Free Fashion Challenge

Not as amazing as it sounds unfortunately.  This 1 year challenge was set by Beyond Green in an attempt to make us all aware of how much we, as humans, consume- even when it comes to fashion.

Beyond Green convinced 30 fashionistas not to buy any new clothes or accessories for an ENTIRE YEAR (how… I will never work out) in an attempt to give people an idea of how fashion can be sustainable.  So what are the rules?

·         Not buying any items of clothes or accessories (bags, shoes, belts etc.) for a year

·         This includes underwear & socks

·         Not buying any fabric in order to make clothes

·         Do not accept any of the above as gifts

·         You can swap your clothing with others

Beyond making a statement about consumerism, this challenge is just that- 3 of the 30 team members have already stepped out of competition and the others have confessed to practices such as tapering bootleg jeans to make them skinny legs in an attempt to stay on top of trends.
The challenges creator’s often set extra challenges for their (already traumatized) participants- my favourite being the ‘6 items or less’ challenge.  The rules are simple- you can pick 6 items of clothing to wear for 1 week (accessories are unlimited) and see how creative you could be with only those 6 items!  One of the challengers- Renae- posted the following to show her chosen 6 items:

And then the following combinations to show the results;

This challenge would have been so very hard but it looks like Renae has picked some great outfits.  Just a thought... would this challenge be much harder in Summer where you couldn’t cover up certain parts of an outfit to make it look different?
I think I’ll give the challenge a go for the year ahead.  Saving up for a mortgage is tough, but with literally 80% of my pay going towards fashion, I think it will be a great saver for me.
I’m totally kidding- I would never try to complete this challenge.  However, I DO think that the 6 items or less challenge would be a great idea to get a small taste of what it would be like.  I will post pictures up at the end, and maybe even try to recruit a couple of friends to try it with me.  Maybe.
Check out the website for a great insight into Free Fashion: www.freefashionchallenge.com
Yours Fashionably,
Nat xo



JC Shoes

Whenever I ask someone about my blog (to these people- I apologise, let’s just call me persistent) they mention the shoe blog that I did very early on, and marvel at the beauty of the shoes that I posted.  SO, in the spirit of giving people what they want, I thought I would do another shoes blog- about Jeffrey Campbell.  JC (this is no coincidence) is a shoe GENIUS, coming up with the most incredible designs and crazy trends which make you want to try them on, over and over and over again- or at least do a double take.  These shoes are like little works of art- and at a fraction of the cost of many other designers in the market, you can purchase something which is rather special.

There are many fantastic things about having a great pair of shoes, but the following are two reasons why you should invest;

·         If you have a great pair of shoes, you don’t need to put as much thought into your outfit- the shoes are the hero and you can wear something very basic but still look amazing

·         If you are having a fat day- your shoes will ALWAYS fit!   They will always look amazing and they will always give you a cuddle if you’re feeling down… Wait.

Basically what I’m saying is that these shoes make me feel all warm and fuzzy, so take a look.  Many of the JC range are available at www.solestruck.com.  This website is great because people who have already purchased the shoe can review it and leave comments for other shoe fiends to help them make their decisions- AND the shoes are cheaper to buy from this website (in the US)  than the website in Australia- Apex Shoes (even when on sale).  Winner!



Tick Paint $179.95

Skate $214.95

Skyroom $189.95

Pixie Cut $174.95

Tick Chain $309.95

Kelsey $204.95

Mariel in Python $119.95

Mariel in Mint $119.95

Lita- these come in-gasp- 31 colours! $159.95

Saturn 2 $209.95

99 Tie Glitter $139.95

Clinic $179.95

Abierto $179.95

Robot $234.95

Pixie $179.95

Alley $109.95

Did I mention that big, chunky shoes make your legs look thinner?

Yours Fashionably,

Nat xo

2011 Logies

With the TV Week Logie Awards on last night, I thought it might be a nice idea to showcase some of the best (and worst) dressed of the night.  My favourites were definitely Sarah Murdoch- so simple and elegant- Jessica Marais- who wore a J’aton masterpiece- and Laura Dundovic- who wore a more (controversial) trend focused piece, a leopard print dress, with a style that could not be faulted.  The most shocking thing that any man wore on the night was Matt Preston who- gasp- didn’t wear a cravat.  Have a peek at the red carpet fashions from last night.

Sarah Murdoch

Esther Anderson

Megan Gale

Jessica Marais

Rachel Finch

Lee Furlong

Laura Dundovic

Erin McNaught

Natalie Gruzlewski

Jessie J

The girls from Sass and Bide... umm maybe stop tanning ladies

The Boys from Masterchef

Yours Fashionably,

Nat xo



The Downside To Shopping

Sigh, there is unfortunately such a thing: Buyer’s Remorse.

Buyer’s Remorse (BR) can be defined (by the ever so reliant Wikipedia) as a sense of regret after having made a purchase... it may stem from fear of making the wrong choice, of guilt of over extravagance, or of suspecting having been ‘snowed’ by a sales associate.

Having suffered from BR many a time in my shopping life (I bought that bright green fur collar because....?), I feel like I should share some wisdom so that you too can avoid the hypothetical, scary, metallic, purple, puffy jacket in your closet.

1) Make sure that you’ve thoroughly researched what you’re willing to invest your money in (especially if it’s a large purchase).  This could mean looking online (eBay can often save you some money- but don’t forget to include shipping costs into the equation), and many websites have forums or reviews from other buyers. Look at other retailers and get to know the sales assistants who work in these stores- they will be more than willing to tell you about their best sellers, the products that people often overlook, different ways to wear them and (if you’re lucky enough) any upcoming sales.

2) If you are unsure about a particular process- seek conformation from others.  My mum is really good at this (even though I tend to ignore her thoughts if she doesn’t appreciate what I’ve purchased) because she will be completely honest and gush when she approves.  My boyfriend will always tell me that he likes what I’ve bought- good boyfriend- which is a great confidence booster if I’m leaning towards unsure.  This feedback from others will give you time to process your purchase and, if need be, return the goods.

3) Seriously sit down and work out if and when you can afford to buy the item you’re after.  A close friend of mine who inspired this very blog asked me if putting something on lay-by was passé- it is NOT!  Due to the swift nature of the fashion industry, it can be very easy to let something pass you by.  One day that soft leather jacket is in store, the next it’s gone.  Lay-by is the best way to secure your purchase without having to fork out the entire amount then and there.  Most retailers offer lay-by as a payment option where you are required to pay 20% of the cost and you’ll have approximately 6 weeks to pay it off- some will even offer extended terms if you call and ask.  Now if only I could find the patience to lay-by...

Hopefully these few tips will help you with your extreme cases of BR, and you’ll make smart fashion choices- remember that the most important thing is to know and develop your style and the following (my number one) tip:

If you think you will go home and be able to do nothing but think about something you’ve seen at the shops (this is especially the case if you are overseas)- BUY IT NOW- the worst feelings I’ve ever had about shopping haven’t been that I’ve bought something that I shouldn’t, but that I’ve missed out on something I should.

Yours Fashionably,

Nat xo

Bling Bling

As I was flipping through my Harper’s Bazaar magazine this month, I came across a very interesting bag-one which caught my eye and one which was like nothing I had ever seen.  Now, I love a bit of bling, in fact for my cousins wedding last October I took it upon myself to stick diamantes all over the entire pair of shoes.  I didn’t know many people at the wedding; however when introduced to strangers the first thing they said was ‘Wow! I hear you made your shoes!’- They were a great conversation starter, not to mention they looked amazing (even if I do say so myself).  So, when I saw this bag- a spherical, sparkly collaboration between designers Louis Vuitton and Judith Leiber, I immediately fell in love.  The prices are steep but considering it took me a good 50 hours of work to complete my shoes, I can completely understand how they justify it.

My Shoe

Judith Leiber has been the go-to handbag designer for red carpet events in Hollywood for over 50 years and her bags have been seen on many celebrities, models and in Sex and the City (both the movie and TV series).  But probably the most impressive aspect of the brand is that it is housed permanently in many museums all over the world, including The Victoria and Albert museum in London, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.  Almost every first lady dating back to the early 1960’s has carried a Judith Leiber bag to the Presidential Inauguration.  If these facts aren’t enough to impress you- just wait till you take a look at the minaudieres (shown below) which will have you dreaming about all things sparkly.

Sphere $2495

Stella $4995

Botswana $4995

Ling $4695

Kyoto $6795

Elephant $5995

Golden Koi $4495

Humphrey $5295

Wilbur $4695

Heart n’ Soul $2195

Strawberry Cupcake $4295

Red Delicious $3595

Rose $3575

Luxe $3995

Judith Leiber also has an incredible range of jewellery, eyewear and accessories on offer, as well as bags which are not-so-sparkly- have a look at her website at www.judithleiber.com.

Yours Fashionably,

Nat xo