If one was actually attending the nuptials in person, it is likely that you’d already be familiar with some of the more subtle do’s and don’t of such an occasion.  But given that most have had little exposure to truly formal events, I’ve put together this little guide to help you in your quest for an elegant and perfectly royal appearance.

Young, chic and sophisticated; this look pulls together all the rules without coming off fusty and old fashioned. Tone on tone camel with sharp black accents and tailoring, are given a little cheek with a 20′s style cloche and high heeled brogues.

.

First, the rules.  Here we’ll apply the same rules that a guest of the Royal Wedding uses as their guide.

NO sleeveless , strapless or spaghetti strapped dresses on display. If you do choose to wear almost sleeveless, the arms must be at least partially covered by a shrug, jacket or some type of bolero.  Leave the pashmina at home though, this is no ordinary suburban wedding.

NO bare legs. Stockings or tights of some description are a must for a polished appearance.  But if your shoe is a peep toe, please make sure you buy the toeless style specifically designed for such an occasion. Reinforced toes on display are just ugly.

NO above the knee dresses or skirts. The correct length for a day dress at a formal wedding is either right on the middle of the knee or just below. Ankle length is for evening only.

Many of you will be watching the Royal Wedding at cocktail hour, the perfect time to really amp up the swank factor. This ensemble keeps with rich, jewel tones and a soft feathered hat; but anchors the look with the geometric lines of the Louboutin shoes and studded leather cuff.

.

HATS are a must for a formal church wedding of this magnitude. If you choose to wear a hat for your event,  choose a hat that compliments your outfit and ensure you know how to wear it. Not every hat is designed to be just plonked straight on top of the head, in fact most aren’t! It’s all about balance, both in the lines of your outfit and the embellishments. No overdoing the look unless you want to come off like the mad hatter.

.

A simple, but killer two tone option for your Royal Wedding look. A little change of accessories to take you from day to night, or perhaps just for different personalities. One great feature dress paired with a vintage hat and ultra modern matching accessories, show fashion savvy and ingenuity on such a formal day.

.

GLOVES may be seen as a somewhat archaic tradition, but they offer the opportunity for even more accessory shopping, hence why I never say no. Gloves should only be pure white if you are doing your First Communion or Debutant ball.  In the case of the Royal Wedding, your gloves should match your other accessories and be the correct length.  That is, no long gloves for day wear. Instead choose wrist or bracelet length gloves.  If you have a High Tea event on April 29th, these would be the perfect lady-like addition to your outfit.

COLOURS are all important when attending formal weddings. Despite what fashion editors may tell you about what is acceptable at modern weddings (Melbourne is shocking for this), black is not only an inappropriate choice, it is also a cop out. Wearing black or white to the Royal Wedding would be a major social faux pax, so think a little harder and try something else.  Instead of black, look to slate greys or deep blues. Instead of white, look for a chic nude colour or a rich camel.

A formal evening option, this ensemble is pure class. A soft, draped jersey dress in an unexpected olive hue, set off with modern pieces of antiqued gold jewellery and sculptural McQueen heel.  A faux fur shrug, red lip and rouched satin gloves make this look positively regal.

It is all about taking those time tested rules and thinking outside the square.  What may at first appear to be an old fashioned set of guidelines, actually make a wonderful blueprint to work your stylish wonders within. And no, not all of us will have a budget befitting the Royal Couples guest list, you do have one up on them – your very own SKM Royal Wedding Style Guide!

When I tweeted the other day that I was heading into Westfield to experience a personal styling session, a great cry went up of “Oh no, you’re not going to loose your vintage styling are you?” Let me assure you that nothing could be further from the truth, but I was indeed off on an adventure.

As a part of their new Personal Styling services, Westfield invited me to spend the morning with one of their top stylists and experience what they have to offer. And what fun we had!

.

.

When I met up with Jo my stylist, I’ll admit to feeling some trepidation about what awaited me. I knew that the khaki trend and I were not on friendly terms, and the leopard print body suits and I were experiencing some generation gap issues; but I was ready to put myself in her skilled hands and see what resulted.

Our first and most essential port of call was to stop for a much-needed coffee and a bit of a chat about my style.  I knew I wasn’t going to be the easiest client in the world, but that is surely one way to test out someone’s skills. Jo and I talked about my style, key elements that are important to me, my rules for ‘never’ (thigh high hems for instance), pieces that are missing from my wardrobe and trends I’d like to experiment with.  To my mind, the biggest benefit of using a personal stylist like Jo is the knowledge they can send you away with.  Not just a simple, “oh cute top!” but in teaching you about your body type, what works, what doesn’t and why.  And with that aim in mind we set out to find some cute ensembles that fit my personal style brief, but also to show you what didn’t work for me and why.

We started out at Forever New, which is full of leopard print, nudes and super soft knits this season. I always fall in love with their advertising images and the overall look of the store, but falter when I see the hemlines. Still, we decided to see what creative combinations we could come up with. And this was the winning Forever New ensemble.

.

.

I’d found this lovely nude beaded dress with a strong 1920’s vibe, but it was cut a good 6 inches above my knee! It was also far too straight up and down for my figure, so we made a few key additions. Finding another ribbon trimmed skirt, we added that underneath, crinoline style, to give it length and volume. Then we used a wide beaded belt to give the dress more waist definition. Topped of with a cropped and beaded angora cardigan, it all came together to create a look that was more elegant princess than tall slender flapper (which I clearly am not). We liked the look, but knew it wasn’t quite on the money, so the adventure continued.

As we wandered around a few more stores, Jo and I decided we would show you just what it is a stylist does for you.  It isn’t just taking you to a random bunch of stores and finding pretty things, (you can do that yourself), but it is in finding out the science of shape, colour and finish that make pieces work for you; or not.   So I decided to be brave and take some shots of the Sad outfit as well as the Happy outfits and what the difference was.

.

.

I’ve never worn a lace dress (being scared by Madonna in the 80’s), but wanted to try out this one in Cue.  But as you can see, some very small details make very big differences. The pic on the left has the sleeves sitting right on top of the shoulder, not at all flattering for my broad shoulders but the pic on the right has them spread out to make a little cap.  Although the difference is actually about 2cm in reality, the overall effect is very different.

But it wasn’t just the sleeves that made a huge difference; let’s see what happens when we add a belt to define the waist.

.

.

I happen to have a long torso, as Jo quickly picked up seeing me in this dress. And as I love the hourglass shape I want to make sure my waist is always defined, but can you see what a difference is made by where I wore the belt?

.

.

It isn’t just where you wear the belt, it’s the width as well.  This plaid dress came off the rack with the belt on the left.  It does nothing for me and nothing for the dress, but switch it out for a wider version and yes!  (Excuse the dishevelled hair, lots of change room shenanigans here..)

Thinking beyond the way something comes off the hanger opens up a world of possibilities. I really liked this plaid taffeta dress, but look what happened when we undid the zip a bit and pinned the neckline differently.

.

Total win!

But what about colour? Most of us think we know what suits us and often won’t go near other colours. Sometimes we put something on and think it’s all wrong, but is it the shape that’s the problem or the colour?

.

.

Both cute looks, but the punchy colour on the left is infinitely better on me. Jo knew we could make this even better by taking that same winning colour and picking another shape.

.

.

This was my absolute favourite outfit of the day. The colour, the shape, the balance… and all still very much a ‘me’ look.

Having access to your very own personal style fairy godmother at Westfield, is something that you can use if you’re brand new to the fashion game or even if you have a strong personal sense of style. It isn’t about changing what you love to fit in with the crowd, but to find the secrets of unlocking the best versions of the looks you love- just for you.

You can get a taste of what a Westfield stylist can offer you right now with a complimentary 15 minute session in any of the Westfield fashion centres; but that’s just the beginning. Here’s the brilliant news…. You could win a Personal Styling Session with both your Westfield stylist and me! And not only that, but you’ll also win $1000 to spend on your big day out Could it possibly get any better than that?!

All you have to do is tell me Why you need a Westfield Personal Styling Session for your chance to win the lot!

The winner will be the best entry as chosen by me, so make sure you tell me your story.

Entries are open from Tuesday March 29 – Tuesday 12th April. The conest is open anywhere in Australia, but you must be in Melbourne or able to make your own way here to redeem your prze.

Full terms and conditions can be found here.

So don’t waste a second getting stylish and tell me why YOU need a Westfield Style Session now!!

My little junior vintage hatbox

Every week I get emails from readers asking the same questions; how do you pack when you travel? And while the destinations may vary, the principles of successful holiday packing do not. What I’m going to share with you is the thought process behind the how and why of my packing system.  It won’t be an expensive list of things to buy and how to create a carefree Riviera look. But it is a plan that you can apply yourself; whatever your style and wherever your destination.

1. How much space do I need?

Even before I begin to think about what might be needed to wear, I firstly start to build a picture in my mind of just how much luggage I’ll need. Here’s what you need to think about-

What is the airline’s luggage weight limit?

Will I have to carry these bags alone and how many changes of transport will I have to do that for?

Will the luggage be so big and heavy that I’ll need work boots just to drag it around? (Oh so very un-glam)

How much shopping will I be doing? At which destinations and what size of items do I intend to bring back?

Are there different luggage weight allowances on internal domestic flights in the areas I’m visiting?

You may be able to tell from this list that these are tips I’ve learnt over time, sometimes the hard way. And one other hard and fast rule I’ve learnt to apply is this; never bring large carry on. Not only are you not guaranteed a space for this, but it leaves you no wiggle room for that magic luggage expansion that happens on the very last day of your trip.

Keep hand luggage to a minimum both for your own comfort and speed of boarding flights.  Generally my hand luggage consists of those things that are irreplaceable like my vintage hats and jewellery; even then I keep it small so I don’t have to carry too much around airports.

Now that you have a mental picture of the size of luggage you need to bring, you can start thinking about the weather, activities and events you’ll be enjoying at your destination. Here is my secret trick to planning the perfect outfits…. I simply imagine the hollywood film version of myself on holidays. What does movie me wear for dinner on the beach, or when dancing a tango, or simply lazing in the shade with a book? Sure, it’s a romanticised version, but it is a great launch pad for ideas.

2. Write it down

For each possible activity I write down a generic description of what I need to wear. Swimming? Bathers and something to wear over them. Shopping on a hot day? Long cool dresses and good walking shoes.  Once you have this little list down you can start thinking of which items fit the bill.

3. Pick a pallette

Choosing a basic wardrobe colour palette for your trip is the key to making a few pieces go a very long way. It also saves you from needing to pack a large selection of bulky matching shoes. On my last trip I picked a base palette of red, white and blue, allowing myself a bit of green in there too as an accent colour. Here is the overview of my outfits for a two week trip-

This is what my bed looked like as I packed for my two weeks away. I haven’t pictured accessories, underwear or toiletries here so this isn’t the sum total of my suitcase content. But aside from those other small items, this is it. Keep in mind that I was away for two weeks; one at a beach and the other a lively city.  I needed to dress for heat, humidity, walking, lazing, shopping, dinners, conferences and meetings.

In the interest of illustration and helping you piece all this together, I’m going to break it down.

Firstly; scarves, pashminas and sweaters.

.

.

You’ll notice that the colours I’ve selected all work within my defined palette for the trip. I had two pashminas, two little cropped sweaters and one long polka dotted scarf.  These will be your best friends on a summer holiday.  When you are in and out of air conditioning, dining as the evening cools, or simply looking to cover bare skin for modesty; these all do the trick.

The secret is to find pieces that are made in good quality yarns and with a very fine weave. That way they roll up to nothing and you can always carry one in your handbag. The ones I packed are made of angora, cashmere and silk. Breathable, natural and investments that will last you ages if you take care of them.

Let’s break down the rest of the key pieces…

.

.

Far left from top down

Zebra print sheer beach cover up – can be worn over swimwear or over singlet tops. Just belt for shape and add some great jewellery.

Black lightweight cotton skirt – made of cotton voile this works for beach wear, dinner wear and day wear. Separates are your friends.

Bikini - I will only wear this at the pool. Not to the shops, not to dinner, and certainly not to play table tennis in as I saw some girls doing.

Leopard print dress – Again a light weight cotton dress with a shirred waist line, primarily worn poolside. On it’s own it is a bit basic (even in spite of the print), but with a black cinch belt, great shoes and a chunky bangle it becomes far more chic daywear. I wouldn’t wear this one to a more formal evening out as the cotton is too light weight to be fancy enough for my taste.

Center from top down.

Stripped peasant style top – again light weight cotton, but super fitted with a side zip. Cute with long or shorts skirts, heels or flats.

Red faux silk dress – cool, comfortable and will take you from the shops to a night out at dinner. Just change up the height of your heels, add a little cropped cardigan and a flower in your hair.

Gingham halter neck dress – Day or night, gingham works, It doesn’t translate to more formal settings, but a beachside dinner, or wine and tapas at a local cafe; gingham and halters come together to make you feel all Roman Holiday.

Red winged bust top – One of my best friends. Because it is so structured with boning, shirring and a convertible and removable halter strap; these babies will take you anywhere. With a cropped sweater , to make the best feature of your waist line, these can become chic little tops for cocktails when paired with an ankle length skirt.

1940′s reproduction 2 piece swim suit - yes, for swimming; but the top piece can also work as as singlet top for cute casual day wear. To make it look less like swimwear, I like to pin a large fabric flower onto one of the should straps at the neckline.

Far right, from the top down.

Large brimmed red hat (out of shot) – for sun protection, drama and mystery. See also hangover cures.

Navy and White ankle length jersey skirt - bloody brilliant! Whether in stripes or a solid colour, a long jersey skirt will take you easily from a comfortable plane ride to a swanky dinner. It can be worn with almost any style of top (steering away from the cut off versions to avoid any muffin incidents), and looks equally as great with flats as it does with heels.

Blue cotton voile 1950′s reproduction day dress – This one will do secret rendezvous, lunch dates, and with a few rhinestones for good measure; even a formal evening dinner.

Blue winged bust top – read the description of the red winged bust top so I don’t keep gushing about these.

Hawaiian print dress – Happy hour anywhere!

Khaki culottes - They are the skirt that isn’t a skirt, the solution to more active pursuits that can’t be handled in a skirt, and far cooler and more forgiving than jeans. The French know their stuff.

4. How to Accessorize

Picking a small but cohesive selection of accessories is key to getting several different looks from each of your outfits. These make the difference of day to night, formal to casual and are also the way you introduce your own personalised flair to each outfit. Here’s what I took to change up my outfits.

Belts – Simple, inexpensive elastic cinch belts in black, red and blue

Jewellery – For day time I chose chunky beads and a scrimshaw bangle in red or white. For evening I picked clear diamontes. A small necklace, super sparkly earrings and a pair of dress clips that you can wear on tops, shoes, bags or even in your hair.

Flowers – Both fabric corsages and faux flower pieces.  Each one has both a crocodile clip and a brooch clip on the back; that way they can be pinned on hair, bags, shirt, hats, used to keep scarves together.. you name it! A selection of four key colours and you’re good to go.

Shoes – two pairs of wedge heels, one black ballet flats and one pair of flip flops for the pool. That was it! Not having any short skirts in my capsule wardrobe meant that flats and wedges would work for any occasion. I stuck with red, black and one bright floral pair for a bit of fun.

.

All in all, there really isn’t all that much here; but each piece (minus the bikini) must do at least three different outfit combinations, otherwise it just doesn’t make the cut.

5. The Finishing Touches

Just as they do every day at home, the finishing touches to your holiday outfit are what take your look from clueless tourist to chic international traveller. And what are they? Your hair and makeup. Being well groomed at all times on your holidays not only makes you feel better but it will save you money too. Hear me out on this one…

When you find yourself in a new city or even at a fancy resort, you are constantly bombarded with images of good looking people, just as you are at home. It may be the pictures of the gorgeous lady getting a massage at the spa, or it may be the urban dwellers you’re bumping shoulders with over a sale rack.  Nothing will make you reach for your wallet on holidays faster than when you feel inadequate. Yes, it happens to everyone no matter how much above it we’d like to think we are.

When you’ve given your outfits careful consideration as to when and where you’ll be wearing them, you need to pay equal attention to your hair and makeup.  Learn some quick and easy styles that don’t take an hour with the straightener each morning. If you’re going somewhere humid and your hair hates you, be prepared. Pack a small bottle of macadamia oil for emergency smoothing and plan some sleek styles that avoid the issue altogether.

Makeup needs to be simple, straightforward and climate friendly; but even when at the beach I don’t leave my red lipstick at home. I just pick the right formulas. Heavily tinted lip stains, mineral makeup that doesn’t melt and waterproof everything else. ( Come to think of it I really need to write a whole post on ‘beach face’).

.

.

In short, consider the whole package. Does it live up to that ‘movie’ version of the holiday in your head, and will that woman wear what you’ve chosen for her? Is it too much hard work or do you need to simplify?

Once you’ve got the basic strategy down, you can mould it until it is the perfect fit for you. It works for summer or winter, the simple holidays or the fancy.  I’ve written a hell of a lot here, and as I’ve deconstructed what comes naturally to me, I realise that it isn’t about the little details of what I took, but why I packed each piece. And I’m hoping you can see the big picture emerge from all of this.

Of course, this may leave you with even more questions and you’re always welcome to ask away in the comments section. But for now, go forth and know you can really relax when you get to your destination; packing ninja that you are!

]]> http://www.superkawaiimama.com.au/2011/03/03/how-to-plan-your-packing-for-a-perfectly-stylish-vacation/feed/ 12 http://www.superkawaiimama.com.au/2011/02/10/what-to-wear-for-valentines-day-some-romantic-outfit-inspirations/ http://www.superkawaiimama.com.au/2011/02/10/what-to-wear-for-valentines-day-some-romantic-outfit-inspirations/#comments Thu, 10 Feb 2011 01:42:02 +0000 Super Kawaii Mama http://www.superkawaiimama.com.au/?p=6792 Valentines Day is only really just starting to take off as a ‘holiday’ in Australia. For many years it has passed on my calendar with relative silence as Mr SKM and I like to try and do nice things for each other all through the year, without having to have a special day for it. But the project planner in me also loves any excuse for celebration, decorating and getting dressed up.  So with the upcoming Valentines Day in mind, I sat one evening with a glass of Strawberry wine and planned some Valentines Day outfit inspirations for you.  Just dreamy…

Outfit details here.

A bit of sparkle and frou frou never goes astray, and besides dressing in Diamond hues may just be a good way to provide a subliminal message. Sequins, lace and faux fur all come together in this ensemble to create a look that is all together feminine and fun, yet still sophisticated. A long frothy skirt to swish about as you walk and chuncky heeled boots to balance the lightness of the cropped lace jacket and sequined bustier.  Practical Princess style.

.

Outfit details here.

Sleek, sophisticated and drop dead gorgeous. This is the outfit for a woman who wants to take things to the next level. Blush tones and gentle draping hint at a soft romantic nature, while the animal print bag and rose gold jewelled skull ring give a subtle clue to the wild woman inside. This look is less “you complete me” and much more, ” good choice buddy!”

.

Outfit details here.

Here she is, our pretty princess. Gentle, smiling and always in good taste. Velvet bows, soft suede heels and ropes of pink pearls; all brought together with a sharp little blazer, impeccably tailored but not forgetting the importance of pink. She smells of orange blossom and brings a hint of sparkle to the evening with a few key accessories. She is our ingenue, our darling bud, our Disney Princess all grown up.

.

Outfit details here.

Of course, Valentines Day isn’t all big dates and evenings on the town. Sometimes you just want to sit indoors and snuggle up your par amour. A little soft cashmere and lacy bustier, the cute and comfortable. Frothy tiered lacy skirt over cheeky boy shorts and lace stockings, feet shod in velvet ballet flats. A simple jewelled head band to keep the hair from your eyes, and an intricate sparkly ring that makes sure to catch the light each time you reach for the strawberries. She can curl up on the couch in her beloved’s arms, a stylish sleeping beauty.

What are your plans for Valentines Day? Going out, staying in or treating yourself to an indulgent night alone with all your favourite flicks? I’d love to know how you celebrate!

]]> http://www.superkawaiimama.com.au/2011/02/10/what-to-wear-for-valentines-day-some-romantic-outfit-inspirations/feed/ 9 http://www.superkawaiimama.com.au/2010/11/14/daily-outfit-a-short-problem/ http://www.superkawaiimama.com.au/2010/11/14/daily-outfit-a-short-problem/#comments Sun, 14 Nov 2010 08:26:23 +0000 Super Kawaii Mama http://www.superkawaiimama.com.au/?p=6359 It’s Sunday. In fact it my first Sunday off in a very long time, so I’m going casual, cowboy boots and all.

When I first found this dress at Harem, it was the colour and the print that grabbed me. I adore this shade of blue and the deep pink of the roses was a fabulous contrast.  There is only one massive problem with this dress and that is that it is too short for me by far.  I knew it when I was in the dressing room, but somehow convinced myself that it would still be okay. It really isn’t though and without leggings or opaques underneath it is just so many kinds of wrong. Damn it.

What I really need to do is take it with me down to the fabric store and find a solid fabric in a magenta then add about another 10cm to the hem. In the meantime though, I am experimenting in my off time with this shorter length (over opaques only) and my deep plum vintage cowboy boots.  Once I messed around with this outfit enough I felt confident enough to unleash it on the world and headed off to lunch and a spot of window shopping. As an aside I have to add, why is it that every single time I shop at Westfield ( one of our big malls), I’m asked at least twice if I work for Allanah Hill? Is it because I do my hair and I’m not afraid of colour? I wonder….

The other problem with this dress is that the waist sits a good 5cm above my natural waist line, so it reminds me a bit of maternity wear. It may not look like it but it feels like it from the inside and keeps throwing me off my game.  So I’m just not sure. I half love it, half hate it.. so it may end up looking for a new home shortly. The boots however, I am in love with, so they will have to get their own post shortly too.

And while I was shaking it up a bit today, I even threw in a little blue eyeshadow and glitter. I don’t know; either I’m a little bored or a really need a nap!

Outfit Details

Pink Leopard cardigan – Temt

Blue rose print dress – Harem

Black Opaques – Voodoo

Vintage cowboy boots – Retrostar

Earrings & Handbag – Equip

Dog – This is Lola. She is a Papillion cross Shitzu and she is very, very naughty.

Image by The Dirty Story on Flickr

A good T.V series always hangs on not only a good plot but also the dynamism of its characters. We want to live vicariously through their adventures and indiscretions, to love one and hate another.  And just in the way writers build an unforgettable T.V Show, that is how you build a memorable wardrobe.

There is a temptation when creating a look relies on a strongly defined style, (vintage, rockabilly, punk, anything that has a name really) to fall into the trap of creating a ‘one size fit all’ costume for yourself. Yes, it is easy but not only does it not take much imagination, it also doesn’t allow you to showcase your personality, to wear your heart of your actual sleeve.  And this is where you can learn something from those clever script writers.

None of us are one dimensional. Our lives see us playing very different roles depending both on whom we are dealing with at any one time, the mood that we are in or what we do for a living. It is the ‘common ground’ area in these roles that has somehow become the dominate dressing style in most people’s personality. Hence the melange of mediocure business suits, the go to jeans and t shirts; it’s all just a bit too hard.

However, if you take a slight step back and think of each of your roles as having a personality all of their own, how you can begin to dress those characters for their roles, you’ll be one step closer to finding your own unique interpretation of the looks you love.

Maybe your day job sees you sitting behind a desk, making coffees and doing all sorts of admin. Is your secretary self more Maggie Gylenhall in Secretary or is she more of a Joan Holloway? Perhaps even a Peggy Olsen? Having a pre-created template like one of these characters is a great way to break the ice and ease yourself into developing the look that is right for you. For instance, you may start off all Maggie with pussy bow blouses and defined shoulders, but then find that it is the bows in the look that make you particularly happy.  You take this, build on the theme and them before you know it, you’ve created your very own work wear look that is truly your own.

One of the challenges for anyone wanting to dress differently is to do just that. To actually dress DIFFERENTLY. Differently to those within their social circle, within their family and to break the rules. And while this ‘devil may care’ attitude to your sartorial obligations may seem to be quite terrifying at first, your first successful attempt will be the most liberating thing in the world.

This is what makes us artists. To take a brush and paint the night sky the way we see it, just as it is to take a simple dress and put it into the situation we dream it can be.

Take a risk and colour outside the lines.

Yep, that big! This time next week, Melbourne Spring Fashion Week will be getting it’s first dose of serious vintage glamour!  As part of the lunch time series at City Square, I’ve been asked to present a couple of workshops on The Vintage Glamour Look.

It is going to be some fun in the afternoon, that’s for sure. We’ve made this a free event so as many of you as are able to come can – all inclusive! Bring your mother, bring your daughter, bring your friends and even bring your man. There’ll be tips, tricks, models and beautiful clothes. You can find out more about the MSFW lunch series here.  I’ll be presenting as part of the Slumber in the City and Beauty and the Beach theme days, so just click on through to find all the details and see what else is on stage that day.

Remember, I’ll also be appearing as a special guest for Celebrity Stylist Philip Boon at The Stylist Says Workshop on Saturday 4th September. You can book tickets for that one here or you have one more day to leave me a comment on this post to WIN one!

So bring out your vintage best this MSFW and work the week in style!

Of course, because I always seem to be so far ahead of the curve, it isn’t likely you’ll see looks like this in store for a while yet, but when you do, you’ll know where it came from!

This time, for something different, I’m giving you more of a window to my world and adding the music I’m listening to as well! Just click to listen, and as usual, just click each image to see the details of the what and where’s of each outfit.

These Boots Were Made For Dancing

This isn’t your usual nightclub attire, but then it isn’t for your usual nightclub girl. It is for springtime evenings, house parties, kicking up your heels with friends, closing your eyes and jamming in your mind.

I’m currently dancing to Ezra Lee - Mean What I Say – Ezra Lee From his album “Can’t Stop a Freight Train” available on Prestone Records. I highly recommend you check out Ezra’s Myspace and get yourself a copy of this album!!

.

Cocktails at the Saloon Bar

Tell me any eligible eye candy could miss you in this number! Loads of swank, licks of sexy and lots of lucky! Stretch those pins and start smouldering.

Propping up the bar in style to Reconsider Baby – Lowell Fulson.

.

Fancy a Drink Cowboy?

I never thought a cowboy hat and I would ever see eye to eye, but after my photo shoot with Helen McLean I may just be having a little secret love affair. This is how you do Country style with an eye for City Chic. There’s nothing dusty about this!

Tipping my hat to That’s Alright Mama

.

Country Princess

The perfect Day to Night party transition outfit. Just change up the top, swap your flower for a bejewelled bow, crimson lips and you’re good to go. You’ll already know that denim is huge for this season, and while double denim remains on the no go list for me, this is about the only way I’ll work anything close to it into my look. With a beautiful satin and denim bra top with vintage style.  Yes, it could be a little racy, but paired with a sequined cardigan its all lady out the outside but the business underneath!

Kicking back to Jackson – by Johnny Cash & June Carter a personal favourite!

You just never know where you’ll find fashion inspiration that captures you’re mood of the moment, but one thing is for sure; whatever you wear make sure it captures YOUR mood, not just the prevailing trends.  This is where you’ll find the best answers to your wardrobe dilemmas!

A quick street snap of Violet Le Beaux and I on Sneaker Sunday heading out for clay pot lunch. Yum!

.

Before I hit the shops wallet in hand, I decided I needed a plan of attack. I needed a rough idea of the sort of shoe that would work with my vintage-y outfits, the level of quality and support they would need to have, the sort of activities I wanted to do in them and just how much I was prepared to spend.

Firstly, what was I going to be doing in these shoes? Well I figured that I needed something I could walk in for hours on weekend shopping excursions, something I could dance in (I’m told that learning Swing Dancing in heels is not usually the thing and I’m a bit of a freak like that), and something that still looked good while doing all this.  The trick about flat shoes and me is that while they may *feel* comfortable on, they also make me feel like I’m a three foot tall lump. So to pass the psych test, they would have to be pretty special.

I knew that looking in sports stores was out of the question so I decided to look somewhere totally unattainable first. My 1940′s Sear’s footwear catalogue! Yep, totally unachievable because they don’t even make them anymore. But, what this did do was give me a strong mental image of the sort of shoes I wanted, the silhouette, the colours, the support style. It also told me that in order to find anything remotely like this in stores I needed to resort to my previous summer sandal hunting technique and target stores that catered for a much older (read retirement home) market. Here’s where I went…

.

.

I headed to the Kumfs store at Westfield Doncaster.  Kumfs are a New Zealand brand known for their comfort shoes and quality construction. They are also known for not being particularly high trend but more classic, so perfect really.

And here are the those that have won the title of my “sneakers”. The “Bromley” from Kumfs.

These are without a doubt, the most comfortable shoes I’ve ever owned. They have amazing support and cushioning, good width, and a nice lower cut around the ankle which is more flattering on me.  A few of you who saw the photo of Violet and I on the weekend asked for details on the soles and their suitability for dancing.  For me these are perfect. They have no grip to speak of, but also aren’t as slippery as dancing on suede soles. It also means I don’t have to change shoes when I get to a dance as I do hate carrying shoes around.  They didn’t come cheap and from memory were about $240 AUD, but I am told they are currently on sale in store so there may be bargains to be had.  The thing that totally sold me on these though was that Kumfs has a 30 day,money back comfort guarantee! Who does that? Wear them for one month and if you don’t like them, they take them back and refund your money. The shoes also have a 12 month warranty, so spending good money on shoes I know I’ll wear for years to come seems like a very good investment to me.

While I was in store I was also on the hunt for another pair of shoes that could take the place of heels on days out where I have lots of walking to do, but still look good when I’m quite dressed up. And then I found them there too!  I came across these faux skin, wedge heels that have a distinctly 1940′s ‘cockroach stomper’ feel about them.  Once again these have a comfort factor of 100 and still look fantastic with my seamed stockings.

.

Even though I have been wearing these with almost alarming regularity this last month, I don’t have a single outfit photo on file to show them to you in action!  (Must remedy that this week) they are called “Krista” and were also found in store at Westfield Doncaster.  Sadly, I haven’t found either of these models online to link you to, but it might be a case of calling your local store to see if they have them if you’re on the look out.

So there you go. Now each week I can participate in Sneaker Sunday, even if I don’t have a huge variety of ‘sneakers’ to showcase. Check out Violet Le Beaux and Dweam’s blog for more on Sneaker Sunday.

.

.

Last time we looked at how to maintain a sense of glamour whilst tackling heavy cleaning or dirty jobs. Today’s post is all about how to deal with super chilly weather and not come out looking like a crazed Arctic explorer.  I really feel the cold and finding ways to dress well, especially on those mornings it has dropped to a chilly one degree in my bedroom, used to prove a big challenge.  From the responses I received on Twitter as well as comments on the last post and a number of personal emails, it seems that dressing in cold weather is an issue for many of you.

.

Firstly, let me preface this by saying that my experience with cold weather is mostly limited to the type of weather we have here in Australia.  This means that I’ve never lived somewhere that it snows all the time during winter, and although I have spent quite a bit of time  in the snow it was only for recreational purposes where heels and snowboards don’t mix.  So the advice I can give you on this one is really aimed at anyone who finds that their winters get to lows of about zero degrees and not more.  To check out how to look gorgeous in absolutely freezing conditions check out Freelancer’s Fashion blog from Helsinki ( I have quite the love affair with this beautiful woman).

Back to Basics

Keeping warm on the worst of cold days has forced me to remember things I wore as a child that, somewhere along the line as an adult I forgot all about.  Mum would always bundle you into a singlet and thick woolen tights each day before beginning to add the outfit.  As an adult, wearing a singlet was something I’d forgotten about until a few years back, but their rediscovery was an absolute revelation.

• Thermal underwear. It may sound like the reserve of invalids, old ladies and story book hillbillies; but these are about the best things ever invented. When dressing in winter I always begin my layering with whichever style of thermals will work for my outfit. I keep singlet types and long sleeve tops that are made of a super fine knit merino wool that breathes well but traps that layer of warmth as close to your skin as possible.  One of the mistakes people make when layering in winter is to layer up on the outside only. The best way to trap heat is to keep it close to the skin and thermals are the best way to make this happen (well, short of spending the day wrapped in cling film).  You can buy these pieces everywhere – KMart, Harris Scarf, Target etc.. and each singlet top will set you back $9-$20 depending on the composition and whether they are on sale or not.

• Leg wear. Winter doesn’t mean that you have to live in pants, there are other sneaky ways of keeping chill at bay. I love my opaque tights in winter and mixing up an extreme contrasting colour palette is one of the things I love about the season. The trick to getting the best opaques is not to scrimp on these. Buy the best denier (that is closest weave) you can afford.  Not only will it help stop the chill factor, but the higher the denier the less likely you are to put a hole in them.  Brands I like and wear quite often are Voodoo, Jonathan Aston, We Love Colours (online store with amazing range of colours, patterns and plus size hoisery).  Both Voodoo and Jonathan Aston make knitted tights too, so if you need to up the warmth factor, going for a wool blend, close knit, really works.

• And here is a secret that you will most likely only hear on Super Kawaii Mama – what about if you need to wear stockings that are flesh coloured for your outfit? How do you do that without loosing a leg to frost bite?  My secret weapon is compression tights! I buy the kind of flesh coloured support hose that are worn by Air Hostess’s to keep DVT at bay and their legs from aching.  You can get these in a variety of qualities, colours and grades of compression, but the benefit of these is two fold. Firstly, they are lovely and thick but don’t appear so. They cut the wind chill factor significantly and still look good.  But the best part about these is the compression factor – it keeps up the blood flow in your legs keeping you nice and warm,more so than any other style of tights will be able to do.  They aren’t an expensive option either.  The ones I wear for day to day (only a relatively light compression, you can find much stronger) are found at supermarkets and retail for about $7, “Sheer Relief” and from memory come in a variety of shades including black opaques.

• Hats.  This is pretty self explanatory as we’re all taught that 90% of the body’s heat is lost through the head, so wearing a hat is kind of a no-brainer (ha ha)! Once again though, choose a stylish version that will carry you through each day without the need to remove it indoors.  For me, this means a knitted beret – please no beanies unless you are in the snow.  Choosing something simple like a beret is a good, gentle option for those of you that find wearing a more dramatic style of hat attracts too much attention.  They are easy to customise to your outfit or the occasion – adding brooches for fancier days or leaving them plain for stay at home or simple days.  Note- Berets are also a brilliant ‘I haven’t had time to do my hair’ solution to. Pile it all up in there, pitch it at a jaunty angle and you’re good to go.

• Scarves. No doubt we all have the woollen, knitted versions of these; but they don’t always cut it in the glam stakes making us look more like snowmen than ice queens.  A big, good quality, square silk scarf (or even an imitation silk of heavyweight) works just as well but has more versatility. There are infinite ways to tie these for extra glamour factor, but if you find yourself out in the freezing wind they can be tied around your hair and ears for a climate chaser of the more stylish variety.  Wrapping your head in a knitted scarf is more homeless chic that Grace Kelly, hence always having one of these scarves around will save you both from the cold and having to carry a paper cup for change.

• Gloves. Oh Winter, how I love you for you opportunities to over accessorise!  Again, this is an easy one with gloves being available everywhere. And once again it is all about making a stylish choice in the first place.  Having one pair of soft red leather gloves is far better than half a dozen acrylic ones from the $2 shop.  If you like the soft, fluffy feel, be on the look out for felt gloves with feature stitching.  The number of place now also making fingerless gloves and arm warmers have also come to my rescue as sitting stationary, typing for hours on end used to cause my hands to turn blue with cold.  If you find yourself in the same predicament, then arm warmers will be your saviour. There are wrist length frilly ones or simple, over the elbow lengths that can be worn underneath your sleeve for extra stealth warmth.

• Footwear. Boots are the obvious winter choice, but as Miss Lizzy who asked me about the cold in the above comment, can’t wear them, I thought I’d offer you another on of my winter secrets. If you’ve followed all of the previous advice and want a little extra something for the feet, lambswool inner soles are magic!  Most of the versions of these inner soles are actually acrylic (aka Vegan) and can be purchased in supermarkets.  You can cut them down and fit them into just about any shoe or boot, providing you allow for the fact that they will take up about 1/4 of the shoe size point. Eg – if you wear a size 8 shoe, adding these will make them feel more like a 7&1/2 to 7& 3/4.  You can find actual lambswool inserts at specialty fleece stores and they have a better wear factor than the acrylic.  So for about $11, you can feel like you are wearing your fluffy slippers about all day and no-one is the wiser!

And there you have it – my secrets revealed!  I’d like to know how these tips work for those of you suffering from cold this winter and if you have any other brain waves to add, please let us know in the comments section. Remember, if there are tips and tricks you’d like to know to help you overcome the roadblocks in your path to living more glamorously – Write to me and we’ll add it to the list.

Next time  in Secrets to Being Glamorous for Every Occassion- So little time, so much to do.