BAVARIAN MEANDER

My constant attraction to winter holidays when most people retreat indoors, leads me to think that perhaps I was an Eskimo in a previous life. Winter poses a real style opportunity to me, and it is an excellent occasion to challenge your layering skills. It takes a little skill to dress warm enough and allowing you to peel down the layers when you move indoors as most winter destinations warm up the interior of stores to the point that I would reach a melt down. So how do you layer? I start off with a thin long sleeve under garment or vest, but not thermal as dropping in and out of buildings often causes overheating and discomfort in thermal underwear. The second layer can be a turtle neck top, and perhaps a light quilted vest, then ad a scarf, and a weather proof coat or jacket, preferably one that reaches down below the bottom to keep the hind quarters warm! I would wear tights underneath a skirt, and if it's really cold, a pair of short socks over the long tights, and then a skirt or pants. To top it all, I would wear long boots, gloves and a fur hat. Being duly armed against the freezing outdoor temperature, I was more than ready to hit the sights of this charming and incredibly beautiful city of Bavaria. Munich has a very charming atmosphere, with many interesting places to visit, and a delightful Christmas Market. I met up with my long time blogger friend, Annette Holdrich from the www.ladyofstyle.com blog, toasting life at the elegant Emporio Armani Café, within walking distance from the uber chic Maximillian Strasse, not to be missed if you have the chance to shop..... Do stop by at the odd coffee shop to warm up, or perhaps a shoe store..... Bavaria has so much to offer that one would have to return. Hopefully soon enough. My dear husband had very little choice but to brave the cold and accompany me to the fairy tale castle of Neuschwanstein where we were transported to the top by horse carriage.

Brocade and Fur Trim Coat - Rocco Barroco

Turtle Neck - Old

Skirt - Old

Sued Boots - Zara

Crossbody bag - Gucci

Fur Hat and Leather Gloves - Prague Fur Crafters

 

HINT OF SUMMER

With a particularly harsh winter and continuous rain, it's hard to get an opportunity to snap a few pictures for style posts outdoors. When the sun shone for a brief while, I grabbed the opportunity to take up my position for a few snapshots of colour. Winter is somehow associated with deep and dark colours, but a flash of colour somehow alleviates the impact of cold weather. It's fun to always ad an unexpected element to your style, making it your own, and paving the way for followers who take inspiration from others. Besides, it ads a little energy to winter, announcing that summer will be back soon....I barely settled into position when the packing clouds burst down in rain again, causing me to run for cover. With that said, I am imprisoned indoors, planning some more energetic colour schemes....and maybe celebrating summer in a far away place.....No wonder in Indian tradition, Holy festival of colour is held by painting the town Red to celebrate spring! Now let's find the map, India is after all on my bucket list.......

Coat- Zara

Turtle Neck - Woolworths

Printed Pants - H & M

Shoes - Flexisole

MY COMFORT ZONE

Black has always been a colour of choice, not because it's prescribed for my professional attire, but simply because it has a lasting elegance leaving you feeling confident and ready to pursue any task, fit to conquer the world. I veered into some more adventurous combinations introducing Brown to my palette, another taboo that established itself in my new set of self imposed rules of do's and dont's. The combination needed something else to take it to the next level, and all of a sudden, this polka dot scarf fulfilled it's function adding a little spunk to an otherwise bland colour scheme. Don't be afraid of introducing something unexpected, more often than not, you will be delighted about the results of the experiment!

Coat - Zara

Clutch bag - Zara

Skirt - Country Road

Scarf - Laos 

Boots - Moda in Pelle

Necklace - Zuri

Gloves - Primark

CAPSULE WARDROBE

Decision decisions, what to buy to create the capsule wardrobe? Winter months in the Southern hemisphere does not exactly require Canadian goose or down jackets, however the wind chill factor does require some warm cover up. Irrespective of your means, the best way to go about it is to obtain items that can be mixed and re-matched with each other and that will blend in with the rest of your wardrobe. So where to start, classic coat or trench, cocoon or oversized, wool or cashmere? A Trench is a staple item that is worth it's weight in Gold, and will serve you well for may years. Although I 'm a great fan of the cocoon coat, my favourite remains the classic all wool double breast coat in either fine Cashmere or a wool mix in either  White or Black. A Khaki coloured trench is probably the most practical. My love for winter White takes preference when it comes to picking a classic coat, and although you have to find a specialist dry cleaner to maintain it's virgin look, it's an item worth investing in for many winters. The Black version is always more practical, but then again, we don sometimes stray......! A well made pair of loafers in Black will provide for happy feet, and with the addition of a funky pair of tights, gives your look an instant edge!

 

My beloved Aquazzura suede lace up pumps in Cobalt Blue is considered sacred, and an absolute must if you venture towards the more colourful shades. Trust me, this pair will contribute greatly towards your creative ability to assemble outfits!  As for over the knee boots, I find the leg hugging slimming stretch suede the most flattering and less masculine. A leather skirt will serve you  well, and last for many seasons to come. If you cannot find a suitable button up shirt in crisp White cotton, don't overlook the men's section in department stores. My husband recently came to my rescue when he put my on track of beautifully tailored man's shirt that actually follows the female curve, slightly tapered in the waist, with a collar firm enough to put our grandmothers redundant acts of starching collars, to shame. One last thing that a capsule wardrobe needs is a Breton shirt, in honour of Ms Chanel who made this wonderful item so useful. The addition of a timeless cross body bag or small purse will finish off  your look, and voila, what more does a girl need? If you're into online shopping, a great place to start is Asos. You can virtually create a plethora of outfits with these basics!

 

FASHION & LIBERATION

How many of you ever give any thought to the idea that being a girl of a certain age, is hugely liberating in that it allows you to pull off outfits that you lacked confidence for when you were at a more tender age?

 

Isn't it comforting to know that having reached that stage in your life,  you can wear just about anything you like, even if nobody else likes it?

 

Wearing a skirt of this girth, I became funnily aware of the fact that when I was 21, I may have had the body, but at 51, I now have the confidence. I would have been acutely aware of stares and looks, to the extent where abandon would probably have been the only escape, yet I felt rather comfortable provoking looks and stares of me being engulfed in 2.8 metres of fabric, spurring me on to sway the hips, rocking the look, and quietly giggling at my own nerve to provoke,  whatever the response may be.

 

My skirt may have been conspicuously huge,  but I happily pranced along the cobbled streets sporting a skirt like a guild of liberation.  There is however, a word of warning, if you dress like a clown, don't be surprised if you are laughed at, and if you wear something this loud and expansive, be ready to receive some stares. Either they love or hate the look. My forecast is that big skirts are going to make a comeback next season, hugely so......

 

 

 

 

Fruit Printed Shirt - Old

Skirt - Belle Epoque

Shoes - Zara

Neck Piece - Zara

 

NEON GREEN

Can colour influence your mood, or does you mood influence your choice in colour? I'd say that mood is enhanced by sunshine, and that it has a subconscious influence on your choice of colour. No need to say, there was a slight hint of spring in the air this morning, and with the little promise of warmer days, my decision to wear something bright and luminous  was pretty easy. The Neon trend has come and gone, but every time I feel spring in my step, I gravitate towards something with a Citrus undertone, and like leopard print, this colour has firmly settled in my closet. So why not give the winter blues a lift by wearing something bright, or even when you feel a little less energetic, slip into something more colourful to experience nature's tonic! To stretch the brain power, wear it with geometric print!

 

Jacket - Camaieu

Pants - Studio W

Shoes - Tatazi

Top - Country Road

Ring - Ephypanie

Bag - Zara

Chanel Brooch - Vintage

Sunglasses - Ray Ban

WINTER STAPLES ELONGATING THE BODY

If all else fails during winter, resort to layering with your favourite staple. A coat length just above the knee  is extremely reliable and most suited for the unpredictable Cape of storms, never mind the fact that it is a hot trend! Our current weather changes at least three times a day, almost as temperamental as a menopausal women. Since you never know how hot or cold the afternoon would be, (much like hot flushes) you should not let the morning's rain and wind deter you from  covering up in layers, hence my pea coat from my favourite Italian store, Piazza Italia, combined with  multiple trends including layering, prints, and heavy statement neck pieces! My recent visit to Europe, frolicking the clothing stores, brought me to the conclusion that if there is one staple that we should invest in if you haven't already, it's this kind of coat. It looks equally perfect dressed down with jeans and ads instant glamour to your looks if combined with heels! The mid length also tends to elongate the body if by any chance you are horizontally challenged! Needless to say my fixation with animal print is continued in this blazer, representing  multiple different prints combined with leopard. It also promotes the concept of different prints worn together, as the sunglasses deviate from the print on the blazer although it is in the same colour scheme. I added a touch of Turquoise to break up the monotony of winter's darkness.

 

 

Pea coat - Piazza Italia, Florence

Blazer - Jenni Button

Top - Zara

Pants - C & A

Clutch - Prada

Neck Piece & matching bracelet - Honey

Sunglasses D & G

Shoes - Dorothy Perkins

BODY TYPE REVIEW

 

My relationship with clothes started with my maternal grandmother, whose love for fashionable clothes and acute awareness of being well groomed, made a lasting impression on me, firmly imprinted into my memory. She would dress me like a mannequin, and taught me to turn around in the mirror to view my outfit from all angles. I always endeavour to put it to good use when deciding whether a particular style or cut suits my body type or not. Even though I would love to, it is exactly why I do not wear skinnies, as it is not flattering to pear shapes, and hence the straight leg pants as opposed to skinnies, living up to my concept of dressing your body type instead of your age. These printed pants immediately caught my attention, and being a rather straight cut, I find them a little more flattering! The beauty of straight leg cuts is that it elongates your legs if you are on the short side. If you want to take it to the next level, step out in high heels, adding instant illusions of height!

 

 

 

Jacket - Reserved Clothing

Pants - H & M

Shoes - Zara

Bag - Louis Vuitton

Bracelet - Hermes

Sunglasses - Hermanus Street Market Find

Turtle Neck - Primark (Old)

EXOTIC PRINT

Having spent some time traversing the European continent for the last three weeks, I kept a keen eye on stores, street style and trends, and have no doubt that print will linger much longer than anticipated. My forecast is that digital print will enjoy particular popularity. I cannot imagine traveling and not visiting a dress fabric store, hence my delight to have found this beautiful piece of viscose at a fabric store in Vienna. It represents a beautiful combination of animal and exotic print all combined and gently fused into one magnificent piece of art! I adore the lightness of the viscose allowing it to be worn in between seasons. My imagination is already working overtime about what my small scale Bell Époque Factory will be creating with this lovely fabric.....the fabric store is situated in a well known shopping street in Vienna, as can be found on there website at www.komolka.com

The neck piece from Zara was added just to exaggerate the exoticness of the print, and the leather bag very similar to a certain brand we are all familiar with, although unbranded it is very well made in the softest leather you can imagine, from an unknown store also in Vienna.

DAY TO NIGHT

Not having posted anything for a few days and being occupied with travelling in Europe, I am beginning to feel the symptoms of not visiting my favourite blogs. So I decided to just let you know that I am still here, although a little scarce! When a friend recently asked me how to style an outfit from day to night, and not having to much time to go shopping, I sent her straight to Zara, where all her shopping could be done under one roof, including accessories. This is what I proposed to her, a trendy yet classic look allowing her to move from the office into a cocktail party and evening office function.  By simply changing the top, shoes and bag, it takes the entire outfit to another level! This jacket has just hit our shelves- perhaps a little over exposed to those in other parts of the world where the summer season already sees another range of clothes, but down here it is very sought after, and very African! The entire ensemble was styled and sourced in Polyvore....

Neon Supreme

Neon Supreme by fiftyfabulous featuring a silver necklace

Zara shoes
zara.com

ASOS clutch handbag
asos.com

Zara silver necklace
zara.com

Turquoise Tonic

Turquoise Tonic by fiftyfabulous featuring round sunglasses

Emilio Pucci pattern dress
mytheresa.com

Zara slingback shoes
zara.com

Clutch handbag
modaoperandi.com

Nickel free jewelry
modaoperandi.com

Juicy Couture chain bracelet
juicycouture.com

RetroSuperFuture round sunglasses
$170 - farfetch.com