A Sucker For Oxblood

And there you go: this is look number three of the four burgundy files, featuring a little tunic from Topshop.

I have something quite similar in dark pine green, less lacy and more everyday, with a slight bubble hem. I found earlier that this dress style worked for me - it clings lightly to your shape but is forgiving around your bottom half (right, quarter), it is very feminine but in a soft and girlie way.

Some may question my choice of footwear but when you have to go outside in winter and be ready to walk a lot (who knows where you end up at what time of the night), I just want to wear low chunky heels and something in a knee height.

I have ordered my Topshop studded boots in burgundy, which will look impeccably elegant next to these battered black lace-up boots. Until then, even the pickier of you should rest assured I am not deluding myself into thinking I look half smart in these pics - I just had to show you the dress.

Which is, by the way, not even a dress, but a tunic in the main range of Topshop. It also came in black and in a petite version, but I definitely wanted the choice to wear it as a dress.

The transparent lace back may be a bit tricky if you want to give it a swirl in the office or want to wear a bra without actually showing it off. That is why I dropped a simple cotton cami in the very same colour in the shopping bag when placing the order with Topshop, et voilá.

The dress or tunic looks best as part of a total burgundy look, so get a pair of soft opaque tights and, unlike me, wait for that pair of oxblood boots to be delivered before getting your photos taken! And if you haven't done so already, do hit the sales - it is that time of the year.

Lace tunic dress and studded boots: Topshop, quilted clutch: Primark, lace-up boots: vintage, tights: Intimissimi

Don't You Step On My Purple Suede, Err, Stuff

For part 2 of the purple-bordeaux-burgundy-oxblood-whatever series, I definitely wanted to give my suede shorts a little style-up - I bought them in the sales sometime early this year and, even though I love them, the poor babies have not made it outside the house yet.

The shorts would lend themselves well to 1970s styling, hence the hat and the big scarf. But the point was to pull together a current outfit featuring these Miss Selfridge shorts and make myself comfortable in it, to the point where I could imagine it as office-wear. 

Not sure if I succeeded but I'll give it that much, the shorts and the  tights would be great together as part of any total purple look.

Now, I realise the knitted halterneck top, with its two pinky lilac hues, seems a little too sweet or the wrong kind of matchy-matchy. Believe me, I did my wardrobe research, and found that none of the more now pieces clicked the way this top did. Empirical evidence over fashion fascism.

To make the shorts work in winter weather, all you need is a full length coat (worn open, and preferably with heaps of fur trims) and knee-high leather or suede platform boots, chunky and slightly worn in. The verdict: stripped of the fancy dress factor, the look might just cut it in an office somewhere - I'm just yet to find that office.

suede shorts and contrast lapel blazer: Miss Selfridge, knitted top: Mango,
suede wedges and wool hat: New Look, scarf: vintage

Colour Up: In Vino Veritas, Part One

Wine, purple, oxblood, bordeaux, the colour of the season. The key is to wear it as a total look, or with similar shades, or with a few select non-intrusive complementary colours. Which, essentially, sounds like you should be short on styling choices, but frankly, that could not be farther from the truth.

I had a few old and not-so-old-but-not-so-new pieces in these dark, warm winter brights, plus my eyes on a couple of current season numbers I want badly. Even so, it was almost shocking how many ways you could wear them.

This is the first look - slightly evening-style, office-appropriate, and very simple with a tiny twist. Note how the comfy, half-elastic belt makes the outfit chic, and how much better it looks with purple tights, proving the single-colour approach right.

Below is how the simple dress is dressed up and up until you get a final result you're sort of happy with. I suggest you start having fun with the wine-coloured things in your wardrobe. I will be back with more - in vino veritas.

pinny dress and suede wedges: New Look, 

contrast lapel blazer: Miss Selfridge

dress, wedges and double hinge belt: New Look,
tweed cape: Mango, tights: Calzedonia, velvet jacket: vintage (Gimbels)

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

And Accessorise With A Pig

No matter where I have worked so far, explicitly declared dress-down Fridays have always eluded me. Still, I can't help noticing how everyone breaks out the jeans to mark the beginning of the week-end, permitted or not by the dress code.

I am no exception - however, I don't worship the trinity of the Jean, the Tee and the Holy Sneaker, nor do I consider it as a classic dress-down option. Instead, I'll pick a pair of jeans - of the several dozens I appear to own - and dress it up. Heels, brogues, blouses, blazers, shirts and waistcoats, bows, ties, granny's brooches, anything that's smart, vintage or fun goes.

So this is the Friday outfit. The 1970s blouse is a vintage store find from only a few months back - a shame that the fully pleated front and back, the waist and neck ties, the frill, or the print, for that matter, don't come across in the pictures. I included a couple of snaps so you can get a closer look.

The skinny flare jeans are by River Island - snug enough to make you look slightly (or more than slightly) phhat for a UK size 6, but I love the beautiful retro 'Swedish blue' colour and the size + cut of the back pockets too much to care.

Looking at the mock 1970s style, I admit the outfit could do with a chunky gold necklace or a gold chain belt a la Issa a/w 2011, however, in real life, I felt there was already too much going on at the front of the blouse (for details, refer to my list of the things that don't come across). 

Oh, you might want to swap the oinker for a clutch bag, but that's you I'm afraid.

See you really soon.



1970s blouse: vintage store, skinny flares: River Island, shoes: Asos, trilby: H & M, pig: a gift

Sweet Surrender

As mentioned in this catwalk report, I was inspired to switch back to blogging mode by a single still image from the Philosophy di Alberta Ferretti show packed with pastel candy colours (click here for flash report and pics) to throw on a few pieces shiny and new, trashy and plain, retro and vintage - you will easily tell which is which.



One thing is for certain,  I dare not call this experiment a re-creation of looks from Alberta's collection. This is merely an homage to all things 1960s sweet and cute, lying untouched for years and years in our wardrobes, still impossible to part with. At first, I was only going to show you the blue dress for fun, but ended up snapping a few more to home test the basic Philosophy concept for autumn/winter and style a couple of outfits in pastels. Very nearly all a big no-no in real life for this tomboy.

The verdict: the simplest things with a great cut and a near-perfect fit just work, no matter what. The rest - too big, too creased, too forced, wrong length, will not. A no-brainer, then, for today. OK, here's one: don't fear sweetness. The devil is not in pastels and too-cute cuts, but in ill-fitting pieces, and in your head.

P.S. I do appear to like sporting two bags at a time.

dress and tie/belt, worn as headband: vintage, top: Promod, mocha tights: Dorothy Perkins,
shoes: New Look, sunglasses: C&A, lady bags: vintage

textured fabric, 1960s

structured dress: River Island, shoes: Mango, coat: C&A

skirt: Terranova, lemon knitted top: 1970s, knitted dress: charity shop, nude platforms: Mango,
gold jive t-bars: Topshop, stone tights: Dorothy Perkins

Make Like A Tourist At Home

I think we can agree that Monday bank holidays are heaven sent, but they seem even more so when on a Sunday night, you realise you've been too tired all week-end to step out.

And so, warm and sunny summer Monday in the city, here I come!

Today, we took a nice walk in a recently rehabilitated central area, enjoyed the newly installed green patches and fountains, joined a festival that showcased famous Czech beers, and grabbed a bite before heading for the nearest lounge bar to chill out over a macchiato.

Quite determined to sport the colour of the season (coral), I picked a top with a bow and stripes, added a neutral suede dress (worn as a skirt) and completed the look with some white.

Which reminds me - even recently, you may have come across very specific style advice, warning you against wearing white shoes unless it's your wedding. Now, that's just another fashion rule down the loo. With stores teaming with white footwear, it's any self-confessed style  guru's duty to find a way around such old restrictions, and work her craft 'til something clicks.

The best thing about my wedges are the stacked heels, adding the colour and feel of wood to the white uppers. Still, I wouldn't shy away from wearing pearly white ballet pumps with the same outfit. Today's advice: leave the rules behind, and make like a tourist at home. You'll be surprised how much it's going to feel like a proper holiday.

coral knitted top: New Look, suede dress: vintage, shoes: Asos, bag: New Look,
pink sunglasses and floral holder: Dorothy Perkins