Hi

Happy Canada Day, Dear Readers! I feel incredibly blessed to live in such a safe, modern, and beautiful country. A few days ago, while on a flight back to Calgary from Amsterdam, I was struck by how fortunate we are to call this place home. On the plane, I was surrounded by a few dozen refugees being evacuated with the help of the United Nations. I don't know where they came from or what hardships they were escaping, but my heart went out to them. I hope they find peace and safety here in our wonderful Canada.

Support Canadian Fashion Brands

What could be more patriotic than supporting Canadian businesses? It’s now easier than ever to support our nation’s businesses when it comes to fashion. An internet search for Canadian clothing will provide an extensive list like some of my favorites: Joseph Ribkoff, Frank Lyman, Charlie B, Tribal and Picadilly for example. I was so excited and proud when I found a boutique in Germany selling Joseph Ribkoff clothes! Go Canada Go! Here are a few of local Calgary stores that carry these and many more Canadian brands:

• Bellissima carries several Canadian brands and makes it easy to find them with under “Trending/Made in Canada” menu option.
• Simons, a Canadian icon since 1840, is a great retailer that focuses on Canadian brands.
• Suzanne’s Fashions – click here for their collection of Canadian made clothes.
• Blue Moon Boutique and Studio Blue (featured in June's newsletter).
• Aldila, a lovely Boutique Chain with 6 locations in BC and Calgary.
• What Women Want in Aspen Landing
• Something2Wear store also in Aspen Landing.

Product Links: Joseph Ribkoff, Frank Lyman, Charlie B, Tribal, Picadilly

Packing Tips I learned on our 30-day Europe trip:

Does packing for a trip stress you out? You're not alone. Figuring out what to bring, especially for multiple climates, can be daunting. During our 30-day trip to Europe, where we changed locations/hotels seven times, I learned some valuable packing lessons:

Packing lists are a must: I keep an electronic list of what to pack and customize it for each trip before packing. It makes packing so much less stressful because I have my list to guide me and assure me that I won’t forget anything. I even use the list to keep track of what I need to do before I go like stock up on vitamins and prescriptions etc.

Packing Cubes! If you don’t already use them, I highly recommend it. Keeping your suitcase organized is so much easier, especially when you are visiting multiple locations. For a short stay, I just put the entire cube in the hotel dresser drawers which makes it super easy to re-pack. Next time I will try “Compression Cubes” like these  from Amazon that a friend recommended. They claim to compress down to save suitcase space.

Stay organized: make it a habit to keep your cubes organized. I use one cube for:

1.    Dressier clothes

2.    Casual Clothes

3.    Underwear, PJs and sox

4.    Shoes

5.    Miscellaneous items, like vitamins, snacks etc.

6.    I pack toiletries in a cosmetic carry case

Fold or roll? I roll my clothes carefully to avoid creases. It makes it more compact and easier to organize.

Pro tip: I put a hair elastic around each item so I don’t have to re-roll every time I move items around.

European Dream Trip!

In June Mike and I took our dream retirement trip that we were not able to take during Covid. It took a few years of planning but we pulled it off and it was FABULOUS! We were gone 30 days in total starting with four days in Cork, Ireland visiting family, then four days in London, then four days in Prague, then a two-week River Cruise from Budapest to Amsterdam and finally three days on our own in Amsterdam. Here are some of the highlights from the several hundreds of photos we took to give you a taste of it. Enjoy!

What is your biggest Style Challenge? Feel free to ask questions by e-mailing me at mona@essentialstyleconsulting.ca

Have a Fabulous Fashion Day!

Mona Rioux CAOPIS, CSFC

Essential Style Consulting

Cell 403-826-9910

Mona@essentialstyleconsulting.ca

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