It's September: new capsule wardrobe

Fall 2019 Project 333: Stand Fast

Home page of Courtney Carver's #Project333

Tom Thomson's The West Wind has the usual dark shades of water and hills, but it also includes bits of bright blue and dark red. To paraphrase this reviewer, there is nothing wussy about this tree: it's ready to take on the cold winds.

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New Project 333 page is up: Spring 2019, The Colours of Clouds

Spring is on the way! Time to phase out the turtlenecks, and rediscover short sleeves. 

Time: March through Victoria Day (the May weekend when we pretend summer's here.)

Number of items: I don't know, I haven't counted.

This painting is my inspiration for  the coming season:

Tom Thomson, Storm Clouds in Algonquin Park

Thrifted bag, upcycled from upholstery samples

Clouds, from our balcony

OUTFITS

Jean jacket, grey cowlneck sweater, grey jeans, grey running shoes, blue backpack

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The Intentional Thrifter: This, that, and Tom Thomson

(The cover painting's actually by F.H. Varley.)

The Intentional Thrifter: When clouds are green

I like this painting of clouds in Algonquin Park. It was painted by Tom Thomson over a hundred years ago, but it reminds me of the view from our city balcony  (well, not today when it's all foggy and snowing). I guess clouds are clouds!

Thomson used an unusual variety of colours in his clouds and skies, and the land and water below: purples, pinks, even greens. You can see greens as well in this one:

 Northern Lake, Winter 1912–13. Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto

I recently found a linen shirtjacket in a dusty sage green that reminds me of Thomson's paintings.

I know you don't wear linen so much in the winter, but I'm thinking spring.

The Intentional Thrifter: classic to frivolous

I have a so-so relationship with button-up shirts. I think it's a hangover from Girl Guide uniforms of the 1970's. They never seem to fit right (too tight, too long, or both), or they're too crisp and menswear for me.

I found this blue and white pinstriped shirt yesterday, and brought it home in spite of my no-shop rule. My rationale: if you do find a classic that doesn't give you flashbacks, it's worth breaking the rules for.

I forgot to post about this top that I found a couple of weeks ago. It's fast fashion. It's synthetic. It's shiny. It's not made to last. But it is fun for dressing up.

It reminds me of one of my favourite Tom Thomson paintings.

Tom Thomson, "Nocturne, Algonquin Park, 1915"

It also goes quite well with this scarf.

So, both tops are hanging out in my closet for this fall.

Project 333, Spring 2018: Just a sample

Fashion Revolution Week is April 23-29, 2018
"We love fashion, but we don’t want our clothes to come at the cost of people or our planet." ~~ FashionRevolution.org

Inspiration for the Season

Tom Thomson, "Nocturne, Algonquin Park, 1915"

Last year I called this page "End of Winter"; but this year I'm feeling more optimistic and hoping for an actual Spring. Birds! Flowers! No March blizzards! (There's usually at least one surprise snowstorm.)

Some clothes I had expected to pull out this spring, that were on every tentative list, suddenly didn't make the cleanout cut. I had a size-six grey dress I thrifted last fall, that I finally admitted was too tight for comfort. Another print dress had had its day. A denim shirt, that I wore as a jean jacket, just felt done. A skirt that didn't have enough of a waistband to stay up properly: time to say goodbye. A blue jacket that was a good colour, but the puffed sleeves were a little much: it also went in the donation bag. At least letting go is easier if you haven't put much money into it.

But I've found good, "keeper" things, too.

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Favourite things at Christmas

A Tom Thomson print that Mr. Fixit found on his antiquing rounds; we put it up by the front door.

Rold Gold Peppermint Dipped Snowflake Pretzels (they make a great Christmas breakfast with muffins and clementines)

Christmas cards from friends at church

A new frying pan, new socks, new bottle of lotion, and other things I've run out of

Our Advent wreath

Having enough tissue paper and tape to wrap everything

Homemade cranberry sauce

A jar of Mod Podge and a colour printer (couldn't have done this year's gifts without those).

Dollygirl's Christmas wish:  an American Girl doll.

A furnace that's made its way through another year.

And nothing worse than head colds this week.