On the Spot

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Kaftan: Vintage, Norman Hartnell silk

Slip: TS elastane

Kimono: Portmans silk, embroidery & fringing

Heels: Emerson @ Big W patent

Clutch: Diana Ferrari patent

Necklace: Sussan silver & resin

Long Necklace: Sportsgirl silver & clear quartz

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Monochrome Mondays on Instagram have so far been a great way for this fledgling stylist to challenge myself to put together an outfit as vivid & exciting as the brightly-coloured ensembles I don every OTHER day of the week, using only shades of black & white...

For this particularly installment, I chose a vintage Norman Hartnell kaftan with draped sides & sharp v-neckline, made from sheer white striped & black spotted silk (gifted by a dear friend's mother), made appropriate for day-wear rather than merely beach-wear with the addition of a white elastane slip. A black silk three-quarter sleeved kimono with botanical embroidery detail - bought 5 or 6 years ago during a sale at my local Portmans store - was the perfect cover-up to ward off the sudden chill in the Autumn air, the fringed hemline providing a sense of movement & texture. 

Black patent platforms - with closed-in toes for the cooler months - "anchored" the one-part Art Deco, one-part beachy/bohemian look; ditto the matching black patent clutch with circular silver clip to duplicate the look of the large-gauge spots inherent in the kaftan's striking print.

Silver jewellery pieces were chosen as I believe that, when matched with white, it is infinitely more pleasing to the eye than some other metals like "yellow" gold or bronze - a statement option from Sussan comprising of stylised circular flowers with white resin centres & off-white resin petals that sat within the v-shaped neckline & a longer, finer silver chain from Sportsgirl with clear/smoky quartz pendant that hung to just beneath the bustline.

 Layering necklaces is a real trend at the moment, seen in all the big fashion magazines like Vogue, Harper's Bazaar & In Style & a great way to "update" a look, particularly one involving vintage pieces. Personally, I love the eclectic nature of layering & the visual interest it generates, as well as its potential to completely transform the vibe of a look from smart-casual to bohemian-luxe, evidenced below:

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"...life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans..." 

Beautiful Boy, Darling Boy - John Lennon (1980)

Ain't that the truth!

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The old adage states that one should "never work with animals or children," but my... ahem, collaborations... with Huckleberry have so far been surprisingly successful. After all, he DOES have rather a knack for doing "sweet" things while on camera, as you'll see below if you keep on scrolling. These were basically outtakes but, in the end, they were too cute not to include...

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