Monday Street Style: Celebs!

Let's do something old-fashioned this week and see what the celebs are wearing out and about:

I'm Not Obsessed

Jessica Alba looks casual and carefree in cuffed boyfriend jeans, flats, a dipped hem tee and scarf. Effortless and perfect for a playground trip with her gorgeous daughter!

Coco's Tea Party
Ah Posh, how I do love thee. Even though those are elasticised hem khaki pants, somehow they work for a strut through the airport. Top marks for the jacket!

JustJared

Carey Mulligan looks totally Parisian chic in a cute striped cardi and flats - I don't think she's actually in Paris but considering international flights are about the worst thing you can do for the environment, it's better to just channel the look, eh?

Celebuzz

Not everyone likes Vanessa Hudgen's look. Kinda bag lady, kinda beachy cool. I think her hat is fab - sun protection with a vintagey flair! And the shirt-dress is a decent length thankfully. Not outrageously fabulous, but for a warm Spring (or Autumn) day it's lovely and laidback.

Splashnewsonline

Whitney Port has cute little polka dots on her tights. And a very, very lovely coat.

Makeup Magic - from Sportsgirl!

The perfect champagne shade for adding a hint of colour and sparkle to one's eyelid is fairly elusive - L'oreal do a good, albeit uber glittery, version; colour powerhouses (is that such a thing?) NARS and MAC have several close contenders, but I think I finally found the perfect version - along with a gorgeous red cardi- at Sportsgirl.

Points on why this eyecolour is awesome:

• It costs $9.95
• This week they had 'buy 1 get one free' on eye colours, so I also nabbed a deep green to try (already owing several deep browns and purples, and not being a silver-eye kinda gal)
• It gives a nice wash of colour without needing to use oodles
• It feels soft. Yes, soft!
• IT COST $9.95 FFS!

Just add some smoky black eyeliner to really oomph it up, a la Amanda Seyfried, and spend all that cash you saved on a top notch cocktail to reward yourself for your thriftiness. Ahem.

See The World As It Is: James May at the Edge of Space

Instead of dribbling in front of Neighbours this evening as we downed apple pie for dessert (mmm, apple pie *Homer Simpson moment*), husband thought he'd plug in the laptop to the telly and show me this amazing clip from James May's On The Moon series for the BBC.

With the same dry wit we're used to on Top Gear, May hops aboard a 1950's U-2 spy plane and goes to the "edge of space". The awe-inspiring views from way, waaaay up there are absolutely breathtaking, rendering the day to day minutae we stress about, somewhat insignifcant. As he notes, "if everbody could do that once, it would change the face of global politics, religion, education..."

He also notes, inconveniently at that height in a spacesuit, that he needs to scratch his face.


There are several versions on Youtube - or you could go the old fashioned route and try to catch this fantastic series on the telly.

New Label: ediT

At the time of typing this, our new ediT stock had been on the website for about 4 hours and selling like hotcakes. Which is good news and bad - good because obv people love it as much as we do, and bad 'cos the stock is fairly limited so you'll need to get in quick!

It's no wonder really - with a background in buying for the likes of Topshop and David Jones, ediT designer Yeemun knows a thing or two about relaxed, effortless style with a healthy dollop of chic. Oh, and it's not one of those "we want to make affordable fashion so our tops are around $200" kinda-labels either - at $89 for a cardi and $179 for the priciest jacket, it's all totally affordable and, most importantly, wearable.

We had a grand old time trying on the jackets for fit today (they are beautifully cut - go with your usual jacket size), and really were a bit reluctant to hit the 'upload' button. Here's why:

Monday Street Style: Old Bits Made New

Something old, something new...

Facehunter

...Knee-high socks aren't just for the playground...

The Sartorialist

...a sweet bow at the neckline is anything but 1950's demure in a tough print...

Lady Melbourne
...polka dots are back, baby...

Stylesightings
...preppy prints clash like magic...

StreetStyleLondon

...lace, long, and laced-up is wonderfully romantic...

Chictopia

...and a bold 80's style print with cinched-in waist to give your summer holiday a vintage charm!

Why, Thankyou!

Here's a lovely little website (via Mamamia): Thx Thx Thx is a thankyou note a day, a positive expression of gratitude to everything from colds to London to printers. Think about it - if we can be bothered we might text someone a "thanks for a gr8 party!". How often, aside from formal occassions such as weddings, do we really ever stop and acknowledge the nouns that make us happy?

"Leah Dieterich's mother always told her to write thank you notes. So she does." And thus, Thx Thx Thx should be a quick daily visit to quietly remind you to find something to be thankful for. Think oprah-style affirmations, without so much Oprah in it.

Suri Cruise has an $850 handbag

File this under today's WTF moment - celebrity tot (now there'a  saying which probably shuldn't exist) Suri Cruise reportedly carries her neccessities in an $850 Salvatore Ferragamo Sofia bag, a mini version of her mother Katie Holme's $1850 purse (in mercury, not black as below).

We probably shuldn't be surprised, but should we be shocked? Is it wrong to teach a little one that it's normal to stuff your My Little Ponies in a bag that costs more then what most people in the third world earn in a year? Or is she merely the victim of Hollywood excessiveness - would it even cross most celeb's minds that uh, it's a bit OTT?

Celebuzz have an amusing little rant listing celebrity parents' ridiculously expensive gifts for their offspring, which I thought was mainly a spoof but on second thoughts, most of it is probably not far from the truth. A white lion cub? Faberge egg or gold plated dagger? Private jet? Whatever happened to etch-a-sketch and playdoh?

Nom Nom Nom: Basil Pesto Chicken

Happy St Patrick's Day (insert bad Irish accent here)! It's also very hot and muggy and a bit of a can't-be-arsed day. So here's a recipe we (well, husband did, and our 3 year old devoured it - that's how all-round winning it is) whipped up for dinner tonight - easy, yummy, and, kinda like the Irish, straightforward and a little bit green:

(from Taste)

Ingredients

200g dried fettuccine
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 single chicken breast fillets, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons basil pesto
1 cup cream
shaved parmesan, to serve
basil leaves, to serve

Method

Cook fettuccine according to the packet directions.
Meanwhile, heat oil in a large, non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes or until brown.
Add pesto, cream, salt and pepper to frying pan. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook for 5 minutes, or until sauce has thickened slightly.
Drain pasta. Add to pesto mixture. Toss over low heat until well combined. Transfer to serving bowls. Top with parmesan and basil. Serve warm.

Freshbaked AW10 for Little Frockers

Sometimes I wish I was a size 2. Not in a super model/heroin-chic way, but as in, 2 years old. 'Cos there are so many gorgeous pieces about that are all at once adorable, classic and stylish. Enter Freshbaked AW10 (the first drop):

Woollen Sailor Skirts $49.95 - $54.95

Tartan Wool Coat $74.95 - $79.95

Ribbed Tights (red, grey or navy) $17.95

Cotton Knit Flutter Vest $34.95 - $39.95

Little girls can either go for the classic red and navy combo with versatile pieces like the wool sailor skirts (tights, boots, a pretty blouse or cardi - beautiful!) or make a statement with the tartan coat, the way checks should be done (and also if you're too young or old to be part of the grunge 'revival'). Or they can go nuts for the hot pink vest with a detachable arty brooch that quite frankly, any self-respecting Frankie reader would kill for.

For boys, it's all about being preppy-cool - add some skinny jeans and slick street shoes (like those available from Walnut) and rock up to audition for any indie band of your choice. If indie bands even have auditions. Maybe they scout for members at other uber-indie gigs and choose them on hairstyle and shoe choice. At any rate, if your schoolyard is breeding the new version of Phoenix, these are the threads for you:

Stripe Cardi $44.95 - $49.95

Chartreuse Knit Jumper $44.95 - $49.95

Monday Street Style: Old School

When the pace of modern life gets too much, it's good to hark back to the olden days, when, to be fair, people probably had a lot more to complain about, but they just couldn't Twitter it out:

Stylesightings

Styleclicker

Jak&Jil

Lookbook.nu

Esme & the Laneway

Supre & Why You Should Go There

It's a love/hate relationship we have, Supre & I. Most of the time the pounding music, horrible fabrics and overstuffed racks make me nauseous. Ocassionally I'll find a really cool little gem hiding on the racks, waiting to be rescued, and it rarely costs more then about $30.

I walked past today and did a double take - indeed, went in. The music didn't require one to shout to be heard (never forget the time I asked an SA to get the pole thing to reach up to "the peach coloured oversized top in size S", only to have her return with a cropped red tank top. "Oh, sorry, I couldn't hear you,"...), and it was easy to walk around the store because the racks were well spaced and not overflowing. The colours were a chic winter palette of greys and creams and peach, and the SA's had all parts of their undergarments hidden. My daughter still tried to drag me back towards the door, repeating "you know I don't like this shop!" but young kids can be surprisingly set in their ways. It would appear Supre are going to have to work mighty hard to get i-Gen back on side once they grow into XXXS.

Despite all this, there seemed to be something missing. It was almost...boring. FFS, are you never happy?! I hear you moan. Yes, but rarely in Supre. There were quite alot of pieces I'd happily fork over my $$ for, and I didn't see an inane slogan or flash of fluro anywhere. Maybe boring is the new black. Maybe Supre are trying to re-model themselves. I looked at their website for some clues into this makeover, stupidly clicking the 'corporate' link thinking this contained company information, but instead it was their shiny polyester work trouser section.

Last time I passed the megaSupre in Bourke St Mall, it resembled a nightclub, complete with a roped entry - presumably to make shoplifters feel like they were nicking from a high class establishment. There was still loud music, loud clothes, overexuberant staff (and oddly, no size S Sporte leggings which is what I was looking for). The 'makeover' might just be a local thing - but, their website is worth looking at if your local store is still in rave-mode and you are in need of a quick fashion fix. It, too, has had a makeover and is a heck of alot neater. Check out these little bargains:

Batwing 3/4 sleeve top, $25

Long Sleeve Shoulder Detail Top $25

Oversized Long Sleeve Dress $25

Maxi Dress $30

Oversized Zipper Front Singlet $28

Clogs. You Read That Correctly.

Continuing on with this week's footwear obsession, I was jolted awake from a bleary 5am start this morning when WhoWhatWear's newsletter stared out at me from my inbox, telling me to go buy Clogs. Like, now.

Sure, they're no doubt comfy and sensible, and I admit to admiring Gorman's take on the trend last week in their Paddington store. But aren't they, you know, kinda fugly? A bit like a more solid version of Crocs *shudder*?

Who What Wear reckons they're a" fresh and chic" take on the traditional Dutch style. Alexa Chung wears them, so they must be cool. Heck, it was Karl Lagerfeld who sent them down the runway in Chanel's Spring 2010 RTW collection in the first place, automatically making them desirable, according to fashionistas from Paris to Perth.

Mabe it's the Tasmanian in me, but I can still remember clogs in primary school. Maybe that's just 'cos early 90's fashion here was a little backwards, or maybe it's my hesitation at blindly copying the catwalks - remember the golden rule: if you can remember it the first time around, think twice.

At Chanel, they did look pretty awesome with the whole cute farmgirl thang. But then, it probably helps if you're a leggy 19 year old wearing your clogs with an impeccably tailored outfit. No doubt the imitation versions will be hitting our stores next season, but will you be trying this look?

Sensible Flats. Seriously.

I read somewhere the other day that kitten heels are back. Again. It seems our feet are weary of towering stilettos, which means your mum was right. Sensible shoes have their place. With that in mind, the latest arrivals from Sunday by Andrea & Joen were welcomed yesterday with delight (and after less than 24 hours on the website are selling through ridiculously quickly). Work or weekend, these styles are all so versatile and under $100!

Dove Pointy Toe Flat $89.95 'Pointy toe' is perhaps a bit of an exaggeration in the same way that Sandra Bullock is 'Best Actress'. Almond toe is perhaps more accurate. But these are plain and simple and therefore go with everything - guilt-free purchasing at it's best! The grey colour works perfectly with a winter palette and is a fresh change from black...

Peacock Crystal Toe Flat $79.95 These have a whimsical, romantic feel and are perfect with a floaty skirt or to dress up denim. Ew, I just had an image of denim on denim (it may be 'in', but only the coolest of cool can pull it off). Don't wear these shoes with a denim shirt and jeans. They're too pretty for that.

Swallow Ankle Strap Flat $99.95 These have a sweet, preppy kinda vibe that will look great with black tights and a blazer (er, and pants/skirt of some description) and an adjustbale ankle strap so they fit just so...

Toucan Patent Bow $89.95 If quirky's more your thang, these cute little flats are calling. Not only are they nice and shiny, but they have a bow you don't need to actually tie. Points all round.

Monday Street Style: The Man I Love Jackets Edition

Apologies for lack of bloggingness lately - I've been having lots of fun interstate and perhaps enjoying the long weekend a bit too much...work? huh? Anyway, back to it - may I present, as always, Monday Street Style: The-Man-I-Love-Jackets-Edition.

FaceHunter

Jak and Jil

Lookbook.Nu

StyleScout

Chictopia

Still In Berlin