Miss B

It was such fun to come home to a lovely little package today containing the new lookbook for the Corner Shop. They only print 300 copies, and each of them are filled with fantastic illustrations by Hannah Witte and Maria Kim Mai of the new designs coming into the Corner Shop for autumn and winter 2011. Think kooky Marni edition, rugged Carly Hunter, playful Carven and chicer-than-thou Rachel Comey. I love the corner shop. I still remember wandering in there, quite by accident on my way home from school, and being completely in awe to this cool, hip haven of style. I was into marc by marc in a big way then (who wasn't, aged 14?) and couldn't get over how much this fun, colourful, 'funky' (oh god I hate that word) this store was. They have since opened another store in the Strand Arcade CBD, but I'm not going to lie the paddington store is still the one for me. If only because I can pop into Just Williams and get some chocolate covered snakes - still my favourite treat of choice - on my way. This season the Corner Shop have some really amazing things, from carly hunter shearling delights to decidedly un-wintry patterns to brighten up your day, to the sheer hipness of prism sunglasses and optics, to the classic, minimal stylings of brenda harvey's accessories label Benah. Their lookbook captures everything that is so great about the Corner Shop - being young, fun and very, very cool. Which I'm not at all, but after visiting there, I could be. And to top if all off, the design and retouching were done by my friend Rohan. You can't get cooler than that, right? 

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itty bitty

Benah  facebook

My friend Talisa's 21st birthday was like an "amazing bags" convention. There was a Celine Cabas tote, a Balenciaga, (admittedly my own Celine was present too), and then there were a couple of these babies. Beautiful, Benah Kodi bags in an array of fantastic colours and skins - suede, leather or canvas with a leather trim. How fantastic are they? They kind of look like the Celine box bag (that Oh! I adore one), but, and here's the rub, a little bit cooler. I love Celine, I really do. You all know that. I don't need to repeat it. But I do sometimes worry if maybe I'm not quite chic enough for it. I'm still really grungy and young, and my hair is messy and out of control, and the hem of my skirt falls down and the leather on my shoes is wearing through. I'm not quite the sleek city slicker marching to court/meetings/school run in wide leg pants and a crisp, starch, not-a-single-mark-so-help-me-god white shirt. Celine for me is aspirational. I'm going to try and try and try until I get to that point. But for now, I'd like to settle for one of these little bags, the perfect compromise between minimal lines and utilitarian chic. I like that it could work equally as well with a tuxedo le smoking or a shearling vest and charcoal sweatshirt, or my personal favourite go to outfit. And, don't even get me started on that gold buckle. It's a masterpiece, really, brushed and bold and brassy and a spectacular opposition to the rich colours of the reds, olives and blacks of the bags. So good that Benah made it into a cuff. Fantastic. Just another thing to want.

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postcards from paris

our first breakfast in paris of baguette, freshly churned butter, pommes poires and a single chocoat // chairs stacked up in the marais // the love-it-or-hate-it IM Pei // pyramid at the louvre (incidentally, i love it) // the croque monsieur to end all croque monsieurs at cafe constant // the discovery of a secret storage room at the louvre // burgers and red wine for lunch at cafe charlot // locks for married couples on the pont royal // the queen's bedchamber at Versailles // tarte aux framboises and a killer chocolate tart with dulce de leche hidden inside from our local boulangerie // the obligatory laduree shot - and yes, they were very good // graffiti on the walls at the catacomb // beautiful architecutre at the place des vosges // the view from my window every time I woke up. 

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maille, maille, maille!

My mum has taken up knitting with a vengeance. She's terribly flighty when it comes to her hobbies - a true gemini in that sense - one minute it's gardening, the next scrapbooking. But I think that knitting is here to stay. I came home today to find her surrounded with little baby beanies that she's knitting for various children to be born to family friends in the next few months. They were so small and cute - if the whole thing didn't seem so exhausting, I'd take up knitting myself. But then, there's a real knitting craze right about now, isn't there? When I was in New York in 2009 I remember dragging my friend to "Purl", a knitting specialty shop in Soho to get some wool for my mum. I thought, jeez, this is going to be an experience, another fantastic anecdote for the ages. When we got there, and I'm not even kidding, Helena Christensen was there, picking out beautiful angora balls hand-dyed to burnt oranges and egg yolk yellows. The whole shop was filled with cool, hip yummy mummies in j brand jeans and knitted tunics and knee high boots and they all looked so chic. It was me and my friend, grubby in doc martens and barbour coats that stood out like sore thumbs. 

As my mum knits more and more things, it's becoming increasingly clear that knitting, and wool, and knitwear is a thing of beauty. It's quite remarkable really - that you can turn continuous, singular thread into a garment with just two needles as your aid. It's almost magical. I love the feel of fresh wool and the boxes and boxes of balls that she has on top of her wardrobe - from blush pink to mint green via multicoloured rainbow bonanzas and slate grey in the middle. Some of my favourite clothes are knitted. And it must be abundantly clear to you all that my uniform consists of a knitted, swingy jumper and a fitted maxi skirt. Easy and simple. And that, I think, is what I love most about knitwear. They are often beautiful works of art that remind us so tangibly about the intricacies of the hand-made, but they are never challenging or hard to wear. My Alexander Wang jumper with its foil ties and assymetrical sleeves is no more difficult to wear than my so-simple-it-might-as-well-be-pyjamas sweater by COS. It stems from the fact that they are supposed to keep you warm and cosy, no matter what they look like, so that you can still feel as relaxed and, well, you in fishermans knits as in rodarte. 

Maille by Hellen Kitsandonis is a label that understands this too. Made up primarily of beautiful knits of both the dressy and the relaxed kind, this ex-Bassike and Ksubi designer's clothes embody my type of dressing. That is, languid, loose and drapey, the kind of silhouette to recline on chaise lounges in. My former go-to-guy for this kind of stuff was Gary Bigeni, another fantastic label that is really underrated - a veritable best kept secret. Maille is set to become a new favourite. Her fluid lines matched with a lot of drape and a minimalist approach - plus a few spectacular prints and knits thrown in - are quite spectacular and make for a look that is both totally, totally cool as well as innately elegant, something that isn't easy by any stretch of the imagination. A quiet heartbreaker. Hellen took some time out from sourcing beautiful yarns and coming up with fantastic designs to answer some questions for me, thanks!

1. Tell us about Maille.
Maille (pronounced MY), literally translated as ‘knit’ in French, was a natural progression for me as I was freelancing for other brands, creating knits for them and wanted a platform for my own creations. Knitwear and dresses are what I do. I start from scratch, yarn for the knitwear and drape on the mannequin for the dresses and work from there. I am constantly thinking of the woman who is to wear the creation. Fit and form are imperative in the design process and in turn the label.

2. What are your inspirations?
Inspiration is constant. Travel, food, textiles, yarn, architecture, people watching- what they are wearing, how they are wearing it, films, art. Inspiration is endless....

3. Who is the signature Maille girl?
She is confident, experimental, sensual, emotional, multi layered, intelligent.

4. Why the focus on knitting and wool in particular?
The possibilities are endless. To start with yarn and end with a fabric/ garment is so exciting (for me, anyways). It is the perfect way to be creative. Wool as a fibre is perfection to work with - how it drapes, handles & wears. When mixed with other fibers another dimension is added, and you can't ask for much more as a designer.

5. What is your favourite piece in the collection?
I don't have one in particular!

- The fisherman's knit for its colour, texture and simplicity.
- Cowl back tunic for its comfort and twist on the T-shirt.
- The shawl shirt dress for when I want to feel dressed up but completely comfortable.

My favourite piece is the cowl back tunic as well - unsurprisingly. I saw that and just melted. What a beautiful piece and such an easy-luxe basic. Maille is stocked at The Corner Shop in NSW and the Dreamery. Start hunting it down. I know I am!

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my kind of girl

coolspotters via gone with the fashion

I've never been the world's biggest Kate Bosworth fan. I mean, sure, she's gorgeous, and she's redefines the word "fashion plate", but she doesn't really do much, right? When was her last movie? When was her last good movie? 21 was okay, but then are we going to sit here and compare it to, say, wall street 2? I mean, she's no Carey Mulligan, that's for sure. But what I've realised when it comes to celebrities is that, really, it doesn't matter one bit. Because if I see just one shot like this - one inspiring, exciting, completely rejuvenating shot like this - then I'll sing Kate Bosworth's praises for the whole world to see. I'm a film buff, but I can recognise good style when I see it, too.

Let's dissect. What is so good about this simple, simple outfit? Firstly it's the colour combinations. I'm still wary of bright colours and have been sticking to injecting a bit of neon into my look with lipsticks alone (NARS schiap and red square are my favourites). But Kate shows how you can mix and match neutrals and neons to spectacular effect. The midi skirt with the slit is exactly the kind of thing I like to wear - not quite maxi, but still long, different and unique. In the bright colour it takes what is a tricky fashion item to a whole new level. But paired with the simple, slouchy sweater and those well-worn in IM boots (oh, when will you be mine!), that bright is suddenly rendered a whole lot less challenging. As long as you keep the rest relatively simple, you can let the skirt take centre stage. Sling a messenger bag across your back and add some slightly winged sunglasses. The whole thing has a touch of effortlessness that I've never really associated with Bosworth before. I mean, yes, she is undoubtedly well dressed. But a lot of the time I find what she wears contrived. I guess I need to apply myself and look for more street style. Because if it is anything like this, it might be the rejuvenating kick my wardrobe needs.

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Tiffany Locks

"What I found does the most good is just to get into a taxi and go to Tiffany's. It calms me down right away, the quietness and the proud look of it; nothing very bad could happen to you there, not with those kind men in their nice suits, and that lovely smell of silver and alligator wallets. If I could find a real-life place that made me feel like Tiffany's, then I'd buy some furniture and give the cat a name."

Truman Capote, Breakfast at Tiffany's

On Thursday I had a fantastic time at Tiffany and Co, previewing their new Tiffany Locks collection at a private viewing set up especially for bloggers. It was a wonderful idea, and allowed me to really have a play with the new pieces in this collection. And I was given this gorgeous lock pendant that I haven't taken off since. It's fantastically classic and minimal, with the hint of rose gold that just makes it so exciting and modern. I love the clash of metals - my jorday askill pendant does the same rose gold/silver mix - and I love the length of the chain and how the pendant is so circular. It's the perfect start on my new jewellery collection that will see more necklaces and pendants, rather than my old focus on bangles and bracelets. I think there is something so chic about limiting your jewellery to a couple of delicate, fine, very simple pendants, a la Ashley Olsen. Oh, and sorry for the cliche Breakfast at Tiffany's quote (but it's the book, not the movie, so that's at least a couple of extra points, right?). But in a way, that is Tiffany's, isn't it? That blue box can take your cares away. You could have a bag stuffed full of uni books and a big weekend of essay writing ahead of you, but that colour can put a smile right on your face. And a new piece of jewellery doesn't hurt, either! Thanks Tiffany's, for such a fun afternoon.

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things i like

radio city hall as seen by jade arnott of arnsdorf // the colour of the acne shopping bags // Alexander Wang emile burlap and leather bag // writing essay on cultural imperialism in british vogue and using their 'travel' editorials as examples, such as this one with daria from 2008 // breakfast // carly hunter's symetrical collages (and her shearling vest, of course) // mazet salted butter caramel encrusted chocolate

gifts of any of these will be welcome, of course.

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suit up

alexander wang blazer, tom scott tee, ysl ring, prism glasses, alexander wang trousers, k.jacques sandals, anya hindmarch clutch

One of my favourite things to do is suit up. I love it when I rock up to a party where the dress code is "smart casual" and I'm rocking a suit just like the boys. Although mine is better - because it's fitted just a little bit, and i've got glittery make up on or red lipstick, and I'm wearing fun shoes and instead of an androgynous shirt I'm wearing a slinky, silk mix tee shirt. It's the element of surprise. Sure, the gimmick has kind of worn off since I've been wearing it to the last couple of 21sts and parties. But hey. I enjoy it. And - here's the best part. They're so comfortable and easy. Slouchy pants with big pockets, tuck your tee shirt in just a tiny little bit, scrunch your hair up into a messy bun. Done and done. Whoever said it was hard being a guy?

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shearling?

the corner shop blog / carly hunter lookbook

 Today, on my break at work, I foolishly wandered into the Corner Shop Strand Arcade. Oh, rookie error Hannah-Rose. rookie error. You wanted to save money. But how can you, faced with such shearling-esque loveliness? It's drapey and chic and when I put it on it instantly upgraded my outfit from something simple and 'work-y' into the height of understated, sophisticated elegance. I was that cool girl - you know the one - with nonchalant grace and her lips painted red, baby, red. I'm such a late bloomer when it comes to shearling. I always thought it was a little too cool for me. But now I see that it's just cool enough. Cool enough to work with my wardrobe, and cool enough to make it better. It makes all the things that are a little boring by themselves so, so, so much cooler. Brunches on winter mornings - big jumbo cups of coffee, mountains of mushy avocado on sonoma bread and soft boiled eggs, afternoons with hot ginger and apple drinks at pain quotidienne, nigh times with $3 norfolk soft shell tacos... Man. I know I have a problem when I start thinking of outings for a prospective purchase. Damn savings account never stood a chance.

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earth, tree and sky

What I wore yesterday: tonal layers, sandals and a lot of gold jewellery. I got totally drenched in the crazy rains that we had in Sydney, and my new maxi in the most gorgeous of burnt oranges may not have been the best choice considering all those pesky puddles, but it was fun to swish around work in all these drapey layers.

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window shopping

 

 

a snapshot of part of my most recent window shopping extravaganza - a $7961 (ouch!) bad boy with that most perilous of retailers, lagarconne


One of my favourite things - of all time, ever - to do is to trawl through my favourite online stores, put everything i want into the shopping basket, glance at the total, and then exit. Oh you know, I just "spent" $4000. No big. I was talking about this the other day with Talisa. Is it weird that I do this? Am I alone? She comforted me and told me that she likes to do it too. What's up with that? Is this the new window shopping? In the days where a lot of women - especially those living in countries where there is a big mark up on luxury goods - buy their clothes online, is the thrill of 'shopping' now to be found in perusing a site, adding to the shopping bag, and then casually exiting the browser before 'payment'? I mean you can't do that in a real store. Well, you can, but you'd get a few looks. If I went into Lands End and just casually picked up $4000 worth of merchandise, strolled around the store, then put it back and left I would look like a bit of a knob. But because of the anonymity of online you can do that - and more - with online retailers. I've once gone so far as the "put your credit card details here" part. I was never going to purchase all $2500 of clothes and accessories in my shopping bag, I didn't have anywhere even remotely near that amount of money in my bank account. So why did I do it?

Part of it is, of course, that imaginative factor. It's fun to picture your new and improved wardrobe filled with fantastic finds - like the Acne silk parka or the Rag and Bone kirby crew knit. It serves the same purpose in the same way that Polyvore does. Maybe I won't ever have these nice things, but boy is it fun to hope. But even more than that, it's about how shopping has changed. I haven't been properly 'shopping' in ages. I just don' have the time anymore. Sure, I've popped into The Corner Shop or Belinda on my way home from work the other day, and I dashed into Incu to grab my Alexander Wang knit. But last year, hell, even last month, I used to trawl through department stores and the big chains like Country Road and Witchery like it was a spectator sport. The reason I haven't been 'shopping' - window shopping, just to see what's around - recently is partly because of my new work and uni timetable I just don't have any spare time anymore, and if I do it's taken up with seeing friends who I shamefully neglect or doing uni work. It's simpler and easier, and well, a little bit more fun to just lie in my pyjamas on my bed with a bagel and a cup of tea and scroll through beautiful websites instead. It's less painful on my feet, and with the advent of zoom technology and 360 degree views, it's just as much, if not more fun than 'real shopping'. But I think the material point here is that 'real shopping' has changed. It's no longer about spending hours in stores, seeing what's new and what's just arrived. It can't be - not when stores have their own blogs, websites, twitters and facebooks.

So what is modern shopping? I'm not sure yet. I still love little boutiques and well-edited department stores too much to proclaim their death in favour of the online, where you can't try stuff on. But I think that the new window shopping is here to stay.. Tonight I might give net a porter a go...

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gaia

Gaia Repossi is cool on an almost stratospheric level. I love her style so much - even when I hate it, even when it's not me, even when I think she is a little bit of a piece-whore - I love it. It's the way that she throws things together - A checked shirt, a leather skirt, a streamlined bag. And the way that she picks pieces that aren't necessarily the easiest or the simplest - wide legged Celine pyjama pants, calf length full skirts, oversized silk tunics. It all works when she adds a ring or two from her own collection - oh god, what I would do for those rings! If I only had a spare $4000 handy - A celine box bag, and that tousled, mussed up golden mane of hers. She's glamorous in the old-word sense of the word. She's not a movie star or a model, she's the scion of an historic jewellery designing firm to the royals (Repossi was the official jeweller for the Monaco Royal Family), injecting new blood into an old house. She embodies the life-force of fashion today: the young and hip working with the classic and staid. She's an icon for those people who like their girls with a side of career.

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buns of steel

a cup of jo

If I could get my hair to do this, I would be a really happy girl. Any tips? 

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mint green

Yesterday was a good day for mint green. First of all, I picked up my new Alexander Wang knit - now you won't have to see my obsession played out in my blog as I post endlessly and endlessly about this minty dream... I can just wear it instead. And wear it I will. As I am doing today. And, the most exciting package came in the post. A Tiffany and Co box with an invitation to a private viewing of their new Locks collection!!!!! (multiple exclamation marks necessary of course). I guess good things come in mint green packages! 

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the grand tour

You're very lucky - these bad boys haven't even gone up on facebook yet. But I really want to share some holiday snaps with you all. Hardly any of me - thank god - mostly because travelling solo necessitates the perilous DIY pic, which I refuse to do on principle. I guess I'll have to wait for my friend to upload her pics to get the full spread (i have so many of her, and vice versa!). There's a picture from each place I visited - with a more in depth post on paris to come. Full marks to anyone who can guess where each picture is from. Oh, how I wish I was back!

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