A TOUCH OF PINK

It has been quite a while since I touched my blog or read the posts of my fellow bloggers, I simply had no time for it.  Figuratively speaking, too many pots were cooking simultaneously on my stove.

As you might know from following my Instagram account that that I went to Japan with my teenage daughter recently, had few deadlines that I was struggling to meet and getting ready to host a big party for my granddaughter.

Anyhow I am back, the deadline has been submitted, the party is over and I can breeze easy and happy to re-join my fellow bloggers, readers, friends and followers.  I will write a detailed report about our trip to Japan later but, in a nutshell, I must tell you that travelling with a teenagers, was quite a challenge and required both physical and psychological endurance.  I am sure she has something similar to say about me.  More about it later but for know let's talk about clothes.

My most recent scrolls through Instagram and fashion blogs have revealed how many of us, present company included, like wearing pink and it is no wonder that is become one of the fashion colours for 2017 according to the Pantone Fashion Colour Report Spring 2017

In fact, there were not just one but a few shades of pink that made it to the Report: from pretty and pure and neutral pale pink to the attention grabbing hot hues and tones of other pink shades in between.

I can't say that this subdued colour dominates my wardrobe, I like my hues and patterns to be more present but when I saw this blouse hanging off the rack in a Zara store few years ago, I fell in love with its muted soft almost neutral colour.  I liked the subtle presence of pink that can be matched with so many other colours and patterns and also how it reflects on the skin with a gentle glow.

I also liked that fact that although it does not have a collar, it's open neck adds a sense of freedom. The fabric is so soft that it allows you either to tuck the blouse in a rather loose manner or not at all, without compromising on the body shape.

All these years I have called a light pink colour blouse but after I read Pantone Report, I discovered that it actually called Pale Dogwood.

Over the years I have combined it with all sorts of skirts and pants, depending on my mood and the occasion, although more often than not I like to play with different textures, mixing strong prints with neutrals and my pencil skirt in black and white with big bold front buttons is one of the most common combos you might see me wearing.

When it come to footwear, I have quite clear set of rules about what shoes should I wear with what outfit.  For instance, if I am going to wear a shift  or tunic dress, I would most probably would wear it with flats and if I am about to wear a pencil skirt, I prefer to pair it with high-heeled pumps or open toe shoes.   If  I know that it is going to be long day and my feet will get tired, I would settle for low-heeled dress shoes.

I like wearing pencil skirts because they tend to make us look slimmer and high heels do the same to our legs so wearing them together seems like a perfect match. (However, it is worth mentioning, that if I am wearing a pencil denim skirt, I will wear flats matched with black tights).

My other staple that I chose to wear with a pencil skirt is a fitted blazer which sometimes I just like to throw over my shoulders rather then put it on properly.  A black duster coat worn casually over the skirt is my other choice.

What is your favourite?

Until then
Anna
xo

HOW I STYLED WHITE DENIMS FOR A DINNER PARTY

Hello my dear readers and fellow bloggers, hope you are all well.

My life has been rather hectic lately, what with the arrival of my first granddaughter and my younger daughter being on school holidays, I sometimes didn’t know what to do first.

One thing I know for sure is that after seeing so many pictures of my fellow bloggers wearing white jeans, I wanted to have a pair of my own.  I didn’t want to buy them in summer as it was too hot to wear them anyway but now that summer is over and the days are cooler, it is a perfect time to don a pair of whites.

When I finally made it to the shops, I had spent a fair amount of time choosing a pair of white jeans that was right for me.  This time I stayed away from anything that was distressed, torn or frayed.  I wanted something less trendy and more classic, something that could last me for a couple of seasons and could be easily dressed up and down depending on the occasion. I will be experimenting with the looks as the time goes by so expect to see more about them.

I settled on a pair of white denims from J Brand, without any bells and whistles, not too skinny or cropped, in other words exactly what I was looking for.

A few days later I had an opportunity to put them to the test.  We were invited to dinner at a restaurant that could be described as fine dining without the highly starched table cloth – an ideal place to wear designer jeans providing that your accessories are top notch.

I figured that the best way to go would be to revert to the classic combo, black and white.  Traditionally, you will wear black on the bottom with white on top but tonight I decided to wear them in reverse.

I contemplated wearing my pearls but thought that they would be more suite for a “going to the Opera" look and chose a black and white scarf instead.

It belonged to my late mother-in-law and I felt very privileged when my father-in-law, who lives in Cape Town, asked my husband on his last visit if I would like to inherit her collection.  When my husband returned home and unpacked his bag to show me the collection, I lost my speech.  I knew that she loved scarfs but I couldn’t imagine the extent of the collection.

I have started fashioning them on the blog lately (here, here and here) but it would take me many posts to share all them with you.

I loved this scarf the minute I took it out of the suitcase.  It brought back the nice memories of seeing these graceful animals in their natural habitat in the game parks of South Africa that we visited during our annual visits to Cape Town to see my husband’s parents when my mother in-law was still alive.

When I looked at it, I thought it was just a simple zebra print but on the closer inspection I could see an animal’s head with its big brown eyes looking directly at me.

Sadly, when I tried to tie around my neck the bandana in a way to show off the zebra’s head, it looked like I was wearing a bib, so I had to turn it around.

I deliberately kept the black and white monochrome throughout my entire outfit, the only colour pop that I indulged were the red soles of my Christian Louboutin shoes and a red gloss on my lips.

Don’t you think that this scarf is adorable?  Do you like wearing scarf or prefer to leave them out of your outfit?  Would like to hear your take on it.

Until then.

Anna

xo 

Linking up with The Pleated Poppy, Seeking Sunshine, Living on Cloud Nine, High Latitude Style, Not Dead Yet Style

HOW I STYLED FLORAL PRINT SKINNY PANTS

Floral printed pants are very trendy right now.  They are sexy and chic and extremely versatile as they can be worn with all different kinds of tops, shoes and accessories.  Their versatility ranges from a stylish office-appropriate dress replacement all the way to summer parties when you don’t feel like sporting a dress.  Whether you are after a boho, sport, street smart or chic look, floral pants could be found in every fashionista’s closet. 

I chose a pair of slim cut pants with a mid-rise (no muffin top) and slightly cropped bottoms that fit straight at the ankle, so they are great with pumps and flats alike and could be worn any time of the day for different venues and various occasions.  

And that is what I always look for when shopping for a new piece of clothing – its adaptability and versatility.  I love mixing and matching and before I pay for my new purchase, I always try to imagine how many outfits would I get out of it.  If the number is greater than two, I part with the money.

Handbag:  Chanel (I wore it here)

Cuff:  Hermes (I wore it here)

Surely, not all items in the wardrobe could be or should be worn anywhere anytime.  We need special clothes for special occasions and events but when I shop for a day to day clothing I always imagine how many new outfits will it help me to create and when I can come up with more than two, then I buy it.

There are so many awesome and creative ways to wear printed pants this year. For day-time life, I love to wear them with flat mannish like shoes or sneakers and a t-shirt or a simple blouse or a neutral slouchy sweater for cool summer nights.

For something more exciting, I prefer a sexy chic and sleek look and that’s when a pair of classic black high heel pumps with a silk elegant top come to rescue.   And don’t forget about accessories – a statement cool bracelet, a cute hand bag or eye-catching earrings would add quality and volume to your outfit.

If you like this bright and colourful trend but are not quite confident to plunge into it head first, choose the prints in subdued soft pastels or neutral colours; and when you feel more confident, you can always add colour and spice to your outfit by wearing a bright top, a pair of killer shoes, some eye catching jewelry or just brightly painted lips.

Street Look

Pants - Glassons, shoes - Christian Dior, handbag:  Chanel (I wore it here), hand cuff:  Hermes (I wore it here), Earrings:  Swarovski, top - Zara.