SPRING IN BAY TORAC, ISLAND HVAR (3 OUTFITS)

Hello dear readers and fellow bloggers! In this post, I'll share two more outfits I wore in bay Torac (island Hvar, Croatia) during my Spring break (that is Easter weekend). I’ve also mixed in a few details from my new painting that I plan to reveal in my next post. Consider it a sneak peek into my new ‘Travel with my art’ post. I don’t know if you have noticed but I just love to mix fashion, travel and art in my posts.

If you remember my last post, you'd know that I packed light (a capsule wardrobe if you will) for my visit to island Hvar. The three outfits I'm sharing today are mostly composed out of second hand finds plus one designer skirt (Ozz). I’ll share more details below. As for the location, this is the place I spent my childhood summers in: bay Torac on island Hvar. It’s a place I’d always cherish and that will always inspire my life- and art. Well, you guys know that Croatian islands are a tremendous inspiration for me.

Disclaimer: This post was written and published in English (standard variety), if you're reading it in any other language, it was not translated by me. Therefore, I'm not responsible for any potential mistakes in automated translation. 

Pink, black, white and red styling versus black, white, gold and pink styling

An outfit I wore for the Easter day procession was a more layered variation of my Easter day outfit.

NOW ABOUT THE ART PREVIEW

I said something about an art preview, haven't I? I finished another canvas, and today I'll share some details from that new acrylic painting with you. I will also reveal that it was inspired by island Hvar, although not by this particular bay, but rather by another one. The sea that washes its shores is the same though: my beautiful Adriatic. Ever so magically captivating and full of light!

Now, let's talk about the outfits a bit. I was fortunate to be in this location, and I think my fortune shows. If I look happy in these photographs, it was because I indeed was.  As the photographs indicate, I enjoyed climbing and strolling around. 

What is the photograph and what is the detail from the painting? I included some details from this painting into my collages. Funny how they match, isn't it? While I didn't paint this exact bay, it is still the same island. Same colours. Same light. Same magic. 

I also like the contrast between my predominately black outfit versus the blueness of the sky and the sea. It creates an interesting feel. 

TIME FOR A LITTLE LINK PARTY (THAT WILL GUIDE YOU TO TORAC AND ART THEMED POSTS)

Should someone want to see more of my art inspired by Croatia (and other places), I'll leave a link to my last post in the 'Travel with my art' series. I'll also leave some links that are relevant for this location. TRAVEL WITH MY ART #42: DRVENIK, CROATIA

This acrylic painting, showing a view from Drvenik (from where I usually take the ferry to island Hvar), is the forty-second painting in my Travel with my Art series.  You can visit my old posts for more links about this place, or just browse my blog.

SPENDING THE EASTER WEEKEND ON ISLAND HVAR 2024- Bay Torac belongs to Gdinj village, as do a number of bays on this Southern side of the island (and Northern as well).

SOUTHERN GDINJ BAYS ARE A GREAT OPTION!

If you want, you can read about and see more of beautiful Gdinj's bays on island Hvar: 

1. JEDRA, SRHOV DOLAC AND VEPRINOVA

2. SKOZANJE BAY

3. SOCA BAY

4. BAY TORAC

5. BAYS TVRDNI DOLAC AND RAPAK

I'll link up a few of my older posts about Gdinj, so you can have a look:

GDINJ VILLAGE AND DIY NECKLACE- In this post you can see more of Visoka and its architecture.

The house my grandmother was born in (Gdinj, island Hvar) - In this 2015 post, you can see the house my grandmother was born in. 

Where to set our gaze when the sun is setting in Gdinj? - in this 2015 post, you can read a poetical description of Gdinj village. 

NOTABLE SIGHTS IN GDINJ VILLAGE AND HOW I PAINTED SOME OF THEM

A SEASIDE PAINTING INSPIRED BY BAY TORAC

WATERCOLOUR PAINTING OF CHURCH OF SAINT GEORGE (VILLAGE GDINJ, ISLAND HVAR)

This painting was still inside my late grandmother's home when I visited it last year.  The subject of this painting is a church of saint George in Gdinj. This church dates back to the sixteen century and it is build in the Renaissance-Baroque style.

Now that the art and travel link party is over, let's get back to the other subject of this post, and that is sustainable fashion. As you know, I'm very keen on shopping my closet and all that.

OUTFIT NUMBER #1 - THE BLACK AND GOLD PRELOVED DRESS PAIRED WITH WHITE SNEAKERS AND A PINK HAT

Sustainable fashion files- The story of these clothing items &  How I wore these items before?

THE BLACK AND GOLD EMBORIDERY DRESS (second hand)- This dress was a Spring purchase. I tried it on once and even photographed it, but this was the first time I really wore it. So, you could say this was my first wear. I layered a black turtleneck dress under because this dress is quite short. I also wore black leggings for warmth. I was aware that it was too small and short for me when I bought it but I still wanted to give it a try. So, I did. I'm glad that I did, and it sort of worked, but I still gave it away to someone who is shorter than me. 

THE BLACK TURTLENECK DRESS (old)- I received this black dress years ago in a collab in 2018. Since then, I wore it many times. See how I paired this LBD here with a pepita blazer for another spring styling, this time a black and white one.

THE PINK HAT- (from my mother). This hat was an afterthought, just something I grabbed to shield myself from the sun. As you might have noticed, I'm a big fan of wearing hats. I believe they are simply perfect for shielding ourself against the sun and minimalizing the skin cancer danger. Wide brim hats in particular offer great protection. A no name wide brim straw hat costs practically nothing. Hats are simple and affordable way to stay safe while being stylish. What is there not to love?

THE BLACK SOCKS (no name, old). There seems to be a trend of wearing higher socks now. I wore them over my leggings here for warmth, but apparently there is a trend of wearing socks over leggings. We live and we learn, don't we? 

THE BLACK PUFFER JACKET (Mana, old). 

Last time worn in this outfit post. 

I WORE THESE WHITE SNEAKERS TO GET USED TO THEM

This pair of white sneakers is actually quite old, but I haven't worn them much. My work used to have a no sneaker dress code, and now my work uniform requires me to wear sneakers. It has been a while since I wore sneakers, so I had to get my feet adjusted to them. Our feet are very adaptable. If you wear heels, they will get used to heels. If you wear flats, the same. If you wear sneakers, your feet will get used to them.

The symbolism of black colour is an interesting one. Many associate black with both authority and power. Black is a colour that is considered elegant and timeless. However, black is also the colour of mourning. Across various media forms such as movies and comic books, both villains and heroes wear black. 

Fashion crowd loves black. Professionals in fashion often dress exclusively in black. I love all the colours, so I don't think I'd ever be able to that. Still, I love the elegance of a black outfit. Black paired with gold seems to give off an aura of power. 

 The gold embroidery on this dress made me think of costume designs in the TV adaptation of Shadow & Bone. Alina Starkov in the TV series (and in the book) wore a black coat with golden embroidery. Initially she wore blue for her order of Grishas, and only the Darkling (the leader of Grisha) wore black. However, as the full force of her power was discovered, the Darkling insisted she wore black. 

I found this colour symbolism interesting both in the novels and in the trailors of the TV series I saw. I didn't see the series, but I read and reviewed the Shadow & Bone trilogy (that also includes Siege and Storm & Ruin and Rising) on my blog. 

How do you feel about black? Do you wear it often? Do you consider it a mysterious colour? 

I had fun balancing on these stones. This is where I get my sense of balance from. Both literal and metaphorical. Literal in the sense that I climbed a lot of stony terrains as a kid, and naturally developed a good sense of balance. Metaphorical in the sense that life is often balancing on strange currents. When I feel that the currents of life throw me around a bit too much, I try to get back to my roots. My sense of balance. My identity. Like one of the protagonists of later novels in the Dune series (Chapterhouse Dune, Darwi Odrade), I'm a sea child. 

“Humans can balance on strange surfaces,” Odrade said. “Even on unpredictable ones. It’s called ‘getting in tune.’ Great musicians know it. Surfers I watched when I was a child on Gammu, they knew it. Some waves throw you but you’re prepared for that. You climb back up and go at it once more.”
 Frank Herbert, Chapterhouse: Dune

“Give me the judgment of balanced minds in preference to laws every time. Codes and manuals create patterned behavior. All patterned behavior tends to go unquestioned, gathering destructive momentum. " Darwi Odrade, Chapterhouse: Dune

Life has been busy lately with another job change and all. So, it’s nice to reflect on my peaceful stay on island Hvar. I did have a nice time there, as I usually do. Roots are important. As you might know from my last post, I spent my Easter weekend on island Hvar. I also spent some time in Split this Spring. I’ve been moving around, you could say. Do you remember my last post about Trogir? Well, I actually live and work near Trogir now. I relocated and all. Basically, I accepted a seasonal position with a travel agency specializing in Youth travel. It’s a very dynamic and interesting job. The only downside is that I have to live away from my home (and husband) for a few months. I also have some job offers for the period after the Summer, and I'm still considering what option to choose. Decisions, decisions.....

 

I’ve also been sick an awful lot lately. There’s a mean virus going around, and it keeps coming back. I’ve been given two free days and I hope to fight it off. I’m drinking lots of tea and getting some rest. Wish me luck. This is also an explanation for my past and previous absence. It is possible that I won’t be able to be as present in the blogging world as I’d like to, but that is alright. I’m still here, and if you miss my writing or art, there are more than two thousand published posts to look back onto. 

I think I'm even starting to enjoy the slower approach to blogging. Not that I could blog more often if I tried to. Not only am I adapting to a new job and temporary home, I'm also quite sick and without a decent wifi connection. Yes, slow blogging it will have to be. However, it's growing on me. This slower pace. It gives me an opportunity to reflect on my posts and writing. 

WHAT HAVE I BEEN WATCHING LATELY? 

Since this post is turning into a bit of a life update, why not reflect on some things I have seen or read lately. I’ve been reading some modern Croatian writers you’ve probably haven’t heard about, but also some classical works by a variety of authors. I haven't been reading as much as I normally do. I've also been doing some rereading. I do love to read, but sometimes I read more and sometimes less. I do always read, though.

I don’t know when time will allow me to write another in-depth reading review and recommendations, but I might share some shorter ones. Why not? Anyway, it probably won’t come to you as a surprise that I’m still reading Maugham. After all, I reviewed so many of his stories on this digital place to call my own. I’m beginning to appreciate his style more and more.

What have I been watching? Well, you’ve seen me write a pretty detailed review on the Dune: The Prophecy series, but there is another series that impressed me and that is- The Sandman. I watched two and a half episodes so far, but I hope to see the whole first season. I actually came across this series on Youtune Shorts and watched an awful lot of it that way. 

I do like The Sandman a lot so far. This world of dreams and nightmares. The actor playing the protagonist, Morpheus, is doing the most phenomenal job. I'm not familiar with the comic book this series is based on, but I do plan to look into it. I have high hopes for The Sandman. Let’s hope it won’t be a disappointment like the House of Dragon. By that I mean that I enjoyed the first couple episodes of HOD, but it all seemed to go downhill from there. Pretty much like the Game of Thrones. It started well, but ended terribly. I didn't even watch the last couple of seasons, despite reading most of the books and all. I like George R.R. Martin, even thought his writing is something to graphic for me. However, the shows were a disappointment. With Game of Thrones, it was everything (but particularly) the writing in the final seasons that went downhill. With House of Dragon the writing wasn't so bad, but there were serious issues with pacing in the second season. Plus, it was hard to like the characters. On overall, not the series one would recommend to everyone, even if they had their good moments. That's alright. You cannot win them all. 

There are also two Italian series I watched. One of them more recently, and one of them during my Winter break. Both of them I would definitely recommend as they were pretty good. 

I watched La mia amica geniale (My Genious Friend) during my Winter break. I wanted to write a review of it ever since, but I just didn’t manage to find the time to do it justice. I didn’t see all the seasons, just the last two recently released (as my cable provider opened extra channels during the holidays). Normally, I rarely watch series, as I don’t have HBO or Netflix. However, sometimes the opportunity presents itself and I take it.

There’s another Italian series I watched and this one is based on a book I reviewed. Can you guess it? Il Gattopardo/ The Leopard. I was planning to write a detailed review as soon as I finished watching it, but again there are only 24 hours in a day. Maybe some day. I did enjoy this series for a variety of reasons. Did you see it? Some of you have read the book, I remember that from the time I shared my book review. So, I'm curious to see what you think of this newest adaptation. 

OUTFIT NUMBER #2- THE PINK EXTRAVAGANZA PAIRED WITH WHITE SNEAKERS

I loved wearing this outfit. Obviously, skin coloured tights would have been a better choice, but I packed light and this was the only pair I brought. This is the outfit I wore for Easter day. There's also a similar variation (second photograph) in this post that I wore for the procession.

THE POLKA DOT DRESS (preloved)- I wore this second hand polka dot dress a couple of times by now. 

THE LILAC SKIRT (Fashion designer Stanka Zovko)- I wore this skirt with everything while I was on Hvar. It seems to look great in both chic and playful stylings. 

HOW I WORE THIS LILAC OZZ SKIRT WITH WHITE POLKA DOT PRINT BEFORE? Check out the links below to find out: 

1) OZZ STUDENTS' FASHION SHOW, MENTOR FASHION DESIGNER STANKA ZOVKO

2) FASHION ILLUSTRATION FRIDAY: STANKA ZOVKO SET 

3)  AN ANNIVERSARY OUTFIT: STANKA ZOVKO LILAC DRESS AND SKIRT

4) WITH A BEIGE COAT, AND A RED BLAZER FOR AN AUTUMN LOOK AND A BOOK REVIEW - MIRKO KOVAČ, GRAD U ZRCALU: OBITELJSKI NOKTURNO 

5) 3 HOT SUMMER OUTFITS (WORN OVER A RED DRESS) 

6) AS A PART OF A SET WITH HEELS FOR A SUMMER LOOK AND A BOOK REVIEW: THE NEIGHBOURHOOD

7) WITH  A WHITE TUNICS FOR  A FAREWELL TO SUMMER FROM MOSTAR

8) WITH AN OLIVE BLAZER AND BROWN BOOTS

9) WITH A WHITE BLAZER  AND PINK HEELS

10) WITH A PURPLE BLAZER AND A BLACK LACE DRESS

11) WITH NUDE HEELS AND A BEIGE BAG

12) LILAC SKIRT WORN WITH A FLORAL RUFFLED MIDI SKIRT, A LB BAG, A NEON BLAZER AND WHITE SNEAKERS (TRANSITIONAL AUTUMN STYLING)

13) LILAC SKIRT WITH A WHITE LACE ROMPER, WHITE BAG AND LEOPARD HEELS

14) LILAC SKIRT WORN WITH A CAMEL COAT, A GOLDEN SCARF AND BROWN BOOTS 

15-16) Lilac skirt worn with a lilac dress and a silver cropped top & lilac skirt styled with black kitten heels, a black coat and a tartan scarf.

17) with a neutral turtleneck, puffer coat and sneakers (second picture in this post and third styling)

18) In the outfit I'm sharing today, a lilac skirt with polka dots layered over a pink skirt with polka dots, accessorized with a red necklace and a pair of white sneakers. 

19) I also wore it in my last post showcasing ferry outfits paired with cropped leggings, a pepita coat, green blazer and lilac skirt (link available below)

THE WHITE SNEAKERS (old, Deichmann) 

I do wear this pair pretty often, but somehow those pictures rarely end up on my blog.

 I wore this pair 

1) in my post with khaki cargo pants

2) white sneakers here with a lilac Ozz skirt.

3) white sneakers with a blue and white dress and a white blazer for an autumn walk in Mostar 2024.

4) white sneakers with a pepita coat, green blazer, lilac skirt and cropped black leggings 2025.

5-6) The two spring outfits (black dress and a pink dress/skirt combo) I'm sharing today. 

THE RED MINI CROSS OVER BAG  (gifted)

1) In 2025, I styled this red bag with a maxi green knit dress, biker boots and a beige coat. 

2-3) In this post, I styled this red bag with two ferry outfits.

How do you like my lilac and pink styling? I really enjoyed wearing this!

As I explained, I won't be as present as I used to be in the blogging sphere, but I'll visit your blogs as soon as I manage. 

One more view of the gorgeous Torac bay and we'll call it a day.

I hope you have enjoyed visiting island Hvar in Spring with me. Where will I take you next? Who knows? I do have a lot of locations to share. Not just locations but art and stuff. It will be an interesting Spring,  I think!

Thank you for reading and visiting!