We went to see The Dark Knight Rises last July and she had a really nice white t-shirt on. It had the kind of neckline I’ve been coveting for a while – not quite round, not quite a v – but instead of the doing the logical thing and ask her where she buys her t-shirts, I went on an almost-year-long-search and finally found the perfect tees at Witchery.

I discovered them on a day when they were selling for 3-for-the-price-of-2 so I managed to get 6 new tshirts for the price of 4 (just in case you don’t understand the concept of 3-for-2).

They come in a few colours – mainly the basics, like nude, black, white, khaki and red and I picked up two short-sleeved white and a blue in the same style and black, khaki and white in long-sleeved.

At $39.95 each they’re not cheap but the cotton is beautiful and soft and has enough stretch for them to be a flattering fit. They’re also a decent length for someone like me who tucks their tops into their pants and skirts.

On the topic of basics, another winter fashion dilemma is knit wear.

I’ve posted a little bit about wanting to find and buy lots of knit wear this winter and I’m not having much luck at all. I picked up this plain black merino wool knit from MaxShop because I had a voucher, but I think I’m going to have to go back in for more colours.

The wool is soft and not itchy, has a nice stretch to it and is a flattering neckline – not too much of a boatneck (which I hate).

It looks like they’re down on sizes (I take a 10 – 12 in tops and purchased a medium) so hopefully they’ll restock soon because I would love this in every colour. It’s thing enough to be worn under tunics or loose tops but also looks neat and chic on its own.

I hope I’ve offered a couple of helpful suggestions for your winter basics. If you’re on the lookout for anything else, ask me and I’ll see how I can be of assistance.

I’ve been attending Fashion Weekend for the past few years and bagging myself some bargains each time. Everything from shoes, jewellery, denim and party frocks and I’m sure, with designers such as:

• Bec & Bridge
• Bless’ed are the Meek
• By Johnny
• Ginger & Smart
• Levi’s
• Limedrop
• Nicola Finetti
• Senso
• Valerie Tolosa
• Watson x Watson

this year’s event will be no different.

As usual, Fashion Weekend is conveniently held at the Royal Hall of Industries, Entertainment Quarter at Moore Park and is perfectly set out for a girls weekend of shopping, pampering and a bit of a cheeky drink before hitting the town in your new purchases.

My advice (and I say this every year) – go dressed in some daggy old duds, shop up a storm for a new outfit, and let the hair, makeup and nail fairy godmothers at the Toni & Guy Blow Dry Bar, NP Set Makeup and Lash Bar and Sally Hansen Nail Salon do their thing and then head off into the night leaving only your Juicy Couture scent (from the Juicy Couture Perfume Bar of course) behind you. Oh, and that old outfit

Tickets are selling fast and packages including complimentary drinks and a seat at the fashion parades always go the quickest so grab your best girls and make sure you’re ready for a big fashion weekend by purchasing here. If you can, grab a VIP ticket for:

• Front row seats in the Catwalk Show
• Access to the exclusive VIP Lounge where you can enjoy three complimentary drinks
• An exclusive bar for any additional drink purchases
• Access to the SHOP Til You Drop Designer Sale where over 100 designers will be selling their collections at reduced prices
• Access to a private till point in the VIP Lounge so you don’t have to queue at the tills on the floor
• A free mini-manicure from Sally Hansen in the VIP Lounge
• A private bathroom in the VIP Lounge
• A gorgeous VIP gift bag including a fab NP Set Luscious Lip Shine and Lipliner and Sally Hansen goodies, valued at over $85

Now, I’m quite a seasoned shopper and sales like this make me really competitive. You might lose that Missoni cardigan at the Christensen Copenhagen stall to someone else if you’re not ready, so here are my tips for being prepared for a massive sale like this.

• Do not wear makeup. Firstly, it’s not nice when you see someone else’s foundation on the neckline of the top you want to buy so imagine how the vendors feel when their stock is carelessly ruined? And besides, you can have it done at the NP Set Makeup and Lash Bar once you’ve finished shopping
• Do wear nude-coloured underwear and a decent bra. It’s pretty hard to tell if something looks good or not when you’re wearing an electric blue g-string or a leopard print lacey bra that’s showing through that white silk Nicola Finetti gown. Right?
• Wear comfy shoes. In previous years I’ve seen girls traipsing around the hall in heels. No. It’s a big day – you could spend hours sorting through racks – you do not want swollen feet, especially if you want to actually buy some shoes in your correct size from Senso.
• Take a big tote bag. Each vendor will give you a separate, stapled-together bag so if you’re planning on making a lot of purchases (you will) then it’s much easier to keep them all together for the trip home.

I think that’s it. All set to go forth and shop the weekend away! Enjoy it and be sure to pop back and let me know what you bought.

http://www.fashionweekend.com.au

I’m not exactly getting married anytime soon but I swear everyone around me has been getting engaged lately and I suspect a few more friends will be soon too. All Most people love weddings and aside from the whole ‘spending the rest of your life with the person you love’ thing, the planning is surely the second best bit.

I’m one of those people who really likes to live vicariously through the engaged and I’m constantly asking people about their plans. I know a lot of people hate this but for the most part those planning their weddings are really excited to talk about their big day and I love to share in their excitement. That’s why I am very pleased that in just under a month the fifth Ultimate Wedding Planning Party is going to take place. I will be in my absolute element surrounded by plenty of happy brides-to-be and vendors showing off their beautiful goods.

Taking place at the Sydney Opera House (imagine getting married there!?) the Ultimate Wedding Planning Party has a ‘Vintage and Classic’ theme and aims to inspire with designs from Rachel Gilbert, Henry Roth, Michelle Roth, Collette Dinnigan, Kristi Bonnici and a little Ermenegildo Zegna for the grooms.

In terms of the Wedding Planner, photographer and the all important cake, Anthony Del Col of Staging Connections, Rachel Bentick from Inlighten Photography and Sweet Art will all be on hand as well as pampering from Bobbi Brown and Jo Malone. A selection of stationery, honeymoon ideas and food by ARIA Catering will be there to spark ideas and get the wedding juices flowing so that you can tick off everything on your dream wedding list.

Tickets are still available and are $60 a pop of 2 for $100. Ticket holders each receive a gift bag valued at over $500 so you’re basically being rewarded for going and there are lucky door prizes including a honeymoon at a six-star resort in Mauritius which kind of makes me want to go out and get engaged to someone right now.

Tickets and more information are available from http://www.ultimateweddingplanningparty.com/

For those who have no weddings planned or coming up on their social calendar, here are a few wedding tid-bits:

• The Best Wedding Paula Joye ever went to
• My all-time favourite wedding dress:

• My favourite celebrity wedding fact:

Robert De Niro served as an usher at Mariah Carey’s 1993 wedding to Tommy Mottola and Bruce Springsteen and Barbra Streisand were among the guests.

To make these you will need:

Baskets

• 30g Chocolate cookies, chopped
• 200g Lindt chocolate. I used 70% Cocoa but you can use whichever one tickles your fancy

Ganache

• 100mL Cream
• 40g Butter
• 100g Lindt “Crunchy Caramel” chocolate
• a pinch of salt

Decoration

• Lindt “Mini Chicks” chocolate chooks in a chicken coop – cute!
• Milk chocolate coloured eggs

To make the baskets:

Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a saucepan of water. Add the chopped cookies to it.

Mix until well combined.

Line a muffin tray with cling wrap and place a spoonful of the mixture into each section.

Using a spoon, push the mixture up the sides to create a nest shape.

Put into the fridge to set.

Remove the cling wrap when set.

REEEEEEEEE-WIND

I wasn’t crazy about this method and in retrospect, I would have preferred to have just used Butternut biscuits. Place the biscuits in the holes of muffin trays and pop them in the oven for a couple of minutes until they soften. Push them down into the trays to form little nests.

One of my very talented colleagues, Michelle made these goodies for Christmas last year and the biscuit bases for the reindeers not only look like nests but are a lot simpler than tempering chocolate and using up more dishes and electricity. In the end it’s really up to you but when I make these again I’ll just be using pre-made biscuits.

To make the ganache:

Bring the cream to the boil and pour over the chocolate and salt.

Whisk until melted and smooth at which point you should add the butter and and mix until it has completely melted.

Put in the fridge until it has set or, at least, looks as if it has set. It should be thick and caramel-y when you touch it.

Put the ganache in a piping back and fill each nest casing.

Decorate with your choice of treats.

Done!

So easy, and sooo delicious. I love the way the salt breaks up the strong taste of the Excellence 70% Lindt, but as I said earlier it’s up to you which flavour you use. With Passionfruit, Strawberry, Orange, Blueberry, Coconut, A Touch of Sea Salt, Chilli and the classic Creamy White and Smooth Milk on offer from Lindt there’s certainly something to suit every taste. What a great way to make a personalised gift for someone!

What will you be doing this long weekend? I’m hoping to get lots of sleep and uni work done because I am quite behind! Have a happy and safe Easter, everybody.

A long nap? Probably.

A holiday? Don’t we all.

A metaphorical kick up the bum? I have one for you!

Blackmores has recently launched their Alive! multivitamin range especially formulated to provide you with more daily energy, plenty of the good stuff we sometimes forget to give our body and the drive to pack more into your day in a healthy way. It can be tough to get through a whole day without at least one morning coffee or a 3:30 shot of caffeine, but with Alive! your body is supported by minerals like zinc, vitamins B, C & D and a blend of 20 fruits and veggies in order to recharge the body in a natural way.

Since this product has just become available (in women’s, men’s and women/men’s 50+) I have a special pack to give away valued at over $250!

The winner will receive:

• 4 x bottles of Alive! Multivitamins
• Blackmores water bottle
• Blackmores Visor
• all packed up in a pink alligator-look overnight bag

to win this fantastic prize, just comment below with what makes you feel Alive!

It could be anything – travelling, dancing, bungee jumping or public speaking – if it gets your blood pumping, your mind racing and all your senses activated then I want to hear read it!

For those on twitter, an extra entry will be awarded for tweeting:

I could feel more Alive! thanks to @MarloPerry and @Blackmores http://wp.me/pRFXn-1N0 #ifeelalive

You have until midday (AEST) Friday, 23 March 2013 to submit your answer.

Winner will be contact shortly after so please ensure your email address is correct.

Entry is open to residents of Australia only.

Good luck and for more information, check out the Alive! page on Blackmores’ site: http://www.blackmores.com.au/alive

I’m absolutely in love with them. They’re surprisingly flattering and made from the loveliest soft leather. They’re currently sold out on Runway Brooklyn, but will be replenished soon. I highly recommend them and buying from RB.The postage was very quick and it’s always nice to support someone who’s just starting out.

I’ve also purchased this Sass & Bide ‘Full of Chaos‘ knit. It’s really dramatic with the almost-ankle-length-back and straddles the line between casual and dressy perfectly. The sizing runs quite big so I’d go down a size or 2 if buying online.

I needed a pair of heeled-but-not-too-high black ankle boots and these Chloe ones appealed to me because the chunky heel made them really comfy and the opening is really wide so they don’t hug the ankle and shorten the leg. It’s so hard to find the perfect boot and I can see myself living in these.

The three of them all look very nice together:

As I (also) said in my last post on winter clothing, I still need to find some more knits. It’s really hard to get motivated for the cold weather, though, when the sun keeps coming out on days like today.

Another thing I’m trying to stock up on is tracksuit pants but not your average ones from Bonds and the like. I’m looking for something a tiny bit dressier – the kind of thing you wouldn’t feel embarrassed by if you bumped into an ex or your boss at the supermarket. I love these Viktoria + Woods ones (also from Runway Brooklyn) as they’re relaxed and have that classic tracksuit pant look, but still have a point of difference with the black panelling.

It’s actually really hard to find higher-end track pants. I thought places like Seed, Thurley and Witchery would be ideal places to stock up but they didn’t seem to stock any. Does anyone have any ideas?

What direction are you going in for this winter’s fashion?

Atmos&Here is just one of the brands in The Iconic’s stable and I have some of their fab jewellery to give away.

The Iconic is Australia’s biggest online store with super quick postage, competitive prices and about 500 million products on offer. They pride themselves on being able to have your item in your hands within a few hours and for their excellent online presence.

I’ve been trawling through Atmos&Here’s profile on The Iconic and they have lots of cool printed pants (my favourite – ha!) and relaxed tees as well as cute and very affordable bags, belts and jewellery, as you will see below.

This necklace is glam but not too OTT so it’s perfect for dressing up leather leggings, a loose knit and some chunky Alexander Wang flats. The earrings are moody and remind me of the ‘glam goth’ trend but they’re also a little boho.

All you have to do to win these two pieces is comment with your favourite brand that is sold on The Iconic – the hardest part is choosing just one!

Please make sure you include your email address in the correct field so I can contact you if you win.

• Entries close at midday (AEST) on 28 February 2013 and the winner will be notified shortly thereafter
• Total prize is worth approximately AU$50.00
• Sorry, entry is open to Australian residents only
•  Extra entry if you tweet:

“I could win new jewellery thanks to @MarloPerry http://marloperry.com/2013/02/16/giveaway-jewellery-from-atmoshere“

I look forward to reading your answers and picking a winner!

You may have seen on twitter or instagram that I was eating one of the limited edition KISS ice blocks last night and in doing so, I decided to get in the spirit of things and apply a bit of KISS makeup. Colouring in 1/4 of your face with black eyeliner seems like heaps of fun at the time but what to do when you want to remove it?

You get your she uemera skin purifying oil out and amend the situation is what you do! Three pumps is the recommended dose for a face full o’ makeup but obviously I needed a little more (5 in total) to get rid of all of the above.

You will be so impressed by how quickly this works! Being an oil means that it can remove a wide range of makeup products as well as pollution and other nasties picked up by the skin during the day. The irony of waterproof makeup is that even the tears you cry from trying to scrub your slap off don’t help remove it but this is not the case any more – shu uemura is here for the little guy, the emotional one, the crier in all of us and with a couple of squirts of cleansing oil will have every last bit of eyeliner off your waterline.

You’ll see below that after one application to dry skin, the black had already come off most of my cheek, out of my eyebrow and off my nose. I was reluctant to put it on my eyes at first but when I did I was able to open them (even with water dripping off) and felt no pain or other sensation. If you’re reading this blog you’re probably an extremely intelligent person (with excellent taste to boot) so I don’t have to tell you that that last line is not an invitation to put the cleansing oil in your eye, but just a comment that it is a sensitive product that won’t sting your peepers.

Obligatory pros and cons. Let’s start with the bad news. shu uemura is a high-end brand so inherently its prices reflect its quality and status. A 450mL bottle (huge!) of skin purifying oil starts at $110 (you’re looking at $125 for the ultima8 sublime beauty cleansing oil, the cleansing beauty oil premium A/O advanced formula or the whiteefficient clear brightening gentle cleansing oil) and for how well it works as not only a makeup remover and cleanser but also a moisturising product, I believe it is worth the price although I can see how people could be put off by paying over $100 for it. The only other negative I can think of is that, as you can see, it is effective on fairly heavy-duty makeup and if you’re not a big wearer of makeup you may not see the value in something so powerful. I don’t wear tonnes of eye makeup everyday but I would most certainly use a product like this when I come home from going out as it is so important for the skin to be clean before bed. I’d say that if you generally only opt for a tinted moisturiser and a bit of mascara each day then this type of product probably isn’t for you (unless, of course, you’re looking for a really great cleaner in general).

On the plus side, the cleansing oil “respects skin’s natural moisture balance, and is designed to improve the condition of skin every time you cleanse” – I took that straight off the press release and I have to agree. My skin feels BEAUTIFUL after use and is shiny and glowy but not in the oh-no-I’ve-depleted-my-skin’s-natural-oil-supply kinda way; it just feels as if it has almost melted into my skin and plumped it up. Don’t worry if you have naturally oily skin, either. Oil + oil does not equal an automatic no-no. So long as you’re cleansing properly and applying the correct oils (killing two birds with one stone if you just use this product) you will notice improvement, as the skin won’t be producing excess sebum due to clogged pored and you’ll notice a reduction in that oil slick you’ve been fretting over.

Lastly – and not to say this makes it any more or less effective – but the scent of the oil is lovely. Asian botanical oils such as ginger root and camellia are infused to maintain the skin’s moisture while the rosemary leaves skin feeling fresh.

shu uemura is available exclusively at David Jones and you might see these new oils advertised in the windows of David Jones Elizabeth Street. Bright, bold and reminiscent of carnival or, more locally, the upcoming mardi gras, this is for die-hard makeup lovers who fear their daily foundation-ing and constant mascara-ing are polluting their skin. It will last you a good few months and will almost certainly improve your skin’s condition.

For stockists call: 1300 651 991

This is the time of year that I start to get antsy. The shops are bare, I’m over my wardrobe and I am dying for at least semi-warm clothes to come into season.

I’ve made a few purchases this week that are starting to get me in the mood. One of which was leather leggings. I have been looking for some for I-don’t-know-how-long now, and because I was willing to splurge on them I wanted to make an educated decision. I swear I researched this more than I did my last essay so I think I’ve made the right choice. I got the plum because the black were unavailable at the time and then became available again hours later. Don’t ask. I think the plum might work out well, though, since I tend to wear a lot of colour these days.

I already own a pair of leather jodhpurs (which are black) but only the legs are leather and because my legs are disproportionate to my body and my waist is significantly smaller, it means I usually go up a size in pants and they always tend to gape around the top which irritates me. I like how these are leather all the way up to the waist and appear to taper in. So, here’s to a winter full of fitted leather outfits. I’m not planning on wearing these as pants necessarily, but more with long tops, under tunics or even under some dresses.

I’m also keen to stock up on cardigans and knits this winter. I only own a couple presently and they’re on high rotation, especially for work because it’s so simple to look neat and tidy and, most importantly, appropriate if you wear a knee-length skirt or pants with a cardigan.

I guess I’ll be going for this sort of look quite a bit in winter. I wanted this actual top but it was sold out by the time I got to it. Tops like this are perfect for layering and are comfy without being sloppy. I think with the right accessories I could really dress it up.

I haven’t really got my eye on anything else for winter except my usual leathers and tartans. I also really need to invest in a pair of gumboots this season. Has anybody seen any cute ones around?

I’m also hoping to go away over Christmas and New Year (I know, ages away) to a cold climate so I’m keen to make sure I have some solid staples that will make packing a lot easier. What else do you make sure you stock up on in the cooler seasons?

I’ve been super busy lately being ill and not in the “fully sick” kind of way. I’ve been having headaches for weeks now which is very unusual for me, I had a huge cyst in my nose and swollen eye and cheek. I had some antibiotics but it got worse so now I’m on more which are stronger and hopefully do the trick. If I don’t update for a while after this then I’ve probably died from a brain infection still been too busy.

To cheer myself up, I bought this adorable Miu Miu headband yesterday. The irony of buying a headband to fix my headaches is not lost on me. It’s from their 2013 Resort collection and I’m absolutely in love with it. Unfortunately, Miu Miu’s Sydney boutique is on my bus route so I’m tempted on the daily with bits and pieces in the window and finally caved. I own A LOT of headbands but nothing like this. Soooo pretty.

Speaking of pretty headbands, I debuted this divine George Giavis teddy bear one the other night for the launch of the brand spankin’ new Eclipse by ghd. I bought it at Charlie Brown on the Gold Coast and it is so me. I’ve always been addicted to teddy bear accessories – I love the silhouette of them. The George Giavis headbands are a really good fit, too. They’re not cheap but definitely worth the price and you can pick them up here or at Charlie Brown stores.

Here are a couple of other outfit shots from the night. My dress is from Bluejuice and the jacket is an old one from Review. Shoes are my go-to black pumps from Sergio Rossi and black Prada clutch.

Don’t remember taking this one. What the ffff?

I got sent this new white drawing pencil from Shu Uemura a couple of weeks ago so I decided to try it out. I don’t normally do black, silver and grey makeup but the white inspired me and I wanted to stick with the monochrome theme so I put the white on the inner corners of my eye to open them up and used Rimmel’s Kate Moss Union Jack palette for the main part of the lid. I’m also loving the new Rimmel Match Perfection foundation at the moment. It really does blend to your skin tone and it goes on smoothly, smells good and is a decent price. Winner.

You’re going to flip out over the new Eclipse. The demo video showed afro hair going to straight with just one ‘go’ of the ghd. I have very fine hair so I’m lucky but this is a blessing for girls (and guys!) with super curly or frizzy hair. Look at the picture below of one of the models from the night:

I’ll give you more information as I can later on and I’ll try to put up a post another post soon – I promise!