PUFFY SLEEVE SHIRT

Puffy sleeves are the huge trend of the 2019 spring season as seen on fashion runways shows as well as on the Instagram accounts of biggest fashion influencers and although I have had this puffy sleeve shirt for quite some time, there is now even more reason to write a post about it.  

The main features of my shirt include shoulder dropped puffy sleeves, with wide double sided cuffs and a high collar that can be folded over if needed.  I spotted it in the window of Natalie Alamain boutique on Bondi Beach and liked it for its original design, obviously, and a quirky botanical print.  

When I tried it on, it put a smile on my face 😍 and those of you who, like me, are big Jerry Seinfeld fans, would know why - the infamous "Puffy Shirt" that Jerry was forced to wear on a talk show where the host made a comment that Jerry looked all "puffed up" and which was later sold at auction for a whopping amount of $45,000.  Another puffy shirt that was used on the show was donated to the Smithsonian museum by Jerry Seinfeld himself.

But I digress.  It's obvious that over-sized sleeves make quite a strong style statement that could make some women feel rather hesitant about this trend and thus my advice to you is that you can start small by wearing a puffy sleeve blouse that would be the star of your outfit and then paired down by simple jeans or a skirt.  If wearing a dress is more your style, then a pair of classic white sneakers or a pair of minimal sandals would help you to tone down the volume.  

Right proportions, depending on your height and body shape, should also be taken into consideration especially when buying a dress with a big billowing sleeve so if you have any concerns about your final look, opt for a dress with a straight or pencil silhouette skirt with a length that is most flattering to your legs and other personal characteristics such as height, body shape and size.

As for me, the blouse is the best way to embrace this trend and I can assure you that I would get much more use of it than of a dress.  It is so much easier to make a blouse suitable for the occasion or the time of the day than a dress.  I personally prefer to wear my puffy sleeve shirt with black or white straight jeans and a pair of sneakers which is a perfect blend of looking fashionable yet relaxed and comfortable at the same time.

I have been on a hunt for a new pair of white sneakers for some time now and was very happy when I cam across these ones from French label called Spring Court.  Instantly recognisable for their ventilated outsole and soft leather,  they are extremely comfortable and look equally great with jeans or a skirt.

Whatever path you are going to take, I urge you to give it a go.

I am wearing:

Blouse - Natalie Alamain

Jeans - NYDJ

Sneakers - Spring Court

Belt - Hermes

Handbag - Georgio Armani

Glasses - Valley

Cheers,

Anna

xoxo

SUNNY SIDE UP

There are many factors which influence our sub-conscious mind and affect our decisions on what clothes would we wear on any particular day:  our mood, occasion, time of the day and of course the weather.  

And when the sun shines and the skies are blue and it is not too hot nor cold and it is great to be outdoors, our mood shifts into a happy mode which directly reflects our choice of colours for an outfit, case in point, my white and yellow outfit of the day and I honestly think that these two colours are the best representation of happiness.  

It was my intention that all the pieces, big and small, of my outfit are either of white or yellow colour except for a small black brooch.  

This jumper, (seen previously here) that I bought during an occasional visit to Bondi Markets was one of those accidental finds that turned out to become a go to item.

The white raw hemmed cropped flared jeans are from JBrand that I keep coming back to for their perfect fit and originality.  A pair of Tod's loafers in white and yellow is a perfect match to my outfit.

Have a sunny week, everyone

Anna

xoxo

GREY IS A NEW BLACK

I recently came to realise that I don't favour any particular colour but rather go through random phases where a chosen colour would take centre stage in my outfits only soon to become replaced by another one.  

There is no pattern or reason as to when and why I become attractive to any particular hue nor do I know what colour will be my next choice, it's all totally sub-conscious and absolutely random.  As you can see, this week it's all about grey.  

It does not mean that every time I have an itch for a new colour, I run to the shops and buy anything that fits my mood.  I might have some pieces in my closet already and have worn them separately but not together in one complete outfit.

They grey journey started with a Furla handbag that I got last year for my birthday which was a step away from traditional black.  Then a couple of months ago I saw this beautiful peony print silk blouse at Assembly Label that I simply had to have, followed by just recently bought a pair of slingback dark grey pumps by Boss.

We all know the power of black, it is the the ultimate colour to go to when we want to look chic and elegant and is extremely helpful when we want to appear slimmer than we actually are but I think that the grey colour that so far has been undermined by it, should be brought back into the limelight.  

Basically, the colour grey is a mix of white and black and by changing the ratio between them we can modify its hue and saturation from pale grey on the top of the scale all the way down to dark slate with the colours like ash, platinum, silver etc in between, which means that you can be dressed in grey from head to toe or, as French say it ton sur ton, and don't look dull and boring.  

The key to pulling off  this look is to make sure that every item of an outfit is in a different shade of grey thus adding an element of subdued elegance and depths to the look.  

And to support my view on the subject, here is the meaning of colour grey:  "...typically associated with dull and dirty...as well as formal and sophisticated..."

I wanted to have a grey colour in each element of my outlook including silver earrings and grey nail polish.

My outfit details:

Blouse - Assembly Label

Pants - Lee (old)

Shoes - Boss

Handbag - Furla