- Story and photography by Lia Crowe
Story courtesy of , a Black Press Media publication
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Jessica invited me into her beautiful, bright and airy Saanich Peninsula home to chat about her unique style and how it plays into her life as a woman balancing career and a young family.
Jessica says fashion and style have always provided her with a creative outlet 鈥 from putting together outfits as a young girl to having a style blog as a young woman. Now Jessica is thankful to have a career where she can dress up.
鈥淚鈥檓 lucky that I work somewhere where I get to dress nicely 鈥 so it is still kind of my creative outlet.鈥
I ask Jessica, now 34, what is the best life lesson she has learned since age 30.
鈥淚t would be the art of listening 鈥 and that will always be a work in progress. I really like the people part of my job, hearing people鈥檚 stories, sitting down with clients, getting to know them and hearing what their goals are. Listening and patience are a huge part of my success in business and in all my relationships.鈥
As she is the mother of two young children, I wonder how her style has changed in this phase of her life.
鈥淚鈥檓 now definitely an accessories person; maybe I鈥檝e graduated to that by having small children. I think that when you don鈥檛 have a lot of time to get ready in the morning, if you put on a cool pair of glasses, a nice coat and a good pair of shoes, you will look put together.鈥
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Fashion & Beauty
Uniform: 鈥淔or weekdays it鈥檚 black dress pants, a white blouse and a classic blazer. On weekends it鈥檚 jeans and a sweater.鈥 Jeans I LOVE: 10鈥 High Rise Button Front Jeans by .
All-time favourite piece: Wool coat by .
Currently coveting: Cream sculpted 鈥淐rombie鈥 coat by .
Favourite pair of shoes: 鈥淚t鈥檚 a classic nude block heel pump, the 鈥淵aro鈥 ankle strap sandal by .鈥
Favourite day-bag: 鈥, 鈥榯he original.鈥 I especially like it because it鈥檚 great for travel.鈥
Favourite work tool: 鈥淢y men鈥檚 . I use it every day!鈥
Favourite jewelry piece or designer: 鈥淟iterally ANYTHING .鈥
Fashion obsession: 鈥淕lasses. I have finally embraced the fact that I need glasses.鈥
Moisturizer: 鈥 . She is local with all-natural products.鈥
Scent: 鈥淰anilla anything.鈥
Must have hair product: 鈥淒ry shampoo! I don鈥檛 know how I lived before dry shampoo came into my life.鈥
Beauty secret: 鈥! But now it鈥檚 no longer a secret鈥t better not sell out at Sephora!鈥
Style / Inspiration / Life
Style icon: 鈥淢eghan Markle and Kate Middleton. I love the Royals鈥 fashion.鈥
Favourite artist: Rembrandt.
Favourite musician: Frank Sinatra.
Era of time that inspires your style: 鈥淚 truly can鈥檛 pinpoint a time. History definitely inspires my style.鈥
Film or TV show that inspires your style or that you just love the style of: 鈥淒ownton Abbey, Boardwalk Empire, Mad Men鈥 the list goes on!鈥
Favourite local restaurant: The Farmer鈥檚 Daughter in Sidney.
Favourite cocktail/wine: 鈥淚 love a good Cab Sav.鈥
Album on current rotation: 鈥淢oana soundtrack 鈥 my kids have taken control! But I love Frank Sinatra, Van Morrison, the Tragically Hip & U2. Music is a big part of my childhood memories.鈥
Favourite Flower: Light pink ranunculus.
Favourite city to visit: London or Paris.
Favourite hotel: 鈥淚 love anything with some history. Our local is pretty incredible.鈥
Favourite app: 鈥淢y podcast app. I listen to a lot of audio books in the car: history and true crime podcasts!鈥
Reading material
What do you read online for style: 鈥淢y sister鈥檚 Instagram gives me so much joy. Her feed is so beautiful and inspiring .鈥
Fave print magazine: 鈥淏辞耻濒别惫补谤诲鈥产惫颈辞耻蝉濒测!鈥
Fave style blog: 鈥. I love her muted, classic style. Comfort with class!鈥
Book currently reading: 鈥淚 am always reading professionally but when I find the time, I love crime novels. Currently reading The Woman in Cabin 10 by . I know I am behind the times鈥︹
Favourite book of all time: 鈥 by George Samuel Clason. It was the first novel I read. (My father used bribery, of course.) I learned some great financial lessons early on.鈥