Pink and burgundy outfits and the top of my dreams (in red and pink)!

This week I'm trying to dress only in clothes from my small capsule wardrobe, in black, pink, cream and burgundy. All outfits so far, have been based on jeans. Boring, but practical. I hope to do better next week!

On Tuesday I wore my very colourful top, and I suddenly realized that these were exactly the colours that I was searching for last summer:

Yes, me too - PicMonkey rules!

I was so in love with that pink and orange dress from H&M, and I was so disappointed when it arrived! The colours were everything I hoped for, but the fit made me look 7 months pregnant!


Today at school I wore my vintage jacket again. I love the pattern and the colours - and the glittery lurex! It's my favorite piece in the capsule.

Same jacket and jeans, but new t-shirt!

You may not notice at first, but I'm also wearing new shoes. They're from Ecco - a Danish brand that are usually too narrow for my feet. These were Okay, and there's even room for my arch supports. The black patent shoes I wore in my previous post are more fun than these, but too small for the inlays.

Vintage jacket and new comfortable shoes

After the first week of limiting myself to this little capsule, I can see problems ahead. There's not enough variety in colours. A few pieces are still missing. With such a small capsule, it becomes very obvious that there are gaps, the same jacket will be worn over and over again.

What I'm planning to do, is to add more colours that together can act as another capsule and individually work with the first one.  But that's for later - the next three months I'm restricting myself to a quite small amount of money to be spent on clothes shopping. Maybe I'm saving up for a skiing holiday in Sweden (visiting Anna and going shopping), maybe saving up to buy a huge closet for my capsules!


A lovely weekend to all of you!

Vintage jacket and jeans

As promised in my last post I'm trying to make my 15-50 capsule wardrobe work. My first outfit is so simple: Jeans, plain, black t-shirt and a jacket. And a couple of bangles of course!

Vintage jacket from 1980's?

I don't know why I haven't worn this jacket before - it's been in my closet for a couple of years now. It has to be the most versatile jacket I own, with all these colours.

New patent black patent shoes!

I'm also wearing a new pair of shoes - brand new! They did hurt a bit but they're just what I've been looking for for some time now - black shoes with some personality.

Irregular Choice Kelly

Notice how the soles are white? If I can find it I'd like to change the shoe laces - maybe for some neon coloured or lurex? I'm looking forward to wearing them with dresses or skirts and opaque tights later in the season.

The soles are slightly more visible here.

This is a short post - I'm off to visit my mother. Tomorrow would have been my late stepfather's birthday so we're having a small ceremony where we'll spread his ashes over the sea, close to their favorite beach. That's where they shared their happiest moments so it just seems so appropriate.

For more fun you should go and see the Not Dead Yet Style blog where Patti is hosting the Visible Monday Challenge. It's always a feast for your eyes!

Have a lovely week everyone!

Follow up on the 15 to 50 capsule wardrobe

Some time ago I started collecting items for a small capsule wardrobe, as described in the book  (or should I just call it sheets?) "15 to 50".  Based on a few item I already had in my closet I came up with an outfit with the four colours that I wanted in my capsule, and wore them for a day to see if I liked them. I did!
 My body isn't very average so I haven't been able to get everything, but here's how far I've come:

The three jackets are still only two:

A real second hand jacket!

A cheap thing customized with silver edging

The five bottom pieces:

Pencil skirt from Eastex

New skirt from Marks and Spencer

New skirt from Phase Eight, not yet worn!

Old, long black skirt, seen often this winter

Jeans

These were the five bottom pieces, now the seven tops. The pink pullover and cardigan is meant as a twinset and count as one item. I'm still missing a fitted/tailored cream shirt - but it's just impossible to find!

cardigan - 1. twin

pullover - 2. twin

Dark burgundy plain top

Plain black top

Black top with sleeves

Printed top from Kaliko

Supposed to be a printed blouse!

In addition to these items I have my accessories - shoes, jewellery, bags and scarves. In colder seasons I'm adding coats and heavy jackets.

Not being able to find shirts and blouses that are fitted has been the biggest obstacle. Plus I've had to change two pairs of trousers into two skirts since I've given up on trousers for the time being!

In this process I've also realized that I've never ever before owned a plain black t shirt! I'm excited to see if I'll find it useful. The burgundy skirt is A line - another first.

On Monday I'll be back to school and I plan to see if I can get through the week in only clothes from the capsule. 

The day before yesterday I was so lucky, my hairdresser called me and said that someone just cancelled their appointment and would I like to go now? I almost ran out the door! She didn't have time for dying it, but who cares? I have before and after photos that my daughter took on the train.Try not to look at the red top, it was more than the camera could handle.

Before

After

Last night we had friends over for dinner. I made a flower decoration that turned out ok, and a starter that was way more than ok!

Flower decoration

Starter with smoked salmon and eggs

Yesterday I was so busy that I never got a chance to take any outfit photos, so I'll have to make up to you in during the weekend!

How to wear yellow when it's not your colour

Wearing yellow

For years I found yellow an impossible colour to work with. Lemon was vulgar, mustard was dirty and looked old and orange-yellow looked cheap!

When I was a sign writer's apprentice I was challenged by a teacher to use different shades of yellow, and that totally changed my mind. Now I love yellow! It's possibly the most happy colour I know.

Sadly yellow does not suit me, at all! Of course I could wear a skirt or shoes, but haven't been lucky enough to come across anything in my size. I'd love to have Anna's mustard skirt, or Melanie's lemon one or the shoes in Anne-Marie's post. Instead I have a (brand new) bag.

New yellow bag

In these hot summer days my striped dress is a favorite, and this time I'm wearing it with a dark tank - as suggested by a reader, last time it appeared on the blog which was last week.

 

The dog is barely surviving this heat!

This is as yellow as I get... I just had to have another close up of my new pearl necklace. I like the light green colour with the yellow.

Pearl necklace

Last night We had pancakes with cream and berries inspired by a post at Anne's Heart And Soul blog. I know I shouldn't but they were just irresistible!

Before

The family loved it, and there were absolutely no leftovers! Poor dog!

Half way to after

Yesterday I wore my jeans with a plain black t-shirt, for the first time in my life! All other black t-shirts have either had embellishments or prints, or unusual cuts or been ruched. For colour I added a scarf and a few bangles, among which two are new!

The classic jeans and t-shirt outfit

You have to see my new bangles as well, so here's close up!

New red and purple bangles, old watch and bag

Now later I'm linking up with Visible Monday hosted by Patti at Not Dead Yet Style, where lots of other gorgeously visible women have uploaded their picture as well. Go have a look and be inspired!

Meeting with the bank in beige

As the name of my blog says, my style is really highly irregular! Many of my outfits are very colourful, and then a few are absolutely not. Sometimes I wonder if I suffer from a split personality... Yesterday I went to a meeting with the bank in beige, head to toe.

Lots of beige!

The scarf is new, and I've been wanting to wear it, but felt it was too hot for scarves. However, the meeting was late in the afternoon so the temperature had dropped a bit. The top is new too, and a sister to the black, printed one in my previous post. And yes, the skirt is also new, bought at a ridiculously low price at Marks and Spencer. I thought it was way too long, but it looks alright here. I may still cut off the lower part since I'm planning on wearing it with these boots in the colder seasons.

Silver boots from Irregular Choice

Since my husband was already home from work he took the photos, and lots of them!

By a pine tree

By the neighboring block

By the willows - smiling as requested!

Of course there are photos of the details - bag, bangles and scarf. The fabric of the top has a light shimmer to it. It hardly shows on the photos, but is quite beautiful in real life.

Angel Jackson bag, Charlotte Sparre scarf

Silver nail polish!

Another shot of the bangles

I apologize for the messy hair. My hairdresser is extremely popular, as she's one of the best, so she's fully booked at the moment. It'll be weeks before I can get a haircut - it's driving me crazy! Of course I should have thought of booking before I even left the salon last time. Another lesson learned.


In the past couple of days many bloggers have been discussing a post on the online community of fashion bloggers called Independent Fashion Bloggers. The original post offended many bloggers by stating that the reason why only a few blogs were very popular and got top ranking was that other blogs weren't of a good enough quality, and the blogger wasn't looking good enough (too fat, too old, too poor...), all due to lack of discipline!


My first impulse was to create another online community. However, after thinking things through I've changed my mind. A community will always in some way be limited. Not all can join, you have to qualify in some way. That's not how I see the internet. I love the idea of total freedom (within the law of course!). I love how anyone can approach me on my blog, link to me, leave comments or just browse.


If some people can make a living out of blogging, then congratulations! They can still inspire and entertain me. Explaining the popularity and success by everyone else being not worthy or good enough reveals however, a very arrogant attitude, born out of fear of the unknown perhaps?


The original post was re-written, after a huge amount very critical comments. In my opinion the only right thing to do would have been to apologize - and not trying to turn back time and "hide" the problem. It's such a childish thing to do! Everyone makes mistakes, it's how you handle them that makes the big difference.


Is there a lesson to be learned from this? That probably depends on who you are. For some people it's very important to have a prestigious position in the fashion world, or hold a top ranking in the blogging world. Does a lot of comments on your blog mean that you're popular? In that case the IFB has top ratings now! Or does quality count more than quantity? Well, most of the comments weren't from happy readers! As I've read, a lot of the members are cancelling their membership now. The end result could be a significant drop in their ratings. Not quite what they were looking for, I expect!


Judging by the response to the first post the majority of bloggers appreciate diversity, and that should include these very popular blogs as well as those with poor photography, misspelling and non-designer clothes by bloggers that are rich, poor, fat, thin, old, young, from all parts of the world, of all political persuasions and genders. That's a very important lesson to be learned - by the fashion industry and others!

I'm wishing you all a great weekend!

Red dress with matching cake

These days the children are going back to school - and we have the most beautiful summer weather - typical! On Sunday we will most likely have the hottest day of the year, just what we've waited for the whole summer! Since it's getting hotter every day I haven't been able to wear what I had planned, so Monday I ended up in this old dress, that I also have in a navy version:

Cheap old thing...

My daughter came home early from school, as it was the first day after the summer holidays. Since going to school is very hard work she needed cake. I didn't make this myself, but it matches the dress perfectly! We saved more than half of it for later, since her Dad loves strawberry cake!

No cake without coffee!

Of course I had to have a close up of the cake - so you can get a better look at it. It was delicious!

Even the rings match

The small one is for my daughter, it's her favorite!

Today I wore a new skirt and top for the first time. It seems my favorite bracelets have just been waiting for this very top! I love the oriental print, and I think I'll order another right away.

New top from H&M

Here's a rare rear view...

I have to remember to pull the top down!

As mentioned the bracelets wore a perfect match!

I can't believe I got all the jewellery first!

I'm linking up with Patti's Visible Monday, although I'm terribly late, on the Not Dead Yet Style - and with Everybody Everywear for the Monochromatic challenge.

Enjoy summer, if you have nice weather like me, otherwise enjoy all lovely photos on the blogs above!

Copenhagen Fashion Fair outfit, dinner oufit, pearls!

Yesterday I  attended the annual Jewellery Fair which is now part of Copenhagen Fashion Fair. Sadly it was a bit disappointing! There wasn't a lot of vendors in the jewellery part, and they weren't placed together, so there was a lot of walking, and time wasted trying to find certain vendors. As I expected to be met by a lot of fashionable people that was disappointing too since most of the visitors were goldsmiths and their shop assistants. Here's how I looked:

Fashion- and Jewellery Fair outfit

Seeing these photos I realize that I have to shorten the longer necklace, and maybe get a third? I didn't wear the blue suede shoes all the time - I brought my sensible and comfortable flat sandals to wear after a couple of hours.

Striped Kaliko dress and blue Adax bag

The blue bangle is new, and perfect with this outfit!

Blue and silver bangles from Evans

Pearls are my weakness! As there was this very good offer that I couldn't refuse and therefore ended up with this bunch!

Freshwater pearls, Pyrite and 5 Tahitian pearls

When it comes to South Sea pearls and Tahitian pearls I go bananas! The five Tahitian pearls in this photo were extremely cheap - in a C/D quality, nice colour and luster but quite flawed.  They were very cheap, leaving me money for these three:

Tahitian pearls, 9-11 mm

The quality is much better on these three, around B with only a few flaws. The colour is gorgeous and the luster fine as you can see. I couldn't wait to wear these so I spent the afternoon making myself a new necklace with black spinel and the new pearls!

Tahitian pearls, black spinel and silver necklace

An attempt to take a photo of myself wearing the necklace....

New necklace on old neck

During the week there was also a dinner with good friends, and I ended up wearing my favorite maxi. It's just so relaxing, and hides the consequences of the delicious meal!

Favorite maxi with new pink cardigan

Of course I wore the red lipstick since I got so much positive feed back here on the blog!

Red lips go well with pink, orange and burgundy

And there's another new ring from Evans....

All I need now is turquoise nail polish!

I hope you all have a great weekend with lots of sunshine and fun activities!