I have a very pale sun sensitive skin. I don't burn I rash. And I have a history of skin cancer in my family. So I am always cautious about my sun exposure. Recently it became apparent that my 5 year old son has the same skin issues. It is nearly impossible to keep a young boy inside on a sunny spring day when all his friends are outside. So I have been learning more about how to protect him, and thus myself, better from the sun.

We all hear the tips to better protect yourself from the sun... wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen that protects from UVA and UVB rays... limit exposure during middle of the day when the sun is its strongest...wear a hat and sunglasses... but do we really follow them??

There are no Short Cuts to Sun Protection

Through my son it has been easy to see when we take short cuts the cost to our skin.  The rule in our house is that my son is never to go out without a hat and sunscreen.  But sometimes steps are skipped because we think the "danger" is  less and shouldn't be a problem. Like when Grandpa skipped the sunscreen for an early morning walk because the sun wasn't that high in the sky yet = rash.  Dad skips both the hat and sunscreen for a visit to the farmer's market on a cloudy day = rash. I make sure he has his hat, but skip the sunscreen for a late afternoon visit to the park = rash.  In all cases we had immediate evidence that we were underestimating the power of the sun and the UV rays.

In Canada we only have a few months of summer and none of us wants to spend it sitting inside. So as you proceed outside here are a few other things to keep in mind.

1. Cloudy Days - The stats vary depending on the source, but the overall scientific lesson is that clouds do NOT protect you from UV rays. My new saying is "... if there is daylight there is UV". I wear a SPF 30 moisturizer year round and also apply a 30 SPF or higher sunscreen if I am going to spend time outside.
2. SPF Sunscreen - Most of us don't use enough or re-apply often enough.  The common recommendation is to re-apply every 2 hours or after you swim or exercise.  And apply more of it to give yourself better coverage. A palm full of sunscreen is required to cover your body. There is some great information on sunscreen facts at the Canadian Skin Cancer Foundation.
3. Hats - The width of the brim of your hat, and the material it is made of are important.  My son has several full brim hats, but that wasn't giving enough protection to his neck. So he now also wears a collared shirt to school.
4. UPF Clothing - Think about the clothing you are wearing and how it protects you from the sun. A regular t-shirt or towel may only provide 6% protection from UVA/UVB rays. Consider wearing tightly woven clothing or clothes with a UPF rating.  UPF is the rating applied to clothing specifically designed for sun protection regarding the level of UV protection. UPF 50 is the highest rating available.
5. Sun damage ages us. This one is the kicker in my 40s.  Sun damage and sun spots start to become more apparent as we age. And while none of us is likely to look like the old lady in All About Mary, we still don't need any help in looking older any sooner than necessary.

Shopping for UV Protective Clothing

You can imagine I have spent just a bit of time lately searching UPF clothing. Some for the little guy. And some for me. Sun protection rating is important. Style is important. Materials that won't itch rashy skin are important. Materials that will breath and not make you overheat are important.

And while there is lots of cute kids sun protective clothing. The same is not necessarily true for women. This is changing. But the reality is that most of the UV protective clothing is meant for a beach vacations or outdoor sports.  And not necessarily meant to look cute while shopping with your girlfriends.  And for Canadian much of it is only available online through the US.

My shopping list for sun protective clothing is short:  a nice white shirt and a hoodie. Casual items, that are easy to mix and match so I can wear on weekends or take on trips to sunnier locations.

I have discovered one Canadian supplier UV Couture that I like.  Heather McCartney started by designing sun shirts for herself in 2009. She has expanded this to a small line of sun shirts with UPF 50. Her shirts are available online and in select retailers. The shirts range in sizes XS to Large. With XL being added in the next few weeks.

What do you do to protect yourself from the sun?

This is not a sponsored post and I have received no compensation for my opinions above.

I love reading. My Grandmother loved reading. My Mother loves reading. So as we head into this Mother's Day weekend, I thought it would be appropriate to review a lovely book I recently finished.

I particularly love reading biographies that tell a woman's story. So The Finding 40 Project was a perfect fit for me. The book asks what it means to be Forty for woman across the globe. It is a collection of interviews and images, by author Aimee Cebulski, of women turning 40 living in 10 different countries around the world.

Each story is a little peak into the life of a woman at 40. What were her accomplishments and regrets? What has surprised her about 40?  What are her hopes for the future?  The stories include not only women from around the world, but women with families, without families, those who have pursued careers and those who left them behind. It is a rich tapestry of women all facing 40.

Some of my favourites were:

• Dionne in San Diego. At 40 she is homeless but healthier and happier than she has been much of her life. "I'm at the most content point in my life."
• Julie, who moved from California to Brussels as part of her high powered career as a lawyer and is now leaving that life behind to pursue her dream as a photographer.
• Mala in India, who is living with HIV while raising her family on her own. Everything in her life is focused on providing for her family and her worries for their future.
• Meghan who left her Wall Street-working, vegetarian lifestyle behind and now hunts and dresses her own meat in a Wyoming town of 100 souls with her husband and two boys
• Rosa Elena, in Ecuador, who has never been further than the village 10 miles away from her home where she lives with her seven children and one grandchild - and who had to check her id to see that she was indeed 40.
  

Aimee also examines what women would do if they had more money... a $100, $1,000 or $10,000. Some of the answers really surprised me. Women who had very little, like Dionne, who is homeless would use $100 to buy herself a bike, and would "give it away" if she had $1,000.

The Author - Aimee Cebulski

This is the type of book that is easy to sit down with for a short while each day, to read another woman's story. Although to be honest, once you start it is hard to read just one. It was a lovely break from my day-to-day where I could see life from a different perspective. And it let me appreciate my own choices at the same time.

This book would make a lovely gift for friend, wife, partner, sister, etc who is might be facing her own 4-0 milestone. Or a woman of any age who enjoys being inspired by the stories of other women. Print versions of the book are available via Amazon.

It seemed this year many were confused on what to do with the theme of this year's exhibit = "PUNK: Chaos to Couture".  Which means to tell the story of how Punk has affected couture.  To me that theme says Bring It.  Because when are you going to have a chance to do it again??  So many did. Others... wore very pretty dresses, but didn't seem quite brave enough, or perhaps took themselves too seriously, to have fun with the theme. Some added punk in their hair and make-up, but paired it with a safe pretty dress. Or added some punk-ish accessories like chain necklaces or motorcycle boots with their evening gown.

I add a disclaimer here that not everyone who attends The Met Gala has their age published on the internet. If  I guessed wrong and someone below, or on my pinterest board is not yet 40. Take it is a complement that I thought you looked FAB and had to include you no matter your age.

Brought It...

What did I love? The women who had fun with the theme and stayed true to their own personal style. The ladies who shone through their clothes.

The best of the night, for me, was not an individual, but a couple who brought the punk together. Tommy and Dee Hilfiger wore coordinated tartans. Dee has never appeared to be a woman to shrink from a red carpet opportunity and she certainly embraced the punk theme here.

Tommy & Dee Hilfiger

Sarah Jessica Parker is usually over the top with her red carpet style. Tonight she was clearly over the top of everyone with the tallest head-piece of the evening. The Mohawk head-piece was spectacular.

Madonna - nuff said.

I cannot guarantee that Giovanna Battaglia fits in the 40+ age group, but I loved the safety pins in her hair too much to leave her out.

Another lady with an unconfirmed age.  Julie Macklowe shows how to combine punk and pink!

Wow Hair or Accessories

Points go to the ladies that added unique hair, make-up or accessories to a lovely gown.

I will admit that I loved Jennifer Lopez's mile high pompadour and I also, surprisingly, loved her animal print dress.

Stella Tennant's earrings are rock star! Not so sure about the rest of the outfit though.

Stella Tennant

Vivienne Westwood is one of the original punk designers, and included heavily in the show. True to her personal style her accessory "truth"  picture of Bradley Manning pinned to her coat. About the pin she said "I'm here to promote Bradley and he needs public support for what's going on with secret trials and trying to lock him away and he’s the bravest of the brave and that’s what I really want to say more than anything. Because punk, when I did punk all those years ago my motive was the same: Justice."

Vivian Westwood, followed by model Lily Cole (in a Vivian Westwood dress).

Looking Lovely...

Not necessarily punk, but certainly fantastic.

Leslie Mann can do no wrong on the red carpet. This splash pattern painting dress was lovely and had a great punk vibe without being over the top.

Leslie Mann

Joely Richardson in  a bold yellow gown.

Joely Richardson

The dress is lovely, the earrings fun, but really the story here is Kate Beckinsale's fabulous stems.

Kate Beckinsale

Anna Wintour's floral dress has nothing to do with the theme, but everything to do with spring.

Anna Wintour

The Couples...

Designer Stella McCartney and Alasdhair Willis. She kept is simple in a navy blue mini, but he shone in this leopard print tuxedo jacket.

Jerry and Jessica Seinfeld. I applaud her daring leather corset top, but really it is her fabulous legs that caught my eye.

And then there was the always lovely Helen McCrory and Damian Lewis. I have to admit I never thought I could ever say I love a dress in sea foam green. Both also wore their hair higher than usual for the occasion.

I decided to skip the outfits that I really didn't love, and left those, along with other great outfits to my pinterest board. Feel free to comment there on those you loved or hated.

Source: Zimbio

With that said...Leggings are a great item in many women's closets. As a mother to a very busy 5 year old, there are several practical reasons why I love leggings. They are great under a skirt for trips to the park. They are great under a tunic or shorter dress instead of tights. They are great breathable addition to a skirt or dress on a hot summer day, to reduce that thigh chafing that can happen, etc.

Last week I shared my new Lynx animal print tunic from Diane Kennedy. Today I will share the matching leggings - note NEVER to be worn together.

I love these modal, Vancouver manufactured leggings for all the practical reasons stated above. Diane's clothing ranges in sizes from Small through 3x. These leggings are a 0x. I also love them as they make a bold statement. In short they make a great accessory.

I have been living in these leggings since I got them. There are two events in particular, where I wore the animal print leggings as a bold statement accessory. For the Nicole Bridger event at Eco Fashion Week, I was all business on top in this purple dress from S/S 2012, leather belt from Bronsino and some drop earrings (aside: it seemed like forever since I'd worn earrings).

So while chatting with people at the event, in the darkish club where it was held, it would be safe to say that I appeared all "business" on top. Until they took a look down or saw me from further away... then they saw  the "fun and games" below.

Then I attended a blogger conference and decided to once again use my leggings as a bold statement accessory. This time I paired the leggings with a different dress, Nicole Bridger's silk Flow Dress from S/S 2012.  I topped it off with a thrift store jean jacket, an Erin Templeton belt and my brand new Groovy Glass Girl necklace (purchased at Got Craft? for $40).

I realized after I got dressed I was styling a pretty great eco-fashion look which combined thrift, vintage, sustainable fabrics, local designs and locally manufactured items. And I topped it all off with a pair of Camper heels.

Eco Fashion Week Event (left)

• Purple Dress - Nicole Bridger
• Leggings - c/o Diane Kennedy
• Belt - Bronsino
• Cocktail Ring - Addition Elle
• Drop earrings - can't remember
• Boots - Doc Martens

Blogger Conference Event (right)

• Purple Dress - Nicole Bridger
• Lynn Leggings - c/o Diane Kennedy
• Jean Jacket - Thrifted Gap
• Belt - Erin Templeton
• Purple Heart pin - vintage 'borrowed' from my Mom about 25 years ago
• Cuff - Ebb and Flo by the lovely @Pomomama
• Necklace - Groovy Glass Girl
• Suede Shoes - Camper

Thanks to the Fantabulous Rebecca Coleman for taking my blogger conference photos. She is one of the few people I know that could get me to do this...

I am once again participating in Visible Monday over at Not Dead Yet Style, cause why shouldn't I share such an embarrassingly fantastic photo as the one above.

Disclosure: None of the links above benefit me in anyway. The leggings were provided to me by Diane Kennedy to review. As always 100% of my opinions above are my own.

• Jacket - Lululemon
• Mustard Yellow Tank top - Plum (also new and nice and long)
• Jeans - Levi's Bold Curve skinny jeans
• Shoes - Tom's
• Purse - Liebeskind from Violet Hill Boutique in Steveston

Happy Weekend!

I tried deodorant crystals (and spray versions of the same). I tried a long lasting 7 day deodorant that my Mom swears by and buys at Whole Foods. And neither worked for me. They all start to work, and then a week or two in my body seems to adapt to them. So the crystal would wear off mid day. And the "long" lasting 7 day one would be done after a day or two. Which seemed a waste considering its cost.

I want to use a deodorant that does not contain chemicals (like PEGS, parfum, parabens, propylene glycol, aluminum, etc) AND that allows me to confidently leave the house for the DAY and not worry about smelling.

Then I tried Rocky Mountain Botanicals All-Natural Deodorant. And success!

How Did it Work? 

I am very happy to report that after testing daily for more than a month it is still working. I use it each morning and still pass the smell test at the end of the day. I will admit to having had 1 or 2 misfire days. One because I forgot to put it on - DUH!  And the other because I pulled a blouse out of the closet for an evening party, which I had previously worn with my crystal deodorant, without doing the smell test. Thankfully my friends were very tactful - or perhaps had lost their sense of smell.

And I do realize the biggest test is yet to come - 2 weeks in the Southern US this summer. But I think everyone on our trip might be a bit stale by the end of those days.

Oh and Rocky Mountain Botanicals feels so confident that their products work, they have a 100% Money Back Guarantee.

What is in it? 

This locally produced product is not listed in the EWG's Skin Deep data base, but I searched the products and everything scored in the low risk green zone.

Ingredients include: Purified water, MSM (methylsulfonylmethane), aluminium-free sodium bi-carbonate, organic sunflower oil, therapeutic grade pure essential oils, aloe vera, chamomile extract, vitamins A, D & E, OPP (Organic Plant Preservative)

How Easy is it to Use?

This is a product that you need to spread over the entire underarm area. No fancy roll-on or stick. And it is a bit messy. I have found it is a bit easier if your armpit is still a bit wet. But because I spent the first few weeks trying to figure out how much to use, and how not to get so much on the counter, I went through my first container pretty quickly.

How did it smell?

It includes some essential oils so it smells rather nice.

How did it make my skin feel?

It felt as nice as any regular deodorant stick. And my skin had no adverse reactions.

The Cost/ Where Can I Buy it?

So far I have only found the product through Rocky Mountain Botanicals website for $12 . The price is fine, as long as I use less than I was in the first few weeks. But it does mean I also have to pay for shipping ($9). In my initial order I also ordered the Holistic Kids Eczema Creme for my son. He doesn't have eczema, but his sun allergy makes his skin red and itchy. This has been helpful, until his he scratches too much, and then it stings a bit.

For my next order, I will likely order 2-3 containers of the deodorant so that the shipping is not so steep. So I would really be happy to hear that some local retailers are carrying the product.

Disclosure: I paid 100% of the cost to order and trial this deodorant (and the kids creme). I received no compensation from Rocky Mountain Botanicals and no links in this post will benefit me in anyway. All opinions, as usual, are 100% my own.

For a bit of extra fun I paired it with a some striped grey and blue tights. And clearly need to work on my photoshop skills so that the tone of my photos match. The one on the left gives a more true colour for the tunic.

The one thing I don't love is the necklace I wore. It is a bold black piece, but it doesn't fit with the higher cowl on the tunic. Will need to play with my necklace length.

Diane's collection is for sizes small through to 3X. This modal jersey tunic is a size XL. All of Diane's clothing is designed and manufactured in Vancouver.

• Tunic - c/o Diane Kennedy
• Skirt - had too long to remember
• Belt - Addition Elle
• Tights - had too long to remember
• Necklace - a souvenir from Maui
• Bracelets - mine from sometime in the late 80s (yup vintage from my own closet)
• Shoes - Fluevogs

I am linking up with Visible Monday over at Not Dead Yet Style

Disclosure: No links in this post benefit me in anyway. And opinions stated, as always are my own.

In the meantime, I made a rare appearance over on my Ramblings of TJR blog, writing about World Meningitis Day, and the importance of prevention through vaccination.  It wasn't a topic for Fashion Forward 40, but as many of my readers are parents I thought I'd pass along the link.

Look for my Mock Peplum post on Monday and have a great weekend.

April Showers Bring May Flowers.... 

It sounds so much prettier than reality. I mean after a long Canadian winter, you can literally smell spring coming. I am chomping at the bit to throw aside my socks, put on a sun dress and don a cute sun hat. Instead I am preparing for Canadian weather that could give me rain, sun or snow at any given moment.

So how do you dress for Spring and also be prepared for April weather, without carrying your entire wardrobe in your purse?  My tricks are below:

1. Ditch the Windbreaker (or k-way). Pick up a stylish, water proof trench coat. Today you don't need to look "practical" to have a practical rain jacket. I have had a reversible black / black & white check raincoat, with enough room for a sweater underneath, for years. It goes from work to the park with ease.
2. Layer. I grew up in Saskatchewan and would end up with so many layers I looked like a butter bun. That isn't what I mean. Layering is very much on trend this year. Think skinny jeans under a spring dress. Or layering a tank top, man’s shirt and cardigan. Search different online websites or even Pinterest for inspiration. Just make sure that you can wear the bottom layer on its own - in case it heats up.
3. Make Best Friends with a Scarf. Ditch your wool winter scarf. Look for an oversize rectangular scarf that you can drape around your neck with flare. A scarf can easily move from your neck, to your head, to your shoulders, to the handle of your purse as quickly as the weather changes.
4. Invest in the Right Rain Accessories. Why do so many Canadians seem to think we can "get by" with cheap or nonexistent weather accessories? Invest in a good quality compact umbrella and don't leave home without it until the May long weekend (perhaps longer for my friends in Alberta). And don't forget your feet either. A couple of years ago I invested in a great pair of teal coloured rain boots. They always make me smile when I wear them. And isn't that half the battle when you slogging around in the rain?
5. Finally... when the weather gets you down, you can likely find your hot beverage of choice just around the corner.

Do you have any Spring survival style tips?

This post is the last in a series of posts  for Harmony Village. Harmony Village is a resort-like community with an urban village feel, aimed at rekindling an active lifestyle in today's generation of baby boomers. Located in the beautiful Lake Simcoe , Ontario, the community has been designed to LEED gold standards.  Over the coming months, their blog and facebook page will feature a series of lifestyle related pieces. Be sure to follow.

Things I Need to Replace

• Black dress pants - wide leg long enough for heels. As shown last week on the blog I need a new pair (for those who read my Birthday Haul post from a few days ago I have already bought a new pair from Banana Republic - I just need to drop them at the tailor to have them shortened).
• White t-shirts - one long sleeve and one short sleeve. Both scoop neck. I wear these a lot in the summer. My current ones are no longer very white or stretched out. New ones are required.
• Sunglasses - I keep breaking them. And the ones I got at BlogHer in 2011 are slowly dying. And being hot pink they are not appropriate for all occasions.

Things I Want... aka The Dream List

• The above mentioned leather motorcycle jacket.
• Teal skinny jeans - maybe in the skimmer length. But will have to see how they fit. I love mixing teal with red, orange or purple. So this seems like a good fun colour to pick. Since it doesn't get that hot in Vancouver, these jeans will get a lot of wear this summer. I particularly like the version above right from Plum.
• This Pleased Dress by Nicole Bridger - above  in Jasper. I have a t-shirt with this neckline, which looks fantastic on me. The a-line skirt will make this an easy dress to wear for business and weekend.
• A convertible skirt/dress - perfect for packing light for summer vacations. I like this one from Kiyonna, which lets you wear it as a strapless dress, midi skirt or knee length skirt. I am loving the teal. They also have it in a maxi skirt version... the  twilight grey is very tempting.
• And if we are really dreaming perhaps these denim cork wedge Toms - but I said there wouldn't be any shoes on the list. Guess I lied.

What is on your spring wardrobe wish list?