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. :)

Dressed to the...lets say, 7.5's?

This dress is one of my favourite things I picked up from the Barney's CoOp in Chelsea!
Its 100% Silk and by a brand called Joie. Having a look at their website, most of their pieces appear to be good quality, sophisticated basics, and I think this dress is the hidden gem. I LOVE the soft ruffles and the fact that if you tie the neck up, its makes a bit more sweet and innocent. Grey, as always is my absolute number one love. Firstly, it suits ANYONE. Secondly, it goes with EVERYTHING. For a low-key NYE get together this evening, where I am a plus one, so I don't know anyone, I decided to keep it simple with the vintage red silk scarf tied around my wrist any my favourite new accessory, the Marc by Marc Jacobs Skull necklace from the store on Bleeker Street. There is something about the combination of grey and red that to me says "soft" and "sexy" at the same time. On a make-up note, I was very excited to try out the shiny new things I got at New York make-up wonderland, Sephora. However, I kept it very light, natural and fresh looking. Its summer, its casual, lets not scare off people I don't know with crazy dark eye make-up. Leave that for my Alexander Wang boots that are burning a whole in my closet they are so desperate for a night out.
And on that note, I wish you all a very happy new year!
I tend to make resolutions every Sunday night as I fall asleep. However, I feel as if the last year was one where I learnt a lot of lessons, but didn't really achieve much. So my plan for this year is to make every day count for something that I can be proud of. And if I write it up here, its more incentive for me to keep my word!

Lots of Love! xx

I swear, I did not buy 10 kilograms worth of clothes

More importantly, I must REALLY love everything I paid so much for to struggle with 40kgs of luggage halfway across the world. Quite frankly, yes, I do. I spent the majority of the flight home imagining all the outfits I can put together to go with my Givenchy gems and now I just need to dig myself out of the mess of unpacking so I can go out and wear said dream outfits!
I was confronted with an interesting concept whilst unpacking my room with a dear friend this afternoon and he stumbled upon my scrapbook of sketches and cut-out pictures from magazines. He commented that in some of the shots from runway shows, things like the hair and make-up seemed totally outrageous, so much so that it actually detracted attention from the clothes. I used the following example from John Galliano's 2005 S/S collection for Christian Dior to illustrate my explanation for all the theatricality:

My theory is that the runway show of any design house is the most concentrated version of the collection. The hair, the make-up, the selection of models and the combination of the different pieces are all chosen in order to express the designers inspiration for that season. This Dior show, for example, used very elaborate make-up and hair designs that strongly evoked the 1970's/Hippie inspiration for the collection. The intention of such exaggeration is not to suggest that girls start to go crazy with purple glitter eye shadow, but to give a clear reference for the collection and to fashionistas everywhere. If you a having a hippie moment, then pairing the "Dior Not War" top with flared jeans and lots of necklaces can be your more wearable moment of John Galliano's vision. The theatrics are so important in order to inspire trends. It is so much more creative and invigorating to display a collection with the full support of hair, make-up and accessories than to just send the clothes out on bare models. It is rare that anyone would buy a complete look from a collection and wear it exactly as it was styled on the runway. The pieces that tend to be the most popular are those that are not the collections "signature" pieces, but the ones that are more classic, versatile, and less likely to date. However, if a girl is able to accompany that piece with their version of the collections make-up look, that enables them to get into the particular character that the show represented.
I must be in a Dior mood, because I am using another brilliant Galliano example:

This is from the '09 Couture collection, which makes the collection as itself even less accessible, as the couture collections generally contain the most extravagant pieces and concepts that can barely even find a place of the red carpet, let alone to a bar for Friday night drinks. However, to me, the girls in this collection look incredibly sophisticated and sexy. So, when I feel the need to step out with my best 1950's sex bomb attitude, I throw a dress on top of my suspenders and stockings and do my best impersonation of Dior's eyeliner flick and bright red lips. It works, and I don't destroy the innocence of children on the train.

You only live once... and I will do so with beautiful shoes in my closet and nothing in my bank account!

There are several ways to spend your last day in New York. You can be a good, sensible girl and curl up in your bed and read the book your lovely friend gave you about traveling while the rain falls outside your window. Or you can have an attack of temporary insanity. Firstly, I have been battling a cold since two days after I arrived here and I proceeded to head out into the rain without an umbrella. I apologize in advance to Sydney, I will be the one spreading the cold when I get back in 4 days. Secondly, I have already spent all of my money. Well, all of the money that I had absolutely limited myself to so I can pay off a big chunk of the loan that I took out to finance this adventure. I told myself "Kate, you are cutting your trip short by 6 weeks, DO NOT SPEND ALL OF THAT MONEY THAT WAS MEANT TO FEED YOU FOR THE NEXT MONTH AND A HALF". Thirdly, I have a distinct feeling that I may have already breached my luggage weight restrictions.
However, for as long as I can remember, I have never missed the Boxing Day Sales. It is the best part of Christmas for me. So, even though they don;t celebrate Boxing Day over here, I figured it was my patriotic duty to carry on the tradition.

Oh, and did I do our country proud... except if my Dad ever reads this blog, he will be the most unimpressed Australian, ever.

I started off well. I wasn't really impressed by anything until I stepped into DKNY on Madison Avenue, dripping like a nearly-drowned rat. I found a gorgeous little denim motorcycle jacket for $80, score! This purchase is an example of buying something, not because you were specifically looking for that item, but because you know you probably won't be able to find that item, by that designer, that fits you so well, for that price again, in New York. Most of my wardrobe is made up of those kinds of purchases. Personally, I think its the best way to shop, because even though I may have needed a pair of black ballet flats for months, if every time I shop, I do it with an open mind about what I might find, eventually I find a bargain in the form of black ballet flats. And along the way, I pick up all sorts of magical things that I wouldn't have otherwise noticed, being so focused on black ballet flats.

Unfortunately for my bank balance (not for me, I couldn't be happier) Barneys is across the road from DKNY. I had been in there earlier in the week, and I had also been to the Co-Op store in Chelsea. Its very lovely and very expensive. However, they had an offer of an additional 33% off already reduced stock. Duh, I am going to look. Well, maybe not just look. I actually don't even think I made it to the clothes. In my soaked, sniffling, bleary minded state, I decided to check out the designer shoe department. And about 15 minutes later was kissing goodbye what will take me about 2 weeks to earn when I get another job. In the form of these absolute beauties:



Look down past the pretty face and pretty, yet boring sweater dress, and the very decent legs and you arrive in heaven. Heaven is a pair of Givenchy Studded Zip Sandals. With a 12cm heel. In my defense, I did try to frantically call my friend in fashion crime, Zoe, before I handed over my card. It was about 5am in Sydney and she didn't pick up. So really, I can't be held responsible if I end up regretting this because I am on the street with nothing but these shoes. Doubt it (not the homeless part, but the regret part. Seriously, I may never take them off)

Well, at least my New York fashion experience ended in with a bang!