Eternally Sassy Style

I know “vibes” is an overused term. Most use this term to describe “mood energy” – good or bad moods etc. Which is a basic idea of “vibes”. Science has proven we are all made up of matter (energy) way back in 1905. When two energies interact, they “vibrate in harmony or discord”. Like attracts like. So it could be said that all matter is energy which is vibrating.

When I talk about relaxed vibes- I am talking peaceful, positive and calm vibrations. That is what I put out there and what I hope to attract to me.

Many do not understand the deeper meaning of spiritual vibrations. Just a disclaimer- whatever you believe in, that’s great! I not here to force an agenda- you do you! Just wanted to share the power of positivity.

All that said, I think we can all agree that there are some people who are like bright sunshine when they come into a room and lifts everybody’s moods- these are high vibrations. Conversely, there are those also who can suck the air out of the room with their dark energy and negativity. These are low vibrations. Don’t be that energy vampire!

Believers of spiritual vibrations say that like attracts like – and everything is connected. This means that the frequency at which you are vibrating effects things external to you, attracting more of the same. Higher vibrations have more power than lower.

What works for me when I am in a more negative/lower vibrations to increase vibrations:

• Mediation- grounding myself with a 5 min meditation.
• Gratitude journaling- honestly, I used to roll my eyes at this. When you’re in a more dark place, it can be hard to be grateful for anything. If you’re still breathing- you should be grateful for that, and start there. You can build on it and it will open your eyes to more things that you should be grateful for.
• Breath work- When I’m in an environment of negative energy I focus on slowing my breathing and regulating my stress through breath work. No one knows I am doing it.
• Pay Attention to your environment- On that note, you can’t always control the environment you’re in if it’s negative. But you can control how you react to it, step away from the stimulus if you can do breath work in the bathroom or set boundaries on what you are willing to listen to. Seek more positive environments whenever you can!
• Take care of yourself- Self Care Sunday anyone? Obviously, sleep, nutritious homemade food and exercise all contribute to a healthier balance but all the things you “consume”- can charge you or leave you feeling depleted; pay attention to what you watch, read, listen to. There are days where I simply do not watch the news, just because of all the negative energy. Watch a funny movie it show instead. Laughter is the best medicine!
• Nature- don’t underestimate the power of nature. The sun gives us Vitamin D- essential for our bodily functions. Fresh air and connection back to the earth. Get outside and see how it imporoves your mood.

Lastly, I also believe in being of service to people. Helping others in need, whether you are volunteering, donating, or simply bring kind and holding a door open for someone has positive side effects for YOU and them. You will simply feel better after doing a good deed!

Might as well look cute while you are seeking higher vibrations!

• Sweater- #icone
• Leggings- #lululemon
• Shoes- #Adidas
• Bag- #tedbaker

Wishing you a relaxed Sunday full of positive vibrations ✌️

Shopping at a large discount department store can be daunting for many people. I have several friends and former clients that would complain they could never find anything at Winners, meanwhile I would walk out every time with a full cart. There is a technique to shopping a store of this nature and here’s my top five tips to make your shopping experience as seamless and easy as possible, check it out!

1. Stay open to opportunity- did you go in looking for a specific item? It can be hard to find certain things at certain times, so you need to stay open to treasures! You will find plenty of things you weren’t looking for, it’s great if you find it at a bargain and you can use it down the line.

2. Grab a cart- Things go quickly and it’s best to snap up an item you’re interested in and put it in your cart and continue to shop. The intention is at the end of your shopping journey to go through your basket items one at a time and evaluate them in comparison to the other things that you selected. Ask yourself, do I have this item already in my closet? Is it unique? And will it add to my wardrobe and function with multiple pieces with in it? If the answer is yes put it back in the cart and take it to the till.

3. Walk the store- in opposite direction than traffic flow- There’s a principal in retail called the invariant right, we are habitualized to enter a store and move clockwise throughout it. Go the opposite direction and it will switch your mind from beta two alpha mode and you will be more open to seeing items that you may have overlooked because you were on auto pilot.

4. Shop mid season for next year- Check out the clearance racks and the discount end caps for deep discount items for next season. They mark down to 70-80% off to clear out items to prepare for next season. Now us great time to grab Christmas overstock, winter coats, boots, sweaters, gloves, touques for next year.

5. Try everything on- I hate trying on clothes. I despise the lighting, mirrors and the whole experience. But you gotta, especially in a discount store, fit is everything. If your clothes are too tight or too loose they can make you look larger than you are. So especially when buying discounted items it’s important to try them on. Only spend money on things that make you look and feel great.

Final note, I would find out from each store when their delivery day is and when the store is fully stocked. I found most winners receive the majority of their inventory on Thursdays in preparation for the weekend. So shopping mid afternoon on a Thursday works great if you have the ability to do so. Happy shopping!

Celebrating the day of love? I know many people that Valentine’s Day is very important and they put a lot of thought and care into what they’re doing- sitters are booked for the kids, dinner out somewhere fabulous, gifts are perfect for their spouse or partner, and planning outfits to look and feel their best day of if of the utmost importance! I got you girl!

I love a good theme, the idea of celebrating love and pinks and red is great for Valentine’s Day. An ever better idea… wear a contrasting colour that stands out in a crowd. Like this gorgeous satin teal-emerald dress. This beautiful dress is extra, I want you to wear it with confidence, and I hope the weather in your city allows for bare legs and open toed shoes. If not and you live in the arctic tundra, you could alternately pair this with tights and black boots. Still cute!

I bought this to wear for New Year’s Eve, and of course we didn’t end up doing anything as COVID restrictions amplified and my fiancé ended up working so this gorgeous dress has been sitting in my closet for months and it needs some love at least here on Instagram if nothing else. ❤️ celebrating love is never a bad idea!

• Dress-#chicme
• Shoes- #calvinklein
• Bag- #mina

Anyone who knows me well, knows I LOVE DRESSES! I really do. ❤️ In the summer months it’s almost all I wear. I do find it more challenging in the winter since I live in the Arctic tundra. It’s more often than not it’s too cold even in tights. 😒

But this dress is stunning. I love fall/winter florals! I got it on sale at the Bay, it was the only one on the rack- it called to me. When I grabbed it and looked at size tag my heart sunk for a moment- size 12, way too big. Then I took a second look at it and it looked way smaller than a 12- checked the label and YES- IT’S UK SIZING!! So it’s a size 10, still too a little too big, but workable. I’m more of a 6/8. I took it to a tailor and she took in the back and waist a little- just a couple darts and viola! Custom fit! We left the bottom alone because it’s a voluminous circle skirt and looked great already.

If you see an item you love in a larger size- and you believe it can be altered/tailored, take it to a tailor (keep tags on, just in case) and see if it can be altered. If so, it will fit like a glove after! Then rip out the size label- it does not define you.

Moral of the story- ladies, clothes are meant to fit your body not the other way around. Many of us get stuck on a size (usually a smaller size you were at one point) and going up a size feels shameful or like you failed. This is diet culture conditioning. Don’t know what diet culture is- there are many educated, talented people out there speaking out on the harms of yo-yo trendy diets and size/fat shaming. Check out Abbey Sharp https://smart.bio/abbeyskitchen/ she’s awesome, published dietitian. It’s not you- it’s diet culture. You are beautiful no matter what size! ❤️

• Dress- #gabbyskye
• Shoes- #michaelkors
• Bag- #coach
• Jewelry- #thebay

You already know about my hat obsession- I love a hat! This cute newsboy hat gives the “extra” 😉 to an otherwise basic sweater dress outfit. And celebrating Ronnie Burns Day is just fun! If you don’t know- it’s celebration of the life and poetry of Robert Burns, famous Scottish poet. I’m not Scottish but it’s a good excuse to party! With COVID restrictions it’s less of a party these days but here’s what I would wear if I went to a party.

Newsboy hats have Scottish heritage, and they look cute! Hence the nod to Scottish culture. Newsboy hats aren’t necessarily on trend right now but who cares- if you like it, and you makes you feel good, wear it! Here’s a positive part of being in your 40’s- you have already tried many trends in your lifetime and even seen them cycle through a couple times.

I love to add elements that are new to my wardrobe and mix them in with my favourites. Please, don’t be a slave to trends. That can make you look like you are trying too hard to look young. It’s a balance- classics and trends, blending seamlessly. Feeling fresh and current keeps you from looking dated and when you look dated- you look older. In older to be balanced you need both- and you will just look good and ageless.

Now a note on colour. The mustard yellow colour looks great with red or dark hair- caution blondes. It can wash you out or make you appear sallow. I also wear also black tights or leggings with this- I live in Alberta. Bare legs don’t come out until late April!

• Sweater- #
• Bag- #calvinklein
• Booties- #ralphlauren
• Newsboy- #simons

I grew up skiing- nearly everyday for a couple years while I lived up north. We had a ski hill within walking distance, it was magical! Night skiing after supper and all day long on weekends. A kids dream!

So I long to hit the slopes each year- but ski hills in Edmonton are not worth it. And mountains are hours away and require a free weekend. Which is why I only get out once or twice a season.

Here’s my nod to #skilife through fashion! Casual weekend fashion that is. I picked this cute sweatshirt up in Banff, AB last time we were there. For those who don’t ski- “apres ski” means the social activities and entertainment following a day’s skiing. In our family- we are blended- my son and I partake in skiing/snowboarding but the other half on my fiancé’s side do not. Truly they are more “apres all day” people 😉

Pulling together a casual cute look is easy whether you skied that day or not! I got this parka from Simon’s boxing week for a steal. Pair a cute oversized sweatshirt- I sized up to a large for this look to ensure it was sufficiently oversized. Grab some cute boots, pair of comfy jeans (yes GenY- I still wear skinny jeans) and a touque and you are all set. Enjoy your Saturday 🥰

• Parka- #only
• Jeans- #celebritypink
• Sweatshirt- Bought in Banff
• Boots- #Juniper