if i won lotto

listening to: 'ramble on' - led zeppelin.

i'm thinking of making this my theme song: one of my many bad habits is talking far, far too much. especially when i am in a slightly intoxicated state... or when i log onto blogger, where i write pretty long posts about relatively nothing because i'm bored and have nothing better to do. keep reading: you'll find out what i mean.

judging by what i have seen from nyfw (new york fashion week... duh. i like to make acronyms to spice up my conversations. although i'm sure even those of you who aren't diehards managed to figure THAT one out, it wasn't too hard. actually, i'm sure someone made that one up before me. i'm so unoriginal sometimes) the trends aren't completely left-field; the majority are things that have already been filtering around the edges of fashion - mainstream or otherwise - for some time now.

like the fixation on grey: grey is the new black, yadda yadda. which is fine by me, i love grey! it makes a nice difference from wearing only black without being one of those people that stand out so much that passersby point and laugh: a common occurance, at least in little old new zealand. i haven't seen street fashion in my reality like the stuff i see every time i log onto facehunter and other sites of it's ilk. although, to be fair, that may be because of the seasonal difference. some trends seen at the major fashion shows simply do not work here in australasia. while people are donning fur hats reminiscent of dr zhivago in copenhagen, people here are lounging around in nothing but a pair of short shorts and their swimsuits. but i can still browse! so, if i had a bit of extra moolah lying around i would be picking up these grey high-waisted pants, from asos.com, which also manage to kill two birds with one stone, what with the military kind of vibe they throw off. as you may know i am quite in love with pointless details, demonstrated here by the lovely wee buttons. yes i know they are holding the pants together, therefore they aren't completely pointless, but i'm sure you know what i mean!

staying on the subject of colours, mustard may not work for everyone, but that's fashion for ya! is it bad that i have never heard of malene birger?? please don't hate me: i'm relatively new to this! i did a little homework (not a nerd, this is a far cry of being all absorbed in like algebraic equations or something) and found out that, among other things, this Danish designer is a favourite of HRH Princess Mary. See, I told you we were waaaay behind Copenhagen! Whatever, her sloane pleated top is not only pretty and drapey, perfect for a casual brunch if that's your bag, but it is also reduced by 60% on net-a-porter! so go, quick! at least if i can't buy it, i can encourage you luckier ducks to. the wide hem i imagine would also further add to the exceptional shape. pair with a big pair of sunglasses and a skinny pant for that uber cool, albeit precisely carried off, "oh this? i just threw it on" look.

the infamous 'new-look' look is also still a major force: cinched waists, dramatic red pouts and pintuck curls... cute! being advertised as one of the 6 key looks for the season by net-a-porter, you can either purchase this belted coat by chloe; or, if you aren't as keen on the £1, 193.02 (precise, aren't they?) price tag as you are on the actual style, i'd opt for this electric blue delight from the urban collection, which is a mere $US76. i think the endearing popularity of this style is the way the silohuette flatters basically any and every woman's shape, no matter what it is. whether or not you have a classic, 1940's-esque hour glass figure, the new look silhouette can be rocked by everyone. in the case of those with beautiful marilyn monroe-like figures, it accentuates what is already there; and for those who have a more athletic, less curvaceous, figure the cinched waist creates an illusion. the fact is that the absolute majority of women the world over do not have a figure that fits into industry standards: sure, no doubt some do; but fashion shouldn't just be for the skinny minnies. every woman would like to look nice, to be complimented on her appearance, and every woman would also like to be able to buy trendy clothes: a lot of the time, that just isn't possible. i'm as much a fan of skinny jeans as the next girl, but the reality is that that trend isn't something i am able to wear. but a beautiful bright blue trench coat, belted at my waist? perfect.

in complete contrast, designers embracing a more masculine approach / asthetic when it comes to women's clothing is still apparent. obviously a trend that has been around for awhile, as "the boys club" even appears as a new look on http://www.dotti.com/: dotti, for those of you who don't know, is an australian-based clothing chain with a demographic targeting mainly the late teen to early 20's age bracket. outfits consisting of wide leg pants, tailoring, jodphurs and vests, like those seen at rag & bone can easily be re-created on the cheap. the 8 button suit vest from dotti is only $NZ50: anybody living down under should take advantage! but if you feel like a splurge, my pick is an alexander mcqueen tailored waistcoat. net-a-porter pairs it with slim black pants and a phillip lim blouse; i personally would head in a more casual direction: teaming it with some indigo skinny jeans, vintage band t-shirt and a baker boy cap would rock-star it up a bit. cliche, yes, but then again i'm a product of an age where we are all spoonfed by tabaloid images, and i guess sienna miller still rates with new zealand woman's day.

tights galore were paraded down the catwalk: and they have donned the legs of every single remotely fashionable girl for what seems like forever. even plain black opaques are reliving their day in the sun. bright colours & patterns are no longer reserved for summery dresses; seeing someone in a pair of violet tights is no longer a rarity. visit any street style blog, and you'll see an array of colours paired with anything and everything. check out these two examples from facehunter: i loved them both so much i couldn't pick a favourite! so this is what motherhood feels like. susie bubble did a post awhile back about patterned tights; ever since then i've been dreaming about these creations from celeste stein: her motto promises she'll knock ya socks off, and she ain't lying! and the coveted features a tutorial on how to create gradient tights here. alternatively, head to http://www.topshop.com/: they have stirrup footless tights in yellow, turquoise, purple, orange & red. but, just so you know, my favourite colours would have to be violet and navy.

shoe-wise, slip your feet into lace-up oxfords or chloe criss-crossed sandals (the platform variety, retro cool at it's finest, complete with perspex and wood fusion heel).

with a few exceptions, the look is returning to the glamour of the 1940s, with a modern edge: the lace-up oxfords from topshop, for example, aren't exactly katherine hepburn fare, but i get the feeling that IF katherine hepburn was a current screen goddess, this is totally the shoe she would be rocking.

meanwhile, a girl can dream..