Well kids, I did it! I bought me a gorgeous “free people” jumpsuit at my favourite boutique in Toronto… Cloakroom, on Yonge street south of St-Clair.
I love how the deep V compliments my neckline. The shoulders are flattering and the waistline hits me perfectly! I love the pockets and the purple details are great for my skin tone.
I did get warm in it, though. We walked for 3 hours and it’s almost 28 degrees Celsius in Toronto after all! Still the cotton is light and breezy!
I really struggled to find a cute pun for the title of this post, but these late nights and this cold I am fighting are eating away at my creativity. Sorry.
So, here I am now 17.5 lbs lighter than I was about 17 weeks ago. People are really noticing it in my face, my stomach, my butt and my legs. I still can’t get those arms to shrink though (PS- my nickname in high school was “Pipes”… how feminine). With my busted shoulder it’s hard to get in a decent upper body workout. I just really want to fix it already so I can play volleyball again.
That being said, at 17 lbs lost and down two sizes, my clothes obviously don’t fit properly anymore. I know “that’s a great problem to have!”… except when you have amazing clothes that you have been curating over the years through consignment shopping, online sales and souvenirs brought back from multiple vacations. There was a point in my life, about 1.5 years ago, where I decided to accept the size I was (XL to 1X) and embrace the fashion behind this new shape I had to work with. I discovered great online stores like ASOS (Curve & Plus Size), who offered gorgeous plus size clothing made in the UK. Small fortune to have shipped, but worth looking fab.
Last week, I made the executive decision to get some key clothing items tailored and hemmed according to my new body’s measurements. I brought in 2 black slacks, a black pencil skirt and my favourite white skirt. I picked them up today, and “wow” is all I can say! It cost me over $100, but was worth the investment to be able to keep my expensive and high quality office staples. Not only have the clothes been taken in, they are now adjusted to my body shape and never fit better. They look and feel amazing! I recommend doing this, whether you have lost weight or just looking to have your garments fit better.
This is me sneaking a quick pic inside the tiny change room in my tailor’s workshop. I go to Hillary’s on Bank Street (Old Ottawa South). The ladies there are very talented and work out of a small room next to the dry cleaners. The clothes also get dry cleaned which is a nice touch.
This journey has been a real eye opener for me. It’s amazing how much time, effort, energy and money i spent distracting myself from the real issue. “Just lose some weight, and you can wear pretty much all the clothes that you want!” this is what I wish I could have told myself, rather than finding creative and expensive ways to look fashionable.
I am looking forward to my new Proutfits that I will be putting together with these clothes. I hope I can snap up some pics and share them soon.
As I mentioned in my last post, I had packed smart this time, at least I tried too.
My goal was to pack clothes that can be professional, comfortable, and fashionable.
This week Vancouver is warm and sunny, a comfortable 20° celsius. This time of year can get pretty cool when you’re in the shade, so layers are the best way to go.
I was very happy with the tones of this outfit. White Gap denim jeans, pale pink H&M top and black blazer from Cassis. I added a little pop of color with my orangey-red Michael Kors sandals. These are one of the most comfortable sandals I own, I have clocked a lot of miles in these bad boys.
I felt a bit silly doing my own photo shoot in the hotel room but I think this photo turned out pretty great! It’s all about the lighting.
I’m headed to Vancouver for a few days for some much needed R&R. I’m really looking forward to catching some street style pics of Vancouverites!
As usual, I checked in way too early, because I’m paranoid when I travel. I always give myself more than enough time. I’ll chalk it up to a great opportunity for a blog post!
When you travel, do you bring your best style forward? Are you a fashion chameleon tourist? Do you choose comfort over style? Personally, I’m a healthy mix of all three.
This is me, coffee in hand, patiently waiting to board the plane. I’m wearing my new favourite wool scarf from “In the Ville” that I bought at the National Women’s Show. I’ve got my cozy green GAP flats, white GAP jeans, denim GAP shirt and black blazer from Casis (wow GAP overload!).
In hand, I’m lugging my grey ‘alle’ Uashmama bag. It’s perfectly suited to use as a briefcase, fits my laptop and will double as my travel bag once I get to my destination. Shoulder strap here is key! Actually, as I write this post, I spot the same bag on another passenger! How cool is that!
Well, I’m off to see bigger and better things and hopefully come back revived, refreshed and inspired!
Have a great week!
Xox Chantal
PS- packing was a nightmare last night! I tried to plan outfits and just couldn’t hustle through it.
