ADD A COLOUR PUNCH TO A CLASSIC BLACK AND WHITE

Hi everyone,

I love shift dresses and this one is one of my favourites.  It has an easy feel about it, suits almost all body shapes and thanks to its strong monochromatic print does not require much accessorising.  Made out of thick cotton, it is perfect for Sydney's winter.  I usually wear it with thick black leggings under a warm winter coat.

Today the temperature has climbed up a little and I was able to ditch my warm coat in favour of a much lighter version and take a nice stroll through the park with my husband.

This coat is one of my favourites because of its print:  while its colour combo of black and white speaks of timeless elegance, its animal print carries a totally different message, telling the world that the women wearing this coat likes to have some fun with fashion.

Last Saturday while sitting in the hairdresser's chair waiting for the hair colouring to take effect and flipping through a home styling magazine, I came across an image of a beautifully decorated living room with the comment underneath saying:

"

START WITH THE TIMELESS BLACK AND WHITE, THEN ADD PUNCH AND PERSONALITY

"

 and although that comment was referring to a room, I can't see why it could not equally be applied to fashion.

Once I've read what I wrote, I  realised that this post is rather short but hey, sometimes a picture worth a thousand words, right?

I am wearing a dress from Zara, coat from Joan Lambert, boots by Robert Clergerie, handbag by Coach.

Until then

Anna

xo

Linking up with Shelbee on the Edge, Fine Whatever blog

BLACK, READ AND BLUE - CHAMBRAY COAT (LOOK #2)

Hi everyone,

Previously on Looking Fabulous @ 50 I was showing you my new chambray dress that I wore it as a coat over my summer outfit of cropped linen pants and a tee (Look #1).  However, lately I discovered that it looks as good with darker, heavier fabrics which means a few extra outfit combos.

Someone made an interesting observation the other day: "Weekends are precious, "Two glorious days devoid of responsibility and overflowing with possibility". My sentiment entirely provided that I know or at least have a slightest idea of what u want to do, where I would like to go, what would I want to see and what kind of food I feel like eating, otherwise I am in tatters and every member of my household is keeping as far away from me as it is physically possible.

I don’t think I have ever been spontaneous, I belong to a group of people who like to plan their holidays, meals and weekends well in advance. I can’t just wake up on a Saturday morning not knowing what to do and just “go with the flow” and it definitely does not work for me when someone suggests that I should just "veg”, I need to be somewhere doing something. Could it be that I am suffering from some kind of FOMO syndrome?

Anyhow, that how I was feeling last Saturday. We didn’t have any plans for the day, there was nothing to see at the movies and I couldn’t make up my mind about what I would like to have for lunch and so my husband suggested that we should get dressed and get out of the house and be spontaneous. Besides, we had no food in a house so we were forced to go out to eat anyway. So as you can imagine, it didn’t go very will with me and thus my mood remained in the dark.

Studies show that our outfit choices are made to reflect the mood we are in at the moment and my clothes on that Saturday morning was a living proof of this statement – black pants, black jumper, and black shoes and, you guessed it, black coat. Of course, the situation was not that bad, I guess I was a bit of drama queen but we are allowed to act like one sometimes, right?

Then the phone rang, did I hear someone just said "saved by the bell"? It was a dear friend of ours who just returned from the trip interstate asking us to join him and his latest lady-friend for lunch at the local bistro. Had it been someone else, I would’ve said “no” but I was very curious to meet his latest conquest, besides spending time with him is always a lot of fun. Oh well, that changed everything, almost. My mood immediately soared and so should my outfit.

Since I was already dressed, I didn’t want to change my clothes, however I was well aware that my look was quite sombre and in dire need of injection of some fun. And what could be an easier way of doing it? By wearing some bold and colourful accessories, what else?

Few years ago my daughter, knowing my penchant for statement pieces of jewellery, brought me a very funky multi-coloured necklace that was exactly what I needed. Its brightly coloured pieces looked even more strikingly against my black Cos jumper. Ever since this brand has opened its doors in my local shopping centre few months ago, I’ve become a regular visitor to it. I already bought a dress that I find myself wearing quite often (worn here) and this jumper is my latest acquisition.

But I didn’t stop there. Some people say less is more and some, others, like the stylist to the celebrities Rachel Zoe for example, say more is more. Today was the day for the latter. I discarded my black shoes and handbag and instead put on lace up flats in red patent leather that I bought many years ago at Gallery Lafayette in Paris and added a matching colour LV bag.

When I checked my outfit in the mirror, I thought the pants looked rather long, so I rolled up the cuffs and that added a relaxed feel to my outfit. Once again, my new chambray coat came as a perfect addition to my casual look.

Needless to say, to my husband’s greatest relief, I left home with a big smile on my face and, as I hoped, the four of us had a ball.

The moral of the story:  take it easy, go with the flow and be spontaneous.

Linking up with High Latitude Style, Elegantly Dressed and Stylish, Fashion Should be Fun, Sydney Fashion Hunter, Style Nudge, Fine Whatever, Not Dressed as Lamb

BLACK + WHITE WITH A SPLASH OF BRIGHT|HOW I STYLED BLACK JOGGER PANTS

Until last week, I had not been a big fan of the so called “Streetwear” trend – sweatpants and shirts, hoodies and singlets are not exactly my cup of tea, I prefer to wear garments with more shape-defined silhouettes and classier looks.  Then one day, while I was browsing through the racks of denims at the J Brand counter of David Jones department store, I spotted a pair of black jogger pants. 

They were not exactly what I was looking for but I thought, why not?  Every now and then you should get out of your comfort zone and do something you have never done before and here was my chance, so I paid the price and brought them home.

It was the time to figure out how I am going to wear the jogger pants.  Since it was my first close encounter with this style of pants, my initial look was quite obvious:  casual top, jogger pants and a pair of white Converse – nice and simple.  

However, true to my own style, I wanted my outfit to look more sleek and stylish without compromising the relaxed and comfortable feel. I kept the singlet and quirky sunglasses but ditched the sneakers for a pair of low-heel comfortable leather shoes in eye-popping red that together with a vibrant Hermes scarf (also worn here) pack a high-octane punch to my otherwise monochromatic colour scheme. 

LESSON LEARNT:  GET OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE AND DO SOMETHING YOU NEVER DONE BEFORE!!!

 My new Messenger bag from Furla (another gift from my beloved husband) was just the right accessory to polish the sport luxe look. 

ACCESSORIES IN EYE-POPPING COLOURS BRING A HIGH-OCTANE PUNCH TO YOUR OUTFIT


Jogger Pants:  J Brand
Singlet:  Zara
Shoes:  Chloe
Bag:  Furla
Scarf:  Hermes
Cuff:  Dinosaur Designs
Sunglasses:  Bondi Markets (worn here)
Watch: The Horse (worn here)

Linking up with: Style elixir, Not Dressed as Lamb, 40+ Style, Elegantly Dressed and Stylish, Blog Chicks

SPRING/SUMMER FASHION TREND 2015 - GREY IS NEW BLACK

Grey is yet another colour that has taken centre stage this season, in fact it was declared the season’s new black (see my previous blog on the colour blue).  Grey is a neutral intermediate colour that sits between black and white and this is the reason why it has such a wide range of shades to play with:  from dark moody charcoal to a light, fluid aluminium, or a futuristic stainless steel, as described by the Pantone Colour Institute, it has been used by many European fashion houses and has become one of the dominants in their 2015 fashion shows.

This is such an adaptable colour that even in cheap fabrics it still looks expensive, elegant and classy.  It is great for layering, texturing and colour popping.  What I like about grey it that it works perfectly with contrasting colours enhancing their hues and allowing them to take centre stage.

Coat:  Top End

Dress:  Lanvin (I wore it here)

Shoes:  Christian Laboutin (i wore it here)

Bag:  Chanel (I wore it here)

 True to my shopping mantra, the first thing I do before rushing off to the shops, is to check my existing wardrobe and see if I can find something in grey that, with the help of fresh clothes and accessories could be brought back to life.  Even an old t-shirt could look modern paired with white skinny jeans, a great pair of shoes and a blazer.

Pants:  Lee (I wore them here)

Shoes:  Ted Baker (I wore them here)

If the minimalistic approach to clothing is your style, think about an elongated coat that will always look classic and chic with a white crisp blouse and a pencil skirt underneath. 

Knit:  Sportcraft

Skirt:  Zara

Shoes & Bag:  Louis Vuitton

Long knit turtleneck jumpers and cardigans are among this season’s must have essentials, they have a lot of textures without being bulky and look great with slim cut pants and skirts.

T-shirt:  Sportscraft

Pants:  Gladstones

Shoes:  Lee

Cardigan:  Lounge

If you are not a fan of wearing brights but still want to break the monochromatic streak of grey, you can pair it with pastels; they go with grey very well, especially dusty or light pink.

Accessories such as scarves, shoes, handbags and jewellery speak about your personality, your tastes and style type and help you to make your outfit feel complete and polished.

 

One more thing, crimson lips is the greatest accessories of them all; paint your lips read, dress yourselves in fashionable grey and you are bound to look fabulous!

ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK

I have always loved the colour orange.  It makes me feel happy, reminds me of the sunny days of summer and most importantly, it flatters my skin tone, as it does for other types, bringing a natural glow and radiance to the skin. 

I am often asked how to find what a particular colour matches with.  My advice is to look at the colour wheel.   As a rule, the colour in question is best to be paired with the colours that sit on the right and left of the colour in question.  These are called harmonious colours.  If you are after a strong contrast of colours and wish to create a dramatic statement, go for the colours that sit exactly on the opposite side on the colour wheel.  These are called complimentary colours.

Top: Simona

Skirt:  Zara (I wore it here)

Shoes:  Louis Vuitton (I wore it here)

Another way to enhance the beauty of this strong hue is to wear it together with similarly strong pattern such as with animal prints or with with a black and white motif and keep the accessories to a minimum.

And despite the fact that it was trendy a few years ago, I still love to wear my orange shirt or skirt and put on my shockingly bright orange Dolce & Gabanna sling backs.

Skirt:  Karen Millen
Top:  D&G
Shoes:  Dolce & Gabbana

SUNSET AND NEGRONI TWIST

Hello everyone,

This outfit reminds me of our holiday in Bali.  One particular night when we were sitting on the terrace of a bar overlooking the rice paddies, watching the yellow sun slowly disappear into the ocean, drinking Negroni Twist cocktail and watching the sky gradually changing its colours from bright red to inky purple like the colours on my palazzo pants.

At first I was hesitant to wear them but then one day I put them on, added a bright yellow top and when I looked at myself in the mirror my face lit up and my spirits soared.  I was in my element and those of you who follow my blog, know that I am in love with bright hues even if it is only just a red lipstick.

Who has never been admonished by the older generation with the words of wisdom such as “You must dress according to your age” at least once in his life?  When you are young and daring, your parents and teachers are constantly trying to put a stop to the way you dress and wear make-up all the time but when you finally grow up and are free of their rules and become your own person, it turns out that you are too old to wear short dresses and cut out denim shorts and the colour scheme of your clothes should be no brighter than 50 shades of grey.

Well, I decided to go against the flow and prove that this rule is not always applicable. Certainly, going out dressed top to bottom in bright hues is not everyone’s cup of tea, taking in consideration your skin complexion, hair colour and overall body shape.  However, if you do love wearing bright colours but want to play it safe, you can inject a little dose of sunny hues with a little help from your accessories.  Shoes and scarves, for example, are perfect for a colour pop without throwing you out of your comfort zone.

I totally understand that women with rather conservative tastes in clothing might think that my outfit is far too bright and frivolous for a woman my age.  The white blouse is a perfect solution for toning the colours down just a notch while the nude colour low heel closed shoes add a touch of sophistication to the outfit without killing off its summer spirit.

Anyhow, the sun is shining brightly here in OZ so I invite you to embrace the colours of summer – wear bright clothes, have a drink, enjoy the sunset and be fabulous!!!

Cheers!!!

I am wearing:  ;pants - Zara, tops - Zara, handbag - Bvlgari, sandals - Urge, shoes - Dolce & Gabbana, kimono- Bali markets

Linking up with Style Elixir, Fashion Should be Fun

SUMMER ESSENTIALS - CAPRI PANTS

Hello again, everyone

I trust that you all had a fantastic Christmas and are gearing up for New Year!!!

Ours is going to be quite modest due to my husband’s heart operation which he had in September, we don't want to go anywhere which is remotely crowded or too noisy.  So we are planning to have a fabulous dinner with our friends at a restaurant called Monopole and we will watch the fireworks from their apartment overlooking the Harbour Bridge.

Now that Christmas is over it does not mean that we, in OZ, stop partying.  There is still New Year to come and as summer is in full swing in the Southern Hemisphere, we, Australians spend a great deal of time outdoors eating, drinking, swimming, sailing and generally having a ball.

And what is one the great fashion staples that is perfect for summer weather?  The answer is a pair of Capri pants.  I will be honest with you, I have never been a big fan of short pants.  I have seen so many women wearing these type of pants that did not suit them that I quite often felt tempted to ask why would they wear such unflattering clothes?  

Then one day I walked into a Trenery store and saw a pair of white linen Capri pants.  Actually, I was looking for regular white slacks but I saw these and decided to give them a go.  As is my common practice, I brought them home and then spent the next hour mixing and matching them with what was in my closet to see how they would work together.

Mixing and matching is a lot of fun, it is a great skill that becomes better with practice.  It helps to utilise the contents of your wardrobe to its maximum capacity.  Once you have mastered it, you will be surprised about how many different looks you can create and how many various outfits you actually own.  Not to mention that is a very practical way to save money and time so you don’t have to look for a new dress every time you received an invitation to a dinner party.

Following wise saying that, "a picture worth is a thousand words", I decided to take a different approach to writing about fashion and instead of just telling you what type of pants you should or should not wear, etc. (cyberspace is clogged with websites giving women this type of advice, so that there is nothing new left to add) but rather I will share with you some images of my take on Capri pants. I sincerely hope that they would give you some ideas and inspiration on how to wear yours.

However, if you have any questions to this post or any of my previous publications, please drop me a line and I would be more than happy to help.

On this note I wish you all a fabulous New Year and I will see you again in 2015!!!

Until then

Black and White is always trendy

Pants:  Trenery

Shoes:  Senso
T-shirt:  Sportsgirl

Sunglasses:  Ray Ban

Elegant shoes and smart jacket will change the look from casual to chic

  

Jacket:  Zara

Shoes:  Miu Miu (as before)

Bag:  Coach (as before)

With the help of an oversized tunic and contrasting shoes I am ready to rock 

Top:  Prada

Cardigan:  Sloane Society

Shoes:  Chloe

Keep it simple and let the accessories do the talking

T-shirt:  Trenery

Shoes:  ZaZou