PARTY ESSENTIALS - A SILK SKIRT AND A STRAPPY CAMISOLE

Hello dear friends, how are you all?

Although the festive season is officially over and the majority of people have resumed their work, unofficially, we are still in a party mode which runs all through the month of January and culminates on the 26 of January on Australia Day, the official National Day of Australia .  On this day we reflect on the highs and lows of our history and celebrate our nation and its people. 

 

It is a national public holiday, of course, and all over the country people gather around BBQs in their backyards, parks, beaches and many other public places and party all day and night long.  The main highlight of the day is the fireworks 🎆fired from boats and yachts all along the coast with the main and the most spectacular one that could be seen for miles is from our iconic Harbour Bridge.

It is also the pick of Australian summer , the days are hot and long and people like to flock to the shores straight from their offices for a drink, a bite, a refreshing swim or just a nice walk along the promenade.  It is this multi-tasking that requires some clever strategy when it comes to should wear and when.  You need something work appropriate but at the same time something which with a little adjustment like a change of shoes or sparkly accessories which will reflect the party mood 🎉.

For me, a nice looking skirt is a perfect answer to such a dilemma.  But before you rush to the shop to buy one, here are few points you might like to consider:

 - Have a clear idea of what is the purpose of the new skirt?  What occasions would you wear it to?  Is it for work, play or both?

 - Think about the style of skirt that suits your body shape best.  Are you a pencil skirt type or do you fancy a full ruffle one?  Do you like it to be short, midi or maxi?  Do you prefer a belt or elastic waist?

 - What tops will you mostly be wearing it with?  If your wardrobe is full of single coloured tops, then you might like to look for a skirt that has a nice colourful print or a pattern and vice versa.  Think about versatility, the more looks you can get out of it, the better.

Once you make up your mind about the style, colour and purpose of the skirt, let's talk about the fabric.  It might sound a bit indulgent, but I find that spending good money on a skirt that is made of high-end fabric whether it's silk, cashmere, wool, leather etc it is  the worth spending a bit extra as these luxury textiles will stand the test of time and your outfit will always look like a million bucks.

Over the years I have developed a strategy when it comes to shopping for expensive items.  If I see a nice piece of clothing that I would like to have but feel that it is out of my budget, I would wait for the end of the season sale and 9 times out of 10, I score a bargain 👍. I might not wear my purchase this season but if you are not chasing the fads and trends but rather are after classic timeless pieces, you will look great in it the next season.

This skirt from Ganni ticks all the boxes for me.  I was on the lookout for a right skirt for some time, the one that I would wear for going out but at the same time I wanted it to be easily adaptable for other purposes.  One day browsing David Jones department store on-line sale I found the skirt I was looking for.  I was attracted to its tie-die print and rather unusual asymmetric hem, not to mention the fact that its price was heavily discounted.  

When the skirt arrived, I decided to put its versatility to the test.  First, I wanted to make sure that it would look good paired with the black satin strappy camisole I just bought from Zara.  Satisfied with the look, I tried it on with the couple of other tops and was quite pleased with the result.  Even pairing it with a pair of sneakers and a oversized knit jumper worked well with it.

Today's occasion is a weekend lunch with the good friends of ours whom we haven't seen for a while at Kingsleys, one of restaurant situated on Finger Warf, one of the trendiest outdoor areas in the whole of Sydney.  

It's a typical summer day in Sydney - hot, sunny 🌞and luckily for us, breezy, especially near the water so the  We came here for the restaurant's specialty, salt and pepper mud crab which we washed down with a bottle of chilled wine.  The food was superb as was the dessert and the company - sheer delight.  There is no better way to spend the weekend.  

As I mentioned, the day was quite warm so the black slip top was a perfect match to the skirt.  For the same reason, I didn't wear anything around my neck but instead put on oversized black earrings and to balance them off -  a statement cuff 

What are your plans for the weekend?

What I wore:

Skirt - Ganni

Cami - Zara

Shoes - Country Road (Old)

Bag - Bvlgari (Old)

Glasses - Prada (Old)

Bone Cuff- Elsa Peretti for Tiffany

 

AUSTRALIAN SUMMER ESSENTIALS - LINEN SHIRT

Hello dear friends,

It has been a very slow start for me.  Just I recovered from the NY party’s hangover and was getting myself organised, I was tested positive for COVID 😢and we all had to self-isolate.  For some inexplicable reason, I am the only one in our family of three who was tested positive, however Australian health regulations dictate that not only do I have to isolate for 7 days👍(recently reduced from 14😨) but all other members of our household should too so here we are, I am locked in our bedroom in the grip of boredom while my husband and my daughter are trying not to strangle each other in the rest of the house.   To tell you the truth, the Omicron strain is not too bad health-wise, it feels more like a common cold and if not for the pandemic ranging across Australia like a bushfire, I would’ve totally ignored it and carried on regardless but these days one can’t be to careful or ignorant.

Luckily, in anticipation of my husband’s upcoming radiotherapy, we managed to stage a few photoshoots so I will be able to continue my blogging.

So here it is, my first post of 2022.  If you read my last one of 2021, you might recall that it was about Australian summer essentials (a long-sleeve dress).  Today, continuing with this topic, it is about a linen shirt.  Although hugely popularized and commonly associated with everything Italian, the linen shirt in Australia has a totally different life. 

Here is worn over a bikini on the way to the beach to protect us from the sun while providing a cooling effect thanks to the lightness of the natural fibers of the fabric.   And once you are done on the beach, you can just tuck it into your skirt or shorts and go straight to dinner.

But on a cool summer day and we reach for it again, this time to keep us warm without taking away the feeling of summer. 

When we were travelling in Japan few years ago, the summer temperature in Tokyo was at its peak, yet the locals looked cool as cucumbers.  On closer inspection, I’ve noticed that rather than wearing a t-shirt or sleeveless tops, instead they were dressed in long-sleeve loose fit linen shirts or blouses.

So when I decided to get one for myself, I followed in their footsteps and went to Uniqlo, a Japanese manufacturer and retailer of casual clothing. Naturally, I was stunned by the variety of colours and styles of clothes made out of linen.  I stopped at the huge counter heaving under the stack of women’s shirts trying to determine which colour should I choose.  After a quick deliberation, I settled for the button-down classic shirt in a dark grey colour.  I figured that while it looks casual enough to be worn to the beach, with the help of appropriate accessories and clothes, it could do well beyond it.

Today I am pairing it with white jeans from J-Brand, white and black monogrammed sneakers from LV, light grey Furla handbag and silver earrings by Elsa Peretti for Tiffany.

 

AUSTRALIAN SUMMER ESSENTIALS - A COTTON DRESS & MATCHING SUNGLASSES

 Hello dear friends,

It has been quite a while since my last post and alas, for a very worrying reason.  If you follow my blog on a regular basis, you might recall that a few months ago I had a skin cancer and had to have surgery to have it removed (more about it here).  This time this awful disease struck my husband and in a far more serious way.  Not only did he have to undergo massive surgery, he also needs to have six weeks of radiotherapy which starts on the 5th of January 2022😟.  So as you can see that fashion has been far from my mind.

Anyhow, he is almost recovered from the surgery and decided to have all the fun he can cram between now and the 5th, hence I put my foot down and asked him to resume his role as my photographer.

Funny enough but there is a direct link between skin cancer and my today's outfit.  It is well known fact about the harshness of the Australian sun🌞 and the importance of using sunblock 50+ (recommended), hats, umbrellas and long sleeves to protect our skin from exposure to UV radiation from the sun due to the depletion in the  ozone layer over Australia.

So it was no brainer for me that after having a skin cancer scare, I need to take serious precautions.  I now wear a hat 👒.  this is one accessory that I loath, simply because in all my life I haven't come across head gear that suits my face.  Also, the hat totally ruins my carefully coiffed hair which cause me a lot of grief.   Now that I have no choice and after trying gazillion of hats of different styles and colours, I settled for the best I can get away with -  a baseball cap. 

 

I was also told to keep my shoulders covered but I didn't mind that at all, especially since I just bought from Zara this light, tangerine-colour tunic which I really like.  And what's not to like about it? It has a chest patch and side in-seam pockets, an asymmetric hem and a button-up front.  But even before I discovered its hidden treasures, I was drawn to its happy summery vibe.  Besides, it matches perfectly my newly acquired sun-glasses from Valley which I bought simply because I love their 70's vibe and classic oversized shape of their pastel coloured frames.

When you are wearing a dress of this simple easy-fit style, the best footwear is a pair of flat sandals, open toe shoes or sneakers.  Since the day was quite warm and we were on the way to have lunch, I opted for the open toe shoes.  It happened to be a very hot day but I didn't feel that at all👍😎.

And on this bright note I would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!🎄🎅🎉

Until then,

Anna 😄😄😄

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

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A PERFECT POST LOCK-DOWN SUNDAY OUTING AND JACKARD BEACH DRESS FROM SEAFOLLY

 Hello my dear friends, hope you are all well.

Armed with our newfound freedom of movement, my husband and I are jumping at every opportunity to take a drive way past our 5 km former lockdown zone.  Every Sunday we choose a different destination for our traditional lunch date and a nice walk before and after.  Last weekend we decided to take a drive towards the Northern Beaches  with a lunch stop at Newport, which is about a one hour drive from our home in the Sydney's East.  

It is one of the many coastal suburbs of Sydney and loved by the locals and tourists for its stretch of sandy beaches, surf culture and a multitude of alfresco dining and drinking venues.  We searched the net and found a nice restaurant called Lovat and made a booking.  Just a few years ago such a trip would take over two hours and a lot of traffic lights along the way but now thanks to recently built high speed tunnels, you can get there in under an hour.  

My mini length dress for this outing is from Seafolly that I bought on-line during the last lockdown.  I like its simplicity and how effortlessly you can put it on and off you go on your errands or for a lunch with your girlfriends or a just a nice stroll along the boardwalk.   It is made of 100% pure cotton for a soft and breeze feel which is what you want to wear on a warm day when you live close to the beach.  The long puffy sleeves are ideal for letting in the breeze and protecting my arms and shoulders from the harsh Australian sun🌞.

We left home soon after breakfast allowing us plenty of time to make a stop at the Baha'i Temple which we have driven past many times but have never been inside.  It was built in the mid 20th century and is  considered Sydney's fourth most significant religious building constructed in that era.  For those who is not familiar with Baha'i Faith, below is an a brief summary but if you want to learn more about this Faith, please follow the link provided above.

The Baha’i Faith is a worldwide religion based on the teachings of Baha’u’llah, the most recent in the series of Divine Messengers who founded the world religions as part of the progressive revelation of God’s guidance to humanity.  A central theme of the Baha’i Faith is that humanity is one family bound together in a common destiny: a global society.

Key principles of the Baha’i Faith:

• equality of women and men
• harmony of science and religion
• abolition of extremes of poverty and wealth
• elimination of all forms of prejudice
• equal standard of human rights for all people

The Temple is a prominent landmark of the Northern Beaches and it is impossible to miss.  As we drove through the gates, we couldn't help but notice how blissfully peaceful this place is.  The Sunday sermon was over when we arrived and the grounds and the Temple look absolutely deserted so we could take a good look around.  I was immediately attracted to the beauty of the grounds surrounding the Temple and the variety of flowers in full bloom, bushes and trees that were masterfully planted around the Temple.  

Back in the car, we sped off to our lunch destination.  Lovat's food menu is described as home-style dishes focused on locally sourced fresh seafood, excellent steaks and home-made pasta and we were looking forward to taste it.  Every dish on the menu sounds delicious so we decided to spoil ourselves with entree, main and desert washed down by a couple of glasses of my favourite Sauvignon blanc wine 🍷🍷🍷.  

I was hoping that after lunch we would walk along the beach and take some photos but it was pouring cats and dogs so we just got back in our car and went home🌧.  Luckily for us, ten minutes the later the downpour stopped and we were able to get out of the car and take a nice walk and get some pictures along the way 👍.  

After three months of lockdown, we almost forgot how to have a good time and enjoy ourselves and it was so nice to have this feeling back again 😁😁😁.

WIDE LEG PANTS AND A SLOUCHY JUMPER

 Hello dear friends, hope you are well.

Our freedom is gathering momentum, the restrictions are disappearing at an alarming speed and the places and spaces become more and more crowded.  I find myself in two minds lately.  On one hand it feels so good to be free, on the other – people are becoming complacent, it’s amazing to see how quickly we forgot how this nightmare has started.   

They are talking about opening international borders for travelling by the end of this year but as much as my husband and I do love to travel, neither of us is keen to travel overseas now or even in 2022.   We might take a couple of long road trip within Australia instead.  We shall see. 

We are two months into our antipodean spring, but the weather hasn’t settled yet, one day we are all at the beach sweltering under the hot Aussie sun, the next day you reach into your closet for a jumper to wear over a t-shirt, so the transitional outfits are still a look “do jour” like the one I am modelling for you today.   This jumper is made of cotton so it’s not as warm as my winter ones but still provides enough comfort against the light chill of the early morning or after sundown.  

Thanks to its soft natural colour, I can wear it in so many ways.   It is slightly longer than my usual style but the rib on the bottom is quite tight, so it fits quite well around my hips, providing this casual slouchy look which goes so well with loose fitted casual linen trousers or palazzo pants.  I picked them up in the last days of the summer sale last year at H&M and haven’t had the chance to wear them yet.  They are very light and extremely comfortable thanks to the elasticised belt and have pockets which I love and are very versatile.  I am thinking of pairing them with a white oversized blouse or a simple t-shirt in.  It should work 😊.

Today is our first official outing.  We are off to have lunch with our friends whom we haven’t seen for over three months 👍👍👍.  The café that we are going to is described as up-market, so I engaged the help of my accessories to smarten up my outfit.  Since the colour of my top is grey, I decided to wear silver.  

I am wearing my new earrings from Elsa Peretti for Tiffany that was a gift from my husband on our wedding anniversary.  They called High Tide earrings and are “Inspired by the ebb and flow of the sea, this design emphasizes the simple beauty of nature where graceful curve echoes rippling waves”.  Sounds so romantic, I totally adore them.  The bottle necklace is also by Elsa but it has been in my possession for quite some time now.

If you are a regular reader of my blog, you probably remember that I love scarves and wear them a lot and today was no exception.  They have this unidentifiable quality, a kind of “jeno se qua” that allows them to transform a simplest outfit into a fashion statement.

As for the shoes, the sneakers seem to be the best option possible.  And there you have it, my new casual transitional outfit with a touch of elegance.  What do you think?

Until next post

Anna

xoxox