What I Wore Today/More DIY Madness

Hey there my beauties!

This was what I wore today, until lunch time when I got called in to work. So, after I work the weekend and Monday, I will have worked six days in a row. FTW. But also exciting, is that fact that I reconstructed the shirt I'm wearing. Another one of my 3 for $15 Jay Jays babies, I like to call it the Ribcage & Spinal Cord. I did the slashy-tornado back thing, resized a little, and added the red sleeves. Also, I'm in love. I wish I worked somewhere that I didn't have to take this shirt off when I go in tomorrow. I may even sleep in it, that's how much I love it.

Outfit Rundown:

Oh no, I'm a Jay Jays whore today!
The t-shirt (before recon), belt (2 for $15), and pinstripe pants ($5) all come from Jay Jays.

Headwrap thing: Tree of Life, $8

No shoooes.

Also, my TAFE materials arrived today, and I'm so excited. I'm doing two short courses, one in Basic Dressmaking, and the other in Pattern Making. I'm doing up a little study plan right now, so that I know when things are due. It may or may not be highlighted in neon green. Yay! In other news, tomorrow I'm going to make a dress out of one of these handy 3 for $15 t-shirts.

Until next time, xo.

Things I love Thursday!

Yay, it's Thursday! And Thursday is a little bit like Friday, because I have the day off tomorrow. Hmm, what did I love this week you ask?

MY 21ST BIRTHDAY PARTY! - Seedy karaoke bar, private room, pool tables and an enormous drink tab. Enough said. Or, if not, here's some pictures that say much more:

Oh hai! We can has awesome nao?

Oh look, I sing something that is probably Avril Lavigne. Only cooler, cuz it's me, right?

Only the cool kids congregate around the pool table.

I love that I look like I'm wearing some kind of Catwoman suit here.

The Boyfriend being passed out on by someone who actually wasn't drunk yet. LOL.

They feel pretty, oh so pretty.

I love me some of this picture right here.

Look, intoxicated people dance now too!


The Boyfriend and I - before the shiny crown started hurting my head.

Other happiness gems: my new sewing machine; 3 for $15 t-shirts at Jay Jays; "I want these in the biggest size you have" - in reference to said t-shirts; "I know this is supposed to be a barrel of monkeys joke, but you know most of these are apes?" - in reference to one of said t-shirts; hot chips ; rearranging the walls in Ladieswear so they look pretty; head wraps from Tree of Life; bucketloads of inspiration; lots of time with The Boyfriend; the way cats lay around the house in Summer; enrolling in my TAFE courses, & lots of kissing.

It's Thursday guys! What do you love?

Until next time, xo.

DIY Madness!

Hello there lovelies,

Long time no see ay? I assure you, I haven't died in a freak gasoline fight accident, oh no. I've just been super busy, first anticipating my 21st birthday party, then attending it, and then being completely in love with my brand new sewing machine. For those in the sewing know it is a Janome DC2101 - freaking sweet. It's certainly a big change from my old machine, which may have in fact walked with dinosaurs (aww, don't worry old machine, I still loved you). This one has lots of fancy things, such as an up-down needle button. Hey, don't laugh! That's a big luxury to me! Anyway, I made three skirts last night (plus, sketched out ideas for a skeleton back t-shirt, and a t-to-dress reconstruction).

Note to self - next time, make sure you have the skirt on straight before taking pics. This skirt was made from a t-shirt found on a 3 for $15 table at Jay Jays. Obviously, the pattern was meant to be suspenders, but I thought "you don't just use suspenders to hold up your pants", and made what I refer to as The Garter Belt Skirt. So easy to make! If you get a shirt the right size, then it's really just a matter of cutting, hemming and adding the waistband.

Pacman! (Once, next time remember to put the damn skirt on straight!). This used to be a Jay Jay's womens tank top with a Pacman print on the front. As you can see now it is a fairly indecent skirt. Once again, cutting, slight reshaping, hemming - and the addition of cute little back pockets! Man oh man, do I love me some Pacman right now.

Now this is probably the most complex project I've ever undertaken. This is not a reconstruction people, but a for reals from scratch skirt. I picked up the tartan material for $2.50 from the op-shop, and the zipper once upon a time for 50c. The tutorial I used for this skirt was made by the awesome Max California. I made my skirt a waisted skirt rather than an underbust skirt - and it did come out slightly shorter than I intended! I'm tossing up adding another layer to it, just for the sake of my dignity, but time will tell. I'm so proud of it!

So there's a nights worth of crafty endeavours for you! By the way I'm finally enrolled in my first set of TAFE courses now - a basic dressmaking course, and a patternmaking course. I can't wait for my materials to arrive, I'm so excited! What have you all been up to?

Until next time, xo.

Mike Posner + Gigamesh + Grindin Chart

Oh, the Grindin chart. The monthly list of the world's fifteen best songs (fact, not opinion) rarely features any of the cuts I've submitted for potential inclusion. Let's face it: Grinders simply aren't in love with Top 40 the way I am. On top of that, the dudes and dudettes on Grindin are all superstar DJs, producers, and bloggers and thus consistently have a grip of tracks the rest of the world (myself included) hasn't yet been able to get their paws on. Granted every single song ever featured on the list has ended up being simply huge (again: fact, not opinion), but I'm left in the dark relatively often. Oh well. However, I managed to sneak a pick onto this list this month, so please celebrate with me the recognition of Skeet Skeet's downright filthy "Tik Tok" remix. Then peep the video for the Gigamesh remix of Mike Posner's "Cooler Than Me," yet another song that I tried (unsuccessfully, as it were) to get on the November chart. Sigh.

1. Erol Alkan and Boys Noise - "Waaves (Gonzales Remix)"
2. Jose James- "Blackmagic (Joy Orbison's Recreation)"
3. Florence + the Machine - "YGTL (Renaissance Man Edit)"
4. Little Jinder - "Youth Blood (Bok Bok Remix)"
5. Roska - "Elevated Level (Kingdom Refix Feat. Brandy)"
6. Buraka Son Sistema - "General (L-Vis 1990 Remix)"
7. Hostage - "Valhalla (Momma's Boy Remix)"
8. Boris Dlugosch - "Bangkok"
9. Deadboy - "U Cheated"
10. Deadboy - "Heartbreaker"
11. Simian Mobile Disco - "Cruel Intentions (Maurice Fulton Remix)"
12. Dubbel Dutch - "Trollsta (Round Table Knights Remix)"
13. Hot Chip - "Take It In"
14. Ke$ha - "Tik Tok (Skeet Skeet Remix)"
15. Untold - "Stop What You're Doing (James Blake Remix)"



Disclaimer: I haven't yet watched this video. In fact, it may not even be a video at all. I'm on a bus, the internet connection is piss poor (I mean, it's a bus after all, not the Dartmouth College library), and I'm just anxious for y'all to hear the track. No patience whatsoever.

P.S. Click here to check out some pictures of the Posner + Wale + Gym Class Heroes concert I opened for a couple of months back.

P.P.S. I'll put up a Posner pic later. Flippin' bus internet. Too slow for much of anything. Predictable.

Wiley + Chew Fu

Wow. Chew Fu. I feel like the dude was starting out about the same time I was starting up Panda Toes. I was a fledgling blogger and he was just a wee producer churning out electro remixes of Top 40 cuts one after another. And now look at what's happened: I'm still running a goofy site with a moderate readership and he's off producing tracks for Wiley. Always good to see that others have accomplished heaps in the amount of time you've done more or less nothing.

Wiz Khalifa

Khalifa's latest mixtape, Burn After Rolling, is probably one of the better among the best rap releases of 2009. Going over tracks from Empire of the Sun and Pink Floyd, Khalifa has always been about crossing over into different genres, but as he flows over Jay Rock's All My Life, there is little doubt that he has hit his stride. Here's "This Plane" from Deal or No Deal which drops next week.

Three 6 Mafia + Tiësto + Flo Rida + Sean Kingston

O.K. So. Where to start? I have no idea what I think about this track. I love Three 6 Mafia. Flo Rida has put out a grip of solid singles. Heck, I even ride for a select few Sean Kingston joints. But those three names working together on a Tiësto-produced track? Now that's something I never expected to see. I'm not nearly as mad at this as I expected to be. Heck, I might even like it. Who knows? Develop your own opinion:

A Little Summer Inspiration...

Hello there lovelies!

My fellow Australians will most probably feel my pain when I say it's really starting to heat up down here in the Southern Hemisphere. Now, my main problem with this is that I find it hard to keep my style interesting once it starts getting hot. It's far too tempting to sit around the house, under a fan in shorts and a ratty old singlet. Especially when we have horrible days like today where the temperature reaches 41 degrees celsius! So, just in case there are others out there in the same dilemma, I put my brain and Polyvore into a blender and came up with some quirky options for keeping cool in the Summer. Readers, meet the products of my poor, possibly heat-stroke afflicted brain - my inspiration for cool Summer style:

Tomboy by Miss Peregrin featuring Marc by Marc Jacobs bags

For those who, like me, haven't grown out of wearing hats with animal ears.

Who the? by Miss Peregrin featuring Miu Miu accessories

Why have only one crazy element to your outfit, when you can have many? I'm in love with those shoes.

Little Bit of Turquoise by Miss Peregrin featuring Lulu Guinness bags

Oh crazy hats, I just can't get enough of you.

Where The Wild Things Are by Miss Peregrin featuring Betseyville bags

I can always use more neon colours in my life. And shoes that say "sex".

Black Widow by Miss Peregrin featuring aerie socks

Ok, so maybe this one had less to do with Summer, and more to do with me thinking that the bird-skull ring is total Black Widow material. Awesome.

And there you have it! These are the kinds of thing running through my head this Summer. What is running through yours? Don't hesitate to share if you're currently in the midst of Winter right now. I may be jealous, but I love Winter fashion inspiration far more than it's Summer cousin. Share and share alike! What is filling your current style musings?

Until next time, xo.

Thought For The Day...

Photo by Cayusa

"There is no excellent beauty that hath not some strangeness in the proportion."

Sir Francis Bacon, "Of Beauty"

Until next time, xo.

Funky Funky Disco

It's been a long time coming, but I think it's safe to say disco is back. Everybody from A-Trak to David Guetta have been working remixes and original tracks into their sets that pull from the coke-fueled funkyness of a bygone era. I want to give props to two producers that've grabbed this revival by the proverbial horns.

First up, Hatiras' "New Disco EP" has been one of my favorite releases this year in the Beatport spectrum, pulling together three filtered house tracks that bang equally hard on the big-room house circuit and jammy afterhours scene. Disco Doom 2010 is my favorite of the bunch, and word from the man himself is that a new EP along the same vein and namesake is on the way. That photo is a sentimental little gem of the aforementioned producer and his lovely bride at their pre-wedding wedding at Burning Man this year.

The next track comes from a new sliver of the musical universe that I've long overlooked: mid-tempo disco pop. At the top of the heap in this area is a Belgian duo by the name of Aeroplane. Their remixes have been bouncing up on charts all over the place and they consistently blend infectious basslines and big, bright, warm synthesizers into everything they do. According to legend, they're are all hard synths recorded into a DAW - impressive I say, but I digress. This new remix of a Lindstrom track (an outstanding producer on his own in the same genre of mid-tempo jams) bangs - you can bet when this drops, I'm out there doing the dice roll on the dance floor.

Kid Sister + Swedish House Mafia

Kid Sister's "Right Hand Hi" immediately struck me as a huge crossover jam. The Swedish House Mafia boys do their thing on the beat while still keeping it accessible to the American masses, Kid Sis brings her flow and charm, and the end result is fantastic. You know a song's hot when people are requesting it at raves and sorority formals alike.

Anywho, the video just dropped. Not quite sure how I feel about just yet; seems to be well produced and edited, but for some reason or another I'm not really feeling it. That said, there's no way I could love this song as much as I do and play it out as often as I have and then not post up the video. Simply not an option. Check it:


Right Hand Hi

KID SISTER | MySpace Video

EDIT: Don't forget - Ultraviolet drops on Tuesday (I think), get excited.

Crafty Goodness

Hello there lovelies!

Now, you may have noticed the lack of DIY-related posts lately, and I assure you, there is a reason for this. Two actually - my sewing machine has broken down again, and apparently learning to knit is difficult for an uncoordinated left hander! Luckily, my amazing parents are buying me a new one for my birthday, and I only have two weeks left to go before I'll be crafting like crazy again. But in the meantime, I thought I'd share the crafty goodness of other people with you all - even if you don't enjoy it, it will stop me from completely losing my mind!

People Who Inspire Me

These guys are my main muses - I love them so much! If I had more money, I'd probably buy everything in their stores. Alas, I do not (although, that just means that the rest of you are in with a shot of getting your hands on their stuff ay?)

What The Craft / Smarmy Clothes

This lady is pretty much the queen of T-shirt reconstruction. She takes regular old t-shirts, and turns them into complete fucking masterpieces. You may think I exaggerate, but I assure you I don't. She also does custom orders, and (while I'm yet to afford one, how sad) the level of customization being offered is second to none. At first glance you might think her pieces are quite expensive, but remember she's taking a t-shirt, and turning it into something completely new. Now, at this point, you might think this lady couldn't get any more awesome - but she does. In addition to her webstore, she also maintains a website full of free tutorials for fellow DIYer's, called What The Craft. Love, love love from me.

This shirt is for sale here.

Lipgloss & Black

This team of two DIYing sisters defines amazing. I love visiting their store, and marvelling at the unique ways they put items together, and give them their own personal spin. I first stumbled across Sam and Sylvia on a t-shirt surgery community on Livejournal, and have obsessively stalked them since (Sorry guys, I'm not that creepy, I swear). If you live anywhere near Toronto, unlike me, you can also find their pieces in an actual shop - a lovely looking little boutique named Perwinkle. If you get the chance, click on the link in the title, and check out the costumes they created for Halloween this year. They are possibly the best things I have ever seen.

Visit their Etsy store here.

Max California

Now this rocking lady is actually from my country - once again, I stumbled across her work on a t-shirt surgery community one day, and have unabashedly stalked her ever since. But you know, not in a creepy way. Max's t-shirt reconstructions are some of the most original pieces I have ever seen. I really admire her creativity, and her skill. Also, this might sound strange, but I really wish I had a baby right about now. Why you ask? Because this lady is designing/selling a super-cool range of baby clothes (in particular for little boys), and I just wish I had someone to dress in them! Also, she doesn't just DIY clothes - she DIY's pretty much everything. Inspiration much?

Visit her Etsy store here.

xannabotx

Oh man, has this girl got talent. Once again, found on the t-shirt surgery community and stalked. (Gosh, who knew I was such a creepy?) Ever since finding her there, I've fallen in love with her crazy, amazing creations. But what I find most inspiring is this - everything she uses to make her designs is second-hand. She is a master of upcycling quirky thrift store finds, and the only animal products in her garments are those already in the materials when they are found. I find this totally inspiring because I think working only with second-hand material would really stretch your creativity at times, but I bet it would make you feel great too. Hats off to you xannabotx!

This cardigan is for sale here.


Other cool stuff

T-shirt Surgery - If you like turning your old worn out t-shirts into something new, this is your place.
Craftgrrl - Where all kinds of crafty ladies unite under one roof. There's always something interesting here.
Cut Out And Keep -Lots of cute projects and ideas to keep you entertained.
Threadbanger - I love their videos of "How To" projects. Way to make me spend forever on Youtube guys!
Ohmystars - Another great reference for those who are t-shirt surgery inclined, or just in need of some fresh ideas.
Craftster - I mainly lurk on the forums. And fanatically save pictures of things that I like. Now you know my secret shame.

So what about you guys? Got any more awesome crafting/sewing/t-shirt surgery inspiration for me? Seriously, I need some eyecandy to distract me until my new sewing machine is within my reach. Oh man, will that day be sweet. And full of sewing. First thing I'm making is the skirt-from-pacman-shirt that I've been planning. Anyway, I'm getting ahead of myself. Send me your crafty inspiration links, and I'll love you forever!

Until next time, xo.

P.S. To my lovely inspirers - of course, if you'd rather not be in this post just let me know and I'll fix it up.

Chamillionaire

Texas. It's the best. Big Tex, blue bonnets, southern belles, George Bush, Pantera, Tex Mex, and Shiner Bock. Yea, one would most certainly be ill-advised to go anywhere else for any reason. Real talk.

But the best part of Texas may or may not be Chamillionaire. (Don't get it twisted, though - the coolest thing from Texas may be from Houston, but Dallas is still the spot.) I pumped the dude's The Sound of Revenge for a solid three years (which is not to say that I don't still visit it on the regular). Then came Ultimate Victory, yet another solid product. And from the looks of the first single off of Chamillionaire's upcoming Venom, the man's still got a grip of quality cuts to come. "Good Morning" is easily one of the most radio-friendly tracks he's put out (due in no small part to that sample), which in this case isn't a bad thing. So nice.

What I Wore Today!

Hello lovelies,

After days of studying, exam preparation and tearing my hair out I needed a bit of a pick-me-up. So here's my injection of a little colour and fun into my life. I do feel slightly like I should be singing the theme song of "Degrassi Junior High" with my layering and tie-dye, but that's a good thing to me.

Outfit Rundown:

Tie-dye singlet: Jay Jays, 2 for $30

Grey singlet: Bonds, stolen from The Boyfriend's drawers

Jeans: Kmart, $30

Unicorn pin: Hervey Bay markets, a gift from my Mum.

And now, off to study for my third and final exam - Applied Psychology. This exam is happening at 8am tomorrow morning. MAJOR FAIL. On the bright side, at least then I'm free to start concentrating on my business plans, and it's my 21st birthday in 16 days! Next weekend I'm having a bitching party at a slightly seedy karaoke bar, and I can't wait. How's your day? And more importantly, what are you wearing? Haha.

Until next time, xo.

Ke$ha (Again) + Skeet Skeet

O.K. Y'all certainly understand that I'm all for playing out "Tik Tok." Told you folks some time ago that it'd get huge, and it did. Supposed it'd rise on the Billboard Hot 100, and it has (currently sitting at a healthy 16). And to be entirely honest, I love saying "I told you so." Self-call central.

Anywho, a grip of official remixes are out for your listening pleasure now, and DJs everywhere are going b-a-n-a-n-a-s playing 'em out. But though I dig 'em as much as the next guy, I just can't see myself dropping these in a set in the near future. When I'm playing "Tik Tok," I'm playing to a sea (see: puddle) of drunk college girls (and drunk college guys trying to get with drunk college girls), and thus keeping it poppy is a priority. Enter Skeet Skeet's remix. Similar enough to the original to keep Becky happy yet different enough to make her squeal with delight. Uh, yep. Killin' it.

A Dose of Style - Taylor Momsen

Hello out there guys!

I have to admit, I've got a brand new celebrity crush (well actually, it's kind of an old celebrity crush, but sssh!). It probably has something to do with my obsessive watching of a certain show, that I'm not going to mention by name right now, for fear of disppearing back into the black hole it has created around me. Anyway, I'm in love with Taylor Momsen - or at least her outfits. I'm loving the whole "hot mess" thing she's got going on. And besides, what better way to wind down from your first (horrifying) exam than by looking at pretty pictures?

The famous fashion week outfit. I love that this outfit says "You totally wish I was a hooker, but I'm not." Plus, I pretty much love anything to do with thigh-high stockings.

Argh, this picture is much too cute. The dress, the boots, the hair, the rocking out pose! It's all too much. I just have to love her, even if I have heard that her band sounds like someone torturing cats (anyone got any hard evidence of this?).

Someone is apparently too cool for school. And ok, I completely agree with that statement. There are just so many layers and textures going on here - it blows my mind (in an awesome way)!

I. Must. Have. Those. Pants. End of story.

Simple, but gorgeous. And oh my, what might that be? It's not a smile is it? Almost a smile? A smirk even? Come on Taylor, who wouldn't be smiling in this outfit?

Until next time, xo.

The Great Gemma Ward Debate (Or, is this really fat?)

Hello there everyone,

I've got a bone to pick this morning, after The Boyfriend linked me to a rather disturbing article - Gemma Ward has apparently quit modelling due to attacks on her new shape, following recent weight gain. I don't know what disturbs me more. The fact that this young woman has been attacked so vehemently over her changing body shape, or the fact the she is considered too big to be a conventional model. Pictures from one of Gemma's last modelling jobs have been posted under many different headlines - from "A not so itsy bitsy teeny weeny Chanel bikini" to "Chanel Spring 2008 Embraces the Big Girl". But is this really fat?

All I see is a perfectly healthy, attractive young woman. She's just changed from a waifish 16 year-old girl into a 22 year-old woman - boobs and hips tend to come with the territory! But you know, God forbid that women modelling clothes for the masses should actually represent normal women. It's better for sales if we all hate our bodies, and will try anything to look like a little boy, right? It really saddens me, because I feel like fashion is a industry that has so much potential to build women up, yet it wastes so much time tearing them down. Why not celebrate all the different body types in world instead of condemning all but one of them? Why not advocate being happy and healthy, rather than being skinny at any cost? And why, why berate young women over the bodies that they are growing into? I'm sick of seeing people look at the female body through warped eyes, and I'm sick of hearing girls like Gemma being called "obese".

So I just want to say, to Gemma, and to all the other young women out there - don't listen to the people tearing you down. If you love yourself, and you love your body, then no naysayer can take that away from you. You are all beautiful, no matter what shape your body happens to be. You all deserve so much more respect than Gemma has been shown in this situation, and you don't have to take this shit. How about this time, instead of doing what they expect, we throw them for a six and love our bodies unconditionally? Don't worry, I've got your back.

Until next time, xo.

How To: Make Big Decisions & Not Regret Them Later

Hello there lovelies!

So, maybe it was a bad idea for my triumphant return to the world of blogging to happen at the same time as I bought Season 2 of Gossip Girl. Perhaps it was a very bad idea - I've been too wrapped up in Gossip Girl (or, more specifically the happenings between Blair & Chuck) to do much else. But lately, when I haven't been watching Gossip Girl I've been making some big decisions about the direction of my life, and I'd really like to share some tips with anyone else who might need to be doing the same. So, without further ado, here are my tips for making big decisions, and (hopefully) not regretting them later.

• Stop and think. First of all, if you're about to make a decision that will change your entire life, take some time to stop and think. Are you unhappy with what you're doing currently? Is what you're doing taking you where you want to go? Would you be happy doing the same thing, just in a different place, or a different way? Do you really hate your job, or just your overbearing boss? Are you really unhappy, or just feeling restless? Do you know what you want to do instead of what you're doing now? You need to think about all these things before taking the plunge into a whole new direction. What you think, and how you feel are some of the most important indicators of how well your decision works for you.
  


• Listen to yourself, not everyone else. Sure, the important people in you life probably have some very good advice, but it is ultimately your life. And sometimes, people are going to tell you that you're stupid for doing what you want - especially if you're dropping out of university, or giving up a promising business career to work in the creative sector. But if that is what you want, you need to listen to yourself. Don't let other people push you into things that you don't want for yourself. You are the one who has to live with the consequences of your big decisions, not them. Furthermore, don't apologise for what you want. No matter what your dreams for yourself are, they are just as valid as anyone elses'. Even if what you really want to do is become the next Miss Poledancing Universe, that doesn't make your point of view any less important.
  


• Think ahead & keep your options open. This is also important - just because your dream to be the next Scarlett Johansson, Julia Gillard, or Gala Darling is valid, that doesn't mean it will always work out. So don't burn all your current bridges when forging your new path, and don't rush into a big change without a plan. If you can, sample what you want to before you leave whatever you're doing currently. Make sure your new plan is a good fit for you, because you don't want to leave university to become a fashion designer and then discover you hate sewing. Furthermore, you don't want to spout your grand plans at your employer and dramatically resign Bridget-Jones-style, only to come crawling back a year later. Whatever you are going currently, end the situation amicably and intelligently, and then you'll still have options if your decision turns out to be a bad one. There's nothing wrong with a back-up plan, or researching your options, and that doesn't mean that your new path is doomed to failure.
  


• Research, research, research. Find out as much information as you can about all the possible options of your decision. If you're looking at persuing a new career, find out what it entails. If you're looking at enrolling in a different course, find out what the prerequisites are, what the cost is, when you need to enrol, and where it can take you. Knowledge is power, and getting all the knowledge you can behind you will make sure your decision is well-informed - no investing in stretchy wallet-purse-belts for you (ok, a little Gossip Girl just crept back in there)! Doing your research will also stop you from having any romantic notions about the choice you're making. For example, I'm sure that throwing in the academic towel to become an actress sounds great, but the reality (castings, never knowing where your next paycheck is coming from, long hours, hard work) is a lot less glamorous. Doing some thorough research will make sure you don't hold onto illusions about what your decision will mean for your life.
  


• Have faith in yourself! The most important point of all. Anytime you're making a big decision, that may change your life completely people are going to tell you that you're stupid. They're going to tell you that your idea is silly, that it's too hard, that you're too smart, not smart enough, don't understand the risks, and so on, and so on, etc. etc. But if you believe in yourself, what do all those people matter? If something feels right, and you think you can make it work, go for it! The sky is your limit, and if you think you can do it, then you probably can.

In the last year, one of the major things I have learned is that I don't need to apologise for wanting the things that I do, even if they're not what others want for me. And, that I don't need other people to believe in me - it's nice when they do, but I can do it myself. So hopefully, this is helpful to some people in the same situation as last-year me, because you can all make these difficult decisions too. You can do whatever you put your mind to, even if it means breaking out of the things you've always assumed were best for you. I believe in you lovelies.

Until next time, xo.

What I Wore Today!

Hello lovelies!

It is time once again for completely unnecessary picture of my clothes, while I jump around on my couch. It is because the stars are now in the correct alignment for - oh shit, I don't know, I just wanted to jump around on my couch and take pictures ok? I think this is what happens to crazy people when they buy Season 2 of Gossip Girl for only $40. Feel for your non-TV watching Australian cousin, American GG fans! We've only just gotten Season 2 on DVD, and from what I hear, you're already half-way through Season 3??!! Beware, spoil me and I'm likely to knife you. Gossip Girl is srs business yo.

Outfit Rundown:

Earrings: Trade Secret (Groove Acessories) 50c!!???

"I Was The Guinea Pig For Those Experiments" T-shirt: Bought from Countess Von Belfry on eBay, $15 (or thereabouts)
Striped t-shirt: Trade Secret (Envious), $14.95 - my 10% staff discount.
Belt: Jay Jays, 2 for $15
Jeans: Target, $25

In other news, it's so hot I fear I may melt into a pile of goo, I have a rent inspection coming up, and I get a new manager at work tomorrow. But, I have new episodes of Gossip Girl, so everything is ok (until I stay up all night to watch the whole season, and then collapse from exhaustion in front of said new manager at work tomorrow). I have also bought new work shoes, been waiting for info about garment production/pattern-making courses to be sent to me, sung along to numerous Avril Lavigne songs, and done limited study for my upcoming exams.

What have you all been up to? I've missed you!

Until next time, xo.

I'm Back!

Photo by High Heel Lady

I know, I've been neglecting you all again! I've been taking a much needed sabbatical from pretty much everything, and doing a whole lot of serious thinking. I've come to some pretty serious decisions about the direction of my life. I'm terrified, but I feel amazing. I don't think I'm going to go back to University next year. It's interesting, but right now, it makes my life miserable. Instead I'm going to be working at Trade Secret (hopefully full-time), and getting some fashion/business qualifications behind me. In a year or two, I want to go public with my own clothing brand. In five or ten years, I want to run my own clothing store. I'm so excited just thinking about it - and I think that shows I'm making the right decision, because I feel the happiest I have in a long time.

But now that I'm finished rambling, blogging is back on lovelies! You can expect regular recordings of my personal thoughts right here (almost) every day (I hope that this is exciting to someone besides me, haha).

Until next time, xo.