Urban Bohemian

It’s been a while since I have channelled a boho inspired look, so thought I would layer up and show you my new threads from Shein.com. As a general rule, tailoring is my go to style for the colder months as I’m a huge fan of layering. My friend Laurie (who shot this look) can relate to this. She’s from Toronto, so being a Northern Hemisphere gal too we are on the same wavelength when it comes to tailored pieces with added warmth. Bohemian inspired looks are definitely more of a  summer option, but loved this swing dress so much I thought I’d mix it up a bit before the cold weather really hits us in Australia! Apparently it hasn't even reached the coldest temperatures yet, but it’s clear I’ve acclimatised in one year as this feels cold to me!

The day this look was shot was actually a nice warm day, so no chattering teeth on this occasion! As mentioned in my previous style post, this is the first time I have ventured to this side of town and instantly fell in love with long boardwalk and fountains. It was so peaceful for a Saturday afternoon, but the roads were gridlocked outside the grounds, which reminded me I am living in a bustling city, regardless of the tranquil vibes in this moment.

It’s a little chilly to be wearing anything above the knee with bare legs, so tights were a must! The dress is a good multi season option. Add layers for winter, and rock with bare skin and a golden glow in the summer. I also love the colour and warmth of this oatmeal coat, and thought it styled well with trusty monochrome. A fedora never goes a miss with my boho looks, and fringing is definitely great to add to a relaxed weekend look which is still on trend right now. I picked this one up from boohoo.com for pretty cheap so be sure to check out their other options online. These Jo Mercer boots are my saviour this season! I recently snapped a pic for my Instagram page and you guys loved them! So it was about time I styled them up.

Hope you all had a great weekend. I had the biggest sleep in yesterday but that’s what Sunday’s are for right? 

Shop the look:

Shein white dress: SHOP HERE or SIMILAR HERE

Shein Coat: SHOP HERE or SIMILAR HERE

Jo Mercer Boots: SHOP HERE (on sale) or SIMILAR HERE

Boohoo Fringed Bag: SHOP HERE or SIMILAR HERE

Uncle Jack Watch: SHOP HERE (10% off with code ‘bohotailor’)

Photo credit to Laurie Young from The Rue Collective blog

Blogger Streetstyle: Laurie Young

Location: East Sydney

Blogger: Laurie Young (www.theruecollective.com)

Photographer: Helen-Jayne Driscoll

Wearing: Pol Clothing

Suit Up

It’s about time I wore a power suit being a lover of tailoring. As much as I ladore adding snippets of tailored pieces into my wardrobe, it’s rare to wear a trouser suit in my working day. Purely because my office is super relaxed, and I’d feel too serious being all business like! But this wide legged Minkpink suit oozes a different vibe, and I think the oversized jacket teamed with wide legged pants might be the winning combo. As the jacket is a boyfriend style, I opted for a fitted knitted Boohoo sleeveless jumper tucked into the waistband. One rule I usually stick to is if the fit is loose on the bottom, opt for a fitted top and vice versa. It just seems to give your body shape, and in the case of this jumper, the cinched in waist at the front was a nice contrast the the length from behind. 

The location for the shoot has been on my mind for a few weeks, and although I have been in Sydney for over a year, there are still parts of the city I have yet to venture to. Trains are sometimes a bad way to travel in a new city, especially if you are like me and like to visual grid the city. I remember when I lived in New York I carried a map in my handbag for four months straight,  no gps in sight being on a pay as you go sim card! Within one year, I was aware of the entire subway system within Manhattan. It was a common occurrence for my friends to ask me directions to places, even though they had lived in the city for many years. I always remember Sunday being the day I would walk as far as I could through the park and less busy weekend streets to familiarise myself with coffee shops, landmarks and to just take in the city; usually with a hot chocolate in hand.

My point is, that even though you have lived in a city for a long time, there’s always enjoyment is exploring more. And for me being a visual person, I am always on the look out for unusual structures and locations to spice up the outfit shots. Today I shot with Laurie (another fellow expat) in East Sydney, and she couldn’t believe I had never been to this part of town before. Apparently it’s quite iconic! I’m excited to be experiencing my second winter in Sydney, and can’t wait to explore this city a lot more. The only difference is less layers than New York and an Almond Chai Latte in hand instead! 

Shop the look:

Minkpink Jacket: SHOP HERE or SIMILAR HERE

Minkpink Wide Legged Pants: SHOP HERE or SIMILAR HERE

Boohoo Jumper: SHOP HERE or SIMILAR HERE

Jo Mercer Shoes: SHOP HERE 

Alexander Wang Bag: SHOP HERE

Pacifico Optical Sunglasses: SHOP HERE or SIMILAR HERE

Babybonie Jewellery: SHOP HERE

Breda Watch: SHOP HERE

Rimmel Red Lipstick: SHOP HERE

Photo Credit to Laurie Young from The Rue Collective blog

Hydro Majestic Blue Mountains Review

Last weekend, my boyfriend and I ventured out of Sydney on a two hour drive to the Blue Mountains. Thankfully, Honda Australia helped out with their new CR-V 4x4. Don’t tell Honda this, but I rarely drive in Sydney so this was a bit of a treat for me despite the massiveness of the vehicle! It was a comfortable drive in luxury and style and the white car even matched my Instagram feed and love of white lol.

When arriving at Hydro Majestic the first eye opener was the location of the resort. Easily accessible with the train station opposite if travelling by public transport and the view:....BREATHTAKING. The hotel sits on the edge of a cliff, with an unobstructed view of open space and pure natural beauty. I honestly have never seen anything like it, and was eager to check out the rest of the grounds.

All white buildings: remind me of two things -  home, and Paris. Two places that have a place in my heart. For me, white architecture oozes class, elegance and aristocracy. I was already jotting down the spots to photograph my look for the evening which you can see in my previous post here. The resort spans over a kilometre atop a breathtaking escarpment in Australia’s World Heritage-listed Blue Mountains National Park. When I said the resort sits on the edge of a cliff I wasn’t exaggerating! It makes you think that the architect had a lot of guts to build such a massive high risk structure, but over 100 years on the building is as beautiful and well maintained as ever.

The hotel opened it’s doors in the bitter winter of 1903, and that’s exactly the weather that we experienced when pulling up! For a Brit, I was definitely not dressed warm enough, but this didn’t stop us wondering around the grounds to grab a cup of coffee and a light lunch before a quick relaxing hour before photographing. 

The view from our room was spectacular, and I couldn’t help take it all in. The wind was whistling through the trees and I couldn’t help grab the throw off the bed to warm me up whilst watching darkness roll on in over the mountains. For dinner, we ventured to Darley’s restaurant for a three course meal. The dessert taster was scrumptious, but for a girl who loves chocolate fondant that was always going to win me over, obviously! 

Breakfast was an early affair in the lobby of the hotel. I liked the set up was relaxed dining, with a mix of continental and traditional Aussie breakfast. There were options to sit near the log fire, on sofa’s for a lazy approach, or at a table overlooking the heritage. FYI…..They had the best selection of pastries, just saying! 

All in all the trip was comfortable and relaxing, which is exactly what Chris and I like on our weekends. I definitely need another trip to this part of New South Wales but next time I will definitely rug up to venture into the wilderness. Our trip was short this time, but an extended stay will be on the cards in the near future.

More information and bookings can be made on their website:

http://www.hydromajestic.com.au

All photography is my own. To use this imagery, please email me and I will be more than happy to share the imagery with you. Thanks!