So 2013 has passed us, and as much as it was supposed to be a year for not as many weddings due to the suspicions around unlucky ’13′, it didn’t stop the wedding proposals! 2014 and 2015 seem to be absolutely huge years for weddings – I have so many to attend to already that it’s time I should start planning some outfits! Hey it’s never too early…
As a lot of talk at the moment is based around brides-to-be and the buzz of the big day, I thought with it being March and going into bridal season it would be appropriate to highlight to you an online bridal website, TopWedding.co.uk, which is a one stop bridal hub for all things wedding. So many of my friends are busy planning their weddings that it has even got me into the habit of browsing bridal sites, hence coming across this one!
What has blown me away about TopWedding.co.uk is that the prices are brilliant for the budget savvy brides out there who don’t want to spend high amounts of money on their dress, and also kitting out the all-important bridal party. Stylish bridesmaid dresses in an array of colours, fits and lengths start at prices as low as £42! The best bit is – of course- the actual selection of wedding dresses too, as prices for these start as low as £47! The styles literally seem to cover everything, from short styles, to asymmetric cuts, fishtails and flowing trains… I’m not anywhere near getting married but I feel like one of those planning ahead girls who has excitedly bookmarked a bridal website!
Appliqued Organza Wedding Dress with Asymmetrical Layers £139.64
Everything wedding related is covered on this website, all with the aim to provide a huge selection for the bride and bridal party yet keeping everything to a reasonable budget. Hair accessories, bridal gloves, wedding favours, table decorations… you name it, this is a fantastic one stop bridal destination!
Strapless A Line-Appliqued Mini Wedding Dress with Allover Ruffle Tiers £91.46
So if 2014 is your big year, or maybe its 2015, as lets face it it’s going to come around real soon anyway, this website should hopefully provide you with lots of inspiration and ideas for keeping things purse friendly, yet meaning you don’t have to cut back on anything you would like on the day. Take a look and see what you think! Or more importantly, share with your friends if they are going to be the ones celebrating!
Mint Sweetheart Chiffon Bridesmaid Dress with Lace Up Back
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email Here is a little post for all you lingerie lovers out there. Lingerie label Wonderbra has partnered with fashion label Basso & Brooke to launch a limited edition range. This is the first designer collaboration Wonderbra has been involved with and the range takes inspiration from Basso & Brooke’s catwalk range, with a selection of bras, shorts and thongs available in baroque, snake and leopard prints. The collection became available from the 19th February – which just missed out on being a very beautiful unique Valentines Day gift- and price ranges start from £14-£35, which to me is very reasonable for a designer name and a good reputation for quality!
Visit wonderbra.co.uk for a limited time only…
It’s a rainy Wednesday evening in Sydney at the moment, and me and my housemate have spent the evening discussing the amazing places we have visited up to now since arriving and settling in Sydney for a while, but more so, the places we are still yet to see. So I thought I’d conclude this dreary mid week evening with a round up of some of my options of where to visit on my way back to the UK in 9 months time! I can’t believe I have spent 3 months already on the other side of the globe… time really does go fast when you are having fun!
Singapore
So Singapore is a place I really want to visit for just a couple of nights, and more so a recent place I have become interested in. We all know its a hyper modern bustling metropolis, but it is also known as ‘Garden City’. What I really love about Singapore is how it sounds like a cosmopolitan city of Sky Scrappers, and then lots of gardens seperating the manic cities, not to mention Singapores rainforests. You can spend the daytime water skiing, before hitting some hip cocktail bars!
And check out the infinity pool view below – I am amazed by this!
Las Vegas
OK so Vegas isn’t a new place for me to visit as I have been here previously, but I was 21, and feel that going back again on my own after travelling at 27 would be a really fun experience! Last time, I stayed at The Luxor hotel, in the shape of a pyramid, and it was truly fantastic. However there were so many magnificent hotels along the famous strip, that I really want to go back and stay somewhere such as The Bellagio or The Venecian – I was fascinated with The Bellagio fountains when I last visited. And this time, I’d swot up on my gambling tips better!
If you haven’t visited Las Vegas before, I’d recommend staying for approx 4 nights, and spending a day doing the helicopter ride to the Grand Canyon. It was a lovely trip and amazing to see the canyon. and from what I remember there was a nice little champagne picnic the teams set up for you when you arrive there. The shopping malls are also really good, especially is you want to escape the humid desert heat and enter the ice cold stores. They really love big name designer brands out there…
Dubai
Dubai is a really unique destination and one I have wanted to visit for so long. With it’s state of the art infrastructure, lively bustle of grand hotels, luxury shopping centers and private beaches, it’s a playground for both millionaires, tourists and locals. On my travels back to the UK, I’m hoping to stop off here for more of a luxe, treating myself holiday rather than ‘travels’ so to speak. I love the look of all the amazing 5 star hotels with their own beaches, bars and amazing views, and can’t think of a better way than finalising my 12 months in Australia than having a lavish time in Dubai.
I have been told that the beach fronts of Jumeirah, Umm Sequeim and Al Sufouh are places that are must see, and the skyline of fascinating hotels is a fantastic sight. It would be awesome to fit in a bit of designer shopping, a desert adventure and to check out the heritage and museums that are so popular over there too.
So there’s my top 3 places to visit this year! And with a bit of luck, if I save a bit of money and be sensible in 2014, I might be able to take a trip to all three!
Here in Australia, we are waving goodbye to the scorching Summer months and are embracing the approaching Autumn/Winter season. Fashion brand MARCS have a new motif this new season to launch its A/W collection- ’Discovery, Celebration, Collaboration’, as MARCS captures Australia’s youthful creative spirit in its latest campaign.
Iconic fashion brand MARCS has collaborated with five brightly shining creative spirits to celebrate Australia’s creativity, energy and colour. There is a huge rise in creative spirits these days, and within the fashion industry, it is so refreshing to showcase talents who shine brightly in creative field. The MARCS + collective will showcase youthful dreamers, thinkers and creators whose talents are helping to shape an inspiring creative future. I was recently introduced to these sweet little video snaps on YouTube, which feature the brand new collections and of course, some truly inspirational creatives!
The Rachel Rutt video above really makes me realise why I love Sydney so much too!
“At Marcs we have always been inspired by the colour, creativity and energy of Australia and it is fabulous for us to be celebrating and collaborating with some of Australia’s emerging creative talents who are inspired by the very same things “said Rachel Allen, Creative Director of MARCS. The MARCS+ collective includes designer and conceptual artist, Jedda Daisy Culley, actor, Sean Keenan, film-maker, Mike Bennett, adventurous knitter, Rachel Rutt and the enigmatic Matilda Dods, already an acclaimed musician at just 16 years of age.
MARCS’ has a passionate and proud commitment to its Australian heritage. Conceived by pioneering namesake, Marc Keighery in 1979, the label has always been inspired by the Australia’s people, places and landscapes. It is lovely to see a brand so focused on where it has came from, and to launch a campaign which zooms in on Australia’s ‘creative pool’ is so exciting to see.
The new creative campaign features photography by Ben Sullivan and film by Mike Bennett of The Joy Collective. Their candid personal portraits intimately capture the creative spirit of each of the collaborators, revealing both their personality and their personal style in their response to MARCS clothing, their chosen creative field and the Australian way of life.
The new season collection and campaign from MARCS will launch this month- February 2014. You’ll be able to see the campaign for yourself throughout MARCS’ stores, online at marcs.com.au and through the brand’s social media channels throughout the Autumn/Winter season.
If there is one thing I’ve learnt from my three months living in Australia, it’s that brunch is the big thing. You don’t arrange to meet up for breakfast or lunch, it’s always ‘brunch’, and every cafe caters for the brunching crowds. So last week, myself and my friend decided to treat ourselves to brunch at a cafe bar along Campbell Parade, Bondi Beach, that is absolutely jam packed everytime we walk past it. It’s rather pricey, but the menu is so enticing and it has a little outside seating area to the front which overlooks the world famous Bondi Beach… welcome to Trio!
The menu is specialised around brunch type meal options, all inspired by the Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine. They serve so many different options of breakfasts, I honestly don’t know how anyone could chose an option! The breakfast list include porridge with oats, barley, cinnamon and quinoa, bircher museli, mango and lime buttermilk pancakes, cinnamon and vanilla french toast, various full breakfast options including vegetarian, scrambled eggs with feta and truffle oil, breakfast burritos, Shakshouka (two eggs poached in a smoky tomato ragout served in a pan with turkish bread & hummus) Green Shakshouka (two eggs poached in a ragout of green tomatoes, green capsicum, spinach & chilli, served in a pan with turkish bread & hummus)
So because I was dining at midday, I decided to skip the tempting breakfast options and chose a much ‘lunchy’ option. There are so many yummy options on the menu if you are opting for a filling brunch, such as omelettes (roasted red pepper, chorizo, kipfler potato & goat cheese served with char-grilled sourdough and spinach, feta & roasted pumpkin served with char-grilled sourdough) mezze plates, king prawn tagliatelli (see photo above, this is what I ordered – amazing!) prawn and mango salad, thai vermicelli salad (tossed in homemade chilli jam with carrot, cucumber, coriander, ginger, garlic, crushed cashews, black sesame seeds, lime, tamari and gomasio) Eye Fillet Steak sandwiches and smoke salmon bruschetta. To compliment your food, they have the most extensive list of drinks, including fruit smoothies and freshly squeezed fruit juices, amazing coffee’s and endless options of tea, and coconut water in real coconuts. I had the best fresh squeezed pineapple juice I have ever tasted!
If you are heading to Bondi for the day and want to treat yourself to a slap up brunch, with breath taking views, ambiance and a great beach cafe-style vibe, then I suggest heading to Trio and indulging in this fantastic menu!
Calling all sporty girls! March 2014 marks the launch of a brand new collaboration between Topshop and Adidas Originals. The 20-piece collection, called Topshop X Adidas Originals, sees the retailer giving the sports brand’s designs a fashionable twist. Styles in the collection include tailored, slim fitting three-stripe tracksuit bottoms along with cotton vests with scoop arm holes, and sweatshirts adorned with a print inspired by London landmarks, created by Topshop’s designers.
Footwear also gets a make-over with adidas Originals’ Superstar, Tech Super and Attitude silhouettes reworked in brand new leather and print combinations. The collection will infuse sportswear with femininity, and can be worn for both fashion and performance. Prices start from £25 for a vest and rise to £90 for trainers. For those of you who are loving the recent sports luxe trend, I’m sure you’ll be huge fans of this range!
The collection launches globally on March 20 available at select UK Topshop stores
So on Thursday evening, I got to do something I have wanted to do for a long time! It will be no big deal to all the Sydneysiders out there and the ‘locals’, but I really wanted to watch a show at the Sydney Opera House and experience the entertainment held there. So what are the chances I happen to have a lovely friend who works for the Opera House and managed to get me tickets to ‘La Soiree’ – a ‘sexy’ comedy and entertainment show being performed at one of the side halls in the Opera House.
The show was incredible – I simply have no other words for it. I am not usually a big comedy fan, purely because I never quite ‘get’ all the jokes and gags, so when I heard this show was humorous, I did wonder if there would be a number of tame comedians trying to throw some jokes. However, I cannot describe how fun, entertaining, daring, risque and strange the show is! From acrobatics, to dance acts, to striptease ladies, to comedians and illusionists, there is something performed for everyone. And each individual act has a slight ‘sexy’ twist, giving the show a little bit of an adult edge, yet very tongue in cheek and nothing too offensive. That said, I wouldn’t advise you to bring your children along to the show, unless they want to join in with the audience singing along to songs about the female body parts, or watch a young woman strip down to her birthday suit…
La Soiree is currently on at Sydney Opera House until the 13th March, and performing at Union Square Theatre NYC if you are on that side of the world. If you want a fun filled night where your cheeks hurt from laughing and you like constantly being shocked, then I cannot recommend this show enough! I absolutely adore the Opera House and cannot wait to visit again for another show.
I almost died from jealousy last night as I had some pre-drinks at a friends apartment which actually looks directly out onto the Sydney skyline, including the Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House. Thought I would get a little photography for you to see the wonderful balcony view… hopefully you can see the lights from the bridge in the background!
Following up from the post yesterday, my shirt dress was $20 from a fashion boutique at Bondi Beach – another amazing bargain! I can’t remember the name but it is on the beach front, Campbell Parade, and next to a very tempting Churos cafe. As I previously mentioned, I can’t get enough of these Bondi shops!
Just a quick little post this morning to highlight an uber cool place to go boutique shopping when in Sydney. I know Bondi Beach is predominately known for it’s world famous beach, rows of cafes and eateries, bars and beach shops, but it is actually home to a stunning selection of independently owned fashion boutiques. They little clothes shops that line the streets don’t belong to any chains or franchises, and all seem to stock the most breath-takingly beautiful array of dresses, playsuits, shorts, skirts and little girly outfits.
Over Christmas and New Year I stayed on Hall Street, close to the beach, and I found I was in the best location to be surrounded my clothing boutiques. The streets nearby, such as Roscoe Street, Campbell Parade and Curlewis Street are also home to selection of boutiques, so the main streets surrounding central Bondi Beach are a fashionista’s dream. I literally walk into the shops and can’t even decide what I love the most – every single dress is gorgeous and so focused on stylish day and eveningwear,
There’s a downside to most shopping areas and with Bondi Beach, I would say that the boutiques are quite expensive. In you head into the city or the main shopping centres, you will get a little more for your money, however you don’t get the exclusivity of owning unique garments. There is also a market every Sunday at Bondi, which is incredible! There are rows of stalls all selling beautiful items.
You can grab a bargain sometimes though, the little playsuit I have on in the below photo was only $25 from a little shop called Naomi on Hall Street a fortnight ago (middle)…
For those who read my posts quite regularly here on the blog (although the posts haven’t been coming so regularly as of late – apologies!) you will know that I’m an avid fan of online retailers. The more girly, pretty and good value the retailer, the better – I love nothing more than stumbling across online boutiques who specialise in cute dresses and on-trend collections. So obviously, coming to Australia as a complete alien to the place meant I had to scope out a few fashion favorites for myself. Google usually always has the answer, but when it comes to shopping and the world of online style shops, Google doesn’t always know best!
So who does then? Well, no other than Instagram! During the run up to arriving in Australia, I spent hours browsing through who Australian Instyle, Vogue, Elle and Famous magazine follow on the photo sharing website. Which lead me to follow lots of aussie fashion sites on my own instagram… and now I have whittled down a few fave’s! So if your an Alien like me, arriving in a new country and don’t know all the ‘local’ online shopping secrets, then I’d like to recommend some of my findings!
Stelly.com.au
The original one I have followed for the longest amount of time. I can’t find anything negative about Stelly, which is rare for a blogger – it is almost as if the brand was designed for me. Shift dresses, playsuits, shorts, T-Shirt dresses, florals, stripes… I don’t know where to begin. If I was a fashion buyer, this would be my collections. The whole entire website is my ideal wardrobe. Best bit? It’s affordable! Gorgeous dresses for both summer days and evening parties for $35 – so that’s like £23-ish (Maths and currency conversions aren’t my forte but it’s a rough approximate). Take a look…
Tigermist.com.au
I would say Tigermist looks a little bit ‘newer’ in terms of a smaller brand, smaller company kind of look. Prices are higher than that of Stelly, however the clothes are more dressier and suitable for evening. Still a great affordable online boutique, with lots of simple style of dresses in an array of prints, colours and finishes. If you love your dresses, you’ll love Tigermist!
HuntedDreams.com
Hunted Dreams is another sweet little site showcasing a mixture of printed shorts, fitted camis, cute dresses and tunics. Great prices, and a really easy-to-shop site that gives so much choice for fast fashion. If your after having a wardrobe full of different varieties of shorts to team up with coloured crop tops, or a range of staple dresses to keep as all time favorites, then you’ll no doubt find what your looking for on here…
So I haven’t purchased anything from either website yet – I just spend hours admiring the Instagram pages for all of these retailers, drooling over the new in products and gorgeous Summer clothes. So I can’t comment on quality of the items or value for money at this stage. However, I have a wish list as long as my arm for Stelly at the moment, so when payday comes at the end of the month, I’ll be putting in a rather large order! So no doubt I’ll be reporting.
Hope you enjoyed this Australian fashion themed post, much more to come for the rest of this year!
So I’m trying to get a little bit of blogging done before my Wednesday is over, so I thought I would put together a mini post about a designer I absolutely love at the moment – Kate Spade. I have heard of Kate Spade for a long time, although never really looked into her collections or did much research. However, since I have started my new job at David Jones Head Office, it involves me working with premium designer brands everyday and I found myself lusting after the Kate Spade products on a daily basis!
Her style is so ‘sweet’; think bows and brights, pastels and pretty pieces, sorbets and stripes and your on the right path. Her jewellery is so intricate and small, yet striking at the same time, and her homeware pieces are really stand out and ultra feminine. Available at David Jones, here is a selection of my favorite four Kate Spade items currently on my Wednesday Want list!
Top to bottom: Kate Spade Things We Love Mug $39.95, Kate Spade Open Spade Stud Earring $64.95, Kate Spade Illustrated Cup and Saucer $49.95, Kate Spade Leather Bag, Leather Bow Bracelet $114.95.
