WHAT I WORE FOR MY BIRTHDAY LUNCH

Hi everyone,

It was my birthday the other week but I was so preoccupied with other things happening around us that it is only now that I have the time to tell you about it.

 It fell on a Sunday and as I had to be in the office early on Monday, my husband decided to surprise me with a birthday lunch just for the two of us.

  

As much as I love being surprised by my husband's actions, I sometimes like to have more information of what lies ahead for two good reasons: number one - to satisfy my curiosity and two - to have some idea of what should I wear for the occasion.  However, as much as I tried to extract more details about the upcoming lunch, the only bit of information I was able to get from him was that the place to which we were going was casual but not too casual, which, as you gathered, was not very helpful.

Luckily, I had just the right outfit for "when in doubt" situation or as I call it "In case of emergency"  - my old time favourite, a wrap-around dress by DVF whose famous quote:"I design for the woman who loves being a woman" always resonates with me.  Even though this particular dress has been in my wardrobe for quite some time, it has never failed to perform its duty.  There is something nice and simple in its silhouette that makes me feel at ease every time I wear it, which fitted the brief perfectly.

Not knowing where we were going, I sat back and relaxed and let my husband drive us through the city until we passed the entrance gates to Ku-Ring-Gai National Park and we were driving along Hawkesbury river, its waters sparkling under the bright sun.  Shortly after we reached the marina and my husband parked the car.

As I looked around, I spotted a restaurant sitting on the edge of the wharf with huge bay windows overlooking the marina, the bobbing boats and the park beyond.  It was called Pilu at Acuna Bay and although I have never been there before, the name of the chef is very well known to both of us - Giovanni Pilu, a Sardinian born owner of the two-hatted restaurant Pilu at Freshwater, loved by Sydneysiders for the bold strong flavours of his country of births.

The restaurant was very simply furnished, so not to distract the diners from the breath taking view in front of them.  The food was absolutely scrumptious, the champagne - cold and bubbly and all and all I had a splendid birthday.

Even not knowing where we were going, I think my low block heel shoes were a perfect choice for the occasion and the venue.

I recently inherited a very nice collection of vintage scarfs and when I don't wear them around my neck, I like to decorate my handbags with them.

And last but not least, my new twin rings that I bought at a shopping mall in one of the accessories shops for the staggering amount of $5 for two, just for the sake of getting a bargain, but when I put them on, they turned out to be a "perfect match".

  

My outfit details:  dress - DFV, shoes - Chloe (seen here), bag - Vivienne Westwood (seen here), scarf - vintage Christian Dior, rings - Accessories

How do you like to celebrate your birthday?  Do you like surprises?  

Until then

Linking up with Fashion Should be Fun, Shelbee on Edge, Nancy Fashion Style, Elegantly Dressed and Stylish, Fine Whatever, Not Dead Yet Style, Not Dressed As Lamb #willwearwhatilike

MY FIRST NEW SEASON OUTFIT - WHITE SKIRT WITH FLORAL SHIRT AND BLOCK HEEL SHOES

Hi everyone,

It has officially been two months of spring here in Australia but the weather is still not settled into a warm temperature mode and it is very difficult to predict what it will be like from one day to the next.  Meanwhile, Sydneysiders take every possible opportunity to strip down to shorts and t-shirts and spend a day at the beach to get the perfect tan.

My beloved Sydney looks absolutely gorgeous at this time of the year.  The trees and bushes are in full bloom with their scented flowers and the bright colours make every street look absolutely magical, whether you are driving around the city or walking along the leafy streets of your neighbourhood – the scenery is a delight for the eyes and a pleasure for the senses.

I always like to observe how the change in seasons makes a mental effect on people’s choice of clothing.   Away went the subdued palette of blacks, the browns and the greys (we say grey, you say gray) and heavy fabrics of winter, in came the bright colours and patterns and of the spring.

It was of those nice warm days that  I, too, decided to shed my long pants and dark colours and donned on my flower print shirt that has been in my wardrobe since the last floral print craze a few years ago.  I wanted my outfit to be summery from head to toe and so I wore it with a white denim pencil skirt.  The shirt is quite long but I didn’t want to tuck it in entirely, only at the and to accentuate my waist a little, I simply threaded a slim pale pink leather belt.

Finally, the time has come to wear my new open-back block heel Max and Co
shoes that I bought on the mid-winter sale but couldn’t wear them until now.

I wanted my look to project a slightly sporty look, thanks to the denim skirt and low heel shoes and so I chose a satchel bag in a bright turquoise colour to complete my first new season outfit.

I am wearing:  skirt - Country Road, shirt - Zara, bag - Coach, shoes - Max & Co.

Linking up with A Pocket full of Polka Dots, Sydney Fashion Hunter, Posh Classy Mom, Fashion Should be Fun, Fine. Whatever

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