black + gold

Black is my favourite colour, without question. Adding in some gold accents makes me feel very luxurious and a little bit glam.

country road olena pouch

iPhone 6 plus in gold

laduree macaron keyring

lovisa gold bow bangle

gold knot bangle from ebay

goodies & jolie & deen

Welp, needless to say January has been an exciting/splurge month.

I finally picked up the Bailes candle by Diptyque, and the NARS Pressed Powder in 'Desert' from Mecca Maxima (also how exciting is it that Urban Decay is going to be in Mecca stores in late March I am SO EXCITE).

I have seen every trendy person and their mother with a Diptyque candle and I love the scent of the Bailes candle, so I went and picked up one for myself online from Mecca; I procured my NARS Pressed Powder on my recent trip to Mecca a few weeks ago and I'm really excited to road test it.

I also upgraded my phone to a 6 Plus, and it is glorious in all his bigness.

Lastly, I can across a beautiful boutique called Jolie & Deen. I've seen a handful of bloggers with some of their pieces and after sussing out the store (and spending far too much time being slack jawed at their jewellery collection) I picked myself the Bow Cuff and was so tickled to receive it in the mail. The shipping was super quick and it came packaged in a beautiful box and satin pouch to protect the bangle.

I love the simplicity of the lines and how wearable it is. I love matching it with a clean crisp button shirt, black jeans & flats - very easy to wear. I was happy with the price of the bangle and its postage was very reasonable for the quality of the piece.

Be sure to check them out.

x

holiday wish list

It's that totally joyous time of year again, and as the holiday season fast approaches, I love looking at all my saved wishlist items and pretty much staring at them adoringly for long periods of time (wait, you guys don't do that? Huh... must just be me! Joking, everyone does it.)

This wishlist is a combination of fashion, beauty, and things for the home. My biggest wish on my wishlist is the Rae Morris Magnetic Brush Starter Kit. I saw beauty Youtuber Chloe Morello review a number of the Rae Morris Magnetic brushes and I was just frothing at the mouth (sorry, that's totally gross) over these amazing brushes, and how clever it was to have them be magnetic to display and store them. I have one of Rae Morris's make up books and it helped me so much in learning about make up, and tips & tricks, so I'm keen to at the very least try out her brushes.

What's on your wishlist?

x

the return of the little black bag

Mini Stud Base Tote in Black- Colette Hayman

When it comes to handbags, especially handbags that look similar to really expensive, yet very nice handbags, I am completely powerless. I am slowly going through the ones in my collection and donating the ones I don't use anymore, and selling the ones that would be worth a dollar or more. On my most recent shopping trip with Clarissa, we stalked the bags we are (im)patiently waiting to acquire- and as soon as I saw this bag, I knew I had to have it to tide me over.

This Mini Stud Base Tote by Colette Hayman is very similar to the very desirable Alexander Wang 'Rocky.' I have seen this bag online, and on the street, and it's a divine bag. I wanted to update my little black bag, and decided this was the perfect, cheaper option until the time is right to pounce on the beauty I have been eyeing off for months. This bag is a fraction of the price of a Rocky, however it cannot be compared in quality- I find that you very much get what you pay for when it comes to more 'costume' purchases such as bags, shoes, and jewellery. I'm more than happy to pay minimal when it comes to things like accessories, but will compromise on less things I know I will want a decent use out of.

This piece comes in three colours- black, cobalt blue and tan- and the hardware comes in gold on the black and tan, and silver on the cobalt blue. I am going to road test this bad boy this week and give my thoughts in an updated review this coming weekend. I am excited to pair this with my long black winter coat and cute flats for work, and a leather jacket and boots for the coming weekend.

I'll be posting a outfit look for daily wear to night wear post next week to go with this piece, which I am really excited for.

I can't wait to rock this bag in the concrete jungle.

spotted: delilah dust

There's something so organic and mystical about precious stones and gemstones, and Delilah Dust takes this beauty and recreates it into their range of stunning rings, bracelets and necklaces.

Based in the UK and created in 2011, Delilah Dust fills a gap I myself have felt for a few years; working in the jewellery industry exposed me to up coming trends but in doing so, showed me that there was something missing. I have always loved gemstones and crystals, but haven't really found any jewellery pieces that didn't look trashy or catered to my style. Delilah Dust is just something wonderful, and best of all, very affordable. 

Be sure to check out their website for all their pretty pieces & I'll be impatiently patiently waiting for my treasures to arrive soon.

autumn/winter favourites

Sportsgirl Jeanie tote, Wrap coat,  M.A.C lipstick in 'Diva',  & Earth boots

Dark tones, warm coats and rich burgundies are keeping me cosy this week x

winter boot looks

Chase Dakota Clear Quartz Crystal Bib Necklace, Ashley Gusset Tote- Monument, Decjuba That's My Winter Boot, Gold Crystal Jewel Studs, Jessie Coin Pouch, Wittner Hold Me Boots, Baublebar Engraved Monogram Pendant, Mimco Offbeat Hip Bag, & Channa Cut Out Boot.

As I'm sure you can tell, Winter is coming and I am so excited for it. 

I've picked my three favourite winter boot styles for the coming season, and styled them with accessories. The first look is more modern and cutting, combining silver and grey tones, for a chic look.

The second look is a more dressed up look, matching textured material with crystal studs.

The third look is for a more casual date, with deep browns and rose gold tones to add that little something.

mode

Karen Walker Lightning Bolt Necklace, Kate Spade 2 Park Avenue Sweetheart, Marc Jacobs Henry Skeleton 40MM, Pandora Silver Ring with 14 Carat Gold and 0.01 CT Diamond, & Wittner Star-Kissed flats.  

Summer has come and gone in Sydney, and the rain has begun to fall. Dressing for Australian weather can go from wearing a summer dress and sunnies to rugging up in a warm jacket and scarf- very unpredictable.

I find there is nothing worse than going out for the day and not being dressed for the weather- I love that black and white can be easily transferred to a colder season, and wearing a warm leather jacket and comfy flats make any day great. 

This look is called 'mode', a combination of sport, clean whites and staple blacks.

☁ || current favourites || September/October 2013 || ☁

Here's my try at something happening on a monthly basis! And since it's already on the tail end of October, I figured to do my favourites for both September and October now before it's too late.

Here's my September/October favourites!

1. Black Chain Drape Rope Necklace, Lovisa, $12.99 

2. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Penguin books

3. Story Book Notes, Typo, $16.95

4. Burger iPhone 5 cover, Typo, $9.95

1. Black Chain Drape Rope Necklace, Lovisa, $12.99 

Truth be told I have been eying off this necklace for a while- I'm a former Lovisa worker, I can't help myself. I like the idea of black and gold tones to dress a plain shirt up- whether it's a collared blouse or loose neck top. The chains are super fun to play with and it makes any plain outfit look a bit more formal and dressed up. You can find it here online.

2. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Penguin books

As I've previously stated in my weekly wrap up post, I'm really loving the Sherlock Holmes stories. I'm a huge fan of the BBC Sherlock series, and have decided to actually read the literature. I'm a sucker for a minimalist book design, and anything printed makes my heart flutter. You can find Penguin books in any local book store, or find them online here.

3. Story Book Notes, Typo, $16.95

This was honestly done by my inner cat lady, and my darlings lucycharlotte and Emily-May will certainly appreciate such a purrchase. (I'm so punny.) You can find it here online or in your local Typo store.

4. Burger iPhone 5 cover, Typo, $9.95

I'll be honest- I don't actually ever leave Typo. I live there and use their bags and books as a bed and wrapping paper as a blanket. Seeing this just made me hungry, and seeing people double take at this phone cover is entertaining enough within itself. It's just for iPhone 5, so sorry to those who have a 4, but Typo have an awesome rang of covers which aren't expensive at all. You can find this case and others here online or in your local Typo store.

That's it for this month/last month's favourites! 

Stay fab~ 

♡♡♡♡

| The week that was | 08.10.2013 |

The week that was, was a very busy one! I've had changes in my work roster, attended a birthday party for the first time in a long time, & went from the mountains to the sea, and back again all in a manner of hours!

Here's the weekly wrap up for the week that was:

Can't ever stay away from LUSH for too long! Emily-May was after some more face wash, & myself + the uni bunch went around and soaked in the lovely smells.

Killing time before heading home.

The remains of a Thai Beef Salad that left my mouth on fire but in the way that I love. I loved it, and it seems it loved me- Thai Splendid at Rouse Hill.

Myself and Emily-May before going off to our friend's birthday, Saturday night.

Not gonna lie- considering hiring Emily-May as my personal hair and make up artist. This magic is all her!

Alex and Emily-May at the party under a pile of Black Milk pieces- our friend Bec loves her some Black Milk!

On the train rather early the morning after, on my way to work. Took the train from Richmond to Parramatta and then onto work the whole day.

A snapshot of walking around the stalls in Manly for Manly Jazz music festivals- the whole day was awesome, and a perfect way to end the week.

That's all from me tonight- I promise I'll be posting my hauls this week, I have plenty to post about, including make up and accessories.

Stay tuned! 

| Mid week beauty haul | 06.09.2013 |

Spring is well and truly here, friends! I was walking around campus earlier in the week & it's so nice to see all the flowers blooming finally; my groups of friends and I got to have lunch in the sun before class & it was so great to not be cold.

In light of the new season, I stopped by at the shops to grab a few bits & pieces:

My haul!

Okay so this one isn't strictly beauty related, but I've been wanting a pair of earrings I can just wear every day & not have to worry about changing & that go with my other jewellery. These are Silver Beaten studs from Witchery & this is my first purchase from Witchery, which I feel a little bit excited about. Their accessories & handbags are amazing.

Funny story about this- a few weeks ago when Emily-May and I were doing a photoshoot in Richmond, we were waiting in line to get lunch, & we saw a girl with this water bottle which looks like a mason jar, & we both kinda looked at each other in awe of it. So after some searching I managed to find it at Target & they are the cutest things. This is Emily-May's one, & I got the same one but in purple. 

Okay confession time: I am useless when it comes to taking care of skin that is not on my face. Of course I bathe regularly like a decent human being, but I always tend to neglect some part of my body that needs attention, example, my legs. Because I usually wear long jeans or pants, my legs don't ever see the light of day, which in turn makes them ghostly white & scarily dry. Literally, I put some workout pants on before leaving my house for uni the other day, and these are the basic 3/4 pants, so there was some skin showing from the end of the pants to my socks, & my god I was shocked at how white & dry my skin was.

So I high tailed it to Priceline & got this cream (Rosken Skin Repair Dry Skin Cream) before high tailing it to my train, & managed to put some of this stuff on the small patch of skin blinding the world. Seriously, this stuff is amazing. It is so moisturising, my skin drank it in like it was dying (which might be true considering how scary dry it was!) I would highly recommend this for those of you who have very dry skin. It's great for the face, arms, legs, everywhere.

Words cannot express how glad I am to have acquired some more of this miracle. 

For those of you who don't know, I have a significant amount of acne scarring & pigmentation on my skin from years of mistreatment, & because of this I have a lot of dark spots on my face. Take into account the fact that I have very sensitive and combination skin, finding a dark spot corrector that didn't cause break outs & actually did what it promised was hard. I've been using Clinique for about a year now & even though my skin isn't perfect, it's far more manageable. Clinique's 'Even Better Clinical Dark Spot Corrector' is amazing for lightening my pigmentation and scars, & takes about a month to see results. I use this every day as part of my skin care routine, & even though it is expensive, to me it's definitely worth the money.

On my way out of Priceline I spotted a whole bunch of make up cases & bags on special, & this one struck me first because it is the perfect size for me for my every day make up. As posted in previous blogs, I got a make up case which was much larger, & better suited to travelling, whereas this one forces me to pick only the essentials so my bag isn't weighed down any more than it has to be. I love the simplicity, & the colour.

I love shopping so much- as I'm sure you all can tell. 

Stay tuned! x

| The week that was | 2.09.2013 |

Sorry did I read that right? It's September ALREADY?? I will be finished with university for the year in less than two months hOW-
Anyways, I'm terribly sorry that this weekly wrap up is a day late- I promise it's not going to become a habit, I had two major assignments to hand in today and over the weekend, & it all just got rather busy.
Any who, here is the weekly wrap up!

Spring has officially sprung! There are heaps of flowering jasmine trees in my neighbourhood, and it always smells amazing.

You may recognise a snippet of this pic from earlier posts- this was a behind the scenes shot from a photoshoot I helped out Emily-May with. She has these adorable little potted plants & a veggie patch at her place. It's such a homely place, with cats!

Me running errands over the weekend with Mark- I'm so grateful for his company, and having a bag that happens to fit everything I need!

I caught up with a darling friend of mine, Lucy, over the weekend amidst all the chaos. I've known her for about two years now, & she is just this amazing person. She's the kind of friend who you can talk to all the time, & when you do eventually catch up, it's as if no time has passed at all. She's studying to be a graphic designer, and works at a fashion label already which is totally awesome and fabulous. She's been such a rock to me over the last two years, & I love her so dearly.

I think I sometimes forget how beautiful Sydney is. This is the Queen Victoria Building, and a place I go to a lot as I get my bus home from Manly around here. The city is always bustling with people and cars and traffic, but for some reason when I see this picture, I remember feeling peaceful when I took it. Mark was nearby, he's the peace in the chaos.

In the midst of this week I also managed to take some photos for yellow magazine- the accompanying article is a commentary on the changing trends of fashion, & how accessories have maintained a level of demand despite such trends. Below are some snaps from the shoot- shoes and necklaces are featured:

I hope this longer post has made up for my lateness! I have a whole bunch of hauls to go up this week- this week isn't nearly as hectic, so I'll have some more time to blog!

Stay tuned! x

| 24.07.2013 | Jewellery, bag & succulents.

Here I am, at my final week of a two month university holiday- it's actually gone by so quickly, and spending the majority of my week in Manly with Mark has been a big learning experience; living with someone else is a mixed bag, but it's brought us closer as best friends and as a couple. We have already started looking at properties in the area, and are planning for the next few months ahead.

Below is a snapshot of my jewellery purchases over the last few weeks. I liked how all these pieces fit together in their styles- it might just be because Spring is on it's way, but the pretty colours & delicate chains are my favourite for the coming season.

Cobalt Semi Precious Lapis Gold Necklace- Lovisa

The photo really doesn't do the Lapis patter justice at all! I've always liked the semi precious stone look- amethyst, rose quartz, opal- all favourites of mine. This pendant is loose inside the U-bend frame and hanging off a medium length chain. I would style this gorgeous colour with a white blouse and leather pants with gold accessories.

Cobalt Semi Precious Lapis Gold Faceted Pendant- Lovisa

This photo was taken quite close up, so it does look large but in reality it's about the size of a five cent piece. It's on a long fine gold chain and is a cute necklace to match with the above pendant.

Cobalt Semi Precious Lapis Gold Ring- Lovisa

This is more of a statement ring, it is quite large but again with the colour- this one has gold marble through it and blue and gold in my opinion are a winning combination. I really like the oblong shape of it too, very different.

Turquoise Double Arrow Pendant- Lovisa

I totally blame the Catching Fire trailer for these arrow related purchases! The mint colour is a favourite of mine, and reminds me of something you'd wear with a paisley print. 

Turquoise Aztec Arrow Gold Pendant- Lovisa

This reminded me of something you'd find on a totem pole & something military related- all of which makes me happy.

Gold Linked Knot Pendant- Lovisa

I love this because it made me think of something my grandmother would wear- it's elegant and on a very long chain and looks great with a simple outfit. Black, white and gold are always a winning combination.

Luxe Links Pink Rosette Chain Bracelet

I've had my eye on this for a while & finally caved- I love the layered up look with a statement watch, and this bracelet is just enough to style it. And the little roses are cute and ready made for Spring.

Indie Tote in Black- Sportsgirl

I met up with a friend of mine a few weeks ago and she had this bag with her & it's such a good sized staple piece. It's beyond spacious and fits everything I would need every day. 

And lastly, I saw this very pretty sight when I was walking to work. This is half the reason I love being in Manly- the locals love their succulents!

Long post today, hope you're having an awesome day, and don't forget to appreciate the beautiful things around you. Take heaps of pretty pictures & keep them forever.

Stay tuned. x

| 21.07.2013 |

Short post tonight- I'm still quite sniffily and worked all day today, so making it short and sweet.

Chanel style White Quilted Black Tipped Ballet Flats- Kmart.

I love ballet flats- in any shape or form- so it made sense I got some that looked similar to the Chanel ones. ^_^

Folk Pattern Scarf- Kmart

Got this for Mum and I to share- we have a huge appreciation for scarves, and the rose print on this scarf is very cute.

It's my last week at Lovisa! I go back to university in the next two weeks and it's gonna be a very busy one!

Stay tuned. x