Outfit of the Day – Australia Day
I haven’t gone out on Australia Day for a few years but my friend Kristia has moved here from Miami and it was her first one so I was really excited to actually do something.
We went to Bondi, to Cream Tangerine, and it was actually really fun! I’ve heard some bad ‘reviews’ of parties at Cream Tangerine but aside from a handful of guys in douchy singlets and a couple of overly-spray-tanned girls it was great. The music was fantastic (not sure who the dj was), it was easy to get drinks, there were heaps of happy, friendly people and it was just a nice overall feel.
After Bondi we went to Ms G’s for dinner – never not loving that place – and then to The Norfolk for a couple before heading home. I had to work yesterday so I wanted to be settled in to bed ready for the day ahead.
Before heading to Cream Tangerine we went to check out the KARL pop-up ‘store’ in Bondi. Umm, clearly I was confused because it was not an actual shop. It was a wall with a big photo of some of the styles available. I guess the concept was actually kind of cool, you had the chance to win the clothing with the use of an iPad app, but even after having a tonne of goes I didn’t win. I think a girl next to me won something because she was squealing.
We did get this cute tote and tshirt, though. It looks as if most of the KARL collection is already sold out on NetAPorter but, to be honest, I’m not completely in love with it. I feel like we’ve seen a lot of it before. Silver jeans – Sass & Bide, sheer shirts are even available in cute designs from Supre these days, so personally I won’t be buying anything from the collection.
Here’s what I wore on the day. I didn’t get a chance to take full photos, but hopefully you get the idea.
Jacket – Sass & Bide Shorts – Ksubi Singlet – Supre Shoes – Converse Bag (not shown) – Marc Jacobs
Nad’s Gel Facial Wand
I’ve been meaning to write about the Nad’s Gel Facial Wand for a few months now. It’s the highlight of my day whenever I need to wax again. It actually makes me wish I had a moustache so I could wax that off too.
If you’re like me and extremely skeptical about having your brows ‘done’ by anyone else, this is the perfect tool. It’s also a great product if you want to save money and start doing your brows at home. Honestly, this is the only option for me. I’ve had my eyebrows waxed about three times in my life and the beauticians have never ‘got’ my look, leaving me with thin, sparse brows that had heaps of space in the middle.
Nad’s Gel Facial Wand is SO easy to use. Here’s how:
I like to start by brushing all the eyebrows in an upward direction so I can see the natural shape of the brow. This helps in finding the strays and for determining how much you want to take off. It’s good to brush your eyebrows regardless – I do it at least once a day – to encourage growth and get rid of dead hairs.
Because the wand has such a fine tip, the shape you’re going for will be really accurate. I’ve actually been enjoying trying out different brow shapes and arches just because I can. Although I hate thin eyebrows, I went for a thinner look this time around because I think it looks good with dewy, Summery makeup with highlighted brow bones.
Apply a thin layer to the hairs you want to remove and lay a small fabric strip over the top. Smooth over lightly and rip in the opposite direction that the hair is growing.
My apologies for the grossness of the next picture, but I wanted to show you how effective just a small bit of wax can be.
Here’s the final result. Obviously, like with any wax, you’ll have some redness. This subsides quite quickly particularly because you’re not using hot wax. I find that any excess wax washes off really easily with water.
My only problem with the wand is that it only comes with about 10 strips. I go through at least two per wax so I’ve had to make do with other bits of fabric or wax strips from other packets I had at home.
Although the wand is small (6g), I’ve only used about a quarter of it for about half a dozen waxes so at $13.95 you’re getting a huge bargain.
A little tip – don’t leave the wax on too long before ripping it off. Although not hot, the wax does melt with your own body heat so you can be left with a wetter, not so tacky/sticky wax which won’t work as well if you’re not relatively quick.
You should be able to pick up Nad’s Gel Facial Wand from Coles, Woolies and Priceline stores. What are you waiting for? Take back control of your brows!!
Just In Case You Care…
…about the one millionth opinion on the Golden Globe fashions.
I’m not going to say too much, I only have a handful of favourites.
Nicole Kidman
I know most people don’t like her but I think she’s stunning. She’s so striking in real life and, quite simply, one of the most beautiful women I’ve ever seen. Surgery or not, you can’t deny those icy blue eyes against that alabaster skin. Normally I don’t like pale on pale but the colour of this dress looks gorgeous. She makes me wish I didn’t spend so much time in the sun.
Sofia Vargara
Duhhhh. Had she gone for red or black I wouldn’t have been completely sold, but teal was the perfect surprise colour for this red carpet classic and she does glamour so, so well.
Julianna Margulies
Julianna usually gets it pretty right and today was no exception. Loooooove the juxtaposition between her earrings and the dress. Imagine if you described her dress to someone: “it’s a long-sleeved, purple sequin number”. Massive slant. But it works so well. I think it’s the matte sequins that really take it to another level, and the fact it’s not glitzy makes it really modern and sexy.
Charlize Theron
Charlize is blowing my fricken mind. Baby pink, volume, a headband. SWOON. I want to get married in this dress. Or marry the dress. I haven’t quite decided. I’m too overwhelmed.
Dishonourable mention to Emma Stone. 
It saddens me to do this because I love her and she look amazing in coral/orange last year with that sleek blonde hair, but this year it kind of looks like she’s wearing Liv Tyler’s Screen Actors Guild Awards from 2004. Surely Lanvin don’t need to rip off old Marc Jacobs designs?
Ultimate Fashionista: The Young Hollywood Style Guide – Alana Wulff
Picture: Random House
It’s pretty easy to look up one great outfit that Blair Waldorf wore on Gossip Girl and get stuck in a wormhole of wardrobe ideas from Pretty Little Liars, Glee or even The Hills. The internet is overflowing with blogs and fan pages dedicated to the style of our favourite villains and vixens on the small screen. Whether it’s sweet and preppy Rachel Berry or sultry designer-clad Serena Van der Woodsen, we all have someone to look up to on TV. But if you’re like me and you like something a little more tangible, to read before bed and give you sweet, fashionable dreams, you’ll love Ultimate Fashionista: The Young Hollywood Style Guide from entertainment writer, Alana Wulff.
Having worked at some of our fave magazines like TV Hits (I was a subscriber), Girlfriend and OK!, Alana has seen fashions come and go and some even stick around. Underneath the clothes there are style icons, many of which are pretty young things under 30, and Wulff has worked to incorporate those making their mark on the fashion scene not just in Hollywood but the world over.
Each chapter provides something different: profiles on style icons from Zoe Kravitz to Blake Lively, Dakota Fanning to Emma Stone; there are quizzes and spots to take notes (or stick in your own favourite looks) and interviews with some of Australia’s leading designers and fashion insiders in the area of PR, print and retail. Towards the back you’ll see comprehensive lists of the best online stores, a ‘how-to’ packing guide and ‘must-haves’ for every girl’s wardrobe.
At only $24.99 this book is fantastic. Well-researched, precise, easy to read but not lacking in detail and with a broad range of features to suit everybody’s style. My only criticism is that, having a lot of male style icons myself (including Kanye West, Pharell Williams and Scott Disick) I would have liked to have seen a couple of guys included. I think women have a lot to learn from well dressed men in terms of good quality cuts and fabrics, working well with colour and paring back the accessories for a smart, sleek look. But aside from that, Ultimate Fashionista is a great buy for yourself, a fashionable friend, a not-so fashionable friend who needs a bit of a nudge in the right direction or that budding little style icon who is just starting to choose her own outfits.
Ultimate Fashionista: The Young Hollywood Style Guide Written by Alana Wulff Published by Random House AUD$24.99 224 pages 1 February 2012Outfit of the Day
Another outfit post, lucky you! 
I bought this Akira skirt just before Christmas and I’m totally obsessed by it. Like my thick sister, Beyoncé, I love accentuating my curves (much to my mother’s horror!) and this skirt, with its fitted waist and large, origami-like, overlapping panels most certainly has a pouf factor.
The material is padded like a quilt and I love the print and all the colours in it. Despite how many colours I have to work with, I seem to always want to wear red and pink with this skirt. I actually really enjoy mixing red and pink together in fashion, mainly because it always freaks people out because it’s ‘against the rules’. Pfffftttt! For an example of how pink and red can look amazing together, peep this story by my friend, stylist Lydia-Jane Saunders (third one along).
Beauty note: crisp Summer mani in O.P.I's Alpine Snow
Skirt – Akira
Shirt – Sussan
Shoes – Filippo Raphael
Bag – Dior
Headband – Miu Miu
Outfit of the Day
I wore this on Monday, my first day back to work. I always aim to do outfit posts of my work ensembles but I never have time to take photos in the morning and by the time I’m home – as you’ll see in the following pictures – I’m always exhausted and tired looking. Makeup has worn off, hair is not as neat as it was in the morning and feet are swollen from wearing heels. Imagine what a mess I’d be if I wasn’t sitting at a desk all day!
The worst part is probably that the lighting isn’t great by the time I get home, so on top of all of the above my pictures are terrible worse than usual.
I bought this dress late last year from Seduce. It’s actually their Katherine brand which is a little more high end, more corporate, less party-ish and a bit more conservative than the Seduce or Bluejuice labels. I find it soooo difficult to find things that are cool enough for Summer but don’t show too much skin, are long enough so that for my height they’re not above the knee (this is so difficult. Seriously, designers, make more mid-length stuff!!), have thick enough straps and high enough arm holes so my bra isn’t showing and is still something unique and good quality but versatile enough that I can wear it maybe once a week with different shoes/accessories and it won’t look like I wear the same thing all the time. This dress fits all the criteria except that people think it’s too dressy for work. *sigh*
My friend has put me on a shopping ban for a minimum of six months and I bought these red patent leather shoes right before the deadline. I got them in black as well because they’re so comfy and they were extremely cheap! Leather upper, leather lined and on sale for $117.50 (Edward Meller, Westfield Sydney). The heel looks high because it’s thin, but the shoe is really well-balanced and I can wear them all day without pain (just swelling because of my terrible circulation!).
I get asked often to put up more outfit posts, so I’ll try to do it!
- Thick straps FTW
Outfit of the Day
Yesterday was my uncle’s birthday so our families went to Jamie’s Italian to celebrate. I’d never been before because I’ve heard the lining up time is quite long, but on a Saturday morning for an early lunch we didn’t have to wait at all.
- At the table with my baby cousin
The restaurant is really good. It’s quite big, with an open kitchen at the back which is where we were seated. There is heaps and heaps on the menu and I had a truffle risotto. Other things ordered on our table were veal, buffalo ricotta ravioli, fish (that was presented beautifully with a fried noodle net), burgers that were enormous and prawn linguine.
Sorry I don’t have more pics of the food. It would have been a bit difficult to take photos of 8 meals, sides and desserts!
I’d definitely go back again but I don’t think I’d go after work or on a Saturday night, I can imagine it would get really loud in there as it’s quite an open, industrial-type space.
Here’s what I wore. I love wearing this jumpsuit if I’m going out to eat or drink a lot because there’s so much room in it!
Have you tried Jamie’s Italian yet? Will you?
2011 – A Year in Fashion
Another year has flown by. A year full of awards season gowns, race day ensembles, chic casual outfits and outrageous performance costumes.
It was hard to pick just one for each month of the year, but I think I got it down to my favourite fashion moments of 2011.
- January
The Golden Globes kicked off another predictable string of award giving. Natalie Portman in her ridiculous performance in Black Swan and Colin Firth’s not-so-ridiculous performance in The Kings Speech took home Best Actress and Actor respectively, but it was Olivia Wilde on the red carpet that won in my eyes. Dressed in Marchesa, Oliva Wilde looked just like the princess she is (or was? Are you still a princess if you divorce a prince?) in layers of tulle, thousands and sequins and crazy Louboutins. I love the sleek hair that brings the whole outfit away from the “too young” category.
- February
It’s obvious I’m into pouffy princess dresses because I couldn’t stop thinking about Hailee Steinfeld, again in Marchesa, at the Oscars in February. For a fourteen-year-old girl, this is perfectly age appropriate, comfortable and simply beautiful. It is reminiscent of my all time favourite dress; this Chanel couture one:
- March
March 2011 marked the death of Hollywood legend, Elizabeth Taylor. Although not from this year, the white dress worn by Elizabeth in Cat On A Hot Tin Roof is legendary itself and I’ve loved it ever since I saw the film.
- April
Mah girl, Willow Smith, already got a mention on this blog for this same Chanel outfit that she wore to perform at the Obamas’ Easter weekend celebrations at the Whitehouse. I don’t know of any other tween killing in it Chanel so she gets a second mention. Willow is one of my style icons. She knows how to have fun, still dress like a child but at the same time she expresses a confidence and style that, even as an adult, I envy. Unlike a lot of us and our childhood fashions, Willow will be able to look back on her outfits and feel pretty happy I reckon.
- May
Sadly I can’t find pictures of my favourite fashion moment for May. It was, however, Jamie Lee’s show at Rosemount Mercedes Australia Fashion Week. Featured in the Generation 2 show alongside Del Playa Drive, Jamie Lee had me drooling with tulle, sequins, stripper heels dripping in gold, loads of colour, volume, drama, bows and crazy glasses. I’m expecting big things from this label.
- June
This is more of my own personal fashion moment than a celebrity’s but this Collette Dinnigan really saved my Winter. It’s so hard to find dressy and warm things for ‘good’ occasions and this wool and silk dress is perfect and should hopefully last me a few more Winters to come.
- July
Hailee Steinfeld takes out my overall ‘best dressed’ of the year. As the face of Miu Miu she spent the year fronting up the fashion house in divine little numbers like this one that she wore to Lurecia Martel’s ‘Muta’ screening. I would kill to be decked out in Miu Miu for every event. The colour palette, the beading, the sweet collars, the bows, the jewels – aaahhh I love everything!
- August
In August Miranda Kerr made us all want to die when she debuted her post baby body at the David Jones Spring Summer 11/12 launch show. This one piece isn’t really my style – mainly because my fat would seep out through the cut-outs – but it is amazing on her. Miranda is the picture of health which to me is the ultimate fashion accessory.
- September
Gwyneth Paltrow in Pucci at the Emmys polarised the fashion masses with her kind-of-midriff-showing ensemble. Personally I think it’s one of the best she’s worn and it’s edgy enough to be classified daring while still being very classic. Not many people could pull it off – particularly after having some kids – but Gwynny does it oh so well.
- October
Uuummmm can you fault this outfit? Nope. Neither can I. Laura Dundovic not only successfully stuck to the Derby Day ’black and white’ theme but she did it with sophistocation, a playful frivolity and old school class. Even though she never looks anything less than stunning, this was a stand out.
- November
Another race day outfit from another Aussie beauty. Erika Heynatz, like Laura Dundovic, always looks like a goddess. Her appearance at the Chandon Turf Party in Centennial Park on Melbourne Cup day in this Ferragamo blouse, skirt and shoes (with Neill Grigg hat) blew my mind. Sadly, it didn’t look anywhere near as good on the mannequin in store which is obviously a testament to Erika.
- December
Love them or hate them, the Kardashians were EVERYWHERE this year. They topped off a pretty negative year with this really badly received Kristmas Kard. It’s so, so lame but damnnnn I love the styling. It has to be my favourite fashion moment of December. I’m a sucker for a tuxedo, especially a feminine one and I think the klan look really good kollectively. Kylie and Kourtney are especially killing it. The ironic thing is, though, you can’t get a copy of the card to post on your own website. It’s literally the one fucking thing that the Kardashians WON’T share. Let’s hope they don’t piss us off too much next year.
What were your best fashion moments of 2011?
Outfit of the Day
Today I went to see the Picasso exhibition at the Art Gallery of New South Wales. Definitely worth going to see; it’s on until March 2012. If you’re going to go, though, make sure you book tickets online first. The exhibition runs in sessions (as I think most galleries are doing these days) so you may not be able to just wander in when you arrive. We got there at 11:15 and had to wait until 1:00 pm to go in.
Hair and Makeup How-To
I had a lot of people asking me via the blog, email or Twitter to write a post on how I did my hair and makeup for the Kardashian Kollection launch. Well, I’ve finally got around to it, so here you go. I’m no makeup artist or hair stylist, so a lot of it is trial and error and just knowing your own features, so have a practise and you’ll soon find your own style.
Makeup
Dermalogica Treatment Foundation in 2 ($68) Australis Paparazzi Perfect eyeshadow palette in Snap Attack ($15.95) Benefit The POREfessional ($53) Benefit High Beam ($45) Benefit Erase Paste in 1 ($47) Benefit Instant Brow Pencil ($39) Revlon Fantasy Lengths Glue On Lashes ($9.99) M.A.C False Lashes Mascara ($30) M.A.C Powder Blush in Pink Cult ($40 – limited edition) M.A.C Bronzing Powder in Gold Deposit ($39) Napoleon Whipped Dream Tan Enhancer ($40)Hair
Schwarzkopf Ultimate Repair Shampoo and Conditioner ($6.99 each) Schwarzkopf Ultimate Repair and Gloss Treatment ($8.99) Schwarzkopf Ultimate Styling Mousse ($4.99) Schwarzkopf Ultimate Styling Hair Spray ($6.99) Fudge URBAN Straight Hair Stuff ($10.99) Tail Comb GHD Gold Series Styler ($269) VS Sassoon Curl Magic ($49.95)To start, wash your hair the day before with Schwarzkopf Ultimate Repair Shampoo and Conditioner. You don’t have to wash your hair before you begin, but it gives a far better texture to work with so can you just trust me on this? Thanks.
After towel drying, spritz with the Schwarzkopf Ultimate Repair and Gloss Treatment. This will not only moisturise the hair but also act as a detangler. Mousse the lengths AND the roots with Schwarzkopf Ultimate Styling Mousse and then blowdry…dry.
I always straighten my hair before curling so that I have a clean slate to work with. If I have a bit of frizz and then curl it, I’m never happy with the curls so even a half-assed job of straightening gives me a better result. Before running the GHD over my hair I apply Fudge’s Straight Hair Stuff to protect against the direct heat and also to give ultimate straightness. Once the whole head is straight, you can begin your curls.
If you’re anything like me and have very fine hair, you’ll be thankful for all that mousse you put in earlier. I like to heat my curler up to 170 degrees and create tight curls which eventually fall to the level I want them by the time the event comes around. Spray each section lightly with Schwarzkopf Ultimate Styling Hair Spray before curling and if they’re too tight, you can always brush them out to desired tightness as well. Since I did this look before work and then went to the event at 6pm, you can see how much they would have dropped. I mean, I went to work looking like Shirley Temple and 9 hours later had the above – so just deal with the embarrassment for a couple of hours in the morning and you’ll look hot later.
I parted my hair at one side and back-combed the back sections to give a bit of sex hair and I Do Not Give A Fuck-ery to the look. I think it matched my dress. Do not be afraid of hairspray, my friends. It is on your side – use and abuse it until you’re happy that style is not going anywhere.
For the makeup I start with Dermalogica’s Treatment Foundation. Using Benefit’s Erase Paste, conceal any blemishes. You know this, why am I telling you?
Everytime you’re doing a full eye you have to prime. I like Benefit’s The POREfessional. Not traditionally a primer, it seems to work very well for me and you’ll never see me with an unsightly crease in my eyelid so long as I’m wearing it.
After priming, I cover the whole eyelid with the lightest colour in the Australis ‘Snap Attack’ palette. Starting at the inner edges and working up to the crease I apply the darkest colour with a thin brush and work my way over the out edge of the eye. Blend.
Using the lightest brown/bronze blend into the bone of the eyelid to highlight this area and using the darkest colour again, with an angled brush, create a small flick on the outer edge of the eye and continue the colour underneath the lower outer edge. With the same dark colour but a smaller blending brush, work the colour towards the middle of the eye and upwards over the crease. With the rim of the eye now shaded in the darkest colour, and with the lightest colour as a base, I brush M.A.C Woodwinked (which is a bronze shadow) over the middle remaining section of the lid to give dimension and create the illusion of a bigger, more open eye.
With the colour applied, it’s time to put on falsies. I received the Revlon lashes in a gift bag and I found these super easy to apply. Usually I’m a bit uncoordinated with fake lashes but I had no problems and I also didn’t have to cut the lashes down to size. Once they’re on, fill in any gaps with eyeshadow and apply M.A.C’s False Lashes mascara.
Now that the eyes are all done it’s time to concentrate on cheeks. Not everyone will suit the same M.A.C blush I use, so use your desired colour. Apply blush below the cheekbone in the ‘hollow’ section of your cheek and then to the apple. With the bronzer, I apply it to my temples and down along side my cheeks, the apples of my cheeks, the tops of my cheekbones, the tip of my nose and chin and collar bones.
Finish off with some Benefit High Beam on your brow bones and the highest point of the cheekbones, just under the eye. Don’t forget to brush your brows with Benefit’s Instant Brow pencil and fill them in if needed.
Rub Napoleon’s Whipped Dream Tan Enhancer into your limbs and you’re good to go!
