Hot Hot Hot

I live in a city with a warm climate and one of the big advantages is that when the summer sales happen, there is still a good two months of weather that will require summer clothes. Knowing that anything I buy will get good wear in the current season, I have used the sales as a way to try out new-to-me brands and styles or silhouettes that I want to experiment with without too much of a financial commitment. I bought three items at the sales, so I will be showing you the results over the next few weeks.

Top: Manning Cartell

Necklace: Frank Ideas

Pants:Country Road

Shoes:Wittner

This top was a find from an Australian design house that I have admired, but never purchased from before. It is a linen blend and has a trapeze shape and an asymmetrical hemline that provides a dramatic train-like effect at the back. I seem to have fallen in love with tops that give me movement and drama when I am walking around!

                                                                                                Jacket:Veronika Maine

The shape of the top, the lustrous fabric and the darts at the bust line actually create the impression of volume over my chest. And I also like it worn with my cropped jacket from last summer, so I can continue to wear it even when the days are no longer quite so beautiful. I am counting this experiment as a success, and will be keeping an eye on this brand in the future.

Do you use sales as a way to dip your toe into the water of a new style or brand? 

Hot Hot Hot by Arrow

Uptown Funk

I think I confessed in a previous post that I am not generally a fan of the boho look. Whilst I appreciate it on other people, it is almost the exact opposite of my usual style. It is therefore with some surprise that I have found myself wearing a style that definitely has boho roots, namely the peasant blouse.

                                                                  Top:Forever New
                                                                  Pants:Veronika Maine
 I like the way the elastic at the neckline creates gathers that gives volume over my torso. I like the opportunity to show my neck and collarbone without exposing my chest. And I like the way I can tuck it to emphasise the waist. I have chosen a version without tassels or embroidery and in a simple navy and white stripe so it feels quite congruent with the rest of my wardrobe. I guess that is a good illustration that most trends can be made to fit most wardrobes, if the details are done right.

I have seen this style being worn off the shoulder a lot, but I prefer not to expose that much skin during the day. And with this sort of neckline, I find you do have to be a bit careful about gaping when you bend over. I solved that with a little bit of fashion tape applied to the centre front. I don't think it is obvious, and it means I can loll around without concerning myself about possible wardrobe malfunctions.

I am back at work now, so my lolling around opportunities are significantly decreased, but I have had a lovely break and I hope you have too!

Uptown Funk by Mark Ronson

Shut Up And Dance

This is such a party time of year for me, because less than a week after the New Year begins, we celebrate our wedding anniversary. This year is number 26 for us and after the turmoil and stress the last couple of years has put on our marriage, I feel glad to have reached a calmer and happier place. Marriage is full of ups and downs for everyone, so sometimes it's nice to be able to look at the life and the family we have created together, appreciate the good things we have achieved as a team, gaze into each others eyes, turn the music up and dance!

We have been known to forget our anniversary, and when we remember, we usually do something fairly low key. This year I bought us both some new pyjamas to mark the occasion. My husband does not say much about this blog, but he was very adamant about me showing you the result.

                                                              Nightdress:Peter Alexander
I like to wear quite feminine night clothes and have had difficulty finding ones that I felt happy in. Most are low cut and gape at the front. I wanted something that would hide my scars, flatter my shape and feel nice to touch. I often end up wearing the tried and true T-shirt and sleep shorts combination to bed, but I definitely prefer a pretty nightdress. I stumbled across this one on the sale rack, and it is just about perfect for my needs.

The straps are adjustable, allowing me to bring the neckline up as high as I want. The top edge is elasticated, so it sits close to my chest and does not gape. The shape is a gentle A-line, flaring out from the top in a flattering way. It is made from a soft, smooth fabric that feels cool and comfortable to wear. But perhaps most importantly, my husband loves how it looks on me. And I do like to keep my dance partner happy! 

I was tempted to duplicate this purchase, as nightdresses that fit all the criteria above are few and far between. Sadly, the downside of sales is that size availability is limited, so I was only able to find this one. But it has given me a good check-list for what to look for next time I purchase sleepwear.

Do you wear anything to bed? Is your choice dictated by practicality or aesthetic preference?

Shut Up And Dance by Walk The Moon

Confident

Happy New Year to everyone!
I was unfortunate enough to be struck down by a gastro bug shortly after Christmas, so it was an early night and light rations for me, but overall 2015 has been a good year.

I was diagnosed in mid-2013 and spent the rest of that year recovering physically. 2014 was all about difficult conversations, re-negotiating relationships and recovering emotionally. 2015 has been the year I have managed to be me again. If you are struggling with the difficult physical or emotional work a cancer diagnosis brings, please believe that it will get better. And in the meantime, there is always fashion!

 

                                       Camisole: Uniqlo
                                       Pants:Cue
                                       Dress: Gift from my baby sis!
                                       Shoes:Wittner
My beautiful baby sister sent me this dress for Christmas, and I think she must have read my mind because I have been wanting a shirtdress that I can wear open as a long jacket, for a 1920's style look.
This is not a figure-revealing silhouette and I like the long, straight vertical lines, which I think are quite flattering on a straight body. However, the true beauty of this style is really only captured in movement: the dress billows around me in a very satisfying way. I suppose it is another version of a cape.

I like to wear a top and bottom of the same colour when wearing a long jacket over the top. I think it makes the outfit more cohesive and reinforces the tall, slim look of this style.  I'm wearing a simple, close-fitting, inexpensive Uniqlo camisole as a top and I think the simplicity works well when there are other aspect of the outfit doing the heavy lifting style-wise.

I hope 2016 is a year of dreams coming true for all of you and I am confident that whilst the year will hold both triumph and disaster, we will prevail! Many thanks to all who have read and commented over the last year. I hope I will have your company again this year. xx

Confident by Demi Levato

I'm Growing A Beard Downstairs For Christmas

One of my concerns about living in an age where pubic hair is apparently passé is that post-mastectomy, being hair-free can look child-like. That's not an appearance I want to cultivate, so I was very amused when Kate Miller-Heidke released a single in support of Decembeard, a fund raising effort by Bowel Cancer Australia. You can watch it on YouTube, but there is also a "Donate for Download" option below, if you are partial to the comedy Christmas song or would like to support a great cause. For those who feel like that is entirely too much information, I give you pictures of my Christmas dress for 2015!

                                                     Dress: ScanlanTheodore
                                                      Sandals:Wittner
                                                     Bangle:Mimco (gift from a friend)
You may recall that a new dress is a childhood Christmas tradition for me, and I try to choose something dressy enough for seasonal parties. I wear mostly neutrals, but I fell in love with the colours and print of this dress. I worked for a number of years in rural Australia and this print reminds me of the beauty of the Australian bush.

It is made of silk, and is very soft and light and cool, perfect for summer parties. I also love the way it drapes: it does not cling to my chest and the gathers at the waist are just the thing for disguising the effects of holiday indulgence!

I also wanted to show you my Christmas present from my lovely husband: some beautiful, delicate leaf-shaped earrings. I think they echo the print of the dress beautifully.
I wore this dress on Christmas day and had a wonderful time with my boys, their girl-friends and members of our extended family. I now have a week to relax, read and have some down-time before work starts again. I hope you all had a very happy Christmas surrounded by people you love. xx

I'm Growing A Beard Downstairs For Christmas by Kate Miller-Heidke and The Beards

Decembeard Donate for Download

Santa Baby

I am lucky enough to work with some truly fabulous women and feel fortunate to be able to count them as friends as well as colleagues. As the year comes to an end, we have begun to exchange gifts. I was given this top last week, and I thought I would show you because it illustrates a few really good principles to bear in mind if you want to wear a fitted top rather than something more voluminous.

Top:Seed (Christmas gift)

Skirt:ScanlanTheodore

Belt:Veronika Maine

Bag:Oroton(Christmas gift)

Shoes:Wittner

Ok, so here are my thoughts about rules for wearing fitted tops. Your mileage may vary, but I have found these ideas helpful in choosing clothes.

1. Silhouette is king. I like to think about the overall shape of the entire outfit. I tried this top with a fitted skirt and found that creating a lot of shape on my lower half just emphasised the lack of shape at the top! I feel much more comfortable with the overall triangular, 1920's style of a full skirt or wide-leg pants when wearing a fitted top.

2. Texture is your friend. This is a thick, Milano knit fabric with a lot of weight and body. Whilst it is fitted, it is not clingy and it sits slightly away from my chest. One of the most valuable lessons I have learned this year has been the importance of fabric.

3. Dark is good. The light does not bounce off any unevenness over my chest or create unflattering shadows in the way that lighter colours do when I wear fitted tops. (Lycra gym wear, I'm looking at you!)

4. Detail allows you to choose where you want the focus to be. I love the asymmetrical hemline on this top, as it draws the eye down. I have reinforced the effect by adding a decorative belt. Jewellery and accessories can fill the role for plain tops, but I find that I am drawn to pieces that have some kind of built-in design interest.

5. Yeah, the side view is never gonna be great with a fitted top. You need to be at peace with that if you want to wear them. This style is definitely about looking good without breasts rather than looking like you might have breasts. I find that I reserve fitted tops for days when I am feeling particularly confident and fabulous for this very reason!

I think my friend did a great job in choosing this top for me! I really love it. Do you receive any fashion-related gifts at Christmas? How do you feel about others choosing clothes for you?

Santa Baby by Eartha Kitt

Living In The 70's

Hello! The weeks seem to be passing so quickly at the moment, and the weekend is over before I have had time to think about an outfit to show you! I will try and be a little more consistent now university has ended for the year and the days are getting longer.

A huge trend that has hit all the shops here this Spring has been the 70's look. I am not a big fan of boho style - it is generally too unstructured to really make my heart sing. However, this resurgence of 70's style has brought with it the return of the flare and the bootcut. I really like the freshness of the new silhouette, but I was concerned that it was not a look I would be able to wear. It seemed to me that the extra width on the bottom would require a fitted top to balance it and I usually prefer some volume over my chest, especially in the warmer months when I am not wearing a jacket or cardigan.
The solution I have found has been the tunic top.

                                                     Top/dress: Cue
                                                     Pants: Cue
I had several in my closet from last summer, and I have bought another one this season to get the "white-out" look. A few of these are dresses which are a little too short to be work-appropriate. They are now going to do double duty as  both at-home summer wear as a dress and over pants as a tunic for work.

I think the trick with this type of pairing is to choose a tunic with a triangular shape.That way, the top flares out in a way that echoes the pants. The shape also draws the eye down, and the narrow, fitted shape on the shoulder and chest becomes a part of the overall silhouette rather than the focus of the outfit. Wearing all one colour also helps create a long vertical shape that de-emphasises my chest. This is essentially a longer version of the trapeze top silhouette that I wore a lot last summer but with the fun addition of flared pants.

One of the things I love about fashion is the excitement of the new, and the clever reinterpretation of the old. How do you feel about the return of the flare?

Living in the 70's by Skyhooks