Archive of ‘Fashion’ category

How to update your wardrobe when losing weight Part 2

/ Fashion, Style tips / 42 Comments

When you’re a mum, chucking on a dress is so easy. It’s the one outfit where the only thing that needs to be thought about is the accessories and shoes. For me, I’m still breastfeeding so I needed to find a dress where the neckline was easy to pull down for booby access. This Spicy Sugar Kaftan Dress was the answer. It has a belt that can cinch in the waist or at the hips which will look even better when I lose those extra post baby kilos.

A Kaftan Dress that allows me to breastfeed.

A Kaftan Dress that allows me to breastfeed.

Key Piece Two : Kaftan dress

I bought this cobalt blue Kaftan dress from my local Boutique and I know that I’m going to get a lot of wear out if it even when my tummy and hips start to shrink because Kaftans are meant to be flowy and a belt can do wonders for your silhouette.

BlueKaftanDress2

Living in Queensland and going to the beach for our annual holiday also means that this dress will come in handy as a summer beach cover up and because I’m fair, I love that it covers my back and shoulders… although I will need to be careful where the open sleeves bare my white arms.

I have worn this dress twice when having guests over because it is one those versatile dresses that can be dressed up or down. In this picture I’m wearing my Emily Green Bead necklace and matching turquoise earrings as well as my Coral Pink Flat Sandals bought last season from London Rebel.

If you are keen to add a Kaftan dress to your summer wardrobe, why not check out these styles online? Number 3 & 4 are the same Spicy Sugar design as the one I am wearing. I wear a size 14 and I am hovering between a 14 and 16 at the moment.

KaftanDresses

1. The Iconic Tigerlily Laharia Mu Mu Dress

2. The Iconic Ouch Tribal Kaftan Dress * Tip: So that this dress doesn’t look so billowy, wear a belt at the empire line to give the dress extra definition

3. Freez Spicy Sugar Kaftan Dress

4. Freez Spicy Sugar Kaftan Dress Yellow Paisley

Are you willing to try the Kaftan Dress?

Does God Care about what we WEAR?

/ Fashion / 13 Comments

Does God care about what we wear? It’s a question that I am currently writing a study and book about because I think we sometimes get caught up in the fashion hype and forget what really matters when it comes to personal style and image.

Brought up as a Christian, my mum taught me from an early age to wear a dress for church on Sunday morning. Jeans were a NO-NO. Ironically to this day I still can’t wear a pair of jeans to church in the morning and I feel out of place when I wear a pair of pants rather than a nice dress or skirt. I am also instilling this fashion etiquette to my 19 month old daughter even though she goes to creche!

But am I too ‘old fashioned and stuck in religious etiquette’ or should I not care about what I wear because ultimately God judges the heart?

You will have to stay tuned as I research this interesting topic. My dream and goal is to develop a study for women about cherishing their body and treating it as a temple of God. I am amazed at what God has already revealed to me as I have enquired Him about this. Would love to hear your thoughts and suggestions on this topic.

What is Style?

/ Fashion / 16 Comments

What is style? How do you discover your style? This is a hard question to answer if you have never thought about what look you want to portray when you get dressed. And it’s not always about what you put on your body that tells a story, it’s the way you wear your hair, apply your make-up and accessorize.

 

Sometimes what I like doesn’t always suit me. For example I wish I could wear kaftans but unfortunately they make me look huge! Short shorts are also a no no for me but it’s a look I’ve always wished I could wear.

 

But there are many styles that do suit me and I’m not scared to try a trend. When experimenting, be bold and wear it with confidence. I don’t always follow trends either. You can waste money on trends that are here for a season and gone the next and as a stylist it’s important to look your best and ensure that the clothes you wear are Tran seasonal and will last a number of years.

 

This is why I always encourage clients to change their accessories because they are a cheap and easy way to follow a trend and they can be easily stored away until the next time they are back ‘in’ fashion.

 

I am always inspired by looks from past era’s and sometimes I wish I was born then because the dresses in the 1940’s, 50’s and early 60’s would have suited me to a tee! But rather than wishing I go back in time and wearing these beautiful figure flattering dresses, I just need to start wearing them now and inspire others with my style.

 

My grandma has been wearing these lovely cream Chrysanthemum earrings which are so sweet and they are the type of earring that can be worn with the most simplest of outfits but make it look stylish. Instead of hunting the shops to find a pair, I made some. I have listed them on my facebook page and will sell them in my shop on madeit.com.au. Inspiration can come from young and old! (If you want to purchase a pair, check out my store http://www.madeit.com.au/storecatalog.asp?userid=59226)

 

 

When discovering your style, look in magazines, books, shops and next time you’re at your mall – people gaze! Some people have the most amazing outfits that can inspire you. Don’t just follow the trends, wear what suits you and what you love.

 

 

New Year Sales and Autumn/Winter 2012 Trends

/ Fashion / 20 Comments

January sales are the perfect time to buy clothes, accessories and shoes at a reduced price. I always love this time of year because of the bargains, but unfortunately it can also be draining on the credit card if you don’t have a plan of attack on what you need for your wardrobe.

If you are a budget fashionista like myself you would have already looked at what your wardrobe lacks and made a list of things that you need. You would also have made a list of items you will need for the coming Autumn. Winter 2012 trends are also another hot topic. The question is how can you buy for Autumn/Winter 2012 when you don’t know what the season trends will be for that season? Well I’m about to tell you!

My list included a black dress for all occasions, new t-shirt bras, black footless tights, pair of jeans and some smart casual tops both short-sleeve and ¾ sleeve to wear with jeans and cargos – easy casual wear for a mum running after a toddler.

As most mums know, gone are the days you could stand in your wardrobe and um and ah over what to wear. When the sun breaks, the day has started with little mouths to feed and you don’t have the luxury of ‘creating’ a cute outfit and trying on 3 different pants to get the right ‘look’. My outfits need to be comfortable, but fashionable, but not too trendy that I will cry if I get mashed banana or stamp ink on them.

I headed to Target where there was HEAPS of items reduced. This was where I found my gorgeous black sheer chiffon overlay dress with a necktie and brown belt. It was a steal at $30 (reduced from $59) and it’s a dress that I can dress up or down depending on the occasion. My t-shirt bras came from David Jones and were Simone Perele brand. They were originally $99.95, reduced to $29.95. When it comes to bras, you really need to get fitted for the right size and quality is of the upmost importance as you wear them everyday. David Jones and Myer have a free measuring service and their sales are always worth having a look at.

For my jeans, I can’t talk enough about the Katies Ultimate Denim range, especially if you have been pregnant. For me, after I had my daughter, I started in a size 16 and I have slowly gone down each size to a size 10. For $49.95 these jeans are a MUST HAVE for all women. They really do cinch in your tummy and butt to make you a size smaller than you really are.

My final shop was at Witchery and I can’t buy enough from this shop. To be quite honest I RARELY buy full price here because I often think the prices are hefty for what you get BUT when they have sales, they are worth popping in and browsing the racks.

At present Witchery have a promotion that if you buy two items you get the third free even on sale items. So here I bought a stunning ¾ sleeve animal print dress, a batik print tunic, a batik print tee, footless black tights and 2 ¾ sleeve t-shirts for Autumn.

Being a stylist and knowing my shape and colours means I  don’t have to fully apply trends for Autumn/Winter 2012 because when I wear what suits me, I will always look on trend anyway. BUT if you are quite fanatic about trends, here are the predictions from the runway for Autumn/Winter 2012 –

  • Tailored wool coats with a feminine detail  –  For inspiration look at the Duchess of Cambrige aka Catherine Middleton. Burberry has some gorgeous designs but for budget fashionista’s like myself, wait for the department stores to bring in their 2012 range.
  • Colours in the shades of moss green, deep grape and mauve as well as blue based greys and cherry pinks and reds. ‘Burnt’ colours will also have a look in so look at your burnt orange, mustard, red based browns and charcoal and black.
  • 70’s bohemian and and sophisticated glamour from 2011 will also impact 2012.
  • Wide leg pants, bell bottom and bootleg are the pants to wear for the season. In most cases, opt for the bootleg as the wide leg and bell bottom will overwhelm most body shapes unless you are tall and athletic
  • Patchwork jumpers/jackets and pants – try this trend sparingly!
  • Sheer blouses and maxi dresses (hint, my black dress from Target is perfect for this trend layered with a tailored wool coat)
  • Dare I say it winter jump suits
  • Knee high boots and ankle boots

Maternity Fashion – How to dress that BUMP!

/ Fashion, News, Style tips / 26 Comments

Being pregnant has opened my eyes to the lack of fashionable maternity wear that is easily accessible. I have found especially in Brisbane that majority of the good quality boutique maternity stores are on the North side AND your major shopping centres don’t even have one single maternity store. While there are some great boutiques around and fabulous online stores, some of the items are quite basic and can often hint on ‘mumsy’. Maternity fashion has however come along way as I often hear comments from my mother’s friends that back in the day when they were pregnant all they could wear were tent dresses that ‘hung’ over the bump.

While we are blessed to have some fabulous maternity designers, which the majority of our boutique maternity stores supply, the prices can really break the bank – especially if it is your first pregnancy and you have a nursery and baby gear to think about purchasing. I can say that I have spent approximately $2000 on a maternity wardrobe including new underwear, bras and size 10 shoes due to swelling in my feet.

Who said pregnancy was all about the glow – and looking and feeling fabulous?? At the moment at 33 weeks pregnant I’m the size of a tank and I have a depreciating bank balance as each month it feels like there is something I need to purchase as I no longer fit into the maternity clothes I purchased at 12 weeks.

So what can you do to prepare your wardrobe for pregnancy? Here is what I have learned and found to be great investments so you can learn from a fashionista like me and keep your bank account intact! This article will be written in two stages. Stage one – every day maternity wear and Stage two jeans, sleepwear & intimates and shoes!

Firstly, be prepared to purchase items as you go along your pregnancy because if it’s your first, like mine is, you have no idea how far or where your body will expand . Secondly, maternity fashion is the way to go – not always the case for some girls as they can wear the next size up and still shop at their normal clothing stores. I, however, needed maternity clothes as I found them more comfortable and accommodating for my growing bump.

Glow Mama at The Grange and Mama’s Home at Windsor are fabulous boutiques for fashionable up to the minute maternity ware. While the items are pricey, they stock most of your fashionable brands like Soon, Ripe Maternity and Szabo. Szabo and Ripe would have to be my picks as I have lived in my Szabo Cargo pants in black and khaki and my Ripe maternity tights have been a godsend for the cooler months.

For basics like ¾ and long sleeve t-shirts that are rouched to the side to accommodate your belly, Kmart and Big W have a great range and fab prices too. Don’t cross them off your list of shops to visit as the great thing with basics is that you can dress them up with vests, scarves and accessories like layered necklaces that are in right now.

If you want to avoid the designer price tag but still want to invest in some designer maternity wear, I can’t recommend enough the online store Bump Baby and Beyond. I spent approximately $150 at this store online and got five items – three Ripe long sleeve shirts and two Ripe maternity dresses. Unbelievable prices and fabulous service as I got my order within three days of ordering. My picks from this website are the Ripe Potion Maternity top in Grape or Charcoal RRP $79.95 down to $29.95. These tops are perfect colours for winter 2010 AND have the shoulder detailing that is in fashion right NOW. The Ripe Fantasy Maternity dress also at $29.95 is a great investment for winter worn with black tights, boots and a trench coat.

If you find that you are having issues in putting pregnancy outfits together, give me a call as I would love to help you. Shopping for maternity clothes can be fun, but it also can be draining as you work out what you are going to need to tide you through your pregnancy. There is nothing worse than getting out of bed and not having anything to wear because you don’t fit into anything OR you haven’t purchased enough clothes to put outfits together to last you a week or two weeks at a time.

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