But exercise frightens my lungs...

In a processed food world, office environments and easy access to public transport/cars - it is very easy to not exercise.

I am not exactly addicted to moving. In fact, over the years I have become very good at multi-tasking and collaborating different tasks into one so that I may move the least amount of times possible. When I was 14 I was what the Wii Fitness calculator would have deemed morbidly obese. Had my mother and I not burned these photos and buried the rest deep in a hell fire pit (hard to get access to, but managed) I would have posted one for you to see, but alas...

You see, I metabolise my food at a 42 year old age approximately. This makes it very hard for me to eat crap. If I eat enough late night crap in a week, I am guaranteed despite my 2 gym sessions a week to put on weight. It is a constant battle of the mind more than anything, but exercise really helps to boost it and keep my mood high. Before a session I try and think of a million excuses as to why I shouldn't go, especially if Criminal Minds is on, but in the end I always go. Why? Well because of the following...

Today nearly 10 years on as I did my trainer's 31 days post xmas 'Work off Your Xmas Ham Workout' or as I fondly called it the 'Rape Me with a Ham Workout', I thought about how much I hated the feeling and yet found it a necessity. 

During the 120 squats of death I thought about how I needed to put these 3 hours per week aside and fill it with burning pain because in the end it would give me the glutes of J-Lo and reduce my risk of diabetes.

During the 62 pushups I thought about how without this workout I'd be at home stuffing my face with Tim Tams and weighing about 6kg's more wishing I could get off my lazy ass and do something about it.

During the 100 sit-ups I thought about how much my posture had improved from a stronger core and lower back, that it was helping me whilst sitting at my desk all day staring at Excel spreadsheets.

During the 150 star jumps (that make me look like a frittata) I remembered how much better I felt this year when I put on a swimming cossie at the beach knowing that I had worked really hard to not be ALL cellulite (only partly) and less wobbly.

During the 22 Burpees... well I couldn't think. Burpees don't let you do anything except die from a lack of ability to breathe, but also the one Tim Tam I was allowed to have because I did the burprees.

Point is - exercise has helped me over the years become a better and happier person who values and understands food, health and how important it is to look after oneself. It also helps me look better in clothes which lets face it, is probably my prerogative. 

Me tomorrow.

How I thought I looked at the beach (reality not pictured)

My Buy of the week. Karen Walker Whale Dress Win!

What will 2013 bring forth for the fashion world?

Happy belated New Year!

Sadly, I had no time off during the Xmas/New Year break and was hard at work and have not been able to keep a consistent timeline here.

2013 will hopefully become a promising and fulfilling year for the fashion industry and all it encompasses.

Firstly, and one can only hope, that tights as pants will finally fade into oblivion. This I think will only be a dream owing to the amount of people still parading them about my neighbourhood, but one can wish, hard.

Secondly, Balenciaga may swing to the forefront of everyone's attention due to its head designer change. Alexander Wang, the one, the only, the best. What will he bring to the Balenciaga name? At first I thought this was an interesting and perhaps an uncomfortable choice, however, now that I have seen the latest studio made collection, almost making way as it were for his debut, I am truly excited. His masterful tailoring and beautiful luxe fabrics should bring a breath of fresh air to the catwalk for SS 13/14. I just hope he keeps on making amazing clothing, bags and shoes for his own lines as T by Alexander is my new obsession!

Thirdly, H&M are coming. What will this once again mean for our Sportsgirls, Portmans and local brands? H&M are perhaps the most affordable,bang on trend and accessible brand in the entire world and this is a scary thing to envision for our already collapsing industry. Topshop and Zara's impacts seem to have fitted into a small niche that perhaps we weren't addressing completely here. Their businesses have not killed Australian equivalents, maybe taken away from them, but melded in nicely as another option. H&M are cheaper and bigger competition. They are also coveted around the world for being the brand that offer affordable copies of every designer name under the sun. I.am.scared.

Lastly, Pantone Colour of the year is Emerald. Amazing! I am truly looking forward to a year of beautiful peacock hues and jewel tones. This also may have something to do with the fact that emerald is one of my colours, but it does make a nice change to Tangelo Tango, as that orangey red does nothing for a pink based complexion. Bring on another year of developing more sustainable fabrics, new silhouettes, prints, textures and trends. Excitement!

I purchased this from Outnet last week, love!

Refreshing Change.

Future Pitt Street Mall.

The Year I Chose to Lose.

I completed a Bachelor of Fashion Design last year. People who have studied other design disciplines or completed very similar courses understand what undertaking that final year really means. It takes a toll not just physically, but also emotionally. 2011 was probably the most draining, stressful, sleep deprived and challenging year of my life. It was also the year, however, that taught me patience, time management and most of all, taught me exactly what I was able to achieve if I really tried. It has taken me a year to be able to talk about it without feeling sick. I picked up my garments this week from college and as I stood there looking at the results of my hard work, I smiled and I knew progress had been made.

I am finally able to think of it as a 'learning process', whereas a year ago I would have said it was probably the worst life choice I had ever made. It is so hard to explain, but it is like making a horcrux (for those Harry Potter fans out there). Taking a piece of your soul and placing it into 9 garments and 5 bodies that will become your Magnum Opus. It is not just 9 garments. It is 9 garments defining exactly what you are about as a designer, what you want the world to see, and you only have this one chance.

I had never received amazing marks in my design subjects. I was more interested in theory and design history subjects. So when we were presented with this winter brief I was more than just nervous. The first week we were to present 5 looks for 10 garments. That is 50 drawings, which take time and a lot of thought. Churning out that many ideas in one 7 day period is incredibly taxing. I had been thinking about this collection for two and a half years at this point and yet, when it came the moment when I was to put these thoughts to paper and express them to my teacher, I couldn't.

I began searching for more inspiration. Stylesight became my bible. Who were my style, designer icons? Who weren't? Should I utilise alternate design disciplines like architecture?

I fell in love with Frank Gehry, the amazing Guggenheim Bilbao architect. This led to me looking at designers who also drew influences from architecture such as Gareth Pugh, Felder Felder and, of course, Alexander McQueen.

After 6 months I had done some pretty incredible things. I had put back together a rusted stud machine after visiting a stud maker in Marrickville, I learnt how to sew leather, how to cut out silk without it slipping, I had fused together silk and neoprene with quilting glue. I dreamt designs, I dreamt solutions, and would wake up writing them down furiously. I sat up night after night with my wonderful friends sewing, typing, drawing, painting and in the end I made something I was really proud of.

Here it is below:

The Chevron Coat

Bondage Pant, Triangle Shirt

The Fly Away Dress

The 1000 Pieces Dress

Goldfrapp Jacket

Armourdillo Dress

The Carnival Dress

The Biggest Week of Online Shopping Ever.

This week began with Cyber Monday. Arguably the biggest day of online shopping in the entire year. The interesting thing about this year in particular is that it was officially the biggest day of online sales ever. IBM tracked 500 online retailers across the day and the world showing a 30% increase in sales from 2011. 
Why is Cyber Monday the biggest online day of the year? Well, it follows Black Friday. Black Friday is the massive Thanksgiving sale that happens each year in lieu of the American public holiday. It boosts sales pre-Christmas and allows people to justify a lot more readily why they should be buying (Christmas Presents, Clothes are pretty etc...). 
So what is this information saying about the fashion industry and people in general?
They are becoming more and more comfortable with the online world and less interested in poking around Westfields. 

Who Did it the Best?

Opening Ceremony (my love, my all) offered a killer sale mostly on clothing, however, once again let their international customers down with their $40 shipping (it does arrive in 48hours though).

Barney's were offering a great broad range of designer gear for 30-60%. They also gave their international customers free shipping over $200. (I may have partaken in this wonderful opportunity *cough leather pocket shirt cough*).

Urban Outfitters offered 2 for 1 deals, $5 stocking fillers etc... as well free shipping over $50.

Then the UK retailers jumped on board with The Outnet giving an extra 40% off certain categories within their ranges.

Solestruck (the best shoe site in the world ever) have the best Cyber Monday sale of all. 50% extra off all their sale product in which there are over 2000 styles. It is huge. Last year the server crashed on my friend and I and we had 4 computers on hitting refresh, panic faced and crying... yes shoes are that amazing especially when they're $70. Fortunately, all worked in our favour and I was seen to be wearing my lovely Cheap Monday boots to work today, all thanks to Solestruck's amazing sale.

So What Next?

The fashion industry is as I said before at a crossroads where they are needing to spend equal money and time getting their websites looking amazing and incredibly stylistic, offering unique deals that their own stores aren't offering etc..., however, also needing to keep their shops trendy and fashion forward as well as differentiating themselves from their competitors.

Where this leads in the near future will be incredibly interesting especially with this exponential growth in online sales. Exciting times ahead!

Barney's Co op Steal

TBA James Boot - It's Love!

Christmas is here AGAIN! What/Who/When am I buying these perfect presents?

It's that time of year again... that time of year where everyone pretends to like each other in their family, where we buy each other presents that attempt to be 'unique', 'interesting', 'different' not only from the year before, but from everyone else and most importantly, a time of year where everyone gets to eat a big ham.

Present shopping is not easy, exciting (unless it's for ourselves) nor is it satisfying. It is usually done panicked during those two weeks prior to the big day when we are hungover from our work parties, feeling particularly apathetic towards work and when the last thing you want to do is make informed and personal decisions regarding other peoples' well being. Last year this was me, the year before this was me and yada yada yada. In an attempt to alleviate this somewhat, I purchased a heap of items online (too late of course) and no one got their gifts until the second week of January owing to delayed shipping.

This year I am going to become captain organised. What? I am a grown-up with grown-up things going on in my life like... a job, a credit card and a shit load of shoes.
I hopped online last night and purchased a good amount of stuff for my close circle of friends and immediate family. I. am. done. A month out, a few hours in the comfort of my own home with my pj's on (cat on my lap) and a cup of tea - I. am. finished.

How you ask? Well by internet shopping of course. Thank you Urban Outfitters.

Urban Outfitters - The novelty gift mecca. Full of stuff for your body, home and life that you never knew you needed, but then can't understand how you lived without. How did I not own a mirror in the shape of an own before, or a shower curtain with birds on it? Did you know I need a giant floral decal that sticks to my wall that looks like a bedhead? No I didn't either. It is awesome and lots of fun. It makes for hours and hours of fun Christmas shopping that involve the best socks $6.66 can buy. They are also doing free shipping to Australia with orders over $50 and with the list of 20 people I had buy for, that a piece of cake.
Here are a few examples:

I need these

Xmas Options


Yes please.


Where's Wally Hat!

Yayoi Kasuma - Orgies and Art

I was recently in New York City and went to the Whitney museum to see the Yayoi Kasuma exhibition there. I had previously seen her work in the Museum of Contemporary Art in 2009 here in Sydney and loved it. Her phallic themed, lively instillations and somewhat serious canvases from her early and later years made for one incredible exhibition in a huge space.

These installations lead you on a journey into a metaphysical world where fantastical ideas become reality. For example standing on a platform surrounded by water in a mirror room draped in fairy lights that lead into eternity. Kasuma wants to encourage escapism and projects her own mental instability (not necessarily in a bad way, however, she voluntarily lives in a mental asylum in Japan) onto her viewers.

Other works include a normal kitchen room with glow and the dark spots that respond to ultra-violet lights and a very in-your-face art-orgy also involving spots as well as panty hose. It's this juxtaposition of normality and found objects with simple, wacky ideas that enable her to have become one of the most successful modern artists today.

What also perfectly accompanied the exhibition, was how New York City embraced it. Scaffolding on buildings printed in Kasuma's dotted prints, buses covered in advertisements and best of all, Louis Vuitton. Their windows all over the city were spectacular and all in all made my trip.

Fireflies on the Water, 2002

Yellow Tree Furniture Room

Louis Vuitton Window on 5th Ave, New York

When good things happen to those who wait...

So today, something really cool happened. I went to the Newtown Festival which was an overcrowded hipsterfest with dogs and children on the side. It was a really lovely day in all with perfect weather, great company and good local music.

Whilst sitting on the grass waiting for our last two friends to arrive we were invited to a backyard garage sale around the corner by a nice modern gentleman. Off we went and were met with a quaint, tasteful backyard with pavers, and an open plan kitchen that opened out under a small portico. There were racks of clothes, shoes lined up and a table with bags. I fossicked through some shoes and picked up a nice pair of brand new pony skin Topshop sandals. I then espied out the corner of my eye on the table  - a specific bag, but it couldn't be... but it was...
The Mulberry Alexa Bag. I. DIE.

For $70, slightly loved, but in great condition, my very own real Mulberry Alexa bag that I have coveted for years. I also got some great advice about my line of work. Best. day. ever.

Amazing bag & an amazing lady - Alexa Chung