found!

 petite grand for my chameleon



Hark! Rejoice! Just a day over a week from christmas (and bang on a week from my birthday) I have found it. Perfection, distilled into a dainty gold chain with charms hanging off it. Beauty, winking from every flaxen-hued link. Luxury, crystallised in a pair of anklets. Long have I searched for the perfect one, something to match Ashley Olsen's fabulous Ileana Makri pair, something as fine as the one Garance loves, something as ridiculous and gaudy and therefore wholly fabulous (yet without the wholly extravagant price tag) of the subsequent Ileana Makri for The Row number - clearly the Olsens wanted to answer the prayer of anklet-lovers the world over, yet failed to recognise not all anklet-wearers have their multi-million dollar bank accounts. Best intentions and all that. And thus, deflated but not dejected, the search continued and the obsession prevailed. I predicted that next year everyone would be wearing anklets. I commented that the ankle was my erogenous zone of choice. And I waited until someone - someone! - would make exactly the kind of anklet that I wanted and had dreamed about, falling delicately over strappy sandals and bringing a touch of the ghetto-fabulous to every outfit.

And I found it. Petitegrand, a lovely little Australian jewellery company, has collaborated with one of my favourite online stores My Chameleon on a capsule collection of brightly-coloured cord bracelets and beads and - oh! - anklets. ANKLETS. Amazing, amazing anklets. Silver anklets with cross charms dangling down, caramel coloured anklets with twin jade beads or a radiant indigo blue version of the same and, the crowning glory, a gold anklet with oval charms that is just the ticket, something that Ashley Olsen would surely wear, paired with birkenstocks and straight-leg jeans or stilettos and a tailored blazer. She might have two, or three, or four, and wear them all at once, cord and gold strung together in a perfect harmony of kitsch and cool. Long have we wondered just how, exactly, the Olsen twins can do what they do and make things that are so wrong so very, very right. We may not know, we may not ever know, but at least we can wear anklets while we ponder on these pertinent, pressing questions of mankind.

monday. long skirts and lace bras and matching anklets

Isabel Marant Xavier coat from La Garconne, Acne Wonder tee shirt from La Garconne, Opening Ceremony knit blazer from La Garconne, PetiteGrand for My Chameleon Gold Charm Anklets x 2 from My Chameleon, Demylee New York maxi skirt, Repossi ring, Cos lace bra and knickers, Benah Ryder sandals, Celine trapeze classic bag

tuesday. byredo blanche and black backpacks and matching anklets

Isabel Marant Atea Jacket from My Theresa, COS stand-up collar tunic, Prism glasses, Byredo Blanche, Michael Michael Kors watch from Nordstrom, Repetto BB ballet flats, Petite Grand for My Chameleon Caramel Cord anklet x 2 from My Chameleon, COS relaxed fit jeans, Isabel Marant black and ivory Take Me With You necklace from La Garconne, Satomi Kawakita black diamond solitaire ring from La Garconne, The Row aligator backpack

wednesday. a handful of rings and shades of grey and blue and matching anklets.

 

Le Mont St Michel Fleece-lined Parka from La Garconne, COS salt-and-pepper tunic, Isabel Marant take me with you necklace from La Garconne, Alexander Wang colour-blocked cardigan, Saskia Diez thin gold ring from La Garconne, Catbird Memory ring, Satomi Kawakita Polka Dot ring from Catbird, Catbird Heart ring, PetiteGrand for My Chameleon indigo cord anklet x 2 from My Chameleon, Prism glasses from Net A Porter, Serge Lutens Five O'Clock Au Gingembre, Isabel Marant Dicker boots from La Garconne, Hope News Trousers from La Garconne, Proenza Schouler suede ps1

thursday. shearling and sandals and matching anklets

Proenza Schouler shearling zip coat from La Garonne, Dress Up tee shirt from My Chameleon, Prism glasses from Net a Porter, Isabel Marant bracelet new america bracelet from La Garconne, Isabel Marant pop colour bracelet from Net a Porter, La Garconne Moderne trousers, COS lace bra and knickers, PetiteGrand for My Chameleon gold charm anklets x2, Isabel Marant bracelet, Repossi ring, k.jacques barigoule sandals from La Garconne, Celine classic box bag

friday. tweed and tortoiseshell and matching anklets

Isabel Marant Kalimba jacket, Margaret Howell striped boatneck sweater from La Garconne, Karen Walker helter skelter sunglasses from La Garconne, PetiteGrand for My Chameleon cord string bracelet from My Chameleon, repossi ring, Diptyque Philosykos from Nordstrom, Porselli ballet flats from A.P.C, PetiteGrand for My Chameleon caramel cord anklets x2 from My Chameleon, Jane Norman striped maxi skirt, Michael Michael Kors Rose Gold Watch from Nordstrom, The Row black backpack from Net A Porter

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blue period

Isabel Marant Etoile jacket, Margarent Howell long sleeved tee shirt, COS navy blue sweater, Isabel Marant necklace, Proenza Schouler PS1, Isabel Marant bracelet, Hope News trousers, VPL bra, Michael Kors watch, Bodas knickers, Isabel Marant Dicker boots, Byredo Blanche perfume

All I want to do at the moment is wear blue. All different shades of blue. Cornflower, forget-me-not, pretty as a periwinkle blue. Dark and broody, stormy and moody navy blue. Pale, perfect, clear-skies kind-of-a-blue. Even sea-green, tiffany box blue. It rained today, so it probably has something to do with that. And I'm obsessed with the Isabel Marant Atea jacket (thanks to Dead Fleurette) and it's dark, dark, dark blue boiled-wool folds, and the Benah Ryder sandals with their perfect combination of murky navy leather and brushed gold hardware. Why does Blue look so good with gold? Why does it look so good with other colours? And why does it look so good with other shades of blue? Navy with aqua, pastel with royal, marine with sky. With all that endless, infinite depth it's much more exciting than three-dimensional than grey and certainly more exciting than black. Why would you wear any other colour? Except for oatmeal of course. A girl's gotta have oatmeal.

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grass roots

streetfsn

One of the biggest catch-22s about travel for me is the magazine buying. My mum is of the belief that magazines purchased on holiday are for perusing during long layovers and lazy afternoons, then tossing so as not to cart that heavy paper all the way back to australia. Waste not baggage allowance on boring magazines when it can be un-wasted on thing like jam and tea. I, however, always bring my magazines back. Partly because I collect them. But partly because buying magazines overseas always represents a saving of over 300% for me. You Europeans just have it so good. Elle UK for 4 pounds? Try $20 air freight in Australia (reduced down to $10 if you wait 2 months). When I was footloose and fancy free I used to spend horrendous amounts of money on air freighted magazines, but in light of saving up for my trip I stopped doing that this year and only bought them when they got cheaper. I hate being 2 months behind though. Which is why it's so fun for me to go overseas and be able to buy one or two or (ahem... 12) magazines. Even if they are super heavy.

So this holiday has happily coincided with me coming up to super speed with fickle fashion. One thing that's clear from the catwalk round ups is the "crafty"/ethnic touch trend. Think Isabel Marant Navajo sweaters and the entirety of the Proenza Schouler Fall 2011 collection in all its ikat, burnt orange glory. I've always loved the earthiness of ethnic touches that can ground an outfit in reality. It's about texture - fuzzy shearling, softly softly suede, waterfall fringing - and it's about pattern and colour. Dusty, rusty, moody earth tones and the wonderfully exuberant zig zags, crosses and exotic skins of cultures different to your own. Even just a hint of something ethnic or crafty is enough this season as witnessed at Couture Fashion Week. Simple summer outfits became showstopper with the addition of a woven belt or the upturned cuffs of a navy blue tee shirt. While waiting to board my plane from Hong Kong yesterday I mused over why we love the ethnic trend and why we keep coming back to it (Dries Van Noten, I'm looking at you). I think it's because it's so damn cool. Not everyone can wear the native and ethnic touches without looking like they're in a pocahontas costume. It requires a sprinkling of wanderlust, and great hair, and an effervescent personality that makes friend easily, because how else could you have gotten that fabulous mexican poncho except from off the back of some obliging Jose? The kind of girl who can successfully pull off that urban traveller vibe, denim cut offs and mountains of bracelets that bear the names of far off cities and challenging mountain ranges who wears converse and no make up and carries a backpack. In short, Daria Werbowy. And who doesn't want to be Daria?

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clearance

Land's End, that antipodean emporium of fashion and one of my favourite stores in the whole world, has just begun a one week clearance sale for summer. Up to 90% off sale stock from the spring/summer collections and previous seasons. As I've attested many-a-times, Land's End do a bloody good sale. So who knows what you might snap up? Richard Nicoll shirt dresses, Proenza Schouler circle skirts, flirty Opening Ceremony floral dresses, a couple of brightly-coloured Suno tunics, maybe even a big Preen sweater? Or could it be some Balmain excess? I suggest that if you are in the Sydney area pop into Land's End. Who knows? You might nab a real bargain and something you'll love forever.

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it's not what you think

Behold. This is a leather bag. Not a paper bag - although that crumpled creme brulee leather sure pulls the wool over the eye, doesn't it? - but a leather bag. It is the Proenza Schouler boys classic witty take on accessories. For their first line they didn't want to make an it bag - lo and behold: the PS1 is born. Now they want to make an unfussy shopping tote so they base it on a paper bag. There are so many things that are right about this: that classic proenza double strap running along the mid-thirds of the bag. The slouchy, who-gives-a-damn shape. That loved, lived in kind of feel. And let's not forget the humour of the whole thing. You're going to need it because at upwards of $615US (although, we are dollar for dollar right now, so i guess it's the time to buy), you better hope this bag is funny. At $615 it better sing and dance too. 

I wouldn't put it past those proenza boys.

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shop till you drop

I go on about them enough, and so for those of you not living in sydney, here is a bit of a glimpse into my favourite shops. I've been having a bit of a wander around and enjoying all the new collections - although not buying, i'm being very well behaved indeed! - and thought I would have a play on polyvore with new clothes, and then that resulted in a whole post... and now I want to go out shopping again. Wish i didn't have to work tomorrow! Things i'm looking to invest in are pieces of blood orange's minimalist chic, like k jacques sandals and t by alexander wang basics, or a slice of the parisien cool from isabel marant at the corner shop. If i had the funds I would be buying up all the vanessa bruno in the world from Belinda, and of course, nothing could stop me from purchasing a PS1 from Lands End, but for now I'll settle for my Assad Mounser necklace and the hope of one of Christopher Kane's floral tee shirts. Divine!

Blood Orange

Achingly hip like that girl who wears the clothes you wish you knew the label of but you're just not cool enough to know - or wears the clothes you think are boring until she wears them and you go, oh!. Diptyque candles, Mediterranean amulets and charm, charm, charm. She lives by the beach and has skin the colour of toffee.

alexander wang jacket, ellery sunglasses, bassike tee shirt, jennifer meyer necklace, current/elliot pants, proenza schouler ps1, k.jacques sandals. 


Belinda

 This girl's got style. There's really no other word for it. Style. She's clever and funny and bright and she wears all the right things in all the right ways. She goes to all the cool parties. She works in PR. Don't you just want to be her?

Vince jacket, vanessa bruno top, the row sunglasses, ysl ring, bex rox neclace, marc by marc jacobs bag, peter pilotto skirt, alexander wang shoes.

 

The Corner Shop

Why bother? there are girls out there who can pull off denim short shorts and pink tips in their hair and slouchy little vests! There are girls out there who manage to know everything about fashion and music and art and food and culture and lie! There are girls out there who get to dress up for work in Isabel Marant and 3.1 Phillip Lim instead of black, black, black. And they all work for the corner shop.

Elizabeth and James blazer, Isabel Marant jumper, Sahani necklace 3.1 Phillip Lim shorts, Alexander Wang boots, graz sunglasses, jerome dreyfuss bag. 


Lands End


If a store could possibly be your home, it's this one. Cooler than cool, chicer than chic, and always with at least 3 fingers on the pulse. To own everything that has ever passed through those blue doors would be a blessing indeed - just think of all the ps1s you would have! The only bad thing about this store... they don't carry shoes. Think what gloriously shod feet you would have if they did!

opening ceremony jacket, A.L.C dress, assad mounser necklace, cutler and gross sunglasses, proenza schouler ps1, christopher kane dress (worn underneath), lanvin ballet flats.

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back to SCHOULER

Today was my first day back at uni for second semester and I must say I'm enjoying easing myself back into study and lecture pads and weekly bus tickets. I hate uni while I'm there, but being on holidays reminded me that study's not all bad. There are $6 thai lunches, the best chai lattes in town and the chance to see your friends everyday. This semester would be complete if I could run from class to class carrying a proenza schouler ps1 in my hand. These are the winter colours, and they sing of chestnuts roasting by an open fire, christmas trees and colder climates. I love that almost burgundy red in the top left hand corner and the opulent purple python in the middle of the bottom row. What a perfect combination of utility and fashion, the best marriage of practicality and frivolity - a bag with many compartments, that resembles a simple school boy satchel and with the added bonus of two straps - but in beautiful, heart-racing colours like purple, cobalt blue or even - WHITE. If anyone would like to send one of these my way I will be a happy, happy girl indeed. 

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to buy

at current, 30% off at lands end and calling my name. how can you resist that utilitarian shape, that perfect, buttery soft malleable leather, that veritable painters palette of colours - I'll take one in murky charcoal for sad days and one in bottle green for the happy ones - that easy, hang it from the crook of your arm top handle or the carefree longer strap for the shoulder, that perfect shiny clip clasp, that multiple pocket interior to keep everything separate and easy to find... am i ranting yet? I have dreams about that bag, seriously, I have dreams that random people in the street gift them to me and I have a huge party with mexican food and pinatas. This bag is not a want, it is a need. It will complete my life. I know it. from now on siphoning every spare cent I have - food money, bus ticket rations, rainy day coins - into the "ps1 fund". who needs to eat, anyway?

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