Tag: working from home

Outfits, Uncategorized

Paperbag trousers… ready for the new season

by s.a.b4 Comments on Paperbag trousers… ready for the new season

I know it has been a while since my last post but between a new role at work and my commitments to my little family it’s been a little busy. Just a couple of months ago we were down by the coast for a last peek of Summer during the children’s half term holidays, and the weeks flew by and before I knew it, Autumn and its beautiful colours is here. I owe you all a few posts on some of the recent trips we made recently, I promise I will get to it, but today it’s an OOTD post. Time to don my knits and brace myself for the weeks when the glass wall in my home office will mean it gets a little chillier than comfortable.

Recently I have fallen head over heels in love with Lezanne Viviers, the designer behind Viviers Studio and the most dreamy pieces of clothing, mixing impossibly couture details, impeccable tailoring and a creativity not often found away from Paris Fashion Week… I found her totally by luck by going down my Instagram feed rabbit hole, and a few months later Lezanne and her team of incredibly talented tailors have made me a few beautiful pieces, all made to measure, including this fantastic pair of paperbag trousers. I fell in love with the structured look and oversized legs, and who cares if even my highest platforms disappear underneath, I adore the look. Although they are made of denim, the look ends up being very couture and fun but grown-up, if that makes sense.

Another current obsession of mine is puff sleeves. I can’t get enough of them, in dresses, blouses and this cool square neck knit. I like the 1970s vibe and how it makes my shoulders balance out the whole silhouette. It makes for fun MTeams looks as well, of course… Looking at my arms in the photos though I wonder if I shouldn’t have sized down. Perhaps a slightly warmer wash than advised will fix this.

I did give my Bronze B a little outing for the photos only… these days I barely need a bag to go to my “office”… Perhaps one day I will get back to putting full outfits together for work meetings, meanwhile, accessorizing for blog posts is all I got. How about you? How is the working from home situation going for you? Have you recovered from the loungewear everyday phase?

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.

Outfits

Soft tailored office look

by s.a.b2 Comments on Soft tailored office look

I’m not going to berate you with some woke speech about how it’s important to keep a routine, get out of your PJs in the morning etc etc. There are loads of articles the world over on that, each one more patronising than the other. In my case, I function by tricking myself: I trick myself into getting up to go work out by picturing the walrus I will look like in three months if I don’t, then once I’m done with my morning session, all sweaty and red, nothing feels better than a shower, getting my hair dried (yes, short hair also looks better when blow dried, it’s not just long hair apparently…), and, seeing as I can’t realistically go back into PJs at this point, before I know it i’m picking an outfit for the long day of home-based work ahead.

That being said, even in my normal office days, I’m not a great fan of super structured pieces, I like to be able to breathe and move. I always prefer softer tailoring, and these trousers are perfect. I picked the striped cotton and linen mix myself from the fabric store and had my fantastic seamstress Nicole make them for me, and a couple of other fabrics: the high wast with the pleats at the front hides a multitude of sins (like that little tummy that is sure to grow from that special relationship I’m in with mini almond ice cream lollies from Woollies). The trousers are cut perfectly for me, with a hem just by the ankle as I like to show off my shoes (when I do wear shoes, and yes today I’m wearing pretty cute ones by Charlotte Olympia).

I’l confess I only took out the Céline box for show, but as I told you I miss my accessories, so here goes. This almond green hue is truly gorgeous, and it’s still warm enough for a beige and light green look no?

Before I go, one word on knit jackets, like the one I’m wearing today: this one has a gold thread knit detail and zips on the sides that give it a luxe feel but the knit fabric keeps it all on the right side of comfortable so this type of piece is ideal for those video calls where you want to look a little presentable but not feel too stuffy (what you wear as a bottom is your choice, but if you do opt for joggers or, dare I say it, underwear, don’t get up whilst the camera is on…) As it gets chilly in the early mornings and afternoons this is perfect for now. It’s by Maje by the way (so is the top underneath with the cute cap sleeve detail), but I’ve had it at least eight years, so not current seasons, although the brand does this type of model in most collections.

Lots of love, S.