Waterloo Region's Thrift & Consignment Shops I'll Go Back to Again (& Again)

photo via Lauren Fleischmann/Unsplash

Originally published for KW Joy & Co. 

It’s Saturday night and I am lit-er-ally sorting my sock drawer. It’s October, it’s freezing, and everyone’s fire tables are en route from Wayfair (mine too), so I have zero socially-distant social excuses here. At this point, I’ve done just about everything else around my house, so it’s time to hit up my drawers for a “fun night in”. Before you start feeling sorry for me, I’m feeling quite content; glass of wine in hand, my fave podcast on, kids making TikToks, my husband happily playing video games - it’s just me and my rather giant pile of socks. TBH, organizing my closet is like my own form of meditation, but make it fashion.

I’ve reached expert level at origami-ing my way through any closet. Jeans, underwear, tees; they all look like perfect little hot pockets by the time I’ve tamed them. Don’t ask what a hot pocket is. I don’t actually know. Hmmm...but I’m pretty sure I don’t want my underwear to be one. Even those cropped hoodies - the fitted sheets of clothing - now easily bend to my will. And yet Kondo downplayed the importance of one crucial element in her quest for wardrobe joy: the subject matter. Naturally, the clothes need to fit and make you feel good right now, but all the folding and pretty baskets in the world will never bring true fashion happiness if the clothing in question has no future.

I curate my closet just like I do for my clients: by keeping or repurposing the gems, storing the seasonal and sentimental, and donating/consigning the rest. After years of doing this (and by “this”, I mean compulsive shopping) I now feel any purchases immediately destined for the trash need a reeaally strong case to come home with me - namely that they’re either a) holographic (because holographic things are bomb) or b) made of natural fibres like cotton, so when I’m finally done with them, I know they will eventually biodegrade. I also try to make sure that whatever I buy, I can see myself (or someone else) wearing that piece 30 times over its lifetime. As I’ve evolved into a more thoughtful, purposeful shopper, I’ve fallen deeper in love with thrifted and vintage pieces. For a sick wardrobe, turns out that all you really need is a curated closet of really good basics peppered with beautiful, thrifted finds. Oh, and maybe a Hot Wheels tee like the one I picked up at H&M last week. I’m only human.

With Waterloo Region’s absolute plethora of thrift, vintage, and consignment options, you can shop more sustainably, stick to your budget and score truly special pieces locally. Win. Win. Mother F’in (fashion) win, y’all.

SEE MY TOP CONSIGNMENT AND THRIFT STORE PICKS AT KW JOY & CO. 

Making a DIFF

via @diffeyewear 

Some people collect shoes (I do), some collect coats (I do that, too), but then others collect glasses (to confirm: yep, still me). I have a few "collection" "issues" but I'm working on it. 

You see, here's the thing: curating fashion is a valid pursuit, especially when it has a purpose. I could go on and on about why stockpiling stamps or Pokemon cards or multiple husbands is a waste of time and resources, but accessories? Let me break it down for you. Shoes keep your feet protected and stop you from embarassing ejections from public spaces. Coats shield you from the elements, of course, while allowing you to wear pajamas to school drop-off and cover up coffee spills. And glasses? Well, they shade you from the sun, hide lack of sleep, and make you look cooler at all times of the day (just ask Corey Hart). While most people are obsessed with sunglasses, my particular fetish is for the non-shaded, non-prescription variety of glasses. I have my creative glasses (pink, tortoise, clear), my take-me-seriously spreadsheet glasses (no-nonsense black and heavy rims fit the bill) and then I have my 'my outfit is basic today' glasses that instantly elevate any 'fit.

I scored my first pair of DIFF glasses at Winners last year and while I fell in love with the style and comfort of these shades, it was their company mission that made me a repeat offender. Every pair of DIFF glasses sold helps to provide the gift of sight to someone in need through eye exams, glasses, medicine, and surgery. To date, DIFF Eyewear has donated over 1.5 MILLION pairs of glasses worldwide. So yup, kinda like Toms but in the eyewear space.

With all of the time I spend on my laptop writing, I've recently become a huge fan of DIFF's Blue Light Blocking collection. Not only do these glasses look dope, they minimize eye strain, prevent dry eyes and blurry vision, and reduce headaches that come from too much screen time. 

I'm a fan and I think you will be, too. Ch-ch-check 'em out below. Epic website problems seem to be fixed for now so will be sharing more scores on the regular, kk?

Happy Friday, beauties!

Bella in Clear Crystal

Carina in Clear Leopard

Selena in Cream Tortoise

Carson in Light Pink Crystal

h.e.r x DIFF

Bella in Black

Becky II in Himalayan Tortoise

2020 VISION | My (Chinese) New Year Fashion Pledge

My Chinese New Year outfit picks for Vaughan Mills (before I added cherry blossoms & fixed the shoes but you get the picture.) L to R: Uniqlo, H&M, Laura, Disney Outlet, Marc Cain, Tommy Hilfiger 

I consider myself a naturally positive person and try hard to keep my champagne glass half full (a girl's gotta play) but TBH, it's been a bit of a rough start to 2020. Between school strikes, seriously meh weather, my kids being sick, this blog crashing for 2 weeks right after I tried to relaunch it, and having to put our dog Fonzie down (heartbreakingly horrible), the year of January has felt E-TER-NAL.

But then Vaughan Mills asked me to be their stylist for a Chinese New Year event and I felt like 2020 was starting to turn around. I booked a collab with Charmin (started from the bottom now we're here), secured a partnership with another big exciting brand (stay tuned for that one) and have started to feel my freelance writing flow again. And so, I've decided to treat Chinese New Year as a second chance for a fresh start. I could pretend that I meant to wait for Chinese New Year to make some resolutions but I'll be honest: with everything going on at home, I just kinda missed the other new year. 

And so, with a renewed sense of hope and a steadfast commitment to a ballin' February, let's celebrate the Year of the Rat. Ermmm, okay, nobody in the fashion world wants to acknowledge that for obvious aesthetic reasons, so let's go with the rat’s close but cuter relative: the mouse. For my styling project with Vaughan Mills, I added Mickey & Minnie Mouse into the mix and, of course, added loads of red for loads of good luck (see above for the lewks). 

Happy belated NY and a most fantastic Feb to you, you beauties! Here are the fashion resolutions I intend to keep this year - while 'guilt-free finds' used to reference budget, it's come to mean a lot more to me as I try to be more mindful of what I buy. None of these pledges are particularly groundbreaking but I find writing things down helps my sticktoitiveness. Hopefully seeing them here will help you, too!

1) BUY LESS, BUY BETTER

For 2020, I'm only buying things I love. Like, actually, 3 o's-worthy looove. I intend to buy fewer things but better things - better quality, better details, better fit. I want my closet to be full of well-curated gems so I never feel like I'm compromising.

2) REPURPOSE WITH PURPOSE

Before donating something, I'm going to first see if there's a way it can be repurposed. As this viral Vogue article so rightly points out, the year of 2020 will be about giving new life to old things. I've given some of my 90s vintage sweatshirts a modern edge by cropping them with a pair of scissors (sometimes lazy = edgy, unlike that time I tried to cut my friend Krista's hair in grade 7). I've found new life in old dresses by layering sweaters over top and adding a belt. When I can't find a way to repurpose, I'll...

3) DONATE AND CONSIGN LIKE IT'S MY OWN SIDE-HUSTLE 

My city is full of amazing consignment shops and clothing donation centres. Nothing goes in the garbage. I'll take the time to consign to make more room in my closet and then donate the rest. Anything that's not in good enough shape for the above, I'll recycle (see below) :)

4) RECONSIDER RECYCLING

Stores like H&M have made sustainability a growing part of their mission statements. Their fabric recycling programs take donated clothing and gives you a coupon in return (ideally to shop their Conscious line). Certain clothing donation programs like Diabetes Canada accept unusable clothing (ie. ripped, stained, torn) and sell them to fund research. Other local programs are doing some incredible work - Markham’s textile recycling program saved 1.4 million kg of clothing from going to the landfill in less than a year - so be sure to search for textile recycling programs wherever you happen to call home. 

5) FOCUS ON FABRICS

While I don't enjoy wrinkles (on my face or my clothes), I really hate the idea that when my clothes eventually end up in a landfill, they will never biodegrade. While natural fibres make their own environmental impact, I still feel that cottons, linens, silks and wool are better choices than man-made. Do your own research (if you dare), and do what makes the most sense for you. I'm a burgertarian so I eat like a vegetarian 90% of the time and then spend 10% of my life in drive-thrus blissfully eating hamburgers. I see fashion the same way - it's impossible to be perfect but every little effort helps. 

6) RENT, ROCK IT, REPEAT

The rental business in Canada is getting more and more attractive, with stores like The Fitzroy, Dresst and Rent Frock Repeat springing up all over the place. If you don't live in Toronto, certain companies offer free shipping and subscription boxes. For occasions like weddings, job interviews, important presentations, a very extra school drop-off (sequin jumpsuits are one surefire way to liven up those early mornings), renting is so. much. fun. 

Ok, I'm out. Off to take a pair of scissors to an old hoodie. Um, wish me luck. xx

FLOWER POWER | 10 Ways to Pull Off Fall's Floral Trend

via @howimetmystyle

Originally posted in The Fashion Scoop

While summer might be officially over, I'm not ready to say goodbye just yet. Luckily, the fashion world isn't great at letting go either. One only has to glance at any fashion influencer to see that when it comes to fall fashion, it's all about embracing the season with a healthy dose of denial. Yup, I'm talking fall florals. The runways were loaded with moody blooms that perfectly echo our feelings about fall. We love it, we're ready for it, but at the same time, those lasting memories of gardens in bloom and a long, lazy summer can't help but bring us joy. The leaves might be falling but our wardrobes are just getting ready to bloom - think embroidered floral sweaters and jeans, pretty floral ankle boots, and fun floral printed pants that bring life to our solids and let us think warm thoughts. Alright fall we're ready for you...kind of..sort of...;)

READ MORE...

SWIPE RIGHT | 3 Summer-to-Fall Outfit Hacks You'll Want to Try Now

via Hudson's Bay on Instagram

Originally posted in The CLOSET

All signs point to fall. The days are so much shorter, the kids are back at it and the weather - ok fine, the weather just has no clue. While I'm excited to shop for cozy oversized sweaters, jeans I'll live in, a new fall bag (um, hi Selena), and of course gorge new boots, I can't completely let go of summer just yet. Luckily, this in-between season is the perfect time to slowly transition your wardrobe while getting your mind around the fact that yes, winter is coming. Waaahhhh. 

For now, let's leave our white tees, denim skirts and floral dresses in the mix. Let's pick up a few new pieces to give life to our most-loved summer things. Simply adding a blazer, a pair of over-the-knee boots, a statement faux-leather skirt or a pretty pastel sweater will help get you in a fall state of mind. Happy (fall) shopping! It really is the best fashion season, don't you think? xo

SUMMER-TO-FALL OUTFIT INSPO THIS WAY...