Tag: style blogger

Outfits, Uncategorized

Summer… here to stay

by s.a.b3 Comments on Summer… here to stay

Summer in South Africa is usually a long, sweltering affair that starts around early October, and lingers all the way until the very end of March. In Johannesburg it gets particularly hot and stuffy most days, with sometimes a welcome relief storm in the late afternoon… This week we’ve not had much rain, maybe later today or tomorrow. I cannot wait.

Someone asked me earlier if I missed working in the office, and I candidly replied that no, I mostly missed the aircon at the moment (cue slightly shocked gasps)… That is not entirely true, as I miss the personal interaction with many of my colleagues that a MTeams screen can’t really convey, but it seems I’ve gotten used to it by now. One thing I do not miss at all (besides menial time-wasting office politics, I did not like those in London and still don’t in Johannesburg) is having to dress formally and wear high heels during the warmer months. In fact I wonder if I’ll ever be able to go back to heels over three inches!

These days I’m spending my days in long floaty dresses, like this beauty Merwe Mode made in this colour just for me. I am in love with the light fabric, the tiers, and of course it twirls beautifully, not that a serious grown-up like me ever twirls, no… What I love about maxi dresses is they look best with flats, and in the last seven months I’ve worn mostly flats; sometimes I fancy it up by wearing my Coco slingbacks or my Orans but usually it’s some version of the ones you see here… The bad news is all my pretty heels are languishing in my closet, and I’m not sure my feet will ever want to wear them again.

Although I do dress casually most days I try to fancy things up a little with accessories, like my Gucci Horsebit 1955 bag, which I wear with the strap fully extended, and a couple of glitzy Chanel necklaces… Let me reassure you, the necklaces were out by the minute I sat down for my first Teams meeting of the morning, and the bag is languishing until it’s time to log out for the day and go get my nails done (it’s time: I’ve had the same mani for three weeks, some nails have started to peel).

How about you? How is your style evolving this year? Anyone still wearing heels? If yes, where!?

With love, S.

Outfits

Sailor stripes and kitten heels

by s.a.b7 Comments on Sailor stripes and kitten heels

As South Africa moves slowly into Autumn, it’s still very much the same routine day in day out, with mornings and afternoons filled with video calls and emails demanding urgent attention (everything is suddenly urgent), but yes, we continue to work from home here.

I am still resisting the idea of spending my days in PJs; instead I’ve gone the opposite way and go visit my very redundant accessories in the morning, at least to try a bag or two or see how heels feel these days. Not very comfortable, I’ll admit, but so so pretty. Also, notice how I took these pictures by my Globe-Trotter wheelies, if that’s not a subconscious attempt to get closer to travelling again, I don’t know what is…

Today didn’t feel like a jeans kind of day, it might have something to do with all the delicious tarts and homemade bread we’ve been baking lately, although I’m pretending it’s just because I am a little tired today, so instead I am wearing cargo trousers that have a very nice drawstring waist, which means they can be let out or in as needed. I originally bought these trousers from Theory for travel days, however with the tapered cut and lightweight fabric they are perfect for transitional weather, and yes they are incredibly comfortable. Drawstring trousers are also a great idea for post-preggo waists that are finding their way back to their normal selves (I haven’t been pregnant in a good few years but we can still pretend my waist is working its way back to what it was ten years ago can’t we?)…

I adore big sailor stripe jumpers, and this one with the gold tone buttons on the shoulder is one of my favourites; it’s from Court & Rowe. I have a similar one with blue stripes on cream but find this one is more flattering as the darker colour is more predominant (and the shape is quite forgiving, isn’t it…). This is the kind of jumper that looks amazing with jeans and Stan Smiths, but it also gets dressed up easily: sometimes I wear it with a white button down underneath and some cigarette trousers.

And, just because it was the morning and I wanted to play with some accessories, I pulled a pair of Manolo Blahnik slingbacks from my closet (the kitten heels are easy enough but my feet are most definitely resisting closed shoes, especially the pointed toe kind) and a Céline classic box. It’s important that they feel the love as well even though we’ve got nowhere to go, right?

With love, S.