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

Happy Friday

I admire women who match their clothes and accessories, I really do.  But life's too short and my motto at the moment is "it doesn't have to match".

So I teamed a pretty, silk, floaty Zayt dress with a cotton sailor cardi from Bardot and a patent, deep red belt from Cue.  I might post some more outfit photos if people enjoy them. xx

Old school

I've always wanted to get my own personalised stationary, as I love to write and think that hand written notes are one of the sweetest gestures one can receive.

Imagine my delight when I stumbled across French Navy

An affordable alternative to Smythson customised stationary - that I'll maybe order when I marry Prince William.  But anyway, this is a good start, which I try to marry a loaded prince with stationary.

I'm going to bed, after 6 hours of refreshing the Ticketek website I've resigned that the tennis Gods are against me and do not want me to watch Djokovic on Hinsense Arena tomorrow as the ticket allocation has been EXHAUSTED and so have I!

Goodnight world.

Garance A-Dore-ing

Who doesn't love her?

Interview Magazine recently did a wonderful interview with her.  Have a peek.

Her blog receives around 50,000 hits each day and she seems so refreshingly real, posting beautiful street style images, as well as illustrations and random musings.

Garance is from Corsica, a place I want to visit as much as I want to visit Paris.

I know the controversy surrounding her and Scott Schuman of The Sartorialist fame, but heck I left someone I was with for someone I really wanted to be with, so who am I to judge?

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?

I am back at work and it's fair to say I'm struggling to focus.

What better distraction than this beautiful cover of Russian Vogue.  I understand Russian, but cannot really read it, so I guess I'll just have to look at the pretty images in the interim.  It helps that they're images of Natasha Poly - my favourite model!

Karlie Kloss - Vogue Italia January 2010

What an amazing cover.  Click to enlarge.

Emporium - Brisbane

I'm flying back to Melbourne tonight and they're saying it's meant to be 17C over the next few days... which means my idyllic week in Brisbane is all but over.

Yesterday I spent the afternoon with my cousin at Brisbane's Emporium.  I love how far Brisbane has come.

A lazy 2 hours was spent over Mojito's and tapas at The Depot.  The weather was perfect with a slight breeze... What life in Brisbane is all about.

The Emporium is a hub of cute little stores and restaurants.  I love that in Brisbane you can go to the one place and find everything edited to well.  I found lots of wonderful little pieces, but sadly just walked away with a cute little notebook.

If you've got a sweet tooth, you cannot go past Freestyle Tout a cafe dedicated to desserts.  The creme brulee is the best I've ever had and I've had a lot!

I can also never visit without a peek at the wonderful couture bridal gowns at Darb

They are an amazing work of art.

And then there's Jean Brown.  Amber has done a wonderful thing to fashion in Brisbane.  She has three stores - two at the Emporium, one for clothes and one for accessories and another little store at Tatersall's Arcade in the Mall. 

The pieces are wonderfully selected and Amber also offers a mail order service.

Next time I'm here I'd love to stay at the Emporium Hotel.

I'm more into minimalism, but for a change, I'd love to stay somewhere this opulent. 

DVF Didi Coat

I love DVF because it's so wearable and the price points are definitely attainable for us all, especially when the end of season sales help a bit more.

And I think I've changed - finally.  This new coat will form a basis, be a staple item in my wardrobe, something I've sorely missed because most of my items are stand out pieces, impossible to wear all the time and not really mixable with the other stuff.

The coat will work wonders with jeans, tights or over dresses which I've layered.

Bring on winter - at least I'm prepared this time around.

Come on DHL.  Hurry up!

More Kloss

Can't help but post another Dior SS2010 image featuring the divine miss Kloss.

She also stars in the "On Holidays With Hermes" campaign with a stunning Twilly braided through her hair.  Who wouldn't want to vacation like that!

Holiday packing - an artform

I like to provide myself an expert holiday packer.  I once went to Europe for 3 weeks with carry on luggage of 12 kilos (it was summer).

I did however learn my lesson after going to Europe in 2005 with two suitcases and 20 kilos of excess baggage for which they wanted to charge me 700 euros.  I then vowed never to do that again.

I love January.  In Australia it means 30C+ days, lots of holidays, tennis, birthdays, slave, Christmas... it's my favourite month by far.

Tonight I am flying to Queensland of 8 days... and all that I am taking with me fits into a small carry on sized case.  The trick to holidays packing is to ensure that each and every item is an outfit of it's own, or can be worn with at least 2 or 3 other items to create an outfit.

Let me tell you what I plan to do whilst there

• go to church for slava
• go out for Orthodox NYE
• celebrate my brother's 18th birthday and spend some time with him doing things that 18 year old boys do
• spend some lazy days at my parents house
• go to Noosa for a couple of days

My essentials are:

Scanlan & Theodore silk dress

Can be worn over a bikini at the beach... or shopping over a nude slip.. or while lazying around the house/going for a coffee/seeing a movie.  Pared with some flat sandals or havs.

Throw in some separates in the form of black Zara shorts and a pair of denim cut off shorts, completes the basis of the wardrobe.

I am taking 2 singlets and two dressy tops to pair with these bottoms for casual day time wear.

The cut off shorts were a pair of old jeans that were too short, that I cut off.  I love them!

This Topshop top is my go to item when I feel like I have "nothing to wear".  Souvenir  from said overpacking trip in 2005.

Witchery top is another easy to throw on item with the shorts and denim cut offs.

The Shakuhachi is to be worn for my brother's 18th.

Throw in two pairs of bikinis and a pashmina to wrap around myself when it's cold indoors and I'm set.

Dior SS2010

The campaigns only get better.  Cannot wait to see the rest of the images.  Miss Kloss is divine in this image.  Way beyond her 17 years.  And I love the one third rule that I'm learning in photography.

Image thanks to Dior.

Demi v Anja

Anja Rubik is my second favourite model, behind Natasha Poly.

After thinking about it for 2 months, I've decided that Demi's head was photoshopped onto Anja's body.  Nobody has Anja's body except Anja.

Photos via W Magazine and style.com (of course)

Chanel SS2010

Karl took the barnyard inspired show to Argentina to shoot the campaign, starring one of the girls of the moment - Freja Beha and a male model dressed suspiciously a lot like Karl himself - hello ponytale...white shirt...boots....

Then of course Claudia gets her own shot.

I'm a fan.  The photos suit the mood of the collection and the mood is perfectly suited to what I imagine Argentina to be like.

Very matadore.  Very flamingo and tango.

Photos courtesy of Chanel.

The readers of my blog know my love of Scanlan & Theodore.  I think I wear at least one of Gary's items each and every day (I have 14 knits alone).

And I have also spoken of my desire to be more thoughtful with shopping and not buy things immediately, but rather after thinking it over for at least 48 hours.

Ebay is a Godsend when it comes to this, as I can watch an item and decide over a number of days if I really want it or not, while coming up with outfit ideas in my head.

Imagine my delight when I found this skirt (that I had my eye on during the ss08/09 season, which sold out by the time I decided that I should buy it).

RRP ~$350 

Ebay price $44.

Bliss.

It's January 2.

I have my entire summer wardrobe which needs unpacking, washing and ironing and then suitcase packing in anticipation for my trip to Queensland next week.  I still have to buy my brother's Christmas presents as well as a present for his 18th.  I have to plan a Christmas day lunch, as well as shop the ingredients and cook it all.  I have 2700 unread and unanswered emails in my inbox, which has been neglected since I went to Hobart - I've been unable to catch up!

Yet I've started the year well - I went for a blissful beach walk yesterday and I went to the gym today... well as my usual weekend guilty pleasure - a trip to Borders and a couple of hours reading imported fashion magazines.

I can't bring myself to pay upwards of $17 for each publication when I can sit on (a very uncomfortable) bench at Borders and flip and read as I wish, noting down inspiration for the next season.

I'm a summer girl through and through, but I'm looking forward to wearing my YSL boots, lots of black tights and knits... and my next season must buy.. an oversized coat/cape like jacket.

Let the fun begin.


Image, as snapped by me on my iPhone:

Rachael McAdams on the cover of US Vogue - January 2010.  I only grabbed it off the shelf to read the Lara Stone interview.  I needn't have bothered.  The whole thing was retold by the Fug Girls via The Cut about 3 weeks ago.

Lara tells us about her struggles with being "fat" in the fashion industry and her alcohol abuse problem which was cured by a stint in rehab in South Africa.  I don't really blame the designers when it comes to the same sizes.  The clothes that the girls on the catwalk wear, get torn off them immediately and sold to the likes of Rachel Zoe to dress the celebs in.. and those celebs are the ones who are 5"1, small boned and need the samples to fit... Size Zero...

Shu failure

I am such an idiot.

I have two huge draws of make up.  All high end.  I'd say thousands of dollars worth.

So I have no idea what possessed me to jump on Kiss and Make Up at midnight about 2 weeks ago and jam 3 new useless things into my shopping basket and quickly check out.

So this is what just landed on my desk at work from New York.

• Laura Mercier SPF 20 Tinted Moisturiser.  Why did I buy it?  Because people keep raving about it, that's why!  And because I'm often running late in the morning to brush on my Armani Silk Foundation - as good as it is, it streaks like heck and takes a good while to brush on perfectly.  I've been using a Clinique mineral foundation/powder on the lazy days, but the colour was not matched properly (too light) and now that it's summer I look like a ghost!  So LMTM here I come.
• Shu Uemura - ultimate expression mascara.  What a load (or should I say what a tube) of rubbish.  I may as well have bought a tube of that pink and green Maybelline stuff.  I've been a Diorshow fanatic for 4 years and I don't know WHAT possesses me to try something different because I'm perenially disappointed each and every time.  This one was just a moist blob on my lashes which is now hard.  It's not soft and full and long on my lashes like Diorshow.  Major disappointment.  When will I learn my lesson?
• Laura Mercier Petite Eye Palette in Cool - this is a really cute little compact with just the right amount of shadow.  In my 10 years of make up wearing I've never reached pan in a shadow (apart from when I smash it on tiles, oops), so it's sensible to buy this mini pack, BUT eyeshadow doesn't suit me.. or I don't know how to apply it!  So this pretty little palette will go to the bottom of my make up pit and never grace a pretty face.  Sigh. 

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...

Bizzare behaviour

I hate new year's resolutions.  Mostly 'cos I don't stick to them.  I had a look at ones I'd blogged previously and I smirked 'cos I'd achieved none of them.

But hey, I'm still making a few for 2010.  It's more of a to do list than a resolutions

• use my gym membership - or B will cancel it.  Oops
• declutter - yes I know, I live in a small space with far too many things

In the spirit of decluttering, I jumped off the couch at 11pm last night and went put away my winter knits in a draw with some lavender soap.  Then I dawned on me that I should perhaps wash them before putting them away - brilliant!  Except that meant no sleep until 2am as the washing machine on "wool" mode annoyed the heck out of me spinning every 7 minutes.

I have an embarrassing Scanlan & Theodore knit collection, amassed while I cursed the Melbourne winter when I first moved here.  I layered and layered and layered - a skivvy under a knit, under a cardi. HA!

Now I'm going to the beach.  Screw it!! Haven't been yet this summer and that makes me sad.  Even though it's not very warm today, but it is warmer than it has been any other day I've been free this summer.

Wearing - blue Zimmermann string bikini, white Chloe mini dress, blue havs, s&b beach bag.

La Photographique

Somehow my blog has turned into a fashion blog, which is not what I ever had in mind.

I'd been lusting after an SLR for some time now and had hoped my lovely would get me one for my birthday back in September.

That didn't happen - he bought me a Nikon D3000 a few weeks ago instead - for no particular reason!

I had no idea where to start, so I took an intro course and here's a few of my favourite snaps.

Aperture, ISO, ISO, ISO... I'm getting there.

Wishing you all a Happy Christmas and a prosperous, magical, New Year.

Olivia Palermo Part II

I know I've already mentioned her, but Olivia Palermo, Manhattan socialite turned reality star on The City and owner of a very enviable wardrobe. She may not be portrayed as the nicest or easiest person to get along with, but the woman has AMAZING hair and a wardrobe to match. She has been featured on The Sartorialist several times and it has even been rumored that she was the real-life inspiration for the Blair Waldorf character on Gossip Girl.


She balances feminine and masculine details as perfectly as some of my favorite interior designers and she accessorizes each ensemble beautifully.


And check out her (old) apartment.  Apparently she now lives in DUMBO, Brooklyn.  I'm sure she's got more space now, so would love to see the interior!

'

Amazing shorts!