Transitions Outfit

Some of the hardest outfits to create are those outfits that need to take you from one occasion to another. For example, yesterday I went straight from work to a housewarming. It is always a fine line between being professional and appropriate enough for work, yet still casual and fashionable enough for drinks or functions after work, and I think that this outfit below nailed it.

The tailored pants and structured jacket together with polished accessories make this look work perfectly for daytime and in the office, yet the embroidery of the jacket and trend based jewellery still make this forward enough to wear afterwards.

What are your failsafe transitioning outfits?

5 Current Trends

Lately I have been on a savings plan, which has meant that I have been trying very hard not to spend as much money on clothing and accessories, and instead reworking items I have in my wardrobe, trying to wear them in different ways and with different accessories.

I went window shopping today, and noticed some new trends out that I think would fit perfectly into my wardobe! Must not spend though, so I've come home to sleep on it, and If I still think they would fit in after the initial excitement has worn off, I may just go back and buy!

TREND 1: Coated Black Jeans.
These jeans are everywhere: in every chain store, department store, and boutique alike! They are a great twist on basic black denim, and are a little bit fancy, great for dressing up casual tops, but also for wearing out at night! These jeans are a great inbetween for those not brave enough to try leather pants or wet look leggings, but still with a touch of shine, to help channel that inner rockstar.

TREND 2: Pastels.
This trend is everywhere overseas at the moment, and slowly creeping into stores over here as well. Pastels are a light and breezy spring and summer alternative to the heavier colours we have had in fashion this current winter. Block colours, florals, and other prints alike all revel in pastel.

TREND 3: METALLIC
Metallics never date, and add that touch of dressiness to any outfit. Great for nighttime, but now also for day time with many knits and tops sparking with wool weave in metallic threads.

TREND 4: DALMATION
Recently seen on Alexander Wang catwalks, dalmation print is a sure fire trend to seep into our wardrobes also. Channel your inner Cruella de Vil and wear splashings of dalmation with basic cuts and colours.

TREND 5: ANKLE BOOTS
Everyone should own a pair of classic ankle boots this winter, keeping feet warm for even the coldest days. Choose from casual or dressy pairs with low, high or wedge heels, in neutral colours, embellished with buckles, studs, decorative stitching, etc.

What are your favourite trends for this winter, and the upcoming spring/summer season? Share below!

Weekend vs Work Wardrobes

How has everyones week been so far? Mine has been extremely busy! Between work, gym, and other various commitments I have been flat out! The other night, I was lucky enough to go see a friends band play at a local pub! They were actually quite good, and very entertaining to watch!

As the venue was quite low key and grungy, and it was a cold night, I channelled my inner uni student and dressed quite casually, in jeans and a knit. I've never been a band tshirt kinda gal! :)

Here is a Quick snapshot of what I wore:

What do you guys wear to gigs? So hard to dress for: not exactly the ideal platform for that Prada bag!

Why is it that celebrities always look so put together at gigs! I wish I had that effortlessly cool look that they manage to nail, looking like they just rolled out of bed and woke up like a rock god. Those Bitches!

In other news, this is what I wore to work today:

As you can see, my work wardrobe style and my weekend casual style is vastly different!

What do you wear to gigs? Let me know your ideal gig outfit below!

What To: Wear To Work?

Working in a corporate environment, creativity, expression, and flair in dressing can often be heavily restricted in regards to womens fashion.

The way I would like to dress is often at severe odds with what is expected and required for the office. In my mind, a cross between the ladies on Lipstick Jungle, Cashmere Mafia, and Sex and the City (ie my idea of power corporate dressing- anyone remember what Lucy Liu used to wear to work?!) conveys that perfect mix of professional and fun. However, in my office, I would not only look out of place and way over the top, but probably wouldn't be taken seriously in my position either.

The Lipstick Jungle girls rug up on the way to work!

 

The Cashmere Mafia girls are big on belted waists.
The thought of dressing in a black suit and white shirt every day is severly depressing, but while every magazine hypes up the importance of accesories to "Add Interest" to a basic work outfit, the sheer monotomy of this approach makes me want to cry.

This is what I wish I could wear to work, vs, What I actually wore to work (yawn!).

Can you guess which outfit I wore!?

So I'm making up my own rules and tips, and hopefully this can inspire me to be a bit more interesting in my work outfits:
WHAT TO BUY.

When buying something for work, making sure that it is an item that I can wear casually also when styled differently. For example, a pretty print blouse looks professional with a black pencil skirt, but can also look casual when paired underneath with jeans, boots and a fur gillet.
ONE INTEREST POINT ONLY.
If wearing an amazing pair of decorative pumps, keep every other piece in the outfit simple. Yes, that means no other prints, colours, or designs. PLAIN is the name of the game. That outlandish piece is risque enough.

ACCESSORIZE!
Shoes, Jewellery, Scarves, Belts, Handbags etc. in fun prints, colours, textures, and seasonal trend styles can update a work look and allow you to keep wearing the basics you already own whilst maintaining professionalism.

UTILIZE CLASSIC SHAPES.
A crazy skirt mightnt be appropriate, but a bright green pencil skirt with a white shirt allows modesty, whilst the green lifts the outfit. In other words, if you keep the shape professional and classic, you have some more leeway in appropriateness level to experiment with fun colours and prints.

KEEP UNCONVENTIONAL SHAPES NEUTRAL.

If you want to wear something in an unusual shape or design, ie a frilly top or something very fussy, keep the colour in one solid block colour, in a neutral shade ie black white beige navy etc. Again, keep it paired with other basic pieces and let the design of the piece be the focus.

APPROPRIATENESS.

Yes, that fun stuff might be acceptable in the office. In client meetings or out on site, not so much. Pick and choose wisely when to push the boundaries and when to play it safe.

FITTING IN.

Yes, be an individual. But if everyone else is doing twin sets and pearls, and you're doing funky 70s prints, not only may you be seen as not fitting in with the culture, but oblivious to some of the required standards. Noone wears twin sets without good cause!
OBVIOUS NO NO's.No: Short Skirts, Lots of Cleavage, Midriffs, Sneakers, Flatforms, Nightclub makeup, Fake tacky jewellery etc. Shaking up the rules doesn't give you the opportunity to ignore the clearly Unacceptable.

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Hopefully I am inspired to take another look in my wardrobe and find new ways of pairing some of my non work clothing and incorporating it into my work outfits, rather than spending more money on more work things that I cannot wear outside of work!

What do you wear to work!? How much do you spend on work clothes as opposed to casual clothes? What percentage of your wardrobe is work/casual/both!? Let me know below!

TOP 4 SHOE TRENDS: Choo vs Louboutin

Jimmy Choo and Christian Louboutin are two of the most well known high end brands for stilettos. Many women would sell their own mother to own a pair of the most desirable shoes seen on the likes of models, celebrities and fashionistas alike.

This season with shoe trends I have noticed that there are a few main themes in regards to fashionable footwear, those trends being:

TOP 4 SHOE TRENDS THIS WINTER
1. Sparkles, Glitter, and Shimmer: Anything shiny and metallic, perfect for those dressy occasions including weddings, cocktail parties, and other such formal events.

2. Animal Print: Usually leopard, but now including snake, croc zebra, and tiger prints. These cougar inspired leathers are the go to standout shoe for girls nights out, creating not only lasting impression, but grabbing the attention of anyone who walks past.

3. Wine Time: This is the colour of the season! Any shoe in wine, mulberry, raspberry, cranberry or burgundy tones rules this winter, reminding us of cozy nights and warm atmospheres!

4. Neutral: Patent, Suede, or Textured leathers look classic, fresh, and elegant in black, taupes, or beiges. These are the go to choice for work, and other casual events.


These trends are courtesy of Choo and Louboutin mainly, the question being, Which Designer Did It Better?! Which collection put forward hits the nail on the trend? See below for comparisons!

WINE AND LEOPARD:My top Jimmy Choo picks reflecting these trends include sky high heels and clutches.

My top Christian Louboutin picks reflecting the same trend:

SHIMMER AND SNAKE:Jimmy Choo's take on high shine and python snake:

And the comparing Louboutin collection:

MONOCHROME MADNESS:

Choo's focus on black and tan creates a stunning backdrop for a statement outfit:

Louboutins collection consisting of black and nudes is similar:

So as you can see, both designers have put their best foot forward, capturing the hearts and bank balances of women everywhere, with something to appeal to everyone!
Which collection do you prefer? Choo's or Louboutins?  Do you own anything from either designer?

Comment below!

Having a Moment: Jigsaw

Jigsaw is one store that is definitely on my shopping radar after having a little browse on their website! To me, they were always a bit more corporate or for the older lady, but looking at this seasons winter collection, I was surprised to find lots of garments that I liked and would easily wear! Maybe my tastes are changing, but the collection seems to be geared towards a younger generation this season! The prices are not, however, with an average blouse $200+. They are perfect for work and still dressy enough to pair with jeans for a drink out! I think I will be waiting for a sale, but their pieces look of a high quality and standard, with fabric and attention to detail high on the list.

See below my favourite picks from their website:

 This blue ruffle blouse captured my eye with its military style panels on each shoulder!

 This fur jacket would be lovely and warm in winter, great with a pair of jeans and long thigh high suede boots!

 The cute bow on the necklice adds interest to a rust coloured blouse. Would be great tucked into a pencil skirt.

 Fire engine red jackets never fail to catch wandering eyes! Va va voomm!

 Teal blue is quite the popular colour for this winter, and this structured jacket takes the edge off windy winter days!

 Love this blouse! Great with chunky gold costume jewellery and sky high stilettos for that cheeky first date drink at the bar!

 This casual blazer does equally well with jeans and riding boots, or a black shift dress and stilettos for work.

 Similar to the orange blouse, this deep maroon one takes me to a glass of red wine by the fireplace!

 This coat is the bees knees! No man can resist a siren in red!

This purple blouse is also great with chunky jewellery, but even smart and sophisticated underneath a suit!


Have you bought anything from Jigsaw before? How have you found the quality? What picks do you have from their Winder 2012 range, and have you bought it? Comment Below!

Public Holiday Dressing!

Yesterday was a public holiday in Australia for ANZAC day! Was a great day to relax and unwind, and so I celebrated by going around to a friends BBQ. Unfortunately the weather was pretty dismal, so the festivities were moved from outside to inside! It was alright though because once the footy came on TV, everyone gravitated towards the screen anyway. This is what I wore:

Comfy knit and jeans for the cold weather, dressed up with some outrageous leopard flats and some classic accessories! Chic yet still casual :)

Towards the end of the night, out came the old school boardgames! We re-lived our childhood memories playing classics such as Jenga, Twister, Trivial Pursuit, and other fun games! Ahh Good Times!

What did you get up to ANZAC day!? And more importantly, what did you wear! Let me know!

Trench Coat Fever

Went into Zara today with some friends "just for a quick look", as one of them had never been before and was keen to check it out after all the hype. As usual, couldn't help myself and possibly picked up the most perfect trench in the world (second to Burberry of course!).


This trench is the perfect colour too- neutral!
Classic shapes create a great silhouette! Looks great from the back too!

From the rack to my wardrobe- this piece will surely get heaps of wear!

I've been on the hunt for a trench like this for a couple of years now- but the colour/ fit/buttons/length/price was never quite right. I think I am just Too Fussy! This trench is the closest I have come to meeting all the criteria, and hopefully I won't find a better one now otherwise I will cry!

I think the trench is one of those versatile pieces that can be worn with anything. I think I will be channeling my inner french lady, with breton striped top, blue jeans, black ballet flats and oversized sunglasses. The trench is also great for work over pencil skirts, shift dresses, and cigarette pants. Perhaps you may even surprise your husband with super high heels, a trench, and a little lacy somethin' somethin' underneath ;)

The celebs are fan of trench coats too. They all seem to be styling them very simply, and letting the trench be the star of the outfit and speak for itself. Jessica, Gwen, and Camille have all jumped on the bandwagon.


Kate Middleton adds a touch of regal elegance to hers with a little frill at the bottom.

Charlize, Demi, Kate, Hayden, Maggie, J-Lo (nearly wrote Jwow hehe!) and Kate all don their trenchcoats in neutral too.

Emma Watson, the face of Burburry, wears their trenches expertly. Loving that studded arm one! Maybe the next trend is matching your trench to your hand bag? Studs galore!

Mary Kate Olsen doing her best bag lady impression looks stunning in this oversized trench.

When Victoria Beckham wears a trench, you know that it is in the height of fashion :)

And of course, when you see Miss Piggy wearing one....well, you know you simply MUST buy one! ;) (I think she does it better than the celebs!)

Do you own a trench? How do you style it! I would love to hear some suggestions!

Having A Moment...

Whenever I make a trip to the GPO, I always find myself in Karen Millen. I have been a big fan of her formal dresses for ages, and having bought one of them myself, I can vouch that they are well made from beautiful fabrics, and usually a very flattering fit. Respect.

I think this season they are having a Moment, with some really lovely pieces in stock right now. It took most of my self restraint not to try things on, becuase once that happens, all other considerations fly right out the window!

Here's my favourite picks from the current collection, pictures courtesy of the website:

I love every piece of clothing in this picture. The Jacket. The Dress. The Clutch. The Shoes.
Damnnnnn......

I'm in CHARGE!

I really like houndstooth print and patent, so this clutch ticks all the boxes for me.

Cute everyday wallet for the minimalist in all of us. Tan makes it more relaxed with the buckle keeping things sharp.

Who doesn't love a red peplum dress? Work, Cocktails, Weddings, this dress will have you covered.

In the words of Rachel Zoe, "I Die!". This coat was MADE for me. Unfortunately, the price was not. $745 and waiting for a sale...

This cutie also comes in black, another great classic coat which can be worn anywhere for any occasion. This one would only look good all belted and zipped up I reckon.

Do you like Karen Millen? Have you ever bought from the store? Tell me below!

Wednesday Winter Wishlist!

Despite all the lovely warm and sunny weather that Melbourne is getting right now, I still have Winter fashion on the brain! I have been browsing the chain store websites this week to see what the stores are peddling, and have found some gorgeous pieces that I might have to go in and try on.

I think about 3/4 of my current wardrobe is probably from high street chain stores, and places like Myers and David Jones. 15% is from little independent boutiques, and the remaining 5% from online stores. The few rare designer pieces I own don't count as this would be less than 1%!

Anyway, heres a quick wrap up of some fast fashion that I'm craving:

Saba Houndstooth Skirt. I love this! The metallic makes it dressier for night time, and it looks great just with plain black tops and tights. Having said that, I dont know what else I could wear this with.

Saba red dress. Gorgeous!!!! This deep cranberry hue is so seductive! Would be a killer first date outfit ;)
Saba bag. I quite like this! I have a feeling this is a designer imitation/inspiration piece, but can't picture which one exactly. The pony hair makes it a bit more visually interesting texture wise.

Forever new chain knit! I will definitely be going to try this one on! I love a good grey knit, and this one again has metallic through it for a more dressy look. Black skinny jeans and a scarf and this jumper will shine!

David lawrence top. Great for work with a pencil skirt or pants, the colour again is strong and vibrant. Orange to me is such a power colour, it screams "Don't Mess With Me!"

Marcs leopard ballet flats! I love these for knocking around on casual days, great with a pair of jeans and a slouchy top. Even better if the outfit is monochrome, then these babies will really pop!

David Lawrence trench. Love a good trench. Enough Said.

Love a good trench in Blue even more.

I have been umming and ahhing over this Rebecca Minkoff MAC for ageeesss. Should I just bite the bullet and BUY IT?

This Nicholas Dress is stunning. If you have a spare $530 please wire into my bank account.

So thats my chain store wish list for this week. Which pieces do you like? Which ones do you think I should buy? Which ones would YOU buy? Comment Below!