Or a few, because there is no denying that sequins are the greatest things since melted cheese. They’re shiny, outrageous and bold, so of course I wanted to own a sequin covered something. To join in on the sequin spirit, I purchased a green sequined asos skirt. Sequins can be tricky because they’re not appropriate for all occasions, but they absolutely have their place at parties, formal events and at the more ‘special’ outings. I most recently wore my skirt to a Lady Gaga concert. It fit the Gaga criteria and you can never not have a great time in a sequined skirt.
skirt- ASOS jacket- mother’s wardrobe top- Cotton On stockings- ? shoes- InniuMe and Stephanie
My gorgeous sister Stephanie and I in all our Gaga glory, coincidentally both wearing sequined skirts.
Good-quality sequins can come with pricey tags. Here are a few less costly items I spotted:
Read or Dead heart top $38 bankfashion.co.uk MOTO hotpants $53 topshop.com tfnc Paris dress $84 tfnclondon.comAftershock Vonnie leggings $53 houseoffraser.co.ukTutu skirt $33.50 lipsy.co.ukEnvelope clutch $26 forever21.comTulle jacket $34 piperlime.gap.com
With one month into winter, Melbourne’s infamous weather is growing colder and the days are becoming shorter. The best way to beat the cold is to throw on a gorgeous warm coat and stomp around in comfy winter boots.
Coat: Sportsgirl Shoes: Novo Skirt: Random Boutique Singlet top: Forever New Top: Bardot Socks: ASOS
The fabric on everyone’s fingertips is…velvet! Velvet originated from Baghdad thousands of years ago, when Egypt became the largest producer of the fabric. Originally, the prized texture symbolized wealth and power and was predominantly exclusive to royalty and elite persons. Thousands of years later, velvet has become an affordable fabric that is complete cuteness and class. Here is a collection of some of the more recent styles:
Alexa Chung
Alexa modelling for the Chopard Happy Mickey Collection
Angelina Jolie in Versace
Angelina stepped her way into the best dressed list for this year’s Academy Awards
Elizabeth Olsen
Svelte in a maroon velvet suit
Paul Smith Womenswear A/W ’12
How very hot it must be in there indeed.
Velvet Blazer- Zara, Top- Bardot, Skirt- Valleygirl, Shoes- Windsor Smith
Just some things that are on my wishlist…
Evil Twin Skater Dress $80Lucy In The Sky skirt $39asos Peg Pants $28.90Sportsgirl Blazer $149.95Velvet Pouch Bag (General Pants) 39.95Alice in the Eve shorts $30
Every wardrobe requires a velvet piece this winter, whether it be a blazer, dress, skirt or onesie. However, velvet can be difficult to wear as it can appear heavy-looking, so try pairing it with lighter materials such as soft cotton, silk and lace to balance out the look. Incorporate tights or knee-high/over-the-knee socks when wearing shorts, dresses or skirts. Simplicity usually works best with velvet to maintain the elegance and class it provides!
Leopard Print Jacket- from my mother. I rescued it from the old dress up box I used to play with!
Floral Printed Pants- SportsgirlIt’s like a Party on PantsPrinted Cat Dress- All About Lila This is actually a recent find of my older sister’s, but I couldn’t resist wearing it myself.Yes, they’re cats. Keep calm everybody.
Leopard, Aztec, floral, Hawaiian, chain, zebra, houndstooth, waterblend, ikat, tie-die, cats…and that’s not even the end of them. Prints are dominating the catwalk and streets this season with plenty of pretty and quirky designs that I bet you never even knew existed.
Normally I am accepting of all designs, but I think Hawaiian palm trees should be kept on the beaches of Hawaii and on the shirts of eager tourists. But, you know, whatever floats your boat…
Just a few of the ones that caught my eye:
Zara medallion print blouse $57.80
Collared shirt with a Givenchy/Versace-inspired print.
River island animal scarf print jeans $66.30
Print jeans have arrived with all of their awesomeness. Sometimes they can be a little too awesome and shout out ‘Hey! Look at me!’ so the trick is to keep the rest of the outfit simple and casual and let the jeans do the talking.
Freakin' fairy floss dress @ Lucyinthesky.com $45
Print dresses are lovely for any casual appearance in any season.
silky printed blouse @ Urban Outfitters $57.20
Print blouses are great with plain jeans and shorts.
Zara floral printed skirt $38.80
I love this asymmetrical skirt because it is floral patterned, has a mixture of beautiful colours and looks as though it would suit a flower garden in fairyland!
ASOS blazer in floral print $108
Floral blazers make any outfit more interesting and complete. A loose fit and slight shoulder padding adds more style.
Evil Twin leopard print shorts $79.95 @ General Pants
In my opinion, leopard print can look tacky if it’s cheap-looking or not placed together well. Plain colours such as black, white, orange and darker shades of green can work well with it.
Lucinda wedge boot $49.95 @ Rubi ShoesVanessa Hudgens rocking tribal print with seemingly no pants on nowmagazine.co.uk
When you’re dealing with prints, keep your other clothing items simple. Prints are so unsimple and interesting, so don’t let anything else steal their thunder. Mixing prints (like a zebra print shirt matched with chain print shorts) can look too busy, whilst a leopard print top with matching pants can look a little too scary spice. Keep a balance and have fun exploring the wonderful variety!
As the days begin to have a hint of chill, leaves start falling and shop windows fill up with coats and boots, you know that winter’s coming -which is my favourite season for fashion. Coats, jackets, gloves, scarves, hats, boots, woollen socks and layering to beat the cold are all part of the autumn/winter fun.
I travelled to the Yarra Valley in Victoria on an exceedingly cold weekend and experienced the scenic views, tasty cheese and the lovely Sebel Heritage where I stayed. I frolicked through vineyards, stumbled through gardens, befriended some cool kangaroos and took a few photos in the process.
Jean Jacket (Westco), Vest (Just Jeans), Boots (Betts), scarf (?). Frolicking wasn't really involved much.
Impossible to be unhappy in a poncho. Poncho (Sportsgirl), skirt (Bardot), Shirt (Target), Boots (Siren), Scarf (?). Cheeky kangaroo sighting.
But the great thing about fashion is that you don’t need to spend a heap of money to look amazing. Money may buy you clothes, but it doesn’t buy style. I always shop with the same philosophy in mind: Try to avoid paying full price when it’s possible, because eventually most things will end up on the SALE rack. Inevitably, there are some things that need to be bought immediately without a second thought. But the thing about buying clothes that are stylish yet affordable is that you need to be smart about it. Here’s some tips:
– Explore then compare. If it’s a really popular item for the season, then theres sure to be others around that will be less expensive.
– Op shopping. Although it takes skill, what you will find can be pretty valuable.
– Online shopping. Online retail stores are booming due to their unique variety, affordable prices and more are introducing free shipping to your location. Only bummer is that you can’t try anything on.
– Take advantage of mid and end of season sales. Sale racks can hold some pleasing stuff.
– Don’t forget about your old clothes. Things that you used to wear years ago can surprisingly come back in fashion. Remember those fluorescent orange flared jeans you used to wear that are sheepishly sitting in the back of your wardrobe? Yeh forget about them. But don’t forget about that cropped mid-wash denim jacket you kept from the 90’s. Also, update old clothing by making a few alterations. Look in fashion magazines and stores to gain some inspiration.
– Accessorise with stockings, socks, scarves, gloves, statement jewellery, hats, sunnies and bags. The little things can make an outfit look completely different and can often carry little price tags, and you don’t even need to buy a new skirt and top.
– Buy quality basic clothing that you can easily incorporate into different outfits, wear often and won’t be out of fashion next season. A white collared shirt or a LBD for example are great because you can do so much with them with the handy assistance of other clothing and accessories.
Do your reasearch, do patiently wait for that gorgeous knitted cardigan to go down 20% and do use your creativity to the best of your ability!
Jeans are in my top most important items in my wardrobe. What’s not to love about these lovely denim specimens. They’re easy to wear, perfect to slip on for most occasions and are always in. The variety of jeans available continue to grow, and this season wanders away from the usual blues and enters a fun-zone with dramatic prints, bolds and brights and some of the darker tones. There are so many jeans around that it really is not necessary to purchase them over $100 because I assure you that there will be a place offering similar great quality jeans for $40 less. It’s true, I got a pair of awesome high-waisted skinny jeans for $35 in this little boutique store. Here are some top season styles and designs under $100.
ASOS Chain Print High Waist Boyfriend Jeans $64.88Cheap Monday high waist skinny jeans $79.48ASOS washed camel skinny jeans $56.77Hudson super skinny jeans Forever New $79.99'Mindy' hip hugger straight jeans $89.99 @ JeanswestRiver Island rose & chain print jeans $64.88Warehouse snake print jeans $72.99Twisted Boyfriend Jeans $59.99 @ Just JeansRiders by Lee low skinny washed berry jeans $99.95ASOS enamel blue coated coloured skinny jeans $64.88
Remember that colours and prints are huge this season and the prominent styles include: skinny (great because they suit all body shapes and make your legs look longer), boyfriend (comfortable and ideal for all body types), high-waisted (also give the illusion of longer legs), straight leg and even flares are making a (unwanted) comeback. Jeans are meant for regular use so make sure you buy a pair that you can breathe and sit down in!
Recently while my mum was cleaning out her wardrobe, she tossed some things on my bed that she no longer wanted. Judging by the look of them, they hadn’t been worn in quite a while, but I loved them instantly. My challenge was to mix these old pieces with the new, creating wearable and stylish outfits.
Maybe it was just that my mum had excellent style back in the day and was smart enough to not let go of some of her clothes, but twenty years later I’m wearing her clothing and accessories and didn’t even have to pay a cent for it. That’s a real bargain.
The white shirt and bag
I was in desperate need of a plain white shirt and eventually I found this classic collared, silk shirt. Also wearing high-waisted shorts (Lumeire), boots (Famous Footwear), pearl necklace and the floral-patterned, circular bag with gold chain-belonged to my mum as well.
The Blazer
This caramel blazer is incredibly well-fitted and adds a classier and lovelier touch to any outfit. One of my staple winter items. Playsuit (Forever New), sandals (Steve Madden), brown rope belt, Sportsgirl necklace and brown leather bag
The Top
Knitted sleeveless black and white zig-zag top with skivvy-like collar. Shorts (Minkpink), Combat boots (Ruby Shoes) and bracelets (won them at a silent auction!) and black leather bag (Previously my Mum’s).
The Jacket and Gold Ultra Shiny Bag
Navy blue mid-waist length jacket featuring gold-rimmed blue buttons and some nice shoulder padding action. Absolutely love it. High-waisted shorts (Bardot), collared shirt (Forever New), lace-up ankle boots (Siren) and white socks. The gold bag was previously located in the dress up tub until I dug it up and began wearing it. I saw an exact replica of it in Sportsgirls last Spring, and my mum told me that she was given it as a present around 30 years ago.
The Other Top and Bag
Caramel top with ruffled sleeves and black leather over-the-shoulder bag. High-waisted shorts (Forever New), combat boots (Target), Pearl necklace and rope belt.
I Like Your Shirt 