how to wear white : 10 lessons.

{Lesson #1 : invest in the perfect white shirt. One can never go wrong with this classic item - choose one from the silken confections by Equipment and they will last you a lifetime.}

{Lesson #2 : a top-to-toe whitewash can be as much of a statement as a crimson dress if executed properly. Adhere to one hue and add gold and beige accents to keep the aesthetic polished.}

{Lesson #3 : play with architecture. When wearing a white-on-white outfit, attention to detail is imperative - I love geometric details and asymmetry.}

{Lesson #4 : brevity is the soul of wit. Sartorial simplicity is the soul of chic.}

{Lesson #5 : be a canvas. These shorts and top have been worn relentlessly but I have created a plethora of different outfits through scrupulous accessorising.} 

{Lesson #6 : glamorous casual outfits are the paradoxical summation of the whimsical plus the inanely versatile. This skirt is such a key statement piece that is so easily translated to daily usage with a more casual white cardigan.}

{Lesson #7 : add colour. Bold, vivacious pops are incredibly fun and can be calibrated to your mood.}

{Lesson #8 : appreciate texture. Lace, frills, ruffled hems ... white is a blank canvas, so you can work these details simultaneously!} 

{Lesson #9 : an outfit isn't the mere summation of clothes. Wearing white means you can instil more creativity into your make-up routine and add some effervescence with a bright lip colour.}

{Lesson #10 : the LWD is the new LBD. Slip it on in summer for a crisp look or find a knitted version for the colder seasons and you'll embrace a new sophistication that is fresher and more youthful than black.}


If you have been following my blog for some time (you lovely thing!), you may have noticed how utterly ubiquitous this part of the colour spectrum is in my wardrobe.

I hope these lessons help you achieve sartorial en-whitenment (yes, tragic allusion to the Reflex ad haha).

Have a splendid weekend everyone and I would love to know what your favourite wardrobe hue is!

Much love, Mandy. xx

settling.

{Jacket - Cameo; top - Three of Something; skirt - Keepsake; all c/o lalabazaar.com, clutch - MNO.logie}

Photos by the exquisite Love Yaz.

Finally, finally, after weeks of a peripatetic existence, I'm somewhat settling again back home rather like leaves on the autumn ground - calm, restless at times, often too eager to drift with the breeze...

...And whilst it is lovely to welcome the familiarity of routine and structure back into life, I can't help but feel that I left my heart somewhere across the sea and that old friend wanderlust beckons and I find myself, yet again, grateful that I have a beautiful dream career that distracts me from its perpetual allure...

Much love, Mandy. xx

{P.S. Don't forget to follow us on bloglovin' if you haven't already!}

wardrobe inspiration : european summer, part 1.

                                  Top : Lola from Pret a beaute // shorts : Lover // sandals : Topshop

...Always wake up counting my blessings as every day is a living dream, but on rainy days like today there is room in the mind for wandering to sundrenched European sojourns in the cleanest shades of white and bursts of tangerine lace...

Much love, Mandy. xx

{P.S. Don't forget to follow us on bloglovin' if you were previously on Google Friend Connect <3 }

Transitions.

And so often we are resistant to change, nestled in our little world of familiarity and lulled into the comfort of the predictable. 

But sometimes it is only in retrospect do we realise how lovely change can be - a fresh perspective, a clean slate, an opportunity to instil progress...

So with this maxim, I am going to embrace, rather than lament, the end of an era that was Google Friend Connect (ending July 1, as I'm certain most of you are aware) and instead, I invite you to keep updated with all things frocks and other frivolities via bloglovin. 

Sending love and wishing you all the most resplendent weekend! 

Much love, Mandy. xx

Photos by the wonderful Love Yaz, who is currently overseas exploring the world! Hoping your travels are safe, beautiful lady. <3 

{dreamy designers} : zimmermann resort 2014.

{Images via Vogue Australia}

...Have always been an ardent aficionado of this Australian label, but it was all too much for my fluttering little heart when I stumbled upon this collection with its abundance of gilded treasures and ruffled sartorial confections. While I do love the chiller winter nights of endless woollen blankets and cups of tea, this Zimmermann collection has me suddenly erring on the side of the sun...

Much love, Mandy. xx

Nottingham.

{Dress - c/o Hush Market; coat - Carla Zampatti; heels - YSL}

Photos taken by my beautiful friend, Boonya of the arty wardrobe. <3

Goodness me, an eternity has inadvertently elapsed since my last post with my time spent so assiduously on work, combined with limited internet access in the rural town hospital that I'm currently residing in. I do apologise to my beautiful, patient readers but as always, art is always better created from love rather than obligation. :)

This dress was so kindly given to me by the lovely ladies from Hush Market; a wonderful online purveyor of beautiful clothes that won't inflict a fortune. I adore the feathered trims of the dress and the layered aesthetic when worn with a lacy slip and a matching coat - no lovelier means of feeling like the sartorial equivalent of a Chantilly cream in the dreamy town of Nottingham.

And on an even lovelier note - Hush Market is offering my first 100 readers a 10% discount off their purchase with the code "MANDY10" upon checkout; go and treat yourself now!  

Much love, Mandy. xx

chelsea blossoms.

{Top - Equipment; cardigan - Oroton; skirt - Zara; bag - Botkier; belt - ASOS; shoes - Guiseppe Zanotti}

Images taken by my gorgeous friend Minnie of the amazing blog Minnie Knows <3

As the northerly winds begin to blow their gentle chill across Australia, on a small street of perfectly congruent alabaster flats in London there are cherry blossoms ripening with the spring underneath the placid European sun. I could not have asked for a more perfect day when I spent the day with my new favourite Londoner, Minnie, a few weeks ago as we frolicked around Chelsea, devouring a leisurely brunch on Kings Road, followed by petal gelato cones...

Much love, Mandy. xx

chic eats : the butcher's daughter, NYC.

Inspiring food is difficult to come by. Inspiring raw, organic food is an insurmountable accomplishment. The Butcher's Daughter achieves exactly that - an experience that is delightful to the palate in a milieu that is as light and beautiful as its menu. A juice bar/cafe hybrid in the hip Nolita, it delivers the loveliest cold pressed juice melanges and smoothies (my favourite was 'cacao suave' - a divine concoction of raw cacao, cacao nibs, bananas, and almond milk) as well as dairy-free alternatives to their coffee selection (delicious cashew/almond milk). 

But moreover, it is their menu that stands out with a clear ethos that embraces gloriously fresh produce and salubrious ingredients - I had the quinoa salad and avocado toast, which were not only exquisitely presented but wholly droolworthy. There are few raw foods that induce cravings for me but the food here is so transcendent, so exquisitely executed, that I think about it almost every day now that I am back in the raw food void that is Australia. The crowd that linger here are also hip, but not in a pretentious way, and the place is warm with communal tables and effused light, which makes the experience all the more enticing. 

There is truly no more resplendent way to detox! 

Much love, Mandy. xx

The Butcher's Daughter

19 Kenmare St

NYC 10012

Ph: 212-219-3434

motel.

{Skirt and top - c/o TRACYEINNY; shoes - YSL}

Images by the gorgeous Love Yaz. 

My YSL-clad feet are well and truly planted back on home ground with the completion of my first day back at work in the restless ennui of a small town hospital in St George. Literally landed from London two days ago and generously imparted myself with 24 hours to reset my Circadian rhythm - completely worth it for an extra day in my beloved London! 

On a more sartorial note, tracyeinny is the most amazing purveyor of affordable fashion trends that doesn't compromise quality - this leatherette skirt has consolidated itself very stalwartly in my heart and you will find that almost everything on their site is utterly lovely. 

Thank you for all your patience with my slow posts but I hope I can resume the organisation soon!

Much love, Mandy. xx