Nothin’ But Blue Skies…

TLDR: Local Vendor Showcase: Ethically Made, Sustainable Fabrics, Stylish, Comfortable, Ladies clothing that is reasonable priced? Turns out it can be done. Physical stores in BC only; online shopping for the rest of us. https://blueskyclothingco.com/

Last September, in one of the in-between times when cases were low and we were optimistic that the end was in site, the Hub and I headed to Victoria for the weekend for our anniversary. On our first day, we walked over the Johnson Street Bridge from the spectacular Delta/Marriott on Songees Point and wandered around the tourist district. We found ourselves at one point at the east end of Government Street not far from Chinatown. This short block seemed a bit empty – but there was one little boutique with a sidewalk sign and a rack of sale items outside.

I am an absolute clothes maniac. I am not discriminatory between high end fashion, thrift store chic, and dirt cheap big box wares. And I especially like to mix them all together. The only problem is size. I am a plus size diva in a world with limited options. Expanding those options is always an exciting discovery.

My first thought – the sidewalk sign indicated that the wares within were ethical, sustainable bamboo – cool, but nothing in my size. Then I saw on the window “sizes XXS to 5XL”. But of course, with all the sustainability stuff, would be tremendously expensive. Not necessarily a deal breaker, but more likely to be one with Hub in tow. Unless I can somehow signal with my eyes to the cashier not to say the total out loud, there’s likely to be some coughing, jaw dropping and possibly even a bit of side-eye.

I took the chance – the little t-shirt dress on the sale rack was not in my size but I figured worth having a look. Not only did I find the same pattern in a style I liked better, at 50% off it was a mere 39.50. That’s right – most of their pieces are under $100. Dresses, tunics, and pants run around $79 regular price; Tees, tanks and most other items under $49.

I bought two dresses that day; the next day we covered the same ground with a friend and she, too, is a big fan of Blue Sky – so we went back and I added a few more items.

The peony t-shirt dress on the left was what first drew me in to the store. It was $34.50 plus tax on 50% off. The little black and white one was also a sale buy which I bought online – glad it’s spring and can finally wear it!

The have a few men’s items – mostly their underwear (ladies too) – the most comfortable thing ever to cover this big white backside. Since then I’ve gone back to the well a few more times on their online platform. Shipping is free with orders over $149 and they have frequent sales. In the 6 months or so since that first visit I’ve added 4 pairs of pants, several more pairs of undies, 3 tunics, and 3 more dresses. Unfortunately with working at home for the post part I haven’t had many opportunities to wear them all – but just you wait. I’m going to be the best dressed person in the grocery line up just as soon as dress weather is upon us.

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Tunic and ankle pants – they do offer a small selection of petite and tall lengths in their most popular pant styles. I am just on the cusp between petite and regular with a 29″ inseam. The ankle length Nadine pant with the button detail on the cuff is a perfect length for me. Comfy as a legging with details that make them business appropriate. The middle dress is a new buy over the winter, can’t wait to wear it now that bare legs are bearable. The reinforced collar and button placket are stiff enough to hold their shape and keep that crisp, professional look. It has attached back ties that slim at the waist as much as you like. The last dress I got on the second day trip – I’m not normally crazy about big patterns, but the colours are muted and look like a water colour painting on the dress. It is in a linen blend weave, nice and cool for mid summer. Although hard to tell from a hanger, the fit is actually tailored, slim through the waist an then with a slight flaring at the hips to an A line skirt.

I did a bit of research and the company was founded by a Marilyn Cobbin, a resident of Balfour BC, which I had to google despite having driven nearly every major highway in BC. (It’s in the Kootenays). Her sustainable bamboo, linen, cotton, and wool fabrics are sustainable, and although clothing is manufactured overseas, they are fair trade facilities. The company is headquartered in North Vancouver, with locations in Lonsdale, Kits, and Commercial Drive in Vancouver; other BC locations include Kamloops, Kelowna, Nelson, and of course, Victoria. Their online store is easy to deal with, if there are any issues with fulfilling an order they email, and my orders from Calgary arrived in about a week.

Owner/Designer of Blue Sky Clothing talks about the philosophy behind the business. The video also showcases a number of clothing items worn by diversely sized and shaped models.

I firmly believe if you can’t find one thing that appeals to you, you’re not looking hard enough. For the most part, she has a stable of designs that she repeats with different fabric designs each season. If you find a style you like, chances are, you can get it in multiple colours that get updated frequently. The same applies to fabric designs, with multiple items available in the same pattern. So now I have 2 tunic tops with matching underwear and even if you can’t see them, wearing them at the same time makes me feel a little like I have my sh*t together. Just a little.

Most items aren’t dryer proof – which is the norm for natural fabrics. I have had no issues with machine washing on delicate and hanging to dry. The clothing is very well made, with double stitching on seams and buttons well sewn on. My red tunic top has multiple pleats that have held their stitching and shape through several wearings and washings. There is a tremendous amount of attention to detail and quality in each item.

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1. Fabric details and washing instructions are stamped onto the fabric – no itchy tags! Even in the underwear. 2. These are my “kiss my xxx” undies – the double stitching at the seams and covered leg elastic means no pinching and long lasting. The bamboo/cotton jersey fabric is the same thickness as they make their tops and dresses from – you’ll definitely notice the difference. And instead of a thin strip of elastic at the waist, they use the same material, just shaped into a waist and the fabric stretch is enough to keep them up and NO MUFFIN TOP. I prefer the granny panty style (La Gaunche) but they also have hipster, bikini, and thong options. 3. This is the hem of one of my pairs of the Nadine Ankle pants. Again, you can see the attention to detail in the hem stitching and seams.

They now have an outlet store in Lonsdale and I cannot wait for everyone to be vaccinated so I can clean it out. In the meantime, I have a pretty good start.

Two more purchases from my first trip. We were going into fall, so I stuck mostly with tunics. They do also have tanks, sundresses, shorts and leggings (cropped and full) to select from. Further they have a line of mohair socks and a line of men’s underwear that are said to be incredibly comfortable for working out – no chafing and the natural bamboo breathes well.

Find them at https://blueskyclothingco.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BlueSkyClothingCompanyBC

Instagram: @blueskyclothingco

Youtube: Blue Sky Clothing Co