Bandage Me Up

Isn't it strange how when you are actively looking for a certain something, you will never find it? Yet when you've given up looking, it falls right into your lap when you least expect it...

My latest obsession is with bandage dresses (or just more fitted dresses) after wearing flowy, floaty dresses for the past few seasons due to the comfort factor. But now, I feel like it's time to embrace my curves and make the most of them...but the shops are not cooperating with me and I can't find many fitted dresses.

The bandage dress trend started awhile ago with Herve Leger:


Now this look has been translated for the Australian masses by Bardot:
Spliced bandage dress on sale for $29.95
Wave bandage dress, on sale for $29.95

Unfortunately, both these dresses had sold out in my size so I had to look at Bardot's other offerings and in the end, I walked out of the store with this:

Origami dress, $89.95

While it isn't a bandage dress, it is fitted enough while still having gorgeous pleat detailing that gives it a more sophisticated vibe.

True Lust

Here's a heads up to any Aussie girls (and overseas online shoppers) out there who have seen the lovely Betty of leblogdebetty.com rocking these awesome gold studded ankle booties and like me, wished that they could get their hands on them:

I think Betty said that hers are from Oasis, which is a brand that ASOS stocks, but I have found the exact same ones on the Zimmermann website retailing for $250 (down from $500)!
I saw them in store today and debated whether to get them or not because they are absolutely gorgeous and would glam up any outfit...but I'll have to sleep on it since I already have some ankle boots now and if I get these, then I won't get as much wear out of the boots I already have!

If I can't get them out of my head by tomorrow...I think I'll cave in and buy them ><

Wanted: Ankle Boots

I have been searching high and low since last winter for the perfect ankle boots - something low cut (to elongate the legs) and slightly unconventional since ankle boots are everywhere these days.

I was thinking of a nice dove grey pair, but it is difficult to find this shade but look what's on sale at the moment:

Nine West 'Kimbell' Lace Up Oxford Platform Heels - $89.50

They come in a (safe) black too, but almost all of my winter shoes are black...so I was hoping to get a different colour to change things up a bit. I'm not too keen on the lace up detail (I prefer zips, buttons, studs as embellishment etc.) but these are pretty cute and I'm sick of searching!

I'll be checking these babies out tomorrow at a Nine West store (fingers crossed they still have my size!) and if the grey doesn't make me look too stumpy, these will be mine at last! =)

The Amazing American Apparel Circle Scarf

I must have been living under a rock or something because I've only just heard about this fantastic piece of clothing that you can wear in so many ways - a real multitasker and value for money priced at $47 for something that can be worn as...well...pretty much anything you want! I'm liking the shawl and hooded shawl (but with hood down!)

Usually I would be pretty skeptical about things like this actually living up to the hype but here are some real life examples of stylish girls working it:

niquita, looking gorgeous in AA Circle Scarf Dress
(I wonder how she got it to sit that way...)
Source: Chictopia

My favourite style that I would definitely be trying to recreate:

Rowena aka fashion_lover wearing the AA circle scarf as skirt
Source: Chictopia

Can you even tell that it's a scarf?

I love the way that it drapes on her, and it seems to fit perfectly!

Can't wait to get my hands on one...but there are so many colour choices I don't know which one I should get!

I was thinking navy, charcoal (I think that's what Rowena has) or a lighter greyish blue (Slate).

What do you lovely readers think?

Quirky

I have just discovered Etsy and my first potential purchase:

It's a Lie Detector necklace! So cute...I can't believe that it's handmade!

It's not too pricey and you won't see someone else wearing the same thing (because we all hate it when we see someone else wearing exactly the same thing as we are!)

If you want some unique handmade jewelry that you can't find in the shops, you should check Etsy out - I promise that you won't be disappointed!

I will report back if I end up getting the necklace =)

f c u k

I don't usually shop at French Connection (home of those 'witty' shirts) but I had a look around their website today and was pleasantly surprised by what I saw.

Let's just say that they seem to be housing all the clothes that I've been wanting these last few blogs posts...

Exhibit 1: Zip Dress


'Sound of Spring' Dress, $99.95

Exhibit 2: Rose Print Skirt
T-Osaka Rose Skirt, $49.95

Exhibit 3: Check Skirt
(OK not strictly something I've been blogging about, but it's cute!)

Corker Check Skirt, $59.95

The Zip Dress looks gorgeous, it has a flattering cut and sleeves AND a waist defining belt. Sounds like a winner to me!

The Rose Print Skirt looks a little long, but I can't really tell from the picture. (That's why I never buy anything online! I need to try things on first because sometimes what looks good on the mannequin/model doesn't translate so well on me.)

The Check Skirt reminds me of my schoolgirl days...but the colour scheme is a little too dark.

I will definitely be heading into French Connection to have a look around in real life tomorrow!

Oh, and I also found this on the website:


Black Satchel, $59.95

What a nice looking bag for that price! I might get it for my mum if I end up seeing it in store tomorrow =)

Zip it

Lately I've been drawn to clothes with exposed zips. I'm a bit late to the trend, they have been around for awhile now!

I've been looking for a dress or skirt with a zip down the length of it, but haven't been able to find a flattering one. I don't want to spend too much on this either because I know that it's just another trend, so it's lucky that the chainstores have been flooded with these clothes lately and now I'm kind of spoilt for choice!

Here's an option that I was considering from my online window shopping:


VG black zip skirt, $29.95

Unfortunately, I haven't been able to get to a VG store (their stores have been rebranded and VG is no longer located in places that are easy for me to get to! Boo.)

So instead today I made this impulse buy to satisfy my exposed zip craving temporarily:

The top is a size 8, but it's still a little big for me as you can see by the unsightly bulging at the waist where I attempted to tuck it into my skirt...

So I added a belt to give it more definition

Now I'm contemplating whether to get it in red with black stripes as well, which has a more punky vibe, so that I keep to my resolution to wear more colour...

I can't decide! Should I buy the tee in red too?

XXI

I think that if I ever got the chance to go to the US, I could probably spend a whole day in Forever 21. It seems that the Australian fast fashion stores can't compare to their huge range which has a surprisingly decent amount of nice clothes for bargain prices.

Here are some of my picks from their website:

Rose print skirt, $15.80

I'm liking floral patterns at the moment, and it would be easy to wear despite the busy pattern because it has a monochromatic colour scheme. But, if you prefer something a bit more colourful...

Floral blend elastic skirt, $14.80

This skirt would add a nice pop of colour to any outfit and the fuschia, purple and splashes of red in the palette doesn't look garish at all.

Hooded colourblock open cardigan, $11.99

I really like the look of open front cardigans this season because it's a refreshing update on the cardigan which has become an everyday essential for me and you can always cinch it closed with a nice belt. This cardigan also comes with a hood which is oh so practical for windy or rainy days when you just can't be bothered to pull out your umbrella!

'Adria' grey linen skirt, $19.80

Simple and classic, I can see this becoming a staple in my wardrobe - I have been on the lookout for a pretty grey A-line skirt for awhile but I still haven't found the perfect one yet.

Sigh.

Does anyone know if Australian equivalents of these items exist? I will be eternally grateful if you can point me in the right direction of where to look!