The other day, a friend texted me a picture of herself in red shoes + black and white stripes. Caption: “I feel like Dorothy. Or the witch!”
I immediately realised that I too was dressed in a very Oz-inspired outfit – a little bit munchkin and large amount technicolour.
No matter what they say, never give up on wearing colour!
[Skirt - Asos; Shirt - Lulamae; Shoes - Witchery]
Ah, le reveillon. Just another excuse for an excellent outfit; a pair of sparkly shoes and a lot more glitter than usual.
The only problem is that in Australia, it can often be incredibly hot on New Year’s. Which is not ideal when you’re trying to look good. So the best thing to do is look good without trying. Which is almost impossible (unless you’re French).
Here’s what I’d be buying if I had an endless bank account…
Paris Fashion Week Street Style – via Pinterest…
Christian Louboutin Pumps – found on Pinterest
Looks from Chloé SS13 via Show Studio
Dress (Thakoon) – Clutch (Mimco) – Shoes (Valentino) – Dress (? for Topshop) – Shoes (Valentino) – Clutch (Warehouse)
So unfortunately, I have been neglectful and forgetful this past week. With so much going on, I’ve barely even done the things I should be doing, let alone the things I want to do, like writing blog posts!
Work, Uni, Work, Work, Uni… it’s a lot. And while I love doing it all, and I do quite like being busy, I miss the simpler days. The days of barely three days a week of classes, and then a couple of annoying shifts at work to earn some cashdollarz, plus more free time than I could poke a stick at, and the ability to go out any day of the week.
I could indulge shameful passions and get stuck into those things that I love doing but that have no benefit beyond enjoyment, and sometimes a little food for thought. Things like reading ten magazines in a day, sitting down to a good book, watching an entire TV series in one night, shopping, trawling through blogs, writing about everything and anything, playing piano and photography.
One day, I’ll suddenly realise that I haven’t done something I claim to love doing in such a long time. And that makes me a little sad.
Even my intense need to think about everything I wear seems to have sunk into a comfortable, yet resentful trough. It doesn’t mean I don’t love it, and that a great outfit doesn’t make me feel excellent. It feels like perhaps I’m stretching myself to reach every interest and ability, and others are slacking off.
If I don’t even have time to be excited about a good pair of printed trousers, what is the world coming to?
Luckily, in a moment of inspiration and rediscovery, I pulled out my red cheshire cat-like scarf and decided it would go excellently with my new dark blue velvet blazer. And voila, a small amount of sparkle and bother was injected back into my day.
Just like this elephant’s unexpected rainbow ears, this outfit seems to be an unexpected combination. I’m still not sure what I think about it. The point, mostly, is to show you my excellent new neon pink backpack! I go it for a steal on ASOS, and it’s designed by Baggu, a hipster bag-maker of choice.
I also rediscovered this lovely grey hoodie I got from Sportsgirl last year. It looks a bit like a cape from behind, because the back is cream chiffon. It’s surprising, again. It’s part jogger, part super-hero, part medieval princess, and part awesome. Sah good.
Last week I also purchased a pretty jewelled collar necklace from Sportsgirl. I’ve been wearing it every second day, which I call accessory success, or a succ-sessory. Bah.
Dress- Topshop, Hoodie & Necklace – Sportsgirl, Leather jacket – Portmans, Backpack – Baggu on ASOS, Awkward photography & pose – model’s own.One thing I’ve been searching for lately is a really good backpack. My old Kate Hill brown fake leather backpack has seen me through for the past couple of years, but is dying a very slow and painful death. And yet, I keep trying to squeeeeze the life from it.
So it’s time I got a new one. This might seem simple – I mean, how hard is it to find a new backpack? It’s just a backpack. Answer: much harder than you think!
Below are some backpacks on my list. Evidently a tighter than tight budget means that the only ones that actually make it to my list are the first three. Even though the second is worn by a bearded man in the picture, I love the cute glasses print. I don’t really think its a man bag. The other two are just riotously bright.
I also wouldn’t mind a Longchamp Le Pliage backpack… But these have allegedly been discontinued. So I’d have to resort to eBay…
Which should I buy?
Baggu canvas backpack in Pink Neon, $34.01 on ASOS
Eastpak backpack with glasses print $36.56 on ASOS
Baggu canvas backpack in Sea Green, $59.95 ($47.96) on The Iconic
Marc Jacobs dip dye backpack in blue or pink, ~$70 on eBay (images via fantomes)
Paul Smith floral backpack, $476.14 on ASOS
ASOS premium leather backpack with zip detail $204.06
I’m one of those people who is always shopping.
Online shopping, or window shopping. For the former, I am always updating my digital wishlists and ‘saved for later’ collections as if they were meticulously curated exhibits. The latter simply involves a mental wishlist, which then inevitably turns into the digital kind either on the corresponding shop’s website, Pinterest, or both.
No money? Not a factor. The thing is, just as I need to constantly be eating (snacking habit, bad) but not because I’m hungry, I constantly need to shop. Not to buy anything perse (although that is required from time to time), but more to complete the act of shopping.
There are things my heart yearns for – both obtainable and unobtainable. To make the main more bearable, I must, from time to time, compile these in a delightful graphic format and post them on my blog. These are either wants – thing I want and could actually own, and wishes – things I long for but will never own, unless I’m spitefully rich, or marry a billionaire. It could happen, you know. I hold onto the hope…
One thing I became particularly fond of in London was my ridiculous furry cossack hat. I bought it for a steal (at something like £5) from Primark. It took some getting used to, as it manages to make your head look about 10cm taller than it actually is, and well, hats just tend to draw attention to themselves. Also, when it rained, or snowed, my hat would get a bit of a wet dog look about it. Not nice. But very warm, and very lovely in many respects.
I pulled out Hat after a very long hiatus sitting under some things beside to awful mess that is the hatstand in the corner of my room… It’s one of the slums in the Hannah’s bedroom district. But anyway. I did it. And it brightened what was an awfully cold and wet day. Hooray!
Hat’s previous adventures:
Here is Hat with Bre and Laura on a day trip to Oxford…
And below is Hat at Edinburgh Castle…
And stuck in the snow with Topshop Cape.
Funnily enough, Olivia Purvis of the blog What Olivia Did also owns the same hat… and she does have a knack for styling it well. Helps to have a killer wardrobe and a pretty face!
And here are some of my favourite cossack hats from the wider world:
L – R: Asos sheepskin, Kate Middleton can barely see, and Heather Miller looks happy.
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