a touch of witchery wonder

Get a sneak peak of Witchery's AW13 collection live from their Sydney runway tonight at 7:15pm AEDT.  You can follow via Instagram or Twitter @WITCHERYFASHION #WITCHERYFRONTROW.

And just in case seeing those amazing looks on the runway isn't enough to get you running to the nearest store, Witchery is providing shoppers with a little extra incentive.  There is currently 25% off full priced women's shoes both instore and online.  I am totally tempted by these two:

belinda flat

carine heel

As an added bonus, Witchery members will receive double the usual fashion fuelled rewards until Sunday.  If you're not yet a member of Witchery's loyalty program, you can sign up here.  I promise, the exclusive offers and rewards make signing up totally worth it!  

Happy shopping!

5 fabulous ways

Metalicus has just launched "The Monique", a merino wool blend cardi that can be styled in five fabulous ways.

As shown, The Monique comes in five different colours, but only one size, which according to Metalicus, 'fits most'.  And, at $189 for five different looks, I say that's excellent value for money.    

For those of you seeking some hands-on advice, head to the Metalicus store at Chadstone the Fashion Capital this Thursday, February 28th and enjoy a styling workshop led by a professional stylist.  Workshops include light refreshments and individually tailored style advice.  There is a $20 booking fee, but it is redeemable for product on the night.  In addition, workshop participants will enjoy an exclusive 4-day only offer of 20% off store-wide.  Click here to book your place.

crimes of fashion

Recently a young woman asked my view on the growing trend of gym clothing as fashion.  You know, the whole Lorna Jane, lululemon being worn to places that are highly unlikely to stage a spontaneous Zumba class.

My view is this, if you are wearing an outfit more suited to attending a Pump class than visiting your grandparents, you should be heading towards a Pump class.  Anything else is simply the fashion equivalent of screaming to the world "CHECK ME OUT!!! I have the most amazing body ever!!!!"  Granted, this might actually be the case.  So, if you happen to possess a physique so divine you feel the world would be missing out by not getting a glimpse of it, then more power to you.  Feel free to get around in skimpy crop tops, a bare midriff and tight leggings.  Don't expect anyone to like you though.  As parents have been telling their children for centuries - no one likes a show off.

If however, as is more likely to be the case, you are a mere mortal with lumps and bumps like the rest of us, keep in mind that sometimes the kindest thing you can do is exercise a touch of modesty and cover the hell up.

Oh, and in no known universe are leggings pants.  End of story.

This post is dedicated to the beautiful Ellie G.

style with cindy

I am a huge believer in life as an educational journey.  Whether it's the books we read, the films we watch or the people we meet, I firmly believe everything and everyone is an opportunity to learn more about our world and ourselves.  In this spirit, I grabbed a fashionista friend and we ventured to a Style with Cindy Style and Body Shape Workshop.

The day long workshop focuses on 'The Secrets of Personal Style' which stylist Cindy Newstead has broken down into three main elements: defining your personal style, dressing correctly for your body shape and using colours to enhance your complexion.  There was homework to complete for the day, and my students will be thrilled to learn that Ms Kafka did hers at the last possible minute in a nearby cafe, gulping down a latte as she shoved the required work into a dodgy plastic pocket unearthed from the bottom of the cupboard.  Yup, it's all about preparation.   

There were eight style students in total at the workshop - all women, from their 20s upwards.  Each one of us had our own reasons for being there.  To be completely honest, I would have liked to have known more about why these other women were there.  Maybe it's the yenta in me, but I am intrigued as to what prompts individuals to take a step forward in the fashion stakes.  What defining moment has led a woman to hand over a considerable amount of cash in order to be told how to improve the first impression she makes?  What causes someone to take such a step in an effort to feel more confident about the person she presents to the world?  FYI Cindy, a bottle of bubbly or two wouldn't go astray. Loosen the tongues and get the participants sharing a few stories about what has brought them to that secret room in Chadstone Tower willing to be hauled up in front of a group of strangers and be told the jeans she is wearing are making her arse look big.   

I did learn a few things from Cindy.  I learnt that my body shape is an 'inverted triangle' (as is my fashionista friend) and that my colour group is 'deep warm'.  I also learnt that 'deep warm' is totally different to 'warm deep'- who knew?  I must admit however, there was a moment when, watching a young woman being draped in a range of colour swatches by Cindy and her assistant/husband Calvin in an effort to work out "the colours that will harmonise with you and bring your complexion alive", I was suddenly acutely aware of the number of starving children in Africa.  That realisation of the slight absurdity and self indulgence of what I was involved in didn't last long however.  It was quickly interrupted by a more 'mature' member of the group having a little tantrum because she wasn't happy with the colour group Cindy and Calvin had declared to be most in harmony with her complexion.  I guess paying to hear expert advice doesn't always mean you're always willing to listen to expert advice. 

And Cindy did give some good advice, most specifically in the area of effective shopping.  My favourite hint for the day is as follows:  When in the fitting room, put on the outfit you're considering, shut your eyes and then open them.  Look straight at your reflection.  If something in the outfit, or the outfit itself jumps out at you, it's a problem.  Why?  Because you should wear your clothes, not the other way around.  I also liked Cindy's acknowledgement that while generally speaking one is far better off spending more money on fewer but better quality pieces, cheap and nasty can fill a spot.

Overall, I think the day was a solid learning experience for me.  It reminded me that the way I view myself isn't necessarily the way others view me.  It also confirmed for me that while a true sense of style is not really something that can be taught, there are some basic guidelines which can help style strugglers make the most of their body shape and complexion.  While lacking confidence in what you look like may not be as tragic as the world's starving children, it can greatly impact on the way others view you, and most importantly, how you view yourself.     

But in the end, what my day with Cindy confirmed for me is my belief that some rules are meant to be broken.  Perhaps that's what style is - an innate knowledge and understanding of these guidelines combined with the confidence to do whatever you damn well please once in a while.

suck it in

The other day I heard a great description of what I refer to as 'suck-it-in-undies'.  "It's like when you clean your house by shoving all the toys, papers and general crap into a cupboard and shut the door.  The house may look good for a little while, but eventually you're going to have to open that cupboard door and all that stuff is going to come tumbling back out."

Great analogy, right?  Unfortunately, this description was used by a man.  To his wife.  After she had just purchased her first pair of suck-it-ins.  He may as well have said, "Sweetheart, I never want to have sex again."

Euphemistically referred to as 'shapewear', women in the western world have the privilege of being able to wander into any department store and find themselves faced with a mind-boggling range of Spanx, Nancy Ganz and the like to help them in their search for physical perfection - or at least to help them fake it.  Even Big W has their Hold Me Tight range.

I am torn about the entire shapewear debate, although to be perfectly honest, it is possible that I am the only one actually debating what is essentially underwear.

There is a part of me that thinks these sort of products simply promote and capitalise on the pressure many women feel to look like a post-Photoshop image of a fifteen year-old girl.  They continue the harmful legacy of a media which shouts criticisms at every woman from billboards, websites and magazines; "You are not good enough!  Your boobs are too low!  Your thighs are too dimpled!  Your upper arms resemble the pancake I ate this morning!"  I wonder if the women behind these brands have contemplated their role in perpetuating female self-loathing.  Is Nancy Ganz in fact a hater?  Is Sara Blakely, billionaire inventor of Spanx really some evil, malevolent cackling witch playing on the insecurities of women in order to maintain her place on  the Forbes magazine's annual I'm Way, Way, Way Richer Than You List?

sara blakely - inventor of spanx and way, way, way richer than most of you

Then there is a part of me that believes anything that can help me and countless other women feel better about themselves is great.  If I feel more confident because I am donning a garment frighteningly similar to a scuba suit under my pencil skirt then I am going to have a greater chance of success on that day and will simply be in a more positive place.  True, I would be feeling more positive because in my mind at least I am looking more like that perky breasted, flat tummy fifteen-year-old in soft-focus, but the reality is, allowing my flabby gut to hang out won't solve the world's misogyny, so I may as well do what I can to feel good about myself.  Right?

Plus, yay for Sara Blakely.  She found a need and she filled it.  She did not and does not rely on daddy or hubby's moolah; surely that's a reason to wrap her in the feminist flag, isn't it?

The reality is fashion is political.  When you choose to wear something you are proclaiming to the world who you are and some of the beliefs you hold.  I guess that's what I find so engaging about the industry.

And to the hubby who shared his great analogy, don't worry Ms Blakely hasn't forgotten you!  Presenting the 'Game-Changer'.

manx - spanx for men

Perhaps the game is changing.  Perhaps men now have just as much right to feel bad about themselves as women do.

australia day

At the end of last year, like many of you, I received an invite to an end of year barbecue.  Now, with no dress code anywhere to be seen on the invite, and having never attended this particular annual event before, I assumed it was your traditional Australian summer attire - men in terrible shorts with way too many pockets, a faded Mambo t-shirt or two circa 1993, shiny polyester polo shirts proclaiming the wearers' sporting allegiances, Kmart thongs, Crocs, too tight singlets revealing bra straps and bulges - you know, the usual.  

I arrived at said event wearing what I thought was a rather swish kaftan top and a pair of wide leg summer pants.  Casual but elegant.  Perfect, right?  Wrong.  Entering the room became one of those moments you have nightmares about.  There was no DJ or music of any kind, and yet I swear I heard the screech of a record coming to an abrupt end as heads turned to stare.  It is entirely possible there was even a spotlight to highlight my shame.  You seen, unbeknownst to me the event was actually formal.  We are talking women in cocktail dresses and men in long pants and shirts with collars and cuffs.  We are talking wine glasses and silverware.

The question of in what kind of parallel universe are barbecues formal is only superseded by the question why wasn't this aberration of social convention printed on the invitation?  Or at the very least, why wasn't the new chic warned about this little oddity?  Needless to say, I have just added this wonderful episode to my ever growing list of humiliating moments.

Wanting to spare all others this kind of embarrassment, and with Australia Day - the official day of the barbecue in our great southern land - fast approaching, I thought I would put together a few possible looks to help get you through this patriotic season.

For those of you who have never been brave enough, I highly recommend a trip to Dangerfield.  It can be a bit intimidating to enter this little treasure trove for first time thanks to the ultra-cool vibe and salespeople with rainbow coloured hair, but it is worth it, especially if you're after something a bit quirky or pieces with a vintage edge.  As an added bonus, at the moment Dangerfield is having a minimum 50% off all sale items both online and in store.

I have always been a huge fan of the sun dress, particularly those with a nod to the 1950s.  I purchased this little beauty the other day and I can't wait to wear it with a pair of wedges.  Add a thick black belt around the waist and a pair of kitten heels and you're ready for a day at the office, and don't we all love clothes that do double duty.    

revival bells of st clements dress

Simple, easy but still totally gorgeous, this shift dress comes in two colourways - blue (see picture below) and green.  The little peter-pan collar is totally adorable and a perfect hemline means you shows just enough leg to be a tad flirty.  The lack of defined waistline also means those couple of extra beers will be kept firmly under wraps.  Keep in mind the fit of this one is much smaller, especially around the bust area.

revival sunday shift dress

I am not a huge playsuit/romper fan.  I firmly believe that they are pieces meant for the sandpit, not for grown up women, however I am aware that are those out there that love them.  So for those of you prepared to get fully undressed to sit on a toilet, this is a particularly cute romper, and it's on sale for $44 (originally $88).

revival rosella romper

There is heaps of 'Friends of Couture' items currently on sale at Dangerfield, so if your look is classic with a hint of quirky, check out what's currently available.  I love the nautical theme of this little knitted top.  Mix it with jeans, a cute pair of shorts or even a little flip skirt this Australia Day.

friends of couture manhattan beach rapture top

For those who feel the need to plaster themselves with the Australian flag this year, just promise me you'll avoid those classic t-shirts boldly proclaiming, "Love it or leave it" or anything equally as intellectually complex.  

Oh, and if the event you're holding this Australia Day is going to be formal one, put it on the bloody invitation.


     

     

ponytail perfection

hillary clinton: 67th united states secretary of state and  scrunchie sinner

One of my pet peeves - and I admit, I have a few - is a beautifully made up woman with her hair tied up in an old, scraggy elastic band or god forbid, a scrunchie (gasp!).  On any given day, in any city in the civilised world you will see far too many women in beautifully tailored suits and a gorgeous pair of heels with their hair tied back as if they were about to scrub someone's toilet.  It's all I can do to stop myself grabbing Little Fashionista's Crayola safety scissors and hacking off the offending band and in the process giving the woman in question a quite drastic haircut. Unfortunately, for women who prefer long locks there have been limited options for effective but elegant and affordable solutions... until now!

Now, I know I did a bit of Mecca Cosmetica worship in my last post, but I am so excited about these simple little beauties, I felt it was worth the double-up.  Mecca has brought out a range of hair ties complete with metallic coated cuffs in gold, rose gold and silver.  What's more, they come in cute boxed gift-sets so you can help your more fashion-challenged friends polish their ponytails and create a sleek and sophisticated do!  Plus, at only $32.00 a set, they are a bit of a bargain.

mecca cosmetica ponytail perfector set

mecca cosmetica ponytail perfectors