30 Chic Days - days 9 and 10

I'm now a third of the way through the 30 Chic Days challenge, and finding it very helpful both in making me aware of what I'm doing each day and reminding me what I want to achieve. Fiona was the inspiration for me deciding to take part and I'm delighted that Juhli has decided to join us.

Day 9 (Sunday)

Outfit - day 9

I don't wear dresses very often, however we were going out for lunch at Salones Pio XII and it was also Father's Day (in the UK, though not here in Spain) so I thought I should dress up a bit for the occasion. I've had this dress for over nine years so, even though I don't wear it often, I guess its value per wear must be improving. I decided to wear these summer sandals with the dress - they happen to be very comfortable and don't rub my feet (yay!) - because I knew that there'd be dancing after the meal.

I've learnt to pace myself when we go for meals at this venue as there is so much food. When we first sat down, we had individual plates with cold meats, cheese and nuts, plus plates of salad in the centre to share. I quickly off-loaded my meat to John and a male friend and accepted a piece of cheese in exchange.  Soon the waiting staff were bringing plate after plate of delicious seafood: grilled cuttlefish, shrimps and huge red prawns. Eventually we had to tell them not to bring any more, as we still had our main courses (salmon in puffed pastry with vegetables for me) and desserts to come. We had a selection of wines and other drinks with the meal, coffee afterwards, and did I mention the cava? Just a small glass, por favor! We didn't need any food in the evening after this feast. I did have one chocolate before going to bed, but that doesn't really count, does it?

Luckily there was dancing after the meal to burn off a few calories. I only managed 6,813 steps on Sunday however I was in credit after Saturday's exertions and I definitely worked hard on the dance floor!

Day 10 (Monday)

Outfit - day 10

It was a fraction cooler on Monday, with a refreshing breeze, so I wore a thicker t-shirt with my patterned leggings and added a lightweight scarf that blends well with the leggings. It was a fairly leisurely day after the weekend activities: out for coffee in the morning, a bit of shopping, a couple of walks with our dog and writing blog posts.

I read a few blogs too, including one that gave me the three essentials for dressing like a Frenchwomen. Obviously I should give up any thoughts of looking as chic as a Frenchwoman, even though I am wearing a scarf in this photo (that is essential number 3). I guess that I'm close to meeting essential number 2, which is "well tailored clothing", as I'm wearing slim pants and a fitted top rather than baggy clothes.  Where I'm a total failure though is with essential number 1, which is "colour - or lack of it". I should be dressed in black, charcoal or navy apparently, with maybe a pop of colour in a scarf. At least I got my shoes and bag right by choosing navy, but my top and trousers are definitely more than just a pop of colour.

Lunch was scrambled egg with smoked salmon and we finished off the cherries. We have a bag full of apricots to eat next, freshly picked by a friend who lives in the countryside. We're spoilt for choice as we live in an area where many different fruits are grown, including grapes for the famous Jumilla red wine. Dinner was fresh pasta with vegetables and grated cheese.

The focus for these and the following few days is organising my summer wardrobe plus putting away the rest of my winter clothes for the next three or four months. I have to admit that there are still a couple of winter items hanging up in my wardrobe. With endless sunny days bright colours seem to be appropriate, however if I want to look casual chic instead of just casual, I should make sure that I have the balance right between neutrals and accent colours.