked flattering (as long as I wore the aforementioned belt) because of their all-important stretch. I'm not suggesting buying stretchy items in a too-small size and squeezing into them, but rather simply sticking to forgiving fabrics will still work even as you transition to a smaller size. As always, I focused on dressing the body I had -- it kept me feeling motivated and positive, rather than stressed about the size I hadn't yet reached.
10. Swap it Let's face it, clothing swaps are always a good idea. But certainly swapping was one of my favourite guilt-free ways to freshen up my wardrobe while dealing with transitioning sizes. I'd hand off too-big items to some friends, while others would hand down to me items they'd similarly outgrown. Whether formally organized or a fun swap between friends, clothing (and accessory!) swaps are a great for those striving for style on a budget.
These are a few of the tricks I've picked up along the way (and am continuing to use after PEI's longest and worst winter ever -my running routine suffered!). But certainly, the most important weight-loss style lesson I've learned? Love and dress the body you have now, no matter its shape.
On a similar journey? I'd love to hear your stories and tips! 

Floral Stripes

Dress: Sarah Stevenson x Target Boots: Joe Fresh (similar)
The first thing you might notice about this post is that my hair is wildly different - and you'd be right. I chopped it off yesterday in the name of charity (see my 13 inch braid here) - Angel Hair for Kids (similar to Locks of Love in the US), where donated hair is used to make wigs for children suffering from cancer and other diseases that cause hair loss. It's a bit shorter than I am used to, but I am embracing it so far.

This dress is one of the many pieces I picked up earlier in the year from one of my very very favourite Canadian designers, Sarah Stevenson (posts about her here and here), when her collaboration with Target came out. I haven't had an occasion to pull it out yet, but thankfully holiday festivities have given me the opportunity. This will definitely be one of my go-to dresses this holiday season because it is, first and foremost, comfortable! But I also love the bright colours in place of my usual LBD, as well as the extremely flattering inset of black into the print that really highlights the hourglass shape. For curvy ladies like me, this is a wondrous thing. 

Monochrome

It's not often that I wear a head-to-toe black ensemble (I love a good pop of colour) but I thought I'd give it a go with my new sweater dress from Forever 21, and my birthday boots (Thanks parents!) from Seychelles.  This has been a year of a lot of hard work pursuing a healthier lifestyle and fitness regimen (an ongoing journey, I will note) and I had a triumphant moment earlier this summer when I realized that the two smallest sizes in the Forever 21+ (XL/12) range that remained in my wardrobe were finally getting to be too big. This, and another sweater, were the first straight-size purchases I've made from there in ages, and it's a such a good feeling! 
Aside from that little happiness, I also must say I am unexpectedly feeling a resurgence of love for the turtleneck. Yes, it's happening. And I thought I would never sport a mockneck again, but this dress won me over. Comfortable and actually pretty warm, I can already tell that it's going to be a popular item in my wardrobe this fall and winter.

Anchored

Tank: Smart Set Skirt & Shoes: Old Navy (old) The evenings are growing increasingly cool here in Prince Edward County and I can't say I'm too disappointed. As summer draws to a close, I thought I'd share this outfit featuring several of the "stars" of my summer wardrobe. First, I essentially lived in these Smart Set tanks (I have them in several colours). I wore them with pencil skirts (as seen here), with shorts, with leggings, with jeans. As pajamas! They are so versatile and incredibly comfy; it is insane. Go, right now, and get yourself some. You will love your life, I promise you!
Comfort was big for me this summer, and this soft, stretchy skirt form Old Navy as well as my well-loved boat shoes made many an appearance, travelling with me to Switzerland and back again. Summer after summer I find myself drawn to nautically-inspired items and these are two winners in my books for that reason.
Fun fact: Almost fell into Lake Ontario not once, not twice but ... many times. More than I would like to admit, frankly. Wobbly docks and self-timed photo-snapping leads to adventures, let me tell you.

Kindred Spirits

Dress: Forever 21 Shoes: Forever 21 Bracelet: Lia Sophia Necklace: Etsy

For the past month after my contract finished in Ottawa, I've been staying with my sister and her family in the lovely Prince Edward County (not quite Prince Edward Island, but still quite beautiful). It's been wonderful to have time with my family, especially my fantastic niece and nephew. My darling 11 year old niece Dhalia is a definite kindred spirit - we have many loves in common - most particularly music, acting, books, an ability to quote The Princess Bride from start to finish, and, of course, fashion. She was an enthusiastic participant in this blog post, doing everything from thoughtfully picking my outfit and all accompanying accessories and advising me on my beauty routine, to choosing the location, to photographing it for me. Lots of ridiculousness and laughter ensued, but overall I think she did a pretty fantastic job. 

Stylelist-ing

If you're wondering what I've been up to lately, check out two of my recent articles for Stylelist Canada, featuring favourite summery polish colours and top picks for curve-friendly swimwear, here and here.

Spring Potpourri

Blazer & Tank: Smart Set Jeans: Forever 21 Boots: Joe Fresh Necklace: Baublebar Bag: Kate Spade

Thankfully the snow in Ottawa is finally melting, my friend Joe and I took these pictures on a mild yet still wintry day, considering we were officially into "spring". Aside from my dark denim, I kept this look pretty monochrome with only the white spring potpourri bib necklace and the white strap of my bag breaking it up. I love colour, but if I am honest the vast majority of my wardrobe falls into navy, black or white. Looking forward to breaking that pattern once true spring weather finally arrives.

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Bisou

Blazer &Tank: Smart Set Jeans: Forever 21 Shoes: Rachel Antonoff x Bass Bag: Coach

Glasses: Clearly Contacts Necklace: Baublebar

I have had a bit of an obsession with Baublebar lately, namely their insane collection of statement necklaces which I consistently love. I initially spotted a necklace almost the same as the one I'm wearing here (only a word of difference) via Blair of Atlantic-Pacific, and treated myself to one, natch. There aren't many cuter words en français than "bisou", am I right?  I have been wearing it in lots of ways - over collared shirts, with sweaters, regular tees and also this tank from Smart Set. It's a conversation starter and neutral enough to go with almost anything, which is always a win in my books.

(Thanks to my fantastic pal Joe for being my blog photographer once again!)

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Moto Green

Jacket: Smart Set Satin Tee: Forever 21 Jeans: Forever 21 Boots: Joe Fresh

I picked up this green faux-leather moto-style jacket from Smart Set for a song when there was a sale on a sale on a sale. It hasn't really yet been warm enough to pull it out of the closet for actual every day wear, but for a quick runaround blog shoot on a sunny afternoon it wasn't too bad. I look forward to styling it in a variety of ways. Feminine pieces are more my sartorial comfort zone, but I what I love about this jacket is that it gives an outfit a hint of edge without taking it too far, too soon. Baby steps.

Thanks to Joe for snapping these photos for me!

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Chateau Lookout

Dress, Cardigan and Boots: Joe Fresh Tights: We Love Colors Wristlet: Coach

This weekend in Ottawa it was a balmy minus eight - a beautiful day in comparison to the ones we've had! My best guy pal Joe was kind enough to stand in as my intrepid photographer, and we headed down behind the Chateau Laurier to capture the wintry view of Parliament and Gatineau, over across the river. For each of these photos there were at least ten where I was laughing hysterically or making a funny face because we were joking around and being ridiculous. Definitely more fun than shooting blog post photos by myself with a tripod, let me tell you. 

This dress is relatively new to my closet, and at a mere $9.99 was a total bargain. Add to it a (librarian staple!) cardigan for $6.99, opaque tightsand a pair of well-loved boots and this was essentially a brand new outfit for less than $20.00. Budget friendly fashion = winning. And of course, with a relatively monochromatic black-and-white look, a pop of bright pink lip colour is a must. Schiap, natch.

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Fresh Style

*Photos by my lovely roommate Esther

This dark chambray shirt from Joe Fresh is one of my favourites. It's an old favourite that I've had for a couple of years, and I love wearing it any number of ways - it's super easy to dress up or down. Today I decided to pair it with this skirt (currently on super sale), and my favourite little black leather ankle boots, also from Joe. Clearly fresh style has overtaken my wardrobe.

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Another Grey Day

Sweater: Smart Set Jeans: Old Navy Boots: Joe Fresh

This week over at Stylelist Canada we're talking about how to wear grey, and as I said in a recent post, it's pretty much the definitive November colour. This sweater from Smart Set has become an instant favourite for me (can you tell I shop there a lot?), not only because it is super comfortable, but also because of the pretty little beaded adornments. If there is a bead, ruffle, sparkle or feminine detail to be had on any garment, I generally always love it, and this sweater is no exception. 

Keep your eyes peeled in the next few days to see how all the other members of the Stylelist Style Council are wearing grey on these late November days.

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