5 ways to style a button-up for fall

I recently got an email from Jessica, one of the founders of Vancouver-based brand, Power of My People. If you follow many Canadians on social media, you’ll know that we all get pretty giddy when there’s a conscious Canadian brand out there making quality clothing. Most clothing brands in the ethical space are American, which can lead to some pretty hefty conversion and duty fees! So as a practice, I when shopping for anything new, I try my best to look first secondhand or within my family, second, at my local shops, and third, Canadian brands outside of my city.

Over time, I’ve found a few wonderful favourites, which I’ll share soon – but for now, it’s time for me to do a long-awaited second edition to my first post on how to style a button-up: this time, a long-sleeved version. I received this tunic from Power of My People this fall, a wayward fit – which means looser through the body, with a dropped shoulder.

What I love about Power of My People, like so many other conscious makers, is that Jessica and her partner used to sew every shirt themselves. There’s such care put into the production, and even now they’re manufactured close to home, right in Vancouver. That’s something that remains close to their DNA.

The Painter, Wayward Tunic

Honest review:

I love this shirt as a chore coat. Without the typical Oxford collar, it allows me to be more flexible styling it over other pieces! I’d say that’s the true winning feature of this shirt: the ability to wear it as a chore coat.

The texture is lovely and nubby. A bonus point for me is that it’s all-natural materials: cotton, silk and wool, which means breathable and warm.

The shoulders are a little oversized on my frame when buttoned. When worn open, this didn’t show! As a chore coat, it allows for more bulk underneath on chillier days.

The wayward fit is definitely not your typical “tuck in” shirt, especially if you’re wearing a lot of high waisted pants that are fitted – you’ll end up with some bulk. My solution to this is wearing it tied at the waist to extend the wear beyond just a jacket.

The conclusion:

If you’re looking for a relaxed fit of a shirt that can double as a chore coat and also worn long with leggings (bonus: it covers the bum!) then this one might be for you!

If you’re looking for something that you can tuck into high waisted jeans and layer with sweaters, you’re probably best going for a proper fit (more straight along the body and no dropped shoulder).

My 4 ways to style the Painter

Chore coat over jeans

Definitely my number one way to wear this top. It’s low maintenance, and it’s a great middle-ground on warmer fall days when a heavier sweater would just be too much. The structure of the fabric keeps it looking professional.

Tied with high waisted trousers

Because there’s quite a bit of fabric to this top, it’s worn best long and relaxed – but I couldn’t resist trying a tie with it! The longer fabric lends itself well to being knotted, and the band collar is a unique look that makes this shirt great for the office.

A relaxed half-tuck

Okay, I’m here to share the secret of the half-tuck with you. Biggest tip: always tuck the side with the buttons. This layer naturally falls underneath. If you tuck the side with buttonholes, the other side won’t lie straight. Second: sometimes you need to unbutton one more button. The key is to keep it relaxed, and if you have a button too close to your waistline, it can scrunch up. Third: when it comes to the back, let it be. I usually tuck the front, up to halfway along my waist – and let the rest gradually fall back down. Don’t worry about how it looks – the half-tuck is meant to be a little sloppy, a little fun!

Chore coat over a dress

I am loving this combo of delicate and ready-for-anything! Next time I’m here for an easy look, I’m pulling on a dress with this baby. It’s great with a mid-thigh length dress, as they’re nearly the same length and compliment each other’s silhouette.

Canadian Tuxedo with a touch of colour

This is my favourite combo of all! Recreating the “Canadian Tuxedo” look, but with a fall twist. I had been browsing through the Antique Mall on a Saturday, a (slightly dangerous) habit of mine, and I hadn’t intended to buy any clothing. I had picked up a cute brass apple for my desk, and a 1970s Star Trek novel called “Spock, Messiah!” when I stumbled upon a new booth that had some of the best quality vintage items I’ve seen in a while. I spotted a hand-knit cardigan in the most beautiful shade of pumpkin, so I snatched it up and love how the colours of this outfit ended up singing together! I have a lot of denim, black, white and grey in my wardrobe, so when I started adding a little more colour I was mindful to stick to earthy tones. The brighter colours like this one work with what I wear because they’re beautifully complimentary to all the blue denim I own – making it feel as if everything is cohesive with little effort.

Shop the Painter Tunic here – Jessica has generously offered 20% off until 10/28/2019 through this link – it’s automatically applied to your cart! 🙂

This is an affiliate link, which means I receive a small commission if you choose to shop Power of My People while the code is live. It helps support the work I do, so thank you! As always, all pieces are selected by me and honestly reviewed <3

I hope you found some new tips today! P.S. if you want to find more Canadian makers, Lee Vosburgh (Style Bee) recently published a complete guide to sustainable and ethical Canadian brands – this was a DREAM come true for me! Lee was a big contributor to my earlier days in searching for key brands that could become my new favourites – and I’m super thrilled with how streamlined and consolidated she’s made it. Sharing it here so you can have fun browsing it while you wait for mine 😉

xo
PetraAlexandra