Rural Roll Necks

As you may have seen in my last style post, a few weekends ago I headed to the South of Sydney for a tranquil weekend amongst the trees and nature. Being a city girl through and through, these kind of weekends I need to experience more. As I work in digital Mon-Fri, I like to spend my weekends travelling to new places, away from my laptop, and it’s my chance to experience what Australia has to offer and do what I love: photography and capturing moments. Sydney has been my home for just over a year, and with weekends being precious, it’s the best time to soak up new chilled getaways whilst wearing my favourite relaxing threads.

Country Road honestly has some of the best knits this season, and if their Tasmanian winter campaign isn’t enough to bundle you up in a layering cocoon then I don’t know what will! Knit and lace has been an autumn favourite of mine for the past 2 years. It’s classic, contrasting and seductive in a minimalistic way. This cream jumper is super warm and I love the attached scarf that can be worn loose or wrapped around the neck for added warmth. Perfect for the dropped temperatures in the bush. The skirt is lightweight and soft to the touch, which is an important factor moving into the colder months. I find my skin can be a lot more sensitive so this delicate feel was a nice touch. Knee high boots are a necessity for winters in the UK, so when I saw these suede beauties it was not a difficult decision to style them with this look. The lace up detailing on the back compliment the intricacy of the skirt.

This look was finished off with silver hardware that’s simplistic, and a trusty pair of hand made sunglasses to shade the speckled light that peeked through the trees! Perfect for a weekend filled with not doing a lot other than drinking tea, eating good food and snuggling up in my tent! I had such a fun time sharing my 3 part glamping experience. I’ll be heading off again in a few weeks so stay tuned for a new resort that i’ll be featuring on Boho Behind The Lens.

Shop The Look:

Jumper: Country Road

Skirt: Lilya

Boots: Django & Juliette from Styletread

Sunglasses: Pacifico Optical

Watch: Breda Watch

Bracelet: Najo

Photo credit to Chris Bray

Melbourne Cup At Daniel Sans

Last week was my first experience getting excited over the Melbourne Cup! We have horse racing in the UK, and ladies day at Royal Ascot is the one day in the year women dress up in their best frocks and hats. The best thing about the Melbourne Cup is regardless of attending the races or not, everyone still makes an effort to dress up and put a cheeky gamble on. Last Tuesday Andrea, Jo and I were lucky enough to be invited to Daniel Sans in Manly, sister restaurant of the Watson’s Bay Hotel. As soon as the 4 course menu came through I was sold! Freshly shucked oysters, softshell crab kimchi and sticky soy glazed lamb ribs were just some of the dishes on offer. I love heading over to Manly when I can, and the ferry over still makes me feel like a tourist in Sydney! Daniel Sans has the perfect location overlooking the beach, and the atmosphere was perfect for an afternoon of bubbles and Japanese cuisine. 

The dress I’m wearing is not something I would usually choose. I can’t remember the last time I wore a bodycon! But being a special occasion I thought I’d step out of my comfort zone. Off the shoulder is a key trend this season, and it’s a flattering cut. Block colour (whether it be black, white or grey) will always tick the right box! Bohemian jewellery was a good contrast as the dress was quite formal.  and like to add a bit of a relaxed feel to any outfit. Loving the marble accents throughout the ring and bracelets. Not sure this trend will ever die in my eyes.

All in all it was a great day, and Daniel Sans were the perfect host. If you love the Watson’s Bay hotel you will love this place. And added bonus, the service was amazing. The staff couldn’t do enough for us. When a place is packed mid week, you know they are doing something right!

Shop the look:

Dress: Missguided (currently on sale)

Accessories: Equip Accessories

Shoes: Zara Australia (similar here)

Photo credit to Andrea Hetherington from Leather and Lattes blog.

Helen-Jayne x

Relaxing Weekends In Bondi

Sometimes weekends for me mean taking a step back and relaxing. Bondi is starting to get so busy with all the travellers, so my little bedroom near the beach is the perfect place to be at one with myself. I’m a sucker for candles, and feeling like I am still not used to the Aussie heat. For an hour each weekend it feels so relaxing cracking open the window for a bit of afternoon breeze burning my favourite candles. I recently discovered Circa Home, that is stocked in David Jones. I love the smell of fresh bedding so naturally my favourite scent is 1975 Cotton Flower and Freesia. Today When I came through the door from yoga, I was greeted by the delightful smell of the room diffuser. It really lifts my mood and helped me feel relaxed after a busy week at work. The packaging is also to die for. Minimal, baby blue and glass, it ticks all the right boxes for a stylish bedroom!

Today I am channeling my inner 60’s chick, and wanted to try something new with my hair. I’ve recently had a Balyage done and now that I’m closer to blonde it felt appropriate to sport a typical Bridget Bardot do! I am slowly breaking free from my monochrome wardrobe and introducing blue into my wardrobe for summer. It must be all those days eyeing up the shores of Sydney that inspired me. I have been looking for a style of playsuit like this one for months. It reminds me of the Alexander Wang show where the girls strutted the runway in the baby blue open split shirts. I’ve missed Missguided since being in Sydney, so thankfully they now ship to Australia so a piece of home has followed me here! A bold lip is a must on weekends and brings out the sexiness in all us females!

I hope you have had a nice relaxing weekend wherever you might be. Have a great week!

Shop the look:

Playsuit: Missguided

Diffuser: Circa Home

Handwash: Circa Home

Soy Candle: Circa Home

Photo credit to Andrea Hetherington from Leather and Lattes blog.

Helen-Jayne x

Introducing Third Form

Last Saturday I got to meet the lovely Merryn Kelly, owner and founder of fashion label Third Form. She was one of the first people I reached out to in Australia, and although she was living in Melbourne, she was still trying to help a Brit find work and her feet in Sydney! I’m happy that after five months we finally met and was excited to see her new minimal collection which will be released next February. I feel so lucky to have first pick! The range will be a mix of black and white basics, with a structured theme running throughout. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed when you see it!

i phone weather never seems to be very accurate in Sydney, and we were so looking forward to our shoot at the Opera House with blue skies and sunshine. What I woke up to were grey skies, rain and wind, but didn’t want to pass up on the meeting we have waited for. An hour long of drinking coffee watching the sky clear was all we needed! The white clouds were perfect for the aesthetic Third Form is representing, and we were lucky to not have crowds of people walking the Opera House steps!

As of late, I’ve been really into planning the locations for these posts down to a tee. Some of my favourite blogs (Kayture and Gary Pepper Girl) stand out because their pages don’t consist of just your average style posts. You get lost in the photography and lifestyle. Each location is probably planned in advance, with the sun setting at a certain time etc. I have been admiring London based brand House Of Sunny’s campaign and Instagram shots for a while, and pulled inspiration from their website for today’s shoot. My lens (17-70mm) arrived from Hong Kong last week so wanted to try and capture full length shots from above and wide angled. I love my 50mm lens for details, but found for the full length I just wanted more.

Hope you like the different kind of shots from today’s post, and can’t wait to share some of the projects I have planned with Andrea from Leather and Lattes blog. Now the sunshine is gracing the shorelines, there are plenty of new places that we want to share with you in the coming weeks. Happy weekend!

Shop the look:

Dress: Third Form (available next month from str8up threads)

Jacket: Third Form (available next month)

Shoes: Senso

Photo credit to Third Form owner, Merryn Kelly.

Helen-Jayne x