HOW TO STYLE BERMUDA SHORTS WHEN GOING TO AN ART EXHIBITION

 Hello dear friends, how are you all?

February is officially the last month of the Australian summer and statistically the hottest month with the highest level of humidity which does not do any good to my hair.  Hence, it is not my most favourite time of summer.  I used to love a day like that but lately I prefer the cooler weather, at least in the evening and at night.  I love going down to the beach for a sundowner when the sun has not touched down until after 8 pm but its rays have lost their intensity and everything becomes rather subdued and the fresh breeze caresses your skin and you reach for your linen blazer to drape it over your shoulders while sipping an Aperol Spritz and watching the world going by.

The linen blazer is one piece of clothing that I wear a lot through autumn, spring and even in summer.  Like today, for example, we went to a local art gallery to view a private collection of contemporary artists that was on sale as a part of an estate - not a grand affair by any standards to qualify for a dress -up but not a drink night at our local pub either.  So I decided to merge the two vibes into one - party on the top, casual on the bottom.

Once I knew in which direction I was going, the rest was just a matter of choosing what top would I like to wear over the pair of Bermuda shorts and what else in my wardrobe could assist me in elevating this outfit.  

Thus I settled for a sleeveless satin top in a warm orange colour, a neutral coloured linen blazer that I could wear over it or just drape it over my shoulders and a silk orange scarf with a black and white geometrical print that I tied over my Furla handbag.  It became useful once we stepped inside the gallery and were greeted by the chill blast coming from the air-conditioning.

The collection was amazing, from Andy Warhol to great Australian artists like Charles Blackman and Sidney Nolan with price tags way out of our league but we still enjoyed it.

Afterwards we took a walk around the grounds, taking pictures and admiring the beautifully landscaped and maintained gardens.

Until then,

Anna

xoxoxo

HOW TO DRESS FOR OFFICE RETURN

Hello everyone, how are you all?

As our lives are gradually returning to BC (Before Covid) style, more and more businesses are encouraging their employees to return to the office.  While it could be a blessing for some, others feel rather confronted by the idea of using public transport, wasting valuable time in traffic or just simply gave up their comfortable lounge clothes which they used to wear during the last two years.

My office never asked us to WFH (work from home) anyway so I can’t be a part of this dilemma, however if you are facing the fact of return, you might feel relieved that the road map to rediscovering dressing for business is more mix and match inspiration and having confidence in mixing moods rather than rigidly following top-to-toe tailored approach that was expected from the office workers in the past.  In other words, it is an organic blend between two worlds, business and casual, and I quite like it.

These days court shoes have been replaced by the smart looking sneakers or even open toe flats, crisp shirts and fancy blouses – by simple t-shirts and sharp-cut blazers by knitted cardigans and biker jackets. 

Don’t worry if you have an after work engagement like going out to a fancy dinner or a cocktail party or to the opera house for a classical concert or an opera.  With few little tweaks, your outfit can be easily transformed into more formal look.  A pair of dress shoes, a beautiful necklace or a pair of statement earrings, a silk scarf or a nice evening bag that you can bring with you to the office, will add an element of class to your outfit and instantly transform it from day to night.

I really like this fresh approach to business fashion, you feel more relaxed and comfortable being able to add your personality and style.  Also, your existing wardrobe is getting a higher return on investment, so to speak which in turn saves you money and time on shopping for business clothes👍.

Luckily, my office has never been a stickler about a work uniform, I like to get dressed for work.  This outfit is my take of incorporating casual elements into the business look.  While my slim black pants and court shoes are part of my business wardrobe, the plain white t-shirt and a linen jacket belong to the casual corner of my wardrobe. 

I was on the hunt for a black blazer for quite a while, the reason being  that every time I saw something I liked, it was either quite expensive or was too business-like or both.  Then one day I stepped into Zara and boom, I saw a linen jacket in dark charcoal with white and thin black stripes lining and realised that it is exactly what the doctor ordered!   It might look like it is a top part of a pant suit on these photos but in reality you can see that the colour and fabrics are quite different.  I also like the fact that I can roll up the sleeves to expose the contrasting white lining if I am after casual vibe.

I added a brooch and hoop earrings to add some texture and a touch of style to this outfit. 

Enjoy your day

Until then,

Anna

HOW TO WEAR SILK AND LINEN TOGETHER

Hello everyone, hope you are in good health and keeping well.

The silk maxi skirts and slip dresses continue to dominate the fashion market for a very good reason:  they are very easy and comfortable to wear, hugely versatile in when it comes to the season and the occasion.  

So far you have seen me wearing my silk bias cut skirt in summer, paired with a sleeveless top and strappy sandals (here) and in winter, worn with ankle boots and a cashmere jumper (here).  

However, since we in Australia are in the middle of spring and the days are getting warmer,  I came up with the idea of experimenting by mixing my smooth silk skirt with a wrinkled linen jacket and adding a pop of abstract print in the form of a cotton long sleeved top.  

Traditionally linen clothes are associated with casual attire and usually worn during the day paired with denim, cotton or similar fabric, while silk is linked with a more formal way of dressing, I think the juxtaposition of these two works very well.  

It is a good transitional outfit, something I would wear to a pre-COVID office, a networking lunch or a meeting with a client.  For less formal occasions, I would definitely swap the court shoes for a pair of sneakers.  

It is a first time ever that I am wearing hoop earrings which I accidentally found in a jewelry box which belonged to my late mother-in-law.  All my life I was under the impression that they didn't suit me but when I tried them on, I kind of like it.  What do you think?

This skinny scarf was an attempt to add some panache to this mixed outfit.

Until then,

Anna

xoxo

 

HOW I STYLED MY NEW SKINNY CROP JEANS

Hi everyone,

Hope you are in good spirits and are keeping well.  The last couple of weeks were hard for me, I lost my brother who had been battling Alzheimer's decease for the past 6 years.  It was a terrible loss for the family but probably a blessing for my poor brother.

The news about the corona virus has been exacerbated by the fact that our regular grocery shopping has turned into a hunt for survival doesn't help to lift my mood.  I swear, I haven't seen supermarket shelves so empty since I left Russia 30+years ago.  First to go were the non-perishables, like toilet paper and paper towels and basic staples like rice, pasta and sugar.  Now people are buying and freezing perishables, like mincemeat, sausages and cold meat cuts.  

And tough luck if you have a headache because all the non-prescription pain killers are gone from the shelves too.  Unbelievable.  I called my girlfriend in Odessa, my home town, and she offered to send me some toilet paper and whatever else I need.  If back then someone would've told me that one day our roles would be reversed, I would never believe it and yet here we are.

But enough of that, let's talk about OOTD 😃.  I have been a devotee of JBrand jeans for a very long time, there is something about the cut that even when I wear the most tight ones like these high rise skinny crop jeans, I feel very comfortable.  Up until now all the jeans that I bought from them over the years have been in one solid colour so this busy print is new for me.  I bought them during the summer season but it was too hot to wear them until a couple of weeks ago when the temperature dropped and I moved my shorts to the back of the closet till next summer.

I think that despite the fact that the print is quite busy, I can easily dress them up or down and wear them differently depending on the occasion.   Today's occasion supposed to be lunch in the upscale restaurant in the city where we were meant to meet my husband's friends from the USA.  Sadly, in light of the current state of affairs all around the world, this lunch as is their trip, went out of the window but "the show must go on".

You have seen me wearing this linen blazer before here, I am so pleased with it, I wear it with everything from jeans to silk skirts.

The top is quite new too, I couldn’t pass it for its sunny happy colour, it makes me smile just looking at it.

The D&G shoes, on the contrary, are so old that they might fall under description  "vintage" but I love them so much, I will wear them till they fall apart.  I wear them a lot, last time seen here.

The last but not least, please take a closer look at my earrings.  They are custom made from seed beads by a friend of mine who is extremely talented and everything she makes looks stunning.  I also asked her to make me a bracelet which I will show you when it's done.

Outfit details:  Blazer:  Massimo Dutti, top - Witchery, jeans - JBrand, shoes - D&G, handbag - Bulgari

Stay healthy, active and keep in touch with your family and friends. ☎☻

Anna

xoxo

This post was featured on Links à la Mode fashion roundup by Independent Fashion Bloggers.
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THINKING OF ITALY

Whenever I see linen, there is something about this light natural perpetually wrinkled fabric, that instantly transfers me to summer in Italy.  Italians, both men and women alike, are obsessed with wearing linen clothes and you have to give it to them they do it so well.  

This whole outfit, minus shoes, was bought when we were on holidays in Tbilisi last year. We were just walking along Shota Rustaveli avenue, a wide elegant looking main thoroughfare of Georgia's capital named after a medieval poet, passing one big department store after another until in one of the big front windows I saw a sign for Massimo Dutti and stepped inside.  

The reason that I did that was very simple, while we in Australia have the representation of almost every major world known brands, this one has never made it to our shores.  I came to like this brand when I first saw it at one of the airports while travelling around Europe a while ago.  Although Massimo Dutti originates from Spain, for me their clothes represent the true essence of Italian fashion and lifestyle.  Because we were in Tbilisi at the end of European summer, all the stores were having massive last season sales which suited me perfectly since it was the end of Australian winter and whatever I would buy now, will be perfect for our spring season.

My first choice was a pair of easy-fit linen pants in an off-white colour with very thin black stripes that don't show up well on the photo.  On the next rack I spotted a linen blazer in a slightly darker colour also in stripes and underneath it was a blouse that I liked too so I scooped all three items and marched to the fitting room to try them on.  

I actually liked the fact that the pants didn't match the blazer as I was not looking for a suit in the first place and I am sure each of them would work with other clothes in my wardrobe, i.e. for a cooler day a pair of jeans could be paired for with the jacket and a contrasting coloured t-shirt over linen pants will complete a summer outfit.

As for the blouse, I like its abstract print in deep blue with accents of browns and purple blotches, a-la Jackson Pollock 😊 and again, it will look great with a pair of blue, white or black jeans.

My handbag is a birthday gift from my husband from Furla.  I like this brand and now have three of their handbags because their leather goods are of high quality, stylish and affordable.  

As for my footwear, while the sneakers, predominantly in white, are going strong in Australia, somehow Italians, especially men, prefer loafers, so choosing a pair of them by Italian brand Tod's was fittingly appropriate.  

A quick update on a dining table front.  It is arriving this week so stay put for the images.  If you have no idea what I am talking about, it's all in my previous post that you can read here.

OUTFIT DETAILS

Pants, blouse & blazer :  Mossimo Dutti

Shoes:  Tod's

Glasses:  Valley

Handbag:  Furla