Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Capsule wardrobe #29 - a trip to Bouzigues

Last weekend, we drove down the mediterranean coast line to the picturesque fishermen's village of Bouzigues, a center for mussles and oyster producing since ancient greek times. It's oysters, 'les huîtres de Bouzigues', are famous throughout France, and are wonderful to be enjoyed fresh from the sea, in one of the many little restaurants and cafés in this charming little town.

After lunch, we went for a stroll along the harbour, from where we had fantastic views on the oyster beds set in the salt water lagoon, the 'Etang de Thau'. Thau water is graded A, so shellfish can be caught and consumed within minutes.

In the spirit of variation, contrasting and comparing, I tried the 'asymmetrical shoulderwrap' technique with a 70 Carré, resulting in a lovley and soft drape


Capsule pieces: beige 3/4 beige jeans, chocolate sweater and chocolate leather jacket
Shoes: mocca jumping boots
Accessories: Modulation 70 Carré, Capitales enamel bracelet and 32 Kelly in Ebene
Scarf tying method: Asymmetrical shoulder wrap. Click here for a how-to
Scarf ring: MT Collection petite size

Interestingly, with a 70 Carré, the wrap can be realized with both a 'petite' and a 'moyenne' size scarf rings, each creating a different effect.

Here with a petite scarf ring, resulting in short ends and a voluminous wrap...
(the varying effects are created by simply turning the wrap in different directions)

.. and with a Moyenne ring, resulting in a neat wrap with longer ends


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26 comments:

  1. You always look so elegant dear MaiTai! Beautiful pictures of a lovely day at the sea. When I read your title my first thought was "oh des huîtres?" Yes Bouzigues oysters are well known even to those like me who don't have a taste for oysters...
    Interesting how the effect of the asymmetrical shoulder wrap varies depending on the size of the scarf ring. And I love the look of this knot with a 70. One more reason to hunt for that cw of claque au vent that keeps eluding me. Heard yesterday that my store won't get it...at all. But I managed to get LFASDV, I will get that one too! Non mais!

    Thank you for sharing with us dear MT. Each post is always such a treat!

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  2. What a beautiful little village. I normally dress like a tramp when visiting little villages like that here, I must remember that standards must be maintained even beyond city walls!
    I'd be far too nervous to wear my jumping boots on the rocks!

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  3. MaiTai, You look great. I love chocolate :-). Thanks for sharing. Blessings -P

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  4. I can relate to what Tabitha said (sometimes, when in lack of time I even dress a bit sloppy in the city) and must once again say how much I admire the ease and grace you wear all your h-items with. That's the way, they're supposed to look and your inspiration makes us all want to "dress better". hugs, Macs

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  5. How wonderful to see this knot works w a 70cm as this size is one of my favourites - it suits my more casual lifestyle! As always,much gratitude for such beautiful narrative and photos. Your posts bring sunshine into even the dreariest days! Merci.

    Hugs,

    Maisie

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  6. Maitai, you are a vision as always; what a lovely capsule + accessories ensemble for that special seaside locale. I find your outfit to be a brilliant interpretation of the subtly blended colors of a shore decorated by oyster beds. Sadly, the abundant historic oyster beds down the road from me are still struggling to recover from BP spill contamination. It was wonderful to be transported visually for a moment to a place where waters are pristine and sea creatures are healthy. I hope I will be able to visit Bouzigues someday.
    XOXO

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  7. So happy to see the mocca jumping boots come out to play for a day by the sea! Another endearing,beautiful place you have taken us on your Sunday outing.I love the sea,the sails and the oysters TDF;)
    I am also loving the many different looks with the ASW
    (much shorter to abbreviate). The 70 seems to work very well and a perfect look under your chocolate leather jacket...will try this out. Looking forward to more play day posts. Thanks for taking us along <3 Hugs, T xx

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  8. Lovely village trip and lovely outfit and scarf wraps! The scarf rings work a treat!!

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  9. Dear MaiTai, thanks for warming up our days - I can always hardly wait to see the next post, as I know it will contain a lot of talent and style. It is a great honour to have been appointed chief researcher and project manager - it is the most delightful and enjoyable title I have ever earned! Having said it and having accepted the job, it is to state that we are just reading the following beautiful chapter of your book. However, regardless of all managers in the world, I have always had a very clear opinion - no job would be ever done without true creators possessing inner gift and passion for work. In this story, you are the ultimate creator, be proud of it. Regarding the inevitable meetings to realize the book (followed by knot parties), I am very much delighted by the idea, particulary after having found out that my plane ticket to Paris costs a fraction of Hermes Carre 70 and in certain cases even less than twilly! Hugs, Lilian

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  10. MaiTai, once again you are the Queen of Neutrals... loving the whole look. I'll have to try the asymmetrical shoulder wrap technique under a leather jacket.

    I want to join Dr. V.O. in saying how nice it is to see pristine water. I look forward to the day when we can say that the Gulf of Mexico is healthy again.

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  11. Dear Mai Tai! When I first came in your place here, I couldn't stop reading! At only one night I read all post that You made, I now I'm in love with Your scarf collection;) Best wishes from really, really cold Poland. Karolina

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  12. What a lovely village =) Thank you for sharing, and how I wish I can visit one day too, the oysters and shellfish sound wonderful! Glad to see your new mocca boots in action too (looking FAB as always), have a good week xx

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  13. My dearest MaiTai,
    Thank you so much for sharing with us another special glimpse of your happy weekend outing. Bouzigues is a delightful little treasure! The shimmering water is absolutely breathtaking - much like the colors of my beautiful MoP scarf rings ;-) Your outfit is so lovely and perfect - as Dr. V. O. mentioned, I'm always so taken by the seamless harmony between your outfits and your surroundings, all blend so beautifully and totally with the environment. What an amazing treat to see the asymmetrical shoulder wrap on a 70 Carré - I'm in variation heaven! And you gave us an extra bonus treat using the different scarf ring sizes - a perfect illustration of how small changes make big differences.
    A very special thank you for your sweetest words in the previous post's reply, dear MaiTai. And a special thank you as well to dear ladies, Lilian and Manuela, for their very lovely words and a kind vote of confidence - though I am hardly qualified for such an important task. I wanted to take a moment to say how very deeply I admire your eloquence and beautiful writing, dear MaiTai. I have been so engrossed with the supreme visual beauty that I have completely neglected to express my great respect and admiration for your most genuine, expressive, vivid, and elegant language, which immediately and completely engaged me and drew me to your magical blog in the first place. Be it an evocative description, a concise verbal illustration, a kind reply, a helpful encouragement, or warm words of friendship, your eloquence truly conveys your tremendous kindness, true elegance and grace, and unequaled beauty. Thank you for all the inspiration and joie de vivre you share with all of us. Hope you're having a most happy and sunny week. Sending you all my love and most joyful hugs always xx

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  14. I love your neutral themed outfit Mai'Tai , and the way the 70 cm carre works with this shoulder wrap . I've enjoyed wearing my Ombrelle Magique carre and MT ring this way .
    Like the other ladies posting here , I have been inspired to go back to H scarves which in itself is a call to smarten up one's look.
    Thankyou for a lovely read .

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  15. I have been inspired by your truly beautiful outfit; today, I have bought some additional clothing items as I got the styling idea inspired by your outfit. I am proud to say it is not a copy-paste, but inspiration, which truly confirms we are really improving our styling capabilities, isn't it? I am a slow pace learner, but here I am, day by day. Also, I would like to support each word written in Scarf Enthusiast's post, again. Hugs, Lilian

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  16. Dearest MaiTai

    What a lovely town, Bouzigues!
    Thank you for taking us along with you on this lovely trip. Your outfit is so elegant, as it always is, and the photographs you chose quite beautiful!
    Thank you for showing us different variations of the assymmetrical shoulder wrap on a 70 cm carré.
    Like Scarf Enthusiast wrote "small changes make big differences".
    Thank you to Scarf Enthusiast for the very kind words. I must add that I fully agree with her regarding your great ability to write, my dear MaiTai.
    Along with your sympathy and style, your beautiful writing attracted me to your blog. Wishing you a wonderful weekend. Warm hugs, M.

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  17. Yes, dear scarf-loving ladies, I couldn't agree more about how precious MaiTai's beautifully written blog is in our world. I am a university professor and I can testify that writing, clearly and elegantly, is fast becoming a lost art.

    It is so heartening to find an online community of women who find pleasure not just in beautiful things, but in finding beautiful ways to express our appreciation of them and each other.

    Gentle MaiTai, your postings are more than informative, they are écritures that continue the legacy of belles lettres.

    XOXO, Dr. V.O.

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  18. Absolutely love how chic the neutrals look. Your style is so effortless and classic. Love it!

    LV

    http://foodfashionandflow.blogspot.com

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  19. Beautiful pictures MT! thank you for sharing.

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  20. Dear booksnchocolate, Tabitha, Penney, hair-mess, Maisie, Dr.V.O., Trudye, Scarf Addict, Durdica/Lilian, SMR, KaRolka, lifeatmyfingertips, Scarf Enthusiast, fellwalker, Manuela, Foodfashionandflow and Birkinmary ~ thank you for coming on the trip to Bouzigues with me, and for your kind and sweet words xx

    How perfect the ‘Claque au Vent’ would have been for this outing, my dear booksnchocolate! Bien sûr it will be yours one day, how can in not! Needless to say, it would be so lovely in the wrap.

    I was wondering if the Bouzigues pics might swing your travel plans towards a seaside place, dear Tabitha. Lol re the tramp..mind you the standards are maintained with my trusted sweater by H&M, and the jeans are not special either. My boots say happily hello to you, they survived!

    Hugs from one chocolate lover to another, dear Penney <3

    You are too kind, my dear hair-mess, YOU always look so chic! Could you pls pls send your cute fairy for a scarf fixing emergency call to booksnchocolate, pixie dust is needed urgently to find the elusive Claque au Vent!

    So pleased you like this knot for the 70s, dear Maisie. I’ve been wearing it all week, with all formats, and so love the soft and drapey neckline it creates.

    Dear Dr.V.O. I am so sorry to hear you have been directly affected by the terrible BP still, I can’t imagine how devastating it must be to have one’s surroundings contaminated in such a horrendous way. Very much hoping nature will heal and repair itself before long. Hugs

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  21. I know you have been waiting for the mocca boots to come out and play, my dear Trudye! They’ve become a steady companion of ‘our’ leather jacket. Hope you had fun with yours and the ASW (such a brilliant abbrevation, I was beginning to get keyboard fever!) <3

    Thank you, dear Scarf Addict. So glad you enjoy the scarf rings, and the variations they allow.

    Many thanks for accepting, my dear Lilian, woohoo! Initial meeting to take place at the Train Bleu, and everyone is welcome to join! Good news re the plane tickets, leaves all the more $$ for our visit to FSH the next day!

    Hope the ASW/leather jacket combo worked out well, my dear SMR! So happy you like the look, it always thrills me when finding a new look with simple things I’ve had for years. I very much hope the Gulf of Mexico will recover one day soon :)

    A very warm welcome to you, dear KaRolka! So lovely you have found us, and hope you will continue to enjoy it here. Keep warm and cosy :)

    I hope so too, my dear lifeatmyfingertips! Perhaps you’ll be able schedule in a little detour on your next visit to the city of lights. .. x

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  22. Your observation skills are second to none, dearest Scarf Enthusiast, so true re the sea and MoP rings. I thought about your and Dr. V.O.’s impression, and while not having particularly planned the outfit to got with the location, subconsciously it might be exactly what leads us to make our wardrobe choices.. Will give it more observation, same as with the wall hangings! Hope you had a wonderful and sweet week too!! xo

    So lovely to hear you enjoy the scarf ring, dear fellwalker, I can imagine how beautifully the ASW brings out the details of the OM! Very honoured to be part of a rekindled love for H scarves, thank you :)

    Lilian II, your words made me truly happy! Really lovely to hear that this is a useful place in a practical way, mille merci. Have fun playing and styling!

    foodfashionandflow ~ thank you

    Glad you enjoyed the trip, merci, dear Birkinmary <3

    My dearest Scarf Enthusiast, Dr.V.O. and Manuela, after reading your very very generous and kind comments, it took me a day and a half to deflate back to normal size, but I am still lost for words! Talking through pictures comes easier to me than expressing with words, especially when doing so in a foreign language. For that reason, your wonderful kind praise was extra special, and brought such joy and elation. Many thanks, my dear ladies, you have truly made my day xoxo

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  23. h-fairy is busy right now, sending some dust towards booksnchocolate. ;-)

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  24. I'm a little late to join this party, but I wanted to thank you again for all of the variations of the asymmetrical shoulder wrap knot that you have presented to us! I now see that it's all about pulling the entire look together, which you have once again done so beautifully, dear MaiTai. I love how the light beige in the Modulation scarf ties in with your beige slacks. The chocolate in the scarf is a perfect compliment to your gorgeous boots, sweater, and leather jacket. And not only that, but the gray in the Modulation is also picked up in the Capitals enamel bracelet! Your attention to detail is so amazing, and always beautifully brought together. Warm orange hugs. CS.

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  25. You are the best, dear Macs! With mwahs and thanks x

    Better late than never, my dear CS, great to have you on board! So glad this post helped, and yes, it is so much to do with using the scarf to pull the look together. Many thanks for your lovely words and fine observations.

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  26. what lovely photos, thank you for sharing!

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