Easy breezy denim with Ikat

This is a prime example of a comfortable flu recovery outfit. Autumn is here and with it my jeans have come out to play, one of my tried and tested formulas over the colder months is; pants with bright oversize sweaters or shirts or jackets, silver jewellery from one of my travels and bright bags. This handloom-ed Ikat shirt is one of my most favourite possessions, as is the hand-woven bag from one of the Pacific Islands, this Lamani coin necklace and this vintage army jacket. Some people would say there is too much going on in terms of colours and patterns but I am a believer of more or more when it comes to hand-made goodies.

I like documenting everyday outfits in everyday locations and I am lucky enough to live in a city where clean beaches and rain-forest-y goodness are common location options. I genuinely think bright shawls, colourful bags, bush and beach walks keep me going through winter, without them I'd be lost. There is nothing that warms the soul like a walk on a secluded beach, the crisp salty air, the rock pools, the towering cliffs and spectacular views. We like to use the shorter days to ensure we spend every bit of the daylight hours outdoors on the non-rainy weekends. Hope you've all had a wonderful weekend with heaps of outdoor adventures to feed your imagination for the coming week.

Kalamkari Cape

One of my favourite fabrics in the whole wide world is; Kalamkari, which is a kind of hand-painted or block-printed cotton textile, produced in India. It is my absolute favourite and I have everything from kurtas to shirts to capes to gaghraas and even wall-hangings in this fabric. In most cases vegetable dyes are used to etch these amazing designs on fabrics and you've seen me wear a duster in this fabric here. This fabric gets softer and more wonderful after umpteen washes making the designs stand out more.

In the above photos I am wearing a cape tailor-made to satisfy my twirling needs, I feel like a pixie running about in my cape on the rocks by the water.

Of white kurtas and beaded beauties

I wear kurtas to work regularly and the only way I do plain white kurtas is with heaps of silver or beads. It's the only way I understand minimalistic, I use my neutrals as a base to show off my latest obsessions. What other way is there to do minimalistic?

I had been obsessing about this picture of a lady from Mauritius who had posted the most divine photo while pregnant. No, not obsessing about her pregnancy glow, even though she was glowing like a Goddess from head to toe, I couldn't look away from her awesome beaded necklace! I finally asked her about it and discovered this amazing shop run by an awesome lady from Perth, Gifts from Africa. They have the most wonderful collection of beaded jewellery at prices that literally made my mouth water. Seriously if you love jewellery, you need to check her out.

I love buying from independent women owned businesses, even more so when they are fellow WoCs. It gives me a warm, happy, fuzzy feel. Navaratri has finally started and I am in the mood to celebrate with wonderful handmade jewellery :) I haven't been able to take this necklace off since I got it, and sometimes stop what I am doing to stare at it.

Hope you're having a great time where ever you are.