I was shopping in Bondi Junction today and Zimmerman’s front window caught my eye.
They have an amazing Spring/Summer 2011 collection. My favourite pieces are the Conversation Music Drape dress for $625. The Suede and Wood Stack heels for $395 and also the Conversation Wide Leg Pant for $395.
I think these 3 pieces are “must haves” for this season.
Enjoy
Shylo
Yesterday in Sydney it got seriously hot in the afternoon so it wasn’t the best day for trawling for vintage bargains at the markets. I didn’t find any vintage clothing that took my eye but I did find a ring that was unlike any that I had come across before.
The designer was really polite and we had a great chat about her work. She is launching a new range in the next few weeks so you should make the trip to Rozelle Markets and find her stand. If you can’t make it her email address is mollusc@molluscdesign.com
Enjoy
Shylo.
High waisted jeans have made a comeback. When I think of high waisted jeans I think of Farrah Fawcett when she was one of Charlie’s Angels. Big hair and patchouli oil and wearing daisies in our hair. Now high waisted jeans are considered more of a dress jean. Something to be worn with beautiful high heels and silk tops or beaded tops teamed with a tailored jacket.
I bought my first pair of high waisted jeans last season from Karen Millan and I have to say I love them. The best part about them is they hide any muffin top I may have, and I always feel so long and slender in them. I’ve worn them on all sorts of occasions from birthday parties to dinner with friends to just shopping with my husband. I have lots of other jeans in my wardrobe but I can say in all honesty I rarely pull them out since my high waisted jeans are always on high demand. They are a wide leg and a dark denim which I think is more flattering. Darker colours always are. The one thing about owning darker denim jeans is if possible try to not wash them too often as they will fade very quickly. Try to air out where possible. Most washing machines now are very gentle on our clothing so I don’t think you need to hand wash your jeans like one used to. Anyway enough about how to care for our jeans. I’m sure anyone who is reading this knows how to care for their beloved denim. There are a few styles of high waisted jeans out now. You can have the wide leg like I have. Then you have the skinny leg – just think of Kate Moss (the queen of denim). And last but not least you have the straight leg.
Now depending on your height most of the high wasisted jeans look more flattering with heels. If you are blessed with height you have the option of wearing flats or heels. The ideal fit of high waisted jeans should be tight with no gap around the waist or butt. The thing with this style of jean is that it’s not the most forgiving style of jean so you really must wear the style with confidence. Alas if you are short or heavy this may not be the style for you. I also think a skinny belt helps keep the whole look into proportion too.
High waisted jeans are not the type of jean that you can just throw on. You need to plan how you are going to wear them and with what, right down to the shoes. I think a cotton stripe top is always a safe option if you are not sure what to wear with your jeans – it gives off a whole Parisian look. But if you really are stuck for ideas I recommend fashion magazines or talk to the retail staff where you purchased your jeans from. I’m sure they have plenty of ideas as to how to wear the high waisted jeans and maybe they will have some tops, shoes or accessories for you – yet another great reason to spend some hard earned cash. So go out and buy some high waisted jeans and remember use your own fabulous style and be confident. Clothes are a great way of expressing ones self.
Shop and be merry.
Love Shylo.
In my opinion Country Road is having a really good season. The stock is the best that I have seen in some time. When I think of Country Road I think of timeless pieces at an affordable price. I think of classic colours like navy and white. I think of nautical stripes and stylish weekend wear. The homewares collection is like their apparel – beautiful and classic. The stores are always wonderfully presented and you want to spend time to take it all in. All the stock is so well organized in the stores and the visual merchandising always stands out. The accessories dont stand out as much which is a shame because their leather goods are always lovely. I find in the concession stores they do fall flat when it comes to the accessories. The homewares section is so nice to visit and I just love the photo frames and wicker baskets. At Christmas time Country Road has great gifts if you’re looking to buy something for someone who has everything.
This season I was very impressed with womenswear and I found some great little gems that I think even the fussiest of shoppers would like. I am big fan of cotton jersey because it is so simple to wear and to care for. Country Road have a Blue Twilight Elastic Detail dress for $129.00. It also comes in a light steel colour too. It’s so light and comfy to wear and it’s great to wear on those really hot summer days. You can put on a silver or gold strappy sandal and away you go. This is a dress that will never date and if properly cared for you can wear it season after season.
For the ladies who like something a bit more bright and summery I found the Citrus Floral Dress in yellow. It’s such a pretty dress and it would be great to wear for a summer BBQ to drinks with the girls. It is priced at $299 which is expensive for Country Road but when you put it on I think you will see why I recommend you buy it. It’s one of those pieces that you always feel good in every time you put in on.
My favorite dress is the Black One Shoulder Feather Dress priced at $379.00. This dress really has the wow factor. I fell in love with it and with the races coming up it’s the perfect dress. I was so pleased to see Country Road designing a dress like this. I really hope that they keep it up. It’s not the usual safe black dress that you expect to find.
Now for the office girl who likes to look smart but still girly I found 2 suits that I think would be great for any office. The first is the Carbon Grey Wool Linen Suit. The jacket is priced at $379 and the pants are priced at $249. This is a reasonable price for a good quality suit. Buying a suit is the one time I don’t think you should cheap out at all because you can always pick a badly made suit – so think of your suit as an investment piece. If grey is not your colour then there is there is the black suit instead. The Black Short Jacket is $349.00 and the Black Tab Waist Pant is $229.00. If you are looking for a summery bright top to go with your suit I found the Bright Raspberry Silk Trim Tank priced at $129.00. It’s really a lovely top and I think it’s a colour that would suit most girls. If you dont want to wear it at the office then it would go nicely with a pair of dark denim jeans. For the younger office girl I recommend the Bright Raspberry Silk Trim Tank teamed with the Dark Midnight Grosgrain Tie Skirt.
The skirt is priced at $159.00. It’s more interesting than the usual A-line skirt. The other top that would look great teamed back with any suiting is the Citrus Yellow Floral Print Ruffle Cami. It’s priced at $149.00 and it would jazz up any black or grey suit. It would give a softer look especially if worn with beads or lots of big bangles.
As I’ve said before, every wardrobe needs a classic jacket. I found the Blue Twilight ½ Sleeve Blazer to fit all the casual jacket requirements – such a beautiful colour and so easy to wear. It would go back with any top and looks great with dresses – even with cargo pants. It really is a must have.
All the pieces that I have mentioned would be great for the girl who wants good classic pieces and pieces that will carry from season to season which is what Country Road is all about.
The denim range this season is fun and the boyfriend jean is worth trying on. Also ,the Dark Cobolt Lace Print Nightie is so pretty and for $79.95 it is worth buying.
As I always say there is no such thing as too much shopping and your clothing is one of the best forms of expression that we have.
Enjoy.
Shylo.
This season for me is all about finding the perfect dress.
Something that I can wear for day time and carry over for evening, maybe adding a killer pair of heels and some accessories and a dash of red lipstick. A dress that doesnt need to be dry cleaned everytime you wear it. It’s a dress that makes me feel great everytime I put it on.
So on the hunt I went.
A lot of retail stores claim that they have the perfect summer dress. They claim they have the best price using only the finest of fabrics, their dress can do what no other dress can do, and so on.
But do they fulfill all of my requirements? Where does someone like me who has a very distinct style and a keen eye for not only a bargain but somewhere I can buy the dress and maybe some great accessories too.
Off to my local shopping centre I went and I had to be careful not to get distracted by all the other pretty things that would normally have me in the store buying one in every colour.
I came across the Witchery store and I not only found the dress that I have been searching for but a store full of precious things.
Firstly what I love about Witchery is the way they have there stores set out. Everything is so easy to find, so if you are like me and dont always want help when you walk into a store unless you need an extra size or need to try some shoes then Witchery is perfect. The store always seems to be well stocked but not to the point where the racks are jammed packed and you cannot pull out anything out for fear of pulling down the entire thing. The store window displays are very enticing and they know how to complete an entire outfit right down to the smallest of the accessories. They seem to change the windows on a regular basis so for customers like myself this is always good.
Also it does not matter which store you visit they are all generally the same. What I mean by this is that if you visit say Chatswood and they have a certain top that you want and it is based at the front of the store and then you go to Paddington searching for the same top then you probably would find it at the front of the store also. Again this makes for a stress free shopping experience.
If you are like almost everyone now who is time poor but still really wants to buy something without all the fuss then may I suggest you visit your nearest Witchery store. They are located in just about every major shopping center and they have a lot of free standing stores too. So I am sure that there is one close to just about everyone.
I found four great dresses all very well priced. They are all beautifully made and I know that I will be able to wear them season after season. The first dress is the frill front strap dress. Its 100% silk and it is priced at $169.95. The key features of this dress is that it sits above the knees which makes the legs look longer which is both a feature and a benefit. The colour is called berry and this colour suits almost anyone. There is a beautiful ruffle down one side of the dress which is what makes it so special. It is not the type of ruffle that is over the top so I think even for the women who likes to dress in a simple manner this dress should attract you too. You could wear this dress to the office with a cardi or cropped jacket. Maybe some beads in a turquoise colour and either a wedge or peep toe shoe and you’re ready to go. For night you could wear it with a beaded crop jacket or cardi and some super high heels in gold or silver. Some big bracelets and you’re ready for a night on the town.
The second dress I found is called the Dip Dyed Multi Frill Dress. It is also 100% silk and is priced at $169.95. I love this dress because I am a big fan of the anything that has a racer back. The dip dye effect is very popular at the moment and I have seen quite a few versions but I think Witchery has nailed it. It feels beautiful on and you could wear it for any occasion. I would wear it to the office or out for the night. You could even wear it for a lunch with the girls with some gladiator sandals just to dress it down a bit.
The third dress is the Multi Strip Swing Dress. It is 100% viscose rayon and is priced at $149.95. It has a small keyhole detail at the front which is a nice touch. I am always a sucker for any type of swing dress and the colours of this dress is so special. They are very subtle but having a berry colour strip mixed with beige is such a great idea because again it really suits everyone, and it still has such a lovely summer feel too it. I could wear this dress all day every day with a wedge – maybe in a red – and lots of beads. This dress is the best $149.95 I have spent yet. I know I will wear this dress season after season.
Finally I was very pleased to find a great selection of shirt dresses. I think that this dress is a must have for all wardrobes this season. They are just so handy to have. I like to wear the shirt dress for travelling because it is a safe option and you can wear them for most occasions. Again changing accessories, shoes, bag etc.
As I said earlier one of the great things about Witchery are the accessories. My favorite shoes are the pleat bow ballet shoes. They’re sweet and you could wear them with your jeans or with any dress or a simple skirt and top. They are priced at $149.95, and the come in black and soap stone.
For something with a bit of height I found the Sammy Cutout Peep Toe high heel. They are very comfy as far as high heels go because the heel is quite solid. They are priced at $169.95 which I think is very well priced. These shoes would go well dressed with any of the dresses that I have mentioned but they would also look great with a skinny leg jean and a floaty top.
Now that I have found the perfect dresses for the season and the perfect shoes I can move onto the other great basics that no wardrobe should be without.
Pants can be a complete nightmare for some women and I am no exception to this. We all have the bits that we need to cover which is why I like dresses so much. Anyway I always like cargo pants. They are super comfortable and SJP always wears them well. Take a leaf from her book and dress them up with heels and a silk top. I always like the classic olive colour but there are lots of great classic colours that are very nice too. The Witchery cargo pants are $99.95 which is very reasonably priced. They come in two colours – forrest and black.
The summer shorts can also be a traumatic experience so I suggest the Witchery Cotton Tapered Walk Short. One of the benefits of this short is the slant pockets. The reason I like the slant pockets so much is because they dont make your hips look big. These shorts are priced at $89.95 and they are made from 98% cotton and 2% lycra so you have a bit of stretch and easy movement. These shorts are great for all ages and can be worn in a lot of ways. They’re a great basic.
There has been a lot of focus on jackets this season so far, and there are a lot to choose from.
As everyone knows the ‘boyfriend’ style jacket is a massive success this season. You can wear it with everything from your favorite jeans to a LBD. Every major chain store is doing some sort of version and they can vary in price from $99 to $300 or more, so I recommend you shop around before buying. The Witchery Slouch Boyfriend Jacket is priced at $189.95. It is 55% rayon and 45% viscose. It comes in two beautiful colours which are almond and pesto.
The other jacket I discovered was a Chambray Bomber jacket. It is priced at $129.95. It is 55% cotton and 45% linen. It has a scoop neck and gold shoulder epaulets which is a great feature.
You will see a lot of Chambray this season and if you are anything like me I felt a big jump back into the eighties. Although there are some tasty Chambray treats you just have to be careful how many you have.
So now I have some fantastic pieces from Witchery and I cannot wait to get them home and mix and match with my already overflowing wardrobe, but like most ladies out there you can never have enough clothing and there is no such thing as too much shopping.
Enjoy.
Shylo.
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