SUMMER 2024: WHEN THE SUN GOES DOWN IN MOSTAR

Hello dear readers and fellow bloggers! This is going to be a chatty post. My last post was rather a lengthy one, a review of the new The Count of Monte-Cristo film.  Today I have something more simple and less philosophical for you. In this post, I'll show you what I have been wearing lately.

Yesterday,  I had a pleasant surprise. I went out on the balcony and it wasn't unbearably hot. In fact, it was quite pleasant. I wondered what was happening and then I checked the temperature and it said 34 degrees. Only 34? Not, that's something different. Usually it's 40 degrees at least. A few moments later, the temperature dropped to 32 degrees. What a relief!

 Mostar is known for its extremely high temperatures in the Summer. I've written about this in the past, and it's a well known fact. Often the temperatures here go over 40 degrees in the Summer. It's a wonderful place to live in- expect for in the Summer. That is why during the Summer I only go outside when I must during the day. We usually only go for a walk in the evening. Today, however, the weather gods decided to have mercy on us. Finally!

So, I was actually sitting on my balcony as I started typing this post, enjoying a nice cup of coffee with almond milk. I didn't manage to finish this post yesterday because life but I really enjoyed that moment at my balcony, especially as I had had a sleepless night because of chronic pain the previous night. I needed that break. I'd also had some bad news at that point, so I really needed that break. 

We just got to make the most out of those little moments in order to establish joy in our life. And if you didn't know- my blog is called Fashion Ode to Joy (that's what Moda Oda Radosti translated to Croatian). When I started my blog, it was bilingual, but as I tend to think and write in English, I found it increasingly hard to find the time to translate my posts to Croatian. Anyhow, I think we can all find those little things that bring us joy- for some it will be fashion, for some art, for some make up, for some a great many things.

I do love floral print, it's a timelessly romantic pattern and simply perfect for when you want to feel extra feminine and girly. I really felt great wearing this summer styling. It's one of those outfits that prove you can be both comfortable and stylish. 

OUTFIT NUMBER #1 AN ALL FLORAL LOOK

A FLORAL SHIRT PAIRED WITH A SATIN FLORAL SKIRT

HOW I WORE THESE ITEMS BEFORE? 

THE STORY OF MY OUTFIT !

THE FLORAL SHIRT -I've had this floral shirt for ages. I'm actually planning to do one of those 'X ways to wear a X item' with this floral shirt. See how I styled it with a parsley brown skirt, a olive green vest and black moccasins here & with a LBD dress and stiletto metallic heels here.

THE FLORAL SATIN SKIRT - Last worn here. 

from Ozz brand by local fashion designer Stanka Zovko.

Ozz is a local brand founded and run by fashion designer Stanka Zovko.

If you want to see more outfits featuring items from this brand, you're welcome to check the links below. 

1. https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2022/02/fashion-illustration-friday-stanka.html

2. https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2021/09/farewell-to-summer-from-mostar-city.html

3. https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2021/09/book-review-and-recommendation.html

4. https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2021/12/goodbye-2021-welcome-year-2022.html

5. https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2022/04/ozz-students-fashion-show-under.html

6. https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2021/08/a-matching-tea-green-set-from-designer.html

7. https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2013/03/modna-revija-stanke-zovko-fashion-show.html

8. https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2021/11/mirko-kovac-grad-u-zrcalu-obiteljski.html

9. https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2021/12/5-december-outfits-mini-fashion-recap.html

10. https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2013/10/fashion-show-stanka-zovko-modna-revija.html

11. https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2021/08/a-book-review-blackberry-wine-by-joanne.html

12. https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/07/the-count-of-monte-cristo-2024-movie.html

13. https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/07/3-hot-summer-outfits-plus-movie.html

14. https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2023/07/purple-in-split-city-croatia.html

THE BROWN SANDAL PLATFORMS

You wouldn't believe how comfortable these sandals are. They're platform- so it's heel math really! I practically live in them in summer.  Check out this post for 60 something ways to wear them and this one to see even more.

THE BURGUNDY BAG

This bag is honestly one of the most worn bags in my closet. See how I styled it here with my Amadeus blue bag and in this post you can see it in a half of dozen outfits.

OUTFIT NUMBER #2 A CHIC WAY TO STYLE A DENIM SKIRT 

A FLORAL SHIRT PAIRED WITH A SATIN FLORAL SKIRT

HOW I WORE THESE ITEMS BEFORE? 

THE STORY OF MY OUTFIT !

THE BLUE SUMMER TOP- This is my fourth time wearing this top. I got it last year from my sister in law and she got it from someone else, so you could say it's third and not second hand item. :)

1) My first (documented) wear that I can recall was when I paired this blue top with the blue midi skirt combo for one of my Witcher book reviews. 

2 &3 ) In this recent post, I wore this top with two different outfits, one was casual, the other more dressed up (jeans combo vs. a skirt combo)

THE AMADEUS DENIM SKIRT- 20 PLUS WAYS TO WEAR A DENIM SKIRT POSTED IN 2020! 

Since then, I styled this denim skirt with a leopard top and here with a white tunics.

THE WHITE LEATHER HEELED SANDALS

I purchased these white leather sandals with wood heels back in 2016 and I plan to wear them until they fall apart. I was attracted to this pair immediately. What impressed me in particular was the unique heel design.   I always enjoy wearing these sandals because they are not only chic but also surprisingly comfortable. Back in 2020, I posted 20 ways to style this pair of white heeled sandals. Since then, I've worn them many times and I don't plan to stop and time soon.

OUTFIT NUMBER #3 A CASUAL WAY TO WEAR A BLAZER IN SUMMER

HOW I WORE THESE ITEMS BEFORE? 

THE STORY OF MY OUTFIT !

THE VINTAGE GREEN BLAZER 

- I styled this green blazer recently with a black skater skirt, and a  pink top and matching heels. 

In 2020, I styled it with a floral skirt, leopard tights, kitten heels and a green top. 

In 2021, I styled it with a yellow jumpsuit and heeled boots.

THE MINI BEIGE (IMITIATION RATAN)  BAG

I wear this little beige bag all the time. It's very light and it's very cute. 

1) In my last post, I wore it with wide trousers, a striped scarf and a pink top.

2/3/ 4) You can see how I styled it with a black dress and beige heels here, with a purple and lilac outfit here, and with a brown maxi skirt and a mint blazer here.

 5/6) Two more summer ways to style this mini bag here.

THE TROPICAL PRINT LEATHER SANDALS

As I mentioned in one of my recent posts,  I've had this pair for years and I wear them all the time. The sandals are incredibly comfortable but (in my opinion), they don't have that ugly tourist sandal vibe going on. 

1-30) In 2021, I published 30 WAYS TO WEAR A PAIR OF TROPICAL SANDALS. I love coming back to this visual guide for more inspiration on styling this versatile pair. 

31) I wore them with a white dress and a big straw hat for a visit to Buna ten days ago. 

32)...with a dark pattern pencil skirt and a yellow tip (plus the big hat of course) in 2021.

33-35 ) with two different outfits (maxi green dress and a blue midi dress) in 2023.

36-37) worn two different outfits ( with Ozz skirt and with denim skirt) in 2023.

I've consider travelling somewhere for vacation this Summer, but I don't think I'll be able to do that for a number of reasons. As it turns out, I'll be having a working Summer. I do have some days off, so I still have some time to rest. I had few beach days at the beginning of July, and that was so nice. Maybe I'll manage to take another vacation before the school year begins, but my calendar is filling up quickly.

What are you up to? If you're looking for any reading recommendations, maybe I can be of help.

What kind of books do you like reading in the Summer? I think magic realism is a pretty good choice for this time of year. Afterall, there's something magical about Summer itself. 

10 MAGICAL REALISM BOOKS TO READ THIS SUMMER 

1) THE ISLAND OF THE MISSING TREES, A NOVEL BY ELIF SHAFAK

Published in 2021, this postmodern  novel  follows two  story lines and uses framed narration. The Island of Missing Trees tells the life story of a Greek Turkish couple and their adolescent daughter. This novel examines and explores a number of topics such as identity, migration, immigrant life, war trauma, memory, love and family. It's an ambitious novel that examines serious topics with due respect and sensitivity. I read it months ago, but I remember it vividly. Honestly, I cried a lot while reading this novel. It really moved me greatly. In fact, that is probably why it took me this long to finish this book review. I needed to emotionally process the story.

 The Island of Missing Trees is set in London and Cyprus. The narration isn't chronological. The story jumps back and forth, following two main timelines, one set in modern time London (approximately year 2010) and the other during the civil war on Cyprus. So, one story line follows a young girl (the daughter of the couple in question), and the other ( focusing on the couple living on island Cyprus) is set mainly in the seventies. Through it all, there's the narrative voice of the fig tree. The fig tree in question was replanted to London from Cyprus. 

If the idea of a talking fig tree sounds odd to you, then you haven't read much magical realism. If you're new to magical realism, it's basically a literary style that features fantastical elements in otherwise realistic narrative. Yes, the style of writing in The Island of Missing Trees can be described as magical realism. Moreover, The Island of Missing Trees can be compared to works of Orhan Pamuk, Laura Esquivel, Isabel Allende and Salman Rusdie. 

2)  BLACKBERRY WINE, A NOVEL BY JOANNE HARRIS 

As I said, this was my first book by this author. Joanne Harris is an English- French writer. Her father was British, while her mother was French, a fact that seems to play a big role in her writing. From what I noticed from this novel, Joanne seems very knowledgeable about both the British and French culture. What particularly impressed me is how she understand that different generations of British and French people belong to different cultures.  Culture is dynamic and different generations can perceive it quite differently. Moreover, Joanne Harris is simply wonderful at contrasting these two cultures in her writing. 

I quite enjoyed this novel, especially one character (more about that later). It wasn't as good as I think it could have been, but it was still pretty good. I suppose that like with Elephant Moon, I felt like this was a novel that didn't fully live up to its potential. I felt like the writer sacrificed potential depth for entertainment. However, I still enjoyed this novel a lot. 

https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2021/08/a-book-review-blackberry-wine-by-joanne.html

3) MY NAME IS RED, A NOVEL BY ORHAN PAMUK

My Name is Red is a novel by Turkish writer Orhan Pamuk.  Published in 1998, this lengthy postmodern historical novel focuses on a group of miniaturists working in sixteenth century Istanbul. Most of the major characters are a part of the same group of artists. The novel opens with a murder mystery. What follows is a story that has two main characters  (protagonists if you will) but also subplots.

 There is a love story of sorts within this murder mystery, but  My Name is Red is not a typical romance. It's, in many ways, a philosophical and detailed dive into Ottoman Empire. The realism of this novel is at times graphic (featuring graphic descriptions of violence) and at times dreamy (featuring poetical descriptions).

 My Name is Red often focuses on philosophical debates about the nature and purpose of art. It uses postmodernist writing techniques and is narrated by various characters, some of which are fantastical, for example a tree or a dog. The very first chapter is narrated by none other by a corpse- a man who was killed by an unknown killer. From then one, the novel switches narrators pretty much every chapter. Some readers might find this shifting narrative confusing, especially as the readers dive deeper into the intrigues. 

 There is self-awareness to this narrators. The narrators often address the reader directly. Some of narrators are unreliable narrators. Some are fantastic, for example a talking dog. However, the novel really flows once you get used to its magic realism. In many ways, My Name is Red invokes the magic realism, particularity magic realism of Latin American writers.  At the same time, it is deeply rooted in Turkish culture. 

“For if a lover's face survives emblazoned on your heart, the world is still your home.”

https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2023/11/my-name-is-red-novel-by-orhan-pamuk.html

4) EAST, WEST, A SHORT STORY COLLECTION BY SALMAN RUSHDIE 

  This is a lovely collection of short stories, it really is. I think it can serve as a great introduction to Salman Rushdie's writing. If you are not sure you will like this writer, why not try his short stories first and then invest your time into his novels. I'm saying this mostly because his novels are lengthily so it might be a good idea to pick his short stories, especially if you're short on time. 

 Divided into three parts (East, West, East West), this book is written in a variety of styles. By that I mean that the stories themselves vary in style. Some are more realistic in style, while others are surreal. I read this collection of short stories in one sitting. On overall, I found it quite an endearing read. Salman Rushdie writes really well in the short form. I'm really glad I picked this one in the library today. 

https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2019/12/autumn-outfit-and-book-review-east-west.html

5) OF LOVE AND SHADOWS, A NOVEL BY ISABEL ALLENDE

Of Love and Shadows deserves all the praise it gets, of that I'm certain. I had high expectations of this novel, for I consider Allende to be a remarkably talented writer. I seem to be have been justified in my judgement. I’m happy to say that this novel lived up to both my expectations and its reputation. 

What kind of novel is it? It is a novel about great many things and that is what makes it so brilliant. As the novel suggests, this is a book about love. Not just romantic love, not at all. It is about love in all shapes and forms, love in its complexity, love as a force of virtue, love between family members, parents and children, friends and strangers. Even people who are strangers to each other, during the course of this novel prove their capability for love by acts of great personal courage. That kind of personal initiative is very touching to read about. Who doesn't love reading about people reaching out? This novel shows love against the odds. Human beings coming together to help one another, often at great peril for themselves and their families. As cheesy as it might sound, this novel made me believe that there is hope for human kind. That somehow we can fight the injustice together, day by day. That true love exists and that families can overcome difficulties together.

https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2016/09/of-love-and-shadows-isabel-allende.html

6) LIKE WATER FOR CHOCOLATE, A NOVEL BY LAURA ESQUIVEL 

This was my first novel by Laura Esquivel. I've been eyeing this book for a while. When I read a recommendation for Like Water for Chocolate written by a fellow blogger, I decided that I better buy it while I can. 

This is a beautiful and potent love story of Tita, the youngest daughter in the family. Born in a kitchen, Tita grows up to be a master chef, a real artist in the kitchen. This novel reflects that, as every chapter is predated by a recipe. Mexican culture and cuisine are present at every page of this novel. Perhaps it is as much a novel about Mexico, as it is about Tita, the heroin. At the start of the novel, Tita is an adolescent girl in love. Our female protagonist is entrapped by tradition that dictates that the youngest daughter mustn't marry but rather take care of its mother for the rest of her life. When Tita announces to her rather emotionally manipulative and abusive mother that Pedro is coming to ask for her hand in marriage, Tita invokes her mother's fury and hatred. 

https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2019/05/reading-update-london-cervantes-le.html

7) OF LOVE AND OTHER DEMONS, A NOVEL BY GABRIEL MARCIA MARQUEZ 

I'm quite fond of Latin American writers of magic realism. If you are a long time reader of my blog in the past, you had the chance to read my reviews of several Latin American writers of magical realism (here, here and here). Marquez is a well known writer in this genre. I've read a number of his works so far. On overall, I'm quite fond of his writing. There were a few minor things bugging me in this novels, but generally speaking I quite like this book. 

 Of Love and Other Demons is a beautiful work of magic realism. With the lyrical descriptions, the wonderful recreating of times past and a captivating narrative, it is a really enjoyable read. The prose is very powerful and the story draws you in. There is something quite enchanting about this book. The narrative and the style of writing go so well together. There is something natural but also mystical about this novel, and this combination somehow really works. From one side you have a feeling you see things as they are, without embellishments, but you also have this feeling that nothing is certain, that things may not be what they seem. An absolutely fascinating book.

8) AUNT JULIA AND THE SCRIPTWRITER BY MARGIO VAGAS LLOSA

This Nobel written author is new to me, so the fact that this novel is largely autobiographical makes it a great introduction. Yes, this was my first work by the award winning Mario Vargas Llosa but I hope it won't be my last. What a fantastic novel! It reminded me of other Latin American authors I read, but at the same time it feels quite unique. This novel is quite focused on a love story ( quite an original love story, I might add) but it still paints a good picture of what growing up in this particular place and time must have felt like. In fact, this novel is quite autobiographical. Llosa writes with ease, in a very straightforward and honest way. This writer definitely has that great and elusive gift of connecting with the reader.  The hero(the protagonist) of Aunt Julia and The Scriptwriter is a young aspiring writer. As the title indicates, there is a certain aunt Julia. Our eighteen year old protagonist falls in love with his aunt Julia, only she's not really his aunt. They are not really related, but there is an age difference to consider. At the same time, the novel follows the fate of a famous radio soap opera writer. The book is divided into chapters devoted to episodes of popular soap operas that are then followed by chapters describing the life of our protagonist. The two merge together perfectly. I quite enjoyed the bit of intertextuality that is present in this novel. The novel is exquisite. 

9) SWIFT AS DESIRE, A NOVEL BY LAURA ESQUIVEL 

 Swift as Desire was not the novel I expected it to be, but it was a novel that touched me deeply. It is different from other Esquivel's writing in the sense that it's more auto-biographical and personal. Swift as Desire is devoted to Esquivel's father- the telegraphist. Indeed, much of this novel describes a strong bond and love between a father and a daughter that seems to resist even death itself. The mixing of magical realism with the deeply personal narrative didn't always work well stylistically, though. Often I felt like I was reading two separate novels. This review will contain spoilers for 'both' of them, so make sure to stop reading if you want to avoid them.

Swift as Desire starts as a novel about Júbilo, a man with an extraordinary gift of understanding people, born from a mixed marriage of an ingenious man and a Spanish woman. There is talk about his cosmic connection to the Universe, the Mayan and Aztec culture and so on. Naturally, you as a reader expect to read about his life and adventures in the fascinating multicultural Mexico. However, that is not what this novel ultimately is about. It is more about one daughter dealing with the imminent death of her father and trying to make sense of the estrangement of her parents (both of whom she loves dearly, but is closer with the father at that point in the novel).

The novel keeps making you think it is going to venture deeper into magic realism, but instead it focuses mainly on deeply personal examination of Júbilo's marriage to Lucha made by their daughter who is taking care of him while he is dying. Her trying to make sense of things is what this novel is really about and much of it seems to be autobiographical writing. A daughter grieving for her father who is dying and in some ways also for her mother who became estranged from her husband. A daughter grieving for the loss of love between her parents, somehow instinctively understanding how strong their bond was and wondering what could have possibly driven them apart. In other words, this novel is more family realism than magic realism, as it draws towards its end- you'll see there are no adventures besides the great mystery of love and married life.

10) A BUILDER OF AN INN, A NOVEL BY IVAN ARALICA

This is a historical novel with elements of magic realism, written by Croatian author Ivan Aralica. The title could be translated as The Builder of an Inn. The novel is set during Napoleon wars. More precisely, the novel takes places during the French occupation of Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The author is extremely knowledgeable about this period and exceptionally gifted at recreating past times. However, this novel is more focused on the psychological exploration of its main characters than on historical events or politics. 

I would dare to say this is the case with most (if not all) of Aralica's novels. Aralica is an author who focuses on the fates of 'common' people during turbulent historical times. Ivan Aralica's writing is more on the deep and philosophical side. He often writes about friendships formed between people belonging to different nations, religions and classes. Born in 1930, this author must have had a lot of life experience to draw and pull from. 

Thank you for reading and visiting!