Statement earrings

In case you haven't heard, statement earrings are making a comeback this summer and I am liking it very, very much! Seriously, it's times like these I wish that I had my ears pierced. Yes that's right, I don't have my ears pierced. Weird, huh?

Maybe I should think about getting them done sometime soon so i can make the most of this exciting new trend! Hmm, I may have to look into this. Either that or I will just get clip-ons. Actually, I think my Grandma has some that I can borrow! Score!

Images: Style.com

Monday's must have: A pretty fan

So right now it's about ten degrees in New Zealand so needless to day, I do not need any help cooling down! However, with summer in mind, I am definitely going to start shopping around for a cute vintage fan very soon.

Fans are set to be one of summers hottest (and most practical!) high fashion accessories. Designer fans have been spotted in the front row of many of last weeks NY Couture shows, as well as on the runway. Yay for practical fashion!

Japanese style, vintage lace, fur lined - anything goes! Find your favourite in a local thrift store and get ready for the warmer months - or if you are lucky enough to be in the northern hemisphere right now, start fanning a.s.a.p!

Images: style.com

S/S 2011: Tangerine Dream

Hello tangerine! Welcome back. Oh how I have missed you! Yes, you heard right - tangy tangerine is making a comeback this spring in a BIG way. Tangerine has been spotted on the runway of almost every major designer and has been used for everything from jump-suits, to blazers to bags.

I absolutely love the idea of head to toe tangerine (not sure if I will be brave enough to pull it off though!) in the form of a jumpsuit or a matching blazer and shorts. For those who are a little colour shy, try tangerine accessories, lips or nails to add instant youth and vitality to any outfit.

After so many seasons dominated by neutrals, a touch of tangerine is just what the doctor called for. Yay!

Images: Vogue.com

My top five fashionable sick day finds

Having been home sick for the past few days, I have come to realise one thing - the worse I look, the worse I start to feel! I'll be the first to admit that when sick, trying to look good is probably the last thing on my mind, however in my opinion, anything that is going to make me feel even the teeniest bit better when sick is worthwhile.

With a lack of anything better to do, I've spent all afternoon scouring the web for my five favourite fashionable sick-day finds. I've chosen these items with three things is mind; warmth, comfort and cuteness.

1. Peter Alexander Beanie: It just looks too snugly to resist! Perfect for covering up bad sick-day hair, and keeping your head nice and warm.

2. Peter Alexander Bow Slippers: The cutest little slippers I've seen in awhile! I love the fact that these could almost pass as shoes, however the micro suede inner ensures that your feet will be super comfortable.

3. net-a-porter Harem pants: Harem pants are well known for being comfortable chic. I love the colour of these ones.

4. Topshop knitted shorts: I am absolutely in love with these! They're probably not warm enough to wear during winter sick-days, but perfect for a little added warmth during a spring flu.

5. Topshop knitted cardigan: The classic sick-day cardigan with a fashionable twist - guaranteed to keep you cozy.

Images: www.fashiolista.com and www.peteralexander.com.au

My top five ASOS colour blocking finds

In case you've been living under a rock for the past year, ASOS is one of the worlds biggest and fastest growing online mega-stores. Famous for it's free shipping, ASOS is steadily becoming the worlds biggest (and best!) online fashion store.

I recently visited ASOS in search of some colourful pieces, keeping in mind that colour blocking is one of this seasons hottest trends. Above are my top five finds. Enjoy!

1. ASOS Silk Shift Dress in Colour Block. $127.50

2. ASOS Oversized Blazer. $127.50

3. ASOS Double Belt Pleat Front Shorts. $41.20

4. ASOS Leather Portfolio Clutch. $107.90

5. ASOS Pump It Up Suede Platform Court Shoes. $107.90

Thanks to ASOS for these images.

Inspiration Thursday: Retrospective

In line with the twenty year fashion cycle, retro glam is one of this seasons biggest trends. Look to the past for inspiration and dress accordingly.

Thanks to dirt and diamonds for these images

Monday's Must Have: Wet weather gear

As I write this it's raining... again! (not surprising for a New Zealand winter to be honest). But if you're anything like me, putting on a beautiful outfit only to realise that it's raining outside, and having to cover up with your old, ugly rain coat, sure puts a damper on things (not to mention ditching your amazing new suede shoes for fear of water damage!).

But endless rainy days have never looked so good with this stunning rain coat and matching hat by Ruby, and these cute rubber rain booties by Vivienne Westwood for Melissa. No longer does rain have to mean looking less than fashionable! Hooray! These rain appropriate goodies will have even the most dedicated rain-haters praying for a downpour.

Hat: $99 (Mod Rain Hat)

Coat: $349 (Mod Rain Coat)

Booties: $155 (VW Ankle Boot Bow)

Images: http://www.melissaaustralia.com.au and http://www.rybynz.com

Monday's must have: Evil Twin denim shirt

Shot me down denim shirt by Evil twin

I recently saw this bad-boy in an editorial by Pip Vassett and fell in love with it instantly. I love the fringing across the front of the shirt (I'm a big fan of fringing at the moment), and the vintage-look of the denim. Team this up with some high-waisted shorts (I recommend lonely hearts cute little knitted ones) and you're away.

See more from Aussie brand Evil Twin at their website.

Picture : www.eviltwinthelabel.com

Madame Hawke makes me glad it's winter

These are my favourite looks from the Madame Hawke A/W 2011 collection. This is one of my favourite Madame Hawke collections to date, with it's feminine shapes and soft colour palette it well and truly makes winter worth the cold, painful mornings. Thank goodness for winter fashion!

To see the full collection visit Madame Hawkes website.

Pastel makeup takes over

Much to the delight of most of the fashion world, pastel toned makeup is set to be the key makeup trend for Spring/ Summer 2011. Glimpses of what is to come are already starting to pop up. Bright eyes and matte lips appear to be the icing on the cake for many recent winter editorials, complimenting current season colours and fabrics beautifully.

Reds, pinks, blues, golds and greens are all go for the upcoming season and this is starting to be seen in many high street makeup brands. My favourite so far is Revlon's collection of matte lipstick. Colours in this collection range from soft pinks to bright reds and oranges. No matter what colour you choose from this collection it's basically going to be super amazing and have really, really long lasting wear (hooray!). ($23 from all good Revlon stockists).

Start experimenting with pastel tones now. This pretty palette will brighten up even the most dreary winter day! Start now and by the time spring comes you'll have the look well and truly perfected!

And remember: When in doubt, look to the M.A.C online store. (Your new motto!).

Metallics... My oh My

Chloe Resort 2011

Ruby A/W 2011 'Bianca Dress' in FQ

It's official, metallics are making a comeback! They've been seen popping up all over the runway recently and are scheduled to make a big appearance on the fashion scene over the next few seasons. My favourite metallic beauties so far come from Chloe Resort and Ruby (as pictured above). Start looking around for your own metallic pieces and get ahead of the fashion pack by incorporating them into your winter look.

I like, I like!

Mi Piaci embraces animal print

Mi Piaci's Yule Booties ($270)

Incase you've been living under a rock for the past two seasons, animal print is dominating the fashion scene right now. Everywhere we go an array of feline inspired fashion seems to yell 'buy me, buy me!'.

Although I have been weary of this trend up until now (personally I think it has been too overdone to remain classy), I can't help but LOVE these bad boys; the Yule booties by Mi Piaci. These beautiful booties are part of Mi Piaci's stunning winter collection, and are currently in-store for a mighty fine $270.

The babies have two sisters that you may also love; the Zed ($420) and the Jaimie ($330), both variations of this style. Check out the full collection on Mi Piaci's online store.

Holla!

Moochi loves bread and butter

A few pieces in Moochi's 'Bread and Butter' collection

Hands up if you're sick of the only warm thing in your closet being a super sexy pair of striped long-johns, that seem to be going a bit saggy in the bum! Ahhh, don't be ashamed, we're all in the same boat here. It seems that at times, the winter chill puts even the most dedicated fashion followers into a slightly more... relaxed mode (possibly and understatement ha ha). But winter will never be the same thanks to New Zealand brand, Moochi!

Moochi deserves high praise for their amazing collection of basics called 'Bread and Butter'. The collection includes a range of simple but beautiful tops made of New Zealand Merino that are perfect for the chilly New Zealand winter. The tops come in a long sleeve style and a singlet style, making them a versatile (and warm!) garment that will compliment any outfit . Colours are seasonally trendy, with current 'in' colours such as camels, grays, blacks and stripes all being utilised. Winter warmth no longer means looking heinous! Hooray!

Garments in Moochi's 'Bread and Butter' collection start from $109 and are available in stores or at their online store. While you're there, be sure to also check out the non-merino pieces in this collection, such as their famous viscose Lycra slips and leggings.

Ka Pai Moochi!

make a turban

A cute homemade leather turban

In my last post, I blogged about the latest, greatest accessory on the fashion scene; the turban. One of my suggestions was that you could make your own, as I did. Below are some suggestions of where to find a really good turban 'recipe'.

1. The Moochi Autum 2011 catalogue has a feature that tells you how to make your own turban (this is the 'recipe' I based my turban on).

2. This person has just posted a how-to on facebook, but it's actually a really great method for a making a full turban that covers your entire head.

Link here

3. For the more visual among us, this is a youtube video by Thea Modette on how to create your own turban.

Link here

4. This is by far the easiest method for turban making that I have ever seen. It's a great one if you're not the best at sewing, or if trying to make a more intricate turban is confusing you.

Link here

After making your turban, try decorating it with beads, jewels or sequins. I actually ended up making two turbans and decorated one with faux pearls for night-time wear. It looks amazing and only cost me about $3 to make!

Enjoy!

turban

Prada, Spring 2011

When Prada sent their models stomping down the Spring 2007 runway sporting an array of Norma Desmond-worthy turbans, even Vogue's Sarah Mower admitted to being slightly confused at the emergence of a piece that had not been present in western fashion for almost 100 years. This full-on 1910's revival caught the attention of various designers, and come the Spring 2011 runway, turbans started popping up in the collections of almost every high-profile international designer (Jason Wu, Giorgio Armani, Andrew GN, and Vena Cava - Just to name a few).

International fashion icons Mary-Kate Olsen and Kate Moss have been spotted wearing turbans on more than one occasion, and celebrity stylist Jane Ambrose has even launched her own line of beautifully designed silk turbans. A little closer to home, Moochi's Autum 2011 collection features an amazing velvet turban (in stores for $49.95), and popular fashion website 'nzgirl' has dubbed the turban the hottest hair accessory for the coming months.

At this point, if you're not convinced that the turban is the most amazing thing since Ruby's 'Adventure Booties' then chances are you will never cross over to the turban loving dark-side. The cold, hard truth is that the turban isn't for everybody. In fact it really is reserved for the more fashion-adventurous of us. However, I can tell you one thing; Once you start wearing one you'll never want to take it off. Apart from it being a fashion-forward, on-trend accessory, turbans are also amazing bad-hair-day-fixers. In fact, I'm wearing mine with a white fluffy dressing gown and slippers as a write this (ha ha).

If you're not a fan of the Moochi turban but desperately want one for the coming winter months, I recommend visiting asos.com as they have some seriously amazing turbans right now. Glassons have also included a couple of ski-lodge-appropriate wooly turbans in their A/W 2011 collection that are worth checking out (in-store for $24.95). Another option would be to follow in my footsteps and make your own - it's actually relatively easy to do and very inexpensive (which is never a bad thing!).

Long live the turban!