Fashion : Autumn is On Her Way

Autumn Fashion

Brought to you by Quicksales

Autumn, unfortunately for some, is on its way.

There is no denying the change of leaves from green to auburn, and the wind chill that has slowly crept back after an extreme few weeks of heat we’ve experienced here in Melbourne.

With the change of seasons comes a change in wardrobe, particularly in a city with four very distinct seasons. I’m sure most of you have already begun to retire some of your summer clothes and to pull out your cardies and closed toed shoes, but if you plan on spending some of your hard-earned cash on some key autumn pieces, we’ve put together a great look to give you some inspiration.

Outfit:

1. Jacket -Quicksales

2. Beret -Chiquel

3. Dress -ASOS

4. Boots –The Iconic

5. Bag –Strandbags

Guest Post #12 : His Christmas Wish List - Decided by You

Brought to you by Repertoire Fashion.

As difficult as it might be to admit, Christmas is just around the corner.

Yes, I know I’m being extremely premature offering gift advice when we haven’t even had Halloween yet. But getting the job done early is going to leave you with more time to relax and enjoy the festive season with your girlfriends.

It’s no secret that men are harder to buy for than women. They fail to drop any hints about what they want and they’re frustratingly elusive when it comes to direct questioning. This Christmas, rather than buying DVDs and aftershave in bulk, think outside the box and choose things that he would perhaps not think of buying for himself.

If you ask me, you can’t go wrong with clothes as a gift for your boyfriend. Even if he’s the sort of chap who’s quite assertive when picking his wardrobe, try choosing something he would normally scroll/stroll past when he’s doing his shopping.

Take this classic pink shirt from Ralph Lauren. He might not normally pick it up – simply because it’s pink – but there’s nothing to stop you from adding it to his gift list. He’s sure to love it once he’s got it on and may even be inspired to buy more pink pieces! You can find more designs like this, in the selection of

shirts

at Repertoire Fashion.

The same goes for footwear. Move him away from conventional options, like black or brown leather, with something like these divine olive suede boots by Jeffrey West – available from the fantastic collection of

designer shoes

, also from Repertoire. If he’s got any reservations about wearing green shoes, remind him that he’ll be firmly ahead of the fashion pack. I especially love the contrasting red laces of these gorgeous shoes. I’m even a little jealous that he gets to wear them!

As well as some fashion items, why not encourage your man to take a little time to pamper himself? This is something that a lot of men would never even consider, so it’s a great idea for a Christmas gift. 

Genco is a specialist spa for men. They offer a selection of facials, massages and grooming packages, in a relaxing environment. They also offer traditional barber shaves, something which is increasingly difficult to find these days. It’s a great way for a guy to spend a few hour and makes for a very unique gift. You can visit their website

here

. 

When it comes to stocking fillers, why not create a selection of pampering products he can use at home post-shave? Molton and Brown have a wide selection of gorgeous

gifts for men

, including a fabulous black peppercorn range, which has a distinctly masculine scent. 

So this Christmas, stay away from horrendous novelty gifts and boring DVD box sets. The items we’ve put together might not appear on his Christmas list, but he’s sure to love the surprises you pull out this year. 

Guest Post #11: 5 Key Pieces for Autumn

Brought to you by Jules B

With each change of season comes the inevitable wardrobe overhaul and image revamp. Which designer do you want to channel this season? Will you be a

Marc by Marc Jacobs

pretty-in-prints girl, or perhaps a

Helmut Lang

monochrome mod? Digesting the trends as they storm down the catwalks at various fashion weeks and attempting to construct a new season look for yourself can be overwhelming, so here are the five key investment pieces for your

autumnal wardrobe

.

 1. The Day-to-Night Skirt

Invest in a wardrobe essential with the

Marie Tulip Skirt

from Marc Jacob's diffusion line, Marc by Marc Jacobs. Crafted from a supple, soft silk and featuring a beautiful tulip print, this figure-flattering skirt is the perfect solution to all day-to-night outfit dilemmas. Pair this skirt with thick tights and a cosy jumper for a laid-back luxe daytime style, and instantly update it with a silk shirt and heels to head out for dinner and cocktails.

2. The Autumn Boots

Every girl knows how hard the perfect winter boot is to find, so look no further than iconic international brand Timberland for your autumn needs.

Timberland

boots are superior in durability, practicality and design. Adding a feminine edge to function, the AW13 Timberland collection is unrivaled in terms of style and status. For a perfect addition to your wardrobe, invest in the Stratham Heights Ankle Boots.

3. The New-Hue Jeans

Forget blue jeans and black jeans, AW13 is all about tones of burgundy and hues of burnt reds. Sure to give your wardrobe an instant style update, the

wine skinny jeans

from Marc by Marc Jacobs are fashion forward and seasonally appropriate. Team yours with anything in the grey scale palette for understated chic, or tone with alpine hues of green.

4. The Sheer Shirt

There's nothing unappealing about a sheer silk shirt. The perfect go-to piece for am to pm dressing, a sheer shirt will sit just as well with daytime jeans and flats as it will with leather leggings and stilettoes. The hottest investment piece for this AW13 has to be the

T by Alexander Wang sheer black shirt

.

5. The Leather Leggings

Leather is certainly enjoying a reprise as it adorns catwalks and collections internationally this season. From leather leggings to leather edging on jackets and skirts, leather is the material to covet. Harness this trend with style and ease by investing in a pair of

Joseph Leather Leggings

for AW13. Versatile, supple and supremely chic, the leather legging will become your go-to piece of the season.

Guest Post #10 : Most Fashionable Fragrances for Spring

Most Fashionable Fragrances for Spring
Brought to you by perfumeclearancecentre.com.au.

Winter is nearly over and the warm spring days are set to return. With the start of a new season comes the opening of our spring wardrobes and of course a change on our fragrance choices. We want begin to opt for lighter, fresher fragrances and we move away from our heavy winter scents. So to help you choose the ultimate fragrance for this spring, here is your one stop guide to those signature spring time scents.

The Floral

Spring is all about new life and your perfume doesn’t have to be any different. Choosing a perfume is a very personal experience, but for any lovers of sweet or musky floral scents then look no further than Nina Ricci. Nina is the signature scent released originally by this fabulous designer back in the 60’s, you can grab this beauty at the perfume clearance centre or similar. It has had been re-mastered in a modern way to produce a refreshing and crisp floral fragrance.
Unusually for a floral fragrance, the top notes to this scent are derived from citrus fruits; you will get the hint of lemon and lime straight away. Underneath this lies a mixture of decadent Moonflower, peony and apple, giving the scent depth. All finished off with Cedarwood, musk and Applewood, creating a rich finish offering sunshine to your day.

The Fruity

We all know the designer powerhouses love to display their latest perfume offerings when they release their next season clothing lines, so which is the best this spring – well look no further than Lanvin. The latest fragrance to offer us a delicate fruit experience is Lanvin Me. This is one perfume that will make you smell good enough to eat. The top notes bring about that freshness that we all crave on a warm springs day, offering delicate floral hints against the backdrop of blueberries = yummy. Next you will be hit with liquorice offering some depth to the scent, unfortunately that is all we know until the official release, but blueberry, liquorice and sweet floral’s has us sold.

The Musk

Warm spring nights lead into hot summer’s days and we need a fragrance to match this. Stella McCartney is one of those designers that brings us feminine scents with more masculine ingredients and none more so than her newest offering LILLY. This is a bold fragrance that is perfect for hazy evenings and poolside cocktails. It offers us full bodied warmth and the chance to have a little fun with the masculine/feminine lines of fashion.
You will find the top notes to bring in the sweet floral fun to this scent, blending Lilly of the Valley with Truffle. All of this is wrapped in a blanket of Oak Moss, bringing the heat to the scent, a beautiful combination creating a very sensual smell.

Guest Post #9 : Summer Style

Summer Style

Brought to you by boohoo.com

Where has the summer gone?

Every year I find it crazy how quickly the trends move into the next season when we’re only halfway through the current one.  This year is no exception, summer is still in bloom but the A/W13 season is already upon us! But let’s not get too hasty, there are still some great items and looks out there for the summer season which we shouldn’t let pass us by! I’ve picked a few of my favourite items from the boohoo website to show you lovely people what’s still trending.

Summer Days

I love pastel shades, lighter colours always make me feel summery and a lot cooler! You can never go wrong with your basic denim shorts and crop tops; you can mix and match them with anything. The ripped design on the shorts just adds that extra effect and is a popular timeless feature. Shorts are great for any season; you can always add a pair of tights or leggings underneath for when it starts to get a bit chilly! I’m a firm believer in heels in any outfit, casual or dressy. So when I saw these wedges, I immediately thought comfort and character. These chunky wedges with the loose-knit oversized jumper will emphasise your casual look yet give you the ultimate summer street style.

I had to include this playsuit into the summer mix because I think the colours are gorgeous. It’s really feminine, pretty and you can mix and match it with any of these accessories for the perfect botanical look.

Summer Nights

For the evening, I picked this lace embellished dipped hem dress. I absolutely love the detail and with lace proving to be a prominent pick for the summer, I doubt it will fade out as we move into A/W13. I matched the dress with simple black accessories to help draw out the lace feature - anything too extreme could overshadow the dress and make the outfit too busy.

The great thing about still buying for summer now is that you can always wear the basics next year! Trends come back around so you could always specialise in a little D.I.Y. to update your outfits. I re-worked my old denim shorts and jumpers by adding a few studs and lace and have had people come up to me asking where I had bought them from!

What were your favourite trends this summer? Are there any which could see carrying into the next season?

Guest Post : Stay on trend this Christmas season

This guest post was brought to you by Alice Lawson on behalf of Quiz clothing.

Stay on trend this Christmas season

This the season to be jolly……and do you know what that means ladies? It is time to stock our wardrobes with this season’s most beautiful party dresses and sparkling shoes. Instead of going for all black which is my normal choice of attire, this Christmas I think it is time for a change, gold’s, silver, rich blue and purple are gorgeous Christmas colours and can be worn with all of the latest fashion trends.  I love to stick to trends so I wanted to create this post to show all of you fantastic ladies what there is to offer this Christmas.

Go Peplum

The Peplum style dress has once again made an appearance and its proving to be incredibly popular.

Wearing a peplum party dress is one of the best ways to pull off a bodycon and still look slim. This flattering style covers any issues you may have around the stomach area and is perfect for the Christmas season.   

Fashion spot!

Christmas is really in the air with this gorgeous Blue collection.
My favourite is definitely the gorgeous blue mirrored party dress from the Quiz clothing collection, and it looks like I am not the only one with the love for this dress, as Kylie Jenner has recently been spotted wearing a very similar outfit in a gorgeous pale pink!


Let’s go maxi

For all of you gorgeous girls who don’t like to expose too much flesh, these stunning dresses are the perfect alternative. With clean cut lines and beautiful colours they are suitable for any occasion. Whether you want to sparkle on Christmas day or save your special dresses for New Year’s Eve, you have found a perfect party dress for this season.

I can understand not all of us can afford to fill up your wardrobes with brand new dresses, shoes and the matching bag. So this party season if you are short on money, buy yourself one of these statement dresses and a couple of pairs of shoes, and you can have a different outfit in no time.
By sticking to trends and changing your accessories you create yourself a brand new outfit without spending a fortune.

This Christmas season don’t forget to use your imagination, go bold.
But don’t forget, it’s still ok if you want to wear your little black dress but be sure to team it with a fabulous pair of shoes!