This is a special casual Summer outfit because I associate it with a priceless memory. I wore it on the afternoon of my birthday a few weeks ago when we took Rosie to West Seattle for a quiet stroll in her favourite secluded park. Afterwards, Greg, Rosie and I had fish ‘n chips in the car, overlooking the Seattle skyline on a glorious hot and sunny day. Yesterday, we went back to the beach alongside Rosie’s Park to take these photos. It was a tranquil and cathartic couple of hours as we continue to grieve the loss of our precious little Yorkie. 

The bottoms are Gap’s Long & Leans flared jeans that I hacked into shorts last year. I bat for Team Long Shorts so I created a wider rolled up cuff and kept the length over the knee. They are my current favourite casual shorts because they’re roomier and less tapered than cut-off skinnies. I definitely needed this change as I give my clamdiggers a break. There is something tomboy about casual long shorts that takes me back to happy times when I was a child in the ’70s. I climbed trees and built a treehouse in cut-off denim jeans that looked a lot like these. The length is not everyone’s cup of tea as most prefer to wear shorter shorts. But the length works for me and I guess I’m also nostalgic about it too.

The top is new and a gift from Greg. As I mentioned previously, I like the oh-so-trendy and sassy fleece sweatshirt, but it does not gel with my style. Fleece tops make me feel like I’m wearing pajamas, and not in a good way. So I’ve adapted the trend by choosing sporty pullovers that are cut like fashionable upscale sweatshirts, but made of more refined fabric. The mesh stripe sweater from Karen Millen fits the bill perfectly. It’s made of viscose polyester and drapes like a dream. The blocked raglan insets and keyhole back opening amp up the “pretty”, while the welt makes it faux-tuck friendly. It’s my favourite casual Summer top by far. Although I’m still besotted with polka dots, I have moved over to Team Stripe.

The white belt adds a modern crispness to the faded cut-offs. The Converse high-tops continue the sporty integrity of the outfit. The sneakers aren’t a leg lengthening choice, especially when coupled with the longer length of the shorts. Wearing shorter shorts and low vamp shoes or sandals would have created a more flattering leg line. Yet, I don’t feel dumpy and stumpy in this combination. In fact, I feel fab. The white sneaks are low contrast against my pale skin, which together with the tucked top help prevent that short-legged feeling.

I never tie the laces of my high-tops. I tuck them away to create a looser fit around the ankle which is more comfortable. These high-tops are my casual Summer booties and I thoroughly enjoy wearing them. 

It’s often breezy by the water so I’m never without a topper. I like my old black moto with the outfit because it’s casual, yet structured, lightweight and it has worn nicely with age. It’s a fun juxtaposition against the graphic boldness of the rugby stripe. I finished off the outfit with an equally old slouchy and sporty hobo bag, a silver watch and wedding ring, and my prescription Ray-Bans. 

This type of outfit will take me on Summer walks and urban hikes. Breezy, casual, comfortable and ready for action.

“Happy”. That’s the word that kept popping up in my head while browsing Carelia Morán’s (42) outfits on My Small Wardrobe. This Mum of two boys — born in Honduras and now living in North Carolina — looks radiant in all her photos, but there’s more to it than that. Her outfits and the way she wears them have a cheery ease about them that makes me smile. Carelia is on Team Maximal, she loves vibrant colours and her fab casual style mixes boho elements with playful touches. She started her blog last year as a personal challenge:

“I’ve always enjoyed anything that has to do with fashion, however for the longest time I had to focus more on things like my sons and their needs. Now that I’m in my early forties and my sons are more independent, I find myself with free time to think about fashion. I always thought my wardrobe was too small to be able to start a fashion blog, but then I realized THAT was actually a good reason to start blogging. Blogging about outfits that I could create with a limited wardrobe became a tempting idea and actually a personal challenge. So I started my blog last summer. Having family financial responsibilities forces me to stay within a realistic budget when purchasing my fashion needs and wants. Taking advantage of sales, thrifts deals and vintage finds is the way I keep my wardrobe alive. And, of course, everything I buy needs to be versatile, needs to work with the rest of my wardrobe.”

A rather minimalist look for Carelia who is on Team A Lot Going On, but just as striking in its own way. The tie-dyed oversized shirt, a vintage men’s denim shirt from an old French manufacturer, reminds me of a painter’s frock. I love how the lighter part of the shirt helps to break up the column of denim without visually chopping up the upper half of the body. Plus it also works beautifully with the darker colour of the rolled skinnies and the blue woven clutch. Definitely one of the best denim on denim looks I’ve seen in a while, and my personal favourite. The tomboy vibe is contrasted with a pair of ladylike high-heeled pumps in bright orange. A happy splash of colour against all the beautiful blues. The candy-coloured bracelet, pink nail polish and starfish earrings are the perfect quirky, girly touches that finish off this carefree Summer ensemble.

Such a delightful, arty take on 1970s boho! The predominantly earthy colour palette gets a strong kick from the simple black turtleneck. Layering the lightweight long-sleeved top under a Summer dress is an easy way to transition a favourite piece into mild Autumn or even Winter. Notice how the black also bookends Carelia’s dark hair. There’s more smart bookending with the cognac boots that pick up the rusty orange tones in the empire waist frock. Carelia then decided to add one more matchy-matchy element: the cognac satchel, hand-tooled in Honduras. The design complements the shapes of the colourful print on the flowy dress. So does the square cocktail ring, while dramatic chandelier earrings pick up the hints of green. Together with the vintage Givenchy sunnies — Carelia can’t say no to a good pair of sunglasses — they add charming Hollywood glam.

A creative look that is signature Carelia. Slouchy boyfriend jeans with distressed detailing, a relaxed fitting long cardigan and black Ray-Bans form the fashion-forward backbone of this outfit. Carelia rocks all shades of blue, and the aqua polka dot shirt emphasizes that even more. The playful dots amp up the happiness factor, while the round shapes are repeated in the studded sandals. The thin front strap on the sandals also made me notice how her toes and fingers are painted a different colour, both shades picking up different colours in the outfit. Clever! The tougher edge of the rocker vibe footwear is in fun contrast with the soft scarf. It’s the key accessory that makes this look for me: the gorgeous bright colours and artistically tied knot just scream Carelia.

Although Carelia occasionally likes to play up the tomboy factor, she also has a very ladylike side to her style. Case in point, this orange pants look that is as contagiously cheerful as it is refined. The fluid fit of the elegant trapeze jacket, trousers and hearts printed blouse all provide modern streamlined structure. The happy blouse is a conversation starter for sure, and fits Carelia’s outgoing personality to a T. Her choice of accessories proves once again that our blogger has a keen eye for colour. Great bookending job with the nude sandals echoing the colour of the jacket. The psychedelic swirl bracelet and Mondrian-esque blocked scarf are subtle ways to bring a spot of pattern mixing into the picture, while the white in the two-toned clutch provides a wonderful fresh contrast. Also: be sure to check out the background in the first photo, one would almost believe that it was created especially as a support act to Carelia’s outfit!

Carelia bats for Team Legs and likes to wear heels to elongate her leg line. So she started off the day with a pair of white wedge cork heel sandals. Lovely and Summery for sure. Later on, she changed into denim blue Converse to run some errands, and that’s when this flirty skirt outfit really caught my attention. The sassy sneakers add a playful air to this fab Mum on the Go look that feels effortless and polished. The colour palette is attractively simple, with all the white increasing the crisp factor. The mesh sweater, practical woven crossbody bag and print earrings are a brilliant way to add textural interest without visually weighing down an outfit that needs to be breezy for warm temps. I also adore the graphic pattern mixing with the bold stripe and the print of the skirt, it almost reads like a microcheck. So fun! Bright red lipstick, big sunnies and an ethnic inspired cuff bracelet finish off the look. Extra suggestions from Carelia to stay cool in scorching weather:

“I believe we can still layer on summer days, however if we stick with thinner pieces made of cotton, we should be able to stay cool yet chic. This is a great season to sport a great hat, the wider the brim, the better.”

I call this “Festival Flair Goes to Town”. Carelia wore this boho rocker look for a busy day of shopping, but it would fly just as well during any open-air music gig. Super relaxed, comfortable and texture-rich thanks to the vintage fur sweater coat with big collar. I like that the leopard print leggings read more like painted-on patterned skinny jeans. The blue sheen of the chambray shirt looks gorgeous against all the earthy browns. The slightly rugged ankle boots, tasseled satchel, iconic Aviators and Carelia’s wavy do with long fringe are further nods to hippie chic. And then there’s the jewellery, of course — a wooden necklade handmade in Belize and an YSL champaign bubble necklace — carefully selected to continue the effortless boho feel of it all. 

Be sure to visit My Small Wardrobe to browse the rest of Carelia’s colourful outfits, or check out her pinboards for more sartorial inspiration. But first let us know what you think about our blogger’s eye-catching Mum on the Go style.

A few hours ago we said goodbye to Rosie, our beautiful little Yorkshire Terrier. She was 13 years old and, like her litter-mate Jasmine, she struggled with congestive heart disease during the final chapter of her life. We are heartbroken. 

I was very skeptical about getting a Yorkie when Angie suggested it 13 years ago. My previous dogs were big, athletic boxers and I couldn’t imagine making a connection with a little dog. The book we bought on different breeds scored Yorkies (out of 10) with a “warning factor” of 8 and “protection factor” of 2. What was the point of that?

In an attempt to win me over, Angie took me to visit a friend’s little Yorkie. That just reinforced my preconceptions, but although I wasn’t convinced, I agreed to go ahead. 

The night before we went to see Rosie and Jasmine’s litter I had one final rush of doubt. I told Angie how I was feeling. Getting a dog was a commitment of many years, after all. Were we sure we wanted to do this? The look I got in response told me that we were sure.

Fast forward 12 hours and we were arriving in the living room of a nice lady that bred Yorkies on her small farm outside the South African capital city of Pretoria. Saying “I know you want small ones”, the lady immediately whisked away the largest of the three puppies, leaving two very similar little girls. At least they looked similar. Their natures were very different. One puppy immediately rushed to Angie, plopped beside her, and looked up at her with huge soulful eyes. Love at first sight.

The other Yorkie wobbled away from us on her brand new little legs. Her exploring brought her to a large sofa, so she decided to climb it. Clearly impossible, but she was going to try. I said, “look at the little soldier”. And I was sold.

Angie wanted more than anything for me to be happy with our choice, so she suggested we take the little soldier. But I couldn’t bring myself to leave without the soulful little lovebug that had already claimed Angie. For a terrible moment I contemplated the choice, then I realized we didn’t have to make it.

“We’ll take them both.”

Angie had picked Jasmine’s name months before, but we didn’t come prepared with a name for a second puppy. At some point during the hour-long drive back to our home in Johannesburg Angie named her “Rosie”.

Rosie spent the next 13 years showing me how big a little dog can be. We enrolled her and Jasmine in puppy socialization classes that culminated in a sort of puppy olympics where the less-than-a-year old dogs would compete in a variety of events. Rosie didn’t only take part in the events for larger dogs, like walking on a beam and jumping through hoops, she also won them. The owners of the Border Collies and German Shepherds, who were taking this whole thing very seriously, were dumbstruck when Rosie and I went up to collect the Agility Puppy title. It was awesome. I was so proud of my big little dog.

Many years later Rosie and I were alone at home in Seattle. Her downstairs on watch, me upstairs programming. She was barking, which wasn’t unusual, but something about her bark was different — more insistent — so I decided to see what was up. I was at the top of the stairs when I said something like “hey, what are you barking at?”. Then things unfolded very quickly.

First a big blur — the burglar — flashing past the bottom of the stairs. Then a little blur — Rosie — hot on his heels. I leapt down the stairs but by the time I caught up with Rosie he was back out the window.  

Now our little soldier has fought her final battle. We will never forget the way she talked to us, lifting her front legs with excitement, when she thought we might be going for a walk. Or the way she gave a funny little smile when we came home, showing off her dodgy teeth. Or the way she would look back at us showing the whites of her eyes. She somehow combined such sweetness with her fierce sense of independence. 

Aside from us, her favorite things in the world were Jasmine, walks and chicken. And she loved small children, especially babies. She was an extraordinary little character.

It is a huge understatement to say that Rosie and Jasmine were special to Angie and me. They were our first dogs together. They were Angie’s therapy after her mom passed away, and they kept me sane as I fought through the final stages of completing my Ph.D dissertation. They accompanied us to many hotels and houses across three continents and always made the place we were in immediately feel like home. Now they have both passed on, and the house we’ve been living in for years doesn’t feel like home without them.

Thank you Angie for bringing these two precious little pups into our lives. 

In a while, crocodile.

Rosie.

Sleepy in Johannesburg.

Pile of puppies in Samois Sur Seine.

On guard.

Snow day.

Walkies.

Claiming the guest bed.

Rosie’s garden.

Direyorkie.

Photo shoot.

White eye.

Wardrobe workhorses are items that you wear very frequently, and often for season after season. Absolutely any item of clothing, pair of shoes, or accessory can become a wardrobe workhorse. They are interesting animals because they take on many forms. A simple, fairly nondescript piece like a layering tee, black turtleneck, pair of straight leg jeans, nude bra, stud earrings or white button-down shirt can be a wardrobe workhorse. But a dazzling and eye-catching statement piece like a bright red coat, white leather moto jacket, pair of harem jeans, pony boots, striped full skirt, zebra belt, or neon clutch can be one too. Some workhorses stretched your budget, while others were cheap as chips. The only thing that these widely different items have in common is that you wear the heck out of them.

Items can be bought with the intention of becoming workhorses. In my case when I bought a citron clutch, white belt, and straight leg white jeans this year, I knew I would reach for these items frequently. And I’m happy to report that this is the case. 

Items can also unexpectedly become wardrobe workhorses. I did not expect my white pumps, white boyfriend jeans, fluid charcoal Theory trousers, blush moto jacket, and ankle strap Okala pumps to become wardrobe workhorses. But now I’m wearing these pieces all the time. 

Some items were bought with the intention of becoming wardrobe workhorses, but you just don’t reach for them as frequently as you thought you would. I thought my white tuxedo shirt would become a wardrobe workhorse, but I reach for my shirts with “collars that pop” much more frequently. 

Items can also be workhorses one year, and fall out of favour the next. I often feel this way about my fast fashion items that I purchase from places like Zara. I wore a bone and black scarf print blouse till the cows came home last year, but it’s not a wardrobe workhorse this year. In fact, I am thinking about passing it on. Same goes for a whole slew of scarves that I used to wear a lot. These days I wear scarves mostly for insulation and seldom for decorative purposes, so I reach for them less often.

As much as we try to predict our wardrobe workhorses to ensure that we spend our budget wisely, it’s a tricky business. I warn my clients that we can make educated guesses about potential wardrobe workhorses, but that it’s not a guarantee. A wardrobe workhorse is born when it’s already part of your wardrobe and you have put it through its paces. The best you can do is assess the items that do become workhorses and use that learning to make more informed decisions about future purchases. 

Do these wardrobe workhorse scenarios resonate with you? How often have you correctly predicted a wardrobe workhorse? How often has an item unexpectedly become a wardrobe workhorse?