SEASON'S GREETINGS

My dear Readers and fellow Bloggers,

Wishing you all a happy Festive Season and 

a Fabulous New Year!!!

See you all in 2016

Santa on Bondi Beach, Sydney, Australia

WHITE LACE SKIRT|INDIGO BLUE LACE TOP - I AM READY TO PARTY

Every December the same thought comes into my head that the amount of parties I have to addend during the festive season is probably far greater than the total of the parties I’ve been to in the previous eleven months, wouldn't you agree?

Office Christmas parties, drinks with friends, lunches with clients and dinners with the family all keep us busier then ever.  And let’s not forget the Christmas shopping, of course.  And it is not just the gifts and presents that we are spending a fortune on every year, we also need an injection of a few new dresses in our wardrobes, what with all those parties and all, and you don’t want to show up wearing the same outfit over and over again. 

I, like most women, was also caught in the whirlwind of the festive season and did a bit of clothes shopping myself.  However, rather buying yet another dress, I decided to go for separates this time.  I figured that not only I can get many more combos out of a skirt and a top then from a dress but even an old top will look different paired with a new skirt and vice versa.

This season it is all about the revival of a lace.  Don’t be alarmed, the new trend has nothing to do with the wedding gown, it is modern, sexy, sleek and sheer.  In other words, everything you need and nothing you don’t.  There is one thing, however, that the wedding dress and current trend do have in common, it is colour.  White seems to be the dominant colour on a runaways and in stores everywhere.  I like it because even though we are in the midst of the Antipodean summer, it reminds me of the beautiful delicate snowflakes softly falling from the dark winter skies.

After few trials and errors, I chose a stretch lace skirt from Bec & Bridge with an asymmetrical hem and a raffle detail running down along one leg that gathers right above the knee so when I turn my back, it innocently falls right below the knees, while the front view, thanks to the ruffle, sits slightly higher, revealing just enough of one leg for a sexy but not a slutty look.

I didn’t want to be dressed in white head to toe, so I chose Stevie May's sheer wildflower lace top in a contrasting indigo blue.

Sometimes wearing clothes which shows too much skin can pose quite a challenge if you don’t want to look cheap or slutty. This can be avoided by making sure that the garment in question has a rather modest yet feminine style and that what I like about this garment:  the high cut of the neck and the primness of the cup sleeves balance out the bare skin illusion of the fabric.  The other factor that won me over is that it is looks as gorgeous with a pair of jeans as with an evening skirt.

The lace is such a richly textured fabric that it does not require much of accessories.  However, one of them should never be ignored, understated nor forgotten – a pair of fabulous shoes!!!

Linking up with Elegantly Fashionable

EXPLORING SYDNEY - TAKING A WALK AROUND BARANGAROO

After living in our beautiful city for over 20 years, my husband and I haven’t stopped  exploring this ever growing and evolving city which we have both grown to love so much.  Whether it is a new art gallery or an interior design shop, a new quirky coffee shop which everyone is talking about or a mouth watering dessert bar.  Some days we just get in the car and drive to a suburb or an area which we pick up at random to find out what this adventure will yield.  There is hardly a time when we were disappointed in our choice. We both treasure these so called "Field trips" and I  always look forward to the next one.

So, when we read in the newspaper that the Wulugul Walk – The Streets of Barangaroo has just opened, we immediately marked it as the next destination for our Field Trip, as I call them.

Barangaroo is a massive redevelopment project that started a few years ago and will take a few more years to complete.  Once completed, it “will instill pride and inspire innovation for generations. It will be a global reference point of design excellence and sustainability. Barangaroo will raise Sydney’s international acclaim and be a globally celebrated destination”.

Meanwhile, the Wulugul Walk allows us a glimpse into the future so that we can appreciate the magnitude of the project and the transformation “of one of the city’s oldest and ugliest industrial sites into a spectacular, six-hectare headland open space for Sydneysiders and visitors to embrace and enjoy”.

That day we were blessed by the weather. Mild temperature with a slight breath of wind and the sun that was hidden by an overcast sky made our little adventure that much more enjoyable.  We parked our car and went to look for the entrance.  The minute we stepped onto the path, we were amazed by the number of people engaged in various activities around us:  joggers, bicycles, power walkers and yoga classes.  All along the path there were benches occupied by employees from nearby offices on their lunch breaks, tourists and locals – all admiring this newly created oasis of tranquillity right in the midst of the city hubbub, enjoying the harmony of the open vistas, taking photographs of the Harbour Bridge and the distant views of the Anzac Bridge, the surrounding neighbourhoods and the bustling activities on the harbour.

After a long walk along the coast we stopped at Belle’s Hot Chicken pop-up shop to feed our souls and rest our feet.  You have to come here, if not for walking and sightseeing, then to taste their food.  It is unbelievably delicious. 

In keeping with the surrounding landscape, I chose to wear a pair of white linen Capri pants, an oversized V-neck knitted top and white Converse sneakers that I wore previously here. 

As for the choice of the accessories for the day, I settled for a square Hermes scarf (a birthday gift from my loving husband) which I casually draped across my shoulders and tied into a loose knot. 

WHITE SKIRT AND SNEAKERS FOR WALK ALONG BONDI BEACH

Living in Sydney, near the beach, is such a blessing, especially if the beach in question is the iconic Bondi Beach.  It is so much easier to withstand the summer when the sea breeze delivers much sought after relief from the heat and the fresh smell of the sea is so wonderful.  My husband and I thoroughly enjoy our brisk walks along the boardwalk in the mornings or a leisurely after dinner stroll in the evening.  It has become our "adult" time, where we can talk about things or just simply enjoy each others company.

Every day Bondi beach attracts hundreds and hundreds of visitors.  The warm weather and the proximity of the beaches play such a fundamental part in what is known as "Australian Beach Culture" which also dictates the beach fashion or as I jokingly call it, "A Bondi Beach Dress Code", which for the young generation of beach goers comes down to two obligatory parts of clothing:  minuscule shorts and tiny crop tops. 

And I could help but notice an fascinating change in the the national Australian footwear that was dominating the beach market for over a decade, i.e. Hawaiian thongs.  This season, for no foreseeable reason, they have been finally pushed away and replaced by white Converse shoes.

Being a woman of a certain age, as much as I used to love wearing mini skirts, I have to accept that the days of mini skirts are gone. But I don't despair, all I need to do now is compromise a little and find the type of clothes that is playful and helps me to look young while still appropriate to my age.

And this white linen skirt from Country Road is the exact illustration of my thoughts.  It sits right above the knees in a flattering A-line shape and I like that the clean lines and the white crisp linen give it a minimalistic look.  For an ultimate beach feel, I paired it with white Converse shoes and a singlet in nautical stripes.

Surely, this style of clothing is not for everyone, especially if you, like me, are a woman of certain age, but don’t despair. 

If you are not into tight fitting t-shirts, short skirts or high-cut shorts, there are plenty of other options you can find in the department stores and shops that are offering a beautiful range of summer clothing suitable for all shapes, sizes and age groups and preferences such as Caftans, maxi shift dresses, loose fit shorts or Capri pants.  The variety of colours, patterns and all sorts of beautiful embellishments of these garments are astonishing and they look absolutely gorgeous on every woman I know.

I believe that having confidence in the way you look is one of the perks of our age and we should use it to our full advantage.   So, why don’t we all make it our motto: “Dress the way you feel and look fabulous”?

A NIGHT AROUND SYDNEY HARBOUR

If a guest from out of town would ask me what is it that they must see when in Sydney, my answer without any hesitation would be to see the two most iconic and world renowned  architectural wonders of Australia – Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Opera House.  

Both my husband and I have a great love for opera and classical music and we are often visitors to the Opera House.  It became a part of our ritual after a performance to head to the Sydney Opera Kitchen perched underneath "the most famous sails in the world" for a glass of wine or a sweet treat and discuss the performance or just simply enjoy the view and each others company.  With the Harbour Bridge as a backdrop, the city lights dancing on the water lapping softly underneath and the looming white sails of the Opera House above us – it is very hard to find a place that could be better than this.

I don’t know exactly why but every time I get dressed for the opera, an episode from Sex and the City in which Alexsander Petrovsky, the Russian artist, presents Carry with an Oscar de la Renta hot pink dress so she could go to the Met Opera with him comes to mind.

The dress I am wearing on this occasion is not exactly as grand but eye-catching nevertheless.  It is from the Maison Martin Margiela that I bought in NY a while back but have never really grown tired of it.  

It would be incorrect to describe this dress as a classic or iconic, nor could it be easily pinpointed to any particular fashion or trend, but whenever I happen to wear it, I have received compliments and very nice comments about it.

What makes it a truly unique showstopper is its intricate patterned fabric combining geographical and botanical motives separated by wide white panes covered in cryptic writing – this dress is like a window into a magic world of Martin Margiela. 

You should be very careful when choosing accessories for a bold pattern dresses to avoid clashing and over-accessorising so the only other embellishment that I wore with it was a clean-cut Swarovski crystal cocktail ring. 

My laced-up shoes are a tribute to the current craze that swept the fashion world but this time I chose sexy stilettos (see my previous post) over the comfy flats.  Naturally.

Linking Tuesday:  Elegantly Dressed and Stylish, Not Dressed as Lamb

PLAY SUIT|ANIMAL PRINT CLOGS - I AM READY FOR SUMMER

Although the Antipodean summer has not officially arrived in Australia and the rest of Southern Hemisphere, it is better to be armed when it finally comes.

And this drawstring play suit in a soft drapery fabrication from Witchery is ideal for the Sydney life style.  Even though it is quite short in length, it is very versatile.  You will feel right at home wearing it to the beach and when you are ready to go out, it only takes to leave your Havaianas behind and swap them for some chunky heels (I opted for a pair of funky animal printed studded clogs by Kate Spade) and add the glitz of a few bangles and the city is yours for the night. 

I appreciate the soft pastel pattern which makes it suitable for almost all skin types.  It's light breezy fabric allows you to stay cool on the hottest day and look absolutely fabulous.

Play suit:  Witchery

Clogs:  Kate Spade

LEATHER SKIRT, FISHNET STOCKINGS|ROCK MEETS BURLESQUE

The best way to describe this outfit is “rock meets burlesque.”  When I first tried this faux-leather fringed skirt at Zara, I wasn’t sure which way I should go to pull the whole look off.  I tried it with few different tops and blouses, t-shirts and jumpers and because I was feeling a bit adventurous, I decided to go all the way:  a tight fitted skirt with a high split provocatively covered by the swinging tassells, seductive fishnet stockings and sexy shoes.  

In order not be ostentatiously OTT from head to toe, I toned it down by wearing very basic black short-sleeve top from Glue Store.

This outfit might look slightly naughty, but there is nothing wrong with letting your hair loose once in a while and enjoy the feeling of being daring.

 

 Skirt:  Zara

Shoes: Manolo Blahnik

Top: Glamorous

Linking up with Style Nudge

THREE WAYS WITH SHELL TOP AND DENIMS

Sometime around September last year (the eve of the Antipodean summer), I was looking I was looking for a simple top that I could wear with my denim shorts when I am off to the beach or just popping into local shops, nothing fancy. Browsing the racks of my local Sportsgirl shop one day, a printed shell top caught my eye.  It looked great with my ripped denim shirts and I wore it quite often during the summer months.

But once the temperature began to drop and shorts were packed away till next summer, I started experimenting with my autumn clothes to see if the top could be incorporated into my cool wardrobe and thus would serve me for few more weeks.

As it turned out, not only it looked great with my dark denims and flats during the day, but once I put a blazer over it, replace the accessories, put on killer hills and a grab one of my fashionable handbags, it was immediately transferred from a simple casual good for beach top into an integral part of a smart looking ensemble fit for an office or a dinner party.

BLACK LACE UP SHOES|PENCIL SKIRT|BOMBER JACKET

If there is one item of clothing, or I should say, footwear, that has taken the fashion world by storm this season, it would be lace-up shoes.  I love this new re-incarnation of ballet flats, they are cute, sexy and boundlessly versatile.

While flats are great with jeans or mini skirts, the heels look absolutely gorgeous with a pencil skirt at the office or with a LBD at night. 

The choice is quite extensive and if you can’t make up you mind whether you should get heels or flats, pointy toes or round, suede or leather, black or nude ones, then what you can do is what I quite often do when in doubt.  Providing that the shop offers a full refund on a returned purchase, buy one or two pairs in different styles, bring them home and see how they would mix and match with your clothes. 

Whether you are a woman who likes to wear comfortable shoes no matter what or the complete opposite who never compromises stilettos over comfort, will help you to choose between the flats and the heels.

Being a woman, I also couldn’t resist getting myself a pair of these super trendy, sexy, simply adorable pair of shoes.  It took me a while to work out what type of shoe would work for me and in the end I settled for a pair of block low heel closed toe shoes from Zara.

And it seems that I got the best of both worlds, they are extremely comfortable to walk around in all day on errands, yet look elegant enough to be paired with a pencil skirt and dressy jacket for a night out.

Today I am trying something a bit different: pairing a floral print skirt with a bomber jacket. Usually, more often we see people wear bomber jacket with a pair of jeans or utility pants with a pair of boots, sneakers or other types of sturdy sensible footwear but since this jacket is quite delicate and due to the use of sheer fabric it looks very feminine, I thought it would be a good idea to mix it up with the mid-knee straight skirt and lace up shoes to get this urban look.

Linking with Fine. Whatever, Elegantly Dressed and Stylish