Portuguese flair in Macau – a quick day trip!
Macau is most famous for being a haven for gambling. This tiny island took over Las Vegas in regards to it’s gaming revenue, securing itself as the perfect hub for cashing in on the influx of wealthy visitors from China and other parts of Asia.
Personally, I wasn’t there to gamble. We just wanted to take in the gorgeous architecture, culture and Portuguese tarts! And as you can see from the pictures, the architecture is stunning. Macau really is a unique blend of European styling and Asian culture.
As for the Portuguese tarts…we didn’t get time to take a photo. 🙂
Looking through these beautiful sunny images got me thinking about what it means when you start to embrace your surroundings, or perhaps even more so, the people you spend most of your time with. At first glance, you can see I adopted the Portuguese styling by wearing this beautiful ruffle top, natural colour shorts, and red earrings. But in all honesty, that was a bit of fluke. I didn’t really plan ahead for such aesthetics! I naturally tend to gravitate to this look as I think it suits my personality and my body type. I like to wear clothes that are unique, good quality, easy to style, and suit my mood.
But what about the people we choose to spend our time with? Is that a fluke? Do you ever step back and realise how much of an influence they have on your life? And when it comes to your own personal style; how much they influence what you wear. And more importantly; how you feel in what you wear.
Interestingly enough, I never used to wear shorts. I used to hate the way my legs looked in shorts. As most women (unfortunately), I had confidence issues. I grew up being an athlete, and competed in sports where you were scrutinised on how you looked. I went through some dark stages, where I was too thin and then compensated years later by hiding behind a less than ideal body for myself. I didn’t know what my normal was. But it wasn’t until I started to realise that the people around me (namely my husband) gave me confidence to be myself in every being of the word. I started to be honest with myself and accept the body I was given. I started to dress to enhance my attributes, not cover my flaws. And I had people around me that encouraged that transformation.
But being honest with yourself, is the first step to self-love. I still get emotional about my body and how I look, but not nearly as much. And if I do, I remember this quote – “Once you’ve accepted your flaws, no one can use them against you.” (Quote from Game of Thrones – and I’m not even a fan!). And to be honest, no one cares about how you look nearly as much as you do!
Now that I always dress with the intention of being honest with myself and dressing to show off my attributes; wearing shorts is a pleasure. I now know that I look better in shorts that are high waisted and have a tailored leg with a slight flair. And for me, quality over quantity. When you feel put together; you often exude confidence. These Aje shorts have been the backbone of many summer looks. I love how I can tuck in an on-trend ruffle top, add a leopard print belt and some statement earrings and I’m ready!
But in all honesty, I talk a lot about being yourself, being confident and doing what feels right. And a lot of that comes from surrounding yourself with like-minded people. It takes effort to be confident and trust the process to ‘be yourself.’ But if you have friends and family around you that support your decisions and actions, you’ll feel more at ease. It won’t be an easy road. Nor will the road ever end. As we get older, or go through certain stages in our lives, we need to learn to adapt to a whole new set of challenges.
At the end of the day, you have been blessed with a body that functions and lets you live out your life – the least you can do is treat it well and cut yourself some slack. And when you dress to your strengths; you feel good. And when you feel good, you often do good. And you become a positive influence to the people around you.
I have fun styling myself. I know what works best for me and my body, and my lifestyle. I’d love to hear from you – experiences, feedback, etc.
K – Leather & Soie
What I wore:
Shorts – http://www.aje.com.au
Top – http://www.slideshow.com.au from http://www.wildchildstylelab.com.au
Belt – http://www.jcrew.com
Shoes – http://www.toms.com
Bag – http://www.bally.com
Sunglasses – http://www.tomford.com
Earrings – http://www.missmartini.com.au
