A new year

The end of 2018

2018 has been a year of progress, for my body and my wardrobe.

The winds of change came from Down Under when I tried a new type of personality test.

The 16 Style Types programme by Inside Out Style blog’s Imogen Lamport Imogen Lamport and Jill Chivers of Shop Your Wardrobe, revealed much about my personality and how I make my choices around shopping and getting dressed.

The system is based on the more familiar Myers-Briggs personality test. It turned out I'm ENFP.

What was most significant was seeing that I’m a choices person. Not having several opportunities to choose from makes me feel constricted and depressed. I kills my creativity.

It was quite a surprise to learn that my focus on what I wear would often leave me no time for anything else. All too true! I need to set a timer that allows me to do make up and hair as I often kept that to a bare minimum where I could do better. 

A fashion photo shoot (my first ever!) in September showed me what a difference proper make up makes. I have the photos but not the rights to publicise them so a couple of selfies will have to do.

I'm rubbish at selfies!

A close up - my skin has never looked this good!

As I like to have several opportunities to choose from I’ll never be a minimalist and a small capsule wardrobe will never make me happy. There goes my carefully planned colour palette - it is just too limiting.

It took such a long time to come up with this, but it's too little

These facts sort of set me free. As the study also says I like to make up my own rules. I translated that into keeping my colour choices within a certain part of the colour wheel, in mid to lighter tones in the brighter spectrum, as they suit me the most. With my (external) Trumpification warmer colours work best. That narrows down the field but still gives me an endless number of colours to choose from that for the most part will mix really well.

After my trips this summer lots of items in my wardrobe had given up. Travelling was just the last straw! They were completely worn out, with holes in the fabric and frayed hems. Replacing them was a chance to change track.

Ever since the late  1970’s disco has had a huge place in my heart. During this last year there’s been so much shimmer and shine in fashion - and I can’t get enough. I wanted that to be a main feature in my outfits, in clothes, shoes and accessories.

Disco version of me in shiny everything!

By now my wardrobe consists of satin tops in lime and coral pink, shimmer knit tops in tomato, aqua and lime plus a single top in white sequin! Even some of my outerwear is sparkling. A little tweed jacket in a black-white-pink-blue-mix and a pink coat, all with some shimmer in the fabric. 

At the last Monies sale - a new purchase, and my aqua glitter top

New orange trousers and lime glitter knit top with old Monies necklace

Around Christmas last year I bought two pairs of trousers, in shimmering cobalt and black. I would like to have more trousers with some shine to them, but every one I ordered had to be returned as they didn’t fit. Instead I have orange trousers, and lighter, dusty blue trousers, plus the two identical pairs of cream trousers from spring.

Trousers are the most difficult piece of clothing for me. The advice in many books is to have them altered to fit. I tried a few months ago, but the result wasn’t good. I’ve found another place to try but is still debating with myself over which pair of trousers to risk!

The biggest problem however, is and will always be shoes!

My feet have been a problem my whole life. They’re very wide and very sturdy. In fact they’re so wide that one shoe brand labeled my width “jumbo wide”. How nice to know you have elephant feet! 

Since many of the shoes I’ve worn over the years have hurt my feet, and others just not fitted well enough to be actually wearable (no matter how much “stuffing” I added), I decided it was time to save my health and invest in a pair of bespoke shoes…

Handmade Italian shoes made to measure sounds terribly expensive - and it is. But I counted the pair of shoes I got rid of during just one year (when I finally realised I would never be able to make them work), and added up the cost - about the same price as my new pair of shoes!

The trick is that my shoe maker has a number of lasts that he customises and so makes it a lot cheaper than if he had to make a special last just for me. My price is then around £ 350,00 or a good 300 US Dollars. That’s not too bad. Especially since these shoes potentially have a decade of wear in them depending on how well they’re cared for.

With my lust for shine, and a few old pairs of shoes in remembrance, I chose to have a pair made in silver leather.

New shoes - hand made in Italy and so shiny!

The fit is amazing! It feels like I can’t fall in these (I’ve fallen so many times due to ill-fitting footwear) and they go with almost everything - LOVE!

Finally, my daily training is beginning to show. I can walk up to 5 kilometers per day maybe three times a week now - a huge improvement!

For days when I want to be really grown up and serious I've found myself a pair of leather look leggings - very contrary to everything in my wardrobe. Adding a gifted, floor length kimono, heels and better make up I felt very dramatic Saturday night at a restaurant with friends and husband. I'm back to disco for New Year's Eve though.

For rock n' roll days

After a night out and still fighting a Christmas Cold

The beginning of 2019

Equipped with perfect shoes and a disco wardrobe I’m looking forward to 2019. I’m going to work on my make up skills, on my health, and possibly look for a part time job, to get me out of the house more regularly.  It all depends on my body. 

In any case, I’ve decided that my life needs more party so I'll start every day in 2019 with loud disco music!

I’m wishing you all a very happy New Year

Love Kaffesoester

A limited rainbow

As promised in my last post here's more, or everything, on my developing wardrobe.

A close up of a former orphan t-shirt (and my red leather jacket)

After you've bought a bouquet of lovely dresses (because they’re easier to fit), a handful of cheap, ill-fitting t-shirts, a few random trousers plus two coats that strangle you - you discover your wardrobe is a kindergarten of orphans!

Great dresses and strangulating coats

What to do?

You experiment and find that a uniform of jersey trousers and fitted t-shirts are great combined with a kimono or a longline cardigan - so far so good. There’s a small problem though - having to return so many things bought online that the extra shipping expenses would buy you several new outfits. What’s wrong? Could it be buying without a plan? Or trouble meeting those fit requirements (as well as problematic feet)?

A selection of returned items

The elements of a buying strategy

First you need some style direction - how do you get that? I have read so many style guides, and unless you see yourself fitting into one of the cliches “Minimalistic”, “Classic”, “Boho” and so on, you’re on your own. Particularly if you love dressing in a riot of colours with lots of gold and glitter on top!

How do you then determine your style?

Anuschka Rees has a post on her blog called “50 ways to break a style rut”. Not doing all 50, I found one in particular was clever: Name your 3 favourite movies (for their visual qualities).

If for example Marie Antoinette (by Sofia Coppola), Memoirs of a Geisha and The Devil wears Prada make your list, you could then identify the elements from each movie that you especially appreciate - like luxurious fabrics of the 1800th century French court, with a good dollop of gold, anything Asian, and how Miranda Priestly always uses layers and looks so polished. These are the elements you translate into your style.

These films are a visual feast to watch!

The dreaded colour palette

Now all style guides will tell you to come up with a limited colour palette based on a couple of neutrals like black, navy or charcoal, and a few additional accent colours ensuring everything in your wardrobe goes together. If you’re a peacock sort of person those neutrals are probably not going to “speak” to you and the accent colours will be too few.

The colours so often recommended by professional stylists

Again, turn to Anuschka Rees! In another blog post she suggests 36 different colour palettes each consisting of nine colours. It may be that none of them are a direct hit. Then how about you then select the nine most common colours from your wardrobe and turn them into your colour palette? Unless of course, you’ve filled your wardrobe with colours that you hate - but how likely is that?  

I'm quite relaxed about matching the colours 100% as long as they still work

With the basics determined it’s time to add the style elements: Brocade, silk and jacquard from one film, Asian flower prints and kimonos from another and maybe more attention to make up and hair in order to look polished or a few tailored jackets, from the third film?

Lovely brocade fabrics

Marriage of style elements and colour palette

The result could then be that you only buy items that are in the colours of your palette, with focus on jersey basics and top layers in luxury fabrics. Step by step you would then build a cohesive wardrobe based on what was already in your closet and hopefully stop waisting money

Most of my wardrobe, without all the dresses though!

The red leather jacket isn't mine, but I was missing a proper photo

Since we all have mood swings you have to leave room for that too. In my wardrobe it’s statement necklaces in natural materials, a well worn denim jacket, and leopard print in not natural colours, that has nothing to do with the style inspiration for the rest of the wardrobe. I’m also dreaming of a pair of combat boots (something to give a good kick when called for).

Fun leopard print in not natural colours

The last check list to go through is the different situations you have to dress for - have you got everything covered? Have you got outfits for all the things you do on a daily basis? Personally I do, however, I know many of the locals think I’m overdressing (I’m really seen as the village idiot by many) in far too many colours with way too much bling. But you know, I couldn’t care less!

Anyway, I feel I’ve come a long way with my new wardrobe. I have given myself buying guidelines for the future and hope to save money and have more options in combining everything.

Later I may try and expand the colour palette, or build another one. I like to see a rainbow when I open my closet doors!

Finally, as I wrote this post I got the sad news of a friend’s death. I dedicate this post to her. 

In loving memory of Karen Palsgaard - a dear friend who fuelled education, personal growth and friendship across continents and cultures, through decades

A spirit who planted a forest of trees for others to walk in

Rest in peace Karen

Double sin with 2 x horizontal stripes on plus-size body!

Every style bible, fashion blogger and and image consultant will tell you that horizontal stripes are a no go if you're plus size, and want to look slimmer. Well, have a look at my outfit!

The dress which has appeared several times  (here, here and here) on the blog, is a favourite. It never  makes me feel looking larger than I am. Quite the opposite in fact. You could argue that it's due to the small stripes...

...but that's not the case with the rain coat! Those stripes are anything but small :-)

Somehow there seems to be more rules for plus size people than regular sized - is that true? Or do I have a touch of paranoia?

With legs like tree trunks I shouldn't be wearing coloured and patterned tights either, and preferably discrete shoes that blend with the tights. Another two rules are broken here!!!

So, the stripe rule is not to be obeyed at all costs. Like in every other aspect in life, open your eyes and judge for yourself! Do you see any problems with my shiny shoes and eye-catching tights?

This outfit was what I went to visit customers in, on a very wet day! My hair looks very strange, like it always does after rain.

The dress is by British brand CC, the bag is Danish, by Adax, and I'm wearing an old ring from Evans which is about the only place where I can buy ready made rings that fit me.

On my way home, I got a bored waiting for the bus... And remembered I hadn't taken photos of my lovely (old) tights. They're not wet or dirty, just printed in a marble-pattern. No, I don't smoke! The gum wasn't me either.

Successfully breaking two style rules in one outfit was pleasing :-)  Breaking an additional two was a right triumph!

By chance I've managed to dress according to the theme on Spy Girl's 52 pick-me-up, so heading right over to link up!

Hope you all have a nice Thursday, with only one tiny Friday to go before the weekend :-D

See you soon!

Kaffesoester

Out of the blue...

Came two invitations that I had to accept :-)

First one (Wednesday afternoon) was a workshop with the leading trend forecasters in Denmark, the second was a "Spoil yourself" sale event in the Triumph store in Copenhagen. With goodie bags and special offers!

The weather has been extremely wet and windy, what better excuse to show off my first proper raincoat in 5-6 years! And it's blue (the only colour left in the outlet), matching the blue skies I'm dreaming of, and the rain I'm getting instead.

Under the coat I'm wearing a new dress, also bought on sale, from Phase Eight. It matches the coat's lining :-)

The workshop was aimed at professionals in the fashion industry so I went for a corporate feel in my outfit.  I don't feel professional, and I don't have a fancy career. So I wanted an outfit with built-in power and self confidence - or as close as I can get to that.

This dress is so comfortable, the material is thick Viscose jersey, and it's lined in the upper front. This is already a favourite on colder days, when I need to cleanse my mental colour palette :-)

A few good bangles are mandatory! I would have worn grey tights, or nude fish nets, but both couldn't catch any smaller fish anymore :-(  How lucky I had these blue tights, matching the rain coat so nicely!

The workshop turned out to be more of a sales talk about the company's products (busy designers shouldn't be bothered with doing his/her own trend research...). However, they had brought books and reports from a few of their international partners, among those Li Edelkort, who I personally consider The Best!

Among the many trends she sees on the horizon is "Advanced" - as in Advanced Style by Ari Seth Cohen. She predicts that old older women with wrinkles, fun and stylish clothes and some great bling, could become a major trend around 2017 and on! She particularly mentions the 40+ bloggers community!

We will be style icons :-D

Or could become style icons... maybe.... Anyway, there's some recognition here, that we shouldn't overlook. For now, lets pat ourselves on the shoulder for "good work" and "great style"!

Tonight was the second invitation - at Triumph, well know German lingerie company. I got the invite from the shops assistant manager, the gorgeous Janne who also models, and is a former school mate of mine.

There was a minibar:

I stayed away until the candy had gone, wise when slimming! There were bubbles in the wine :-)

I got a new bra, with Magic Wires. The underwire is made of silicone instead of steel, and will take shape after your body. It is perhaps a thousand times more comfortable than regular underwiring!

Above is the model I got. Normally I don't like lace, but it was so little that it didn't matter.  Below is a picture of the inside of the bra. See how smooth it is?

The cups are shaped by foam, but still has strength to hold it all up! With the tight cocktail dresses 48 hours away I also got a pair of shape wear knickers. They were at a reduced price, like the bra, and equally comfortable. On Saturday we'll see how well they perform :-)

You all know I have a transom above average, so no need to enlarge this photo...!

The goodies were both from Triumph and from the Body Shop:

Hand lotion, body butter, perfume samples, cream samples, loofa, small bag for toiletries... And a gift card for a full make up for me and five friends at the Body Shop, nice!

Knowing I would be in a small changing room, getting in and out of too small pieces of shape wear and underwear, not forgetting the trip home in the cold rain and wind on trains and bicycle I decided on a highly functional outfit, in blue :-D

The top is by British brand East, bought on sale last summer. The trousers are the Cellulite-revealing jersey-type from Marks & Spencer, in a pinstripe. Shoes are by Irregular Choice!

The fabric of the top is very light... My hair is light too.

We did get a few sunny spells :-)

Tomorrow I'll be going to Copenhagen again, shopping for ingredients for Petit Four, tiny cakes, that I'm bringing to the cocktail party. Years ago I brought some to a party, and have now been asked for a repetition. I'm also going to pick up some wonder herb remedy for tightening and tucking skin... If I don't have any party photos next week, you know what's gone wrong!

Have a great weekend all, enjoy yourselves - I will :-)

Lots of Love 

Kaffesoester

The depressing waistline

Menopause has struck! One annoying problem after another has been pestering my life. So, I gave up my reservations about hormones and went to the doctor to have my pills!

First it took forever to feel any effect. Then it only took ONE week to add FIVE centimeters to my waistline. For the last two weeks I have been fighting the centimeters with water and vegetables - which is against my nature!

To disguise my big belly I was forced to invest in a gorgeous but pricey new top:

Top from the Italian brand Persona

However, not all things have been bad - I have been contacted by people who want to buy my services as a freelance writer, in marketing. In connection to that I had a few business meetings. And what better excuse for a new top?

Here is a close up of the jewellery and the fabric, which is a lovely heavy viscose

Long necklace from Monies in horn, leather and brass

Today I also remembered to turn my back on you:

Backside of new Persona top

It felt lovely to be invited to business meetings, discussing cases and my PRICE! As a student this is an unfamiliar topic - but not unwelcome!

Last week I went to another meeting. Inspired by my newly purchased book Parisian Chic by Ines de la Fressange (recommended by Patti at the Not Dead Yet Style blog), I wore a navy dress with my vintage leather coat

Navy, royal blue and orange = Classic?

I don't think the book mentioned this exact colour combination, but it worked for me. When summer finally finds Denmark I'm going to wear the dress with my white skinny jeans and tan leather sandals.  

If you don't recognise the dress, here's a photo without the coat but with my blue leather bag by Danish Adax:

The royal blue bag is great with navy

Armed with my new hormone pills I hope to get more energy for blogging (and dressing!) as well as following all you inspirational bloggers. With other professional events coming up I'm going to need inspiration and tips for dressing this impossible body in a creatively business appropriate way - quite a challenge, right?

Lots of love to all of you!

Vintage leather coat, blue Adax bag, OLD silk scarf + bangles

Flower power at the office!

A short time ago I promised to show the beautiful Bella  Q of The Citizen Rosebud some more pictures of my black dress with red roses. 

I wore it on Friday at the office, and this time with jeggings and warm boots. Hopefully next time will be with tights and shoes!

I definitely need more red bangles!

The draping is just genius! The neckline isn't perfect, but I thought it was balanced by the great waist and the colours.

The sleeves are short so although it's lined I think I can wear it on not so hot summer days as well.

Maybe a red watch instead of bangles?

Of course Bella should have a close up of the waist details. Did I mentioned how extremely comfortable this dress is?

Remember to click the photos to see a larger version

I'm not turning my back on you - just trying to cover all angles for Bella, and everyone else!

A very colourful LBD?

Today I was at an open house arrangement at the school where I plan to continue my studies after my summer exam. I'm trying to decide between E-commerce development and Design and business.

For the occasion I wore a "serious" outfit, in black and blue. This is by far my best attempt at a black and blue outfit.

Today without bangles!

To save time I went by my favorite lingerie shop on the way to get a few things. I new I would have to get my dress on and off a few times, so I left the bangles at home - and felt quite naked!

Great colours but not quite as sexy as the other one

Last week I missed Visible Monday at the Not Dead Yet Style blog. I can't let that happen twice! So I'm off to link up while there's still time.

Tomorrow I have three weeks left of my internship. I've been very happy with the project and the people, but the extra transportation has really taken it's toll and I'll be glad to see the end of it. I haven't had time to blog, and I'm so tired that I can sleep for a week!

Looking like the sleeping beauty from the back?

I'd love to see what everyone has come up with, and hope to find time to leave comments.

One last thing: The number of pageviews on my post on a teal and pink outfit, has exploded! I've been trying to find out who has linked to it, but without luck. Does anyone have a clue? I'd like to thank the person, you see.

Have a lovely week and see you soon!