Thursday, January 31, 2008

post-script (aka PS)

who noticed that i added a wee playlist gidget thing to my blog? i'm getting all pro now.

new shoes!

listening to: 'ex-factor' - lauryn hill

well even though i don't have pictures yet - i left my digital camera at a mate's house last weekend - i just wanted to share my excitement with everyone.. what is it in a girl's dna that makes us get butterflies just from shopping? is it just me? i think i have an addiction.

sadly, no, it isn't the oscar de la renta clutch (ha! wishful thinking alana jayne..). pretty boring really: just basics for the new year at uni. my fun was derived - at first - mostly from the fun of being let loose by my sister to pick out clothes for her. how do you get into the personal shopper industry, i wonder? i think that is DEFINITELY a career i would excel in lol.

anyway, back to me. the most exciting personal purchase made today (okay, yesterday. i had work last night and it is now 2am NZ time) was a pair of theeeeeee coolest heels. they are black, patent looking, with a super demure round toe. they are the highest heels i own, apart from my impulse buy of silver peep-toe wedges that i ADORE but am too afraid to wear, and i plan on wearing them on my birthday this saturday. i wore them around the house all afternoon... when renee asked why i told her it was important to wear new shoes in, especially if you plan on dancing the night away while wearing them. but the truth was of course that i just wanted to feel super pretty as i pottered round, lounging on the patio in the sun and feeding the cats. yes my day was that exciting.

can't wait to put up some pics - although to be honest i'm nervous. i've been sitting here critiquing the outfits of others and still haven't posted any of myself. a wee bit hypocritical maybe? more like now that my eyes have been opened to the wonderful world of amazing street fashion i'm even more unhappy with my own incredibly dull, generic outfits. so don't be suprised if the only picture you get is of my feet!

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

everybody, meet my significant other



listening to: 'here comes the summer' - fiery furnaces

i am in love.


oversized clutches have been hot for awhile - wait, are they still cool? the trouble with being stranded in the isolation of the antipodes is that trends tend to take quite awhile to arrive. anyway, i love big handbags and i love clutches, so whether they are still jude-law-hot or not (wait, is HE still hot??), i'm gonna love them regardless.


this beautiful little puppy is by oscar de la renta (yes, i just swooned a little). too bad i don't have a spare £650 floating around. if i did, i'd pair it with a simple charcoal dress (complete with bateau neckline) and the bright red jimmy choo eliza sandals i also found on net-a-porter. if anybody wants to donate funds to the "buy alana an oversized clutch" found, email me... i'll give you my bank account details. no?

if i was said stage mother, zooey deschanel would be my favourite child

here comes zooey deschanel!! i love this look for her. it reminds me of a dress julie christie wore in sound of music (no joke) that has always stuck in my mind - in a good way! and the colour is so pretty... the fitted waist is seriously beautiful.

i would never say anything negative 'bout about my zooey, but i have to admit i do prefer the top half of the dress to the bottom. but i admire how she wears such different clothes to other people... a true style icon.

this whole silohuette is just stunning. the fit is perfect. ahhhhhh what else can i even say?! i am speechless.. so tailored, so amazing.

gorgeous in grey... the tiny interspersion of black is very elegant. and i love how she is sans fake tan! a rarity!!
the bow. the puffiness at the top at the sleeves. the black opaques. the 60s fit of the minidress. sigh-o-rama.

ballerina zooey... i think that neckline is just absolutely gorgeous. and the colour is super pretty.

the classiest plunging neckline i have ever seen. this dress is amazing: i love the colour, and again the sleek top half jutting out into a puffy skirt is really tickling my fancy! she looks gorgeous. not sure about the shoes though??

the neckline is the first thing my eye notices. love the cream poking out of the navy. really unusual jersey, but i dig it.

the accent of purple at the neckline is beautiful.


looking gorgeous in a floral minidress. i think part of the secret formula to wearing a minidress right is definitely ensuring that it's loose and breezy: gets rid of the tramp factor! i also really like how she has winterfied a floaty summer dress with the black tights.



sigh.. wish i was skinny enough to pull off horizontal stripes! the slouchy fit and the different hues of grey look good, but i think the navy hoops add an extra something.



the dress is hard to make out but it's the best i could do! perfect for a red carpet event while still staying true to her indie reputation. it's hard to picture some of the hollywood big guns rocking this dress the way zooey does, huh? charlize theron - no. jennifer aniston - nope. halle berry - uh uh. (too old school).

love the bow.

possibly the only girl in the world who could outshine reese witherspoon... no mean feat, considering her outfit is a basic combo of black & white.

hard to see (sorry bout that!!) but i do love the crochet detail around the neckline; and the chunky belt: it reminds me of the show 'big love' - it looks like something chloe sevigny's character would wear with one of her long denim skirts.

i'm sorry... i just couldn't resist throwing this picture in.




the collar of her coat is just stunning: and it works well with the scarf - very discreet co-ordination. the flecks of blue visible in the dress add even further to the outfit: the flattering hues pull it together just perfectly, without being "perfect". and how cute are those shoes????

inspired juxtaposition of the monochromes. i love the casual air the oversized shirt dress gives, and love the little details such as the stark, crisp collar and the ever-so-slight bubble hem.

i think this is my favourite... although i feel the bardot-style hair may be influencing me! that navy blue looks heavenly.. definitely a nice change from seeing basic black everywhere. i love the accents of cream, especially the oversized clutch.

proof that the hollywood set COULD look unique while still being red-carpet appropriate. the exact right amount of detailing.. and black opaques as usual.

even though you can't really see the outfit - ok, you can't see the outfit at all - i wanted to include this simply because of the beautiful little headband. why is it that whenever i try to make a headband like this look "jaunty" it just looks forced? i guess because her kind of style is something i'll never be able to replicate!!







ok definitely time for bed... you know you're exhausted when you spell "jaunty" J-A-U-N-T-R-Y. please let me know if i've missed any more errors (grammatical, spelling or otherwise).


ps: HOW does she get her skin that luminous?!



Monday, January 28, 2008

major buzz...

listening to: 'fall at your feet' - crowded house (yep, two kiwi artists in a row... it's this gorgeous summery weather! perfection.)

well, what can i say? today on another blog i saw a link to my very own blog!! i can't really describe that feeling... punch-drunk, next to the likes of daddy likey, the sartorialist, into the fray & my very own idol style bubble!!! what a feeling! i've gone back just to look at it about 10 times - yes, just two simple words, punch drunk, are making me that excited! what a rush man. that makes writing this, spending so much time poring over other blogs & wardrobe remix, racking my brain for ideas as i lie awake in bed every night worth it.

thankyou so much - now everybody go and read our wishful wardrobe, my two favourite girls in the world right now!

designer collections for chain stores: selling out?

listening to: 'oughta be in love' - dave dobbyn

i'm going to take a little break from posting my favourite inspirational outfits, because i read this blog yesterday and it really got me thinking. so many designers have collaborated with chain stores (ie topshop, target) for awhile now - is this selling their previously elitist, exclusivist soul?

i have to disagree with mer in the city. yes, the heart of truly beautiful fashion is the things like the superior tailoring and the top-quality fabrics used. designers revered by their peers and consumers alike, the world over, achieved the status they hold because they have proved themselves time & again to understand "the basic beauty and art" that fashion is. but i think that designer collaborations, where fashion is brought to the masses, definitely have a market. so haute couture is supposed to be unaffordable? of course it is. haute couture ALWAYS WILL BE unaffordable. but what's wrong with bringing just a smidgen of fashion to a wider audience?

i say smidgen because obviously there have to be compromises. fabrics, especially. the fact is that there are so many people who would love to wear designer clothes - myself included - but can't justify such expenditure. the pricetag of fashion is for so many unattainable. so by collaborating with chain stores the designers can offer consumers a slice of their beautiful visions - not as close to perfection as their own lines, but replications that can make the less fortunate feel as beautiful as the lucky ones do in their designer threads. not everybody who has a passion for clothing and fashion itself can spend thousands of dollars on designer clothing. not everybody has wealthy parents with a limitless credit card. if a wider audience learns to appreciate clothes that are even remotely similar to those a designer produces for the runways (and elitist snobs who may wear certain clothes only because of the status symbol it affords them) then i fail to see that as a bad thing.

yes, designer and chain store collaborations are not the real thing - the differences are certainly vast. yes, in many cases these collaborations are probably undertaken only to garner even more profit. but the result is a larger number of people dressing in better (granted, not the BEST) clothes. it affords them just a tiny taste of the fashion industry, a taste that they would otherwise never get to experience.

i can't wait until my stella mccartney for target trench arrives. at the moment, it's as close as i am going to get to high fashion, and i'm not going to apologise for that.

Sunday, January 27, 2008

stage mother (boboniaa)

i love the preppiness of this super sportif outfit: upturned collars are so collegiate and HOT. especially when they offer you a peep of the unexpected: the stripes look wonderful.

whoever said neutrals were boring was a liar. this shift dress is redeemed by that two-tone detailing on the front. i also really like how she has paired the crisp, tailored dress with simple accessories: plain shoes, minimal jewellery and the beautiful sunglasses. her statement piece is definitely the bag; and it works because of the simplicity of everything else.

my favourite. that dress is just amazing.. so crisp! the accents of green - the heels and especially the headband - take it to the next level.. i love the slouchy fit of the dress, and the collar is so clean and sharp. LOVE.

i. love. this. print. (oh, and the belt).


the fun polka dots, paired with a classic summer coat, would look lovely on their own - the exceptional acessories make it even more special. i am in love with her shoes. the cinched waist soften a somewhat structured silohuette.


perfect silohuette. the proportion of the turtleneck in relation to the slim cut jeans is spot on; and the electric blue of the beads against the green looks beautiful. loving the round-ish toe on the metallic heels.


super cute playsuit. really flirty and fun... i love the hints of red, especially the low-slung belt. the pleating on the shorts is beautiful.


she truly can do no wrong! that is perhaps the most perfectly-knotted scarf i have ever seen. it's hard to make black and white look wrong, but it's harder to make black and white look interesting. the metallic heels add a nice touch, and make me want to drool.

who would have thought chocolate and lime would go together so well? only she, queen of quirky style. casual without being boring.

loving the print! and the accessories - the belt and the beautiful green shoes - are perfection. everything looks like it belongs together, but doesn't look matchy-matchy (gag).
the shorts are perfect. i love the buttons.

the trilby is right on trend; and i love the neutrals paired with the green. the vest injects something really special into an otherwise simple outfit, without overpowering the simplicity and casual air of it all.

the dress is so simple but stunning: beautiful palette of shades. and yes, another scarf. love it!

huge fan of pleats; here they are at their finest: highwaisted, raspberry... what more could i ask for?

i am in love with this pink tunic! raspberry = love. also the white flats are leaving me drooling.. love the cheeky peek of shorts under the tunic.




so this is how it feels to be a stage mother... [facehunter]

listening to: 'live forever' - oasis


first of all, before i get too into this post, i can assure you that the song choice is unintentional - my itunes is on shuffle and i was reminded how much i love this song - but definitely fitting. i've been trying to think of something to post about, when i realised that following the writers idiom of 'write what you know' is exactly what i should be doing in this instance. so here goes..


at the moment, my clothes are boring.


they are uninspired, they are mass produced, they are thrown together simply because my laundry basket is overflowing and i'm procrastinating doing the washing (trust me, if you had as many things to do around the house as i do you would too). i have also purchased a quite a few new items for my wardrobe online, trying to bulk the 'interesting piece' factor up a bit, but i'm having them all sent to my flat in dunedin - i don't want dad to know how much i'm spending on clothes, as i owe him 2 weeks worth of rent. don't feel too sorry for him, he has plenty to spare but doesn't share a lot of it.


this is why i am spending so much time on the internet lately! after dad has left to go to work, of course (he works at the southland times too - yes yes i know, nepotism at it's finest - and doesn't start until early afternoon). looking at other people's outfits, so vastly superior to my own, gives me such a buzz. i can finally understand how dina lohan feels!!


facehunter, the sartorialist, susie bubble and especially wardrobe_remix on flickr are my salvation! i've decided to share a few of my favourites: this is merely a tip of the iceberg when it comes to the images i've saved to my computer. i don't want to put off anybody who might be reading this with a super slow connection, so i'm going to try and be as frugal as i can with the images.


let's start with facehunter:

such a gorgeous colour! and the hat is incredible.

i think this is my very favourite! i love the jacket. i love the chunky white bracelet (i have one similar, i wish i could wear it this well). the black peeking out from the jacket - the exact right lengths, they work so well together. then there is the tights... the shoes... whoever this girl is, well done!

that jacket! how jealous can i be of one girl? she carries off such a costume-y piece with ease - you've got to love it. the jeans have such a beautiful wash too.

the most beautiful leather jacket i have ever seen in my life.

the whole combo works so well: the oversized scarf (sigh), the high waist - those buttons are great, the leather jacket... I admire how she has worn so many colours, without looking like a nutbar!

1 word: scarf. that's all i have to say.

i love the buttons in such an unexpected place. love the hint of the tartan on her sleeves poking out; and of course i love the coloured knee highs - such an unusual colour, but it looks great. oh, and her impossibly beautiful hair.

i was first attracted to this picture because of that fabulous glossy fringe; but the more i look at it, the more i admire the clothes. i'm definitely a big grey fan as it is, and i love that pretty ruffled detail around the neckline.

a great way of wearing neons without looking like a nu-rave kid. and i love her hair!

i'm sure tolstoy would approve: i especially love the delicate print of the skirt, and the oversized clutch.

i'm a sucker for wrap tops, and this is gorgeous - drapes perfectly, and in a wonderful fabric. i used to hate prints, but at the moment i am really digging bright abstracts - especially on silky material. reminds me of scarves, which as we all know, i am a wee bit obsessed with at the moment.

i love the volume of the skirt, contrasted with the top tucked in. so feminine, but not overtly so. love the colours.

Friday, January 25, 2008

birthday birthday birthday!!

listening to: 'chasing pavements' - adele

no it's not my birthday yet, but it's getting close! only a week to go. so this is my very last week of being a teenager.

i'm pretty much terrified of turning 20; quarter-life crisis much? just thinking about it makes my stomache feel hollow. i think i'm suffering from a case of peter pan syndrome... and as the big 2-0 draws ever nearer i'm getting more and more anxious. does this mean i have to grow up now? be responsible? stop laughing at the word uranus?

the christmas of 2006 was my first 'grownup' christmas. instead of fun stuff, like a pink bike with streamers on the handlebars or even a pink cellphone, i got a new duvet. sheets. towels. an electric jug. etc. ok whatever, i needed them in preparation for my first year of flatting (blah blah blaaaaaaaaah), but Yawn. note the capital Y. so, the christmas of 2006 was kind of a wakeup call for me. all my life, i've been the kind of person who has been all "i can't wait for when...". when i was 10 i couldn't wait to be 13. when i was 13 i couldn't wait to be 16. when i was 16 i couldn't wait to be 18. but it's all been downhill from there folks! impending adulthood is drawing ever so close.

but since some of my girlfriends gave me a copy of the secret at my joint birthday bash with kim, i'm trying to be positive about entering my 20s. it means i'm closer to finishing uni and actually getting a job; in turn i'm closer to being able to buy all the clothes that have been out of my broke student reach.

i'm also hoping that i can at least start TRYING to leave behind the whole sheep mentality that seems to mark adolescence: maybe now i will have more confidence in myself as a person, and will focus more on being who i really am rather than being one of the crowd.

one thing i have noticed about university is the whole clique thing. i thought we all left that behind in high school, but apparently not. the only thing im not looking forward to when i return to uni is seeing the throngs of overly-made up girls with super straight hair, permanant mandarin complexions and puffer jackets worn with grey skinny jeans, tucked into black leather boots.

it's easy to be just another clone - it's too easy. hopefully the year i turn 20 will be the year i finally set myself apart from the people who grate on my nerves so much, and not care.

ps: while we're on the topic of my birthday FEBRUARY 2ND i just want you all (all 2? of you) to know that dad relented and got me the stella mccartney jacket! will post pics asap.

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

time to play pretend

listening to: 'only to be with you'- roachford ... an oldie but a goodie

now that i know i have AT LEAST one reader i think i better step up my game and a)write something worth reading and b)write something on a regular basis (or at least stop posting in such erratic intervals).

back at work again. had a relatively uneventful tuesday - sad to hear about heath ledger. i also tried out a new recipie for a chicken dish for tea, but it was pretty average.

so what did i do all day? i lived in fantasy-land, and dreamily composed dozens of different outfits. i think that can be even more fun than really shopping: sometimes all that harsh lighting exposes imperfections id rather pretend didn't exist.

in preparation for my return to uni, im currently fixated on the following:

1. looooong cardigans - preferably grey
2. crisp white cotton shirts
3. slouchy brown boots
4. worn, distressed, ancient - but not manky - old brown leather satchels (i like to match accessories. i dont care if thats not how all the cool kids roll, but this is my blog.)
5. layering layering layering
6. vintage silk scarves in bright, garish abstract prints
7. raspberry coloured opaques
8. big chunky cable knit ANYTHING
9. this amazing dove grey stella mccartney trench coat that i am going to BEG dad to buy me for my birthday... its an absolute bargain on http://www.trademe.co.nz/ . if anybody else bids on this, i will find you.
10. BIG buttons.

strange, yes, considering it is still the height of summer right now. but dunedin is renowned for its freezing cold winters, and i guess i've just been thinking about it a lot. and yes, to me my school wardrobe is key concern - im hoping that if i look fab ill be able to focus on getting good marks, rather than daydream incessantly about all the items i covet. plus i figure that if i have fun getting dressed every morning i won't be tempted to throw on a pair of worn out canterbury pants and leave my hair uncombed, thus skip classes and lounge around the flat all day watching dr phil and eating too much.

i'm still looking for the perfect grey cardie, although i do have my eye on a great taupe marcs one. granted, it has short sleeves, so isn't technically wintery; but note number 5 - layering. it will look great with a white skivvy underneath methinks! i also managed to pick up a raspberry insidious fix cardigan. i love having pieces that brighten up my otherwise dreary, mainly black, ensembles. i have a really cute little pleated dove grey skirt which it will look swell with.

hmmm what else do i have my eye on? about 3 satchels, im still deciding. a pair of black slouchy boots from sachi - i already have a brown pair, but they definitely couldn't be called slouchy. this silk scarf with an amazing floral print: all different shades of blue. I also treated myself and bought a high waisted pencil skirt (with detachable suspenders - will probably remove these), complete with BIG buttons lol. i know i know, i'm about a year too late to jump onto the highwaisted bandwagon; but it is a look i absolutely love! i think the thing with me is that i want to look trendy and hip (don't we all? secretly at least) but there are trends that i just fall in love with, and would continue to wear long after they have been discarded by everyone else. and that's when being fashionable evolves into something resembling personal style.

i don't really care if high waists are "out" !!! ill admit it here and now, my favourite outfits (for myself) would all have me looking like a librarian - although i'd vamp it up with brigitte bardot hair and a smoky brown eyelid. i love that preppy, sleek look... i'm not really the kind of person who takes too many crazy bold risks when i dress. i definitely admire those who do, but i think there is something old-world about my personality, and my dream wardrobe would reflect that. i agree with the bubble - who says that you should wear your clothes, rather than letting them wear you. a person wearing the way they want to be perceived by the world, or emulating an epoch they adore, or always adding a signature piece to every outfit is always going to look better than a person wearing top-to-toe trends, hands down.

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

procrastination queen

listening to: nothing, i'm at work and my ipod died. but my favourite song right now is 'gravity' by sara bareilles.

why hello friends... moments like these, i wonder if there is anybody out there in cyberspace actually reading this dribble, or am i alone? pfft, perhaps that's a good thing: then one day when i've FINALLY written a bestseller nobody will know about this awful little attempt at les bons mots - by the way, i am super sorry i haven't been keeping as up to date as i promised in only my last post! and it's not like i've even been busy.

right now, i am spending my tuesday night at work, my eyes slowly dying as i squint more and more at the computer. but fear not! as the hours i put in here will (fingers crossed) look very nice on my application for a fairfax media internship after i finish uni. and yes, as you can see, i am truly dedicated to my work... but i feel like it would be traitorous to plebs everywhere if i didn't take advantage of the fact that the southland times doesn't block ANY websites. so i spend pretty much all my time on perezhilton and style bubble. ahh, what a life. tonight obviously the main focus is on sir ed... i'm not going to blather on about him; there have already no doubt been far too many cliches bandied about. but to say that he was a great man, a hero to the ordinary joe bloggs, is all I can do. okay, done now. oh and there is someone in blackmount who is attempting to break a world record for shearing "full wool ewes". riveting!!

i don't really have much to say tonight; twas only signed into blogspot because i wanted to leave a comment on susie bubble's daily outfit site thingee. i wonder if she will browse my blog? if so - susie, i apologise! this is definitely not quite as cool as style bubble. (by the way, if there is anybody reading this who hasn't visited her site, do so now. stumbling across it was probably the greatest thing i have ever done online lol).

hmm what is happening with me? i got another fringe cut the other day. still not sure if it's really me. call me bourgeoise, but PEACHES GELDOF of all people has had a major impact on my daydreams of late. that rock and roll baby, devil-may-care attitude; the suitably messy blunt fringe; her outfits... i'll admit i'm intrigued. i wonder if people in the know think she's cool, or if it's just me.

the weather was pretty dreary today; not like the last few days. invercargill has really been turning on the awesome summer weather. dad said something yesterday bout how we've been having the best summer we've seen in yonks. i've been trying to be sunsmart, but the temptation to attempt a tan (futile, really, considering I inherited the irish genes of red hair and fair, freckley skin) has swept me up a little. so far, no tan. but a wee touch of pink does look slightly better than the pasty white i have been since last summer. to be fair i can kind of see a wee bit of tan in there. but perhaps it's just wishful thinking.

kim and i had our joint 20th birthday party the other day. she had a brilliant time, i on the other hand found it to be a complete waste of time. somehow her inviting half of the guys i've ever pashed - guys who never even texted me afterwards - was not my idea of a fun time. lets just say it was awkward and leave it at that. i'm sure you can imagine.. anyway, i just wasn't even in the mood to hit the clubs so i went home. but i'm planning a wee soiree with just the girls on my actual birthday (february 2nd in case you're interested) which i'm sure will be a lot more fun!! Not sure what I will wear yet; probably the same old uninventive thing. I wish I could get away with wearing something different, but i live in such a cliquey, judgemental little town that i never do. i'm just not that brave. maybe after i lose a bit of this extra padding, haha.

so, if i could, what would i wear? what a question - oh the possibilities! let's pretend i'm not held back by the constraints of insecurity nor money. oh, or my figure. if i could wear anything, what would it be? i'm probably not going to be described as a trailblazer; in fact i'm probably miles behind those deemed fashionable. something for me to ponder - i guess i'll get back to you.

ps: i promise to ACTUALLY get back to you this time.
xo