Dreaming of a Dior Christmas |

When Alice met Dior in Wonderland

Prabal Gurung Pre-Fall 2013 |

Prabal Gurung's ode to Romeo and Juliet

Sister's Market |

Sister's Market @ QV Melbourne 

Situated in the heart of Melbourne for the next week is the Sister's Market, a crafty affair originating from the quaint suburb of Fitzroy that has been brought into the city for the festive season. 

Ringmaster |

A look inspired by the costumes of circus ringmasters. 

Dress from Primark London, shoes from Marshall Rousso Las Vegas, necklace from Colette Hayman, clutch from Forever New. 

Kendall Jenner for Miss Vogue |

Just gathering inspiration for my next shoot since I finally have a day off from work today! I love the styling of this Miss Vogue shoot with Kendall Jenner (half sister of the Kardashians). At the age of 17 she manages to pull of these mature, editorial style pieces with effortless chic. I love the 3rd look with the pencil skirt, velvet bow belt, cream blouse, tuxedo coat and a splash of peach to break up the monochrome; can't wait to try out this ensemble at the office next year! 

Chanel Spring 2013 |

Last week I started working at the jewellery store Pandora, and have all of a sudden become obsessed with pearls. Naturally I turned to the Chanel Spring 2013 collection to find inspiration on wearing pearls. Karl Lagerfeld's latest collection has been described as one of "excess", with just a few too many trends in the 80-piece collection. But it was pearls that dominated, appearing on boxy cropped jackets and strapless dresses; as chunky bracelets and necklaces and used to accessorise the models' low bun hairstyle. 

Venice, the Italian maze |

My favourite place in Italy was definitely Venice. With it's distinctive canals, romantic gondolas and beautiful architecture, it was the perfect place to visit in Summer. By the time we arrived in Venice we were just over the halfway mark for our trip, and had become well accustomed to starting our time in a new place with a guided walking tour (that and carrying big bottles of water around, looking like a complete tourist). 

Victoria's Secret Runway 2012 |

Oh Victoria's Secret, every year you make me wonder why I don't go to the gym more often, or where do you find such a group of super human beauties. This year's Victoria's Secret fashion show took place just a week after Hurricane Sandy hit New York and I cannot fathom how they could have pulled this off among the chaos! The show is still a month away from airing but already the photos are floating around on every major fashion site, such is the power of the internet. Below are a few of my favourite looks and some amazing backstage shots by photographer Kevin Tachman, whose knack for perfect lighting and capturing the moments backstage is making him one of my fashion photography idols! 

Enjoy the costumes and the body envy.  

Think I might go hit the gym -.-

xoxo

  

Sicilian vibe | Dolce & Gabbana

Whilst researching the trend of headscarves on the runway, I came across this collection of bold, colourful prints from Dolce & Gabbana. Ever since Mary Katranzou burst onto the scene with her amazing digital prints we seem to have progressed from the polka dots and stripes to bold florals, symmetrical psychedelic prints and even historical war images, making fashion ever more exciting. 

Roaming about in Rome |

Rome. Home of the ancient ruins, the famous sights and the heart of the Italian heat wave. 

My memories of Rome involved walking around with a 2-litre water bottle in 40+ degrees heat, trying not to faint in the hot air as we admired the Colosseum and fought through the crowds at the Trevi Fountain.

Catherine McNeil

Aussie model Catherine McNeil is on the cover of Vogue Australia this month, and I've been debating with myself about whether or not to buy the issue just for her editorial. I have literally run out of room to store all my magazines so luckily I found her editorials on fashion gone rogue. 

I still remember that issue of Girlfriend magazine when she appeared on the cover as the winner of the Girlfriend Model Search competition. I think I was about 12 at the time, still in primary school and just getting into the habit of reading magazines. Hard to believe that she is now an international supermodel, even harder to believe that not many people know about her compared to fellow Australian models Miranda Kerr or Abbey Lee Kershaw, considering her versatility as a model and her amazing athletic body that just makes any girl want to run for the gym. According to Vogue she's just come back from taking 2 years off from fashion; I can't wait to see what kind of editorials she'll be doing next. 

Welcome back to fashion, Catherine. 

Ghostly drawings from Manning Cartell

Illustrations by Pippa McManus 

for Manning Cartell 

 

Florence |

From the beautiful blue waters of the French Riviera, we wound our way to the top of the hills to cross the border into Italy. The landscape changed as soon as the bus drove through the border into the countryside of Tuscany, and we were greeted with lush green trees surrounding quaint houses with the distinctive terracotta roof, nestled in sloping hills that resembled giant steps in the mountains.

Piazza di Santa Croce 

French Riviera |

Roomies - with Bec, Dahna and Annabelle in Monaco

One thing I love about Europe is how much the landscape and mood changes between countries. While Barcelona (see previous post) had a very festive vibe, lots of noise and things to see, the French Riviera was all about the luxurious beach lifestyle. 

runway faces|

Armani Prive Fall 2012 Couture 

 

Maybe it's the Spring racing fever that is sweeping through Melbourne right now, but lately I've been drawn to the various hats and veils utilised by designers to complete their looks for the runway. Each season, we focus on the clothes, the shoes, the bags, dissecting the shapes and colours whilst neglecting the faces; but I wonder if the looks will still have the same sense of drama and mystery if the accompanying hats and fascinators were removed...from Armani's bejeweled veils to Chanel's bandit lace mask, here is a look at some of the most iconic headgear on recent runways. 

Barcelona |

So after a few months of travelling I am finally back home and back to blogging! Although I'm still jet lagged after my 18+ hours flight, I can't wait to tell you all about the rest of my Topdeck trip and all the shenanigans we got up to for those amazing 28 days. Following on from the previous post where I took you all to Switzerland, our next stop was somewhere completely different in both language and culture. From the calmness of the Swiss Alps, we arrived in the chaos of Barcelona in Spain! 

After checking into our surprisingly nice hostel (equipped with ensuite bathroom and air conditioning!) we made our way to the Sagrada Familia, the basilica designed by Antoni Gaudi. It was a truly impressive sight to behold and the details, all of which carved in stone, were definitely worth craning our necks for.

Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland |

If there ever was a place that embodied the word "picturesque", it would be Lauterbrennen, a little town nestled in the Swiss Alps. With lush green mountains, rapid glacial waterfalls set against the backdrop of a clear blue sky, Lauterbrennen won our hearts with its ode-to-nature charm. We were there for two days, staying at a camping ground in log cabins. Some went skydiving in a helicopter while others took a train up to the mountain Jungfrau to admire the snow. I went with 3 fellow travellers on our Topdeck tour to the glacial waterfalls called Trummelbach Falle. It wasn't adrenaline pumping but the long walk there and the actual falls itself made for a very peaceful day. At night it was a different story. We chilled our local beers and wine in the creek filled with ice cool glacial water and partied into the wee hours of the morning.

What a night in the Swiss Alps!

Instapost |

As the title suggests, this post is a selection of my instagram photos. I am pretty much in love with this app and hoping that it will become my new best friend as I begin my travels this Sunday. First stop is London and I am looking forward to that 20..no, 23-hour flight (I hope there will be some good in-flight movies).  I'm trying to stock up my iPad with e-books in case I get bored on the flight but knowing me I'll probably just spend the majority of the time sleeping :). First night will be spent in a London hostel called Clink78, it will be my first time in a hostel and somehow I thought it would be a good idea to stay in a 10-people dorm... now I'm wondering "was I drunk when I made that booking?!"

Oh well, it will be an adventure.

xoxo

Hello Bianco |

Meet my very first pair of Tony Biancos - the Adele in Black Capretto. 

They came in the mail yesterday, personally delivered by the postman himself just as I was about to pull out of the garage. I almost shrieked with excitement when I realised that the package was from Tony Bianco, as I wasn't expecting them until the end of July. That seriously made my day >.<

These are the first pair of shoes I've ever pre-ordered and perhaps the most expensive shoes I've paid for by myself so far. With a stiletto heel height at 4.5 inches (11.5cm) and a metal capped toe, they are some serious, kick-ass shoes. 

Of course I put them on straight away when I got home and my gosh...saying that they are slightly uncomfortable would be an understatement. That angle of the shoe, whilst gorgeous to look at, is painful to stand in. After consulting Google it turns out that one has to physically train to walk properly in shoes like these, training that involves toning your core muscles, straightening your posture, and training the arch of your feet to accommodate such extreme angle by standing in heels of varying heights and working your way up one inch at a time. 

Just a little bit more work than I had imagined...

So I guess that leaves the question - to keep or not to keep? 

Style Inspiration | Slits

Here in Melbourne we are well into winter, with temperatures hovering around 12 degrees, constant grey skies and rainy days a plenty. Our fashion has also begun to revolve around heavy coats, trendy ankle boots and big warm scarves. With all the rugging up, I am starting to miss those warm summer days with bare legs and sun-kissed hair. So I decided to do a style inspiration post on thigh-high slits, something that seems to be trending on lookbook and will probably be trending on Australian shores next Summer. 

Traditionally common on runways and red carpets, thigh high slits can also be worked into your everyday wardrobe. The key to pulling off this look is to keep it classy. Slits can make any outfit risque so for an everyday look, all the other elements of the outfit should be toned down and pared back.  

Update| July 2012

(photo found on Google, I will be taking my own in a month!) 

Apologies for the lack of posts lately! I've been living away from home for the past 2 weeks, and will continue to do so for another week. Since I am yet to master the art of blogging through iPad (anyone got any tips?), I am holding off blogging until I get back to my laptop!

I still have to tell you all about my upcoming trip, the itinerary of which include - London, Paris, Berlin, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Florence, Rome, Prague, Swiss Alps, Lake Bled, French Riviera, New York, Vegas, Los Angeles, Sacramento and San Francisco, just to name a few.
In less than a month I will be flying to my first destination, London! I am starting to get super excited, but a bit anxious as well as I will be by myself. Surprisingly, I think I might actually have the life skills now to travel alone for parts of the trip. Initially I dreaded the thought of travelling alone but now, I'm actually looking forward to that part of my trip the most. Been able to plan out (or not plan) what I want to do every day for London and Paris has been amazing fun; on the list so far are Muggle tours, 221B Baker Street, Stratford Upon Avon, Oscar Wilde's grave, Montmartre and Versaille!
And yes, I will keep you all in the loop with lots of photos and stories!

Upcoming posts:
- Fall 2012 Couture
- Vogue Australia vs. Bazaar |
A look at how the two magazines compare in their first issues under new leadership.
- Style Inspiration| Five ways to vamp up your outfit

And now back to the reality of full time work...
xoxo

Nicola Jane | Monochrome

Resort 2013 | The Edit

1. Erdem 

the little black jacket |

Charlie Siem 

traffic light philosophy |

Oscar de la Renta 

Red, yellow, green. 

Stop, slow down, go. 

As drivers, the traffic light mentality is pretty much ingrained in our minds. But what about when it comes to life? Is there anything we can learn from watching traffic lights? 

Apparently yes. 

Nicola Jane | May 2012

Chanel Resort 2013 |

"Frivolity is a healthy attitude" - Karl Lagerfeld 

Coco Rocha |

 

society 6|

A little pick-me-up for a Monday morning from Society 6. 

xoxo 

Style Spotlight| Lina Tesch

Today I thought I'll share with you the unique looks of one of my all-time favourite bloggers! German photographer Lina Tesch is one of the many talented gorgeous bloggers I came across on Lookbook. With eccentric taste and an eye for the most extraordinary accessories, Lina's style can be described as glamorous street  fashion with a touch of rock n' roll. Lately I've been drawn to her edgy style more, particularly rediscovering my love of the colour black (probably something to do with my mood..) 

   Signature style elements: 

• Patterned stockings 
• Black chunky-heeled army style boots 
• Gold plated accessories - think "heavy metal" in a fashion sense 

For more of Lina Tesch, check out her blog and her portfolio.   

I'm hoping to pick up some of these bold, metal accessories in Europe, which I will be visiting for the first time in about 3 months. Yes I am super excited!! Also a bit anxious too as I will be travelling parts of it by myself and um..I don't have the strongest life skills >.< but hopefully it will be okay and I will make it to the US in one piece before making my way back to Australia. It's going to be a crazy 2 months away from home but considering the recent heartache, I can't think of a better time to go travelling (but more on that in the next post!) 

Who are your favourite blogger style icons?
xoxo