Travel Blogs of the mildly amusing variety

Just a quickie to bring to your attention 2 amusing blogs from people you probably don't know, but might like to read about:

These Charming Men: Mat & Marky, who you have already met on here (and Sam, who in a previous life served great coffee) are doing their first overseas, let's-spend-all-our-money-on-duty-free-grog, romp around the US and Europe; which so far has involved some homeless people, a French Revolution vending machine and near-nudity at famous landmarks (with the promise of more to come). If you've been there done that it makes for a nice little dose of nostalgia, if not it might inspire you to avoid them should you be planning to head to the Northern Hemisphere anytime soon.

Travelscene: Cat W, my favourite travelling wench (who should have her own show), decided that a tropical getaway simply would not do these holidays and so headed off to Ghana for a 4 week internship at an English newspaper. Her 3-letter beau, Stu, all round nice guy and occassional pirate, has just headed over to join her for a romantic few weeks avoiding swine flu and other exotic illnesses, and basking in the Greek sunshine. Both of them update the blog which will make you want to hop on a plane quick smart, just not in economy class...

CHOICE: Clothing Size Irregularities

A little while back, Kate Browne from CHOICE asked me to answer a few questions regarding clothing sizes in Australia. You can check out my little paragraph and the entire article here, but for a quick summation watch the 3 minute clip as she goes in search of an LBD, with sizing in high-street stores placing here anywhere from an 10 or M to a 14.

I have been the same size since I was about 14 and decided to stop growing (oh womanly curves, ye do desert me!), so I am going to admit first up that personally it doesn't affect me hugely. I can pretty safely be an 8 or 10 or XS or S in every label. However, once you get past a 10, or indeed if you are smaller than an 8, the road to the perfect fit is fraught with difficulties. The whole sizing issue does affect me once I'm dressed for the day and start work - we get loads of emails daily regarding sizing, and spend a decent amount of time trying stuff on, measuring and generally getting the fit across a range of body shapes. If trying on clothes in store is hard, how in the hell are you meant to be able to buy them online?!

Well, it's not easy. Frustratingly, most labels either don't have or won't give out measurement charts (as another online retailer also notes in the CHOICE article). This is in part to deny their competition easy access to their sizing, which is fair enough, but for every customer email querying sizing, there are a number of Frockers tearing their hair out at the lack of information we have. (Not to say don't email us, please do!).

Standardised sizing won't work. Labels won't go for it as it would compromise design, and it would be an immensely difficult task. My vote goes for making it if not mandatory then at least expected that labels would make their size charts easily accessible instores and online. Come on guys, if one label does it, everyone else will have to, to keep up...even rough measurements work, to a degree.

So, when you're buying online, use any size charts that are available. We put them up when we have them, and we will of course measure things for you - but even these will be approximate, ye olde measuring tape is not foolproof! Another good method, if available to you, is to tory on things from different brands when you are out shopping, and then when you are seeking them out online (for a better price of course!) you'll know whether to go for an 8 or 12 or M or whatever. We keep a record of customer feedback to pass on to other customers - so if you have any, please tell us, and do your little bit of good for women worldwide*. I was as surprised as anyone to find that French Kitty has a pretty generous fit, pleased to see One Teaspoon scale their sizing down a bit to be more standardised, and glad that Blue Juice tops and jackets are consistent even if their pants are a bit big. So, speak up, ask away, we're here to help as best we can!

*Yes, there are more worthy causes on the planet at the moment. Issues of clothing size are not as pressing as say, climate change, but heck it's one facet of everyday life that could be made easier. Fingers crossed

2009 MET Costume Institue Gala: The Model As Muse

Even if I was as famous as Madge, I'm not sure even then I would be brave enough to step out in this:

But then, if you can't go all out at the Met Ball, when can you? Kate Moss did:

Costume? Check, double points for being more subtle than Madge. Model? Check. Muse (not the band)? Check. yet again, she ticks all the boxes!*

Twitter has been going nuts today, with mentions of Turqoise all over the show - Cindy Crawford and Blake Lively both looked amazing (and I'm guessing Ms Lively's hand is placed so for modesty):

But not sure I can be as enthusiastic as Tommy Hilfiger about this (incidentally, I can't work out why guys like to show off his name on their undies. It's a bit like Borat meets the Fonz):

Here's Posh having a Lincraft moment (sorry, MJ):

Gotta love a vampish lip, and Rachel Weisz in her "punk princess" meets 20's screen siren look is so striking:

At least Tyra looks suitably shocked at the scroll on her head. Please tell me she didn't shave her head and glue the offucts onto her noggin? I usually love Tyra :(

And finally, in descending height order, four luminous lovelies and one black lace jumpsuit. Hmm.

*Kate Moss fan over here

Pics: CatwalkQueen; Newsday; JustJared

Beware the Lancome Ladies

I'm still shaking from the attack. Such determination, resourcefulness and blatant force I have never encountered. Those Lancome ladies are really out to get you. Or your money.

The local Myer store is pretty shoddy when it comes to beauty counters. Short of helping yourself to products and attempting to walk out the door, none of the tight-skinned ladies will even look at you. Many a time I have been intent on making a purchase but have left empty handed and bought online or waited til the next Melbourne trip because apparently sorting tissues is a more worthwhile exercise then helping customers. But there is one exception, and that is the Lancome counter, perched in all it's overzealous glory right near the escalators which makes it hard to sneak past unnoticed. Especially if you're atttempting a free spritz of perfume without the sales pitch.

I know they work on comission and in all frankness it must be pretty shite, but the other day made me determined to use the fire stairs and completely avoid that portion of the shop. Most beauty counters in bigger city department stores are more than happy to let you play with colours and generally waste their time, which is a lovely way to spend a Saturday morning. But don't even think about heading to this particular counter if you have a specific product in mind (in this case, my mother was after a restock on her foundation). We knew the exact shade, type and price and simply wanted a "shade no 3 please" and let's make like sheep and get the flock outta there. But nooo, oh lordy nooo...

"would you like a brush for that?"
"no thankyou I already have one"
"oh but not one like this, see how..."
"it's ok, I just bought a new one the other day" (lie)
"what about your mascara? I think this one would be..."
"thankyou, but I have one already which works really well" ( truth, I got it free from Sportsgirl and fobbed it off to her but apparently their makeup is stellar. One of my friends loves it)
"well you probbly don't need blush as your cheeks are a little flushed" (also truth, but not the best way to make a sale). Have you tried our bronzer?" (gets out sample and scary looking brush bigger than our mop)
"no thankyou, I don't really know how to apply it. Look, I have to get to work-"
"here let me-"
"please can I just buy this foundation, I really have to go"
*Charlotte transfixed by woman's uber pink lipstick*
Reluctantly, the single sale is processed. We turn to leave.
"let me just give you a quick sample of the bronzer-"
"no, really"
"here" (leans over and starts dusting face)
we back away; "no thankyou!! BYE"

woman comes out from behind counter and continues her attempt at bronzing. We start to walk, she follows, practically shrieking the benefits of this mircale brown powder and waving the brush. She actually succeeded in a few swipes before we managed to escape out the front, and hide behind a pack of bogan children. She stands in front of her counter, sniffing the air to see which way we went, before her heavily made up eyes spot another victim...**

**mild exagerration. mild.

Must've been a slow day.

Chaser: Balloons & The Vatican

I just heard this on the news and thought I'd share it: http://livenews.com.au/national/the-chaser-team-in-trouble-over-vatican-blimp-stunt/2009/5/1/204869
I love Chaser. The stunt where they had a rave party in Supre would be pretty hard to top (piffle to that APEC thing) but this is up there. Julian Morrow said 'they knew where they were flying the blimp, but conceded it was hard to handle and may have needed L plates.' Plus, they were not aiming to fly it over the Vatican itself, just over St Peter's Square...so surely they can blame God for making the wind take it that way?

Short and sweet: Obama Pics

In my ongoing bid to get out of doing any proper work, I 'accidentally' let my mouse browse around flickr this evening and found these behind the scenes White House pics. I did read the other day that Obama has a Flickr account (oh, if only, to have a Prez who Tweets!) and I'm guessing this Delivering on Change set is it. There are some great pics in there (though I dare not copy and paste them here in case of a lawsuit, I can't be bothered reading the flickr fine print!). Gotta love the look on Michelle O's face in number -0870 (halfway down) - she looks might pissed that Mr O doesn't want to get his white gloves dirty! And I didn't realise the P of US would have time to toss a footy around the Oval office...but still, if you had the chance, wouldn't you?!

RAFW: Armchair Critique

I have a shiny new laptop, super comfy pj's and no desire to spend all day teetering in heels, air kissing people*. And I'm typing this while simultaneously watching the Biggest Loser (Bob rocks!). I'm also in the wrong state to be at RAFW, but thanks to the wonders of twitter and the blogosphere I have no need to be. I've also finally found a use for Grazia magazine aside from something to read at the dentist's - their website has all the pics and the occassional review of all the goings-on. I'm not sure how often it will be updated cos everybody is apparently out hoping to be shot for The Sartorialist, but still, it allows for a copy and paste job not too dissimilar from most weekly mag 'articles'. So, thanks, Grazia (seriously, and excuse the poor grammar). You can also keep up to date at Chic Report.

(Just as a completely irrelevant aside, does anyone else find it cruelly amusing that Masterchef starts just as Biggest Loser is ending?)

Anyhoo, back to business. Grab a nice hot milo, and check this out:

The week opened with Camilla & Marc, and Paul Keating in the front row. I guess with a slick bob, he'd make a passable Anna Wintour. I'm taken with the fluid tops and dresses in nude and metallic tones, and gotta say that 7 models all in black stomping the runway in unison would be a sight to behold indeed. All in all, the show has been hailed a success, though I'm not sure what occassion would call for this outfit:

I do like that jacket though. And these pieces just makes you (well, me anyway) go, "ooooh...shiny and luxe...oooh"

I'm a bit of a fan of the dark, androgynous styles at Friedrich Gray, though I would get considerably miffed at my partner if he started wearing my tshirt.

And if he came home wearing this, I'd be...confused, to say the least.

Ginger & Smart is one of my fav labels-I-can't-generally-afford. Apparently one half of the duo (Alexandra) gave birth 6 days ago and still rocked up looking fab. Their collection is whimsically colourful - the inspiration came from a kite - with lots of tough black and chic navy. I'm quite glad to see minimal florals and overdone prints this S/S - winter's tougher looks, pared down a little with a softer colour palette, will look awesome for Spring. Most of the buying for next seasn at Frock You has been done, and it's all refreshingly grown up, with the occassional burst of bright colour (bright pinks, some stunning blue and a nice dollop of purple for good measure, alongside peach, dove grey and creamy white...mmm...). But I digress:

Zippers rock. Love the fit of those pants. And even though I spent a fair amount of time last week convincing one of our labels that you Frockers probably won't go for a pleather bra top, this gold Xena-esque version somehow works. The pic makes it look like the top still has a security tag laced around it but, dang, it's a chic security tag.

All pics from Grazia's website.

*Disclaimer: Not intended to sound catty because I'm not there. I'm just shit at air kissing.

30% Off Birthday Sale!

To me, a good party means:

-A fabulous new frock, which obviously isn't something we are short of here at FYHQ;

-Good company (tick)
-Multiple bottles of vino

-Songs that you usually cringe at but are more than happy to sing joyously after dowing aforementioned beverages

-A designated driver who is hopefully not you or any of your close buddies. This is where husbands occassionally come in handy now that we're too old to call on someone's Mum in the wee hours (ahem).

But, when you have just turned 2 a la Frock, bubble blowing, fairy bread, cupcakes and a whopping great big sale are the order of the day. Why you guys get the present I'm not sure (kidding, it's to thank you for your loyal support and custom. Seriously, you rock!), but dang, it's a good one - 30% off storewide until Friday! Wooty sticks of joy!

The code is BIRTHDAY and while I would highly recommend you snap up everything quicksticks, ladies these are (some of, tbh) my standout essential picks to get you through the season:

SUNDAY A&J Urusla Leather Biker Boot, $219.95 sale price $153.96 - a flat pair of black boots with timelessly cool buckle detail will see you through many, many winters to come.

Mimosa Baby Wool Funnel $59.95 sale price $41.96 - so soft and luxe (and a bargain price!) the neckline is more flattering than a normal skivvy and it looks just as good on it's own with tailored pants as layered with a vest or knit.

Blue Juice Cool Rider Zip Dress $109.95 sale price $76.96 - this is so cool with it's zipper detailing, a modern piece for the office (seriously if I see another professional person in a skivvy, polyester ill-fitting pants/court shoes combo I'm going to throw a stick at them) or make it work for the weekend with ankle boots and funky tights!


GRAB Harem Pants $39.95 sale price $27.96 (bargain!!!) - ok I have to admit harem pants aren't my thing personally as I am a shortarse and they don't suit me at all, but I have tried these on and OMG they are the comfiest pants ever. So comfy, they even make me say OMG. Definitely a key look for this year (most labels are also doing them for S/S so invest now), these ones look great with a little tee, or worn with tough heels and a flowing top.

Piper Lane Bobcat Trench $179.95 sale price $125.96 - a classic cut, this looks incredibly chic on and goes with absolutely everything, possibly even with tracky daks. Great for those who like a coat that doesn't swamp them, add a little brooch or a cool scarf to make the look your own!

One Teaspoon Cavalry Knit Dress $109.95 sale price $76.96 - worn casual, for the office or dressed up; a classic plain knit dress will never go out of style. Grab a cute waist belt and relax knowing you've got an outfit you can chuck on on those blergh days and still look amazing!

Little Potty Red Shoes Boardwalk Dress $169 sale price $118.30 - this is truly beautiful, with a black lace front panel and black lacy straps forming a deep-v back (so even though there are straps, it is essentially backless. But there is no coherent way to write that.). Elegant, sexy, go for a smoky eye and prepare to turn heads (and not in an Exorcist kinda way).

With that, I wish you luck battling the cyber crowds at our mega awesome sale!

Bloglovin...oh yeah!

So, everyone does Facebook and if you're not Twittering already, you should be (though is there some easier way to read the 457865487 updates from everyone everyday?!), and I have recently discovered a nify little tool for following your fav blogs - Bloglovin' . I don't know how new it is but you simply add blogs, sign in whenever and it tells you if there's been an update. Easy peasy! (Will I be adding FrockOff for you to follow? Yes, when I figure out how...it's a pretty vague yes).

So, aside from biggies like The Sartorialist, other blogs that are cute, regular in a non-All Bran kinda way and about all things pretty:

Coco's Tea Party - I love this one, the writer is very funny, posts are long enough to say something but short enough not to be overwhelming. We can all relate to the slogan "We'd rather go naked than dress badly!". It's written by a hip London fashion insider, and the celeb Hit and Miss posts are definitely worth keeping an eye on.

Diamonds in Champagne - written by an Aussie Voguette, she updates it daily and has startlingly good taste. Warning: will make you want to shop and buy glossy magazines ('cos, like, we all need more encouragement on that front)!

DaydreamLily - posts the most beautifully inspiring pics, and is a must for vintage and/or craft lovers. Layout is gorgeous! Makes me mildly jealous in a good way that I completely lack the skill to shop vintage, craft anything or draw/paint/be arty and wear square glasses. But it did inspire my weekend Esty blitz to purchase many teapot themed pieces of jewellery (random fact: I am a tea addict and have stupid amounts of teapots. Now I can wear them too!)

Stylebubble - choc full of, well, style - from vintage to high end, it's like a little personal tour guide of the hippest treasure troves. Lots of visuals, and Susie Bubble certainly practices what she preaches!

Friggenawesome is written by Lana, a lovely Frocker, and it certainly does what it says on the tin. Awesome artists, gorgeous fashion and oodles of style permeate her blog which is just gorgeous to look at (and read too, if you want).

As Seen In is relatively new on the scene (I think) and has kindly featured Frock You several times (woot!). Celeste trawls the net searching for those covetable pieces as seen in (ooh clever) your fav glossies. Gotta give her top marks for her picks, today's Tulle skirt from Cosmo is so damn pretty!

Actually we should start inventing more hours in the day just so we have time to read all these fabulous blogs talented people are creating. From next week, we'll be focussing on Frocker's blogs, so if you've got one, email me directly kat@frockyou.com.au and let me know!

PS - Happy 2nd Birthday Frock You!

Adventures in Trackpants and Sensible Clothing

Shopping bans are the flavour of the season. For some reason, the clever folk out there thought it would be amusing to torture us with new season goodies while at the same time telling us that restraint is the word du jour. I wondered if I could do it for a week, but quickly gave up on the idea, mainly because my partner just looked a bit wistful when I told him, like I'd mentioned a golden age sans-shoe cupboard I had once let him glimpse into but that would never come to fruition. The idea is, you buy nothing except food and pay bills, and find a newfound calm and possible inner glow in the reversal of your spending habits.

Bollocks to that. Sorry, not going to set myself up for abject failure. The rush from shopping might be shortlived but the glow you get from wearing your gorgeous new boots takes at least half a season to fade. Anyway, the point is, I sort of did succeed this week, without even trying. Sort of. See, we had nice family shopping trip on Saturday morning, in order to purchase (wait for it) sensible *shudder* clothes to take on our upcoming trip to New Zealand. Now, if you're not a sporty lesbian-ish type with a penchant for unflattering pants, the choice in travel wear is fairly limited. (Note: nothing wrong with lesbians, I just mean the minimally feminine). So, while I did not purchase anything sparkly all week (success!) I did end up purchasing quite alot. But it's rare that the Mr of the house is willing to go clothes shopping and even rarer that he spends more time in the changeroom/browsing the racks than I do, so I had to seize the opportunity and just make occcassional detours to Sportsgirl to refresh and hope that they had lots of nice warm and chic knitted beanies so I could avoid a flat polar fleece headwear option (they do, and I did. Phew.). Sensible travelwear surely counts as a must-have, right?

A few merino tshirts for me, a very expensive jacket for Mr and a cute set of matching gloves and scarf for Charlotte later, I was too afraid to check the bank balance. Then it dawned on me that we had just bought techy New Zealand-made items that are all the rage and apparently worth the price tag...to take right back to NZ. I'll spew if they have some sort of Southern Alps merino factory tour where you can buy half price items. The fabrics are all very nice and stuff, it's just they insist on making mostly butt ugly colours in yukky cuts. For non-sporty types like me, it doesn't work. How hard could it be to create something mildy flattering/fashionable out of these magical materials? (I'm sure the magical capes in Lord of the Rings were just some sort of Gortex. Sooo going to ask Frodo when I see him over there. Yeah.). Basic tees, yeah you can get away with. But pants? Talk about big arse factor (and not becuase I just have a big arse, seriously it was the pants). Coupled with a baggy fit and some sensibly chunky walking shoes, I know in my heart of hearts I would be warm, snug and dry, but the vainer outer layer could not cope with the feeling of looking and feeling le frump. So I put it to you, Kathmandu: for one, stop making your shit in China; and another, make something nice out of them! Men can get away with the sporty/outdoorsy/cargo sorta look. Some women can; most can't. Can it really be that hard?

Wait, it gets better. I also braved the techno dancefloor that is Supre again (sans child, she cried when I pointed it out so her and Daddy went ahead to order babycinos and wait), wrangled my way through the overstuffed rails to the Sporte section (seriously it's called that) to buy trackpants *hands rush to mouth in shock*. Stretchy ones with an overlapped waistband, as I felt this was the better option over simply showing up to my new stretch class in leggings and a crop top (eew). Though, some girls showed up to work at Supre in this outfit, so possibly nobody would notice. Or care, obviously. What's the hotline for the Fashion Police?