Wednesday 30 October 2013

Shorts In Spring


Growing up near the beach in Queensland, Australia, I've practically lived my life in shorts. So now that the warmer weather is back, my staple wardrobe piece will obviously be shorts.

No doubt there'll be some cooler days, like this one here in these photos. I spent a couple of days visiting my sister in Sydney and found this day to be a little bit cooler than other Spring days. So I styled my shorts with a light jumper/sweater. I accessorised my outfit with my platform sandals and my big black tote. I added a pop of colour with my hot pink bracelet - it's the only piece that I wear in my favourite colour!

I'm thinking that the next time I go exploring in a place I'm unfamiliar with, I might put some flats on I'd definitely save some time walking up and down hills!


 



Wearing:
 
Sass and Bide Jumper
Witchery Shorts
Michael Kors Hamilton Tote
Marc by Marc Jacobs Bracelets

Wednesday 23 October 2013

Maxi Dress

 
When I was a little girl, I was fascinated by the clothing that my mother wore, especially the clothes that featured sheer panels and fabrics. Every one of these pieces was lined. The clothes that were lined with nude fabrics gave the illusion that she wore nothing at all underneath. For example, there was a one piece black crochet bathing suit that my mother wore to the beach all the time. It was lined with a nude fabric. It was funny to see people do double-takes, obviously expecting to see more as it appeared to be see-through.
 
The maxi dress I'm wearing in this post has sheer black crochet that reminded me of my mother's bathing suit. I bought this maxi dress because I can dress it up or down, and wear it in any season.
 
In the photos below, I was hanging out with my sister in Sydney, a little cooler than Brisbane, so I put a leather jacket on. In the photo above, I wore heels because the dress is so long, but in the photos below I'm wearing boots, so that I can show the versatility of this maxi dress.
 
My hair was easy. I took my hair tie out and shook my head. This is my natural hair - loose, wavy and messy. Kind of like my mum's beach hair when she wore her black crochet one piece.
 
 
 

 

Wearing:
 
Karen Walker Sunglasses
The Giving Keys Necklace



Tuesday 1 October 2013

Dark Stripes


I bought this black stripe top in the middle of our Australian winter. The plan was to wear it with jeans or skinny pants and a blazer or jacket. Well, I did wear it to a meeting with blue skinny jeans and a black blazer with a pair of black flats. I also thought it would make a fabulous investment piece for spring/summer. I planned to wear it with shorts or skirts with something underneath so that you can't see my underwear.

I also bought these black quilted shorts around the same time that I bought this stripe top and figured I'd style them into an outfit. For this post, I wore the top with only a bra underneath so that I could show the striking detail of the sheer stripes, however when wearing this outfit out and about, I prefer to wear a black singlet underneath.

The accessories I'm wearing are my current favorites - the cut out boots, Spektre sunglasses, The Giving Keys necklace, and the Puzzle Jewellery rings. The bag is new, I bought it a few weeks ago and I adore the holographic details peeking out of the white.

The next time I wear this black stripe top, I'm thinking of wearing it over a singlet and tucked into a skirt. Or perhaps I'll wear it with something high-waisted. Decisions, decisions...

Wearing:
The Giving Keys necklace
White Bag from NastyGal

Thursday 26 September 2013

Heels and Shorts

 
 
I opened my eyes, saw the sunshine streaming in through my curtains and felt the warm breeze that was blowing my curtains in. I knew in an instant that it was the day I was finally going to put a pair of shorts on! You see, I really feel the cold, and even though I live in sunny Queensland, I hadn't put a pair of shorts on through all of winter.
 
Yes I wore skirts and dresses with coats and jackets, however I still hadn't worn a pair of shorts. Go figure. So on Saturday morning, while I chose my outfit to wear to lunch at a restaurant in Manly, I chose a pair of black tailored shorts that I bought a couple of years ago.
 
These black shorts are a classic style that I folded up once at the hem to expose a little more leg. I paired them with this loose, flowy top for a more casual daytime look. Well, at least casual was the look I was initially going for. I slipped on a pair of flat sandals, but before I walked out the door, I changed my shoes to my favourite white strappy heels. I suppose this choice of footwear dressed the outfit up more than I had initially intended to, but I was in a fun mood and couldn't resist these playful heels.
 
I accessorised this black and white monochrome outfit with gold trinkets on my neck, wrists and fingers. These gold details matched the gold hardware on my bag and tied the bag into the outfit.
 
So after lunch, we took some photos to record my first post winter outfit that includes shorts. As you can see, the warm breeze became a gusty wind! This may not have been good for my hairstyle, but it was obviously great for all the pretty sailing boats out in the bay that day.
 
 
Wearing:
 
The Giving Keys Necklace
Witchery Shorts
 



Wednesday 4 September 2013

Leather and Shells


Spring is finally here and luckily enough, there are still a few days and nights left that are cool enough for me to wear my leather pants. As the weather's been warming up, I've been pairing them with t-shirts and other light tops like this cream-coloured cotton top.

The shell embellishments on the shoulders of this top make it one of my favourites, so you'll probably see it a few more times over the next few months. It's also because of these shells that this top doesn't really need any accessories as they are already built in!

I added the necklace as it's pretty much a staple for me these days and really, it goes with almost every casual outfit, don't you think?

 
Wearing:
 
Ksubi Leather Pants
Michael Kors Bag
The Giving Keys Necklace

Tuesday 20 August 2013

Favourite Things

 
A couple of weeks ago, while choosing accessories to style an outfit I noticed I'd put together a few of my favourite things. While looking over the rings, bracelets and necklaces, I saw a theme emerge – a relaxing holiday away, somewhere with a white sandy beach that stretches for miles and miles.

So we went to Fraser Island - a place named one of the sexiest islands by Forbes Magazine. We arrived at sunrise and drove up the beaches to this amazing beach house we stayed in, Poyungan on Fraser. I took some shots of these accessories and the stunning beach. I can’t list where each piece is from as they’re not recent purchases, nor do I have exact details as to who would sell them now.

It’s a lovely mix of accessories, some old and some new. The pouch is new and multipurpose as it doubles up as either a makeup case or a travel case for the jewels.

My jewels are from all over the place. The fish pendant I bought a few years ago from the Eumundi markets and was originally on the tan strap that I wore as a wraparound bracelet. The earrings a gift, the necklace with the anchor was a gift from my mother that she bought for me when she was in Dubai many years ago. The solid gold bangle bracelet was a gift I bought myself a few years ago for achieving some personal goals, and the rest I have listed below.

The Giving Keys necklace and ring are the newest additions to my collection. The messages on the keys and the company itself are truly inspirational, I highly recommend you check them out.



 






The Giving Keys Classic Pendant
The Giving Keys Gold Knuckle Ring

Tuesday 30 July 2013

Checks On The Beach

 

I thought the 90's trend of tartan 'flanno' shirts was long gone and buried in the past. If I could've seen into the future, I probably would've fallen off my chair in surprise at seeing photos of myself wearing a plaid shirt in a fashion blog post.

Over the years I've watched tartan come and go in designer collections, but I was never drawn to this fabric until now. It's so easy to wear this checkered fabric - pair yours with leather pants (or faux leather), ripped jeans, or even shorts. Wear it buttoned up and tucked in or not tucked, tie it around your waist, or just wear it open over a white t-shirt.

Tartan button-up shirts are perfect for that cool and casual look, especially now that the 90's grunge trend is back. Make your look your own by choosing a plaid shirt in a your favourite colour.

So here I was, not long ago, unable to get these checkered fabrics out of my mind and I bought a shirt. And I love it! It's so soft and comfortable, and can be worn over almost everything. I chose a red/pink based colour for my top because believe it or not, pink is my favourite colour. I layered mine over a longer white t-shirt and added the shiny leggings to give it a little edge.








Wearing: