How to Shop Ross Dress for Less

I’ve developed a bit of a reputation at the office as being the “dress” girl, due to my extensive collection of dresses that I wear on a regular basis.

I wear dresses a lot for a couple of different reasons. The first being out of sheer laziness; it’s so easy to pull a dress from the closet and throw it on with a pair of tights and boots in the winter, or, in the summer, with a strappy pair if sandals.

The second is to play up what I’ve finally realized over the past few years is one of my stronger features – my legs, which are becoming even that much more so after all the running I’ve been doing.

The third reason is because of how cheaply I can buy quality dresses at Ross Dress for Less, which I discovered during a trip to Florida and have also shopped at while in Vegas.

And always, it’s Ross Dress for Less whenever I’m talking about it, not just Ross.

Last week, while in Vegas, Taylor and I took turns shopping at Ross while Clara napped. At best, shopping at Ross is a solo adventure and can not be done efficiently while also wrangling a 3 year old toddler.

It *can* be done, even quite successfully, with a sister or a best friend, especially when there’s a changing room large enough to share and you can toss pieces of clothing back and forth to one another if you’re the same size. This is convenient simply because by doing this, you double your maximum number of pieces (8) to potentially 16.

My last couple or Ross excursions have been done solo, however, and it saves quite a bit of time to not be waiting for someone else to be ready to go to the change room, or to also have to leave your change room to seek or give an opinion on an article of clothing that is being modelled.

First things first: Get, at the very least, a basket, or a shopping cart if in the bigger stores. Even if you’re not planning on buying much, you’re probably going to try on a lot. Seriously.

The Ross shopping baskets have a handle and are on wheels, very handy when the basket becomes to heavy to carry.

Because it will.

Know what you’re shopping for. I’m losing weight so I skipped pants and skirts that would only become too big on me in hopefully a few months. Because I didn’t need pants, I mostly skipped shirts too.

Ross is so big and so overwhelming it really is best to have a plan. To know exactly what you’re looking for. You can go through all the racks, but it’ll take forever. If you can zero in on what type of clothing, it’ll make your trip easier. But save time for the shoes. Always save time for shoes.

I do shoes last, because I have so many and don’t need new ones as much. I let what I’m already spending on clothes dictate and how many pairs of shoes I’ll buy. And sometimes, a dress will get cut to allow for an extra pair of shoes.

I can’t help it; shoes are shoes!

I headed straight to the dress section (as always) and even then, I knew in my mind exactly what I was looking for. No long dresses because they make me look frumpy and hide my legs. No V necks unless it was a wrap style dress. Nothing with spaghetti straps because I want to be able to wear what I buy at work and avoid the dreaded cardigan.

Bright colors, bold patterns, fitted and not baggy. If it looked anything like what you’d see on an episode of Mad Men, it went in the cart.

But even then, I always (always) make a point to grab a few things that are not necessarily my style, as in these two pieces:

I loved the idea of the green dress on the right so I tried it, and when I saw it wasn’t working, I quickly pulled it off and moved on.

That’s another key thing – trust your instincts with the first glance in the mirror. If you don’t immediately love it, move on. There’s guaranteed to be other stuff in your basket that you *will* love.

The dress on the left made the short list. Despite the pattern being extremely loud, I loved the print and how comfortable it was. It didn’t make the cut because it was a little too big, and with the weight I’ve been losing, I knew it would be a short term investment.

The next dress I tried on, I loved the second I had it on. And at $17 (I think) it was an easy decision.

I always grab a piece or two that is younger than perhaps I should be wearing, and I wear it regardless. Usually those are the pieces that randomly catch my eye, because they’re hanging on the edge of a rack, or has been cast aside.

I’ve been wanting a pair of white linen wide-legged capris for a while now, and when I found a pair ($88 MSRP) for $18, they made the list of “must-haves”. Drawstring so I can wear them as I gradually lose weight.

And sometimes, I buy something merely because of the size. This orange top, size small, made the cut, because of its size,but also the color (immediately pictured it with lightweight gray slacks) and price ($10, MSRP $40).

I don’t usually do stripes, especially horizontal, but this was super cute, a size medium, and another good deal.

Because of Mad Men, and the dresses the characters wear every episode, I’ve been drawn to colourful, bold prints. Especially with a hemline that ends above the knee, narrow waists and room for up top (definitely Joan inspired).

So loving the narrow black belt the sits at the top of the waist, just below the bust.

Most of the dresses I bought were a size 10, down from the size 12/14 that I was buying last year at this time. A couple of the dresses I tried on were a size 8, and likely made the cut for that reason alone. Like this one, that I also couldn’t resist for it’s striking simplicity.

$30, MSRP $99. Maggie Zoe.

I loved it so much that I wore it my first day back at work, with black tights and boots because the weather was cool.

And then another size 8, this one a Ralph Lauren that I splurged on ($50, $135 MSRP). But I fell in love with it instantly because its cut and polka dots reminded me of the brown polka dot dress that Julia Roberts wore in Pretty Woman.

And there’s this, a red wrap dress with ruffling on the edges:

And last but not least. A black lace dress over a muted pink slip that’s not necessarily practical but was so gorgeously delicate with a little bit of Mad Men thrown in, that I (again) couldn’t resist. $20, MSRP $99.

I have enough shoes (trust me, I do) so I’m selective with what I buy. I don’t have a lot of beige and refuse to wear white, and wanted a pair to wear with the polka dot Ralph Lauren and found these:

Nine West. $27, MSRP $70. Not a great deal, but perfect for what I needed.

And these:

Black open-toed Madden Girls with a killer heel and will work with a number of the dresses I bought. $18, MSRP $60.

And then, because I scratched my sunglasses in Vegas, I grabbed a couple of pairs of sunglasses. A pair of Ellen Tracy’s ($8, MSRP $40) and these ones, which were $6:

Total bill, $360, after tax.

MSRP, after tax? $954.72

Total time? 3 hours (including multiple trips into the change room) plus 20 minutes or so in line.

And that’s how you (or at least I) do Ross Dress for Less.

How to Pack for Vegas

A few weeks ago, when both my mother and sister got off their flights from Halifax in Toronto with a large suitcase each, I teased them both fairly mercilessly. They were staying three days, and the only outing we had planned was the Easter tea I’d made reservations for on the Saturday.

But I’ve been guilty of it too, packing excessively and then, to justify all the clothes I chose to pack, I then go on this crazy mission while I’m away to wear every single item I packed. It rarely happens.

We’re flying to Vegas this evening for a few days of relaxing by the pool. Now that Clara needs her own seat and therefore requires her own ticket, the cost of air travel is higher than we’re used too. Add to the fact that we have to pay to check luggage, I made it my mission to pack as lightly as possible, packing both Clara and my things in a carry-on each and therefore checking one large suitcase (Taylor’s) which will hopefully leave lots of room for the clothes I plan on buying at Ross Dress for Less.

This is the size of carry-on I had to work with:

It’s next to a pair of my boots to give perspective to size. It’s not very big, not at all.

First thing to pack, my swim suit, of course:

Every single time I travel somewhere warm, I buy a new swimsuit. I’m so guilty of buying cheap suits that either don’t last or don’t keep their shape, that I almost need to keep replacing them. At least that’s what I tell myself. But there’s also the issue of the fact that while I’m losing weight, I don’t want to invest in an expensive suit only to have it be too big next summer. I also treated myself to a lightweight hooded striped cover up as well as packing a pair of yoga capris. Either (or both) can easily be thrown over my swim suit for the walk through the casino from the room to the pool.

Then my running clothes, because one of my favorite things to do in Vegas is run the strip in the early morning when everyone is sleeping and the only people out are the business owners washing down the sidewalks or other runners.

Very short running shorts, suitable for the warmer weather, sports bra and tank (doubling up for extra support) and dry-fit t-shirt. Socks, of course. Both our flights are late at night so I’m wearing my runners on the plane, with yoga pants and a hoody.

Two of my favorite dresses, that pack beautifully because they don’t wrinkle.

My favorite jean shorts and t-shirt, likely for the shopping trip to Ross and/or Target, when I’ll want to be comfortable:

Linen pants and green sleeveless top for the nights:

Black halter style tank and white linen skirt (this skirt comes on every single trip I take anywhere warm and it’s easily 6+ years old:

One night gown (plus 5 pairs of underwear and two bras):

(Am I the only person that still enjoys a pretty nightgown? Especially one that fits well and is flattering? A recent discussion at my book club left me thinking my night gown affection is antiquated – is it?)

Then, the staples, the things that I will be able to wear/use with all my outfits:

I hate the extreme air conditioning in Las Vegas and so I picked up this light and very soft denim jacket that I can wear over every single outfit (I tried). It’s much better than my current jacket, which is heavier and a more stiff denim. Two pairs of flip flops, one black, one brown. And my yellow clutch that I’ve discovered works with almost any outfit. And is hopefully big enough to fit a toddler size pair of underwear and a pair of shorts because as great as she’s doing with her toilet training, I’m not naive enough to think accidents won’t happen.

The result?

Even with my toiletries (that big-ass purple Lug travel bag that’s filled with hair care, skin care, contact solution, deodorant, makeup, eczema cream and meds), and my tooth brush kit and hair brush, there’s still room to spare.

(Maybe for that killer pair of shoes at Ross that I ALWAYs find but I don’t need but really, really want and never buy because I don’t have room).

Vegas. In a suitcase. And a small one at that.

Running Safely

Years ago, I posted this to my blog about fear, and my gender and how the combination of the two kept me from doing certain things. From running along secluded paths and avoiding being out alone at night.

I thought these things as I set out this evening for one of three runs I’ve been averaging each week, two of which are happening more and more in the evening after dinner has been consumed and Clara is off to bed for the night.

I thought about Boston, as I ran for the people who wouldn’t be able to run anymore. About the fear and the anger and the hurt so many experienced, at the end of what was supposed to be a huge achievement, a happy occasion for so many.

I ran while the sun was setting, and the mild, sunny day started to cool.

Fear is a funny thing, an annoying thing, a sobering thing.

I do my hill work at the early part of my run because it includes a lap around park area that’s not well lit, and would likely be dark at the end of my run. I stick mostly to well-lit, well travelled streets. My stair work is in a busy plaza and traffic is constant. When it gets too dark, I lower the volume on my head phones.

I’ve seen too many horror movies, read too many books on serial killers like Ted Bundy. I give parked vans a wide berth, would not, could not, bring myself to stop and help a injured man struggling to put a chair in a van with a cast on his arm. Hell no.

But sometimes, I still give mankind the benefit of the doubt. I want to get in just 3 or 4 or 5 more hills and I do the loop even though its darker than I like. A song comes on that I love as I turn up a darker street than normal and I can’t resist, the volume goes up, I’m suddenly oblivious to my surroundings.

I could worry, in light of the tragedy in Boston yesterday about the world that Clara is growing up in, the world that I’m spending more and more time alone in as I run through the night.

And then I don’t. Because there’s still safe roads to run on. There’s still more good people than bad. And there’s this, from Twitter today:

“Good to remind children: there’s more good than bad in this world- more light than darkness & that THEY can make more light #bostonmarathon” (@peterhreynolds).

I run so that Clara will run. I’ll be (mostly) smart about my safety so she’ll be smart. And I won’t be fearful, so she won’t either. And I’ll show her that there’s more good than bad in this world.

When the skies start to darken, I won’t run in fear. I’ll just run.

Colour

Yesterday, I was frustrated that I had a bad run at 6km. Today, I fretted about doing my long run tomorrow in the rain. Tomorrow, I’ll be grateful just to be able to run.

After picking Clara up at school, I took her into the back yard where we enjoyed the mild weather, and drew on the stoned terrace with her coloured chalk.

Together, we tried to put some colour into an otherwise bleak day.

Paleo What?

I didn’t think I could do the Paleo diet when I first heard about it. I thought it was crazy, no wheat, no rice, no dairy, no sugar, what ?

Insanity.

But then I started reading online about how eating Paleo was being considered a holistic, natural approach to treating some illnesses, two of which I suffer from: eczema and Endometreosis.

Add to that I’ve been up a few pounds since starting to work at a place where things like shortbread, scones and cake are a regular part of the office vocabulary and hearing that Paleo would likely result in some bonus weight loss, I thought (one day, out of the blue) why not?

What’s Paleo?

A friend of mine posted this question on Facebook:

“I don’t understand the point of the Paleo diet. Are you trying to eat what our bodies are actually evolved to process to improve functioning? Are you trying to reduce calories? What’s the difference between eating butter and cheese?”

I couldn’t answer all of her questions, but I did say this:

“Basically the idea behind paleo is for people to return to what we were eating before the introduction of agriculture and grain-based food, which happened about 10,000 years ago. Which doesn’t sound like that big a deal, except the Paleolithic era lasted 2.5 million years. I read somewhere that those 10,000 years in the span of 2.5 million is the equivalent to about 2months in the average lifespan. Which, when you think about the amount of time to adjust to the introduction of a new ‘food’ is not very long.

The argument is that our body has a very hard time breaking down and digesting processed foods. In the book I’m using, it states that 40-60% of our immune system is used breaking down those processed foods, which leaves very little of our immune system to fight illnesses.

I’m very new to this way of eating, but I can tell you that I feel substantially better eating this way. I no longer have any bloating, my mood has been steady for the most part, it’s helped my eczema (and endometreosis). When I stray from Paleo, I feel the effects almost instantly.”

This is the book I used to get me onto Paleo:


Practical Paleo, by Diane Sanfilippo. You can buy the book online here

Yesterday, I posted this to Facebook:

Along with this photo:

It’s only 7lbs (actually 7.5lbs this morning), and yet it’s been the easiest 7lbs I’ve ever lost.

What I’m Not Eating (Mostly)

No grains or wheats (bread, cereal, pasta, rice, crackers, flour etc).
No dairy*
No sugar*
No legumes (Peanuts, beans, lentils, chick peas).

(Full disclosure: I still eat small amounts of dairy; the occasional grated Parmesan or feta on salads, sometimes ceasar dressing instead of a vinaigrette; and will indulge in the occasional “bad” chocolate (milk vs dark, usually 72%). Maybe more than occasional if I’m stressed, on my period or it’s Easter. And there’s my weekly white chocolate mocha from Starbucks that has both milk and sugar but that’s a post run treat).

What I’m Eating (Mostly)

A lot of protein, including bacon and nuts. A lot of vegetables, salads with avocado. Sweet potato is a staple. Some fruit, pure organic orange juice pre and post run. Nuts. Carrots, tomatoes, eggs. There are two recipes in Practical Paleo that I make a lot so that I have a “sweet treat”, her blueberry lemon muffin made with coconut flour and the flourless mocha bacon brownies.

Take a look.

Breakfast

My standard breakfast is one of these. One I eat at home when I have time (the eggs), the other I can pack quickly and eat at work. Both feature the blueberry lemon muffin.

And my attempt at eggs Benedict when I met a friend at Cora’s (no English muffins, or potatoes).

Of course, on mornings when I get out and run 10+km (or it’s a lazy weekend morning), I treat myself to bacon and almond flour pancakes. 36 grams of protein right there.

In fact, that’s what I’m making while I write this. Botched the pancakes. Having eggs and bacon instead.

Lunch

My lunch is usually leftovers from dinner the night before, so a protein (usually fish, I’m finding ham too salty now and I get my share of sodium from my morning bacon or prosciutto), sweet potatoes and often a side like mushrooms, tomato or sautéed veg. Lots of salad, with chicken, especially if I’ve got lunch plans, which happens a little too often (I should really be using my lunch hour to hit up the local pool for a few laps).

Dinner

Dinner is more difficult, with two other people to consider. Of course wrapping a chicken in bacon and roasting it helps.

I’ve switched from pasta to making ‘noodles’ out of butter nut squash, and eating it with my usual tomato and ground beef sauce. I’ll still make regular pasta for whoever wants it; but even Taylor has switched to the squash because its THAT good.

And my new favorite meal? Chinese 5 Spice ground turkey lettuce wraps, with a sesame sauce and filled with peppers, cucumber, carrot and cilantro. Last night we tried it with rice paper wraps and while not paleo, I’m willing to make the occasional exception for convenience (rice, but not wheat).

Snacks

I confess. I eat more chocolate than I should. But it’s quality chocolate, who’s first ingredient is cocoa or cocoa mass and NOT sugar. I eat fruit and raw veggies too, but other than the chocolate (usually at 3pm in the work day) I’m not actually snacking that much. I do drink a lot of water and herbal, caffeine free organic tea and that probably helps.

This, so far, has been my Paleo experience. I’m loving the benefits and will continue to do it for the foreseeable future.

Questions? Ask them here.

Inside My Head

Skyfall, Adele

This is the end
Hold your breath and count to ten
Feel the earth move and then
Hear my heart burst again

For this is the end
I’ve drowned and dreamt this moment
So overdue I owe them
Swept away, I’m stolen

Let the sky fall
When it crumbles
We will stand tall
Face it all together

Skyfall is where we start
A thousand miles and poles apart
Where worlds collide and days are dark
You may have my number, you can take my name
But you’ll never have my heart

Let the sky fall (let the sky fall)
When it crumbles (when it crumbles)
We will stand tall (we will stand tall)
Face it all together

Where you go I go
What you see I see
I know I’d never be me
Without the security
Of your loving arms
Keeping me from harm
Put your hand in my hand
And we’ll stand

Let the sky fall (let the sky fall)
When it crumbles (when it crumbles)
We will stand tall (we will stand tall)
Face it all together

Let the sky fall (let the sky fall)
When it crumbles (when it crumbles)
We will stand tall (we will stand tall)
Face it all together
At skyfall

Spring Time Running

I decided last night to get my long run out of the way despite it calling for rain in the early part of the day. With the alarm set for 7am, I was in bed by 10pm despite it being a Saturday and after hitting the snooze button once, I was up and getting ready for my run at 7:15. On a Sunday morning.

I was doing my long run today, so I ate a bit more than my usual half banana and bit of juice, and went with a full banana, half of one of my Paleo flourless mocha chocolate bacon brownies and enough water to hydrate me through my run.

I stepped outside just as the first rain drops fell.

My speed has slowed substantially in the past few years since I ran my half but I’m carrying an extra 20lbs that I’d rather not be carrying and eating Paleo probably doesn’t quite fuel me the way that I used to eat did. Regardless, I’m focusing more on distance and endurance and ignoring the constantly chipper voice in my head reminding me just how slow I’m going.

I did 12km, the first 3 in the rain, starting my run with 3 sets of hills and finishing with another 9 and did 10 sets of stairs at the 5.5km mark. I didn’t stop to walk a single time and only stopped twice, to snap two photos, the stairs and hills I run.

I’m not going to be ready for a half in May, unfortunately, but I’m eyeballing Niagara in June. Thanksgiving will be the valley run with Stacy (haven’t decided between a half or a full) but if I’m close to marathon ready by then, the Vegas November full might be on the list.

This, I’m hoping, is going to be the year of some decent running.