Fashion Blogger Q&A

The lovely crew behind the 2threads style network have asked me to take part in their blogger Q&A!  Thank you!  I really appreciate your support of my little blog :)

Q1.  The time you felt most inspired by fashion?

This image of Gemma Ward on the cover of Vogue Australia November 2004 is definitely the defining moment and when my love affair with fashion began.  One of the jobs I did whilst at university was marketing campaigns on campus for big companies - mobile phone providers, banks and other necessary services.  It paid about $12 an hour, but offered some good freebies and bonuses.  One of those was a magazine subscription - to Vogue!  And I thought, what the heck!?  I had done a bit of modelling, but that world in Brisbane was not like the fantasy modelling world.  We wore singlet tops, denim shorts and flip flops as a uniform.  Vogue had never crossed my mind, especially not reading it.

But this issue of Vogue spoke to me.  The exotic beach holiday locations and packing essentials, beauty tips from models, fabulous ad campaigns for the design houses... It inspired me to lead a more fashionable life... and started the whole evil love affair with luxury.    Whether that's a good or a bad thing, I'll let you judge. 

I still have this issue in my old bedroom at my parents house.  I actually reread it while on holidays up there in January.  It's amazing how relevant the fashion and the written features are, 5+ years down the track.

Q2. The time you were proudest of your outfit of style?

I'd say my style is "minimalist".  Back in 2005 when I travelled to Europe, boho style a la Sienna Miller and Nicole Richie/Rachel Zoe was all the rage.  I could have fallen victim to the trend, and don't worry I wore plenty of gypsie outfits to class, but when I travelled, I decided on a minimalist style, which I'm very glad I did.  While all of my friends are channeling Sienna, with photographic evidence etching it in our memories forever, I am wearing black and white henleys, straight leg jeans, a slim cut coat etc... travel style that will never age!

Q3. The time in fashion you would most like to return to - eg 60's style, 70's style?

The answer here is none!  I love fashion where it is now!  I'm a Balmain girl (well a Balmain-loving girl, because frankly, who can afford $1,500 to spend on a t shirt?)

https://www.stormwatches.com.au/

“when experience is not retained, infancy is perpetual. Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it”.

Is the world trying to tell us something?  There are thousands upon thousands of people standed around the world away from their loved ones, unable to start their new job, unable to commence or complete holidays that they've been looking forward to for so long.  And the volcano doesn't sound/look like it's going to stop any time soon (it last errupted in 1820 and that erruption lasted for 2 years.  But people are making do.

Were the million +++ dollar bonuses that Wall Street firms were paying over the last 20 years really sustainable?  Were people kidding themselves thinking it would never end?  The latest scandal involving Goldman Sachs has finally woken up a lot of people, especially considering how conservative they were as an organisation as they seemed to weather the GFC storm pretty well.

Occasionally I come across a book which has a profound impact. I am reading a book on an issue that I have been thinking about for years – how do we truly learn from our mistakes? The book is called ‘Mistakes Were Made (But Not By Me)’, written by psychologists C. Tavris and E. Aronson.

I have always been intrigued with the incredible capacity of (business) people to rationalise poor management/judgement, totally convincingly and with genuine conviction, on the basis that it was outside their control or actually not something they ever truly agreed with, even when they were in responsible jobs and were paid a lot (of course, when things go well, it was down to their judgement!).

The GFC produced examples such as "no one saw this coming", "we were in the same position as others" etc. In other words, when things go wrong, we all have a capacity to rewrite history to fit our current perception. We search for evidence to support propositions we have already persuaded ourselves are true - mistakes were made by others, but not by me! The problem with this natural human defence/failing is that we don’t learn. This is the real cost and the source of my concern. It’s a business issue as well as a human one.

A great book with an important message! An organisation (person) willing to face into its mistakes, is an organisation (person) willing to learn and thus less likely to repeat mistakes.
 

I have been going on a bit of an indulgent binge lately, showering myself with frivolous, luxury purchases which fill a void and cause excitement for a few hours.  I am on a zillion online store mailing lists, offering me VIP discounts, free shipping etc.  I am constantly bombarded with SALE! SALE! SALE! mail.  I like to keep abreast of new designers and trends, but my heart is constantly from new items that for some reason I think I have to have.

 

The latest culprit is The Outnet.  After the chaos of their 1 dollar sale, they are offering free shipping over the next 4 weeks with the code freeshipbday and silly old me has purchased a pair of Chloe heels (granted I've wanted these for a while).  They fit my main criteria - they are suitable for my lifestyle.  But suddenly, due to free shipping, new things start to catch my eye, that I would not have paid AUD30 to have shipped to me otherwise.  This evil cycle has to stop. 

Inspired by a fellow blogger Make Do Style I am going to MAKE DO for the next 40 days.  Finish that half used tub of body scrub instead of trying a new one that a big company has released that's virtually the same as all the other ones, except for the subtle "new" vanilla scent.  Forget the leopard print tights from my favourite high street store.

Instead I'm going to put in more of an effort into my study that I'm further and further behind with, I'm going to do some more cooking, maybe even clear out the pantry.  And not to mention the neglected gym membership.  Surely there are more fulfilling accomplishments in life than buying stuff!

The challenge starts now.  I will post items that I would have purchase, just to monitor my habits and at the end of the 40 days, I bet that I will look back at everything and think.. hmm I didn't really need that after all?

Now, I'm going to enjoy my Chloe scalloped edge heels...

Happy Friday

Loving nautical right now.  Actually no, I always love nautical.

Love

The mornings are starting to get chilly, so finally my mind is turning to the winter wardrobe.  As I'm chained to a desk, my outlet is my Saturday wardrobe, when I go out for breakfast, wander through the park/museum/city/suburban shopping strips/markets... I write, take photos.. namely, do things for me.

I love love love LOVE this look, perfect for all of the above.

Why do I love it?

• I adore the hair colour
• I adore the felt hat - I hate washing my hair on Saturday mornings as I like to be out the door ASAP making the most of my day, so the hat hides bad hair days.  A beret does the job too.
• As I wear pretty tops under the corporate garb, I like to throw on a plain tee on the weekend and be off and away
• I'm always cold, so I need a coat and this one is camel! Love
• Boots... flat... over the knee... what's not to love?

I'm also loving this scarf from Witchery... 

I'm so looking forward to this coming Saturday.  The sun is still shining and B is spending the day watching F1 cars (zzzz), so I'm going to wander to my favourite shops in the morning and see friends in the afternoon.

Around the world

I'm always so excitedand humbled by all your visits, emails and comments.  In particular, it gives me so much joy to see the locations of some of my visitors.

Hello to you all and hello the person visiting from Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil - so cool!

If...

I saw this on Diamonds and Tulle and I'm playing along :) You should too.

If I were a month, I'd be... January.  New beginnings...

If I were a day of the week, I'd be... Sunday.  Relaxed.

If I were a time of day, I'd be... Early evening...

If I were a planet, I'd be ... Earth.

If I were a sea animal, I'd be ... a bird.

If I were a direction, I'd be... north.. so I'd be closed to my parents.

If I were a piece of furniture, I'd be... a snuggly bed

If I were a liquid, I'd be ... tea... warm.

If I were a gemstone, I'd be ... a diamond or a pearl

If I were a tree, I'd be... an oak.  Stronger with age.

If I were a tool, I'd be ... a knife

If I were a flower, I'd be ... a rose

If I were a kind of weather, I'd be ... hot!

If I were a musical instrument, I'd be ... an accordion.. traditional 

If I were a colour, I'd be ... a pastel

If I were an emotion, I'd be ... happy

If I were a fruit, I'd be ... a cherry

If I were a sound, I'd be ... a laugh

If I were an element, I'd be ... oxygen

If I were a car, I'd be a... a convertible merc!

If I were a food, I'd be ...a fruit

If I were a place, I'd be...tropical

If I were a material, I'd be... silk

If I were a taste, I'd be ...sweet

If I were a scent, I'd be ... oriental

If I were an object, I'd be a ... item of clothing. HA!

If I were a body part, I'd be the ... eyes

If I were a facial expression, I'd be a...smile

If I were a song, I'd be ... pop

If I were a pair of shoes, I'd be...an ankle boot

x

I am sick.

It hasn't rained for a long time and I think the down pour of the last few days has resulted in all sorts of nasties coming to visit.

I have a pending deadline, readings and a heap of house work, yet I can barely lift a finger.

Having said that, it's a perfect excuse go visit Amsterdam St cafe, around the corner from work and get myself a cupcake. 

Today it was red velvet.

I love eating at Amsterdam.  All the food is fresh and organic, yet it's really delicious and satisfying.  If you are ever in Richmond, be sure to check it out.  Coffee is great too and the service the best you'll have.



2 Amsterdam St (right near corner Church St), Richmond

Happy March!

Hopefully the northern hemisphere readers get some much needed sunshine soon.

x

As I've mentioned previously I catch two trams to work and two trams home.  We really have been spoilt for warm weather in Melbourne lately so I sometimes catch only one tram home and walk the other route.  Today I walked (half) of the Chapel Street route to check out some of my favourite stores up the other end of the Street, like TL Wood, White Suede etc and go into JB to get another copy of Amelie, as I cannot find my original copy.

I bought B a set of golf clubs the other week, so I am now a golf widow - he plays every chance he gets!  I had hoped to use tonight's me time to plan some meals, list some things on eBay, do some washing... but instead I am catching up on NYFW, watching recorded olympic coverage and eating Isleri... oooops.

Isleri are naughty Serbian biscuits with a cream hazelnut filling, smothered in chocolate. YUM!

Valentine's Day

The romance of Valentine's Day always sucks me in.

I always imagine receiving a bunch of roses and a card and some sparkly jewelry and perhaps a pair of nude, patent Christian Louboutin 100mm Simples.  (size 41 if you're reading honey)

But no.  It never happens.  Apparently Valentine's Day is just a Hallmark gimmick (well yes it probably is, but a girl can still hope).

It doesn't help when Net A Porter sends you an email that looks like this.... full of my favourite things... macaroons, sparkles, nude Louboutins, champagne roses...

Bette Davis

"I have been uncompromising, peppery, intractable, monomaniacal, tactless, volatile and ofttimes disagreeable... I suppose I'm larger than life"

Kikki K

With no luck on the tennis ticket front and the weather looking like it's going to rain, I am shortly headed to the office to do some overtime - that's what happens when you take holidays!

On Thursday, I finally enrolled in post grad - something I procrastinated for 3 long year.

Of course a return to study calls for a trip to the stationary store and on my way to work I'm going to stop into Kikki K and a wander through the city to take some more photos with my Nikon.

Images thanks to Kikki K

Quote of the Day

It's amazing the amount of reading one gets through during a 3 hour session at the hairdresser.

Words by Judy Garland.  My manicure - OPI - Got a Date To-Knight?

My husband is currently on forced 2 weeks annual leave, as it the most of Australia.  I am not.  We call it "working through".  I don't really mind.  The phone sparcly rings as most of our clients are on holidays, even the ones who don't celebrate Christmas (refer to the first sentence where I write that most of Australia is on holidays) and there are no new deals to tender (yes again because all potential and existing clients are on holidays).

During the down time I can read, write, make lists, come up with resolutions, plan my travel itinerary, stare out the window and wish I was at the beach, think about what I'm going to pack to take to Queensland, have long lunches, go home at 3pm, eBay, read Liberty London Girl's entire blog as I only discovered it over the weekend... search for jobs in Manhattan because I so desparately want to move there...