I can’t believe summer is coming to an end. It feels like just yesterday that I sat here writing about how excited I was to switch over my winter wardrobe and get ready for my spring and summer looks. If you’re like me and prefer to let summer linger for as long as possible, you probably wait until the very last minute to switch your wardrobe back again.

I love the ease and relaxed way of dressing in the summer months so much that I begrudgingly hold on to it. But the problem is, I can’t stop time and I live in a colder part of the world. Having said that, fall is Canada’s most glorious season and deserves all of our attention and love. So, once I’ve mourned the end of summer, I find ways to get excited about the new season.

September really is an exciting time. I still think of it as the beginning of a new year, and whenever we have a new beginning, it’s a nice time to feel refreshed, inspired and ready to shed some old ways of doing things or, at the very least, to try something new.

In preparation, I’ve started thinking about my fall wardrobe and some of the looks I’d like to try this year. I began by looking through my fall Pinterest board and putting together a collection of outfits that are inspiring me. It all started with this photo of Anjelica Huston, photographed by Richard Avedon in the late 1970s. ( top left )

I love the rugged layers, the simplicity of the cuts and, of course, the mix of prints.

I like creating mood boards because they give me a clearer idea of the pieces I already own, the pieces I’d like to add to my wardrobe and the different ways I can style them together to create new looks.

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I’ve never been one to follow fashion rules—and, honestly, I don’t particularly like them. They can feel restrictive, and some of the most stylish outfits are created when we ignore the rules entirely.

That said, when an outfit involves a lot of volume, it can sometimes be difficult to tell whether the look feels intentionally oversized or simply overwhelming. The goal isn’t to make your body fit a set of rules. It’s to create balance, shape, and proportion in a way that makes you feel confident.

To make styling voluminous pieces a little easier, I’ve put together a few guidelines using my own wardrobe and a little help from Pinterest.

These are not hard-and-fast rules. Think of them as starting points—ideas to try, adapt, and break whenever you want.

Volume with Volume

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This week, I’m sharing another instalment of my Montreal visitors’ guide. Last August, I published my first edition, highlighting some of my favourite places to discover in downtown Montreal. This time, I’m taking you just outside the city to Saint-Lambert—the lovely little village suburb I call home.

A Little Piece of Storybook Quebec

When my family and I moved here from Toronto in 2018, I felt as though I had stepped straight into a Louise Penny novel.

Saint-Lambert is a charming village tucked just off the Victoria Bridge, along the shores of the St. Lawrence River. Historically, it was a cottage destination for wealthy Montrealers looking to escape the city. Although the area has evolved over the years, it has managed to retain much of its original charm.

The heart of the village is Victoria Street, a lively main street lined with inviting cafés, restaurants, independent boutiques and excellent shopping.

If you’re looking for a relaxing day away from the bustle of Montreal, Saint-Lambert is easy to reach by car, metro, bicycle or even ferry. It offers the perfect opportunity to slow down and feel as though you’ve gone on holiday—without travelling very far at all.

Where to Shop in Saint-Lambert

Saint-Lambert is home to an impressive collection of independent clothing boutiques, which feels like a rarity these days. Here are a few of my favourite places to visit.

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Richard Avedon himself

Twiggy by Richard Avedon August 1 1967

Patti Hanson by Richard Avedon American Vogue 1977

‘Dovima with Elephants’ by Avedon for Dior 1955

Avedon has an eye for seeing truth. He strips his subjects and backgrounds to the bare minimum — black and white, stark backdrops — so we’re not merely viewers but voyeurs, staring straight into a subject’s soul. What feels uncomfortable at first quickly becomes utterly compelling.

Take Wallis Simpson and the Duke of Windsor. Once the glamour couple of their time — rule-breaking, iconic, endlessly fashionable — Avedon presents them here as something else: human, a little sad, slightly outcast. They no longer feel untouchable; they feel real. You can almost hear their stories and imagine the pressures they endured. That relatability is the brilliance of his work.

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I knew this would happen.

Every year, summer seems to disappear so quickly, and I always find myself wishing I could slow it down just a little. It’s my favourite season, and somehow it always feels far too short. Sigh!

Honestly, I haven’t made as much progress on my summer bucket list as I had hoped. Instead, I’ve been trying to embrace a slower pace whenever I can—spending afternoons at my local pool, enjoying the sunshine, and giving myself permission to simply relax when the weather and my schedule allow.

Now that we’re in the last week of July, I’m feeling motivated to revisit my list before summer slips away.

My Summer Bucket List

1. Read the stack of books I have piled in my nook.

2. Go swimming in a lake.

3. Explore the St. Lawrence River by boat.

4. Go kayaking in a nearby provincial park.

5. Go to the movies.

6. Make fresh pasta.

7. Have a picnic.

8. Disconnect for a few days.

9. Go for a long bike ride and stop for lunch.

10. Spend an afternoon painting outdoors with my sketchbook.

So far, I’ve completed just two things on the list:

• ✅ Read. I’m currently reading a mountain of a book Hilary Mantel’s follow up to Wolf Hall called Bring Up the Bodies based on the last year of Anne Boleyn’s life.

• ✅ Disconnect for a few days.

Not exactly what I expected for the end of July—but that’s okay. Summer isn’t over yet, and if there’s one season that’s meant for slowing down, it’s this one.

Last night I planned to tackle number six and make fresh pasta from scratch. It didn’t happen (I was too lazy in the end), but it’s still high on my list and I’ll be making it soon.

One thing I’m especially looking forward to is a week away at a lovely chalet in Northern Quebec. It should help me cross off several more bucket list items, including:

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Red is a gorgeous colour…one I love all year round but particularly in the warm weather months.

It’s a powerful colour and in the summertime it reads as fresh, energetic and joyful. It really pops against sun soaked skin the way neutrals don’t and paired with the right colours has a classic nautical style.

Look around—red is everywhere in nature in the summer months: tomato red, cherry red, geranium red, poppy red. Think of a perfect slice of watermelon or a crisp radish—vivid, alive.

Once you start looking for it, you’ll see red everywhere.

Inspired by that energy, here’s a quick do’s-and-don’ts guide for styling red this summer.

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Lately I’ve been spending time at my local pool—trying to get a little sun, squeeze in some exercise, and enjoy some much-needed summer relaxation. One of my neighbours, who works in the school system, goes every day, and after running into her a few times we’ve become friends. You know when you meet someone and you just hit it off? You feel like your values align and, just by being around them, you feel heard and understood. A kindred spirit. She is that for me. I love her and I love how she looks. She inspires me.

She’s my age and curvy like me, but whenever I see her she’s wearing the cutest bikinis or bodycon dresses, and I always comment on how great she looks. She owns her curves and is gorgeous because of it. She’s inspired me to get out of my comfort zone and challenge myself this summer to buy a bikini.

I haven’t worn a bikini since my early twenties, and even then I never felt 100% comfortable. A few years ago I did buy one, but every time I put it on I took it off immediately—which is such a shame because bikinis can be practical and comfortable. I’ve finally learned to love myself in my bathing suits, just not in a bikini.

The other day at the pool we were deep in conversation, both relaxed, and she looked so lovely spread out on her towel that it made me feel more at ease in my maillot and like I looked good too.

In my last online workshop, Blame It On Venus, we talked about our bodies and why we don’t always feel perfect. The group included women aged 50–70, and no one could say they were 100% comfortable in their skin for one reason or another. That broke my heart. How is it that we’re still struggling with this? Don’t we know better by now?

Why can’t we be gentle with ourselves and embrace where we are—especially if we’re healthy and strong? Why do we need so much outside validation instead of looking within and feeling good and strong? I wish I knew the answers.

I don’t have all the answers, but I do know this: women are strong, powerful, gentle, and compassionate. Because of that, we’re beautiful in all our shapes and sizes. Yet for centuries we’ve been taught we’re not good enough as we are. We understand that concept, but it’s so ingrained it’s hard to unlearn.

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I find so much style inspiration from seeing people on the street. Anything from getting ideas for interesting colour combinations, to styling accessories in new ways, to simply admiring someones’s look. I often mull over what I’ve seen and overtime apply it to how I’m dressing. Rarely do I sprint home to pull out something from my closet, but last Thursday changed that.

Thursdays in the summer are my favourite day. It’s market day. Last Thursday was a really hot, muggy day and the farmer’s market starts in the late afternoon.

I arrived early, the sun was beaming down with not a breeze to be felt. Everyone was dressed in the bare minimum. I immediately noticed this women in the cutest, happiest vintage dress—bright, colourful and playful—paired simply with Birkenstock sandals and a basket bag. She stood out in the best way. I admired her from afar and took a quick snapshot. (I don’t feel comfortable asking random people on the street if I can take their pic…although maybe I shouldn’t be so shy.)

Why Street Style Inspires More Than Trends

What I liked so much about her outfit was that it looked cool, colourful, joyful but it was also quite short. Wearing a short dress for women over a “certain age” can be off limits. She looked to be around 65 years old. I find this is a ridiculous fashion rule especially when it feels like 42 degrees in the sun. You should wear whatever you feel good in and she was clearly doing just that.

A Vintage Dress, a Mother’s Legacy, and the Joy of Wearing What You Love

Later, while waiting in line at the cheese stall, she passed me and I said to her, “Excusez-moi Madame, j’adore Votre robe.” She replied in French and told me she’d inherited it from her mother and loved wearing it. That detail made the look even more meaningful—a legacy garment that brought her joy.

Dressing for Yourself: Confidence Over Rules

This got me thinking… To me, style is intentional: wearing what you love, not what some fashion rulebook dictates. Her choice felt like both a celebration of herself and remembrance of her mother. So much confidence packed into one little dress. I love this so much and for me, this is what true style is all about.

How I Turned Inspiration into Action

As soon as I got home from the market and put away all my shopping I immediately went upstairs to my closet to pull out a colourful dress that I love. A little in the same esprit as Market lady’s vintage number. It’s colourful, it’s bold it feels vintage and I love the way it looks and feels. My husband and daughter however do not. But sometimes we just have to wear somethings for ourselves, things that make us smile from within. I wore my dress all weekend long because it made me feel good and carefree and like I was honouring myself.

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There is something really lovely about the first few days of July. The idea that the whole summer is before us is such a glorious concept—until all of a sudden it’s the end of August and summer is nearly over. It goes by so fast, which makes me sad, as summer is my favourite season. I love the long days, the slower pace, and the energy the light affords.

If you’ve been following along here on Substack, you know I’ve made my bucket list and have lots of plans for enjoying my summer. I’m working on a summer Garden Collection of dishes, paintings, and recipes. I have the Blame It on Venus workshop coming up next weekend (July 4, 2–4 pm), and many other fun things to look forward to.

I’ve been slowly reshaping my wardrobe because I needed to replace quite a few summer pieces, which of course has me perusing Pinterest for styles I’d like to emulate this season.

Styles that are inspiring me

I love wearing black in the summer—especially black dresses. I love how easy they are and prefer black when my skin is a bit tanned. The perfect summer dress to me is an oversized, crisp cotton poplin dress. Simply add a few great accessories and you have an ideal, comfortable, chic summer look.

I’m also loving the scarf-tied-at-the-waist look. It’s been trending the last few summers in Europe and is a great way to add colour and interest to a basic outfit.

Also in love with knit tops. Years ago I had the loveliest brown knit dress from Benetton—so simple, soft, and stylish. I wore it constantly and would love to revisit that style this year. I managed a similar look with a knit top from a few years ago that I hadn’t worn much; I paired it with black pants and wide-leg jeans and really felt good in it.

I’ve been testing recipes for the Garden Collection — here are a few favourites I’ll include:

- Roasted Beet Salad with crushed garlic and basil. One of the easiest summer salads: roasted beets mixed with garlic, basil, salt, and pepper, dressed with olive oil and red wine vinegar.

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Last week I wrote about planning a summer staycation; this week I’m sharing my summer bucket list. I’m not planning to travel anywhere specific this year, so I want to fully enjoy being here in Montréal. There are so many things I’ve always wanted to do or visit in this city and haven’t yet. I find if I write it out in one place than I’m more likely to cross things off as I go and stay accountable. Summer is the time of year that goes by so fast so if I don’t keep track of my wish list I just won’t get any of it done.

Here’s my plan for a summer well-spent:

1) Read the pile of books I’ve set aside for summer — about 10 books. That may be ambitious, but I’m hopeful. I’m planning a mix of light reads for lazy afternoons and a couple of denser books for a feeling of accomplishment.

2) Swim in a lake. This was on last year’s list and I managed it once; I’d love to make it a repeating ritual. I love swimming in my local pool as there’s something restorative about cold water on a hot day. But swimming in a lake just feels so special.

3) Explore the St‑Laurent by boat. Near Atwater Market you can rent cute little putt‑putt boats by the hour. It might feel touristy, but the novelty is part of the charm — seeing the city from the water is a different, fun, perspective.

4) Go kayaking in a nearby provincial park. I fell in love with kayaking during a difficult time when friends took me out on Lake Ontario in the early morning. That calm, early‑morning silence was nourishing. Since moving to Montréal I’ve only been once — this summer I want to make more mornings like that.

5) Go to the movie theatre. This may seem a silly thing to put on my bucket list but I’m putting it anyway. When I was younger it was such a big summer activity. Especially when it was so hot out and you needed a break from the insane heat before AC was everywhere. My husband thinks why go to the cinema when you are more comfortable at home? So we never go. It feels nostalgic… a cool, classic summer escape I haven’t done in ages.

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This summer I don’t have my usual France holiday planned ☹️. My in-laws sold their beautiful house and downsized to a small apartment, so we no longer have a pied-à-terre. Add high flight prices and tricky travel logistics, and we decided to stay put this year.

Instead, I’m planning a city staycation in Montréal. I want to explore parts of the city I’ve never seen, meet friends for drinks at the new hotspots, and work my way through the restaurants on my ‘must try’ list.

I’ll be lounging in the garden with the huge stack of books I’ve collected, painting outdoors (I’m developing a new garden-inspired collection for my website), and cooking outside as much as possible.

This spring I’ve been busy turning the outdoor space into a peaceful retreat—planting flowers that bring me joy, creating comfortable lounging zones, and adding shady, cosy spots for hot afternoons. I want a garden oasis to retreat to this summer.

When it comes to interiors I usually start with a tonal, somewhat monochromatic palette, but I always end up adding a splash of colour. I love tonal layering, yet a bright accent makes a space feel finished for me. I recently bought a colourful pillow from Ikea to do just that.

Yellow and pink pillowcase

I’m reminding myself this summer to take time for me—at home or out and about. Getting inspired, journalling, sketching, browsing, dressing how I feel: simple silhouettes with key accessories that make me happy. I’ll be mixing pieces I already own with some new arrivals.

I recently had to replace some light weight summer pants so I bought a fantastic black cotton barrel pair from a favourite store of mine in Saint-Lambert. Along with a linen set in chocolate brown. I am loving wearing black and brown together I think it looks so great and slightly unexpected. I have a short sleeved top in taupe that I wear all the time so I’ll interchange both with the barrel pants. Adding in a fantastic woven bag and you’ve got the perfect summer city chic look.

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What does it mean to feel sexy after 50?

For me, sexy is an attitude. It’s about feeling confident with who you are and feeling really good in your skin.

When you know what you want and stop trying to please everyone, you become magnetic: you speak your mind and you own your experiences.

Letting go of the belief that you must be “more” for others frees you to be uniquely yourself—and that freedom becomes an irresistible radiance.

Authenticity is the most attractive quality as we age.

“Sexy is not about what you look like, but how you feel. It’s so easy to look at ourselves in the mirror and think, there is nothing sexy about my body. But sexiness has nothing to do with how you look and everything to do with how you feel about yourself.”

Sarah Jenks

Since I started my Substack in April 2025, I’ve been writing about what it means to be authentically you. It’s not always easy—many of us were taught to prioritize everyone else first. Over time we learn that people-pleasing is unsustainable; it leaves us depleted, anxious, and disconnected from ourselves.

Living unapologetically means fiercely choosing what makes you feel alive, naturally creating a radiant energy that shines from within. For me, that is truly what being sexy is.

Comfort in your own skin

How do you cultivate sexiness for yourself? I believe it starts with feeling good. Being intentional with how you dress. Choosing fabrics that feel good on your skin. Wearing colours that bring you joy and adorning yourself with beautiful jewelry. It’s about dressing solely to please yourself.

What does being sexy mean for you? Join me this Saturday June 13th at 2pm for my online workshop to further this discussion with a group of amazing women.

tickets for BLAME IT ON VENUS

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The Importance of a Comfortable Home

May generally is a busy month as the weather starts to finally brighten. We start to get our gardens planted, put away the winter clothes, give the house a much-needed spring clean and and mark the end of another school year with graduations and preparations for summer.

It’s all very exciting and centred around creating a lovely home to enjoy for the warm weather months. Recently, I was reminded just how important a comfortable home truly is.

Living Through a Renovation

This May, we renovated our upstairs bathroom.

For anyone who has lived through a renovation you understand the upheaval. It was only supposed to take 2 weeks and ended up lasting a month. Don’t get me wrong, I’m so grateful to have been able to do this renovation but it was harder than I thought to live through it. When your home is disturbed your sense of calm and peace with it.

I’m generally quite adaptable. I can adjust to new routines without much trouble, whether it’s waking up at 6 a.m. to enjoy a quiet start to the day or working around temporary inconveniences. But after three weeks of constant dust, unfamiliar people coming and going, and nightly trips downstairs to use the loo, I began to feel irritated and impatient.

Just When We Thought It Was Over

When the toilet was finally put in and we were told we could use it, despite the fact that other parts of the bathroom were not done yet it felt like the end was in sight.

However, one Sunday afternoon we discovered a slow leak from the toilet directly into the downstairs living room in front the fireplace. Uggh ….Suddenly, the ceiling had to be repaired and repainted. More upheaval. Furniture had to moved into the dining room, more drywall dust. More footprints tracked through the house.

The renovation chaos continued.

By this point, my patience was wearing very thin.

A Lesson From the Garden

As I sit here writing this post in my garden I am reminded of the lesson I learnt this month. We have a pergola in part of the garden that is getting a little old.

Last year a woodpecker pecked three big holes in it looking for food. This year a chickadee couple has used one of those holes to make a nest. I’ve been watching their progress since early spring. From being woken to the sound of chirping on the string of lights just outside my window. To wondering if really they were building a nest there? To seeing them heading in and out with bits of grasses, stuffing and nesting materials.

One day, I watched the male chickadee struggle with a feather that was simply too large to fit through the entrance hole.

He didn’t give up.

After several attempts, he abandoned the oversized feather and returned with another one that fit perfectly.

Slowly, patiently, and persistently, the pair built a nest that would be cosy, safe, and hidden from danger.

It has been a joy to watch.

One Final Setback

Finally, we were at the finish line of the renovation. After three and a half weeks of mess! I was feeling irritable and disagreeable. We all desperately wanted a shower instead of a daily bath. Thankfully, we knew the following morning we could all use the new beautiful bathroom.

My husband was thrilled to be the first to use the shower as I once again begrudgingly mopped the floor by the fire place. As I reflected back on the month thinking how grateful I was to have my house back I noticed a puddle of water that I had not created with my mop.

The shower was leaking!!!! The night before the contractors had cleared out all their materials,

cleared their mess and now they were going to have to come back???

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Last week I hosted a Style Salon in Montréal with my friend and creative coach, Alem. This idea was born from the online workshops I’ve been offering for the past year and a half- workshops Alem often joins and credits to helping her style evolve.

Chatting with her about the value of talking about style with other like minded women and how powerful it is. We decided to offer an event in person. A lifestyle event, that bridges personal style with how you pair wine with food and set a table. Being intentional about your style and your tastes.

The evening began with a wine tasting and food pairing of 4 wines I have recently discovered. All price point friendly wines that pair perfectly with apéro foods.

Ideal for a casual evening with friends. We had asked each women to contribute 5 gently used articles of clothing and a maximum of 3 accessories for a clothing swap and styling session.

After the tasting, we shopped the swap, tried on finds, and talked about style—especially how it shifts with age, how hard it can be to define, and the confidence that comes with knowing yourself.

We also went around the room and showed off the pieces we had newly acquired and found out who donated them. I was delighted to hear how everyone was thrilled to see their donation go to the ‘right’ person who would enjoy it and wear it well.

We all left with new additions to our wardrobes, fresh ideas about our personal style, and new friendships.I am always amazed at how powerful women can be when we get together in a group through our love of clothing and style, wine and cheese and become the best of ourselves.

Each individual’s relationship to style is unique, yet we share an empathy toward one another in understanding our struggles and challenges and become the best cheerleader for one another.

Alem and I plan to host more Salons—and hope to bring one to Toronto soon.

If you’d like to join our next Style Salon, please let me know in the comments.

thanks for reading

Jennifer

xoxo

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I’ve noticed something this week that I thought was just me but realized after speaking with friends, my sister in Toronto and my cousin in Edinburg that there is a general unrest in people at the moment. A sense of floundering, a kind of emotional topsy turvy row boat. One day you are leaning toward the dark depths of the unknown and the next pointed toward clear skies and face full of sunshine. It’s been a strange few weeks and I’d love to just blame the weather or the wars or something outside of myself but it feels deeper than that. It feels to me that there is a lesson here that we need to learn quickly in order to cope with the future. As my cousin said to me “It feels like the year of the horse is galloping along and everything is at a high speed.” It’s hard to keep up. It also feels to me that with that galloping horse deep emotions are brought up as well that are in need of healing in order to move on.

In the middle of this emotional upheaval I’ve returned to one steady practice that keeps my inner peace. This isn’t a new discovery or a miracle antidote — more an age-old reminder: take inspiration from turtles and snails. Go slow.

Slow the pace of the galloping horse and take a few minutes to connect with yourself and your joy. What brings you joy? For me it’s sipping on a delicious cup of tea in a lovely porcelain teacup. Marvelling at the beautiful blooms in my garden and those in my neighbourhood.

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I didn’t realize how much I rely on my routine: a quiet house that’s organized and dust-free. Luckily the work is only supposed to last two weeks. As prepared as I thought I was, the morning the renovations began proved otherwise. I needed to get dressed for my shift at the restaurant and hadn’t organized my outfits for the week. I defaulted to my uniform.

My uniforms are tried-and-true outfits that make me feel good, look good, and can be worn over and over. Sometimes I change one or two elements to keep things interesting. Whether it’s a uniform for the restaurant or one for working from home, that familiar pattern serves me extremely well. It’s nice to change things up, but when you don’t have time or breathing room, old favourites are a lifesaver.

The simpler the better has always worked for me when my life is chaotic. I keep to simple accessories — the same scarf, bag and jacket — so I’m not frantically looking for things when I need to rush out the door. I put things back in the same place so I can get dressed quickly when the contractors arrive. If only I could be this disciplined all the time…

Here’s what I’ve been wearing all week.

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I can’t believe how fast — and how slow — this month felt. Honestly, I’m glad it’s over. You don’t often hear me say that, but April was a challenge. Anyone else?

I’m not sure exactly why — the weather, starting HRT and getting used to it, the planetary shifts, entering a new phase as an empty nester, or all of the above. Whatever the mix, I struggled. But I leaned on a life lesson I learned years ago from Natasha Solomons’ Mr. Rosenblum Dreams in English.

Mr. Rosenblum, a German-Jewish immigrant in pre-war England, desperately wants acceptance and believes joining a golf club will earn it. After repeated rejection, he builds his own course and faces setback after setback. His rule — which I love — was to allow himself no more than 15 minutes of self-pity before moving on. He felt the frustration, then refused to indulge it. That mindset has served me well, especially this month.

Instead of dwelling on what wasn’t working or forcing myself into things that felt off, I shifted focus to pursuits that felt nourishing and that helped time move a little faster. Here’s what I did.

Reading

I devoured three books and started a fourth:

- The Correspondent by Virginia Evans — a gentle, beautifully written novel told through letters. Heartfelt and a joy to read.

- Lady Tremaine by Rachel Hochhauser — a brilliant modern take on Cinderella. I loved it.

- The Invisible Woman by James Patterson and Susan DiLallo — a fast, funny thriller about a middle-aged woman going undercover for the FBI. Perfect summer-read material.

- What We Can Know by Ian McEwan — my first McEwan; his prose is powerful and immediately immersive.

Home Projects

I finally tackled a vestibule beside the downstairs bathroom/pantry that had been on my to-do list for over a year. It’s almost finished and I love how it changed the space. Small improvements like this feel surprisingly fulfilling.

Cooking (a major source of inspiration)

- Tunisian Chicken Tagine: Onions and garlic sautéed in olive oil, spices from a Tunisian blend (cumin, turmeric, salt, dried chile) toasted to bloom, seared boneless chicken thighs, a splash of water and white wine, simmer with lid on 20 minutes. Add 10–15 cherry tomatoes and a drained can of chickpeas at the end. Serve with couscous or flatbread.

- Mushroom Risotto: Mixed wild mushrooms sautéed with butter, olive oil, and small pieces of guanciale. Add Arborio rice, then ladle in hot chicken broth gradually until cooked (20–30 minutes). Don’t over-stir; finish with a knob of butter and ~1 cup grated Parmesan

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Are you ok?

Maybe a little anxious. A bit impatient…

Low, restless…or somehow all of it at once.

If that’s where you are, you’re not alone. Things have been feeling a little hairy lately.

I don’t often pay attention to all the energies, the movements of the planets or the collective mood until I find myself feeling off, or in extreme cases anxious. My dreams become even wilder than usual. When this happens I tune into what the wise Mystics are saying. People I follow on Youtube, Instagram and my personal spiritual mentor. Not for answers exactly, but for perspective. For reminders.

More often than not I’m reassured that it’s not me but things happening in the universe.

This week the energy is heavy. Uranus leaves Taurus after seven years and enters Gemini. Now, I’m not an astrologer far from it, but after doing a little research I realized that this is what is making us feel unsettled.

Pam Gregory is my ‘go to’ astrologer when I need answers and she did a whole Youtube video on what’s going on this week. If you’d like to learn more here’s the link….

Pam Gregory's video

I was chatting with a colleague the other day who is very tapped in energetically.

We were talking about how we are feeling with these high energies. She said how much wearing the colour blue has been key for her. I realized on our Zoom call that we were both funnily wearing the colour blue at that very moment. Ha!

I’ve been drawn to wearing blue over the last month in a way I haven’t been in years. Not only have I been wearing it a lot but I’ve also been gravitating toward blue on my Pinterest inspiration boards.

My spring Board

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I’ve been thinking recently about what it means to age gracefully. How do we undergo ageing stylishly in a world that favours youth, thin bodies and women who’s only self worth is their looks? It’s a challenge because with age comes wrinkles, menopause, different body shapes, greying hairs and sagging skin. It’s all the things we were taught are unattractive in a woman. I often find myself getting caught in the trap of wanting to look younger with the help of a quick fix.

When this happens, I stop myself, take a deep breath and remind myself quick fixes and youth elixirs don’t exist. It’s difficult to understand where we fit in when we are past 50 years old and are no longer seen in our society. We need to carve out that space for ourselves. Often leaving one feeling insecure, hopeless and unwanted. Like we’ve passed a due date expiration that we didn’t even know existed until we were past due!

After I turned fifty, I felt completely lost when it came to my personal style. My body was changing. I was navigating menopause. And for the first time in decades, I didn’t know how I wanted to present myself to the world—or even what felt good to wear.

It reminded me of being a teenager again, trying to figure out who I was through clothes.

I decided it was time to push myself out of this comfort zone that was quite frankly not comfortable and find a new updated style.

I started asking myself key questions as if I was my own client. What did I feel like wearing? How did my lifestyle dictate my wardrobe choices? What makes me feel confident, comfortable and happy in my clothes?

Once I did a little soul searching, finding inspiration from Pinterest or from people in the streets. I did a little shopping. I started with buying a few sweatshirts. Not only did I look for colours that made me happy but they also solved the problem of hot flashes.

I found two that really worked both with ‘LOVE’ written across the front.

I took this as a reminder to LOVE myself more and embrace were I was at. Then I bought a pair of baggy barrel jeans. I was trepidatious at first because I knew I was trying something new but I also knew that fashion is ever evolving and is not to be taken too seriously. It’s about self expression and creativity. One thing lead to another and once I had introduced a few new pieces into my wardrobe everything started to shift. I felt rejuvenated and inspired.

Compliments followed, yes, but more importantly, I felt myself again in a way I hadn’t in a long time.

And I knew I wasn’t alone in this.

Again and again, women in my life—friends, clients, my sisters—shared similar feelings. That sense of losing themselves, and then searching for a new version to step into.

That’s why I created my Ageing with Style workshops.

check out my workshops here

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The goal isn’t minimalism for its own sake — it’s a curated closet full of pieces I love that make getting dressed a delight.

This is what I’m thinking for this spring……

The Trench coat reimagined:

Last year I didn’t wear my trench coat as much as I wanted and I just love how it polishes the most basic of outfits. Layered over a billowy white dress and sandals or over jeans and a simple top. I really love the idea of wearing a trench layered over leggings and a fleece for a sporty chic vibe. The contrast of elegant outerwear and casual layers feels modern and sophisticated not to mention practical for fickle weather.

Oversized round sunglasses:

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