TABOOS AND TRENDS

Yesterdays taboos are tomorrows trends. I was raised with the idea that White shoes are a taboo, and that the shoes should never be lighter than the seam. Sounds a little archaic to you? Well, it fact it is. There are a number of fashion dos and don'ts that we grew up with that now appear to be primitive and outdated. Here I am again, challenging convention, or perhaps simply ignoring outdated rules. My soles are much paler than the pants, I am wearing different prints together, and I feel ecstatic about the liberation. One more advantage of being a girl of a certain age.... 

Blazer - Charter Club

Pants - Dorothy Perkins

Shoes - Valentino Rock Studs

Top - H&M

Clutch bag - Jimmy Choo

KALEIDOSCOPE

The brighter the better..... looking on the bright side of my wardrobe, I was faced with the challenge of wearing print that is not only bright, but rather bold and loud. The print is inspired by a tropical garden, allowing it to be worn with a multitude of rainbow colours. I chose to wear a dress that toned the look down, balancing it with shoes that picks up and reflects on all the colours of the print. This coat is a marvellous item to dress up jeans, and to spruce up a simple pair of cigarette cut pants, perhaps with heels a few inches higher....... after all, the sky is the limit. The twist in the dress works it's magic in slimming down the waist, and the rouged effect leads the eye to the middle. This is a great style if you want to elongate the appearance of the body, and distract from the midriff, particularly after a month of many celebrations.....

Dress - Dorothy Perkins

Coat - D & G

Shoes - Valentino Rock Studs

Wristwatch - Gaga Milano

Sunglasses - Dior

DEFYING THE RULES

A little effort goes along way, and if you're bored with your look or think that your appearance detracts from your creativity, add print on print, it's as good as a makeover! I have no formal meetings today, no court appearances and no round table discussions, which is quite a breather allowing me some more style freedom, dressing a little less seriously. Excitement at last, so I slapped together different prints, my favourite combination, sporting a little adventure.  And yes, I am defying the rule against wearing shoes that are lighter than my seam! My grandmother would turn in her grave. Rest in peace, it's become acceptable! Thank goodness. Next step is to let my hair down, but that would be to much excitement for one day! O, before I forget, the top was sourced from a bin sale at a weekend market in Bangkok, what a great find, does a bargain resonate with you?

Jacket - Martvisser Couture, Amsterdam

Pants - Belle Epoque

Top - thrift find in Bangkok's Chatuchak Weekend Market, sourced from a bin!

Shoes - Valentino

Clutch bag - Asos

Sunglasses - Dior

Neck Piece - Sass Diva

FULL CIRCLE

There can be no doubt that the charm of bygone days are revived with full skirts, hence the welcome reception of this beautiful phenomenon! I remember my mother wearing skirts as big as a satellite dish, making her look as if she was spinning around the dance floor like a whirling dervish. The volume and fullness of a full flared skirt also invokes a feeling of childhood memory bringing a sense of freedom and femininity. Some fabrics are better suited for this type of skirt as the weight of a voluminous style just gives it much more body, allowing the cloth to fall to the floor  like concert drapes. It's  also well suited to rounded hips as it draws the attention away from pear shapes and leads the eye  to the legs and the waste, with mid length skirts adding some height. It's an easy trend to style, as the simple addition of a button up shirt gives it a feeling of formality without  detracting from the playfulness of the skirt. All you need to finish it off, is to slip into the Cinderella like rock studs to make you feel like a princess. Otherwise, a pair of strappy heels or T-bar Mary Janes are just as chic, giving the look it's final edge.

 

I love these skirts for the sheer luxury of metres of fabric being wrapped around you and making me want to take to the dance floor......

 

Voile Blouse - Thrifted

Skirt - Belle Epoque

Shoes - Valentino

Neck piece and bracelet - Sass Diva