Split Back Sweater

BB Dakota sweater (similar here) | Motel skirt (similar here) | Jessica Buurman sandals | 10 Bells bag | Dogeared necklace | Zara bracelet

The cold weather has finally started to set in and there's just something about pulling on a cosy knit that's deeply comforting. I love sweaters because they can be thrown on with anything from shorts and jeans to skirts and dresses. A good quality knit is always a good idea in winter. Apart from being available in a variety of different colours, I never noticed much variation in them though until I clapped eyes on this amazing split back one. As Fat Amy from Pitch Perfect would say, "Reserved at the front, but...party in the back!" I've paired it with a cute little skirt and sandals for a relaxed transeasonal look. 

Get my look:

                Guess                                         Noisy May                                                Wish                                                 Ladakh    

                       Cloth                                            Angel Biba                                   New Look                                     House of Cannon

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      

Winter Inspiration

Some of my favourite bloggers strutting their stuff...

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

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!

Rostock Photo Diary

Apologies for the delayed upload but I've finally gotten around to posting these pics from my trip away a few weeks ago. Following my week in Madrid, I travelled to a small town in Germany called Rostock for another diving competition. This was the fourth time I've been to Rostock and although there's not much to see and do there, it's a very cute and interesting place. 

Much like the rest of Europe, the architecture was amazing and so different to any building styles in Australia. Pretty much every building has a pointy roof to allow for snow fall, plus each one is a different colour, making even the most boring of structures fascinating. 

My favourite part of Rostock is the city centre where there is a little street that runs right down the middle with shops on either side before opening out into a large square complete with a fountain and surrounded by unusual statues. Amongst the shops, there is no shortage of bakeries, which leads me to Germany's best feature...cake and pastries. I'm not going to lie, a lot of cake was consumed during my week in Rostock along with some of the best sandwiches (think fresh crusty bread rolls jam packed with cheese and vegetables) and some of the best breakfasts too. 

Even in the smallest of cities shopping is always involved. After walking the entirety of the street, there tucked into the back of a small shopping complex was glorious Zara. My friend and I did some serious damage in there (without spending too much money of course). My purchases included an amazing yellow blazer, printed jeans and a grey mini skirt with crossover detailing at the bottom. Zara remains one of my favourite stores because current trends from the runway are made available immediately and at a fraction of the price. Plus the quality is really good, which to me is very important. 

I'm back home now and even though it's nice to be back in my own bed and in the sunshine, I do miss travelling and being out of my daily routine. After not having travelled in almost a year, I forgot how much I enjoy it and hopefully I can head overseas again for another trip soon!