HOW TO STYLE YOUR CASUAL OUTFIT FOR THE OFFICE

Hello my dear friends, trust you are all well.

I feel that I have to acknowledge the current situation which our world is currently facing a very dangerous disruption of peace and we are all holding our collective breath and praying that this crisis will soon be resolved with the least amount of loss of human lives.  I am not intending to use my blog as a political platform for a discussion about who is right and who is wrong I just think that we as human beings cannot stick our heads in the sand and pretend that nothing has happened. 

Having said that, let's talk about fashion.  With more and more people now returning back to their respective offices, it is becoming a big challenge for some of us to shed off our track pants and slippers and don a corporate uniform and uncomfortable shoes.  So today I would like to share with you my vision on how to make a simple casual look more office appropriate.

Luckily for employees, the post-Covid dress code rules are much more relaxed and lots of offices let people wear their casual outfits for work.  That said, it does not mean that your outfit should look sloppy and baggy but with a few little tweaks you can make your casual outfit look stylish and office appropriate.

My office also jumped on this band-wagon  and has fully embraced the casual dress code and I find myself liking it more and more.  In the beginning of the "return to the office" era,  I was reluctant to succumb to it, I was missing my office clothes and was desperate to shed off the lycra tights and running shoes but gradually I began to appreciate the appeal of  casual clothing, especially on the days when straight after work I drove to pick up my granddaughter from school and her little brother from day-care and stay with them until their parents came home from work.  And for that reason I decided to update my casual wardrobe and went and bought myself a new pair of Levi's 312 black jeans, and a couple of plain t-shirts in different colours from Zara that I can easily glam up with the help of good jewellery or an expensive silk scarf.  

I also would like to share with you my new Sullivan leather bag from Proenza Shouler from their White Label collection that was a birthday gift from my husband.  It has a classic bucket silhouette and is crafted from smooth leather and can be carried either in the hand or over the shoulder.  Despite its size (which comes handy when you need to bring some fruit and snacks for the kids) and metallic fixtures, it is very light and soft and I enjoy carrying it around.  

The last but not least addition to my wardrobe is a pair of thin three-strap mules with a curved block heel in mint green from Alohas. that I like to wear them paired with black jeans when I go to the office and with sneakers or slides on my days off.

I had never heard about this brand before.  I came across it while scrolling an on-line sale of Australia's most fashionable David Jones department store.  Apparently, the brand was founded in Hawaii, hence its name, and is known for its sustainable and artisanal approach to their range of women's shoes.

My accessories are also of different hues of green including my oversized antique pendant that can be worn as a brooch, earrings and a couple of bangles.

If you follow my blog, you might know that I love scarves and wear them all year round but the day when I was wearing this outfit was too hot for it but I definitely will wear it around the office if not for style but to keep myself warm from the chill blaze of the air-conditioner😄.

What is the dress code in your working environment?

Until then,

Anna

xoxoxo

ZODIAK ASTROLOGY STARS MOOD SILK BLOUSE TWO WAYS

Hello my dear readers, how are you all?

Today I am sharing with you my new Zodiac Astrology Stars Moon silk blouse from Zara.  

I was immediately attracted to the unusual print and the colour scheme.  I love the injection of turquoise blue over the black background with the different celestial bodies, stars and constellations spread all over it.  The other feature that appealed to me is the wide white and black border running along the cuffs and the bottom of the blouse creating an impression that all the images have been framed together.

What came as the surprise were two facts:  one the blouse was 100% pure silk and two - it had rather high price tag in comparison with other items I've purchased from this global brand over the years.  Yet, the price was still reasonably lower than if I was buying it from a more upmarket store, so I didn't mind😉.

It is obvious that this blouse will be the focal point of my outfit and all other elements will play second fiddle, hence I paired it with my recently purchased black slim pants from Reiss seen here and my long black coat.

However, not wanting my outfit to be too somber, I decided to wear my old Mary Jane style shoes in turquoise to highlight the print of the same hue on my shirt and make the outfit look more cohesive.

As for my accessories, I've chosen silver earrings and rings, and added my old cocktail blue ring from Swarovski.  

I was just about to press "Publish" button when my husband asked me to join him on his walk around the neighbourhood.  That gave me an idea to try and give this blouse a test of versatility and wear it with a pair of jeans and sneakers?  Turned out, it passed the test.  What do you think, my lovelies💖? Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.

Until then,

Anna

xoxoxo