Off-duty effortless

Shriya, Anjuly and I have sleepovers at least once a month.  I don't remember how it started, just that we would hang out into the wee hours of the morning until there didn't seem to be a point going back home for bed anymore.

I was never allowed sleepovers as a child.  I seriously missed out on all the fun stuff that other girls got to do with their female friends, and in a way, I'm making up for lost time.  

We've since gotten our sleepover system down to an art.  I bring my duvet and an extra pillow, the hosting person (either Anjuly or Shriya) clears space on the bed and floor and nibbles are provided by all.  We even have a timetable of sorts - traditionally dinner, or a massive snack fest, followed by a couple of chick flicks and then gossip or discussions that go on for hours.  And always, always breakfast the next morning. 

On the face of it, it's a really frivolous, girly thing to do, but behind closed doors, things can get pretty intense and I don't mean in the way school boys always imagine.  As the moon peaks and then starts to set, we talk about our pasts, our futures, our hopes, our dreams, our fears.  We laugh a lot over juicy tidbits, but the talk can also get pretty serious.  Somehow after midnight, everyone's guard comes down and thoughts are shared, some so private and secret that we don't even mention them the next morning.

Breakfast is a different matter.  A phone alarm goes off, and I, ever filled with anxious energy, bound out of bed and get dressed first.  Shriya gets ready second while Anjuly lolls around in bed till the last possible minute, then we all troop to the nearest coffee place to giggle and chat.  At this point, I'm usually feeling a bit scuzzy and bedraggled, and shuffle for coffee in the closest thing to pajamas I can get away with.  

Not Anjuly.

Miss Thing has perfected the morning after outfit (a crisp white shirt, jeans and cute flats) that would blend in equally well at brunch with the girls, a shopping expedition or a lunch date.  I often hear lots of people talk about how models and actresses dress off-duty - a neat, simple, classic pulled together look.  But I seldom see anyone (myself included) carry it off so well in real life. 

In particular, I love the details that elevate this from a simple jeans and shirt ensemble.  The dainty gold hoops, the coordinating but not overly matchy structured bag and tortoiseshell sunnies and the subtle snakeskin print.  And I love that her belt is a contrasting colour.  Whoever said black and brown shouldn't be worn together didn't know what they were talking about.  

The next time we have a sleepover, I'm going to attempt to look equally pulled together - well, as pulled together as I can be after a night of flaming gossip.  Hah!