Style Down Under

Messing Around on Polyvore on a Saturday Night

2009-05-30T06:04:00.000-07:00

Style Down Under I by melbyrne84 featuring Miu Miu bag

I'm a lonely little duckling this weekend ... and spending some great "me" time! Veggie pizza, foreign dvds, choc cake, and Polyvore - perfect night in!!!

Miu Miu white bag, Chloe Shoes, RVCA tank, F21 necklace, Miss Selfridge snake ring

Style Down Under Goes to Melbourne!

2009-05-08T16:27:00.000-07:00

My boy and I took an impulse trip to Melbourne as we had a long weekend last week. I could hardly contain my excitement!!! We were only there for three days but we packed as much in as we could. I really wish we could have stayed at least a week! Unfortunately these are not the best outfit pics as I was wearing the same jacket, but I promise, I was wearing different clothes underneath :)

Queen Victoria Markets

Richmond Gardens
Smith Street, Fitzroy
Bourke Street, City
At our hotel, Flinders Street
Federation Square, City
Yarra River
Southgate, Southbank
Acland St, St Kilda
St Kilda

My purchases!!!
Lygon St, Carlton
Melbourne Aquarium, City
Swan St, Richmond

My boyfriend and I have a little tradition of taking photos of new purchases spread out on the hotel bed every time we travel. Yes, we are that dorky!

My only regret is that I didn't get a chance to ask fellow Melbourne bloggers about specific shopping spots... your shopping spots are so massive compared to Brissy's, we did so much walking! We had such an amazing time with all the sights, food, shopping, I can't wait to go back!

Brisbane Cools Down

2009-05-08T03:49:00.000-07:00

As Brissy, slowly but surely, edges towards winter I have been after a coat / jacket that's warm, comfy, and still cute. I nearly bought a military style coat from Bardot but they were a very small make - I'm usually a 10 and I could barely squeeze into a 14!

I ended up buying a jacket from Just Jeans of all places, which I haven't shopped at since 1st year of uni (is my old age showing?).
It's really warm + comfy :) so I'm a very happy girl! Now all I have to worry about is whether or not half the teeny-bopper population will be decked out in the same threads this winter!

Marc Jacobsesque

2009-05-08T03:11:00.000-07:00

So I am quite sad to report that the Marc Jacobs range stocked at David Jones in Brisbane city is fairly disappointing. The stock is from the older collections (which I don't mind too much), it's more expensive than ordering online from overseas, and worst of all, they don't have separate stock than what is on display. The result is that all the bags look very "handled" by admiring shoppers.

As such I was a bit lost for what I would fill my bag void with until I saw one of my workmates with a beatiful bag, which I would describe as very Marc Jacobsesque :)

Hers is the Untraceable Satchel above

I ended up buying the Double Deluxe Large Tote, which ticked all my bag requirements: black, A4 sized for work, lots of compartments for all my stuff, practical and pretty all at the same time. What's an added bonus is the front pocket can be detached to be used as a clutch and it came with a little card wallet too.

What's really funny is they're both from Nine West and mine came out to be $89. So it's not designer but it's totally satisfied me ... for now at least :). And at that price I can afford to buy a couple more! Does it look too knock off though?

It's been the perfect bag to take on trips... more on those later!

Marc Has My Heart

2009-04-01T14:08:00.000-07:00

I've looked around a little at various bags and although I love LV, all the bags that I would buy are around the $2 to $3 thousand mark and way out of my price range. So I would rather wait and save up for something I love from LV rather than settling for a bag that's "just okay".

I think I will end up buying a Marc by Marc Jacobs, these tick all my requirement boxes and I think are be both work and play appropriate.

City Tote

Utility Tote

Softy Poppy Tote

Patent Tote
Groovee Patchwork Tote

I hear Marc Jacobs is stocked in David Jones so *cross fingers* that means in Brisbane too!

Images sourced from Bag Forum, Sticky Gooey Creamy Chewy, Kaboodle, Net-a-Porter

Romance Was Born

2009-03-30T14:12:00.000-07:00

I haven't been so impressed by an Aussie designer in a long time, this is genius: I can so imagine wearing it over a black bodycon dress and tights and massive heels or over light wash jeans and a white singlet. Romance Was Born is amazing!

Also I'm so excited about the $950 from the government, I will do my bit to save the economy :). I know there is controversy around the payment (i.e. it comes out of taxes we pay anyway + will it really make a difference?) but I am taking the opportunity to go retail and spend it on a handbag.

A couple I have in mind are:

Louis Vuitton Speedy 30 Mini Lin
Mimco Marble Button Zip Top

Any suggestions for a killer handbag around the AU$1000 mark? My prefs are: something in black, medium sized, and work appropriate. I really haven't researched it fully and still undecided...

Image sourced from Mimco, Louis Vuitton, Let's Shop

Good to be Back

2009-03-30T03:52:00.000-07:00

I'm really happy I've got my morning routine down pat, as you can see I have more time to blog! I get up every morning, do my Wii Fit exercise :), get my lunch together for work, get dressed, and do my makeup.

I only use these four products and no joke, I only take 5 minutes doing my makeup. First buff on Mac Studio Fix makeup using a natural bristle powder brush, a bit of Bourjois Blush on the apples of my cheeks, Bourjois Talons Aiguilles Mascara on the eyelashes, and Jemma Plump Out on the lips. Also, I've cut down on straightening my hair and use dry shampoo and a Lady Jane Natural Boar Bristle Brush in between blowdries.
I have been using Mac Studio Fix powder foundation for a month now and can safely say it is THE BEST MAKEUP I have ever used. Application is totally fool-proof, it beats my shiny skin problem, and it has an almost air-brush effect. If you have shine problems I would definitely recommend it for you.
In more fashiony news, I bought this gorgeous dress from Bardot on sale over the weekend and can't wait to get some pictures of me wearing it. If you can believe it's even prettier in real life.
I have other sewing and crafty projects on the go I will try to get some pics of them soon too!

Some Scan Love

2009-03-29T00:39:00.000-07:00

do realise the blog has been neglected for a couple of weeks now, I've finally found a moment to catch my breath after busy work weeks and eventful weekends! Some beautiful piccies to share!

Firstly I can't believe how gorgeous the ad for Miss Dior Cherie. Eating delish french pastries and being fitted for couture Dior surely is up there in my dream perfect day! I must admit I have not had the chance to smell the perfume myself. My mum did wear the original Miss Dior when I was younger so I'm sure if it smells similar at all, it will bring some nostalgia along with it...

I've scanned the print ad from Vogue and here's the link to the tv ad if you're curious. I'm a sucker for anything dreamy, fantastical, and beautiful (and not to mention pink!).
I have no idea what season this is from but it's safe to say that my LV obsession extends to their ready to wear. These structured/tribal goodies would really up my work wardrobe, but obviously styled appropriately.

And I couldn't help but share these pics of Miss Moss, I will surely be taking my Autumn/Winter cues from this. Leather jacket, check! Leopard print, check! Black stockings, check! Lace & bodycon, check! I'm all set and although I'm more of a summer baby I'm taking the opportunity to mix up the wardrobe a little.
And another lady rocking the winged eyeliner is Natalie Bassingthwhaite, is that how you spell it? I'm neither here or there in regards to opinion of her music or her for that matter but she is an absolute hottie in these:

Images sourced from Vogue Australia March 2009, Russh Australia March 2009, and Madison December 2008

Good News + Bad News

2009-03-07T23:58:00.000-08:00

Hello all my lovely readers, sorry for the lack of updates - I have some good news and some bad news. The good news is I passed all my final exams and have now graduated doing my masters. And I have a new job too! It is such a welcome change from my usual studying at home. The bad news is I'm not sure what it means for my blog, in the last week I have been getting back into the swing of things and haven't found any time to update till the weekend.

I'd like to take the opportunity to say thanks for all the lovely comments and friendship you've all offered me over the past year or so. Sometimes it has felt very lonely studying externally with just my books and laptop. I never expected any response to my blogging or that the fashion world is so friendly and accepting. So thank you all so much, it's meant more to me than you probably know!

For now I'll try to update every weekend and maybe once I settle in to my work routine more weekday updates again.

I'll leave you with some pics from Future Music Festival, my outfit worked quite well. You may remember I was stressing about what to wear back here. I ended up wearing Cotton On hat, Supre t-shirt dress and belt I scored from their crazy sale, Prada bag, Rubi black sandals, earrings, black rose ring, and ghetto nails from Grab.

Makeup Post

2009-02-25T23:26:00.001-08:00

I'm trying to mix up my makeup routine and am addicted to Temptalia for awesome tutorials. Sometimes I feel really retarded with the whole makeup deal, I cringe to think what I was doing before I discovered online makeup tutorials. Though I could probably do some more experimental colours I followed this video to come up with this:

Lunch Date Outfit

2009-02-24T00:00:00.000-08:00

This is what I wore to my lunch date yesterday afternoon:

Supre grey tee, Supre black cut-off shorts, Portmans belt

Random clutch, Diva gold bangles

And the real reason for my post:
My brand new Rubi sandals which I scored for $5! Realistically, they are not the best quality (obviously not leather) but they are really cute and go with heaps of my stuff. I bought another pair of $5 shoes that I will save for another post :).

Oscars 2009 Dresses

2009-02-23T02:49:00.001-08:00

Some of my favourite Oscars dresses, all in white. I love that these are haute-coutureish, perfect for the event. Many reviews were disappointed by the fashion turn out this year as it was too 'safe', but I think these are just lovely!

Penelope Cruz in vintage Balmain

The dress is apparently vintage Pierre Balmain circa 1950. Definitely my favourite look of the event, beautiful layers of soft off-white fabric and amazing intricate beading.

Miley Cyrus in Zuhair Murad

My opinion of Miley is neither here-nor-there, but this dress is stunning! Again, amazing beadwork and I love the layered 'petals' (?) of fabric. The belt is a cute touch too.

Marisa Tomei in Versace

Awesome icy white dress, the structuring reminds me a lot of Leann Marshall's work from Project Runway - my fave contestant!

Evan Rachel Wood in Elie Saab

Ooh, not really a fan of the heavy makeup and stiff hair, but she's gorgeous in this nonetheless. Nice bandage like bodice.

Anne Hathaway in Armani Prive

Really simple strapless beaded dress. I usually enjoy Anne Hathaway's outfits ever since she was in Devil Wears Prada.

I know there are always heaps of write ups about Oscars fashions and I'm always so amused that one fashion reporter's best-dressed list will be another's worst-dressed list :). Anyway, just wanted to share these since I think they are lovely. I'm sure all the knock-off wedding dress makers are hard at work at this very moment lol!

Photos sourced from E Online

Interview

2009-02-22T16:17:00.000-08:00

Apologies for neglecting my blog on Thursday/Friday, I was busy preparing for and attending a job interview!

I had a bit of a wardrobe issue when I tried on my suit and found that the skirt did not fit me anymore. I know that I have gained a little weight over the past year, but especially over the last month or so, as I prepared for my final exams. I've let my exercise routine and normal eating habits slide. I'm not too panicked about it as it happens every exam period, no matter what my healthy intentions are :).

So as I ease back into losing my layer of extra blubber, I still needed an interview outfit. As I was under a bit of time pressure I was quite happy to find that Portmans is having a $50 off suits deal.

This is what I ended up wearing to the interview on Friday:
Chiffon halter style blouse from Portmans which reminds me a little of this pic I scanned from Vogue for a previous post:
And suit also from Portmans. Overall I think the suit and blouse cost just a little over $200 which I think is quite reasonable. And if you're in the market for some cute work gear, they have heaps of really nice suits - either skirt suits or pant suits.

I'm having trouble taking full outfit pics, lol at my extra meaty thighs from that angle :). I wore my new Big W mary janes from this post, Diva diamante stud earrings, and my trusty gold Guess watch.

On a side note, thanks for all the lovely comments on my previous posts, they really made my day :). And I've enjoyed finding new awesome blogs through the awards being passed around recently.

Current Inspiration

2009-02-22T03:29:00.001-08:00

Ralph Lauren's new fall collection:The colours in this:
And Chic Cityrats's trend-spotting 'episodes':

Random collection of pics, I know.

Images sourced from Style, Gallery, and Chic Cityrats

A Dress To Call My Own

2009-02-17T14:25:00.000-08:00

I have been obsessing with all things peach/nude/blush, the colour is just so soft and pretty.

Keira Nightly in Rodarte sourced from Time

Herve Leger sourced from People Style Watch

Since I have some spare time waiting to hear back from job applications I got busy sewing a dress I'll need to wear to a friend's wedding coming up.

The goods: peach chiffon + lining, elastic, peach thread, lace, diamante belt buckle
The work: washing, ironing, sewing
The result: my very own peach dress :)

Redken Smooth Down Butter Treat Review + Blog Award!

2009-02-16T16:06:00.000-08:00

After reading through a few discussions re hair treatments, I found that the two main cult products are Kerastase Masquintinesse and Redken Smooth Down Butter Treat, both with, it seems, equally devoted fans. I decided to give the Redken Smooth Down Butter Treat a try as it comes in at $31.95 (more than $20 cheaper than Kerastase) and a few people commented that it is just as effective as Masquintinesse if not better.
I used it last night, after shampooing and left it on for 20 minutes, then rinsed out. My hair is naturally thick and wavy and prone to frizz. I'm very satisfied with the result of the product today as my hair is very soft with perfect natural wave and no frizz! I know that hair products are highly dependent on hair type so if your hair sounds similar to mine, I'd reccommend it to you. Hopefully my hair will continue to get healthier as I plan to keep up with the weekly treatments, cut down on straightening, and no more highlighting.

I've been playing around more on Polyvore with some dreamy Chanel goods.
Does anyone else think that leather gloves would be so sexy for winter?

And last but not least I got my first blog award from Chey of I Devour Fashion, so exciting! She is one sweet and stylish lady, thanks so much for the award!
The rules of the award are as follows:

* Link the blog that gave you the award
* Give the award to seven other bloggers, and link them
* Tell the bloggers that you have given them an award

So I send some award love to these seven sweet bloggers:

1. Camera Film Roll
2. Atsuii
3. Fashion Hayley
4. Lady Melbourne
5. Stompface
6. Anemone Emnity
7. An Australian Wintour

Zippora

2009-02-15T16:55:00.000-08:00

Zippora Seven is such a pretty girl with a pretty name.

I can't help but admire her quirky sense of personal style.

Images sourced from Vogue Australia (December or January, I can't remember)

Valentines Day :)

2009-02-13T17:36:00.000-08:00

I feel really relieved after finishing my exams and enjoying the simple things in life this morning. Coffee & reading my latest Russh which is quite old now, but I've been too busy studying to read it.

So to share a few scans and profess my love for Chanel yet again, it is the day for love after all:
Source: Russh January - February 2009

And I'd been planning on wearing a dress that I'd sewed for my Valentines date tonight but the weather's taken a bit of a cold turn. So I'm going to take advantage of the cool weather by wearing my new lace tights with this dressthat I wore to Melbourne Cup. It's another Bardot number, really pretty black dress with sheer blush fabric at the neckline.

In other news, I had to cut INCHES off my hair due to split ends caused by too much fun over the summer (sun, swimming, blowdrying + straightening). My hairdresser informed me that I can get my hair back into shape by using weekly treatments and suggested Kerastase Age Recharge Masque. But it comes in at a rather pricey $54.95. I guess I don't mind the investment, but just want to make sure it's worth the money. Does anyone have any experience with this product or perhaps suggestions for others?

Cheers to a Good Weekend

2009-02-12T14:19:00.000-08:00

Today is a big day for me, I'm doing my last exam to finish my degree! So it will be good times ahead for me this weekend for sure, doing a little partying with my friends tonight and there will be Valentine's fun tomorrow too :). So I'll keep it short and sweet (gotta do a little last minute Tax Law study) and share some Valentine's goodies from Browns. Hope you all have a lovely weekend too! xx

Marc Jacobs - Small zip purse with Heart Cutouts and Roksanda Ilincic Moroccan rose dress

Marc Jacobs - Small zip purse with Heart Cutouts and Versace Satin dress with frill sideImages sourced from Browns

Music Festival

2009-02-11T15:28:00.000-08:00

I'm going to my first-ever music festival in less than a month! It's been on my to-do list for years now and I finally made it one of my new year's resolutions for 2009. I'm totally clueless of what to wear as I've found a few discussion posts that conflicting info, mainly concerning footwear.

I'm sure I'll sound really retarded but why do a lot of people say that you have to wear closed in shoes? Is it because your feet will get dirty ... or stepped on? And surely you don't have to wear rainboots if we're still in a drought (ok scratch that, I think I just answered my own question there).

Anyway, I'd appreciate any advice from regular festival-goers on outfit ideas. I really like the outfits below and reminds me to re-buy a hat as mine got wrecked on Aussie day when someone chucked me in the pool with it still on. Was not impressed.Images sourced from WhoWhatWear and Funk Loft

Issa London

2009-02-10T15:46:00.000-08:00

I found this pic of Nicole Richie looking so so gorgeous. I love her dress, headband, and clutch, her outfit is perfection!Image sourced from Nylon

Her dress is apparently by Issa, a designer I haven't heard of before but just had to look up.

Here is some stuff from her 09 Spring collection:
Images sourced from NY Mag

Gorgeous!

Study Motivation

2009-02-08T15:24:00.000-08:00

So I skipped down to Big W on Saturday arvo to buy new shoes as alerted by Fashion Fake. I used it as my study motivation - "if I finish these last few chapters, I'll treat myself to some retail therapy" :). It was great motivation, I studied so hard!

And Big W, I'm impressed! Obviously they are not real leather, but for the price they are very good quality, I've been looking for heeled oxfords for a while but not seen it in a style/colour that I'm keen on.

Sorry, just a quick post today, I have my first exam this afternoon - Business Law, yuck. They are all yuck actually, but I'm done on Friday! Wish me luck!

Lace Tights

2009-02-05T16:06:00.001-08:00

So in the past year or so, we've seen lace-adorned legs by:

Nicole Miller

Lagerfeld

Emma Cook

Chanel

PradaWhich left me in such a state that I was frantically scouring shops all over town for my very own pair. If you're interested, Bardot have a legging-style version for $59.95 but I'm not too keen on the actual lace pattern. And I got a tip-off from the lovely Anemone Emnity that Cotton On have them too. Apparently the City store have them but Indro & Garden City stores don't have them in stock yet. Annoying. Anyway, I finally tracked them down in tights format by Agent 99 from General Pants for $24.95. So stoked and can't wait to wear them!

Images from Loulou Magazine, Fashion Insider, My Opera, Miss Fashion Victim

Working Girl

2009-02-04T15:20:00.001-08:00

So I'm 're-entering' the workforce after a year off to finish my masters and I'm looking for inspiration for what to wear. My previous position was, as my boyfriend refers, 'working with hippies' (not entirely the case, but you get the gist) and most of my workmates wore jeans to work unless they had client meetings. Don't panic, I still dressed well despite this :).

I was delighted when I caught Gok Wan's (I adoooore him!) Fashion Fix on tv yesterday and the episode's theme was 'Working Girl'. If you haven't seen the show, the premise is that he goes up against top designers with an unlimited budget and tries to outdo them with a budget of 800 pounds and high street finds. I'm assuming that the 800 pounds is supposed to be a meagre budget but at the moment it works out to be 1,800 Aussie dollars which would be awesome!

Anyway, what Gok tries to show is that with accessories, styling, and a little diy, anyone can look super fab.

These are his four outfits:
In this one, he used a cheap men's tux cravate to tie around the neck and added a brooch. He also diy-ed the bag by adding fringe from a craft shop. The rest of the outfit is high-street (H&M, New Look, Asos) except for the shirt which is Thomas Pink (haven't heard of him before but I like the shirt).
In this outfit he put in elastic in the bottom of the skirt and tightened it to be a puffball skirt. He also tied the pussybow on the blouse around the neck to create a high neck and tied in a bow. He full on starched the shirt to keep in stiff. I'm not a fan of footless tights but I think this could be really cute with full tights.
This outfit is a skirt suit from Topshop accessorised with leather gloves. I didn't catch Gok putting this one together, but I think that he created a ribbon detail to sew up the slit in the back of the skirt. I really like this but obviously with a cami underneath for work. And you probably can't see from the tiny pic, but the shoes are rad, they are quilted!
I didn't catch him putting this one together either (I missed the first bit of the show) but the belt, skirt, bag, and shoes are all really cheap from Matalan or New Look. The only expensive bit is the top by Paul & Joe Sister. I love the belt and shoes, but I think they could be a bit much for work?

I am totally inspired and looking forward to re-work my office wardrobe. At the moment I have a lot of Cue tops, skirts, and dresses, so I don't think I'll have to spend up big, I'll just update with accessories Gok-style!

Images sourced from Channel Four

Hairdo

2009-02-03T14:04:00.000-08:00

Image sourced from Marie Claire

I changed up my hair and makeup routine, caused by my broken GHD being sent away for service. I tried to settle for a good old fashioned blow dry sans straightening, but it felt weird for my tresses to not be pressed smooth. I guess I'm not used to a little volume anymore. I went an updo that I'm thinking may be useful for my job interviews coming up.

Makeup: mineral foundation, blush, liquid liner, mascara. And I secured my hair with all bobby pins.
I've never worked in a corporate environment, so this will be a new learning curve for me. What is office appropriate anyway?

I really like Nicole Richie in this by the way.
Image Sourced from Style

New Wardrobe

2009-02-02T15:52:00.001-08:00

I'm fairly proud of my Sunday efforts.

Went to Ikea
Had fish + chips and refillable glass of lingonberry drink
Bought 2 racks and lots of clothes hangers
Came home
Spent a while putting it all together (minimal swearing, I promise)
Made space in my study for the racks
Ironed and hung all my clothes!

I now have a basket of 'to-be-mended' and three boxes of 'to-be-eBayed'. I'm terrible at eBaying, it's so time consuming.

The Fashionista Tag

2009-02-01T15:23:00.000-08:00

So I was tagged by the super gorgeous Kaitlyn from D!rty Laundry.

The Fashionista Tag

Describe your personal style:
I suppose I’ll start with the description in the ‘about me’ box: my personal style is a balance of ultra-femme (lace, florals, ruffles) and well cut basics and I have a mad addiction to impractical stompy shoes and ghetto-gold jewellery. I’m very feminine, most likely to be wearing a dress/skirt when everyone else is in jeans. I think it has to do with my body type, I’m cursed/blessed with err curves (namely big boobs) and thinner waist, calves, and forearms. So a lot of things make me look fat (at least fatter than I really am) and a lot of clothes look really vulgar on me (even when they're not). A nipped in waist and bare calves suits me best, I feel. I really am a summer baby and flourish in hot weather (as I grew up in the tropics) and probably need to invest more in winter gear this year.

What's your signature look?:
Hmm, signature look… I tend to mix it up a bit but I do have a limited colour palette of black, white, cream, tan, and pink. They are my faves and I’ve been trying to buy within the colours for the last year so my wardrobe is more cohesive. I have found that it’s a little easier getting dressed when I know my clothes, shoes, and bags are likely to match. I suppose you’d most likely find me in a dress/ top + skirt combo, ridiculous gold jewellery (big hoop earrings, necklace, bangles, cocktail rings), and super-tall platform heels.

What inspires you?:
Other bloggers (Fashion Toast, Fashion Hayley, Absolutely Oblivious, D!rty Laundry, Flair to Remember, Hot Chocolate and Mint, and Stompface are some of my absolute faves), Chictopia girls, Vogue + Russh editorials
Image sourced from Fashion Toast

Who is your fashion muse?:
Julia Restoin-Roitfeld and her momma Carine, Rachel Zoe, Margherita Missoni, Rachel Bilson, Kate Moss, Alexa Chung, Nicole Richie, MK+Ashley Olsen
Images sourced from Sugar, Planet Blue, Jupiter

Favourite purchase of all time?:
I love all my things, it’s so hard to pick a favourite! A recent fave purchase are my black Siren strappy heels, they are mad hot!Image sourced from Siren

Biggest splurge?:
Louis Vuitton Pochette. Actually my boy bought it for me, but technically we share money.

What's your beauty routine?:
I take ages getting ready, but the biggest morning chore is straightening my hair. So my complete routine is shower (I am obsessed with exfoliating both face and body) + wash hair, blowdry + straighten hair, moisturise (Garnier Nutritionist for face and Johnsons Baby for body), Australis primer, Bourjois foundation, powder, liquid liner, mascara, lipgloss, and blush. Phew, it is a process! But I only straighten my hair every third day or so and the routine is a lot shorter without that part.

What jewellery do you never take off?:
My nameplate necklace, a lovely birthday pressie from my 2 best friends. A ring my boy gave me for my 21st birthday.

What are you wishing for?:
A black Chanel large flap bag with gold hardware. And an engagement ring, I’ve waited long enough! Honey, are you reading this? If so, just get me the bag and I’ll forget about the ring…for a little while!
Image sourced from Chanel

What are your obsessions?:
At the moment, I’m obsessed with trying to teach myself how to sew – it’s fun but very time consuming. Other than that, I’m obsessed with Chanel + LV wares, bargain hunting on eBay, organising my bursting-at-the seams wardrobe, handbags – they are my calling in life!, tacky Diva jewellery, Bardot + Minkpink clothing brands, and Bourjois makeup.
Images of Christian Lacroix and Chanel haute couture sourced from New York Times

I tag: Fashion Hayley, Hot Chocolate and Mint, Stompface, and Absolutely Oblivious

Keeping Organised

2009-01-29T13:59:00.000-08:00

So how do you keep organised? After relocating from a sizeable apartment with 3 massive built-in wardrobes to a small apartment with 2 measly ones (one for my boy and one for me) I'm having a wardrobe crisis.

In my mini-built in, I have all my work gear hanging, handbags on the top shelf, and winter stuff folded and on the ground. And that's all that fits. So we bought a big 6 drawer dresser for the bedroom and I have all my clothes folded and organised by tops, bottoms, dresses, pjs.

But it's not working for me! I can't see what I have and end up making a mess when I'm trying to get dressed!

So I'm going to try something else:

Two of these
LOTS of theseA trip to Ikea and hopefully my wardrobe will look a little like this
(but with a whole lot more stuff on it!).

Images from Ikea and Blogspot

Hot Patterns

2009-01-28T21:19:00.003-08:00

Totally crushing on these gorgeous Hot Patterns. But at the price of the euivalent AUD$29 and a minimum of AUD$17 for shipping, I really can't justify it. I have a couple of patterns from Spotlight (I think Burda ones) that I'm playing around with but it's so annoying when you ask for a certain one from the catalogue and they don't have it in stock.

Today's Outfit

2009-01-28T19:06:00.000-08:00

Wearing a few of my new purchases:
Bardot Chiffon Blouse $40
Supre Bandage Skirt $18
Tony Bianco Heels (via eBay) $30

I am totally obsessed with my new Bardot blouse, marked down from $80 to $40. I tried to take a couple more photos to show the details - butterfly sleeves and lace! I can tell this will be making many appearances in months (hopefully even years) to come!

Sorry for the poor photography, I'm trying to take better/more outfit shots so please bear with me whilst I get the hang of it! I don't know if I've written about my appreciation of Bardot yet, but if you looked in my cupboard you'd find that at least 50% of it comes from them. I always find the cutest stuff there at really reasonable prices when I find that other retailers are getting a bit greedy (shame on you Sportsgirl! and Dotti!). And also a tip, it doesn't cost anything to become a VIP which allows 10% off all full-priced gear.

So there's my two cents for saving money in the current recession :).

Happy Australia Day!

2009-01-27T04:12:00.000-08:00

Happy Australia Day for yesterday to all of you who celebrated!
No full outfit shot, but you probably saw thousands of girls wearing the same Supre singlet as me lol :). I did try to celebrate Aussie-ness by wearing my trusty Sass + Bide mini on the day! And my usual drink of choice is vodka lime soda, so the VB was a shoutout to the nation too! Hope you had the time to have a barbie and a beer too!

Have Need Want - A Study In Black

2009-01-27T03:02:00.000-08:00

Amazing photos that I'm basing my little shopping list off of.Images sourced from Jak & Jil.

See item details here.

Have
over the knee socks
strappy black heels
harem pants (that i've only worn once and my friend took home by accident, need to get them back!)

Need (will be looking to buy/make in the next couple of months)
cut out dress
zipper dress
black vest
tank with pocket detail
lace bodysuit
lace stockings (does anyone know where to get these in Brissy? or Aussie chainstores in general?)
zippered mini
black doc-like ankle boots

Want (can't afford, but doesn't stop me wanting these babies!)
chanel 2.55
brogues
peep-toe oxfords

and so it looks like I will be head-to-toe in black very soon!

I ♥ Rodarte

2009-01-14T17:58:00.000-08:00

Sorry can't write much today, madly finishing an assignment before 6pm this arvo to get it in the express post!

Images sourced from Rodarte

New Girl Crush: Alexa Chung

2009-01-13T15:29:00.000-08:00

I watched Vanity Lair for the first time last night. It's a strange, strange show, sort of a cross between Temptation Island and Big Brother. I know it's trash, but I still enjoyed it and even more importantly, how cute is the presenter, Alexa Chung?

I love her style, it seems so real and not the contrived matchy-matchy stuff that a lot of other celebrities do. She's the perfect antithesis on the show to all the self-professed beautiful people who have fake boobs, fake nails, fake tans etc.

LV + Stephen Sprouse

2009-01-12T22:10:00.000-08:00

I know that a lot of people aren't into Louis Vuitton, especially their monogrammed stuff. But being the rebel that I am :), I'll go against the grain and admit that I lovvvvvvve LV. It's not their fault that there are so many nasty fakes out there. And that old Asian ladies with big hair and lots and lots of gold jewellery decided to collect the bags. (That will be me in 30 years by the way!). Or that Paris Hilton puts carries little dogs around in them (hmm, I'm not sure whose fault that one is).

And who decides to email me today? Louis does. With this.
So pretty! But yeah, so cannot afford to buy anything at the moment.

Gourmet Pyjamas

2009-01-12T21:20:00.000-08:00

I went by Peter Alexander today to spend my $100 gift voucher (a super generous Christmas present from my little brother, love you Ben!).

I've always been under the impression that I couldn't afford PA pyjamas (gourmet pyjamas, according to my brother) but I found that on sale, it's fairly affordable. And they have a lot of pieces that can be worn as pjs or daywear. I would probably classify it as 'loungewear' which is the perfect present for me as I study externally and am at home 90% of the time.

I had such a lovely time admiring all the lovely detailing and touching the super-soft fabrics. I ended up getting:
a V neck tank in white,
a knit cardi in pink, and a super adorable black and white striped dress (I can't find the picture online). As I said, everything is so soft and it's all in the details (shelf bra and thick fabric for the v neck, cute pockets and lovely draping for the cardi, and a lovely bow on the dress).

I'm not sure how far you can get away with wearing Peter Alexander out of the house, but my other picks would be:
this vintage floral wrap ( I picture wearing it over a white sleeveless bodycon dress) and
this grey marle batwing tee (which I think is super versatile to wear with jeans, black leggings, black mini-skirt etc.). Watch out PA, I may be back!

Fourth Folder Fourth Pic

2009-01-11T16:10:00.000-08:00

I've been tagged by the lovely Fashion Hayley! It's a super easy tag and I had fun doing it.

The Rules:
1. Go to the fourth folder where you store your images
2. Pick the fourth picture in the folder
3. Explain the picture
4. Tag four people to do the same

Due to my OCD tendencies, I had to choose the 4th pic within the 4th folder within the 4th folder (I like to stay organised!). It is randomly titled "DSCN0515" (no relevance to anything) in "0608 Races" folder in "2006 Photos" folder.

This is me being a goof after Races (we were trying to find our way home, if I remember correctly) a couple of years ago, obviously not my sunnies or jacket. I had on a beautiful sea-foam green dress on, but did not manage to get a fascinator/hat that year.
I tag Angela See Angela Blog, Flair to Remember, Porcelain Blonde, and I'll leave the fourth spot open to anyone else who would like to do it!

Off to the Shops

2009-01-11T14:09:00.000-08:00

Wore this to go to the shops yesterday, my second sewing attempt. I made it in accordance with instructions provided on a super old pos t by Camille. I've bought a new dress pattern and it will not be another floral print as I'm worried that I will permanently resemble a high-school home ec project gone bad. More on that soon!
Diy floral hair accessory
Random shop gold hoop earrings
Gold nameplate necklace
Kmart white v-neck tee
Random shop tan belt
Diy pink floral skirt
Rubi (from Cotton On) tan gladiator sandals

Dinner Outfit

2009-01-09T15:40:00.000-08:00

Wore this to my (twin) friends' birthday dinner. The dress didn't fall apart as I expected so I'm happy!

DIY Dress
Random shop gold hoop earrings
Gold nameplate necklace
Diva gold bangles
Supre elastic belt
Sirens shoes
Random shop tan bag

Resolutions

2009-01-08T21:52:00.000-08:00

I know that at this time year, we think of resolutions. I've thought of many, but there still a bit of a mess in my head. I really foresee that big things will be happening this year! So when I get a few hours to spare I will jot them down.

I really recommend you read Une toute petite resolution on Cafe Mode, it is a really refreshing resolution post! My fave bit is the Tavi effect she writes of, something I will definitely inject into my dressing in 2009.
Image from Cosmoworlds

All Vogued Out

2009-01-08T20:45:00.000-08:00

December Vogue had such inspiring editorials which felt very fresh to me, I thought I would share a few scans.Sculptural dresses, knitted stockings, and fetishist shoes, yes please!
Nude + Black, always a killer combo in my books.
Rad harness dress!Probably, my fave editorial, geisha-inspired in a very cool way.And check out these stilt-like Junya Watanabe shoes!

All images sourced from Vogue Australia, December 2008 edition

Ringing in the New Year

2009-01-08T19:54:00.001-08:00

Happy New Year for 2009! I hope that you all had a lovely break! I'm back from a very very silly season, complete with lots of time spent with friends and family, eating, drinking, partying, water, sun, sand, music, and presents. Special mention goes to spending Christmas and Boxing Day with my family at Labrador, Gold Coast, and a full week over New Years spent with my boy and a lot of our friends at Stradbroke Island!
I really had an awesome time and have not really been home since the week preceeding Christmas, hence the lack of posts. It's sometimes nice to get away from the computer!

However, getting back from such chaos required a lot of re-organising and getting ready for the new year.

I did a massive tidy up of my desk, hopefully to allow for even more productivity in 2009 in terms of study, work, and personal projects.
And I wanted to introduce you all to my new baby! My boyfriend really went all out with this one as I asked for just a basic machine and he got me the best. Even as uncoordinated and generally retarded as I am, I've been using it problem free.
I even managed to sew a few things since we've gotten back from holidays. First up, is this floral dress with exposed zipper which I'm planning to wear tonight. I'll try and get some pics of me wearing it!
Cheers to a massive 2009 in which I'm sure there will be a lot of good things to come! xx

8 More Sleeps!

2008-12-16T17:17:00.000-08:00

My Christmas Wishlist:

1. Sewing Machine

Image sourced from Domestic Diva

2. Calculator and Electric Pencil Sharpener

Images sourced from Smiggle

3. Some cotton summer dresses to wear over Christmas/New Years to keep me cool

Images sourced from About A Girl

This year I've started an email pressie list with my family, so we don't overlap on presents etc. And I've asked my boyfriend for the sewing machine. I don't know, is it rude or helpful to ask for certain presents? Anyway, I'm 90% done with my shopping and can't wait to enjoy the festivities!

Gaga

2008-12-11T14:31:00.000-08:00

I'm sure that you are being bombarded with "Poker Face" which seems to be on repeat on both the radio and MTV and may be gaga-ed out, but I am somewhat fascinated by Lady Gaga's wardrobe. I think it's not really what she wears, but more the conviction in which she wears herself, as if her pieces are not at all costumey. The garish eighties jackets/blouses, the pvc bodysuits, the Michael Jackson gloves. And I love her perfect hair and makeup in this day and age when many choose not to make the effort.

Channeling MJ, mid-eighties.

Fetish much?
This white outfit is my fave, but I couldn't find a better pic!

And this is what I wish I had to wear to the masquerade party, check out the shoulder spikes.

Oh, just lounging around in a gold top and lightning bolt on her face.
You know what they say, "if you have it, work it". Love it all!

Photos sourced from Lady Gaga

Masquerade

2008-12-10T14:55:00.000-08:00

I'm going to a masquerade party on Saturday and working on putting together my costume.

I plan on going as a ballerina, and still getting it together.

Image sourced from Recital Expo
Image sourced from Class Act

I will be wearing this top from Bardot with a tutu skirt and I'm working on a mask too. If it turns out well I'll post pics!Image sourced from Bardot

Drapey

2008-12-07T23:28:00.000-08:00

I'm loving the Ann Demeulemeester Spring RTW 2009 looks:

Photos sourced from Style

Blogger interpretations of the look --

The Pleasure Principle Jersey Tank Dress as worn by Camille, she's so gorgeous in this!

And the AA Circle Scarf as worn by Niquita on ChictopiaThis girl makes the scarf look so good (even cooler than the AA model does!) that I'm tempted to get one. I'm so mad about the Aussie dollar though as the AA Circle Scarf is $28 USD and $47 AUD on their website, how ridiculous!

Christmas Decorating

2008-12-07T15:43:00.000-08:00

I'm so excited we bought our first Christmas tree yesterday! Only a tiny one for our tiny apartment:I'm going with a blue and silver theme, to suit all our furniture and bedding. All up, I got the tree, tiny disco balls, and silver balls for $12.50 at Crazy Clarks. Bargain central!

I'm going to get these two gnomes as seen on Fashion Hayley Hits Home (okay, not really Christmassy but super-cute!) to go with, and maybe DIY a few bits and pieces to go around the rest of our place. If you haven't seen already, Hayley has the cutest red and white decorations ever here.
They gnomes are from Smiggle which is my favourite store ever. I have so much Smiggle stationery I could do a full blog post about it I'm sure. The pink electric pencil sharpener and pink bubble calculator are already on my Christmas wishlist.

I haven't even started Christmas shopping yet, I'm going with my little brother, who's on school holidays, on Wednesday. Should I be dreading the shops?

DIY Plans

2008-12-05T15:01:00.000-08:00

After seeing these babies crop up on Etsy:

Salinger50
Lola4000

Nature Grafitti

My own pair of ballet shoes are screaming out to be DIYed. I've done ballet growing up but I can't afford to take lessons at the moment.
Does anyone know where to buy pyramid studs in Australia? I don't think Lincraft has them, I've checked in three different stores.

What I Bought In The Heat Of Summer

2008-12-04T19:49:00.001-08:00

After seeing too many photos like these:
I ended up bidding on (and winning!) this:
So impractical, but I'll make it work. Either that or keep it in the wardrobe till around June 2009.

Holiday Snaps

2008-12-03T13:32:00.001-08:00

Thought I would share some piccies from when I went away on holidays to the Gold Coast after my exams last semester. It was really funny that even though the coast is only about a 45 minute drive from my house, it's still nice to get away from Brissie every once in a while. My bf and I acted like touristy losers cause we had these theme park vouchers and we just went all out. I think as well because I don't have an Aussie accent, everyone was being super nice to me and explaining stuff very thoroughly - I'm assuming I came across as a proper tourist.

Seaworld
Cotton On Sunnies, Bardot Floral Print Ruffled Top

Hooters Forever New Headband, Diva Earrings & Bangles, Supre White Lace Dress

Cavill Ave

Forever New Headband, Diva Earrings and Bangles, Bardot Black Lace Ruffled Top, Supre Cami (Underneath) Bardot Silk Skirt, Sportsgirl Tan Platforms

Jupiters Poolside
Cotton On Sunnies, Bardot Lilac Top

Jupiters Restaurant
Maxidress from St Vinnies, Diva Earrings, Ring from random shop I can't remember

Minkpink Update

2008-12-03T13:03:00.000-08:00

So I went to the Minkpink shop down the road for me to possibly buy the "Cut it Out Dress" and "Floral Trip Dress" and found that their full prices are + $40 in the shop. At least the good thing is I saw what they look like in "real" life (as opposed to "internet" life?) and they are really lovely! The floral one is very short though and and the cut out one is not as bandagey as I imagined so I'm sure it will show every lump and bump. So I will be ordering those babies (a size bigger than usual) online asap!

Bandage Dresses, Love Them or Hate Them

2008-12-03T12:54:00.001-08:00

Herve Leger dresses on crack, these are so good ...

Photos sourced from Style

Gossip Girl Eye Candy

2008-12-02T15:45:00.000-08:00

I unashamedly love a good teen drama like Gossip Girl. I was there for 90210 (both original and new series) and the OC. I say the more ridiculous the better! I have a fairly average (though lovely+happy+fulfilled) life and I suppose have been the "good" girl, so I'd rather live vicariously through the characters with all the big houses, designer gear, shiny cars, and sleeping around. I'm sure I'm better off watching the drama as I can proudly say that I have no credit card debt or nasty STDs!

I've caught up on the last few episodes of season 1 on Foxtel and looking forward to season 2 starting next week. I know I'm very behind but prefer it on the TV than my tiny laptop screen.

The dresses they wore in the finale were mad hot and I so wish I'd seen this before the races! Check out the yellow dress with black gloves...
And my newest crush is Nate played by Chace Crawford. Lovely eyes and cheekbones but still undecided about the hair.
Images sourced from Gossip Girl Insider.

The Nameplate Necklace

2008-12-02T03:08:00.000-08:00

My two bestfriends very kindly got me this nameplate necklace for my birthday and it just arrived in the post last Thursday. I mentioned wanting one and they were like "great, cause we were stressing over what to get for your birthday". For the record, I love anything blingin'!

This one is from Name Necklaces and I'm really impressed by it's quality. I was a bit concerned that being handmade, it may look a bit wonky and to add to it the jeweller is in Jerusalem which seems so far away, I wasn't sure if it would make it through the post at all! This one is gold plated with Swarovski crystal and the medium length chain. I plan on wearing this baby everyday along with my other gifted jewellery. I wear tiny diamond earrings from my mum (16th birthday), a pink sapphire and diamond ring from my boyfriend (21st birthday), and crystal covered gold watch from my boyfriend (23rd birthday). And when I go out I pile on Diva gold hoop earrings, massive cocktail rings, and bangles. Ghettolicious! The funny thing is I used to hate gold (as in yellow gold)!

The only mini-complaint is randoms were coming up to me on Friday night out drinking and they knew my name which was a bit unnerving... So maybe this will just be a daytime necklace haha!

Some other nameplate necklaces I'm loving are from:

The Lovely Lola Pop

And Beebles

Carrie pic sourced from Personalised Boutique

What I Wish I Looked Like Circa 1986

2008-12-01T13:55:00.000-08:00

i.e. When I was 2. See more at Jak & Jil.

Added to Wishlist

2008-12-01T13:37:00.000-08:00

A few Minkpink dresses as seen on About A Girl link as seen on I Am Ashleigh's latest post:

"Floral Trip" Dress
$55.00 inc GST

"Don't Mesh With Me" Dress
$49.50 inc GST

"Donna" Bustier Dress
$60.00 inc GST

"Cut it Out" Dress
$33.00 inc GST

I'm not too sure about sizes so I will be running down to the boutique down the road that stocks Minkpink in the next couple of days. I'll let you know about the quality and fit but at $33.00 for the Cut it Out dress, I don't think I can go too wrong! How Herve Leger is the Don't Mesh With Me Dress? And I'm so bringing the two floral ones with me on my island holiday NYE 2009!

Bourjois!

2008-11-30T16:20:00.000-08:00

I've gotten heaps of compliments on my makeup in the past few months so I thought I'd share my new discovery: Bourjois Paris. Bourjois makeup is available at Priceline and Target (surely other places too but this is where I've bought mine) and is a higher-quality line than Maybelline, Covergirl etc. I would even go so far as to say it is up there with Mac, but of course without the extensive colour and product range.

For me, my look is matte face, smokey eye, and natural lips. To achieve this, my fave products are:

Face
Matte Lovely Foundation in #25 Abricote (couldn't find the picture online)
Compact Powder in #74 Abricote

I am a bit paranoid about shiny face so I smooth just a little foundation to conceal blemishes etc. and apply powder all-over. I chuck the compact powder in my handbag for touchups later on as it has a big mirror which hasn't gotten dirty with powder specks as others have done. And just beware that the colour choice I use is the darkest I think, and it suits my summer-tanned face.

Eyes
Effet Lumiere Eyeshadow Trio in #46 Les Argents
Liner Clubbing Ultra Black
Volume Clubbing Mascara Ultra Black
The eyeshadow is a particularly good product as it is finely milled so it goes on smoothly and blends easily. And I think rather than buying single pots of colour, the trio is good value for money and they go together well. They also trios in more neutral colours and have other single pots, but I tend to stick to my smoky eye. For liner and mascara, the Clubbing range is probably what attracted me to buy Bourjois in the first place, they are really black and don't budge even on a night out.

Lips
Effet 3D Collection Lipgloss in #18 Transparent Oniric
For my lips I use the lipgloss that is totally clear (i.e. no colour). I would say that this product is really similar to Mac's Lip Glass as it is super shiny. I have one at home and one in my handbag for touchups.
Overall I'm really impressed by everything I've bought from Bourjois Paris as they fit the bill for what I'm looking for, are high quality, long-wearing, and suit my budget a lot better than high-end makeup lines. I'm trying to remember exactly, but I think the lipglosses go for about $19 and most other products are around that $20 mark as well, which for the quality, is really good.

Some of my non-Bourjois faves are my new Australis Primer which "prevents foundation fading & smooths and refines skin texture" (score at $13!) and was treated by my boyfriend to new Mac satin lippy in Snob. Definitely not for the colour-shy it is a light pink and looks like this in the tube:

And like this on (probably toned down a bit as it was layered with gloss):
(Way to scared to post a closeup pic of my face!)

For totally rad makeup looks, I love checking out Karen at I'm Not Anti-Social, Just Shortsighted

and for application tips I love Temptalia!

Images sourced from Bourjois and Mac

Australia the Movie

2008-11-30T15:52:00.000-08:00

I went to see Australia at the cinema yesterday. I try not to read reviews and such before watching films because I feel preconceived expecations often wreck it for me. So all I can say is that it was a lot more than I expected and thought the storyline was very heartfelt.

Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman were really great in it together:

But who stole the show was little Brandon Walters, pictured on the right:

And back to fashion, Nicole is an amazing clotheshorse:

So I don't want to give any storyline away, but I really do recommend you to watch. Definitely money well-spent on movie tickets.

Images sourced from Collider and July issue of Vogue.

Alexander Wang Spring 2009 RTW

2008-11-29T00:00:00.000-08:00

Makes me want a light wash denim jacket and perhaps some wet-look leggings from Supre. And love the white one-piece in the first pic!

Photos sourced from Style.

Inspiration: Virgin Suicides

2008-11-27T18:38:00.000-08:00

So much of what I'm loving at the moment keeps me thinking back to the film Virgin Suicides. All the florals, pastels, ruffles, and lace.

I suppose all the hot weather is going to my head! Click on the pic for higher res collage.

Images sourced from Google Image Search.

Comeback

2008-11-27T17:57:00.000-08:00

I'm baa-ack! So after a three month hiatus, I've decided to start up my blog again. I've been caught up with a lot of things -mainly uni- but blog-wise, I've been frustrated with my poor qual outfit photos and decided they weren't worth posting. However, I do consistently trawl the internet and magazines for outfit inspirations so I'm aiming to take the blog in a new direction. No more outfit photos until I upgrade to a better camera and tripod and instead do featured blogger posts, diy ideas, beauty tips/product reviews, celebrity style icons, and inspiration boards.

Also, due to moving into our new tiny apartment I've been forced to have a massive culling of my wardrobe with many things being donated to St Vinnies and other things to be put on eBay. This article on about dressing Parisian Style on Icing was my saving grace and it was kind of a wake up call for me to streamline my wardrobe. The most important points I took from the article were:

Parisian women know the importance of good basics (& don’t scrimp on them)

Parisian women work from a consistent colour palate

Parisian women keep it simple

Parisian women wear heels — a lot

So I invested in good basics (notably a pair well cut jeans and plain singlets), decided on my colour palate (black, white, neutrals, pink, and purple, and gold accessories), kept it simple by getting rid of everything that doesn't follow my new wardrobe plan, and bought heels to match my main handbags.

New Dress!!!

2008-08-20T18:05:00.000-07:00

I'm sure everyone has seen these structured Balenciaga dresses:

(Click on images for sources)

So imagine my surprise when I found I'd won this vintage 80s dress off eBay for only $18.50 (including postage!)!!!!!! I have big plans for it -- shortening, adding an exposed black zipper to the back etc. etc. Fashion bliss!

In Mourning

2008-07-31T17:13:00.000-07:00

I must have pre-empted the death of my laptop. I discovered the "scheduled posts" feature last Friday and thought I would spread out my entries over a few days. Little did I know, my laptop would not turn on on Monday and could not be revived. Apparently the motherboard is stuffed and I was advised it would be cheaper just to buy a new one computer all together. My consolation is that all the info on my hard disk is still intact (big relief because I'm halfway done on three of my assignments for the semester). Still super frustrating because the old lappy is only 2 months out of warranty and I'm now nearly $1000 out of pocket.

Lesson learnt: extended warranty.

Grazia Mini Review

2008-07-28T00:00:00.000-07:00

Picked up the first issue of Grazia mag whilst doing the groceries the other day. From what I understand it's a weekly publication focused on fashion. For the price of $5, I think it's worth it but being the greedy reader that I am, there is still quite a bit of celebrity gossip (that I'm kind of over) and the fashion editorials were a bit predictable (no I lie, I did like the "It's only rock & roll" one). And if you're after realistic fashion items, this isn't the mag for you. Though lustworthy, most of the featured items were Dior, YSL etc. I may give it another chance later on, but it's not really the one for me.

TV Addict

2008-07-27T00:00:00.000-07:00

We just got Foxtel so I've been enjoying:

Fashion TV (high-end clothes shoes bags, drool...)

America's Next Top Model

Australia's Next Top Model

Project Runway

etc, etc

Can't believe I've been missing out for so long! Definitely couch potato material :)

Wintery Fresh

2008-07-26T00:00:00.000-07:00

So winter is well and truly upon us Aussies now. Since Brisbane winter is quite mild, I don't mind taking inspiration from the Fall ready to wear collections 2008 from abroad.

Chloe:
Notable trends: navy-on-navy, floral on floral, floral tights (so pretty!), blazers, transparent blouses.

Topshop Unique:
Notable trends: black black black and more black :), great fitting grey coats, those AA looking pleather tights/pants, beautiful black boots.

Gucci:
Notable trends: that traveller/nomad look, velvet pants, navy blue/green trousers, fringed boots (so cool!), big bags to fit all those traveler essentials in, prints, gold accents, peasant blouses, sashes.

A few ideas to jazz up an otherwise dreary season (I'm more of a summer person).

All images sourced from Style.com.

Op-Shopping Continued

2008-07-25T00:00:00.000-07:00

So I wrote about my op-shopping inexperience a while ago and have been on the look out for better charity shops. I've noticed a row of them at Annerley including Lifeline "Vintage Revival". I finally found a chance to check it out yesterday afternoon.

I went in close to closing time and didn't have a chance to try anything on. I didn't have high hopes but managed to pick up:

(1) Navy blue boyfriend style blazer, complete with crazy gold buttons -- $25
(2) Black leather highwaisted skirt -- $6
(3) Black "lycra sensations" Brian Rochford pants, tags still attached -- $15 (They are those old-school pants with the stirrup thingies for your feet that my mum used to wear in the 80s!! So cool!! I plan to wear them scrunched up as drop-crotched harem pants too.)
I can't describe how happy I'm feeling - when I tried on everything at home it was as if each piece was made for me. Totally hooked!!!

Races Outfit Update

2008-07-24T00:00:00.000-07:00

So I've started getting bits and pieces together for my races outfit, it's a few weeks away now. I'm getting a peacock-feather fascinator and already scored an awesome One Teaspoon purple dress off eBay.
And whilst checking out the shoe sale at Novo, came across these gorgeous purple (but a really dark, inky colour, almost black) patent pumps. They were originally $60 marked down to $22.50!

I'm assuming they are inspired by the Chloe three strap version, except obviously without the three straps :).So it's all coming together, little by little.

The Story of the Highwaisted Jeans

2008-07-22T17:19:00.000-07:00

Due to the request of a few readers (and one demand!!) I've kept the highwaisted jeans but it's been a long journey to today. When I tried them on in the store, I went for the size 8 first, which I fit into, but I tried on a 10 as well just to make sure. The 10 felt more comfortable so I a parted with my $20 and went on my way. When the time came to wear them though, they felt comfortable but looked terrible!! A little too long and quite baggy for my legs too. I get my jeans taken up at my drycleaners who charge $15, which I can usually justify, but not for random jeans that I'm not sure I will even keep. So I exchanged them a few days later for the smaller size and although they are quite snug, look much better. Next dilemma: finding a top to go with them. I tried on every top I own but to no avail. On a third visit to Valley Girl I finally found it, dark blue cotton blouse with a tiny floral print.

Lessons learnt:

highwaisted skinnies make me look very thigh-y
i have a short torso
when wearing the highwaisted style, a similar coloured top avoids you looking too "chopped" in the middle
Valley Girl is a very useful shop if you're on a budget, but you really do have to wade through a lot of crap

So I will be keeping them and hopefully after a few wears and washes they will be more comfortable. I've been putting off writing more blog entries till I inherit a new camera from my bf, but it won't be happening till later in the week.

Highwaisted Jeans

2008-07-13T17:31:00.000-07:00

I took the plunge and bought some highwaisted jeans over the weekend. They're only $20 ones from ValleyGirl. Still deciding whether or not to keep them, more on them later.

Style for Boys?

2008-07-10T17:10:00.000-07:00

Recently, my boyfriend kindly asked me, after a few beers "do you think you can keep an eye out for mens fashion for me?".

His going out ensemble of late has been light blue Powerhouse button down shirt with cufflinks, Powerhouse darkwash jeans, tan belt, and tan pointy toe shoes. He's very particular with what he wears and always looks stylish and hot. BUT (!) he's been wearing the same shirt weekend in weekend out since he bought it in February. He only doesn't wear it when it's dirty, which isn't often since I'm a bit OCD with laundry. And even then, it's the same jeans, belt, shoes with the same shirt in white (different brand but you couldn't tell).

His mentality with clothes is, if this is my best shirt, why would I wear something else? And it's not that he doesn't have clothes, he has borderline more clothes than me! But heaps of them are T-shirts his mum buys him as presents and he'll only wear them to the shops/movies but not out. So the cycle is, he'll wear the crap out of something and then get so sick of it he'll never wear it again. And then complain "I have nothing to wear". Frustrating but true.

So I've taken matters into my own hands and on a recent trip to JayJays, I bought him 2 new shirts and slim fit basic tees to wear underneath to beat the wintery cold. JayJays is often underrated but I go there a lot because one of my younger brothers works there and gives pretty good fashion advice. I don't have to wade through the crappy stuff, he leads me straight to the good stuff. And price-wise you can't go too wrong either.

So hopefully these will enter the rotation for going out outfits!

And after a quick look on the internet for upcoming trends for Men's fashion, I found FHM's site really good (believe it or not), the men's section of Style.com, and I've also been reading Sunday Best's blog on Chictopia for a while.

Seven Songs

2008-07-09T16:16:00.000-07:00

Ooh I've been tagged for the first time! Thanks Ragamuffin!

My 7 Songs of Winter

Here are the rules:

List seven songs you are into right now. No matter what the genre, whether they have words, or even if they’re not any good, but they must be songs you’re really enjoying now, shaping your Summer – but I'm doing the Winter version because it's finally hit Brisbane. So cold!!!
Post these instructions in your blog along with your 7 songs.
Then tag 7 other people to see what they’re listening to.

My Songs:

1. Take a Bow, Rihanna

2. This Heart Attack, Faker

3. Hate That I Love You, Rihanna feat Neyo

4. Listen, Beyonce

5. Keep Bleeding, Leona Lewis

6. You Give Me Something, James Morrison

7. Signed Sealed Delivered, Stevie Wonder

Please don't judge me too much by the songs!! I'm a massive rNb/power ballad person and always singing these in the shower or whilst driving. As for tagging, all my fave blogs have already been tagged! But to anyone else feel free to do this it was really fun!

As an end note, a little shout out to rNb fashion godesses. Yes, it's borderline skanky, but who can resist a little colour, big hair, bronze skin, gold, and a LOT of booty. Perfect for a Saturday night!

*All photos sourced from Google image search.

Online Shopping

2008-06-26T15:27:00.000-07:00

Courtesy of Cleo magazine July issue that I bought yesterday, I've discovered some online bargains. And just as a side note I found the magazine to be seriously lacking in substance, not that I'm expecting the works of Shakespeare, but I read the whole thing, cover to cover in about 1/2 an hour. Am I being greedy (I know I'm a fast reader) or should I expect more than that for $7?
Anyway the article was, funnily enough, offering advice about saving money and suggested buying "budget couture" at Missy Confidential. Making suggestions like this just encourage me to spend money! Throwing all caution to the wind, I jumped on the website to check it out and I think the best part is the online steals bit, offering all sorts of discounts for various online stores.
Also on my list of websites to check out is Bag Borrow Steal. I'd heard about it ages before it was unashamedly advertised on the SATC movie, but never checked it out. I actually wasn't bothered by the blatant product placement in the movie - like many others were I found out after reading quite a few reviews/discussions. I thought that brand names were focused on a lot in the series. Imagine my delight when I found the featured bag on the site was:

Louis Vuitton Monogram Canvas Galliera PM

This is basically the bag of my dreams. When things get rough, when I feel like quitting grad school and settling for an "okay" job, I tell myself: no, what about the Galliera? I've decided that at the end of next year (after finishing uni and settling into my future job) I will buy my dream bag. It retails for about $1400 US on eLuxury. I know it's strange incentive, but whatever works right? On Bag Borrow Steal, it costs 145 pounds per month to rent plus a membership varying between $5-10 a month depending on how long you intend to be a member. Tempting I suppose, but I'm not the sort of person to give up on a bag after a week or a month. My thinking is that if you invest in a bag and wear it for a few years, the cost per wear would be a lot less than 145 pounds a month. I think it's the accountant in me that makes me think into this so much!

Fascinating?

2008-06-25T22:42:00.000-07:00

An expansion on a "races" post I did a while ago, where do you find a good fascinator?

Question answered today: Etsy! Etsy is so good for quirky handmade goods.

Look at these beauties:

*Click on the pics to get to the link!

For a cheap fix I picked up a cute feather number from Kleins last year. I've never been in before and it's surprising how good their hat/fascinator range is despite some of the other dodge accessories they carry.

The Highwaist Jean

2008-06-24T22:47:00.000-07:00

Hmmm highwaisted jeans ... I'm really tossing up whether or not I want to buy a pair. I remember I didn't buy into skinny jeans for a while cause I was adamant they wouldn't suit my less-than-stick-thin legs. But now they're all I wear and I think they're quite flattering. Same goes for highwaisted jeans, they could really go either way, make me look like a squeezed blob or will they be a new staple in my wardrobe?

Some eBay options I've been checking out:

Excellent MINK PINK High-Waisted Skinny Leg Jeans Sz 10

Gorman high waisted skinny jeans

LIVING DOLL CORSET HIGH WAISTED SKINNY JEANS S10 RRP$79

I think I like the ones with the corset styling ... I'll keep watching these as I decide whether or not to take the plunge.

Makeup

2008-06-24T17:55:00.000-07:00

Just to deviate from fashion for a minute, another love of mine is makeup.

Two of my favourite books are Making Faces by Kevyn Aucoin and Makeup Makeovers by Robert Jones. Kevyn Aucoin was an amazing makeup artist to a lot of celebrities/models but sadly passed away from a rare pituitary tumor a few years ago. His book starts from the basics of learning about face shapes and the proper use of products and progresses to really dramatic transformations. Robert Jones describes his makeup style as "glamorous girl next door" and I think his book is more useful for everyday makeup. He also has a website if you want to check it out.

In regards to product, I don't necessarily buy the most expensive. I did go through a Mac "stage" but I didn't like the foundation that I got (it felt a bit mask-ish), I lost my $40 lipgloss out clubbing one night, and I dropped my bronzer so it cracked and I eventually had to throw it out because it was too hard to use. I'm not saying that any of this is Mac's fault but I just seemed to have bad luck with it and because I'd spent a lot of my hard earned cash on it, it just hurt. I do recommend their bronzer (so so good for contouring) and their lip glass (they do nice colours) if you're not a spazz like me that wrecks everything. So for the time being I try to keep everything cheap and chic. My personal favourite products at the moment are:

Revlon Colorstay Mineral Foundation

It's gotten a bit of a bad wrap because it's not 100% minerals (there is some talc in it) but I find it suits my skin better than the L'Oreal version. I found the L'Oreal version rubbed off a lot. I prefer mineral foundation than creme/liquid because I find I break out a lot less.

Loreal Glam Bronze Bronzing Powder in Bronze Blush

This is just a good bronzer, admittedly not quite as good as Mac bronzer, but it's reliable and a good colour - you know, not too fakey fakey. I use it just under my cheekbones.

Revlon Skinlights Face Illuminator in 01 Golden Light

I use this as a highlighter on the apples of my cheeks to make them stand out - don't use this if you have any skin imperfections though cause it just makes them stand out more too!

Blistex Lip Conditioner

This may win the award for favourite product ever, my lips die without it. I tend to do heavy eye/neutral lip so I usually just use this or maybe a slick of gloss over the top.

Rimmel 100% Waterproof Mascara in 001 Black Black

Good waterproof mascara, doesn't budge even after a long night out.

Clinique Colour Surge Eye Shadow Palette(Bronze Satin, Buttermilk, Lucky Penny, Strawberry Fudge Duo Pink Shade, Beach Plum Duo Purple Shade, Like Mink Duo Deep Shade)

I couldn't find the exact picture of my one (mine has more colours than this). I like the buttermilk colour (it's like a creamy white) as a highlighter for my browbones and inner corner of my eyes. Lucky penny and bronze satin (sort of browns) are nice as a medium colour for the eyes. With my eyes, I tend to do a neutral eye for day, and same or similar for night with added intensity and sometime black smokey added.

Maybelline Expertwear Eyeshadow in Catty Eyes

I usually only use the black in this to line my lower lash line, and also the outer corner of my upper lid to create a smokey eye. Remember to blend blend blend.

Maybelline Expertwear Eyeshadow in Sunbaked Neutrals

I like the darkest brown in this as a contouring eyeshadow. The lightest colours are also good for highlighting.

Some other tips:

Invest in some good-quality natural hair brushes. There's no point investing in makeup if you don't have the tools to apply it properly.
Take the time to find the right foundation that suits your skin type and colour.
Also don't use bronzer like a blush, it is meant to contour more than highlight.
Don't be afraid to try something new and mix it up a bit.

My favourite makeup sites are: Temptalia this is seriously like a makeup bible. My fave features are the tutorials -this girl can do a mean smokey eye - and she really explains the basics. Makeup for Life is also really good for tutorials.These two do some fairly extensive beauty product reviews The Makeup Girl and The Makeup Divas.

Topshop

2008-06-24T17:19:00.000-07:00

I can't help but think that my life would be better if Topshop opened up in Australia. In Australian dollar prices. Is our dollar seriously that weak against the pound??

If anyone at Topshop can hear me, at least send us over some shoes, please?

Priceless

2008-06-23T16:36:00.001-07:00

I love French cinema. I would estimate that about half the list of my all-time fave movies would be French films.

If you're ever renting DVDs and want a fail-proof movie that is sure not to disappoint I would recommend:

I've linked the IMDB page to each movie.

And back to fashion, I don't know what it is about the French, but the ladies' style just seems so effortless. Case in point, Audrey Tautou in Hors de prix:

Or in English, Priceless:
I think from the poster the "Breakfast at Tiffany's" connotations are pretty clear, but the story in this way is way cool. I couldn't find enough photos to do her outfits justice, but here are a few. She's just so gorgeous.

Find more movie info about this sassy gold-digger here. And click on the photos to see their source pages.

Weekend Update

2008-06-23T16:21:00.001-07:00

I ended up being too busy to check out the Sass and Bide sale on Friday. And on top of that my friend talked me out of it because apparently it was mayhem - and I expected it would be worse over the weekend. I think it was 40 min wait to get into the building, no changing rooms, and 2 hr wait to pay at the cash register. I hear that jeans were only $50 though. I'm still deciding whether or not I regret not going.

In other news we had a pretty mad weekend and I wore my new floral tiered skirt and leather jacket combo which kept me so so warm :). My boyfriend commented that he was unsure of it at first ("a little too Harajuku" for him) but he ended up thinking it was really cool. I think he worries about what other people's reactions to what I wear will be. He's so funny, I tried explaining the Luella thing to him.

Uni's over for now so I'm just catching up on a few chores here and there and doing some data entry work for my boyfriend.

Sass and Bide Sale

2008-06-19T16:22:00.000-07:00

FYI for any other Brisbanites, I got this in my email inbox:

Sass & Bide Brisbane Warehouse Sale!

Sass & Bide will be reducing some of their most sought after styles by 50% to 70% - new stock placed on the floor daily.

Dates:

Thursday 19 June - 4pm to 9pm
Friday 20 June - 11am to 8pm
Saturday 21 June - 10am to 5pm
Sunday 22 June - 11am - 4pm

Where?

RNA Showgrounds
Building #7
Alexandria St
Bowen Hills QLD 4006

(cash, eftpos, major credit cards accepted)

I'm gonna check it out today and will post on any good finds!

Trip to Target

2008-06-18T22:41:00.000-07:00

Today's outfit:

Sydney Markets Shirtdress $29, Heather Grey Supre Top $15, White Bonds Bump Bandage Skirt $10, Grey Cable Knit Stockings (David Jones) $15, Kmart Tan Ankle Boots $20, White Chloe Paddington

After running all my errands today, I made a final stop at Target, just to check on the Zac Posen collection to see if it had grown on me any more. I saw it when it first came out and was surprised that there was no frenzy of women grabbing stuff away from each other. My overall opinion of the collection (no it didn't change in between visits) is that it's made up of high-quality, well-cut, but strange borderline boring pieces. It just seems that they didn't do their market research very well as Zac said in an interview the collection is "tropical Roman" (sorry Zac, I don't really get it) and designed for "women of different ages and body shapes". I think they really missed the boat with this one and maybe in reality it doesn't suit too many women at all.

The collection is split up into:

Tailored

Which I think was very nice, for work, which I probably wouldn't mind. But it's not exactly inspirational/revolutionary (or cheap for that matter). If I was going to spend the money I think you get similar or perhaps even better at Cue. I have heaps of work stuff already anyway.

and Luxury

The dresses were lovely but kinda meh. Neither sexy enough to go out with and way too formal to wear casually. One of my friends commented "It's nice, but where would you wear it too?". The best we could think of was maybe year 12 formal?? But seriously, I think it would be hard to find a girl willing enough to wear a Target dress to her formal.

Don't mean to put anyone off if they were thinking of buying some of these pieces. In fact if you're after a nice blouse or dress, some of them have come down from $170 to $59. And certainly if you need nice work gear it'd be worthwhile to have a look!

But on to other news, after sufficiently deciding against Zac Posen for the day, I scored a leather jacket for $27 and a Luella inspired skirt for $26 from Free Fusion (is it the teen section?) in Target.

Sorry bout the particularly dirty mirror shot in this. Now I just need a Batman tee.

*Please click on photos to see source pages.

Outfit Pics

2008-06-18T17:30:00.001-07:00

I've been feeling terrible about my outfit pics being taken in my mirror, so I decided to bring it outside to my beautiful balcony to get some natural lighting in. I will be inheriting a new camera soon which I am super excited about. I'm still getting the hang of it so please bear with me while I try to make improvements!

White Minkpink Top, Tan Supre Belt, Yellow Floral Supre Skirt, Cream and Brown Novo Heels

Sportsgirl Earrings, White Sportsgirl Top, Giordano Utility Belt, Green Ladakh Shorts, Cream and Brown Novo Heels

Sportsgirl Earrings, Black Floral Mooloolah Top, Tan Ice Belt, Bonds "Bump" Black Bandage Skirt, Vintage Ivory Bangles, Black Siren Heels

Gwyneth Paltrow

2008-06-18T17:10:00.000-07:00

I've always thought that Gwyneth Paltrow is pretty cute, but has anyone else noticed how stylish and sexy she's become lately?

Check it:

(Click on photos to see source page)

Gwyneth Paltrow in Zac Posen

... in Stella McCartney ...

... at Swarovski Fashion Rocks event ...

... at London Iron Man premiere ...

... and in Gucci

Changes to Style Down Under

2008-06-18T17:06:00.000-07:00

You may have noticed a few changes to Style Down Under. I changed the header to include the pink ugg boots, just to make it clear I was just trying to find a quick illustration and I don't really own them. I do own ugg boots but I consider them indoor footwear only!! Seriously I don't think they were made to be seen in public! Also, I changed my favourite blog list to a blog-roll so you can see when they were last updated. Give them a read they are all fantastic!

Exams Are Over (!!) and the Bandage Skirt

2008-06-18T16:30:00.000-07:00

After a hiatus including exam prep, finishing off the renovation, and unpacking boxes. I'm back. I had the "what am I doing with my life" mini-breakdown that I should know by now is just an evil symptom of exam time. I always get very unsettled when I move house and I don't know where my stuff is and I hate exams with a passion. My poor poor boyfriend turned into the "enemy" but thankfully it's all over now.

I've still been avidly reading blogs and saving things to post about, but somehow actually posting makes slacking off/procrastinating official. Hopefully my blog posts will be a little more back on track now, especially since I'm on uni holiday now :).

Ok on to the fashion topic of this post: Bandage Skirts. I've been looking around for a black bandage skirt that I desperately need to put together outfits like these as seen at Who What Wear Daily:

(Click on the image to get the source page)

I don't feel like spending up big on such a simple item so I hit the usual shops: Supre, Kmart/Target, Temt etc. but had no luck. So I did a search on the net and according to this thread at Vogue, Cotton On was selling them for $15 but when I checked they have been well and truly sold out for a few months now.

I was on the verge of clicking away $40 plus postage for the Interlock Mini Skirt from American Apparel.

Until I remembered the two pack of Bonds maternity bandeaus (one black and one white) that I originally bought to wear as tube tops under more revealing tops. FYI they don't work for that purpose. But switch them around and they totally work as bandage skirts.

It feels a bit funny knowing that the "bump" is meant to house a pregnant belly, but instead it's housing my bum instead :). At $20 for a pack of two I think it's a very cost effective means of acquiring the skirt and it doesn't ride up too much either. I don't think I'll be game enough for wearing the white one out as a skirt though.

Races

2008-05-27T17:42:00.000-07:00

I know it's a bit early to be writing about the races but I'm really keen on putting some planning into my outfit this year. I've gone to heaps of races but we always make a special effort try to go on Ekka holiday. (It's the public holiday we get for Ekka - Brisbane Exhibition aka Royal Easter Show in Sydney). There are alway horse races on but on Ekka day all the young people (age 18-30) go to the races.

I love race day because everyone makes such an effort to get dressed up. And the hats!!

Girls and boys:

Even celebrities:

And there are fashion competitions too (I took this photo from Melbourne Cup Races 2007):
So here's my polyvored brainstorming. I started with two Sass and Bide dresses and worked from there. On the left, black and white feathered hat, pyramid studded gold cuff, Givenchy clutch and shoes. On the right silver sequined fascinator, silver and gold Tiffany cuff, red Fendi clutch, and nude Louboutin peeptoes.

I love how ridiculous Polyvore is - I'm like no, not the Chanel clutch, I need the Givenchy one! What I'd give to live in Polyvore land :)

Update

2008-05-26T16:34:00.000-07:00

I'll start from the beginning. Friday night we had Korean BBQ, Soju shots, and mad karaoke till the early hours of the morning. Man, I don't know what it is about karaoke, but it really brings out the inner Asian in me. On a fashion note, I wore my chocolate brown Cue silk top, dark wash jeans, and new black stilettos (the ones with the zipper).

Warning: Soju makes you wanna sing!

Unfortunately I woke up in poor health on Saturday morning and also had the tasks of packing for and driving my boyfriend to the airport. So no op-shopping for me. But it's ok, things get better from here!

Late afternoon on Saturday, a group of us went to an "up-an-coming" designers' fashion show. It was a fundraising event for Edmund Rice Camps for those of you who are curious. The opening act was by a friend of a friend who is a jeans designer. The event was actually dragged out and could have been better organised, but the fashion was really really lovely. There were some established designers later on in the event with evening and bridal wear which were amazing.

The girls in the fashion show were really gorgeous and thin and everything looked great on them. It's kind of inspired me to lose some of the weight I've gained since I started studying externally - which means I rarely leave the house. It's also the reason why I don't always have outfit photos to put up :)

Anyway, my friend let me sleepover at her house, we watched Sex and the City DVDs that night. (We've bought tickets to see the movie on opening night)! And we went shopping on Sunday. First in the Valley (Fortitude Valley) and then at DFO Jindalee.

The Valley has heaps of small boutiques - some are really expensive though! But when I drove through on Saturday I saw a sign in one of the boutiques - EVERYTHING $10, including shoes!!!
I can't find a website for the shop but it's called Venus and Mars at 319 Brunswick Street for any fellow Brisbanites.

The DFO at Jindalee is fairly new and similar to the one at the airport. There were some boots that I didn't get, but still thinking about.

Some photographic evidence of what I did get:

Mustard Venus & Mars Top $10, Brown Venus & Mars Checkered Cropped Jacket $10, Black Wish Skirt (DFO Jindalee) $39.95

The mustard top: cute bow detailing and really comfy/flattering. And I love the random brand name: Teaberry!!

My black Wish skirt, felt a bit sad paying more than $10 for it (I think I started to get a bit too greedy) but they were originally marked $109.95. I would never pay that for this skirt! I think $40 is worth it because it's so versatile and I really really need a black skirt.

The cropped jacket, probably my favourite purchase of the day! It's brown checkered with thin orange/peach stripes through it.

Black Mink Pink Top (from DFO Jindalee) $15

Tuxedo-style ruffles on it!

Black Venus and Mars Dress $10

Probably can't see it too well in this photo, but it has gold buttons and hardware on the belt. Thought a dress with sleeves may come in handy in winter.

And last but certainly not least: Venus and Mars Gold Chain Sandals $10

Real chain and diamantes!!

Op Shopping

2008-05-19T18:27:00.000-07:00

I've never been proper op-shopping before. I know, crazy, but true. It seems that all the fashion-blog greats seem to find such great boho dresses, denim skirts, leather skirts, perfect blazer, high waist pants, designer jewellery, brogues, boots and the list goes on!

The last time I tried was probably 5 years ago?? And I went with my baby sister to get her and me some clothes at St Vinnies on the North side somewhere. There was seriously nothing there, just a very small selection of really dodge clothes that I wouldn't put her through wearing. Not to sound snooty or anything, we were really poor at the time. And I don't mean poor as in like I'm always broke like now. But poor-poor, my cafe job at the time was the only income for a family of 6 plus dole money. Anyway the whole op-shopping experience was disappointing at the time and we decided it was better value to go to Target/Kmart or not to buy anything at all.

Anyway I'm a keen ebayer and seen cool vintage stuff there, but the bids always end up so expensive! So I thought I'd make a day of it last Saturday and get some into some vintage shopping of my own. My mini-wish list included: a plaid shirt, tan leather handbag, blazer, cool vintage shoes of some sort.

I hit Lifeline and St Vinnies at West End prepared to do some sifting to find some treasures (even just one thing from my list would have satisfied). There was really nothing I could find. I looked through everything and was going to settle for this grey Country Road cropped t-shirt. But decided I was just trying to console my efforts with something I didn't really want.

Anyway I'm on a mission now! I'm determined to find some good op shops in Brisbane to satisfy my need for bargain vintage fashion. I might try this weekend and drag my sister along with me too :)

I've found this site: Recycled, Vintage, & Retro Clothing in Brisbane.

Autumn Outfit

2008-05-19T18:17:00.001-07:00

Pink Industrie Hoody, Grey Industrie Skinny Jeans, Gold Kmart Thongs, White Chloe Paddington

Apologies for the even worse photos (paint splattered mirror/out of focus etc) I'm working on it though! I really really love Industrie, most of their clothes are well designed and have great little detailing. I usually buy when it's on sale to make it worthwhile. But the last few times I've checked their stuff out it's been really random - just all fluoro fluoro fluoro. Disappointing.

Oh well. I'm in exam-prep mode now - 2 weeks till exams and counting down!

Dilemma

2008-05-17T21:56:00.000-07:00

My heart is beating a thousand beats a minute. I don't know what to do.

I've just come across these beautiful Marc Jacobs boots on eBay.

Current bid $81, three hours to go.

They are so gorgeous and I can just see myself wearing them with black bandage skirt, worn-in white tee, and leather handbag. I've seen both Rumi from Fashion Toast and Lulu from Everybody is Ugly wearing them with such perfect outfits and I've been looking for similar boots everywhere.

Only thing is, purchasing them will include some major begging. We've spent so much money on the big move, renovations, etc. and trying to save at the moment. Plus I'm not going back to work till after exams, I think I'd feel too guilty even asking if I could buy them.

Arghh!!! I need to go back to work and can't wait to finish uni. Till then I suppose I'll have to satisfy myself with some sexy boot daydreaming and maybe some Polyvoring.

Louis Vuitton Earrings, White Hanes Tee, Black American Apparel Bandage Skirt, Tan Chloe Paddington

Finally

2008-05-13T18:46:00.000-07:00

I've been super busy renovating and moving into our new apartment! Therefore I've been very time-poor and wearing dodgy outfits, nothing close to being blog-worthy, unless anyone's interested in trackies, random pyjama combos, etc.

But I can show you a bit of the fruits of my labour - my new shoes! and the porcelain tiling job in the apartment.

We've still got a bit of work to do - buy new kitchen appliances, wardrobes (there are barely any built-ins but the bedrooms are bigger), and a bit of work to do in the bathrooms. I would love to put up photos of the place but not until everything is done. I'm a bit pedantic about this :).

Back to the shoes, I've been eyeing them off for ages since I first saw them at the Myer centre in the City. But with my luck, I visited one of my best friends at her work at Stones Corner (outlet shopping strip) yesterday. Apparently she buys all of her shoes from this shop next door to her office and they let me have them for $75 instead of the original $89. I'm stoked! I am in love with the zipper detail, kinda eighties/rock'n'roll. When I first saw them they were around the $100 mark and way out of my price range. I plan to wear them to work, when I actually go back to work (probably after exams in June). For an unemployed girl I certainly have a lot of nice work clothes that are patiently waiting for me!

Anyway I'm off to Freedom to buy new wardrobes and drawers!

What I Need For Winter

2008-04-30T15:31:00.000-07:00

Need #1: The Angry Shoe

Black Patent Heel $130 (Source: Zu Catalogue)

Need #2: The Lady-Like Skirt

Joveeba Black and White High-Waisted Skirt $240 (Source: May Cosmopolitan)

Need #3: The Tuxedo Suit

Tuxedo Suit probably a bajillion dollars (Source: May Australian Vogue)

Need #4: The Preppy Blazer

Ralph Lauren Navy Blazer $ not sure (Source: May Australian Vogue)

Need #5: The Trench Coat

Very Very Beige Trench Coat $299 (Source: May Cosmopolitan)

Gosh! and Japanese Ebaying

2008-04-29T01:18:00.000-07:00

I just found this killer website: Gosh Celebrity Fashion. Beautiful celebrity-inspired dresses and most of them don't go over the $100 mark. Which I think is ok for such lovely dresses and they look good quality too. Maybe something I should save up for for the races??? Races I'd go to wouldn't be till August though.

Black Pleat Dress (Camilla Belle-inspired) $99.95

Chiffon Grande Dress $89.95

I think the grey one is really beautiful :). I could wear it out clubbing with my black ribbed tights, heels, and a silver or black clutch. *sigh*. I'll have to think about this because even $90 when I don't even have an occasion to wear it too is a bit excessive. Well my boyfriend would think so anyway.

Another thing I've been wondering about is Japanese fashion off Ebay. I've bought a lot of stuff of Ebay with mostly great results, but mostly from within-Australia. So I'm curious to know whether these cute Japanese clothes are good because the prices are quite reasonable.

Retro Barbies is actually based in Hong Kong but selling Japanese fashion. They charge a fairly hefty postage fee ($19.50) but even so the coats sell for less than what I think I could buy them for in Australia. I'm just wondering if the clothes are as nice in real life as they are in the photos?

For example this black coat has a detachable faux fur collar and also the skirt bit can be removed to be worn as a short jacket.

$38.99 + $19.50 postage = $58.49

Does anyone have any experiencing with sites like these?

Neutrals

2008-04-23T22:10:00.000-07:00

Sand Cue Dress $60? on sale, Tan Supre Belt $15, White Chloe Paddington, Gold Kmart Thongs $13

Hmmm

2008-04-23T21:59:00.000-07:00

This is what I wore yesterday to lunch. Not too sure what I was thinking - woke up feeling sick and needed to finish an assignment!

Pink Teenage Millionaire T-Shirt $50, Green Industrie Cargos $40 (on sale), Kmart Gold Thongs $13

The pink Louis Vuitton is a very sweet present my boyfriend got for me when he went to America a few years ago. You can probably tell from this outfit that I'm a bit of a pink maniac :)

Yesterday's Outfit

2008-04-21T22:07:00.000-07:00

This is what I wore yesterday:

Floral Mooloolah Top $40, Tan Valley Girl Shorts $19, Black Barkley Flats $15

Some major bling!

Amethyst ring and necklace (designed by my mum)

And my Prada bag from agessss ago. I'm trying to put my bags on rotation because I have so many but go through phases of using the same one day-in day-out.

Grey Wool Prada Postman Bag

Also a special shout out to Diary of a Fashion Fake who has had the fabulous idea of having an Australian fashion blogs list. Thanks heaps for linking me and I've also done the same on my page! I'm already a current reader of most of them but there are a few that were new to me. They are all so good!! I'm always so happy to find more Aussie blogs so if you'd like me to link you too just drop me a line!

Sunday

2008-04-20T18:07:00.000-07:00

I know this is really vain but I wanted to show off a new top :). This is what I wore yesterday to do some exercise in the park. Met up with my little bro and sis at the park yesterday to do some running around the oval. Actually my bro and boyfriend traded NRL cards and didn't do any running.

This is one of my new tops I got as a set of four off Ebay for around $20 including postage. I got 3 One Teaspoon singlets and this one is a Mermaid Sister one.

Turquoise Mermaid Sister Top ebayed for about $5, Black Ice Shorts $20?, Random Payless or something Running Shoes $20?

And this may scare some of you as my nerdy side comes out :). This is my new CPA "exercise towel". I have two of them from attending accounting events and career fairs recently. My unemployment is really starting to sink in and I can't wait to get a proper job at the end of the year and start rolling in money. To buy new clothes of course :).

Sydney

2008-04-20T17:31:00.000-07:00

Sorry about the lack of posts recently, I've been in Sydney for a week and a bit for my brother's wedding and this week I have 2 essays due in for uni (and I'm starting to go a tiny bit nutty!). So here's a complete update on everything!

This is me being very touristy. I actually went on a proper guided tour of the opera house which was great, it really is an amazing building with an interesting architecture-history.

Don't know if you can really see much but I'll have a go anyway: Grab Sunnies, $15, Temt Grey Cardigan $30, Kmart Floral Top $8, Random Asian Skinnies $40, Kmart Gold Thongs $13

My brother's wedding was lovely and very original (he and his wife are a bit alternative). They had a small ceremony in the park with just family on a Friday afternoon and a reception on the following day with heaps of friends at the church hall. It was a fancy-dress theme with my bro dressed as a pirate and his wife as a bollywood princess. It was so so cool, everyone took to the theme really well but I'll have to put up the costume photos up another time. My boyfriend and I dressed up as Caesar-y Romans :).

Anyway, I was really good in Sydney I only bought one thing! My boyfriend and I went to China Town and Paddy's Markets on our last day there. I love Paddy's Markets! They just have all the latest clothes and bags at such cheap prices. I don't mind investing in pieces that will last forever, but for items like tops, stockings, dresses that I'll probably only wear for a few months and then wreck out clubbing, we just don't have anything like Paddy's in Brisbane. It's so annoying!

My one purchase was a blue and white striped shirt-dress which I wore last Saturday to meet a friend in the City. I originally wanted to wear it with my new textured stockings but it just looked a bit strange.

Paddy's Markets Shirtdress $29, Black Voodoo Stockings $8, Chocolate Urban Soul Flats $40?

I liked it better with my skinnies (which I'm trying to stop wearing!):

Tan Ice Belt $10?

And finally decided against the belt:
The dress inspired me to wear my Sunflowers perfume (a Christmas pressie from my bro), just trying to enjoy the last few days of Summer. Brisbane weather is so much better than Sydney! But I think Sydney is prettier than Brisbane. I used to wear this when I was in grade 7 (I think?) and it brings back so many good memories. I love perfume.

That's the end of my slightly rambley post, I know the photos are crap but they're off my phone and I'm too poor (I've quit work to study full-time) to buy a new digital camera at the moment. Hopefully I'll be rich again soon :).

Outfit

2008-03-31T17:33:00.001-07:00

gold Sportsgirl earrings $5, cream Cue cardigan $30 on sale, army green Supre dress $30, gold Diva bangle $7, white Chloe Paddington handbag, Kmart boots $20

Clubbing Tops

2008-03-31T17:15:00.000-07:00

My clubbing outfits have been fairly uninspired lately and despite finding the *perfect* dark wash skinny jeans, my tops are all a bit blah. Seeing as I'm not the avid clubber that I was when I was 18-20, so naturally my clothes from then are a bit outdated (and if the truth be told don't fit anymore either haha). Imagine my delight when I went to El Medina in West End, they were having a $10 sale ON EVERYTHING. Yep, ten smacks. Not everything in the shop is worth getting, but my supply of sexy club tops has been more than adequately replenished.

Clockwise: Spicysugar sequin dress $10, Spicysugar white top $10, Spicysugar magenta top $10, random garter bracelet from a recent hens :), Minkpink white peasant top $10

On my first trip I bought the white singlet with sequins on the upper area and the white peasant style dress. On the second trip I bought the magenta with black sequins and the blindingly disco sequin dress. To my (pleasant) surprise all are flattering and comfortable too. Which, is not always the case with clubbing tops.

I would put some complete outfits up but don't have any photos where my friends and I aren't completely inebriated. Obviously the outfits have done their job well then :).