A PERFECT DRESS FOR A SUNNY AUTUMN DAY

Hello everyone, hope you are all well.

For those of us who, like me, live in the Southern Hemisphere the weather seasons are always in reverse to the rest of the world which means that why people of Northern Hemisphere are looking forward to the upcoming summer, people who live below the equator are in the second month of autumn, aka fall which does not excite me in the slightest.  I just can’t stand that at four o’clock in the afternoon it is as dark outside as if it is midnight.   And although the temperature is definitely cooler than was a month ago, it is a perfect time of a year for wearing transitional clothes which is very similar to what I see a lot of my fellow blogers from Europe and North America wear once the winter is over but the summer is yet to come.

It is around this time of a year, that I like to sort out my clothes, store away shorts and singlets, pack away sandals and thongs and get winter pants, jumpers and coats out of the storage room.  It is also a time when I take a stock of what I have for the upcoming season, throw away the old clothes that I know for sure I wouldn’t be wearing and decide whether I need to buy some new clothes that will last me through the months of winter.

It is during this evaluation process that I realised that I need a new so called “transitional” dress, the one that I can wear without a coat and don’t feel cold and will be able to layer as the weather worsens.  I wanted a street dress, not too casual or too dressy, something I will be able to wear almost everywhere and I think this dress from Zara ticks all the boxes.

It is made out of a light fabric and I like the fact that the patterned flowers are relatively small and don’t distract attention from the silhouette of the dress.  It has ballooning sleeves gathered by a wide cuff and while the front is rather simple, all the action is focused on its back which has multiple pleats loosely bunched together by the skinny belt.  If you look at it from behind, it falls mid-calf while the front is about 10 cm shorter and fleetingly comes right above the knee.

As I said, it is autumn in Sydney and this dress is absolutely perfect for a cooler day no matter what season is outside, I will have plenty of opportunities to wear it.

That is the kind of dress that when you are in it, you don’t take yourself too seriously and that was exactly what I wanted.  To keep the mood light and a bit naughty, I paired it with fishnet stockings and ankle boots but I am pretty sure that it will look equally good worn with smart shoes or high-heeled boots.

NO MATTER WHAT SEASON IS OUTSIDE, I WILL HAVE PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITIES TO WEAR IT.

A simple necklace suspended from the rope and a bright red lipstick are my only accessories.

Linking up with Shelbee on the Edge, Fine Whatever Blog, Not Dressed as Lamb

HAVING FUN WITH BRIGHT COLOURS AND PRINTS

I absolutely adore bright colours, I like to wear them and I like to have them in my home. The vibrant colours brighten up my world, they fill me with positive energy and joy and help me to get through the day.  Sadly, as I walked through the shopping mall the other day, the predominant colours in the shopping windows were brown, black and neutral and the more mature the clothes become, the darker the colour palette become. It made me feel sad because women of certain age, like me, should not be denied the pleasure of being dressed in bright clothes nor should they be put off from doing so.

Yes, I know, we are heading into winter (in Australia that is) but even so, bright colours help us to break up the bleakness of winter, elevate the mood and add much needed colour to our pale complexions. 

It is a well known fact that the choice of colours reflects your personality, therefore the bold bright hues are not for everyone.  However, if you feel that a little injection of a vibrant colour would do no harm but are not sure where to start, a good way to tackle this challenge is to start with something small like a colourful scarf, a handbag or a pair of shoes and go from there.  As your confidence and a love for brightness builds up, you might like to wear a blouse or a jumper of a bright colour that suits your complexion and keep the bottom garment, skirt or pants, dark. 

 

Like every other colour on the Colour Wheel, the bright hues have different intensity and volume which means that their vividness could be modified and toned down a notch so instead of a rich red, it becomes a light pastel pink or according to Pantone 2016 Rose Quartz  or a pale yellow rather then canary yellow and rather than a deeply intense electric blue, you can settle for a neutral ice-blue colour, again described by Pantone as the Serenity colour of 2016.

I, on the other hand, like them really vibrant as seen in my previous posts and this outfit which I wore the other day to a girls lunch is yet another proof of my passion.

Top:  Rag & Bone

Pants:  Glassons

Sneakers:  Converse

Cuff:  Hermes
Sunglasses:  Ray Ban

According to colour psychology yellow is uplifting and illuminating, offering hope, happiness, cheerfulness and fun and that is exactly how I felt that day.  I wanted to look young, careless and full of energy I hope that my outfit reflected my mood: a bright sunny sleeveless top worn with ankle-length floral prints pants and paired with white Converse sneakers.  I also recently become the owner of The Horse watch, thanks to my darling husband and I really like it.  It is fresh, cool, young, modern and and compliments my outfit to a T.

Watch:  The Horse

Bright colours are fun and I would encourage everyone to include them into your wardrobe, wear them with confidence and look fabulous.

Linking with Not Dressed as Lamb , Posh Class Mom

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.