Modish Matrons #36: Garden Party at Beate's

Oh how time flies. I've just barely come back from my TRIP TO PARIS, and I am now leaving again! This time, I meet my beautiful friends TINA und BEATE at the garden party of the year which Beate hosts in her cozy and luscious garden. 

Going Back and Forth in Time, Gifts from Bosnia and Herzegovina & Gloriously Overgrown Garden

Do you like when I share with you combinations with my old clothes? New purchases are exciting, and I do enjoy my new clothes very much, but at the same time I love wearing something I bought last year, and two years ago, and four or five years ago, and on some occasions even much earlier. My goal as a fashionista is to have a closet full of stuff that I love and collect over the years. I do make some mistakes (I call them experiments), but it's gradually getting there. So here I'm wearing another mix of old and new from my closet. I wore it yesterday, on a cool and drizzly day, cool enough for a thin sweater. But I will get to it later in the post, because at first I wanted to talk about...

Navy Blue Love and Paintings by Ivana

I have heard that blue is the most common favorite color, but I must admit it had been my least favorite color for as long as I could remember, to the point that when I would get something blue as a present, the whole thing would puzzle me, like...'do you know me at all? have we ever met?' If the answer to these questions had been yes, you'd have known that I had no use for anything blue in my home. I've always loved greenish blue hues, but not "blue blue" ones. I wonder why? I don't recall any negative associations with it, no bad memories as such, but pure blue (no matter light or dark shades) used to seem depressing to me. And it really had nothing to do with the English use of the word blue as meaning "sad" or "depressed" - I learned it only after I moved to the US, which was 16 years ago, and I had been living and speaking other languages for twice as along at that point. In my native Russian, oddly enough, depressing feelings are commonly seen as green  - we say "тоска зеленая" (green anguish) or "позеленеть от злости" (to turn green with anger) which I personally don't agree with, to me green is a color of peacefulness and cheer. But I had similarly strong negative associations with the color blue. Until a few years ago, that is. And then I started warming up to different shades of blue.

Cozy Edgy

When the weather stays cool for a few months, outerwear practically becomes our main outfit. This simple fact took me a long time to understand, even though I come from Siberia, which is famous for its extremely cold and long winters. When I lived there, I would have one or maximum two coats for Winter, and one or two for Spring and Fall. Since Siberian climate absolutely does not give you a break in terms of cold temperatures (unlike here where even if temps drop a few degrees, they will be back to mild in a day or two), you are stuck with coats for a bigger part of a year. So by the end of each season, you can't stand them, no matter how beautiful they are. When I moved to America, I immediately found myself in a much more comfortable climate. I first spent a few years in Southern Michigan and Southern Ohio where there are four distinct seasons and winter sometimes brings snow and cold temperatures...but not as severe, by Siberian standard. So one of the first things I quickly and happily unlearned was wearing winter coats and hats all together. Oh that felt gooood for a change!

Six She-roes from around the Globe

VIX of the VINTAGE VIXEN blog (England)

At the first glance, you will not find much in common between these wonderfully unique women bloggers, most of whom I was delighted to "meet" years ago (only with Ann we connected relatively recently, a few months ago, but I already feel like I've known her for ages!). If you look at all these photos at once, it's like a colorful kaleidoscope - and that same feeling I get when I visit their blogs too. But if you look closer, you'll realize that they share a love of color, good design, fun and thoughtful accessories, slow fashion and often vintage and/or secondhand clothes. And another thing they have in common is that each of them has her own, unique, truly individual and absolutely unrepeatable sense of style.

Khorovod in Yellow Skirt

One thing that happened this passed holiday season, I did not have the chance to share with you yet. I received a postal slip that said that a parcel was waiting for me in the post office. I was puzzled because typically, they deliver all packages to our home, and I for sure was home that day. The only explanation was that it was some special parcel. I suspected it came from abroad, which doesn't happen very often, but when it does, I usually know in advance and expect it. When we finally made it to the post office, the intrigue continued, as they couldn't find it at first. The situation became even more mysterious, and I was at a loss. But my face lit up when they finally found it - oh yes, of course, the mystery parcel with colorful stickers all over it, came all the way from exotic Singapore! I knew it was on the way to Puget Sound, I just didn't know when it would arrive.

Count Holmes and Sherlock Dracula

I would like to thank our local theater community for preparing for Justin's birthday so well this year! We barely made it to the last performance of a humorous, dynamic, fast-paced Hound of Baskervilles at Lakewood Playhouse, as Tacoma Little Theatre offered the dramatic Dracula. I love theater and will watch just about anything. But Justin is a huge fan of Sherlock Holmes, and Dracula is up his alley as well, so bingo! That made my birthday present shopping really easy! Both were amazing performances, by the way, and if you're in town, I highly recommend - you'll have an unforgettable evening while supporting local arts. On to my outfit now.

  

Sheena: Color, Pattern, Globe

My dear friends and readers, 
I am delighted to introduce you to Sheena of I Am She Global who I am sure will brighten your day with her unique mosaic of playful outfits, inspired by world cultures, bold colors and patterns. I find Sheena's approach to style refreshingly lighthearted, and her thoughts on unleashing one's creativity encouraging and uplifting. I hope you'll enjoy this post as much as I did composing it.

Midlife Fun: Pattern Mix

It is time for Midlife Fun link-up again! Please join Tina, Beate and me. You are welcome to link up your posts any time between now and October 25. Yes, we are open for the whole month!

Anna: Connecting the Disconnected

Dear friends and readers, I am excited to start the new year of my blogging life with a new round of interviews, and introduce you to Anna. If you, like me, weren't familiar with Anna's blog Melodic, Thrifty & Chic, then you are definitely in for a treat. And if you know this whimsical, one of a kind blogger from the US, then you still are in for a treat - I think you'll find our conversation with Anna fun and stimulating. 

Anna, thank you for playing along and making your wonderful contribution to the symphony of unique voices reflecting on style as a creative process. 

Midlife Fun: Rock That Vintage!

Hello my friends and readers, and welcome to the 2nd Midlife Fun link-up. We are all about vintage this time! Feel free to add your posts showing you wearing any vintage item of clothing or accessory, or join as you are!

Gypsy, or Channeling My Inner Vix

 

Ideas for an outfit come from all sorts of places. Sometimes, a certain piece of clothing inspires to create the whole look around it. Sometimes, a piece of jewelry demands the whole ensemble to be dedicated to it. Sometimes, it's a place that I'm going to, or a particular event. And sometimes, it's my dear fellow bloggers. 

Midsummer Midlife Fun: Shorts

A short while ago, I showed you my first in probably a good 10 years pair of shorts (here). I admitted in that post that shorts were never my favorite garment, not even back when I was very young and yes, in better physical shape. But one thing that aging unmistakably changes for me is my level of self-acceptance.  I think like many of us, I was way, I mean waaaaay too hard on myself when I was younger. So many things don't seem to be such a big of a deal to me anymore. Now I wear jumpsuits, overalls, rompers, culottes and even shorts. I don't do it to rebel or seek for approval of anyone, or for any such reasons. I do it for one reason only, and it is to drop my own inner barriers, which is all that ever matters, really. And it feels liberating!

Today, I invited two of my dear blogging friends to join me in a fun collaborative link-up (or blog hop) where each of us would wear shorts to inspire women to feel free to wear either what used to intimidate them, or what they rejected as age (or size) "inappropriate". It can be anything really, as each of us has her own inner taboos. We wanted to show that we middle-aged women (or those approaching middle age), some delightfully plump, some having troubles accepting one or the other part of our changing bodies, not only can look good wearing those "taboo" garments, but truly feel wonderful wearing them! We invite you to join us! Let us all have a good time, middle age or not, shorts or not. Feel free to simply be yourself and enjoy it. The link-up is open for one week. Anyone is welcome to participate. Link your new or old posts, visit each other and have the best time!

Cottage by the Sea & Gifts from Elle

It may seem that I planned this photo session carefully, but I didn't - and I love when it all comes together spontaneously, as it did today. Anya and I had errands in town, and after all I wanted to go to a park and asked what was her pick. Out of three beach parks near our home, she picked Browns Point Lighthouse Park. At first, I thought we'd just take photos by the Sound, but then I realized that this charming cottage garden by the lighthouse keeper's house is an absolute dream and perfection as a backdrop for my outfit today. 

Painted by Ivana!

 

Who would not be happy to wake up and discover such a wonderful surprise in their email box?
Thank you, thank you, Ivana, you made my day!!
I think many of you know this lovely young lady and her blog A Little Place to Call My Own, but if you don't yet, please stop by - you will be in for a treat! On the blog, Ivana shares her personal style - colorful, quirky, with thoughtful details and creative touches, because this girl can do just about anything - paint a picture, create images on her clothes, make a jewelry piece, you name it!

Stripes, Meet Stripes

Once upon a time, there was a stripy shirt living in a closet. She had an adventure or two - you might have read about them here. But most of the time, she led a pretty quiet life, thinking every now and then that maybe there is a more exciting closet for her to live in. She'd think that, sigh quietly and just continue to hang in there, I mean, literally. And then one sunny day a stripy skirt moved in the closet. 

Jill: Glamorous Soul Searcher

I am delighted to bring you a new post in my Interview series and introduce you to Jill of the wonderful blog Grownup Glamour. Jill lives in exotic Tasmania - the island South of Australia, and the coldest Australian state (doesn't this description make you think twice regarding what you know about geography?). I find her style bold, unexpected and truly one-of-a-kind, and her attitude towards life as exceptional as her sense of fashion. In my own search for the understanding of the roots of creativity, I asked Jill a few questions about style and about life. What makes this unique woman who she is? 

Your outfits often remind me of the arts of sculpture and architecture. Black and white, your favorite color palette, only reinforces this impression. What place do architecture and sculpture have in your life? Have you ever studied them? Do you have favorite artists and architects?

I guess I have always been interested in architecture and sculpture and the way shape, colour and form are involved in our everyday. I have never studied these art forms on a formal basis, but I take great pleasure in observing them at every opportunity. I do not have any particular favourite artists or architects as my interest ranges from historical to ultra-modern in both art and architecture. I am continually discovering new areas of interest.

The Best

You guys! Thank you for your such wonderful, heartfelt comments on my book publishing news. You guys are simply the best! Of course, I am very thrilled, and as you can imagine, my mind is quite preoccupied these days. I left the "book thoughts" only for a little while to enjoy the Father's Day weekend with Justin, the World Greatest Dad ("and Husband", added Anya), and we had such a wonderful, relaxing weekend. Other than that and Anya starting a month long theater camp (read: I started a month long driving there and back, twice a day camp), I am focused on my writing. I tend to be extremely focused when I work on something that matters to me a lot, so no wonder, blogging takes a back seat for a while. I don't know how frequently I will be able to comment, please do not take it personally - and know that I treasure you VERY MUCH. :)

Definitely Spring, Definitely Surprises

I showed this shirt dress last Winter here and here, and now it's Spring style. 

Lots of green. Lots and lots of green. 

But not only! What else?

Beate: Reinvented

Her world is enchanting. Just a glance at her photographs will bring you to a place you haven't been before. And even if you visited the geographical places about which Beate writes (an avid world traveler, she went to India, Australia, North America, Italy, Egypt...), you will be lost in time - guaranteed. But not in the sense that time stops - rather that it flows at a completely different pace, and perhaps direction too. She has an incredible sense of wonder and timeless beauty all around her - in towns and wild nature (in the midst of which she lives), in gardens and interiors, and undoubtedly in her unique outfits. Beate lives in a century old railroad keeper's house (which is what her blog name means in German), in Saxon Switzerland, a picturesque area of Germany. She designs and makes clothes. She gardens. She cooks. She and her husband restore their beautiful old house. She not only loves expressing herself through style, but knows fashion inside and out, being a fashion designer and living in Berlin for a huge part of her life. Don't let the fact that Beate blogs in her native German stop you from reading her blog. Even with the often wonky Google Translate, you will get a sense of  an original personality, artistic talents, rare beauty and such an admirable love of life in its many facets.