I hate “magazine Spring”. This is the time of year when all of the magazines switch over to light floral dresses, strappy sandals, maybe a trench coat or two. All of the street-style snaps come from L.A and are heavy on thin high-heels and bare arms. Well this ain’t L.A sweetheart! This here be the Great White North, From Sea to m-flippin’ Sea, and she be cold.
So what do Canadian’s need to gear up for our actual spring? Here is my Top 5 (out of probably 100 and in no particular order.)
My Top 5 Canadian Spring Must-Haves
1. Reading Material. Because, let’s face it, you aren’t going outside in the FREEZING RAIN voluntarily! If you can stomach the smiling faces draped in dresses you can’t wear for another 2-3 months, magazines are great for Spring daydream fodder. It is nice to see all of the new trends and fresh colours coming through. If you’re in need of a new book to read I lean towards the romantic in the Spring. I don’t know why, maybe the flowers and the pastels, but something about whirlwinds in light breezes with an Eiffel Tower backdrop draws me in. Something about painters, authors, eccentrics.
I much enjoyed The Paris Wife by Paula McLain not long ago. Not exactly a think piece, but a bittersweet tale of love and loss filled with Zeldas and Gatsbys. Hemmingways, and beat scenes. Paris bars and deviant behaviour. Aaahh, le printemps en Paris!
2. Boots. Rainboots, gumboots, wellies, some kind of snow-rain hybrid, whatever. You need them. Spring in Canada means that there are deceiving snowbanks covering a layer of slush covering a lake! Don’t risk it. You aren’t wearing strappy sandals, just let it go. Unless you want a soaker every single day until June just wear the boots!
As far as my kids go, the best snow-rain hybrid’s I’ve found are the Kamik Snowbuster. Rainboot with winter lining with a drawstring to keep snow out. Perfect. I’ve had no cold feet complaints, they’re lasting/working great as hand-me-down’s, and the rubber goes all the way up so their feet don’t get soaked every time there’s a mild day! Plus it’s still cold here in Spring so I like that they get to keep their lining instead of switching to regular rainboots. Also, Kamik is a Canadian company and that’s always a win!
3. Go-To Sweater. It’s cold, it’s raining, it’s sunny, it’s warm, it’s sweltering for 2 hours, now actual balls of ice are plummeting to the ground…you need layers. You can’t just wear a shirt and you can’t just throw a coat on over. Coat or jacket? Vest? Where does it end? Nobody really knows, but a sweater is usually a good call. Anything that opens at the front is going to save your sanity at this point, because first thing in the morning it will mean everything to you, but as the day progresses layers will start to shed and you’ll be glad that it’s easy to take off/won’t ruin your hair taking it off/can tie around your waist/over the shoulder preppy look/light enough to jam in your bag or what have you. Plus if your workplace has temperamental heat you may be moving back and forth from freezing to sweating all day and you want to have an easy to deal with sweater.
4. A New (to you) Show. Season finale’s are upon us people and then what? It’s nice to think that we’ll spend our whole Summer’s on adventures so grand that we’ll fall into bed exhausted but content every night, but this is real life. Kids still have bedtimes, people still have work, and although it is nice to take time out and unplug it’s not going to be an everyday occurrence. Plus we actually have to make it through Spring to get to those warm breezy days. So what to watch when your shows are over for the season and it’s miserable outside? Some shows make it easy by having off/late-season air dates. I’m personally waiting (impatiently) for iZombie to start back next month. You’ve got your Game Of Thrones and your Netflix Originals like Iron Fist and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. But maybe you don’t want to wait, you just want to binge some older shows and get on with your life. A few on my list are The Good Wife (which I am currently watching and loving!), Shameless (recommended by my Mom), and Grace & Frankie. I’m assuming that you all just finished a huge Gilmore Girls re-watch recently so maybe I can interest you in a Dawson’s Creek, Felicity, or My So-Called Life binge? Is it too early to re-watch Parenthood? I’ve also heard good things about Call The Midwife and The Queen. Whatever you’re into I hope you find something during this blustery season!
5. A Great Scarf. You have to wear a coat still. You have to wear boots still. You probably still have mitts on. A hat that actually covers your ears is still in play. What can you do to bring a little bit of that dreamy Spring the magazine’s taunt you with? Find a great scarf. It doesn’t have to be expensive, just find something with a little colour. Something that will lift you up a bit when day 4 of dreary overcast skies hang over head. Maybe a little pattern, a bright pop of colour you might not normally wear. Trust me, it will perk you up, and you might even notice it perk others up too. Do you ever catch yourself smiling at someone with a bright umbrella, or an amazing bag? Be that person for yourself. It doesn’t have to cost a lot, you just have to like it! I have some great pashminas that I bought at a tiny shop in an tiny neighbourhood mall. The kind of shop where they have racks out front of the doors and the owners ring you up at the cash. 2 for $15 at the time and absolutely gorgeous. Doesn’t have to be a scarf either, just find a little something that makes you smile and reminds you that the damn snow WILL, eventually, melt!
On paper, Spring is around the corner. What are your must-haves for this season? Is it warm where you live, if so shut up! (Just kidding, but also you’re dead to me). Do you get to break out the bear legs soon, or are you still layering large?
Tag me on IG ( CandiceMay ) or use #BBBSpringInspo on IG or Twitter and let me see your favourite mood brightening pieces and Spring inspiration!
xxo
C
This was two weeks ago and now there is snow everywhere! Canada, eh!
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