Holiday happiness

Sometimes its too hot to wear anything other than an embroidered, wispy dress with fun jewelery. Holiday saving and planning has kept me on my toes the last few weeks and I want nothing more than to put my feet up and relax figuratively while I am actually tearing at my pressies.

I think I am all packed for the bitterly cold northern winter, excited to be on the other side of the world and explore new cities. Hope the pre-holiday period is treating you well. Happy almost Holidays all!

In which I wear a block print tent and love it

So here I am posting after ages in yet another Indian block print dress; what can I say except for agreeing with the fact that I am a poster child for being obsessed with the same thing for decades. Trends come and go, some people think I am ridiculous colourful others think my clothes are super cool based on either what appeals to their tastes but mostly based on what's deemed in or out.

I am tired of trends and know what makes me feel good and no amount of funny jokes or outright nastiness is going to make an iota of difference. Initially I wanted to maybe trim the hem of this beauty but better sense prevailed (Thank you Mummy) and I decided to wear it in its full length flowing glory.

Hope life's been treating you well. I know I have been a lax in the commenting department lately and I am sorry. Happy Sunday world!

Twilight twirls

Sometimes one can't be bothered wearing actual clothes, I just pull out silky somethings in colours I love and decide that will my outfit. And nothing goes better with apology for clothing like a bright embroidered Kutchi bag and loads of jewels.

Oversize silk top worn as dress, Boots: Nine-West, Jewellery: India+Markets

Spring block print love

Its officially the season when new leaves and flowers bloom, I can wear lighter layers and summer is just round the corner. And spring summer to me is block-print-fabrics-in-all-the-colours-of-the-rainbow season, yaay...

To be honest though, my favourite game right now is "what am I going to wear in Paris?" interspaced with "wait! What am I going to wear in Amsterdam?" Can you tell I am excited?

Its about half a dozen weeks to take-off, rouge winter coat is in my virtual shopping cart, I am constantly browsing websites for what to do there and lamenting the exchange rate between the Australian Dollar and the Euro.

I think I got my constant penchant of changing clothes from all the Hindi movie songs where the heroine changes half a dozen times in the space of one five-to-seven minute song.

I digress, all I am trying to say is I love wearing my block print dresses in warm weather but I am also obsessed with winter clothes right now. Phew! Happy mid-week lovelies.

Dress: Anokhi, Jewellery: India and Sydney Markets, Beanie: Peru

Water front shenanigans

I love days when the least amount of clothing is justified due to the heat, take this dress for instance, barely a scrap of fabric. Days when the sunlight beckons you invitingly, all you do is throw on some swim things and almost as an afterthought wear something light and breezy.

Don't get me wrong, I love layering as much as the next person but sometimes the summer heat is so much more fun. Although right now all I can think of is what to wear for a cold winter in Paris...Yes! Its now official, France for Christmas and New Year this year. Any tips on what I should pack and where I should eat, drink and shop?

Suede shorts and Cowrie shell belt

Another day of fringed leather shorts and bag, a shell belt, comfy tee and tumbling around magical greenery...

Afternoon sunlight

Just running around the neighbourhood one late afternoon and then ended up at the closest Jamaican shack, eating the yummiest soft shell crab.

And met the cutest kitty on the way, happy Thursday aka almost Friday world.

Crochets and Backpacks

This week marks the birthday celebrations for my beautiful Mum. Here's wishing her all the happiness and love in the universe.

Nothing screams more happy and relaxed to me for spring/ summer than crochets, yummy jewellery and backpacks. Can you tell I can't wait to be on a tropical getaway?

Its not the labels that make me happy, the soft feel of much used crochet, a worn-in suede belt, leather sandals bought in Bombay ages ago combined with a vintage backpack and necklace make me feel like a princess.

What are your go-to pieces that never fail to make you feel great?

Comfy with a dash of bright colour

First things first, can you believe the two adorable munchkins I got to play with over the weekend? They were tiny little bundles of fun and I think I might be head over heels in doggy love. Baby animals are so much better than most people, non? I am really having to rein in the impulse to put a million puppy pictures here.

Okay on to clothes before I dog nap the closest available pooch. Corduroy has always been one of my favourite fabrics, especially for the cold, I don't care if it is flared, skinny or baggy or if the fashion houses have deeemed it cool. If it is soft and worn-in corduroy I will wear it. Combine the coziness of baggy cords with the softest merino wool and its a match made in comfort heaven. With the androgynous silhouette being so popular these days everyone is wearing pyjama pants, not that trends affect most of my sartorial decisions in the least.

Truth be told the more popular a thing gets the less I want to wear it but I refuse to give up my comfy clothing and am just waiting for the trend slaves to salivate over the next shipment at Topshop and Zara. Usually just waiting it out for most people to get bored always does the trick.

What really irks me about people claiming to be in the know of fashion related things is that they seems to think that the relaxed boyfriend fit is solely for us narrow hipped ladies. What nonsense! I've seen plenty of curvier ladies sporting boyfriend jeans and looking fabulous. So anyone wanting to jump on the pyjama denim/ leather/ cord wagon please just do it.

Of course spring, summer or winter my love for colourful handcrafted jewellery, embroidered slippers and fabric bags remains steadfast. I have recently been wearing a lot of long beaded jewellery from India's north-east and South America and I am on the hunt for more.

Hope everyone's had a wonderful weekend.

Cords: One tea-spoon, Merino wool sweater: Anna Thomas, Slippers: India, Bag: Ecuador, Necklace: Columbia

Under paid labour and summer whites

One of my favourite blogger friends posted this the other day and I couldn't agree with her more. It expresses everything I think about global brands exploiting desperate people in poorer countries and I hope we as consumers show some sympathy for the people literally killing themselves so our tee-shirts cost five dollars less.

I know the whole issue isn't as simple as that but you know what? It kinda is. These people are asking for their monthly salaries to be a hundred dollars and their work conditions to be a bit more humane. Is that too much? And to be honest our buying habits will make these clothes producing juggernauts sit up and take notice if we choose to buy less and less of their inhumane-ly produced, over-priced must-haves!

To people who say style blogs are frivolous and one should do better things with their time I have something to say. Yes, I know that this blog isn't helping solve issues of world hunger and poverty and believe me I wish I could do something to help. But I do think in a sea of blogs that claim that the latest Phillip Lim is a must have and one's minimalistic wardrobe is incomplete without Wang, sitting in a little virtual corner with people who wear vintage and thrifted items makes the world a fun place.

I know I have a long way to go before my materialistic tendencies are fully curbed but being part of a bunch of women who have their own style identity makes me happy. So yes, I do believe sharing one's point of view is important even if the topic of discussion is frivolous according to some. And I can't wait to share more and interact with these positive women who keep re-inforcing the joys of thrifted treasures and DIY delights.

Okay mini-rant-type monologue over and on to clothes that haven't contributed to the exploitation of people. To me nothing says spring summer like white linens & cottons with splashes of colour and heaps of jewellery. Hope everyone's had a wonderful start to the week.

P.S. Please ignore the unsightly scabs on my knee, tumbling off the bike and wearing shorts don't go hand in hand in the unblemished knee department.












Shorts: Tailored in Thailand, Shirt and Bag: Thrifted, Jewellery: India