22 Jul 2016

Our Green Wedding

by | found in Lifestyle | 0

Some of the things we did to try and cut down on the environmental impact of our wedding 4 years ago and also a few things I would do differently now.

 

A change I would make is sending digital invitations, you can save paper, energy, and also money! I really like Greenvelope’s card and invite designs*, the also have helpful features like maps and RSVP tracking

 

 

 

 

Photos by Ryan & Beth Photography see more photos from our wedding.

Our favourite charity, the David Suzuki Foundation

 

* indicates a Greenvelope affiliate link, for more information on my use of affiliate links please see my disclosure policy

23 Jun 2016

How to find your Personal Style

by | found in style | 0

Finding and developing your personal style can help you to feel comfortable, confident, and beautiful in your clothes. Style can also be a wonderful tool for personal expression.

Some people have a very clear sense of their style but for others just figuring out the clothes you like can be challenging. This video includes some of my thoughts and tips on personal style and where to start with developing yours.

 

Do you feel you have a good sense of your personal style?

11 Feb 2016

What is Good Quality Clothing?

by | found in secondhand, shopping tips | 0

With capsule wardrobes, investment pieces, or just for a more sustainable wardrobe buying good-quality clothing is important, but how can you tell if a garment is good quality?

These are some things to look out for:

Check the fabric

  • is it appropriate for the garment’s function
  • can and will you properly care for it (eg. handwash)
  • does it seem thin
  • is the weave/knit tight
  • is the grainline straight (threads run vertical and horizontal at the centre front and back) – unless draped or bias cut styles

Check the seams and sewing

  • are there loose threads
  • are the seams straight or crooked
  • are the stitches short (longer stitches = quicker to sew)
  • are the seams tight or when you pull gently do they open
  • look for high-quality finishing (eg. french seams, blind hems, etc.)
  • look for longer hem allowance

Other signs of good quality clothing

  • matching stripes/plaids at seams
  • extra buttons or thread included
  • lining on structured jackets, skirts, coats, and dresses
  • outside fabric on inside facings (areas next to front opening at neck)
  • flat covered zippers (unless the zippers are purposely exposed)
  • hook and eye on top of invisible zippers
  • straight and even buttonholes with tight stitching
  • pockets with outside fabric on area that can be seen in pocket
  • straight and even top-stitching
  • extras seams for good fit

 

When shopping online it’s difficult to tell if something is good quality. Search for and read reviews to see what people say about the construction, fabric, and quality of the garment.

 

 

 

 

22 Jan 2016

Winter 2016 Capsule Wardrobe

by | found in capsule wardrobes | 0

I’m really excited about this winter season with lots of cozy knits to wear.

This capsule wardrobe came to 30 pieces and I will likely be adding in my wedge booties and possibly a second pair of jeans but I’m going to see how it goes.

I follow the Project 333 capsule wardrobe which you can learn more about here. As usual I don’t include jewellery, athletic clothes, sleep and lounge wear, and underwear/socks in my items. I also decided this season to not include my winter coat or mittens since I don’t see them as part of my outfits but I probably could have easily included them.

The items in my capsule are:

1. grey tank – Comazo earth
2. black tank
3. sequin tee
4. black tee – MEC
5. plaid flannel – secondhand
6. grey woven long-sleeve – handmade
7. draped long-sleeve
8. grey knit top – People Tree*
9. cranberry knit top
10. tan sweater – handknit
11. mustard & navy sweater – People Tree*
12. chunky knit vest – handknit
13. Icelandic sweater – secondhand
14. check tunic – People Tree*
15. cocoon cardigan
16. purple wrap dress
17. brown body-con dress – handmade
18. black flared skirt
19. beige flared skirt – handmade
20. black knit trousers – People Tree*
21. burgundy leggings
22. jeans – Naked & Famous Denim
23. cranberry knit scarf – handknit
24. indigo scarf – handmade
25. white knit hat – handknit
26. blue knit toque
27. light grey large envelope bag – Matt & Nat (why I no longer support Matt & Nat)
28. black clutch/shoulder bag – Matt & Nat
29. cream heels
30. grey boots – Vegetarian Shoes

 

* indicates an affiliate link, thank you for your support. View the disclosure policy for more info.

27 Oct 2015

What is the best fabric?

by | found in conscious fashion, shopping tips | 0

The materials you choose are pretty important, they affect the comfort and performance of a garment, how you care for it, and also have an environmental impact, some much more so than others. There are a ton of different textiles available, all with different looks, benefits, and sustainable/ethical issues.

I created this video series to talk about common fibres and fabrics, what the pros and cons are, and what different options are available if you’re trying to make more responsible purchases.

 

Part 1 – Pros & Cons of Common Materials

 

Part 2 – Animal Materials & Vegan Synthetics

 

Part 3 – Recycled & Upcycled Materials

 

3 Oct 2015

Fall 2015 Capsule Wardrobe

by | found in capsule wardrobes | 0

It’s autumn!

After a less-than-successful summer capsule wardrobe I’m really excited about this fall one. I think I planned it well, taking into account both variable weather and holiday events/parties that happen during the season. My capsule has 32 pieces and I will still be adding in another pair of shoes and probably a second scarf. I also decided after my first year of Project 333 that because of all the extra layers I wear during fall and winter 35-38 pieces is probably a more comfortable number for me during these seasons, so I’m going to see how that goes this time around.

My capsule contains:

  • 3 tanks
  • 2 short-sleeve tees
  • 2 long-sleeve tops
  • 1 blouse
  • 2 button-up shirts
  • 2 sweaters
  • 1 cardigan
  • 1 skirt
  • 1 pair of black pants
  • 1 pair of leggings
  • 2 jeans
  • 2 tunic dresses
  • 2 longer dresses
  • 1 more formal dress
  • 4 jackets
  • 2 boots
  • 1 scarf
  • 2 bags

 

So far the weather has been gorgeous so I hope we’re going to have a lovely fall here, and I hope you have one as well!

 

 

31 Aug 2015

How to Care for your Clothes so they Last

by | found in capsule wardrobes, clothing care, minimalism | 0

Clothing care is often overlooked as an important part of a sustainable wardrobe.

This video was created for the Project 333 blog. Read the accompanying post here.

After reading about people not washing their jeans for 6 months to year (even 15 months!), I decided to do my own little experiment. I ended up not washing a new pair jeans for 11 months (they were part of 3 capsules, so I wore them pretty regularly for a good 9 months) and I was incredibly surprised at how not-gross it was. This long without washing is definitely a bit extreme, but we often don’t need to wash our clothes as much as we think.

 

Laundry and clothing care resources:

How To Care For Every Item In Your Closet
Guide to Common Laundering and Dry-cleaning Symbols
Are You Washing Your Workout Clothes Properly?

 

16 Jul 2015

Summer 2015 Capsule Wardrobe

by | found in capsule wardrobes | 0

Wow so I’ve already been doing Project 333 for a full year! If you haven’t seen my recap/look back at the year you can watch it here.

Going into my second summer capsule I had a much better idea of the pieces and outfits I wanted, and I’m pretty happy with how it turned out. All together I have 31 items (I like to leave a couple open if I find there’s something I need to add in) and like in my previous capsules, I didn’t including jewelry.

My summer wardrobe has:

11 tops – 4 tanks, 1 crop top, 4 t-shirts, 1 lace top, and 1 button-up shirt
6 bottoms – 2 skirts, 3 shorts, and 1 pair of pants
2 light layers – 1 cardigan, and 1 jacket
5 dresses
3 shoes – 1 pair of flats, 1 pair of sandals, and 1 pair of heels
2 bags
2 accessories – 1 belt, and 1 hat

 

Hope you’re having a lovely summer!

 

 

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