ELVIS INSPIRED OUTFIT

Hello dear friends, hope you are well

There are many reasons why we look for new clothes.  Sometimes it is just a necessity to replace an old garment, other times it is for a special occasion such as a wedding, birthday or anniversary dinner and sometimes we do it just for fun .

Case in point, my today's outfit.  I was aimlessly wandering along the aisles of Zara waiting for my Pilates class to commence, when I stumbled upon these pants. Just looking at this fun print made me smile and I simply couldn't resist the urge to buy them.  As I was heading toward the cash register, I made a quick mental check of what could I wear them with and decided that I need something equally outrageous to go match their vibe.   

And just them my eyes caught an oversized blouse in extremely loud orange colour hanging on a nearby rack (it was very difficult to miss such a bright colour, wouldn't you agree?😃)  and I immediately knew that it would have to do.

I hastily paid for my new purchases and rushed to the gym but all I could think of during the class was how this outfit would turn out.

The moment I stepped inside my home, I went to my room to try it on.  I loved both pieces, the blouse looks a bit long but that this is the length de jour at the moment.  Besides, I can always tie it in around the waist if I want to make it look shorter.

When I looked at myself in a mirror, two images sprang to mind:  Elvis Presley (coincidentally, the Elvis movie had just been released throughout Australia, that's probably why I was thinking of him 😃) and a famous poster of John Travolta in the Saturday Night Fever movie.

And it was then that I decided to have some fun.  I grabbed my husband's guitar, donned big brassy rings on all of my fingers and pretended that I am Elvis Presley.

Once I was done with him, I moved on to imitate Travolta's most recognisable stance which, I must say with all honesty, looks likes like an easy thing to do but turned out to be quite tricky, especially when I was trying to stay still while my husband was taking photos.  I was having great fun all through the photo-shoot and that's what fashion is about.

Have a great week.

Until then,

Anna

xoxox

 

WINTER WHITES OR HOW TO LOOK STYLISH IN A PUFFER JACKET

Hello lovelies, how are you?

Our winter has been quite cold from day one, which is quite unusual, especially in the mornings.  The chill factor makes things much worse, sometimes I feel that my face is about to freeze and fall off.  The puffer jackets are flying off the racks like hot cakes and given that most manufactures stick to the colour black, we all now look like universal soldiers 😄.

As you can see from the previous post, I also wear a black thick jacket and it provides me with warmth  and comfort.  However, this winter I wanted to break away from the mainstream colours of winter such as your blacks and browns and explore other options such as shades of pale.  I started looking for a jacket that would not only be warm and cuddly but also helps me to retain a sartorial look.  I found my solution in a Uniqlo store when the jacket in a light tan colour caught my eye.  

It became my starting point and I went from there.  There is some unspoken rule saying that you only wear your whites in warmer months but I wanted override this misconception.  I believe that there is nothing wrong in wearing light colours on a winters day if you follow a few quite simple rules such as:

Avoid being dressed in white colour from head to toe.  If, for example, you choose to wear white denims, make sure that the other elements of your outfit are not.  Choose a soft neutral palette in tan, cream, nude or off white in soft warm fabrics and cosy styles.

Layering your clothes is a good idea for keeping you warm and mixing up different tones and textures.

We tend to wear less accessories during the cold months, so don't hesitate to go bold on sunglasses, handbags, thick scarves in interesting patterns could always add a pop of colour and interest to your sartorial winter look.

Have a great day, dear friends

Until then,

Anna

xoxoxo

A WALK THROUGH NOOROO GARDENS

 Good morning, dear friends.  Hope you are well.

It is winter here in OZ and we are freezing, not so much from the lower temperature but from the gusts of cold wind that brings you chills and there is nowhere you can hide from it.  Don't trust those Aussies who would tell you that there is no winter in Australia, they are in denial and can't be trusted.

Of course, it is not the winter we used to have back in Russia but we had a different approach to it, either.  For starters, we wore warm clothes, the dwellings had central heating and double glazed windows, etc.  Here, the temperature would not be higher then 12 degrees and you see people on the streets dressed in the same clothes they wore during the summer months, ie thongs, shorts and t-shirts.

I have been living here for over thirty years now and are as fascinated by this phenomenon as I was when I saw it for the first time.

The one thing I love about winter is watching how the trees and bushes have gradually changed their colours.  Some turned their leaves into a golden yellow, while others become coloured in deep reds and burgundy.  It is a perfect time to take a drive to the Blue Mountains, a rugged region West of Sydney known for its dramatic scenery, steep cliffs, eucalyptus forests, waterfalls and villages dotted with guesthouses, galleries and gardens, and take a walk through the gardens that are hugely popular among the locals and tourists alike.  Just make sure that you are appropriately dressed as the weather there is far cooler than by the coast.

Last Sunday the air was cool but calm, the sun was nice and warm so we decided to take a trip to Nooroo Gardens, one of many parks spread along the mountains to see the change of seasons before the leaves fall off completely. 

I didn't hesitate to bundle up into my all time faithful puffy jacket, scarf, gloves etc.  It was a minimum of five degrees cooler and I felt it in my bones, no matter how fast we walked.  After a pit stop at the local cafe for a bowl of pumpkin soup and a toasty which was exactly what the doctor ordered, it helped to keep the cold away and we thoroughly enjoyed the grounds.

The air was so clean, crisp and fresh that our lungs went into overdrive from the abundance of oxygen.  The colours of the foliage were magnificent, we couldn't stop admiring this wonder of nature.  The only flowers that were still in bloom were Hydrangeas, some of their colours I never seen before.

It was a lovely invigorating day and we returned home recharged and refreshed.

Have a great week ahead

Until then,

Anna

xoxo

THREE ESSENTIALS TO TRANSFROM YOUR OUTFIT FROM DAY TO NIGHT

Hello dear friends,

Today’s post is all about the power of accessories, how with the help of just a few statement pieces you can change the mood, the look and the purpose of your outfit.  Just take a look at one of the greatest living examples and master accessorises of all times, Iris Apfel and you know what I am talking about.

Well, I am not exactly Iris, nor do I possess such a vast collection of everything, I do however have a few tricks of my own that I like to pull when the necessity arises.

Case in point, my outfit today.  In the past I wore this slouchy jumper paired with flared pants (seen here) a pair of jeans on my casual days or with a pair of smart pants for the office but never for a special occasion until one day I had to attend an evening event straight after work and didn’t have a chance to drive back home to change.

What should I do?  The answer was simple, change your accessories which will change your outfit.  So I went and packed the three essentials that I knew would be ideal for the purpose, the accessories that would help me to transform my business outfit into something more appropriate for the event ahead: a pair of evening slingbacks from Boss, a string of pearls and Chanel evening clutch and et voila. 

A dash of bright red lipstick was like a cherry on a cake 👄👄👄. 

Have a great week ahead, everyone

Until then,

Anna

xoxo

HOW TO WEAR A SILK SKIRT IN COOLER MONTHS

Hello dear friends, how are you doing?

The Antipodean autumn is almost over but we are quite blessed with warm weather which allows us to keep our warm coats in the closets still and just a warm jumper will suffice.

It’s a perfect time to put the versatility of my summer purchases to the test and see how they will fair in cooler months, starting with my Ganni tie-dye silk skirt that I purchased and wore all through last summer.  It looked good paired with the satin spaghetti straps top (seen here) but I was hoping that I would be able to extend its use by wearing it with something that will keep me warm.  

So last Sunday I did just that.  It was one of those typical autumn days when it is quite warm during the day while mornings and evenings have a bit of chill so with that in mind, I chose to wear my silk skirt paired with the white cotton knit jumper and a pair of boots.

I quite like the juxtaposition of smooth silk against the rough knit, highlighted by the high-heeled tall boots.  We are on our way to a Sunday lunch and just made a quick stop to take the photos.  I couldn’t resist capturing the wonderful colours of autumn.

I can’t see why this exact outfit couldn’t be worn to an office where the dress code is flexible and approves of smart/casual vibe.  And if I want to smarten it up, there are always some statement accessories and jewellery that can come to the rescue.

Hope you have a lovely week ahead

Until then,

xoxoxo

Anna

WHAT I WORE FOR MY HUSBAND'S BIRTHDAY

Hello everyone, hope your Easter break was enjoyable.

We had a lovely break filled with all kinds of activities, you can catch up on the full report here.

Now, that this is over, the next important event on our calendars was my husband’s birthday at the end of the month.   Traditionally, we love to go out to celebrate and this year I was more determined than ever to do just that but with a slight difference.  Instead of booking one of our favourite restaurants, I booked us a dinner with Secret Foodies, culinary event creators specialising in organising themed dinners at secret locations as well as designing unique corporate and private events, from intimate dinners to lavish parties with over 500 guests.   

I subscribe to their newsletter and when the Secret Dinner themed “From Paris with Love” invite landed in my Inbox, I decided to give it a go and bought us tickets. The reason it’s called Secret Dinner means that you have no idea where or to what restaurant you would be going.  

The invite stipulates the cuisine (French, Mexican etc), the offer (cocktails on arrival, unlimited drinks) and the vague name of the area where we will be going.  The name of the restaurant and its exact address are revealed to diners just two hours prior.  I was slightly worried about the whole idea.  It’s a first time we ever done something like that and I don’t know what to expect.  On the other hand, it had a sense of adventure and challenged us to get outside the box and it was quite exciting.

And here is the most important question of all - what should I wear?  Since the dinner is called from “Paris with Love", it is safe to assume it will be at the French restaurant which are known for its delicious food, immaculate service and extensive wine list and thus attracts a certain type of patrons.  Besides, my husband always says that it's better to be overdressed then underdressed and I agree with his view on dress-code so that settled my choice of a dress for the evening.

It has been quite a while since we went out to a classy restaurant for dinner: between both of us being sick with COVID, then recovering from it, my husband’s radiotherapy and other unpredictable hurdles, we were not up to it but now, despite my trepidation, I was really looking forward to the night.

The dress that I chose to wear was purchased back in December during the big sales.   I was walking past the Ted Baker shop windows minding my own business when I saw a dress that I immediately liked.  To paraphrase Julius Caesar "I saw, I tried it on, I bought it".  The End.  And that’s what I was going to wear for our dinner date.

It’s made of super soft jersey with catchy abstract tie dye print that provides an ample opportunity for dressing it up yet its slinky silhouette makes it feel very light and comfortable.  I like its mock neck, it’s not too high for wearing long dangling earrings yet high enough to hide a few wrinkles around my neck 😊.

I decided to forgo comfort for glamour and thus I dusted off my high heels 👠 and put them on.  I felt strange walking in them and my first couple of steps were shaky but then I tighten my core (thank you Pilates) and strode along with confidence 👍.  

The dinner was taking place in a newly opened French restaurant called Loulou.  As promised we were greeted by the glass of bubbly on arrival and after warming up to the atmosphere, were asked to take the seats and the three course meal followed.  Both of us love French food and were thoroughly enjoying each course.  

The wine never stopped pouring so in the end I was quite tipsy.  Luckily for me, my husband chose to be a designated driver for the night and was mindful of not going over the limit and let me enjoy myself which is funny because he was a birthday boy and meant to have fun but being a true gentleman as he is, he left the fun part to me.

Now that we know exactly what to expect, we will be keeping an eye on their next secret dinner destination.

What you try something like that and trust your evening to total strangers? Do please let me know.

Outfit details:  Dress - Ted Baker, shoes - Balli (old), handbag - Furla (old), jewellery -Tiffany Bone Cuff

Until then

Anna

xoxo