Monday Musings: Out and About
Happy Monday from beautiful Vancouver, BC. A reader questioned a summer outfit I showed a few weeks ago, which included jeans. I knew it was appropriate for people who live in coastal climates, and my outfits over the weekend proved it.
Cashmere in June
We woke on Saturday to a slightly drizzly day with low-hanging fog and temperatures hovering in the low 50s. I remember Juneuary in Vancouver very well and have packed for it.
I could have donned a light tee and linen pants, but I would have frozen my backside off, so I opted for jeans, sneakers, a chambray shirt, and my cozy oversized Quince cashmere cardigan. Returning to the Pacific NW has given me a new appreciation for our different wardrobe needs based on location. My bag is by Longchamp and is as old as the hills. I snatched the scarf out of a sale bin before our trip to Mexico in the spring.
Sunday, we woke to bright sunshine and gorgeous temps. It still wasn’t linen weather, so I opted for another pair of jeans, sneakers, and a striped button-up shirt in neutral shades of beige and white.
You will notice two tiny Sephora bags in my hand. I won’t say it’s my very favorite store to visit, but I am able to spend hours on end there, browsing and sampling…much like at a book store which is truly my happy place.
I replenished my Tower 28 mascara and also fell for another brand I could easily become obsessed with. I’ll share more on that after I test it out. I didn’t think anything could knock my Illia mascara off its favored pedestal…but this mascara has! I tossed out my eyelash curler after using this for a few weeks, and my daughter bought her own after trying mine.
It’s cruelty-free, clean of nasty ingredients, and an Allure Best of Beauty award winner. There’s something unique about the arc of the brush-type wand that makes my lashes look long, curled, and not clumpy.
Hair
I had a haircut scheduled for this week, which is obviously not happening, and it certainly can’t wait several months until we get home. It’s suddenly feeling so out of shape I’m going to have to find someone here. I’m feeling the urge to put some layers back in or lob about 3″ off the bottom. I don’t remember when or why we decided to grow my few layers out, but I think I need them back.
Outfit Inso
I know many of you aren’t on the social media platforms that I am, so here are a few of the outfit collages I shared there last week.
BRACELET SET – RAFFIA BELT – CORK BLOCK HEEL SANDALS
PEARLIZED HOOP EARRINGS – BRAIDED MARKET TOTE – LEATHER SANDALS
Is the weather beastly hot where you are, or do you get to wear some layers? I’m finding the variety in temperatures pretty refreshing.
Thanks for reading, and be sure to wear what makes you feel confident.
Perplexed someone would question your wearing jeans. Our temps in coastal Maine have been between 50 and 90 degrees. Even summer weight jeans are not always warm enough. We all dress for the weather, don’t we? Love the inspo pix.
I guess it’s hard to imagine cool weather when you’re being blasted with 90+ temps everyday.
Living in Seattle area, you better believe that I live in jeans and cashmere sweaters almost year round. Cooler summer evenings, out comes the cardigan. I love my denim. I have every color from white to wash to dark denim to black. I do prefer slim cut. I dress them up with blazers, artsy shirts and down with a striped tee. I wear sneakers, ballet flats and booties with them. NEVER take my jeans away. I am 76 by the way.
Iām sorry I am confused about which mascara helps curl your lashes. Is it one of the two you mentioned or one you intend to tell us about later? Thank you!!
The Tower 28 curls my lashes.
Well, the weather here in Colorado just gave us a scary thunderstorm with hail pounding on our roof and windows, wind blowing hard, very scary for about 30 minutes.. it has rained everyday for weeks! I have worn hot weather clothes only a couple of times so far this year. Usually it is 85-95 degrees this time of year. The mountain weather is always a little sketchy but climate change is really affecting us now. I can wear that exact outfit you have on only my shirt is dark blue striped. Today may be the day! Our high may not get out of the 60s!
Wow! Thatās bizarre weather.
Hi Jennifer, Iāve read through your description of the new mascara a couple of times, but donāt see the name of it. Maybe I missed it, do you mind sharing the name again? My short, non existent lashes always smudge with mascara, so I end up not wearing any at all.
Itās called Tower 28 Beauty
I live in the Pacific NW ā one reason I enjoy contemplating a warm enough summer! I am sharing your dilemma about hair. I grew out my layers and now I immediately want them back. Iāll be curious about your decision.
I thought it was a good idea at the time, but my hair feels limp and flat without them.
Hi Jennifer. My hair is a beast right now – just had it cut and it looked so good all last week until today ( East Coast -New England)! So the humidity has reared its ugly head here and I look like I’ve had an old fashioned permanent. The front is curly and I mean tight curls where in regular weather its a bit long and sleek. There is no straight nor sleek
anywhere on my head. I took out my older CHI flat iron but its useless. Just living with it!
I’m glad you’ve found Vancouver weather agreeable! You look very happy! And yes word of mouth is best when searching for a local hair dresser! Or find a person in the shops with great looking hair and ask where they have it styled?
Humidity is awful on hair. Sorry youāre struggling. Sometimes we just need to plop a hat on it. Thatās what Iām doing.
Jennifer, maybe have the new stylist cut length and shape your hair, but wait for your layers for your regular stylist. For some reason that only the universe knows, I wasnāt watching when my stylist inexplicably put very short layers into my mix. Months later, Iām still growing them out. Letting a stylist who doesnāt know your hair put something so irrevocable into your cut is pretty risky. Iām currently letting my layers grow longer to get something modern called an Italian bob, as I think a modern haircut is critical to looking my best. I have a lot of hair (thank you, Rogaine), but itās so fine, gets weighed down easily, and frizzes readily. If Iām not careful, it waves a lot at the ends and looks like a messy, tangled Christmas tree. The struggle is real :).
Wise advice!!! Very wise. And yes, thank goodness for Rogaine.
I live 2 hours south of Vancouver. The Pacific Northwest calls for linen 2 months a year. Yesterday I wore cashmere. We wear jeans, t shirts, and sweaters. Boring? Yes, but that is the truth of it.
We’ve also had a slow start to spring/summer here in southern Ontario, so I’ve been wearing my white jeans more often the last few weeks than I have the last few years. Our summers are very changeable now, so I have a wide range of linens as well as heavier cotton options.
I would think Vancouver would have a great selection of really good hairstylists. I’m looking forward to seeing your new “do”. I have a cut booked for next week and I’m debating whether to go a bit shorter (it’s chin length now and back to it’s original wavy texture) and more layers. I’ll probably decide as I walk into the salon š
I love your hair!!! Iāll probably decide when I walk in too.
Iāve loved your ānewā hair cut as you have transitioned to gray. You always manage to make it look elegant. Our hair issues are identical. Iāve recently had my stylist give me light layers around the face to pull the hair off my face while still keeping the bob shape. Hope you find a good stylist. š¤š»š¤š» Have fun.
Hi Jennifer and welcome to Vancouver! Hope you enjoy your stay here and I look forward to your posts regarding your experiences in my City!
Hoping you will share some boutiques and stores you love and Canadian fashion. ā¤ļø We sure miss our Nordstrom!
I do hope to find some fun ones. I already know how sad it is that Nordstrom is gone.
Very good point about one’s wardrobe needing to be determined by one’s geographic location. We’re in the thick of drizzly June gloom, after a long bout of chilly May gray. No way am I giving up my jeans based solely on the calendar!
Have a wonderful time in Vancouver!
The weather is so strange everywhere this year! Gotta roll with it which means layers to me.
Living in Seattle area, I wear denim all through the year. I just have a pale blue for summer rain and dark denim in the winter months! Change out my sweaters and tops. I have been loving white denim lately, though.
I have the brunette version of your hair. Every time I decide to grow it out, I end up adding back in the layers and going shorter. In my dreams, I have the sleek, fuller hair of my 30s, but the reality is, it’s gone and not coming back! Now, I need to find a new hairdresser, also, so I sympathize with that — I find word of mouth the best referral, and I’ve been known to follow people whose haircut I like to ask where they got it.
Mine has certainly gotten thinner but the texture has also changed so much since I stopped coloring it. Iām going to just have to trust someone. Never easy with my hair.
Enjoy the cool weather. Here in Texas it is hot and humid early this year. My hair is styled like yours and same color. I just had mine cut to chin length ( it was about to my shoulders), and lightly layered. I find it easier to style now, and not so flat and limp.
I am going to Sephora today for that mascara. My eyelashes are short and thin.
Looks as if you are having a great time with your family in Vancouver. It certainly looks different from my visit in 1978. As for the weather, we are two weeks into winter and it was 22 degrees celsius on the weekend and ended up wearing my denim skirt and short sleeve tee shirt. Am hoping for some cold weather soon so I can wear my winter splurges – a fake fur coat, trench coat and a beautiful jacket I bought in Rome. Good luck with your hair cut. A new hairdresser can be stressful.
It is stressful finding a new hairdresser but it will be worse if I trim it myself. Sounds like fun winter pieces!!
So do you like the Ilia or Tower 28 mascara better?
Thanks, I enjoy your posts so much!
Thatās like choosing a favorite childš
Right now, itās the Tower 28.
I end up wearing layers all year long. We joke that in Ohio you can get all 4 seasons in a single day. But my main reason for layering in summer is so I don’t freeze in the air conditioning at work. I get funny looks from people as I carry a fall/winter coat on a day that is supposed to be nearly 90 degrees, but I’ll take them over shivering all day long.
I hear you!! AC can be brutal.
I can’t wait to see what you do with your hair! My is almost exactly like yours and I am having the same thoughts about doing something with layers (always tricky with fine hair). I’m going to wait and see what you do.
I wore light layers successfully for years but it was tricky and only one stylist got it right.
Thanks for the Quince cardigan information! I love an oversized cashmere cardigan and the price is great! I ordered their cotton tiered maxi dress to try as well š
I love Quince! Great quality at fabulous prices.
I purchased my first Quince item this month and am so impressed. I love my new navy knit cotton sweater blazer! Great quality. Definitely my new place to go for sweaters!
Their quality is great!!
I enjoyed seeing all your outfits although it made me imagine how horrible it would be if I had to show all my daily outfits! Our summer weather in NC has been surprisingly slow to arrive this year which has allowed me to wear jeans and sweaters longer than usual. Summer dressing here usually means wearing as little and loose as possible. Hope you enjoy those lovely Canadian temps.
Cannot wait to hear about mascara. I have blond eyelashes. Have worn mascara for more years that I wish to reveal! Mascara that I have sworn by for years is now clumping my eyelashes together into spikes. Let us know!!
This is my second tube of the Tower 28 and I love it.
Welcome to Vancouver! I hope you will drop in to Simons for some fun shopping at a Canadian store.
Have fun!
Leslie
My husband and I are headed to Vancouver, BC next week for a two-week vacation, and so Iāll be following your posts closely as I decide what to pack. Iām hoping to get some sunshine and warmth but right now it looks like the June Gloom rules! Iāve read that July and August are forecast to be beastly hot her in Northern CA so Iām going to enjoy the coolness while I can!
Any Vancouver shopping/dining/fun ideas will be welcome!
I read the same about Northern CA weather so we are happy to have escaped it.
Hi Jennifer- I love reading your posts! They are so very informative, inspirational and uplifting! I was wondering if you could give me any information about the beautiful dragonfly scarf you are wearing in the top picture? I just love it! Thank You, and thanks again for all the great posts! Lorna L
I found it at a tiny boutique in a sale bin and it has no label! Iām so sorry. I think I paid $9 for it.
Good morning! This reply really for yesterday’s post. Noticed you were wearing a Push thumb brace when driving. I use one due to CMC arthritis in thumb joint in dominant hand. Had the arthritis in nondominant hand too but had the surgery to remove bone in the joint. Arthritis all gone now. Love that Push brace! Enjoy your time away. Beautiful area!
Yes, I wear it when my arthritis acts up. It works so well.
Happy Monday morning Jennifer, I have returned from Denver after having a wonderful 4 days visiting our daughter and attending a family wedding. I laughed so hard and read your post to my husband about you liking drive a long distance. I also, do the same š. Never heard of Tower 28 mascara, might give it a try.
Good morning!! Your trip sounds so lovely, Pat.
Enjoy your stay in your happy place!
Living in the Midwest, I certainly understand the challenges of changing weather. This week, the forecast ranges from high temperatures in the 50ās to the 80ās. Just happy that Iām not visiting, so have options. The temperature swings are miserable when traveling. Often. we have some of our warmest days in September, when Iām over my summer wardrobe and long for fall garments. But as my mother used to say, āIf the only thing to complain about is the weather, you have a good life.ā And I certainly do.
Enjoy Vancouver!
Thatās a great comment from your mother! And so true.
When you live near mountains, be prepared for anything weather-wise! It’s beastly hot and smoky right now, so I’m avoiding the outdoors.
Enjoy your trip. I never get tired of the coast.
The fires have been so beastly!! Stay safe.