Fashion: Black and White Chic

These photos may have been taken years ago, but the fashion remains chic today. A black skirt and white shirt is an easy pairing that provides instant chic. Throw on a Panama hat and a bag, and you’re ready for a day of strolling around town or an evening dinner on a patio. Because the structure of the set can be loose (or form-fitting, if you’d like), this is a good option to transition from loungewear to anything-but-loungewear this spring.

Personal: April Update of My 2021 Goals

Who else has drafted a list of goals to accomplish in 2021? What’s on your list? How did you to this month?

April has flown by in a flash. End of term kept me busy at work with early mornings and busy weekends. The spring term is right around the corner, so I’ve been prepping for that, too. While March had me down for so many reasons, April – and several days of sunshine – meant for some happy days (in between terrible Ontario lockdown restrictions again). I’ve had a decent amount of downtime to work on my hobbies like crochet and reading.

Here’s this month’s update of my 2021 goals.

  1. Eat more vegetables. Sort of! I’ve made a few delicious salads each week (mostly with whatever veggies I have on hand + hard boiled eggs). I’ve also done so many roasted veggies, and they’re just delicious. These blistered green beans have been in heavy rotation. I’d like to get back into the habit of going to the market on Saturdays…I went to Kitchener market last Saturday after I hadn’t been in over a year. (Here are the gorgeous tulips I picked up at the market.)
  2. Travel. Nope! Ha ha. It’s basically a terrible joke that I have this on my goal list, isn’t it?
  3. Save money. Yes! I have continued to track of my spending for the most part.
  4. Pass on magazines/books/clothes/puzzles. Yes! I passed on a stack of magazines early in the month. I also sorted through stacks of magazines and books I was hoarding, and I have been slowly going through my closets (very slowly). Items have been or will be thrown out/passed on/donated once Ontario’s lockdown is over.
  5. Crochet a blanket. Yes! I’ve made decent progress this month (see my blanket progress). It feels and looks so nice. I still have another 274193 hours until it’s done!
  6. Reduce social media consumption. Sort of! My aimless scrolling doesn’t last too long these days, but I know I can do better. Does anyone have any advice? Delete the Instagram app over the weekend, for example?
  7. Renovate my bathroom. Nope! No progress here.
  8. Play games. Yes! Bananagrams continues to be a go-to game. Nintendo and the weekly crossword, too, have kept my mind busy.
  9. Edit my magazine subscriptions. Nope! Like in the last two months, I didn’t need to edit anything this month because none of my subscriptions were up for renewal. I haven’t signed up for any new subscriptions, so I think that’s a goal achievement, too.
  10. Read more. Yes! I finished Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer (part of my faculty book club at work). I also moved quickly through Black Buck by Mateo Askaripour, and I quite enjoyed the audiobook version.
  11. Blog. Sort of! I started off slow at the beginning of the month, then picked up regular writing mid-month. It always makes me feel good to write blog posts – even short ones!
  12. Bike ride regularly. Embrace cross country skiing. No need! Snow is gone! I’ve replaced my winter goal with a spring/summer goal – bike riding. And, yes, I did go for a few rides this month. It’s been a good way to see friends at a distance.
  13. Cross stitch. Nope! No progress.
  14. Have fun! Yes! I did have some fun in April…but I could have more in May!

Previous updates: January, February, March

Fashion: Cecelia New York Shoes

On a recent online tour of Anthropologie, I saw some sweet shoes by a brand called Cecelia New York. One pair of shoes, of course, led me to a further scroll on the brand’s site. Just look at these shoes! I want them all…and I also want places to wear them this summer!

Lila, $169USD, Cecelia New York
Lala, $245USD, Cecelia New York
London, $159USD, Cecelia New York
Hibiscus, $225USD, Cecelia New York
Bloom, $245USD, Cecelia New York

Marketplace: The Belt Bag

I have been using a version of a belt bag/waist pack/hip pack/fanny pack/bum bag for years for walking and jogging. Most of the versions I’ve owned over the years have been in the athletic realm, but more recently, I invested in this stylish belt bag (if you’d even think to consider belt bags stylish!) from Toronto-based Ela. I’ve used it on walks when I need something that’s big enough to fit more than my keys and ID and when I want to do hands-free errands like grocery shopping. Overall, I’m a fan of any version of the belt bag.

Here are 10 belt bags at various price points that you might consider if this is a spring bag (and look) you’d like to invest in (Note that many of these come in multiple colours).

The Rest is Written belt bag, $58CAD, Lululemon; Fast and Free run belt, $38CAD, Lululemon; Herschel Supply Co. fifteen hip pack, $27.99CAD (on sale), Hudsons Bay; convertible waist bag/cross body, $91.28CAD, Kipling; waist pack, $58.21CAD, Kipling; belt bag, $88CAD, Ela; easy commuter belt bag, $45USD, Le SportSac; belt bag, $445USD, Sanreve; quilted belt bag, $119CAD (on sale) Michael Kors; belt bag, $1680CAD, Gucci

Thanks to J.M. for suggesting this post.

The Friday Five: Things on My Mind

  1. This article on “surge capacity” was interesting.
  2. Applause Encouraged by Scott Polach made me smile.
  3. I tried this egg trick to remove the shell from a hard boiled egg. My experiment was a fail.
  4. Here’s a list of the safest SUVs in 2021.
  5. These classic Vans have been my shoe of choice lately (Thanks SY!). They’re comfortable for casual walks around town and trips to the grocery store (where else is there to go?).
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