Baroque Daywear: Off The Wall

For the past few seasons I have been crazy for all things floral, baroque, paisley and jacquard. Add to that the fact that I've always been quite the baroque creature when it comes to print - more is more, the louder the better - and a sucker for tapestry and classic wallpapers.

Nowadays, if you want to dress in head-to-toe baroque, you'll find the choice is overwhelming, even on the high street. But to find your favourites is a challenge, and you can't just pick any piece or combo - you owe it to yourself to buy what works best for you.

By the time I discovered this Topshop tapestry print, it had already sold out, except for the white summer sleeveless-crop-shirt-and-shorts co-ordinates. But soon enough, the black suit emerged in the petite range, so it was time I took full advantage of my imposing 5'2".

The trousers in my size are teeny-tiny, they look almost like leggings but after some heavy road-aka-office testing I found them quite easy to wear. For an even smarter look I decided to go a size up (taking advantage of the sales) but I'm definitely keeping this smaller pair too.

The belt was basically an accident - I wanted something elastic to keep the waist together and hide anything that needed to be hidden even if I decided to undo the buttons (yep, the waist on the petite size 6 is that small for me). I have no idea where I got it but it's something cheap. As it happens, it was the metal clasp detail that put a real baroque stamp on the whole otherwise baroque enough outfit.

The blouse from Zara with its contrast collar, front and cuffs gives structure, proving that colour blocking details tend to look amazing with exuberant prints. To finish it off, I needed heels, so I went with my trusty storm-coloured patent shoe boots. If you want the right bag to go with all this, choose a sturdy and boxy classic satchel or some big, butter-soft leather beauty in rich, dark tan with bits of gold detailing. 

While I was taking the photos, I was so impatient to keep going that I wouldn't wait until I could hang up - sorry if I sounded weird, Mum. It might well happen again.

tapestry print trousers and blazer: Topshop

contrast detail blouse: Zara, shoe boots: Clarks, elastic belt: no idea

Glam Rock

This weekend, we headed out to catch the latest creepy thing of a movie in the beautiful spring sunshine. I decided to pull together a light, relaxed outfit based on a pair of striped glam coloured jeans by River Island, one that would look sufficiently springy but feel warm enough in the cool breeze while I'm outside.

One look at me, and my friends asked whether we were going to a rock concert - which made me rather proud of the non-fashion darlings. It's no bad thing to provoke some reaction, especially the right reaction... it's all in the education. 

But those who react to one's outfit also inspire the stylist. So, in addition to the relaxed look for the trip to the movies, I tested a few more options I would have if I were actually going to a gig or a spring festival. 

Jeans: River Island, leather brogues: New Look, sparkly cat motif tee:
Zara (TRF), stripe snood: River Island, leather blazer: Mango, brogues: New Look

Jeans: River Island, top: Kate Moss for Topshop, Trilby: H&M, leather brogues: New Look 

Plain silk vest: Hennes collection, printed silk top: Gap, cropped velvet military
jacket: New Look, necklace: Pull & Bear, scarf (worn on wrist): vintage

Celebrate Spring

For the 23th outfit post published on 23rd March, I felt I had no choice but to don a pair of bold floral print jeans and leap fearlessly into spring. Right. That decided, I realised that falling hopelessly for these wild things didn't mean I had the faintest idea of how I was going to make them work.

True, when in doubt, you can always go for that plain white tee or the steel blue racer back basic vest that goes so well with your eyes... or, you could skip the whole problem by covering up with a cropped trench coat, a pastel leather jacket, or a bleached denim biker.

But honestly, where's the fun in that? Where's the now in that? If you're going to buy into current big and bold trends, do it for love. And then, embrace those trends in full, in all their now-ness. There really is no way around it.

When a print you love is just loud, the looks you put together should not pretend otherwise. You can't mute it with anything plain anyway. To make your outfits right for now, you'll need more print. A bit like the way Mexicans (never too shy about their prints either) like to 'neutralise'  the hotness of spices in their meal with extra salt.

And the best part? You only need to dig in your closet for old tops (and shoes) of different styles and colours, preferably with some print on all of them. As a result, even if you take inspiration from others, your final looks will be individual. Here's my edit of what I found lying around - love how the feel changes with each print combo. 

I've dubbed the looks 'graphic', 'sweet', 'festival' and, considering the full bodycon-meets-matchy-meets-overly-clean effect, 'footballer's wife'. Too late now, but I think my lavender Mulberry Blenheim bag should have completed this last fashion victim look. Anyways, now it's your turn to pack a punch.

Graphic. Jeans: River Island (worn throughout), leather chelsea boots: New Look, navy stripe top and
owl necklace: Dorothy Perkins. Sunnies (above): Retro.
Sweet. Top: vintage, belt: Pull & Bear, leather ballerinas from Greece 

Cotton top and parka: H&M, leather boots: Sebastiano 

Knitted top: Women'secret, belt: charity shop, leather pouch: vintage, tweed and suede dogtooth stilettos: Alberto Zago, suede peacoat: C&A, belt on coat: Pull & Bear, suede and leather platform sandals: Zara

Give Lace A Chance

I never thought  I would ever wear anything you could remotely classify as a bodycon dress, let alone a lace bodycon dress. I looked on all-over lace dresses as in-your-face and try-hard, for girls who want to be ladylike and sexy, thinking they are being subtle about it.

Still, a certain Erdem dress in navy lace with a nude underlay caught my eye sometime in the last warm season. Somehow, it seemed simpler and just a bit edgier than any other lace dress, almost a natural choice, to wear instead of a shift dress or a LBD. It got me wondering... So, when I saw this petite exclusive dress on asos.com, I thought it was time to give lace a chance and see what happens.

I kept it simple, as usual. First, to enhance the spring/summer feel of freshness, I chose chunky-heeled but still delicate nude leather platforms - they don't distract from the general colourway, and do a bit of leg-lengthening as a plus. To accessorise, a suede clutch bag seemed just appropriate (instead of black, you could go for nude or pearl grey or some other colour, as long as it's a classic style and about this size). The only piece of jewellery I'm wearing is a fine gold bracelet, but a really delicate gold necklace with a tiny locket or  something along that line should look right too.

Next, since I really liked the dress on (it's not too tight or clingy as I thought it might be), I knew I wanted to give it a go at work, hence the second outfit. Here, I added black opaque tights to avoid having to explain I'm in fact not naked underneath the dress; a pair of this winter's staple ankle boots, and a navy velvet blazer for a boxier look and the extra warmth.

Dress: ASOS, nude platforms: Mango, boots: ASOS, suede clutch: Mum's stuff
from the early 1980s, velvet blazer: Zara

Stuff I Get Away With: Mustard And Cream

Meaning, stuff I get away with at work, where the expected range is shameless smartness to uber-boredom. It's strange I haven't thought of this title before, when the past three to four years have been exactly about that. Dumb foodie pun aside, I like to push the limits, let the creative juices flow, build on others' half-defined perceptions of what's smart, turn them upside down but in a way I'm still perceived as smart. That is, getting away with just about any outfit I happen to throw together. That is so much like me that I think I'm launching a new label / post category.

This is not about a mindless rejection of rules, mind you, or some obsession with picking at unquestioned norms on a daily basis. OK, I tend to avoid conflicts and overuse my adaptation skills in most areas of life, so when it comes to style and fashion, I have lots to compensate myself for. But there is more than that, a mission if you will, to stir things up and challenge the usual ways. It's quite an achievement to get a few eyes to pop without provoking shock or rejection. A daily mental exercise to get the balance just right. Or just wrong - but only just.

This outfit, for instance, is a blueprint for all sorts of dark sins. There's bold colour, skinny jeans, grungy layering, heart print, wedge trainers, a touch of punky distressed Union Jack, only half-balanced out by a somewhat formal jacket, a pussybow and the cream and black colour combo.

Depending on the risk, be prepared to adjust the results. You can carry a pair of spare shoes (flat brogues or loafers), but switching between a smug and an innocent face usually does the job.

Jeans: Asos, vintage wool lingerie trim top: charity shop, heart print pussybow blouse: New Look (Generation 915), Union Jack leather belt: River Island, wool jacket: Zara, leather wedge trainers: Ash

Sunday Grungy Sunday

Sundays often start like that. A long, long lie-in after a longish night with guests, then a hearty breakfast, a bit of housework such as hanging the washing to dry, making lunch, and lying back on the couch reading ELLE. A perfect afternoon in old jeans, a 1980s style jumper from New Look, and a scarf.

All that equals no dressing up, and no room for any home glam (negligees, dressing gowns, silk PJs, turbans, scarlet lips, you get the idea), but no tracksuits either, mind you. That is the grunge of things chez moi, over a typical week-end.

Snuggling up with the glossy well before it gets dark takes your mind off having to go to work only too soon. But what do you do when the realisation hits - you're out of bread, and there is no choice but to get out into the cold?

Jumper: New Look, mustard wash green jeans: Mango, scarf: charity shop, suede wedge trainers: Topshop

Throw on a puffa and head straight out? Or start the usual routine of finding something to wear from scratch? Today, neither seemed appropriate. I wanted to keep the grungy feel and the jumper, but making sure the outfit is somewhere in the realm of citywear. Here's the result...

On the way back, I'll reward myself with box of blueberries, a bar of chocolate and a well-earned coffee.

Jumper: New Look, wool pencil skirt: no idea (Mum's maybe?), spot print silk shell blouse: Zara, emerald patent bag: Mango, patent leather embossed boots: Darcy, Dr. Martens Diva collection

A Bold Safari

I need a safari skirt, safari shorts, a safari dress, a safari playsuit, safari everything. They are just some of the things you need, whether you wear them or not. And then, some of the things you want but don't have. This week, I hit the Mango sales with the single aim of finding a couple of pairs of shoes I knew I wanted even while full-priced  but never got round to go shopping for them. And what did I get? A plain safari skirt and errm, a few extra bits and bobs.

The basic look is pretty easy to work: take something simple in a shade anywhere between stone and dark khaki (mine is dark beige or light camel), and add rich leather  accessories. The thing about safari is, well, while timeless and sort of chic, it easily washes you out. This season's boldness comes in handy to spice things up. You can go for a flash of royal blue, red, coral, even yellow, or do as I do and pick emerald green. You'll find this medium dark hue really flattering, whatever your true colours are.

I could not resist adding the green patent shoulder bag... matchy-matchy as it seems, what dominates is the eye-popping factor so why not load up? And, if you're short of bag space -I know you are- grab another beauty of an arm candy. I think the 1970s style platform wedges I've had for a few years will do nicely for the city safari. 

P.S. On the second evening of being abducted by UFOs (dearest's term for me getting sucked in by the shops and losing track of time), I did manage to pick up the last pairs of the shoes I had been after in my size - I'm sure they will crop up in one post or another soon enough.

shirt, skirt and bags: Mango, belt: C&A, sandals: River Island, sunglasses: Zara

Earn Your Stripes

Colour blocking is as retro and as now as it can possibly get. A blossoming trend in the 1950s (think full skirts and dresses with wide contrast hems or a cute stripy nautical look), and a big hit in the 1960s, adding a flash of colour to clean, minimal, straight or A-line cuts. And then, of course, cropping up at least once in every decade before blasting back on the scene this season.

I'm crazy for colour block pieces. They are striking, even conspicuous (a strange thing to say in a season of colour overload, but still), and seemingly un-versatile but, you know what? That's probably the best part. Most people will only look for wear-with-everything pieces, which is the equivalent of creating a fully neutral décor in your home. Boring.

When it comes to workwear, making a statement is either not encouraged, or worse, not tolerated. Colour blocking and stripes come in handy when you are tired of looking boring, stuck in a style rut, want to celebrate your creativity, or just wishing to find a new sort of strength and confidence, the type you cannot achieve by blending in.

My advice, then? Feast your eyes on colourful, standout clothes, try on each piece that you really like, and find the ones that make you feel great, strong, confident, fabulous and smart, even if it feels a bit far out at first. A great, simple cut, the right length, and the accessories you add will make nearly every well-fitting piece perfect for work.

This week, I styled my bold-coloured, striped A-line skirt with a sleek boatneck top, a leather mini rucksack I've had (but not used) for ages, and two-tone dolly courts (is there such a thing?) for the sheer fun of it.

Keep it brutally simple. Before stepping out, just grab your classic black blazer and some oversized shades, and prepare for the compliments of colleagues and bosses alike.

skirt: Zara, top: some cheap thing from the 1990s, shoes: Schuh, leather rucksack: a market find

Eighties Jeans, Seventies Style

I have had these straight leg jeans by Gap for a while. They are well cut, at least for a pair probably made in the 1980s, with the right sized back pockets placed at the right height.

What has so far stopped me from wearing them - besides the fact that they make me feel chunky from the waist down, which I'm not - are the high waist, the retro light mid-blue colour ('potty blue' as I call it), and the overly clean finish - just the reasons why I had to give them a go yesterday.

I still get a rash from the thought of wearing jeans the 1980s way, so I just gave the outfits a clean 1970s base style, and let the colour(s) do the job of making them look fresh enough for this season.

A safer choice would be a pair of flared jeans, whether bright or greyish blue retro hued mid-wash or indigo, it's up to you. The greater the flare, the stronger the 1970s theme. I decided it would be unfair not to stick with this pair as I didn't want to play it safe or to aim for a total 1970s look, not to mention the fact that these very jeans inspired the outfits.


LOOK ONE

jeans: Gap, shirt: Pacific Girl, belt: charity shop, wooden bracelet, bead and bone bracelet:
Mum's old stuff and a gift, fine velvet tie: found around the house, sunglasses: no idea, bag:
old family throwaway from the 1970s, leather and suede sandals: Zara

When searching for the right shoes, I suggest you choose heels, not wedges - again, the wider the flare, the chunkier the heels should be to get the balance right. Platforms are ideal for sandals, heeled loafers or boots, whichever you prefer. Here, you can be as seventies as you dare to be.

All items as before, velvet blazer: Gimbels

LOOK TWO

Wooden necklaces and bracelets were once big, so the hoarder in the family might have some of those hidden in a drawer. The same is the case of small 'disco bags', thrift shops and vintage style sections of stores are still teaming with those. Oversized clutches and similar style shoulder bags have already been back en vogue since last season.

Jeans, shirt, sunglasses and wooden bracelet as before. Wooden necklace: Mum's old stuff,
leather punchout belt: charity shop, oversized vintage clutch: Pelleterie Bucci,
jacket: Primark, heeled loafers: Zara (TRF)

The daywear jacket is a plain and timeless one, while the deep purple velvet piece is old kidswear I guess, in and out of style for the past century. If you happen to own one of those, remember Tom Ford's velvet suits and tuxes designed for Gucci around 1996 (pictured below), and hold on to yours.

Oooh, I love mirror dirrrt!