A CASUAL STROLL AROUND SYDNEY "THE ROCKS"

Hello, dear friends.  What have you been up to so far?

Sadly, the COVID-19 situation has turned bad once again and for a month Sydney was declared a red zone and we were prohibited to travel anywhere beyond Greater Sydney boundaries which means that our options, when it came to entertainment, were limited by what Sydney had to offer.  Luckily for its inhabitants, it's quite a lot:  from sunny beaches to boat parties, endless cocktails on rooftop bars and al-fresco dining overlooking the lights of the famous Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House.

Walking the narrow winding streets of The Rocks, one of the oldest parts of Sydney, is one pastime that we never grow tired of.  There is history everywhere, you walk the old cobblestoned streets along sandstone buildings each of them has a colouful story behind it, you walk into the one of the oldest pubs in the country where they serve traditional pub grub in the dark and moody room with low beams and dark furniture.  

You step back into the sunlight and stroll to the famous Rocks Markets and admire the arts and crafts of local artisans, listen to the band playing soft jazz or sample the most delicious morsels of Australian produce.  The Rocks are is highly popular destination amongst the locals and tourists alike.

My dress for the day was a sleeveless dress from Mango that I bought on our holidays in Muscat, of all the places, in 2019.  This season the olive-green, khaki or any other colour in a similar hue is hugely popular for summer dresses as well as the floaty bell-shaped billowing, multilayered silhouette that has a slightly romantic and hippy vibe about it.  Besides, you feel so much cooler in a dress that does not cling to your body but rather lets in a breeze that keeps you cool.

Knowing that the streets of The Rocks are paved in cobblestones, I wore flat sandals with quite a thick sole which I normally take with me on my travels.

I always take with me some sort of a scarf or light pashmina, knowing too well that the hotter the weather outside, the more air-conditioned will be the indoors, whether it's a cafe, movie house, museum or a shopping centre.  Hence, my new Louis Vuitton silk scarf, a birthday gift from my husband, that I simply adore and wear it over almost everything.  My favourite style is a loose drape over the shoulders with a single knot slightly shifted to one side. And the Prada sunglasses and Hermes bracelet are also my 60th birthday gifts.

Until then,

Anna

xoxo

 

THE PUFF-SLEEVE TREND IS STILL ON

 Hello dear friends, how have you been so far?

This is my first post of 2021 and I want it to be special.  I am calling it an opening statement that conveys a message about my personality and fashion choices.

And what could be better to support such a statement like a dress in a strikingly contrasting and bold black and white stripes with voluminous shoulders and a daring asymmetrical slit like this from Rotate I am wearing today?  

Some might think that there are one too many strong features have been crammed into one dress and that less is more and I normally would agree but because the main silhouette of it is quite simple and fluid, all the elements seems to be in harmony with it and that is what attracted me to it.

  

This dress is definitely not for the "faint-hearted" but if you have confidence, believe in yourself and are not afraid of making a fashion statement, this dress is just for you.

When it came to choose what shoes I should wear with this dress, for a split moment I contemplated the thought of following the social convention and put on a pair of sneakers but then I was running the risk of minimising the impact of the dress which was not my intention, so I perished the thought right there and then.  Deep down I knew that the heels would be the only way to go and the higher they are, the better.  

And so I reached deep into my closet and got out a pair of shoes that I haven't worn for a very long time -  black high heel double strapped shoes with golden buckles that I purchased many years ago at the Louis Vuitton Mason Champs Elysees.  

The first few steps were quite shaky, I obviously forgot how to wear heels but then the instinct and the years of Pilates kicked in and I found my balance and strength of my core and everything fell into place.  The heels have an amazing power, no wonder women have been wearing them for centuries despite the warning from the orthopedics, but they give us height, improve our posture, elongate our legs and force us to walk with our heads held high.  

Having two strong pieces in one outfit was enough so my white tea-drop pearl earrings and a matching ring were my only other accessories.

SO HERE COMES MY NEW YEAR RESOLUTION-DON'T GIVE UP ON HEELS 👠👠👠!!!

What is yours?

Until then,

Anna

xoxo