Seaside net of Wonders

(Cooper St. open slit maxi dress, Elastic strap gladiators from Overseas markets)

It was the birthday dress I picked out with only less than an hour of shopping time available before my big night out of town with my friends. Surprisingly enough after a quick lap around my local shopping mall, impulsiveness took a better turn and what initially was a 'last minute' birthday dress has now turned into one of my favourite dresses for this summer.

Its Grecian goddess resemblance made it an undeniably suitable frock for the seaside breeze and everything about the intensity of the colour yellow, and the light-weight draping of chiffon makes it fashionably bearable in today's heat which can also be easily transformed from a daytime dress with a pair of gladiators, to a show stopping evening gown when teamed with a good pair of 'look-at-me-now' stilettos and matching clutch.

Photography by tymothyjames

Sculptures by the Sea

(Vintage sandy pencil maxi skirt, Forecast satin drop cage cami, Sportsgirl silver steel cuffs, Glassons round-framed sunglasses, Woven clutch from Landmark - Philippines, Cut out sandals from Malaysian Markets.) 

For those who know me personally, I've always been the girl who's loved nothing more than enjoying a good bottle of cider and kicking back in the sunshine. So there was no surprises when a 35 degree plus day comes along, I was sure to not miss the opportunity to visit my local deli and round up a good picnic to make the most of my day with much needed vitamin D. Conveniently enough it was the annual event that attracted photographers whether pro or amateur, locals and now a growing popular event for tourists to commute to the scenic coastal side of Bondi to Tamarama for Sculptures by the Sea (www.sculpturebythesea.com).

I use to always sport short shorts while taking a trip to the beach, but lately it's been all about the maxi skirts. I really struck lady luck the day I picked this minimalist sandy skirt from another previous op shopping haul and it's been my favourite go-to skirt when I'm feeling neutral, you might say. Teamed with an oldie, I've always loved the femininity about the cage detailing of this cami - baring skin but just about enough. Although Sculptures by the Sea has already passed for the year, I'm already looking forward to what's installed for the following. It ceases to inspire me every time!

Photography by tymothyjames

Vu Couture girl meets Warhol's Children

(www.warholschildren.me)

I would love to thank the team of Warhol's Children, particularly subeditor Rebecca Lay, for my first ever interview and feature on their online magazine this week. It was an absolute pleasure to be part of the online magazine "about other people", and raising questions on fashion I've never really taken a hard look at before. be sure to visit www.warholschildren.me for the full article of my interview, and for plenty more articles featuring other interesting people such as an exclusive interview with my most recently favourite up-and-coming dj, Flume.

Click on the following link below for the full article of my interview: 

http://warholschildren.me/post/35621536720/inside-the-life-and-mind-of-a-fashion-blogger-the

Photography by tymothyjames

Crossing Over

(Vintage velvet crossover top, ASOS ponti mini skirt with belt, Burberry Prorsum A/W'10 Brogues, Sportsgirl henna stockings, Vintage patent faux Alligator clutch, Sportsgirl leather cuff, YSL Arty oval ring)

I decided to take the plunge and cut my hair even though I've painfully tried to grow it ideally at waist length. But after waiting so long for my hair to reach that point, I've been desperate for a change and long-due for a new do! Sporting straight mid-lengths cuts have been extremely popular recently, particularly with the 90s making its big return with general minimalist aesthetics. Even prior to my chop, I've been wildly obsessing over minimalistic looks with basic yet eccentric cuts, from shift tops and dresses, to sandal heels and plenty of crisp whites blocked with minimal brights, particularly neon's. 

Velvet had always been one of those iffy fabrics I would usually avoid wearing purely because it'll make you look bigger than you usually are, but there was always potential in this vintage velvet crossover top I picked up over a year ago. The exception here is that crossover necklines are flattering for all shapes, particularly for curvier girls as they accentuate the best assets by creating structure for the well-endowed and cinching the waist. As for slimmer girls with a more athletic body structure the crossover creates the illusion of a waist. This vintage velvet top was a perfect match for my new ponti skirt - A very 90s inspired combination of black and white, with my new straight hair chop. 

Although I haven't worked up enough courage to go any shorter just yet, but after growing so fond of my new hair cut in the last couple of days I feel like I might take another risk and go just a tad bit shorter. What do you guys think, should I go any shorter?

Photography by tymothyjames

Chain to Thrift

(Vintage chain print shirt, H&M collarless trench coat, Glassons scalloped edge shorts, Lia Maria chunky chain choker, Zara laser cut leather tote, Court Couture suede wedge sandals.)

I always enjoy a good vintage find. Hunting racks to find those certain unique pieces you normally can't find in chain stores, but pay almost next to nothing for. I thrive on the overall experience of op shopping, from being able to take a good pick home then putting it into your own style by collaborating with new pieces. 

Although this shirt has been sitting deep inside my wardrobe for some time now, its age doesn't seem show. There's something about chain prints that reminds me of something rather Versace-esque and in my opinion, essentially very timeless. Teamed with a bit of chain-on-chain bling, I love how this shirt can easily transform to suit both day and night occasions.

I'm thinking about taking another visit to my local op shop to see what other treasures I could dig up, particularly now since I'm on a tight budget to save with a holiday to Canada and America on the agenda coming up. Op shopping will have to be my best option in savouring my shopping urges till then!

Photography by tymothyjames

The Little Black Jacket Exhibition

(Vintage abstract print shift top, H&M ribbed tube skirt, Sportsgirl gold choker, YSL arty oval ring, Cheap Monday layer ankle boots, Tory Burch saffiano tote)

A Good day frolicking in the sun with good company is always good for the soul. It's been long due since I've had quality time with some of my best friends Steven Heng and Melissa Lai. And so earlier today we settled for a light brunch at Gnomes Expresso Wine bar in Surry Hills before making our eagerly awaited visit to 'The Little Black Jacket' by Karl Lagerfeld Exhibition in Walsh Bay. This Sydney exclusive showcases over 100 portraits photographed by Karl Lagerfeld, centralising the classic 'Little Black Jacket' designed by Gabrielle Coco Chanel over 50years ago, in which today has been identified as the all essential element. The mostly black and white portraits of high profile designers, models and celebrities wearing the jacket are just few of the many stunning photographs taken from the Chanel creative's The Little Black Jacket book.

It was suitably a very inspiring visit with two of the most fashion forward friends I know. Today's cloudy overcast made our day by the pier rather muggy, so lightening the layers down to just a basic print shift which I picked out over a year ago during one of my op shopping journeys teamed with nothing more than a basic tube skirt was all I could bare in the humidity. Casual... yet sometimes less is more!

The Little Black Jacket exhibition is located at 13 Hickson rd, Pier 2/3 in Walsh Bay and will be ongoing only until November 11th, 2012. Entry is free.

Photography by Steven Heng & Anna Vu.