Blazer-in’ Glory RTWS09

I’ve become a little obsessed with finding the perfect summer blazer at the mo, especially after seeing some very cool styles on the runways and online. I actually bought myself a fantastic oversized double-breasted wool blazer off TradeMe just before I left, only cost me $5.50 and it’s a gorgeous grey. However, it is hanging amongst my other winter coats and jackets back in Wellington, awaiting my return to bring them back to life in Melbourne. It really sucks not having most of my wardrobe with me right now 😦

Anyways, back to business. The blazer. Spring RTW 09 saw some fantastic styles of blazers – and we are not talking about the typical suit jacket. The blazer seems to have taken on a different role next Spring, worn with casual ease, as if replacing the cardigan. Loose fitting longer-length blazers worn over minis or little shorts are eminent, and there were several that were adorned with embellishments or just detailed on the collars or small areas of the jacket.

(Left to right: Jil Sander; Chloe; Stella McCartney; Topshop; William Rast)

(Left to right: Alexander Wang; Stella McCartney; Balmain; William Rast; Topshop)

There is also a huge popularity in the sleeveless jacket/blazer, either worn belted on its own, as a dress, or as a layering piece to an outfit. You could say that this is an alternative or a continuation of the fur vest trend that is evident this winter (Northern hemisphere) – except catered for the warmer temperatures of up-coming Spring/Summer.

(Left to right: Barbara Bui; Alexander Wang; Topshop; Jil Sander; Topshop; 3.1 Phillip Lim)

Here are some pickings of stylin’ people kickin the blazer trend – I especially love the one worn by girl with the green pony bag (and such a cute bag too!). It looks like a true vintage tweed jacket but the exposed zip pocket and contrast panelling on the collar potentially suggests otherwise. The oversized navy blue boy blazer with brass buttons is also a favourite, although I wouldn’t mind it in a fitted tailored style too. Let the hunt continue…

(Image credits: Facehunter, Karlas Closet; Garance Dore)

Just a Tinge…On the Fringe RTWS09

We’ve been seeing the ‘fringe’ trend emerging over the last year, and it will continue to grow – as seen on the runways of the Ready-To-Wear Spring 2009 fashion shows. Not that I’m complaining. If time-travel existed and I had the opportunity to pick an era to experience and go back in time – it would definitely be the 1920’s era hands down. It was a time when the role of the woman became liberated, and so was what they wore. Flapper dresses, the beautiful embroidery, the boas, the feathers, the pearls, the fabulous headbands , embellishment and beading, cloche hats, and beautifully styled hair…who wouldn’t want to re-live the ‘Roaring Twenties”?

(Image credit)

“A fashionable flapper had short sleek hair, a shorter than average shapeless shift dress, a chest as flat as a board, wore make up and applied it in public, smoked with a long cigarette holder, exposed her limbs and epitomised the spirit of a reckless rebel who danced the nights away in the Jazz Age. ”

(quote reference)

(Clockwise from top left: Jil Sander; Alexander McQueen; Roberto Cavalli; Tadashi Shoji)

(Clockwise from top left: Filippa K Fall08/09; Alberta Ferretti; Jil Sander; Chanel; Basso&Brooke)

But the fringe trend can be interpreted in other ways besides the dapper flapper. Fringed trimmings and accessories are also heavily associated with the Boho Look – another trend that is hitting our runways. This time round however, we are seeing more Western/Cowboy influences teamed with this look, along with a bit of attitude.

(Clockwise from top left: Alexander Wang; Emanuel Ungaro; William Rast; Hermes; Ann Sofie Back; Alessandro Dell’Aqua)

Out of all the collections I viewed that had implemented fringing into their designs, my favourite collection would have to be that of Alberta Ferretti. She has managed to create various looks with this trend, all tasteful and elegant, and most could easily be worn for day or night. Below are outfits from her RTW Spring 09 collection I would love to snap up in a…snap!

My first purchase in nearly 2 months

I finally caved in to my shopping deprivation and purchased a cute vintage style cami by I.D.S. Came across it while I was suppose to be window-shopping, but I couldn’t resist the style and the gorgeous lace bib detailing down the front. It’s one of those tops you can wear tucked into high waisted jeans/pants or skirts, or out as is. So feminine and pretty :o)

I wore it out today and teamed it over a plain black merino singlet (which was given to me by a friend), my thrifted high-waisted levis (which I purchased for $5.50 from TradeMe – bargain!), my thrifted brown leather belt, and my tan leather heels by Next (which you can’t see oops).

Can’t believe it’s been nearly 2 months since I bought a piece of clothing…and tell ya what, it feels damn good!

My Fashion Design Portfolio: The Cashmere Wool Coat

Here is another one of my creations while I was studying Fashion Design at Massey University. This time it is a Cashmere Wool Double-Breasted Coat that I made from scratch – i.e. from design, to pattern, to toile, to final product. I got my inspiration from a Helen Cherry Swing Coat and a Karen Walker jacket I was lusting for from their Fall 2008 collections.

(Top: Helen Cherry Swing Coat; botton: Karen Walker Jacket)

My end product was 3-panelled, double breasted wool coat with concealed side pockets and an oversized clover collar. The back and sleeves have single working vents and the buttons are self-covered. I chose a beautiful cashmere/wool blend fabric from the Global Fabrics, and the lining is a medium weight brushed cotton. There is topstitching throughout the jacket, and I almost forgot, there are little shoulder pads attached too. Turned out pretty well, and my sister loved it so much – I gave it to her for her birthday :o)

Fancy night out with the girls

A girly night out is always an occasion I look forward to, and tonight we went out to eat at a Turkish restaurant on Chapel street (which had really really really bad service unfortunately but I won’t name the restaurant because I’m nice), and had drinks at Orange Bar afterwards. It was such a fun night, and here is what I wore:

The outfit consists of a lace slip dress by Sarah Bell worn underneath a black satin camisole with ruffle trim by Sadie. The tights I’m wearing are a bronze/gold shimmery colour by Metalicus, and my thrifted Samitch cardy has the cutest pearl buttons, black lace trimming, and bell sleeves. I was originally going to wear my Robert Robert heels but I ended up wearing my vintage lace ups Cillas intead. Black beaded necklace was thrifted from Recycle Boutique in Wellington. I’ve posted a photo of the slip below:

(Black Lace Slip by Sarah Bell)

If I was a guy…

…my wardrobe would have clothes by Endovanera…

(Images from here)

Endovanera is one of LA’s up-and-coming menswear labels created by David Hershberger and Mitch Moseley. Their work has been described as “17th-century England, 2st-century Tokyo and futuristic intergalactic style all at the same time”. I love the decontructiveness and versatility of their garments, and the tailoring is impeccable. Check out the detailing on the sleeve cuffs of the jacket (third pic down on the left from above), and the tapered pants (below)!

(Tapered Pants – image credit here)

Hershberger, the designer of the duo, used to create custom jeans out of an old boathouse for friends. However in April this year, the label found a new niche for their collection and production studio. Tucked beneath an underpass in Echo Park, near the bridge on Glendale, in an inconspicuous – almost hidden location, you find Endovanera’s minimalist studio gallery named: Front St.

(Front St: image credits here)

Here, shoppers can browse through the full range of their current collection, as well as have the opportunity to order from past season’s collections. There are over 100 fabrics and hardware selections to choose from, and David himself drafts custom patterns and carefully sews samples using an heirloom sewing machine in the open studio (see pic below).

(Front St: image credits here)

Although their collections tend to be on the ‘dark/emo side’, most will find pieces that will become staples in their wardrobes. Below is a peek at their current Fall 2008 collection:

(Fall 2008)

But, there are some good new for the ladies! Olga Nazarova, a formal intern at Endovanera, along with pal Theresa Becker-Wayman, have helped design a new womenswear line for the label. The collection is due for Spring 2009, and will include “more urbane pieces such as slouchy tees, tailored dresses, and jackets with peekaboo cutouts,” as well as “softer, more bohemian fare: tiered-ruffle skirts and bloomers conjured in tribute to Stevie Nicks.”

(Image credit from here)

These guys are definitely one label to look out for, and now that they are introducing a womenwear label – I won’t have to consider having a sex change anymore to wear their stuff :p

Jandals for a good cause

Zambesi, Carlson, Sera Lilly, Kingan Jones, Caroline Church, Elusiv and Hailwood have all created designs for jandals in the just-released designer series in aid of KidsCan Charitable Trust. These will retail for just $12.99 – $5 of which will benefit underprivileged New Zealand children through a range of KidsCan programmes like ‘Shoes for Kids’, and ‘Food for Kids’, which help youngsters in low decile schools.

It really brings you back to home when you think about the fact that while $12.99 is considered a bargain price to us when we are so used to designer labels – for many under-priviledged kids a brand new pair of shoes is considered a luxury. Below are my favourite picks:

(Left: Zambesi; Right: Sera Lilly)

(Left: Carlson; RIght: Hailwood)

Only 10,000 of these limited edition jandals will be produced, and are available from Number 1 Shoes nationwide. You should be able to order them online and have them posted over before Christmas – they would make great pressies!

Yeojin Bae

Today I would like to talk about Australian-based Korean designer, Yeojin Bae – a real fashion inspiration, and I love her stuff!

(YeoJin Bae)

“Feminity doesn’t have to be overly girly” say Bae, and her design philosophy is simple: to make clothes that are wearable and desirable. Her work combines her love of refined tailoring, a hint of rock and roll, vintage-inspired detailing, and an edgy sense of romanticism – just my cup of tea :o)

(Images of her Spring 08 Collection from: Yeojin Bae, Vogue Australia, and Highsonbette)

She has a career history that any fashion graduate would wish to follow (including myself): completing internships for Marc Jacobs and Anna Sui in New York; working as senior designer for top Australian labels such as Saba and Charlie Brown; winning the prestigious Tiffany and Co Young Designer of the Year Award in 2007; designing her own range for Target, and opening her first showroom this year on Chapel Street, Melbourne (which I plan to visit soon!).

“I wanted the space to feel like a private apartment, to create an intimate and personal experience when viewing the collection, and I enjoy not having a visible street frontage, it feels more private and rewarding when you discover us.”

(Yeojin Bae Showroom)

Yeojin Bae’s newest collection is titled: Lili Marlene, which was a popular German love song during World War 2. Hence you will find contrasting pieces in her collection of dreamy-romantic influence and structural elegance.

(Summer 09 Collection from Yeojin Bae)

Her showroom is located in Studio 4, Level 1, 240 Chapel Street in Prahran, and is open to the public Thursday to Saturday every week. See you guys there ;o)

A rant about shop thieves…grrrrr

One thing that really irritates me and gets me all rucked up…is when people steal. I know some people resort to stealing because they have no job and no money and have no choice but to steal in order to feed their starving families and blah blah blah blah blah…but seriously – what percentage of these people are genuinely that desperate? And how does a couple of pretty summer dresses, handbags and handful of accessories help feed that hungry child at home? Well I walked into a women’s clothing store today and nearly got bowled over by a guy running out the door with a bunch of stolen goods stuffed underneath his puffer jacket. The poor girl behind the counter had to run out the door to chase him but he was a speed racer and disappeared in seconds. I don’t know how long he was in the store before I got there or if it was just a mad grab and dash…but he is a bad person and I hope that security managed to get him. Bad bad people that steal. Bad.

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And now on a different topic, today’s weather was refreshingly nippy and it was so nice to wear one of my thick snuggly scarves for a change. Here is what I wore today:

(Black top by ‘Only’; Thrifted ivory knit cape/bolero; Thrifted knitted textured scarf, Black Lee supatubes, Paolo Bonchini ankel boots)

So I’m thinking that these photos aren’t very clear and something tells me that it may be time to dust that big mirror out in the lounge…

The things we do for flame-grilled chicken…

Ok, so this may be a slightly random post, but tonight we just had the best Nando’s chicken experience ever. 5 of us squished into a car and drove a WHOPPING 45 minutes out to an area called Frankston to eat at the Nando’s restaurant that a friend of ours had opened recently for moral support (and to fill our bellies of course). We ordered one whole chicken, 5 chicken thighs, 5 chicken wings, 5 chicken ribs, 2 large fries, 1 large salad, 3 bowls of spicy rice, and 1 small coleslaw and 3 chocolate mousses – absolutely DELICIOUS and I totally recommend (Nandos in Frankston everyone!!!!!)

Anyways the dumb thing is, I took my camera along so I could take pics of what I ate (I am also quite the food critic/lover) but by the time we got there I was soo hungry I totally forgot and pigged out (hehe). So here is what I wore out tonight instead…photos taken when we got home, post-pigged out and squished in a car for 45 minutes.

(Grey Singlet – Gorman Organics Tank; Thrifted black cardy from TradeMe; Karen Walker Mini, Black opaque stockings; Thrifted black vintage Cilla heels from TradeMe)

One of my guy mates commented on what I wore which I found rather amusing, the conversation went sort of like this:

Guy Mate: “Gosh Di how come you’re all dressed up just to go to Nandos?”

Me: (surprised laugh) “Eh? Do you call this dressed up?”

Guy Mate: “Well…I think so. I mean, you’re wearing heels and all”

(referring to my vintage Cilla heels here)

Me: “Right…well if you call this dressed up – you aint seen nothing yet buddy”

Ah boys.

The End.