Sustainable Fashion: Meet the Makers

Power of my People
A Canadian Sustainable Fashion Brand
Read about them here.

 As you may know, I tend to think about fashion quite a bit.  I love it.  I love pretty clothes that are well-made, of gorgeous fabrics and with great tailoring details.  I love wearing clothes that make me feel good, even great.

I've also been thinking about shopping, and as you also may know I tried a shopping ban beginning in January that has really made me evaluate what I buy (or want to buy) and why.

It's been a great exercise and I've come to one conclusion: buying sustainable fashion is the only way forward for those us who want to feel good, even great, in our clothes.

I think I already knew this?  I've been shopping Brora for years and they never let me down.  They source their fabrics responsibly and they manufacture their clothes the same way.  I've even been to the Brora mill in Hawick, Scotland to witness that first hand.  You can see that post here.

BRORA: love this dress.

 Brora is running a great campaign this week and it's called Meet the Makers.
I think I met some of those ladies at the mill!

I've been wanting to write a post featuring what is basically a DaniBP List of sustainable fashion brands, clothes that we can feel good about, that aren't too young for us (or too matronly for that matter), clothes that are both current yet classic at the same time.

So here it is:

Justine Tabak

Power of my People

BRORA

Dale of Norway

Saint James

Emerson Fry

Horses Atelier

Everlane

Dale of Norway

Saint James of France

Emerson Fry

Horses Atelier

Everlane

I've recently tried Everlane again thanks to our dear friend SunnyDay, who recommended their fitted tee shirts.  They are indeed so good!  I also finally found a white jean that fits and feels great to wear... and the best thing is they are Everlane Clean Denim.  I'll review them in time for (Canadian) summer.

Everlane micro-rib tank, thanks for the tip SunnyDay!

I must apologize to you for hiding under a rock.  Tooties, there's been lots on the go and not all of it good.  My own dear Dad (aka The Bobster) has not been well.  The good news is he's expected to make a full recovery... and the other good news is that I'll be travelling to Atlanta soon to spend time with him.
My postings might be erratic for a time but I'll do my best.
Love to you,
xoxDani

Goodies

 Our dear reader Chocolate has let us know that the Brora clearance sale is back online, well done ordering the cobalt coat Chocolate!
I somehow missed that it was back up, I don't think they sent out an email.

It's funny too because I had decided last evening to place an order this morning at Brora, for something full price alas, and for a very festive reason.

Today is our darling Middle Rascal's birthday and while I of course planned her present weeks ago part of it didn't ship.
I've been trying to figure out what to replace it with these last days and I finally have it sorted.

We'll see her, and her Rascal brother, on Saturday for a birthday lunch.  I can't wait!

I'll tell you what I chose for her later, it needs to be kept well under wraps in case she reads the blog this week.

So many tempting goodies at Brora, not just in clearance but their summer range is looking so good too, with all of the linen and the espadrille sandals.

Here again is the link to the site in case you want to see for yourself!

Have a really wonderful day today,
xoxDani

Brora and Lochcarron of Scotland

Brora Wool and Mohair Coat
Fabric from Lochcarron of Scotland
Hermes Giverny scarf

 I have an older Brora coat in a wool and mohair boucle fabric that is super warm on even the coldest days.
So when I saw this gorgeous blue coat in the same fabric, with a matching skirt, I knew it was just the  winter outfit I would wear on repeat for many years.
The Liberty cotton lining is absolutely exquisite, and the perfect compliment to the blue tones.  And the coral piping on the interior is an inspired choice!

Interior pocket with piping detail.

 I've already worn this outfit twice, it is super comfortable and easy to wear, popped over a simple merino crewneck in black with black boots.

 The interior tag states that the fabric is a wool and mohair blend from Lochcarron of Scotland.  This surprised me because I know Lochcarron as a producer of tartan fabrics, so this particular fabric must have been ordered specially for Brora.

Have you heard of Lochcarron?  If you have some Scottish ancestry (or even if you don't!) this is the place to source your perfect tartan skirt for holidays (you can have one made full-length) or for everyday wear (they'll make up a simple straight skirt for you out of your choice of tartan as well).

This is something I've been thinking of doing for years.  My grandfather was from Scotland, born in Edinburgh he immigrated to Canada at age twelve.  He was a Grant, and when I was a kid he had kilts made up for me in his clan tartan.  Through Lochcarron I could order a kilt or a skirt in Grant Ancient, Grant Modern or Grant Weathered.
You can check out their Ladies Tartan Hostess Skirt, and the various available tartans, here.

Back to the Brora coat and skirt and my love affair with it:

 You can see this skirt is quite long at a below the knee length.  This is particularly good for extra chilly days, and the a-line shape makes it really easy for walking.  I went on a huge long walk with my friend Berna on Friday wearing this outfit.  The weather was cold and windy but I was kept toasty warm by the wool and mohair fabric.

 I love the very subtle colour block detail at the hem:

 I have a couple of scarves that suit this blue fabric, the Giverny shown above and this really vivid scarf in blue and violet shades:

Hermes scarf whose name I cannot remember.

 Without the coat:

I think I'll wear this coat and skirt again today!
Enjoy your Sunday Tooties, are you doing anything fun?  I'll definitely be watching the Oscars later on today, with some sparkling wine and snacks.  How about you?
xoxDani

Brora and Harris Tweed

 As you know if you've been keeping up with the Great Coat Meltdown 2018 I purchased two coat-and-skirt outfits from Brora last week in a fit of dissatisfaction with my poorly fitted, papery thin, cheapie "wool" coats.

Today let's discuss the Brora coat and skirt tailored from this really amazing Harris Tweed wool.

If you're not familiar with Harris Tweed you can read about it here,  and I can tell you that maintaining the integrity of Harris Tweed is a serious business.

You can see that the interior of my coat, above, is stamped with the Harris Tweed Authority and their Orb Mark.  This Authority (established by an act of Parliament in 1993) protects and maintains the industry, inspecting the cloth in 50m lots in order to maintain its authenticity.

I first came across Harris Tweed as menswear.  MrBP owns several Harris Tweed jackets and it is the most sturdy, hard-wearing, rain-repelling, cozy warm, long-lasting fabric ever.

The wool is sourced in Scotland from Cheviot and Scottish Blackface sheep.  The process of finishing the wool is a careful one, inspected along the way and resulting in purity of the fabric, a 100% virgin wool.
It is so tightly woven and warm, it can stand up to winters in Northern Scotland as well as Canada.  It is perfectly suited to an outdoor lifestyle.  So for it then to be made up into charming coat and skirt outfits?  Dream come true.  THANK YOU BRORA.

Brora tailors their coats and skirts/trousers in England, as you can see from this interior stamp:

 How about some details?  I love the sturdy little metal loops sewn inside the coats so they can be hung up on hooks if needed:

 The interior has a lovely warm lining of cupro and viscose, and you can see a detail of the interior pocket and the surrounding structured piping.

 Here is the website photo of the coat worn rather casually with a simple outfit underneath.

 I'll be wearing mine with the co-ordinating skirt and a plain black sweater, it's such a warm and easy outfit.  I wore this all day Thursday when it hovered around the freezing mark:

 The coat has a perfect structured fit throughout the shoulders, a lovely lapel which can be buttoned to the top if needed and a perfect length to match the skirt:

 The skirt itself has a zipper and button fastening at the back and these cute front pockets.  It is a straight skirt but not constricting.  This is important for me because I do a lot of walking and I'm often in a hurry, no tight pencil-type skirts thank you.

 I really love this outfit with this bright Hermes scarf in various shades of red, accented by blues.  The tweed itself has flecks of mustard gold, red and a distinctive blue.  It is a neutral black yet colourful at the same time.

 I have another scarf in shades of mustard, white and black which suits it perfectly.  On a really cold day it can be paired with a cashmere or wool scarf, and a turtleneck, to up the warm factor.

The Harris Tweed complimented by a Hermes Maxi Twilly.

I'll hardly be taking this outfit off my back for the remainder of the winter, except of course to wear the second coat-and-skirt outfit I purchased from Brora, which I'll show you tomorrow.

I'll be wearing this one today, it is a lovely sunny day, and at just above freezing it feels balmy.  We're planning to walk several kilometres by the river with Scout and maybe have a pub lunch.
Have a fun Saturday, I hope you can make the most of it.
xoxDani

Sharing Brora Stories

Brora cashmere stole with some MaiTai lavender sachets.
Brora Blog

I'm so excited about the competition that Brora is holding right now, it's fun and easy.  Here's what you can do: share a picture of a favourite piece of Brora cashmere along with a story of why this particular piece has been a treasured item in your wardrobe.  Perhaps it is a cozy cardigan that has been worn dozens of times with your favourite frocks, or a warm scarf that is a constant cold-weather friend, or a polo neck jumper that you rely on to wear under jackets in autumn.

I have many cozy items I could write about (and I share the story behind my treasured Fair Isle accessories on the Brora Blog today, please read that here), but I have to highlight this cashmere stole as well. It is one of the very first items I ever bought from Brora, oh gosh more than seven years ago now!
I remember bringing it to Paris with me in 2010, my very first visit to the city.  In fact it was the centre of my travel wardrobe, I paired it with a mauve handbag, lots of black separates and a white tuxedo shirt.
I've worn the stole at Christmas time with my velvet Brora dress in shades of green and blue, and with navy basics during the cold spring months.  The stole compliments a navy and ivory Breton stripe top beautifully!
This cashmere stole is truly a Brora item "For Life", one that doesn't wear out or become tired looking, just a steadfast wardrobe companion.

I continue to be fascinated by the colour, it is a frosty plum, or a dark aubergine, that somehow seems both neutral and jewel-like at the same time. It almost changes colour depending on what it is paired with.

Brora cashmere stole with a Hermes Maxi Twilly.
JCrew aqua barrette. 

 I love it with shades of blue and purple, as above.  I often wear it with this Hermes Maxi Twilly and an aqua hair barrette from JCrew.

When paired with lavender it almost becomes charcoal rather than a dark plum:

With a Brora cropped cardigan in lavender.

 When paired with a brilliant cobalt blue it looks nearly brown:

With a long Brora jumper in cobalt blue.

How is the colour such a chameleon?  Well, Brora is certainly famous for their cashmere colours, they are layered, complex, reflect the Scottish countryside and stand the test of time.



If you have a piece of Brora that you just adore please enter the #aBroraForLife competition.  You could win a generous gift card or a treat as a runner-up gift.  The best part is that Brora fans the world over will be able to read the stories of other fans of the brand.  I for one can't wait to see the pictures and read the stories that people submit.

Enter HERE.

Have a beautiful day,
xoxDani

#aBroraForLife

One of the first items I bought from Brora many years ago,
a thick cashmere stole in a delicious frosty plum shade.

 It's been so cold and grey here this last month that I've been very happy to tuck in at home whenever possible, with good comfort foods, nice glasses of wine and chamomile tea, and lots of Brora to keep me warm.
So what better time to celebrate the #aBroraForLife campaign?  It doesn't take me long to come up with a long list of Brora treasures that fit perfectly into my wardrobe year after year, as reliable and comforting as old friends.

Love this Brora tweed coat with these Brora cashmere gloves in a fair isle.
Paired with a Drake's scarf.

Brora stoles are so gorgeous, in wool and cashmere and the most beautiful patterns.
Love the tassels on this one too.
That's a JCrew bracelet that matches it so well.

This green crewneck sweater! Or jumper I should say.
It's one of my favourites, year after year, with skirts or just jeans and boots for hiking.

Brora blues are legendary.
This turquoise scarf has had plenty of wear.
I like it with olive green.

 Some of the workhorses of my wardrobe are the Brora cropped cashmere cardigans.  I have several I have collected over the years, it's amazing how they last and last.  I wear them and my daughters wear them too.  I swear they get softer with washing and age:

A medium dusty blue with a Brora silk dress.
I bought this dress at the lovely Brora shop in Edinburgh.

A navy cardigan is a must.  I wear mine with so many things.
This cotton Liberty of London print dress is just one of them.

This shade of pink!
It makes me think of sunshine and prosecco on a terrace somewhere.

 I have a soft spot for Brora fair isle patterns, I just adore them.  When I visited the Brora mill in 2014 I took particular interest in the machines that did the fair isle knitting, I found them fascinating.
 Fair isle is a classic that never goes out of style.

My most favourite fall cardigan in a fair isle pattern with a Brora cashmere plaid stole.

 The outfit that I wear pretty much every day all winter long:

Brora cashmere beret, jacket and wrist warmers all in lovely fair isle.

I layer these cashmere pieces over basic black and under my winter coats to brighten the dull grey weight of winter. They cheer me up with their colours and they get me outside with their warmth.

How about you?  Do you have any #aBroraForLife pieces you'd like to share?  Any special favourites?  Any items that cheer you up and get you out into winter?  Keep an eye on the Brora Blog for special events and a competition that will reward a lucky Brora fan.
xxDani

Green Christmas

 We've been waiting for the temperatures to go below zero and the picturesque snow to fall so we can have some good photo opportunities while picking out our Christmas tree, but I don't think it's going to happen.  We'll be navigating the mud as we pick out the perfect tree this weekend.  Do you have your tree up?

Doing your best to eat your vegetables?

 Me too, but I also wanted to show you this antique paisley tablecloth which I bought from Ellie's Shop.

Antique paisley tablecloth I luff it.

 Care to see the drapes we installed in the foyer?

Here they are open.

Here they are closed.

 I look like a green puffa marshmallow in my wool stuffed vest but I don't mind.  It's from The Rose, a UK shop that sadly has closed.

Wearing the Green Puffa with Brora greens on a country weekend.

 Back in town I've been wearing my JCrew blazers from years past.
I'm a fan of houndstooth with leopard how about you?

JCrew houndstooth Robert Noble blazer 2006.

 We went to the country for a weekend of hiking in the mud (that had originally been planned for skiing- but never mind).

The food was decidedly vegetable-free.

 Having trouble sleeping?  Me too, even with cozy flannel and all of the darkness typical for this time of year.

Insomnia, even with flannel coziness.  Oh well.

 Cleaning like a maniac before your Christmas festivities begin?  That's par for the course but I could really use an extra pair of hands... fortunately the Rascal Uni kids are finished with exams soon.

 How do you store your tablecloths?  I like this system of labelling the hangers with the size and then hanging them in my laundry cupboard:

Ironed and ready to go.

 I hope your Christmas preparations are going well and that you are feeling festive.
I was feeling extremely disorganized until I made a list which was like taking a valium: very calming.  That's the power of list-making.
Put your feet up and relax awhile (maybe with a Brandy Alexander), and whatever you do avoid the malls.
Cheers Darling Tooties,
xoxDani