WIW : Besotted with Blue:)

Hi Ladies,

I have worn my new blue boots twice this week:)  Once at work and today for my day off.  I am really happy I allowed my friend to convince me I 'needed' them lol.

Starting from the bottom upwards, I am wearing:

Zara Navy Brogue Ankle Boots
Rockmans Navy Ponte Pants (really leggings)
Valley Girl, Cream tshirt tunic
Zara Navy draped long cardigan
Spiegel Black Leather Jacket

This is a comfortable and warm outfit and perfect for running around in.  It's sunny today (finally) but cold so I popped my faithful Spiegel leather jacket (always think of the lovely Amiable when I wear this) over it all for while I was outdoors.  I draped the navy lapel of the cardigan out over the lapel of the leather jacket and liked the effect.  I think it all looks a bit bulky with the leather jacket but wasn't to bothered because it was warm ;)

So I am wondering.. is navy the new black lol!

For Robyn & Michelle, if you are reading:)
The outfit is made up of varying shades of navy.  The navy brogue style ankle boots come up to the shin and are a little higher at the front than the back.  They are patent with the traditional brogue pattern.  The leggings are also navy, nicely fitted to the leg and a substantial thickness.  The cream tunic has a rounded neckline, is sleeveless and has a hi low hemline, the front being shorter than the back with the shortest point falling at about mid thigh length. The cardigan is about knee length, is navy and has draped lapels that can be worn simply draped, or brought up around the neck and buttoned to create a cross over at the front and a draped cowl neck - I am wearing it draped. The leather jacket is black, has wide fold back lapels and falls at just above mid hip length.

Thanks for looking and your thoughts, suggestions, critique all very welcome.

xxx Deborah

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22 comments

WIW: Blue Boots

Hi Ladies,

As per my earlier post today, I couldn't wait to wear my new ankle boots.

I wore them to work today:)

The navy skinny ponte pants have been orphaned in my closet so it was fun to get them out today. I rolled them a little, so more of the boot could be seen. I think that looked ok.  I may actually shorten the pants now to suit the boot as I am not a huge fan of the roll.

I then added a soft layered blouse in black, a textured sleeveless vest/jacket and a navy scarf to tie the top and bottom of the outfit together.

I realised today that while I love a high contrast between my clothing and my hair/skin, I actually have a low tolerance for high contrast when mixing my clothing items.. yes I am a bit slow lol.  I understood today that the reason my navy pants have not worked for me before is because my footwear was too high contrast, even black boots never looked quite right to me. 

I may even start to wear my blue denim skinny jeans again;)

Over to you.  What do you think.  Were the boots a good addition to my wardrobe?  Is this outfit worth repeating?

Thanks for looking
xxx Deborah

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32 comments

My Shopping Goal aka Fell off the wagon!!

Hi Ladies,

I have been processing this 5 Piece French Wardrobe concept in my mind, and, of course, I have fallen off the wagon spectacularly within days of deciding it could work for me!

However, my essentials and basics are in good shape, so I did stay on track by purchasing (for me) slight statement-y / special pieces to work with my essentials.

Find #1 
Metalicus Mali Long Sleeve Jacket.  This jacket is light weight and has snaps on the shoulder and the side.  It can snapped closed so it creates a cowl neck and drapes, it can be worn open and it can be worn as in the picture.  Versatile, dramatic but softened by being black and white.  I had been eyeing this since it came out a short while ago.

Find #2
Zara Brogue Ankle Boots in Navy. I have decided to move my cobalt boots on as they just were not doing it for me.  These caught my eye and I loved the navy tone, the patent finish and just the overall look of the boot.  I don't have anything like these.  And they will work nicely with my slowly growing collection of navy items.  They are a lower contrast than the cobalt (and not black) and I think this will make them a very positive addition to my wardrobe.  In fact, I am wearing them today with an orphaned pair of navy ponte skinny pants:)

Find #3
Zara Long Knit Cardigan in Navy.  This fits more into my essentials category.  It's a typical garment for me, but I don't have anything like this in navy.    It can be worn as in the picture, or the lapel can be draped upward and secured at the neck to create a more funnel type neckline as shown in the other pics attached to the Find. I wore it that way yesterday and I LOVED it.

So, this post is really about accountability!!  I have done enough shopping in the past two months, much of it funded by birthday money (the Metalicus jacket was purchased using a gifted voucher) but there are only so many days in a year right??

My goal is to move more to the 5 Piece French Wardrobe (5PFW) concept starting in August.  I need to replace my black skinny jeans (they died) - these are a wardrobe essential for me and as we move into Spring, my ponte skinny pants will be too warm -  and Metalicus have a great Super stretch Jegging in Black.  I would like to purchase a pair at the end of August, and I would like them to be my only 
purchase in August.  I am also looking at spending more on these than I would have in the past, hopefully attaining a better quality item that will stand the amount of wear they will get.

So, I am happy to be kept accountable:)  Feel free to ask the hard questions if I weaken, and to encourge me as I resist the temptation of so many lovely things that I don't need :)  BTW, I don't want this to be too ridged, it still needs to allow for some flexibility, but ultimately I see it being a good way for me to operate.

Thanks for reading!

xxx Deborah

Ps.. LynD if you are reading, forgive me!  I had a last minute opportunity to go the Melbourne on Monday and managed to wangle a drive by Chadstone:)

19 comments

WIW : JFE

Happy Sunday!

Church this morning and really felt like wearing my culottes.

Metalicus Culottes
Basque Cross Back Sweater (Navy)
- white floaty cami top underneath
Serra Leather Ankle Boots
Motto Moto Jacket

I trust this is JFE.  The trouble with the culotte look is that is 'widening' so I do have to be in the mood to wear them and not be bothered about looking 'slender'.  Heeled footwear is a must tho:)  I do have a couple of cropped to the waist tops that I think will work with the culottes but I am try to eliminate some tummy lumpage before I try that look :)

I think it must have looked ok because my friend's 20 something daughter complimented me and wants me to grab her a pair of the culottes when next in at Metalicus :)

I am loving the navy sweater and really happy I bought it.  I have a number of tops that can be layered under it for different looks.. and it's warm!

So cold here that I am spotting women in 'puffer' jackets.  And for the first time I am considering getting one!! LOL

Hope this looks ok.

xxx Deborah

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Boot Project:)

It's a cold and lazy Saturday afternoon, I am rewatching series 1 of The Fall and it seemed the right time to work on a little boot project!

Some time back I coloured these, formerly white ankle boots navy and black but they are not leather and it wasn't as perfect I wanted it to be. So when I saw the Maison Margiela Boots in #4 I decided to try for a distressed, and dare I say it, RATE look.

I'm actually happy with the end result! Ofcourse I need to wear them and see if how I feel and if this passes for intentional. I may find strangers come up to me asking how I spilt the paint on my boots lol.

What do you think! Edgy cool or just plain silly ?

xxxDeborah

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24 comments

Pinspiration!

Just browsing some culotte outfit ideas on Pinterest and fell in love with Leandra's outfit.  And the boots!!  I wish....  I would happily wear this outfit, accessories included, to the wedding we are attending.

23 comments

WIW : To Surprise A Friend

Hi Ladies,

Lovely cold day in downtown Bendigo:)

I am enjoying the navy/black combo!  Today I wore:

Basque Navy Crossback Sweater
Metalicus Black Hub Triangle Top
Target Ponte Leggings
Target Zip Feature Ankle Boots
Navy/Teal Gauzey Infinity Scarf.
- Topped with the infamous Spiegel Draped Leather Jacket (not shown)

Thanks for looking.  I quite liked that the scarf and sweater don't exactly match, yet tonally seem to work together.  

xxx Deborah

The "surprise a friend" part for those interested.. I realise this is getting a bit lengthy:)

A month or so ago, myself and 2 friends had a day out shopping and we saw this beautiful sweater that was just made from one the girls.  She tried it on, stunning, but $$$$ and totally beyond her budget she very sadly walked away.  Well my other friend and I have been stalking the said sweater on line and when it dropped to just under $100 we pounced, nabbing the last one in her size :)


I have known this girl casually for the past 10 years and she and her family relocated to our town 6 months ago.  She has been having the same struggles both myself and our other friend have experienced upon moving here, so we really wanted to encourage her and bless her.  What better way than coffee, cake and clothes!  There were tears all round and she was just so thrilled.  It was a lovely afternoon.  Oh and she looks way better in the sweater than the model.  #4 is the catalogue photo of the sweater:)

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38 comments

WTW To A Wedding?

Hi Ladies,

I think weddings are my least favourite thing to dress for where I currently live:(    There is no specified dress code but having attended the engagement, I have no doubt that what is worn to the wedding with be equally as 'diverse'.  I have a small capsule of items for special occasions and I don't really have any desire to buy anything for this event.  

I am not too concerned about 'conforming' to the cultural norm here but do want to be appropriate and of course respectful of the occasion while still be 'me'.

Things to keep in mind are that it's a winter wedding, it's cold here, and I don't have any special occasion wear in 'colour' (I wore my cobalt drape dress to the engagement and was magnificently over dressed).

Having taken photos, I have already eliminated one option so here's what I am thinking.  I am very partial to one particular option but wont tell you which one... but I think you will guess :)

Just need to let you know this was a try on session, no makeup or styling to speak off.  Working with the bare bones here :)


#1-#3 Laura Ashley Drape Back Dress.  Wouldn't wear the pendant. Might use the coral clutch if I went with black shoe rather than red.

I am thinking about styling this with a wide silver cuff on each wrist, and either a modern silver collar necklace, or large-ish modern silver earrings.  I think the white jacket featured in the other pics could go over this too.

#4 - #6 Esprit Draped Dress.
 Sleeveless but will too cold to wear without a jacket, even indoors.  White jacket is from Dotti and by virtue of the colour the most 'dressy' jacket I have (I think) for a wedding.  Choice of red or black pumps.

#7 - #8 Target Dress This is a dress I have had for about 6 years and I think it's pretty classic.  It tends to accentuate my natural hour glass.  Again I would need a jacket indoors. Not sure about the white jacket over this.  Again red or black shoes options.

#9 - #11 Long Elegant Legs Cropped (Brocade like) Pants  This is the wildcard entrant!!  These pants were given to me by my sister. Ordered and then didn't like them.  Pants wouldn't be inappropriate here but I doubt many will wear pants. I felt the fabric made the pants read as dressy?  I think the black jacket version is a bit flat but the white seems to lift the look.  Not with the necklace.  Note pants need a good press.

The likelihood for any outfit here would be black shoes and a coloured clutch.  I have included a couple on my finds for you.

I realise for some black is not what you wear to a wedding but I figure it's better than wearing white!

Anyway over to you. Thanks for looking and would love your thoughts.

xxx Deborah

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35 comments

WIW: Crisp White Shirt Tunic!

Hi Ladies,

Needless to say I am MUCH happier with today's efforts:)

I have long been enamoured with the concept of the crisp white shirt but very rarely does it work for me.  I found this one in June.  It's from Sussan and it has a sheer back and sleeves (to the cuff) and a nice little collar.  My intention is to layer with it. I really don't expect to wear it on its own.  I have a number of black items that I think will layer over the tunic well. One in particular will cover the body but reveal the sheer sleeves.

Today I wore it for the first time.  This is a work outfit and I was facilitating training for most of the day.

The outfit is:

New Cover Crinkly Black Jacket
Sussan Sheer Back Tunic/Shirt
Zara Leggings
Hush Puppie Ankle Boots
Sandler Snow Leopard Handbag 
Rimmel Salon Pro "Punk Rock"

I put the outfit together with no intention of removing the jacket:)  But I thought I would show you the sheer back. I will probably buy a fitted seamless white slip to wear under the tunic in future.. so please excuse how it looks. Or I may try my black one underneath, sometimes the all black under layer can work with white.

And I included my cute Snow Leopard bag in the hope that it might detract from the other bags... those ones under my eyes :) Bit of a sleepless night due to a full on thunder and rain store at 3.00 a.m.:)

What do you think?  Better effort than yesterday??  I really enjoyed this, and liked it as much at the end of the day as I did when I put it on this morning.

Thanks for looking.
xxx Deborah

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29 comments

WIW: Boot Challenge & Fail

Hi Fab Ones,

In my endeavour to wear my coloured ankle boots, today I decided to wear my cobalt booties with an all black ensemble.

The outfit was inspired by the recent EF Lookbook, but sadly it's a fail.  I felt the overall outfit was just too flat and not figure flattering.  I did mix textures - coated jersey pants, silk tunic and smooth refined knit sweater -  but this all black look even looked boring to me lol.  I really think some added texture in the top layer would have been a lot better, or some tonal / colour contrast.    My inspiration is pic #4.  I did have a blue toned scarf on with it but that didn't help :)  Anyway, I generally prefer to share outfits that I think work, but in the spirit of transparency I thought I would share this one.  

On the bootie front, I received very complimentary comments about these but I am not loving them.  I really do like a more streamlined looked and the blue is a bit jarring for my liking.  I think I will hang onto them and try again in Spring and then if they are still not working for me, they can go to a new home.

Hope you have all had a good day.  On the upside it was a busy and stimulating day at work :)

xxx Deborah

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