WHO SAID YOU CAN'T WEAR RIPPED DENIM TO THE OFFICE?

Hello, my dear followers and fellow bloggers,

I remember the days when I used to work in an corporate environment and had to wear a so called "corporate uniform" five days a week because the "Casual Friday" policy didn't exist back then.

I am sure that the corporate dress code still dominates the majority of offices but not for me anymore. A few years ago I quit my boring office job and joined the throes of creative unconventional thinking individuals doing something I always wanted to do but never before had the chance to do it.   And although the environment I am working in now is a polar difference to the one I used to work in, in almost every aspect and a lot of the boundaries are very vague, yet I still cannot bring myself to wear raw hemmed jeans or sneakers to the office.  Partially because the habit of differentiating between my Monday to Friday and weekend wardrobes has been instilled into me quite deeply or because my jeans are almost torn in half around both of my knees and could be a bit too much even in a hip environment such as mine.

I did, however, venture as far as wearing a ragged denim skirt to work the other day.  I was very cautious in selecting the other items of clothes and accessories for this outfit so I would not be mistaken for going to a picnic rather than to the office.

First, I selected a white crisp shirt.  This classic wardrobe staple is an absolute bullet proof and
always looks right, besides the white colour adds some luminosity to the skin and thus makes women my age look younger.   

I paired it with my navy tuxedo-looking blazer with black silk lapels that counter-balanced the frivolity of the skirt rather nicely.

The shoes that I chose to wear were a birthday gift from my husband that I haven't have a chance to model  to you yet.  Made by Salvatore Ferragamo, these mid heel pumps are simply adorable. What is particularly great about them is that they are extremely comfortable thanks to the low block heel, yet the spherical ornament and the detail on the heel make them look rather playful.

As for the accessories, while I settled for traditional white pearl set consisting of a pair of earrings and a ring to match my classic white crisp shirt, I tied a bright scarf around my neck to add some panache to the outfit.

Linking up with Shelbee on the Edge, Fine. Whatever, Sydney Fashion Hunter, Glam Adventure, The Pleated Poppy, Colour and Grace, Fashion Should be Fun

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WIDE SLEEVE BLOUSE| CARGO PANTS AND A RED BRICK WALL

Hello dear fellow bloggers,

This post is totally unintentional and what I am wearing here is just a random selection of whatever was closest to me to reach.  This post was not meant to be written at all.  The inspiration behind it is not clothes nor even the event to which I wore the clothes but rather red brick wall.  But let me start from the beginning.

Once upon a time there was a beautiful store called Country Trader, globally renowned as a Mecca for designers and discerning customers offering a cornucopia of furniture and home wares that are exceptional, vintage, quirky, eclectic and simply beautiful.  Its creative environment has always been a first call for inspiration among interior stylists and designer and if my clients were looking for something special either to add to their existing décor or to buy a special gift for someone, Country Trader was my first port of call and I it was very seldom that I left empty-handed.   Over the years, I also made quite a few purchases for my own home.  And now, after 34 years of trading, the time has come to say goodbye.

When shop of such reputation is having a major sale, you don’t want to miss it and so one afternoon my friend and I got in the car and went over there to see if we could score some bargains. 

As we entered the store, we didn’t know where to look first.  French furniture and dinner wear, huge ceramic pots, massive antique chandeliers, table linen and silver crockery, carefully curated Chinese porcelain vases and so much more – all  were marked down and ready to be snapped by some smart buyers. 

Sadly, since my husband and I recently agreed that we do not need to add anything else to the existing decore, I settled for buying few nice small items and beautiful Christmas decorations that I can give to my friends as gifts while my friend, on the other hand, fell in love with a silver framed gorgeous mirror and rushed to the cash register to pay for it before she changed her mind.

The staff was very he and they suggested that we bring my car to the section allocated for their customers only.  When we drove in and got out to collect her purchase, I noticed that the bricks of the back wall of the garage were painted in a rich red colour paint.  It was such a perfect background for a photo shoot that I couldn’t resist it.

So I asked my friend to take few photos of me so that I could decide later whether they are worth publishing or not.  Truth be told, the main reason that you are reading this is not only that the wall behind looked great but also due to the top which I was wearing, or its statement sleeves to be exact.  It is by a brand called Save the Queen and I bought in New York back in 2010.

I find it's quite ironic that the label that has the Queen's name in it, depicts one of the most iconic architectural structures of Manhattan, The Empire State Building.  Its made of semi sheer silky fabric and I used to wear it for going out.  I kind of forgot about it until now, when the statement sleeves are on the must-have list this season but this time I wear it whenever.  It is so easy to slip it on without too much thinking about what to pair it with.

Today, for example, my choice fell on a pair of cargo, also sometimes described as utility pants and a pair of ballet flats - effortless, a simple and comfortable outfit put together on the spur of the moment that sometimes can deliver better results then the fashioned ones.

My outfit details:  pants - J Brand, top - Save the Queen, shoes - Ralph Polo

Linking up with Not Dressed As Lamb, Elegantly Dressed and Stylish, High Latitude Style, Pleated Poppy, Sydney Fashion Hunter

SPRING ESSENTIAL - A TRENCH COAT

Hi everyone,

It is official, spring has arrived (in Australia, that is) and with it the days are getting longer as the temperature starts to rise.  Although it is not hot enough to shed off all the layers we have been wearing for the past three months (the seasons in OZ are reversed) but the weather is just right for trench coats in light luxurious fabrics.  I bought mine last year from the  Witchery store and was very happy with it.  This spring is no exception, I am giving it a full run wearing it over pants, slacks and skirts.

This endlessly adaptable wardrobe staple with a seasonal twist is, in my opinion, one of the most important trans-seasonal essentials that we ladies should have in our wardrobes.  The key is in the fabric that shimmers slightly when in motion, in the softness of the folds and in the intricate detailing of the garment that makes it possible to bring style and function together and allows us to look chic and elegant at any time of the day.

My outfit details:  trench coat:  Witchery, slacks -  Zara, jumper:  Sloane Society, shoes: Country Road

As you may know from reading my earlier posts, that one of the criteria that I look for when shopping for clothes is its versatility.  I love mixing and matching old and new and whenever I buy a new outfit, I always make sure that it works with the clothes that already sit in my wardrobe, and the more different looks I can come up with, the happier I am.

And my new trench coat ticks all the boxes.

My outfit details:  trench coat - Witchery, pants - Sass & Bide, shoes - DVF and top - Country Road (all worn here and here)

My outfit details:  trench coat - Witchery, skirt - Witchery and shoes - Louis Vuitton (seen here)

Linking up with Sydney Fashion Hunter, Shelbee on the Edge, Fashion Should be Fun

WHAT I WORE FOR MY BIRTHDAY LUNCH

Hi everyone,

It was my birthday the other week but I was so preoccupied with other things happening around us that it is only now that I have the time to tell you about it.

 It fell on a Sunday and as I had to be in the office early on Monday, my husband decided to surprise me with a birthday lunch just for the two of us.

  

As much as I love being surprised by my husband's actions, I sometimes like to have more information of what lies ahead for two good reasons: number one - to satisfy my curiosity and two - to have some idea of what should I wear for the occasion.  However, as much as I tried to extract more details about the upcoming lunch, the only bit of information I was able to get from him was that the place to which we were going was casual but not too casual, which, as you gathered, was not very helpful.

Luckily, I had just the right outfit for "when in doubt" situation or as I call it "In case of emergency"  - my old time favourite, a wrap-around dress by DVF whose famous quote:"I design for the woman who loves being a woman" always resonates with me.  Even though this particular dress has been in my wardrobe for quite some time, it has never failed to perform its duty.  There is something nice and simple in its silhouette that makes me feel at ease every time I wear it, which fitted the brief perfectly.

Not knowing where we were going, I sat back and relaxed and let my husband drive us through the city until we passed the entrance gates to Ku-Ring-Gai National Park and we were driving along Hawkesbury river, its waters sparkling under the bright sun.  Shortly after we reached the marina and my husband parked the car.

As I looked around, I spotted a restaurant sitting on the edge of the wharf with huge bay windows overlooking the marina, the bobbing boats and the park beyond.  It was called Pilu at Acuna Bay and although I have never been there before, the name of the chef is very well known to both of us - Giovanni Pilu, a Sardinian born owner of the two-hatted restaurant Pilu at Freshwater, loved by Sydneysiders for the bold strong flavours of his country of births.

The restaurant was very simply furnished, so not to distract the diners from the breath taking view in front of them.  The food was absolutely scrumptious, the champagne - cold and bubbly and all and all I had a splendid birthday.

Even not knowing where we were going, I think my low block heel shoes were a perfect choice for the occasion and the venue.

I recently inherited a very nice collection of vintage scarfs and when I don't wear them around my neck, I like to decorate my handbags with them.

And last but not least, my new twin rings that I bought at a shopping mall in one of the accessories shops for the staggering amount of $5 for two, just for the sake of getting a bargain, but when I put them on, they turned out to be a "perfect match".

  

My outfit details:  dress - DFV, shoes - Chloe (seen here), bag - Vivienne Westwood (seen here), scarf - vintage Christian Dior, rings - Accessories

How do you like to celebrate your birthday?  Do you like surprises?  

Until then

Linking up with Fashion Should be Fun, Shelbee on Edge, Nancy Fashion Style, Elegantly Dressed and Stylish, Fine Whatever, Not Dead Yet Style, Not Dressed As Lamb #willwearwhatilike

MY FIRST NEW SEASON OUTFIT - WHITE SKIRT WITH FLORAL SHIRT AND BLOCK HEEL SHOES

Hi everyone,

It has officially been two months of spring here in Australia but the weather is still not settled into a warm temperature mode and it is very difficult to predict what it will be like from one day to the next.  Meanwhile, Sydneysiders take every possible opportunity to strip down to shorts and t-shirts and spend a day at the beach to get the perfect tan.

My beloved Sydney looks absolutely gorgeous at this time of the year.  The trees and bushes are in full bloom with their scented flowers and the bright colours make every street look absolutely magical, whether you are driving around the city or walking along the leafy streets of your neighbourhood – the scenery is a delight for the eyes and a pleasure for the senses.

I always like to observe how the change in seasons makes a mental effect on people’s choice of clothing.   Away went the subdued palette of blacks, the browns and the greys (we say grey, you say gray) and heavy fabrics of winter, in came the bright colours and patterns and of the spring.

It was of those nice warm days that  I, too, decided to shed my long pants and dark colours and donned on my flower print shirt that has been in my wardrobe since the last floral print craze a few years ago.  I wanted my outfit to be summery from head to toe and so I wore it with a white denim pencil skirt.  The shirt is quite long but I didn’t want to tuck it in entirely, only at the and to accentuate my waist a little, I simply threaded a slim pale pink leather belt.

Finally, the time has come to wear my new open-back block heel Max and Co
shoes that I bought on the mid-winter sale but couldn’t wear them until now.

I wanted my look to project a slightly sporty look, thanks to the denim skirt and low heel shoes and so I chose a satchel bag in a bright turquoise colour to complete my first new season outfit.

I am wearing:  skirt - Country Road, shirt - Zara, bag - Coach, shoes - Max & Co.

Linking up with A Pocket full of Polka Dots, Sydney Fashion Hunter, Posh Classy Mom, Fashion Should be Fun, Fine. Whatever