Picnic

Nishe Sweetheart Dress | Vintage sunglasses & hat | Disney Couture necklace | Kaboodle bag | Rubi Shoes | Rimmel 'Funtime Fuchsia' Lipstick 

Here are the results of my first blogger collaboration! I got together with Erika from http://blog.erikarax.com (who is a graphic design/food blogger) and had a picnic. 

Erika is responsible for all the food of course (no one who wants something nice to eat lets me near an oven) and I can personally vouch for how delicious it all was. I had to keep pausing between photos to finish off mouthfuls of her Cadbury Freckles. She also edited all the photos. So I need to thank her for transforming me and this set up into something from Alice in Wonderland. All I needed was a white rabbit.

This dress is on sale by the way! So if you were in the market for a purple dress covered in little embroidered cupcakes you're in luck.

The photos were taken at the Camellia Gardens which is the most beautiful and tranquil paradise hidden amongst the busy suburb of Caringbah in Sydney's south. It's one of my favourite places in Sydney and you may remember I've taken photos there before. You should definitely go there if you get a chance. 

I know we aren't exactly in picnic season but if you get the chance and it's a sunny day you should grab your favourite throw pillows and try out some of Erika's amazing recipes and have your own Alice in Wonderland inspired day!

Photos taken and edited by Erika Rax

Daisy

Topshop lace crop (similar here & here) | Sports Girl skirt (similar here) | Apache Rose rings | Rubi Shoes

This is my last post from Berry and it also happens to be my favourite. Finding a field full of yellow daisies couldn't have been a coincidence, right? The photo op was too perfect, even if you can't really see my outfit. 

Anyway, this is the road that lead to the house we were staying at. Each time we drove down it I told everyone in the car I wanted to take pictures there and on our second day I forced Roisin to go out into the freezing cold to take some shots. Hey, I was the one that had to walk down there in a crop top.

While we were taking the photos a woman walking her dog came down the road and stopped to chat and told us about a cemetery a little drive away that weshould go check out. Needless to say the next day we went searching and found nothing. After seeing the dog wandering a field alone the next day my friend Chris (from Cwixtopher) thinks this was for the best and that the woman herself was in fact a ghost from said cemetery. Well, it was a pretty creepy road. 

Ghost stories aside I truly do love crop tops. Next time I think I'll pair one with some high waist jeans. What do you guys think of them?

Photos by Roisin Kerin

Faux

Sports Girl faux fur hat: Similar here (or check Amazon/Ebay where there are hundreds of choices)

Another post from Berry that Roisin (from The Simple Moment) and I shot just as the sun was going down. I'm always worried about this time of day because you basically only have one chance and if you don't get a shot you like, well too late you have to wait till tomorrow. But these shots are possibly my favourites from my Blogger history so maybe I should take the risk more often? 

Anyway, to the fashion part of this fashion post, who else loves fur hats? I remember saying a while ago that I was becoming a hat person and I'm really living up to my promise. I don't know if I like it because it's warm, because it's pretty or because I like prancing around in front of a camera at dusk with one on pretending to be a Russian princess. All of the above? 

Photos by Roisin Kerin

Berry

American Apparel socks | Betts boots | Red Cherry coat | Kaboodle Designs bag | ASOS dress | Scarf from Camden Markets

This past weekend some friends and I went to a small town called Berry (which is about an hours drive south of Sydney) for the weekend for my birthday (happy birthday to me!) 

I've travelled all over Australia and whilst places like Kings Canyon, The Great Barrier Reef, the Dain Tree Rainforest and all the beaches are amazing, there is something about the beauty of Berry and the surrounding landscapes that puts it at the top of my list.

We stayed in this amazing house (you can check it out here if you'd like to go there) which you can see above (sorry about the bad quality, it's from an iPhone) which had an incredible view. I couldn't help just walking around even if it was cold. We also used the landscape and the paddocks to our advantage and took some amazing outfit shots which I'll be sharing over the next week.

I've also discovered that there really isn't much that beats sitting in front of a fire place, reading a book and over looking an amazing view. Pretty good birthday present.

We also got a chance to walk around Berry which I've always preferred to refer to as Hogsmeade (I first visited it when I was 10 and still eagerly awaiting my Hogwarts letter). It even has its own version of Honeydukes called Bon Bon. You have no idea how badly I wanted to buy that lollypop.

Photos by myself and Roisin Kerin

Icing

Ebay Cap | Kaboodle Designs Bag | Dotti Tee (similar here) | Topshop Jeans | London Rebel Boots (similar here) 

This post is about what I call 'the icing on the cake'. It is an ode to accessories. 

My favourite part about outfits has and always will be the accessories. A neon yellow necklace here, a spiked embellished clutch there. 

At the moment I'm obsessed with this hat (I warned you it'd be on high rotation) and that bag.

I picked the bag up yesterday at Fashion Weekend Sydney (which I coincidentally just published an article about over at Fashion Global [check it out here] - but more on that later).

I've been looking for the perfect box bag for a long time, which explains why I was so excited to shoot it straight away. My friend Chris and I were pretty entertained by the fact that it was officially called a 'doctor bag' which makes it feel a little bit like playing dress ups. 

The hat I've already raved about over here. If you're so inclined to read about it again. 

Photos by Grace Jordan

Cape

Alice McCall cape | Ebay cap | American Apparel socks | Vintage sunglasses

This is just a quick little post to show off HOW INCREDIBLY AMAZING THIS ALICE MCCALL CAPE IS (yes, caps lock is necessary).

It's not so thick that you can't wear a jumper under it *couch*goodexcusetogotoeurope*cough*, it's quilted so it's ridiculously warm and (best of all) it has a hood, so if you get the urge to pretend you're witch on your way to Transfiguration you're good to go.

Now, can we all just take a moment to appreciate just how amazing the light is in these shots? I would bow down to my photographer Paigge Frankie, but my sunglasses would probably fall off and she'd just laugh. But seriously, the light is incredible. 

I've also decided I'm a hat person. But maybe only in an over-sized sun hat, bowler hat, white leather cap kind of way. I don't think I'll be donning a Yankies baseball cap any time soon. Probably no visors either. Anyone else adding these wonderful treasures to their wardrobe? Anything that's practical and looks good should probably be a staple piece right? Either way, I apologise in advance for how often you'll be seeing this cap.

Photos by Paigge Frankie

Jewel

ASOS bralette | Topshop skirt | Factorie shirt | Colette necklace | Rubi flats

Looking at these photos gives me holiday nostalgia. It's been so long since I travelled anywhere and I really need to book another trip. The beaches in Greece are looking pretty good right now. 

I took these photos on the cruise I mentioned earlier. It was such a beautiful time of night we were almost too distracted by the sunset to get the shots. Luckily we got one of that too. I'm trying to jump on the bralette bandwagon, not going to lie, I loved this first attempt. Has anyone else tried out this trend? Might try it with a pencil skirt next...

Photos by me and Grace Jordan

Six-Steps

How many times have you looked at the clock and realised you probably should have paused Game of Thrones an hour ago and started to get ready? Way too many, that's for sure. I'm definitely a guilty party. Let's not even get started on how many times you've gotten that last minute call from that friend begging you to come out with her and hold her hand as she tries to flirt with that guy. So I've put together these 6 'save-me' steps that should help you out in these moments of need.

(Note: If you decided not to wash your hair last night because bed was too comfortable, then theses steps probably won't 'save you' as promised. Try to keep some of this around at all times and we're back in business)

Step One

The LBD. Everyone should have one. Some people prefer bodycon, some prefer maxi's either way grab yours from your wardrobe (or pick one up ASAP) and put it on. I personally favour the skater cut and got mine from ASOS.

 Step Two

Add a statement piece. This could be a stand out belt, some crazy tights or like me, you could choose a head piece (mine is by K is for Kani). It doesn't matter what you choose, just make sure people will notice it.

Step Three

Necklace time. Anything that catches the eye. Necklaces are definitely 'in' right now so I'm sure you'll have plenty to choose from laying around your bedroom, making this probably the hardest of the 6 steps. I chose one by Sports Girl.

Step Four

Put on a noticeable lipstick. I went with this brighter pink ('Kiss Me') Rimmel lipstick to match my head piece but you can go in any direction you like. It doesn't matter if it's dark purple or blue or matte red or bright orange, just choose something that stands out that you also feel comfortable in. Throw on some mascara and/or eye liner if you want defined eyes.

Step Five

Put on a neutral, simple pair of heels. (Preferably a pair that you can walk in!) Mine are by Nowhere.

Step Six

Grab your favourite jacket or coat. Because you've toned it down in the dress and shoe department almost any jacket will go. If you've chosen a crazy coloured lip you might want to make sure the jacket is going to the same party but that's completely up to you! I chose this vintage Country Road one that I stole from my mums wardrobe.

And you're ready to go!

Note #2: Go ahead and drink all the neon blue cocktails you want, no one's going to notice if you spill some on a black dress.

Photos by Paigge Frankie

Adrift

Sabo Skirt cape, Target top, Cotton On skirt, Rubi shoes, Apache Rose ring

How was everyone's Easter? Even if you don't celebrate it, I hope you used the super markets full of chocolate as a good excuse to indulge. I've only just realised I haven't had a single Easter Egg! Abominable. Better hit up the chocolate sales. 

I went away on a cruise with my family for Easter this year, and if you've never been on one let me fill you in on a secret: They are basically all about eating food and you will come back fat. I'm not a big exerciser but I think when meals just merge into one long binge including everything from rump steak to waffles to apple strudel, some after vacay jogs are a good idea. Not that I'm complaining. I am definitely an appreciator of all foods. Except sea food. Which is odd, because yes, I know I was at sea.

In other news, I've been wanting to shoot this cape for a while. I have been pretty obsessed with it lately and have gotten very used to the question "what the hell are you wearing?". I am aware that it is not to everyone's taste, but since when is fashion about wearing the same thing as everybody else? The cape is from Sabo Skirt and if you are as in love with the print as I am, but not keen on rocking it over your shoulders, they also sell it in shorts and a dress. 

Happy Easter!

M xx

Photos by Grace Jordan