- The Impostor
So it may not be Chanel Jade, but it sure makes my fingers happy.
(Skin food nail-polish, purchased in Chinatown for $9.99)The moment for jade-hued fingernails may have passed (moving on, it seems, to rather conservative shade of brownish grey), but I’m still head over heels for green. My love affair didn’t start on Chanel’s catwalks, but with Sally Bowles’ divine decadence – that green was a subversive colour, shocking & a little dangerous. Sally’s poison was a dark, glinting green; Chanel championed something lighter & more whimsical. At either end of the spectrum, it’s a good colour. Green with envy? You should be.
- Radical Self Love
For the month of February, the lovely Gala Darling is championing radical self love – & I am totally on board.
And since it’s Valentine’s Day today (& what better day to commit to loving yourself!), here’s a look at my radical self love journal:
It’s the most gorgeous shade of deep red, with just a hint of shimmer (it’s part of kikki.K’s Valentine’s range). On the front page, I’ve written the following:
This is my radical self love pledge; a reminder against perfectionism, a promise to be gentle with myself & my flaws.
Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There’s a crack in everything
That’s how the light gets in
- Leonard Cohen
Happy Valentine’s day.
- Well Said 12.02.10
(photo by kevindooley)
“Every atom in your body came from a star that exploded. And, the atoms in your left hand probably came from a different star than your right hand. It really is the most poetic thing I know about physics: You are all stardust. You couldn’t be here if stars hadn’t exploded, because the elements – the carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, iron, all the things that matter for evolution and for life – weren’t created at the beginning of time. They were created in the nuclear furnaces of stars, and the only way for them to get into your body is if those stars were kind enough to explode. So, forget Jesus. The stars died so that you could be here today.” – Lawrence Krauss
- Gorman A/W 2010
Gorman’s A/W 2010 collection Of the Night is all about leather done soft & ladylike – buttery & pliant like a second skin; worn with sensual shades, the colours of flesh – nude, blush, cream.
There’s a high-waisted leather skirt, just begging to be worn with a tucked in, buttoned-down blouse (pick between a playful pussy-bow or the staunch appeal of a priest’s collar), or a loose silk singlet for casual luxe. There’s a sleek pair of panelled leggings; their cut hinting at Balmain’s motorcycle jeans, and oh, they look so comfortable! Two leather jackets, in opposing styles – one cropped & fringed, the other recalling 1980s excess with its cinched waist and statement buckle.
The motif of the season is a scattering of stars, rendered in sequins or printed onto sheer fabric, while metallic shot fabric suggest the gleam of the night sky. Stars fall in & out of runway favour (last seen: Chanel & YSL S/S 08), but who wouldn’t want a touch of the celestial in their wardrobe?
Here’s the official word from Gorman:
Gorman grows up this season, with structured silhouettes and classic tailoring, juxtaposed alongside; sheer blouses, oversized knitwear, and ruffle details.
Anchored by an army of neutral tones, the new season collection ‘pops’ with neon orange and hot pink colour injections. Further embellishment and texture is created via geometric sequin designs, and features on slouchy cotton tees, sheer shift dresses and boat necked tunic tops in spliced lines.
Gorman delivers a razor sharp leather collection this season. Highlights include the ‘Ponte’ pants featuring trapezoid panelling, which work back to the ‘dragontail’ bolero with scissored fringing detail.
The key customised print stories ‘explosion’ and ‘nightlights’ build further on the magnified designs of the previous collection. The ‘explosion’ silk mini dress delivers contrast in motion, with a bold digital print set on a delicate backdrop.
The mohair knitwear, in sorbet shades of peach, mango & lemon signals playtime. Navy & grey duffle coats – featuring oversized red & mustard pom poms, silk jumpsuits and anchor print knits carry on this fun vibe.
On the accessories front, gorman re-interprets the dessert boot, a retro classic available in ink and taupe, which sits alongside leather clutches with exposed zipper detail. A new edit of the sell out veggie dyed bag collection is on offer – best join the wait list now!
The first drop is in store now.
- Daily Clothes-Horse 06.02.10
Hello, lovelies! It’s my last weekend in Melbourne & I should be packing for my move – but I couldn’t resist stopping by the park to document today’s outfit.
I consider a hat to be the exclamation point to an outfit – the last flourish, the finishing touch. Especially when it’s a jaunty little boater. Especially when it cost a only a handful of dollars.
Hat by Alannah Hill, lace dress by Rachel Gilbert, vintage pocket watch necklace, vintage bag, black knee socks, vintage Bally shoes.
Oh, and is there anything saucier than one sock falling down? I think not.
- Why so quiet?
The Animal Orchestra is up & moving: leaving behind Melbourne’s clandestine alleys & gothic architecture for the sunny glitz of Sydney.
(photos by AdamSelwood & Leithcote)
Consequently, the last few weeks have been a blur of airport dreaming, open suitcases, sweet excitement & slow goodbyes. No time to blog, with my head so full of a heady mix of anticipation & fear.
I leave on Wednesday with a suitcase full of clothes & an admission into a course that promises to open doors (in fact, it already has – two placements with glossy magazines, & a three month internship with an online favourite. I’ll tell you more when I can).
What else? A terrace house with two (TWO!) spiral staircases & a whole shelf full of tea. Three new housemates – four, if you count Frieda, the dog (is she named after Kahlo? Something I will remember to ask). Uncertain job prospects. The only people I know – three cousins (all blonde, tanned, very Sydney) & sweet Caitlin, who has promised to take me to her favourite cafes.
I’m trying not to think about what I’m leaving behind. After all, Melbourne’s not so far away. One hour & five minutes gets you back amongst the narrow laneways, with the smell of coffee floating upwards to mix with the morning mist. One hour and five minutes gets you back to your lover’s embrace. It’s not so far.
- sass & bide bridle
sass & bide’s latest collection is full of things I love – swathes of draped fabric, elaborate embellishment, and all manner of harness-inspired accoutrements.
My latest purchase – a bridle for the hand.
The Everything Counts hand bridle is comprised of a long leather strap ending in a golden metal ring, it can be worn a multitude of ways. My favourite is looped around my palm, with the strap wound several times around my wrist.
- Embracing Change
So here’s physical evidence of my new year’s style resolution – to embrace change & try new things.
I’ve been fighting the curl in my hair for the past eight years or so. Most people don’t even know that I have curly hair! But now, I feel like it’s time to work with the curls, rather than against them. They’re a little bit crazy but they have a certain romance. And I think they work quite well with my favourite Lover dress.
The trick is to get the curls to form ringlets rather than frizz. I used a curl amplifier from Muk (it smells like fruit salad!), which I scrunched into my hair as it was drying. Et voilà, manageable curls.
I still feel rather self-conscious without my sleek hair, so please be kind!
(Oh, & the soft focus in this portrait? I’ve been playing with my newly Frankensteined camera – a Diana lens on my DSLR. It makes everything look wonderfully dreamy, although I suspect I would get an even nicer result on a sunny day. Turn your DSLR into a Frankenstein monster here.)
- Style Resolutions
Welcome to 2010! Didn’t Melbourne put on the most spectacular show at midnight last night? If you weren’t fortunate enough to witness it, here’s what you missed out on – forked lightening, bright & dangerous & far more exciting than any fireworks show; sudden, torrential rain cutting through the night’s humidity & great peals of thunder. An auspicious beginning, I think.
(photos by milk & kisses // KateRampling)A new year, a new decade. Now is a time of fresh beginnings, new habits, baby steps to greatness. It’s time to take a deep breath & try something new.
These are my style resolutions for the good year twenty-ten. What are yours?
- Be adventurous. The Orchestra’s mission statement is to have adventures in aesthetics – to be playful, outgoing & unafraid to take sartorial risks. This year I am an adventurer! I solemnly swear that I will get dressed up, turned out, & put on the Ritz at every possible occasion.
- Embrace change. You may not know from looking at me, but I have naturally curly hair. I’ve spent the past eight years taming it with a hair-straightener – but this year, I intend to work with my curls, not against them. Viva la ringlets!
- Shop consciously. I take a stand against fast fashion. I support local designers. I buy Australian. I buy vintage. I reject the mundane, the mass-produced, the “quick fix.” I embrace quality. I buy what I love, not what is on trend.
- The critical eye. This year I plan to turn a critical eye to my wardrobe. I will edit my wardrobe with extreme prejudice. I will slough off the old, the unsuitable & the unwearable, & whittle my wardrobe to something both streamlined & utterly fabulous.
- Invest. In the things I love. Quality over quantity, true love over passing flings.
Do you have any style resolutions for the new year? I would love to hear them!
- Happy Holidays
Hello, my loves!
(photos by awnoom & Evil Erin)Happy Holidays!
The Animal Orchestra is taking a little break to recover from the whirlwind of the holiday season. Regular posting will resume before you know it.
