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The Mall

April 12th 2013 04:00
For many who love fashion, shopping also becomes a bit of a passion, (look at that, I'm rhyming!) which makes sense when you actually have to shop in order to obtain fashion, unless of course you make it yourself.

But what I have found to be a very interesting side effect of a fashion love affair, is the love of the shopping mall itself. Because I developed a special flair for shopping pre the internet, I have spent very many days and hours wandering through shopping centres around the country and even around the world, and as a result I have found that they feel almost like a second home. There is something instantly comforting to me about a shopping centre. Whether I am there to browse, power through to pick up necessities or just to kill time, I truly do love a mall. As much as internet shopping is fun and I can do it in my PJs and I do love the arrival of a package, it's got nothing on shopping in a mall.


A shopping mall is one of few places that no matter where in the world I am, I feel instantly calmer and more at ease than when I enter. I feel like I'm home, even if I'm not familiar with the layout of the place. Granted, in times of economic distress I am filled with a level of angst that's closely tied to my inability to control myself in many clothing and shoe stores, but generally I feel quite warm and fuzzy when safely ensconced inside a pristine shopping mecca.

On some of my loneliest and saddest days after moving to Sydney, I would tootle over to a major mall because I knew it would make me feel better, purchases or no purchases when I came to leave. The mall is a magical place for a lover of shopping, and for me it feels like home.
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Je t'aime Chanel? Oui!

March 2nd 2013 09:08
Whether it be a handbag, a pair of sunglasses, or a classic suit, owning a piece of Chanel is a goal and a source of pride that transcends nations and other fashion tastes. And owning one piece often doesn't satisfy the longing for more. But the glam of the current brand isn't something to be taken as a just a showy fashion status symbol. The woman behind the brand was (and is) inspirational as well as fashionable.

Despite coming from a poor background, and having little education, Coco Chanel had a personality that was considered ahead of her time, and which secured her place in fashion history. She aimed to shock, and challenged what women thought they wanted. She designed clothing that she believed every woman should have, and in the process created an empire with creations that now, every woman wants. Her designs targeted those in the know – and the aim was to ensure those in the know wanted what she had. It worked. Coco Chanel modernised the female dress, and is today recognised as the creator of the little black dress, and the desire of every woman to have one. Coco Chanel made her name by bucking the conventional trends and styles of her time.


One fashion faux pas that so many of us make, but that Coco was well aware of, is never shy away from classics, and as a result the signature elements of the brand have lived on.

Particularly iconic is the Chanel tweed suit, first inspired by Coco’s visits to Scotland with the Duke of Westminster. Our favourite and still unrivalled fashionistas in Sex and the City showed how this style has the ability to transcend both time and target market, illustrated best when you consider that both Charlotte and her evil mother in law Bunny sported classic tweed Chanel suits at different stages of the series.

New takes on tweed are a regular feature of Chanel’s modern day collections, as are chic simplicity in the designs’ use of black, white and gold. Gold buttons still feature, and so do four-pocket jackets. The House of Chanel produces designs and details that have been shown to influence not only what fashionistas want to wear, but also other designers’ collections.
Chanel focuses on a lifestyle, which is evident in not only the product, but also the branding. Chanel is a way of life, and a way of life that it has been said, all ladies want a piece of.

Karl Lagerfeld has said "My favourite Coco is the early one: the rebellious, capricious one… it is she I think of when creating my collections." Not only an inspiration for us everyday women, but an inspiration for Lagerfeld. How much more influential could this first lady of fashion have been?
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The dreaded fat day

January 12th 2013 23:49
Fat days are the worst, and you often realise you are having a fat day at the worst possible time. Such as, when you are desperately trying to find an outfit for work because you have a major presentation. Or when you are running late for a lunch date with a hot guy. But the biggest problem with a fat day is once you have decided you are having one, no matter what you put on, your problem area (or areas) only seem to continue to increase in size, and the more outfits you try, the fatter you think you look. And instead of motivating us to exercise, the fat day only seems to encourage sitting on the couch eating copious amounts of ice-cream to console ourselves.

It happens to everyone. You can pull a size 6 dress out of the cupboard, put it on and feel like you have a bigger pot belly than ever seen on a World Vision commercial. The trick is trying not to get so caught up in staring at your wobbly bits that you don't notice that you actually do look good in what you have on.

Out of sheer necessity, I have come up with some fool proof ways to make sure that even on a fat day you can leave the house knowing you look great, unless you have a very understanding boss who allows "feeling fat" as a legitimate sick day and in that case - whack on Pretty Woman and give yourself time to get over it.

Firstly, invest in a completely black ensemble. Whether it be a black top and skirt, black top and trousers or a black dress, wearing something all black is not only slimming, but teamed with funky accessories is instantly stylish. Wear a low slung belt to will break up your all black if you want some colour, and wearing it low will avoid your belly poking out from under a belt worn higher. This will also make your butt look like it starts lower than it really does, making that look smaller too.

Secondly, make good use of accessories. Loud, chunky necklaces and bangles will draw attention away from your torso and over to places like your wrists that are unlikely to be responsible for your fat feelings. Add this to your fabulously black outfit and no-one will be any the wiser that you’re having a fat day!

Thirdly, do whatever you can to draw attention to the bits of you that you are happy with! Having a great face day? Wear your hair back and play up your makeup to make yourself even prettier! Fat day not extending as far as your ankles? Wear three quarter pants, dress shorts or a skirt and show them off with fabulous shoes. People will be so busy looking at your feet their eyes wont hesitate for a minute over the flabby thighs you think you’re sporting!

Last but not least, try your failsafe, if you have that one dress, or outfit that you always get compliments when you wear – then put it on. Everyone can’t be wrong now can they?

Fat days happen. I currently am having a fat evening after a fat day. I had to regularly remind myself to pull my stomach in as I walked around the office today, but rather than come home and put on my gym gear, I stuck a bottle of white wine in the freezer and heated up left over pizza. There is also a slice of chocolate cake waiting for me in the fridge. Helpful for my fat feeling? Not at all. Helpful for my spirits? Very. But then maybe that's the point.

A lot of the time, a fat day is mostly in our heads. Yes, sometimes us gals can be retaining a little water, and if we have overdone the cake and the wine it can add a few kilos in places we would prefer it not to, but we rarely look as fat to others as we think we do in the mirror.
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Money Can't Buy You Style....

November 18th 2012 10:11
Great shoes, fabulous handbags, amazing dresses – most of us think that money can buy us the style we’ve always dreamed of, but look around you and you’ll realise it’s not necessarily true.

How often have you snickered at a red carpet outfit, or guffawed at your CEO’s suits? The idea that people with a lot of money are equally rich in style is a global misconception. Money can’t buy you style. We all say it, but how many of us actually believe it? I know for a fact that mountains of cash would definitely solve my wardrobe woes - and I am fairly confident in saying I think I'd look pretty freaking good every day. But when you start to look closely at what those wealthier people around you are wearing, it becomes very clear that whilst money can buy you many things, it most definitely cannot buy you style


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Animal Instincts

October 7th 2012 11:06
Whether you think it's purrfect, or purrfectly awful, most of us have, or have had, leopard print in our wardrobes - and it seems that this trend won’t be fading away quietly any time soon.

On any given occasion, leopard print can be spotted on someone or something, regardless of its current style status. Although seemingly always in style when it comes to underwear, leopard print has also demanded attention on varying levels in outerwear for what seems like forever, and now that the 80s are back yet again, so are the more in your face leopard print fashions. From Guess handbags to full leopard print dresses, the urban jungle of fashion is taking its cues from the big cats


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Naked for fashion

August 29th 2012 23:29
The word fashion brings to mind glorious images of dresses, catwalks and to die for outfits, but fashion actually starts with your naked self, as scary as that may be! Fashion means many things to many people, but if you search for fashion online, or flick through a magazine, fashion usually tends to translate directly to the clothes you put on every day.

But fashion extends far beyond this, and starts at a much more grass roots level. Naked fashion is fashion that isn’t just about your outer layer. It encompasses the physical you, and what you do to yourself in the name of fashion and beauty. I’m talking about piercings, tattoos, botox, the list goes on, and on, and on


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Chanelling Chanel

July 5th 2012 09:46
For whatever reason, Chanel has popped into enough of my conversations this week to make me stop and think about this brand. Sadly my financial state means I haven't also been able to stop and shop Chanel, but c'est la vie.

Of all the designers, Chanel is quite possibly the most coveted amongst women. The lady behind the name has left a legacy that ladies clamour for a piece of the world over. Whether it be a handbag, a pair of sunglasses, or a classic suit, owning a piece of Chanel is a goal and a source of pride that transcends nations and other fashion tastes


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I Heart New York fashion

May 18th 2012 07:08
New York: bright lights, fifth avenue, Jimmy Choo, cowboy boots and Prada. Whatever your fashion flair, New York style cannot be denied, nor can my love affair with the city I long to call home.

Recognised as the style capital of the world, New York has always been the centre of the universe to New Yorkers, but since the glam lives of the Sex and the City gals were beamed into the house of every funky female around the globe all those years ago, it also became the centre of most of our universes too


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Black Tie Fashion

April 9th 2012 23:44
For most women, the thought of a black tie event provides an instant rush of delight - thoughts of glamorous dresses, the chance to bring out gowns that never usually get to see the light of day, or better, the chance to buy one - immediately fill our heads. Those same thoughts often have the tendency for dread to quickly supersede delight, and concerns about hair, make-up, cellulite, if Spanx work under the dress of choice etc can end up dominating.

But there is little denying that most women love the chance to frock up, so seeing the words black tie, for all their pressure, gives us a thrill. It's the same reason we love the races - it's a lot easier to look hot in a glam outfit with some hair and make-up support than it is kicking it at home in your usual chill out clothes. And I speak from experience, as I very recently went to a charity ball where I was uber excited to pull out all the stops. I can admit that dating a still new and totally fabulous man who invited me to said ball was the reason I was so committed to looking totally fabulous, so despite being the girl who usually gets ready in 30 minutes, I started getting ready at 3


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Fashion in the hard times

February 14th 2012 02:59
We're being told regularly these days that things aren't all that great economy-wise. We're hearing that retail is suffering it's worst year in decades and that we're just not spending. So what does this mean for fashion?

Well, renowned demographer Bernard Salt has an opinion (of course) that can be translated to fashion, and I find this man fascinating so thought I'd share. Basically he's said that in the face of economic downturn females return to an ingrained desire to seek out “manly” men. And in saying this, he predicted the downturn of the metrosexual trend that has dominated male fashion, grooming and lifestyle for so long now


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