The Off Shoulder Blazer

One trend that stuck for all four fashion weeks was crisp tailoring and denim. Whether it be a bell sleeved white shirt paired with frayed jeans, or mom jeans styled with a power jacket, it was a big hitter throughout the street style pages of Elle and Vogue.

It’s fair to say I have a good collection of blazers, and todays one might be my new favourite. The cut is flattering, sitting just below the shoulders. I was tempted to wear a shirt underneath, but figured the jacket speaks for itself. Better to keep the styling simple, adding my new statement Chloe Faye bag, which I am totally in love with! As mentioned in my last post, ‘real’ denim has been an investment this season and after purchasing black mom jeans it was time to get a pair of washed denim.

Todays look was shot in Paddington, one of my favourite suburbs in Sydney. It’s probably the one of the most European-looking places and is perfect for my blazer/jean ensemble. 

In less than two months, Chris and I will be heading to Europe to catch up with friends and family in Italy. Whenever we plan holidays, I am always drawn to that side of the world even though I have so much to still see in Asia and South America. In the interim, I’ve been checking out Pinterest for European street style inspiration for upcoming shoots. I miss short trips to European cities from my home town, and if I was still there I’d be on the plane to Paris once a month with tripod in hand.

Shop the look:

All That Admiration Blazer - Asilio The label, or similar here and here

Tina Crop Jean - General Pants or similar here

Chloe Faye Bag - Via Harrods or in Chloe Faye in Tan from Net-A-Porter

Celine Sunglasses - Via Harrods

Velvet Shoes - Zara or similar here

Photo credit to my love, Chris

How To Wear Tailoring & Denim

Weekends are a time to kick back, relax and enjoy a good brunch! Despite my Sunday's consisting of lazy mornings and copious amounts of tea, my Mon-Fri wardrobe tends to follow me through to the weekend with one subtle change - denim. 

These last few weeks, I've been investing in "real" denim for the colder months. No more stretchy skinny jeans sorry, this post is dedicated to the denim we all knew back in the 90's. Mom jeans can be quite tricky to master, but they actually suit most shapes and sizes and can work for most women. So how can you style these with your favourite tailored pieces?

1. Keep the tones simple

You want your outfit to match, and mixing the tones can make the look too busy. When I'm styling my denim on weekends, the first thing I think about is the wash of the denim vs the tones in the tailored garment. Warm tones tend to work well with black jeans, and cold tones work better with blue. Today's coat is a buttery beige colour, which I class as a warm tone.

2. Consider your height and heels

I'm only 5ft 3 with a small waist and larger thighs, so finding the right cut of jeans can be quite a challenge. There are ways to elongate yourself and i'm not talking about angles of the camera! Mom jeans look great with this seasons square heel, just like the Senso's I have on in this post. I just make sure I'm adding a pointed toe to draw everything in from the baggy nature on the leg. For taller ladies, a pair of sneakers can work well.

3. Smarten up

There is no right or wrong here, just pick your favourite tailored pieces. Today I have opted for a linen blouse and tailored woolen coat. These are the items you can wear to the office Mon-Fri, but become more relaxed for weekend wear as soon as they are styled with denim. You can always change up the coat for a blazer or add a neck scarf as a chic alternative.

Shop the look:

Rails Charli Button Down Shirt via Shopbop

Ganni Coat via Shopbop
Topshop Mom Jeans

Ray-Ban Wayfares Sunglasses via Net-A-Porter

Senso Georgie I Shoes

Alexander Wang Bag via David Jones

Photo credit to my love, Chris

Lines & Leather

Back to my roots for todays post….and I am not referring to the location! Easter was spent in Perth this year. Five days after returning from New York City it was back into travel mode for the long weekend. But on this occasion for a relaxing few days off work. Good Friday we had the pleasure of road tripping down south to a retreat you won’t want to miss - Interior post coming soon I promise! These kind of weekends away with Chris I really cherish, and although the weather wasn’t too great, it was a time to get over all the travel and spend some quality time together. I love heading over to Perth to see the family, and also works out well to collaborate with my girl Jiawa Liu from Beige Renegade blog. 

Now back to my opening line. Ever since I stepped foot into my first retail job at 16, tailoring has always been in my wardrobe. I find myself drawn to to the lines and structure of well made pieces, finding a way to incorporate such formal garments into my everyday life. Mixing textures is my way of making this work, whether it be a knit and tailored cigarette pants or leather and an asymmetric skirt - That’s more my language. You can still feel smartly dressed, but adding your ‘relaxed’ item converts the look to ‘everyday’. I can’t get over how soft this leather jacket is. And yes, Karen Millen has done it again. Perfectly made to fit like glove. I must say, I really love this brand coming into the colder months. Their jackets are on point, and have my eye on one of the trench coats from the AW16 collection.

The rule of wearing a midi with high heels has been thrown out of the window! I have opted for kitten heals which surprisingly work with the shape of this skirt. The splits are in just the right place to show a bit of leg, whilst still feeling like you could wear this piece to the office. I topped my look off with a white shirt that isn’t so classic. Throughout the summer, I was clearly obsessed with off-shoulder tops. Moving into autumn/winter it’s been lifted a few centimetres balancing nicely just above the shoulders. The outfit feels like an office to drinks kind of look, and will most definitely be wearing this leather jacket more in the coming weeks.

Shop the look:

Karen Millen Leather Jacket or Marc Jacobs Cropped Leather Jacket

August Street Shirt or J.O.A Frayed Shirt

PS The Label Skirt: COMING SOON or Prabal Gurang Pleated Skirt

Billini Shoes or L.K Bennett Elm Sandals

Proenza Schouler Bag

Ray-Ban Round Sunglasses from Shopbop or Ray-Ban Round Sunglasses

Photo credit to Jiawa Liu from Beige Renegade blog

Weekend Habitat: New York's Darkness

New York's hidden gem, The Boro Hotel is a peaceful space that focuses on raw design, easy living and light play at it's finest. It's apparent when heading out for your morning coffee that every aspect of the setup has been thought out well. Because lets be honest, light that beams through so perfectly has to be planned right? Make sure you're booking a Manhattan view. You won't be disappointed.

See more of the interiors here