BLACK AND WHITE CHECKED PANTS ALL YEAR ROUND

Hi everyone,

You might recall from my previous post, that when it comes to patterns, I lean towards strong geometrical prints rather than soft florals and this pair of black and white check pants proves the case.

I fell in love with these checked pants the minute I spotted them hanging on the rack at the Sass & Bide store in Sydney's Paddington.  This pattern is quite popular right now and can be seen on mannequins and window displays at almost every clothing store.  

Some people may be put off by such a strong combo, however despite the severity of the monochromatic palette of black and white they are so boundlessly versatile which you would not expect from such a distinctive pattern.  To my great surprise and delight, they have served me all year round and I have worn them for an array of different occasions and have always looked appropriate.

To illustrate my story, I have compiled a number of images that I've collected over the course of the last year showcasing my all-year-round black and white checked pants.

I am wearing:  pants - Sass & Bide, singlet - Zara, shoes - Marc Jacobs, kimono - Sloane, handbag - Georgio Armani

Blouse - Bondi Markets, shoes - Bally(seen here)

Top - Country Road (seen here), shoes - DVF

Bomber Jacket - Lovers, shoes - Repetto

Coat - Witchery

If you are just navigating your way with this pattern and not sure about what direction to take, the simplest way would be to try it in small doses, so to speak.  A checked blouse paired with pants or a skirt and a jacket in solid colours could be a good start and vice versa, a pair of checked pants worn with a top with a colour in similar shades such as grey, white or black. If you like what you see, you can go all the way with layering, mixing and matching patterns, textures and hues.

Here are few points you might find useful when shopping for a pair of check pants:

 – choose the size of a pattern in proportion to your body size. If you are a petite woman, perhaps you should look for clothes that have smaller patterns and consequently, if you are of a regular or on the biggish side of the scale - a big and bold pattern could be just perfect for you;

- know which pant’s silhouette suits your body shape best;

- choose the colour combo wisely:  black & red, blue or yellow looks new, bold and striking, however there is a chance that this combo will become outdated pretty soon, while the familiar black & white or a pale neutral is a classic mix that has proven to be timeless;

- when layering, make sure that all the elements have some common thread between them, (eg same or similar pattern, colour code, fabric) that brings harmonious unity with a sense of effortless to your outfit.

Most importantly, wear your pants with confidence and you are bound to look fabulous!!!

Linking up with Shellbee on Edge, Posh Classy Mom, Fashion Should be Fun, Sydney Fashion Hunter, Not Dead Yet Style

HOW I STYLED A PAISLEY SHIFT DRESS FROM DAY TO NIGHT

Hi everyone,

Reading the blogs of my fellow bloggers, I have noticed how many of them posted photographs wearing paisley or floral prints outfits.  I also like prints but I seem to gravitate towards more strong geometrical prints in bolder contrasting colours rather than soft feminine paisley and floral patterns. Not being exactly sure if paisley pattern could be considered as floral, I decided to Google it.  Turned out that "Paisley or Paisley pattern is a term in English for a design using the buta or boteh, a droplet-shaped vegetable motif of Persian (i.e. Iranian) origin".  So my guess is, they are not the same.

Anyway, back to the story.  Somehow the images of all those lovely outfits that I saw might have seeped into my subconsciousness because the next think I know, I am the owner of the paisley print shift dress myself and I am loving it.

And what not to love about it:  it’s comfortable, easy to wear, simple to style, extremely versatile and is great for almost all body shapes?  As for the print, it has a lot of different colours in it which means that I can wear almost any colour accessories I could possibly think of which is great because I like accessories.

The adaptability of my new dress came very handy the other day when one day I had to move between two totally different social activities within a very short time-frame and had no time at all to come home to change.  The first one was work related and the second was a small cocktail party that we were throwing for a dear friend of ours who just published her first book.  So, what did I do? I put on my new shift dress and a pair of flats to be comfortable while running day-time errands.  I also took a rather biggish size hand bag to accommodate the things I would need during the day:  laptop, paint swatches, interior styling magazines, etc.  Knowing that I would not be able to stop anywhere for a change of clothes, all I did was pack an evening bag with a pair of smart looking high heeled shoes and gave them to my husband so he could give them to me when we met later.

It is my strong belief that a pair of shoes can make or break any outfit: a pair of gorgeous shoes could elevate a simple looking dress from casual to looking special and in reverse, no matter how expensive a dress that you wear looks, a bad looking shoe will completely ruin it.  For me an evening shoe should have a heel, the higher – the better.  It visually elongates your leg, it makes you look taller and gives you more confidence. 

I also extent this belief to the hand bags.  These two accessories play a vital role when you putting together your outfit and that’s why those were the items that I needed to turn my daytime outfit into an evening outing.

When the time came to attend an evening gathering, I just got into my husband’s car, kicked off my flats and transferred whatever I needed from the day bag into my evening one.   A fresh paint of lipstick and voila, ten minutes later I stepped out of the car looking all poised, dressed up and ready for party. 

It is my strong belief that a pair of shoes can make or break any outfit: a pair of gorgeous shoes could elevate a simple looking dress from casual to looking special and in reverse, no matter how expensive a dress that you wear looks, a bad looking shoe will completely ruin it.  For me an evening shoe should have a heel, the higher – the better.  It visually elongates your leg, it makes you look taller and gives you more confidence.

This belief also covers the hand bags.  These two accessories play a vital role when you putting together your outfit and that’s why those were the items that I knew would help me to turn my daytime outfit into an evening one.

I am wearing:  Dress - Kachel, daytime shoes - Salvatore Ferragamo, hand bag - Mulberry, watch - Horse, evening shoes - Bally, hand bag - Bulgari.

Linking up with Not Dressed as Lamb, Style Nudge, Sydney Fashion Hunter, Living on Cloud Nine, Straight Style Blog, Fashion Should be Fun

"50" SHADES OF GREY AND MIXING PRINTS

Hi everyone,

There is an interesting thing about clothes:  you buy an item of clothing that is hot right now, wear it a few times and the next thing you know, it’s become old fashioned overnight; and, on the other hand, there are clothes that can outlast many trends and fabs and somehow never looked dated.  I am not talking about statement, timeless pieces such as a classic YSL smoking jacket or black pumps or a LBD, I am talking about simple pieces of clothing, in my wardrobe anyway, that do not belong to any particular era, fashion craze or trend, their style is unidentifiable and thus with the help of right accessories and other fashion elements, could be easily adapted to a current trend.  That is probably why, every time I think of saying goodbye to them, I change my mind because deep down I know they would come back and I would wear them again.

Case in point, the pants that I am wearing today.  They have been in my wardrobe much longer that I care to remember, I would say they are circa 2009 and yet here I am in 2016 modelling them to you. 

If you ask me to describe the pattern of the fabric they are made of, I would say it has a tribal pattern or I could say it has a very distinctive geometric pattern or its palette is a combination of strong, bold colours, depending on what the fashion magazines are calling hot right now.

They are held by a drawstring rather than a belt which not only makes them very comfy but also provides me with the option of adjusting the waist size depending on my current weigh that goes up dramatically while we are on holidays or after extensive partying.  That and the wrinkle free light fabric are the reasons that they were in my suitcase on our recent trip to Bali.  It is amazing how the colours blended with a beautiful Bali sunset.

They have that easy-going vibe and whenever I cannot think of what to wear; I instinctively reach for my “tribal pants” and some loose-fit t-shirt.  Today is not a hot day and so I needed to add a couple of layers to keep the chill off.  I also wanted to play with different patterns within the same monochromatic grey colour range.  And for that reason, I chose a scarf with big circles pattern in monochromatic hues.  My cardigan that I bought at Bondi Markets last season is also one of those loose-fit, non-descript garments that could easily be worn anywhere anytime.

I think these long bohemian-looking earrings are a perfect match to this outfit

A of ballet flats and aviator "sunnies" and I am off.

I am wearing:  pants - BCBGMaxazria , t-shirt - Boss Orange, shoes - Michael Kors, bag - Gucci, sunnies - Chanel, cardigan - Lounge, earrings - Bondi Markets

Linking up with:  It's all Fine.  Whatever Takes Your Fancy, Sydney Fashion Hunter, Two Peas in a Blog, Living on Cloud Nine

WHERE I LIKE TO STAY AND EAT WHEN IN BALI

Hi everyone,

At long last I am back behind my computer to tell you all about our recent trip to Bali.  I have to apologise for being out of touch but despite the fact that we landed at Sydney airport a week ago, I was so busy sorting things out that I couldn’t spare a moment to get back to my beloved blog let alone check what you are up to.

About to join my husband for a cocktail to enjoy beautiful Bali's sunset

Both my husband and I absolutely love Bali.  We worked out that it was our seventh trip to the so called “Island of Gods”.  We fell in love with it on our first trip in 2005.  Back then the place looked totally different, peaceful and quiet with not much going on after dark, with the exception of the town of Kuta with its loud night clubs and drinking holes which we always avoided.  Over the years the island has undergone a dramatic transformation:  in came the big shopping malls, supermarkets, five-star hotels, private villas, boutique shops and art galleries, cafes and restaurants that not only lifted the profile of the island, but created thousands of jobs for the locals which consequently led to a rapid increase of cars and motor bikes that in turn added more traffic jams and road gridlocks.

Afternoon rush-hour

But don’t be put off by this because it is easy to find an escape from the bedlam behind the walls of luxury hotels and private villas and although the island boasts myriads of five star hotels, we prefer to stay at a villa.  Apart from the fact that you have absolute privacy and sole use of the pool and all the other facilities, the majority of them offer you more personalised services such as having your own butler, a cook and a driver with further services of the masseur, yoga instructor and so on, subject to the your budget.  Luckily for us, due to the very favourable exchange rate, we could afford to live surrounded by such luxuries which back in Australia are totally beyond our reach.

Pool area of  our villa

On the veranda

We were staying in Seminyak, the hip resort area at the end of Bali’s main beach strip where chaos of Kuta gives way to a more sophisticated, laid-back vibe, in one of the myriads of private villas called Villa Hermosa, situated in one of the tiny gangs (laneways) not far from the main strip but hidden behind tall walls and dense fauna providing us with complete privacy and noise isolation.

The house itself was absolutely beautiful.  Painted in white inside and out, it was sparkling under the hot sun and its white walls were reflected in the bright blue pool situated in the middle of the front lawn surrounded by sunbeds on one corner and a cabana on the other. The interiors were kept in the light neutral palette and reminded me of the Hampton’s style, casual and relaxed but done in classic and sophisticated way.  The villa also provided a private chef, a driver and two lovely local young women who were there to cater to our every whim and make sure that our stay was the most enjoyable.  As we did a lot of sightseeing and driving up and down the island in the past, we decided that it was high time for us to do virtually nothing but relax and have some care-free moments.

Chill out corner

A bedroom

Stand alone bathtub is part of the on-suite

We started the days by swimming in the pool and sunbathing followed by a lazy lunch at the local coffee shop and a dinner at the villa prepared by the chef-in-residence or at one of the restaurants that we carefully selected and booked beforehand.  This was another advantage that we didn’t want to miss, having a magnificent dinner in an opulently furnished restaurant, eating the most delicious meals and drinking numerous signature cocktails all for the fraction of the price it would’ve cost us in Sydney.  

Dinner prepared and served for us at the villa

Both of us love to wine and dine at good places and so we invested some of our time to research where is good to eat while in Bali and came up with the list of places that we liked.  I then proceeded to make on-line reservations so that when we arrived in Bali, we didn’t need to worry where or what we are going to have for dinner or lunch.  Of course, some provision was made for spontaneity but believe it or not most places that we went were fully booked and so our prudence paid off more than once.

Art work in the gardens of Metis restaurant

My Steak Tartare at Metis

On one rare occasion that we went shopping, I bought myself a pair of cute sandals which I will model later on a blog.

Interior of Merah Putih

A collection of local dishes at Merah Putih

Desserts, same place

Cocktail hour at Ku De Ta Beach Club

In front of Ke De Ta restaurant

After six blissful days of doing absolutely nothing, it was time for us to pack our bags and go home but not before we made a detour to Melbourne to attend a very traditional family wedding that lasted over three days and included multiple lunches, dinner, religious ceremonies and the like. 

Miraculously, there happened to be one evening free of any parties and we took this opportunity to go to the one and only dessert restaurant in the world, called Om Nam, where we sampled the most delicious cocktails and ate desserts that looked like pieces of art and tasted delicious.

"Secret Garden" cocktail at Om Num, Melbourne

Chocaquarium, 28 dessert, same place

Linking up with Shellbee on Edge

IT IS HOLIDAY TIME

Dear All,

Just letting you know that I am dropping out of the blogosphere for a while.  It is holiday time, again, but this time is not going to be that long, only a couple of weeks.

We are off to Bali for a week to shake off the winter blues and get a suntan just in time for our summer.  On our way back to OZ, we are stopping off in Melbourne, primarily to attend a family wedding which is a big affair spread over 3 days of various ceremonies, dinners and lunches. 

During this busy time we will try to squeeze in a visit to the National Gallery of Victoria to view an exhibition of Degas’ art and somehow find the time to have dinner at the acclaimed Om Nom restaurant at the Adelphi Hotel known as the world’s only “dessert-themed” restaurant.  Apparently their desserts are out of this world and I simply have to taste at least one.  

And then, who knows what else might occur.

All the details later on the blog and Instagram.

Until then