Ladylike Stripes

Last weekend, I made the trip over to Manly to shoot a very French looking outfit! And seemed very fitting with Bastille Day being this week. For some reason, wearing an over the knee skirt with pleats makes me instantly want pastries for breakfast, lunch and dinner! It’s been a while since I’ve worn a super girly tailored look as have been enjoying the slouchy tailored options as of late. Pinstripes have always been in my wardrobe, and remind me of the European Resort collections and believe it or not, The French Riviera! It’s a classic trend that will always be around, and one you don’t have to break the bank for to get on board with.

Shirts are my workwear go to item, and you can never have enough of them, whether it be styled under dresses or tucked into a pair of jeans. It’s also versatile for lazy weekends, especially when oversized to pair with a denim skirt and a floppy hat. Today’s look is all from boohoo.com (minus the bag!) and as mentioned in my last post, it’s one of the best affordable stores for Northern Hemisphere fashion. A ladylike look warrants wearing a British brand! I opted to style the shirt half in half out, as sometimes find with a cross over bag it can look a bit busy, especially when the top has a pattern. The white skirt is classic and falls beautifully, especially with a pair of killer heels. These are a little higher than I would usually wear, but thought it was time to rock a heel after all the flats I've been wearing recently. Colour has been kept to a minimal (no surprise there) and a big fan of pairing monochrome items. 

I was a lucky girl this year and received a belated birthday gift in the mail from my family this month. A Saint Laurent bag. Since locking eyes on the snakeskin version of this beauty back at Christmas, it’s been on my wish list all year! And finally own one! It has it’s negatives….I want more! Already set eyes on my next one, just might mean saving that extra hard and living on tinned tuna for the next month! Sacrifices for fashion haha!

Shop The Look:

Boohoo Striped Shirt: SHOP HERE or SIMILAR HERE

Boohoo White Skirt: SHOP HERE or SIMILAR HERE

Boohoo Shoes: SHOP HERE or SIMILAR HERE

Cassandre Tassel Saint Laurent Bag: SHOP HERE

Photo credit to Laurie Young from The Rue Collective blog

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

Blogger Streetstyle: Jiawa Liu

Location: MBFWA, Carriageworks Sydney

Blogger: Jiawa Liu (www.beigerenegade.com)

Photographer: Helen-Jayne Driscoll

Wearing: Ruby Sees All

A Day At The Markets

When Saturday comes around, there’s nothing better than hitting up Glebe markets with the girls. It’s definitely the best for a good bargain and have never left empty handed! This week I was lucky enough to get brand new One Teaspoon denim shorts for just $30! I’ve wanted a pair for a while so was thrilled to score them in time for the summer. It was so fun catching up with my blogging buddies Alisha and Jo. The market was bustling, and at 10am it was already heating up for a scorching day. Coming into summer, I think it’s important to wear a hat to protect myself from the sun, so you might see a few too many posts with a fedora to come. 

I am in love with this Faithfull The Brand dress. I literally discovered the brand on Instagram. If you love off the shoulder and pinstripes with a bohemian twist, this is the label for you. Their new collection is literally to die for, and can’t get enough of it. Currently they have the best white top with black pinstripes that bares shoulders. So nice with a pair of denim cut offs and casual Birkenstocks for the warmer days that will be gracing Sydney. Last week I had my hair lightened and I'm thrilled with the results. I've gone a shade lighter in my Ombre. After an amazing treatment, my hair felt super soft. If you are looking for a new hairdresser in Sydney hit up Paul Anthony based in Potts Point. His work is amazing and his attention to detail is spot on!

It’s exactly one year since I launched the blog, and as of next week I’ll be refreshing it a little with a new name! It won’t be all that different, but felt with the change of habitat and a slight change in style it seemed appropriate. Thanks again for all your support on both here and on my Instagram page (bohochic_nlt) It really menas a lot to me and makes the evening blog sessions straight from work really worth it. I’ve also met the best people since first launching and can’t wait to meet more creative fashionistas in the months to come.

Hope you have all had a great weekend, and a chilled Sunday night!

Shop the look:

Dress: Faithfull The Brand (available here)

Shoes: Rubi Shoes (available here)

Hat: H&M (similar here)

Hair: Hair By Paul Anthony

Photo credit to Alisha Thornley from Alishayi blog and Jo Hombsch.

Helen-Jayne x