A new year means new outfits

Wow, I can't believe we're already a week into 2010! 2010 marks a whole new year, and a whole lot of new outfits! Now, when I use the term 'new' I'm not necesarily talking about newly purchased clothes. Because as much as I love buying new clothes, shoes and accessories, moreover I love experimenting with new combinations from things already in my wardrobe.

Digging up clothes you haven't worn in years, and piecing them with wardrobe staples to piece together an outfit is just. so. satisfying. In light of this, I proclaim my 2010 Clothing New Years Resolution: To give new life to old clothing. Well, to be even more precise, to start wearing the all clothes I have in my wardrobe- or get rid of it. I find it quite shameful that I have some items in my wardrobe- still with tags on! I already have two big boxes of clothes I plan to sell in Glebe Markets/Ebay/St Vinnies some time. So I am going to set aside a day in the near future and go through every single item in my wardrobe and sort. it. all. out.

Here are some outfits from my 2010 so far...

At a friend's party:

Ruffle top: From a shop in Tokyo, on sale for AU$10
Purple Jeans: From a shop in Harajuku, Tokyo $AU 19
Shoes: Vintage Italian shoes from the 80s from the Wardrobe Store $65

Bracelets $2 each from Hello Gorgeous, Melbourne

High Tea at the Observatory Hotel (lucky me, again!) for one of my Best Friends, Anna's 20th

I was a bit outfit-anxious about this party, as I had heard some friends had bought new outfits for the occasion. I had not- so thirty minutes before I was meant to leave my house I was madly trying on/throwing around clothes in my room trying to piece together a combination that would work. After trying on what seemed like 100s of different tops, skirts and dresses, and receiving unconvincing"that's nice" comments from my Mum, I finally settled on an outfit.

I was pretty happy with it, seeing as everything I chose to wear I bought on massive sale! The separate pieces- top, skirt, shoes- added up to under $60. Sweet.

Top: Lacy sleeveless top, $4 in Op Shop on Chaple St, Melbourne

Skirt: Big by Fiona Scanlan: $34, from $60

Shoes: Nina New York: $25 from $180!

I'm on the chick on the right. Maddy in the middle is looking amazing in Alex Perry!

The most beautiful birthday girl Anna in Alannah Hill (R) and I (L)

I also wore a vintage brooch my Aunty gave me

All my friends looked absolutely stunning. It helps that they are drop-dead goregous...

Au revoir 2009!

Happy New Year all! My New Years Eve was a blast! It was low-key, chilled affair with best friends, my boyfriend, and randoms. As it was planned to be a 'sit and chat and eat and chat and eat and watch fireworks' affair, I didn't want to dress up too much. But on the other hand, it was new years, and every girl wants to look nice!

Unfortunately I look a bit crazy in this photo- but it shows the dress design well. Worn with an Enth necklace (see previous entry written on it)

After a bit of deliberation, I wore a lilac coloured see-through dress with a swirl design patterned throughout, which my Mum bought me for Christmas when I was around 10 years old. She actually bought it in some random clothing store in the old Chatswood Interchange!! It says it's Made in Korea which is awesome (as an aside, I really want to find some more Korean clothing as from what I have come across it's very well made and interesting). I had never worn it before, as I could never figure out what to wear it with.

Worn with glittery leggings and my Windsor Smith leather buckle boots

This is where a black slip comes in handy. I bought mine from Metalicus. Seriously, if you don't own a black slip, DROP EVERYTHING AND BUY ONE! I tell you, I have never used an item of clothing so much. So many outfit options just opened up.

Naked romance

N-U-D-I-T-Y.

Well, to be more precise- nude, soft pink hue coloured clothing and accessories. It's a (lack of) colour trend that has been rumbling for a while now on the runways, and some of you more fashion-forward girls might be already on it. But it's only now that the trend is starting to hit the shops. The nude vision is unique, for depending on the fabric chosen and how the piece is structured, wearing a nude garment can evoke two opposingly distinct images.

1) Sweepingly feminine, romantic and delicate

2) Provocative, down-right sexy and body-tight.

Either way, it's been hailed "The Return of Romance". And I'm definately in love with it.

XXX

It's a love triangle with Fashion, Tea, and me.

Today was my Mum's Birthday!! What better way to celebrate than High Tea at the Observatory Hotel?

After starting our day by going to yoga, we took some photos in front of the beautifully gorgeous Swarovski Crystal Christmas tree in the QVB. (Apparently it's the largest Swarovski tree in the world) We probably looked like Japanese tourists hahah! Say Fuji!

Then we cabbed it to the Observatory Hotel. I was such a dork. When I put my foot out of the car, my heel got caught on the inside of my dress. So there I was, hopping on one foot, trying to untangle myself. Once I did, you'd think that would be the end of it. Not with dorky me. I was re-enacting to my Mum what happened, and then my foot got caught again! All in front of the door men. I am one classy lady.

We were ushered into the absolutely devine Globe Bar, which is stylised to look like a library in an Old English Manor. For our choice of tea, I chose a "first flush finest quality Assam" and Mum chose the Darjeeling. We were then presented with the oh-so-difficult task of devouring *mini* creme caramels, quiche lorraines, chocolate cakes, cheese cakes, panna cotta, plain and fruit scones with home-made strawberry jam and cream and 4 kinds of sandwiches. Oh. My. God. D.e.l.i.c.i.o.u.s. The scones were my tied favourite with the creme caramel. We've already planned a return visit!

In continuing with the total classiness, we just had to take some pictures in the bathroom... I mean, lavatory.

And of course, we had to get dressed up for the occassion! (Pictures below in Martin Place)


I decided to wear a grey Metalicus cross-over dress, with a white Portmans floral singlet underneath, and my black and white bow Nine West heels. My bag is from a department store in Japan I bought as part of some special promotion they were having in wchih all these Italian leather bags were down from around $300 to $120. For accessories I wore the diamond earrings from Arpege my Mum gave me for my birthday this year, and a heart-lock silver bracelet from a jewellery stall next to the Opera House my mum gave me last year for Christmas.

Mum wore my black floral dress I bought in Maroubra for $20, my purple diamond ball necklace, heels from Isetan in Malaysia, and a bag from Ginza Kanematsu (Japanese designer shoe brand).

So Happy Birthday Mum! You are the most wonderful mum in the world. I love you!

Hypothetical purchases...

Let me pose a hypothetical: Say you just bought two skirts- would it be wrong to buy another two? But change the you to I. Given this is all hypothetical- it is truly amazing that I managed to capture these purchases in photographic form.

Skirt: Uniqlo ($20)

Singlet Top: Uniqlo ($10)

Necklace: UTECH Time Team ($3.50)

The skirts are from my Mum and my favourite Japanese brand Uniqlo. It's like a Japanese Topshop/H&M. But cheaper, more innovative, unique and ah, Japanese. They were $20 each. I can definately utilise these skirts as the weather gets warmer, and they are oh so sweet I think! (n.b. utilise is a very handy verb for justifying shopping).

I also got two lace singlet tops in a beautiful bright fuchia and electric purple. They were only $10 each. They look great tucked into skirts.

Belted with: Romance Was Born Scarf

(ah, um. $80. Ok, I realise that it cost more than the total amount of these clothes. But it is a work of art - literally- using the print of Australian Artist Del Kathryn Barton)

My mum bought them online- and had them shipped over. We're crazy like that. They were bought 2 or so months ago. So it's not really like I just bought 4 skirts in a row. There was a break people!

But we really should remember this is all hypothetical...

Not quite diamonds...

Alright, so I went on a mini jewellery buying spree. Those that know me, are well aware of the rather excessive amount of jewellery I own. I don't know how I can make it more simple- I am just obsessed! I love that an outfit can take a completely different character depending on the type of ring/necklace/bracelet/bangle/earrings you wear.

Brown tube skirt ($6.25) and Evil Eye necklace ($5.00)

My shopping is completely justified on account that it was such a bargain. Well, at least that's my take on it. All the jewellery I bought was around 75% off. Aha. Luckily for me, the store UTECH in the Galleries of Victoria was closing down, and everything was already discounted, with an additional discount of 50%. Although, it was a pretty cool store- not that I ever shopped there- but it had some funky things. but it I was on my lunch break, and was running around the store like a headless chicken trying on as many things as I could in my measly 20 minute break.

I managed to score their signature tube one-size-fits-all skirts, in brown and charcoal- for $6.25 each (two for $12.50)!!! (Originally: $36.95). I don't know how I lived life without them. They are so, so comfortable and easy to wear.

An Evil Eye Necklace: $5 (Originally $29)



Time Team necklace (in blue pictured... and also black) for $3.50 each (Originally $12.90 each)



A Star Necklace for only $1.50 (Originally $16.90). (So kitch- but fun!)



Stud bracelet $2.50 (Originally $12.90) (Oh so rockstar ha!) Worn with Shu Uemura purple sparkly nailpolish (Part of my Bday gift from my lovely mum)



Enchanted Wood Necklace $3.50 (Originally 19.90). Excuse the face- I was so smart as to take off my makeup before doing this all.


The damage:

5x necklaces + 1x braclet + 2x skirts= $42