Fabulous Frock Friday: Suki Waterhouse in Burberry at the Met Gala. More images at DailyMail.co.uk.
Philip Boon presents Jenny Bannister: A Retrospective
Going to see fashion in an art gallery is pretty amazing. Going to see that same fashion on models is just SPECTACULAR.
The fashion that Jenny Bannister has created in her career is more than simply clothes; these are works of art, and outfits that signify periods of history in Melbourne both for the fashion scene and its relationship with art and music.
A stalwart of the fashion scene, Jenny is getting together with stylist Philip Boon to showcase the best of her wardrobe – a parade of over 60 outfits in the latest Philip Boon presents, in aid of Prahran Mission.
The Philip Boon presents Jenny Bannister fashion show will be held at the Deutscher & Hackett Gallery in South Yarra on Tuesday 20 May 2014. An art auction will also take place to raise much needed funds for the Mission.
Tickets are limited and include wine, canapes and show with proceeds supporting Prahran Mission.
Visit www.trybooking.com/EFGN or call 03 9692 9500 to book.
Red Leaf Tea
I was taught that a good cup of tea fixes everything. From a bad day at work, to being miserable about the weather, a well made cup of tea can instantly calm, revive and set you right for the next little while. Tea can help settle an upset tummy, make sleep easier and get you going in the morning. It’s really rather clever.
My pantry is full of various typed of tea. Once, on my birthday many years ago, I even bought ‘strawberry champagne’ loose leaf tea – which promptly sat in my cupboard for the next year as I didn’t have a device in which to strain tea leaves. But I liked the idea of champagne tea. I just like tea (and champagne!).
Recently, Red Leaf Tea got in touch and asked if they might feed my addiction. A few days later, Marie Antoinette and Apple Cinnamon Chamomile arrived in my letterbox – two kinds of tea I certainly didn’t have in my pantry!
Together with a handy strainer (hurrah!!), the loose leaf tea is presented beautifully in recycled paper boxes and smells divine. The Marie Antoinette features orange pekoe black tea and rose petals, while the Apple Cinnamon Chamomile blends chamomile blossom, apple pieces and cinnamon pieces (as you might expect!).
I’ve been having a lovely time working out the best way to make proper ‘strained’ tea (the way its supposed to be!) and almost think I’m ready to graduate to a teapot and serve it to other people. I do hope you’ll pop in for a cuppa soon!
PSSST!! Tomorrow (Wednesday 30 April 2014) Red Leaf Tea will be running a one day sale. You’ll get free shipping on all orders with code FREESHIP, plus for any orders over $30 you’ll also get a 15% discount with the code BONUS15! Enjoy!
Types of tee shirts
Back when I had a ‘real’ job, I used to wear tops. Button up silk things, beautifully draped pieces and structured peplum cover ups that were suitable for a corporate environment and often easily transitioned to evening events where someone or other was launching the latest thing. Nowadays, I get around in my jeans, a Bonds tee and my leather jacket. While I am super comfy, the transition to evening is that bit harder, but its actually the calibre of tee shirts that has got me thinking this week.
Standard Black Bonds Relax Tee – Buy three and save!
How many tee shirts do you own? I can categorise mine as follows:
– Black and white tee shirts, usually Bonds, that I try to wash minimally for fear of fading/yellowing.
– Old magazine freebie tee shirts, suitable for sleeping in or dying ones hair.
– Old Bonds tee shirts, also suitable for sleeping in once they have been ‘retired’.
– Fun printed tee shirts, best worn on weekends with thongs and bathers.
– The tee shirt dress, also best worn with thongs and bathers
– Long sleeve tee shirts. A Winter staple.
– A collection of other colours, shapes and styles – variations on the basic tee shirt shape – that are mixed and matched to dress up or dress down many outfits. Fancy skirts can be dressed down with a basic Bonds. Old jeans can be dressed up with a sparkly Sass&Bide.
It has come to my attention that my boyfriend also has a lot of tee shirts. His can also be categorised:
– Tee shirts he wears.
That’s it. He indiscriminately wears them morning, noon and night. To bed, to work, to the pub, to the footy, for working in the garden, for lunches with parents, on date night. There is no rhyme or reason for his sartorial choices on a day to day basis. I can’t comprehend his decisions – sometimes I wonder if that tee happened to be on top of the pile, or if his mood was suited to stripes that day, but there is no consistency and I can’t figure it out.
I get that I’m quite possibly an extreme case when it comes to tee shirts, but I’m curious – what is the tee shirt situation with your man? Or if there happen to be boys reading this – what is the story!?!?
Mother’s Day at Uni Hill
Hands up if you know what date it is. Actually, even what DAY OF THE WEEK it is. Most of you probably still think it’s early March, given how quickly the year is flying by, and with the inordinate number of public holidays we have experienced in the past week, you might be shocked to learn its actually the last week of April. Yep, this time next week it will be May. We’ll be halfway through Autumn, people are breaking out coats and umbrellas and the next ‘holiday’ is looming. Mother’s Day.
While not an *actual* holiday, it probably deserves to be, given everything our Mums do for us. Sunday 11 May is a day to show your Mum just how much she means to you, and this is usually done in the form of gifts, or a hastily prepared breakfast in bed. Long lunches with wine and High Teas are also acceptable forms of celebration. Dishes, vacuuming and dusting are all added bonuses that will no doubt get you brownie points long after the wine has run out and the chocolate been consumed.
With my Mum, Anne, on my 30th birthday. Pic thanks to Meagan Harding.
When scouting gifts for Mum, its important to steer clear of any gifts that YOU might benefit from, or that indicate she should be spending more time in the kitchen/laundry/bathroom (unless it’s for a long soak in the tub). It’s best to avoid appliances (especially foot spas!!) and stick with things that are in the realm of ‘she wouldn’t usually buy this for herself’. Now, these things don’t have to be expensive, and Uni Hill Factory Outlets offer a plethora of options to help you on this quest to find THE GIFT that will really make Mum’s day.
Pure Zone throw rug, $35 and Rivers slippers, $18.
A simple throw rug is not only aesthetically pleasing, but Mum can wrap herself up on a cool night, whilst sipping tea (that you made for her!) and watching her favourite TV show (uninterrupted!). Slippers serve a purpose but are made fashionable and fabulous when you find a pair with cute buttons and in multiple colours.
Bonds briefs, $8 pair; Cotton On tee shirt dress $19; Typo cards 3 for $10.
Maybe your Mum is a bit cool, and some fun briefs from Bonds will suit her to a tee. And speaking of tee’s, Cotton On have some great day to day outfits that can be dressed down for the school run, or frocked up for a night out with the girls (or maybe you want to take her somewhere nice?).
Laura Ashley chair; Typo clock; Rivers scarves; Laura Ashley candles.
Laura Ashley is perfect for homewares and girly bits and bobs – I have to confess I am in LOVE with this chair and may ask Mum to get it for my birthday – and the range of cards at Typo is extensive, so you are sure to find one to suit your Mum’s personality.
Uni Hill Factory Outlets isn’t the monolith that Chadstone is, so it presents a far better option than wandering aimlessly for hours and still ending up with an iron or kettle. You’ll find plenty of options, PLENTY of car parking (this was actually a massive win for me!) and you might even find something for you (like a chair) while you are there.
Most importantly, Mother’s Day is only two weeks away, so don’t leave it til the last minute. Remember how long your mother spent in labour with you and put in at least half that time finding the perfect present for her. Go forth and shop!!
Uni Hill Factory Outlets
2 Janefield Drive Bundoora
This post was sponsored by Uni Hill Factory Outlets.
Sugar and Spice and Things I like
So at lunch today I picked up this skirt at Zara. I confess to loving the top as well, but unless I win the lottery, I think my shopping quota for this month is done.
It’s totally awesome, with pockets, and wonderfully full and fifties fabulous. So me.
And now I want these shoes to go with it. Somebody stop me.
Zara Flared Studio Skirt, $139
ASOS Holborn Heeled Sandal, $81.67
Live North
Choosing a place to live can be a hard task. Where you work and what you can afford are often the deciding factors, but for those who consider lifestyle one of their priorities in choosing a region, the North has so much to offer.
As a child, I grew up in the outer east, far away from the hustle and bustle of café culture and trams that take you anywhere and everywhere. When I moved closer, I chose southside. Soon, my partner and I will move west – a decision motivated by (you guessed it!) work and money.
But it is the North with its hidden treasures and cosmopolitan lifestyle that often takes my fancy. While I begrudge crossing the city in peak hour to meet northside friends, I find myself trekking over there more often than they sail southside, and I can’t say I’m disappointed.
Over the past week, I’ve found myself crossing the river more than a few times. Last Sunday morning, friends and I dined at Industry Beans, a cool café in the back laneways of Fitzroy, hidden among one way streets and construction zones.
Smashed Avo on gluten free toast at Industry Beans. Pic thanks to Airdrie Makim.
A stroll down Gertrude Street on Tuesday to visit Fatto A Manno, my go-to gluten free bakery, revealed more boutique stores than I had thought were there, leading into the artisan stretch of Smith St where designers and jewellers make their mark. A sneaky look in an Acne Studios pop up (in residence til end April at Shop 1/150 Gertrude Street) was a discovery worth making before I popped into Arcadia for a coffee. I swung past North Melbourne on the way home – the Salvos here is great!
Bargain Alpha 60 dress, reduced to $40!
Thursday I was beating a track down Brunswick Street where I made my most important find – the Alpha 60 and LIFEwithBIRD outlets, right next door to each other (179 and 264 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy)! An hour later, I was exhausted from trying on all the clothes but thrilled to find last season designer threads at high street prices.
Alpha 60 knit, reduced to $50, and Uashmama bag from Feathered Arbour, Carlton.
Brunch is the meal of the day on the weekend, and Saturday saw another visit, this time to Proud Mary in Collingwood, to meet up with a girlfriend who has recently moved to Melbourne. I took her to the Tony Bianco outlet store, where everything had been marked down to $30. Brilliant.
The best stories finish with sweet treats, and stopping by the new Yo Chi store in Carlton provided a fitting end to my week checking out the sights and sounds of the North.
If you have the notion to check out the North for yourself, Live North , in conjunction with hockingstuart, are running a fabulous competition to win an amazing northside experience valued at $4000! Enter via facebook to experience your own northern adventure!
Cute pin from Alpha 60 – $2!!!
I also visited Third Drawer Down, at 93 George Street Fitzroy; LUPA, at 77 Smith Street Fitzroy; and m.e & co fitters st 57 Smith Street Fitzroy.
This post was sponsored by hockingstuart, who have created Live North to share all the wonderful things these suburbs have to offer.
Eat Street – A French Affair
Having been an attendee of Eat Street for a number of years, I was already planning to go along to the 2014 event, but when I discovered that the theme this year is ‘A French Affair‘, there would be no way I could stay away, or be prevented from shouting it from the rooftops!
A fabulous hotel full of French cuisine? HELLO LOVER!! Macarons and champagne and crepes and red wine and CHEESE. Oh the cheese!! And so it will be that on the night of May 27, 2014 (at 6pm!), we shall all converge on the Sofitel hotel, to enjoy what will be an amazing display of the best Melbourne’s restaurants have to offer, french style.
Did I mention it’s all in aid of charity? In the past, the event has raised over $1 million for children’s charities and in this, it’s 15th year, the aim will be to better this again. With a live auction, a silent auction, raffle and plenty of games, Eat Street is a night not to be missed.
Complete with spectacular decor that will truly make you feel transported to the French capital, experience over 30 of Melbourne’s most renowned chefs, 25 wine and beverage companies and all the magic of a little ooh la la!
You’ll find more info here, or contact the Sofitel via phone (03) 9653 0000 or email h1902-co01@sofitel.com. Tickets are $160 per person and all proceeds support Redkite.
H&M is here, Australia!
A little over twelve months ago, I flew all the way to Paris and shopped up a storm at H&M on the Champs Elysees. Last night I simply hopped on a tram and headed to the city centre of Melbourne, where H&M Australia launched their first store, at the iconic GPO.
There were lights and music as the entire VIP set of Melbourne (and then some!) turned out for what would be the party of the year. They sorted us by surname as we entered the red carpet, and ushered those who were unknowns behind the back of the media riser where we happily took instagram photos of our own by a media wall perched for that specific purpose.
Inside, the beautiful GPO building has been transformed into a gorgeous retail space and it’s hard to believe that once many shops and cafes filled the space. Now every square inch of this incredible store is filled with clothes, shoes, handbags and accessories for men, women and children, and things for the home. So many things! And I want them all.
The prices are ridiculously cheap for Australia, given they are on par with their European counterparts and the quality of the garments is astounding when you consider the price. I was in wonderland. With cocktails by 1806 to my left, and a brand new shopping mecca distracting me to the right, it was hard to know where to look – or who to talk to. EVERYONE was at this party.
With 20% off for one night only, I purchased the Australian Exclusive collection berry knee high boots (genuine leather, $199), a monochrome strapless dress ($79), a pair of jeans ($27) and some lingerie ($30). Knowing that there will be queues to get in for weeks kinda of puts me off going back anytime soon, but I will be back (and probably sooner rather than later!)
I look forward to hearing what you get when the store opens at 10am tomorrow, April 5.
Fun Facts! There will be 250 staff working at the store tomorrow! Plus H&M bought over 50 of their fabulous London staff to help get things going at the start in Oz.
Ten ways to brighten your Wednesday
It’s the middle of the week and hopefully you realise it’s all downhill from here, but in there interim, if you just need a little something to get you through hump day, here are a few little things to brighten or spark up your Wednesday.
1. Visit the Bored Button website. Thanks to Kerri Sackville for this one, I didn’t get anything done for the rest of the day. You will never be bored again, and you might learn something.
2. Take a F.R.I.E.N.D.S trivia quiz. If you are as big a fan of that show as I, you won’t get anything done for the rest of the day. Plus you will feel incredibly intelligent knowing a lot about some fairly silly things. Thanks to Meagan Harding for sharing this link – I’ll take you on any day.
3. Spend some time perusing the H&M Australia website, and pick out what you want to buy when they open on Saturday 5 April in Melbourne. I have a list as long as my arm…
4. Play on Pinterest. You know you want to!
5. Check out these awesome Prada sunglasses I’m selling on eBay. Think of all the outfits your could wear them with! SUCH a bargain. Bid now!
6. Take a walk outside, rain, hail or shine. Sit and have a cup of tea somewhere. Buy a cupcake. ENJOY THE TEA AND CUPCAKE WITHOUT YOUR MOBILE PHONE IN FRONT OF YOU. Just watch the world go by.
7. Create your own ecards for friends. Make them funny, silly, witty, smutty, clever or kind. Go crazy!
8. Consider your next haircut. What have you always wanted to do and didn’t? Take the chop, or try a new colour. See what it looks like before you jump in the deep end with Taaz. Upload your pic and away you go!
9. Pretend you are not at work – you’re just wasting time anyways. Research your next holiday to Paris (where else??) and start planning that savings account.
10. Fill a cart on your favourite online shopping website, then buy a tattslotto ticket. You just never know.
Happy Wednesday!