Leather and lace.

Sunday 18 December 2011

(Faux leather shorts - Topshop, lace kimono - Sportsgirl, singlet - Miss Shop, gold cuff - ASOS, belt - vintage, rings - Kenneth Jay Lane, Diva, Karen Walker from Beginning Boutique)

There is no better time than an Australian summer for my favourite juxtaposition of leather and diaphanous, lace-trimmed kimonos. I love how this kimono lilts with the soft afternoon breezes and imbues me with a Bohemian spirit. And since the weather has been far from sweltering, I have been living in my favourite leather shorts, which add enough edge to any outfit to prevent my girly dispositions from compiling an outfit that is too saccharine. 

Photos taken by my beautiful mummy. 

Love, Mandy. xx


Wishlist : life of the jet set.

Tuesday 13 December 2011
Michael Kors rose gold watch
Karen Walker mini bow ring
Beginning Boutique New York Style sunglasses
River Island pony skin purse

Ahh, to have the life of the jet set - devouring macarons in quaint patisseries, languorously indolent afternoons in Santorini, hypomanic spending in any of the Asian shopping meccas, sipping cocktails that are as pungent as the salty sea air ...  

Whilst being a medical student doesn't permit a life of frequent travel, I do make the most of my overseas sojourns with meticulous attention to a few details. Firstly, an ample bag is absolutely obligatory, especially aboard the plane! I always try to fit in a scarf and small cosmetic bag, so the space is a worthwhile investment. I also love finding things that add elegance to usually prosaic items (such as passports and excess change) - it also creates a more organised space within your handbag so that you are not haphazardly fumbling for these important items amongst clutter. On the note of plane trips, I have made a habit over the past few years of bringing a silk eye mask and rosewater spray - so rejuvenating for the wonderful beauty sleep they impart and the lovely rose scent is so invigorating. For a more economically chic version, your local pharmacy can even distill some rosewater for you and you can decant it into your own lovely vial (of course below 100 mL). 

And finally, a vacation would not be complete without a few sartorial imperatives - a classic watch, a ring that serves as a subtle reminder of home, a pair of glamorous shades, and a few layers of a fabulously versatile hue of red nail polish that embraces the holiday spirit! 

Hope you enjoyed my tips and that you all have a beautiful and safe vacation, I would be so delighted to hear all your adventures when you return. :) 

Love, Mandy. xx


Pyjama dressing.

Monday 12 December 2011
TOPSHOP by Boutique silk maxi wrap dress
HALSTON metal & leather belt

I am a slave to comfort so it is no wonder that I love the notion of pyjama dressing. However, I'm not really fond of the increasingly pervasive pyjama pants aesthetic, perhaps because I don't have a strong predilection for pants or moreover, I think there is a basal level of effortless cool (of which I do not possess!) one must exude to pull of the look. 

On the other hand, I could easily segue my staple silky robes into an iridiscent evening outfit with gold and glittery accessories ... and then when midnight strikes, remove them and slip straight into bed. 

Love, Mandy. xx


Sunday gluttony.

Sunday 11 December 2011
If you live in the Brisbane area and have a penchant for Vietnamese cuisine, it is absolutely obligatory that you try Que Huong in Darra - the salt and pepper sole and Singapore chilli crab are sublime, but better still, the jackfruit and lychee sorbet frappes are truly heavenly on the palate and are the perfect foil to a sweltering summer day. 

Love, Mandy. xx

The world is more beautiful in sepia.

Saturday 10 December 2011
(Top - Witchery, skirt - shopnastygal, belt - SABO SKIRT, gold cuff - ASOS, watch - Michael Kors, claw ring - ASOS)

With my recent acquisition of Photoshop, I summoned my somewhat rudimentary editing skills and realised that sepia tones, gold sheens, and russet hues work together in perfect synergy, whilst simultaneously wishing I had a polarising filter when these images were captured! 

And if you haven't already observed - gold hardware is on high rotation in my wardrobe at the moment. 

Love, Mandy. xx

Acquire her style : Alexa Chung.

Friday 9 December 2011
(Valentino off-the-shoulder wool dress crepe dress via Net-a-Porter)
(River Island bow collar belted dress via ASOS)

I am so smitten by the manner in which the gorgeous miss Alexa has interpreted this Valentino confection - absolutely love how she has transitioned a cocktail dress into the context of street wear whilst still maintaining the perfect threshold of chic. 

If I had a copious inflow of cash, I would buy the original in a heartbeat, but I would certainly settle for the ASOS economically chic version. 

Love, Mandy. xx





En route.

Wednesday 7 December 2011
(Images: cherylshops.com, Stylestalker)

I know it has been a while since its release but after an eternity of yearning and hypersalivation, the Stylestalker 'ceremony' dress is finally en route to my loving arms. Frantically purchased this at a fraction of the original price at Coco Lee (they are amazing!) in between surgery patients today haha. 

Love, Mandy. xx

Twenty three.

Sunday 4 December 2011
(Top - Length of Love from Adrenalin, shorts - Harper, belt - vintage from mummy's closet, shoes - Jeffrey Campbell Sassy from Solestruck, necklace - old season Juicy Couture, starfish cuff - eBay) 
(Beautiful birthday peonies from my amazing boyfriend. <3)

I may be a year older as of the first day of summer, but I still feel so incredibly youthful at heart (and completely lacking of the intellectual and pragmatic faculties concomitant to adulthood). 

As you can surmise from the last few posts, I'm loving sartorial neutrals at the moment. It's the subtle details - a necklace that tinkles with movement, layered ruffles of wave shorts, the chiffon gathered sleeves of a silk top - that make this outfit a favourite of mine. 

Love, Mandy. xx