orsola's blog

This post is all about stripes and colour.
You remember I mentioned that I went a bit shopping last week. This striped dress – which is actually a long top – and the striped blazer are two of the new entries. When I saw the striped blazer on the Givenchy runway last season I fell in love because I love stripes a lot. Unfortunately I can’t afford the original one so this low cost version works great.
To add a personal touch I chose two warm colours which work fine with b&w stripes: yellow and orange, respectively for the layered blazer and the nail polish – I mixed myself – and lipstick.
I love the result. It’s casual but not boring, I think. I’ll wear it with shorts and high sandals in spring too.

Have a nice evening,
Orsola

If you want to follow me on Twitter: A paintbrush in my hair

Although I’m already dreaming of spring it’s still winter :-(

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I’m in love with yellow lately. I like to add one item in this colour to give a radian touch to a basic outfit. Here I paired it with two simple gray pieces and a dark chocolate vintage purse.

Yesterday I went shopping and bought some great pieces for the upcoming spring. The best thing about it is the minimum budget I spent since I got almost all pieces on sale. Knowing the trends before the new collections hit the stores is really an advantage and sometimes pays off. I hope to manage to take some pictures of other spring outfits with the new purchases soon.

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This is what I wore today for a lazy day at home. A loose dress with a wool XXL cardigan I found in my mum’s closet. It’s something she wore in the 80’s I suppose. I paired the animal print hat to fix the hair and not be bored by them on my face.

Have I already mentioned that apart from fashion I’m interested in inner design and architecture? Actually these passions grew even before the interest in fashion. Recently I’’ve found some old AD and Elle Decor magazines (from the mid 80’s and 90’s) and I got really inspired by some of the editorials. I was particularly surprised by an article about David Hockney’s house (Architectural Digest October 1983): it could be the perfect set for the SS 2010 trends: pattern mixes, lots of orange and yellow, the nudes of a wooden floor against bold pop-art pictures. AMAZING! It’s impressing how much inner design and fashion can be related each other even though they are different fields. In the end it’s all about shapes, colours and creativity in general. The SS 2010 Victor&Rolf collection is a great example: the volumetric tutu skirts and collars are to die for! If I should choose only one collection for the upcoming season this will definitely be their. I’ve always loved sculptural dresses and they are definitely among the best sculptors in the fashion industry. Chapeau!

I spent half of the day reading these magazines, sipping tea, taking notes, brainstorming ideas and sketching. Could have I desired more?! I would spend all my days doing this hehe.

The other two shots are two DIYs I did some time ago but forgot to post: a peach nail polish (I mixed white, red and yellow colours) and studded wedges I DIYed last October.

A big hug,
Orsola

My personal spring 2010 lookbook continues…

I used not to like total-denim looks but once again I contradict myself after having seen the Chloe SS 2010 runway show. Therefore here an ensemble I’m going to wear as soon as the weather gets a little bit warmer.

I think the key to make a denim outfit looking interesting is to mix different shades of blue denim and adding some accessories in either black for a rocker and edgy look or coloured/floral pattern for a more girly one.

The hairstyle came up by chance -better, laziness. I didn’t have time to straight them so I just folded them up randomly. I can’t tell whether it suits me… what do you think?

Have a nice day,
Orsola

Chictopia10 is probably one of the most exciting contest offered to us so how could I avoid participating in it?!

I chose this picture because it best represents some of the things I learnt during one and a half year of membership in this great community:

_ a personal style is worth the time spent to understand what best suits you and what you like most. In the past I bought clothes only because everyone was wearing them although they didn’t suit me. Now I’ve shaped my style according to my character, personality, taste and figure. If you follow these rules you’ll get something original that really distinguish and emphasize you
_ balance in shapes and colours is the key to achieve a nice combination. Black is classical and evergreen but adding a bold yellow piece makes it looking modern and somehow edgy
_ mixing cheap and expensive is chic. Here I’m mixing cheap H&M items with designer pieces
_ always look at the potential when buying vintage. This skirt was part of a two-piece suit; the skirt was under knee long ( typical 80’s style) but I decided to cut it to better suit my body shape
_ it’s worth learning some basic sewing skills. This enables you to do minor changes and adaptations if you find a nice item in a size which is not yours (e.g. while shopping vintage or second hand) or to DIY items and make them unique. Here I’m wearing a basic sweater from H&M embellished with some chains I sewed myself
_ don’t limit yourself by following established rules but shape your own and dare.
_ fashion is a type of art itself and therefore inspiration is important. Inspiration is the key to keep your brain and creativity alive and dynamic. Sometimes it can be a single piece, sometimes a colour palette, sometimes a runway collection, the light or the photography

This last statement is probably the reason why I’m so proud of being part of this community. My style has improved a lot since I signed up thanx to the constant exchange of feedback and ideas with fellow chictopians, the inspiration of my personal style icons and the positive encouragement of my sweet fans.
I feel I need to tell you once again how much I appreciate your support. Thank you!

Lots of hugs,
Orsola