Hand Creams

Now more than ever, our hands need a little more TLC. With extra hand washing and increased hand sanitiser usage, our poor hands are starting to feel more dry and deprived. I’ve always had a couple of hand creams I alter between. Some are more convenient for travel, others more permanent fixtures on the bathroom sink, and finally the hand cream on the bedside table.

Usually, I am travelling a fair bit on trains or planes (definitely not at the moment) but when that resumes, I like to carry a small tube which is under 100ml and easy to pop in my handbag. This is the grab and go cream! I also consider the scent for this type of cream. Calming scents such as lavender, Rose, Ylang Ylang and Bergamot are great to calm nerves and anxiety making travel less stressful. Personal favourites are Byredo, By Terry Baume de Rose cream, and Le Labo.

Then you have the ‘aesthetic’ hand creams at the kitchen and bathroom sinks. The one pump to soften hands after washing them. Personal favourites are Aesop, Leif, and Grown Alchemist.

Finally, a super nourishing hand cream or balm which I slather on for night time. At the moment, I’m using the Susanne Kaufmann Hand Cream and the scent is divine. Exceptionally nourishing, this cream calms stressed skin with active ingredients made from mallow and witch hazel.

Photography and Creative Direction by Yours Truly

*Images photographed pre-lockdown

Sustainable Winter Warbrobe

Pardon my over excitement when I say IT’S OFFICIALLY COAT WEATHER! I am definitely within the minority that looks forward to colder days given my location. In the office, I currently have my foot heater on and Smooth FM playing in the background (in case you didn’t know, it plays all the slow golden oldies) and the reason I have a soft spot for it is because the tunes remind me of a cold Christmas back in the UK. The one thing about Sydney winter which I have a changed mind set towards is owning less coats. 

A British winter is very different - outerwear is the only item in your closet that gets the most wear for a good eight months of the year. Which means you can’t be seen in the same style day in day out! Now that my wardrobe is built around staple pieces, the ‘less coats’ rule is more manageable and love they get a good amount of love for 4 months in the year. It’s more sustainable to own a few good quality ones that will get good wear, and will also see you into next winter. 

So if you are looking for the perfect coat, here are a few tips for outerwear shopping:

1. Choose a colour that will flow with the majority of your wardrobe. Black will never date. Neutrals will lift your look assuming you own dark denim and knits.

2. Opt for a timeless style. Simple cuts and symmetrical styles will see you through to next winter.

3. Pockets - Always welcomed to keep those hands warm! Perfect for the daily commute for your phone and travel cards.

4. Consider the fit when layered. Sydney doesn’t require too many layers, but when I’m trying on coats I will always take an oversized knit to see if the arms are too tight.

Shop my style:

Swing Coat: Karen Millen

Faux-Leather Legging: Karen Millen

Classic Embroidered T-Shirt: Parfemme or similar here and here

Sling back shoes: Zara (old) or similar here and here

Black bag: Mango (sold out) or similar here and here

Baby Audrey Sunglasses: Celine

Photo credit to yours truly

French Cuff Layering

We all have our fashion weaknesses - items which you can’t live without and seem to buy a lot of. For me this is the tailored shirt, and apart from denim is probably the highest volume item I own. Because lets be honest, having a crisp white shirt that lasts is actually pretty hard to find. That’s until I owned my first Anna Quan button up. I try to wear this shirt the most out of my collection, Mainly because it has a point if difference to the others I own (The personalised monogramming is easy on the eye), and secondly the cost is a little more than I would usually spend. The cuffs are not so wearable for me - especially when sat at a desk for the majority of the day. Some of her more recent designs actually have removable cuffs, which are perfect for that lunchtime soup option! But hey, if the shirt washes like a dream and still looks crisp a year on then it’s worth it.

Usually I would wear with a good pair of mom jeans, but wanted to experiment with my new House of Harlow dress. At the get go I thought this wasn’t going to work with a tight style (as the shirt is not that fitted). Thankfully after styling a few ways, I felt comfortable wearing it the way photographed. Accessories have been kept to a minimum to accentuate the stripes and the cuffs. I know when the weather gets cooler it will be layer perfect with a chunky knit.

Shop the look:

Anne shirt: Anna Quan via The UNDONE
X Revolve Phoebe Dress: House of Harlow 1960 via Revolve or similar here or here

Baby Audrey Sunglasses: Celine via David Jones

Medium Faye Bag: Chloe via Net-A-Porter (shop other options here)

Black mules: shop here, here and here

Photo credit to yours truly x

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The Skirt That Belongs In Vogue

Have you ever set eyes on an item of clothing that is so beautiful you can’t stop thinking about it? I can’t tell you how long I have wanted to get my hands on the skirt I am wearing in this post. After photographing this skirt backstage for the Pink Stitch The Label runway show, I was already styling it in my head even though it wasn’t for release just yet. Last week, I went to see Pink Stitch’s new autumn/winter collection (standby for camel and navy goodness) and was graced with a package wrapped up with my name on it. Can you guess what was inside? The skirt which only seemed designed to be featured in Vogue, was a thank you gift from the brand for the images I captured that day. I couldn’t have been happier, and was eager to style it and shoot it asap!

The fullness of the skirt meant the location had to fall in line with the ladylike, powerful style. The Rocks in Sydney has so many historical buildings that ooze class and structure, with the white architecture reminding me of the aristocratic streets of London early 1900’s. The skirt naturally was the centre piece, hence edging towards more casual on top. I have seen this type of skirt styled more laid back in a few print editorials, so was drawn towards wearing knitwear as a nice contrast against the sheen of the skirt. Last weekend I was lucky enough to purchase this Sass and Bide jumper for just $15 at Bondi Markets! The black was probably an odd decision to style with navy, but felt it worked well. My Saint Laurent bag was a good finishing touch to the look, with a pair of pointy lace up heels to give me the added height I needed. 

I recently indulged in hair TLC at the infamous Edwards & Co in Surry Hills, and adore the warm tones running throughout. I’ve had a good few inches cut off, so knew adding a large curl would bounce my hair up to give it volume and sassiness. This kind of shoot was a little different to what I would usually publish, but loved channeling more dramatic tailoring. I thought Laurie did a great job of capturing the skirt in it’s most beautiful form, and I love the scrunched styling to show that although the skirt is feminine, it can be worn less ‘pretty’. I honestly can’t wait to wear this skirt again, and was considering this might be a great option for the upcoming race season, or maybe to swan around the streets of Paris which won’t be anytime soon! It’s a piece that will never date, and will always turn a head or two. I just dread packing this beauty for any European trip in the future. It definitely needs more love, that’s for sure!

Shop The Look:

Pink Stitch The Label Skirt: SHOP HERE

Sass & Bide Jumper: SHOP SIMILAR HERE or HERE

Saint Laurent Bag: SHOP HERE

Oscar Wylee Sunglasses: SHOP HERE or SIMILAR HERE

Zu Shoes: SHOP SIMILAR HERE or HERE

Fossil Watch: SHOP SIMILAR HERE or SIMILAR HERE

Photo credit to Laurie Young from The Rue Collective blog

Soft Neutral Tailoring

Neutrals have always been a part of my wardrobe, and now the sun is desperately trying to turn up the heat in Sydney it's time to start rocking these lighter colours. I'd love to say  it was the case in Melbourne last weekend. I headed down for a fly in visit to check out The Olsen and The Blackman hotel as have read amazing reviews on these artistic, quirky establishments. The setting for todays post is at The Blackman. I couldn’t pass up on the luxe beige furnishings to compliment this look. It’s been a while since shooting an editorial styled shoot, and with the weather being that touch colder in Victoria it seemed more fitting to photograph an indoor look! I’ve had my fair share of freezing my booty off in the snow these last few weeks so a nice warm hotel room was definitely on the cards! 

I’ve always loved clothing that reveals a little bit of skin in the classiest way possible. Backless tops and slit skirts are the kind of skin baring I like to show, and when the fabric is a soft, weightless cotton then it’s a big tick in my books. Sydney label, Third Form released around this time last year, and I can’t get over the beauty of the pieces for the upcoming spring season. I literally want every item! Three major colours that filter through: Black, white and beige. This palette is already a winner in my eyes! Think crinkled fabrics, slit midi skirts, sharp shirts and peekaboo backs. It’s the kind of tailoring you could rock with a pair of birkenstocks or flats; that more slouchy look that isn’t too business, but more chilled for a morning coffee meeting on a spring day! I've layered my outfit with a Boohoo vest that is so warm and snug I'm struggling to take it off. It's a great addition to any basic look and those neutral tones are some of my favourite right now. I might be tempted to ditch my winter wardrobe after flashing a bit of skin! We’ll see what happens in the coming weeks! 

Stay tuned for some of my photography from my stay at The Art Series hotels in the coming days!

Shop The Look:

Third Form Top: SHOP HERE or SIMILAR HERE

Third Form Skirt: SHOP HERE or SIMILAR HERE

Boohoo Vest: SHOP HERE (on sale) or SIMILAR HERE

Urge Footwear Loafers: SHOP HERE (on sale) or SIMILAR HERE

Jolie and Dean Bangle: SHOP SIMILAR HERE or HERE

Photo Credit to my love, Chris