It's a Classical Life

I thought long and hard about posting this article on classic style. As you may know, I used to shop a bit too often and have worked hard to re-direct my focus to other things in order to live a simple life of contentment. However, I do love talking about style and fashion and w ith the start of the new season upon us, I've been seeing many posts on new clothes and trends to try. I, however, thought I might advise that you try a piece of clothing that is timeless yet classic and wearable in many different ways. There is no need to stifle your personality or creativity - as you can see in the photos below, there are many styles and ways to wear a midi skirt. They are such a versatile and feminine staple to have in your wardrobe all year round. Of the four that I have shown here, two were second-hand and I still have and wear them both. They are a piece of clothing that you can often find second-hand, if you are willing to look.  Now, for this article I have used photos I'...

  In the not too distant past I was a compulsive clothes shopper. I was never bad enough to get into debt, but the amount of money that I would allocate to myself as "spending money" inevitably got spent on clothes. Little withdrawals from my savings account here and there would be made for a new dress or pair of pants. I was of the belief that by buying that next piece of clothing, my wardrobe would finally be complete. The catch was though, it never felt complete and my eye would begin to wander again. I'd shop sales and tell myself it didn't really count when it was so heavily discounted. Then, I would be inspired to de-clutter, minimise my clothing, cut-down on everything and do a big wardrobe purge. This set the stage for another shopping spree - to replace the things I'd donated of course. Watching Youtube or following my favourite "content creators" would inspire me to create new looks, hence more shopping.  Normally I don't talk so candidly h...

Recently re-runs of the classic  Murder She Wrote starring Dame Angela Lansbury has started playing on television. I record them and watch one or two on the weekend or whenever I get the chance to have a sit down. If you don't know it, Murder She Wrote ran from 1984-1996 and follows retired English teacher-cum-detective fiction-write-cum-amateur-sleuth Jessica Fletcher. Due to her curious nature and intellectual observations, Fletcher not only writes about crimes and murders but she often finds herself embroiled in real crimes as well. I love so many things about this show: the cosy mysteries, the stunning film locations, and Jessica Fletcher's classic outfits. I thought it was time that we have another classic style discussion and Jessica Fletcher seemed the perfect choice for us to discuss. Here are 10 reasons why Jessica Fletcher should be your next classic style inspiration. 1. A scarf is always a good idea Source Source Source I think this is the best piece of...

Nobody can think less of dress in general than I do. Do you remember when Mrs Weston said this in Emma ? We all knew she didn't mean it of course, but was rather fixated on complimenting others, in order to receive many compliments in return. There is nothing wrong with being concerned about our dress and how we present ourselves to the world. Being fixated  on it, however, is another thing  altogether. I believe how we choose to dress (yes, this is definitely an area of our lives where our choices can dictate how well we live) can have significant impacts on how we feel about ourselves, how we view the world (and ourselves), how others view us, and how we actually want to live. If, like me, you want to live well, then let's explore the classics for some tips on how to dress well, find our personal style, and ultimately live better.  I think if there is anything that the classics can teach us about a personal style, it is that less is more . So many of the great ladies (a...

When I read the classics, one of the things that I love to read about in detail is what the characters are wearing. It helps to create an image in my mind of the characters; not only of their physical appearances but also their attitude towards clothing and style. For example, I notice if they change their outfits regularly (as society often dictated, because, heaven forbid, one should wear the same outfit twice!) or if they were comfortable with their 'uniform' of daily wear. Usually, the classics will focus more on the clothing of women, but sometimes men get a look in too.  For this Classic Style Inspiration post, I thought we could look to some Victorian classics to inspire us. What does, or to be exact 'when' does the Victorian period actually refer to? Well, the term refers to the time that Queen Victoria ruled England, that is from 1837 to 1901. This extensive period of reign marked a number of social and cultural changes in England, Continental Europe and the US...

  There are many ways to define classic and classical , especially when it comes to style. But I like the Australian Pocket Oxford Dictionary's  version of classic (style):                         made in a simple elegant style not much affected by changes in fashion The simple ways I have chosen to add some classical style to your life, I think, fit this bill rather nicely. I have also used the definition of classical  to guide my list: of ancient Greek or Roman literature or art Put these two definitions together and you get our list! So, without further ado, read on to see how you can add some classic, classical style to your life! 1. Paintings There are so many pictures of life in Ancient Greece and Rome to choose from that I didn't know how to choose those which made the cut here! First of all, I had to choose my all-time favourite painting, Dolce far niente , which means the sweetness of doing not...