Bamboo, Graffiti Walls and a peek at my Melbourne purchases

I almost purchased this Akira Isogawa silk dress with blue bamboo (not pink). I furtively took a picture of it in the change room but it turned out blurry. The bamboo is hand-painted and I loved the feel of it, but because of the delicate (and white) silk, and the fact that it was sheer, I realized that although the all-blue silk/wool version was simpler, it was more versatile, and could be worn with anything anywhere.

PICTURE: In the changeroom of the Akira store (where I also bought my wedding dress from), top left: my Dries Van Noten beaded/sequinned shirt dress and Willow blue silk coat/dress, on pink stool: Burberry red Manor bag, Tom Binns Faux Real cuff)

Melbourne's arquitecture is so beautiful and has a European feel to it. I wish I had taken photos of the beautiful Melbourne streets. Another interesting side of Melbourne I hadn't noticed earlier in my previous visits, was the amazing graffiti art found in little alleys (although the one above was not the best by far).

A close-up of the sequinned band of my Dries Van Noten sheer black blouse.

I came home with the intention to have a play with my Melbourne purchases, but have a killer headache, so just photographed a 'teaser'. I am already thinking of the different things I will wear with this Akira silk (with a touch of wool) dress, especially with lots of colourful accessories...I am toying with the idea of trying a DIY colourful Dries Van Noten-inspired necklace, but like many projects, may sit in my 'ideas' box. I love that it feels like I'm wearing nothing whilst wearing this dress, it is so soft, light & comfortable!

Day 3 - Melbourne Shopping Report

Day 3 - Shopping in the City Part II

Purchases: One (hooray!). Yesterday's was my favourite Australian designer Akira Isogawa, today, my favourite International designer Dries Van Noten. It's a fairly simple black fine sheer knit, blouson-style, with a wide sequinned band in front. Will try not to hype it too much, as I don't want to let you all down when I get to post a picture up (I may have hyped the Akira blue dress too much...)

Today's outfit: Dries Van Noten silk blouse, Sass & Bide Harem Pants, Dries Van Noten buckle sandals (later swapped for Havaianas, haha), Tom Binns Faux Real cuff & Burberry red Manor bag (again, pics in 'Packing for 4 Seasons in 1 Day' post).

Breathtaking moments: Again, many amazing Dries Van Noten pieces, this time in Cose Ipanema (where I purchased my blouse/top), including the stunning beaded/sequinned pieces from the Spring 2008 collection (still at full-price). Tried the dress below, once again 2 sizes too big (most DVN pieces in store are size 40!), but the SA were trying to convince me it looked good, uhm, sadly I don't have $2000+ to spend on a dress that makes me look like a sack...the dress is already 'oversized', imagine 'oversized' and two sizes too big on top of that), also tried the amazing cuff below...(thought it was a purse as it had a zip! Didn't look quite right on me). I can't find a picture of my top, and I just arrived home, hope to update with proper pictures soon.

(www.style.com)

Shops covered:

City: Cose Ipanema, Chanel (finally saw the reissue I thought I wanted, but realized that even though I love big bags, a smaller size can be for evening and night), Christine (amazing accessories - so much Lanvin! Thanks Joyce for taking me there! I had a great time this arvo!), Green with Envy (left a cute Sass & Bide tee with a sequinned Mickey Mouse on hold there, didn't go back as I ran out of time, the one I tried on had a cream/almost peach tone to it, which I was unsure of, hence I didn't get it straight away), Marais (the SA Calvin was adorable, such a sweetheart!) - Anne Valerie Hash, Sharon Wauchob, Preen, Hussein Chalayan...all my favourite designers, great store! Also went to Zambesi, and spotted those Martin Margiela sandal/boots in black...$1200 *sigh* (this was just after purchasing the DVN top, so reluctantly put the boots back on the chair it was on).

Food: Yu-u for lunch. I finally found this, after searching for it twice, and it was worth it. Gorgeous place (no pictures allowed! I love taking pictures of food!), and amazing set lunch for $16, very filling (and I eat a lot).

Day 2 - Melbourne Shopping Report

Day 2 - Shopping in the 'City'

Purchases: One (this must be the most well-behaved I've been in years!) - At Akira GPO I found a very simple blue silk dress (with a touch of wool, but incredibly light & comfortable). Understatedly simple, with pintucking details from the collar to mid-chest, the dress skims the body, hiding a multitude of sins. I was surprised to get something so simple, as I have tended to go for statement pieces (especially if from Akira). I can picture myself using this dress for years if not decades to come though, so a worthy investment. I must admit that the range in the Akira GPO store was very small, it was even more interesting at the Belinda Malvern store.

Today's outfit: Willow cream silk slip dress under Dries Van Noten sequinned/beaded shirtdress, with Dries Van Noten buckle sandals, Willow electric blue silk coat/dress worn open (again, pictures found in my 'Packing for 4 Seasons in 1 Day' post). My high heel tolerance is at an all-time low.

Breathtaking moments: At Belinda at GPO, a gorgeous Lanvin silk dress...sadly I don't have a money-tree in my garden.

Shops covered: (I wasn't very inspired for shopping today) - and was quite upset the 1st two shops I went to were shut: Cose Ipanema (Collins St) & Zambesi (Flinders Ln)
GPO: Belinda, Lisa Ho (new collection coming in late Jan/Feb), Camper (there was a wicked pair of men's shoes, but not in hubby's size), Akira, and Gallery Frey, which had the most amazing vintage YSL, Issey Miyake, and incredibly pieces by new European designers.
QV at Albert Coates Lane: Cactus Jam International, nothing of interest this time (oh, except for some beautifully beaded Matthew Williamson pieces, reminiscent of his earlier collections).! Christensen Copenhagen, some good items on sale, but nothing for me.

Food: Lunch at Don Don's (3rd year in a row), this is my favourite lunch place, salmon sashimi don for $8.10, delicious! Dinner at Movida, which was incredible! Tapas at the bar again, this time, less traditional, more 'nouveau'. Wagyu beef steak tartare was divine! Beautiful Spanish/Chillean wines too. I highly recommend this place, next time I will book to sit in the restaurant. The atmosphere was completely different from last night (Kanela), but then again, it was a 'swanky' place...

Ok, off for some more drinks...(sorry I had no pics to share this post, may add some when I return home)

Day 1 - Melbourne Shopping Report

Day 1 - Shopping in the 'suburbs'

Purchases: NIL (Sacre bleu! Even my husband, bracing himself for a carload of purchases, was shocked to find I did not spend a penny. I call it 'museum' shopping, I was happy just seeing these beautiful items in real life, touching them, and sometimes, trying them on)

Today's Outfit: Melbourne's 4 seasons in a Day did not disappoint: rain, shine, cold, wind & sun...I wore (didn't bring my camera cable): Vanessa Bruno wool jersey & satin blouse, Sass & Bide Harem pants, Dries Van Noten black buckle sandals (occasionally replaced with dark silver Havaianas), Willow electric blue silk coat/dress, worn unzipped as a coat, Burberry red Manor bag & Tom Binns Faux Real cuff (n.b. pictures of all items in my previous post).

Breathtaking moments: Plenty to be had at the Belinda store on Malvern Road. As I entered the store, I was immediately drawn to my favourite designer: Dries Van Noten. I tried an amazing black silk dress with the most intricate & beautiful details on the sleeves, worth of framing & hanging on the wall. I paired it with the oversized bangle necklace, which sat quite high on my chest, and was fairly heavy. I also tried on the strappy sandals of the season (sadly, the colourful strappy version wasn't in store, so the ones I tried are on the left of the picture below, and I tried it on with my Harem pants, not the DVN outfit). Unfortunately, the dress was 2 sizes too big (which I knew, but just had to try it on, plus..the necklace alone was $999). I was hoping to take a picture of the amazing detail on the sleeves, but the beautiful and lovely SA was chatting to me outside the changeroom curtain, and I didn't dare. I'm sighing just thinking about it! It was truly a thing of beauty!

Other breathtaking moments: trying on an amazing electric blue Junya Watanabe dress with white trim at the neckline, it had folds and folds of fabric, that made a hood at the back. Sadly it did not fit quite right on me, and for $1070 (reduced from $1570), not worth parting with my money. Also, Alaia accessories at Scanlan&Theodore, namely a nude patent corset belt (way too small) and those strappy brown sandals (but they were in the flat version, I love the stiletto version).

http://www.style.com/

Shops covered (some of):

High Street: Frock Exchange, Kirrily Johnston, Scanlan & Theodore

Malvern Road: Belinda, Empire Rose, Little Joe by Gail Elliot

Glenferrie Road: Cactus Jam & Vanessa Bruno

Chapel Street: was going to skip this altogether, but accompanied hubby to Moji (he bought a cute pair of shorts), Calibre & Calibre's outlet store (Greville St.), where I picked some amazing buys for him (great prices too)! Whilst waiting for him (vinyl record shopping), popped into Scanlan & Theodore again, Sass & Bide, Alannah Hill (just to kill time).

Food: In the evening I went to Kanela, an amazing Flamenco Bar restaurant, and ate so much! Eating at the bar (restaurant was fully booked, so I highly recommend making a booking way in advance if possible on a Saturday, as the Flamenco show is just amazing!). The tapas was delicious (particularly the Albondegas), as was the Paella. I was bursting at the seams (after 2 tapas, paella, a sangria, and sharing a bottle of 'Marques de Caceres"), but I still ordered the churros con chocolate, and proceeded to stand to watch the beautiful Flamenco, as I was too full to sit, silly me)

Ok, I'd better head out for Day 2 now - shopping in the City. It's sunny!!!

Packing for '4 Seasons in a Day' - Weekend away!

Tonight I pack my bags and leave for a weekend of shopping and food (Hooray! Two of my favourite things). I had semi-packed last night, but as I check the weather forecast for Melbourne, I come across a dilemma: How does one pack for 4-seasons in a day? The forecast predicts possible storms & showers, and I had packed a Willow silk coat-dress, but now am thinking a raincoat (and umbrella) may come in handy. Layering will be key. Also, my suitcase is substantially smaller than the drawing above (it was my sister's laptop bag), so that I can carry it on-board, which means I am limited for space. I also try to pack as little as possible, especially if it's a 'shopping trip', as I'm bound to find/buy something that I can wear as soon as I get back to the hotel room).  I usually dress for comfort over anything else, but this trip I'm trying for a bit of style.

My usual fashion staples for a weekend away are:

Jeans: Usually worn on the plane to reduce baggage weight, and for comfort. As I no longer fit any of my jeans (a staple in any weekend trip), this item will have to be replaced by my trusty Sass & Bide Harem pants (is there anything more comfortable?)

Sandals/Thongs: As much as I love heels, I cannot wear them as I do my shopping, as I cover a lot of ground, walking here there and everywhere. Therefore, I'm usually daggiest when shopping, often carrying a pair of heels in my bag just in case (I once got followed around in Louis Vuitton by the security guard, and I suspect it was due to me looking daggy in my Havaianas). So with me will come a pair of Havaianas (I have these in so many colours it's crazy, this trip they will be...dark silver), am now thinking of bringing these Stella McCartney for Adidas Asheni flats as it's going to rain.

Shoes: I've limited myself to one pair of heels this time, and they're the Dries Van Noten buckle sandals (chunkier heel means that I will be able to do some limited walking if required, my pain tolerance in heels is embarassing)

Bag: I usually cart a Chloe bag with me, as they're understated and very roomy. As the shoes I'll be toting in them are so bulky, I have to resort to a larger bag this time, and so I will bring my very roomy Burberry Manor (which I usually use everyday for work, as it fits...my life in it). Not quite understated, and being fire-engine red, will definitely provide a pop of colour to any outfit I wear (a definite change from my usual bag of choice for shopping).

Jacket: As it gets cold quick at night in Melbourne (and usually quite windy/breezy), a warm jacket is a must, cue Burberry navy leather jacket (I lightened the picture a little). I will also bring the Willow silk cobalt blue coat/dress as a light alternative, which I hope to pair with dresses (I'm bringing my beaded/sequinned Dries Van Noten shirt-dress), over pants, or zipped up on its own as a dress on its own (love versatile pieces).

Tops: I usually bring Sass & Bide t-shirts, but this time will opt for actual tops (probably this Dries Van Noten & a Jaclin Chouchana racerback black/grey blouse. Have decided to add this wool jersey top by Vanessa Bruno for warmth.

Accessories: I usually bring necklaces & earrings, but this time I'm only bringing one piece: the Tom Binns Faux Real cuff.

I should be good to go. Did I forget anything? Luckily I still have a few hours to go...Have a great weekend everyone! Hopefully will have some purchases I can report on when I get back.

By the by, what do you pack for a weekend away?

Dress Size Yo-Yo: What to wear when your weight swings

I couldn't resist taking this picture in London, outside a cafe (March 2008)

A few months ago, my UK Vogue arrived with an interesting article title on its cover, which I excitedly flicked to: “Dress Size Yo-Yo: What to wear when your weight swings" (May 2008).

As I read on however, my face fell: 5 pounds weight swing? Long gone are the days since my weight has fluctuated by only 5 lbs. I found that as I’ve grown older, and my lifestyle’s changed somewhat (eg. no longer dancing until 6 am or walking around the city to shop, now replaced by dinner parties and internet shopping), these fluctuations have increased, and in the past 18 months my weight has creeped up by almost 25 pounds (runs & hides in embarrassment)! I will not bore you with how this happened, suffice it to say that not only do I love food, but comfort eating and decreased exercise does not provide a good combination.

As the article didn’t entirely help my ‘predicament’, I paused to think about the changes I’ve made to my wardrobe (I no longer fit 95% of my it) & the way I now dress in order to accommodate my ever-increasing waistline:

Pants/Jeans: With every few kilos gained, I would resist having to buy a new pair of jeans (the building block to so many easy outfits), as I would be optimistic that I would lose the weight, and thought it pointless to buy a bigger pair. I have done so thrice in the last 18 months, and now can’t fit the last pair I bought six months ago. My most recent pants purchase - the Harem pants - are incredible, as they’re so comfortable and stretchy. They're the 'Mumu' of pants really, which can be a dangerous thing, as I may not realise I may be gaining more weight (just when I think I couldn’t possibly gain any more, the scales prove me wrong). Leggings were also extensively used to keep my legs warm (easy to wear under stretchy or billowy dresses), and also kept me oblivious as to exactly how much weight I had gained...

Dresses: The ones I still fit tend to be empire-line or flowy, floaty dresses that are flexible in size. Although I am constantly buying clothes, most often than not I buy them in my ‘normal’ size (again, in denial, and optimistic that I’ll lose ‘recent’ weight gain), so many of them sit in my wardrobe with the tags still attached, whereas some are chosen for their flexible style which I hope accommodates several sizes. I have found that I have been in dresses more often now that I don't fit pants. Length-wise I try to keep it at the knee if possible, but sadly many of my favourite dresses are shorter (especially seeing this last year has been all about short dresses).

Jackets/Coats: Last winter I purchased some incredible coats by Spijkers en Spijkers which will fit me regardless of what size I am, and how many layers I have under it. As a jacket/coat aficionado (my jacket/coat collection is larger than any other 'clothes group'), I have found them particularly useful to throw over an outfit (those that still fit), disguising a multitude of sins, even if it's only a sheer silk chiffon jacket (or cardigan/shrug). This may prove to be more difficult as the weather is warming up.

Shoes: To quote the article: "When I put heels on I feel - as far as I'm concerned, look - 4 lbs thinner". Thank goodness we don't gain weight on our feet! Although sadly, I can no longer zip any of my Costume National boots up...

"My own cupboard looks like a weight induced mood board. Floaty dresses without waists by Dries Van Noten (...) the author writing the article says...seems applicable to me too. I've always gravitated towards clothes that allowed for a 5 lbs weight swing (although not having a 25 lbs swing in mind), favouring billowy sleeves, blousey tops, drapey anything (inc. dresses & tops). Layering has also been key, as well as the use of belts and other accessories. Skirts are also great as they tend to fit a variety of sizes, just sitting at different positions on your waist/hip depending on what weight I currently am at, I especially like full skirts & tulip skirts.

Overall, I feel in some ways I don't dress as 'simply' as I used to, a white tank/tee and jeans no longer look good on me. On the other hand, I also lack the confidence to be over-the-top and take 'risks' like I used to. I was never 'skinny' to start with, but now it is seems more obvious what I can and cannot wear due to my shape & height. Sadly there isn't much I can do about the fact that the weight gain is very obvious on my face too...

Anyway, this is not intended to be a woe-is-me post. I just wanted to share how I've tried to dress to adapt with my weight increase, and would love to hear whether you've had to do so too, be it due to weight loss/gain, haircuts, change in hair colour, etc...

I will work hard on Mr Gingerbread's advice above (see pic) and try to swing my weight back to 'normal', I miss my wardrobe terribly, and hope it misses me too!

Zac Posen Splash Print Pleated Evening Jacket

Shoes: Dries Van Noten, Pants: Sass & Bide, Singlet: SABA, Watch: Calvin Klein, Jacket: Zac Posen (eek! I do have a neck, I promise!)

As I was tidying my wardrobe, this Zac Posen silk bolero caught my eye. It has been sitting in my wardrobe for a year or so, feeling unloved, unworn & neglected, as it still has its tags attached to it.  

When I first saw it I fell in love with its vivid colours and subtle gold streaks through it, its soft pleated silk, and the fact that it seemed so artistic, with its bold splashes of 'paint' & dramatic design (visions of 'Dynasty' flash through my mind).  Every time I reached for it I realised I was not daring enough: fears of looking like a clown or a matador restrained me from wearing it.  

Perhaps pairing it with Harem pants would not help the 'looking like a clown' situation, and I always envisioned wearing it with distressed jeans and white tank top.  Seeing I no longer fit any of my jeans, these will have to do for now (I just happened to be wearing the black outfit under the bolero today).  I think I may just bite the bullet and wear it out (time to cut off those tags)...

I'm curious: How would you wear this jacket/bolero?