I talk about aesthetic directions a lot and I think it’s because I’ve never really been able to define mine. After visually gobbling up posts by some of my favourite bloggers Miss Karen, Lady Melbourne and Nubby Twiglet tonight it occurred to me that these fabulous women have something in common - they have an aesthetic direction, they stick to it and they always look fabulous. For some, it’s an era they channel, for others, it’s colour palettes. But whatever aesthetic vision they have, they always keep it at the core of their style.

Nubby Twiglet stays true to her aesthetic in shades of black, white, red and grey.
Pictures from NubbyTwiglet.com

It got me thinking about Michael Kors. In the “reunion” episode of Project Runway Season 4 one of the designers asked Michael Kors why he always dressed the same way (plain black t-shirt and a black blazer). He replied that he’d done all his crazy dressing in his twenties and now he knew that no matter where he went, he knew in this outfit he always looked appropriate and he always looked GOOD.

I generally enjoy wearing whatever I like, provided that it’s basically flattering. However I am constantly aware that some outfits I wear suit my aesthetic more than others

An outfit I wore a few weeks ago (and didn’t photograph for the blog because I was being lazy) really made me self concious. Light-denim jeans, a white-and-blue stripe shirt, navy blazer and tan heels. The outfit itself was very classic and neat. But I felt very aware that the outfit didn’t suit me. It’s no secret that I have a slightly alternative vibe going with my dark hair, red streaks and facial piercing. I felt like an imposter wearing such an ensemble. I felt chic, but like I was wearing clothes from someone elses wardrobe.

Michael Kors wears essentially the same outfit every day.
Picture from Buddy TV.

Now I’m not about to pull a Michael Kors and wear the same outfit every day simply because it’s safe. But it does make me wonder - just because something looks “good”, should I wear it? I’m no style chameleon.

Being a style chameleon is a style aesthetic in and of itself, and some women (and men, how sexist and rude of me) can pull off several different aesthetics with ease. Channeling a 70s godess one day, then rocking something straight out of the 80s the next day, in almost any colour scheme, the lovely Skye from Skylark and Son is a fantastic example of a true style chameleon.

Skye wears many different aesthetics and always pulls them off every time.
Pictures from SkylarkAndSon.Blogspot.com

So how do we define what we can and can’t wear?  SHOULD we define what is “us” and what feels like it’s been raided from someone elses wardrobe? Why can’t I stop myself from getting seduced by the latest trends and then buying things that aren’t “me”? Is it boring to stay true to one aesthetic — or is looking like yourself more important than mixing it up all the time? How do you feel about your own aesthetic?

Tags: Style Inspiration by Alicia
18 Comments »

Bonds Tee - Mink Pink Skirt - Haviana Thongs - Dganit Hen Necklace - Dinosaur Designs & Indigo Bangles - OPI Nail Polish

It REALLY felt like spring today. So much so that I decided I could brave a skirt and no stockings. I prepped myself last night with anticipation by carefully exfoliating my body and then using Neutrogena’s new SunFresh Sunless Tanning Foam on my legs, arms, face and decolletage. Pretty disappointed, as you can tell I’m not the bronzed goddess I expected to be when I woke up!

I applied a second coat on my shins and calves when I got up hoping to increase the strength of the “tan” but it didn’t really do much. Maybe I shouldn’t have expected a deep colour from a product that describes itself as “sheer summer colour”. The effect is more like what you’d get from a gradual tanning cream.

I love the Bonds Tee so much I bought another today in black. I also bought the new issue of Lula and Flaunt.  This is my third issue of Lula (I missed the last one) and my first issue of Flaunt. I am so excited to make a cup of tea later and curl up in bed with them!! I subscribe to Vogue, SHOP and Frankie. I also occasionally buy Yen and Nylon. I wish I could get subscriptions to some of these magazines, except the only way I’ve found that you can is through companies that charge you about $100 just in shipping. It’s not economical. What magazines do you read / subscribe to?

Tags: Style Inspiration, What I Bought Today, What I Wore Today by Alicia
17 Comments »

Thanks again to everyone for their very positive and encouraging feedback regarding my last post. It’s my complete intention to turn it into the country’s foremost source for gorgeous accessories online. I have a lot of hard marketing work to do in order to get the store’s name out there but I’m up for the challenge!

Kenji T-Shirt Dress - Mink Pink Tank - Cotton On Leggings - Dorothy Perkins Flats - Second Hand Belt

Yes I did get my fringe cut yesterday! Today I had nowhere to go but the post office so I layered up some of my favourite “lounging” clothes. Leggings as pants is such a faux-pas but their comfort factor is undeniable. I picked this belt up in Lucerne, Switzerland last year for $10 at a fabulous store that sold a vast array of quirky new and second hand items. They had the most beautiful family of deer figurines that I wanted to buy desperately only they were quite fragile and expensive and I was terrified I’d damage them during travel.

Today it really felt like spring - and not because I spent the better part of the day cleaning the house. The sun was shining, the birds were chirping, the air smelt sweet.

It has been flickering at the back of my mind that my days to come will be spent a lot like today - not housecleaning - but with very little to do outside the house. Maybe an errand here or there, but no real reason to put effort into my outfits. In my “lounge” clothes today I felt comfortable but not particularly stylish.

Images from The Virgin Suicides

It’s time for a channel change. I think this spring I am going to channel a very dreamy, floaty, virgin suicides-esque aesthetic. Something kind of effortless and sweet that I can wear around the house comfortably or out to coffee confidently (or more realistic - the post office). Which I may or may not mix in with some rock’n'roll influences here and there.

What are you channeling for spring?

Tags: Style Inspiration, What I Wore Today by Alicia
7 Comments »

Use code GHOSTS for 10% off. Valid til 16th Sep 08.

Tags: Everything Else, Online Shopping, Style Inspiration by Alicia
11 Comments »

I never seem to have any.

I took my car in for a service and got told I needed $1090 worth of damage fixed. Taking away the “non-essential” work brought it down to $790. Booooooo, Hissssss! Plus, my registration renewal is next month and that’s another $600. There goes any money I was trying to save!

Since we had to be at the service centre at 8.30am I didn’t have time to fuss around picking an outfit. I threw on a remix of my “old reliable” combination and felt good in it.

Cotton On Cardigan - H&M Dress - ASOS Belt - Target Tights - Mimco Flats

Spring is practically here, can you feel it in the air? The sun is desperately trying to shine and warm up the pavements, the air is smelling sweet with the new flowers blooming, and I got away with a very thin cardigan and no jacket. Excellent.

Yesterday I paid a visit to my local op shop and picked up some adorable slips. My favourite was a very pale pink one with white lace detailing. However when I looked at it after I brought it home I noticed a medium sized dark stain on the back near the hem. I’ve tried to get it out with stain remover but it won’t budge. How horrid! I feel so sad about it, it really is such a beautiful slip, one of the nicest in my collection. My mother made a snide remark about the potential origin of the stain which upset me even further. Now I don’t know if I should throw it away or just wash it with anti-bacterial solution and keep it.

Etsy seller Shrinkle has many fabulous slips, unfortunately a little out of my budget. Since I buy mine at local op shops I resent having to pay more than about $5 for one!

When I started buying my slips I bought them to wear as dresses, as was fashionable in the late 1990s. However I soon felt they were inappropriate to wear as dresses and delegated them to my sleepwear drawer. I think I have around 13 although it feels like more, I might be forgetting some. I prefer plain ones although I do own a tie-dye one and wouldn’t rule out getting more tie-dye ones if the colours were really exquisite. But recently I’ve been wondering how I could style them to get wear out of them during the day.

♥ Gala Darling ♥

Here Gala is styling her black slip from Urban Outfitters in a very post-grunge way. I think it looks fantastic on her and I’m sure it’s a look I can pull off aesthetically. I love post-grunge, I’ve always been a bit of a 90’s child at heart. All my favourite bands were at the height of their popularity in the 90’s (Nine Inch Nails, The Smashing Pumpkins, Nirvana, Veruca Salt, etcetc). I kept and still wear my original Doc Martins. Would you wear a slip as a dress? How would you style it?

I am still constantly stressed out by the situation with my business. Some essential equipment I paid for over two weeks ago still hasn’t arrived, and I fear now that it is too late to open on my scheduled launch date of September 9th. At the moment I’m just stuck in this state of limbo where I can’t do anymore work til the equipment arrives, so I have plenty of time to worry about all the things I should be doing and all the time that is wasting. Between this and my dwindling bank account I’m really struggling to stay positive.

I think I need a hot cup of tea and a bikkie to dunk in it!

Tags: Style Inspiration, What I Wore Today by Alicia
11 Comments »

I realised this evening just how many of my favourite blogs weren’t on my blogroll — how rude! — but they’ve all been updated now!

Going through the links I added tonight made me realise how many fantastic blogs I’ve only JUST found that apparently everyone else and their boyfriend and his little brother and his little brother’s pet gecko knew about. So here is a shout out to some of the fantastic blogs which I’ve been stalking that you probably already know and love!

Nubby Twiglet - Constantly recommended by my favourite pink-haired cupcake enthusiast, Gala, why did I never visit Nubby’s blog sooner? I spent about two hours recently obsessively reading over basically every single post she’s made on the website since it opened! A graphic designer based in the US, Nubby posts about art, design and style with an intelligent quirky edge. A must visit.

Lady Melbourne - Actually I’ve been stalking Lady Melbourne’s blog for a fair while now, I’ve even commented once or twice, but my beloved city’s first lady of style needs a mention on this list. Her refined, timeless glamour is wonderful to look at. Now I’m forward to Lady Melbourne TV!

Super Kawaii Mama - Seriously super kawaii, I only just found this blog last week! This Mama knows how to rockfabulous vintage chic and the best hairstyles! Lucky for us she has kindly posted some tutorials so we can look super kawaii too!

That’s Just My Vibe - Alright now I’m cheating. I’ve been stalking Kirsty Lee’s blog for ages! Her vibe is relaxed rock’n'roll which I love. Fun and funky, Kirsty Lee is my new ‘real life style’ muse.

The Snail And The Cyclops - How did I not know about this blog? Effie presents her blog and life as a visual feast of vintage whimsy. I feel like I blinked and woke up in a dreamland. Her style is beautiful and fragile, something that gently stepped out of a Sophia Coppola film and into the real world. A new favourite.

What other fabulous blogs do I not know about? Please make suggestions for some more new (old) loves!

Tags: Style Inspiration by Alicia
8 Comments »

At about 2am last night I found the Nine West Sulliban shoes on the US site on sale!! How ridiculous! So in a fit of obsession I sent some money to my friend in the US via Paypal and told her to buy them for me. I also got her to buy me the Dattilio sandals except in the time it took for her to get my money and email, they sold out of my size. We decided to get the half size bigger because I really love the shoes, so I hope they fit.

Nine West Dattilio Sandals

Altogether for both pairs of shoes, shipping to her house, shipping to MY house, and extraneous fees/currency conversions I expect to pay about $100 for each pair - a lot cheaper than $160 a pair, although technically monsterously more expensive than the $60US/$30US they’re advertised for. Still whatever literally costs less for me is a bargain. And I am absolutely stoked, especially about the Dattilio Sandal because I’ve been after a pair of bright, colourful shoes for months. These really fit the bill in my signiture black/red/grey combo, too! If they’re a bit too big I’ll pop a small innersole in or something.

Of course this is all well and good except for the fact I still have nothing to wear on Saturday. HAH! Meeting a friend for coffee tomorrow I might end up popping into some local stores and seeing if I can find anything last minute.

Tags: Online Shopping, Style Inspiration by Alicia
7 Comments »

It’s my favourite fashionista’s birthday party this weekend and I have NOTHING TO WEAR! I went shopping with my mother today and I decided what I want is some fabulous new shoes to wear with something plain. We walked for hours and I eventually found my shoes. At Nine West.

Nine West Sulliban Gladiator Sandal $159

I have been drooling over them for about a month from outside the shop window, but today I finally tried them on. They were heaven for my eyes! Not the balls of my feet - they were HARD to walk on. And NOT my bank account. At $159 for leather upper and non-leather lining, I just could not justify purchasing them at a time when I am SO outrageously poor.

I just find it appalling that these days it costs around $80 for non-designer synthetic shoes and $150 for leather upper / synthetic lining.  Am I just being cheap? The only store I know of that even stocks leather upper / leather lined shoes anymore for under $150 is Wittner. And I LOVE Wittner… but every single fashionable design in their range comes with a 2.5cm platform! No thanks!!

The darling sales assistant at Nine West was so lovely, and spent ages with me while I fussed over the shoes. I got them put aside and felt super-guilty for knowing I wasn’t going to come back and buy them. I just can’t afford $159 on shoes right now. Let alone synthetic lined shoes. But I will dream about them tonight.

Meanwhile, I still have NOTHING to wear this weekend…

Tags: Everything Else, Style Inspiration by Alicia
3 Comments »

I am not in the fundable situation to afford any of these items. But if I had some cash to burn I would hit up Topshop (with a better understanding of their sizes) and buy the following.

This eggplant coloured tshirt is simple but is a striking colour and cut.

This tshirt has a really interesting “ladder” print, I’m normally not one for printed tees but this one is pretty cool.

I just adore the cut and colour of this loose tshirt. But at $53AU it’s a bit more than I could justify right now.

Love the zipper feature on this tshirt.

A little tophat! Oh how I covet thee. Unfortunately I have a tiny head and as this hat doesn’t come in sizes it’s fair to say it’s simply far too big for me. I’m going to call customer service tomorrow though and double check. Not that I can afford it.

I guess I’m really feeling relaxed, layered glam at the moment. I seem to be wanting lots of loose baggy tees to team with tight jeans and pants. I love window shopping from the comfort of my own bed. Even if it does make me feel a little sad that there’s some seriously cute things available - always when I’m strapped. What are you wanting at the moment?

Tags: Style Inspiration by Alicia
4 Comments »

I’ve been feeling very on-edge and agitated lately. Not stressed; but anxious. About what? Everything, of course! My skin is getting worse even though I am being stricter with my cleansing routine, my hair has been a birdsnest, I had to do something to make myself feel better so I’m currently sitting in bed with red fudge on my streaks to brighten them up. Yes it’s 11.30pm! I guess I just needed to do something spontaneous without doing something drastic.

On top of all of this I’m finding myself increasingly more taken by these fascinating harness type contraptions built-and-styled by the stunning Queen Michelle at Kindgom Of Style. Why is this making me anxious? Because I can’t buy them anywhere and I don’t think I would do a very good job making one. I especially love the simplicity of the one on the left.

Which brings me to the fabulous caged skirts that the fabulous Susie Bubble at Style Bubble has turned me on to. Now I can actually buy one of these, her original custom made skirt was so popular the designer made them part of her inventory! What genius! So why is this making me anxious? Because if I did fork out the $70 to buy one I’m not really convinced I’d wear it very well.

It’s all a little bondage-glam, isn’t it? Between these and the scarily gorgeous S&M inspired heeld we’re seeing this season and the copious amounts of leather designers are throwing at us, it makes me wonder if I was on the right (or very wrong) track with the buckled boots I ended up getting. I can’t decide how I feel about them.

On one hand, I think they’d fit right in with a chest harness and cage skirt. On the other… I feel like they’re a bizarre marriage between a bikerboot and a gumboot. I have ’til Thursday to decide. Just another thing to feel anxious about, I suppose.

Time to wash the dye out!

Tags: Everything Else, Style Inspiration by Alicia
4 Comments »