KHAKI SILK SKIRT AND STRAPPY SANDALS

Hello dear friends, hope you are all well.

Before I will tell you about the outfit of the day, I want to share with you a short story about it.  Quite some time ago, I received a regular monthly wedding anniversary gift from my husband in the form of a knitted jumper in richly saturated yellow colour that I didn't particularly like.  However, as the saying goes, you don't look a gift horse in the mouth, I thanked my husband for the gift.  As I was just about to try it on, when upon checking the composition of the fabric, I discovered that it contains mohair.  To say that I am allergic to mohair is to say nothing.  Just talking about it makes my skin itch and turn a scarlet red which was a "blessing in disquise" because now I had a legit reason to return the gift without upsetting my dear husband.  Turned out, it was that simple.  Unfortunately,  Bec and Bridge,the shop that he bought it from, does not give the money back  but the sale assistant was happy to do an exchange for something I like.  

As I glanced around the racks, I came to realise that it wouldn't be easy to find a replacement.  Not that the clothes were bad but they were designed for far younger customers who are blessed with amazing figures and would not be ashamed to show off their midriff.  I chose a few items to try on but every time I put it on, I didn't like it on me at all.  

Luckily for me, the shop is located in a massive shopping centre where I do my grocery shopping and which hosts my gym, so it became a part of my routine to make a detour there and look for a replacement. This practice went on and on for months.  I was feeling quite exhausted from this forced shopping experience but couldn't give up $250 and kept coming back.  Then, during the after-Christmas shopping, I went there on a whim and saw a skirt that I liked.  I wasn't particularly looking for another silk slip skirt, besides it was cheaper than the original purchase price but it was the best I could find so I took it to the register together with my credit note.  The shop assistant checked it on her computer and told me that today was a last day that I was able to use and as of tomorrow it would  expire!!!  I couldn't believe my luck.  She was very kind and even extended the date on the balance for another 6 months. 

I like wearing it with the high neck sleeveless top in black which I bought last year from Victoria and Woods.  I always was attracted to this style but what also appealed to me that the print is quite delicate, the shape of the flamingo birds is lightly outlined so the print does not look too busy when worn with other prints. The collar is not solid and could be tied into an elegant bow which cascades down over the long key-hole opening at the back..

This classic skirt is made from wash silk, cut on the bias for and has an elasticated waistband for a flattering fit. 

The shoes are new too.  I couldn't walk past these elevated multi-strap slides from Country Road with quite an unusual geometric heel shape.  The heel is not overly high which makes the shoes very comfortable yet stylish enough to wear on a special occasion.

I AM WEARING:

Top - Victoria and Woods

Skirt - Bec and Bridge

Shoes:  Country Road

Glasses:  Burbury (old)

Bag:  Chanel (old)

A RELAXING WEEKEND IN THE CHINESE GARDEN OF FRIENDSHIP

Hello dear friends, hope you are all well.

The first and the last time I visited Sydney's Chinese Garden was about thirty years ago when I had just arrived in Australia and slowly and steadily began exploring our new home.  Over the years the Garden underwent a massive transformation and as I was told by a friend of mine who recently took her overseas visitors there, looks very pretty and is definitely worth visiting.  

Isn't it fascinating how people go to great lengths, spend thousands of dollars and an enormous amount of their time to travel across the globe to see a special place they read or heard about while something truly beautiful is a short car drive away?  So, one Sunday morning we found ourselves walking along the winding path running between the trees and flower bushes and admiring the big fat Koi fish lazily swimming in custom built ponds of the garden.   

It sits on a heritage-listed site in Sydney CBD and is part of large recreational and pedestrian precinct called Darling Harbour and officially called the Chinese Garden of Friendship.  

 

We went there during the Sydney Lunar Festival - the biggest Lunar New Year celebration outside Asia, which offers an amazing array of events from night food markets to art exhibitions and installations to concerts and workshops. There is truly something for everyone to participate in and enjoy and its always attracts a huge attendance from locals and visitors alike.  

 

One installation that caught our eyes was the so called lucky MoonGates, designed by a local artist in partnership with the Chinese Garden ofFriendship.  As I stepped through the Moon Gates, I was fascinated by the rainbow of bright colours and motifs depicting the Rat zodiac including lilies which are considered the luckiest flowers for the Year of the Rat.

 

Despite the very dry summer season, high temperatures and recent bushfires that were raging across Australia for the past 3 months, the exotic trees looked brightly green and luscious, the wide variety of blooming flower bushes were saturated with bright colours of the rainbow.  The ponds, filled with big fat white and red Koi fish were clean and looked tranquil.  According to the guidebook, the design of the garden follows the principles of 'Yin-Yang' – the balance of opposing yet complementary forces – the harmonious five elements of wood, fire, earth, metal and water.  

 

Even though there were other people here and there obviously enjoying the beauty of this inner-city oasis, we experienced a feeling of calm, serenity and we felt at a piece with the world.

How do you like to spend yours?  Is walking in the park your cup of tea or you are an adrenaline junkie?

Anna
xoxo

A SIMPLE LBD WORN TWO WAYS

I have great news our dining table is finally here but that is not all.  Two days later our new couch, that was due to be delivered in mid-February, also arrived so our living/dining room transformation has been completed and we all are loving the new look.  The table arrived on Saturday afternoon, just in time to have dinner with our friends that same evening.  For me, one of its best features is the surface that does not leave any marks nor scratches which means that I don't need to cover it with a tablecloth for protection and my Ecology dinner plates and serving platters from my beloved Wonki Ware look really nice against its charcoal colour.  

As you can see from the images, it was not a good idea to try and match the wood of new dining chairs to am old table, hence we took a different approach and bought a new table in a contrasting colour.  If you missed the beginning of my chairs/table saga, you can read it here.

But enough of that.  This is a fashion blog so let's talk about clothes.  I can't it about everyone but for many fashion bloggers that I follow, present company included, there is one criterion that they follow when shopping for a new item of clothing, it's diversity and versatility.  Case in point, my new summer sleeveless dress with a V-neckline and cross-over hem from Nana Judy which colour, quite coincidentally, is very similar to the colour of our new dining table. 😊😊😊

Its design is quite simple. it is made, the dress not the table, of a blend of cotton and elastane and is wrinkle-free which makes it ideal for travelling, besides its simple style and solid colour provide endless possibilities for layering and accessorising. depending on the time of day, activitiy or just your mood.  It looks equally lovely when worn casually with some flat sandals or sneaker,s or with some upscale accessories, high heel shoes and an evening handbag.  

I like that the pearls look luminous against the dark colour of the dress and give the whole look a feel of elegance and sophistication.  The chunky silver chain will work well too in keeping with the monochromatic look.  The other option is to contrast the cool grey hues with warm colours such as pink, yellow or orange in your accessories.

I decided to change the way to position the accompanying images and instead of placing them one underneath the other separated by the text, I placed then in juxtaposition of casual and formal styles.  I think it does help to illustrate my point without saying too much, or as the saying goes "One picture is worth a thousand words".  What do you think?