A Red and White Outfit for Canada Day

I can’t believe how quickly we have arrived at July! In all my mental preparation for America’s 250th anniversary celebration on Saturday, I totally forgot about my very close neighbor’s Independence Day celebration that happened yesterday.

Living within 30 miles of the Canadian border, we have lots of Canadian cultural things nearby. I do not live in a border city, but the people who do have very close international relationships with each other. A land border is just a land border, after all. It’s not a people border so it shouldn’t inhibit our relations with our closest neighbors. Those land borders, however, often act as political borders, which sadly can have an impact on neighborly relationships.

But I have always vowed to be a good neighbor. When I was a young girl, we had next door neighbors who were so grumpy and mean that I promised myself during my childhood that I would never ever be such a mean and awful person to my neighbors. Because I have always been very conscientious about treating my neighbors right, I have been blessed with some of the best neighbors ever…in every place I have lived since childhood. Talk about putting in a massive effort to manifest good vibes. I did it and the rewards have been fantastic!

So this post is not just for my Canadian neighbors, it’s also for the people in my neighborhood. I thank you and I appreciate you for also being good neighbors!

Although I’m a day late, I am only 42 cents short, in celebrating Canada Day. (The current currency exchange rate is 1 US dollar to 1.42 Canadian dollars.)

This red and white outfit is the perfect ensemble to celebrate the 159th anniversary of the Canadian Confederation. On July 1, 1867, the Province of Canada, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick were united into one federation called the Dominion of Canada which eventually became Canada Day, a day to celebrate Canadian nationalism and independence. Where I live, you can see a few Canadian flags publicly displayed but they become more abundant as you get closer to the border. Had more Maple Leaf flags been flying in my area, I might have remembered Canada Day on Canada Day. I guess it’s better late than never.

With this crazy heat dome hovering over a large portion of North America right now, many celebrations have been canceled. In fact, our town had canceled their fireworks display last night due to the threat of intense thunderstorms and this oppressive heat and humidity. But that doesn’t mean that we can’t celebrate in our own ways when public celebrations get canceled.

So I am celebrating both Canada and America this week by wearing outfits in our national colors!

For my Canada Day look, I created a red column with linen trousers and a lightweight tee shirt that I bought last spring. Then I topped it with this bold white and red floral ruana that I thrifted a few years ago. It hung in my closet for ages before I found the right outfit to wear it with. I love how the red column allows the white and red print to really pop out. I wanted to keep the entire look red and white so I chose all white accessories…my white cowgirl hat, my new white sandals, ivory clay earrings, and a pile of thrifted white necklaces. The tiny bits of blue on my toenails help to transition this outfit from Canada Day straight to America’s Independence Day! For the Fourth of July, however, I would probably throw in some blue accessories to make it just a bit more patriotic.

Do you dress in your country’s national colors to celebrate patriotism and independence? I think it’s a wonderful way to honor the land where we live!

Wishing all of my friends to the north a very happy Canada Day! Stop by tomorrow for some red, white, and blue inspiration for America’s Independence Day.

Keeping it on the edge,

Shelbee