the month of may

 the things I’ve donned

As the weather warmed up and I was pulling out my summery items I spotted a gap in my wardrobe. In recent years I had come to think that my style was becoming more “effortless” (whether it be in a French-chic attitude or creative multi-hyphenate with dad sneakers), and blue denim -of all shades- is a staple in such a wardrobe. And yet recently when I’m getting dressed or doing an impromptu intense try-on-all-outfits session, I’ve found myself not reaching for them. Maybe it’s the colour that I don’t own the right shade of blue that my heart so desires. Or have I been-there-done-that with the fabric and I need something else touching my skin. It could even be the shape, that I’ve bored myself of the varying straight styles that I own.

It was in the middle of this denim calamity that I happened upon my off-white long trousers, which have already proven to be “the” bottom of the season. Made out of a cotton-blend they have just enough weight to them that they move like a suit trouser, while still appearing seasonally appropriate when strolling around in the sun. I was initially worried they’d be too long but I’m loving the way they pool and sit on my shoes. I truly had no trouser in my wardrobe that had such a shape, and it’s opened up new outfit ensembles with the pieces I own that I was struggling to find how to wear. They’re the perfect transition piece to take us from the comfort clothing we’ve all cocooned ourselves in at home to our first Spring ventures outdoors. I have worn them so much that I’m starting to feel self conscious every time I go for my walk because ‘there I go again, in the same white trousers’.

A new addition to my daily fits has been the rope chain necklace from Mejuri (gifted).

Believe me or not, but I have had “gold necklace” on my want list since the Christmas sales last year. I owned a thin long gold necklace, also from Mejuri, and then my special a-little-different necklace, but nothing that was more substantial that I could wear everyday. This rope chain necklace could not have come at a better time and has slipped seamlessly into whatever I wear on any day.

the way i’ve moved

Earlier this year I started seeing an RMT for my persistent back pain, and she said that I wasn’t using my core, or maybe I didn’t have one.

Me: ????? I exercise regularly and do the Nike 10-minute ab workouts - how dare she say I don’t use my core.

Well, it happens to be that with all the elasticated waistbands I’ve recently lived in, I was just letting my gut hang out - all limp and full resting on my thighs. I wasn’t using my basic core strength to keep the rest of my body aligned, and essentially I’d forgotten how to sit properly.

The next day I hopped onto Youtube and got going on the first pilates class that came my way - and my god I’ve been converted. With all my workouts I’ve gruelled my way through I would have thought I had some sort of muscle, alas, no. I was quickly proved wrong and have now been doing my pilates every day for at least 20-minutes a day to get back that core strength I had believed I had. I can tell you three months later that I am now stronger and probably more so than I had ever been. Pilates has become my thing this year and I can foresee it being accompanying me as my joints become rickety and muscles stop being as malleable.

what i’ve consumed

Something good that has come out of Covid restrictions here in Vancouver is the patios. As soon as they closed indoor dining every eatery in town put in an order for patio furniture and plonked it on the sidewalk/pavement, and you’d would find yourself walking past a new patio every time you stepped outside. And thank goodness.

For our two-year anniversary J and I found ourselves celebrating the occasion at Dachi, a restaurant neither of us had been to, which we wouldn’t have been able to enjoy were it not for their patio. In what appeared to be originally a small parking lot outside their front door, they had ingeniously set it up for outdoor dining.