R O S E .

(Gifted Toi Et Moi Top, Vintage Sunglasses, YSL ring, Super Delicious Iced Coffee)

I can tell you right now, the world through rose coloured glasses looks so much more beautiful. The clouds look like fairy floss, the sky looks like a constant sunset and everyone has a slight radiant glow about them. These sunglasses were a Christmas gift from one of my suppliers after he made the mistake of showing me a small box of vintage sunglasses he had stashed away for over 5 years. I was allowed to choose a few pairs on the condition i would only keep them for myself. There are a few things even vintage suppliers know aren't worth selling because they're so rare, and i couldn't be more happier to oblige. These super fun shades couldn't be more "me" so i grabbed the only pairs he had and now have them in pink, green and gold.

This week is going to be a big one. I have so much new stock hitting the store and after taking it easy last week i'm ready for the ridiculous amount of work that needs to be done. Even though these sunglasses won't be in there i'm sure there's plenty you will all love. Well, i can only hope anyway :)

C O R A L .

(Gifted American Apparel Pants, Supre top, Vintage Cardigan/Clutch/Necklace, Topshop heels, YSL ring)

Over the summer I've received some pretty amazing gifts including a whole lotta basics from American Apparel, which is the one thing I've always desperately needed. I've been obsessed with these AA coral pants for so long and even though it's 40 degrees here i can't seem to take them off. Add an outrageously fluffy 80's cardigan and i think I'm ready for the most inappropriately dressed for summer award, and with the pants and jackets I've been running lately i wouldn't be surprised if i took out first place.

Luke and i went out for lunch and the lighting was so beautiful on this bridge i thought it would be a good chance to shoot a few overdue photos for my blog. If anyone saw me they would of thought I'd walked through a bright and joyous rainbow but it couldn't reflect how i feel right now any better. Bright, happy, radiant. I have a feeling 2011 is going to be a big year already.

This cardigan will be available in store next week so keep your eyes peeled. Then again, i don't think it's going to be very hard to miss something this vibrant. Have a wonderful weekend everyone. I'll be seeing you sooner than soon :)

M I S O .

A little off topic but i wanted to introduce you all to the little kitten I'm catsitting at the moment called Miso. My friends are in Thailand for three weeks so i jumped at the opportunity to mind her while they are away. I've always been a bit of a cat fanatic but seeing as i couldn't have one of my own i opted to cover my office and bedroom in vintage ceramic cats and lights instead. Miso is a ragdoll and the cutest little thing i've ever seen. She paws at my head in the morning to try and wake me up and if this fails she'll either sleep on my head or curl up into a ball and sleep next to my head. It seems she loves human contact and attention so much she'll even try to sleep on my keyboard or lap when I'm working. She's actually sleeping on my lap right now.. Sigh, my perfect kind of cat. After years of fighting with myself and how not practical it is to have a cat at this age - with living out of home, traveling, expenses etc - i've finally caved and decided to get one of my own. Two little Miso's running around and pawing at my face? Oh yes, I can't wait!

C R Y S T A L L I S E D .

(Crystallised by Vintage Lover)

So i'm hoping i'm not the only one who does this but the other day i wrote a list of things i want to do and would like to achieve with my blog this year. I think it's so important to be constantly trying to find ways to improve your work whether that be your career or even your blog. For me, it's both. I'm always thinking of ways to improve, to grow, to expand. There's never a moment when my mind is quiet and for some reason that's the way i like it. Sometimes i feel like my mind looks like Shibuya crossing with a thousand things crossing my mind at once and all going in different directions. Maybe with a few anime characters and kawaii cats in there too..

One goal on my list this year is to start posting beautiful look books i come across. There seems to be an influx that arrive in my inbox lately but i never get time to post about them. I'm hoping that by doing this it will help to break up my personal posts and hopefully help me to post more consistently, which is my main goal.

The first lookbook i want to share with you is "Crystallised" by Vintage Lover. Not only is it absolutely beautiful but Jaharn is one of the nicest vintage sellers i've come across and is more of a friend than anything else, even though she's half way across the world in London and we've never actually met before. It's comforting to know there are vintage sellers out there who like to work and support one another and who are genuinely happy for you. And right now i couldn't be happier for Jaharn and her store. After months of hard work her stunning lookbook is complete and it couldn't be more welcomed. You can shop the Vintage Lover collection HERE.

L O V E .

(Miu Miu Bikini)

You know those times when you see something that makes your heart race and your toes tingle? And you don't care how much it is you just have to have it? Well this is how i felt when i laid eyes upon this stunning Miu Miu bikini two weeks ago. Luckily i was on Net-A-Porter the morning it went online, which makes think it was meant to be. It was love at first sight. It was fate. And now it is mine. My little valentine's present to myself seeing as Luke was in Hawaii shooting for work, and i couldn't be more smitten. Hopefully the sun comes out this weekend so i can shoot some more photos of it. What did you all get up to for Valentines day? Were you spoilt or did you spoil yourself like me? I spent it with a few of the girls and enjoyed a candle lit dinner followed by chocolate crepes with blueberries and banana. Who needs boys when you've got friends, crepes and bikinis? :)

O R A N G E & L E O P A R D .

(Vintage leopard shirt, Vintage boots - coming soon, Sportsgirl Hat, YSL/Headmistress/Gifted Rings)

So if any of you follow me on twitter you'll know a couple of days ago i tweeted about trying to find the perfect black floppy hat. I have no idea why it's so hard to find a floppy hat with just the right amount of flop, if that makes sense. Either some are just too floppy or not floppy enough. I suppose conquering the art of floppiness is not the easiest of tasks and all i can think of right now is how much I should probably stop writing the word floppy...

I stumbled across this Sportsgirl hat at a local opshop. It's so strange to think i can find it at an opshop but not at any of the actual Sportsgirl stores? Anyway, this burnt orange colour is one of my new obsessions. It reminds me of an autumn leaf and seeing as we're coming into autumn i can already imagine how much i'll be wearing this colour. I can't get enough of it. I even ordered some orange knee high's from Urban Outfitters and can imagine i'll be styling it with clean neutrals, shades of grey and black, polka dot prints and warm golden tones. Speaking of Urban Outfitters Chloe stumbled across pretty much the exact same hat online today so if you're after one for yourself they're available here and only $34! Honestly, when are us poor Australians going to be blessed with our very own UO? I think we've suffered enough without Topshop or H&M. My wardrobe is crying just thinking about how neglected we are sometimes...

These amazing vintage cream ankle boots are available in store here. They have small gold studs all over them and a rabbit fur trim around the ankle. In mint condition and utterly unique. I've never seen anything quite like them and they inspired me to style an outfit around them. I would keep them but the thought of wearing real fur, especially on my feet kind of freaks me out. Let's hope they find a loving new home before i change my mind!

N E W A C C E S S O R I E S !

Shooting accessories is extremely 'fiddly' and requires a lot of time and patience, as well as regular intervals and body stretches for me. For some reason i prefer to lie on the floor and smoosh my body and neck as flat as they can go to get the right angle, so if you ever saw me shooting these photos you'd think i'm somewhat crazy!

This could possibly be one of the biggest accessory updates i've done in the past 12 months with just over 100 new pieces hitting the store tomorrow night at 7PM AEST. Here's a sneak peek of a few of my favourite pieces, with so many amazing vintage bags, long and short necklaces, bright and colourful earrings (including clip ons too!), statement rings, leather ankle boots, briefcase bags, clutches and glomesh side bags will be arriving in the next 24 hours! You can have a look at the entire collection here. I didn't realise the accessories would sell as quickly as the clothes so i can only hope these will last a little while until my next order arrives. I also just placed another order with Moorea Seal for more amethyst rings - which sold out completely in just 10 days - and also a new amazing design she's working on so they should be arriving the next few weeks! Let's just say i'll be keeping one of these for myself!

Just quietly I am so smitten with the black leather backpack and tan leather briefcase, which fits a laptop inside making it perfect for uni students, pictured above. Both are extremely rare finds and in mint condition sourced straight from the UK. Sometimes i just don't know how i part with these things.. Sigh.

F L O R A L .

(Vintage robe, Vintage swimsuit, Vintage rings, Topshop heels)

So it seems ever since the new store opened it's not only my blog that is suffering but also my health. I've had a small cut on my foot for nearly three weeks now and it seemed to be getting worse by the day, and by worse i mean infected... After spending last night shivering and rugged up in a doona when it's 41 degrees outside i finally realised there was defiantly something wrong and it was time to see a doctor. I was prescribed antibiotics that look like small bumble bee's and told to rest, so i had the day off today which was wonderful. I took it easy, sent out about 20 parcels, edited some photos, replied to all of my emails and finally put together some sort of post for my blog.

So what's been happening here since we last spoke? Well Luke is away in Hawaii for a month, i finally decided i'm going to get a new kitten, i celebrated my birthday and was surprisingly sober compared to my friends for once, i went to Melbourne on another buying trip and have just been busy as per usual with the store and everything it demands. Oh, and i've been ill too! Bonus!

For some reason it's as if people knew it was my birthday as i've been receiving some amazing emails the past few weeks. A few things worth noting: I've been invited to be a part of a styling contest at Melbourne Fashion week, asked to be a teacher at a new fashion institute in Sydney and have a few collaborations lined up with Solestruck.com, Shopbop and Australian fashion label Joveeba, which to me is just crazy! It really kills me sometimes how much my store consumes my life so unfortunately i couldn't manage to take the time off work to go to Melbourne and to Sydney to teach, but fingers crossed these amazing opportunities will still be there this time next year! I can only hope by then i'll have learnt how to divide my time for work and time for play, and also to go to the doctors straight away!

PS. These photos were all taken at the Hunter Valley Gardens in NSW. This gazebo was the first place i actually thought to myself "Wow, i could get married here. This is exactly the setting i want". Pretty crazy stuff.