Glove love

Image: flickr.com

Apparently if it's freezing cold out and you wish to stay toasty warm, a hat is the best weapon to guard against single digit temperatures--ie if your head is warm, your whole body will be warm. I have also been told this is true for feet. What I find in winter is that even slightly mild temperatures cause my fingers to turn into little ice blocks. This week temperatures have plummeted considerably and I have noticed that my fingers are often numb and I find myself wondering if I have contracted some sort of early onset frostbite.

Which is why I was terribly upset when I realised that I had somehow lost one of my two pairs of elbow length gloves (I have a lot of 3/4 sleeve jackets). After calling every restaurant/cafe I visited last week to no avail, I have sadly resigned myself to the fact that I am not going to find them and I'll need to buy a new pair. But where to find such gloves when end of season sales are drawing to a close and in a mere matter of weeks first spring/summer stock will begin to be rolled out across the country? Not to mention the fact that charcoal grey knitted elbow length gloves aren't terribly easy to find--and I can't exactly carry a cup of hot chocolate around with me everywhere I go either (sadly).

Too bad I look awful in hats =[

Fairy floss

Images: Stiletto Magazine on fashion-ation.net

When I saw these images I found myself struck by the simple, graceful and magical photography that lent these feathered frou-frou confections an air of fantasy, as if they belonged in a dream world. When I read the caption which declared them all to be pieces of haute couture by none other than Chanel and Givenchy, I realised that they were indeed other-worldly and far beyond the reach of my own sticky fingers.

Amazing.

I quite agree with the commentary on fashion-ation which describes them as no less that works of art complete even without being worn, as garments usually should be. If only they were exhibiting in a gallery near me.

Bewitched

Cone-heel sandal by Chloe
Chloe copy

Images: net-a-porter.com; witchery.com.au

If like me you are greeted daily by about 50 million emails, almost none of which are from your friends, it is likely that like me you received an email from a certain Aussie chain store advertising their new Spring/Summer collection. Or should I say, their assembly of last season's designer creations loosely re-interpreted--ie, hardly changed at all (I'm looking at you, blatant Chloe cone-heel sandal knock-offs).

Clearly, blatant designer copies are a pet-peeve of mine, and it's not that I can't appreciate that chain-store items result from a trickle-down effect based on haute fashion trends-- a la Meryl Streep's spiel regarding THAT cerulean blue sweater in "The Devil wears Prada". I understand that these stores which cater to the masses need to provide designer "inspired" clothing in line with fashion trends dictated by the houses. What I don't think I will ever be able to make peace with, or buy myself, is an outright knock-off item. What also bothers me is that the chain-stores are able to make a mint trading off of the intellectual and creative property of others (and of course, the above offender isn't the only one). Besides, aren't there laws against that type of thing?

As the chain and high-street stores become increasingly infiltrated with these inferior imposter items I become increasingly turned-off shopping there. I know it may seem that I am turning up my nose at affordable fashion, but really that isn't so. In fact I own many items of non-copied high-street clothing. I simply believe that the majority of the population (myself included) which cannot afford designer items deserves better than to end up increasingly clad in cheap imitations.

Baked goods

Images: bjooti.net

Baked goods are delicious for a number of reasons:

they are oh so tempting, look gorgeous, offer great colour pay-off and with (usually) more than one colour in the pan they are great for lazy days or when you're applying your maquillage on the go. No, I haven't gotten cakes and cookies confused with make-up, because MAC's Mineralize blushes, skinfinishes and eyeshadow duos are baked in an oven to provide maximum shimmer and smooth wearability.

Three new collections of Mineralize products have just been released in the US by MAC, meaning they should arrive on Aussie shores in a few short weeks. And I cannot wait! A long time fan of the Mineralize range I tend to favour these products since they provide a sheeny, slightly shimmery, glowy finish that makes your skin look good enough to eat.

To market, to market

Image: hopestreetmarkets.com

When you are a student with illustrious ideas but a meagre budget there are only so many places you can afford to shop in order to avoid looking like a sheep that just stepped out of the pages of Cosmo magazine. The over-saturation of chain-stores and countless fashion-victims adrift in a sea of same-ness can often have a panic-inducing effect when shopping along the main drag of Pitt St mall or your local Westfield. Which is why sample sales have always been a mainstay on my to-shop list, and why I have recently turned to markets in order to find unique cheap and cheerful pieces to supplement my wardrobe.

Trawling markets (or marketing, as I like to call it) has become a favourite weekend past-time even when walking away empty handed, since there are so many interesting and hilarious things to be spotted such as giant 80s perforated leather dresses, adorable hand-sewn baby clothes, or humongous rings made from old metal liquor tags. Even though giant leather dresses aren't exactly my thing, I have found shopping at the markets to be a rewarding experience since it offers such a diverse and affordable mix of second hand, vintage and new items that are refreshingly differentiated from mass-produced chain-store fare.

Blue jean baby

Image: cheapmonday.com

For many women, myself included, the search for the perfect pair of jeans can somewhat resemble the quest for the holy grail--it can take many years, it can be painful, there can be tears, and after many false leads you may end up resigning yourself to the fact that sadly it is a mythical object that simply no longer exists. Luckily for me a true Purple Cow of the denim variety was brought to the Australian consumer all the way from its native Stockholm--yes, I am talking about Cheap Mondays.

Personally I have never been willing to spend exorbitant amounts of money on jeans--$500 for a pair of casual pants does not a happy Jaqui make. At $90 a pop, Cheap Mondays are therefore ideal to me in everyway: they have a great fit, are super tight and LONG enough, are semi-high waisted, come in about 20+ different washes and you don't feel guilty about buying 3 pairs of the exact same pant in different shades because the cost is equivalent to one pair of designer jeans.

So if you're searching for your holy grail jeans you don't need to make a journey to Arthurian England... just head over to Bondi.

Impulse buys are the work of the devil

Image: bibaexperience.com

After taking on a few extra shifts and finding myself with a few extra dollars, I consequently found myself doing quite a bit of shopping centred around the end-of-year/season sales which abound this time of year. However this kind of shopping climate often goes hand-in-hand with one of my biggest financial hurdles--the impulse buy, aka the regrettable purchase. It never fails to astound me how whenever this happens, I later find something I absolutely must have only to discover I am short the exact amount I spent on the regrettable item.

Nevertheless I did manage to find a few items I adore and which will fit in rather nicely with my existing wardrobe, in particular a pair of gorgeous Biba sunglasses and a cobalt blue Camilla and Marc dress. In my old age I hope I will out-grow this impulse phase, or at least cultivate enough wisdom to always think twice before handing over my hard-earned cash.