Winter love

I am in love with this coat! I have been really good lately and not buying things I don't need. I've bought a pair of jeans recently because my old jeans were ripped and getting worn so it was time to toss them out and jeans are just easy for weather like this where it's getting cold. I also bought an oversized sweater because I didn't have one and it's nice to just wear a big, comfy sweater when the weather is cold.

I'd love a new coat!

Opinion

I have a wedding to attend at the end of the month. Usually, I hate weddings because they make me go all funny but this one is a bit different. The bride is a friend who I love and adore, so I'm quite excited to see her get married.

Anyway, I was thinking of dresses and found this one that I quite like. Unfortunately it's quite expensive so I was wondering how much you good people out there would pay for such a dress made of pure silk. Anyone?



I love...

Ciao Valentino

I saw the Valentino: the Last Emperor movie last night at Palace Centro on James Street with Parisa and it was amazing. The movie is a documentary about the life of Valentino and his empire up till his retirement. The movie was so interesting and I fell absolutely in love with his dresses. My friend Natalia once said she wanted to wear a Valentino gown at her wedding, and after seeing this movie, I think his gowns are just exquisite.

The movie also highlighted his relationship with his partner Giancarlo Giammetti and I enjoyed watching the banter between the two - mamma mia! They have four or five pugs as well and the little dogs were so cute in the movie. I couldn't help but feel really sad towards the end of the movie, which showed the takeover of the Valentino Fashion Group, and ultimately his retirement after 45 years. It felt like the death of haute couture, with only few designers left who are truly artistic.

I never cared that much for fashion before, but it was interesting and eye-opening. It showed me that it was about a world with beauty and my favourite part was when Valentino proclaimed that he knew what women want...

"women want to be beautiful"

Shop 'til you drop

I didn't think I would be so efficient, but I bought my boots over the weekend! I was out and about on Sunday and stopped into Nine West to have a look at their sale offerings when I found a pair of suede ankle boots:

They were fine, but while the girl was getting a size for me, I chanced upon this other pair:

I tried them both on and settled on the leather pair. It cost more than the suede, but I tend to have a preference for leather and at least I won't freak out over ruining them if it rains (I have waterproofer spray but I'll still freak out). I figured the suede pair was a bit too fashion for me and I just do not do fashion well. Lindsay gave her nod of approval for the leather pair, so that was it.

I bought a few other "big-ticket" items this weekend including a suit from Cue which was half off. I needed a suit and have always wanted one from Cue and ended up getting a pin-stripe skirt suit. Although my preference was for a three-piece suit, I decided to forgo the pants because the matching one they had was a high-waisted style, which was horrible and so fashion and of course, I can't do fashion. Lindsay made a comment about how I "probably shouldn't wear pants" which made me want to laugh because I tend to agree. I look so ugly in pants...

I also got a bag from Lululemon at their opening party on Friday, which is great. I've been carrying around what feels like a ton of stuff and my current bag is much too small, especially when I bring a lunchbox to work and some fruit. Everything sticks out and it looks so ugly. The worst is when I go for French classes because I've got to squeeze in my books and pencil case as well. The new bag is great. So spacious and so many compartments!

I managed to pop into Kookai as well during the week when they had a 1-day VIP sale and loaded up on basic tops for winter. I also scored a Morgan & Finch hot water bottle at half price, so now I don't have to wake up in the middle of the night because I'm so cold!

Kinky boots

It was freezing cold when I left the house this morning. I was wearing a long-sleeved shirt, pants, and my winter coat. I felt like I needed a scarf but would probably have looked like a wuss. My feet were the coldest, but I was wearing covered shoes. I came to the sad realisation that covered shoes were not going to cut it in winter and that I needed something that covered my feet completely. Something like ankle boots.

Ankle boots have been in season for a while now. Apparently it was the fashion this year, especially wearing ankle boots with skirts or dresses. I always thought the look was hideous and I've never been one to follow fashion either. Ankle boots are just difficult to pull off when wearing a skirt or a dress. If you've got the right legs, it's not so bad, but even then I still think it looks quite ugly.

Perhaps time to bite the bullet and succumb. I mean, why wear knee-high boots if I'm wearing pants??? Since my decision is based on functional reasons and not fashion, I won't feel so bad about getting damn ankle boots.

Apple & Bee Adventures

I bought an Apple & Bee fold out bath bag from Ciao Bella the other day. I chose the pale blue apple design, not realising that they had several more designs from Apple & Bee itself. Later that evening, I walked past Perfect Potion on my way to the bus stop after gym and spotted the same Apple & Bee fold out bath bag in the parkland midnight blue design that I liked much better than the pale blue apple design. Doh!

The next day, I received an email from Ciao Bella informing me that due to an oversight, they were out of stock on the Apple & Bee bath bags in pale blue apples. My options were to wait until Tuesday for the new stock to arrive, get the apple blossom midnight blue design instead, or receive a refund. I chose the refund. Now I was free to get the parkland midnight blue design from Perfect Potion - yay!

I had to wait until Saturday before I was able to head to Perfect Potion again. I walked into the store and couldn't find any of the bath bags. I asked the salesgirl about them who then told me that they had sold them out that day. Oh no!! Disappointed, I walked out of the store... but then I noticed a display bath bag in the window. I went back in and asked her about it to which she admitted she'd forgotten all about the display bath bag and that it was indeed the last one. So I grabbed it. Yay!

Now, I am in possession of my beloved Apple & Bee fold out bath bag in parkland midnight blue design. I'm ready for my weekend trip to Byron Bay!

The parkland midnight blue bath bag that I bought is the one in the foreground :)

Ciao Bella

I'm in love with this new website that sells stylish travel products. I tend to travel about 2-3 times a year, internationally and domestically. This year I've got plans for domestic trips to Melbourne (twice) and Byron. Last year I did Sydney (twice), the UK, and Singapore. The year before I went to Singapore and New Zealand.

I thought I would give it a go with something small, so I ordered this Willow & Finch sleep mask. I tend to wear these when I have trouble sleeping at home, but I also take them on flights. I try not to care too much about what other passengers might think about this girl with the pink sleep mask...

I haven't received it yet, but if all goes smoothly, I've got my eye on a few other items that they've got which are incredibly cute. I carry supermarket plastic bags with me when I travel to put my dirty clothes in, but this laundry bag is just too cute.

I also tend to wrap my shoes in more supermarket plastic bags and that's just so ugly. The shoe bag is cute and matches their laundry bag. I know that no one's going to see this stuff but I think if you've got things that make you smile when you look at them, it doesn't hurt.

I also found a matching set of "Wash Me, Wear Me" lingerie bags. All these years of travelling, I've used... you guessed it... supermarket plastic bags to put my things in. They've got three different styles; black with white print (pictured), black with pink print, and white with pink print. It's so hard to choose just one!

Lastly, while checking out their new arrivals, I spotted this incredibly cute hot water bottle which will no doubt be nice to have in Melbourne in July! The cat design was what won me over. I'm such a sucker for packaging.

I'm a victim of my own trade. Clearly.

Wardrobe basics

I'm revamping my wardrobe. I've decided that it's time for a spring clean and start afresh. I'm missing a lot of staples because frankly, I've been a bit of a dodo bird when it comes to fashion. Yesterday, I bought a dress from Marcs which was on sale. It's a black shirt dress, cinched at the waist with ribbon to tie it up at the front, and pockets on the front of the flared skirt. I'm always a sucker for pockets on a skirt. I decided to get it because it was classic, it was Marcs, and it was on sale. The fact that I didn't already have a classic, black dress was the decider. I'll put up a photo when I get a chance to wear it out and take a photo.

With winter coming soon, I decided it was a good a time as any to redo my wardrobe as I'm missing a lot of staples like jeans (I know, I actually really hate jeans), long-sleeved tops, and sweaters. Some of the stuff I've recently bought:

• A grey knit dress from Country Road (purchased on the credit card as a gift from dad)
• A black three-quarter sleeved knit cardigan from Country Road
• A basic black T-shirt from Kookai
• A white, flared skirt with blue dots from Myer
• A pair of matt flats from Scooter
• A pair of shiny flats from Scooter (which might die before winter because I wear them so much)

I've tried to follow Tim Gunn as a guide to figure out the wardrobe staples (because I'm too inept to figure this out on my own):

• Basic black dress - which I now have after the Marcs purchase

• Trench coat - I have from Mango and it's lime green. It's old and I would love a new one, but waiting for the day that I can afford a Burberry trench

• Dress pants - I have pants, but I wouldn't say they're nice ones. I don't love them, I only wear them because they're the only ones I've got. I've got a grey pair from Forever New and a black pair from Bangkok

• Classic shirt - one black and one white from Dorothy Perkins. I love Dorothy Perkins for their shirts. I also have a white one with small brown dots from Cue. It's so cute

• Jeans - I do not have jeans. I hate jeans because I always find them so uncomfortable but I will probably have to get a pair to survive winter

• Any occasion top - have a few of those

• Skirt - I have 2 work skirts, one from Bysi and the other I bought in Honolulu. Both black, both fitted. I have a black pleated skirt from Portmans which is a nightmare to iron

• Day dress - I'm not sure what this means, but I am going to guess it's a dress that's not for work, but not too casual like a maxi dress. Hmmm....

• Jacket - I have a suit jacket which I had tailored in Bangkok and I really dislike it. I don't know what it is, but I just think it doesn't fit nicely. I have another suit jacket I bought with the skirt from Waikiki, but the cut is not great. I've got one cordurouy jacket and one white satin jacket but I don't know how I feel about those

• Sweatsuit alternative - apparently this is meant to be something casual and comfortable, but not sloppy. Like khakis or a cotton dress.

And then there is the winter basics to think about, but another post for another time. Onward with the shopping!