Monday Musings- The Queen, Unusual Shapes, & Outfit of the Week
Happy Monday, ladies. It’s funny how certain occasions stick in your memory. I vividly recall my mom telling me to remember that this was the day President Kennedy was killed, and so I do. Another vivid memory was when I heard that Princess Diana had died in a fiery crash. The third is when I heard that Her Royal Majesty Queen Elizabeth II passed away last Thursday. We were on a walking tour of the La Citadelle De Quebec, and almost immediately, they lowered the flags to half-mast.
The Queen’s passing shouldn’t have come as a surprise because she was 96, but for some strange reason, it did, and it brought me to tears. When I learned that the Canadian currency would now be made without her likeness, I quickly ordered another Rainbow Queen mug and this mug. Silly, I know, but I’m OK with it.
I’m not the type to hang an ornament of her on my Christmas tree, but many folks are.
I remember singing God Save The Queen at school when I was young. I vividly remember seeing her up close on one of her visits to New Westminster, BC. She was the tiniest little lady! Her Corgis inspired me to look into the breed, and we brought into our family who we adored.
It turns out that her everyday china is my good china…the Royal Dalton Canton pattern. I just dug out our teapot, but the lid seems to be missing. Neither of us remembers breaking it, but the pattern is discontinued, so we may be out of luck. Queen paraphernalia has always been popular, but I expect it will become more so as people miss her stabilizing presence.
Cruise Wardrobe
As mentioned, my cruise wardrobe was extremely boring. Black, gray, and some other neutrals predominated. I didn’t want for anything…but variety. I brought some Chico’s DefineMe jeans to photograph for an Instagram campaign and they were perfect for the cooler weather in Quebec.
The DefineMe denim is super comfy. I find it somewhere between a skinny and a straight-leg, so they’re a great modern shape.
This expandable tote has been incredibly handy. Zipped open, I can put my hat inside, along with my scarf, water bottle, and other necessities. Then zipped smaller, it’s just a great bag.
Outfit of the Week
This week’s OOTW started with a hunt for texture when I fell head over heels for these Lois Hill earrings. I love the artistry of textured silver, and her handmade shapes are gorgeous. The woven Birdies went into my cart in the sky blue. Women rave over the fit of these Spanx ponte pants, which will make a great basic for so many outfits. While I was at it, I thought it would be fun to combine this short checked jacket with an animal print blouse in the same shades. A great neutral lip color and intriguing sounding fragrance finish off this ootw.
Thoughts on style
It never fails that travel causes me to rethink my style recipe. I love nothing more than to people-watch for outfit inspiration and observe how other ladies put their looks together. The gals who stood out to me were wearing a classic base that they accented with something artistic or creative. Bright colors and patterns were not as popular as I expected. Jewelry seemed low-key, but unique shapes took center stage.
I have several pairs of lantern pants that almost got packed, and I wish I’d brought them. I saw several gals rocking theirs and a few others wearing barrel-leg pants. I prefer mine in a knit fabric with some drape plus that also makes them perfect for travel…next time:)
See also –How To Wear Lantern Pants
Now that I’m home and thinking about fall, I’ll be looking through what wasn’t worn last fall to see if it’s something I want to wear this fall.
Do you put aside pieces for a few years and then bring them back into your wardrobe?
Thanks for reading, and remember to wear what makes you feel confident.
Hi, Jennifer !
I think that the shock of the Queen s passing away is so terribly felt around the world because, generally speaking, the sensation of our time is the world is falling apart, so a a loss of ballance is innevitably a terrible conclusion.
Whenever I had the chance of wandering the stores in London and admiring their clothes and hats – although the English women in general exhibit a loss of taste – I could not help imagine that the Queen is truly interested in giving everybody the opportunity to dress and feel dignified . The jewelry is also present in a design that mimic the royal collections.It s wonderful to feel like a beautiful lady , even Eliza Doolittle agrees in the recent production of My Fair Lady .
Welcome back !
I have been using my special little mug, a treasure I bought in 2019 at The Queen’s Gallery just around the corner from Buckingham Palace.
It is a 1/2 sized commemorative mug / cup with gold scroll work and other iconic symbolism in recognition of the 70th anniversary of Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip… E and P beautifully intertwined .
It is perfect for my Nespresso coffee and , although I own other unique small cups, it was this one I chose lately. Wednesday was definitely a day to reflect and take in the enormity of the sudden change happening in the UK and the Commonwealth countries around the world. Charles III has been taught well, so we’ll watch and see what unfolds. “God Save The King”
I’m so happy you had a great cruise. I have so enjoyedQuebec city and have visited there two- three times. Each time I found more to love! The food, the history, the charming small streets and people watching. We visited a small island (name escapes me) and even went on a wine tour. You look so pretty and I hope you found cruising tune to relax. .
I hope to go back to Quebec City. I could spend much more time there exploring!
I wonder if you visited Isle d’Orleans…just north of Quebec City on the St Lawrence?It has a very historical feel and easy to drive around in a day. Lots of places to visit and learn about the early French settlers.
Hi Jennifer~ We are leaving on 10/13, departing from Boston on a New England/ Canada cruise on Norwegian. I would love to hear about your cruise and if your readers have gone on this cruise.
Thanks for your inspiration.
You’ll love it. It was a fun cruise but be sure you bring things for rainy weather because we got a fair bit of it in the beginning.
I have always followed all things Royal. I don’t why everyone was surprised about the Queen’s death but we all were. I guess because she’s the only Queen we’ve ever known. Princess Diana’s death was really a shock and so sad. I was a big fan.
As a Canadian teenager, I thought I was so clever when the Queen and Prince Philip visited Canada and I referred to them as Liz and Phil. My older relatives just shook their heads. She was an inspiration to women as she aged so gracefully–with those fabulous hats.
I hope that you had a great vacation and have had a chance to rest upon your return. I know exactly what you mean about wardrobe boredom when traveling, when I get home from a trip I put those clothes away!
The tragic incidents you mentioned were also key moments in my life and I vividly remember them all. I admired the queen so much, what an exceptional life.
Another reader mentioned Replacements.com and I also had good experiences with them for various items in china and crystal.
They are such strong memories for me. I’ve registered for them to let me know if they come across one so I’ll keep my fingers crossed.