Casual

While chit chatting with a friend, it turned out that we had different dress codes during the week: she dresses casually during the working week and likes to "make an effort" during the week-end. 

For me, the dessing closet works the other way around: I need to plan the evening before what I will wear to the office, and some items are obviously off-limits for week/office life. It is with overt nostalgia that I look back at the 8 years of freelancing when I could also pick up my favorite sweater from the closet, knowing full well that there was no specific code to follow except my own comfort and concentration. This was until I entered the corporate world (aka slavery), a big shock in many ways (ok, and a big improvement in many others).

Preparing the evening before what you will be wearing when passing the office front door is not a must, unless you already know that in the morning you will be moving around with eyes and brain shut - in total darkness and with sleep still holding you tight. There is no way I could pick up a pair of trousers and proper (matching) socks at 7am. The advantage of this evening tour de force is also the time gain in the morning, when every minute counts and I hop around the house, quite frantically and in a robot-like succession of very calculated moves.

The week-end defines itself as the long hoped for opportunity for taking things down a notch, without any tedious planning. A space for inspiration, last-minute decisions and for just taking off the hanger whatever you feel like putting on...

With nothing else in mind but a lovely bike ride around town and a fragrant cup of afternoon tea or cappuccino, I went all blue:

Navy turtleneck: Wolford

Jeans: Levi's 

Scarf: Jackpot

Necklace: Byzance (The Christmas present I received from my parents! Anatolian hand-made necklace.)

Colors are also important, not because the color match needs by some supreme law to be an acceptable one, but rather because I have my less strict colors, the comfort hues that instantly diffuse warmth; as you may then have guessed, blue is no innocent choice here as for ages it has been my favorite color, a friendly reminder of the sea world. A cliché? Maybe so. I endorse it fully. If you take a look at the opening picture of this post, the colors there are also a fantastic casual choice: they are earthy, reassuring shades that I like to think underline the mellow character of the lady who is wearing them (credits: Garance Doré).

Shoes: Michael Kors

Raincoat: Philippa K

Gloves: Les Copains

Bag: Louis Vuitton

And speaking of color matches, blue and brown or blue and black have become safe choices for me. Just a touch of vibrant tomato red will then brighten up this subdued chromatic world, add a bit of much needed height...and I am ready to pedal happily down the street!