Remember when we were named blog of the moment by Equip Accessories last month? If not, trust us, it happened. And it was oh so delish. So this week, we decided to style up some of our favourite spring/summer pieces by Equip into a sixties beach party look.
To get the look, mix yourself up a summer cocktail of bossa nova beats, sun scorched (faux) tan and a cheeky teased up-do. We mean figuratively – don’t actually consume a cocktail of these things. You’ll probably die. But back to our fab look.
After a few years in the OTT box, the 60s-style cats eye lens has been dusted off and named the eyewear shape for this season. Mix a pair of these feminine statement glasses with a sleek, column-shaped 7/8th length dress and a pair of cute sling-backs peeking out at the bottom. If you’re worried about the shape of your dress, add a belt to the smallest part of your mid area and pop a cardi over the top that ends where the belt sits.
And finally, add a lemon wedge on the side and you’re good to go, sneakies! What do you think of our look?
You might only be going to that summer soiree at your great aunt’s house for the free food, but we think you should look good while you’re at it. This summer (as usual),be as pretty as a peach by wearing classic flare dresses, vintage-inspired jewels and femme boleros. We don’t usually advocate putting yourself through the pain of wearing toe-tipping stiletto heels all night, but this is the season to do it. So embrace the glamour-pain, ladies. Embrace it. And finally, you’ll notice that we popped an eye-shadow looking object in our mood board. It’s actually hair chalk – the coolest chalk of them all! Click here to see our post on how to apply it!
Elliott Nimmo is one of those Sydney artists whose arm we wish we could rip off and keep in a jar until we can work out how to attach it to ourselves to create beautiful paintings.
Having only just finished his post-graduate honours course at Sydney’s National Art School, Elliot’s paintbrush-wielding ways have won him huge acclaim. Last year, no less, his work was selected as a finalist in the Doug Moran National Portrait Prize competition (the richest portrait competition in the world!).
Elliott’s latest series is called POP VENUS, a collection of paintings that deliciously delves into sign-exchange and the fetishized fashion object. Dealing with icons such as designer perfumes, flowers and editorial fashion models, POP VENUS is both conceptual and visual dreamboat.
As of this Thursday, POP VENUS will be displayed as part of Sydney’s National Art School Post-Graduate Exhibition. The event’s main sponsor is Giorgio Armani (for real!) so we recommend pulling out your fancy pants and getting your gallery on. See you there, sneakies!
{ What is it about the fashion object that inspired the Pop Venus series? }
“Pop Venus” is about consumers lusting after beautiful, excessive, high-status things – bags, shoes, clothing, girls! There is something in fashion that piques our desire for individuation. People buy Prada, Armani or Chanel to assert their individual style. }
{ How is Pop Venus different from your previous work? }
“Pop Venus” is different from my previous work in that I have returned (finally!) to high-finish realism. Last year, I was seriously into abstract expressionism. But I got bored, I had to have something to hold my attention. Also, I’ve been connected with the fashion world for a fair while (as a model) and it seemed a natural progression to paint what I’ve experienced there. }
{ What brands do I lust over? }
Wow, that’s a tough one. Yohji Yamamoto, definitely – one day I will have a wardrobe full his stuff! But for cool everyday menswear I can’t go past Paul Smith. But if I’m just checkin’ out the chicks, it’s gotta be Prada and Calvin Klein. }
{ How did it feel to launch your first solo exhibition in Sydney? }
It was great having my first big solo in Sydney – coincidentally it was on Vogue’s Night of Fashion! I’ve already started working on the next body of work.
{Plans for 2013?}
I’m off to London on an artist residency in February, then I want to head to New York to suss out the scene there. Hopefully I can continue to collaborate with designers and other artists – and have a damn good time! }
And it will be fabulous- if we win the chance to throw it! We’ve been asked by the lovelies at Be. Wines to design our ultimate party themed around one of their girl-icious wines! 6 fashion bloggers are competing to plan (and ultimately throw) the Australian launch party for Be. Wines – and we’re one of them!
Each blogger has been allocated a Be. Wine variety as the inspiration for their party. Ours is, of course, the sweetest of them all- the yellow bottled ‘Be. Luscious Moscato’, Delish! And so, as per usual, we’ll be taking things to the femininely decadent extreme, theming our event around Marie Antoinette’s rococo dinner parties!
All our planning will be going down on Pinterest for your viewing delight, with special Pinterest boards dedicated to the event’s food, decor and music!
If you’d like to suggest a pin or two for our party, pop them on our facebook page or link them in a comment on the blog! And now to get you in a glorious Marie Antoinette mood, here’s a little Marina and The Diamonds. Now let’s get those creative (grape) juices flowing!
Is it possible to add a touch of Art Deco to an East-meets-Parisian-bohemianism aesthetic? Samantha Wills says yes. In the form of a 30 piece collection of jewellery, that is.
We popped into Samantha Wills HQ last week to sneakypeek the label’s unreleased ‘Hunter & Gatherer’ collection. Featured are an explosion of turquoise and coral coloured semi precious stones, Art Deco fractal motifs and burnished metals.
The inspiration for the collection was the designer’s love for travel and the exotic, including her recent trip to Paris where she wandered through Paris’ vintage markets and bohemian island beaches (we’re so jealous right up in here).
Our favourite piece was the turquoise and gold neckpiece (pictured above). Trust us to go for the biggest, shiniest thing possible!
The Hunter & Gather collection will be available from Februray 2013. Will you be wearing one of these jewels next year?
This week, Sneakypeek’s gone a little Equip cray cray.
We’ve been giving away an Equip fascinator a day via our Facebook page AND we’ve been named as Equip’s Blogger of the Moment. The Equip madness is not over, sweet sneakies. We’ve gone behind the counter and spoken to the lady behind the trinkets hanging in Equip stores! Here’s our sneakypeek with Equip’s Buying Controller herself, Julie Baker.
{ You have what most people would consider a girl’s dream job! Can you describe the life of a buyer? }
It’s a buyers job to spot trends as they emerge. This can be from the catwalk, film, music, the internet, magazines, the street. We travel regularly to LA, New York, London, Paris, Tokyo as well as Hong Kong, China and India to make sure we know whats happening all around the world.
So many elements of life affect fashion now that you have to keep your eyes and ears open at all times. So the life of a Buyer really is a way of life, you never switch off because you never know where your inspiration is going to come from next and because its 24/7 you have to have a passion for fashion.
The next step is knowing how best to translate those trends for your customer so you have to make sure you are out in the stores as much as possible getting to know your customer really well.
{ That’s one shopping marathon! What comes after that? }
Once you’ve decided what trends you are going to buy into and how they are going to be translated for your customer you have to source manufacturers. Then the hard part comes finding the best manufacturer at the best price and quality who can produce the volume you want within the time scale you need. This is where a head for figures and strong negotiation skills come in, you have to be able to drive a hard bargain to make sure your customers get the very best for their money.
Many people think its all about going to fashion shows then selecting the product you want. Its really very different in reality, its hard work and it can be very stressful but I love it and couldn’t imagine doing anything else.
{ What accessories are essential for a spring racing look? }
A fantastic fascinator and a great clutch is the perfect place to start. Once you’ve decided what they are you can move on to the jewellery.
{ What are the trends for fascinators this spring racing season? }
Colour is really important this season particularly hot pink, it’s almost neon and looks great worn back to neutrals. The slightly smaller styles based on a pill box hat look really new and are very easy to wear. The great thing about a fascinator is it doesn’t ruin your hair and it really makes you look special.
{ What are you favourite pieces from the current collection at Equip? }
Short statement necklaces have really made a comeback and I love the new trend for collars they really give the plainest top a whole new lease on life.
{ Can you give us a sneakypeek into Equip’s unreleased collections? }
We’ve got some fantastic ranges between now and Christmas. Lots of amazing statement pieces at even more amazing prices but I cant give away too many secrets so you’ll have to watch this space.
There are two things you need to know about Stakes Day at the spring racing carnival. The first is that it’s Flemington Racecourse’s last carnival day. The second is that it’s also known as Family Day at the races. Usefully, both these things lead us to one conclusion- you will be exhausted by Stakes Day.
By Stakes Day, you’ll want to burn the uncomfortable heels you wore consistently throughout the week. But to no avail! You promised us that you’d wear heels (see provision 1 in our Charter of Racewear Fabulosity). Oh ok, we’ll let you off the hook for Stakes Day – you’re allowed a pair of comfy wedges. After all, we are but a benevolent fashion dictator.
You’ll also probably be a little burnt by Stakes Day, so pop on your hat in place of a sun-unresistant fascinator. Also, remember that kiddies will be running amuck, so keep your mini skirt for next time and wear an elegantly kid-friendly maxi dress.
Finally, f you’re thinking about tottering to the races with your tot, we’ve created little lady’s racewear outfit in the same style as our womenswear outfit. Ain’t it cute?
Here’s how you get our big lady and little lady’s look!
Oaks Day is traditionally known as ‘ladies day’. So whether lady-ness means cackling with your girlfriends over a few beers or frocking up in pin-thin stilettos, now’s the time to express your lady inside.
The Oaks Day carnival happens after the Melbourne Cup, which means that you’ll probably be a bit sick of spangling yourself in shiny things by the time it comes around. So rather than going for a bold statement, use Oaks Day to tap into this season’s pastels trend.
To get this look, you’ll have to hand us the key to your closet. Why? Because we’re locking away your clunky, metal jewellery and platform heels. Want the key back? Too bad. We’ve eaten it. Your only option is to pop on some elegant baubles in vivid colours like the necklace above and wear femme open-toe, heeled sandals. And while you’re at it, why not wear a silk blouse in a whimsical print and a puffed-out peplum skirt? Remember to add some pink to those lips!
Here’s how we styled it. What will you wear to Oaks Day?
If the fashionable ladies on the field did it in the 1970s, you can do it too. In fact, Australian women were amongst the first in the world to wear pants suits to the Flemington racecourse, giving them a worldwide reputation for being particularly fashion forward.
Unfortunately, its’s a lot harder to pull off a pair of pants than a frock at the races. Fortunately, if done well, pants almost always look sleekly chic-er than a mini dress when worn at the races.
Here’s how you get the look (whilst simultaneously looking more like a nouvelle Audrey Hepburn than a cast member of Dynasty).
1. Wear heels to the races. No matter how tall you are. No matter what the suit looks like. Don’t look at us like that. We know it hurts, but beauty is pain. Now do it.
2. If you’re petite, wear a matching botom and top suit set (see image below). You’re body won’t be cut in half with two contrasting colours.
3. Try a peplum blazer. Most women look good in this style, but it is particularly suited to those with a smaller bust. Wear your peplum blazer with tailored, not-too-tight pants. If you opt for tight pants, your sillouhette will probably end up resembling that of a spinning top.
A maxi isn’t the every-woman’s race dress. Not because it looks hideous- but because it’s difficult to find a style that is fancier than bohemian and yet not as swanky as a ball gown. Challenge accepted.
The way to do it is by wearing a maxi that is streamlined (ie: one that doesn’t have multiple tiered layers, bride-style). To keep your dress out of the Cinderella realm, stay away from maxis in a bright colour.
On the other hand, wearing a floppy, boho aztec-print maxi probably won’t cut it when it comes to the race’s dress code. Rather, choose a maxi in a floral print with a structured bodice or straps to keep your look elegant and feminine.
We also worked with Equip to create this shoot, picking out one of the prettiest Equip fascinators of them all! Nothing tops off a dramatic maxi like a dramatic netted fascinator.
Sneakypeek is a Sydney-based blog that canvasses the Sydney style scene and beyond. Written by Monique Friedlander, Sneakypeek delivers little parcels of joy in the form of trend reports, interviews and pretty pictures!
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