WHITE SHORTS - TWO LOOKS

Hi everyone, hope you are all well

These images were taken when it was still summer in Australia but I never was able to come around and blog about them until now.  The weather is so bad that taking photos outside is almost impossible so I dug deep into my archives and found these ones.

You have seen me wearing these shirts multiple times, primarily with a t-shirt or light summer top.  Today I am exploring the possibility of wearing them in cooler months with something more stylish than just a pair of sneakers.

In my first, daytime, look I am wearing my shirt with an extra long blue and white stripy buttonless blouse from Zara and white Converse sneakers with a pair of lacy navy socks underneath:  fun, casual just with a touch of sophistication.

THEN I ASKED MYSELF, IS IT POSSIBLE TO TRANSFORM THIS LOOK INTO SOMETHING RATHER MORE ELEGANT AND EVENING APPROPRIATE?

As a general rule of thumb, accessories play a pivotal role in the transformation and for me there is nothing more important than the right pair of shoes.  You can get away by being dressed in a t-shirt, jeans and killer shoes but no matter how glamorous your dress is - pair it with the wrong footwear and your outfit will be drab.

So first thing first, I kicked off my sneakers and reached for an open toe Miu Miu high heel shoes in a dusty blue.  The moment I put them on, the vibe of my look shifted a gear.

Next step - jewellery.  Since the shirt has pearl cuff links, it helped me to decided what accessories to choose for my upscale look.  After all, nothing speaks style like a string of pearls.  The ones that you see me wearing were bought in Havana at Almacenes San Jose Artisan's Market during our holiday last year. 

My last touch was an evening clutch from Ferragamo with gold trimmings and a chain which might be a tad too heavy for a daytime casual outfit but works perfectly for a night out.

And that is it.  To be totally honest, I don't think I would implement this look into real life, it was purely an "editorial" exercise, so to speak.  It's just proves once again how important it is for us to understand the power of accessories, even for something as casual as a pair of white shorts.

And that is it.  Happy Friday, my dear friends and enjoy your weekend

Anna
xoxo

WHEN METALLIC AND SILK COME TOGETHER

Hi everyone, hope you are all well.

I so envy everyone who lives in the Northern hemisphere and enjoying the warmth of the summer sun while we here, in OZ, are freezing.

Back in the days when I was working in a big corporate office, a rare day went by when I didn't wear high heels to work.  Even when I was dressed in pants, I wore heels.  

My clothes were mentally sorted into different categories, labelled  "Office attire", "Outfits for going out" and "Casual" garb and I can't remember a single moment when I mixed them together.

These days, working in a smaller office in a far more creative environment where jeans are the order of the day, my heels are taking much longer breaks and although I still slide into pumps from time to time, it is mostly for the opera, concerts or big outings with one small exception:  no flats while if I am wearing a skirt.  The heels don't necessary need to be stilettos, they could be a medium height blocked or kitten heels but not flats.

I also have to rethink how to wear my clothes with more relaxed approach to what goes with what and doesn't and is not afraid to mix and match items that belong to different "labels".

In the old days I would wear the silk skirt with something similarly soft and smooth leaving the metallic top with an oversized image of a love heart printed on its front to be worn with a pair of cargo pants or jeans.

Today I am much more flexible and adventurous in my choices of clothing and enjoy the fact that being less rigid and more spontaneous in doing so has expanded my wardrobe and liberated my mind and the outfit I am wearing today is one of the examples of my new thinking.

However, true to my beliefs, I still wear dress shoes with my skirts and these ones bought at a Burberry store many years ago which despite their high heels are extremely comfortable remained one of my favourite.

Have a great week, my dear friends

Anna
xoxo