Floral meet Nautical

Sometimes I like to take a little risk.
So for today’s outfit, I chose a navy striped skirt and  a gorgeous floral pattern of the 'Peter Pilotto for Target' blouse.

You can stand under my umbrella

Get Ruffled

Inspiration Monday

For Inspiration Monday this time Two Birds gave us a simple look from Olivia Palermo. She took out her dog, 'Mr. Butler' for a walk. 

I wore my distressed skinnies with a crisp, white, button-down layered shirt, and a tweed cardigan to church.

 

CATouflage

Inspired by Irish dancing

Do you like traditional Irish stepdancing? 

One year (probably at 1996) I watched a video of the Riverdance show about a hundred times. 

OMG! They can dance!.. with their arms down at their sides with a stick-straight back.
I tried to copy their movements but failed badly!

My St. Patrick’s Day style.

Inspiration Monday

For Inspiration Monday this time Two Birds gave us Model Alyssa Miller and actor Jake Gyllenhaal. This photo makes me think of  "Beauty and the Beast".

I wasn't sure if I have anything close to this cute, thigh-skimming summer dress and knee high leather boots...(and of course my legs are much shorter than hers).

So I thought maybe I should go for the 'beast' look and don a snap cap and sunglasses, also completing the casual getup with a flannel shirt and loose fitting denim pants with sneakers...and I did it.

Then I got an idea that instead of the thigh-skimming summer dress I can use my summer tunic.

So I'm presenting you with my "Beauty and the Beast" sides (or maybe it's more like the "Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde").

Transitioning Into Spring

At Friday I went on a short trip to NYC and had planned to wear this outfit, but as usual the weather presented a surprise, the day was cold and windy. I hate to be cold anywhere, especially in NY because you never know how long you'll have to walk. So I changed my mind about this outfit and dressed as a cabbage and put layers upon layers under my long coat. I didn't take any pictures of me in NY.

As you can see here, my transition into spring began with floral sneakers. I'm so ready for the flowers to be blooming. 

Pink ombre

Inspiration Monday

Today's Inspiration challenge over on Two Birds is Shakira with a beret, black leather jacket, boyfriend jeans and a sparkly top.

Liquid metal and glossy pieces are a couple of the Spring trends, but they're not my type of fabrics. I wouldn't wear shiny pieces, even for special occasions, so I don't have any in my wardrobe. Actually, I found one sequin top in my closet, which I bought last spring at Express because I liked the ornament. I wore it just once for a hairstyling show. It was at day time event, but at a night club, so for me it was a sequin-appropriate place:) 

 

International Women's Day

Today, finally I can say spring has arrived. Now, I'm knocking on wood, just in case.

By the way, these oxfords and crossbody bag are new - my first spring purchase, or to be more accurate - it`s my husband's gift for International Women's Day. It's nice to have one more day when your man has the opportunity to pamper you. Since the  holiday is dedicated to the struggle for women's rights, I recognize my right to have one more pair of shoes:))

P.o.l.k.A...D.o.T...M.o.o.d...

I have no idea what it is, but there is just a relaxing, fun feeling that comes with wearing polka dots.
Polka dots have the power of making any outfit look more playful and youthful.

Print Pairing: Floral & Polka-Dot

Mixing prints like a pro, it’s much simpler than you think. 

One of the most basic rules is to pair a “neutral” print with a more elaborate one. In case when you are mixing floral & polka dot, the polka-dot print acts as the neutral, and the floral, the more elaborate. Polka-dot prints tend to be almost symmetrical, and the garment as a whole typically only contains two colors (the color of the polka-dots and the base color of the garment). On the other hand, floral prints by nature are more chaotic, often containing several varying colors. When pairing the two, look for common colors, which will allow them to compliment one another. Choose accessories based on the color palate; brighter prints need the balance of neutral-hued shoes and bags, whereas more subdued prints need a pop of color. (C)

Maslenitsa - imminent end of the winter!

I don't know if you ever saw the movie, "The Barber of Siberia". It was screened out of competition at the 1999 Cannes Film Festival.

The love story of Jane Callahan (Julia Ormond), a beautiful American lady and a handsome young cadet Andrei Tolstoy (Oleg Menshikov) that she met on her travels to Russia.

I just want to share one video from the film about Maslenitsa, a week long festival literally translated as "Butter or Pancake" week, that inspired my outfit.

 

Maslenitsa - a religious and folk holiday- is celebrated during the last week before Great Lent—that is, the seventh week before Eastern Orthodox Pascha (Easter). So it started this week. 

Actually, this video just shows how it was in the old days. Trust me, right now it is not so wild, just one more  opportunity to prepare crepes (bliny) with all sorts of fillings and coverings, and to eat them with friends, as well as have some outdoor celebrations.

Maslenitsa has its origins in both pagan and Christian traditions. In Slavic mythology, Maslenitsa is a celebration of the imminent end of the winter. On the Christian side, Maslenitsa is the last week before the onset of Great Lent. It is the last week during which milk, cheese and other dairy products are permitted, leading to its other name of "Cheese-fare week" or "Crepe week". During Lent, meat, fish, dairy products and eggs are forbidden. Furthermore, Lent also excludes parties, secular music, dancing and other distractions from the spiritual life. So Maslenitsa represents the last chance to partake of dairy products and those social activities that are not appropriate during the more prayerful, sober and introspective Lenten season.

Day to night layers

Early spring fashion for CT is tricky. With chilly mornings, warm and breezy days turn to cold evenings. It's hard to dress appropriately and decide how to be the most comfortable from day to night. The answer is multiple layering, with pieces that can be easily worn over and under the other layers. 

A striped sweater with a laid-black plaid cowboy shirt and jeans to channel the so-uncool-it’s-cool vibe.