HOW I STYLED MY OVER THE KNEE-HIGH BOOTS

Many years ago, while I was still living in the former USSR, a friend of mine sold me a pair of knee-high boots.  They were absolutely beautiful:  made in Italy from the softest leather with suede lining and a zipper running all the way up the back, I was the happiest woman on earth. 

For those who have never lived Russia, it would be hard to understand that the only clothes that you could find in any given shop were mass produced locally using the most boring plain fabrics and styles with no regard to size, age or colour.  Even if this country was exporting goods from the Western Block, we never saw them on the shelves.  Our only salvation was the black-market, second hand clothes or making your own if you were lucky enough to find nice fabric and if you knew how to sew, that is.

So now you understand what a treasure those boots were. 

But it is all in the past, except for the boots, that came with me to my new home, i.e. Australia.  I had to wear them on the plane all the way from Odessa (my home town) to Sydney.  Luckily for me, the month of June (when we arrived) is officially the beginning of winter in Australia so I didn’t look ridiculous all dressed up in the knee-high boots and a leather jacket in the middle of summer.

Fast forward twenty five years and here I am wearing those same boots.

My most favourite look is what I call a fusion between “A Pirate Look” (long live Jerry Seinfeld’s puffy shirt) and street style:  a pair of knee-high boots, an oversized white shirt a’la Audrey Hepburn and a jumper tied around the hips (Aussie style).

And when the temperature begins to drop, it is time for layering. Do not believe anyone who claims that there is no winter in Australia per se.  Trust me, it does exist and it is pretty cold Down Under, especially when the easterly wind is blowing in full force. Well, we might not need full length fur coats and hats but a warm Uniqlo puff jacket and a woollen scarf could come in pretty handy during the winter months.

Luckily for Sydneysiders, for the most of the winter you can get away with a biker jacket and a warm jumper underneath.

Linking up with Shoes To Chiraz, Not Dressed as Lamb

HOW I STYLED BLUE AND WHITE MARBLE-PATTERNED PANTS

It is one of life’s true facts that the weather has an effect on our moods that consequently influences our choice of clothes.  Even if you work in an office with the most rigorous dress code, some small details of your outfit could reveal your mental state of the day.

So it was no surprise that when I woke up last Sunday morning and saw a bright blue sunny sky and felt the warm breeze on my skin (it is winter at its peak in the Southern Hemisphere) that I wanted my mood to match the colour of the clear sky, and hence my true blue outfit.

Dressed in the same blue from head to toe could sometimes be plain boring, but if you think about how many adjectives describe the colour blue: such as royal blue, duck egg blue, baby blue, navy blue, turquoise and even Tiffany blue, you can easily transform your look from boring into a true fashion statement.

They key is to build monochromatic layers of the same hue where each layer represents a different shade, tone or intensity.   In other words, do not distribute the same colour evenly throughout your entire outfit.  I like to use 70:20:10 formula that is quite often used amongst interior stylists, where 70 is your principal colour, 20 – is the contrast colour and 10 - is for the colour pop. 

Jumper:  Cotton On

Jeans:  Mason Scotch (I wore them here)

Shoes:  Glassons

Hand bag:  Coach (I had it here)

Jacket: Country Road

While my main outfit is predominately light neutral blue, a dark royal navy colour scarf is not just an attribute to winter but together with an even a darker hued jacket they add a sharpen contrast to the outfit.  I am a big lover of colour pop, hence my choice of a hand bag and jewelry.  The mannish duck-egg blue shoes add a street edge and an extension of colour palette.

A small injection of whites and neutrals will effortlessly help to anchor a single colour outfit, add an interesting texture and bring another dimension to the final look.

How would you wear one colour? Would love to hear your comments, suggestions or anything else you want to share.

HOW I STYLED WHITE SKINNY JEANS

Hi everyone,

For some inexplicable reason, I have never owned white jeans before, my arguments being that they are either too hot to wear in summer or too white to wear in winter.  Does that make any sense to you?

Anyway, one day my daughter dragged me into a General Pants store and convinced me that I should try on a pair of white denims.  She thrust a pair of J Brand jeans into my hands and pushed me towards the dressing room.  Although I quite liked what I saw, I was still not quite sure if I was ready for them, so following my usual practice, I decided to bring them home to see with what and how I am going to wear them.

Top:  Zara (I also wore it here)
Jeans:  J Brand
Shoes:  DKNY (I also wore them here)
Bag:  Louis Vuitton (seen here)

After a some time spent in front of the mirror, I decided that they are good enough to join my wardrobe.

Besides, white denim jeans are a hot item for 2015 spring.  The spectrum of styles is quite broad:   skinny, boy cut, bell-bottoms, crew-cut, wide legged, you name it, and thanks to this variety, it provides us all with a great opportunity to select a pair that is perfect for our body type. 

Top:  Asos

Shoes:  Repetto (I wore them here)

I guess the main point in their favour was that they are hugely versatile and widely adaptable and contrary to my prejudice, can be worn almost throughout the year, in Sydney, that is.

You can pair them with simple t-shirts, a smart blouse or come the cooler months they could be layered with knit jumpers, jackets or coats.  Dressed up or down, you can wear them to the office, lunch, picnic or to a dinner party.  The accessories are a key to convey the mood of your outfit so for a dress-up affair, don’t hesitate to put on a pair of dress shoes, carry a nice bag and wear some striking jewelry. 

Jacket:  Zara (I wore it here)

Alternatively, white sneakers or flats, a t-shirt or a button-up shirt and simple jewelry are the key elements for a more casual relaxed event.

And don’t forget that whites, like a blank canvas, are perfect for anchoring prints. 

A point to remember: it is very difficult to hide any imperfections behind the white colour pants, especially if they are too tight or ill fit so my advice is to look closely into the mirror and if you don't like what you see, chances are neither will other people.  

Top:  Glue

Shoes:  Marc Jacobs

The safe approach when it comes to choosing a style, would be the one that you know you look good in or if you not quite sure, select a pair in the same or similar style to the ones you bought previously.

The key principal to look fabulous and confident in white jeans is to be honest with yourself, know your body advantages and flaws and choose the style that is right for you.

I would like to share with you a few images of how I would wear white jeans.

Please leave your comments, suggestions or questions and I would be delighted to respond.

Until then