Sascha & The Boys

It was very exciting and very, very nerve wracking. As I was waiting for Ana, our sample maker, anxiety was taking my brain hostage.  Has she understood my vision? And if so- will others believe my vision enough to want to be dressed by me?

Ana finally arrived and when she took out all three samples from her bag, I relaxed. Things were good. Samples she produced were exactly what I imagined. Yes, there are things to change but this was obvious- after all this was our first fitting.  Sleeves will be more t-shirt like rather than cap sleeves, and waist in two dresses will go slightly up. Sleeves in a third dress (not on the photo) will be little more dramatic. A lining under a skirt will create a slightly exaggerated, yet still wearable shape.

I wanted to create a small collection of desk to dinner dresses with clean, strong lines. Dresses for women who don’t wear frills or flowers. A woman on Instagram said she loved calmness of my line. I loved the comment so much-  for me it meant the she understood what I set out to create.

There is still a way to go for me. I’m waiting for a delivery of bamboo silk for final samples. I need to organise production, a website, packaging, promotion…But things are moving forward and it makes me very happy.

I have a conundrum every time I try on a shirt I’d like to buy. Do I leave the third button undone and have my breasts fully on show or do I do it up and look like a secretary on the way to the office?  I swear that not many brands actually consider where they place a third button. Mostly, I get that run of the mill, same cut, same old, sam old  which I don’t like because doing up the third button makes me look a little frumpy. I have one perfect shirt from St Lauren where the button in placed slightly lower and it creates that sexy, nonchalant look I covet on Instagram- and it’s actually wearable IRL (and I’m able to skirt the bra, too!).  It feels such a small but significant detail to attend to. Does anyone else have this problem or am I just being picky?

You’ve been thinking what to wear to this party for the past two weeks. It’s a big one, the one who got away is going to be there and you want to look your best.  Your outfit from Net a Porter arrived on Friday and your friends all agreed you are going to look just fabulous. On the day you get a blow dry and manicure. You spend an hour priming and contouring until you have Kate Moss cheekbones. You know you are looking gorgeous and you are discreetly surveying the crowd, checking if your ex has noticed you yet when suddenly you see her…

She is leaning casually against the piano,  holding a glass of champagne. She is wearing a tuxedo jacket, her hair look as if she’d lost her hairbrush three months ago and her red lipstick goes a dream with a subtle, golden tan. You spy a single ring on her finger. She looks like she has someplace better to go afterwards and you suddenly wish you could swap places with her.

What do do if you find yourself overdressed at an event or simply want to look more effortless (not casual)? There are three things you can do immediately:

1. Take off your make up. I mean, sure you want to leave the foundation and perhaps swipe a bit of bronzer on your cheekbones but I would leave Kardashian inspired make up well alone. A red lippy and maybe a tiny bit of bronzer is all you need.
2. Muss up your hair. Glossy, bouncy blow dry a la Kate Middleton says “I’ve been getting ready for the past 8 hours”. Batiste dry shampoo from your corner drug store is your friend- gives your hair volume and texture, and that bedhead, nonchalant look.
3. Swap your stilettos for flats. Whether they are sneakers, ballet pumps or Hermes flats (especially Hermes flats), they have the ability to make your outfit look  little more nonchalant and carefree than a pair of killer heels.

And if you can, grab your man’s jacket and roll up the sleeves. Ready to party? 🙂

Last Sunday my friend and I went on a shopping expedition. Nothing out of ordinary- girls exchanging plastic for clothes. Weekend reality. But it got me thinking about what kind of shopper am I? What kind of shopper is my best friend?

We don’t shop together much because our shopping habits are completly different. Apart from occassional impulse shoe purchase, my friend approaches shopping like a woman on a mission. If she needs a pair of shoes or a dress, she consults me and a few glossies, draws up a plan (or demands I do it since I tend to know the layout of most shops inside out) and then executes it with military precision. By the end of the day she will have bought exactly what she was looking for.

I’m used to be an eternal wanderer. Save from a few specific purchases, I used to go in to the store to see what’s new in the name of research. I hardly ever planned to buy anything yet if there was an item that was calling me name, it went home with me. I was that girl who was excited about upcoming “buy it” Instagram feature whilst simultaneously reassuing my bank mamager it was going to be all right. My habits have changed in the last couple of years and from eternal wanderer I also became a women on a mission. I must admit that it saves me tons of money (but I miss my afternoon at Selfridges :))

I’ve identified a few different kinds of shoppers based on girls I know and myself. Do you recognise yourself in one of them?

@ Loyal shopper– she’ll buy anything from a brand or a store. If they sell it it means it’s cool. Here a brand or a store takes on a role of celebrity on social media. You know, if X, Y or Z (insert your own one because de gustibus…) is wearing it’s enough validation on the cool front. I must admit I’m guilty as charged. Why, Selfridges of course followed closely by Liberty are the offenders…They provoked me, Your Honour.

@ Impulse shopper– she’s just got paid and the money’s burning a hole in her pocket. She went to get a t-shirt and returned home with a pair of sunnies, a bracelet and a key ring. She didn’t really need them but they are fun and that bracelet will fit perfectly with the boho trend. Anyway, it was cheap. Only, she just realised that she just spent £50, in addition to another £50 she spent two days ago but she already forgot what she had bought.

@ Bargain hunter– if somewhere, anywhere in the entire digital sphere that pair of shoes she wants can be bought with 3% discount, she will find it. She’s a queen of vouchers and a die hard fan of Groupon. In her eyes value of an item is inversly proportional to it’s bargain price.

@ Woman on a mission– she will plan her shopping trip and execute it with military precision. Like a remote- guided missile, she will ignore distractions and go in straight for the target. She keeps her eyes on a prize.

@ The researcher– she needs a bag. An investment bag and that means she won’t rush out an buy it before debating pros and cons of a particular model, comparing the hardware and checking internal compartments. She’s became a regular on Net-a-Porter where she conducts her research. After a few months she might buy the bag. Possibly. But if she buys it, what on Earth is she going to do on the train to work or at lunch in the office?

And you- what kind of shopper are you?