Hayley Kate, lace and pearls

Welcome to a world of lace and pearls, of femininity and romance. Welcome to the world of local designer Hayley Kate.

I was first introduced to Hayley’s gorgeous designs at a fashion market in my home town, and I was immediately drawn into her realm of lace, pearl and ruffle detailing, plunging backlines and asymmetrical creations.

Hayley transforms basic stretch cotton into designs which find the perfect balance between the elegant and bold, injecting her own modern twist on classic prints and fabrics.

Heavily influenced by her extensive travels and inspired by quality fabric and design, Hayley’s craftsmanship and attention to detail is unrivaled.

You can find more of Hayley's work on facebook

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New year, new adventure

Happy new year everybody!

Here are a few happy snaps from our new years eve celebration. We endured a scorching day of 41 degrees Celsius (105 degrees Fahrenheit), so this cotton dress, which i picked up from a designer sample sale for only $20, was perfect for the warm evening.

This week has been a bit manic for me, apart from all of the celebrations, my fiance and I have also been busy packing in preparation for our round the world holiday.

Our first stop will be the United States, arriving in Los Angeles on March 2. We are planning to stay in either Beverly Hills or Santa Monica, but can't decide? I would happily welcome any suggestions.

From LA, we have two months to visit the following US cities and sites - much of which we hope to do by car, so we'll have many more stops along the way:

San Diego
San Francisco
Yosemite
Las Vegas
Grand Canyon
Miami
New York

This will be our first time to the USA and I absolutely can't wait. My dear US friends, please feel free to share your suggestions on any must sees and do's. Or even better, if I stop by the city you live in, I'd love to catch up for a drink!

Finally a big thank you to Kaira from SWEET CALI4NIA who featured me as her blogger of the week - you can check out my interview here. I'm also working with a fabulous local designer at the moment, and I can't wait to share her gorgeous designs with you very soon. Be sure to stay tuned :)

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P.S. Thank you for your lovely comments, I love your feedback and will be visiting each of you very soon.

Hammer time

What a perfect Christmas - I've spent the last few days over indulging in the company of family and friends, which has been fabulous.

Even though it is quite hot here in Australia at the moment, I adore my MC Hammer pants, so I whipped them out for holiday drinks with my fiancé and good friends. My fiancé liked my outfit so much, that this afternoon, after a perfect day at the beach, we headed out into the sunshine for a quick shoot.

I hope you have all had a lovely festive season so far - I can't wait for New Year celebrations.

I'm wearing: DIY singlet, DIY shoes, handbag strap worn as belt, thrift leopard sunglasses.

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Clouds of cotton candy

I am absolutely head over heels for my new 'Clouds of Cotton Candy' dress - it sums up my style and personality perfectly. You know you’re on to a winner when your best friend, mother, fiancé and 17 year old brother all comment on your outfit!

I've spent the last week recovering from the removal of two wisdom teeth - not much fun at all, so as soon as I started feeling better, I couldn't wait to get out into the sunshine and take some photos of my dream dress.

The attention to detail in this piece, from the satin-wrapped corset boning, to the whimsical layer upon layer of the softest, hand-dyed tulle is simply perfect - I think i'm in love!

I hope you are all enjoying the festive season. I am looking forward to spending some quality time with my family enjoying great food and even better company. I would love to wish all of my gorgeous readers a safe and very merry Christmas.

Dress: Ouma by Monique Martinez

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Sugar and spice and all things nice

Rarely do I spot a designer who truly takes my breath away, but that is exactly what happened when I first came across the incredibly beautiful designs of Arizona based, Monique Martinez.

Monique’s label, Ouma by Monique Martinez, is characterised by the unique blend of tulle and cotton, which create the perfect balance of fun, comfort and glamour. Monique’s love of ballet, graffiti and comic book art are all reflected in her stunning designs.

In addition to her collection of ready to wear pieces, Monique also creates custom orders, including wedding designs.

If you are a lover of beautiful design and photography (these images are thanks to the amazing Galaxie Andrews), I would encourage you to visit Monique's Etsy store.

You can also find Monique on facebook and twitter.

I am a huge fan of Monique's designs. They are playful, pretty and feminine and for me, are a modern take on all of the best parts of childhood dress-ups and ballet classes - what do you think?

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I love a sunburnt country

I love a sunburnt country,
A land of sweeping plains,
Of ragged mountain ranges,
Of drought and flooding rains,
I love her far horizons,
I love her jewel sea,
Her beauty and her terror -
The wide brown land for me.
Excerpt: I Love a Sunburnt Country, Dorothea MacKellar, 1906

I'm wearing: Vintage dress and DIY shoes, inspired by the fabulous ...love Maegan

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And the winner is.....

Thank you to everyone who entered my fashion giveaway. A big congratulations goes to Coco, of Not So Naked, who has won a custom made dress from the fabulously talented Alice Wark.





There is a story to these photos. I was leaving work, when I stumbled past this fabulous jacket in the window of my favourite vintage boutique - best of all I picked it up for only $10. I then headed home to find that my DSLR remote control had finally arrived. I was so excited to test it out, that I jumped straight in and out of the shower, threw on my beloved tube skirt, and snapped away (in the backyard, no makeup, and hair still wet!).

Also a big thankyou to June Paski, who sent an "Awesome Blogger" award my way. Here are 7 new things about me.

1. I play the piano and saxophone
2. I’m a huge foodie and love eating out at restaurants
3. I play tennis and was a state representative swimmer
4. I love to sing, but am terribly shy about it
5. I have a huge vintage dress collection
6. I love foreign and art house film
7. A dream of mine has been to travel the world (which will happen next year!)

I'd like to pass this award on to: Lulu Letty, Zanita, the Sydney Girl, Come Over to the Dark Side, KIRAFASHION and Style Sophisticate.

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