Next big "plllllease may I have" = a trophy jacket (or 5)

Justification:

- You can dress them up or down. They look as good over a dress as they do with jeans and flats

- They always look unique, even if they are a chain store purchase

- They are appropriate regardless of the season

- They are a great work piece

- Think outside of the sequinned box. I like black matted knitted ones, or dyed fringed ones

...Um, thats all I can think of. But I think that's good enough.

God damn not having Zara in Sydney!

I'm off to save my pennies...

ahhhhhhhh!!

To further support my theory on boys in Sydney and their 'style',

this is what the Sartorialist said:

"I have heard a few concerns lately that this blog has become too heavily dominated by women's images. They worry about the "direction" of the blog.

Well, I can say that the direction has absolutely remained the same. I've always only shot what I really love and that sincerity remains intact.

Last week ,in Sydney, I didn't see any guys to shoot, so....no guys shots. It would have been easy to take a few shots just to keep the mens audience happy but I just can't do that. I'm not saying that there are no stylish men in Sydney but that I just didn't run across any while I was there.

The honest nature of this blog is that the images are a by-product of the cities I visit. Some cities are very strong in womens (Paris) and some in men's (Milano). I always keep my eyes wide open in every city but that element of chance is what keeps this job fun.

Anyway, early next month I will be at Pitti Uomo (in Florence) which is the best mens shooting I do all year. So if you're needing your Classico fix just hang in there guys."

How interesting...

Needs.

I need new glasses.

Maybe 'need' is an exaggeration, but I really, really want some, especially after looking at the full Prism range online.

The website states that "the glasses are designed as an accessory - not simply as a functional product." Tick.

Further, it states that "Prism glasses are aimed at anyone who has an interest in the aesthetic - who is obsessed with detail but doesn't want to lose on functionality." Tick, tick.

Additionally, the glasses are unisex, and whilst unique, do not follow the 'geek chic' trend which I love, but has become so big that you could be wearing a pair of Tom Ford's, or a similar version from Sportsgirl.

What I really love about these glasses is that the range is small. A small range to me, demonstrates concentration and commitment, it says "I would rather release a tight range of ten styles, rather than lose my vision to create thirty pieces".

On top of this, the glasses are handmade, and are carved from acetate blocks which date back to the 1800's. Italians do all the work, which is also pays homage to my woggy roots.

Sooo basically, I think I have listed enough reasons to justify needing these glasses.

Now I just need to decide on a style...

Big Love.

Will loose pants or jeans (rolled at the ankle), a t-shirt, and a blazer ever get old?

I think not.

Boys, Boys, Boys (again)

Re the "Boys, Boys, Boys" post, this is what we need more of!
(thesartorialist.com)

Love this look

(thesartorialist.com)

New loves.

A new type of bohemian dressing is emerging, and it is beautiful. This is french-bohemian, and is a much more refined, smart, and chic version of the bohemian most of us have tried to block out in recent times.

A state of mind.

I find it interesting that we spend so much time formulating our style. I love that style is distinctive and subjective, and an insight into who we are. This said, I also think it is hilarious how easily one's style can be compromised, dependent on their surroundings.

I am completely guilty of this.

I have been trying to figure out why when we vacate our country, or our usual surroundings, we also appear to vacate from the style which we have formulated for ourselves. When I returned from London, I looked preppy as hell. On a trip to Paris, I was obsessed with navy and white stripes, and my Chanel flats. In Italy, I spent my days on the coast near Cinque Terre in a peach coloured shirt dress. A shirt dress?!

For any of you that know me, or my style, I am not preppy, I do not look classic-French (thought I wish I did), and I will never be able to channel the style of the beautiful Italian women who passed me in similar attire.. So why abandon my style when I travel?

Part of me thinks that we transform to escape. Not in a 'deep' way (as though we are escaping Sydney like it is the equivalent of hell), but in the way that in the process of relaxing, or exploring, or whatever the purpose of the holiday, you want to lose yourself in the culture of wherever you may be.

Another possibility is that maybe we simply do it for fun. There is something exciting about wearing items that in Sydney you would not consider. Being able to get away with wearing crazy pieces is appealing. In addition to this, there is something fun about wearing wacky stuff in a place where no one knows who the hell you are.

Possibly we change our styles to assimilate? I personally do not change my style for this reason (for me, it is more the first two), but I can see the urge to ditch the thongs and the wife-beater when walking around and having people stare at you, and wondering what the hell you are wearing.

A big factor for this change stems from 'The Hunt'. "The Hunt" is the type of shopping you do when you are on holiday, and basically involves sourcing the most amazing "I definitely did not get this in Australia" pieces, to then take home and show all of your friends. (Note that bonus points are awarded if these goods are also inexpensive.)

Whatever the reason, I have been thinking about this changing of one's style for a while now, and on a recent trip to Bali, I set myself the challenge of not returning looking like something that had escaped from a Temple. Keeping in mind that I travelled with two of the greatest hunters I know, I knew resisting transforming would be a challenge. Adding to the pressure of my travel companions, I also had been informed that Bali was great for cheap finds. Great.

All this said, in setting myself to goal of not maxing my credit card on tie-dyed garments, I managed to find some amazing pieces. I had leather pieces made for virtually nothing, and found some incredible jewellery to wear with my more simple pieces I already own. It actually suprised me how easy it was to source great pieces that fit with my existing wardrobe when I had identified that I was guilty of changing when I travel...Who knew?

On the flight on the way home, I was on a high, seeing the scads of Aussies with their hair braided with beads on the end, and the piles of tie-dyed pants, skirts, dresses, tops, sarongs-as-tops, and bags that all these people had purchased.

The funniest thought we had on the flight home was that these bronzed people who resembled something more from a bogan-woodstock than anything else would get off the plane and catch a glimpse of themselves in a mirror and think "what the hell did I buy this for?!" or "Why in the name of Christ would I have my hair braided at my age?!" Ah, sweet satisfaction.

So as a little recommendation to anyone going anywhere over Christmas or the New Year. I think you should keep in mind that travelling is about your state of mind. I say explore, drink and eat as much as you can, and take in everything you possibly can, but do not lose the thing that ultimately makes you, you - your style.

Boys, boys, boys.

I feel at the moment as though boys are caring less and less about what they wear.

I'm unsure whether this is an across-the-board movement, or if it is more of a Sydney-stand, but it's bad, and seemingly getting worse by the minute. So in trying to figure out what the hell is going on inside their heads, I put my detective badge on (because I don't suit hats.)

I know we all have different tastes, and I think we have established this in recent blog posts. However, in thinking about the lack of care in what boys are sporting at the moment, I feel I have another revelation in my tall poppy idea, which I spoke about in my "Chanel, please" post, about a week ago.

I thought girls were the only ones affected by the notion of this 'fashion tall poppy' idea. Wrong.

I'm thinking it actually impacts more on the boys.

I was speaking to a good girlfriend of mine the other day, who has good taste (in my opinion, if that counts). This dear friend has been with her boyfriend for close to a year now. As we have all been girlfriend's at a point, I don't need to explain that we have complete license to politely [or not so politely, dependent on your power] 'suggest' clothing that these poor misguided boys may previously have overlooked. So, in doing her fashionable girlfriend duty, this girl got her boyfriend wearing some pretty great blazers. The best thing in this situation is that the boy quite enjoys her choices. Everybody wins. Thing is, when he wears these clothes, he is the subject of ridicule by his friends. Okay, so maybe "subject of ridicule" is a bit drastic, but his friends do laugh at his choices. They also tag his blazers in photos on Facebook. Ouch. So it appears everybody doesn't win, because although this boy likes his new clothes, he prefers to wear them around his girlfriend and her friends only. They, on the other hand, compliment his new purchases. Everybody happy again.

The thing that frustrates me more than anything is the access boys have to good clothes. You can easily buy a good pair of shorts or a t-shirt for about $30 if you are a boy. I saw a pair of shorts in a cheap shop the other night that were cream denim with a thin red pinstripe. I died a little bit at the thought of a boy wearing these with a soft blue shirt, and some thongs or slip ons. Good look. Apparently not. According to my taken girlfriends, if they dressed their boys in this get-up, they would be told by their loving friends they looked like a "homo"... Huh?!

I am thinking that boys are actually 'taller' poppy's than girl's in these situations. Girls who are truly confident and passionate about their wacky wears, will cop any looks or banter on the chin, and wear their clothes with pride regardless. Boys, though - different story.

It should also be noted that while the girlfriend dressing the boyfriend is an example, this is not the only scenario where the tall poppy situation can occur. I have exes who own some great clothes, but they were a part of the "going on a date with my girlfriend" wardrobe, not the "beers with mates" wardrobe.

So I am wondering, what attributes separate the boys who are willing to give new outfits a shot, and the boys who insist on tearing down these choices?

Hmm.. Puzzling.

Introducing another love: Fur.

In my opinion (because I know you are dying to hear it...), part of the appeal of the fur ensemble is that it is a move away from the blacks and greys that so many revert to come winter time. On top of this, sporting this look takes a certain level of confidence - it is not a look that blends in. When paired with jeans and some fine cashmere, or your boyfriend's t-shirt*, there is a certain "I just threw this on, and I don't care what it looks like" feel about it... And lets be honest, that is a look we all try for.

* (for those of us without boyfriends to steal from, this simply means going out and buying an XL white t-shirt.)

Ah, Lesley.

Lesley Arfin is one of my favourite writers. I found her amazing words when she began writing her "Dear Diary" column for Russh Magazine. It is amazing that one page every two months can make you think about things so much. It is rare that a writer can do this, and I think this writer changes for each person, dependent on what they respond to, and for me, Lesley is it.





Her Russh column titled "Youth is Wasted on the Young" was amazing. It was a column that I read, and then decided to make some changes. Be warned, her writing will do that to you.



Lesley's writing is sharp, and immediate. This girl does not buffer things - and says all how it is seen, and, occasionally - this is refreshing. In one of her columns for Vice magazine titled "The Vice Guide to Friendship" the first item on her list is "answer the fucking phone". Confronting, yet true, yes?



On top of writing for Russh, she has done a heap of other things. She freelances for about six other magazines, has worked as an editor-at-large, and an editor-in-chief, she dabbles in DJ-ing, and enjoys a bit of styling here and there. Oh, she has also written a book.



On top of all that she lives in New York. Cool girl.

Chanel, please.

I have a confession..

I love European winters... I have discovered this very recently, and I believe its a justified love, so before you put a hit out on me, please, let me explain..

I am in deep, undying love with the Chanel Fall Collection. The frilled cuffs and neck pieces melt my heart in all their Victorian-slash-crazed-clown aesthetics. The biggest killer for me in this situation is that in Sydney, I will never, ever be able to wear these. (Obviously, number one is because I cant afford them, but for the sake of this argument, lets just pretend they are sitting in my room. Okay?)

You see, Sydney fashion doesn't allow for this type of rich, classic dressing. Sydney is about flashing skin, a golden tan, and a great pair of heels.. And I love this about our city, however when you see amazing suits adorned with these pieces coming down the runway, you can't help but wish that our Sydney, was a little bit [sorry to say it] more refined, or classy, or open to new looks like this.

To Sydney's credit, I blame the weather. It isn't Sydney's fault that we dress the way we do. It is just so hot, all the time. Even in winter, you can easily get away with a bare leg, because it is all of about 15 degrees. While this is all good for us Sydney-siders, there is something very sexy about real winter-dressing. It is a classic look for both men and women - and in my belief, a harder one to master than the Sydney skin-show.

To the population of Sydney's discredit, I also blame our lack of originality in dressing on ourselves, and each other. We are tall poppy's. I have had this conversation with my girlfriends millions of times. As a city, we like to think we are cultured, and cool, and open to all kinds of looks, and music, and art. Well, we aren't. We appreciate fashion, but we don't really like anyone to move too far out of the Sydney 'look' - otherwise they will be torn down (something Sydney-siders have mastered). The unspoken Sydney rule is that you may be fashionable (yes, this is allowed), but do not try and be too creative. Do not be too colourful, and do not, ever dress wacky. This is why my Chanel cuffs and neck piece will never been seen on anyone in this city. Shame, really.

I could vent about this tall poppy thing for hours. Seriously. This said, I think you understand what I am saying, because you, like every other Sydney-sider are guilty of it.

So, I propose that in the coming days, weeks, and even months (if you can stand it), that you be more open to the wacky within all of us. If you see a man in knee-high striped socks, high five him instead of giving him that tear-you-down Sydney look. If everyone could be more like him, I think Sydney would be a much more interesting place. Don't you?

...after reading the below post, here's to hoping i'm a girl-beautiful girl.

Girls, Girls, Girls

So there are basically two categories that girls fit into in terms of their appearance and what they wear:

1. Girl-beautiful

The girl-beautiful girls are those who you [as a girl] will perve on. You like their shoes. Her jeans are crazy-cool, or she has the worlds greatest bag slung over her shoulder. You do a double-take, and sometimes even a triple-take - and you cant quite understand why every man isn't falling over her as she walks past. Simple. To men, she is unappealing. The reasons why she is unappealing vary, dependent on why she is girl-beautiful in the first place. (For example, perfectly tousled long locks to boys look unbrushed and like a birds nest... Just as a heavily embellished chunky ankle boot will ever, ever be as hot as a skanky stiletto..)

2. Boy-hot.

Boy-hot is basically the girl that encompasses the opposite of the girl-beautiful traits. This girl is the one you see when you are out at a bar whose skirt is just that little bit too short, or whose hair extensions are just slightly too obvious. As girls, you look at this girl in a "what they hell were you thinking!?" type way. You are not in awe of this girl as you were in option one. The boy however finds this girl attractive. There is something about this girl that catches his eye, and for that, she gets labelled "hot". I can't decypher this category too much, as I am not an expert at what makes boys tick (if I was, I probably would be out entertaining a large group of male models, rather that writing this blog...) Lastly, there is a clause in this category. It needs to be noted here that these girls are not always skanky. Sometimes, they can just be really hot girls (think Victoria's Secret) - not necessarily kicking it in the fashion department, but, as a girl, you can get it.

So I have list of girl-beautiful girls. I haven't compiled them specifically for this blog, but they are just those girls who I think are breathtaking, and never set a foot wrong. I will reveal them over time, rather than all at once - not to keep you on the edge of your seats and guessing (yeah, right), but more because my fingers are tired, and I think writing an essay about girl-beautiful girls is slightly creepy.

So, for today, I will tell you that one of my all time favourite girl-beautiful girls is Chloe Sevigny.

I think there is something disgustingly cool about Chloe Sevigny.

Her fashion sense is slightly bizarre, and a little left-of-centre. I love the fact that this girl can get it so wrong, yet make it look so right. There is something very cool about initially looking at her and saying "why the hell would you wear that?!", and then, after looking at her for a couple of seconds, reverting to the "actually, no, I think I kind of like it" opinion. I think being able to evoke these kind of reactions and variances in opinions is a real triumph.

The other thing I love about this girl is that no one really knows what she does. Okay, she acts, and designs clothing. But what was the last movie you saw her in? What label does she design for? ...You don't know, do you, and yet you still are very familiar with her, and that is a feat.

The great thing about her is that she isn't afraid to take a risk. Further, she clearly doesn't dress to impress the boys (a classic girl-beautiful trait). This girl has sported turtle-necks, way too many frills, and shoes that resemble a pair of two-season-old kumfs, but she rocks it everytime. Go Chloe.

Initial.

QuintEssential = Thoughts + Likes + Loves + All the 'Need Nows'

So I am not the girl that keeps a diary, or a journal, or over-analyses any of my feelings or thoughts. I'm not quite sure why. I'm thinking it's probably to do with the fact that all that stuff just seems like way too much effort.

However, I am the girl who bookmarks my favourite images in magazines each month. I am the girl who will forego nights out and fun outings so that I can afford some ridiculously expensive piece - which in hindsight is useless because if I can't afford to go out, it means I'm carrying my Chanel around the house teamed with my trackies. Go figure.

All this said, I am the girl who likes to feel inspired. I love anything that appeals to the senses - fashion, art, music, colour, breathtaking trends. I love how these can make you feel.

So this is why I have created this blog. I am technologically backward, so we will see how this goes. To some this blog may just seem like I am talking out of my arse, and to be honest, maybe I am, but I am going to treat this project as my first journal. Effort and all. I'm not really one to talk about feelings - (particularly on the Internet) so this is my journal of everything that inspires me. Everything that appeals, all of my likes and loves, and some things that grind me the wrong way. Enjoy.