Archive for September, 2010
Bargain of the Week!
I looked at this dress in Dotti when it was full price (for the grand price of $69.95) and then forgot to come back and try it on.
Next time I was near a Dotti store it had been reduced to $39.95 with 50% off the marked price!
Obviously I had to try it on, and for $19.98 I couldn’t say no.
Perfect for my friend’s Black & White themed 30th next weekend!
Does this pose look familiar?
It also comes in black if you’re so inclined.
Have you picked up any bargains lately?
Brownlows Blue Carpet Fashion 2010
Well thank God for Brynne Edelsten is all I can say.
Apparently the partners of the players took the black tie dress code placed upon the boys as gospel and adopted it too.
A sea of nude and black was only broken up by a dash of bright orange from Alex Davis (partner of Scott Pendlebury), some baby blue from Sarah Williamson (Marc Murphey’s partner) and forest green from current Miss Universe Australia, Jesinta Campbell.
I didn’t like any of their dresses.
Why?
Well, the orange is dated. It looks like something by Zimmermann that girls wore to my year 10 formal. In 2003.
The blue dress worn by Sarah Williamson (designed by Angelina Baccini) is even too ruffley for my liking. Imagine that? There’s a fine line between a geometric fabric enhancement and looking like Little Bo Peep stripped down to her under skirt.
Jesinta Campbell should have gone for something more demure I think. Essentially, the Brownlows is a night for the boys, somewhere along the road the WAGs have become a main attraction, but Jesinta isn’t even one of them! The colour is too loud and the ruffles, again, are too much. It’s too much Dancing With the Stars and not enough Walking Sam Newman’s Son Down the Blue Carpet. She has a matching ruffled bag for goodness sake!
Notable mentions for women who dared to wear colour and more importantly — pulled it off are for Tara Cheslin who looked elegant in navy blue and Nick Dal Santo’s partner, Julie Klein who also went for blue but took the safe option of a simple, a-line, strapless number with minimal embellishments.
The trend of erring on the side of caution, if you will, has been obvious at big events the world over in the past few years. Some blame the likes of Rachel Zoe for styling up the Hollywood set and for instilling fear in celebs who don’t want appear on the ‘Worst Dressed’ lists, but to be honest – I just blame bitches like myself who sit at home behind the safety of their computers and throw out criticism.
Those who stayed safe, yet managed to not blend in were Rebecca Twigley (who obviously always looks incredible), Taylor Wilson who looked stunning and classic in baby pink, Felicity Harley whose dress was iced out but still classy and the other Jacinta, Jacinta Jellet whose white figure-hugging gown was perfect on her.
Speaking of figure-hugging, Nadia Coppolino brought a little of that overseas glamour we tend to just miss here in Australia with this plunging, glitzy dress:
and, speaking of overseas glamour, how could I look past the new darling of the Brownlows, one miss Brynne Edelsten?!
In a…daring dress she partly designed herself (how does this happen? She just decided to stop designing it or….?) Brynne managed to cover up those famous assets a tad more than last year and still manage to look 100% like the Vegas girl she is.
And that’s why I love her.
So while there were some hits and some misses, the real winner on the night will be Brynne. While the other girls are mostly swallowed by the metres of black silk, Brynne literally busts out from the crowd and will the one to remember for this year’s Brownlow medal.
Best Dressed Man in my eyes goes to Dane Swan. Firstly, look what a suit does for those terrible tattoos he has all over his body and secondly, VELVET. ’nuff said.
Award For Cuteness goes to Matisse Stynes, daughter of Melbourne Demons champion Jim Stynes who dressed age appropriately and adoreably. Check out her fur stole and dangly earrings. Heart.
Advice for girls next year, BLB.
BE LIKE BRYNNE. Just be yourself and don’t worry about if you’re going to be called worst dressed. It’s much better to be yourself and take a risk than be boring and be forgotten. And if you end up taking a risk and you still turn out boring, then God help you.
Pics from the HeraldSun
Sydney Gets Cointreauversial With Dita Von Teese
Y’all know I’m a sucker for a celebrity endorsement. I just can’t help myself. First it’s switching to Optus after a 10-year relationship with Telstra because of Kelly Rowland and Kim Kardashian and now it looks like I’m going to be spending my summer drinking Cointreau!
As the global ambassador for the zesty alcohol, Dita Von Teese has performed in major cities like New York, London, Paris, Sao Paolo and Tokyo all in the name of getting a little bit cheeky and a lot Cointreauversial…
With only limited spaces to the free, yet intimate performance, I was super eager to go. However, I didn’t win tickets. Luckily my partner in celeb-spotting crime did win and she took me along.
You know her already. Why yes it is Angie from An Obsession With The Fabulous!
After some cocktails at the Westin we went into the Crystal Bar in the GPO building at Martin place for further cocktails in the gorgeous, underground setting.
Red Velvet drapes and stunning, blown-up posters of Dita framed the chandelier-lit room as we drank Cointreau and pink grapefruit cocktails and ate predominately vegetarian canapes (bloody nice change from seafood ones! Just sayin’) before the performance.
We were then led into another room where the stage was set with a large, diamante-encrusted martini glass.
More cocktails were drunk. These ones even more tasty than the first. They were the Cointreau Teese, a mixture of Cointreau (of course), apple juice, lemon juice and monin violet (a syrup). The violet represents the coy and delicate nature of Dita’s burlesque act; one which was specifically choreographed for Cointreau.
We weren’t allowed to take pictures inside the actual performance. This is fair enough, I wouldn’t want pictures of me half-naked floating around that I hadn’t approved, but (sorry Dita) I did take a couple of sneaky ones while she was still dressed.
They’re blurry as my camera was hidden in my trench at the time, so here’s a sneaky peak (I hope I don’t get in trouble for this!!)
While the show was short, is was something so different for me. I’ve never seen a burlesque act before and to be honest, I don’t want to see anymore as now I’ve seen the master at work!
Her costume was elaborate and beautiful and her body was incredibly toned with such a teensy little waist! Her dedication to her art is incredible and it would be lovely to see more women paying attention to themselves like she does.
But for a start, let’s all get a little Cointreauversial! 
Peacock
So if you read my blog regularly, you probably saw the pictures I posted of my friend Simon and I from Vogue Fashion’s Night Out last Thursday night.
Hermes were offering the fun activity of being styled in their glorious scarves and posing for photos which participants could take home.
In addition to this, some of the pictures from the night were going to be displayed in the Market Street store in Sydney as part of the J’aime Mon Carre display alongside pictures from London, Paris, Tokyo and New York.
Lo and behold- my picture got chosen!
I went into the city today and met up with my fellow model *cough* so we could pose once more.
Needless to say we are very excited!
You are now free to go forth and become transfixed by the image in your own time. It’s up for three months, so no hurry!
Outfit from today:
Dress- Present from Paris Belt- Miu Miu Bag- ChanelQuiksilver Women’s Launch Party
The cool Sydney night couldn’t keep party-goers away from Bondi Beach Burrito last night for the launch of Quiksilver’s new womens wear.
The crowd was a mish-mash of models, fashionistas, surfers and media who all enjoyed the free-flowing Corona, Margaritas, sangria and tequila shots (uh-oh) and delicately handled their burritos and tacos — no easy feat while you’re standing and balancing a drink!
My friend Angie from 'An Obsession With the Fabulous'
The face of the campaign, Emma Giles, was present; as were Nikki Phillips, Maude Garrett, pro-surfer Matt Hoy and Bondi Rescue babe Greg Bishop and party tunes were supplied by Quiksilver’s ambassador DJ Minx.
The beautiful Nikki Phillips and Airlie Walsh
Greg Bishop, Dunstan Foss & Adriel Young
Nikki Phillips, Maude Garrett & Airlie Walsh
While there were some cute guys around, this one was for the girls! The new collection includes printed maxi dresses, fitted shorts, beach-to-bar tops and vests as well as staple bikinis in must-have colours.
The range will be stocked in David Jones as well as select surf stores nationally.
My pick of the lot is the dress Emma is wearing below. Cute, flattering and just a little bit whimsical. Perfect for sun-down cocktails on a summer’s eve.
I don’t know if this fella was invited to the party, but he sat outside all night. He’s worth noting because he’s just so gorgeous!
And last but not least- here’s Angie with Roxy Jacenko, director of Sweaty Betty PR who organised the event. Check out her incredible Balmain blazer. Droooooool!
Who has started buying their new summer wardrobes? What will you be wearing this season?
Pics not of Angie and I courtesy of www.lifewithoutandy.com
Things That Make Me Happy
I was tagged by Death Wears Diamond Jewellery to do a list of 10 things that make me happy right now.
It doesn’t take much to make me happy, I’m quite easily amused. But particular things which are lift my spirits at present are…
Raspberry and white chocolate muffins
There’s a cafe near my house which has the very best R&WC muffins in the entire world. The chocolate melts and goes all crusty on the bottom. Yum.
Janet Jackson’s ‘The Velvet Rope’ album
A Damita-Jo classic. Throwback to 1997 where Janet was suffering from dibiliating depression and yet still managed to smash out some of the hottest tracks I’ve ever heard.
Every soulful song is produced by Jackson and two of the industry’s greatest producers — Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. Kind of ironic that a product which is supposed to be projecting somebody’s sadness can make other people so happy. Hmm…
Favourites include Got ’til It’s Gone (which samples Joni Mitchell’s ‘Big Yellow Taxi’ and Q-Tip’s ‘Why You Wanna’), We Go Deep and I Get Lonely.
Baby swans
In the past few weeks, two mummy swans have given birth to six babies and are residing in the main pond at Centennial Park. I go and check them out a couple of times a week because they don’t even have to do anything and I stand there smiling like a dork. They’re getting bigger rapidly, but they’re still balls of grey fluff for a little while longer. Go and check them out if you have the chance.
Benefit’s Bad Gal lash mascara
After trying out countless mascaras throughout my life, I’ve finally found one I can rely on.
I have really sensitive eyes and this one doesn’t irritate them in the slightest. It doesn’t even affect me if I fall asleep with it on.
Aside from not being irritating it also does its job. Long, black lashes for everyone!
Available at Benefit boutiques and counters nationally.
Finals footy
September is arguably the best month of the year. Sure, there’s Christmas and my Birthday three months either side of it, but no other month can provide you with an enormous display of talent, passion and adrenaline quite like September. Not only do we have the full finals series for AFL, but the majority of the NRL finals are held in September too.
Thank God we have that week to rest our hearts between Rugby League and Aussie Rules premiership finals.
GO ROOSTERS!!
Kookai basics
I usually swear by Supre singlets and t-shirts for basics but I got a Kookai long sleeved tee in the gift bag at their show and it actually pains me to take it off when it’s laundry time. The cotton is SO soft and they are clingy enough that they are super flattering.
I’ve since stocked up on my staple colours in time for summer as they’re a bargain starting from AU$30 for a tank top.
Reminiscing about childhood toys
There’s a really comprehensive Facebook fan page for Polly Pocket. Remember those compact, on-the-go, hard plastic containers of fun and joy? Yeah, so do I and I’m wondering where the hell all mine are.
The ones pictured were my very favourites. I can still remember them vividly. In one, there was a tiny switch which made the moon and stars light up behind it, and the other had a small, moving chair for the fairy to sit in and preside over whoever. They were such a neat and discrete way to keep children entertained when out to dinner etc. Stuff babysitters – get Polly Pocket!
There were literally tens of them and I had almost every single one. It’s hard to believe I was a spoiled child isn’t it?
The thought of switching from Telstra to Optus
After 10 years with Telstra and nothing but heartache, I’ve finally decided to switch to Optus.
I’ve never dealt with a more incompetent company than Telstra so I don’t know why I continuously put myself through the pain.
A few more days until I can slide over. Hopefully iPhone 4 will be re-stocked soon. Unless you can anyone suggest anything better? Must have internet!
Sunlight on water
I love this time of year when it’s sunny without being sweltering and it’s pleasant to go for a swim rather than being a necessity.
Seeing a pool or the ocean with sunlight dancing on top of it makes it all the more inviting.
White nail polish
Against tanned skin on blunt nails. Mmmmhmmm.
I was never one of those kids at school who drew on their hands or coloured their nails in with white out, so while it can be deemed trashy on some people — White nails look really fresh and polished on me.
Aside from that, they go with every outfit and look great summer and winter.
I recommend Alpine Snow by O.P.I
I now pass this on to Alexandra at HRH Collection (go check out her new jewellery line and pics from her recent trip to Hawaii!)
Vogue Fashion’s Night Out Hermes Silk Scarf Styling Sessions
Vogue Fashion’s Night Out is an event that has taken off around the world. Tokyo, London, Paris and New York have all had their turn, and last night it was time for Sydney to join in on the fun!
I don’t have time to write about every single activity taking place in all the stores on the night, but basically every clothing and accessories store in the heart of the CBD took part in one way or another. Some chose to showcase their latest collections on the catwalk while others had interactive competitions, discounts and fashion shoots.
My favourite initiative of the night was at Hermes‘ Elizabeth Street store.
For a $10 donation towards breast cancer research, you could be styled in stunning Hermes silk scarves, cuffs and hats and take home the photos (in the form of colour and black and white postcards and stickers) and the most gorgeous silk covered badges which were made from scarves themselves.
There were loads of colours to choose from; different sizes and patterns – even bunny ears! But, naturally, I asked for a giant bow.
My friend Simon decided my bow wasn’t big enough so I got another turban-like puffy headband shoved on top, a black leather cuff put on my wrist et voila! I was good to go.
We hammed it up - Why would you stand there like a stunned mullet when you’re wearing Hermes?
My scanner isn’t working so I had to take photos of the photos…eerrrr.
So did anyone else attend Fashion’s Night Out last night? Did you have your photo taken at Hermes?
