Signature style

I've been thinking for a long time now about signature style, be it a whole look or a signature piece. There are certain combinations that call to mind a specific person - a bob and dark sunglasses? That's Anna Wintour. Ponytail, suit and leather gloves? Kaiser Karl Lagerfeld. There are hundreds of other examples, but the bottom line is that these people have found a look that defines them, and for better or worse, stuck with it.

This is something I just can't do right now, though I've played with the notion before. The reason I can't do it is that I vacillate wildly between styles based on mood and season. Sometimes I want to be Very Serious And Wealthy Eurochic (often in the colder months), and then other times, like now, I'm leaning more towards cute, vaguely gyaru looks, as typified by Xiaxue, Cheesie and Jenny. And these two things are crazily incompatible as far as I can tell - sure, there will be various Euro collections that are cute (the Louis Vuitton-Murakami collaboration springs to mind) but by almost by definition, cute fashion is not French chic. The crossover is, I suppose, motte-kei style as seen in CanCam magazine, but it's not something I always feel like.

So basically, I haven't settled on a signature style for life. And that's OK - it just means I need clothes to indulge both styles. So that's what I'm working towards once I get back to shopping - clothes from both styles, with some pieces that can overlap the two, like a cute ruffled trenchcoat or similar.

I do feel that I should point out, though, that the other two lovelies who run this blog have particular styles that, to me, are very easy to see. Sometimes I'll be shopping and find something that I know Tris would love, and occasionally if I'm shopping with Ant, even he will point something out as "just like something Ish would buy". So maybe I do have a style that other people can categorize, but I can't? Perhaps it's an external thing. I hope if I do, that it's not too unflattering.

Now, off to YesStyle for some window shopping.

Winter Wardrobe on a Budget

This may be come as a surprise to you, but one thing I don’t like buying are work clothes. I work in an office environment and I really dislike corporate clothes and would much, much rather spend my money on something more fun and something I’m in to. And due to the fact that I hate corporate clothes I find it challenging to find appropriate clothes to wear to work. I would rather die than be caught wearing a suit, unless of course it’s Chanel, and while you may think a suit is smart and very acceptable there is just something that makes me want to vomit when I see one. The same goes for collared shirts, just too corporate looking for me and I find them too uncomfortable, plus they always need ironing, and these days, I don’t have enough time to wash my hair let alone iron an ugly shirt?

Winter is approaching and I recently came to realise that I have no wintery work clothes and the thought of spending hundreds and hundreds of dollars on a new winter wardrobe made my heart sink so low into my stomach that it actually made me feel ill. So, I had this idea, why not set myself a challenge to find a few outfits on a budget, which are appropriate for the office but still kind of fun and stylish.

Because I didn’t want to spend a small fortune on my new wardrobe, I thought I would try to transform clothes that I already have into office appropriate and maybe mix a few old pieces of clothing with new pieces and jazz them up with accessories. The key here is to have an open mind and be creative, look at every item in your wardrobe and think about it. Obviously, there will be a lot you can’t wear to work but there just may be a few things that you can transform or a few things that when worn with a pair of tailored pants or a pencil skirt can actually look quite smart. I also decided that I would look in stores I don’t usually shop in or stores that aren’t known for carrying corporate wear. And to try everything on, even if I’m not sure about it, there is no harm in trying it just to see what it’s like and how it fits.

There were a few items I had in mind which I really needed, a pair or two of pants as I have none and these are a must for winter, a cardigan for when it gets chilly inside and a pair of shoes. The shoes I have at the moment have seen way, way better days! I tend to go through work shoes so quickly, I could buy a leather pair for $200 and they will last me 3 months or buy a pair from K-mart and they will last me the same amount of time. My shoes must go trekking through the bush at night I think! So, I was prepared to skimp a bit on the shoes but I was prepared to pay a bit more for pants as you must get the fit right for these, and sometimes you have to pay a bit more for this. The rest, I was open to, maybe a skirt or a dress, a top or two, whatever I managed to find really!

After buying a few bits and pieces over the last couple of weeks this is what I have managed to put together....

Outfit 1
Black pants – Target $35
Stripe top – From wardrobe
Chain belt – Portmans $20
Necklace - From wardrobe



These black pants were a surprising find. I saw about a zillion pairs in Target but weren’t going to try any on because I didn’t think they would fit well. I remembered thinking that I would try things on regardless of what I thought, and to my surprise they fit really, really well. Stripes are everywhere this season so if you wanted to go for something different you could swap the striped top for a print or a bold colour, maybe a jewel toned purple or green.

Outfit 2
Check dress – Target $35
Belt – Portmans $25
Silver necklace - Forever New $30
Tights – From wardrobe
Shoes - Rubi $30



The check dress was a surprising find too from Target. If you have a good look and try things on you can actually find a few good pieces. And they are always having sales so you can always grab a good bargain.

Outfit 3
Wool skirt – Portmans $80
Black crop blazer – From wardrobe
Beige Top – Portmans $30
Necklace – From wardrobe
Shoes - Rubi $30 (also shown in outfit 2)



I am in LOVE with this skirt. It fits like a glove and the fabric has such beautiful colours. The picture doesn't quite portray it but it has a pastel pink and greens through the fabric.

Outfit 4
Black pants – Target $35 (also shown in outfit 1)
Lace top – From wardrobe
Grey cardigan – Target $35
Silver belt - From wardrobe
Silver necklace - Forever New $30 (also shown in outfit 2)



This grey cardigan actually had these cheap looking studs around the edges which I easily took off with no evidence of them ever existing. Now it looks much more classic and will easily go with almost any outfit. The lace top and metallic belt keeps this outfit from looking drab and old.

Outfit 5
Grey top – Portmans $60
Black skirt – From wardrobe
Scarf - From wardrobe
Belt - Portmans $25 (also shown in outfit 2)
Cuff - From wardrobe



If you don’t have a black skirt like this one you could easily work a pencil skirt or something similar into the look. Also, if you wanted to up the corporate factor on this outfit, wear a white collared shirt under the grey top and tie the scarf around your neck. I wanted to add a splash of colour with the pink animal print scarf, and the animal print also adds a bit of playfulness. To keep those pins warm add a pair of black tights.

Additional thoughts:

• My office is usually quite warm inside so my outfits aren’t overly wintery. To rug up when I go outside I would simply add a classic trench and a scarf.

• I usually wear the same pair of shoes to work every day because I don’t like to ruin my ‘weekend’ shoes. If you like to mix it up, you could easily wear a cute pair of booties with outfits 3 and 5 or even a pair of knee high boots.

I'm still going to keep my eyes open for a couple of more items, probably another pair of pants and the cute shoes I got from Rubi come in a variety of colours so I might get another pair, and for $30 why on earth not?! I'd also like to inject a bit more colour so a couple of bright tops or a jacket would work well. I'm pretty happy with what I have achieved so far, I love all 5 looks and I haven't spent a fortune. So, I would say.... great success!

Ishia

An update

So, I haven't posted in a while, and here's why:



Aaargh! Quell horreur! Because of our home loan application, we had to temporarily cancel all of our credit cards. It also means that I've been pretty preoccupied with signing the hundreds of nearly identical documents that come with this house-buying racket. Sigh. I was so naive going into this process! I had no idea how much was involved. Settlement is in two weeks, and the sigh of relief I breathe when this is all over will be so strong that it may drastically alter global weather patterns. And I'm not ashamed to admit that I was pretty sad to cut up the cards.

I have, however, managed to pick up a couple of things in the last week:



A work top. It's actually pretty cute, the sleeves have a nifty twist detail that gives it that little kick of chic that I like to look out for. It's a cherry colour throughout - the flash has made it look a little ombre, but that isn't the case.



Not one but two pairs of shoes. I utterly ruined my favourite pair of Repetto ballet flats on the day of the Great Perth Storm (you might have seen me walking through the knee-deep floodwaters of Subiaco if you checked the news that night) but Cult Status hasn't had my size in to replace them. Boo! Luckily these onces from Wittner are just as supple and comfortable, so they will happily hold the place of the Repettos for the time being.

I also found a really nice pair of all-leather pumps in Wittner at the same time. Checklist?

• 100% leather throughout?
• No platform?
• Toweringly high stilleto heels?
• Red sole?

OK, so they're not Louboutins, but they're damned nice all the same and I'm happy to welcome them to my wardrobe and cross them off my wishlist. Thanks, Wittner, for a nice shoe-flavoured diversion. (By the way, they have SUPER CUTE animal print ankle boots at the moment that I totes would have bought if I wasn't already leaving with two pairs of shoes. Get 'em while they're hot.)

*****

So I need some style advice. I'm in a bit of a rut lately, style-wise. I work in a plant lab, so I need to wear long pants that can take a bit of a beating, and flat closed shoes every day. Over time I've refined this into a denim-and-ballet-flats uniform which serves me very well (and doesn't get me asked if I'm interviewing elsewhere - the standard of dress in labs is not particularly professional, so tailored pants are viewed with suspicion.) This works really well for me and I'm pretty happy with it.

HOWEVER. This five-year reliance on denim has me at a point now where I don't actually know how to put together a casual (or even smart casual) outfit that doesn't involve jeans. I don't know how it happened, but somewhere along the line my wardrobe developed a big gap between the jeans section and the church and dinner dresses section. So I need some advice. What should a girl who is fairly insecure about her legs (what I'm trying to say is no miniskirts please, or superskinny pants) buy for the bottom half of her body to fill this gap? I'm thinking casual pants or skirts but I have genuinely no idea where to start. What happened to me? All ideas welcome, keeping in mind my general wardrobe direction of Parisian ballerina. I did see a few things in the last couple issues of Shop Til You Drop that I like, namely a velvet skirt and a leather skirt. So that's a start. But I'm still pretty stumped so fire away with the suggestions if you've got 'em.

I need a stylist.

How to pack for a summer in Europe

One of my favourite things in life is travel. I love it! I love experiencing new culture, new foods, new ways of life. All I need to do for an instant mental release is go open my passport, and I remember so many adventures. Anthony and I have been really fortunate to have had lots of travel opportunities since we got married. This have given me a whole lot of practice when it comes to honing my skills at packing a suitcase. So today, I'm going to write up how I pack to travel in summer. This post is super long. Sorry about that.

I like to travel as light as I can. This isn't to avoid baggage claim. No, it's so I can buy lots of stuff and not have to worry about running out of space or baggage allowance. I do have a smaller suitcase that complies with carry-on regulations, and that served me well on my most recent trip to Japan, where we were staying in a teeny Japanese B+B. But for most trips, Le Grande Samsonite is what it's all about.

My happy suitcase family

This predilection for light packing means that I plan my wardrobe extensively in advance - almost down to what I'll wear on each day of the trip. I don't really like to repeat an outfit, though - I aim to not repeat at all on a trip that's two weeks or less. When we were in Italy for nearly four weeks last year, I repeated an outfit three times. But that was because it was a dress that I'd bought in Rome that I loved. Every other outfit got a maximum of two runs. What this means for packing is that every top has to go with at least two bottoms, and vice versa. Dresses must be able to be dressed up or down. And because I HATE looking like a tourist more than anything - everything has to be chic. If I wouldn't wear that outfit in sleepy Perth, why on earth would I consider wearing it in Paris?

So, without further ado, here's a sample packing list for a two-week summer getaway. Let's say to Italy, seeing as how that's on my mind a lot recently.

Four tops

Four is enough, so long as I do a load of laundry halfway through. (Honestly, hotels have laundries for a reason. Even hostels have somewhere nearby where you can do your own dirty work.) I always bring one top that covers my shoulders, for visits to religious sites and other places that require modesty. There's nothing less chic than having to wear a paper shawl (or worse, paper pants, like some people I saw at Il Duomo in Siena. YUCK.) For the other three, I've gone with tank tops in neutral colours, because a) neutral colours are Eurochic, b) neutral colours go with everything, and c) tank tops are the best summer top there is. I prefer wider straps but there's no reason why these couldn't be spaghetti straps if that takes your fancy. You could take more eye-catching, trendy tops if you like, but to my mind this limits their versatility. What is important, though, is that the tops are (at least mostly) natural fibre. Clingy, sweaty clothes make everything less fun. Cotton and linen are good, silk is better. Yes, I know cotton and linen crease like nobody's business. I'll get to that later.

Two pairs of pants

As far as I'm concerned, jeans are indispensible for all climates, cultures and seasons. They're great for days with lots of sightseeing. They can look a bit slobby though, so you have to make sure the rest of your outfit is impeccably pulled together. White linen pants, however, never look slobby. Look at me!, they say. I am rich, cool, stylish, and summering in Europe! These ones are straight legged, despite the weird balooning at the hips in the photo. Again, they crease like nuts. Meet me further down for more chit-chat on that.

Two skirts

Yes, two, though I've only photographed one. For the other one, I like a maxi skirt. This is one item that I would actually go for in a colour or print rather than a neutral. Why? I don't know. More summery, perhaps. But they're indisputably chic in white, too. Ruth had a navy one in Italy that I coveted. I don't own one yet, and it's a gaping hole in my summer wardrobe. I'll be keeping an eye out.

Two dresses

Both dresses have to be able to be dressed up or dressed down. If you're not as comfortable wearing them with stilettos as with Roman sandals, they don't deserve a place in your suitcase. The white Esprit one I have here is good, but not perfect. I'm shooting for a white jersey wrap to replace it. (If you see one, let me know!) The navy Calvin Klein is pretty much perfection in this category. Best versatile dress ever. And again, natural fibres are your friend.

One great cardigan

Preferably in cashmere. This one isn't, it's superfine merino. But its shape and length make it the best travel-friendly cardigan ever invented. It's snuggly, goes with everything but folds into nothing. It should always be in your handbag, because you never know when you'll find yourself in a chilly restaurant/art gallery/plane cabin. (OK, you might see the plane thing coming.)

Underwear 

(no photo, because why would you want to see my smalls?)

I won't skimp on this.  Lots of packing lists say one bra, two pairs of panties, then just wash one every night.  Ugh.  I want a matching set for every day, thankyouverymuch.  To me, it's worth the luggage space.  I do generally leave the molded bras at home though, because they take up more space than regular fabric underwires.  I guess bathers come in this category too.  One pair if you're doing occasional swimming, two or three if it's more or less all you're doing.

SHOES!

I can't abide travel books that tell you to get by on one pair of ugly walking shoes. NO, PEOPLE. Summer shoes are light, don't take up much packing space, and pull a whole outfit together. Here I've got ballet flats, Roman sandals, Havaianas for the beach/pool, Chucks for days with too much walking, and a pair of espadrilles. No heels, I hear you say. Well, of course not. We're going to Italy, where every street is cobblestone, which will reduce you to a puddle of tears should you try to navigate them in heels. Look alive, people. Also, all the most fun restaurants are totally espadrille-appropriate.  Oh, and wear the espadrilles on the plane.  They're far and away the heaviest individual item you should be packing.

Bags

You need at minimum, a tote for daytime, and a clutch for evening. I'd also add a fabric beach bag if you'll be swimming, and a smaller sized shoulder bag. Nothing that begs to be stolen. And no Birkins. I've travelled with mine and it's completely impractical. Heavy, needs too much babying on the plane, and you can't throw it over your shoulder. (It's a super bag. Just not for travel.) Also, my clutch is actually my travel document wallet. I stash the tickets and so on in the hotel room safe and take the wallet out to dinner. (By the way, I bought the travel wallet and a whole lot of other equally useful stuff from Ciao Bella Travel, which is a super Aussie travel shop that I buy from before every trip.) (And another item from CBT that is invaluable in the bag category is this - it makes it really easy to switch between bags at a moment's notice.)

Accessories

This is your opportunity to differentiate your outfits with jewellery, hats, scarves etc. Again, I don't really agree with the notion of leaving all your treasured jewellery at home. You're no more likely to lose it by wearing it overseas than you are at home, and it's just as safe in a hotel safe as in your jewellery box in your empty house. If you love it and want to wear it, bring it. And for the record, hoop earrings are never the wrong answer.
I would never consider going on a summer holiday without a big hat, because I have skin so pale that I get moonburn. Plus I think big hats add an element of wealthy glamour, but maybe that's just consolation for the fact that I'll never have a tan. This one is from a Mimco collection a few years ago, and it's great because it packs completely flat.
Anyway, the selection above is a few of the things I would take. If I had a Pucci scarf, it would definitely be in the photo up there. Those things are the best. Make sure your jewellery goes in your carry-on. And your pashmina, too - much warmer, more cuddly and less revolting than the airline-issue blankets.

Toiletries and makeup

I am always on the hunt for mini versions of my favourite products. eBay is a really good way to find sample sizes of toiletries. I bought a teeny Chanel No. 5 parfum (like 1mL or something) that has lasted me eight weeks overseas and is still going strong. The most important thing to me is to bring the skincare I use at home, and if I can't find mini versions, then I'll decant from my large bottles into little jars and bottles. I know, this isn't rocket science. But there's no sense in depriving yourself in any way.  If I use La Mer at home, then I'm not going to put some cheapo moisturiser on in a foreign country that my body is still adjusting to anyway.
As far as makeup goes, I think it's best to keep a natural daytime look and then pump up either eyes or lips for night with heavier liner or lipstick. Here's what I take:

• Powder foundation with SPF.  (I like Benefit's Hello Flawless)
• Illuminating concealer (why would you go past Touche Eclat in this category?)
• Blush (NARS Orgasm is a safe bet)
• Lip stain (Stila Yumberry Crush)
• Shimmery nude eyeshadow (Stila kitten)
• Black pencil eyeliner (MAC or Chanel)
• Mascara (Benefit Bad Gal Lash)
• A red lipstick for evening (at the moment, Laura Mercier's Mistress)

And that's pretty much it for makeup.  Keep your routine simple, and you can carry it all in your handbag.
Right.  Hair.  Like skincare, I look for minis of my home products.  I ALWAYS get a haircut right before I go away.  A good haircut makes you look fresh and polished without much time or effort on your part.  However, I take my GHD flat irons with me anyway.  It only take five minutes with them after a long day's sightseeing to make me look salon fresh again.
One last thing - I usually go with a nude nail, redoing it after a week.  But I'm thinking I might try BioSculpt gel next time, seeing they're supposed to last for a month.  The aim is always to look great with minimal effort.  Not having to waste an hour's sightseeing time on doing my nails sounds like a good idea to me.
Oh, and don't forget to pack tweezers, nailclipppers or bandaids.  You'll hate yourself.

Other vitals 

This mini steamer is what you need to deal with wrinkled clothes.  Everything will become new again.  Trust me.  And don't forget adaptors for your appliances.  If you can't get a steamer, the best option is to hang everything up in the bathroom and have a really hot shower without turning the exhaust fan on. But the steamer is a much better idea. Other things I can't do without include a camera, my iPod, Kindle, and a notebook and pen.

All of this should fit into about half of a carry-on sized suitcase.  So if you're using a regular suitcase, you have about 3/4 of it left to fill with purchases, all the while looking breezy and stylish.  You're welcome.

Oh, and a quick word about getting it all in there.  Roll the clothes as tightly as you can.  Remember being a Girl Guide and having to roll your sleeping bag to fit into a matchbox?  Relive those days.  Steaming them at the other end of the trip will make everything better.  Take a cloth bag for every pair of shoes.  Bag them and put them on top of your clothes - the weight will stop the clothes from shifting too much.  Likewise with any handbag you're packing.  Make sure to bag up your underwear into something discreet and opaque.  There's nothing worse than having to open a suitcase and having your bras burst out in front of the customs man.  (Been there.  Don't do it.)  Take a couple bags for laundry - one for underwear, one for clothes and one for wet bathers.  (Ciao Bella Travel does really great ones.) (Hey, Ciao Bella? If you want to sponsor us, I really don't mind.)  And take an extra foldup bag, just in case your shopping is too prolific even for all the space I've saved for you.  Longchamp is always cool.

I think that's all! I really want to go on holiday again now. Ant? Shall we go back to Italy for our anniversary?

- Hayley xoxo

PS Another good webshop for stocking up on travel goodies is Flight 001. They're much more unisex than Ciao Bella (that's why I love you, Ciao Bella, because you're all about flying glam and girly) but they have so many things you never knew you needed.

PPS The most glam travel guides are these:

PPPS I like to book hotels with Mr and Mrs Smith.

The difference between style and fashion is quality.

Hello, my name is Hayley and I am addicted to striped shirts.

Honestly though, I am a not-so-secret Francophile when it comes to shopping.  If a cool Parisian girl would wear it, then you can be sure that it will appear on my credit card statement at the end of the month.  Striped shirts, berets and lacy underthings?  Oui oui!

Unlike Ish, I don't have a lot in my wardrobe that I don't wear.  And unlike Tris, wearing everything in my wardrobe wouldn't take more than a few weeks. A couple of years ago, I did a serious purge of all the things that I had bought that just weren't quite right.  Since then, I've enjoyed shopping much more!  I know what I have, and what I want.  I find it incredibly satisfying to find a piece that I know will go *just so* with what I have.  I also keep a list on my iPhone of fundamental things I don't have that I haven't found the perfect version of yet.  I give myself permission to buy any of these things if I find them, with money being (almost) no object.  I've been looking for some of them for so long that I know that when I find them, they will be worth every penny.  I'd much rather spend more on one dress that is perfect and that I love, than on ten that don't really satisfy me.

Some of the things on my list are incredibly aspirational.  I will probably never buy a genuine Chanel jacket.  But I'm always on the lookout for something similar that's well-made and suits me.  Other things on the list are a specific brand not readily available in Australia, which means a lot of eBay lurking (or another trip to Europe.)  The point of the list, though, is to ensure that a few years from now, I will have a wardrobe that is complete to my needs and full of quality.  I don't mind spending time on this investment - to my mind, the more considered it is, the better.

So, here's the list as it currently stands.

• Cashmere sweaters in white, black and navy.
• A new pair of perfect black patent pumps.
• Perfect nude leather pumps.  (Harder than it sounds because I am so pale.)
• An unimpeachable LBD.
• For summer, an equally awesome Little White Dress.
• Chanel jacket.
• Castaner espadrilles.  (Still undecided on the colour.)
• Real fur capelet.
• Black Eres one-piece bathers.
• Hermes scarf.  (Again, undecided on colour, otherwise I would already have bought this.)
• A really fabulous cocktail ring.
• A 2.55 bag.  I'm not going to compromise with brand on this.  Chanel or nothing.

The list gets added to as I manage to cross items off, but this group of twelve is enough for now.  I might be crossing off the LBD soon - the new Review catalogue landed in my mailbox yesterday, and I think their lace-yoked offering might be The One.  I won't know for sure until I see it in person, though.

So, that's a brief introduction to me and my approach to clothes shopping.  Just wait til you see how I approach books, homewares, makeup...

- Hayley xoxo

PS  Yes, I'm the wordy one.  Sorry.
PPS  Did you guess the quote in the title? It's the inimitable Giorgio Armani.