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.

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?

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.