Category Archives: Style

Travelling light

September 12, 2013Style, TravelBulgaria, cabin luggage, Packing tips, Travel, Wizz Air luggage allowanceloveyourstyleblog

I am a big fan of short breaks. This allows me to satisfy my craving for travel without using all my annual holiday allowance in the first two months of the year. However, as much as I love travelling and everything that comes with it – eating delicious local food, slowing down, enjoying local culture – there is one aspect of frequent travelling that I am not very excited about – packing.

As an experienced traveller I should be very quick and efficient when it comes to packing but my love for choice and variety often results in over-packing. I still remember the shock on people’s faces in March this year when I was getting on a boat in Bali to travel to another island with my huge and very heavy suitcase (probably more than half my body weight) while everyone else had compact backpacks. What can I say, I am a maximalist when it comes to packing. There is nothing wrong with this approach in my opinion. Airlines, especially the budget airlines, tend to disagree and continue to reduce their luggage allowance and charge us more for travelling with bigger bags. Even BA now has no checked in luggage fare.

On my recent trip to the Black Sea coast in Bulgaria I was faced with a challenge. Wizz Air, the only airline with direct flights from London to my chosen destination, has a new cabin luggage policy meaning my cabin size suitcase was too large to take on board. Of course I could pay the extra fee and bring it onboard. But it was a matter of principle rather than price. Plus, I felt ready to open my mind to new ways of travelling (and packing). So I boarded Wizz Air flight to Burgas with only one small piece of hang luggage and discovered that travelling light has its benefits (spending less time in airports) and can be quite liberating.

But is it possible to feel stylish when travelling with only one small piece of hand luggage? I think yes!

Here is what I packed to maximise the space and still be able to have a bit of variety. I hope these tips are helpful for other over-packers.

Travel bag, Paul & Joe, can be used as a beach bag too
Multiway wrap dress in sapphire, Butter by Nadia . I love this versatile dress, bought in New York last year. It can be worn in a variety of ways and works as both a day and an evening outfit, I even wear it as a midi skirt. It is a must pack item for most of my summer trips. Tip: choose multi-tasking items in your wardrobe.
Cropped leather jacket, Twenty8Twelve
Three white t-shirts. Tip: simple basics, such as white t-shirts, can be matched with almost anything. If an outfit feels a bit boring, it can be livened up with a scarf or an accessory.
Denim shorts, Roxy
Turquoise jeans, Lui Jo
Fold up shoes, BCBGMAXAZRIA – so compact they can fit into a small handbag
Flip flops, Havaianas
Silk dress, bought in Ubud, Bali earlier this year. Tip: I really love silk, not only does it feel and looks great, but also it is very practical for packing light as it is almost weightless and takes very little space
Animal print sweat top, Baum und Pferdgarten
Blue cardigan, Kookai to cover up in the evening
Beach sarong, made from very thin cotton that takes little space when folded and can also be worn as scarf, Enfasis Beachwear
Two bikinis, the one above is from Liberty
And a couple of scarves in different colours to accessorise outfits with and cover up in the evenings and during the flight.

Wearing my silk dress to the beach

Delicious fresh local food is reason enough to visit Bulgaria

Dalston in East London – an unlikely shopping destination

August 21, 2013Outfit ideas, Shopping, StyleDalston, East London, Fashion, London style, Shopping, The Stylist's Rail, Vintageloveyourstyleblog

Channelling Jackie O in my new vintage dress. Who said you can’t wear vintage to work?

If you read my previous post, you will know that I really enjoy shopping, but I can be easily put off by the crowds in shopping streets in central London, especially during weekends. When I go shopping I want to enjoy the process not only get the result. My favourite way to shop is to go to small independent boutiques in quieter parts of the city and buy lesser known designers and brands while chatting to friendly shop owners and assistants about style without having to wait for 30 minutes in queues for changing rooms.

Recently, I felt I needed more than just a fun shopping experience, I needed a style inspiration, having realised I have been going for the same safe “weekend look” for many weeks.

There are many ways to get a style inspiration: buy fashion magazines, look at fashion blogs, go window shopping. But sometimes to get a style inspiration one must go to a place where fashion trends are created and where style is not an option, it is a way of life. In London these places are Hackney and Dalston.

What to wear to this trendy part of the city was my main concern. I don’t have a fear of standing out, but I did not want to stand out for wrong reasons (i.e. lacking style imagination) in my smart casual weekend outfit consisting of jeans, blazer and ballerina flats. Plus, pushing style boundaries and trying new looks can be fun and very liberating.

After a quick look in my wardrobe I found something I thought could work. A skirt I would normally wear on a warm day was replaced by bright animal print shorts (previously worn only once and on holiday) and paired with a t-shirt in a “clashing” pattern (but complementing colour – the aim was not to dress up as a clown). I swapped my favourite footwear – elegant ballerina pumps for slightly edgier black sandals, decorated with metal chain. Finishing my look with a bright red lipstick and a big brooch, I felt ready to meet the hipsters. Don’t worry, I was not self-delusional to think this outfit made me a Dalston hipster or a trendsetter, but I felt more comfortable in my “adventurous” outfit.

The shopping event I went to was called the Stylist’s Rail. It hosted a number of independent sellers and designers, many selling vintage clothes and accessories.

There, not only did I get my style inspiration, but I also found some unique pieces, some of which I can wear to work, at very affordable prices – always a win in my opinion. The quality of merchandise was very good. I found many designer vintage pieces at much lower prices than in more established vintage shops. Of course I could not resist buying a beautiful 1950s style vintage dress from Tuk Vintage, a recently established vintage online shop selling hand-picked pieces from France and the UK .

Wearing vintage dress from Tuk Vintage to work this week. Dressing up for work can be fun!

Finishing the look with vintage-style sun glasses and simple accessories

And, very importantly, my weekend style dilemma has been resolved thanks to a unique piece from Ingo Kraftchenko, an upcycled vintage designer. Her beautiful sheer silk maxi skirt will help me feel at home among trendy East Londoners next time I decide to go there.

Designer Ingo Craftchenko — Designer Ingo Kraftchenko

The Stylists Rail holds monthly sale events in East London. I highly recommend it, if you want to have a relaxed and fun shopping experience and an opportunity to buy good quality vintage pieces. The next sale event is held on 1 September.

Un-learning bad shopping habits

August 15, 2013Outfit ideas, Shopping, Stylebanana republic, designer bargains, Issa, shopping tipsloveyourstyleblog

Yesterday, after reading that Issa, a British designer, famous for its versatile elegant dresses, designed a collection for Banana Republic and realising it was nearly sold out after its launch last week, I rushed to one of the branches near my office (one of the advantages of working in the West End). Unsurprisingly, most items from the 40-piece limited edition collection were sold out. Trying to make up for being late, I was grabbing everything I could find in my size. Ridiculous, I know! But my love for designer bargains sometimes clouds my ability to think.

Although I usually prefer to buy lesser known brands that I am less likely to see on someone else the next day, somehow a combination of designer name on a label that reads “limited edition” and affordable price tag made it ok in my mind to buy clothes that I will probably see other women wearing. Issa is elegant, not trendy, which means I can wear the pieces I buy for years, I told myself, as I carried 6 items to the changing room.

It was only in the changing room that I was able to pause and think. I did not want to repeat my past shopping mistakes, which included impulsive shopping, buying clothes only because they were on sale, original or recommended by a magazine I like. As a result, many times I ended up with a wardrobe full of pieces that don’t work together, don’t fit properly or don’t make me feel good, leaving me frustrated in the morning because I had nothing to wear to work.

So how did I walk out of the shop with two, not five, dresses (one of them now returned) when the temptation was strong and the money argument did not work?

The first step is to recognise when I am going back to “old ways”. It usually helps me to stop for a second and think about all those piles of clothes I have taken home over the years to give to my family and friends, many of them never worn.

Then, in my head I go through these basic shopping rules

Don’t buy when under time pressure. Going to shop in my lunch break was a mistake and I did buy a dress that was not a perfect fit, which I have now returned. Lesson learnt (again)!
This takes me to rule number two: the fit has to be perfect. This may seem like an obvious one, but I have failed to follow it on a number of occasions and I know others who have too. But what to do if the piece you really, really want is not available in your size or doesn’t fit perfectly? Paula Reed, Grazia’s style director, in her book “Style Clinic” advises: “If a jacket doesn’t fit in the shoulders or lie flat when buttoned, get over it.” “Don’t buy anything badly finished.” “If a garment needs shortening or needs the waist nipped in, fine. But if it needs more, forget it.”
The same goes for colour. I now buy clothes in colours that flatter my complexion and complement or match other items in my wardrobe.
Versatility is important. Paula Reed does not recommend buying an item if you can’t see yourself in more than five completely different situations in it, unless it is eveningwear or sportswear. However, when I am buying something I intend to wear to work, I apply the versatility rule in a slightly different way. I think how easy it will be to combine what I plan to buy with different accessories, jackets and cardigans to create different ‘looks’ for the office. For me, there have to be at least 4 different looks I can create with a piece. Potential to wear a garment day to night is important for me as a woman working in an office who does not have time to go home and change before going out after work.
How does an item make me feel? This is probably the most important factor. Style for me is not so much about the clothes I wear, it is really about how I feel when I wear them. Do I feel great about myself when I see myself in the mirror? Do I feel beautiful? Do I want to smile and begin to daydream about wearing the item I am trying on? If the answer is yes, then it is a sign that I need to buy it, even if it does not seem “sensible” or necessary. Similarly, if a dress or a top is recommended as a must have by a fashion editor I admire, but does not make me feel amazing, there is no reason to buy it. I trust my intuition in this situation.

The temptation to buy on impulse may be very strong at times, but as with any temptation, if we take several deep breaths and pause for a couple of minutes, it becomes less powerful or sometimes goes away entirely.

So what did I buy at the end? A flowy blue-green dress I can wear now and when the weather gets cooler in multiple ways and dress up or down.

This is one way of wearing it.

How do you deal with your bad shopping habits?

London style

August 8, 2013Inspiration, StyleFashion, London, London street fashion, Summer brights, Summer trousers, Work wearloveyourstyleblog

My favourite thing to do in the morning on my way to work (but also during my lunch break and on the way back from work) is to admire stylish London women in the streets, on buses and on the underground. It makes my morning commute much more fun and often distracts me from thinking about my work emails and to-do lists. Plus, seeing beautifully put together outfits gives me inspiration and ideas for my personal style. It feeds my creativity. I feel so lucky to live in one of the most stylish cities in the world and have the opportunity to see first-hand ordinary people with a great sense of style that many street fashion photographers capture in their books and on websites, inspiring fashion trends. This is my alternative to fashion magazines, because as much as I like them, I do not always have the time to buy and read them.

Here is my attempt at street fashion photography. I hope these chic Londoners will inspire you as much as they inspire me.

smart neautrals with a splash of colour.jpg — Smart pieces in neutral shades with a splash of bright colour. Adding a bright accessory, pair of shoes or jacket is a simple way to add style to a work outfit.

summer brights.jpg — Summer is a perfect season to wear bright colours. It is hard for a woman not to get noticed when she wears red or yellow…

Summer trousers are fun – this season we can choose whatever pattern or colour we like. They look very comfortable too! An easy and stylish weekend outfit option.

Outfit idea

August 6, 2013Outfit ideas, StyleEffortless chic, Elegant, summer office dress, Vivienne Westwood, Vivienne Westwood Anglomania, Work wearloveyourstyleblog

anglomania dress7 — Anglomania jersey dress: effortless style with minimal accessories

As it gets cooler in London after several weeks of unusually warm summer weather with temperatures dropping below twenty degrees mark in the morning and only reaching lower twenties during the day, my summer dresses will be getting a bit of a rest (not for too long I hope!). The good news for me is this is a perfect weather for my recent investment: a new Anglomania dress, bought when I “accidentally” popped into a Vivienne Westwood boutique during a trip to Manchester. Investing in yourself feels really good, especially when it is an unplanned “investment”, which makes it a treat rather than yet another item on a busy to-do list.

This stylish jersey dress was a great investment because it is versatile and has an “effortless chic” effect. And its asymmetric cut helps to add a more feminine shape to my straight-up-and-down figure. The dress makes an elegant office look option and requires minimal accessories, making getting ready for work an easy and enjoyable process in the morning. For me dressing elegantly and stylishly for work is really important because looking good helps to put me in a good mood and to engage with colleagues and clients with more confidence, it empowers me. The dress can be paired with a blazer for a more formal look if needed. It also works well as an evening outfit, if combined with jewellery and accessories, making it a very sensible investment for a woman in a corporate job.