Different Ways of Accessorising a Blouse / Silk Top

There are signs that you are getting older not by birthdays but by fashion trends.

I thought blouses were very 1980's Sloane or the token 1980's corporate American female executive.  Alas like all things the blouse is reclaiming its place into the wardrobe.

Odd because I used to use the word "blousy" but in a less than positive way and yet now this article of clothing has been my most relied on since I purchased it late last year.

Most of you know I don't do many outfit posts so when
I do, it usually means that it has been a real stalwart.

This is the blouse.
Round neck with pleats on the neckline with a discreet opening with
an invisible reverse loop button at the front center.
It can also be worn as a V neck blouse without the button done.

The only other discerning feature is that the sleeves can be worn loose or tapered as there is a button.

I like brooches but all the brooches I have are either gifts or ones I took from my mother's stash.
This little lion cub was given to me when I was 25 and has been waiting patiently for me to use it. 

I wore it the day I got it and has been in the dark ever since.
I find brooches are one of the most difficult accessories to wear apart from hats.
It has to be worn with confidence because any doubt or shirking will outshine the accessory itself.
I think it works rather well as a feature button as the rest of the blouse is very simple.

The other brooch I have is this one I borrowed from my mother and I also use it as a feature button.

Coral is not a color that I wear or can wear but this black blouse serves as a platform where I borrow some color from the brooch and the blouse can sport a different mood.

Because of the lack of a defined cuff and the discreet button that tapers the end of the sleeve,
the blouse works well with chunky bracelets and cuffs.
I normally find the Collier de Chien hard to wear.

The CDC as it is commonly referred to while popular is hard to handle properly.
It is a statement piece so if not careful it can overpower the wearer.

But I finally found a blouse that I feel I can wear the bracelet without feeling overwhelmed by it.

I find they go well with either bare skin or a cuff less top otherwise it doesn't sit properly.

It's an item that either punctuates an outfit or can make the wearer look like a fashion victim.
I find this blouse even with its simplicity can see eye to eye with it.

I also find it comfortable and easy to wear with my red CDC.

I love cuff bracelets and am so happy that I can wear them with ease.

So much so that I wanted to order another blouse in a different color but it has since sold out...

Alas, no silk blouse is perfect.
It can hold its own with accessories that are normally hard to handle.
But due to its neckline and pleats it can't accommodate other popular accents like this pearl necklace.

Pearl necklaces have to have the right fall and the perfect length which depends on so many things.
One's neck, the size of pearls and of course in this case the marriage of neckline and necklace.

I thought any bracelet would just be offset by the blouse but for a lunch I tried an enamel bracelet and it just didn't do either the blouse or accessory any favours.

I have this sautoir that I enjoy looking at - in my closet.

Looking at because it is hard to wear sautoirs when one is above a B cup.
It really is meant for flat chested women.
It looks like this for one minute after two minutes of careful choreography until I move.

Then it dips and I end up fiddling with it.

I have tried to make it work by triple wrapping it but then once again there was the neckline issue.
Back to the box for you my dear.

A scarf was the first automatic reflex but I felt I was under swathes of fabric.

I thought a silk jersey scarf might be better because the fall is completely different to a classic twill but it lacked form and the fabrics just seemed to mold into each other.

But overall this blouse has gotten much use and has become my go to item.

It has since sold out but I bought it from my newly dependable brand called Winser London 

( link on name.)

I have found this so useful I am considering this pink blouse for the spring/summer.

Via Winserlondon

 I'm thinking the light pink and think this might be a better base for silk and silk jersey scarves.

Via

I hope you find an item of clothing that serves as a base for all the accessories lurking and lonely in your jewelry boxes!

P.S. I am off to Korea this weekend for a break so will be taking a small blog break and will be back in early April but I might be on instagram if my jetlag isn't too bad.
Stay safe and well and see you in April x

Buckingham Palace Tour ( kinda) - London staycation

As much as I would have loved to go away to chase some swimming in a lake or beach, I had some mundane tasks to attend to 

so decided to make the most of the decent weather of late and be a tourist in London. 

They get up to all sorts when Queenie isn't around.

I had never been to Buckingham Palace before and decided that I should finally visit it during its limited opening season as they also had a special Coronation exhibition on where you could see the Coronation gown.  Let me safely tell you that the Queen had a fabulous figure with the smallest waist and quite a bust.  

I am sorry to tell you that there was an absolute ban on photos inside and the stewards were vigilant so there was no way I was going to risk the royal family's wrath.

If you would like to see pictures of the interior, you can click here.

What I can show you is pictures of some of the items in the gift shop.  There were so many people and queues of shoppers 

at the till that I was thinking that the this gift shop was 

the true source of their wealth...

Tin plates for picnics and children with designs of Sevres porcelain used at Buckingham Palace.

Part 2 Hermes Festival des Metiers London Saatchi Gallery

This exhibition was unusual from the other exhibits that I had seen from Hermes in that it illustrated so many different crafts.  

This was the first time I had seen silk scarf screen printing.

Aren't these scarves hanging lovely as installation art?

The silk screen artisan plus one of the managers at the Lyon based silk press was there to present one of the silk screen sessions 

that take place 4 times a day.

These strips of scarves that didn't make the grade was hanging from the table.  I wanted to stitch them all back together.

This tasseled look could work for my bed.

They rolled out the silk that is made from Brazilian silk worms.

They set the silk properly and tightly with no air bubbles underneath to ensure a smooth print.