Porcelain complexion

Go Mod

2012-02-17T20:00:00.002+13:00

Who said you can't wear black with brown? Whoever they were I think they were wrong, I happen to love black with brown.

The 60's would have to be one of my favourite eras when it comes to fashion.
I LOVE mod style shift dresses, colour blocking, swing coats, go go boots and lashings of eyeliner.

Which era is your favourite for fashion? And why??

Dress : Jacqui e
Wedges : The Warehouse
Bangles : Lousia

My Pretties

2012-02-16T21:48:00.002+13:00

I'm in love with my new shoes!

I don't really know what else to say today, I'll save the gibber jabber for another day.

Jacket : Jacqui E
Dress : Jacqui E
Belt : Kmart for $7
Wedges : The Warehouse

Addiction Fix

2012-02-15T19:24:00.002+13:00

Another day, another dollar.

Every girl has a weakness...my weakness has always been shoes, especially chunky shoes.
So when I saw these at The Warehouse for $39 a pair I couldn't help myself and then I hid them so my man can't find them like the dirty little addict that I am.

What's your weakness??? Do you hide things too???

Dress : Jacqui E
Jacket : Jacqui E
Wedges : Hannahs
Headband : Farmers

Think Pink

2012-02-14T19:08:00.003+13:00

Whilst we don't celebrate Valentines Day I can't think of a day that would be more appropriate to post pink!

My man hasn't got a romantic bone in his entire body so I certainly don't expect this year to be any different to any other.
Don't get me wrong, I love him to pieces but it's not because he sweeps me off my feet with romantic dinners and heart shaped gifts.

He has brought me flowers once, an enormous boutique of beautiful red roses and you know what my reaction was...."What have you done?"
So it's pretty safe to say it'll never happen again. Well done me.

Do you celebrate Valentines Day? What are your plans?

Dress : Portmans
Clutch : Portmans
Heels : Secondhand from Recycle Boutique in Welly

The Key to Khaki

2012-02-13T12:14:00.004+13:00

Whilst I love the idea of being G.I. Jane I am simply not that kind of girl so I decided to pair my khaki jacket with a floaty dress, red heels and a ladylike red lip. Much more me than cargo pants and camouflage.

Jacket : Portmans
Dress : Portmans
Heels : Secondhand from Time & Time Again in Opawa

Secondhand Sunday 7

2012-02-12T19:24:00.001+13:00

Today has been a busy day!

I stopped very quickly at the Riccarton Market to get a few veges and found this gorgeous wee sliver plated teapot for $5 - it has a bit of a crack at the top but still functions just fine. I'm hoping to make Moroccan style mint tea in it.

The we set off on our house hunting adventure. We went to 9 open homes and now we have a bit of a conundrum. We found 2 that we really like.

1 - is a total shit box but has amazing potential.
It's a 2 bedroom weather board house built in 1910 with a large garden (so I could get my French Bulldog...) We'd need to rip up the carpets, do up the hardwood floors, insulate,put in proper heating, rip out a couple of the walls and completely re-do both the bathroom and the kitchen...but we could make it our own. Do we really want to renovate, especially such a big project...????

2 - is absolutely perfect just as it is.
It's a gorgeous wee weather board cottage that's already been done up. New bathroom, new kitchen, reasonable sized rooms and the most adorable wee garden ever.
However...it's a 300sq section, so no French Bulldog and it's not in the best part of town - the area is not terribly quake damaged but it's certainly not the posh side of town.

Have you renovated? What would you do???

Jacket : Jacqui E
Sequin Top : Secondhand from Lasting Labels in Harewood/Papanui
Skirt & belt : Portmans
Heels : Secondhand from Time & Time Again in Opawa

Lantern Festival

2012-02-12T15:07:00.003+13:00

Last night my man and I went for a wander down to the lantern festival in Hagley Park.

I loved it. There were all kinds of different lanterns, food stalls and performances.

I wanted to buy a lantern but I wasn't allowed - Scott was concerned I would set it on fire and in all honesty I probably would have, I am terribly clumsy after all.

The week that was

2012-02-11T18:58:00.003+13:00

Since I'm not one of the cool kids with an iPhone or instagram I thought I'd do an old school style collage instead. My cell phone is mostly just my alarm clock so why spend a fortune when my $49 cheapy does the trick?

My week consisted of 40 hours at work, tea and cake, fresh flowers, yummy home made dinners, magazine reading and house hunting.

How was your week? What's planned for the weekend?

Splish Splash Clash

2012-02-10T21:17:00.005+13:00

I love my new dress, I dislike the fact that it wrinkles :(

Dress : Jacqui E
Heels : Secondhand from Time & Time again in Opawa
Umbrella : Kmart (quite some time ago)

Anywho...I've been tagged in a post by Green Tea and Cupcakes so here goes :

First Things First, The Rules:
You must post the rules.  Post eleven fun facts about yourself on the blog post. Answer the questions the tagger set for you in their post, and then create eleven new questions to ask the people you’ve tagged.  Tag eleven people and link them on your post. Let them know you’ve tagged them!

The facts:

1. One of my feet is a size 6.5 the other is a 9. Weird huh?!

2. Everything in my house is either black, red or white.

3. I have 4 tattoos, the 2 on my wrists & the bows on the back of my calves.

4. At 18, I had 6 surface piercings on my tummy until one ripped out. Ouch. Bad idea.

5. I had 2 studs in my nose (same nostril) from the age of 16 to 25.

6. My brother is a natural redhead and I've always been jealous.

7. My man used to be my kickboxing instructor...he he

8. My man and I were together for 2 yrs then broke up for 2 yrs and we've been back together now for 2.5 years now.

9. I was obsessed with the Spice girls until I was 14. I wanted to be Geri. Still do.

10. My favourite food is pasta.

11. My drink of choice would be a glass of a Central Otago Pinot Noir.

The questions:

1. Cat person or dog person?
I LOVE cats but I desperately want a french bulldog like this cool dude of Jenna's over at Smitten.

2. Who is your hero, and why?
Hmm good question.
Katie Piper. She is truly inspirational and has changed the way I think about people living with disfigurement, I don't feel sorry for them now, I admire them.

3. What is the weirdest thing you’ve ever eaten?
Snails in Paris, weird texture but they were good :)

4. What’s your favourite book?
Toughie.
"My friend Leonard" by James Frey - I didn't realise it was the follow up to another book (I brought it for $2 secondhand) and I was actually in tears by the end of it.
The first book is "A million little pieces" but the end of it gives away the next book so I'm glad I read them the wrong way around.

5. If you could have 6 people, living or dead, over for a dinner party at your place, who would you invite?
Cher, Adele, Gin Wigmore, Bjork, Coco Chanel and my man.

6. What is your favourite song?
"Glory Box" by Portishead

7. What language/s do you speak?
English and very, very, very basic Italian (I spent 8 weeks in Italy in 2009)

8. What is the number one thing on your “bucket list”?
To get married in Vegas by Elvis

9. How do you like your coffee?
I drink short black espressos with no sugar or fat flat whites with no sugar and I adore a good affogato.

10. Who would play you in a biopic of your life?
Evan Rachel Wood - as a fiery red head.

11. Which animal would you steal from the zoo, and how would you get it out of there?
Definitely a meercat, I'd pop it in my hand bag and pretend that I was a non-english speaking tourist with an exotic handbag dog. Granted, I would more than likely fail...

Then tagged:
Anybody and everybody who wants to take part - please let me know if you do, I'd love to read your answers!!

Flat Tyre

2012-02-09T19:33:00.002+13:00

Today was a long day, an uneventful yet long day. I feel like someone let all the air out of my tyres so please excuse the lack lustre photos, I gave up in favour of a glass of wine and some quality couch time.

On a completely different note : Who knows about your blog?
Do your friends / family / colleges ??

My man is pretty much the only person I've really told. Why you ask? I'm not really sure. I guess because it's not the sort of thing they'd be interested in; most of my friends a male and have zero interest in fashion, then again maybe that's why I joined the blogsphere in the first place...there's another question - why did you start blogging?

Dress : Jacqui E
Jacket : Jacqui E
Necklace : Jaqcui E
Belt : Kmart ($7 bargain)
Wedges : Hannahs

Ratatouille

2012-02-08T19:15:00.001+13:00

Ratatouille

Ingredients :
olive oil
1 onion
1 garlic clove
1/2 a medium sized aubergine
1 capsicum
1 courgette
1 can of chopped tomatoes
8 button mushrooms
fresh basil leaves
Parmesan cheese

Method
1) Chop all of the veges into bite sized pieces.
2) To a hot pan add the onion, garlic, aubergine and a drizzle of olive oil. Cook for 3-4 mins until the onion is translucent.
3) Add the chopped capsicum and courgettes. Cook for 3 minutes then add the canned tomatoes and water. Stir through.
4) Bring to the boil then reduce to a simmer for 15 mins.
5) Serve with fresh basil leaves and grated Parmesan.

Vegetarian goodness...

Tuxedo Talioring

2012-02-07T19:15:00.003+13:00

As the Autumn / Winter collections start to appear in our shops one thing I've noticed is that everyone is doing a tuxedo style jacket; now I have one of my very own.

Consider yourself warned - I will be wearing this frequently.

What "trend" are you most looking forward to in the new season??

Dress : Jacqui E
Jacket : Jacqui E
Belt : Jacqui E
Wedges : Hannahs

P.s I took the plunge and made my first online purchase...

Blushing Red

2012-02-06T13:21:00.004+13:00

Today I drew inspiration from the lovely Jenna at Smitten, in a recent post she wore a little pinky dress with a gorgeous rich red cardi and I LOVED the colour combination so I thought I'd give it a go myself.

It's hard to tell in the photo but my top is a really soft blush colour and I've almost never worn it, it might actually get pulled out of the closet more often now.

Have you tried a new colour combination lately?
Have you been inspired to try something different by another blogger?

Top : Glassons (years ago)
Skirt : Portmans
Coat : Secondhand from Paperbag Princess in AKL
Shoes : Secondhand from the Recycle Boutique in Welly
Bag : Portmans
Bangle : ??? Had it for years

Secondhand Sunday 6

2012-02-05T17:21:00.003+13:00

Sundays are usually my favourite day but this week it's a very lazy Sunday. If we hadn't decided to go out for brunch I wouldn't have taken my dressing gown off. I'm a slob I know.

Today is a day for DVDs and reading a good book, nothing special just a quiet day at home.

I brought these books from a little secondhand bookshop that's about a 5 min walk from my house. It's a wee bit more expensive than the one I usually go to but it's got character, they literally have books from the floor to the celling and everywhere in between.

What are you reading? Any recommendations for me?

Massaman Curry

2012-02-04T19:00:00.001+13:00

Massaman Curry

Ingredients :
1 cinnamon stick
10 cardamom seeds
5 cloves
2 table spoons massaman curry paste (or yellow curry paste as a substitute)
800g chicken (or beef if you prefer)
1 can coconut milk
1 cup chicken stock (or beef stock if you use beef)
4 potatoes cut into 2.5cm chunks
2cm chunk fresh ginger
3 tablespoons fish sauce
3 tablespoons palm sugar
11og roasted salted peanuts without skin
3 tablespoons tamarind puree
1 can chopped pineapple

Method :
1) Dry fry the cinnamon, cardamom seeds and cloves in a saucepan over a low heat for 2 minutes or so until fragrant. Then remove from the pan.
2) Stir-fry the curry paste over a medium heat for 2 mins until fragrant then add the chopped meat to the pan.
3) Once the meat is browned add the coconut milk, stock, potatoes, ginger,fish sauce, palm sugar, 3/4 of the peanuts, tamarind puree and the dry-fried spices.
4) Reduce the heat to low medium and simmer for 40-50 mins or until the potatoes are cooked.
5) Stir through the pineapple (if you do it too early it will be boiling hot!)
6) Serve over rice with coriander.

Note : I cheat and par-boil the spuds first, then it only needs to simmer for about 15 mins :)
I also used cashew nuts instead because I ran out of peanuts.

Before we went to Thailand I'd never heard of Massaman Curry but it quickly became a favourite! It's full of flavour but not super spicy like some curries can be.

Night Owl

2012-02-02T18:00:00.000+13:00

So you may be wondering what sparked my "I have nothing to wear" funk yesterday.
Well on Tuesday I went up to Auckland for the day to see the new Autumn / Winter collection for the brand that I work for and even though we haven't really had summer yet it made me want the new season to begin even more than I do already - Autumn is my favourite season.

I had to be up at 5am which is far too early! Un-godly even. But it was worth it, the new range is great and I can't wait to expand my work wardrobe.

Are you an early morning person or a night owl like me?

Starting to get excited about the new season ahead?

Dress: Jacqui E
Belt : Jacqui E
Shoes : Secondhand from Time & Time Again Opawa

Like a virgin

2012-02-01T18:38:00.008+13:00

No, not that virginity!

I'm trying to decide whether I want to make my first ever online purchase or not...

Today I had one of those days, you know, the ones where you stare aimlessly into your wardrobe thinking that you have "nothing" to wear; so naturally I decided it would be a good idea to have a look at asos
Usually I'm pretty good at just looking but this time I find myself tempted.

Normally I like to try something on before I commit to buying it (unless it's super cheap in which case it's not a big deal) I like to see how the cut sits on my figure and I like to be able to feel the fabric but on-line shopping is purely based on how a garment looks on a model and I don't know that I like that....of course it looks great on her, shes 18, 5"10 and slender but how would it look on me?

Are you an online shopper?

Are the sizes generally true to standard sizing?

Any advice for me?

The Month That Was January

2012-01-31T18:00:00.000+13:00

It's hard to believe that January is over. Month 1 done already~!

For the first time ever I'm trying to stick to my New Years resolutions:
1. Spend $100.00 or less per week.
2. Read a book per week.
3. Blog a minimum of once a week - Secondhand Sundays.
4. Support small local businesses where ever possible.

Ok so I've broken the bank 1 week out of 4 and I've only read 2 books but I have been making an effort to support the little guy and I've posted more this month than ever before; so 2 out of 4 isn't too bad.

Have you stuck to your resolutions?

What's in store for February?

Channelling Wednesday Adams

2012-01-30T17:49:00.002+13:00

I haven't worn this dress in forever so I thought it was about time I dragged it out of the closet, poor thing has been a bit neglected.

Sometimes when I wear black I feel a little bit like Wednesday Adams now that my hair is so dark. I was a huge Adams family fan as a kid, still am if I'm totally honest!

Was there a movie / series that you adored as a child ??

Dress: Glassons (ages ago)
Jacket : Secondhand from Paperbag Princess in AKL
Chain necklace : Made by me
Wedges : Number 1 Shoes
Bangles : Louisa

Secondhand Sunday 5

2012-01-29T15:21:00.003+13:00

Today was a productive day. We started out going to the Riccarton Market briefly to pick up some fresh veges for the week and I also picked up this gorgeous vintage tea cup & saucer set for $14.

Then we went house hunting and visited 7 open homes - 6 of which were hovels but one we really like which is pretty exciting!
It's amazing how much earthquake damage there really is and to find somewhere with no damage is an even harder task than one might think.

Jacket : Portmans
Top : Secondhand
Skirt : Secondhand
Belt : Portmans
Necklace : Louisa
Wedges : Number 1 Shoes

In the trenches

2012-01-27T19:49:00.004+13:00

Everyone should have a trench coat. End of story.

Dress : Jacqui E
Trench : Ezibuy
Shoes : Secondhand from Time & Time Again in Opawa

Cheats Pizza

2012-01-26T19:24:00.010+13:00

I thought I'd do something a little different today so here's my first ever recipe post.

I've only really taken an interest in cooking in the past couple of years but I've grown to love it and it's got to be better than living on 2 minute noodles forever!

So before I start lets just get one thing straight, I'm not a particularly good cook, I just enjoy doing it.
..............................................................................................................................

Cheats Pizza - from Jaime Oliver's 30 minute meals.

Ingredients :
2 x pre-made pizza bases (or you can make your own!)
1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
a few sprigs of fresh basil
1/2 clove of garlic
splash of red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/2 a fresh red chilli
drizzle of olive oil
a pinch of salt
1/2 a 125g ball of buffalo mozzarella
parmesan cheese (to grate on top)
sliced salami
1 fresh tomato

Method :
1) Pour the canned tomatoes into a liquidizer or blender with a few sprigs of basil, the garlic, fennel seeds, the chilli, a splash of red wine vinegar, a drizzle of olive oil and a wee pinch of salt. Whiz until smooth.
2) Pour over the middle of the pizza base and spread out evenly.
3) Tear the mozzarella ball into small pieces and dot around the base.
4) Finely grate parmesan over then top with salami and tomato slices. Add extra finely chopped chilli if you want it extra hot.
5) Cook as per pizza base packet instructions, either bake or grill for 5 minutes or so.
6) Top with fresh basil leaves & serve!

What are you having for dinner?

Hurrah!

2012-01-25T16:42:00.003+13:00

I finished work early today so I thought I'd head over to my favourite little op-shop for a spot of shopping and a coffee. I spent more on my coffee than I did on this jacket - it was $5!
It's a little longer than I usually go for but I love the exaggerated sleeves and it has a bit of stretch so it's super comfy to wear.

I also found a gorgeous black dress that was reduced too.
I know, I know, I REALLY didn't need another black dress but it was too good to pass up - I like to support small business and I'm still under my $100 per week spending allowance so there.

Nothing beats a bargain and a shot of caffeine for a mid-week treat!

How's you week going so far?

Jacket : Time & Time Again in Opawa
Dress : Jacqui E
Belt : Jacqui E
Wedges : Hannahs

To keep or not to keep; that is the question

2012-01-24T19:45:00.003+13:00

I didn't wear this today - I brought the skirt on my lunch break and now I'm trying to decide whether it was a really bad idea or not...

I fell in love with the colour and cut (and it was even on sale!!) BUT it's 3 sizes too big.

As you've no doubt noticed by now I very rarely wear skirts which is probably why I caved in and brought it.

I've just pulled the excess to the back in the photos but I probably will end up keeping it & taking it in, the only problem is that if I take it in at the sides I loose the pockets and if I take it in at the back it might look a bit odd because the belt loops / pleated waistband will be pretty close together...hmmm why didn't I just have the will power to say NO!

Note to self : no more shopping on lunch breaks.

Have you been suckered into a sale purchase lately??

Jacket : Jacqui E
Top : Secondhand
Skirt & belt : Portmans
Wedges : Number 1 Shoes

Toothfairy

2012-01-23T17:30:00.002+13:00

Today was supposed to be my day off but I had to go in for a few hours this morning -one of my colleagues broke one of her teeth! Poor thing was so self conscious & stressed but she's been to the dentist & now has a brand new tooth that looks incredibly real. Dentistry has come a long way in the past few years it would seem.

Now that I think about it I should really make an appointment myself...When was your last dentist appointment??

Dress : Secondhand from Recycle Boutique in Welly
Coat : Secondhand from Paperbag Princess in AKL
Shoes : Secondhand from Recycle Boutique in Welly
Bangles : Louisa
Clutch bag : Christmas gift (from Portmans)

Secondhand Sunday 4

2012-01-22T15:56:00.003+13:00

No outfit photo for you today guys - it's cold, wet & generally miserable! But if you're interested I'm wearing this just with a black cardi instead of the jacket.

Since the weather is rubbish I decided it was a good day to check out the new indoor market on Buchanans rd, it's open both Saturdays & Sundays from 8:30am to 3pm and I was pleasantly surprised.

I'm not sure what I was expecting but there are food stalls, freshly baked bread, sweet treats, beautiful handmade soaps and some great wee vintage knick knack stalls to explore.

I brought this glass vase for $7 since all my other vases have broken in the various aftershocks / earthquakes over the past 18 months and also found this gorgeous wee box for $10 - it'll be the perfect sewing box. We also brought a dozen free range eggs for $4.50 and I stopped at our local florist on the way home to pick up these gorgeous flowers for $15.

Have you discovered anywhere new lately?
Do you try to support small local businesses in your area?

Gone with the wind

2012-01-21T18:53:00.002+13:00

Today would have been a lovely day if it weren't for the cold wind!

I had a lunch date today with fellow blogger Sarah from the haus of sarah rachel if you haven't already check out her blog, she's absolutely lovely!
We've only met once before briefly when she came to my last clothing clearance sale but anyone within earshot will have thought we'd know each other for years!

Have you ever had the chance to meet another blogger in the flesh??

Dress : Jacqui E
Belt : Jacqui E
Jacket : Jacqui E
Shoes : Second hand from Time & Time Again in Opawa

Little Black Dress

2012-01-20T20:10:00.004+13:00

As far as I'm concerned a girl can never have too many little black dresses.

Do you remember seeing "Spiceworld" the movie???
(Confession time : I was totally obsessed with the Spice Girls back in their hay day)
There was a scene when Posh was deciding what to wear - "Should I wear the little black dress or the little black dress?"

When in doubt I reach for a LBD too, whether it's work or play it's a pretty safe bet.

Dress : Jacqui E
Belt : Jacqui E
Wedges : Hannahs
Bangles : Louisa

How to : Donut Bun

2012-01-19T19:27:00.005+13:00

I don't know about you but I like big hair and whenever I wear my hair in a bun it just looks pathetic so I've starting using a hair donut.

I've seen a few people who do something similar with a sock but I never mastered it, this is easier in my opinion.

You can buy hair donuts from some costume shops or selected make up stores (like Minifies in Christchurch) or you can make one like I did - you just cut one foot off a pair of stockings, stuff it with dacron and sew the two ends together to make a loop.

Step One : Put your hair in a ponytail.
Step Two : Tease your hair a little to give it more volume.
Step Three : Pull your hair through the middle of the donut.
Step Four : Pull you hair around the donut.
Step Five : Wrap the excess hair around the base of the donut / ponytail.
Step Six : Secure it in place with a hair elastic.
Step Seven : Secure the donut to your head with bobby pins - if not it could fall out or go wonky!
Step Eight : Spray flyaways down with hairspray.

Easy peasy!

Same Same But Different

2012-01-18T20:08:00.004+13:00

When we were in Thailand last year we went to a million markets and the locals are pushy to say the least - everywhere we went the stall holders would yell out "Same, same but different" in an attempt to get us to buy something.

Yes, you've seen this dress before but I'm sure you'll get over it.
I'm a real person not a millionaire, I wear my clothes more than once.
Last time I wore it with a beige belt & red heels, this time I decided to go with chunky gold jewellery and my super long belt.

Would you post an outift that was pretty similar to something else you've posted before??

Dress : Jacqui E
Belt : Ricochet
Necklace : Louisa
Bangles : Louisa
Gold Ring : Bling
Onyx & Silver Ring : Cosmic Corner (about 10 years ago!)

Purple Haze

2012-01-17T19:56:00.003+13:00

I've never really worn purple, mind you this time last year all I wore was black so I guess it's not really much of a revelation.

I used to look into my closet at a sea of black, all black. The only way I could differentiate between garments was to feel through until I found the texture of whatever it was I was looking for. I'll never swear off black completely but I'm trying to make more of an effort to embrace colour.

Have you ever been a slave to the dark side of style? Or have you always been attracted to vibrant hues or perhaps pastels?

Dress: Jacqui E
Wedges : Hannahs

Go to garment...

2012-01-16T19:02:00.003+13:00

I've had a couple of comments lately asking me if I ever wear jeans and the short answer is no, I don't. I don't even own them in fact.
I've never been able to find a pair that a) fit properly or b) look any good.

I have a truly pear shaped body and I find that pants in general tend to be far too tight around my thighs but way too big around my waist at the same time, it's a battle that I've long since given up on.

I'm a dress girl through and through. They're easy, feminine and flatter my shape so why fight it?

What's your "go to" garment?? Is there a particular something that just doesn't work on you??

Dress: H&M purchased in Paris
Chain Necklace : Made by me
Bangles : ???
Shoes : Secondhand from Time & Time Again in Opawa.

P.s I really need to buy a decent camera - what should I buy??? Any advice would be very much appreciated!

Secondhand Sunday 3

2012-01-15T17:06:00.003+13:00

I love Sundays, they're fast becoming my favourite day of the week.

Today I went to the Riccarton Market to get our fresh fruit and vege for the week but I also had a bit of a wander around the vintage brick & brack stalls and came across this teapot and these tea cup & saucer sets, altogether they cost me a grand total of $16 which I thought was a steal. They don't match but I don't mind, I've decided I like the idea of totally mis-matching china sets.

I also found these black peep toe wedges for $4!

What's your favourite day of the week?

Dress: Secondhand from Toffs (now closed post quake)
Jacket : Secondhand from Paperbag Princess in AKL
Wedges : Secondhand from the Riccarton Market
Belt : Glassons
Wooden necklace : Louisa
Bangles : ????

Little Blue Dress

2012-01-13T19:42:00.005+13:00

Well, it's official, I've blown my budget this week. $100 a week isn't a lot.
In my defense I have just started a new job and need a "work wardrobe" and I had to pay my car insurance and I really have to take my car for a warrant....so it's not really my fault...

Do you have a spending budget? Would you class what you wear to work as part of your expenses or your spending???

Dress : Jacqui E
Belt : Jacqui E
Wedges : Hannahs

P.s Is anyone else having trouble reading blogs / leaving comments??? It's so frustrating!!!

Splotch

2012-01-12T19:05:00.003+13:00

When I saw this dress on the hanger I thought god what a frumpy, splotched sack; but I decided to try it on because I love the colours and low and behold I actually quite like it. For $49 I figured it deserved a chance.

Have you been drawn to something unexpected lately?

Dress : Jacqui E
Bracelet : Jacqui E
Belt : Jacqui E
Wedges : Hannahs

Lady Grey

2012-01-11T18:56:00.005+13:00

Yesterday I made mention that my taste in clothing has begun to mature but as you can see so have I. Yes, I realise I have grey re-growth and whilst I thought about deleting this photo I decided not to in the spirit of full disclosure. Whether we like it or not we all start to show signs of ageing sooner or later, if only there was a magical way around that...

At 26 I am about 40% grey.

Usually I would get my hair dyed every 4 weeks or so but after 10 years of damage (from dying it Ronald McDonald red or Vivienne Westwood orange click this to see) I've decided to give it a bit of a break and usually leave it to about 6 weeks.

Have you started to see the signs of ageing...??

Dress : Jacqui E
Belt : Jacqui E
Wedges : Hannahs

Skin Deep

2012-01-10T22:02:00.004+13:00

I don't know whether it's because I'm getting older or perhaps partly due to my new job but I'm finding myself even more drawn to ladylike dresses and shoes. My hemlines are starting to get longer and my choice of footwear is changing to suit.

I love the snake style print and the side rouching on this dress, it's classic but with a modern twist.

On a more serious note :
I'm sitting here watching a documentary called "My Beautiful Friends" featuring Katie Piper (the girl who had acid thrown over her face in London 2008) - it's truly inspirational.
I read her book "Beautiful" cover to cover on the way home from Singapore in October and it's one of the best books I've read, if you get a chance read it! Her journey is incredible.
These are people who have had their whole lives turned upside down. I don't feel sorry for them, I am in awe of them, to have such strength and courage is very admirable.
The things that really matter are more than skin deep.

Dress : Jacqui E
Belt : Jacqui E
Shoes : Secondhand from Time & Time Again in Opawa
Bag : Sussan

Asymmetry

2012-01-09T16:02:00.003+13:00

Lately I've been on the hunt for a new hangbag and so far I haven't found anything just right. I'm sick of buying cheap, synthetic bags that fall to pieces in a matter of weeks.

This is my go to bag, I brought it about 5 years ago and if anything it's got better with age. Good leather bags are well worth the investment.

Dress : H&M purchased in Paris
Belt : Ricochet
Shoes : Number 1 Shoe Warehouse
Bag : Overland

Secondhand Sunday 2

2012-01-08T18:13:00.002+13:00

Every New Year I write a list of resolutions and you know what? I never stick to any of them. Not a single one. So this year I've decided to keep it simple.

1. Spend $100.00 or less per week.
2. Read a book per week.
3. Blog a minimum of once a week - Secondhand Sundays.
4. Support small local businesses where ever possible.

Quit smoking should really have made the list but I'd rather not lie to myself again this year.

Today has been great. I started the day reading a good book (French Toast by Peta Mathias) in the sun with a teapot of green tea and jasmine petals then went for a walk through the park and stopped at a couple of secondhand shops.

I brought these books at my favourite little business in Christchurch - a secondhand bookshop in Addington, they were about $3 each.
- The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks
- The Horse Whisperer by Nicholas Evans
- Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt
- Last Night I Dreamed of Peace by Dang Thuy Tram (the diary of a young doctor in the Vietnam War)

I hope you're enjoying your weekend too!

Dress : Portmans
Shoes : Secondhand from Time & Time Again in Sumner
Necklace : Brought in Thailand

Quickie

2012-01-04T19:32:00.002+13:00

Just a very quick post from me today.

Allow me to introduce the lastest addition to my shoe collection...I loves them. I found them tucked away in a little op-shop (thift store) in Sumner called Time and Time Again.

Secondhand Sunday

2012-01-01T15:00:00.003+13:00

Happy New Year ladies and gentleman.

How many of you woke up with a killer hangover?? Come on be honest now. Hands up. I want every last disgusting detail.

Rather than waking up feeling like dealth I woke up as fresh as a daisy and went to the Sunday Market in Addington where I brought a delishous date scone and some vintage china. Now I'm sitting here listening to Frank Sinatra drinking green tea with jasmine petals from my newly purchased tea cups. Read : officially old and you know what? I'm loving it.

Dress : Secondhand (originally from Portmans) purchased on Trademe
Necklace : Made by me
Adorable tea cups : Addington Market

First day fly by

2011-12-20T21:57:00.004+13:00

2 posts in 2 days?! I've surprised even myself!

Today was my first day at my new job, it felt a bit like a kid off to school for the first time, I even forgot my lunch...but all in all I had a great day, it flew by. My feet are killing me but it shouldn't take too long to get used to standing all day every day again.

Do you sit or stand at work??

Dress : Jacqui e
Jacket : Jacqui e
Belt : Jacqui e
Shoes : Thrifted from Time & Time Again

Watermelon wardrobe

2011-12-19T20:23:00.003+13:00

Not the best photos ever but I did say I'd do a proper post so I figured I better live up to my promise!

I'm loving coral at the moment, it's fresh & feminine without being too prissy.

Dress : Portmans
Shoes : RMK from Hannahs

I hereby vow to do a proper post soon...

2011-12-17T17:55:00.005+13:00

It seems like all of my posts begin with something along the lines of "sorry I haven't posted / commented in forever" and this is no exception!

I always feel gulity when I read my comments & realise just how long it's been...

I've finished up working as a travel agent, I'm about to start my new job in a couple of days - I'm going back to retail, managing a womens clothing shop in the busiest mall in Christchurch, I can't wait!

And as if this time of year isn't already busy enough my man & I are starting to look at buying a flat ,nothing flash just something small that we can call home.

Hense I haven't posted in forever, that and I'm just lazy if I'm honest!!

Hope all is well with everyone, I have to catch up on my reading...

Taking in Thailand

2011-11-24T21:59:00.006+13:00

More shots from our time in Thailand. It's hard work trying to choose just a few to post!

These are from Bangkok. I didn't enjoy Bangkok as much as Chiang Mai but I still loved it! Most of my favourite places around the world are small cities, big cities all feel a little bit similar -they seem to loose a bit of their charm somehow. Perhaps that's just me...

Bangkok was just about as busy as Chiang Mai & Singapore. We started out by going to a classical thai dinner & dance the first night, then a cooking class the next and and even went to see the floating markets, River Kwai, the Grand Palace and some of their most famous temples.

Rose of the North

2011-11-22T22:13:00.003+13:00

I can see why Chiang Mai is called the "Rose of the North". It was without a doubt my favourite part of Thailand that I've seen so far. I took around 800 photos which even I'll admit is probably a little excessive...

There is a multitude of cultural day trips and activities to explore. We went to visit the Tiger Temple & a snake farm the first day. Then to see their most prestigious temple, the hill tribe villages and the local handicraft factories on day 2 and on our final day we rode an elephant, went on an ox cart ride and visited the Long Neck Karen tribe.

The locals are a cheeky but friendly bunch and the food is not only delicious but incredibly cheap!

Well hello again

2011-11-17T14:49:00.003+13:00

Why hello. I know you've heard this before and no doubt you will again but my apologies for doing a disappearing act yet again!

I had planned to blog whist I was away on holiday but I never got around to it...

These are a few shots from Singapore, we stopped there for 2 nights on our way to Thailand. Singapore is a great place that has a lot going for it, the zoo was amazing and we loved the flyer and bum boat ride as well!

We got back a couple of weeks ago but I've been super busy catching up at work etc etc.

I got some great news today!! I've got myself a new job :) I'm going back to fashion and I couldn't be happier. I have really enjoyed working in Travel but my heart hasn't been in it for a while so I've made a step in the right direction - going back to what I love.

Twinkle, twinkle little star

2011-10-14T22:25:00.004+13:00

Jacket : Portmans // Top : Thrifted from Second Love // Skirt : Thrifted from Second Love // Wedges : RMK

Just a quick post of what I wore today.
I've decided that sequins are appropriate day wear, whoever said they should only be worn in the evening was boring & lacklustre - I shall sparkle during the day if I so wish.

Almost time for the final goodbye

2011-10-13T22:46:00.003+13:00

Well it's almost that time, time to say goodbye to what is left of my adorable wee shop. Whilst it's been over a year since it's closure I have had the remaining stock stored at home so now I have finally found a location & time to hold a final sale.

This week has been extremely busy. Between trying to arrange advertising, local marketing and re-pricing everything I've been busy with work & arranging everything before we head off on holiday on Monday so I haven't had much time to keep up with the blogasphere so I thought I'd share with you some of the photos of when the shop was open.

Busy bee

2011-10-07T20:47:00.004+13:00

Dress : Trendz // Jacket : Thrifted (from Paperbag Princess in AKL) // Necklace : Louisa

My apologies for the lack of posts lately! I've been super busy.

Next Saturday I've arranged to have the final sale to get rid of all the shop stock that has been crowding my spare room for the past year! It took forever to find somewhere that was a) not damaged in the quake & b) actually available to be leased.

I have 7 more days left at work - 9 actual days - and then we're off to Singapore & Thailand!!!

So much to do, so little time!

Better late than never...

2011-10-03T18:46:00.004+13:00

Dress : Classic Clothing // Bag : Thrifted (from Time & Time again) // Wedges : Kmart // Necklace : Louisa.

First and foremost thank you for all of your lovely comments on my accent vlog! I was really quite nervous but I've always wanted to do one and now I have!

A couple of you commented that I sounded slightly English - as a kid I lived in Bahrain, then Botswana then in Bath in England so that's where that comes from, I don't have a strong kiwi voice but it's nowhere near as muddled as it was when I was a kid! I was tormented when I first moved here because my accent was so mixed no-one could understand me, children can be evil little sods at times!!!

I meant to post these photos on Friday after my Vlog but Flickr "had the hiccups" so I couldn't until now and since I've been working every day since then I don't have anything new or exciting to share.

Friday was great though, I went out for lunch with my boyfriends mum (he was working) which was lovely because we haven't had a chance to catch up in nearly 4 months - which really is stupid considering we live in the same city!!

Accent Vlog - Julia from Porcelain Complexion

2011-09-30T12:28:00.004+13:00

So today I thought I'd make an attempt at my very first vlog, I've been meaning to do one for a while but when I saw this one from Savannah at The Joy of Living I thought I'd do one myself.

It's super cheesy but hey I do work in sales after all!

The instructions are to say these words:
Aunt, Route, Wash, Oil, Theater, Iron, Salmon, Caramel, Fire, Water, Sure, Data, Ruin, Crayon, Toilet, New Orleans, Pecan, Both, Again, Probably, Spitting image, Alabama, Lawyer, Coupon, Mayonnaise, Syrup, Pajamas, Caught

And answer these questions:
What is the bubbly carbonated drink called?
What do you call gym shoes?
What do you say to address a group of people?
What do you call your grandparents?
What do you call the wheeled contraption in which you carry groceries at the supermarket?
What do you call it when rain falls while the sun is shining?
What is the thing you use to change the TV channel?

Let me know if you do one I would love to check it out!

Peachy Keen

2011-09-29T14:18:00.004+13:00

Dress : Glassons // Jacket : Portmans // Tights : Glassons // Wedges : RMK

Every time I buy rayon I always wish I hadn't, the crinkles drive me mental! I couldn't resist this peachy pink dress though, I loved the colour and naturally I didn't read the tag at the time. I'm actually wearing it backwards - it has a bit of a cowl neckline that I prefer at the back.

I mentioned a little while ago that I'm off on holiday soon, my man and I are heading over to Singapore and Thailand for 2 weeks! We're stopping in Singapore for a couple of days then we're going to Chiang Mai for about a week and then Bangkok for the remaining week. I can't wait!!!

You may or may not have noticed but I've added a "Travel" tab under my header. I figured that since travel is something that I'm passionate about why not share a few shots of some of the places I been over the years. Click here if you want to have a look.

Cafe Au Lait

2011-09-27T21:27:00.005+13:00

Jacket : Portmans // Top : Thrifted (Second Love) // Skirt : Valleygirl // Wedges : RMK

I'm trying to get myself into the habit of wearing skirts more rather than just leaving them in my closet to collect dust! The thing I hate about this one is that no matter how much effort I put into ironing the bloody thing it always crinkles after about 2 minutes of wear! Grrr.

Anywho...On another note, I've been given 2 blog awards this week. One from the lovely Kaye from Oh Kaye! and the other from the delightful Adrienne from What Lola Wants.

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So as part of that I'm supposed to share 7 things about myself and pass them on to 15 others so here I go :

7 things about me : I am a travel agent. My feet are completely difference sizes - one is a size 6.5 the other is a 9 (werid I know!) I was born in Bahrain. My man & I have been together for nearly 4 years. I don't follow the rugby despite the fact I'm a kiwi. My favourite colour is red and if I could be anyone for the day it would be Cher - she's AMAZING!

15 Blogs I Adore :

Oh Kaye!

What Lola Wants

29 Skirts

Adventures of a girl from the Naki

The other side of the pond my dear

White Winters

That's bound to be over 15 but hey who's counting. I could keep going there are so many others I'd love to mention but I'll save that for another time.

Cheer me up buttercup

2011-09-24T18:19:00.005+12:00

Dress : Trendz // Bag : Sussans // Necklace : Louisa // Wedges : RMK from Hannahs.

This week has been a loooong shitty week. I'm so pleased it's over. Booking other peoples holidays is all fine and good but I have a holiday of my own booked for about 3 weeks time and I can't wait! I need a break before I go insane!!

Anyway enough of my bitching. Where was I...

I got an email a little while ago from Saint Folie asking if I'd do a "what's in your bag" post for their blog, it's here if you're interested.

Hopefully your week has been better than mine!!

Have a great weekend.

Full Disclosure

2011-09-19T21:26:00.004+12:00

Jacket : Portmans // Top : Cotton on // Skirt : Glassons // Belt : Glassons // Wedges : Cotton On

I didn't wear this today, I wore this about a week ago but I chose not to post it because I'd worn something similar not long before.

That's right I wear my clothes more than once. If I like something I like to wear it often. Sometimes I wonder if that's frowned upon in the world of blogging.

Do you feel the pressure to constantly post something different?? To wear something different every single day?? Or do you stick to what you know & like??

I actually wore this today because it was surprisingly cold & raining. Winter isn't quite over yet.

What comes between red and yellow

2011-09-18T21:38:00.003+12:00

Dress : Glassons // Jacket : Thrifted (Paperbag princess in AKL) // Necklace : Louisa // Shoes : RMK from Hannahs

Orange (colour) - The colour orange occurs between red and yellow in the visible spectrum at a wavelength of about 585–620 nm, and has a hue of 30° in HSV colour space. It is numerically halfway between red and yellow in a gamma-compressed RGB colour space, the expression of which is the RGB colour wheel. The complementary colour of orange is blue; however, certain shades can be considered more complimentary to green based on reactions by eye cones. Orange pigments are largely in the ochre or cadmium families, and absorb mostly blue light.

I don't really care about all that crap, I just know I like the colour.

I hope you've had a lovely weekend!!!

Little Brown Dress

2011-09-16T13:36:00.005+12:00

Dress : Thrifted from Second Love // Pendant : Brought in Paris // Belt : Glassons // Bag : Susans // Wedges : RMK from Hannahs.

Brown isn't a colour that I've ever worn a lot of, I'm usually more partial to the lighter taupe tones but I really love this rich chocolate brown dress - I'm especially fond of the sleeve detail.

And yes, I am wearing my new shoes, you'll be seeing much more of these little beauties.

Is there a colour that you've never worn much but would like to???

New beauties

2011-09-15T17:27:00.004+12:00

Shoes : RMK from Hannahs

My man needed new shoes, I didn't; but I didn't let that stop me!

Shoes would have to be one of my biggest weaknesses, what's your's???

Colour me Coral

2011-09-11T22:02:00.005+12:00

Dress : Glassons // Blazer : Ezibuy // Wedges : Cotton On.

Hamner was amazing, relaxing in the hot pools was a great way to unwind after a busy week and it's such a nice drive up there from Christchurch, the scenery is stunning - if you're ever in NZ it's a must do.

I've been on the hunt for a coral dress for a while now and so far I haven't found anything, I'm trying to be patient but when I saw this jacket I thought it's the next best thing.

You can't really tell in the photos but my lippy is coral too - it's "Coral in Gold" from Rimmel <3

Is there a colour you can't wait to get your hands on??

Cookies & Cream

2011-09-08T18:40:00.003+12:00

Jacket : Thrifted (from Paperbag Princess in AKL) // Skirt : Glassons // Top : Cotton On // Belt : Glassons // Wedges : Cotton On

Just a quick post from me today, I'm getting behind on my blog reading so I'll have to try catch up tomorrow.

I don't usually wear skirts, I'm more of a dress girl but I like this one, it has small accordion pleats and I love the print - it reminds me of cookies & cream ice cream <3

Tomorrow my man & I both have to day off so we're going to go to the thermal hot springs in Hamner for the day to relax, I can't wait!

Have you got much planned for your days off / weekend??

As good as gold

2011-09-05T12:20:00.005+12:00

Dress & Belt : Glassons // Singlet : Thrifted from Lasting Labels // Jacket : Portmans // Wedges : Cotton On

I'm infatuated with mustard, yellow & lemon at the moment. I've been hoping to find a nice jacket but so far I haven't had much luck - I found one but it's a bit on the casual side for my tastes. I saw one on another blogger that I would have killed for but it was from Primark & they won't ship here :(

What's on your wishlist for the new season?? Is there a colour that you're particularly drawn to??

Lacy Sunday

2011-09-04T14:29:00.003+12:00

Dress : Ricochet // Slip : Supre // Shoes : Wild Pair // Necklace : Equip

I haven't worn all black in so long now that I actually feel a little bit like Wednesday Adams in this wee lace number.

Whenever I wear these shoes there's always someone that comments - most people hate them (my man especially!) but I love them, they're quirky and that really appeals to me.

............................................................................................................................

Today is the anniversary of our first big quake.

September 4th 2010 we were rudely woken by a 7.1 magnitude earthquake at 4:35am and I woke up a completely different person.

The months that followed were the hardest time of my life.

Every since I was a little girl I'd dreamed of running my own pre-loved clothing boutique, I had always known that that's what I wanted to do with my life.

When the September quake hit my shop had only been open for 9 months. That's 9 months of putting everything I had into my dream, 9 months of working 6 days a week, 9 months living on no wage trying to get the business up and running and considering how long it had been open it was actually doing rather well, I was living my dream.

After the quake I had to close my beloved shop and re-assess my life. I have never been more lost or confused and had no idea where to even start. It felt as though I had no future.

So after much self inspection I went out to find myself a new start, among the many others who had lost their jobs to the quake too.

After being un-employed for about 2 months (the longest 2 months ever! It felt like an eternity) I finally accepted a job as a travel agent and it turned out to be the best thing that's ever happened to me.

It hasn't been easy, working in travel in general is a stressful venture but with the major aftershocks as well it was a struggle some days to keep up, but I got there.

Basically what I'm trying to say is that sometimes things happen that are truly devastating but there is always light at the end of the tunnel.

If I hadn't gone through that then I would never have gone to Paris for free with work.

Life can be hard sometimes, I'm the first person to admit that, but everything does work out in the end.

The weather man lies

2011-09-03T16:25:00.004+12:00

Dress : Portmans (secondhand from Trademe) // Jacket : Portmans // Belt : Glassons // Wedges : Cotton On.

All this week the weather man has been threatening us with another cold front but I'm pleased to say that he lied! Today was another beautifully sunny spring day.

I brought this dress from Trade Me about 2 weeks ago and it finally arrived a couple of days ago (Trade Me is our version of Ebay) and I couldn't be happier with it. It's 100% silk and I love the navy & white stripe. I've been looking for a striped dress for what seems like forever and after a short bidding war I finally have one!

Yes I am wearing the same jacket that I was wearing in my last post, it's one of my favourites at the moment, it seems to go with just about everything I own.

Have you been on the hunt for something and finally found it?? Do you have a particular garment that you wear with everything??

Portmans & Abbey Lee Kershaw • SS11

2011-09-01T21:57:00.004+12:00

Photosource

Well today is offically our first day of Spring and it's not a moment too soon, although the weather hasn't quite caught up. I'm almost at the stage of dressing to match the calender rather than the actual climate!

Out of all the Spring / Summer campaigns I've seen so far this one from Portmans would have to be my favourite. Abbey Lee Kershaw looks utterly amazing and the collection has an easy, breezy spring feel to it. I'm loving the colours, cuts and fabrics they're chosen. Whether you're 18 or 38 you can rock this look.

They've even started to sell online at portmans.com.au

Is there a brand that represents what you had in mind for the new season??

Rust up

2011-08-28T19:19:00.004+12:00

Dress : H&M (brought in Paris) // Jacket : Portmans // Pendant : Brought in Paris // Wedges : Cotton On.

Today has been such a good day! My man and I went for a leisurely walk through the botanical gardens. He's a prison guard and does shift work; and because I have a rotating roster we don't often get to have a day off together so when we do it's nice to spend some quality time together.

I brought this dress from H&M in Paris and I love the colour, the only problem is that I couldn't get the creases out! I thought about giving it a wee bit of an iron but last time I did that with another dress I managed to burn a massive hole through the fabric so I thought it best not to tempt fate! Hopefully over time it will fall out.

What are you up to this weekend? Do your days off coincide with your loved one's? Have you failed miserably when ironing??

I'm a little teapot...

2011-08-25T20:49:00.005+12:00

Dress : Dotti // Jacket : Secondhand (Paperbag Princess in AKL) // Pendant : Brought in Paris // Ring : Brought 2ndhand at the market // Wedges : Cotton On.

When I saw the photos the first thing that came to mind was "I'm a little teapot, short and stout, here's my handle here's my spout..." You get the idea. Note to self, don't make this mistake again.

The last time I wore this dress I was in Paris, hopefully I'll get to wear it more again as the weather starts to warm up. I love the flared sleeves & the sheer fabric.

Colour me happy

2011-08-22T19:28:00.002+12:00

Dress & Belt : Glassons // Jacket : Glassons // Pendant : Brought in Paris // Wedges : Cotton On.

I wasn't sure about posting these photos, I look a bit vacant but I decided to share them anyway.

If there's one trend I never thought I'd try it's colour blocking. Up until this past year I was a loyal follower of all things black, these days I'm trying to experiment with colour and different combinations and I've surprised myself, I very rarely wear black any more.

Is there any trend you never thought you'd try and ended up really liking??

Today was another gorgeous day, what a great way to start the week!

Stripe Tease

2011-08-21T17:42:00.004+12:00

Top : Thrifted (from Second Love) // Skirt : Witchery // Stone Pendant : Brought in Paris // Wedges : Cotton On.

Today was another beautiful day!

Mum & I went to the Sunday markets and to the national craft show where we brought some gorgeous hand made scented soaps and yummy spiced cashew and macadamia nuts.

What have you been up to this weekend??

Like a Latte

2011-08-20T12:01:00.002+12:00

Dress : Trendz / Jacket : Portmans / Necklace : Ricochet / Wedges : Cotton On.

Well the snow has all melted away now and today is a beautiful day, perhaps Spring is almost here after all!

The end of the season is always such an awkward time regardless of what hemisphere you're in, as soon as the shops bring out their new seasons range the anticipation begins. I have several spring style frocks that I can't wait to wear but haven't had a chance yet.

Have you got any new seasons goodies you're dying to wear??

I have 3 days off, that's 3 whole days with no uniform!!!

Have a great weekend!

Tangerine Snow Dream

2011-08-15T18:09:00.005+12:00

Just when I was starting to believe that spring was on the way we end up with another snow storm. Typical. Winter is well and truly in charge still.

Mother nature must be going through menopause. This year it's been one thing after the next. If it's not earthquakes it's ash clouds; if it's not ash clouds it's snow - I hate to think what could be next, fingers crossed we'll have a freak heat wave and summer will arrive early!

I've been seeing a lot of gorgeous lip sticks in the blogosphere lately so I thought I'd try something new myself. I usually wear a lippy that's a mix between pink & peach, it's quite subtle so I thought I'd try something more adventurous in orange & I'm loving it. I've decided that I want to get a really nice coral colour too - any suggestions?

Dress : Glassons / Poncho : Glassons / OTK Boots : Wild Pair / Arm warmers : Sportsgirl.

Black and Gold

2011-08-14T17:29:00.004+12:00

Yes, I know you've seen this dress before but I'm sure you'll get over it. It's one of my absolute favourites so you're going to see it again and again.

I brought this jacket from a cute wee fashion boutique in Paris, they had it in a tan colour as well - I wish I'd brought that one too! I love the rouched shoulder detail. It's not real leather so it won't last forever but I plan to wear it to death regardless, it seems to go with just about anything.

I'm a bit lost for words these days so I'll leave you with this video.

Dress : Trendz / Jacket : Brought in Paris / Necklace : Louisa.

Enjoy the rest of you weekend!

Snug as a bug in a rug

2011-07-31T19:00:00.003+12:00

I took these on my day off on Friday, all the snow & ice has melted away now. It's almost like it never happened in the first place. It's picturesque when it first settles but once it starts to melt it's just a big slushy mess!

I'm lost for words today...it's Sunday I'm allowed to be.

Dress : Trendz, Poncho : Glassons, Boots : Overland, Hair donut : Made by me.

Vali Myers inspiration

2011-07-27T19:28:00.002+12:00

On my way back from Paris I picked up a copy of the lastest Harper's Bazzar (August - Australian Addition) to digest on my final flight home and inside this particular addition I found an article on Vali Myers which I found to be not only exceptionally interesting but inspiring as well.

Described as a "painter, diarist, dancer, eccentric, tattooist, animal magnet and vagabond muse" Vali Myers certainly appears to be a truely fascinating woman.

Myers has been an inspiration to many including the exceptionally talented Emma Summerton who shot a Myers style editorial for Vogue Italia in February 2010 (featured above).
I fell in love when I saw these, they're a visual feast, the rich colours and textures are especially delish! And as I'm sure you all know, I'm a sucker for a red head.

Then there is Vali's art. Wow. Just wow. Her exquisitely detailed work is magical and dreamlike with just the right amount of attitude.

Born in 1930 she was well ahead of her time.

I'm off to see if I can find myself a copy of her memoir.

Snow flakes are falling on my head...

2011-07-25T15:07:00.002+12:00

It would appear that winter has arrived late this year. After what was announced as the warmest winter on record in 100 years we now have snow! It hasn't snowed in years and since it's bang smack in the middle of our school holidays there's a certain novelty to it.

I brought this snood yesterday on my lunch break, I'm so pleased I did now! It's scrummy and warm like butter on toast.

There's something quite charming about snow, it's almost magical the way the world seems to fall silent at mother natures feet.

Dress : Moochi, Scarf : Number 1 Shoe Warehouse, Jacket : Secondhand from Second Love, Boots : Overland about 5 yrs ago.

J'adore Paris - Day 2

2011-07-22T17:33:00.004+12:00

Today I made an idiot of myself; in my illness induced dase I woke up thinking I had to go to work, as it turns out it was actually meant to be my rostered day off. Whoops. What a waste of a sleep in. Never mind, at least I got to come home & rest and now I'm starting to feel much better.

This was day 2 in Paris, the weather was pretty rubbish and it was surprising cold considering it's their summer!

Most of the day we were at our conference which was enormous to say the very least. Our guest speaker was Michael J Fox - who I found truly inspiring. Then we had a few hours free time before the global awards dinner and ball where we had Cyndi Lauper as our surprise entertainment for the evening!

Jacket : Thrifted from The Paperbag Princess in Auckland, Dress : Moochi, Necklace : Diva, Bag : Sussan.

Paris C'est Magnifique - Day 1

2011-07-21T16:48:00.003+12:00

I'm home again after my whirl wind trip to Paris, I've been in bed for the past 2 days because I burst my ear drum on the flight home.

This was our first day in Paris, our flight was delayed by 2 hours but we still had some free time before our welcome night cocktail party began at the Grand Palais that evening so we went for a wander around the city.

I adore europe; the history, culture and atmosphere are utterly captivating!!

Dress : Dotti, Jacket : Thrifted from Paperbag Princess in Auckland, Bag : Susan, Wedges : Number one shoe warehouse.

Lamb dressed as mutton

2011-07-12T19:38:00.003+12:00

Yes, it's winter here in NZ at the moment but it's been surprisingly mild this year, in fact it's the warmest winter on record in 100 years so I'm making the most of it!

I brought this dress from Classic Clothing which is usually a place were older women shop so when I found this wee dress I had to have it and so far I haven't seen anyone else wearing it. I go shopping with my Mum quite a lot and I love it when we go to places that other people my age don't shop, it's a great way to find something different.

Do you shop in unexpected places or prefer to stick to what's on trend?

Dress : Classic Clothing, Necklace : Lousia, Wedges : Cotton On.

Every girl needs an excuse to dress up from time to time

2011-07-11T18:44:00.002+12:00

Just a quick post to say that the ball was amazing!!
Unfortunately I didn't take my camera (and thank god I didn't, I'm fairly sure it would have been lost/stolen/broken!) but I thought I'd share these any way.
I'll make more of an effort to take some half decent shots next weekend in Paris - 2 more days to go & I'll be on the way; so exciting!!!!

How was your weekend??

Mellow Yellow

2011-07-08T18:49:00.002+12:00

Like I said a few posts back, I'm really loving mustard right now. Pretty obvious now huh?
I don't know whether it's to do with my new dark locks or quite what but I'd never been interested in yellow tones until recently, guess I'm making up for lost time!

Today was the most amazing day.

We were told to be at work at 7:30am for our business planning meeting for the new financial year, we were told to bring loose clothing & flip flops - which made me a bit suspicious but I went along with it thinking we'd be doing some team building exercise or another.

When we arrived there was a note on the window saying to catch the number 12 bus at 7:50am and the driver will give you our next instruction. So on we went on our we treasure hunt of sorts and to cut a long story should we were rewarded at the end of it.

Our "Business meeting" ended up being a day long relaxation package at Christchurch's most luxurious beauty spa!! All six of us had and an eyebrow/lash tint & shape, pedicure, back and shoulder massage, spray tan and manicure! It was amazing, completely and utterly amazing.

We have our national ball tomorrow night so we're all dolled up and ready for our night of glitz and glamour in Auckland. It's been a while since I've had the opportunity to dress up so I'm waiting with anticipation.

Dress: Trendz, Necklace: Louisa, Wedges: Cotton On.

2011-07-07T20:08:00.004+12:00

Today was my day off which means no uniform!
Whilst I find wearing a uniform extremely restrictive I actually think it's been good for me. No more staring aimlessly into my wardrobe each morning wasting time wondering what the hell I'm going to wear and I get about 30mins more sleep every night purely because the choice has already been made for me.

Not only that but I think it's made me more aware of what I actually have in my wardrobe. Since I only have 1 or 2 days a week to dress as I please I've started thinking about things differently. No more impulse shopping, I now stop and ask myself if I'm really going to wear that or if I just like the thought of it and my bank balance has thanked me for it.

My most recent purchase was the necklace I'm wearing, it's just costume jewellery, nothing flash, but I fell in love with the chunky beads, I've worn it just about every day I've had off work so at $25 the dollar per wear will be down to nothing in no time!

What's your latest purchase & have you worn it???

Jacket: Portmans, Necklace: Diva, Merino: Portmans, Accordian pleat skirt: Glassons, Handbag: Sussan.

Paris

2011-07-04T19:25:00.004+12:00

Photo source

GUESS WHO"S GOING TO PARIS????????????
This time in just over a week I will be in Paris!!
As a reward for achieving our targets for the end of the financial year my collegues and I will be attending the global ball which is being held in Paris the weekend after next!
Being a travel agent really does have it's perks!!

I hope your day was as fabulous as mine!

Distance makes the heart grow fonder

2011-06-29T20:11:00.022+12:00

Since it's been a while I thought I'd share the love, that and Google connect won't let me comment so I thought I'd comment here instead.

I'm very fond of these beauties from Grit & Glamour.

"Powerful, feminine and a little edgy" - what more can I say.

How cute is this embroidery from Lydia at Luluation ?

I can't wait for summer to arrive just so that I can try this Strawberry Salsa recipe posted on LA FILLE D'OR :

And doesn't she have amazing style??

Lydia at the Button Jar also shares my love of Mustard.

Her posts are beautifully written and her description of Coco by Chanel - "delightfully spicy and ladylike" makes me want a bottle of my very own.

From the lovely Eirryn at August Lovers :

This looks amazing! All the spices sound truely divine - Winter soul food

Watermelon is another colour that is good enough to eat, check out this post

And this book sounds like one I want to get my hands on.

I've been reading the "Julie & Julia Project" and that's partly why I'm back again, it made me remember the value in being part of the blogasphere - there are so many blogs that I've missed reading!!!

I wish I could share more but then this post would be neverending!

Changes here, there and everywhere

2011-06-27T16:11:00.006+12:00

That's right, no more red. I never thought I'd ever go back to my roots but then again I never thought I'd do a lot of things I've done.

In the last 6 months I've moved house (because our previous house fell down in the February earthquake), taken out my nose studs, got a hair cut and got a real job.

I will always adore redheads, both natural and the bottle variety, but I'd forgotten the beauty of being a brunette.

Mustard is my new favourite colour, it's good enough to eat and since it's winter over here in NZ there are plenty of rich autumnal shades to keep me entertained for quite some time.

What's new in your world? What's your favourite flavor this season?

Dress: Glassons, Scarf: Glassons, Merino: Glassons, Belt: Thrifted (Recycle Boutique in Wellington NZ)

Back from the dead

2011-06-27T12:25:00.003+12:00

Well, where to begin.

I've been a very bad blogger! I haven't posted in literally months.

After the September earthquake I had to close my beloved shop and figure out what I was going to do with my life. After what felt like forever I found my new direction and that's about the time I stopped posting.

So to bring you up to date, I found a new job - one which requires a uniform, hence no "this is what I wore today" type posts.

I'm now a travel agent which sounds like fun but is much more hard work than I could ever have imagined. As a new kid in a job I knew nothing about it's taken me a while to get up to speed and I haven't had the energy for much else. You'd think that being a travel agent would be a bit of a walk in the park but it really isn't. Overtime is an understatement and the term deadline has a whole new meaning. But anyway, I digress.

I'm certainly not going to be able to post as often as I used to but I've missed my friends out there in the blogasphere. So here's to new beginnings.

Hook It Up

2010-11-13T14:25:00.003+13:00

This is one of my favourite dresses, I love the hook and eye detail and the asymmetric sleeve.

I realise that most of you are experiencing winter but here we've had the most amazing weather for the past 3 days, summer must have arrived; fingers crossed the warmer weather will continue. Nothing beats sitting in the sun with a nice glass of wine, even if I do have to cover myself head to toe in a thick layer of sunscreen.

What's your favourite part of summer or winter?

Dress : Lonely Hearts, Bangle : Equip, Ring : Equip, Shoes : Kmart

Gone Dotty

2010-11-11T13:28:00.003+13:00

As you can see I'm still having issues with the whole outdoor photo thing. The shade is too dark but the light is way too bright even in the evening. Sigh. I don't really care that much, you're just going to have to tolerate my inconsistency for a while.

I've been playing around with multiple rings, I think it's really dependant on the rings - plus it gives me a good excuse to add more to my collection.

Cardi : Thrifted (Second Love), Dress : Thrifted (Second Love), Belt : Dotty, Satchel : Glassons, Wedges : Wild Pair, Butterfly rings : Riccarton Market, Long ring : Equip, Owl ring : Cotton On, Onyx ring : Rome Market.

Ring a Ding Ding

2010-11-10T11:40:00.004+13:00

Who doesn't love a statement ring? The bigger the better in my eyes. I've never really attempted to wear multiple rings at once before, it's on my list of things to start experimenting with.

Photo source

To Treasure Forever

2010-11-05T16:47:00.006+13:00

I was given this book recently for my birthday, it's an amazing book that I'm sure I will spend hours browsing over for years to come. Whilst I'd like to show you every page that would be an enormous post so instead I thought I'd share some of my favourites with you, WORLD, Karen Walker and Kate Sylvester. I'm huge fan of New Zealand fashion, we have some exceptionally talented designers based here. I don't know if it's on sale world wide but if you get a chance to have a look at a copy I'd definitely recommend it.

How's your week going? Mine has been pretty full on but I'll ramble on about that another time!

What's your staple?

2010-11-02T15:48:00.003+13:00

This dress is my "go to" option for just about everything; nothing beats a little black dress in my opinion. Do you have wardrobe staples that you stick to?

You may have noticed that I have been wearing my hair up a lot lately, that's because I had it cut a little while ago and I'm not loving the mid-length, can't wait for it to grow back!!

Dress : Thrifted (Second Love), Key Necklace : Diva, Satchel : Glassons, Ring : Bling, Bangle : Thrifted (Recycle Boutique)

Whoops I did it again

2010-11-01T17:34:00.003+13:00

Did I really need more shoes? Well no, not really but when does "need" ever really come into anything any more?

Shoes, boots and statement rings are my biggest weaknesses. What are yours?

All shoes : Kmart $35 per pair

Hey Shorty

2010-10-27T17:07:00.004+13:00

I'm still stuggling with the outdoor picture thing. It seems almost impossible to get the light right! Is there a time of day that is best? I'm probably overthinking it, I'm sure I'll figure it out soon.

I don't usually wear pants or shorts, the fit never seems quite right on me but I thought I'd give these a go, still not sure about them but I quite like to step out of my comfort zone every now and again. You never know if you don't try, right?

Cardi : Ricochet, Silk blouse : Ricochet, Shorts : Thrifted (Second Love), Wedges : Cotton On, Bangle : Thrifted (Recycle Boutique), Belt : Dotty, Shield ring : Diva, Onyx ring : Rome markets

Time for a change

2010-10-25T19:15:00.005+13:00

After fussing around for the last hour I have finally figured out how to enlarge my pictures! Blogger wouldn't allow me to enlarge them without losing some of the quality so I worked out how to do it via flickr. Yay me, I learnt something today! Now all I need to do is buy a better camera. Wouldn't it be nice if money grew on trees??

Dress : Dotty, Jacket : Ricochet, Necklace : Ricochet, Wedges : Cotton On, Ring : Diva

Ladies who lunched

2010-10-23T14:06:00.003+13:00

Yesterday was my birthday, my 25th birthday.

I spent the day with Mum, we went to Governors Bay for the day, had a amazing lunch and a couple of glasses of wine in the sun. It was wonderful, I haven't enjoyed myself that much in a long time.

My brother brought this jacket for me and I love it! It's hard to tell in the photo but it's an unusual colour - somewhere between taupe and a faint dusty pink, I love the big collar.

I had an interview the day before last for a Store Manager position, I've been asked to do a second interview and trial day in about a week and a half. I'm not very confident but I think that's more to do with the stress of recent months rather than anything else, I'm not on top of my game at the moment. Whatever will be will be, time will tell.

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Jacket : Portmans

Dress : Thrifted (Second Love)

Pendant : Dotty ($5 on sale!!)

Wedges : Cotton On

Ring : Diva

Hope you enjoy your weekend!!

XOX

P.s How do I make my photo's bigger??

There's a first for everything

2010-10-18T17:02:00.006+13:00

Firstly, allow me to apologize for being such a terrible blogger lately. Life has been pretty full on & probably will continue to be for the short term future.

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My shop is now closed and I'm working through the process of re-pricing everything & figuring out what I'm going to do with it whilst looking for a new job. Ive applied for 2 positions, both of which I would love so cross your fingers for me!!

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I've never been a lucky person but last week I had a change of luck, I won a giveaway from Scrapbook de la Emma. I've never won anything before so it's pretty special to me :)
I won a pale peach & cream polka dot scarf, pink & silver shield ring & a Rimmel nail polish in Euphoria! So thank you very much Emma.

.
Since I don't have my shop anymore I've been experimenting with taking pictures outside and I have to say it's much harder than I thought, getting the light right is a bit of an art! Any tips would be greatly appreciated.

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Trench : Thrifted (Second Love)

Dress : Glassons

Scarf : Sportsgirl (giveaway prize)

Ring : Diva (giveaway prize)

Bag : Glassons (about 2 years ago)

Nail polish : Euphoria by Rimmel (giveaway prize)

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Hope you had a wonderful weekend!
XOX

Eye candy

2010-10-05T15:40:00.004+13:00

I've been a bit lost lately, those of you who have been following for a while know why but for those of you who don't allow me to explain.

I live in Christchurch, New Zealand; on September 4th we experienced a massive 7.1 magnitude earthquake. You can see photos of the devastation here. We have had just under 1500 aftershocks, some far more powerful than others.

As a small business owner this has been crippling. Whilst initially I was hopeful I now realise that it is impossible to continue. New businesses rely on foot traffic, which is now non-existent and will be for quite some time whilst the city is being re-built / repaired. This Saturday will be the last day of trading at which point my be-loved shop will close for good. Before you ask, no, it's not possible to re-locate, the costs involved in that are enormous & I already put everything I had in to opening in the first place. I thought about selling on-line but to be honest I'm over it, I just want to walk away at this point. We will do a 1 day sale to clear as much as we can, then I will move on with my life.

What will I do next? No idea. Not a clue. Go back to retail perhaps or maybe re-train in a new field (no idea what field though!) I'll figure that out later once everything has settled a bit & I've had time to think it over properly.

Whilst I am heart-broken by the notion that I have to close my shop, I believe that everything happens for a reason; something good will come out of this - I just don't know quite what that something is yet.

In the mean time I'm going to continue distracting myself. That's where the shoes come in; I think I deserve a treat! I'm thinking the first ones might just hit the spot :D

XOX

Photo source

NZ Fashion Week AW11: Day 3 Favourties

2010-10-02T12:02:00.005+13:00

Yep, you guessed it, another image heavy post!

Unlike the rest of the world that is showing Spring/Summer collections NZFW was showcasing Autumn/Winter. These were some of my favourites from Day 3.

Twenty-Seven Names : Twenty-Seven Names is without a doubt one of my favourite labels. Their range was based on high school cliques and showcased looks that were preppy and whimsical with a 90's grunge edge.
Read the review or watch highlights from the catwalk.

Nicole Miller : US designer Nicole Miller was one of the few international designers to show at NZFW. I loved her collection, it was lady like but with an edge of sex appeal and I thought the detailed backs were a refreshing point of difference.

Read the review or watch highlights from the show.

Salasai : This was yet another collection that deserves far more attention than it has been given. These are the only shots I can find of this range.

I loved the monochromatic elements and quirky details. The glasses were a nice touch, giving the collection a geek chic appeal.

You can read the review or watch highlights from the catwalk.

Stolen Girlfriends Club : The first NZ label to harness the power of the Internet to show their collection live. Stolen Girlfriends Club is a label which is fast developing a global identity perhaps partially due to the fact that Rumi Neely of fashiontoast is a fan of their work.

I've heard mixed reviews about this collection, some loved it, some thought it was over-rated.

I loved it, especially the fur, deep red leather and the hydrangea / cigarette print.

Read the review or watch highlights from the catwalk.

Your thoughts? Did something stand out for the right or wrong reasons??

XOX

NZ Fashion Week AW11: Day 2 Favourites

2010-09-30T10:49:00.004+13:00

Warning : another image heavy post!

Ruby : This was Ruby's debut at NZFW and true to their brand this collection was cute, wearable and a little preppy. Garments ranged from gingham & plaid to shaggy black dresses and more structural pieces.
You can read the review or watch highlights from the catwalk.

Jimmy D : After a 4 year absence Jimmy D returned to NZFW this year showing a range inspired by Norwegian metal. The collection was sheer and on the gothic side, featuring some stunning digital prints (which I can't find photo's off. Grrr).

Read the review or watch highlights from the show.

Cooper by Trelise : Cooper is the younger more wearable label from designer Trelise Cooper. I loved the military feel and the florals clashed with leopard print and sequins.

Read the review or watch highlights from the catwalk.

Your thoughts? Anything you particularly loved or loathed?

XOX

NZ Fashion Week AW11: Day 1 Favourites

2010-09-28T13:31:00.006+13:00

I'm going to warn you in advance; this is an image heavy post!

Cybele : Beautiful fabrics ranged from lush velvets to gorgeous printed silks, cinched at the waist with corset style belts.Read the review or watch highlights from the show.

Adrian Hailwood : One of my favourite designers. I loved the rich autumnal tones, oversized polka dots, textured faux fur and beautifully draped velvets. Overall a very lust-worthy range!
Read the review or watch highlights from the show.

Zambesi : Very true to the Zambesi brand; dark, dramatic and edgy finished off with war paint style make up and textured braids.
Read the review or watch highlights from the show.

Your thoughts? Favourites?

XOX

NZ Fashion Week : neverblack AW11

2010-09-24T15:18:00.006+12:00

photo source

Hawke's Bay based label neverblack, a reasonably new label, also showed their Aw11 collection on Day 2 of NZFW. I am really surprised by the lack of coverage on this show. I haven't read a single review that has been more that 3 sentences long and trying to find images or video has been quite the mission, but none the less I persevered and I'm pleased I did, I adore this range (from the snippets I've seen of it)

This collection followed on nicely from their Spring/Summer range which featured whimsical, feminine dresses in lace or soft sheer cloth.

Right from the beginning the over the knee boots, little black dresses and deep plum lips had me sold.

Tones of deep maroon, dusty pink, cream and soft mauve grey broke up an otherwise dark colour pallet.

Aviator style sherling jackets and vests were teamed with sheer tunics or lace. I'm quite surprised that sherling hasn't been included in every show at NZFW; New Zealand has more sheep per-capita than anywhere else in the world, I don't understand why such an abundant resource is being ignored, especially considering the fact that this trend has taken off in the rest of the world.

Slouchy cream cardi's and nude leather completed, in my eyes, a very lust-worthy yet wearable line.

The menswear collection also impressed me and I hope that I'll be able to convince my boyfriend to take a leaf from the neverblack book next winter (although if I'm honest that's not really likely to happen, he's not at all interested in fashion and loathes having to buy anything new even when his clothes are near thread-bare!)

If you'd like to view the highlights from the show click here.

XOX