Tips & Trends: Cool clutches

Currently obsessing over: cute clutches featuring witty slogans, all sorts of embroidery or embellishment, prints of the floral/graphic/leopard nature, or anything that is pink or blue. 

Pouches are the new statement bag and although they may not be big enough to hold all of a girl's most treasured items, you can be sure that they're cool enough to make up for it. I've always been a fan of totes and large handbags that hold almost anything and everything, but lately I've ditched them in favour of my handy crossbody bags and clutches. Smaller bags are way less bulky and are a convenient way to cull any unnecessary items weighing you down (goodbye perfume bottles, excessive makeup and useless stationary items - it won't hurt abandoning you to make a trip to the shops). 

But forgoing size doesn't have to mean compromising the beauty of a good bag. These clutches are some of my favourites and, despite their decreased dimensions, are just as amazingly perfect as those bigger in size. I couldn't choose between colours when it came to the brands I liked, so here they are in their respective sets. I'm torn!

Moschino good girl / bad girl clutch

Star Mela jasmin clutch

Givenchy clutches

Saint Laurent clutches

Kenzo pink and blue clutches

Simone Camille clutches

I'm particularly loving boho clutches at the moment. My favourite is the pink Simone Camille embellished clutch. They're a great way to add some colour and texture into the simplest of outfits. They're all so pretty that I may just have to invest in this trend! 

Wear your clutch to add a pop of colour or match it to another colour in your outfit. Clutches somehow look good with everything, so don't be afraid to clash your printed or coloured clutch with your outfit too! Check out how these bloggers style their amazing boho clutches.

Tips & Trends: Leopard Print Bags

Diane Von Furstenberg | Dolce & Gabbana | Roberto Cavalli | Thalé Blanc

So leopard print bags are probably one of my favourite things at the moment, aside from anything pastel or floral printed. Above are some high end bags I've seen a lot of bloggers and celebs wearing. To be honest though, for how much they set you back financially, I'm not overly impressed. So, I've included some leopard prints bags at much cheaper prices below that I think are way nicer than any designer bags going around right now, plus they won't break the bank. 

As the monochrome trend is bigger than ever at the moment, leopard print bags are a great way to add some subtle colour and print into predominantly black outfits. It will give it the pop of colour it needs, but could also be worn with other colours too such as white, cream, brown and even brighter colours like orange too. 

Forever New | River Island | Foxlane Collective | Bowie

Style inspiration: Check out how these bloggers wear their leopard print bags.

Tips & Trends: How To Nail Stripes

Stripes are literally the easiest thing you could ever wear. They go with almost everything and they will never, ever, ever, ever go out of fashion...EVER. It's not hard to wear stripes. The hardest part is more likely trying to find your size (why does striped clothing always sell out so fast!). So instead of showing you how to wear stripes, here's a little compilation of some of my favourites for some autumn inspiration.

              Lovely Pepa                                Walk In Wonderland                       Peace Love Shea                                 Sincerely Jules

Nasty Gal

The Iconic

Little Striped Dress

Bec & Bridge dress | Siren heels | Forever New clutch (similar here) | Samantha Wills bracelet | Forever New earrings

Move over little black dress, the little striped dress has taken over. One can never own too many stripes and I'm discovering this more and more as my stripe collection expands. Until recently, it only included tees but this cute skater style dress was definitely a much needed addition. Stripes are massive this season and they're a great way to rock the monochrome trend. The best thing about a striped dress is its versatility and the fact that it can be worn day or night. I've worn this dress so many times since I bought it and it's safe to say this is one of my favourite purchases. 

Moral of the story:  1. You can't go wrong with stripes. 
                                 2. Buy a little striped dress and wear it to your heart's content.  

Get my look:

Asos dresses

H&M

Yesterday I got the chance to head to H&M for a spot of shopping. The weather was pretty yucky so I was hoping the queue to get in wouldn't be too long. Luckily it only took about ten minutes of waiting in line before I took my first steps into what seemed like every girl's paradise. 

In my opinion, H&M has so much appeal because of the space they've chosen to set up in. The GPO building is an amazing location but even more appealing is the impeccable visual merchandising inside. This is the first shop I've seen that looks like an interior designer has swept through the building and worked their magic. I could try and explain it, but instead I'll let some of these photos I took do the talking. My favourite thing about the shop (other than the incredibly cheap prices) was the set of mannequins at the front. Taking a photo with them was obligatory as they're the first thing you see when you walk in and the thing you remember most when you walk out. Lighting was also one of the store's key features. Bright lights set the mood and make it much easier to peruse items. The array of mirrors everywhere was another bonus for me as I managed to avoid the massive queue for the change rooms. 

All in all, H&M Melbourne lives up to the hype surrounding it. Despite wanting to go more for the experience and to snap some great pics, I managed to pick up a pair of ankle strap boots for just $50. There's a huge variety of clothes and accessories at prices for every girl and, although I've always been much more of a Topshop and Zara girl, the opening of H&M in Australia has evidently been enough to convert me! 

Free People jacket (old) | Zara top | AG Adriano Goldschmied jeans | Forever New bag

Bare Essentials

Being an athlete, I love workout wear, especially in bright neon colours. I used to shop religiously at Lorna Jane, but over the past year I've gradually converted to my new favourite brand Running Bare. While Lorna Jane still takes the cake for staple tights, Running Bare is the cream of the crop when it comes to crop tops. Something about wearing happy, colourful workout wear makes me so excited to get up and go training!

Check out these amazing crop tops.

Running Bare crop tops

Secret Thrills (@secret__thrills) on Instagram: Just a few of my shenanigans in my favourite Running Bare clothes!

Tips & Trends: Leopard Print Slip-Ons

The leopard print slip-on is possibly one of the biggest AW14 trends going around at the moment. Bloggers and celebrities have been seen ditching their heels in favour of these decidedly more comfortable and practical flats. Leopard print slip-ons make a great addition to a casual/relaxed outfit. They're busy and fun and you can walk in them for days!

So are they a worthwhile wardrobe acquisition? Absolutely! As this trend has snowballed its way across the globe, there's no shortage of them across the country and online of course. It took me less than five minutes to compile a group of my top picks, so the availability of this trend makes it one of the easiest to invest in, not to mention the extensive price range, which means they're also affordable. Yay!

At the moment the 'slide' is probably the most popular type of slip-on. It looks like a pair of loafer style Vans without the laces. Gradually more prints are coming out in this style, such as checkered and zebra prints, while black is also in at the moment too. Leopard print would probably be the easiest print to find though if you don't want to spend too much money because there are so many more options. Check out my pick of the top four 'slides'. 

                                                  Senso                                                                                                    Tony Bianco

                                         Windsor Smith                                                                                             Sam Edelman

But who could forget about trusty espadrilles? They've been around for a few seasons now, but it just goes to show that 'espis' are practically a wardrobe staple. While the 'slide' is all the rage at the moment, a leopard print espadrille will most likely be easier to find and there will probably be many more options at cheaper prices too. I love espadrilles and prefer this style to the 'slide', which I find a little too masculine. Nevertheless, many a fashionista has managed to not only pull off the 'slide' but rock it quite well actually. So no disrespect, however, I will have to take sides here. Anyway, here are some great espadrilles.  

                                     Jeffrey Campbell                                                                                              Steve Madden

                                       Elyse Walker                                                                                                    Steven Lanii

So how does one wear the leopard print slip-on? Take a look at some of my favourite bloggers showcasing their style in these versatile shoes. 

Song Of Style | Tuula | Damsel In Dior | Style Scrapbook      

Tips & Trends: Over the Knee Boots

Over the knee boots are one of the biggest trends this season, especially in suede. They've been seen adorning the feet of fashionistas around the globe and have been prominent on the AW14 runway too. 

                                          Donna Karen                                                                                               Topshop Unique

But are they worth investing in? Over the knee boots are quite expensive in comparison to ankle boots. They were on trend a few years ago and chances are they'll be back again in the future, so the good news is that if you choose to buy a pair you can always pull them out again periodically. 

For now they're not going anywhere though, but finding a pair that won't break the bank is a whole different story. Check out some of my favourites.

                        Gianvito Rossi                                                          Loriblu                                                            Stuart Weitzman

But woah, let's be honest, these won't be in my price range anytime soon!  Despite not having a spare $1,000 lying around, it's definitely not worth spending in excess of $500 on a trend-based item. However, in this case it's probably worth spending a decent amount still on OTK boots to avoid looking somewhat like a lady of the night. 

I love this pair from Siren Shoes ($259.95). The lace up detailing at the back is gorgeous plus they're the perfect heel height. 

Siren Shoes

If I was going to buy a pair, this would be my first pick. But here are some other options.

                River Island ($110.50)                                     Steve Madden ($193.35)                                    Tony Bianco ($349.95)

How to wear...

Pair your OTK boots with items like jeans, a knit jumper, a loose/flared dress, or a pleated/trumpet skirt. You can play around with how you style them, just be sure to avoid anything too tight fitting! 

                  They All Hate Us                                                  Wendy's Lookbook                                                  Song Of Style

Tips & Trends: Plaid Skirts

I've seen a lot of plaid/tartan/checkered prints going around at the moment, mostly in the form of fitted, A-line or skater skirts. I love skirts, especially printed ones, but is this one worth your hard earned cash?

                                      A Pair & A Spare                                                                                                 Song Of Style

I feel like there is always a print of the season. This season happens to be plaid/tartan but remember when brocade/baroque was EVERYWHERE last season? Now, it's nowhere to be seen. These sorts of prints are all the rage at the time but once forgotten, they lose their high rotation status in one's wardrobe. 

If you love this trend and can either find one for a price that suits you or are willing to forgo a little more money for, then go for it. I personally will not be investing in this one though. I'm sure there will be something else that takes my fancy! But here are some options anyway.

                                                  Topshop                                                                                                 Karl Lagerfeld

                                                No. 21                                                                                                 Vivienne Westwood

My advice: If you love printed skirts like me, go for a print that you can continue to re-wear in the future such as a floral or graphic type print. Here are my picks.

By Johnny printed skirts

These are quite pricey though, as are the tartan ones above, but I discovered that Nasty Gal have great printed skirts that are similar and affordable! Here are my picks.

Nasty Gal skirts

Nailing It

Nail polish is something that I always select very carefully. I rarely walk into a nail salon and choose a colour on the spot. More often than not I bring my own from my ever growing nail polish collection at home. 

I've always had a soft spot for nail polish. I don't buy expensive brands normally but as I wandered through a maze of beauty products about a month ago at the airport in Dubai, I stumbled upon an array of lust worthy shades from Dior. I've never seen polish as beautiful as these before and I had to talk myself out of buying them because it would have been impossible to choose just one colour. The whole Dior Vernis range is like a visual cocktail of vibrant sparkle and shine and is currently at the top of my list of products to try. 

These are some of the shades that caught my eye.

'Dior Vernis' Nail Enamel

Tips & Trends: Saving Money This Winter

I've been doing some thinking about my blog lately and I've decided to introduce some more informative and almost instructional type posts. As autumn/winter is fast approaching I thought it would be a good idea to crack some of the dos and don'ts when it comes to new season dressing. I was initially just going to cover everything in one post but as I thought more about it I realised it's actually very important and should be dealt with in much more detail. Hence, I'll be creating posts aimed at answering questions about trends, how to shop and save, which key items to invest in and lots of other things that are worth touching on.

So, first things first, spending saving money this winter:

This is probably the most important advice when it comes to fashion, especially in winter when items tend to be more expensive. This is because the items are made with better fabrics (knits, leather, etc) and you have to buy more of them (layers). The biggest mistake I usually make is impulse buying when I'm at the shops. There's nothing I love more than passing shop windows filled with new season stock, luring me into the store where those captivating 'new arrivals' racks call my name. I love flicking through everything, looking at all the pretty new things on offer, justifying to myself why I need almost every item. Ok maybe not every item, but this is a prime example of how impulse purchasing can occur. 

So what's the best way to save this winter? Online, my friend. Australia is on the other side of the world to almost every other fashion conscious country, so conveniently as their autumn/winter ends ours begins. Now is the best time to jump online and grab a bargain. I normally hit up stores like Asos, Shopbop, Revolve Clothing, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus and Nasty Gal. Or to make things easier for myself and to avoid wasting time searching sites, I  head to Polyvore or Shopstyle Australia. These sites let me search for specific items, locating them online so I can find what I'm looking for and compare prices. 

Here are some of the basic winter items you might buy this season. I've compared the prices found online to what you'd pay in Australia.

                                          Online - overseas                                                                                           Australia

                                   Asos skinny jeans ($63.38)                                                RES Denim skinny jeans via The Iconic ($119.95)

                 London Rebel ankle boots via Asos ($75.26)                                Tony Bianco boots via The Iconic ($189.95)

                         Miss Selfridge biker jacket ($96)                                                                   Bardot biker jacket ($159.95)

                                       Nasty Gal knit ($56.06)                                                  Don't Ask Amanda knit via General Pants ($79.95)

As you can see shopping online can have the potential to save you quite a lot of money. These are just some basic examples but by searching online and comparing prices, it's not too difficult to find some good deals. I hope this helps when it comes to saving some of your hard earned cash. Stay tuned for more tips and trends on the blog!