Shor(I)Ts

Whenever we talk about current fashion trends with my colleagues, they claim them to be too feminine. Usually I try to argue that statement, but recently we have spotted that almost all the trousers in the menswear shops are skinny. This model became extremely popular during the last two years, but a few people actually know that this trend is 7 years old. It was presented for the first time by Hedi Slimane for Dior Homme in 2005.

Ever since it became very influential affecting the street fashion and mass market. Nevertheless, I must admit, this slim silhouette is appropriate not for all types of constitution. The same story with the shorts. After browsing the shopping malls with IT guys the resume is very sad: most of the models are too tight and short for  my boys. They are made more likely for teenages and students than for mature working males. Still I have picked up a few examples that could work for developers who sit all day long at their PC and still want to look trendy and masculine at the same time:

• sporty

Slowear

Ralph Lauren

Polo Ralph Lauren

55DSL

• casual&denim

Junya Watanabe 

Money 

Diesel

• Chinos

Ralph Lauren

Dockers

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A Girl in Dragon Pants

I am a big fan of one Ukrainian designer -  Valery Kovalska, who works for L'UVE brand . She makes really stylish and cool clothes of high quality and affordable price. When I saw these dark blue pants on the hanger I decided to try them on. That was the exact moment when I became a devoted admirer of everything that is created by this extremely talented person.
My friends call them "dragon pants" because of their unusual trimming that reminds dragon scale:

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Moodboarding

Once I saw a note on the Harper's Bazaar Ukraine facebook page that they were holding a contest of inspiration moodboards. The idea was to give a chance for everyone to step into shoes of a young designer preparing for a new collection.

Even though I have never felt like becoming a couturier, I was amused by the contest so I desided to take part in it. It's a funny thing how you begin to pay attention to everything that influences your mood and catches your eye. I have never looked at the process of inspiration from that angle. All of a sudden things just popped up in front of my face and I could not decide what the key concept of my moodboard would be. The answer came from the less expected place ever. As it usually happens :). 

It all started with a little push from outside. I was looking through the new arrivals at net-a-porter site when I saw the recent magazine that is published online by this luxurious  store. The edition was about Chloe, one of my favourite brands , and included the video about the creation of the latest collection. Clare Waight Keller was showing the audience the moodboard with lots of different pictures and images that inspired her and her crew while creating the collection. That was the first brick in my moodboard wall.

The second one appeared after I saw the movie "La clé des champs":

The vivid pictures of untouched nature and children finding harmony in every blow of the wind on the abandoned pond stuck in my mind.  One of them was so bright and colorful that I pinned it on my moodboard:

From this very moment my collection was all about red poppies. Magic flowers. I found a dress by Luella 

and a few postcards and sketches with poppies.

The movie was still on my mind when I remembered a wonderful drawing by Nadya Rusheva that has been one of my favourite since my childhood:

I added it to the other images and it matched them perfectly. At the end I finished pinning with Prada ad photo  

and one of the dresses by Mary Katrantzou for TopShop:

That was the last pic on the list. I've played a little with the images on the board and here is the result:

I don't know whether I win or lose. I am completely unaware of the prize for the contest, by the way :). The truth is that it wasn't for the victory sake. I was attracted by the idea and I liked to experience some new shades of creativity. I'm realy glad I took part in this experiment as it taught me how to listen to and feel the tiny moments of my life.

P.S In case you are using Pinterest, you can find me there under margodaisy. :)

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Come as U R

It all began with the black cracking nail polish I was shown by my manicurist. It was so unusual but still very stylish and a little crazy that it inspired my look of that day.

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From Tiffany with love

You could always tell what kind of a person a man thinks you are by the earrings he gives you. I must say, the mind reels. 

Holly Golightly , Breakfast at Tiffany's

I have always been amazed by the jewerly pieces made by Tiffany&Co. My first acquaintance with it was through the famous film "Breakfast at Tiffany's" which became one of my favourite. Ever since I collect every tiny piece that reminds me of the magic atmosphere of the movie:

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Electric

At the end of March it still snows, but I have to look stylish and prestigious at the company meeting with the bosses. So I put the posh and laconic dress on. Even though it’s simple, the color is eye-catching. That’s exactly what I need if I want to be heard by the top management :)! 

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Piano Keys

The rush about the new collection by Jason Wu for Target touched me too. :) I ordered a lovely ivory dress with the black belt and sequined lace that reminded me the style of 50s. When wearing it I feel a little like my favourite Audrey Hepburn and this influences the way I walk and so to say live in this dress. It is very lady-like :)

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Dots... out of the blue

My outfit posts are usually influenced by the mood I'm in at the moment of dressing up. The images I create absolutely reflect my inner state. But this time it was all about the navy dress with the ivory dots. I ordered it long time ago on Christmas at asos.com. I fell in love with it from the first time I saw it in the lookbook. Now, that I've got a chance to put in on as it got warmer outside, I like it even more. :)

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Shirts Updates for IT crowd

IT guys prefer wearing T-shirts all year round. But sometimes they change them to the classic shirts of basic colors.  I have surfed through the main recent tendences for this type of clothes to make the choice of the new garments in the wardrobe easier for my colleagues.

• White Collar

by RiverIsland, Beam Plus, Hartford

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Papa Don't Preach

I love wearing shirts. Traditionally they are associated with the formal style. But I think that a shirt has nothing to do with boredom of dress-code. On the contrary, it can save the look of the office outfit and refresh it. As I'm the office worker, I have plenty of shirts in my closet. Some of them inspire me so much, that I create a little rebellious looks with the allusion to the iconic style.

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Purple and Zephyr

They say that our outfit reflects our inner state. I guess I am in the mood for spring now, as I took out of my wardrobe a floral maxi dress and vintage folk-style scarf. These are the two things that, by their color and texture, feel a lot like the blossoming time of the year. And even though there is still snow lying on the ground, there is something invisible in the air, that makes you smile and speeds up your heartbeat :)

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I had a dream, which was not all a dream.

I always wanted an oversized sweater. Once I saw a pic in twitter by Poppy Delevigne. She posted a look in a lovely jumper by River Island. I fell in love with it at first sight=). The same day I was strolling down the mall and saw the desired knitted clothing in the store. I've tried it on and purchased without any glimpse of a doubt. And it definitely has to be that big. Because LOVE cannot be of any other size =)))

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IT-guys Spring Essentials

My twitter is about to explode with the tweets hashtagged #LFW=)Meanwhile I am pondering over the thing that twitter could be the favourite social network for my IT guys if they weren't so lazy. It's perfect because it's laconic. Only 140 characters - that's it. I remember the first time they opened my blog. A  half of them barely reached the second paragraph of the post and gave up: Too many letters.That was the verdict. Whatever. =)
I think the same thing happens with them when  it comes to fashion. Have you ever seen a programmer wearing layers of clothing or mixing accessories to get a perfect look? Me either. I am talking about the average IT worker, not an exception. =)
Having surfed through the menswear collections for the upcoming spring-summer season, I have picked up a few looks that would probably satisfy the picky workers of the IT world. Most of the garments have clean simple lines and are of basic or pastel colors:

•  Calvin Klein

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Inside My Wardrobe

What happens when a girl has to clean up her wardrobe? She starts trying all the favourite things on! :) That's exactly what happened to me this weekend. Fortunately, a friend of mine had a camera and time, so we made a few shoots in the outfit that will be waiting on the shelves till spring. The favourite pieces of clothing are the dress by Warehouse, named a festival dress. Hope one day I'll wear it to Glastonbury or something of that kind :). The look mixes up a leather jacket by Mango ( my recent trophy from the winter sales :) and boots by Bershka.

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I'll Go Wherever You Will Go

Now a couple of new photos are ready. The photoshoot had three different stories to tell. One of them would show a girl carrying her luggage just before the departure. In the process of shooting the concept moved from general to more specific one. As a result we have a girl who is  desperately looking for her beloved man, who is somewhere far away. The atmosphere of the scenery is contributing to the mood we tried to create: the pastel colors, falling snow and tiny trembling silhouette of a lonely girl.

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Snowfall Story

On a snowy day we went out to make a photoshoot in the dancing snowflakes.The winter has finally come and gave us such a dose of the falls that now the best way to move around the town is by sledges. Neither the freezing wind nor the snowbanks changed our plans. I was styling the whole process, selecting the light purple silk dress and fall coat for the looks, so the only person I had to blame for my chattering teeth and red nose was me. :)

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Band Your Head

Winter is the time when you are forced to think less about how you look and more about how not to get cold. My top problem for the snowy season is my hair. It's wavy and thus is quite messy. But it gets even worse under the hat and the hood as I have to cover my head like an astronaut to protect it from the icy wind with the snow blowing exactly into my face.:) Fortunately, someone invented a headband. I simply crown my curls with the hair accessory. This time I chose a headband with a big dotted bow.

Jeans by Mango, necklace by RiverIsland, knitwear by Mango, headband handmade.

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Fur Fun :)

Even though it's almost mid-January, winter is kind of autumn in Kiev=) Nevertheless, I'm quite happy, as I hate cold and  feel  uncomfortable when I have to run from underground station to my work and back at the end of the day like a sprinter and still do not feel my toes. That is why, preparing for this icy weather, I do have a few things in my wardrobe. Even if the so-called Russian winter comes, I am all way ready for it. I am talking about fur. Not that I am a big fan of it. I have a fake fur vest that was created for me by a very good tailor and saved my skinny body a few times from becoming a talking icicle. :)

Apart from warming function it has one more benefit. It adds volume, if  I can say so. :) That is a big plus for me :)

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Lace Your Life

My granny is very good at needlepointing. I used to watch her work at some airy collar or cuff when I was a little girl. Later on, when I grew older, I got that special attitude towards the things decorated with handmade lace. Even simple fabrics that imitate the hand-crafted ones amaze me. In the recent fashion seasons lacy clothes were extremely popular. We could spot lace almost everywhere:

From left to right: metallic lace skirt by Vionnet, lace-print pencil skirt by BCBG Max Azria, tiered lace skirt and mini skirt both by Valentino

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Meow to 2011

According to the Chinese zodiac, 2011 was the year of Cat. This was my year by various reasons, but one of them is that I was born in the cat's year too. =) That's why, probably, I'm so obsessed with these little fluffy meowing creatures. I bet every girl has something in her closet with the kitten print.
For instance, Kylie Minogue recently has posted a pic of kitten shoes on her twitter account:

Victoria Bekham dedicated a few dresses in her Spring 2012 Victoria for Victoria Bekham line to the cats:

See by Chloe offers less expensive outfit with the kittens print on the T-shirt dresses:

I do have a few items in my wardrobe that express my love for cats. Even my favourite perfume Ricci Ricci by Nina Ricci was advertized by Jessica Stam styled as a cat =) :

 Moreover, I have lovely earings shaped as sly kittens:

Even though the year is almost over, I know that my addiction to cats won't pass away. There is something magical about these animals that enchants and influences not only ordinary people, but even the world of fashion.=)

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Leather Styling

Lulu&Co were holding a contest for the best styling of the leather armour dress by Gareth Pugh. The main idea of the competition was to offer the name of celebrity for presenting this garment and demonstrate the best way of wearing it.
The dress was already seen on Poppy Delevingne and Daphne Guinness:

These are completely different ways of styling of one and the same dress, that illustrate the variety of possibilities of wearing this wonderful clothing.
I chose Chloe Sevigny for styling as, from my point of view, she would rock in this leather dress =) I think it expresses the same rebellious spirit the actress possesses.
For this look I would offer the nude make-up with accented red lips and hair combed away from the face with the "wet effect":

I added Chloe Sevigny for Opening Ceremony Mary Ellen leather and wooden platform boots, blackened silver-dipped cotton-lace ring by Aurelie Bidermann and blackened oxidized filigree ring by Bottega Veneta.

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My substitude for the sun

When the weather gets worse and the sky is grey and cloudy, the only thing I am enthusiastic about is sleeping. I miss sunshine so much. It's so hard to kick myself out of the cozy bed in the morning into the grey winter day. In the hardest cases I use one nice trick: I wear yellow. =) Believe it or not, it makes me smile and brings energy!

( Turtleneck sweater by Zara, skirt by Pull&Bear, boots by RiverIsland, necklaces by Accessories)

And shooting for my blog with my friends during lunch time becomes a funny game full of jumping and laughing =)

P. S. Be careful with the massive necklaces, especially when jumping. I managed to count stars after my last jump=)) One jump - one hit=) Take care xxx

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In the Mood for Winter

Our office life is pretty the same as in many other offices in the country but for one thing. Sometimes someone brings camera and magic begins. I am addicted to posing for photoshoots. It makes me so agitated, excited and thrilled. This time we were celebrating the first day of winter. I was wearing funny tights with red deers by River Island that made my IT guys laugh and they made a lot of jokes about them. But I was totally happy.

Parka - Mango, scarf - H&M, shorts - Colin's, shirt - Sinequanone, boots - Carnaby, tights - River Island, ring- Mango,     
brogues - TopShop.

My childish tights kind of supported the feeling that it's finally winter, the magic time of miracles and wishes coming true =)) It was a lovely day even though we were missing snow and frosty air.

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IT hate list

My boys are like small kids. Knowing that I am a sort of criticising them for their careless way of dressing up they started teasing me. After playing the socks they come to me to give a hug in their wet from sweat T-shirts. Now they skype me when they are wearing the same clothing for the second/third/fourth day (which is quite often) or show holes in the socks they wear under the slippers in the office. But this is a small part of  a big teasing thing. They adore criticising back. Our office is in the city center, so lots of stylish people can be seen in the streets. IT guys love discussing the men's looks they see in the streets. They have even created their IT hate list :)Here is what they dislike most of all:

• skinny jeans

This garment calls out the wave of uncontrolled negative emotions from IT crowd =) They say that the Real Man will never-ever put that model on. It's designed for girls only=)

• oversized patent-leather bag

The same story as with the skinny jeans. This is particulary annoying for them as in most cases the bags are colorful and sparkling :) 

• men wearing UGG boots

This is the last straw for them. Whenever they see a guy wearing all those three things at the same time they get really aggressive. However, my boys are very timid and will never hurt anyone in the street for their choice of clothes. But they will come to the office and start teasing me and complaining of that strange world of fashion, where the clear and so important, from their point of view, line between men and women is starting to disappeare.

And what can I say? Fortunately for me, they are completely anaware of Andrej Pejic and his career in fashion. :)

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Stay and Fight

 Most of my coleagues are very humble and shy at work. They prefer to stay quiet and unnoticed, spending all day long staring at their screens or playing wii to relax. But you know what they say, dumb dogs are dangerous. Their inner aggressive beast comes out while they are playing on-line or real-time strategy games. =)This is where they are about to show their dark side. What! They do have it =) everyone does =) So they spend their evenings and nights fighting for some belt or coat or other garments ( real fashionistas, aren't they? =) So they come to work the next day sleepy, tired and indifferent, wearing the same stuff they put on now at least 2 days ago. One of the IT'guys told me, full of pride, that he dresses his on-line WOW hero a hundred times better than himself in real life. My question why it all happens like that, he answered wihout a shadow of doubt, that it is IMPORTANT for the hero. Imagine, what would have happened if they followed the rule on this picture: =)

To tell you the truth, sometimes I feel like those walking around real-time game characters, having a mission but performing the learnt actions from time to time. Still, I do not give up. From my point of view, it could be a nice idea for fashion designers, to create sketches for on-line games heros. This hidden PR would definitely work, and more programmers would follow the style tips subconsciously.

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