Showing posts with label summer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label summer. Show all posts

steal my sunshine.


Taking a quick study break from my 5000 word final essay from the last unit of my undergraduate degree (of which I am more than half way through, so don't worry I'm not doing it all the night before it's due) to bring you a procrasta-flatlay. A few weeks ago I found out I was going on a cruise over the New Year with Jack's family, visiting Brisbane, Cairns and Noumea. I am super excited because a) I haven't been on a holiday with Jack for over a year b) My parents are obsessed with cruises and keep telling me I have to go c) the opportunity to get healthy tan (though is a tan ever healthy?). While the prospect of lazing around doing absolutely nothing is somewhat appealing, we all know how restless I get when my mind is not worrying about at least ten things at once. I am however feeling like a kid at a candy store over the amount of choices I have for outdoor activities at our ports of call. There's something about recreational activities like snorkelling, horse riding, paddle boarding, kayaking and abseiling down a waterfall that just makes me giddy. Although holidays should be relaxing there's nothing like a once-in-a-lifetime experience to get your blood pumping; a-la white water rafting in Bali and hiking along the Great Wall in China. Preparations to jam pack my on land schedule are well underway. 

I've already envisaged my cruise carry-on/ summer wardrobe essentials which includes the following perfect seasonal finds thus far:
  • Acne grey marle v neck shirt, two sizes up from my usual.
  • The Rag & Bone denim shorts that aren't offensively short (no butt cheeks were harmed in the making of this garment) but still short enough to make my legs look long.
  • The shirt that looks like I borrowed it from my boyfriend but was instead purchased from J Crew.
  • NARS tinted moisturiser because your face is more than likely to melt off in the heat. The less time spent on your morning makeup routine the better. 
  • Superga aka the people's shoes of Italy. It's basically Converse but for the cool kids.
  • Strawberries and blueberries because that's all I'll be eating.
  • Nivea spray on sunscreen. The best. 
For my readers that hail from Melbourne here's a public service announcement regarding the Dion Lee sample sale. Score! Past season mainline and Line II up to 85% off starting from today up until Sunday at 368 Chapel Street, South Yarra. You know I'd be there if I could so you'll have to spend on my behalf. All the deets are here. 
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bali photo diary part one.

1 / Upgraded to a little slice of paradise at the Ubud Resort Hotel & Spa.  
2/ Ingredients laid out in prep for our Indonesian feast at Lobong Cooking. 
3/ Consuming our daily mocktails/ juices featuring our matching bracelets.
 4/ A statue made entirely out of rice. We spent a good amount of our time surrounded by rice fields and still have no idea how rice is actually made. 
5/ Biking around the island of Gili Trawangan repping Nike. 
6/ Too many eateries to try in such a short amount of time that we ended up having multiple dinners. Entree sized calamari at Sea Circus. 
7/ Sunset from WooBar at the W Hotel. 
8/ Quad biking through the rice fields. Yes I crashed one of these into a banana tree. 
9/ Bon Voyage Gili T! Chucking peace signs before heading home. 

Bali now seems like a distant memory having finally accepted that i have to tackle two group projects, a 4000 word research project and writing essays in another language amongst other things before I could ever return to this beautiful island. I now see why so many Australians are drawn to Bali. I probably can't describe it to you so I'll show you instead. Perhaps it's just the experience of travelling to another world far away from yours, experiencing their culture and not having to think about the stresses of everyday life. I am so grateful to have shared this time with my best friend - we're already thinking up our next big adventure. I tried to compress this into one post but there were so many moments that just sum up our amazing week that I just couldn't decide. Keep your eye out for part dua (that's two in Indonesian).

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bunny's day off.

As life would have it, the busiest time for my blog just so happen to coincide with the pointy end of semester. I took a quick (and sugar-filled) detour via the Cirqlate PR showroom before my marketing presentation this morning to preview the new summer collection from Stylestalker. Bunny's Day Off pays homage to 60's pin-up girl Brigitte Bardot and explores the duality behind her intriguing persona - the girl next door charm vs. the sex kitten. Lace panelling and sequins contrasted with tough leather and gunmetal studs in a monochrome base with pops of vibrant colours and subdued pastels. There's a little something for everyone to keep you looking tres chic this summer, from drawstring shorts, skater skirts to day dresses and slogan tees. My standout print had to be the kaleidoscope peach-pink pattern which reminded me of Gotye's Somebody That I Used To Know music video (and I have consequently dubbed it the Gotye print). Duo, Sue-Ann San and Rachel Zeilic have partnered with friend and photographer Zanita (yes that Zanita) to lens the campaign and it is by far my fav of theirs to date.

Bunny's Day Off is available online right now, so hop to it! *

* Pun intended. 
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white magic.

dress: miss unkon. headpiece: limedrop. necklace: molten store. bracelets: samantha wills. 

jacket: minty meets munt. top: unspoken. shorts: ixiah. shoes: nine west. necklace & bracelets: samantha wills.


top & skirt: amy kaehne. shoes: nine west. bracelet & ring: samantha wills.

Photography: Christine Ai
Model: Jessie McLachlan
MUA: Yenn Xin

I present to you part two of my shoot with the dream team. The concept behind this one was originally an all white shoot (to get you in the mood for summer) but I couldn't help adding some colour here after seeing this incredible shoot on Fashion Gone Rogue (which I unfortunately can't find the link to). Though not intentional, it's crazy to see just how easily we can completely transform the mood and direction with some simple hair, makeup and wardrobe changes. It ended up looking more like three separate looks from three separate shoots but hey, I'm proud of my first attempt (particularly that pastel sports luxe look boom!). This definitely won't be the last you see of my styling escapades. 

A huge thank you to Undergroup Showroom, Mother & Father PR, Cirqlate PR, Park Avenue PR, Bespoke PR, Nine West and Samantha Wills and UNSW Photo Club for making this possible!
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summer wardrobe planning.

1. J Crew 2. Sambag 3. Equipment 4. Zimmermann 5. Proenza Schouler

Welcome spring! Gone are the days (well maybe not quite yet) where I have to wear the same black coat day in day out and stack on the layers to keep me warm during my early morning and late night commute. Hello longer daylight, banana smoothie weather and (in my opinion) easier outfit decisions. Wasting no time on this seasonal change, I'm already gearing up for some new purchases. First on the list: the panama hat.
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secret south.



Naming a business or a brand is like naming a child. You only get one shot, so you'd better make sure it's a good one. But on the odd occasion you feel like you've outgrown your name, there's always the option of changing it. Secret Squirrel have emerged this season under its new name Secret South. Creative couple Bri Cheeseman and Andrew Prince describe Secret South as 'Secret Squirrel's stylish older sister'. Indeed, the duo have preserved their understated, modern classic feel and minimalist, refined aesthetic that we have come to know and love over the years. Smart tailoring and timeless silhouettes in the form of luxe separates live on in their spring/ summer collection 'Introduction'. 

 Every collection weaves a signature print or two throughout (winter being the tessellating tri print and scattered sequins) and this season they have once again collaborated with Elke Kramer to produce  a mix of vintage inspired florals and geometric aztec  - you can shop it all here. They've even added accessories to the lineup, including scarves, belts and clutches (NEED). 

There stands a huge risk when renaming a brand (a huge process in terms of marketing and also the uncertainty of how loyal fans will take it) but for Secret South I feel the transition has been seamless, a natural and fitting process given its gradual growth and maturity of the label. I have had nothing but praise for SS in the past (I seem to constantly be blogging their new collections) and I'm not about to change mind anytime soon. Long live Secret South.

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kb's outfit perfection.


Spring has been teasing us as of late. Thursday was so warm that I wore shorts to uni and slept without the heater on. Score. Not used to wearing anything other than jeans and a tee for the last three months has made me lacking imagination in the summer wardrobe department, but Kate Bosworth is here to save us all. I just can't get over how perfect these outfits are. It's a no brainer - sleeveless shirt (see Equipment), high waisted shorts, strappy sandals (check out Steve Madden) and a shoulder bag. So simple and easily created. I only hope I can look half as cool as KB when I do.
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pearls and men.

Source: April Rose Pengilly 

Pearls and Men... a juxtaposition if I ever saw one, and it couldn't be more fitting to describe Manning Cartell's SS12 collection. Striking the perfect balance between masculine and feminine with its sorbet pastel palette and masculine tailoring. I loved it so much, I even took the time to curate my favourite looks into categories for your viewing pleasure (also because I wanted to weigh up which of the four dresses I would wear to my 21st). It's so satisfying when you can do that to a collection because you know the designer has extra care to make it cohesive and seamless (perhaps I should be a judge on Project Runway?). Most labels boast a signature print that they incorporate into every 'type' of clothing (dress, separates, jacket etc.), but Manning Cartell proves that you don't need a striking pattern to drive your collection, instead relying on the textures, structures and and materials to string a narrative. I love that they're reviving the shorts suit - it has 'I'm a powerful, confident woman' written all over it and If I was at an office job, I swear my corporate wardrobe would be full of the two-piece. But for now, I will just live in my loose boxy sequinned tee and metallic shorts while I push through my tertiary education.
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pursuit of happiness.


The first day of 2012 aka the first real day of summer (for me at least). After being cooped up inside a shopping center for the entirety of December, I finally had my first taste of summer sunshine on New Years Day. So what better than to pull out my much loved vintage denim cut offs and my Rayban wayfarers (two of my essential summer pieces) and put together what I would considered my everyday outfit - the one I wear when I'm running errands on the very few days I have off.

These snaps were taken at the Moonlight Cinema in Centennial Park. If you're thinking about seeing a movie within the next month - do it here! Much better than sitting inside a dark room. I gave my boyfriend Gold Grass tickets to an advance screening of the Muppets for our one year anniversary and we were treated like royalty - we had the best 'lounges' in the house right in the middle of the screen and we didn't have to line up for food like everybody else (it was delivered to us). The Muppets is the best movie I've seen all year (no pun intended), it had a little something for the kids and adults (or the young at heart) with plenty of cameos (Donald Glover, Rashida Jones, Dave Grohl) and lots of laugh out loud moments. 

I'd also like to introduce to you my new hat. If you've been following me on Twitter, you'll know I had some hesitation towards wearing hats - I have a huge head (it kills if I wear headbands for more than two hours), wide face and an equally huge forehead. Contrary to my initial beliefs, I am indeed a hat person and very much in love with my 'Far East Plum' French Connection fedora from ASOS. Despite being a wool hat (my mother thinks a wool hat isn't appropriate for summer weather) , you'll be seeing a lot more of this little thing. I'm taking it with me on my four seasons holiday and determined to wear it in both summer (Malaysia) and winter (Japan)... which is in 6 days by the way!
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S U M M E R S U R V I V A L

1. Equipment Signature Shirt 2. One Teaspoon original bonitas blanco shorts 3. Benah Kodi mini chain bag 4. ASOS modern sleek armour cuff 5. A.P.C Low Wedge Sandals

Probably not an outfit that looks very 'together' (but you never know it might surprise you), but more of a collection of things that I need for my summer wardrobe. I've finally let go of the knit (it was hard to say goodbye to the Acne Ruth Twisted Knit, hopefully there will be something equally as lovely come Japan) and ready to embrace t-shirt and shorts weather with open arms (get it? cause singlets don't have sleeves?).

To ensure summer survival, I believe the following items are needed: (1) The staple button up shirt, in any colour which will aid you eventually with the (sad) transition to fall and winter. Wear buttoned up and tucked into shorts or as a loose jacket type thing. (2) The white short. So Isabel Marant brought us the pale pink short but I'm all for the white short, just so I can wear white all over. (3) A small shoulder bag. There's no need to carry huge tote full of bits and bobs while you're shopping/ out with friends. (4) A statement cuff. If you're like me and your summer wardrobe consists of shorts and plain white t's, then you can afford to go big with your jewellery. And finally (5) A good pair of wedges, because thongs are just downright plain and boring.
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