Statement Made

by ilikeyourshirtfashionblogJuly 16, 2018August 9, 2018

A statement coat is fundamental to a winter wardrobe. You know the type I’m talking about – it’s unique but flattering. Even if the layers below are boring and basic, a fantastic coat immediately makes the outfit more worthy. And what better way to make a statement than to opt for an oversized winter-warmer in an unusual green.

Green and teal have recently become my favourite shades for this winter as previously mentioned on my blog, and I haven’t failed to update my wardrobe with new green pieces – including this one from ASOS.

Now, I really shouldn’t be shopping on ASOS because it’s entirely unethical to support fast fashion. I may try and justify it by saying that I was in Europe at the time and ASOS offered click and collect to a tobacconist around the corner from my apartment. Plus, I was trying to overcome my disappointment at the lack of coats in Italy following my desire to purchase a coat for winter back in Melbourne (turns out Spring in Italy does not have room for coats). But poor justifications aside, I adored this coat when I saw it, but I need to fully commit to making more ethical fashion choices from now on.

So with that, I headed to the luxury outlet stores in Florence and bought myself some very ethical Stella McCartney jeans. They may even prove to be more of a statement than the coat itself, thanks to the hectic 70s flares in a deep indigo. They can only be worn with extremely high shoes, but I’ll find a way to deal with it because they are so comfortable and FABULOUS.

I thought that the creme turtleneck would act as a good neutral between the green, indigo and the burgundy of the bag, as well as to serve the 70s vibes radiating from those jeans. I tossed in the multicoloured Witchery hoops just in case the coat and jeans didn’t make enough of a statement, because why the heck not.

Jeans: Stella McCartney

Coat: ASOS

Top: Forever New

Bag: Prada

Earrings: Witchery

Thanks for stopping by! I would love to hear what your favourite statement pieces are in the comments…X

Beanie Bling

by ilikeyourshirtfashionblogJuly 29, 2016

We are having a ridiculously cold winter here in Melbourne, and there are no signs of improvements in the near future. It has come to the point where beanies are not just a cute accessory but are an utter necessity if you don’t want your head to freeze up and lose brain function upon stepping outside. Many people vehemently refuse to wear beanies on the basis of not knowing how, or they question whether the slouched piece of material suits their facial shape, which is why there are endless tutorials and how-to guides on styling a beanie. This seems a bit excessive as clearly it works like any other accessory; it simply needs to match something else incorporated into your outfit. And, like Doc Martens, there is a time and place for the beanie.

I naturally gravitate towards black accessories to make it easier on my wardrobe, and in this case I have matched it with black ankle boots, and complimented my oxblood red satchel with dark red lipstick. It’s easy to only stick with darker shades in winter, but I always aim to integrate a little colour to avoid fading into the sky’s backdrop.

Check out that beanie bling.

Dress: Witchery

Shoes: Diana Ferrari

Bag: Leather Satchel Co.

Beanie: Witchery

Want to see more of my personal style and fashion musings? Follow me here and on my instagram @ilikeyourshirt_blog ! x

Fashion Week in Melbourne

by ilikeyourshirtfashionblogMarch 13, 2016March 13, 2016

Another fashion week in Melbourne has been and gone, and I am so glad I could find some time to squeeze in a fashion show amidst my hectic uni schedule. Virgin Australia Fashion Festival is the highlight of the fashion calendar in Melbourne due to the stellar line-ups and sophisticated festival atmosphere. I brought my sister and friend along for their first Virgin Australia fashion week, and we had an absolute blast. Nothing beats having a glass of champagne on a balmy summer’s night before heading in to view some beautiful fashion.

The line-up was Alex Perry, Ginger & Smart, Carla Zampatti, Martin Grant, Yeojin Bae and Dion Lee. Martin Grant incorporated plenty of metallic silver into his clothes much to my agreement. Alex Perry popularised mustard yellow, bright orange and bishop sleeves. Dion Lee demonstrated winter wear with woolly coats and to-die-for maroon silk pieces. Carla Zampatti paraded cut-out dresses, tweed and fringed skirts. Ginger & Smart opted for 7/8 length dresses with japanese-style prints. Yeojin Bae showed us class with off-the-shoulder dresses and pencil skirts below the knee. Generally there was a fusion with contemporary fashion and fashion of the 1970’s and 1940’s with stunning results. There were plenty of vibrant colours shown, but also the autumn/winter classics such as khaki, maroon and black.

What I wore: Pre show

Black, white and flecks of silver.

At the Festival

Feeling all ‘tough girl’ in my leather jacket. Leather is one of the best ways to toughen up a feminine look, and even compliments tulle nicely with a tough-girls-can-be-princesses kind of way.

Skirt: Ice

Bandeau: Target

Jacket: Muubaa

Shoes: Diana Ferrari

Bag: Nine West

Necklace: Forever New

And there you have it! More to come soon about the top trends from Virgin Australia fashion week and what to expect on the streets this season!

Want to see more of my fashion musings and style? Follow me here and on instagram @ilikeyourshirt_blog ! x

Clashing Prints

by ilikeyourshirtfashionblogJune 20, 2015June 21, 2015

For all the poor souls undergoing winter in the southern hemisphere, there is a risk that you should all take: clashing prints. It only takes a couple of mismatched stripes to render it as a failure, but a successful match can be magical.

It was seen across Milan, Paris, London and Barcelona Fall Fashion Week and has become a defining trend of 2015.

Custo at Barcelona Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2015. Getty Images

It can be quite the challenge, but makes fashion fun and exciting. Pairing different prints together have usually been a big no-no until recently, as designers and stylists have exposed the secrets to the creation of the clash.

To create the perfect clash, here are a few handy hints:

Matching colours: if you choose to wear diverse colours, ensure that they match and don’t look as though they have been put together by a clown. Using neutral shades accompanied by a bold colour works well, allowing the bold colour and print to stand out as demonstrated by Zendaya below.

Size of prints: You are destined to succeed if a small print is matched with a large print. It becomes too overwhelming if both are prominent and can potentially look as though a three-year old dressed you. Pairing a minimalistic print with a larger one causes the eye-catching print to stand out against a more plain type, and hence they compliment one another without clashing.

Marion Cotillard rocking the leopard print 'n' stripes. Getty Images — Marion Cotillard rocking the leopard print ‘n’ stripes. Getty Images

Two prints max: I would suggest no more than two different prints combined. If you delve into a third, there is a high risk of an unfortunate clash occurring.

Emma Stone looking sweet in polka dots and stripes. Getty Images — Emma Stone showing how it’s done in polka dots and stripes. Getty Images

These stylish ladies inspired me to have my own crack at it.

Cape: Atmosphere

Top: asos

Pants: Lovely Girl

Shoes: Doc Martens

Bag: House of Secrets

Let me know what you think about my own attempt at it! And while you’re at it, feel free to follow me on my blog and on Instagram! x

The Turtleneck, Polo Neck, Skivvy, or whatever ya call them

by ilikeyourshirtfashionblogMay 3, 2015

Turtlenecks are like, super cool this winter. It has finally been deemed that it’s both chic and practical, as who really wants to walk around with a bare neck in freezing temperatures?

The style of a turtleneck usually means that a scarf is unnecessary. Olivia Palermo shows how this is not the case. popsugar.com

There is so much variety when it comes to the ol’ turtleneck. They come in tops, jumpers, and dresses as exemplified by myself below. It keeps me so warm that I even took off my coat midway through. How’s that for practical fashion.

Throw on an oversized-coat with your turtleneck. The coat de-feminises my dress to achieve the ‘shapeless’ look- a current winter trend. It also happens to be very comfortable. I cannot say that I am a fan of potato-sack-looking dresses on the other hand, which is why i have stuck to a tight-fitting turtleneck for a touch of sophistication.

Dress- Bardot

Coat- Asos

Shoes- Diana Ferrari

So invest in one, or a few, and stay warm this winter.

Follow me here and on Instagram! x

Shabby Chic

by ilikeyourshirtfashionblogApril 11, 2015April 11, 2015

I always talk about class and elegance, but sometimes it doesn’t need to be achieved. Sometimes we need to lie back and watch how those who walk down the street, shopping for groceries on a Saturday morning, dress. It’s simple-not necessarily ‘in style’- but caters for the weather the day brings. Comfort is obviously the key, but it doesn’t mean you need to look boring when venturing out to the shops. Especially if you happen to bump into people you know, which personally is inevitable.

I was inspired by the elderly ladies I see walking down the street who wear oversized, dark-toned coats, and thick opaque stockings to battle the winter cold, and decided to get my own winter over-sized coat. I settled on this Asos number, which will hopefully protect me from the Melbourne winter. I feel like it’s a coat that a homeless man used to wander in that can be found in the dark depths of an op shop-and has remained in amazingly excellent condition. It looks a little vintage, and can be spruced up with some necessary winter accessories.

This is my summer hat, but now it’s become my winter hat. Mid-brimmed felt hats have become all the rage, and look fantastic with a killer coat and boots. Obviously they serve for sun protection in winter too.

This clutch was a gift from my mum when she went to China- thanks mum!

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Coat- Asos

Skirt- Nobody

Top- Asos

Boots- Vanessa

Clutch- somewhere in China

Black & Gold

by ilikeyourshirtfashionblogFebruary 22, 2015

What colour never seems to go out of style? Black. What do I find myself wearing if I don’t know what to wear? Black. It is difficult to deviate from the prosaic shade which seems to compliment any outfit, particularly for those who prefer black over brown. And with autumn and winter approaching for the southern hemisphere, there is a guarantee that black will replace the vibrant colours of summer in order to blend into the looming grey skies. Therefore, I am challenging those who will don black this season to spice it up with a ‘popping’ colour, and I suggest metallics. Yes, metallics are reminiscent of the 90’s and occasionally possess a certain trashy quality of the 80’s, but Saint Laurent reinvented the incorporation of metallics into an ensemble during their Autumn/Winter and Spring/Summer ’15 collection and demonstrate how they can be worn in both a casual and dressy sense.

Saint Laurent Spring/Summer '15. ikifashion.com — Saint Laurent Spring/Summer ’15. ikifashion.com

Autumn/Winter '15. fashionbeautytrends.com — Autumn/Winter ’15. fashionbeautytrends.com

Which leads me on to my next point of discussion…gold shoes! I may have jumped on the bandwagon and bought a pair of Doc Martens- mostly because they were gold and half price (justifying your purchases makes your conscience feel better). Obviously I considered the fact that gold is not always the easiest colour to team up with, however they make a statement, which is reason enough.

Black is the undermined best friend of the metallic colours such as gold, because it compliments without detracting from the flamboyance. Black and metallic instantly glam up an outfit, and don’t have to be reserved for night outings or appear gaudy. As long as there are no other elements of the outfit which are bright or intensely eye-catching, then metallics can always look appropriate.

I took my Docs out for a strut around the city the other day, wearing predominantly black in the awkward summer/winter weather. Let me know what you think about the black & gold combination!

Jumper- Minkpink

Dress- Cotton On

Shoes- Doc Martens

Necklace- Sportsgirl

Bag- The Leather Satchel Co.

Follow me here or on my Instagram! Laura x

Hats aren’t Just for Bad Hair Days

by ilikeyourshirtfashionblogJune 7, 2014

I found a $6 hat in a shop the other day. I’m not typically a hat person because honestly I feel like they just don’t suit me, but the reduced price tag and the maroon colour was screaming out at me. This was the beginning of my fascination with hats-not so much on how they suit me-but other people’s magical abilities to pull them off. Nina Dobrev wears them religiously and looks fantastic. And with the amount of people rocking the wide-brimmed felt hats for winter it has become clear to me that hats are no longer confined to being worn for protection against the sun and for covering up a case of forgot-to-wash-my-hair-oops. I was inspired to wear it for non-beach and non-chaotic hair purposes on a day out. I actually enjoyed it, and I even felt lighter on my toes despite the extra head-weight which does not make sense. Unfortunately it meant that if I took it off when I was indoors I’d have to deal with some seriously static hair. Needless to say I rarely removed it from my head.

I must add that I am tremendously excited that it is now winter. Somehow the cold and grey skies make me want to get creative. And blog more. Which is something that I have neglected because education has been a large obstacle for time. Learning is great but it hasn’t left me much time to blog, or even get out of the house to be overly honest. Until next time, hopefully I’ll acquire more inexpensive and fun hats to play with!

Leotard- Forever New

Skirt- Forever New

Denim jacket- Op shop

Bag- Vintage

Shoes- Lipstik

Midnight in Melbourne

by ilikeyourshirtfashionblogAugust 17, 2013

The other night I went out with my family for my lovely sister’s birthday. We threw on our finest and set off for a très classy evening at a fancy restaurant, expecting a night of delicious food and bad birthday singing. Needless to say, it did not disappoint, and the food turned out to be better than the singing.

I wore a midnight-blue and gold 80’s-esque number (minus the shoulder pads) that I recently bought. As soon as I saw it I grabbed it and knew I had to try it on because it’s reminiscent of a pink and gold dress that I used to wear back in the days of feathery scrunchies. Who doesn’t miss those days. I brightened it up with my red bag and finished it off with some smashing lippy. Red lipstick always makes me feel as though I can pull anything off.

Dress- Forever New

Bag – Vintage

Shoes – Guess

Leather in the Fields

by ilikeyourshirtfashionblogJuly 28, 2013July 28, 2013

Leather for winter is like being offered free money: always welcome. And especially this year with a massive revival of the silver-studded biker jackets from a couple of years ago and the clunky leather boots, leather (real or fake) is always on trend for winter one way or another. However I chose to downgrade the edgy, lethal look black leather usually provides by pairing it up with a relatively dainty dress that is often too delicate in appearance to wear on its own. Incorporating my vintage leather jacket balances out the wildly feminine look and also makes the dress wearable in winter, which is a bonus.

Leather jacket- Vintage

Dress- Sportsgirl

Shoes- Lipstik Shoes

Bag- Vintage

Belt- ?