SIMPLE BLACK SLIP DRESS TWO WAYS

Hello dear friends,

I have an interesting confession to make.  Throughout my life I have owned quite a few LBDs and LBD (long) and all of them were either intricately constructed or made out of either fine expensive fabric or had some kind of decorative embellishment but never just a simple cotton black dress.

Well, that was about to change when my husband and I stepped inside Natalie Alamein boutique store in Bondi Beach.  Although this shop has been opened for a while and I happen to pass its windows at least three times a week on my regular runs, I have never been inside it.  Somehow, I always perceived that her clothes are meant for a younger crowd.

At a glance, my first impression of the clothes was confirmed: lots of short skirts and crop tops and body hugging dresses and the only thing I liked were the fabrics and the patterns.  Then I spotted a "Sale" rack and decided to take a closer look.

 

To my surprise, the selection was more to my taste and I chose two linen skirts, a wide sleeve blouse and a black slip-on dress and took them into a dressing room.  To my surprise, all items were reasonably priced, fitted well and I ended up buying all of what I had originally selected.

As the days grew warmer the dress became one of my most popular go-to outfits.  It was just a matter of slipping it over my head, slip on a pair of Havaianas (hugely popular footwear in Australia and worn all year around and not just to the beach) and set off to do my errands.

"WHO WOULD'VE THOUGHT THAT A SIMPLE BLACK DRESS
 COULD BE SO VERSATILE"

After wearing it for a couple of weeks, I decided to try and extend its functionality from just being plain casual outfit into something more elegant and stylish.  I often talk about the importance of accessories and their power to make or break an outfit.

SIMPLE BLACK SLIP DRESS TWO WAYS

The opportunity presented itself when I was getting ready for a lunch date. First I ditched the thongs and put on a pair of chunky sandals.  Then I added a long silver chain around my neck, clasped a silver cuff around my wrist and grabbed a leather day bag.  The transformation was complete.

Then one day we were going out to dinner and I was going through my wardrobe trying to decide what to wear when I spotted a silver sequined sparkly top I hadn't worn for a while.  As I was dressed in the black dress, I just slipped the top over it and checked in the mirror.  I liked the result, so it was just a matter of choosing the right accessories that would help me to transform a day dress into evening outfit. 

Who would've thought that a simple black dress could be so versatile?  Just imagine that it is a blank canvas and your jewellery, shoes, handbags and other accessories are the tubes of paint of different colours.  And all you need to do is to let your imagination run wild and let it create as many paintings (in our case outfits) as possible. 

I am wearing dress from Natalie Alamein, sandals from Gorman, court shoes and old handbag are from Louis Vuitton, cuff - Georg Jensen. 

Have a great weekend

Anna
xoxo

NOT ANOTHER LBD!!!

I can almost picture, like you, my dear readers rolling your eyes and exhaling a collective "Not another LBD!!!" when you read the heading of my current post and funny enough I would've reacted exactly the same way myself.  However, this dress from Marcs looked so cute on the rack and the price tag was so attractive (post Christmas, New Year, going out of season, etc sale) that I couldn't say no.

You can't have too many LBDs after all.  They all look the same to an untrained eye but we, ladies, know only too well that each one of these dresses is unique.  What kind of normal person would buy two identical dresses anyway?

There were a few reasons that were in favour of this dress:  first of all, I am still in love with non-traditional looking lace, second - I liked the playfulness of the silhouette which is not easy to find in clothes for my age that are described by the designers as age-appropriate, or in this instance - inappropriate. 

Handbag:  Bondi Markets

Bracelet:  Dinosour Designs

And speaking of being inappropriate, despite the fact the double-layered skirt with the fringe hem looks slightly shorter than is expected to be worn at my age but the high neck and the simple design of the bodice balances it off and despite the severity of the colour, sends a vibe of fun and carefree.

Dress:  Marcs

Shoes:  Gorman

Paired with the chunky Dalmatian-patterned clogs from Gorman is further proof that I don't want to take things too seriously.

LITTLE BLACK DRESS

I can feel that you are about to scream “Not another LBD!!!” and you would be right.  However, when talking about wardrobe essentials, it is mandatory to mention the importance of having a Little Black Dress in my wardrobe or what kind of stylista would I be without it.

A Little Black Dress from Valentino's "50th Anniversary" Exhibition

Dress:  Le'Elegante

Shoes:  Louis Vuitton

Cuff:  Hermes

As much as I try not to overburden my wardrobe with identical items, I ended up having two LBDs  - one with long sleeves for cold months and a short or sleeveless number for warm balmy nights.  Over the course of time, I came to realise that a black dress can last you a good few years before someone will notice that you wear the same dress time and time again.  Surely, if you have one of those elaborate ball gowns you bought for a very special occasion, I would be very careful not to wear it in the same crowd more then once. Case in point the dress I am wearing.  I wore three times:  once to the Italian National Ball and second time - to a wedding and the thirdt - to my 50th birthday party.  Since those three occasions involved almost everyone I know, there is a very slim chance me wearing this dress again. That's why my two other dresses are of a much version with almost no frills, bells and whistles and I wear them time and time again until I grow tired of them.

As I mentioned in my previous posts, accessories are the key to making a dress look different every time you wear it.  The possibilities are endless, as black is one of those colours that matches with every other possible hue, colour, pattern or fabric.  A black dress can easily be dressed up or down with an effortless transition from a regular daytime routine into a night of fun and adventure.

All you need to do is kick off your office flats and put on a pair of killer heels in black or contrasting colour (for a colour pop and more fun); and swap your modest necklace for a piece of eye catching jewelry. 

Dress:  Cue 

Shoes:  Manolo Blahnik

Bag:  Chanel

Necklace:  George Jensen

Dress:  Max Mara

Shoes:  Christian Louboutin

Bag:  Chanel

If your taste is on the more conservative side, pearls, real or fake, around your neck or in strands cascading down the front of your dress always speaks style and elegance.  Just think of Audrey Hepburn in “Breakfast at Tiffany’s”.

And most importantly, never leave home without dressing your lips in glamorous red.