Saturday, July 8, 2017

On Bottomless Closets, Childhood Flavors and Infinity


This time, I wanted to take my green dress for a walk. I didn't know where exactly we were going, other than grabbing a bite in our favorite local cafe. After we filled our bellies with yummy club sandwiches (that would be me and my dress, though come to think of it, Justin and his shirt too), we decided to go to the movies, and then for a walk in the nearby park where we took these pictures, and then...



Okay, okay, 
I will tell you what we decided to do after a walk, but first let's talk about clothes for a bit, 
shall we? 



Looking at style blogs can sometimes make me as a reader feel like many women have bottomless closets - every time showing something new! Maybe my blog come across this way too. So I have a confession to make: unfortunately, I don't have a bottomless closet, though I think it would be very handy. My closet is overflowing and a bit messy and a constant work in progress really, but it very much has a bottom. I noticed my tastes changed quite a bit during these years of getting into style experimenting. Some of what I used to like, doesn't excite me any longer - and some of it, frankly, doesn't fit. But I collected many pieces that allow me to mix and match and play almost endlessly - and that is what makes my closet bottomless, the (almost) endless combinations I can make!


I think among many other things, what I've learned is that I can create a different character mixing pieces in a new way. Look at my green dress as I wore it back in Spring (HERE) and the way I wore it yesterday. Same dress, but two completely different characters, just because of the few accessories I chose! Another confession: I wasn't able to do it prior my style blog. I wasn't big on accessories, and mostly I had only a few pieces of apparel and a few pairs of shoes, and pretty much everything had to go together with everything else. While it's an absolutely sensible approach, it is also very limiting. When I added not only more pieces of clothing and footwear, but also accessories, I gained so much more creative freedom! This lesson I learned while experimenting. Maybe some learn from books, or from other people's mistakes, maybe it's faster and most probably cheaper. But it's not for me. I enjoy inventing my own bicycles, over and over again! Experimenting and inventing is my "fix" so to speak (and no, it isn't only about clothes and style - it's applies to everything I'm interested in). And that includes mistakes, sometimes pricey ones. It's all a part of the process, and I honestly wouldn't want it any other way!


"I didn't know it about myself..." - how often do you hear yourself saying these words? I do frequently. You know they talk about infinity as if it was a huge non-comprehensible concept. But the infinity is in ourselves - in our own innate ability to grow and change! What's most important in all this style journey of mine is not that I discovered a few plus size shops, but the fact that I opened my mind. And it isn't a one-time action: push a button, and your mind stays open forever. Nope! It's a series of very personal choices that we make as human beings, one after another. There is a deep meaning in it. We need to choose to stay open, over and over again, in different situations and different venues of life. Only then we can discover our own creative abilities, and not just about style or art, but about anything, about life itself. We discover that we are bottomless creativity!



I'm in love with these rich blooms!
Tell me, my knowledgeable friends, are these roses? What kind?  



And back to where we started. I promised to tell where we went after a walk in the park, so prepare yourself. We went to an ice-cream shop! And what do you know, after 15 years living in the US, I have finally learned that there is my favorite childhood flavor here, that something I loved and missed ever since I left dear Mother Russia does exist here too! It's called "sweet cream"! Who knew! I was always amazed how many flavors there are and always surprised that there isn't any "plain" simple flavor that I absolutely adore...and apparently, there is! Not loaded with vanilla, nothing but sweet cream! I'm in heaven! When you have sweet cream, why even add anything else? If you, like me, struggling to find that childhood taste, then look for Cold Stone Creamery in your state, I'm sure you'll find it very satisfying. Now I have the whole different struggle though. I stopped eating dairy almost completely over a year ago, and now I don't know how to keep myself out of the ice-cream parlor! 



I made my family avatars! Aren't they cute? Anya said they are perfect and she loves them!
You can make your own - there is a link on my FB profile (and it's free)!
I added links to my FB profile to the upper bar of my blog, by the way 
(feeling terribly social I guess).


And the last thing. If you are on Instagram, you can find me there too! I hit 100 followers just yesterday, yay! Instagram is new in my life, and I am very pleased how very uplifting this "genre" is! I follow my friends and fellow bloggers, but also some interesting famous people, museums, libraries, theaters...you name it! And I love sharing my own inspiration too - outfits, cooking, beautiful places, some writing, some poetry...bits of this and that, really. Join me in inspiration and admiration for this beautiful thing we call Life!


Dress, hat, earrings - Lane Bryant (different years)
Sunglasses - Christian Siriano for Lane Bryant
Clutch - via TJ MAXX (old)
Bead ring - via boutique (old, $5 find)
Sandals - Dansko via Nordstrom Rack

Linking with Visible Monday
and Hat Attack

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25 comments:

  1. Ah Natascha, you read my mind. I too am writing about creativity at the moment. It is a bottomless infinite cave of wonders if we open to it.
    I looove your take on the world. You are so perfect to write children's stories!
    Your accesorising is absolutely perfect as well, and the two looks are both lovely but distinct. When we explore and play, we learn and grow. So true!
    Hugs, xo Jazzy Jack

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    1. I am so happy that we resonate, my dear! I am all for staying as open as we can - it's the natural way of being. And children know it. Lots of love!

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  2. fabulous!
    needed this text so much - how you knew it?!!
    playing with character is what makes clothes to fashion. will never understand "one-dimensional dressing". where is the fun?
    beautiful ROSES - but which?? glad you found YOUR ice cream flavor in a US-shop finally! i knew this flavor very much - it was produced in the GDR too - called "moskauer eis"!!! :-))))
    working on an email - the english takes its time......
    love you! xxxxxxxx

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    1. Thank you, Beate, it really means a lot to me!

      Moscow Ice? :)))

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  3. Natalia you look amazing and you are sooo right! We can wear the same clothes, choosing another accessories and shoes, a hat or bag, a scarf maybee and look different. Nobady must buy so many clothes to change the look. I love it to play with accessories you know.:)
    My favorite icecream is lemon and mint. Mint is rare here.
    Many veeery bih hugs, Tina

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    1. You do get it, Tina - and yes, you play with your accessories really well! I am still learning, and it is fun! Love!

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  4. I really love your olive green dress and your pretty tricolor fedora! The park looks so pretty and I never get tired of looking at splendid photos of nature. I will take your recommendation about the ice cream! Sweet cream it is!
    Kisses, Elle
    http://www.theellediaries.com/

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    1. I'll have to photograph the fabric separately - for whatever reason, we couldn't (so far) show the real color in photos. It is much more vivid, more green than it seems here!

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  5. Simply Marvelous Natalia!!
    - www.inmyjoi.blogspot.com

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  6. I know what you mean about the style blogs , some either spend a fortune or are gifted outfits on a regular basis. Like you my closet is not bottomless and outfits are repeated and changed with accessories and that as you show is so much more creative. So pleased you are enjoying your foray into Instagram . The roses are so pretty , it reminds me of a rose named Bonica.Enjoy that yummy icecream and the joys of Summer.

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    1. Thank you, Jill! I always enjoy how you repeat your pieces on your blog - but then, you've built a really fabulous collection! I am in the process of building mine, and it seems it's time for accessories! Lots of love!

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    2. And thank you for your tip on roses - it really looks like Bonica!

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  7. I love how you styled that dress with those zingy orange accessories. I love playing around with accessories, which can create endless variations of one and the same basic piece. Those abundant pink blooms are definitely roses, but it's hard to tell which variety, as there are so many of them. How fabulous that you found your favourite childhood ice cream flavour! Lots of love and have a great week, Natalia xxx

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    1. And you have such a fantastic collection of vintage accessories, my dear! I am building my collection, and I only recently started understanding just how big the role of accessories is in creating different outfits!! Lots of love!

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  8. What a cool dress, and I love the idea of playing in the closet. Thanks for linking up, xo

    -Patti
    http://notdeadyetstyle.com

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  9. That dress looks so simple but gloriously stylish. The corrugated metal backdrop is a wonderful contrast to the blowsey blooms of the roses.
    I'm not a fan of blogs that are all new clothes, I love to see the same dresses pop up regularly worn in different ways or shot in different locations. If I wanted new, new, new I'd look at a clothing website.
    Accessories rock! I could live in the same dress for a month as long as I had enough jewelery to ring the changes. xxx

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    1. You are a master of creating most interesting looks, Vix! And your collection of accessories is simply gorgeous! <3

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  10. Cute avatars and I love your outfit. The big hat and striped bag make my favorite combo with the dress. You wrote beautifully about opening the mind. It must have been such a nice day.
    Kisses!:))

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  11. The versatility and creativity we can find from styling a limited number of pieces in new ways can make any closet feel bottomless. Changing accessories also creates a completely new outfit. You do that very well as evidenced by your great straw fedora, earrings and handbag. Thank you for sharing with Hat Attack!

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  12. so inspiring that you share your thoughts about your own style journey, how it is a work in progress and how important is creativity and an open mind to keep it rocking!. Your words are very inspiring, love to read your posts!
    And also love your little Green dress, such a cute and versatile piece!. You're gorgeous wearing it with your little hat and beautiful earrings!, very elegant!
    Glad that you found your fav ice cream flavour again!, those little things bring so much joy!!
    besos

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    1. Thank you, dearest Monica! You always find the words to uplift my heart! <3

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