January ~ Thrifting and some healthy changes...

 

Found a camisole at the Thrift Shop and I was SO pleased...

A lacy camisole had been on my "wish list" for quite a few months.

The cost of the ones that I loved were much more than I wanted to spend.

Trying to be mindful of expenditures now that Hubby is fully retired. 

Slowly coming to the reality that we are now "pensioners."

The cost was under $5 so easily justified :-))

Paired it with my faded denim shirt....added some pearls.

I am really enjoying wearing denim these days.

The denim jeans (no spandex) from MNG purchased last year.

Have a few old distressed items that I am happy to say didn't get culled.

The denim jacket from Old Navy, the Old Navy darker denim shirt, lighter one (here) and the denim jumper by Tribal and a chambray denim long tunic from Lands End.

I have on order a new denim dress...from Lands End.

I love how soft the garments feel when they have been washed many times.

~ COZY ~

Adding more fibre daily...

Bran Buds and protein rich Greek Yogurt

1/3 cup of each mixed together in the morning after my cup of coffee.

Also reducing portions for a while to see if this helps me shed a few pounds.

I have tried intermittent fasting for the past year and was not seeing much difference.

We have had a mixed bag with weather...

sunshine and clear blue skies mixed with gale force winds and rain.

Despite the inclement weather 

I need to push myself to get out in the fresh air...

Mother Nature's Pearls...

Snowberries.

There is snow in the forecast!!!

Lovely hand cream, William Morris At Home.

A gift from our son and the grandchildren.

Did a quick manicure today...Sally Hansen "Expresso" one coat dries in a minute. 

Soft faded denim and pearls with a wee bit of lace peeking out.

This image shows off the lace...

I didn't have my black velour jacket open this much at coffee!!!

I just wanted to show you the pretty lacy details that are hidden.

Lingerie is really a private item in our wardrobes...

wearing it makes us feel feminine and comfortable.

I love the Prima Donna line of bras and panties...

Lily Pad Lingerie here in Victoria carry their line.

I am due to visit them soon and purchase my annual supply.

Well I suppose that is all to share for now...

Hope your year is off to a great start.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~ 

Saving money, lingerie, quinoa salad and my poor sister.

I love lingerie and seem to be drawn to the boutiques that sell French lines like Chantelle and La Perla, but my goodness, I find them to be quite expensive.

Saving money,
while still buying decent fitting and pretty undergarments
has been a bit of a tedious job.

Fortunately I found some great basics at Sears and Marshall's
and they were purchased at budget friendly prices.

My all time favourite rose

Jude the Obscure is in full bloom out front in the garden.

I would love a soft peach blush bra and pantie set.

This Bali bra was found at Marshall's for just under $20.

It is a serious workhorse in the undergarment world!

Thank goodness for the architects of bras!

The "granny panties" are by Jessica from Sears.

The lace is pretty and the stitched panels help keep the wobbly bits in check!

I purchased 6 of these and I usually hand wash and hang to dry all my lingerie as it lasts much longer that way.

These were very reasonably priced...I cannot remember exactly what I paid for them but I think all 6 were about $35.

I feel very feminine when I am wearing nice lingerie.

Do you read Jennifer's blog "A Well Styled Life?"

She recently wrote a post about granny panties.

You can read it here.

The Eres panties she used in her post cost a LOT of money!

Can you guess how much they cost?

$255 a pair!

Would you pay that for a pair of granny panties?

I suppose if money grew on trees I might but alas it does not and I am very mindful of expenditures since retiring.

My poor sister was thrown off her horse when they rode through a wasp nest on The Galloping Goose trail near Metchosin.

She sustained complex fractures in her arm that requited plates and pins and she is now recovering at home.

I made a tasty quinoa bean salad from the Whitewater Cookbook for her...

and I'll bring a rose bouquet, chocolates and magazines.

We plan to go out for lunch and I will be the driver as she has her arm in a cast and will be wearing that cast for about 8 weeks.

She is already going squirrelly at home...

it must be so frustrating

I totally empathize.

I'll do my best to cheer her up.

My morning espresso was wearing a Happy Face today!

Hope that you have a great weekend.

Thank you for popping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

XO

Budget friendly basics...starting with Tops.

Most women I know like to get a bargain,
especially on clothing and
many will only buy at the sales when items are sold at a reduced price.

Thrift and consignment shops are great places to look for items when one is trying to stretch the clothing budget.

Finding decent tops in great condition can be a challenge, particularly in the thrift shops. Tops seem to show wear faster than most pants or sweaters.

I have been on the hunt for some new white Tees,
which I never seem to find second hand,
readers gave me numerous suggestions of their favourite brands
many of which are sold exclusively online.

I am tactile and visual so I prefer to try things on before I buy them.
Returns can be expensive and I am frugal
so I do not like to "pay to try things on."

Last year I had a rather tedious experience when ordering Tees.
The fabric on the Tees was too thin and sheer and the styles were quite shaped which meant that they clung to reveal and focused on my untoned  midsection...

Currently I am working to improve this area at the gym,
but in the meantime, I do not want to advertise my wobbly bits!

Tees and crisp white shirts are two items that I love to have in my wardrobe.
I obviously have high expectations
when currently planning to replace those that are tired and worn out.

Two new white Tees 

by Joe Fresh

which I will be test driving for the next while.

Mr. HB and I drove out to the Western Community on the weekend and we stopped in at Superstore where a line of clothing by the name of Joe Fresh is sold.

It is a low cost line of clothing that Club Monaco founder Joe Mimran sells.

The cotton Tee on the left is lightweight and has some texture to the fabric 

but is not too sheer and was on sale for $7.64

The "performance tee" is made in a heavier weight blend 

 spandex is mixed with the cotton

has body, does not cling 

 sells for $16.00

I really like to try things on as sizing is not standard like men's wear.

Here is an example of the size variations...

Two basic black tank tops which make great layering pieces.

Gap in an XL

Haggar in a Small.

Impressions top in a Large.

Two other tops in blue...

Style and Co. 

Calvin Klein

These 7 basics are my casual every day tops.

I have 2 other active wear tops for working out in at the gym and on my walks.

Keeping a small inventory of clothing is necessary as our closet is really small.

It does make it easier to stay within a budget and it means getting dressed is mush faster as there are not too many choices.

I will share some more aspects of my minimal wardrobe in a future post.

Thank you for your suggestions and comments about the Tees

and I hope you have a lovely week.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

OOTD and some budget friendly ideas

My "new to me" thrifted cognac coloured vintage Due Fratelli bag inspired me to take out my old Burberry jacket which I have not worn for ages.

This jacket was an "investment" piece.

I purchased it when I was working.

It was worn almost every chance I got when it was new 

but of late it has languished in the closet.

I have a weakness when it comes to coats and jackets...

Quite a few are in hanging my wardrobe, a mix of casual and dressy.

Some new and others thrifted.

Walking jackets make up a good portion of these and there are a few cold weather down options in the closet too.

A priority for me "being prepared for all kinds of weather."

~ OOTD ~

Burberry jacket, NYDJ, Jessica Simpson flats, Due Fratelli bag

what you cannot see is the 

thrifted crisp white shirt by Northern Reflections and my baroque pearl necklace.

"Retirement dressing"

Mixing high and low priced pieces help me stay within a budget.

I have a book where I record all the garments that I purchase so I can keep track of my expenditures.

It is surprising how it adds up!

My retirement budget also requires me to mix high and low priced cosmetics and skincare products.

The newest items in my arsenal of products...

Jane Iredale Dream Tint with an SPF of 15

100% natural Brilliant Lip Shimmer by Burts' Bees in Cherry

I love a pop of red in the Fall and Winter.

this is not a sponsored post

 opinions are mine, and are posted for the convenience of my readers

I switched from the powdered Jane Iredale foundation to the tinted moisturizer 

it adds a soft glow and boosts moisture levels

works with my dry skin.

The Brow Drama is like mascara for the eyebrows...

I have found that a spa eyebrow tint lasts only a few weeks 

then the coarse white hairs are visible again...

This product is under $10 and lasts for months.

Spa visits are few and far between...

pedicures in sandal season and possibly one or two facials each year.

While I love the pampering I cannot afford to indulge as often as I would like.

I have fun doing my own facials.

Often I will dedicate a morning to some self care

using products similar to those available at the spa.

This red rose looks so pretty against the soft yellow siding of our neighbours' home.

Thankfully the wild storm that was predicted did not hit us as hard as we expected.

The book that I have been waiting for at the library arrived!

In the spirit of thrift I have been reserving books at the library instead of purchasing every book that I want to read...

Hope you are having a fun weekend.

Are you saving for something special?

Do you try to live within your budget?

Thank you for stopping by my humble blog.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

One new thing...

I've been very frugal lately...
"shopping my closet"
instead of running out and buying new clothes,
wearing the basics that I already own
adding a scarf or some jewelry to create a bit of interest
so that I do not get bored.

I purchased this scarf before I went to Paris last Spring.

 I had planned to take it with me but found that it was too bulky.

It is perfect for the Fall and Winter weather here.

I love the colours in this scarf as they mesh and meld with all my black and grey staples.

The texture is soft and feels a bit like it has been "felted."

I picked this up at our local Pharmasave store in Oak Bay for about $25.00

I've worn in with this striped Lands' End tunic top and black leggings and ankle boots.

When we were in Vancouver recently 

I popped into Eileen Fisher shop on South Granville.

I love Eileen Fishers designs

she sells such great basics

 in the tones that I love to wear 

and 

the fabrics and textures of her garments are splendid.

However 

I consider her prices to be a wee bit expensive now that I am retired.

But wait...

 I spied a lovely viscose charcoal top on the sale rack

in my size

the last one!

I had a $25.00 off coupon too so the price was even better.

I snapped a quick shot of the top in our hotel room.

The wool is cozy and warm and the fabric itself is soft.

The hem dips down at either side on the bottom.

The neck is a U shape so I can showcase some of my necklaces when I am not wearing a scarf.

It will get LOTS of wear...that is how I am justifying this "one new thing."

Have you been shopping your closet

Or 

shopping the shops?