Fall Photos

I spent the other afternoon experimenting with my dad's new toy. Which just so happens to be a camera- how convenient.  I love the whether in between seasons, when everything is changing; it all seems so fresh and new. The flower below that is sort of dark and doesn't reeeally look like a real flower (because it's not) is actually one of my rings. As I was clicking away at these flowers, I thought they reminded me of something.... Turns out I just have a strange obsession for rings with flower details. That brass rose ring I purchased from one of my favourite stores in Adelaide - Bauhaus - and I picked up the other two from the Oxford St Markets in Sydney's Paddington.

Paris + McQueen = Erotica

Whilst avoiding study (which seems to be all I am doing these days) I stumbled upon an editorial from the May 2010 issue of Paris Vogue, on one of my favourite blogs for all things editorial; Fashion Gone Rogue. Shot by Steven Klein, the spread features Lily Donaldson and is styled by none other than the Editrix herself, Carine Roitfeld (whom I looooove).The shoot, titled Erotica, is a tribute to the late Alexander McQueen, and also features fashion from the Fall 2010 Haute Couture shows.

When I was looking through the spread my initial thought was that Lily looks a lot like Madonna! Especially with the '80s inpired shoulders and the peroxide blonde coiffure. As well as what looks like pink dishwashing gloves (such an unexpected, but much-loved "ingredient" in a Haute Couture shoot) I love the bold shadows. Magnifique!

Photos: Fashion Gone Rogue

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Welcoming Winter

I can't wait til the cooler months arrive... so I can start layering up in all my European purchases. In my home town of lil' ol' Adelaide we don't get all that much cold weather, so best to make the most of it while we can. I think this season I'll be layering up in slouchy pants and blazers a plenty. Blazers! Don't know what I'd do without them. Now all I need is my shipment of (free, please) Burberry coats/jackets/parkas to arrive. Actually, anything military inspired is going to be veeery high on the list this year. I knew I was on to something when I purchased my army green silk-cotton blend tee from Cos in London.

On second thought, probably a good thing there's not a store in Australia, otherwise I would be one very broke (yet well-dressed) girl.


Photos: All Burberry Prorsum Fall 2010 at style.com

Summer Era

A few weeks ago I helped out (if you can call it that!) a very good friend of mine with a photoshoot on the beach near her house. My friend Jenna (check out her musings over at Era) got her inspiration from a Vanity Fair spread featuring  Hollywood's "next wave" (hence the beachfront location) of bright young things, shot by Mark Seliger.

Apart from the rocks (and the dog poo) it was such a fun day, and I think the photos turned out really great- which is definietly a testament to the amazing photographer/styling genius behind the camera rather than the amatuers in front of it!

More-bidly obsessed with: Knuckle Dusters

Cocktail jewellery is not a new phenomenon by any means (unlike the earthquake that just happened in Adelaide- ha! Had to). The likes of Rachel Zoe and Nicole Richie have been banging on about "more is more is more" for years (Mademoiselle Chanel would be turning in her grave at this sentiment.) What is it with skinny chicks and their giant rocks? Is there some kind of unwritten rule that the smaller you are the more (gold, not pounds) you pile on? Hmmm.  

When I was in London recently, I found this really cool ring at a market stall in Camden. This little (ha! I'm not wrong!) Asian guy handmade all this really quirky jewellery with a friend of his, and the first one I liked was this twisted gold ram ring. It was quite weird actually, because I'm not the superstitious type, but I remembered something about a ram being a symbol for a star sign... so my friend Google-d it (good ol' iPhones) and turns out ram=Capricorn. And, in case you can't tell where this is going, Capricorn=Me! Fate. And - cute.

Lanvin Spring 2010 had some amaaazing standout pieces; think heavy gold linked-chains, jewel-encrusted cuffs and strands upon strands of shiny metals and stones. The good thing (well, one of many) is that these pieces can (almost) be justified through their versatility- you can wear them alone or layer them up- and up and up. Great against an LBD or even with an embellished outfit- preferably the sequined romper from the same collection...

Perspex jewellery was also huge on the Spring runways- Burberry Prorsum and Michael Kors are two shows that come to mind here. Not sure how I feel about the retro baubles at MK, but I loved the angular, smokey quartz-like perspex Christopher Bailey sent out at Burberry. I thought the sharpness of the jewellery made a great contrast to the soft twists and drapes and muted pastels of the clothes.

Oh, and since I'm on the topic of all things sparkly, I have a huge thing for double-finger rings. I first saw one on the Hills' Lauren Conrad, who actually has her name as the ring. It's like Carrie Bradshaw's "Carrie necklace" (you know, the one she thought she lost when she had to 'bend and scoop in Dior'), but in a ring version. There's heaps of websites out there trying to make a quick buck (or hundred - these things aren't cheap!) offering customised double-finger rings. These aren't quite as dangerous as the more typical cocktail rings, but trés chic all the same (I'm serious- some of these things are like weapons). Who needs a man to engage (pardon the pun) in some serious knuckle-dusting? Not me.

Photos: style.com and personalizedboutique.com

More-bidly obsessed with: Heeled Booties

Ever since I laid my eyes on THOSE Chloé boots from Fall 2009, I haven't been able to get enough of these babies. You know the ones I'm talking about; gorgeous tan seude with supple leather trimmings and cream laces. Just in case you don't (gasp) here's Sigrid Agren opening for Chloé for the Fall 2009 show where Hannah MacGibbon received (and rightly so) all that praise for.

 This is one of my favourite favourite favourite collections in a long time (yes, those booties helped), with all those belted high-waisted pants that were so effortlessly tailored, soft collared silk and cotton shirts and that leather-trimmed cape that has been the basis of many a chain store design since.

Anyway, back to the dust-kickers. I was browsing through Style.com's Fall 2010 Accessory Report (compiled by the ever-so-lucky Candy Pratt), and I came across this gorgeous pair of Thakoon suede metallic wedge booties (yes, that is their real name). These things are amazing. Double points for the wedge. And the metallic. Actually, there wasn't a single pair of boots in the entire Thakoon collection I didn't like. Too bad I can't have any...

Another mentionable pair from the Accessory Report were Burberry's leather bootie with shearling trim. They were like a footwear version of the lined Sherpa bomber jacket. Nice.

All of the shoes I bought while overseas recently were wedge booties. My favourites are a black seude pair that sit tight just below the ankle, and a tan leather pair that lace up just past the ankle (both from Zara of course).

The more I look at pictures of the latest offerings of these boots, the more I want them...all! While I was in the fashion cupboard of Harper's Bazaar last week (more on this later) I have found two pairs I pretty much haven't stopped thinking about since. One is a really cool pair of lace up open-toed Acne wedges, which are actually a great idea if you cannot wait til winter (like me) to wear your booties. The others aren't reeeally a boot (as the name "mule" suggests), but who's going to pick me up on it? I've loved these Alexander Wang Allah leopard print wedge mules from Spring 2010 for aaages, but it wasn't until I saw them on one of the fashion assistants I really got jealous. Actually, another really great collection for boots. And clothes. And hair. Loose, side-swept plaits anyone? Let's just say it was a really great collection and be done with it shall we? Oh, and if anyone with lots and lots of money is reading this wondering what sort of present they can get me for being such a cool and nice person? Anything by Guiseppe Zanotti for Balmain wouldn't go astray, thanks.

Acne Pose lace-up wedges

Alexander Wang Alla leopard print wedge mules

Photos: Style.com and Acne

Karl for Abbey = Abbey for Chanel

It doesn't take a genius to realise Abbey Lee Kershaw has been a favourite of Chanel's creative director for quite some time now. Karl Lagerfeld makes no secrets of his favourites, and fellow teacher's pet (if that's what they can be called, although- with their shared penchant for piercings and motorcycle boots- I doubt it) Freja Beha Erichsen and Abbey Lee are set to feature in the latest ad campaign for the luxury house. Freja featured in the barnyard romp for Chanel's country-inspired Spring/Summer 2010 show, closed for Karl's self-titled label in the same season and closed for Chanel's latest fall show. She also featured in Chanel's S/S 2010 campaign (and their S/S eyewear campaign), as did 90s supermodel Claudia Schiffer.


This is the first Chanel campaign for Abbey however, and she also happens to be the first Australian to feature in a ready-to-wear campaign for the house. I say ready-to-wear as most who watch TV will remember Nicole Kidman running around in a ball gown spritzing on Chanel No. 5 (and as far as the fashion counsel is concerned, beauty contracts DO NOT count as high fashion campaign coups). Abbey gained favouritism status by opening and closing for Fendi (another label Mr. Lagerfeld is creative director of) during the S/S 10 season, as well as opening the latest Chanel fall show (yes, the very same one Freja B closed. See a pattern here?)


Anyway, what I'm TRYING to say (if I haven't been nearly obvious enough for you) is that it's pretty darn plain to see who KL will pick to champion his brand over the line. And if their resumes-to-date (and the previous behind-the-scenes snaps) are anything to go by, they won't disappoint.



Pictures: fashionising.com and Grazia

First Face AW 10/11

And now to my favourite time of year... FashionTV's biannual countdown of the 10 most popular faces on the international circuit. Stay tuned and I'll update the top five sometime later this week, but for now, here are 10 through to 6 of the most sought after girls this season:


10) Frida Gustavsson

Hailing from Stockholm, Sweden, Frida closed for Marc by Marc Jacobs, and walked a total of 68 shows this season. She also walked in the Fashion for Relief show for the Haiti victims, and features in Jill Stuart's Spring/Summer 2010 advertising campaign. She got her big break during the AW 2009/2010 season (last year!) and she's still a baby-faced 16 years of age. Watch this space.

9) Anja Rubik

Anja isn't ranked #3 on models.com for nothing. She opened and closed for Fendi, opened for Jason Wu in New York, and walked a total of 36 shows this season (which is a lot less than Frida's total- but remember- opening is worth more than closing!!) The Polish beauty remains a favourite of Karl Lagerfeld; featuring in Fendi's S/S 2010 campaign. She also walked for the label again this season, as well as both Chanel and Karl Lagerfeld.

8) Jacquelyn Jablonski

No relation to French model-pal Constance, New Jersey gal Jacquelyn bagged a total of 74 shows in her second major ready-to-wear season. After making her catwalk debut for US-based Brian Reyes for S/S 2008, she has walked for nearly every major label since. This season, she opened Ohne Titel and Yigal Azrouel, and was the Spring campaign girl for Sportmax,Celine and D&G.

7) Karmen Pedaru

Previously a top soccer (read: football) goalkeeper in her homeland of Estonia, Karmen rose to modelling fame in late 2008, shortly after bagging her first major editorial, for Y-3. This season, as well as walking a total of 55 shows, she opened and closed for Burberry Prorsum, opened for Dries Van Noten and closed for Ohne Titel.


6) Sigrid Agren

After skipping the S/S 2010 season to focus on her final year of schooling, French-born Sigrid is back, making her first foray into the First Face countdown. This season she opened for Matthew Williamson and closed for Derek Lam and The Row (yes, the successful brainchild of "The Olsen Twins"). She walked in a staggering 80 shows this fall (81 if you include her spot in the Prada men's show), and has just renewed her contract with YSL cosmetics. If her ad-count for last fall is anything to go by (she featured in the campaigns of Chloé, Stella McCartney, cK Calvin Klein, Bottega Veneta and Karl Lagerfeld), her #22 ranking on models.com will be short-lived, at best.


Pictures: models.com