All Things EARTH... part 2

[MJC]

We got notice today that some of our QM2 documents were ready, so hard to believe we are under 60 days from sailing! Since we are still in the hot throes of summer, I am going to wait until the first week of September to start putting my clothes together, since I'm not in the mood to look at fall weather wear at all right now, and it's too early anyway to guess what the weather might be like.

 

I found an app to download different audio walking tours of Quebec City. We plan to go off on our own each day there and wander around, speaking bad French (unfortunately and with apologies in advance). I think we will avoid group tours in all but one port, where we will be doing a tour by zodiac. I love zodiacs because they make me feel like I'm on an adventure. I am still looking for a driver to take us on a hike in Saguenay, but I have a lead and am hopeful.

 

I recently realized I have not had a formal night on a cold weather cruise in I don't know how long. I am debating my shoe choices. Most of my formal shoes are sandals... would it be weird to wear sandals in October in the north Atlantic? IDK.

 

 

 

 

[awhfy]

Looking forward to your pictures Margaret. I think sparkly sandals work all year round or nude pumps 

[laurspag]

I would go with the sandals, myself.

 

What is your itinerary?  

[purduemom1]

Margaret, old Quebec City is beautiful. We spent a few days there prior to our cruise and loved every minute of our stay. It reminds us so much of Europe and it is very walkable. Yes, French is spoken there but with all the tourists English is pretty common also. The one place that we might have had a problem had we not been forewarned, was when we took a taxi from the airport to the Old City. The driver did not speak English. We were prepared with the name and address of our hotel on an index card. Our visit was several years ago, before Google Translate was available. 
 

We were there mid October and the Halloween decorations were amazing. Not sure when they start decorating but hopefully some will be up for your visit. 

Sharon
 

 

[MJC]

Sharon, we are very much looking forward to the European charm of Quebec City. We have talked often during the pandemic of wanting to visit London and Paris again, since it's been a while since we've been to either. Even before the pandemic, DH's current job does not require much travel, and I miss getting to tag along with him to places like that.

 

We are visiting Saguenay in the fjord area, which is a French-speaking town. I am hoping to find a driver who speaks some English, and since there is a taxi kiosk at the port, I think our odds are good that they exist. I am still working on our activity for that day. We don't mind muddling along like the tourists we are, and I'm sure they deal with enough American ones that we'll be fine.

 

Laurie, I like those earrings you posted. I agree that they do not send a bridal vibe, and they are very elegant. Love the bit of sparkle at the center.

 

So far our plans are:

Boston - Public Gardens and Museum of Fine Arts

Sydney - Fort at Louisbourg (1/2 hour drive minimum) or self guided history walking tour of town

Quebec City - self guided tour by app

Saguenay - hopefully hiking

Sept Iles - zodiac excursion

Halifax - Citadel, museum, and brewery

 

Plus we have 5 sea days. The Royal Shakespeare Company is on board, and in the past they have given classes or lectures during the day, in addition to the evening performances. 👍 There are daily ballroom dance lessons. We also have a chance at some whale watching along the Atlantic coast.

 

I had originally thought this would be a laid back cruise, but with all the reading I'm doing about our ports, and things like afternoon tea on sea days, I think we will be just the right amount of busy.

 

 

 

 

[laurspag]

Margaret, that sounds like it will be a great cruise.  One thing I have noticed for myself is that with one true vacation each year, it is hard for me to try to make it check all the boxes, so to speak.  I want to explore, do different things.  Find great places to eat.  Be active. 

 

Then I want to read, listen to music (I have a special gadget for that - works pretty good with my one hearing aid)play trivia, watch the water.  We also find that it is fun to play board games in the game room.  While Liberty won't have Players, the sports bar, I am going to see what they do have, as we are big on sports. 

 

I typically try to plan one thing for port days, and not necessarily an all day thing.  This way, once I see what our mood is, we can always head back to ship for the hot tub when we are done, or explore on our own.  My last two cruises had a day at Cococay, and the upcoming cruise will be in Cozumel, so we already booked Nachi Cocum.

 

We booked an eco hike in Roatan, the Chacchoben Mayan Ruins and Nachi.  It's a nice mix of everything we love.  activity, history and relaxation.  With a 7 day cruise, we have a few sea days.

 

I love your itinerary, and can't wait to hear about your thoughts on the ports as well as the ship and cruise line.  You mentioned that they have theme nights, correct?  I've been thinking about your red dress, a lot.  It can be hard to explain, but when I wear something red, there is just this amazing feeling that I get.  I'm a bit of an introvert in person, so the idea that I could be wearing a bold color that stands out should be the exact opposite of what I would want.

 

Which reminds me...I may bring my red jumpsuit for the last night.  I tried it on the other day and liked it,  but I really need to see if my husband or daughter can take a picture of me in it.  I need to get a better idea of how it looks on.  It is casual. It has a wider leg, and I need to wear flats.  

 

While I got pretty excited about those earrings, it turns out they are huge.  I am all for a statement earring.  The dress is dramatic, but understated so having a strong earring works well.  I just couldn't see me wearing them.  They are just over 2 1/2 inches wide.  It didn't seem like an issue to me until I used a ruler, then I went back to link and went through pictures people posted.  I found where someone posted a picture wearing them, and they were not what I wanted.

 

I ended up ordering the first ones you posted, Margaret.  I think they are going to look stunning with the dress.  I also ordered the necklace I posted a link to because I wanted something along those lines, and I may wear it with the olive green dress I posted.  I could easily wear those braided slides, but I am thinking I may opt for something else.  

 

You know what is sad?  None of my skorts fit any more. 😞  So I kept them, but we will see.  I will say this much, skorts can fit funny so they always gave me a bit of a muffin top and then laid loose around the hips.  I can button them and all, but they are uncomfortable so one of our plans is to go to the Waterloo Outlet Mall soon, and check out the Eddie Bauer outlet.  I will check online as well.

 

I have some online shopping plans later - JJill is having a sale.  I haven't looked too much yet, but up to 40% off?  There are some things I have been watching.  They often have some great earth colors, so I get excited when the prices come down.

[laurspag]

I ordered a shirt for work plus a knit blazer from Coldwater Creek.  I was hesitant because they are rather expensive.  I also didn't know how the sizing was.  It seemed like the items may be to the loose side, so I ordered mediums.  

 

I was very impressed - the quality is really nice and they fit perfect.  They are both ideal for work.  I don't see knit blazers often, but when I do, I often buy them because I can get them to fit me so much better.  

 

I didn't order the ribbed knit sweaters they had or the pretty, earthy scarf, but maybe the items will be available at a later date to try.  

 

I tend to buy a lot of clothes, but I also return most things.  I feel like the selection in store is so limited now.  My favorite places are those that have free returns.  I don't think Coldwater Creek does, but I really wanted to try these and they both turned out to be great.

 

 

[jhsocal]

Will you wear pants or skirt with that shirt? assume no hose. 

[laurspag]

9 hours ago, jhsocal said:

Will you wear pants or skirt with that shirt? assume no hose. 

The shirts from Coldwater Creek?  

 

I don't think I've had outfits picked out this far in advance before.  I think the only thing I don't have figured out for dinner is what jewelry with my red jumpsuit.  There is something about the look of gold with red that I really like.  I have this antique gold starfish necklace.  I have worn it a handful of times on cruises, but it feels like it would be a good fit.

 

I'm waiting for the earrings to come in still for formal night.  I am going to use the layout feature on my phone to see if I can create a nice collage with dress, shoes and jewelry to make it easy to show you all.

 

Of course, if I get antsy, I can work on my daytime outfits.  🙂  Those tend to be very functional these days.  I do wear some jewelry here and there, especially on sea days.

[jhsocal]

Yes, shirts from Coldwater

[laurspag]

I will be wearing them with dress pants.  I tried to be careful with what I ordered, and paid close attention to the fabric. 

[laurspag]

I tried layout, which is an app on my phone, to see if maybe I could find a way to share outfits in a way that you could see better what I have planned.  I think it worked out pretty well.

 

One neat thing is that I could do some shoe switching if I wanted to.  While everything is not set in stone, I'm feeling pretty good that these will be my choices.

 

So here we go!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 6, 2022 by laurspag

[laurspag]

My jewelry for the red jumpsuit may change.  I originally planned on the jewelry in the photo below, but then migrated to the shiny gold based on my shoe choice.

 

 

[MJC]

Beautiful choices Laurie. Nice variety too.

[awhfy]

Great choices Laurie. Where did you get the braided slip on sandals?  They’re exactly what I’m looking for (I have such a hard time with shoes with my foot

[laurspag]

Melody, here is the link.  Sofar, I'm doing well with them.  I was able to apply coupons also.  I think this was during their 40% off shoes sale, but they always have lots of sales.

 

https://www.macys.com/shop/product/journee-collection-womens-natia-slide-mules?ID=12241963&lid=pdp_details

Edited August 7, 2022 by laurspag

[awhfy]

Thanks Laurie. I have some Macy coupons so might take a little rude. I have to physically try on & walk in shoes

[laurspag]

They actually had a ton of options.  Since they were having a 40% off sale and allowed coupons in addition for certain brands, I ordered a rather excessive amount of shoes to try on.  Because I use Macys a lot, I currently have free shipping and free UPS returns.  I can drop off UPS returns at the Staples down the street.  

 

I know I have mentioned the neuroma a number of times.  I also have bunions and wear a wide width.  The thing is, the top and back of my foot aren't wide, so getting a good fit is quite a chore.  I love warmer weather shoes, or sandals, because I can get those to fit so much better.  

 

There were two pair that I loved as much or more than this pair. One pair was too narrow, and the other pair had a toe loop.  While attire for work is definitely more relaxed, I didn't think I could wear the toe loop sandals to work as an officer so I decided against them.  Here are links to those, in case you are interested:

 

These are the ones that I didn't think I could wear to work, so I bypassed them.

BCBGeneration Women's Finari Sandals & Reviews - Sandals - Shoes - Macy's (macys.com)

 

I loved the look of these, but they weren't wide enough.  The shape of the heel was throwing me off too.

Dolce Vita Patch Crisscross Slide Dress Sandals & Reviews - Sandals - Shoes - Macy's (macys.com)

 

I desperately wanted these to fit, as they would be perfect for work with dress pants.  I am seriously thinking of ordering them again in a larger size if available.

Naturalizer Venus Mule Sandals & Reviews - Sandals - Shoes - Macy's (macys.com)

 

Super comfy, but too narrow.  The wide width was too narrow!

Easy Street Women's Anzola Wedge Sandals & Reviews - Sandals - Shoes - Macy's (macys.com)

[MJC]

Love that first pair with the toe loop. 😍 

 

Those blocky heels like that 2nd pair can really throw of your stride. That was what I didn't like about the new shoes I bought for the wedding. I felt like I had to take tinier steps. Looked pretty standing still though lol.

Edited August 7, 2022 by MJC

[laurspag]

I'm still wanting those.  The squared off toe can throw me off too, as I really don't see it as flattering, especially when you don't have a foot with that shape.  But  they looked pretty on, and they were fairly comfortable for me.

 

To get an idea of my usual work attire these days, envision a straight (not skinny) or bootcut style of pants in a nice fabric.  Pair it with a shell of some sort, and either a jacket (blazer) or a cardigan.  I try to tie everything together nicely with jewelry and shoes.  

 

By shell, I think most of you know what I mean - the typical sleeveless top you can wear with a suit or sweater, or even on its own in a more casual atmosphere.

 

If I have a meeting, the blazer is the way to go.  I like the idea of a matching suit but mine is currently too small so I am looking.  Blazers in general are hard to find in colors other than black.

 

I personally think they would look fine for work, but when the dress code was updated, it stated no flip flop or flip flop style shoes, and someone asked about a very casual pair of slip on flat sandals with the toe loop, and the answer was that the toe loop made them too casual.  

 

There was clearly more to it than that, but I try to lead by example.  I might reorder them in order to wear them outside of the office, and then once we update the dress code, it will likely be allowable.  The thing is, I made a choice between those and the other pair that I had been considering for the cruise, so I am not sure  about having both.  I mean, you can never have too many shoes, right?  Or can you?  🙂  To me, if you wear them and get your money's worth, then it isn't a waste!

[awhfy]

I’m going to see if I can get those tie loop sandals & the crocheted top ones. That style with the toe loop & solid piece give me the support I need. Thanks Laurie!!

[irvington]

Those outfits are gorgeous!

[laurspag]

 

19 hours ago, irvington said:

Those outfits are gorgeous!

Thank you!!  I have a lot of fun with picking out outfits for a cruise.  I was thinking recently that I wonder why I enjoy it so much.  I think it is because I can express myself.  For work, I wear clothes that conform to the dress code and my position.  When I am at home, I am usually wearing something that is functional for cleaning or whatever.  

 

It's a lot of fun to wear what you enjoy, and what feels good on.  One of the best things about this grouping is that they feel comfortable, and fit well.

 

 

[Anita Latte]

All your outfits look great Laurie. I especially like your new dress with the pattern. You’ve really been branching out from your solids over the last few years!

 

I totally understand how you feel about planning a cruise wardrobe and how much enjoyment you get from it because it’s more “you” and less the you that adheres to work wardrobe requirements or some other construct that limits your clothing choices. The cruise has boundaries for appropriateness and maybe some limits of common decency but really it’s closer to anything goes (more limits for the MDR but you get what I’m saying I’m sure).

 

I find myself trying to release myself from preconceived notions of what is appropriate for “someone my age” etc and any other limitation and just think, do I like this? Do I feel good in this? Do I think I LOOK good in this? It’s odd to have this goal of expressing yourself but my recent experience with DH has solidified some of my thoughts regarding clothing.

 

DH got a new job. He has already started it now. This isn’t like his other new jobs over the years where he was essentially still working for the same company…this is a completely new job. Well we ended up buying him almost an entire new wardrobe. Men’s styles have changed so much in recent years…so much of his clothing looked so out of style…very loose and baggy while today’s looks are much more fitted and shorter (hem lines). When you are about to make a first impression on a bunch of people, and even though everyone may try to not judge by appearance alone, there’s no doubt that first impressions are partially formulated by appearance and the clothes you wear are a big part of that first impression. With DH’s non traditional hair style and facial hair, he wanted to fall more heavily on the business side of business casual. Also, that’s what he likes. We went shopping and I had a fun time dressing “Ken”.

 

For myself, I recently got a new dresser. And with DH’s new wardrobe, it seemed time to finally tackle the closets in our home. I recently gutted the single wire shelf hanging rack and designed a closet organization system with a combination of diy assembly closet items and diy shelving and reusing things we already had. So I have very recently culled my own wardrobe.

 

I think it takes times like these where you have an event, like moving, new furniture, new closets, vacation, wedding…whatever…something that makes you look at all your clothes and do some analysis and take the time to play with how you present yourself to the world. It’s something that I feel like I used to do a lot as a teen ager (playing with hair styles and makeup) but now it’s something I really have to purpose to do if I want to cultivate a particular look vs just get dressed and/or find something that’ll do that’s not too expensive.

 

I’m really looking forward to reading about Laurie and Margaret’s cruises. Our next trip is next month. We’re headed to Glacier National Park so not quite the same wardrobe planning lol.

Edited August 9, 2022 by Anita Latte

[awhfy]

Anita best of luck to your hubby on his new job. Do you have pictures of your closet?  I need some inspiration 

 

Laurie, I’m having a heck of a time finding any of those shoes (on line or in person). Seems Colorado has already gone to winter styles 😢. Melody