Saturday, November 11, 2017

Pink Play


Pink is one of the prettiest colors, but it never was one of my most favorite ones. There are generally two reasons for that: A) when something is so pretty, it becomes favored by many, and I tend to resent things that are too popular, they just rapidly loose their appeal for me; and B) even though I absolutely admire some shades of pink on others (i.e., dusty pink or frost pink), alas, there are not many shades of pink that look good with my skin tone. As for the first reason, I completely understand that it's just in my head, and I gradually overcome this shortcoming of mine. And as for the second reason, all right, not too many shades of pink work for me, but there is always MAGENTA! And magenta is MAGICAL in my book.


This dress is from the last Spring collection, Victoria Beckham for Target, which I thought was wonderful - both classic and classy and yet playful and far from boring or predictable at the same time. I was also impressed by the quality of pieces, especially for the given price range (this dress, for instance, was only $40, and I believe it was the highest price in the collection). I snapped a few pieces when they were on 30% sale. Since it was an online purchase, not everything worked for me (it was easy to return those), but I am happy that I ended up with this pink beauty.


I have no idea why, but on this gray Fall day I wanted to wear this drop waist dress which screams Spring with its pretty flounce, 3/4 sleeves and of, course, the color. Since the dress is fully lined and made of a fairly dense fabric (with some stretch), I thought it might be a good layering piece. The purple plaid shirt might be an unexpected choice, but I think it works here. I then chose the jewelry and went for a big bling. (This by the way is a discovery for me, that I love a big bling.) The layered chain necklace is old (see how I played with it back in JANUARY 2015), the purple felt flower brooch was made by my daughter when she was 8 or 9. The starfish ring is one of my old favorites too. Look how well it plays with these humongous vintage earrings!




Just as the earrings, this hat brooch is vintage (each were $1 at an antique mall, bought earlier this year),
and both make a statement.



I thought that pairing this bold dress with a bold cape was just the right thing to do, and adding some patterns never hurts. The two-piece cape was a great item to add to my wardrobe, and I am still in the process of discovering ways to wear it (you can see a couple of examples of how I wore it in MARCH 2017 and APRIL 2017). I also thought that gray tights were an inspired choice (the younger me would have reached for black ones, the color of my shoes). So here is the full anatomy of my outfit for you. And now to the most interesting part. So where do I go wearing such a blingy and showy outfit? That's the secret: anywhere. I had no particular plans, I just wanted to dress up, and then we went about with our day. A bit of shopping, looking for a place to dine on a busy Saturday night (we ended up at our favorite Mexican restaurant), and just hanging out with my guy. And you know what, it was all just fine - the bling, the boldness, and the color. The fashion police did not stop me with inquisitive questions like where I was going in this outfit, and whether I had a special permit to wear magenta in Fall, or a short dress when I am chubby and over 40. Nothing like that happened, and I simply had a wonderful day feeling beautiful and creative, and 100% authentic me. 


Dress - Victoria Beckham for Target (last Spring)
Cape and sunglasses - Christian Siriano for Lane Bryant (2016)
Plaid shirt - Lane Bryant (old)
Suede booties - Aquatalia (old)
Purse - via TJ MAXX (old)
Jewelry - mix of old, vintage, and handmade by my daughter

Linking with Patti's Visible Monday 

* * *

SUPERSEAL, our new bilingual book, is coming in 2017!

Illustration by Andrei Lialin

Find our books at
in Seattle, Tacoma, Federal Way, Washington

Connect with me on
INSTAGRAM     FACEBOOK     YOUTUBE


24 comments:

  1. Ohh Natalia you look absolutely fabulous. I like it so much, from hat to toe! This colour is great and I love it hoe you match it with violett and black and white. Love also these amazing accessories.
    I wish you a great sunday my friend. Huge hug Tina

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. So glad you like it, my lovely friend! Just right for Tina's Pink Friday! :) <3

      Delete
  2. The umbrella is the star addition! It provides a graphic framing to your gorgeous self in your shining outfit. I love the playfulness of the dress with the flair of the cape. Snd those cute boots! Xo Jazzy Jack

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, my dearest! Yes, the umbrella is very zingy indeed! It frames many of my B&W outfits so nicely. :) <3

      Delete
  3. Now that I've come to think of it, there isn't much pink in my wardrobe either ... That dress is very special though, and of course it screamed to be combined with purple. Love how you layered it with the purple plaid shirt underneath and Anya's felt flower brooch really adds a finishing touch! The monochrome cape (swoon!) and umbrella work perfectly with the pink as well! Huge hug! xxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think for us redheads purplish pinks (like magenta or fuchsia) work better than pure pinks, so that's what I am usually open to. Also orangish pinks, like coral, work great! Lots of love, dear!

      Delete
  4. I've been reading but haven't popped in with a comment for a while. I love the mix of the bright pink with the dark colors. Even with my fairish coloring and blondish hair, pink isn't a great color on me either, but paired with dark, I think it becomes more universal.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You are always very welcome here, my dear!
      I think it has to do with our complexion. I have a pinkish (rosy) skin, so many pink tones just feel just too alike I guess. But we can experiment and find our best shades anyway! :)

      Delete
  5. fabulous indeed!!!
    this ensemble is cool, is 80s, is pretty in pink!! just the right way to cheer up a rainy november saturday!
    pink is very much MY color - i can wear all shades. but for a while it was hard to buy pink - to much dull berry tones in the shops. but today - fleamarket: 4 tops, all in or with shades of bright pink! ha! must be in the air!!
    love!!! xxxxxxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You are definitely the queen of pink! And I love berry tones. :) But this magenta (or maybe fuchsia) shade is just what the doctor ordered for me. I am glad that you appreciated the 80s vibe! And I cannot wait to see your new pink blouses!!!!! <3

      Delete
    2. This comment has been removed by the author.

      Delete
    3. to much typos - need coffee.....
      we´r like the months siblings in that russian tale - you are warm colored october and i the frosty january........ ;-D
      pink tops are the next!! xxxxxx

      Delete
    4. I can't wait to see! Yay to pink sisters (and month sisters)! <3

      Delete
  6. Natalia, you rebel you wearing pink in Autumn .We must be twin fashion troublemakers , I love Autumn colours in Spring.Pink can be a tricky colour depending on your skin and hair tones but with the navy shirt it works beautifully. The cape is a wonderful addition to the outfit with your boots .Enjoy wearing your pink and dressing up just because you can. xxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh I am so pleased to be a troublemaker, especially with you, my dear!!! Much love!

      Delete
  7. I love pink but don't seem to have a lot of it in my wardrobe - I make up for it with lipstick and blusher!
    That bubblegum pink dress looks fab on you, a wonderful way to cheer up a dreary November day. I can't recall Victoria Beckham wearing pink, she seems to take herself far to seriously! xxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I don't know much about V.B., but the collection was very playful with bright pink and orange colors, and fun prints! Pink should be gorgeous with your dark hair! <3

      Delete
  8. Ślicznie wyglądasz w różowym kolorze:))bardzo ładny płaszczyk:))Pozdrawiam serdecznie:))

    ReplyDelete
  9. Not only do you look fabulous, you exude joy! That hot pink is lovely on you, and I adore your jewelry too, xox

    -Patti
    http://notdeadyetstyle.com

    ReplyDelete
  10. I love that you said the fashion police never stopped you to ask where you were going in that outfit, whether you had a special license to wear magenta in autumn or why you were were wearing such a dress when you are over 40 and chubby! I love that! I often stop myself when I'm about to "overdress" and think, "I wonder what the fashion police will say"? When have they ever said anything? The pink is lovely. You, yourself, are fabulous Natalia. XO

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much, Karen! I think at such moments when we have doubt in ourselves, we can give that special permission to ourselves - the permission to do what we want to do and be what we want to be. <3

      Delete
  11. you look so gorgeous, elegant and cool, and I love so much your fabulous accessories, those vintage pieces (80's?) and your stunning cape. Love how the plaid cape enhances the bright pink, love the layering, love the purple accents!
    And I totally love that you decided to dress up for no special reason!
    I hated pink for many years, but not anymore!. There's a shade of pink for everyone!
    besos

    ReplyDelete