Pleats and Checkers

Wellington is known for its bad weather during winters. It's usually windy, cloudy and rainy all at once. We were really lucky to run into a great sunny day last Sunday when I was down there visiting one of my best friends in New Zealand. The pictures are taken when we were waiting for the taxi and when we wandering around in an old industrial building (in the abandoned elevator). I had a great time in Wellington, having just pulled a drunk all-nighter with my best friend and the two boys in the picture that I had just met the night before. It was the perfect ending to my trip back home.

The skirt is obviously the center piece of this outfit. It's from Modern Amusement, a local California designer. I'm not sure if you could still find this skirt in store because the label has apparently stopped designing women's clothing. It's a shame because this is one of my favorite pieces in my closet and I would love to see more eye-popping designs like this from Modern Amusement.

When a skirt is so vibrant, pairing it with anything else colorful would be too busy for one outfit. I traveled pretty light, so I paired it with a white sweater from Sweet Romeo and a pair of Jeffrey Campbell flat boots. I think the look would be better if the sweater was a round-neck rather than a v-neck, but it kept me warm. I'm in love with these boots! Sure, the laces can be a struggle when they come undone sometimes, but the boots look great with colorful skirts, shorts or just a plain pair of jeans. The skirt on its own can look too cutesy, the boots added a little masculine edge to the outfit. The leather jacket is from Scrapbook, a New Zealand label. I've had the jacket for over three years now and I love wearing it on a windy day or a night out.

Pleats are coming back! It's not very obvious in the pictures, but except for the very front, the rest of the skirt is actually pleated. Instead of the trendy color-block designs many people are wearing, this skirt is a playful mix between color-block and the good ol' black and white checkers. Everyone wore black in Wellington, so do a lot of people in metropolitan cities. The skirt is definitely a head-turner. And color, is exactly what I need to kick off a new chapter of my life.

Love,

Kiko