resolutions

Haven't blogged since April, not very impressed with myself. In fact, am only sitting here now because I think my level of exhaustion is now having strange effects on my mind. I am working at a cafe as well as the restaurant now, so time off is usually spent sleeping and eating. Definitely not cleaning. I got out of working at the cafe today, and as I awoke from my midday nap, I was confronted with the very common sight of half drunk Coke bottle littering my room. I moved out of home in August, and I figured a few of my less desirable habits would stay in Oatley, especially since my room mate wrote the book on cleanliness. Apparently not. I also thought that since I would be paying quite a lot of rent a week, I would cut back on my shopping. Again, hasn't happened. I justify my purchases by saying that my room mate's closet is bigger than mine and hers is a lot more full, but really, nothing will make me cut back very much. This caused me to have a little Carrie Bradshaw moment. I couldn't help but wonder, are there some things about me (and all of us) that will never change. I don't make resolutions every year, I make them every week. Eat more fruit, stop saying everything I think of the second it comes into my head, see my long lost friends more. I don't believe that our personalities are bestowed upon us at birth and we are stuck with them. Telling people they can accept the way you act and think or get lost is one way of being comfortable with yourself. As is taking note of the way people react to you and making some adjustments if you need to. However, some things don't budge. I am lucky enough to still have all my teeth after the amount of Coke I have consumed, and it would take me a lone time to wear everything in my wardrobe. I am more than aware that these quirks are big burdens on my health and finances, but the thrill they give me is a part of life that everyone enjoys through their unique habits that no new year could make you even consider giving up.

What a lovely week it has been! If you have been following this bog for a while, you might remember my earlier post about my AMAZING pair of Givenchy heels that I picked up in New York. The photo I included in that post is of Christine Centenera (a fashion editor for Harper's Bazaar!), who came into my work this week, WEARING THOSE HEELS! So of course I told her that I got them in New York and sent the photo of her wearing them to my friend, which she thought was funny. I also asked her how she wears them, because I have only worn mine once and nearly died from pain. But if I own the same rrp$2000 pair of designer heels as a fashion editor for Harper's Bazaar, I WILL DAMN WELL TRY AGAIN. So stay tuned for my second attempt.
I am all about dressing for comfort lately. Loose t-shirts, comfy (yet fabulous) cargo/military pants, and only the occasional pair of heels. Tapered jersey pants are the latest craze. I have just spent 20 minutes going through the list of blogs in my bookmarks, trying to find the amazing photos of girls in, what we used to refer to as "trackys", but I can't find anything. So here are some quick snaps I took this afternoon...





These are some witchery "yoga" pants, which I threw on with a country road singlet, my mike and chris leather jacket that I love, and my zu platform booties. An outfit I would never have considered a year ago, but I love it! I am swapping the platforms for converse and the leather jacket for a DKNY denim motorcycle jacket because I have to run to work!

Lots of Love!

why you should never throw out shoes you can't walk in and always keep a guy's number you, even if you never expect to hear from him again

This has been the most bizarre week. The catch phrase among my group of girlfriends who have been greeted each day with a new dramatic development is, "when it rains, it pours". However, apart from the fact that I have had some form on contact with just about every person I have had, or wanted to have romantic involvement with, in the last 6 days alone, nothing has actually happened. I haven't so much as kissed anyone. Not that kissing someone is an everyday experience for me, but it seemed much more likely given the amount of traffic my inbox has been receiving.
People, mostly bartenders, say that bartenders make the best psychologists. Well the bartender at the restaurant where I work is mine. According to his infinite wisdom, I am apparently being tested. Whether it be having a drink with someone and really enjoying myself, only to be struck down by a wicked case of acid reflux or be finally having a conversation with a guy I have had my eye on only to have him ask about my gorgeous blonde friend. I am not exactly sure what all these tests are supposed to be telling me, but as my friend said "SOMETHING NEEDS TO HAPPEN, ACTUALLY HAPPEN". As soon as it does, I will let you know. Until then, I must be nearly running out of random people to bump into at train stations. Seriously.
Moving on.
My style has been all about the relaxed, rock chick vibe lately. Almost every day I am throwing on some combination of ripped jeans, loose t-shirts, leather jackets, ankle boots, and layered jewelry. I am getting a lot of inspiration from this girl:
http://karen-wheredidugetthat.blogspot.com/
Her name is Karen, she is a Londoner living in New York and her blog makes me happy. She also deserves a medal for being able to walk around in the platforms that she does. Seriously, New York streets are tricky. Just this morning I purchased the Jeffrey Campbell platform wedges that she is wearing in her latest post. Their quite daunting height got me thinking about a pair of wedges that have been sitting in the bottom of my wardrobe for ages. Cue long-winded story...
3 years ago I got my first credit card. Wanting its first shopping experience to be memorable, I took it to Chadstone Shopping Centre in Melbourne for the boxing day sales. Quite simply, that is a day I will never forget. One of my most memorable purchases was a pair of Michael Kors wedges. Trying them on amongst the hustle and bustle of David Jones, they seemed quite comfortable. However, in the two times I have ever worn them since, I have fallen over quite horrifically and actually broken them and had to have them glued back together.
Clearly, platforms need practice. So seeing as the average platform of the shoes in my wardrobe has steadily increased since those incidents, I thought I might take those beloved beauties for a spin up to my local shops. My what a difference a year or so makes. Not only was I ready, steady and going, they could possibly be my most comfortable shoes.
Stay tuned for photos of all the different outfits I come up with to wear with the shoes, because I may never take them off.

Love!

in a heartbeat

For someone who is currently seriously single, romance has definitely been on my mind lately. As my moods tend to, it first popped-up in my wardrobe. As my closet has become decidedly mono-toned (I know grey is my favourite colour and it goes with everything, but it had started to become the only colour I looked at while shopping), I changed tact, and took cues from the fabulous floral trend happening at the moment and injected a shock of colour into my closet. At the moment, its all about prints, worn all and once, and the more flowy and feminine the better. I started off by ordering a pair of tiny floral shorts online that I had seen in Grazia...

It turns out that they are actually by lingere designer DimitySo. However, I managed to keep myself fairly modest by pairing them with a vintage mint green polka dot shirt, matt gold belt and sandals. Like Maria, I felt "oh so pretty" and I didn't even need a boy would would fight a gang for me. This turned into a bit of an obsessive hunt the next time I went shopping. I ended up with a mint green singlet top with lace detail (more of that lingere/romance look), a light pink and purple high wasted skirt, and a one shouldered brightly printed silk top. The wardrobe is not so mono-toned now!



None of this is to say that I am dressing head to toe in color and girly prettiness every day. Fashion is about options and about expression. As an emotional person who has a natural inclination to express these feelings, fashion is my therapy. No, not just retail therapy. For me, choosing what I wear every day means having to give actual consideration to how I am feeling. Being able to channel this into what I put on my body is somewhat cleansing, because it means that I am wearing it on the outside, instead of carrying it in my head all day.

Clothes can change the way you are feeling too. Again, something my Dad would consider totally unbelievable. However, I know that when he first put on his pilot's uniform, it gave him a sense of power. These days, I think he considers it more of a straight jacket. He wears a shirt and polished shoes when he wants to feel well presented and shorts/jeans and a t-shirt when he wants to feel relaxed and comfortable. And this is a man who is very reserved and has no interest in fashion, and yet his choice of clothing says so much about him.

We are given 5 senses with which to perceive the world. In the initial stages of meeting another person, it is considered socially inappropriate to taste or excessively touch them. It is considered socially appropriate to maintain a reasonable level of personal hygiene, therefore their smell may not tell you much. You cannot hear them until they speak to you. Therefore, the first way you will be sensed by another is by your visual presence. It doesn't have to be straight off the catwalk, your Dad doesn't have to like it, but make sure that what you wear when you step out into the world represents your true self.

"that would be young Kate"

When I grew up, I wanted to be a ballerina...



Never one to settle with just one dream, I also wanted to be a bride...



I could have cropped just me out, but I think my whole family look so adorable together that I kept them all. My brother, ever the high achiever, hopes to be superman one day...

Whilst my dreams were both adorably childish, and I am sure quite common, the idea behind them still connects with me. They focus on the innocent wish to be beautiful and to find love.

Back then, and still to this day, my idea about beauty was unique. In finding those photos I was actually looking for a primary school portrait that was taken when I was about 5 years old. I went to a primary school which didn't have uniforms, and I remembered that when I saw this particular photo a few years ago I cried to my Dad "How could you dress me like that????". In the absence of the photo, I was wearing a spotted hair band, a clump of tied in a scrunchy and a bright turtle neck top under a pinafore. I love my Dad's response "Kate, by that point, you were dressing yourself". My personal fashion determination was clear from a young age then. Although, I am sure my dear Dad wishes he could have some control over what I walk out of the house in now. I still think ballerinas are beautiful. But I also know that when my Dad or anyone in the street gives my outfit a funny look, I should be like that 5 year old and grin for all I am worth.

I am currently cleaning out my Grandmother's house. This woman married my Grandfather when she was 18 years old and from that moment, she proceeded to buy things, lots of things, and never use them. Her house is full of thousands of dolls and basically looks like a dozen op-shops exploded in one house. Her obsession with "things" is intense. She is one of the funniest, sharp-witted women I have ever met. She now has dementia and doesn't always recognise me or other family members. One of the nurses who visits her asked her recently "Who in the family is as crazy as you, Ed?". Her response is something I will treasure forever. In an almost conspiratory manner, she said "I think that would be young Kate". I am crazy, and I love the fact that she sees herself in me.

She actually gave me the tutu I am wearing in that photo. It is the same tutu that hangs in my room...



Like my gorgeous Grandmother, I will always think ballerinas are beautiful. And I will always wear exactly what I think is beautiful. And in another 20 years, I will look at the photos and have no one to blame but myself.

I have been thinking a lot about love lately, but I will save that for next time...

the sense of a dress

So I am employed again, which is a relief, except for the 5:30AM starts. So after meeting my new boss yesterday, I celebrated by going shopping. Honestly, even I thought my shopping muscles would have needed a rest after New York, apparently not. One of my favourite things to happen upon are pop-up stores. These are little store fronts that designers rent out for a month or so and sell their current and previous stock at reduced prices. The sizes are usually fairly limited and you have to be careful for things such stains and rips, but I have found many a gem in these hidden havens. Currently, there are quite a few along the Paddington end of Oxford Street. The sweet little dress featured above is from the Shakuhachi pop-up store.
This dress is an example of buying something not because it looks amazing, but because it makes you feel amazing. I have other dresses that look better on my body, but I have worn this dress constantly for the last two days and no other item of clothing has made me this happy in a long long time. Grey is my favourite colour and its so romantic whilst still being a lil bit sexy with the shear lace in the middle (I love the fact that you can see my tummy freckles, which is a bit strange really). Simple and breezy, this dress makes me feel light. Which I think is the reason why I feel so good in it. It is also possibly the reason that it has gotten such a positive reaction from strangers in the past 24 hours.
Firstly, there was the adorable guy at Central Station. I was waiting for my perpetually late friend, who was only forgiven because I entertained myself by playing "catch the other person looking at you and smiling" with said adorable boy. For me, ten minutes of that games is more entertaining and memorable that a whole night out in a dark, loud club. Its nice to know that the hopeless romantic that I once was hasn't been lost forever.
Secondly, after a few hours of over-heating in the city, I was approached by an older woman as I was getting off a train at Central. Smiling brightly, she said "You look very pretty in that dress. Its very elegant". Well, now I was smiling brightly too.
The significantly increased level of "attention" I was receiving in this dress gave me something to think about. As a society, we are extremely reserved. I have had many a conversation with girls about how guys just refuse to approach girls. Guys have apparently developed the theory that if they approach a girl its anti-feminist, and they should allow girls the freedom to approach them (This is what I discovered over dinner when my friend finally arrived). My encounter yesterday potentially proves this theory, because whilst there was a lot of smiling, there was no approach. And while my dress may have lifted me up somewhat, I was still too shy to make the pursuit myself.
Romance aside, not many of us are running up to people in the street to compliment then. When I am in stores and I see a girl trying something on and checking herself out in the mirror, I feel like saying "that looks amazing on you!", but I rarely do. I should. We all should. Sincerely of course, when we do see someone who grabs our attention for one reason or another, be it dress, haircut or smile.
I think this provided meaning to my decision to continue dressing to please only myself. Having the discussion about guys approaching girls with my friend last night, he commented about how the way I dress is intimidating. This is something that I have mentioned in a previous blog, its not a strange observation for me to hear from other people. I find this slightly perplexing simply because I am quite shy and introverted as a person, I certainly don't feel or intend to be intimidating. Mostly, everyone else intimidates me.
My way of telling people who I am is through what I wear. As my friend pointed out, it is almost like an automatic screening process. People see what they get straight away. It was most lovely that a dress let a few people through. :)