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The Land of Harry Potter

by ilikeyourshirtfashionblog

Clearly there has been a lengthy unexplained absence, and the only excuse I have for that is, well, Europe (Europe, of all places!). I wish my excuse wasn’t as clichéd as Europe, but to be honest I thoroughly enjoyed being one of the countless Aussies spending the winter over by the beautiful beaches in the Aegean Sea, throwing back cocktails at the sunset and gorging myself on custard tarts. There are absolutely no regrets, and I feel as though it is my official duty to offload all of my gooey feelings of love and joy towards the wonders of Europe onto this blog. Please bear with me.  

The first leg of our grand old adventure was little ol’ London, England. It was a far cry from the highly anticipated sun-kissed beaches and cocktails, as we were greeted with grey skies and an unpleasant smattering of rain. But no amount of petty rain could keep us from seeing as much as we could manage in the 24 hours spent in London.

I was convinced this was The London Bridge but apparently not.
Tower of London (feat. boyf who blinks)
Buckingham Palace

After our far-too-brief stint in London, we headed outside the hustle and bustle and visited the quaint medieval village of Lavenham in Suffolk. Coming from a country of relatively modern buildings, this quiet village filled with crooked, timber houses was pretty exciting. Apparently some scenes from the final two Harry Potter movies were shot here! We enjoyed a wonderful afternoon tea in one of those medieval timber buildings, and it honestly felt like I had been transported back in time. It is remarkable how history can be preserved in this way, and that is something I really appreciated during my 4 days in England.

I would have loved to stay in England for longer to work out the mechanics of these higgledy piggledy houses, but my limited number of winter-suitable clothes had already been expended and we already had our flights booked for Crete, Greece. Plus, the cocktails were calling. So next stop, the Greek Islands!

Stay tuned for more European adventures by following me on my blog or on Instagram @ilikeyourshirt_blog. Thanks for stopping by! x

A 20s Soiree

by ilikeyourshirtfashionblog

A fabulous exhibition called ‘Night Life’ is on display at Rippon Lea Estate in Melbourne, featuring original fashion items from the 20s and 30s that were made and worn in Australia. The ‘roaring 20s’ manifested a time of economic prosperity and joy due to the conclusion of the War. Skirt lengths and hairstyles were shorter, and sequins and fine embellishments were all the rage. Although there was reluctance to adopt these new controversial styles that brought fashion into a less conservative era, they soon became accepted in the western world by the mid 20s. Even in the present day, the 20s are known to have produced some of the most desirable and chic fashion of the 20th century.

Elaborately detailed wraps and capes rose to popularity in the 1920s, as can be seen in the above picture where the sheer cape decorates this plain black maxi dress.

This dress exemplifies the look of the 20s with a dropped waist, skirt measured just below the knees, and fine embroidery with sequins.

Floral prints became popular in the 1930s, and obviously this trend was repeated in the 1970s. These historical fashion exhibitions present how trends will always repeat themselves, and how in our own lifetimes, we are bound to experience the same trends a few times over. Nevertheless, style will always be in fashion, and fashion these days is so broad that it is constantly integrating trends from different eras into single outfits. This is also demonstrated by the contemporary Melbourne-based stylists and photographers who have featured their work in this exhibition.

This collection of stunning clothes and accessories made me wonder about the fabulous and fashionable women who wore them. I would have loved to know the stories behind these outfits, and the exciting shenanigans that were performed in them!

Tassels, tassels, and more tassels. These vintage bags were hand beaded with gold clasps and exclusively worn for formal events.

As hemlines became shorter, shoes became an important feature of an outfit as they were constantly on display. These shoes appeared very small and narrow, almost meant for a modern-day child.

How I wish I could be transported into the 1920s for just one night to enjoy a sophisticated society party. If you are in Melbourne, I would highly recommend visiting this lovely exhibition that is open until 30 July.

Follow me on Instagram @ilikeyourshirt_blog for more fashion snaps and musings. Thanks for visiting! x

Vintage-esque

by ilikeyourshirtfashionblog

The beginning of our glorious winter and the remaining autumn leaves have inspired me to go a little vintage. I believe that the time of the transition between autumn and winter is the most stylish, and is when I feel most creative and compelled to take risks with my wardrobe. I adore the classical elegance that emanated from the decades of fashion preceding the 70s, and I tried to capture some of that grace through this 20’s-esque outfit. I felt like I was a woman in London waiting to take the train to visit my friend in the countryside, despite the fact that not one item of clothing is ‘vintage’, and they probably aren’t exactly historically accurate. 

I wore my Zara blazer that I’ve loved since I was 14, a black sheer skirt which shows more leg than even the 20’s were accustomed to, and this vibrant orange scarf my mum gifted to me from Italy. The gorgeous tones of the autumn leaves inspired that choice of accessory, alongside my Prada bag and little felt hat. Actually, it’s mainly the hat that gives this outfit a vintage appeal, in addition to the leather lace up boots that seem to always be in fashion.

Velvet blazers are timeless and look particularly feminine and smart with long skirts and dresses. I think I’ll have this blazer forever, especially as I don’t have anything else in this colour in my wardrobe. Darker tones of green and red always appear instantly vintage, and work well with gold jewellery or accessories.

I kind of love the clash between the bright orange in the scarf and the burgundy tone of the bag. I attempted to tie it together using my burgundy lipstick (which is Revlon, by the way).

Blazer: Zara

Skirt: White Closet

Shoes: Magnini

Hat: Princess Highway

Bag: Prada

Scarf: ?

You don’t always need to raid your grandma’s wardrobe to get the vintage look, although it most certainly helps.

Whether you’re op-shopping, online shopping or simply shopping, it’s important to buy smart, buy good quality and if you know how to use what you’ve already got then you will always have something decent to wear.

Check out my Instagram @ilikeyourshirt_blog for more of my personal style and fashion musings! Thanks for visiting! x

Silver Winter

by ilikeyourshirtfashionblog

Do I need anymore silver shoes? My wardrobe says ‘no’, but my eyes always say ‘yes’.

During the inevitable online shopping spree I seem to enjoy in order to curb my pain after every surgery, I found these awesomely silver boots on sale on ASOS. Knowing full well that I wouldn’t be able to wear them until three months after surgery, I bought them anyway. Because that’s what you do when you’re feeling sorry for yourself and don’t have the option of wearing nice shoes for a while.

So after a couple of months of eyeballing them, I finally sunk my feet into them and paired them with a black ponte Witchery dress that I bought last winter. White boots are also very on-trend this season (but not so much the go-go kind). A good way to wear a winter LBD is to jazz it up with some exciting shoes, rather than falling into the trap of wearing all black. Winter is too dark and gloomy already anyway, which is why we have fashion to light it up a little.

Dress: Witchery

Shoes: River Island

Follow me on Instagram @ilikeyourshirt_blog for more snaps! x

Thrifting the See-through Trend

by ilikeyourshirtfashionblog

The Cannes 2017 red carpet shares a common similarity with the red carpets of most A-list event in the last couple years – an influx of sheer dresses that appear to be more revealing by the day. Originally made famous by Marilyn Monroe while signing ‘Happy Birthday, Mr President’ (and in the hilarious comedy Some Like it Hot, which I highly recommend watching), the sheer dress has become a controversial icon for the display of female sexuality while overtly challenging the use of derogatory feminine labels. It was then reclaimed by Kimmy K, and more recently has been making appearances on Bella Hadid who only just wore a breathtaking Ralph & Russo Couture gown at Cannes last week. Or was it a small piece of crystal-embellished fabric immodestly wrapped around her body? Either way, she looked like a beautiful ice princess, and I believe that men and women should be able to wear whatever they want minus any degrading and sexist comments. But at the end of the day, you don’t have to show your nipples or wear a g-string to conform to the sheer trend.

I found this sheer black and silver-patterned dress at an op shop (our Australian version of a thrift shop) for about $12. To be fair, it was on the pricier end of the scale for a second-hand dress, but it was perfect for me (being silver and all). I have been lucky to come across fantastic, modern-looking clothes at op shops that look as though they have never been worn and they usually tend to be in my size. Op shopping is like a scavenger hunt, and it’s so worth it when you strike gold and find something that you genuinely love at a bargain. There is no greater sense of satisfaction.

The striking silver print is matched with these metallic silver Nine West shoes that were a steal at $18 from their outlet store. My hips can’t yet handle walking around in these beauties, but in the meantime, they’re pretty to look at. Underneath the dress I wore high-waisted black shorts and a black crop top to leave the rest as sheer.

So there you have it. Op shops are not only useful for finding unique vintage pieces, but they can serve the purpose of finding inexpensive, pre-loved modern clothing that look as though they could have been produced in 2017 – especially because fashion trends just don’t stop repeating themselves.

Dress: Op Shop

Shoes: Nine West

Watch: Witchery

Earrings: ?

Check out my Instagram @ilikeyourshirt_blog for more of my personal style and fashion musings!

Miss Matching

by ilikeyourshirtfashionblog

If you look at the street style from the recent fashion shows, there is definitely a common theme: wear whatever you please. Colours clash, patterns are mismatched, and anything that you wouldn’t believe goes together is thrown into the same outfit. It’s a fun and visually appealing chaos if done correctly. And more often than not, these fashionistas that are photographed at Paris, New York or Milan fashion week look like they’re wearing phenomenal works of art. But usually I feel content with the comfort of an outfit that matches from head to toe. Those outfits just make sense for me.

On the weekend I opted for a baby pink, white and black colour scheme. I haven’t delved into much pink since primary school. I read an article recently where the writer claimed that pink is the colour for little girls and has no place in the adult world. That seemed a slightly hypocritical in light of the fact that her contention was to try and raise her daughter without gendered stereotypes. It was also very dramatic and arrogant to declare a colour as pathetic after the age of 10 years old. Nevertheless, I have not been deterred from wearing the colour, but maybe I’ll withhold from wearing hot pink for the time being.

I wore a vintage white cropped shirt which I found at a market, striped high-waisted pants and black and white mules from Topshop. The outfit was perfectly swung together by a Guess bag that incorporated all the colours of the outfit and handy $5 drop earrings from Lovisa.

I adore these shoes. They are comfortable, pretty and can be worn with practically everything. When Topshop had a sale sometime last year, I bought them for about a third of the original price. Purchases like that feel pretty good.

Top: Vintage

Pants: Topshop

Shoes: Topshop

Bag: Guess

Earrings: Lovisa 

So don’t be put off by colour-coordinated outfits, and under no circumstances should you be deterred from wearing pink.

For more fun pics and fashion tips, find me on Instagram @ilikeyourshirt_blog ! x

Prada and Me

by ilikeyourshirtfashionblog

The devil wears Prada – or so they say. When I was handed a Prada bag as an extraordinary congratulations-for-surviving-surgeries gift from my parents, I certainly went to heaven. In fact, my hips felt better immediately.

I love the fact that it’s red with a gold chain. I adore how it’s big enough to fit all the necessities. And I appreciate how it’s going to force me to stop wearing silver all the time, because let’s be honest, my silver obsession is becoming a concern. It’s amazing how a bag can possess so much superiority and significance, which is demonstrated by the fact that every future outfit component will revolve around this piece of Prada.

This was actually my Easter outfit for last weekend, where the family and I spent the day cracking eggs, eating plenty of food and collecting way too much chocolate. To cater for the mild temperature, I wore a blue cotton dress with light beige gladiator sandals. The earrings were courtesy of my grandma, since her hand-me-downs comprise of the only gold jewellery I own. I chose a simple dress to place the spotlight on the bag, as that’s what it deserves.

Dress: Witchery

Shoes: Lipstik

Bag: Prada 

Earrings: vintage

For more fun pics and fashion tips, follow me on Instagram @ilikeyourshirt_blog ! x

Colour Me Blue

by ilikeyourshirtfashionblog

Black clothing is simply too reliable and convenient. I can guarantee that my most-worn articles of clothing are black simply because they go with everything and don’t require too much thought. And although I always emphasise the need for a splash of colour in my blog posts, my laziness often prevents me from practicing what I preach. But not on this occasion.

When I found this gorgeous aqua clutch from Mimco with a hefty percentage off, my mum barked at me to buy it. I only hesitated because of the unusual colour, but it presented a fun challenge to construct an outfit around it. Perhaps more unusual than the colour is the fact that I find building outfits to be a delightful and earnest activity, but anyway we all have our hobbies.

With the clutch being the centrepiece, I chose a black off-the-shoulder Witchery dress made from neoprene (essentially wet suit material) and silver Nine West kitten heels so my recovering hips could be safe. Kitten heels are so underrated; not only because they are far more comfortable to do anything in than standard heels, but also because they still look elegant and give you some added height. Considering at this stage I had only just thrown away my crutches with glee, they were perfect.

I wore Mimco drop earrings with hints of blue to make up for the bare neck and to continue the blue theme in the outfit.

Dress: Witchery

Bag: Mimco

Shoes: Nine West

Earrings: Mimco

Follow me on Instagram @ilikeyourshirt_blog !

The Corset is Back

by ilikeyourshirtfashionblog

There is something seductive about a corset. Waists become smaller, hips become larger and bosoms become more pronounced. It has been a symbol of feminine beauty since at least 2000 B.C, when the earliest corset worn as an outer-garment was found to have originated from. And it has continued to evolve throughout the centuries, constantly being an icon of style while simultaneously causing slight to extreme discomfort until the end of the Edwardian era in the early 20th century. Perhaps the corset going out of style is a metaphor for the emancipation of women. But now that women in developed countries are mostly permitted to wear what they want, we want the corset back. Well, with a modern spin that is not lingerie-related.

The corset belt is a must-have accessory for every outfit – not just for old fashioned costume parties. Throw it on a dress, skirt, or shirt for instant shape, and just because it’s something different.

Corset belts can be big or small and come in all different shapes and colours. One that I find particularly gorgeous is from Witchery’s autumn range:

For my outfit below, I haven’t exactly put a modern spin on things. I have gone for the gothic-saloon girl look complete with a tulle skirt and lace leotard from White Closet, adding the corset belt separately. I love the loose levels of the skirt and how it’s sheer from the mid-thigh down, lightening up the all-black outfit.

Corset belt: ?

Skirt: White Closet

Leotard: White Closet

Earrings: Mimco

I have seen corset belts pop up everywhere in stores and online, so it’s time you tried it! I promise you won’t pass out or suffer from a broken rib. x

Follow me on Instagram @ilikeyourshirt_blog

Hips & Skirts

by ilikeyourshirtfashionblog

I know I keep saying this, but there really is no better time in fashion to have a hip injury. For the last 14 months, I have been living in loose dresses, skirts, and my comfy sneakers which are thankfully having a huge moment. They do wonders for my mobility and I don’t look tacky, which is more important than you think in consideration of that fact that clothes are a necessity for everyday life.

A typical outfit I’ll slip into usually comprises of a t-shirt, straight skirt and sneakers. The aptly named ‘straight skirt’ is similar to the pencil skirt in the regard that it is lightly fitted around the waist and hips, but it falls straight downward and doesn’t restrict your knees. Even if it did, I currently take tiny strides so it doesn’t really matter. The style feels light against my hips, and I like to wear them with sneakers to supply a casual look as the below-the-knee length of the skirt can look conservative. Plus, sneakers are fun and don’t hurt my toes.

Another bonus with today’s fashion is how my crutches match perfectly with the silver obsession. If everyone was obsessed with gold then it just wouldn’t work and I would be forced to forfeit my membership in the fashion world. But alas, my silver and grey crutches are basically another accessory which marries my outfit together (clearly it’s the small things that get me through the day).

I always tuck my t-shirt or top into my skirt to create a svelte silhouette, or crop tops that aren’t abnormally cropped work fine to display the full skirt. Despite having unhealthy hips, I don’t feel a need to hide them.

Skirt: Sportsgirl

Top: Bardot

Bag: French Connection

Shoes: Witchery

To see more shenanigans from this silver-obsessed girl on crutches, check me out on Instagram @ilikeyourshirt_blog ! Thanks for visiting! x