Friday, March 30, 2012

Toning down Animal Prints



We all know that during this time of the year, any type or form of floral, aztec or tribal print has to always appear in our wardrobe. Animal prints were a hit last winter, especially leopard print. I, for one, used to HATE animal print. I used to find them very tacky and I just did not like the way people wore such a very bold print. But as it became on trend, I started to get into it more. I learned how to make leopard print not look tacky, and with that help I ended up loving animal prints. And when I say animal print, I mean cheetah, leopard or snake, I don't mean zebra. I'm not into zebra-yet. As I was saying, I ended up finding animal print pieces, mostly accessories or shoes, to give an outfit some character. For example a very plain outfit in very neutral colours, paired up with leopard shoes or even a leopard scarf. I was very into this trend last winter. However, since spring is considered as the season to bring out very vibrant and girly patterns, we tend to ditch the bold, dark toned animal prints. So what I'm trying to point out is that you can actually still transition your favourite animal print pieces to your spring wardrobe. The only difference being is that you have to just slightly tone down the rest of your outfit and to avoid using warm, bold colours. In fact, high end designers demonstrated animal prints for their spring/summer 2012 collection.





 Roberto Cavalli Spring/Summer 2012 Campaign- Subtle way of adding animal prints and combination of leopard and snake skin print. The sheerness of the printed fabric gives it a delicate and summery feel. 

Michael Kors-Safari themed collection inspired by his latest visit to South Africa. Infusion of tribal, animal prints, and tie-dye patterns. 

As for my way of styling animal print patterns for spring, I created 3 polyvore sets to demonstrate 3 different looks that might attract your taste. 


Snake Print and hint of neon Yellow


Snake Print and hint of neon Yellow by katia featuring banana republic jewelry
This is by far my favourite outfit. It is very bohemian/tribal inspired. The main focus of this outfit is obviously the trousers, so it is important to leave the rest of the outfit neutral if you do not want to go over board. The jumper gives the outfit a laid back look but very edgy and stylish at the same time, with the gold accessories and chunky heel. To make the outfit a bit more vibrant and 'spring-y' looking, rather than just neutral from head to toe, I suggest adding just a very bright colour to your handbag, shoes, or accessories. I think with just a touch of that neon yellow, the outfit turned out looking from dull to bright! 






Toning down Leopard print


Toning down Leopard print by katia featuring stone jewelry


Since leopard print colours are very dark and bold, it might not fit well with the rest of the spring colours in our wardrobe. So I would opt for a more faded or slightly pale coloured leopard print. This way, it is easier to add any kind of colour to make your outfit pop. The shorts in this set, are a lighter shade than the normal leoprad print we know and the mint blouse goes perfect with it. You can add pretty much any vibrant colour to these shorts, just as long as you keep the rest of the outfit as neutral as possible. You can do this not just by adding shorts, but also a blazer, shoes or even a scarf. 


Snake Skin Print and Neutrals


Snake Skin Print and Neutrals by katia featuring enamel rings
This my second favourite outfit. I think this looks very chic and sophisticated, and the snake skin print is only incorporated in the accessories, but still remains the main focus of the outfit. I styled this outfit by sticking to the colour palette of the shoes. Mixing white, grey and nude and adding the snake skin print is a very crisp and clean look to this outfit. The gold touches bring out the elegance and they make you look like you're worth a million bucks! 

So don't be afraid of mixing animal prints this spring or summer. I for one, already dived into leopard print, now I need to incorporate more snake print in my wardrobe, or at least in my shoe closet. If you know how to style them then you have nothing to worry about. The secret is that you have one item that is printed the  rest keeping it neutral or adding a pop of colour and you are good to go! 

Hope you found this informative , 

Stay chic xxx


Monday, March 26, 2012

OOTD: Sunday Lunch with the Fam

Hello my fellow readers,

So yesterday I went out for lunch with my family to celebrate my mother's birthday. I had such a wonderful time, there is nothing better than spending time with the people you love the most. Well since I was dressed for the 'occasion', I decided to take some pictures to show you my outfit of the day. ( Excuse the very silly facial expressions haha).






White Blazer - Topshop 
Owl Blouse- Next 
Skinny Jeans- New look 
Nude loafers- Peacocks
Nude Bag- New Look 
Bracelets and Necklace- Accessorize 

Hope you like it! 


Friday, March 23, 2012

15 Spring Essentials!

15 Spring Essentials!







So here is a list of 15 essentials that I need for spring regarding beauty products, clothes and accessories. As most of you probably do, during this time of year I get obsessed with current fashion trends, and I try to incorporate them in my very own 'kloset'. So as you can see, I cannot have enough stuff because at some point I always seem to need more. Don't get me wrong, I'm not the kind person that I get what I want when I want. Believe me I work very hard to get whatever I want, and it cost me blood sweat and tears to buy what I want-but it is all worth it. I also  tend to  budget on how much I am able to spend and try to find a good bargain on something since I prefer buying 10 items at a cheaper price than splurging on just one item. So that is a bonus! 
So the items contained in the list are all things which I've been dying to get this season. I'm making it a point to own at least some of them in the near future because a few of them are basic necessities that I currently need. Let's get started:


1. First thing's first- Mint blazer: Not everyone might like this type of colour, but I find it so pretty. Anyway, it doesn't necessarily have to be mint, any type of colour that fits your personality would work. But I advise you that a blazer is a must in any women's wardrobe. It is a transitional piece where you can wear it any time of the year (okay maybe not in Malta-it only counts during autumn or spring). And you can dress it up or dress it down it is up to you. Well for myself, I need a mint blazer because I actually have a collection of blazers in different colours, so I just want to add up more to the bunch. 


2. Peter pan collar dresses: I find these so vintage looking. I don't own any peter pan collar dress unfortunately, I did not find the perfect one that fits my taste to be honest. I'm still on the hunt for it. BUT you can always opt for another alternative. You can find just a simple skater dress and add a detachable peter pan collar to give the dress more character. 


3. Sheer blouses- I can't get enough of them. I just love them. I need one in every colour preferably in pastels or bright colours. They make an outfit look so delicate and sophisticated. You can wear it tucked into a pair of shorts and a matching blazer. I also like to wear them buttoned all the way up, and add a gold statement necklace or choker. To cut the story short they are a must have for spring. 


4. Crop tops- these were very much on trend last year and have become another transitional piece to have for this spring or summer. I like pairing them up with high-waisted shorts or jeans because I don't like showing off too much skin and I also find them much more attractive looking rather than pairing them up with hipster jeans. They are just a simple piece to wear especially for everyday. 


5. Lace shorts- Remember, this is my taste. So not many of you might like it. BUT I LOVE THEM! You can literally pair them up with anything. They are very versatile and if you are a person who loves vintage like I do then go ahead and add these babies up to your list! 


6. Nude heels- Can you believe I don't own a pair of nude heels? How ashamed am I. The ones that attract me the most are the platform heels which are very similar to the Christian Loubitin's. Also I like the chunky heel which are inspired by Jeffery Campbell. The main reason might be that when I look at 5 inch heels I deprive myself from buying them and also due to the fact that my boyfriend HATES it when I wear heels and look two inches taller. But whatever I still need to find the perfect pair of nude heels. 


7. Detachable Collars- I just love these collars. Throw on a colourful studded collar and they instantly jazz up a plain outfit. Unfortunately, they are very hard to find, and the only ones found were in Zara but they were all sequiny and fussy, and pretty much they were not what I pictured. But as an alternative you can always do them yourself, and that is what I am actually plan on doing. I recently watched a youtube video from one of my favourite gurus and stylist Chriselle Lim and she recreated her very own detachable collars. So check them out here and try your very own collars! 


8. Envelope Clutches- I want them in every colour! Am I asking for too much? They are just a basic accessory just to pull off an outfit and mix and match according to what you are wearing. 


9.Clubmaster Sunglasses- Ray-Ban's are the only designer brand that creates the best sunglasses that fit my taste. For some reason I don't like the style of sunglasses from other brands. Ray-Bans are just so classic and they suit almost everyone. I already have the aviators and the wayfarers, all I need now are the Clubmasters. 


10.Boyfriend watch- Many celebrities and fashion stylists, experts, and gurus probably own a very expensive Rolex or Michael Kors boyfriend watch. I'd love to have a designer gold boyfriend watch, I find it another classic staple accessory to have. For me it doesn't matter if it is Michael Kors or Asos, as long as it is chunky and gold it's fine by me! 


11. We're approaching toward the end folks! This time I'm going to mention beauty related products. Hair crimper or barrel wavers- During the spring or summer I prefer having messy beachy waves and natural looking hair. But the problem for me is since I have very thin straight hair, it is hard for me to have a wavy look naturally. So the option is to invest in a very good crimper to leave the beachy effect to your waves.


12. Sea mist- This is the perfect hair spray to add to your beachy look. It is a sea salt  hairspray, which leaves the effect of the natural waves your hair has after you hit the beach. I prepare on buying this product because I heard tons of reviews about sea sprays and it is worth a try! 


13. Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua foundation- OMG I'd love to own this one day! Everyone keeps on raving about this foundation especially those who have oily and acne prone skin like I do. I've heard it gives great coverage and it is like adding another layer of skin. The drawback is the price. It is way over my price range, so if any of you recommend an alternative please don't hesitate to do so!


14.Bright/pastel nail polishes- I need to add up more to my collection. Enough said.


15. Best for last. Revlon lip butters- Why didn't they launch them in Malta yet? Have any of you heard if they are launching them by any chance? Because I've been dying to try them out and I read a lot of positive reviews about them. Please do take a look at reviews because they just look divine and I think they would make a hit if they are launched here! I hope they will.


So that is it folks! Hope you liked my 15 essentials, I hope I didn't  bore you out reading, I don't like to leave out certain things worth mentioning so that is why this post is a teeny weeny tad bit longer. What are your essentials you might add on to my list? 











Thursday, March 22, 2012

OOTD: Hint of Leopard



Hi Dolls!


Yesterday was not my day. I had a 5 p.m lecture at uni and I still needed to catch the 3 p.m ferry to arrive on time. I was in such a good mood yesterday, I don't know why maybe because it was the first day of spring. Anyway so I got all dressed up, tried to find the perfect outfit that matched my new leopard loafers, and I left the house to catch the bus to Mgarr from Victoria. Here comes the unlucky part. The bus ended up arriving late, so naturally it did not arrive on time at Mgarr and the worst thing is when you arrive at the same time the ferry leaves. So I missed the ferry and obviously the lecture, since I wouldn't  have been able to make it. So then I decided to go back home. I ended up almost an hour and a half travelling in a bus all around Gozo. Story of my life. Anyway so to cheer up a little I just took some pictures of what I was wearing, since it was the only thing that turned out to be positive yesterday. 


So I didn't wear anything special, and nothing that celebrates Spring, oddly enough. I recently bought these New Look leopard loafers, and I have been dying to wear them. Since the last couple of weeks the weather was not very pleasant, I couldn't wear them and now that the weather is changing I dumped the boots and opted for my favourite flats. I paired them up with some tan skinny pants, a denim shirt, burgundy jumper and a gold necklace just to edge it up. Very simple,comfy, yet stylish. Hope you liked it!
















Denim Shirt - Orsay 
Burgundy Jumper- New Look 
Tan Skinny Pants- New Look
Leopard Loafers- New Look 
Gold Necklace- Accessorize
2 tone Handbag- Aldo 
Owl Ring- Aldo 





Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Welcome to my Blog!

Hi Dolls!

Welcome to my official blog Katia's Kloset. I'm so excited to finally create this fashion blog which will include my thoughts and current fashion obsessions. I am still new to this, so bear with me please and I'm sure that as long as I am committed to this blog, by time I will progress- that is my goal. I explained in more detail the purpose of the blog and so on in the About tab, so go check it out!

In the meantime, I'm so thrilled that it is finally spring! I am that kind of person that loves every season, I don't actually have a favourite. But there comes a point when I get sick of the weather and tend to look forward for a change. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I am do fed up of winter now, and I am so glad that the weather is finally getting warmer. This is the opposite of what I was saying two months ago, since I was so into the winter trends: the oversized jumpers, the knitted snoods, coats, boots and not to mention  the colour combination of mustards, browns and burgundy. I have my winter closet full of those colours! But now I am over it, and I can't wait to start updating my spring/summer wardrobe. I am very much into pastel colours which you would probably notice in the next couple of months. I am also into aztec/ tribal prints which were very on trend last year but oddly enough it was very difficult to find aztec print clothing to buy in stores. I also love floral  prints- well who doesn't? They give such a feminine touch to an outfit and brighten up your mood. Also lace is a must have for the spring or summer. Tops, dresses, shorts- you name it! I like pairing lace with different textures and patterns just to give a girly touch to something plain, or else it can either tone down a very vibrant outfit. Anyway, if I could, I wouldn't stop mentioning the different styles for spring- there are so many! I shall definitely keep you updated with any new items that I may add to my wardrobe. However, right now I have decided that through the month of March shall embark a self-imposed shopping ban (I decided that I should first reuse the clothing that I currently have in my closet or to find something I haven't really worn- in other words I am not ''financially stable'' lol), then during periods like these, I might as well show you outfits I created via Polyvore, which incorporate the Spring theme.

Pretty Pastels


Colour Block



Tea time!


Hint of Mint


Sadly I salute you dear Winter, and therefore it is time to get rid of those heavy knits and update your wardrobe because spring is in the air! 



Have a nice day!
xoxo