PARTY ESSENTIALS - A SILK SKIRT AND A STRAPPY CAMISOLE

Hello dear friends, how are you all?

Although the festive season is officially over and the majority of people have resumed their work, unofficially, we are still in a party mode which runs all through the month of January and culminates on the 26 of January on Australia Day, the official National Day of Australia .  On this day we reflect on the highs and lows of our history and celebrate our nation and its people. 

 

It is a national public holiday, of course, and all over the country people gather around BBQs in their backyards, parks, beaches and many other public places and party all day and night long.  The main highlight of the day is the fireworks 🎆fired from boats and yachts all along the coast with the main and the most spectacular one that could be seen for miles is from our iconic Harbour Bridge.

It is also the pick of Australian summer , the days are hot and long and people like to flock to the shores straight from their offices for a drink, a bite, a refreshing swim or just a nice walk along the promenade.  It is this multi-tasking that requires some clever strategy when it comes to should wear and when.  You need something work appropriate but at the same time something which with a little adjustment like a change of shoes or sparkly accessories which will reflect the party mood 🎉.

For me, a nice looking skirt is a perfect answer to such a dilemma.  But before you rush to the shop to buy one, here are few points you might like to consider:

 - Have a clear idea of what is the purpose of the new skirt?  What occasions would you wear it to?  Is it for work, play or both?

 - Think about the style of skirt that suits your body shape best.  Are you a pencil skirt type or do you fancy a full ruffle one?  Do you like it to be short, midi or maxi?  Do you prefer a belt or elastic waist?

 - What tops will you mostly be wearing it with?  If your wardrobe is full of single coloured tops, then you might like to look for a skirt that has a nice colourful print or a pattern and vice versa.  Think about versatility, the more looks you can get out of it, the better.

Once you make up your mind about the style, colour and purpose of the skirt, let's talk about the fabric.  It might sound a bit indulgent, but I find that spending good money on a skirt that is made of high-end fabric whether it's silk, cashmere, wool, leather etc it is  the worth spending a bit extra as these luxury textiles will stand the test of time and your outfit will always look like a million bucks.

Over the years I have developed a strategy when it comes to shopping for expensive items.  If I see a nice piece of clothing that I would like to have but feel that it is out of my budget, I would wait for the end of the season sale and 9 times out of 10, I score a bargain 👍. I might not wear my purchase this season but if you are not chasing the fads and trends but rather are after classic timeless pieces, you will look great in it the next season.

This skirt from Ganni ticks all the boxes for me.  I was on the lookout for a right skirt for some time, the one that I would wear for going out but at the same time I wanted it to be easily adaptable for other purposes.  One day browsing David Jones department store on-line sale I found the skirt I was looking for.  I was attracted to its tie-die print and rather unusual asymmetric hem, not to mention the fact that its price was heavily discounted.  

When the skirt arrived, I decided to put its versatility to the test.  First, I wanted to make sure that it would look good paired with the black satin strappy camisole I just bought from Zara.  Satisfied with the look, I tried it on with the couple of other tops and was quite pleased with the result.  Even pairing it with a pair of sneakers and a oversized knit jumper worked well with it.

Today's occasion is a weekend lunch with the good friends of ours whom we haven't seen for a while at Kingsleys, one of restaurant situated on Finger Warf, one of the trendiest outdoor areas in the whole of Sydney.  

It's a typical summer day in Sydney - hot, sunny 🌞and luckily for us, breezy, especially near the water so the  We came here for the restaurant's specialty, salt and pepper mud crab which we washed down with a bottle of chilled wine.  The food was superb as was the dessert and the company - sheer delight.  There is no better way to spend the weekend.  

As I mentioned, the day was quite warm so the black slip top was a perfect match to the skirt.  For the same reason, I didn't wear anything around my neck but instead put on oversized black earrings and to balance them off -  a statement cuff 

What are your plans for the weekend?

What I wore:

Skirt - Ganni

Cami - Zara

Shoes - Country Road (Old)

Bag - Bvlgari (Old)

Glasses - Prada (Old)

Bone Cuff- Elsa Peretti for Tiffany

 

AUSTRALIAN SUMMER ESSENTIALS - LINEN SHIRT

Hello dear friends,

It has been a very slow start for me.  Just I recovered from the NY party’s hangover and was getting myself organised, I was tested positive for COVID 😢and we all had to self-isolate.  For some inexplicable reason, I am the only one in our family of three who was tested positive, however Australian health regulations dictate that not only do I have to isolate for 7 days👍(recently reduced from 14😨) but all other members of our household should too so here we are, I am locked in our bedroom in the grip of boredom while my husband and my daughter are trying not to strangle each other in the rest of the house.   To tell you the truth, the Omicron strain is not too bad health-wise, it feels more like a common cold and if not for the pandemic ranging across Australia like a bushfire, I would’ve totally ignored it and carried on regardless but these days one can’t be to careful or ignorant.

Luckily, in anticipation of my husband’s upcoming radiotherapy, we managed to stage a few photoshoots so I will be able to continue my blogging.

So here it is, my first post of 2022.  If you read my last one of 2021, you might recall that it was about Australian summer essentials (a long-sleeve dress).  Today, continuing with this topic, it is about a linen shirt.  Although hugely popularized and commonly associated with everything Italian, the linen shirt in Australia has a totally different life. 

Here is worn over a bikini on the way to the beach to protect us from the sun while providing a cooling effect thanks to the lightness of the natural fibers of the fabric.   And once you are done on the beach, you can just tuck it into your skirt or shorts and go straight to dinner.

But on a cool summer day and we reach for it again, this time to keep us warm without taking away the feeling of summer. 

When we were travelling in Japan few years ago, the summer temperature in Tokyo was at its peak, yet the locals looked cool as cucumbers.  On closer inspection, I’ve noticed that rather than wearing a t-shirt or sleeveless tops, instead they were dressed in long-sleeve loose fit linen shirts or blouses.

So when I decided to get one for myself, I followed in their footsteps and went to Uniqlo, a Japanese manufacturer and retailer of casual clothing. Naturally, I was stunned by the variety of colours and styles of clothes made out of linen.  I stopped at the huge counter heaving under the stack of women’s shirts trying to determine which colour should I choose.  After a quick deliberation, I settled for the button-down classic shirt in a dark grey colour.  I figured that while it looks casual enough to be worn to the beach, with the help of appropriate accessories and clothes, it could do well beyond it.

Today I am pairing it with white jeans from J-Brand, white and black monogrammed sneakers from LV, light grey Furla handbag and silver earrings by Elsa Peretti for Tiffany.