Payday Purchase

I'm not usually one for market shopping, choosing instead to stick to brands that I know and trust. When in Rome however, (or Sydney in this case) one must step out of ones comfort zone and for once I'm glad I did. 

Stepping inside Paddy's market you can find an Aladdins cave of products, from knock off Prada purses to fluro wigs. Dig amongst the stalls and stalls of randomness however, and there are plenty of great pieces to be had - such as my favourite Australian purchase so far, my bag. 

Obviously we can see that it is styled after the Hermes Birkin, however - and this is important, it's not a knock off, unlike many other pieces at the market. With change from $50 it was cheaper than going to an average high street store and the best part is that I know that I am not going to walk down the street and bump into ten people with the same bag. Needless to say I'll no longer be shying away from markets when I get back to London!

NYFW: Altuzarra AW15/16

Theme: ' A lot of pleasure was taken in dressing up' said the man himself.  We saw Victorian influences with a modern edge.  Thigh high slits included of course.

Palette: Turn of the century country woman with neutral tones and bursts of reds and pinks here and there.

Accessories: It was the designers first hand at accessories and he did not disappoint. Bags added a pop of colour and the chunky boots were both thigh and ankle length.

Key Look: The sleeveless dress with Victorian ruffled neck was a dream.

Review:  This collection bought us both romance and power with plenty of plaids, lace and heavy fur stoles.  Whilst Altuzarra stuck to his classic silhouette, we saw victorian style necklines, frilled details in the pockets and fluted hems that will most defintley be mimicked by high street stores in the months to come.

NYFW: Alexander Wang AW15/16

Theme:  Wang quoted his inspirations for this season as 'Punk meets Victorian Goth, Marilyn Manson and Heavy Thrash metal'

Palette: Black, black, black with velvet and leather texture.  A little bit of tartan was thrown in just to keep us on our toes.

Accessories: Platforms, hiking boots and leather studded duffle bags.

Key Look: Layered look of the fir collar thrown over a bomber over a chainmail dress.

Review: Finally, a Wang collection with not a gym related garment in sight!  The collection felt heavy and definitely appeals to those who like to live hard and fast.  Last season Wang bought us an array of fluoro but this season it was back to monochrome with the exception of two tartan jackets. Chain mail was used in conjunction with fur and added to the strong vibe  The greasy strands the models peered through with attitude emanated the kind of 90's grunge look Wang seemed to have been aiming for.  Definitely his best yet.

NYFW: Jason Wu AW15/16

Theme: 'I was kind of infatuated by global dressing and the fact that we never know what kind of weather it is'  Wu told Vogue, a result that ended in transitional pieces.  We also saw the power dressing he is so well known for.

Pallette: Starting off military like with plenty of Khakis, flowing smoothly in black before bright red hit the runway.

Accessories: Skinny stiletto heels and skinny belts aplenty. 

Key Look: #31 for me.  The fur stole perfectly adds a wintery twist on the satin jumpsuit underneath.

Review:  Sleek and sophisticated tailoring was a key component with evident 60's influences such as the satin jumpsuit.  The transferable garments such as the outerwear with detachable pieces gives buyers more bang for their buck, but the crocodile matte dresses mean clients are free to over indulge. Wu is no stranger to dressing power women that much we know.  One can't help feeling, however, that Wu is playing a little on the safe side given that his previous shows have provided us with feathers and flounces.  Knowing what he is truly capable of added to the shift in his brand aesthetic this collection seemed a little lacking.

Payday Purchase

So I've recently moved to Australia to help my company in opening in new locations. Anyone who has ever worked in this environment will tell you that the attire for such an occasion is most definitely not dresses and nice shoes. Having relocated half way round the world however made it difficult for me to bring, shall we say, more functional pieces from my wardrobe. Sure I bought a pair of gym trainers but having to put these with an outfit for work isn't ideal. 

Traipsing round an unfamiliar high street with brands you've never heard of was never going to be an easy thing to do. Luckily one of the girls had already done a walk round and informed me of a particular store 'Cotton On' that had exactly what I was looking for - slogan tee's. Between the four of us we managed to pretty much buy a sample of each available tee, with 2 for $30 (or £15 if you're like me) it's a bargain not to be missed! 

I'll admit I was over slogan tees until I saw the Britney version (left) but now I seem to have rediscovered my love of them.