The gender from Mars...

For some time now, my gorgeous male friends have been asking me to post something on mens' fashion and although I loved the idea for the very first moment I heard it, and felt a little bit flattered that they really wanted to hear my advice, it took me a while to actually get the nerve to do so - what do I know about mens' fashion? Absolutely zero! But then again, what do I know about women's fashion? Shall never forget the purpose of this blog -  a space where I get to share my humble opinion on things I love with you wonderful people that spend some of your time reading them :)

So, with that on mind, no longer shall I procrastinate - and although woman are from Venus and men are from Mars, we are not that different after all. We all want to look our very best, even if men try and pretend they manage to do so in under five minutes - and it is wonderful to see how much things have changed, and how mentalities are changing. I don't care for names such as metrosexual, never will understand our need to tag everyone and everything, I just love the idea of a man who looks after himself, who takes care choosing the clothes he wears, who knows words such as "moisturizer", "exfoliator", "facial", "manicure", after all, why should us women be the only ones to deal with skin, nails and whatnot problems?

And for my very first post dedicated to my male readers, I have decided to talk about basics - those key items every man should have in his wardrobe to make sure he will always look elegant and stylish, no matter the occasion, no matter what!

(1) The white shirt - just like the little black dress for women, the white shirt is your best friend; Simple, elegant, absolutely hot, you can always count on it, day or night, formal or casual, Summer, Autumn, Winter or Spring!

Gucci Slim Fit Cotton Shirt 

(2) The Blazer - and by blazer I mean blazer, not a suit's jacket; versatile and stylish, a blazer is a must-have, you can pair it with almost anything and it usually adds the "it" factor to an outfit. Again, perfect for any time of the day, for any occasion, for any season. Remember your white shirt? Just throw a jeans and a blazer and you will look effortless chic!

Reiss Mens Lapel Blazer Lux Grey 

(3) The Dark Jeans - we all know how wonderful jeans are, none of us could ever live without at least a pair in our wardrobe, and let's face it, nowadays we all have several pairs, in different shades. However, if there is one shade that you absolutely must have is dark blue. Why? Because it is a little bit more formal, and for that reason it is the one shade that will give you an endless number of combinations, will never make you look overdressed or, worst, underdressed!

Ted Baker New Classic Fit Jean 

(4) The Plain T-Shirt - trust me, I am a big fan of colourful t-shirts, filled with cartoons and prints, actually the most colourful t-shirts the Hubby owns, I bought them for him. However, there is nothing like a plain black, grey or white T-shirt. Classy, hip, stylish, these colours will always be there for you. Going out for dinner at the new hot restaurant in town? Going for this art opening? Meeting the in-laws? Black t-shirt+dark jeans+blazer, gorgeous combo :)

H&M T-Shirt 

(5) The Cardigan - far more interesting and sophisticated than a sweater, perfect for workwear, perfect for evening wear, perfect to keep you warm and stylish during winter, perfect for those windy summer nights; gorgeous with a plain t-shirt, wonderful with a shirt, absolutely fabulous with a shirt and a tie! They are the perfect item to add some colour to your outfit, go crazy and buy them in different colours, different fabrics, with different necklines, trust me, they will prove priceless :)

H&M Fine-Knit Cardigan 

(6) The Bag - let me be brutally honest with you guys, after the age of 18, unless you are going camping or someother activity outdoors, a backpack cannot be your choice of accessory to carry your things around. Not stylish, not sexy, simply put, not cool! And nowadays there are so many alternatives, that you really need to stop hiding behind the silly justification "that's a girl thing!". Shoulder bag, messenger bag, holdall bag, you are really spoilt for choices! A simple leather messenger bag, elegant, fashionable and practical :)

Zara Leather Mini Messenger Bag 

(7) The Card Holder - my dear friends, better yet, my dear male friends, have you ever noticed how whenever your friend/girlfriend/wife/sister/mother is getting ready for an evening out, she always spend a good ten minutes struggling to fit everything she needs in a tiny clutch? You guys, instead, take your big chunky wallets with you, and as soon as you get to the restaurant/theatre/club, if it is just the two of you, you insist with her to try and fit your wallet in the tiny clutch or, in case you are in a group, you look for the girl with the biggest handbag and ask her to keep your wallet? Let me tell you, it is so not fair! We too do not wish to carry your big chuncky wallet! So, the perfect solution - a credit card holder that allows you to carry some cards and some money, which you can place in your own pockets :)

WANT Les Essentiels de la Vie Leather Card Holder with Money Clip 

(8) The Scarf - other than for the obvious reason of "warmth" during winter, a scarf is the perfect accessory to add a "je ne sais quoi" factor to your outfit. It allows you to add some colour to your outfit, to add a funky element to a formal outfit, and they give a whole other energy to your ensemble :)

Alexander McQueen Skull Print Scarf 

(9) The Black Dress Shoes - I don't like the idea of "fashion rules", I am no big on stereotypes, and I believe fashion should be absolutely whimsical. Notwithstanding, I do believe every man should own a pair of black dress shoes. I know it sounds boring and not very interesting, but the word that really matters is versatile - shoes are a crucial element in an outfit, they can either complement it perfectly or ruin it altogether.

Reiss 3 Lace Formal Derby Black 

(10) The Dark Suit - a well cut, perfectly fitted dark suit is an essential piece in every man's wardrobe; Synonym of elegance and sophistication, a dark suit is highly versatile and you will definitely look sharp wearing one :)

Dolce&Gabbana Martini Two Button Suit 

My little orange dress...

It was a perfect Saturday - I woke up naturally (nothing worst or crueller than the sound of an alarm clock on a Saturday!), grabbed a quick bite before leaving the house for some much needed me-time (manicure, pedicure, waxing, the must-have moments in a woman's life), had a gorgeous brunch with the Hubby and walk around on one of my favourite streets in London, King's Road :)

So when the time came to pick something to wear for dinner with friends, I was feeling way too relaxed and in a zen-mood to waste much time deciding - I actually love when I'm feeling this way, I somehow manage to find something to dress in under 10 minutes and always go for something simple but stylish. And that's exactly what this little orange dress is - simple and stylish, to me it screams effortless elegance :) I absolutely adore the colour, so summery, so alive, so happy :) And I really like the combo loose-fit with above-knees length, perfect for curvy girls like myself :)

Because I was in a "no fuss no muss" sort of mood, I went for golden acessories, which are a perfect match with orange - this chunky necklace was the perfect addition to complete the look :)

Dress Reiss | Shoes LV | Necklace Anthropologie

American pancakes...

Although it is the most important meal of the day, most times breakfast ends up being the less exciting meal of all - let's face it, during the week it is just plain easier to eat some cereals, toast or if you have the time some eggs, and that's pretty much it. So, sometimes, it does feel good to take the time and prepare something special to begin your day, and weekends are the perfect days to spoil yourself with a proper breakfast :)

Last Sunday I woke up in the mood for some good old American pancakes - it is nothing fancy, I know, but oh so delicious and indulgent, perfect for a lazy Sunday :)

I did my own version with gram flour, agave nectar and goat's milk - if you feel like having the classic version just replace the gram flour for plain flour, the agave nectar for caster sugar and the goat's milk for cow's milk.

(1) Sieve together 1 1/2 cups of gram flour, 2 teaspoons of baking powder and 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt;

If you are doing the classic version, also add 3 tablespoons of caster sugar - because I was doing my own version, I added the agave nectar with the other wet ingredients.

(2) In a different bowl, whisk together 3/4 cup of goat's milk, 2 eggs, 3 tablespoons of agave nectar, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and 1 teaspoon of grated lemon zest;

(3) Add the wet ingredients to the dry ones and mix it all together;

I once read that it is good to let your pancake mixture to stand for a while, before cooking it.

(4) Melt some unsalted butter in a frying pan over medium heat until it bubbles, and ladle the mixture into the pan (my pan allowed me to make 3 pancakes at once);

Cook until the underside is browned, flip the pancakes and cook for another minute, until browned on the other side.

I like to eat pancakes dusted with a little bit of icing sugar and cinnamon, some honey and blackberries.

*ENJOY*

Cover me pretty...

I don't wear them, you never saw me wearing one and you will probably never see me wearing one! This is not something I say lighthearted, it is actually something of a confession - I love them, I happen to believe they are the most trendy, hip, just plain cool accessory one can wear, but unfortunately blame it on the afro, blame it on the size of my head, but I just don't have a hat-head. Yes, it is a bit painful to say so, but that's life for you - somethings you are supposed to love and admire from afar :)

Well, back to the hat - I can try and think of more fashionable words to describe it, but “cool” just does it, that's exactly what it is. I think most people don't realise that, but a hat can completely change an outfit by adding a special spark, a je ne sais quoi factor. 

I won't say what particular shape or style you should go for - be it floppy, fedora, trilby, just choose whatever works for you, whatever is comfortable and whatever best complements your look :)

Well, here are some gorgeous options:

Monsoon Feather Trim Fedora 

Topshop Colour Stripe Floppy 

Monsoon Contrast Paper Floppy Hat 

Reiss Straw Trilby Hat 

Eugenia Kim Gabriella Feather-Trimmed Fedora 

Pachacuti Brisa Panama Fedora 

Dorothy Perkins Natural Trilby with Corsage 

Pachacuti Brisa Wide-Brimmed Panama Sunhat 

Miss Selfridge Orange Floppy Straw Hat 

Topshop Pink Bright Floppy Fedora Hat 

River Island Brown Flower and Lace Trilby Hat 

Reiss Ava Wide Brim Trilby Hat 

Ted Baker Petunia Oversized Bow Hat 

French Connection Melissa Bow Hat 

French Connection Bow Felt Trilby 

Gucci-inspired...

Who could ever forget the fabulous Gucci SS 2011 collection? Glamorous, bold, vibrant and deliciously provocative. I was in awe of the colour palette used - absolutely marvellous! I can honestly say that this was the very collection to awaken my senses to the wonderful colour blocking trend. The way the barrier between colours was erradicated, truly masterful :)

And my favourite piece? This gorgeous strapless jumpsuit - this is such a perfect look :) I have literally been yearning for this jumpsuit since the very first time I saw it!

So, try and imagine my excitement when I found this ASOS jumpsuit - I was over the moon happy :) I think it took me less than a minute between spotting it and  buying it!

As you can see, I didn't even tried to be creative and change the look - why bother if it was exactly what I wanted? So, I added this beautiful pink blazer (one of may favourite items ever!), and went for silver accessories - there is one thing missing though, I should have gone for a belt, I really think it would have made a huge difference. Next time I shall not forget ;)

Well, here are some of the photos we took:

Jumpsuit ASOS | Blazer Zara | Clutch Carolina Herrera | Shoes Gina

Salmon Stew with Brown Rice...

It has been a while since my last post on food but there is a perfectly good explanation for that - I went for holidays, first in Angola then Portugal, and when on holidays all I want to do is relax, enjoy the company of family and friends and be pampered. After all, this is the definition of holidays, right?

However, I did missed cooking - cooking for me is not an obligation, it is something I do out of pleasure. That is why I don't cook every single day or when I am not in the mood, I just could not bare the idea of cooking becoming something of a chore.

I know you are not supposed to eat anything heavy at dinner, but sometimes the stomach wants what the stomach wants, and yesterday all I could think about was comfort food - you know, the kind of warm food that just makes you feel utterly happy and brings you really fond memories :)

Well, since I have been trying to shed some pounds, I am always trying to find new recipes that allow me to eat what I want without being a total disaster for my waistline. So, this fish stew recipe was something I created in order to satisfy my desire but without disrupting altogether my diet - can't and won't say it is a healthy dish, but, the way I see it, it is a homemade dish filled with fish and veggies. How bad can it be?

Mind you, it is not a nice looking dish, it is not the sort of dish you will be serving when entertaining friends but it is exactly what you need after a day at work, trust me on that ;)

(1) In a large saucepan, heat some olive oil over medium heat - Add a chopped onion and a couple of bay leaves and saute for 4 minutes.

(2) Add 4 fresh tomatoes and some canned tomatoes, and allow those to cook until they are soft.

(3) Add a cup of brown rice, celery, peppers and a cube of fish stock - add boiled water (enough to cover the ingredients), bring to a boil and allow it to simmer until the rice is almost cooked.

Season to taste with salt and pepper - I also like to add a tablespoon of ketchup.

(4) Once the rice is almost cooked, add the green beans and the salmon - cook for 5 minutes.

Please note that you might need to add some more boiled water, and if that is the case, do not forget to adjust salt and pepper.

Unfortunately, I didn't have any fresh coriander, but I would advise you to add some chopped coriander when you add the salmon.

(5) Turn of the heat and allow the pot to sit covered for another 5 minutes.

Check salt and pepper, and add if necessary.

*ENJOY*