OOTD ~ September meet up with friends

 Most days since Covid happened I have been wearing casual clothes. I work in the garden, go for walks and clean the house. Life is very quiet and simple around here.

I dressed up much more when I was going to my weekly bridge games, out for dinners and social gatherings with friends. Most of these things have been curtailed due to Covid. When we gather, we are mostly outdoors...walking, having coffee or dining outdoors.

A small group of friends get together regularly for a walk and have coffee or tea and perhaps a treat after we have walked.

This past week a reader mentioned that I had not posted many OOTD posts and it's true! My everyday work clothes are not that exciting to look at...I do put on make up and frequently wear my pearls but there is no one around to see them except the cats!

Here's what I wore on my walk and coffee meet up with friends.

OOTD

The white top, jeans and khaki jacket are by Eileen Fisher.

Scarf from My Stylish French Box

Vintage Bag by Due Fratelli

Hope that you are staying safe and being mindful of your interactions with others.

Masks are mandatory most indoor places here.

I plan to buy some fun ones soon.

                     Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

                            ~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Five things Friday

Five things Friday

Gorgeous wee daffodils that were a gift

they are especially cheerful on these rainy grey days.

Colour and flowers can make a big impact in elevating our flagging spirits.

I know I seek out bright pops of colour at this time of year.

Shopping the trends...

I went to the mall to check out the newest straight cut jeans.

I tried on several pairs but don't think they flatter my short frame.

Too heavy and make my legs look like tree trunks!

I much prefer the skinny silhouette which I find makes me look taller and slimmer. I hope that they will continue to be available as mine are all several years old and will need to be replaced at some point.

I don't usually follow the trends as I prefer a classic look 

with a touch of vintage

like this Coach bag 

which has many miles on it and some signs of wear

but it ticks all the boxes for me.

Quality, versatility, classic style and streamlined shape.

Did I mention that Vintage is a big fashion focus in Paris?

OOTD 

Eileen Fisher dark denim jeans

Timberland Tobacco coloured short boots

Large square silk hand rolled scarf

in a leopard pattern

Found at a local thrift shop for under $10

Love a bargain and it is in mint condition.

Citrine earrings made by my darling daughter they pair well with the scarf.

Eileen Fisher black vest.

This weekend we have several casual events planned...

I will make every effort to add a pop of colour and a touch of vintage to my basic outfit.

Do you LOVE vintage?

What is your best thrift shop find?

My best "score" 

 a pair of arts and crafts bookends 

copper with sterling silver inlay birds

($7.99)

I sold them so I could buy a strand of baroque pearls. 

 I literally ran across the street to a dealer who specialized in arts and crafts items 

(He purchased the bookends for $500.00)

then I skipped happily back across the street to snap up the pearls.

Hope that you have a fabulous weekend.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Festive sparklers...and a trip to Vancouver.

Tis the festive season and I like to add some sparkle to my outfits.

Vintage Rhinestone Pins

Most of my pins are by the Canadian designer Sherman.

Mom loved her Sherman jewelry.

My father used to buy Sherman for her at Christmas.

Beautiful velvet boxes from Birks.

They usually contained a necklace, bracelet and earrings.

She would wear them with a velvet dress that she made for the holidays.

My sister and I had dresses also made by Mom...

she used the leftover fabric from her dress to sew ours.

All three of us had the same colour of velvet for each Christmas season.

(I have pictures of the three of us all dressed up)

This pin is by the designer Boucher of Paris.

He went on to design for the House of Cartier.

Do you add sparkle to your festive outfits?

This tree is in the square behind The Art Gallery in Vancouver.

We were there to attend a meeting and see friends who just moved into their newly built penthouse condominium.

Painted entrance to their parking garage.

Shopping happens when we visit the city!

I love the Eileen Fisher shop on South Granville.

I met a delightful woman in the shop.

She reads my blog!

I loved her outfit...

black vest, sweater and pants.

Very chic black glasses that many women in Paris wore.

Hope she will email me.

It would be fun to meet up for a chat and a coffee next time I am in Vancouver either before or after I shop in Eileen Fisher or we could shop together!

Casual greyish beige top

Very cozy

I'm wearing it with the black Eileen Fisher pants from last season.

I've got to finish this post quickly as I have a dental appointment.

There is so much to get done in the next few weeks...

baking, shopping, wrapping,  decorating the house.

Hope that we can get some of these jobs done this coming weekend.

How are your festive plans coming along?

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Keep Calm and Carry On...3 weeks of outfits!

Trying very hard to keep calm...to sleep and to breathe.

The excitement is building and there are not that many more sleeps before Julie and I depart on our adventure in Italy and France.

This week I kept busy with friends, reading and walking.

I enjoyed a relaxing pedicure at the Willow King Spa and chose a bright red shade of polish for my toes...I am packing sandals as the weather in Rome and Tuscany looks hotter than I expected.

Merrell sandals super comfy for long walks

Clark Chelsea Boots and New Balance trainers.

Rain jacket and yoga pants for the bike ride to the vineyard in Tuscany

They may come in handy for the fishing trip on the Tyrrhenian Sea.

Eileen Fisher top and jeans.

Cashmere sweater

I plan to wear this on the plane with the Clark Chelsea boots.

Eileen Fisher jacket 

"Sunken Garden"scarf from Butchart Gardens gift shop here in Victoria.

Hedgren lightweight Cross body bag.

Nyan crinkle dress

Eileen Fisher top and black rayon pants

Tencel chambray shirt which I can layer over the tees and tops.

Camisole and crinkly top which can be worn together with black pants or jeans.

Lingerie, capri leggings, socks, nightie, and a swimsuit.

It all fits in the carry on and there is a bit of room to spare!

I am taking the Longchamp bag as my accessory item.

I packed a similar amount of clothing in 2015 when I went to Paris and France.

Minimalistic carry on wardrobes are easier to pack than you might think.

If we encounter snow I will need to do some shopping!

Hope that the weather will be as forecast and I will purchase something fun in Paris...

It's a beautiful sunny Autumn day here in The Humble Bungalow.

Hope you are enjoying your weekend.

BTW

Have you seen the Downton Abbey film yet?

It's wonderful, a fabulous story line and the return of the original characters makes it a pure delight.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Everyday clothes...

My basic wardrobe has gone through quite a transformation these past few years.
I've purchased a few basics from The Eileen Fisher store on South Granville in Vancouver.

This is my everyday Fall and Winter wardrobe.

Pants

Two pairs of black Eileen Fisher 

 one in rayon and the other a knit.

Jeans

Eileen Fisher 

Ralph Lauren

Vintage America

Sleeveless tops

Eileen Fisher white

Eileen Fisher black

Sympli wine

Tees

Tahari Linen white 

H and M linen white

Wilfred Free grey knit

Karl Lagerfeld printed Paris graphic 

Long sleeved tops

Cable and Guage Black with white polka dots 

Tilley black wrap style 

Sympli black knit

Saint James striped black and white V neck

David Cline grey black white print

Bailey 22 blue Tencel shirt

Holland America souvenir navy and white striped top 

with sequined cruise ship detail on front

Puffy vests

black Eileen Fisher

blue Calvin Klein

Sweaters

Black Goat camel cashmere swing coat cardigan

Black Goat black cashmere V neck tunic 

Multi coloured grey with accents rib knit long vest 

Navy cashmere cardigan

Grey hooded cardigan / jacket style

Skirt

Black textured knit A line skirt

Active wear

Black capri length Yoga pants

Black and grey long Yoga pants

Columbia active wear black jacket

Columbia active wear black rain jacket

Jackets and Coats

Eileen Fisher olive green khaki jacket

Bryn Walker charcoal grey knit 

Saint James beige rain coat

Eddie Bauer down charcoal puffy coat 

Lands' End black down puffy jacket

Vintage denim jacket

I have a few pieces of dressier clothes for special occasions 

which are stored in our guest room closet.

Most items I have had for a long time and many are vintage from thrift shops. 

Saint James striped top and Eileen Fisher vest.

I love how easy it is to get dressed with a small wardrobe.

The key is to have a few basic pieces that mix and match

accessories to add that little extra oomph.

It's been a gradual shift and I have learned a LOT from other bloggers.

Buying fewer pieces, investing in quality long lasting garments just makes sense.

I recently read that the "Fast Fashion" industry 

is the top contributor to climate change.

Eileen Fisher offers clothing recycling 

where EF garments are redesigned and made into new pieces of clothing.

The company also sources organic materials.

Her ethical approach to the fashion industry is one of the reasons that I am willing to pay a little more for a garment.

Feeling better wearing something that is not harming our planet.

Everlane is a company the Janet at The Gardener's Cottage is passionate about.

She received a lovely cashmere sweater from them made using recycled cashmere...recycling fashion is just such great news.

Comfortable too, showing up in the same or similar outfits.

No more feeling pressured to continually

spend money.

Instead the extra money I can use for...

Experiences, travel, date nights with my husband,

home improvements

lessons and clothes for the grandchildren.

Rainy day today...

perfect for getting some things done inside The Humble Bungalow.

Laundry has been accomplished...

A Fall pot roast dinner has been prepped.

I've repainted the hobby room floor as it was getting chipped by years of wear.

After I publish this post

 I plan to pop the kettle on and enjoy a few chapters in my current book

Miss You by Kim Eberlen

Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Simply white...Home, garden and clothing.

Fluffy White Hydrangeas

Romneya coulteri

Thick white towels

Marigold the Mouse appreciates their softness.

White vintage ironstone platter

homemade rose scented bath salts

Avene thermal water

 (hot flash relief!)

Customize your bath salts with essential oils.

 I usually opt for lavender or rose.

Eileen Fisher 

I admire her philosophy and thinking when it comes to a minimal wardrobe.

Fresh out of the package.

I purchased a pair of jeans and a black cotton gauzy top at the EF shop on South Granville in Vancouver and I really wanted a white one too.

They didn't have one in stock but they could order one from the Toronto store 

with free delivery too!

 I jumped at the chance and it just arrived on the doorstep.

I'll need to give it a quick iron before wearing it 

but then it will be ready for the "mix and match ups"

as

it gets rotated in my basic black and white wardrobe.

Lands' End Towels

They are plush cotton and last a long time.

Great value and when on sale very affordable.

Natural accents

like this piece of coral 

add a touch of texture and they feel serene and calm.

The light from the window illuminates the pairing.

Beautiful white roses juxtaposed against this old rock wall.

A bar of soap set upon in a simple white soap dish.

White is a calm colour but it can make a BOLD statement.

Do you follow Janet at The Gardener's Cottage Blog?

One of my favourite bloggers

please pop by and check out her beautiful posts

she's so beautiful and her posts are inspiring.

Until next time...

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Thank you to Eileen Fisher for creating timeless fashion choices...

Eileen Fisher designs and makes lovely clothes...
her ethical practises of reusing fabrics and recycling ring true.

In addition to her seasonal pieces she offers a "basic group of clothing" in a couple of key colours and styles...
they are mix and match classics that make getting dressed so simple.

Recently I purchased a couple of her pieces...
with my fall travel wardrobe in mind.

I bought slim ponte knit black pants...so smart and comfy.

You may remember that I already own a basic pair in black rayon which are quite dressy. I also have the black tank top which is perfect for layering.

(For summer I have the white linen tank and linen V neck sweater)

Before I found this jacket

I was really frustrated...

For several hours I tried on numerous trench coats

various jackets 

 not one hit it out of the park for me.

I am a curvy short woman 

so I need to be careful of extra details 

and the shape of a coat or jacket must be slimming.

Here's the new EF jacket...

this looked good on 

the colour is a nice change.

This jacket has room for a vest or sweater underneath

which will make it a great choice for travel.

While we are on the subject of layering...

I found a great vest.

Eileen Fisher cozy vest in black.

So my carry on is taking shape...

I have a bamboo dress and a knit skirt.

Will add a couple of tops

a sweater

 one or two scarves

which should round out my minimal travel wardrobe.

Do you like Eileen Fisher clothes?

Perhaps you have a favourite designer?

 Or do you have a company who makes clothes that you love to wear?

The closet is looking much more organized too...

I have sorted and hung things in colour groupings;

blues

blacks

greys

whites

Before 

they were in sections;

pants

skirts

tops

dresses

The colour idea helps me reach for things that pair well together.

Plus with a really small wardrobe i

fewer choices to distract my focus

it simplifies getting dresssed.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~