up in the air
up in the air
city in bloom
city in bloom

Yep, I went off to Van recently … with the husband, minus the kids. It was a once-in-five-years kind of deal, and my face reflected that pretty accurately, I think:

the face of a work-free, kid-free long weekend ... in Vancouver
the face of a work-free, kid-free long weekend … in Vancouver

The extra exciting thing was planning my travel outfits. Yep, I’m a wild one. When traveling with kids, I have to think about practicality … which doesn’t leave much room for style. This time around, I knew I could wear dressier clothes with impunity. Well … almost. The thing is, when in Van as a tourist, you have to consider comfort no matter what, because you will be walking A LOT. Usually in the rain. So, I compromised. I wore lots of dresses, and sensible shoes.

Jacket, Joe Fresh (thrifted); dress, Eileen Fisher (thrifted); shoes, Ferragamo (via Etsy); bag, Gucci
Jacket, Joe Fresh (thrifted); dress, Eileen Fisher (thrifted); shoes, Ferragamo (via Etsy); bag, Gucci

This thrifted Eileen Fisher muumuu was a wonderful choice for traveling in — it’s incredibly comfortable, warm enough for the plane but not so warm that you end up over-heating. The faux leather jacket (also thrifted) was a life saver since it turned out to be pretty much impervious to the rain. Oh, of course there was rain. And my old Ferragamo flats are THE best option any time I have to walk for several miles.

cardigan, J. Crew Factory; necklace, J. Crew
cardigan, J. Crew Factory; necklace, J. Crew
knit muumuu = maximum comfort level
knit muumuu = maximum comfort level

By the second day, my hair gave up its valiant fight against the humidity, and I surrendered to the permanent-frizz. But my “leather” jacket still held strong.

Jacket, Joe Fresh; dress, Moschino; boots, Bandolino (thrifted); bag, Mulberry
Jacket, Joe Fresh; dress, Moschino; boots, Bandolino (thrifted); bag, Mulberry
Hair meets Vancouver
Hair meets Vancouver

I don’t have a good photo of my first “date night” outfit, but here’s the second. The cape was a permanent loan from my mom, who bought it second hand. The dress is a thrifted piece with a cool retro vibe, thanks to the midi length.

Cape, Club Monaco; dress, S-12 (thrifted); shoes, Stuart Weitzman; bag, Mulberry
Cape, Club Monaco; dress, S-12 (thrifted); shoes, Stuart Weitzman; bag, Mulberry
side view
side view

Here’s a better look at the dress:

sans cape
sans cape
vogue-ing on Main St.
vogue-ing on Main St.

Finally, I wore my thrifted William Rast jeans on the last day (and plane ride home). I also layered pretty much every warm thing I brought with me because it was wiiiindy.

Cape, Club Monaco; jeans, William Rast (thrifted); boots, Bandolino; bag, Gucci
Cape, Club Monaco; jeans, William Rast (thrifted); boots, Bandolino; bag, Gucci

Here’s a better look at my recently thrifted Vanessa Bruno sweater, over an AllSaints top I got for a song at Red Pony consignment. Love that asymmetrical neckline.

Sweater, Vanessa Bruno (thrifted); top, AllSaints (via consignment)
Sweater, Vanessa Bruno (thrifted); top, AllSaints (via consignment)
glasses, Rayban
glasses, Rayban

Till next time, Vancouver!

Vancouver in April
Vancouver in April

Personal note: As some of you may know, the town of Fort McMurray, located in northern Alberta (my home province), is currently besieged by out-of-control wildfires. The entire town has been under a mandatory evacuation notice since yesterday. 80,000 people are displaced, and many will likely have no homes to which to return. The photos and stories that have been coming through on social media and the news are truly heartbreaking. If you are able to, please consider making a donation to the Canadian Red Cross to help the victims.Thank you.

5 Comments on What I Wore: West Coast Getaway

  1. Hope you had a great trip. The cape with retro dress and the asymmetrical sweater outfits were my fave! I may have to check out thrift stores when I go to Canada next year 😊