Florals and Other Matters

Just so I don't forget that this blog also used to be about personal style once upon a time, here are some of the latest additions to the ever growing wardrobe department:

ZARA print top and not just your plain white shirt

Two bracelets

And a nice scarf

They all say autumn and tie in with the rest of my wardrobe quite nicely. I also got a sparkly tunic top from ZARA, black and blue with an asymmetrical hem, as well as a red sweater from LEGEND with a necklace-like decoration around the collar, very nice, but for the life of me I cannot find decent pictures of them.

Monday

This God awful heat is doing nothing for me, I tell you, nothing! It was ok for a day or two, but after four days of temperatures not going down below 30 degrees Celsius even during the night, I've had enough. The scorching atmosphere is conducive to nothing - sleeping, getting dressed up, making an effort, styling your hair, just nothing. The only advantage is that it is not conducive to eating either - small blessings ;)

My brain is working though, even if in a heat-induced stupor. There are issues to ponder, important stuff you know, like - after having decided on the bottoms (trousers and skirts), as well as dresses, for my back-to-school wardrobe, I realized that the one category of clothing sourly missing from my closet is tops! Yes people, tops! And I think I know why: after spending a few years buying any t-shirt, shirt, blouse that I stumbled upon at the sales, and after these have all pilled, sagged or just become ill-fitting (if they ever fitted me properly in the first place), I decided I didn't have the skills requisite for purchasing proper tops and I gave up. 

What that left me with are a few mariniere style shirts with both 3/4 and short sleeves, a bunch of tatty t-shirts and several cotton Zara tops, in navy, peach and dusty pink. Another thing - my body changed a lot after my first pregnancy, going from 'I can't fit any of my clothes', to 'this is soooo big I can hide a horse and a cart underneath' and all the stages in between. That meant that I stuck stubbornly to some of the pre-pregnancy pieces that I liked but that never really worked after the baby, especially in the boobs department.

Tops are almost like an accessory part of the outfit to me. I like simple bottoms. Whether it's a skirt or a pant, simple cuts, basic colors and no frills materials appeal to me. With the tops, however, I like to see them pack a punch, either with color or an intricate pattern. The real problem is - I don't like tops to cost much! I feel like good trousers or an elegant jacket are a much better investment since they pull an outfit together and make you look more polished. Tops - they are there for the fun of it, they usually don't last more than a couple of seasons, thus - I cannot justify an exorbitant price tag for what is essentially a glorified t-shirt. 

And now we come to the real issue here - if I don't want to blow my budget, what I'm offered is either cotton tops, which just don't wear well and get saggy quickly and have to be washed after each wear, or I have to settle for polyester! God forbid, if you ask me! Risking sounding too snobby, I just don't do synthetics. It itches, it creates static, it goes on my nerves and I don't like the feel of it.

Difficult much? Yes and no. I am definitely not splurging for silk or fine knits this year, so I got down to business and scoured the net and the sales in search of something acceptable. Here's what I've come up with:

1. A patterned, viscose blouse which ticks all the boxes for me - fun details, a flattering cut, color that go with much of my wardrobe.

Source

2. A two-tone cotton t-shirt with an interesting pattern and a powerful color.

Source

3. A basic shirt, in cream, communicates timeless, summer style.

Source

4. Teal and flowers - one of my favorite combinations.

Source

5. Again, a pattern with an amazing combination of colors - white, rust, ochre, teal.

Source

5. This is an afterthought, but I couldn't skip it - a perfect, striped cardigan:

Source

Now I just need to get to the stores and star trying stuff out - I used to be a hit-and-run shopper, just mindlessly racing to the register with anything that caught my fancy, without bothering to enter the changing rooms and have a proper look at myself. Not any more - no money to burn, thank you very much. Will report back with the results.

No Sugar Coating It!

New jacket
Monsoon
Courtesy of mom
Birthdays are a lot of fun ;)

 A very pregnant me - watch out, that belly button is popping out ;)

 I love the flare in the back and the pleating - i don't know if it's visible on the picture (blurry shots from the office bathroom, not the nicest outfit shooting environment, I know), but that's the main thing that won me over.

Chunky necklace, wood, organic, the right combination if you ask me, it's all carefree and boho chic of sorts.

I love the lining in a different pattern and color - details, it's all about details!















It's a useful addition to my wardrobe and it will work post pregnancy as well. Given that I have not put a lot of weight around my boobs/arms/upper body except for the very protruding belly, I chose a size smaller than I would need now. It fits my shoulders and the rest well and I hope it will continue to fit well after the eye-popping belly is gone. I love the colorway, navy, mustard, red and green - goes with so many things in my wardrobe and it's a nice, lightweight jacket that can make a plain outfit instantly more pulled together if need be, so suitable for where I spend most of my days when I'm not a prego lady/baby mommy - in the office ;) It can work with the casual style as well, I can envision slim dark jeans, flats and the jacket carrying me through the play dates, kids birthdays and the like. Do I make it sound like i LOVE it?

New Shoes and Stuff

The arrival of a black box can only mean one thing - I'm guilty of getting myself another pair of IDENTITY/LILU shoes! Being a Bigfoot that I am does not actually make my life easy in terms of getting appropriate footwear. It makes it a living hell! Oh, how many times have a gazed wistfully at a pair of sleek and elegant ballerinas in a shop window knowing I could never get my huge, chunky feet in them! But,  after I've discovered the talented Danijela Biskup and her shoes almost 10 years ago, I've never looked back. The fit is wide enough for my feet, each pair I own is more than a few years old, they stand the test of time well and I keep adding regularly to the collection. What I also like about them is that they organize weekend sales pretty frequently and it's always good scoring something you covet for a lower price, at least in my book ;) (you can tell I'm very patient, no instant gratification here, hurts the bank balance too much ;)

Here they are, silver flats in all their glory, with the bracelet du jour, a Secret Santa gift from a colleague.

Friday Favorites

1. My new fragrance: my mom's nearest and dearest treated her to a week-long trip to Paris in honor of her 60th birthday (mom, you rock!). Apart from having a ball, mom did the obligatory cheese and macarons shopping, as well as brought a little something something for a very special someone, er, me. Having accidentaly broken a bottle of my favorite Iris by Prada a few months ago, I went without a signature scent as I couldn't really decide which one to get. Mom resolved all dilemmas and came back with a new Givenchy fragrance, Eau Demoiselle. I love it to bits, it's gentle and flowery and does not interfere with my sensitive prego nose. And the packaging is great, vintage-looking, taking pride of place on my vanity.

2. The new Coldplay album, on repeat since released, calming and soothing for my overwrought nerves. I remember doing the same during my first pregnancy, no wonder my daughter loves them.

OMG!

I had to share this the moment I saw it - sgt Brody in action on a Vogue photo shoot - smokin'

Friday Favorites

1. I just love how rummaging through the piles of clothes in the morning I become inspired to get something out - a piece of clothing or an accessory - for a proper airing after a long time. That happened with this necklace this morning. I found the striped tee I wanted to wear and in a sudden epiphany I realized it matched perfectly with this necklace so I took it out and about town for the first time after months and I am very pleased with the results (see exhibit below):

2. I managed to work through my frustration at having my mother-in-law with us this weekend (for all the obvious reasons daughters-in-law feel frustrated with their husbands' moms) and during my lunch break today I took her shopping for a swimming suit. A daunting experience for us 30-somethings let alone for a 65-year old who baulks at the granny looking back at her from the mirror. I helped and gently persuaded and pushed and assumed a tone of a mother treating a rather petulant child and we pulled it off in the end. And I'm glad I helped.


3. This song has been in the background of a grueling week at work, energizing a tired mind and making my body shuffle at least a bit while slumped in a horribly uncomfortable chair behind the damned computer screen:

4. The weekend ahead and the prospect of entertaining dear friends at our new place is making me happy and full of plans for a perfect Sunday late lunch menu. So far, the following items have made the list:

• roasted thigh or shoulder of any decent meat we find at our butcher's
• stuffed eggs (courgette and butter based stuffing, yummy!)
• mashed taters with basil and bacon (a total improvisation, will report on the success or lack thereof)
• celery, apples and walnut salad
• rocket, tomatoes, pine nuts and Greek goat cheese salad
• and an apple tart with vanilla ice cream and dates for dessert

I'm hungry just writing about it!!!!!

Random Acts of Kindness

When walking to work every morning I have to pass through a rather narrow street the actual width of which does not prevent drivers from speeding by as if on the Monaco rally. The curb is also a narrow strip of security not wide enough for two people to pass each other by without one of them stepping onto the street. It's been a few mornings now that several different people, men I have to say, have made a conscious effort to step onto the street and let me pass by safely. These gestures were made swiftly but deliberately enough to make me realize in a few seconds that I was passing by that those were acts of kindness and paying attention to the person coming your way. I feel good about this as it says people are not as insensitive, callous, mindless and rude as we are led to believe these days. No, there are enough regular people around, we just have to notice.

In other, less serious observations, look what caught my fancy these days:

Source

As well as these:

Source

Be still my beating heart! I kinda need both, but given my 30-year marriage to the bank I'll wait for the sales. There's no harm in looking, though, right?

Watching reruns of Homeland and the first season of The Americans - I'm a sucker for a good spy story. 

And spring is finally here!!!

United Nude Shoes

For ages I've been an avid fan of United Nude shoes. Just look at these beauties:

elastic_remix_mid_curacao

Gorgeous color combination, I can just see myself walking down the cobbled streets of Dorcol in the heat of the summer in these and feeling all bold and ready to get on top of the world!

cup_braid_hi_black_camel_out

These babies are just plain dangerous!

cup_pump_black

I am seriously considering getting at least these black pumps - they seem like shoes that could be worn every day all day, morning to evening, with anything.

battery_grey_mix

THE perfect bootie! There is the same pair in brown tones as well.

It so happens that I know a very special and smart lady that is in charge of their import, wholesale and retail in what the rest of the world now commonly refers to as the Western Balkans. Their stuff is awesome, the shoes are a work of art and you can browse more of their offer and outlet/discount prices here: https://www.lilijolie.com/en/

Disclaimer: views expressed here are all my own, I was not in any way compensated by the owner of Lili Jolie to write about their shoes. Just so that we're square on that ;-)

A quickie

Again, ton of stuff at work, no time to breathe, I feel I'm submerged most of the time in a never-ending stream of e-mails and documents.

Combination of the day: my mom's blouse from the 70s, I love it and have been wearing it since high school, a ZARA cardie and a Swatch necklace, all geometrical and fun, a present from a dear friend.

We have a minty nail situation going on here the whole week ;-)

Photo courtesy of http://bourbonandpearls.blogspot.com/

I just adore men in uniform and this particular picture of the young Prince Harry is . . . um . . . hot!


















Plus, I've found a super secret hush-hush website that let's me watch second season of 'Homeland' on the sly! Yaaaay! It's so exciting and dramatic and Carrie is way better that in the first season, while sergeant Brody (now Congressman Brody) is smokin' ;-)

That's it!

XOXO
Mimi

Marine Faring

As promised, here is the styling for the Ralph Laurent striped tee I gushed about several posts ago. It's rather mundane I would say - a marine themed bracelet and a clashing print scarf, but in a similar color way. The drab colors of the morning didn't inspire me to aim for more experimentation. I'm pleased overall, although I have to think of more ways to style the tee in a more attractive manner.

The VAT has gone up, the prices are sky-high and I sense an interesting winter coming up full of recycling, up-cycling and general belt-tightening activities ;-)

XOXO
Mimi

Color

I like color. In fact, I think I would be seriously endangered if I was ever made to look at the world in black and white. My emotions have colors, my days have colors, and I wear copious amount of color.

Since this spring I've been in love with orange. But combining orange and light blue with brown accents - I don't think there's more people like me out there. Sometimes I feel so alone in my color combos, and yet sometimes while looking at the fashion mags they seem so plain and pedestrian compared to some of the antics ongoing among the fashionista crowd.

Take my outfit of the day today:

This 3/4 sleeve tee is one of my wardrobe staples ever since I bought it a few months ago. The light blue pencil skirt was tailor-made from some leftover fabric my mom has been safe keeping for years ;-)













These shoes are easily my favorite ones ever! If you ask me - they go with everything!

The necklace is big wooden beads and is a gift from a dear friend.















Despite a few odd looks from people around the office, i think this works. This kind of skirt-tee/shirt-flats with a print combination has become a sort of a uniform in my case.

Lots of good news from several friends today and I feel all hopeful and joyous, hence the colors are totally appropriate!

XOXO
Mimi

Vintage

Vintage, vintage, vintage - this word jumps at me from everywhere, the internet and the blogosphere, the fashion magazines, it's all about vintage this or that. I am not even sure what it means any more, although here is what Wikipedia says:

'Vintage clothing is a generic term for new or second hand garments originating from a previous era'.

Hmm, still not sure. I guess the shirt I'm wearing today could loosely pass off as vintage as it was sewn by my grandmother back in the 80s for my mom. It's a part of a three-piece arrangement (a shirt, a coat and a skirt) all made from very fine silk and modeled on a then-current pattern.

For me, this clothing bears emotional value. The fact that my grandmother made it by her own two hands makes it priceless. She is 82 now and has long since stopped sewing - blame poor eyesight - but my mom keeps some of the things she crafted and I'm grateful for that.

I feel special wearing this shirt today. I especially love the colors and the pattern:

Not being all about fast fashion and designer brands, I like combining items like this shirt with what I would normally wear to work, like a skirt or pants. It makes me feel less generic.

The bracelet I'm wearing was a gift from mom a long time ago and it usually lingers on the bottom of my bracelet pile, but I took it out this morning thinking how it complements well the shirt. And by this simple act I feel in touch with the female power of my family - and that is a force to be reckoned with.

XOXO,

Mimi