Frock You - THE BLOG

2010 Aria Awards Red Carpet

2010-11-08T17:12:00.001+11:00

After a very hectic couple of weeks (hence the lack of activity on the blog front) I finally had time last night to sit down in front of the telly, but unfortunately all that was on were the 2010 Aria Awards, inexplicably presented from outside the Opera House. But, you can look past the teleprompter gaffs and windswept hairdo's when all you really care about is what everyone wore.

Music awards are a chance to go all out and wear the most ridiculously OTT frock you can find. I mean, wouldn't you wear the biggest, sparkliest gold sack you could lay your hands on, given the chance?

Sia sure as hell did.

This is what happened to the chick that used to be on Recovery (weirdly, I was thinking about her and Dylan Lewis, in a non-stalkerish way, just the other day. Can't say I expected to see her on the red carpet decked out in balloons though):

I do totally love Jessica Mauboy's frock though - sculptural bold colour never looked so fab:

Also loving Megan Washington's divine red lace Alex Perry number. Glad she left her glasses at home this time.

I'm not sure of Rikki-Lee can sing anything aside from that Michael Jackson cover, but she can rock a bandage dress like no-one else:

I can't look at Lara Bingle's frock because I can't look away from her face. Too much bronzer is never a good thing, ladies!

I'd be happy to look at Ruby Rose's Miu Miu frock for hours though. AND it has pockets - it's almost practical! Erin McNaught also went for Miu Miu, albeit a bit more understated:

Apparently Angus Stone really, really loves his grey tshirt:

Kelsey Martinovich rocks the underwear-as-outerwear look, complete with kick-ass gloves:

And proving that shorter, sparklier, bronzed-er and see-through-er isn't always the best choice, Brooke Fraser does ladylike-quirky to perfection. Frankie readers around the nations swoon.

Who wore your favourite look?

(Pics from MTV; Pedestrian; FabSugar; SMH)

Climbing Towers. What A Job

2010-10-22T08:45:00.000+11:00

If you're scared of heights, don't watch this. But if you reckon you have an office with a view, that's probably nothing compared to this! (Though I wonder ,how easy is it for them to get down and how do they do it?)

Stairway to Heaven (climbing towers) from Joe LaGreca on Vimeo.

Summer New Arrivals!

2010-10-20T19:22:00.000+11:00

Today it was actually warm and sunny ALL day. Like, not just at lunchtime, or a sunny morning, but the whole day has been above 20 degrees, which is somewhat of an achievement. It means that after having loads of lovely summer frocks stockpiled, I can finally bust some out (though the tanning moisturiser needs to be busted out first). Here's some new summery stuff we've received recently:

Pink Stitch Muse Dress, $79.95 I'm not really a brown-wearing kinda person, which is actually quite irrelevant as this dress is more in the tan family. Ergo, I can wear this dress despite it not being the colour palette I usually go for. Hurrah! It looks so sophisticated and you only need minimal accessories - some delicate earrings and some killer heels should finish it off quite nicely indeed.

Birds of a Feather Pretty Woman Dress, $119.95 Alot of stuff about the early 90's was not cool. Flower hats, for example. But Pretty Woman was. And polka dots are. So this dress - it's cool. It's pretty. It's womanly. Love.

August Street Last Breath Dress, $74.95 This is so model-off-duty. With some ankle boots and layered necklaces, you could float around clutching a water bottle, phone, and giant latte and just generally look cool. It wouldn't matter if you were on your way to have your bikini line waxed or bunions removed, people would still think you were awesome. It's that kind of dress.

Birds of a Feather Naughty or Nice Top, $59.95 It's stripey and channels nautical chic without the need for rope acessories or wideleg white pants. Wear it with denim or contrast it with bold red. Or go all black and white and just swipe on your brightest lippy!

Living Doll Patched Distinction Tank, $34.95 When a plain black tank is much more than a plain black tank, it lends itself to a cute front pocket with lots and lots of beads of varying sizes and colours. A great top for those who love sparkly things in the daytime but who have to fend off complaints about people's eyes being dazzled in the summer sun from their sequinned mini. Sparkly daytime glam, for just $34.95.

Fly Air New Zealand: They Rock

2010-10-18T19:58:00.000+11:00

I didn't believe this was a true news story at first. Apparently, it is. In what is possibly the coolest thing an airline has ever done (the Virgin group must be steaming), Air New Zealand gave metal heads the flight of their life en route from Christchurch to Auckland to a Metallica concert- I'm talking free booze, air guitar, loudspeaker swearing, and captains that look like this:

Check out this article by Daniel Rutledge. Props to the granny who probably felt slightly confused upon boarding. Pure, pure awesomeness (and the article is pretty good, too).

Monday Street Style

2010-10-17T12:50:00.000+11:00

There's no theme this week - just grab whatever takes your attention and go with it.....

pics from Facehunter; The Sartorialist; Stylesightings; Copenhagen Street Style; Karla's Closet; Cocorosa

Jimmy Choo + Ugg = Chuggs

2010-10-16T20:51:00.001+11:00

Maybe because Uggs are as much a part of our national psyche as vegemite, pointless public holidays and Speedos, it's hard for me to see them as a high-end fashion accessory. They're slippers. The comfiest slippers on the planet, for sure, but still, shoes for slipping into after a long day at the office/night at the pub. They're shoes that people wear in the comfort of their house; on trips to the corner shop to grab some milk or a Frosty Fruit; or, as certain sections of the community do, to hang out in local shopping malls in packs and swear at each other while shouting at their, uh, originally-named offspring. Other nations however, just don't see the bogan-chic side of it like we do. In other words, they like it so much that even Jimmy Choo collaborates with Ugg. From about $600 you could own a pair of Jimmy Choo...ugg boots. Ugg boots! Or, as they are now known, 'Chuggs'.

The designs are way cool, there's no doubt about it. Maybe there's a sense of national pride underlying the scepticism I feel about this designer collab. Just like it's highly amusing that Blundstones are suddenly being coveted by Topshop - yes, Blundstones as in the sensible, practical work shoes that farmers wear; the ones that are made in a factory outisde Hobart. Fashion takes inspiration from all ways of life, sure, but bogans and farmers is maybe pushing it a little too far. Or at least, it's uncomfortable close to home to make it covetable. What do you think - funny or fab?!

'Chuggs' are available in the US from Oct 21.

Are Those Waffles In Your Ears?

2010-10-15T08:54:00.000+11:00

It's the kind of morning when the rain is bucketing down, it's grey and dark, and you just want to wrap your hand around a steaming mug of tea and stay inside all cosy-like. Perfect weather for browsing Etsy actually, especially with the dollar at US.99c. In other words, better online shopping conditions could not really be hoped for.

The other day (when the dollar was at a measly 94c) I discovered Tiny Tasty, an Etsy store based in Oslo who create the cutest food-based (ok, mostly dessert-based) jewellery.

"Oh I love your waffle earrings!"

"Thanks, they're from Oslo". Oh yeah, that's a conversation I want to have.

Tiny Tasty treats are around $50 from Etsy. If you like the mug above, you can nab it from the Tea Appreciation Society for about $11.

Beauty Rave: Delipscious Lip Balm

2010-10-13T20:16:00.000+11:00

It's no secret that I have a somewhat burgeoning collection of lip balms, lip glosses, lipsticks (but no lip liners actually. Can't be bothered with them). My latest acquisition is a Body Shop Delipscious Lip Balm ($19.95) in Berry. It's great for everyday wear - you know, when you sure as hell can't be stuffed with lippy, and shiny gloss is a bit OTT - as it's nice and moisturising (thanks, community trade cocoa butter) with just a tint of colour. Enough to say you bothered, but not so much that your mouth enters the room before you do. In other words, it's one of my fave lip balms to date, but then most Body Shop beauty products get my tick of approval. The only downside is that it's only available in 4 colours at the moment - 2 brown-based, a pale pink and of course berry. However, Delipscious also comes in 9 sheer lip colours, including a lush-looking raspberry that I think I'll try and sneak in to test next time I'm out shopping. Sneak, because the chances of a Body Shop sales assistant letting you get away with just one product are very slim.

5 stars!

eBay LookBook

2010-10-12T19:41:00.000+11:00

There truly aren't enough places for one to post pics of oneself online, are there? Heck, even eBay are getting in on the act, recently launching eBay LookBook. Clothes are a big deal on the 'Bay - there's also FashionVault, a designer discount sale section; and FashionVoice, which is kind of a fashion blog where trendy people post clips, layouts and musings on their "ebay obsessions and personal style". In fact, now I've got all these windows open, excuse me for a moment while I go and bid on a few more maxi dresses...

With eBay Lookbook, you can upload pics of yourself if your fabbo eBay outfits and win a $5000 shopping spree; but if you're not a fan of self-photography, or simply prefer to do your online browsing in your pjs, you can also win some nifty prizes by voting for your fave looks. It's not quite the calibre of Lookbook.nu or Chictopia, but you've got to give them points for trying. Especially the guy in the straw hat. Dude!

Monday Street Style

2010-10-11T16:00:00.001+11:00

These pics make me want to get all dressed up in a gorgeous coat, gorgeous heels, and/or old school hat. Plus they make me want to wear socks. Socks!

Pics: The Satrorialist, Street Style London, Lookbook.Nu, Face Hunter, Copenhagen Street Style

The AWW Afternoon Tea Challenge: Basic Scones

2010-10-10T13:02:00.002+11:00

Shameless repost from my baking blog, for your Sunday viewing pleasure:

I picked up this fabulous little baking book on special at Coles awhile ago, and pretty much everything in it looks so lush that I figure I might as well bake it all. Yep, every recipe, one at a time. A bit Julie & Julia, I know, but the Australian Women's Weekly cookbooks are so classic that I couldn't resist (fyi, it's now been re-released as High Tea). I'm starting with Scones. Which, er, is actually Chapter 2, but I'm waiting til the weather fines up a bit and we can do all of Chapter 1's Sandwiches pretty much in one go ,on a summery picnic with friends. I can't put marinated cucumber sandwiches in my 4 year old's lunchbox for playgroup and expect her to eat it, after all.

First up is, perhaps not surprisingly, Scones with Jam and Cream:

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups (375g) SR Flour

1 tablespoon caster sugar

30g (1 ounce) butter, chopped
1 1/4 cups (310ml) buttermilk

3/4 cup (240g) black cherry jam (I used some of our neighbour's homemade strawberry jam instead)

1 cup double cream

Method

1).Preheat oven to 220C. Grease a 22cm square cake pan.

2). Sift Flour and sugar into large bowl; rub in butter.

3). Add buttermilk. Use a knife to cut the buttermilk through the flour mixture to make a soft, sticky dough. Turn dough onto floured surface, knead gently until smooth.

4). Press dough out to 2cm thickness, cut out 4cm rounds. Place scones, just touching, in pan. Gently knead scraps of dough together; repeat process. Brush scones with a little extra buttermilk.

5). Bake scones about 15 minutes. Serve warm with jam and cream.

The verdict:

Difficulty: there are a million ways that people prefer to make scones, but these are an easy, surefire hit - nice and fluffy and just the right amount of golden on top.

Taste: ooh I already said fluffy didn't I! Perfectly delish with jam and cream, just the thing to sink your teeth into with a cup of tea and a truckload of girly gossip.

Mess: Floured benchtop = floured everything in sight. I am not a neat person.
Cost: Thanks to our homebody neighbour supplying the jam, everything was already in the pantry/fridge. Buttermilk is awesome in pretty much any cake so always keep some on hand!
Finger-lickin’ factor: not really a lick-the-bowl recipe, but dipping your finger into some double or whipped cream is always a nice little sneaky treat...

The outfit:

Summertime eating scones would usually require a floral frock of some sort. But I just wanted to share with you a really cool buy I nabbed at Supre yesterday. Yes, Supre. Sometimes it's a treasure trove of little gems, when it's not too busy being an overcrowded nightclub:

Supre Strapless Maxi Dress in Coral, $45

Gymnasts Wear Scrunchies

2010-10-09T20:27:00.002+11:00

I love watching the gymnastics when the Commonwealth or Olympic Games are on. Well, slight exaggeration, but it's my preferred sport to view, particularly when the other options are shooting or badminton or other such crowdpleasing events. The sheer athleticism and strength of gymnasts is astounding. Let's forget for a moment that the female competitors are awfully young and doing horrendous things to their bodies' development; or that the men probably get teased incessantly for doing a "girl's" sport despite being fitter and way more ripped than any footballer. Last night I watched a young lass do all sorts of mind-boggling flips on the balance beam, and I don't know if you've ever tried to even walk along one of those but they are sacrily narrow, so to cartwheel and jump and do lordy knows what else along it is flatout amazing. But one thing kept grating my nerves as I watched the female competitors. They all wear scrunchies. Scrunchies! And not even in a retro-cool kinda way. Though, I'm not sure anyone can get away with them, even in a retro-cool kinda way, and even if you were born in the mid-90's and think that Ray-Bans have only just been invented. Backpacks and socks with sandals and leggings might have made a comeback, but scrunchies have thankfully stayed off our radars.

Gymnasts are wearing them with scraped back, hairspray-glitter-laden hair, and preferably with a few large snap clips. Obviously you don't want hair flapping in your face when you're flipping, but there are other options people! Other snagless, strong, and visually less Tina Sparkle-d options. (Incidentally, I only just realised that Sonya Kruger is Tina Sparkle. HOW did I not realise this before? And Wayne Burns is my mum's cousin's husband's brother. True story).

So scrunchies are still out there. Perhaps not surprisingly, the hipsters at American Apparel are selling them to us. And perhaps more surprisingly, when you google "gymasts wearing scrunchies", a piccy of Madge at the 2009 Met Costume Gala comes up first:

Anyway, while our gymnasts may be a bit...awkward...in the fashion stakes, where it really matters (ie on the scoreboard), they rock. 9 Gold, 3 Silver and 4 Bronze at the Delhi Games is nothing short of awesome.

Alexander McQueen S/S '11

2010-10-07T08:11:00.001+11:00

Taking up the reins at Alexander McQueen would be no easy task, but you just have to check out Sarah Burton's first collection as creative director. Hailed by critics as having all the drama and edginess typical of McQueen, but with a softer, more feminine approach, it's just downright stunning:

View the whole collection at Style.com or NYTimes Fashion.

Stella McCartney For Target #2

2010-10-06T17:32:00.001+11:00

I didn't actually bag myself a Stella McCartney bargain three years ago, despite witnessing scenes of mass hysteria, swinging empty hangers and the whooshing of credit cards (in other words, a shopaholic's idea of heaven). I couldn't bring myself to pay over $100 for something that still had Target on the tag. But SM's second collection for Tarjay looks amazing, and apparently you can buy it online as well as instore, from October 29th.

Totally loving the Collarless Jacket ($199), the Lace Tee ($129) and Tulip Skirt ($119), the Fitted Double Breasted Jacket ($179), the Tulip Shaped Trench (also in Navy, $249), and the Rouched Panel Dress ($169):

There's also an accessories range, which includes some rather nice clutches at just $69.

Will you be braving the crowds this time around? To be honest I'd actually rather buy them instore than online, which is not something I am prone to saying, given my line of work; but the pieces I tried on last time were huuuge in fit and I'd rather be safe and try them in person again before buying!

New Arrivals Update

2010-10-05T17:36:00.001+11:00

I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with this time of year. There's SO much new stuff arriving constantly, which is really exciting and great for sales but man it's alot of hard work! We shot a mountain of new stock this afternoon, which will all be uploaded in the next few days, and a newsletter went out last night with the last fornight's worth of newbies (today has been flat chat! Looking forward to some choc chip cookies and a cup of tea later tonight...). Here's some of our fave new pieces:

Purple Ginger One Shouldered Maxi, $149.95 This is the kind of dress that makes me want to type in caps lock or with lots of !!!!! It's one shouldered, it's long and flowing, the colours are gorgeous and it's effortlessly elegant. The kind of dress that you can wear to weddings, the races, or nights out - and such a bargain for such a stunning piece!

Mini Moke Social Butterfly Necklace, $24.95 Mini Moke is Blue Juice's acessories label, and the price points are fantastic. This long flower shaped pendant has pretty cream beads and adds just a touch of summer bling.

So Sooki Hanging With My Gnomies Tshirt, $29.95 A friend asked me today if this came in adult's sizes, she likes it so much. It is pretty funky, don't you think?

Sooki Baby Etsy Dots Dress, $32.95 Not many kid's labels do black for summer. But they should, because it looks amazing. Especially with polka dots.

Indy C Metal Weave Cuff, $14.95 These add just the right amount of interest to your outfit, without being overwhelming. Available in silver or gold, they look so cool with a summer maxi or tank and cutoffs combo!

Street Style: Paris Fashion Week

2010-10-04T09:41:00.000+11:00

Facehunter; Harpers Bazaar; Refinery29; Vogue

Lots of Lovely New Arrivals

2010-09-29T18:19:00.000+10:00

Oopsies I didn't post yesterday because...I made another choccy cake and vegged out in front of the telly. Not a good excuse, but an honest one. Anyway today has been flat chat with lots and lots of new goodies, and tomorrow will be much the same (Sooki Baby, So Sooki and Indy C and Munster hopefully all online by EOD tomorrow!). Over the last few days, this is what's come in:

Allira Yum Cha Brooch, $25 Limited edition of 100, and each one is carefully numbered. Pretty spesh for just $25!

August Street Piscean Pants, $49.95 A new label which you'll see a whole lot more of in the coming weeks, these pants are flatout awesome. Comfy. Khaki. Casual. Cool. Oh did I mention comfy?

Living Doll Bree's Combat Dress, $64.95 Fact: Bree is a lovely lass who works for Living Doll. Fact: you need this dress. It's too cool for words. Except those words, obviously.

Living Doll V-Neck Tshirt Dress, $19.95 Under $20 for a really really comfy, throw-on-and-go dress that you can layer, wear to the beach of your 'kinis, or just laze around in after a few too many frozen daquiris. Oh summer, how I've missed you.

Living Doll Between The Lines Maxi, $59.95 If you haven't already got a maxi dress or 3, get this one. Universally flattering and easy to wear, plus it has cute plaited straps. Love!

Lucky 13 Caterpillar Dress, $99.95 The print is cute, the back is even cuter. Plus, Aris' shoes here look amazing so if you've got a similar pair, I highly recommend going for this look, right down to her bright blue toneails!

Street Style: London Fashion Week

2010-09-27T14:17:00.000+10:00

It doesn't really get cooler than London. Not just weather-wise either: it's the kind of place where anything goes and following the pack just doesn't matter. Check out some of the looks off the catwalk for some new season inspiration (note to self: must buy more long skirts!):

Pics: Face Hunter; Style Scout; Harper's Bazaar; The Sartorialist

Bargain!

2010-09-24T19:38:00.001+10:00

I had one of those stars-are-in-alignment shopping days today. I just kept finding awesome stuff to buy! Everyone had sales! Things in Target kept scanning up at lower prices then the tag read! After a haul which included several cute dresses for little miss - which could've been alot more but I restrained myself - a lovely baking book, some useful storage and bargains galore at Diva, who had just started markdowns; I arrived home to a cool little pressie in the letterbox. My chain store buys were still fabulous, but this little thing was a bit more special. Etsy seller Maya's Kalupi makes cute colouring wallets in a whole host of adorable fabrics. They're perfect for throwing in your handbag when you're out to dinner or anywhere else that a little person might need to be amused (ie: everywhere). They even come with crayons and a notepad! Ours was a sunny yellow with ladybugs all over, but if fairies, apples, rainbows, trucks, or owls are more your thang, there's lots of those too. They're finished with an elastic button clasp, but the best bit is that they are just US$9.50 each. Which is like $9.95 Oz buckaroos at the moment. And for an amused child plus the warm and fuzzy feelnig that comes from supporting independent designers, it's by far the biggest bargain of the day!

Fairy Tales Are Grimm Indeed

2010-09-23T22:06:00.004+10:00

There's a reason that many fairy tales and nursery rhymes were written by the Brothers Grimm. They really are quite terrifying (the stories that is. I'm sure the bros were fond of just chillin' by candlelight and chewing on their quills). The weird thing is, they mainly get creepier the older that you get. The idea of Hansel and Gretel living in cages and stuffing a witch into her oven brings on a mild case of claustrophobia nowdays, but as a kid, all I thought about was the gingerbread house. Yum.

Taken in context, you could really read alot of fairy tales as old school stranger danger education. Don't wander around in the woods and talk to witches, or, er, cross-dressing wolves. In today's version, Little Red Riding Hood's old man just chases the wolf away, and doesn't cut him open and get Granny out and then happily feast on black forest cake next to a corpse spilling entrails. I know - soft! But the modern version is a bit like the end of Silence of the Lambs...the wolf is still lurking around, somewhere, waiting for a sequel. At least the first version finished him off, fair and square.

Today Tonight "exposed" a nursery rhyme that was sitting happily in the pages of a book in a primary school library, but rather disturbed a little girl who read it as part of her classwork. It basically involved a girl drowning her baby brother in the bath. Horrible, yes? A friend of mine just pointed out that we happily hand-clapped to it in primary school without a second thought. Not sure which is more disturbing - the rhyme, or the fact we didn't notice the macabre undertones. Or is the most disturbing thing the fact that kids of the 21st century do pick up on such things?

Now for once I do prefer the Wiggles' more sanitised version of this particular ditty. But it got me thinking about how we're making things complicated for the poor little buggers for no good reason. Take Baa Baa Black Sheep. Now there's a verse about a white sheep and a rainbow sheep too, because to have just a black sheep as the different one is somewhat racist. But a kid would just see a black sheep. A sheep with black wool. Simple. We're teaching them unneccessarily to be PC when they already are inherently so. They don't think that a kookaburra living "a gay life" is a homosexual bird, they think he's having a good old time singing away in his tree. Which he is. Until we tell them otherwise.

So maybe we should tell them the original versions of these fairy tales, because like a big game of chinese whispers (are you still allowed to call it that?) one day the stories as they were, as pieces of history, will be so diluted and altered that they'll have lost all significance. It's part of the magic of childhood to let your imagination run away with you, to scare yourself silly, and/or believe that you could grow a magic beanstalk in your backyard or have a handsome prince awaken you from a hundred year's slumber.

Ultimately, despite the creepy bits in fairy tales, good always triumphs over evil, and it's important for kids to understand that both forces exist. We shouldn't erase them or colour them differently and hope they go away. As adults, we can make judgements on things. As kids, we simply see and enjoy them as they are. We did, so why can't our kids?

Better than Treadmills (involves puppies)

2010-09-22T20:07:00.000+10:00

It's been a long couple of days, what with our mega sale and all, and all I want to do is sink into the couch and chill out. And watch awesome clips on You Tube such as this one. OK Go's latest viral hit has only been online for 2 days but over 2 million people have viewed it (or, a few people have just watched it alot). If you though the treadmill clip was awesome (it was/is), this one is possibly even better, because it involves moveable furniture and some gorgeous canines:

And for those of you into stats, apparently it took 124 full takes to perfect, and the final version is take number 72. Love it!

Street Style: New York Fashion Week

2010-09-20T08:00:00.003+10:00

If only every week was Fashion Week (actually, it nearly is, somewhere around the globe). There are no wrongs at Fashion Week - the bolder, the brighter, the more outrageous = the better! The only thing you could do is blindly follow popular trends - Fashion Week is a time to make your very own statement:

Pics: Refinery29; FaceHunter; Harpers Bazaar; The Sartorialist; Elle

Do You, Have You, Would You Tip?

2010-09-16T20:33:00.005+10:00

I don't. I detest the practice in the same way I detest people who wear ugg boots when they go out shopping. While scoffing dessert on the couch this evening, I watched a segment on The 7pm Project about tipping. Most Aussies dislike it as much as I do, though apparently it's us Gen Y-ers who tip the most frequently. My partner does it more often than I'd like, a habit he seemed to pick up when we were living OS. But stingy ol' me would rather look at the bill, and pay that amount, despite my growing notice of death stares from wait staff on the till who wait expectantly when they swipe your eftpos card.
"So...the full amount?"
"Well, take 50% off if you like," much forced laughter while I try to guess the amount in the tip jar on the counter and avoid looking at the slightly miffed waiter. I wonder if thyey'd give me a prize for guessing correctly, like those 'how many jelly beans in the paint jar" competitions?

It seems that the tips we give, when we do give them, are pretty stingy anyway. I thought the general rule was 10%, or to at least round it up, and the average tip that most of us give is between $10 - $20. The general attitude is that our workers get paid accordingly depending on the industry they work in, unlike in, say, the States where tips can form a large part of your earnings for a shift . If I was in the US, sure I'd tip. I did it in Europe and the UK, not that I was very happy with most of the service we got, nor the shithouse exchange rate (this was about 5 years ago), but it's the culture in those parts of the world, and when in Rome...(eat dinner in a restaurant where a man is happily re-tiling the floor next to you, apparently).

But shouldn't we try to keep a culture of tipping being for exceptional service? Not as an expected add-on? I don't know if tipping makes people work harder in order to earn better tip, or if it makes them slacker because they know that etiquette means they will get x amount, regardless. Really, customers shouldn't have to foot the bill in order for workers to get a fair go - it's up to the employers and regulating bodies to provide a fair working environment in accordance with their industries, surely? But mostly, tipping sucks for the customer because we all fell asleep or doodled formal dresses in our maths classes in high school, and can't really be bothered working out how much extra we have to pay in order to save face at the end of a meal/haircut/hotel stay. Admit it, that's a large part of the reason I we avoid it...!

Do you tip regularly? Do you think it's a good practice to have in place?

Fair Shake of the...Ketchup Bottle?

2010-09-15T19:28:00.002+10:00

Remember the uproar over the whole Vegemite/cheese spread hybrid? And it wasn't just the shit original name that pissed everyone off, but the whole concept of taking something so near and dear to us and then mutating it into something really very tasty. I mean, into something we didn't really want. Heinz are launching this ad sometime this week - and it's all about the ketchup. Yep, the word that everybody else in the English-speaking western world uses. Ketchup. No! It's sauce! Dead 'orse. Fair shake of the ketchup bottle? I don't think so, even if it may have prevented K-Rudd from mercilessly blasting our eardums with his infamous catchphrase.

Nothing wrong with the ad in theory, it's just that we have never called it ketchup, and why would we? Technically, it's a sauce. And as a side note, my mum is petrified of it. Seriously. It's pretty funny.

What's New: Little Shop Of

2010-09-14T17:42:00.001+10:00

The other day I bought a pair of little pink heart shaped earrings for the grand total of $5. A small little lunchtime purchase, but it made my day just a bit brighter (...perhaps I need to get out more, or find a new lunchtime hobby.) Anyhow, the point is, it's the little things that can often go a long way, like these teeny cutesy earrings just in from Little Shop Of - at just $12.95 a pop, mind you! There's also some gorgeous pendants and amazing brooches for pinning to your lapel, your satchel, or any other item you might have that ends in -el.

(black or blue)(black or white)

Pendants, $25 each

Sustainable Bamboo Brooches, $22 - $25 each

Street Style: Use Your Head

2010-09-13T19:52:00.000+10:00

Ever noticed how the most fashionable people don't actually follow trends? In fact, they pretty much always wear the opposite of mainstream looks - and if you think about it, that's how new trends are created. One look I love but can never pull off is hats. I love the idea that once upon a time people wouldn't dare head out to do their shopping without a nifty hat perched on their 'do. And in summer (shade) or winter (warmth), it just makes sense. Yeah that's right - fashion that makes sense! The cool kids on the street are whacking on all forms of floppy, knitted, floral, turbaned and embellished headgear, and turning what could easily be a mainstream look into something that's definitely their own:

Pics: The Sartorialist, Style Scout, Stylesightings, Street Peeper, Face Hunter, Altamiranyc, Chictopia

Hi Blog, These Are My Excuses

2010-09-06T14:32:00.000+10:00

Hi Blog. I'm just writing to say that I can't fill you in this week; I have the sniffly beginnings of a full-blown cold creeping up upon me. I'm trying valiantly to swallow cups of green tea, but it tastes like poo so I have a steaming mug of Milo here in front of me instead. My nose tickles, my throat is calling out to the pack of Soothers that is just out of reach in the high cupboard in the kitchen which I can't get to without a chair. And I can't be bothered getting a chair because that would entail moving, and my body is starting to ache. The thought of flicking through street fashion blogs or new stock writeups or even rantings on the rude, permed woman in Kmart the other day just makes me want to pull my doona over my head and snuggle down where it's warm and soft, and nothing else. Frock You has got lots of new stuff coming in this week, but I don't think I can evenb raise my head to look at it, let alone attack the cartons with a stanley knife and go through the counting, QC'ing, uploading and storing process. So, I'm sorry for being so boring and having a big red ugly dripping nose, but it can happen at this time of year. I promise to write again next week when hopefully my head feels like it contains something cerebral instead of something made of cotton wool. And why can I never find any hankies when I need them?

Love from Kat xxxxx

Office Time Waster: InStyle's Styling Skills Game

2010-09-03T08:54:00.001+10:00

US InStyle mag have a nifty new game on their website, which is oddly addictive and guaranteed to waste many office hours. It might also leave you feeling like a ensemble-y challenged hick (or a smug fashionista who ticks all the right boxes). Basically, you have to complete the given outfit with the choices to the right, and you then get a brief rundown on why your choice was correct or otherwise, plus the option to 'shop the look'. As it's a US site the looks are all Fall/Winter, which almost m,akes you hope for the weather here to stay cooler for just a bit longer...almost!

(Found courtesy of GirlWithASatchel)

Ridiculous Product Of The Day: Season-Scented Washing-Up Liquid

2010-09-01T20:35:00.001+10:00

I had an exciting 60 seconds in the cleaning aisle at Coles this afternoon, seeking out some dishwashing liquid. Should be simple - something that doesn't smell offensive, and just cleans my pots and pans. I was rather astonished to find, amongst the pedestrian lemon/lemon-lime/orange-antibacterial varieties, that Palmolive have released a line of washing-up liquid that's scented like...seasons. As in, "summer breeze" and "winter warmth". Winter warmth? Like, smoky wood fires and asthma-inducing fog? Summer breeze - sea air and fresh grass clippings? Or perhaps a different kind of grass clipping that wafts over summer music festivals?

The thing is, no kind of cleaning product that claims to be "fragranced", actually smells anything remotely like lemons or oranges or even lavender. They just all have the reassuring scent of chemical disinfectant. Oh, how we love inhaling those toxins - but how sparkling clean our benchtops are! You know what else made me pause and reflect? That ad for hand wash where the kid won't stand still for "long enough" to wash his hands "properly", but luckily this particular anti-bacterial cleanser works in just ten seconds. So he's free to run back outside and dig for grubs asap. Now, have you ever counted the seconds when washing your hands? I'd be willing to bet most adults don't even suds-up for ten seconds. Not the one-mississippi, two-mississippi time keeping method anyway. So the chance of kids even reaching 4 seconds is a fairly big ask. Now, mothers around the country are not only wondering at the bad over-dubbing on the ad, but also at how their kids must be running around with disgusting, miniscule germs wriggling shamelessly all over their hands - and all the soap that must have previously been used in vain. Pointless scare-mongering, I tells ya!

Anyway, back to Palmolive. Either the people who's job it is to come up with new and exciting scents for cleaning detergents were running really, really thin on ideas, or they wondered in a crazy, mad scientist Willy Wonka kinda way if they could really bottle the scent of a summer's day. Or, perhaps they thought that if they make their liquid a slightly different colour to the usual and package it appropriately - oranges and red and autumn leaves for winter, which incidentally would in fact be autumn and not winter; and pink and purple flowers for summer, which is actually more like spring if you think about it - they could convince people of dubious olfactory abilities that they really are whiffing winter warmth when they wash their crockery. To be fair, I didn't smell either, as I probably would have been politely escorted from the store if I had tried, so maybe they really are amazing, Heston-Blumenthal-of-the-cleaning-world creations that have the ability to awaken and alight your other senses, as well as give your glassware sparkling shine. But maybe they're just another useless product that we don't need, but subconsciously kinda want to try in the vain hope they might be better than regular Palmolive. At least they aren't completely useless products - they will clean your dishes, after all - unlike these:

An icecream cone that turns the icecream for you. WTF?!

Baby wipes warmer. Presumably it also dries out your wipes so they're not too wet.

Electronic spin the bottle. So, in effect, you don't actually have to spin the bottle.

Light up slippers. Perfect for lighting up the few millimetres in front of your toes. And annoying everybody else.

Hamburger holder. Though you do have to hold the holder.

New Stuff For Little Frockers: Knuffle Kid & Freshbaked

2010-08-31T16:13:00.000+10:00

Our Little Frockers only get deliveries a couple of times a year, as most labels only do A Spring/Summer and Autumn/Winter drop, but when they do come in it's well worth the wait! (And, I've been spending the morning doing buying for next winter - February/March/April deliveries and it's all absolutely gorgeous, making my job harder but your job of stocking your littlies wardrobes that much easier...!)

New in this week we have Knuffle Kid summer styles, a Melbourne independent label that has serious vintage flair. The Dapper Cardi in blue or black stripe is a cute unisex style which is just the ticket for Spring, while their well-knbown reversible vintage dress is back, this time in a cool black and white "Aloha" print and dark denim reverse. Too cool!

Freshbaked's first drop only just arrived yesterday, along with a box of thongs that we're giving away with every order of two or more Freshbaked items (including one new season piece). The next drop is due next month, but for now boys can pick up stylish summer shirt or two ($34.95 - $44.95), while girls have the option of two different , super comfy tank dresses ($39.95 - $44.95) or must-have tees ($19.95 - $24.95).

2010 Emmy Awards Frock Round-Up

2010-08-30T20:30:00.001+10:00

Pretty much every red carpet award event is primarily about the frocks. The awards themselves come a distant second (or perhaps fourth, after shoes second, and then hairstyles). Or is that awfully shallow? Oh who cares - the 2010 Emmy's were a frock extravaganza of the highest order! And I think Mad Men and Modern Family might have won some statues. Or something. Anyway:

Phwoar! Susan Sarandon is, what, 64? The lovely lass next to her is her daughter Eva - but she obv looks less than pleased about being shown up by her smokin' hot mother, looking splendid in Donna Karan.

Toni Collette in Valentino looks magical in her floating printed skirt. Or, it could look like she's waded through mud to get there. But I prefer the former.

Apparently Lo Bosworth went for a 60's Mad Men style makeover for the occassion. Unfortunately she also looks a bit like a secretary, with porn star shoes.

I always assume Anna Paquin is still 11. And I still think it, cos she looks a little...lost...amongst McQueen's glam warrior frock. Maybe it's just this pic, but you need a whole lotta attitude - and different shoes - to pull this one off.

Sofia Vergara from Modern Family would be hard-pressed to look bad in anything, but the first two words that popped into my head when I saw this were "tiger" and then "lemon". Um?

This is Claire Danes. Love the dress, she looks radiant - but also alot older than the last time I remember noticing her. Which was in that movie she was on with Leo di Caprio. When they played star crossed teenagers. Which was nearly 15 years ago. Bloody hell.

Here's Jewel, looking a bit like a doily. Or a slimline toilet dolly. Nice clutch though.

Sue Sylvester looks far better when she's not in an adidas tracksuit. I mean, Jane Lynch, looks far better in an eggplant Ali Rahimi gown then she does in an adidas tracksuit.

What's the first thing you notice in this pic? Christina Hendrick's amazing Zac Posen gown? Thought not.

Eva Longoria Parker looks amazing in Robert Rodriguez. But she kinda always looks like this. Almost too perfect, all the time. Perhaps she's more of a Stepford Wife and not a Desperate Housewife. Creepy.

Gone With the Wind is my favourite ever movie. However as far as I know, southern belle fashions are yet to make a fully-fledged comeback. Such a shame, says Glee's Dianna Argon.

Not sure about Kim Kardashian's hair, but her Marchesa gown is stunning!

Who was your fave?

(Pics from Redcarpet-fashion Awards; Famous; Just Jared; Harpers Bazaar)

Monday Street Style: Clogs

2010-08-30T14:57:00.000+10:00

Nude Chip Chop Caramel Peeptoe Clog, $139.95

They are they must-have shoe look for Spring, thanks to the revival at Chanel's Spring 2010 RTW show. This week, let's check out how the cool kids on the street are wearing them:

Unhear It - Get That Song Right Out Of Your Head

2010-08-27T18:20:00.002+10:00

A friend of mine recently suggested some new lyrics to Elton John's Tiny Dancer..."Hold me closer, Tony Danzaaaaa....":

Needless to say, the altered version of this 1971 classic was stuck in my head for days. Luckily I found Unhearit.com, a website for those of us driven to seperation by too-catchy tunes hammering away in our brains.

"Using the latest techniques in reverse-auditory-melodic-unstickification technology, we've been able to allow our users to "unhear" songs by hearing equally catchy songs. So all we're doing is making you forget your old song by replacing it with another one... sorry."

I tried it, and now have Wannabe happily circulating in my cerebral area. Whatever happened to Scary Spice anyway?

Balayage: Will You be Trying It?

2010-08-26T20:34:00.000+10:00

It's one of those trends that, at first, had me sceptical. Mainly because circa 2009, photos of it-girls "rocking" the balayage look pretty much looked like they had let their apprentice haridresser younger sister* experiment on them at home:

Allegedly this is the look that started it all. Done correctly, the idea is that it's a softly graduated, freehand application of colour which can do amazing things to highlight and soften the face. Done incorrectly, it can just look like skanky regrowth. Oooh, harsh! But what I mean is, perhaps a softly, softly approach will work better for the majority of us...

Cameron Diaz "first" sported the look on the red carpet. Jessica Biel showed it off late last month, as did Drew Barrymore and Rose Byrne. Loose, flowing curls or a softly undone look works best - plus if you're lazy with your hair-doin', it's perfect as it's minimal in the upkeep department. And on these ladies, it looks downright amazing:

Will you be rocking this cool-as look this season?

(Pics)

Wednesday Funny Bits: True Game Show Answers

2010-08-25T20:12:00.002+10:00

It's halfway through the working week; or, halfway to the weekend if you choose to look at it that way. At any rate, you might need a little pick-me-up that's cheaper than a new pair of shoes (though, we won't tell if you do) and/or has less calories than a Cadbury Bar of Plenty *dribbles a bit*, so here's a list of hilarious - and true - answers given on the UK game show Family Fortune. I was tipped off to this by last night's episode of QI, which means you could almost email this list to your friends of the intellectual variety without feeling like too much of a nonce.

Alas, speaking of nonces, let the list begin:

Something made of wool: "Cotton wool.."
An animal with three letters: "Lion.."
A French ferry port: "Dover.."
Something you mount: "A mountain.."
A slang word for a girl: "Slag.."
An animal with horns: "A bee..."
Something made of wool: "A sheep.."
A way to prevent snoring: "Put a pillow over his face.."
A word used to describe a very hot day: "A very hot day.."
A song from 'The Sound Of Music': "Dancing Queen.."
Something that Father Christmas does when he comes to your house: "Feeds your pets.."
Something that comes in 7's: "Fingers.."
A vocalist known by only one name: "Michael Jackson.."
A yellow fruit: "Orange.."
Something a Frenchman would say: "On Garde.."
A fast animal: "A hippo.."
Something you keep in the garden: "A cat.."
A character from Little Red Riding Hood: "Hansel and Gretel.."
Something that has a shell: "Batman.."
A mode of transport that you can walk in: "Your shoes.."
A part of your body you only have one of: "Your big toe.."
Another TV gameshow with the word 'family' in the title: "The Generation Game.."
A seaside resort on the south coast: " Rio de Janeiro.."
Something you open other than a door: "Your bowels.."
Something with a red light on it: "a Dalek.."
A job that a working dog does: "A slave.."
Something people might be allergic to: "Skiing.."
An occupation where you need a torch: "A burglar.."
Something you use a microchip in: "A fish-fryer.."
A dangerous race: "The Arabs.."
A game played in the dark: "Charades.."
A part of the body you have more than two of: "Arms.."
A bird with a long neck: "Naomi Campbell.."
Something taken from a hotel as a souvenir: "The lamps.."
A domestic animal: "A leopard.."

I hope you didn't just spit your cup of tea over your keyboard like I just did. Leopard! Slag! Naomi Campbell!

You can find the main list here.

Blue Juice Spring '10 Collection

2010-08-24T07:51:00.007+10:00

Blue Juice continues to be one of our best-selling labels, and it with much cyber-whooping and cheering that the new collection has been received by you guys! Online for a week now, heaps of styles are already low on stock so make a move and nab your fav pieces quick smart. There's loads of party dresses to get you ready for party/races/wedding season (and the most expensive is just $119.95) as well as a host of gorgeous tops that will be perfect for sunny weekend brunches and/or shopping trips. My picks:

Oh So Pretty Ruched Chiffon Dress, $99.95 It might be the same colour as my mum's bridesmaid's dresses in 1984, but this dress really is oh so pretty. So pretty it would appear that Blue Juice's designers were lost for any other words to title it with. So. Pretty. And Peachy.

Face The Future Cap Sleeve Top, $39.95 In the depths of the greyest days of winter, Spring collections hitting the shops are always so refreshing, and nothing says "new season" like a dash of bold colour. Just like nothing says " buy me without feeling guilty" quite like a $39.95 price tag.

To Sir With Love Strapless Bow Dress, $89.95 Slightly confusing as it's clearly not strapless, but has a very on-trend single shoulder strap. Still, it also has a cute front bow, is a classic LBD, and has a sensational price tag.

50's Sweetheart Shirt $69.95 It's pale pink, it has polka dots, it's postitively pretty! Very feminine, it has a cool cutout detail on the back (but a bra-friendly one) and a totally retro feel.

Candy Street T-Bar Zip Back Top, $49.95 If you're not going for the pastel look this season, you'll be pleased to know the other major must-have is cool, grungy, military-inspired pieces like this simple t-back zip tank - easy to wear, it adds a little something extra to a versatile basic. You might not be able to see the people behind you admiring the back detail, but they will be, Trust me.

Monday Street Style: Full Skirts

2010-08-23T08:00:00.000+10:00

It's nearly Spring! You can almost smell it...actually that's the lovely bunch of fresh flowers picked from my mother-in-law's garden today and lovingly, but not very artfully, arranged in a vase here on my desk. I would totally fail the Ladette to Lady flower-arranging course. Anyway, they are very Spring-like, as are this weeks street looks - full skirts, prints, mixed textures:

Chictopia

The Sartorialist

Stylescout

Melbourne Street Fashion

Street Style London

On Holidays. Back In 2 Weeks!

2010-08-02T18:00:00.001+10:00

Yep, before the Summer season gets into full swing, I'm having some much needed time off. So, the blog will be empty for a fortnight or so while I do absolutely nothing. All work and no play makes me a dull girl, after all! See you soon with a QLD tan (the girls will be looking after you as always in the meantime). à bientôt!

Wanring: Mispellings Ahed

2010-07-29T17:18:00.000+10:00

You know how basic spelling errors really, really shit me off? Well, locally someone spotted these portable flashing roadworks signs that look like they had been typed out by toddlers, and posted them on Facebook:

It annoys me so much that people can be so thick, but there is nothing I can do except sigh, and then giggle. And then google. And this is what I found:

FrockQ: Philomena Kwok, Featherhead

2010-07-28T20:14:00.000+10:00

The talented creator behind hair accessories label Featherhead gives us the rundown on her brand, her inspirations, and her feathers:

How long have you been designing for, and how did you get started in the industry?

I've been making and designing jewellery since I was fourteen! I first started out with my jewellery label, the purpose divine, making bespoke bridal jewellery and pieces in silver, resin and semiprecious stones. It was great fun, and I used to have a stall at Paddington Markets in Sydney.

Last year however, I started Featherhead - an accessories label making the sorts of things I actually wanted to wear. It was partly inspired by a trip to Japan where I spent a month gawping at the fearless and totally fab girls in Tokyo. The fashion may not have always been right for everyone but it was definitely FUN and the girls there must have had a blast getting dressed and accessorising every day. Experiencing things like that definitely washes into you. When I came home I started a millinery course to expand my skill set and try my hand using some different materials - the rest is Featherhead history.

What is it about feathers that inspires you to create your pieces?
I've always found feathers incredibly fascinating and used to collect them when I was tot. You never Ever find two the same, so even after working with them for so long I am still astounded at how beautiful and unique they are. Some are ethereal and wispy, others bold or irridescent with unbelievably vibrant colours, its hard not to be inspired by something so pretty and textural.

My favourite thing to do at the moment is to use gorgeous natural toned feathers and then add in a contrasting splash of colour with bright dyed feathers. It adds a edgy toughness without taking away from the natural beauty of the feathers.

Do you have a particularly favourite piece that you've created?
One of my recent favourites is a crazy shoulder piece I put together for a fashion parade raising awareness for the Aids Trust. Huge red ostrich epaulettes and dripping with heavy metal chains. I wish I could get away with wearing these every day! The piece had been put on a bit wrong in this photo but you get the idea. Too much fun!

How would you recommend wearing your feathered creations?
I'd recommend wearing a Featherhead piece to add a subtle edge to a toned down urban look. Either an unexpected splash of softness and colour with a cute feather hair clip, sweater dress and tights, or a textural edge with one the snakeskin lined cuffs or necklets, skinny jeans and boots.

What trends are you looking forward to rocking for Spring/Summer?
I cannot wait for warmer weather to wear my feather epaulettes pinned onto cute singlets and tanks (interesting shoulders are the best thing since skinny jeans)! And just enough sunshine to wear a cute tshirt dress, big wispy feather earrings and gumboots without tights underneath. I'm not ready to give up gumboots just yet!

Hands Off Mr Twiddle!

2010-07-27T20:32:00.002+10:00

I watched the BBC biopic Enid over the weekend (starring the always lovely Helena Bonham Carter). While it didn't always paint a rosy portrait of one of the most beloved children's authors of all time, Enid Blyton, it did make me all wistful and nostalgic for the days when I could curl up with the Famous Five and the Faraway Tree and Malory Towers. I read them again and again and again, much in the same way children have been doing for 70-odd years now.

But of course, the modern world is going to get the better of us, and 'update' the 'old-fashioned' language in her stories to make them more 'accessible' to today's children. What a load of codswollop. Nobody's going to update Austen or Shakespeare or Dickens, because they are pieces of history in their own right. I'm pretty sure kids nowdays will be able to grasp that a "school tunic" is a school uniform, or that a "house mistress" is a teacher. Why must we insit on raising a generation of idle-minded idiots? The amount of young adults out there who think it's ok to communicate exclusively in text-speak, to be lax with basic grammar, and to not even attempt correct spelling, is downright disturbing. Let's not raise the next generation in the same way.

As Children's Book Council President Maj Kirkland told ABC radio yesterday, the language in Blyton's books is "unique and loved by children". It's quaint, it's idealistic - but we're talking about the under-12's here. There's a great line in the BBC film where Blyton, being interviewed on the radio, says she "cares nothing for any critic over the age of 12". (Actually, I hope that's a direct quote from the lady herself!) In other words, grown-ups: butt out and let your kids experience the same innocent, magical worlds we did (and our parents, grandparents...though no doubt the people who came up with the idea of 'modernising' were never allowed to read Blyton's books on account of them being anti-feminist or racist or classist or other such '-ists' that your average 9 year old is going to consider).

I still adore the idea of Blyton's "old-fashioned" worlds where tea-time was drenched in lashings of ginger beer and jelly; where the naughtiest misdemeanour schoolgirls were involved in were delicious midnight feasts in the dormitory; and where honesty and good old-fashioned hard work were always rewarded. They not only encouraged a sense of right and wrong, but also encouraged the use of one's imagination - a giant tree with rotating worlds at the top? A flying chair? Ridiculous - but such fun when you're a child! Characters called Dick and Fanny and Mr Twiddle? Snigger, snigger; but isn't it a good way to consider how different generations use different words, instead of simply erasing them from history?

The stories might be, at a basic level, much the same even with updated language, but keeping those 'old-fashioned' words not only expands one's vocabulary (desperately needed in today's 140-character-limit society) but encourages kids to learn. Yes, learn. Figure out the meanings using their brains. And, fundamentally, to simply enjoy the whole point of a story - to be whisked away to a different time/place/world and have some jolly good old-fashioned fun.

Monday Street Style: Touches of Spring Denim

2010-07-26T08:25:00.000+10:00

I live in denim over winter. Springtime down here usually isn't warm enough to cast them it off completely, so it's nice to give it a fresh run with some new heels, a cute tee, a loose shirt and flats...

leflassh

Copehnahgen Street Style

Old School Discipline (or, How To Raise Well-Mannered Children)

2010-07-22T16:58:00.002+10:00

Bet you thought this post would involve whips and such, didn't you? Sorry to disappoint, but I'm actually referring to a chapter in the book I just finished perusing, by the Allisons Vale & Rattle, How To Boil A Flamingo And 49 Other Lessons in the Lost Art of Being A Lady.

(In case you're wondering, should a flamingo be not available, a few tropical parrots will suffice to seriously impress your next dinner party guests). Short chapters, adapted from household and etiquette guides from the 17th & 18th centuries, brim with tongue-in-cheek instruction and practical advice on everything from How to Picnic, Sit for a Portrait, Choose A Wet-Nurse (never a redhead), How To Employ Your Fan, and How To Manage Your Servants with Mistrust and Misgiving. In short, it is a neccessary compendium and companion for any lady who wishes to make her way successfully amongst society.

Though highly amusing, some of the advice was not as outdated and ridiculously extravagant as perhaps it might first appear. The chapter on "How To Raise Well-Mannered Children" could do with liberal distribution in the 21st century. (As could the possible addition of a chapter, "How to spellcheck your Facebook status updates, especially if you are a teacher and cannot grasp even the most basic spelling and grammar." You aggravate my sensibilities in the most extreme manner, people!) Would it be so bad if rules such as the following were "instilled in children from a young age"?

-Take what you are served [at mealtimes] whether it be to your taste or not. Eccentricity in regard to nourishment should be avoided at all times. How many teatime tantys would be avoided if this rule was strictly enforced!

-Do not present yourself at the table unless your hands and face are clean and hair neatly combed. Well, the hair thing isn't gonna happen, but the basic "clean your hands" before eating rule is a good habit to get into.

-When invited into the company of your betters, do not sit or speak until bidden. Perhaps they could sit without incurring the wrath of society, but learning not to interrupt other conversations and only to speak in turn is an important basic etiquette that alot of adults could do well to remember, as well.

-Use your napkin habitually. Not your sleeve, which becomes a vertiable petri dish of snot, vegemite and dirt on any avergage day.

The chapter advises that, "a mismanaged child is but a regrettable stain upon the fabric of polite company and may be expected to achieve naught in life but the breaking of his poor mother's heart." Uncombed hair at the dinner table might not be a precursor to a life of insubordinate idleness, but would a few old-fashioned manners go astray in the modern world? I think not, and I would also like to suggest compulsory spelling examinations right up to and including tertiary education (longer if you will be spending your working hours in the schooling system). Hmph.

So You Think You're From France?

2010-07-20T20:58:00.000+10:00

Melbourne label Chip Chop! have had a couple of seasons off, but are back this Spring with a bang, bringing us their trademark witty tees with a quirkily Frenchy twist. Frenchy's a word, isn't it? Plus, they've gone all out with some luxuriously delicate silk tops, amazing accessories and THE cutest blazer you'll see all season. The new items have a slightly higher price point (tees still at $79, which is pretty good for hand-printed, limited run, made in Australia pieces) but they're so gorgeous that it just doesn't matter. Editorial are running with them like wild things, so snap up a piece quick smart!

Monday Street Style: Blouses & Knits

2010-07-19T08:10:00.004+10:00

Somehow, looks that were once associated with being a bit old and frumpy, are getting a slick new re-invention. Like the blouse. I've not heard anyone say "blouse" for years. Or fugly, chunky knits, which are not to be shuddered at, but rather, emabraced as warm and cosy. Get both in your wardrobe, stat - both are totally wearable now right through til Spring!

Old Spice Voicemail

2010-07-16T11:14:00.000+10:00

You've probably seen the award-winning ad for Old Spice. And if you haven't, trust me, you want to:

Even if you still don't want to buy Old Spice, you can now get it, scent-free, on your voicemail. The Old Spice Voicemail Generator lets you create a semi-personalised answering machine message, according to gender. Mine went:
Hello callers, the lovely/talented/intelligent and beautiful/sophisticated lady at (phone number) is unable to take your call. She's busy riding a horse backwards with me. But she'll get back to you as soon as she can. Thanks for calling. I'm on a horse.

Hehe - perfect for some Friday afternoon office time-wasting fun!

Bookshelf Porn

2010-07-15T15:34:00.000+10:00

In my ideal house, quite a few rooms would have floor-to-ceiling bookshelves. Some might have the books arranged by colour, some by size, some simply a delightful mishmash. Some old, some new, some borrowed, some blue...currently most of my books still live at my Mum's, and what we can fit into our place are stacked quite anally (by theme, then in alphabetical order) on a Fantastic Furniture basic white bookshelf. Practical, yes, but exciting? Nope.

Bookshelf porn, however, is a nice little escape route to other people's fantastic (in the adjective sense, not the chain-store sense) shelves. The kind of website that you can spend a happy hour flicking through, coming away with a renewed determination to revisit the closest bookstore and stock up (and then stack up). Check these out:

(I found this site through The Early Bird Catches the Worm!)

Voila! Bastille Day Stripes - and Pikelets!

2010-07-14T20:19:00.002+10:00

I learnt something at my daughter's playgroup today. It's Bastille Day! Well actually, that fact had been tucked away in the recesses of my mind, but the French seem to be lying low after the World Cup *supressed snigger* so it didn't click. At playgroup, we made pikelets, as pancakes - or crepes - would be quite difficult with 25 four year olds clamoring for a turn. Tonight we whipped up a batch for dessert, just to keep the spirit of the day going. And no, we're not really French at all, but only a small % of the population have Irish blood, yet St Paddy's day is practically a national holiday all the same. Why not celebreate other culture's holidays? It'd almost be un-Australian not to take the chance for a bit of a shinding!

Of course, nothing says French more than stripes (beret, bicycle and baguette optional). Fittingly, this French Connection Stripe Top ($49.95) is just the ticket, preferably with ballet flats and a chic silk scarf tied at the neck.

And, if you're not willing to tackle pancakes (or have little mouths who are intent on 'helping'), here's the super easy pikelet recipe which is an absolute winner, and open to loads of variations. You can't go wrong! (I didn't, and that's saying something):

Ingredients

1 cup (150g) self-raising flour
1 tbs caster sugar
3/4 cup (185ml) milk
1 egg
Melted butter, to brush, plus extra knobs to serve

Method
Sift flour and sugar together into a bowl with a pinch of salt.

Whisk milk and egg together, then add to dry ingredients, whisking until smooth.

Heat a non-stick frypan over medium heat and brush with a little melted butter. Drop level tablespoonfuls of the mixture into the pan and cook for half a minute or until bubbles appear on the surface.

Turn over and cook other side for 1 minute until golden.

Nude Spring '10 Sneaky Peeky!

2010-07-13T08:42:00.001+10:00

One thing that never fails to excite us here at the Frock is shoes. Well really, does anybody who is of the female species? A friend of mine recently announced that she'd bought her first pair of Louboutins on her recent trip to Europe, which was greeted with as much enthusiasm as if she'd announced she was expecting her first child. Another friend works in a cool shoe store, and our conversations tend to refer to shoes by their name, as if they were simply other acquaintances - "Seen Saskia lately?" "How's Avery doing for you?" "How cute is Billy!"

Nude is one of our most popular labels, with on-trend as well as classic styles that are reasonably priced AND totally wearable (and really, you can't ask for more than that), Here's what we'll be getting instore shortly for Spring/Summer '10:

Avery Peeptoe Laceup Bootie $199.95

Cupcake Double Knot Peep Heel $179.95

Rainbow Witch Strappy High Platform $179.95

Wildrose Wooden Platform Sandal $179.95

Sugarplum Big Buckle Wedge $169.95

Chipchop Peeptoe Clog $169.95

Buttons Skimmer Military Ballet Flat $99.95

Monday Street Style: To The Max

2010-07-12T08:00:00.000+10:00

Nothing embodies the free spirit of the Spring season than a maxi dress or skirt - patterned or plain, for work or weekend, they're easy to wear, comfortable, and handy if you can't be bothered shaving your legs:

Brits are Funny - Shows You Need To Watch

2010-07-08T21:46:00.001+10:00

You may or may not be able to tell that the below was written by a uiversity student studying philosophy. Therefore, he has much spare time on his hands to surf around YouTube and source dvd's from around the globe. However, it is to the benefit of us Antipodean beings - turns out the Brits are a hell of a lot funnier than the Vicar of Dibley, Fawlty Towers and Jamie Oliver...

It’s no secret that, these days, the ABC descends further and further into a lame pastiche of its British correlative. There has been talk of those hipsters at Triple J ascending into the evil upperworld of ‘popular’ music in a brazen restructuring of our government’s public transmission service based on, you guessed it, those doyens of youth culture, Radio 1. Soon, expect to see Krishnan Guru-Murthy replace Kerry O’Brien in your evening retinue; and if the ABC’s forthcoming 24-hour newsathon is not at least 75% weather-related, please don’t hesitate to pick up the phone, dial 999 and brazenly assault your ‘numble operator with an aural assault of “well, well, well, wot’s goin’ on ‘ere, then?”

Fortunately, however, the past decade and a half of television in the motherland has been graced by a plethora of groundbreaking comedies, which one can only hope will find their way onto Australian TV sets, as the British invasion re-reaches its 1788 proportions. Of course, Graham Linehan’s (apologies to the Irish Linehan here, but succinctness necessitates my untactful lumping of leprechauns with beefeaters) the I.T. Crowd, Big Train, Father Ted and Black Books all receive the occasional graveyard shifts on the ABC’s (perhaps it’s time for a Beeb-esque nickname, the Ayb, maybe? Or aybo, to induce a peculiarly antipodean linguistic nuance?) secondary stations, and the Mighty Boosh, the Office, Peep Show and the Vicar of Dibley are not short of fanatics either, but bubbling underneath the popular surface are a series of equally influential (though often more sanguinary and cultish) programs which YouTube and multi-regional DVD hacking codes have allowed me to enjoy. So forget Beautiful People, forget Gavin and Stacey (not awful shows, but not indispensible to the weekly televisual palate either) and pull out those bobby hats and fork those fingers, for here’s a jolly rum-go at a list of the best British comedies currently unseen on the Australian Beeb (and, I promise, the end of the bracketed diversions):

1) Alan Partridge

Steve Coogan’s iconic character has spanned several programs (more of which to come) and, although remains popular in the U.K. has never (to my knowledge) seen airtime in Australia. Which is a pity. Those of us fortunate to have witnessed the obnoxious and maladroit talk show host bumble his way through Knowing Me, Knowing You, and the ensuing sitcom, I’m Alan Partridge, which follows his equally awkward personal life, know full well that the mere sound of ‘A-HA!’ signals the entrance of a British comedy character in the pantheon of David Brent, Basil Fawlty and Sir Humphry Appleby. For those who haven’t, a whole new world awaits.

In a few words: “Right, dry skin cream. I'm having an attack of the old flakes again. This morning my pillow looked like a flapjack.”

What to watch: I’m Alan Partridge (Series One).

2) Brass Eye
Some people may be aware of Chris Morris as the rash and eccentric boss Reynholm Denholm from Series One of the I.T. Crowd, but his satire of media sensationalism, Brass Eye (1997-2001), makes Denholm look like Julie Andrews by comparison. The 2001 special on paedophilia received several thousand complaints to the BBC, but the show is perhaps the most accurate send-up of populist media ever created. The genius of the show becomes apparent in the piss-take interviews with real celebrities who are coerced into stating blatant absurdities to support a populist cause – one particularly memorable scene depicts a British Labour MP straight-facedly stating that paedophiles were using ‘an area of internet the size of Ireland’. By comparison, Australian satire looks weak and uncontroversial. Morris’ previous effort, the Day Today (which unleashed Alan Partridge into the world – see his seminal 1994 World Cup coverage) is equally enjoyable viewing; even if many of the political jokes are restricted to now unfamiliar pre-Britpop and pre-Blair Britain. Moreover, a new film, Four Lions – a satirical look at modern Islamic fundamentalist terrorism – has recently found its way onto the screens of many obscure international festivals. Expect a DVD release in Australia some time before the fourth millennium.

In a few words: “An overdose of heroin is fatal - in the short term. But there has been no research whatsoever into long term effects”.

What to watch: Paedogeddon.
(Try http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xbq3kc29Tmg )

3) Never Mind the Buzzcocks (Simon Amstell years)
This gratuitously obscene insult-fest was, perhaps surprisingly, the basis for the ABC’s cute and cuddly, family friendly Spicks and Specks. Hosted for a decade by the quirky but irritating Mark Lamarr, the fresh-faced, homosexual, churlish, witty Jew Simon Amstell took over the hosting role in 2006 to instant audience recoil (his first Christmas special concluded with the immortal words “Whichever religion you are, remember, only one can be right, so...let's have a war! Happy Christmas!”). Sparing no celebrity from his line of incessant insults (“Phil Collins is losing his hearing, making him the luckiest man at a Phil Collins Concert”, “Jordan's third favourite tit and second favourite twat - it's Peter Andre!”, Still going after seven years due to the unfortunate lack of murder, it's Westlife!”), the Amstell series of Buzzcocks are worthwhile viewing for the sheer bewilderment countenanced by the endless C-grade musical and BBC guests. Preston of the Ordinary Boys (...you haven’t? No, neither have I) was a controversial victim of the assault, storming off stage after Amstell derisively read a selection from his reality-TV-star wife’s autobiography (“I can't believe that upset him...I mean...I don't know if he's read it. I've read the whole thing, and it upset me!”), but he is just one of many. I don’t believe this show has ever had a DVD release, but YouTube helpfully contains every episode from season 19 onwards in full. Hopefully one day Simon, Phil and Bill will replace Adam, Alan and Myf on our Wednesday night sets.
(Note: you must watch this. Must. It's totally a must. You will die laughing, or at least stay alive but wishing you had Simon Amstell's smirky wit.)
In a few words:
Simon Amstell: [sadly] Everyone knows Courtney Love apart from me.

Noel Fielding: She’d crush you like a twiglet.

Simon Amstell: She would. Or kill me and make it look like suicide...

What to watch: S20E02 – Donny Tourette (Towers of London) fatefully attempts to outwit Amstell and Bill Bailey, with predictable results.

4) In the Loop/the Thick of It
I’m told that those ever-vigilant sponges of quality, Blockbuster, are soon about to stock copies of Academy-Award nominated film In the Loop within the coming weeks. So, pop on your best Sherlock attire and be ready to sleuth your way through all the usual irrelevant genres in your local DVD library to suss out the singular copy that may find its way to your local, because it’s perhaps last decade’s finest piece of British comedic cinema (or, for us Aussies, this decade’s finest piece of British comedic cinema). The series on which the film is based, the Thick of It, is a brilliant piece of political satire in the same league as Yes Minister, only with high-level profanities. Delving into the harsh world of political spin-doctoring (obscene and abusive Director of Communications Malcolm Tucker is, apparently, based on Alistair Campbell), the show unfolds with the farcical rapidity of Fawlty Towers while never sacrificing its Office-esque subtlety. Famed for its ‘perfect swearing’, one YouTube comment contrasts Tucker with both Gordon Ramsay and Shakespeare – the cursing is as common and brutal as the chef, but as poetic as the Bard.

In a few words: “All these hands all over the place! You were like a sweaty octopus trying to unhook a bra” (Malcolm Tucker berating an MP for his overly dramatic television performance).

What to watch: In the Loop.

FrockQ: Irena Geller, Lucky 13

2010-07-07T21:03:00.001+10:00

FrockQ has an uber-quick chat with the uber-cool Irena Geller, designer of Lucky 13:

How long have you been with Lucky 13, and what's your position there?
12 years and I am the head designer.
What are your duties on an average working day?
Sourcing materials, fittings, coordinating ranges, emailing, going out to stores, communicating with customers via email and in person.
Who is the Lucky 13 customer? She is young and fearless and loves to experiment with new textures ands shapes and express her self through her clothing. She also loves mixing the pre-loved clothing with the new and definitely has her own individual style!
Where do you source your style inspiration for Lucky 13? From everywhere, music, books, people inspire me the most.
What are the key looks we can look forward to from Lucky 13 for Spring/Summer? Military with a soft distressed finish; Alice in Wonderland soft, drapey dresses; see-through and sheer finishes on everything.

And with that in mind, what's coming next from Lucky 13? Pieces like these, for starters:

Summer Preview: Sooki Baby & So Sooki!

2010-07-06T21:43:00.001+10:00

I admit to feeling a more than irrational despair when my daughter outgrew size 2's, and thus outgrew Sooki Baby. It's just SO cute! And quirky! AND affordable! And it makes me type irregularly in caps lock! But now, little frockers up to size 7 can rock the terribly adorable styles of So Sooki, Sooki baby's older sibling. Except it's really the younger sibling, as this is it's first season. And they can't exactly rock it right now, this very second, as delivery is a few short weeks away.Wow, confusing. What's not confusing are the very, very, very gorgeous prints coming up for Summer - and here's the first look (but only a peep, we have to keep some surprises up our sleeve!):

So Sooki:

Monday Street Style: Socks

2010-07-05T21:07:00.000+10:00

The humble sock has muade such a comeback lately - it's cute, warm and covers a lack of pedicure. Knee-high or ankle, if you've got the legs for it and a playful attitude, go for it!

Star Style: Nicole Richie

2010-07-02T17:25:00.000+10:00

I've never really given two hoots about Nicole Richie. Previously, I'd see pics of her in a maxi dress and sandals and big sunnies and think, "that's easy, I can do that" and not spend another second caring about what she wears or even what she does. Because until fairly recently, she was one of those unfortunate celebs that was famous for doing nothing. How things have changed. She is still the go-to girl for how to style a maxi, but I've been more and more impressed - enough so to actually pay attention - with her understated chic outfits. Getting the whole "appropriate for being a mum and having baby food thrown at you/chasing a toddler through the playground - effortlessly stylish and subtly on trend" blend right is not that easy. Coupled with the acclaim she's generated for her two fashion lines, House of Harlow and Winter Kate, she's suddenly deserving of a whole lot more respect. What's Paris doing these days, btw?

Nicole, these days, wears an awful lot of black tights/skirts/jackets combos. But for the depths of winter, it's an easy way to look dressed up and stylish, but not overdone:

The playground requires a staple palette in comfy but stylish cuts:

And for evening? Let the sparkles speak for themselves:

images: Glamour, Marie Claire, InStyle, People, GoFugYourself, Celebritybabyscoop

It's Sale Time!

2010-07-01T21:34:00.002+10:00

July. About the only time of year one can get almost excited about filing and visits to the accountant; when the full force of chilly winter days really set in and you really get wear out of that coat you've been dying to wear since you bought it in February; and, of course, when stores go mental with reductions on winter stock in order to make way for fresh new Spring goodies. I went to the Miss Shop last weekend and they had 40% off tops and dresses. 40%! We've only done that once, and can I just say NEVER again - it was full-on, to say the least.

Our final markdowns are done and dusted, and there are some absolute bargains to be had. We're clearing out stock at a rate of knots (do you actually know how to measure knots? I don't. I don't even like boats very much. And fish creep me out. Hugely.) Anyway, those among us who are into things like sorting and organising are having a total ham of a time restructuring the storeroom, which is almost ready for the influx of Spring stock. (You can check out a sneaky peeky shortly on our Facebook profile - just waiting on a few more discs of images to come through!).

So where are the good markdowns? Chip Chop tees are just $39, for one. And speaking of, wait til you see the new season collection, it's a little different but it's AMAZING...it's titled "So you think you're from France" for one.

All of our ediT stock is also marked down, in preparation for the new season - stock is pretty limited but it's also pretty awesome, especially when it's priced from just $59!

And some of the best bargains are on the GRAB page - all previouslty reduced stock has even further reductions, while winter stock is freshly marked down and ripe for the pickin'! I nabbed a Star Spangled Tank - just $49 down from $129.95 - which will be perfect for nights out with some dark skinny jeans and a blazer. Undertstated, but glam. And sparkly.

You might be sick of looking at knitwear in shops (really it's quite refreshing to wander into a store and see splashes of light, bright springtime colour on a grey wintery day, depsite there being no possibility you're going to buy and/or wear them anytime soon), but now's really the time to nab them - it's still gonna be cold for a few months yet! The Mimosa Channel Chain Knit is absolutely gorgeous - and if you live in a milder part of the country (ie, not here) it would double nicely as a jacket, not just a cardi. And for $99.95 (down frm $159.95) that's not bad at all, is it?

Little Frockers can go absolutely nuts - most kid's labels only do 2 collections a year so it's always massively exciting at end of season time because 1) the markdowns to clearout the leftover stock are always massive, and 2) after waiting many months, everyone is champing at the bit for new pieces to look at!

Freshbaked Woollen Sailor Skirt was $54.95 now $39.95

Freshbaked Circuit Breaker Hoodie was $29.95 now $19.95

All Itch Design was $34.95 now $24.95

Munster Little Rocker Hoodie was $49.95 now $29.95

Missie Munster Gone Fishing Top was $44.95 now $29.95

Sooki Baby Superhero Romper was $34.95 now $19.95

Sooki Baby Hide & Seek Dress was $32.95 now $21.95

PS - be quick. Seriously.

FrockQ: Jenny Celebrin, Yunginz Shoes

2010-06-30T20:11:00.001+10:00

Here's a new little segment we'll be featuring in the newsletters and also here on le blog - basically, we ask a few not-very-difficult-but-hopefully-mildly-interesting questions to people working in the fash biz, for no real reason other than being curious little stickybeaks!

This week the lovely Jenny, co-creator of cool kid's shoe label Yunginz gives us the lowdown on how she created and runs her own fashion brand:

How did you come to create Yunginz?

Bored and frustrated with the corporate world and the lack of flexibility in the workplace when it comes to full time working mums, I started seriously considering my options and racking my brain about what kind of business I could start up. Out shopping for shoes for a special occasion for my then 5 year old girl, the lack of ‘trendiness incorporating quality’ when it came to footwear options for kids was all too apparent, and it was at that time that I realised what I wanted to do. I teamed up with my friend Yolanda, and we now share the responsibilities of the Yunginz business – creating fabulous trendy footwear for kids.

What are your duties on an average working day?

I’m more the sales/marketing and strategic side of the business – so for me it’s day to day contact with customers (both end user and trade), creating promotional strategies, crunching numbers etc. Yolanda’s main focus is more on the company branding (including look and feel of marketing materials, website etc) and she has the (always frustrating) responsibility of accounting/finance. Then there’s responsibilities such as pickers, packers, warehouse upkeep and most importantly the core of our business – shoe design – and these responsibilities we share equally. In saying that, no decisions are made without both of us being absolutely satisfied and in agreement, it’s a great partnership.

Where do you begin when designing a shoe style, and how long does it take from the initial idea through to production?

This is by far the easiest part of running the business! Design and ideas just flow so easily, even when it’s not time to start thinking about it. Having a couple of seasons under our belts now we look at what we’ve done in the past and think about how we can go another step better. In a nutshell we’ll come up with a design, Yolanda will sketch it out, we’ll look at it and go back and forth a few times with different amendments or different looks in order to get it right. Once design is finalised Yolanda creates a formal design specification sheet (drawing and instructions) then we send this off to the factory for a sample to be created. Initial idea through to production usually takes 6-9 months.

What's your style philosophy when it comes to kid's fashion?
Don’t think about it too much or they’ll look overdone! I love buying the latest trends for my daughter, but I also love her input she has her own sense of style and it’s great to go with that and see what they come up with. Keep it as simple as you can, you can pick up great pieces at great prices, mix and match, but when it comes to footwear don’t always make the fashion aspect of shoes the only consideration. Kids feet need to be nurtured or all sorts of problems can occur, so think about the comfort aspect for them as well – that’s where Yunginz comes into play – trendy and comfort at the same time!

What cool styles should we look out for from Yunginz in Spring/Summer '10/11?
We’ve got a number of existing styles which we roll over from season to season, simply because they’re totally unique and unlike anything else seen before in the kids footwear market, the styles don’t really date (in our opinion what’s ‘in’ and ‘out’ does occur as frequently – not as much as adult fashion anyway.) We’ve got funky sandal styles ranging from a black Gladette for the more ‘out there’ edgy kind of kid, our Princess of Hearts’ sandal – a bright multi coloured strappy sandal with love heart cut out, to the more subtle Bali sandal with it’s natural tan leather strapping, plus other styles which certainly speak for themselves.

Stocktaking and such - brb!

2010-06-23T18:58:00.000+10:00

Monday Street Style: Chambray

2010-06-21T10:21:00.000+10:00

Denim-on-denim can look good in magazine editorial, but on the streets (in a non-prostitute way) it's pretty hard to get right. There's no reason you can't work a little bit of chambray into your wardrobe though - take these looks for inspiration:

Much Too Fun

2010-06-18T17:06:00.000+10:00

I just had to share this quirky little jewellery shop with you - Muchtoofun is a creative collective from Glasgow that sell cute acrylic trinkets, as well as bags and homewares, with a very Scottish twist. As someone pining to head back Scottishside - despite the weather, and to Edinburgh, not Glasgow, to lessen the chance of getting stabbed - I might have to content myself with spending $13 on some Och Aye earrings, as opposed to $1300 on an airfare. But I really am a bit of a Peely Wally, so might grab that brooch too. And hello to yet another teapot necklace!

When Disney Is A-OK

2010-06-17T21:13:00.000+10:00

(In which I shamelessly copy and paste today's post from NeverShoppedOut.com, because let's be honest here, there's lots of good telly on Thursdays. Ahem.)

There are some things in life you can’t avoid. Death, taxes, and Disney are the first that spring to mind. Someone warned me when my daughter was born that we wouldn’t be able to withstand the inevitable branded onslaught, and despite my very best efforts a few things have slipped though my radar. A Tinkerbell costume, for one. Several packets of trademarked Band-aids, for another. And just recently, a fully-blown musical animation on DVD, otherwise known as The Princess and the Frog. My daughter is obsessed with it. There hasn’t been this much reverse-and-replay action since Shrek, and for a kid who wore headband Shrek ears nonstop for 6 months, that’s saying something.

So, in the interests of research, and also to put visuals to all the catchy tunes that have been emanating from the telly for the last few days, we sat down together to watch the whole thing. And I was pleasantly surprised. The Princess and the Frog is based on the classic Frog Princess story by E.D. Baker, and like all Disney flicks, there’s lots of singing, stereotypes and wide-eyed beauties. But in a good way, though – set in the French Quarter of New Orleans at the beginning of the Jazz age, the tunes are really pretty cool, and the beautiful heroine, Tiana, has a whole lot of what I believe Southerners call, “gumption”. The Prince is a charming foreigner with a lust for life, and the villian is a spooky voodoo man with a nifty dress sense. Plus, Oprah is in it, so it gets extra cool points right there.

You can probably guess the basic storyline and ending, but there’s nothing wrong with a classic, is there? Particularly when a trumpet-playing alligator is involved.

Even though the DVD gets a thumbs-up, I don’t really want to purchase all the merchandise that goes with it. But it’s easy to indulge their latest obessession with finds that are along the same lines – in true cartoon form, you just need to use your imagination!

1. The Frog Princess, by E.D. Baker, $7.25 from Book Depository
2. Big by Fiona Scanlan Clara Headband, $22.95 from Babysgotstyle
3. Ellie Bellie Kid’s Reversible Tutu, $79.99 from Metromum
4. Toy Trumpet, $37.95 from Rhythmic Kids
5. Cool Jazz for Kids CD, $14.99 from theabcshop
6. Gator Golf, US$14.99 from Amazon
7. Scruffy Dog Silver Ballet Shoes, $39.95 from Scarlettjadeandjett
8. Froggy Bow Hairclips, US$4 from Etsy
9. Prince Crown, $5.95 from thepartypeople

Cake (Fail) Wednesday

2010-06-16T21:00:00.001+10:00

Nothing like the idea of a cosy winter afternoon whipping up a batch of warm, cinnamony scrolls to enjoy with a steaming cuppa. Nothing like the whiff of "burnt!" wafting through the kitchen to shatter your comforting Nigella-illusions. They turned out more like rock cakes without so much cake in it *sad face* . But as consolation, the dough was delicious (use cinnamon and choc chips as the comments suggest) and I'm going to try again tomorrow, on a slightly lower heat. Or, I might just make the dough again and eat that.

Apple & Sultana Scrolls

(quite obviously, that is not my picture)

Ingredients

Melted butter, to grease
300g (2 cups) self-raising flour
100g (1/2 cup) caster sugar
1/4 tsp mixed spice (cinnamon!)
60g chilled butter, cubed
125ml (1/2 cup) milk
65g (1/3 cup) sultanas (or a handful of choc chips)
Plain flour, to dust
1 large (about 200g) granny smith apple, peeled, cored, coarsely grated

chocolate icing
45g (1/4 cup) icing sugar mixture
1 tbs cocoa powder
1 tbs milk

Method

Preheat oven to 200°C (nooo! don't! remember the oven gets over-excited and doesn't need to be so hot!). Brush a baking tray with melted butter to lightly grease.

Place flour, sugar and mixed spice in a large bowl. Use your fingers to rub in the butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Make a well in the centre and add the milk and sultanas. Use a round-bladed knife in a cutting motion to mix until evenly incorporated and the mixture just comes together. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead for 2 minutes or until smooth.

Use a lightly floured rolling pin to roll out dough into a 25 x 30cm rectangle. Sprinkle with apple. Starting from the long side, firmly roll dough into a log. Trim the ends (and eat them. Yummm). Cut crossways into twelve 2cm thick slices. Arrange scrolls cut-side up, side by side on prepared tray.

Bake in oven for 30 minutes or until golden and cooked through. Remove from oven and transfer to a wire rack. Set aside for 10 minutes to cool.

Meanwhile, to make the chocolate icing, combine the icing sugar and cocoa powder in a small bowl. Add the milk and stir until combined and smooth.

Drizzle scrolls with chocolate icing and serve immediately.

Stay tuned for tomorrow's results. If it's a fail, I'm sticking to failsafe apple muffins and nothing else.

New Arrivals: Honey & Beau

2010-06-15T19:25:00.000+10:00

It's our most grown-up label - not the cheapest, but definitely the one to turn to for killer pieces that you'll love forever:

Break The Rules Dress $155

It's long sleeved and warm, so it's sensible. It's got cool latte-coloured splcies, so it's modern, slick, and awesome.

Front Row Jacket, $169

It's such a beautiful shade of blue that you won't want to take it off. Our model Libby didn't, literally. She's been wearing it for days. Mybe we should say something?

Jersey Girl Cardi, $89

Hardly going to break the bank, but if you're wondering how to get layering right, this is the piece you need. It's so darn simple - belted or worn loose, it'll look amazingly chic.

Dusting Off One Shoulder Dress, $155

Hallelujah, it's colour! And a gorgeous berry one at that, coupled with a thoroughly modern silhouette. Yummy.

Military March Coat $155

It's military, it's tweed, it's warm, it's chic. If that doesn't tick most of your winter jacket requirement boxes, nothing will!

Trackpants Day!

2010-06-14T17:53:00.001+10:00

Just in case you're wondering, there's no proper work going on here today, thanks to Lizzie's Long Weekend. In other words, a day of lounging about drinking steaming mugs of tea and reading in trackpants is on the cards. My trackpants come from Supre, and my slouchy sweatshirts from Bonds. High end , I know. It is possible to make your trackies into a high-fashion piece though (well, maybe not your trackies if they're from Supre, but a nice pair of slimfitting jersey pants along these lines might do the trick):

Bottega Veneta, Alexander Wang & Isabel Marant images from style.com

Folksy

2010-06-11T17:10:00.002+10:00

Can there ever be enough places online to buy cutesy, one of a kind handmade goodies? Probably, but at the moment, the more the merrier I say. Enter Folksy, essentially a UK-based Etsy. It's actually been around since 2007 but I only just discovered it (and it's definite British charm). If you're crafty, they've got a neat Making section where talented folk can teach you how to crochet to your heart's content; and if you're selling what you've created, the Talking forum means you can ask pretty much anything you need to know about trading on Folksy.

Here are some random finds I got excited about today, none of which I need at all, but which I definitely want all at once:

Eye Test Silk Necktie, approx AU$35

Aye Pod Tee, approx AU$35

Alice In Wonderland Necklace, approx AU$17

Punky Sock Penguins, approx AU$18

Personalised Baby Keepsake Box, approx AU$25

Moda Wonderland Clutch, approx AU$23

Gaga's Graduation Outfit

2010-06-10T16:15:00.000+10:00

I only have one thing to post today. And it's this:

http://twitter.com/cutblog/status/15787170649 and nymag

Now you've got to admire Gaga's boldness in outfits, generally. Even when they seem overly contrived and she looks a bit lost in them. Still, props for not being afraid to wear the utterly outrageous. But this lacey number is what she wore to her sister's graduation. It's a beigey, lacey pantsuit with hoof boots and a sensible sunhat. Not sure what her sister thought, and not sure if anybody paid any attention the graduation ceremony at all. I just can't stop staring at it. It's a total WTF-moment. Which, I guess, is always her intention. Thus, success!

Wednesday (Cup)Cakes

2010-06-09T01:00:00.000+10:00

Wednesday has officially turned into cake day. By default, but still. This glorious little site came up on a social networking site that begins with F and ends in acebook, and it made me dribble. If you're needing cupcake inspiration, make mingmakescupcakes your first stop:

The Worst Brand Names Ever

2010-06-07T15:15:00.001+10:00

The ABC's Gruen Transfer is back on our screens soon (yay!) and they recently posted this giggle-inducing little link on Facebook - perhaps some of these names got lost in translation, perhaps some are simply downright stupid. But they're all...awkward!

Monday Street Style: Leopard Print

2010-06-06T09:44:00.001+10:00

Ah, leopard print. In small doses or pared back with simple pieces, it's the perfect print for adding a touch of the wild...

Two Lipsticks and a Lover

2010-06-04T22:15:00.003+10:00

I admit my current book of choice isn't exactly high-brow literature. Sometimes, your bookshelf needs a bit of a break. Much like the guilty pleasure of ripping through Confessions of a Shopaholic in a day or two, Helena Frith Powell's Two Lipsticks and a Lover is a girly indulgence. Though it doesn't really delve deeper than one's undergarments, it's still a jolly good read - what can a sensible English girl learn from the uber chic French when her family move across the Channel?

Not to splash your face with water and assume it's clean, for one. No, no, non - a cleanser for day and another heavier-duty one for night to ensure your makeup is well and truly obliterated. Leaving makeup on overnight can age you by 6 days in a single evening, remember! Sensible English girls don't wear makeup though, do they? Not until they get to France, where even 7 year olds can expertly apply the right shade of gloss and one certainly doesn't pop down the shops without a slick of mascara.

Published in 2005 (yes, I know I'm late to the party but it's been sitting on my shelves for ages), don't let the fact that the first quotation of praise inside the cover is from Richard and Judy put you off. The "hippy chic" clothing that the buyers at the Galeries Lafayette recommend might induce boho-Sienna-flashbacks but bear with it. I liked boho, anyway. It was incredibly comfy. Two Lipsticks and a Lover is all about revealing the secrets of how to be thin, elegant, stylish, and "impossibly French". All in true French form of course - that is to say, with minimal effort.

Things you'll learn: You must move. Don't go to the gym once or twice a week and sweat like a hog for an hour, and then spend the rest of the week eating crisps in front of the telly. Gentle stretching everyday, walk everywhere (this is where shopping comes in handy), cycle occassionally. One thing that has always struck me about Europeans is that they don't binge like we do. They'll always have dessert but only a little. They'll drink with dinner, but only a glass or two, lest they look like "a drunk English girl". We could just blame the Americans for our 'more is more' psyche (in fact, let's), but it's about time we looked back to Europe as the cultural compass.

You also must have well-cut underwear. Not only for when your lover undresses you, but for when you get dressed. It'll make you feel a whole lot more feminine than what your comfy grey Bonds' can achieve. This may be why the French are such infamous seducers - but of course the flipside is that women tend to get possessive and jealous. Your girl friends aren't really your girlfriends - they're just trying to sleep with your husband. Apparently. Even the author has a little honest flirtation with B, whom she meets on the train en route to Paris to interview people about shoes and such. She discovers that while she's not really keen on an actual lover, the romantic French idea of having one just around the corner is what makes her feel attractive, and thus, want to take care of herself. After all, the doyenne of French style, Coco Chanel, did say that "elegance is refusal".

It's still a very British read, thankfully. Lots of tongue-in-cheek (and nowhere else) and dry British wit, coupled with decent common sense (and some lovely pink gingham silky knickers). It should be on every woman's bookshelf becuase even though we may not all be able to visit the hairdresser weekly and spend hundreds on underwear, we could all do with a little bit of je ne sais quoi...and nicer shoes.

Cake Wednesday

2010-06-02T21:32:00.000+10:00

I posted about cakes last Wednesday, and today I'm going to do it again - these delectable delights made their way to my inbox today and look just too good not to share! Plus, I'm a bit fuzzy headed after a long day and would rather just look at piccys than type words. Much easier.

Sale Time!

2010-06-01T17:20:00.001+10:00

Ah, June. The official start of winter, so you can eat loads of mashed potatoes and steaming casseroles and warm puudings oozing with sticky sauce. So you can start to actually bust out that amazing coat and those fabulous boots you've been hoarding since they hit the shops in the middle of sumer. So you can hit the sales and stock up your wardrobe, guilt-free. I already gave my cards a working out in Myer today - their %off stocktake sale really begins tonight for MyerOne cardholders, or tomorrow for everyone, but all their markdowns were done and they had loads of "stocktake preview specials" dotted throughout the store. I may have been naughty on the frock front, but I did restrain myself a little - a gorgeous, deep berry red Cue party dress down to $74 from $249 very nearly made it's way to my cupboard, but the straps didn't sit quite right. Pre-Recession I would've shrugged and bought it anyway, but in these leaner times I thought twice about it. And also wondered exactly where I was going to wear it, considering there are at least 5 party frocks in my wardrobe that haven't graced the dancefloor yet. See - sale time is all about being sensible.

Oh yeah and on a side note - you can get 25% off all week at Frock You! That's new arrivals, sale items, the lot. The code is JUNE25 and it's valid up to and including Friday 4th June. It might not be as good a discount as what the chain stores are offering (some of the markdowns out there are mad!! MAD!) but it's still pretty good, I reckon. At least you won't show up for lunch in the same Sportsgirl marked-down top as all your friends. Check out labels like Blue Juice, Motel, GRAB, and Nude for unique but totally wearable winter essentials; and for Little Frockers, well, you'd better be quick as it has been insane in the kidswear department, with mos torders being for 10+ items at a time (hey it makes shipping free so why not!). Munster, Itch, Walnut, Monstar Kids and Monster Baby are all being cleared at a rapid rate - the prices are pretty darn good and the styles are completely and utterly awesome!

Monday Street Style: Got The Blues

2010-05-31T08:00:00.000+10:00

Funny how a colour associated with being a bit blergh can actually be so uplifting. Or how it really does look fab with black, despite black-and-blue usually referring to an injury. Try blue in any shade from navy through to turquoise and just see if it doesn't make you smile...

Schedule Some Time Off

2010-05-28T17:32:00.001+10:00

I sat down last night to write this blog post, but couldn't. I could not get my mind in the right frame, so to speak, to type out a few coherent paragraphs. After spending most of the day, every day, juggling emails and phone calls and paperwork and everything else it takes to run a small business day to day, along with parenting, household duties and attempting to have a social life; often by the end of a weekday I am burnt out. And it happens to everybody, in all walks of life - CEO, stay-at-home-parent, uni student - because our whole world is just constantly on the go, 24/7.

The other day I accidentally left my phone on it's charger and went out without it. And guess what? The world didn't end, nobody threatened to sue me because I hadn't returned their calls or texts, everybody I had arranged to meet throughout the day was at their designated place at the right time - even a lunch date we hadn't specifically arranged the logistics of, fell into place because we ran into each other anyway. Once I was over my initial shock of not being able to be contacted, I quite enjoyed myself. I wasn't trying to have a conversation with one person while texting another, and I was able to just enjoy being where I was and doing what I was doing, without being cyberally in a thousand places at once.

It may have been unscheduled time-out, but I finally understood the whole Scheduled Self-Maintenance thang everyone's been discussing lately. The idea is that you schedule in a day or a morning or 15mins a few times a week for just doing nothing. Just chillin', clearing your head and your space and, possibly, meditating with a notebook next to you. Ok, when I read that, I thought: nice for some. Some who don't have to work long hours to pay their bills or who don't have kids to chase after or who have a cleaning lady. I sneered a little bit at such an idealistic notion which no doubt would leave most of us feeling even more like a failure because on top of everything else we were meant to be doing and can't fit in, now we can't even fit in time off like we should.

But maybe it's not that hard. For example, right at this very minute, I'm typing this, listening to Mr discuss a new internet/phone plan, trying to make sure little Miss doesn't have a late afternoon nap and is occupied with something other than the telly, chatting to a friend on Facebook about her business idea, and trying to decide whether to start dinner soon or scrap that idea and get takeaways. There's at least 3 guilt-conscious things in that sentence right there (tv babysitter! non-organic, non-homecooked dinner! not communicating properly with one's partner/friends! Hmm, maybe it's 4.) Couldn't I just switch everything off, start and finish one thing at a time? Yes, but we're not conditioned to work like that. Multi-task or multi-fail!

So the only thing to do is be pro-active about it, and not in a skincare infomercial sense. Some people, all successful in their own right, work nonstop for 2 weeks, then have 2 weeks off. Others have one day a week of time-out. Even one morning a week can make a difference to your overall approach to pretty much everything, apparently. But how do you tell your work or school or family that you need to schedule this time in? For an awful lot of people, it's awfully difficult. It's a caring boss indeed who would work with you on scheduled self-maintenace - but a good boss will, 'cos a happy employee makes for happy employers. Not everyone is lucky enough to have family or close friends who are willing to look after your kids, nor is childcare an affordable option. Maybe, if you can't literally slot "time-out" into your diary, maybe just slot "slow-down" in there somewhere instead. Choose a "switch-off" time everyday to turn your computer and phone off, or stop with housework or those pesky daily duties, and then simply read, or play with your kids, or veg out in front of the telly.

I used to work 7 days a week. It's only recently, and slowly, that I've trained myself not to turn my computer on over the weekend. And it's great. I actually read books, play in the park with my daughter, bake horribly sweet treats, even go shopping (for fun) while Daddy and Daughter spend some time together. Techincally a weekend is time-out anyway, but how many of us really use that time to switch off? Applying the same theory to week-days is another story, but I'm willing to give it a go. Are you?

The AWW Birthday Cake Book

2010-05-26T21:05:00.000+10:00

It was my daughter's birthday last week, and naturally we poured over every edition of the Australian Women's Weekly Cookbook to find the perfect cake. It was a pirate themed party, but we wanted something a bit more interesting than a round cake with a pirate face on it.

Of course, it's easy to get distracted by little trips down memory lane when it comes to these cookbooks. Hands up who had a number cake? A robot? Dolly Varden? The teddy bear with chocolate bikky paws? The jelly pool (if you did I am very jealous, I always wanted that cake!)? It's just not an Aussie kid's birthday party without an AWW cake. And anyone can make them, even those who are *cough* cuisinely-challenged. Your kid will be as proud as punch no matter what your creation - though of course, it's preferable if it's dripping with lollies and smothered in colourful frosting (or butter cream, as the 80's edition suggested. Mmm, butter cream).

That said, the awesome looking pirate ship in the current edition got the thumbs down from Charlotte - because the black icing looked "yukky". Even though I explained we could always just do chocolate icing, she was firm. No, no, no! As the only other option in the books were ye olde round piratey face, I turned to Taste for inspiration - and her eyes lit up when she saw this:

Chocloate! Lollies! Chocolate coins! Lollies! Chocolate! It was to be a treasure chest and nothing else. Thankfully, it was a massive hit at the party, despite having to field requests for the exact lollies and size coin each guest wanted. And I'm not neccessarily referring to the 4-year-old's, either. Equally thankfully, the recipe was basically a rectangle packet mix so it wasn't too taxing on the parental unit, either.

What was your favourite birthday cake creation? Mine was an icecream Dolly Varden when I was about 7. Sure my birthday is in the middle of winter, but at least it wasn't in danger of melting. Why in the world people loved the idea of a cake that looked like a toilet roll dolly (remember those?!) still evades me. And why in the world people needed a frilly cover for their toilet rolls in the first place is equally as mystifying. Tea cosies in all their knitted glory are making a comeback - perhaps the toilet roll dolly will be the next uber cool craft activity?

Deer Ruby, You Rock

2010-05-25T16:53:00.000+10:00

Alot of cool things come out of Bondi. Apparently, even Bondi Rescue has cred. But one of our bestselling labels also hails from the sandy suburb - Deer Ruby. Some new pieces have just arrived instore, all painstakingly made with love (and a dash of sterling silver).

The new arrivals are very Nicole Richie - beads, charms, they type of pieces you can layer and layer or simply take apart and wear one element at a time. The bold reds and oranges look great against winter darks, while the cute cream beaded cluster bracelet will look awesome with a floaty summer maxi. Be warned though - we regularly sell out of Deer Ruby so if you don't want to wait for restocks, get in quick smart!