heartbeats, intimidation

broken dreams club

2012-01-27T09:00:00.000+11:00

A shorter, sleeveless and pocketed version of the Elysium dress I posted a few months ago. Please excuse my Bambi legs and unsightly mozzie bites! I bought the fabric from Tessuti and had it lying in my trunk for ages, I feel like it's a bit too busy for this style of dress but I couldn't let it sit there any longer! I'm still tweaking the back pattern piece so that it gapes less, anybody with sewing experience got pointers for me? :)

Things have really slowed down, I realise how much time I have on my hands now that I'm no longer working (still looking though, hire me plz! haha). It's hard to get stuck into projects though, I often lay out my fabric and scissors and pattern and just stare at them, willing them to cut and sew themselves because I'm so overwhelmed! Maybe that's just me though :P

x Amie

photobooth is life.

2012-01-15T20:10:00.000+11:00

Because I don't have a photographer boyfriend or the patience to use self-timer.
1. American Apparel jumper, DIY hama bead heart, thrifted linen shift dress from Glebe, Karen Walker 'Helter Skelter' sunnies - drinks at Joo Mak.
2. Sophomore NYC twist tank from MyChameleon, Therese Rawsthorne Ensemble denim tap shorts from The Dreamery - hot day errands.
3. Thrifted lace top from NYC, American Apparel skirt - AZN clubbing lol. I could not have fit in less, clearly I was wearing too much clothing.
4. LNWJF tee, Nobody cult skinnies - house chilling with friends.
5. Perks and Mini shirt from Fat, APC skirt from Incu, thrifted cargo jacket - Camberwell Market + Midsumma festival today!

Hats off to the dude who decided photobooth needed to exist on Macs :P
What've y'all been up to?

x Amie

two-oh-one-two.

2012-01-12T23:14:00.001+11:00

Belated happy new year to all! I hope you're all well rested after a crazy hopping mad NYE and are ready to take on the world :) This summer I've been trying to just turn off my brain and have fun and live life, say yes more (for myself not just to please people) and be brave. I'm 21 goddammit and I'll be damned if I don't let myself act my age every once in a while :P These are some photos from a roadtrip I took with some old high school friends to Warrnambool, which isn't a flash hot beach but the company + great weather made it infinitely wonderful. It was just four days of reconnecting and being silly and eating and drinking things that are bad for you but so good. I'm so dark from the sun I didn't think I could get any shades darker haha. I have one more subject to complete before I finish my undergraduates degree and I have no idea where its going to take me. There are so many things I want to try but something keeps telling me to just pick one and run with it till its dry. I want to travel and get out of Melbourne for a while. I feel like I have the rest of my life to work and make money but I'm only going to get to be young once and stuff up and mess around without worrying about tomorrow. It's probably selfish, especially with everything thats going on with my family right now, but I can't help how I feel. I have a lot of creative projects in mind and its one of my new years resolutions to bring more of my ideas into fruition and get into the habit of creating. Let's get these hands working!

x Amie

Op Shop Challenge

2011-12-22T12:45:00.000+11:00

My best friend Viv and I are obsessed with the website StyleLikeU, where they go into supremely stylish people’s homes and film their wardrobes and talk clothes and history and culture and personal aesthetic and other wanky stuff we enjoy. They have this awesome feature called Second Skin where they get two of their muses to swap outfits for a day and describe what the experience was like. We both don’t have extreme enough style for it to actually take effect so we just decided to dress each other up in clothes we wanted the other to wear. Viv dressed me up in stuff that was louder and I made her wear outfits that fit her body (and of characters from movies we like!) :P Phun times and hilarity ensued!

What we wore.

Kindergarten teacher and Clueless.

"Amie loves colour but hates colourblocking" and "Rebecca from Ghostworld"

"Hippy dippy earth mother" and "Art school punk bitch"

"Edwardian era latina" and "Leonardo in Romeo + Juliet"

It was hella fun and we ended up buying almost all the outfits making the op shop ladies super happy :)

x Amie

tis the season...

2011-12-10T08:45:00.000+11:00

All has been quiet on the blogging front since my Gmail account got hacked last week and it was a nightmare to recover everything! Sorry to anyone in my contact list who received an email from me asking for money from Aberdeen, Scotland, although donations are always welcome hahaha. It got quite scary for a moment when I thought I wouldn't be able to recover my blog! I've never deleted a blog before (a part from spin-offy tumblrs but thats different). My deviantart, livejournal, xanga and myspace are still up and running and if you're clever you may be able to find them (please don't try). It's funny, even though the digital medium makes it much easier to wipe the slate clean, I still think of all of my blogs like real physical diaries. It'd be a shame to not be able to browse through them once in a while and remember what a lame person I was (oh wait... what do I mean was? lol).

Anyway while we're on the subject of the past, remember when I interned at Toujours Toi/Family Affairs in New York? Well the ever so lovely Nina emailed me recently to take part in her Holiday Treats special, it's like a 12 days of Christmas of online discounts on a range of the Toujours Toi accessories and Family Affairs clothing! So for all us southern hemisphere dwellers, hop on over to the online store and snap up some summer dress steals :)

I'm wearing the Room With A View dress (down to $129), a gorgeous sheer polka dotted chiffon confection. Nina (in the second photo) is modeling the dreamy chambray Cry Baby frock (down to $99), while Laura (third) is wearing the black twill Calling Paris jacket (down to $134). Designer Sara Vidas is wearing the so cute Lazy Afternoon shirt (down to $52) which comes in the white chiffon pictured and a wintery red baby cord.

Nina recently added Opening Ceremony to her list of stockists for Family Affairs which is so fantastic and will hopefully bring some much deserved exposure to the label! I'm so excited for her and only hope for more great things :)

x Amie

elysian fields

2011-11-23T14:06:00.001+11:00

Inspired in part by the Sretsis Satin Slipper dress and the Alice Mccall After Hours dress, here is my Elysium dress :) I finished it over two days, sometimes projects just crystallize in my mind so quickly and come together perfectly, sometimes I start projects only to finish them months later. It's lined in the bodice, has front and back darts and does up by a button with a loop and a zip in back. I'm so excited to wear this during the hot Summer :) Head on over to my tumblr for an embarrassing video of me twirling around in my dress haha

x Amie

in my heart

2011-11-12T12:43:00.001+11:00

Some Mayer for your Saturday
x Amie

style file: kamilya kuspan

2011-10-26T08:45:00.001+11:00

Its like '70s Yoko Ono via Morocco. This mystery girl was all over the blogs in the middle of this year during Paris Fashion Week for 2012 and for good reason! Such cool effortlessly put together outfits each based around one stand out item and grounded by simple accessories - I love that in all these looks she's been using the same bag. Everytime I decide I'm gonna keep to a simple and no-frills wardrobe, a girl like this comes along and ruins my plans! And makes me wanna bury my head in patterns, textures and colours! Oh man, I really need that patchwork skirt!

x Amie

take a vacation!

2011-10-17T10:21:00.003+11:00

Oh So Protective One - Girls

My summer moodboard (or how I learnt to procrasti-photoshop and stall studying):

Clockwork from left: Carmen Miranda, bikini and palm print dress by Gorman, wedges by Tony Bianco, S/S 2012 'Les Vacances' lookbook by Family Affairs, Kirstin Dunst in Boy by Band of Outsiders 2011 lookbook, Arabella Ramsay Hibiscus dress, Marc Jacobs bow sandals, Wrangler Elson dress from General Pants, Kate Spade Scout satchels, Donald Glover and Leslie Mann in Band of Outsiders lookbook, Chip Chop! watermelon straw clutch.

On my hunt list for summer:

A pair of leather huarache sandals
A pair of glitter jelly sandals like these (anybody know where I could get them??)
A crepe hawaiian print shirt
A pair of high waisted red shorts
A pair of white Converse/tennis shoes
Some sort of lightweight summer jacket that can be thrown over everything (any suggestions?) or maybe just a nice fitting light wool navy blazer
An ivory/navy/red tennis sweater a la StrangerSensibilities

Really vibing on classic American resort wear, tropical prints, especially printed linens, bold neon coloured accessories and southern California. Plenty of local Aussie designers have been going tropical in their summer collections like Limedrop - see the photos from their pop up store in Sydney to launch their 'Calypso' collection at FashionHayley's blog, Secret Squirrel featured a digital floral silk in their current 'Botanica' collection, and Dress Up by Stephanie Downey's SS 11/12 collection featured a dress, culottes and trousers in a muted begonia pattern. Even Sportsgirl's season's offerings show a return to 'Super Nature'!

x Amie

Hi, I'm Amie and I'm a hoarder.

2011-10-16T16:03:00.000+11:00

I'm also a bad blogger, but that's not the issue at hand here! I have far too many clothes and shoes than my tiny tiny wardrobe space can handle. And having all these clothes and shoes and hardly ever wearing them does not bode well on my psyche. Why do I need them? I don't! So I'm passing them on to homes which will love them more than I could ever possibly do. Besides, if I want to move to New York and live in a tiny apartment whose minimal square footage I can barely afford, the less I have will make it that much easier! Apologies for making this post of the 'Come buy my stuff' ilk but it is what it is! I'll be listing heaps more items in the following days (just a heads up, I'm a size 8 in clothes and 7 in shoes), I'm being really ruthless and cutting out everything in my life that doesn't need to be there.

Inside the wardrobe and on to Narnia you go!

x Amie

oh deer!

2011-09-29T13:10:00.000+10:00

Fame Agenda is another one of my favourite stores in Melbourne. I think what I love about it is that they have a really strong aesthetic. If Fame Agenda was a girl I feel like she'd be that kind of mysterious older sister of a friend of yours who you never really saw much of when you hung out at your friend's house, but who you always wondered about and the clothes she wore just oozed cool. Kind of like a Lux Lisbon or somebody, but less depressing. Haha. Anyway! They stock so many of my favourite labels like Karen Walker, Sretsis, Lover and Antipodium; labels that embody that sentiment of girl-on-the-verge-of-womanhood, and lots of emerging young designers too. I also just love the backstory about how the founder Monica Lim was a tax lawyer before and she dreamed of opening her own boutique and starting her own label (the Fame Agenda house brand) and she just did it! After a study session in the city yesterday, I was so determined to go straight home because the weather was taking a turn but alas, I got distracted and my feet just took me straight into Fame Agenda and the new Matina Amanita for Sretsis collection had recently arrived! I'm not usually into jewelry where the designs are really literal but this fawn ring was just tooooooooooo cute to pass up, don't you just love the stars on its back? And I'm actually more of a silver person too, but rose gold is just such a lovely warm tone. There was also a adorable lamb ring and a unicorn as well, but I'd already been naughty enough with my spending for the day :P

x Amie

back to school vibes

2011-09-14T19:39:00.002+10:00

Gorman beanie
Topshop sweater
A.P.C skirt from Incu Women's (its a dark navy, but it looks black in the photos!)
Bass x Rachel Antonoff saddle shoes
Fjallraven backpack
Thrifted monocle necklace

I think I'm going the phase of wanting to wear just the most simple, no frills, no embellishments type clothing. For a long while I think I'd wear busy prints and louder things to 'elevate' my personality or give off a different impression of myself but I'm starting to be more comfortable in things that are a bit more laidback and don't have to say too much, I guess that makes me look a bit plain jane but its definitely not how I feel, if anything I feel its the opposite :)

x Amie

my favourite melbourne shops

2011-09-14T09:28:00.000+10:00

tessuti is one of my favourite stores in melbourne (141 flinders lane), i’m in there every other week touching all the fabrics (and i mean everything), especially the japanese cottons ♥_♥ oh lord they are so light and soft and breathable and of such amazing quality (and the prints! look! penguins!!), it takes all my willpower to limit myself to one print per visit. the prices average a bit higher than what you’d find at lincraft or spotlight, but the range is amazing (also each fabric is thoughtfully noted with which designer collections they are from, what they’re suitable for, how to wash them, where its imported from), the girls there are super friendly and always happy to help if you’ve got a specific project! hoarding all this stuff till the semester break and then its on.

x Amie

pillars

2011-09-09T09:33:00.001+10:00

this is my mum and dad, here about 23-24 years old, just married and moved into their first house. i found these photos recently in a desk drawer and kind of fell in love with them. my parents came to australia around 1972, along with a large group of other young vietnamese students. they were about 19 years old. they wouldn’t see their families until the 1990s. my mum is the eldest of five and my dad is the second eldest of ten siblings. my dad is a huge nerd. when he was younger, he wanted to be a mathematician. he is always very, very logical and thinks a lot (lots and lots and lots about us), which escapes me because i seem to just go by whim and words seem to tumble out of my mouth without originating from my brain. but i inherited his strong eyebrows and his stomping feet, when i walk around the house my mum sometimes thinks its my dad. mum’s really the captain of this ship. she is quietly strong, has the biggest heart and just doesn’t stop. she likes woody allen films and robert redford, simon & garfunkel and the beach boys. we get our culture munching bug from mum. she keeps everything in motion in the most difficult times and reminds me that i have to keep moving also. dad's currently in the hospital recovering from a minor stroke and it shook me in a way i've never felt before. seeing him so helpless and frail is so illusion breaking, its so easy to forget that your parents are flesh and bone people too. seeing mum hold it all together, i'm so proud of her and so grateful. i don’t know what i’d do without them. they’re pretty great.

transition

2011-09-08T19:14:00.000+10:00

Got me a haircut to welcome Spring and September :) I'm so excited for bare-leg weather!

Outfit #1:
Sportsgirl dress
Socks, gift from a friend
Vintage boots from eBay
DIY badge

Outfit #2:
H&M cardigan
Dotti belt
Vintage 1970s sundress
Vintage boots from eBay

P.S Good luck to everyone entering that pesky mid-semester exams/assessment period! We'll pull through this!
x Amie

variation of a theme

2011-08-21T13:26:00.001+10:00

finally got off my ass and did some sewing! i've been meaning to try a playsuit version of the heart dress and this is the prototype at the moment. i think it'd actually look better if the shorts were the same fabric as the top. what do you reckon? the bottom is made from this lovely orange gingham covered with daisies, the bodice has darts and is lined but the skirt isn't so its semi-sheer. super simple shape but the fabric really makes this dress :)

digital vs analogue from amy mai on Vimeo.

also uploaded another video to vimeo :) i've started to collect records instead of buying CDs since my parents have this amazing turntable and massive set of speakers that don't get enough use! its really a totally different experience to listening to music on your ipod or your computer and i don't mean quality/fidelity of sound or whatever, i think that you can have great quality mp3s and have good sound if you have the right equipment, but the tangible experience of listening to vinyl is in the physicality of it. picking the record to play, taking it out of the sleeve, getting the volume settings right, setting the needle down, laying on the floor and feeling the bass run through. its pretty awesome

x amie

diy charlotte olympia cat wedges!

2011-08-20T11:40:00.002+10:00

As a self-proclaimed crazy cat lady, Charlotte Olympia's series of feline footwear is a real dream come true! Animal themed clothing, shoes or accessories always have a soft spot with me. But alas, since these babies do not come at a dream price I thought take my first foray into footwear and whip up my own version. Guess which one are mine and which ones are the real pair! hahahaha :P My own cat, Nala, is clearly not impressed. I think the look on her face says it all, really: I truly fear for your sanity.

Also I received an email from the wonderful team at Tobi.com (my first affiliate!) about their new collections. They're a San Francisco based online fashion boutique which stocks some of my favourite labels like Acne, A.P.C, Steven Alan and Opening Ceremony. The fall arrivals I've seen could really easily transition into Spring/Summer for those of us in the Southern Hemisphere :) They're also having a massive sale on earlier stock, with easy links to their 30%, 50% and 70% off sections.

Here are a couple items I'm eyeing: Assymetrical skirts are kind of everywhere now, I remember really coveting the black lace version at Lover, but for a more casual version there's this one by Audrey 3+1. Ivory/cream/white/beige crochet always reminds me of the '70s and this tiered, scalloped edge mini by C. Luce is lovely. Summer stripes are a no brainer. My favourite piece is this cropped colour block tank by Piko, it's like someone took a strawberry frozen yoghurt and dipped it in sweet chilli sauce! (Perhaps not the greatest analogy) But aren't the pop colours so great? They're offering an extra 30% off discount code for August, just punch in AUGUST30 at check out ;)

x Amie

americana

2011-08-17T12:55:00.005+10:00

LeBlogdeBetty, Kanye & Jay Z 'Otis' music video, me at the Chelsea Antiques garage, WhatisRealityAnyway?, Scout Willis' StyleLikeU closet, Lady Gaga & Beyonce 'Telephone' music video, Converse via KnightCat, via TheBohemian, Kate Bosworth at Coachella

I can't think of any other country that has better branded itself and promotes its own iconic image as much as America. There's so much history and pride and strength and power (for better and for worse) invested in this flag and so many hopes and dreams attached to these stars and stripes, that even as non-American I can't help feeling really moved by it.

x Amie

dress up in you

2011-08-13T21:35:00.000+10:00

Second Skin: India and Irene from StyleLikeU on Vimeo.

“The formation of assumptions, a natural human impulse, often lead us astray.” Two girls, India and Irene, who’ve never met, swap outfits for a day and they describe their impressions of the girl to whom these clothes belong and how it feels to literally step into someone else’s shoes!

I don't think I can adequately express how much I love StyleLikeU. They continue to explore personal style and explore the sentimental values and memory associations we have with particular items of clothing, how our way of dress sometimes is an armour that protects you against being judged or stereotyped, sometimes the clothes we wear evokes or embodies a character that enhances a part of our personality or sometimes our sartorial choices are simply just a true reflection of ourselves. For some people getting dressed in the morning is a very conscious statement to the world, for others they couldn't care less! Either way all the people SLU interview are completely comfortable in their own skin and their style, whether they realise or not, is like an arm or a leg; without it they feel naked.

I've dabbled in many different styles of dress throughout my teen years like I was auditioning for parts in a play I didn't understand :P Sometimes I think you have to try things on just to know what's not you. At the same time I feel like I could wear anything and be fine with it, maybe that shows I don't know myself? Or is it that I'm so comfortable with myself I don't need to use clothes to show it? Ahhhh existential crisis! Though I was surrounded by super stylish people in New York, living out of home for 6 months with a super tight budget made me learn to live with less and I think that that has really impacted my view of fashion.I still adore prints and crazy colours and really extravagant looking pieces but my wardrobe these days consists of neutrals or pastels and simple shapes that can be worn together. Maybe I'm just growing up? Who knows!

x Amie

swim good

2011-08-01T11:51:00.001+10:00

A.P.C smock dress
Funkis navy plait suede clogs
Vintage whale tote

This is Wilmur the whale. He lived a lonely life in Brooklyn, sitting on a table with vintage sunglasses and leather backpacks (who aren't the greatest conversationalists!). As I was browsing a rack of dresses, he whispered to me to please take him to the sea as he hadn't seen water in such a long time! My heart sunk for this dear little creature who missed his home, as I too was missing mine. With heartstrings pulled I promptly brought him to the East River where he delighted in the soothing tones of the waves and the wind. He regaled me stories of New York when he was just a calf and asked me of Australia, where he wished to visit! I said I would be happy to show him around if he accompanied me the rest of my trip and Wilmur gladly accepted :) He is currently very well settled here in Melbourne and impressed at what clean tap water we have, though he is not planning to dive into to the Yarra any time soon :P

x Amie
P.S don't forget to check out my eBay, some items ending today and a bunch of new stuff uploaded!

cut x paper

2011-07-29T23:32:00.000+10:00

Although I've turned to tumblr and polyvore and online mediums like that to keep 'fashion' scrapbooks I still find the act of sitting down on the floor with a pair of scissors and a stack of magazines, cutting up pieces and arranging them on a page just so satisfying. I had been saving these particular pages from Lula that had paper dolls with dresses designed by Rodarte for a particularly slow day and I finally got around to it last weekend. I thought it was a really cute idea to showcase a lookbook even though it was a tedious hour or so cutting them out :P Then I had a flip back through some pages and found a couple quotes that are really inspiring me right now. Especially the one about Karen Walker, I've been such a fan of her designs for years and that little soundbite really succinctly encapsulates everything that I love about KW.

x Amie

what's in my bag

2011-07-26T17:10:00.001+10:00

I know this is a very uninspired post but seeing as it was the first day back at Uni (and really, first day back at university IN AUSTRALIA) for me, I've had a lot on my mind :P I've had to retire my large tan leather tote bag that I'd been using for the past three years because it was always putting a strain on one side of my body. I converted to backpacks when I went overseas just because I was always carrying more and now I'm hooked! Its so much more comfortable and you can get so many cute backpacks nowadays. I've always wanted a leather backpack actually but leather itself is already quite heavy and with a couple textbooks and a full bottle of water its really not an option! This backpack is from Fjallraven, which I also picked up in New York. There are so many colours and sizes it was so hard to pick but I finally landed on lilac just because it looked so happy! As you can see I have the BARE essentials to get by a day of Uni. A novel to read on the train in (currently it's The Family Law by Benjamin Law which had me cackling on the 7.50am train in this morning!), full bottle of water to stay hydrated (really important!), a moleskine (Le Petit Prince edition!) to jot down design ideas and mark the city with good food locations (also important!), a single pen (ha!), my wallet (its a fake Gucci with the logo ripped off don't judge me), keys & USB, lip gloss (I will swear by Clinique Black Honey superbalm), mobile phone (Nokia N97) and a iTouch that has seen better days.

x Amie

P.S I'm culling my wardrobe to contain only the bare essentials, so I'm offloading a tonne of things over the next few weeks at my eBay including Gorman, Funkis clogs, Alexa Chung x Madewell and a bit of vintage!

dusk tones

2011-07-17T21:19:00.000+10:00

Details and colours building my moodboard lately: pleats, lace, sheer layers, Edwardian style high collars, cuffed long sleeves, letterman jackets, lilac, dusty pink, ivory.

x Amie

food and friends

2011-07-13T20:18:00.001+10:00

houptown tearoom & sugardough bakery (outfit here)

you just can't beat a good meal with your best friends :) after getting to know new york pretty well over the last 6 months, i realised that i don't even know my hometown that much at all! there are only a few suburbs/areas of this city that i regularly 'hang out' even though i go to university in the city everyday during semester. i suppose that will change (hopefully) once i get my driver's license (i know its so shameful! nearly 21 and without my P's!) but even so. i've made it a goal to see more of melbourne and take advantage of all it has to offer, because it's a pretty great place.

any of my melbourne readers have any suggestions?

x

amie

two kinds of right

2011-07-12T18:14:00.002+10:00

soooo i started a 'what i wore' kind of daily outfit blog over on closetheartbeats.tumblr.com because i think if i posted my outfit everyday on this blog, it might overwhelm blog feeds! plus not every outfit has a 'story' per se, so this tumblr will be a nice simple documenting of what makes up my everyday wear. as you can see, i'm a bit schizo with my style. yesterday i really wanted to wear this hat i bought on sale at sportsgirl so i kind of built upon an annie hall kind of vibe with my outfit. today i was going on a drive with some friends to mt dandenong and it was freezing so the occasion called for a college-student-in-winter kind of vibe :P i'm really into vibin' haha. more details about the items are on the tumblr so if y'all are more interested in the clothes and less of me yammering on follow me here!

left outfit:
sportsgirl hat
h&m cardigan
shirt from beacon's closet
forever new skirt
vintage boots

right outfit:
gorman beanie
madewell jacket
forever 21 specs necklace
steven alan shirt from beacon's closet
madewell jeans
comme des garcons play x converse low tops from la garconne

x
amie
btw i'm having a camberwell market stall with my friends on july 24th, do come say hello and help me declutter my wardrobe!
p.s how flippin' sweet is the new grates album, secret rituals?

lydia

2011-07-06T10:42:00.005+10:00

bon iver - i cant make you love me/nick of time

sweater- Topshop,

belt- H&M,

skirt- American Apparel,

flats- Chelsea Antiques Garage,

bag- Toujours Toi/Family Affairs I Miss You tote,

coat- Alexa Chung for Madewell Lydia wool coat.

yay! first outfit post back! i'm gonna try and do this regularly so i can keep track of what i wear and what's being 'useful' in my wardrobe and what's not getting worn. i don't know if any of you'll notice (or care lol) but i no longer have carpet! hoorah! while i was away my dear dad and brother, tim, ripped up the carpet and sanded and polished the floorboards and also painted my walls a new minty colour which i love (although gosh it makes me look even more tanned)! it feels like my room is its own cabin tucked away in the forest somewhere and justin vernon is just gonna come strolling along to play skinny love haha and then we'll drink warm apple cider and tell bonfire stories :P anyways i was already pretty stoked to have found the harriet pintuck dress from the alexa chung x madewell collaboration on eBay for a bargain whilst i was on exchange, so imagine how ecstatic i was to stumble across (okay maybe not 'stumble', let's just say i have an 'alexa chung madewell' eBay search saved) the lydia coat online just a few weeks before I was due home! it's so warm and a great classic shape and the velvet trim on the pockets and collar is icing on the cake. it's going to be a great alternative to my gorman pom pom duffle coat, which after slogging it out in a harsh ny winter really needs to be retired for a while :(

happy wednesday!
x
amie

fragments

2011-07-04T08:34:00.001+10:00

back on home soil for two days and already the last six months start to feel like a figment of my imagination. like i've been in asleep all this time, just having a wildly vivid dream. i have photos and video and little tokens of things i did there; ticket stubs, playbills, letters, stickers, store labels, boxes of matches from restaurants, but it feels so disembodied. totally invasion-of-the-bodysnatchers. sleeping in my own bed is really nice, although slightly foreign now. i'm a bit antsy and i can't sit still and i find myself wanting to hop the subway to go down to soho to window shop, or laze in central park on the grass soaking up the sun, but then i remember i'm in melbourne not new york and i feel a little blue :( don't get me wrong i'm relieved to be home and was so ready to be with family after all that time away. but a part of me is now forever restless for that crowded, hectic, aggressive, sleepless city and the life there. it's the place to be while you're young.

x amie
more interesting-and-less-icky-sentimental posts of my shopping/purchases to come haha

last daze of summer

2011-06-27T00:08:00.002+10:00

"This really is a great city. I don't care what anybody says."

Manhattan (dir. by Woody Allen), 1979.

PARLE NO AMERICANO

2011-06-23T10:07:00.000+10:00

i speak american from amy mai on Vimeo.

gday guvna from amy mai on Vimeo.

Did I fool you? :P

x
Amie

p.s check out the Pamela Love NYC tumblr for a GPOYW of yours truly!

live in living colour

2011-06-20T00:40:00.000+10:00

Comme Des Garcons x Converse, lilac tipped matches, H&M Prada inspired coin purse

Packing isn't much fun :( Procrastinating by blogging is! :P

tote bag

2011-06-06T23:10:00.000+10:00

L-R lykke li, pamela love x dossier, map tote, urban cricket x woody allen, toujours toi family affairs, barnard x baggu.

This trip has been rife with tote bags! They're just so convenient for going grocery shopping or day trips and its a nice souvenir from everywhere I've been :)

x

Amie

central park in summer

2011-06-03T22:30:00.000+10:00

Yesterday I spent THE perfect day with my girls! It was surprisingly really nice weather out. Summer in New York is generally disgusting, really muggy, humid heat that you just can't get away from. But yesterday there were lovely light breezes and the air was almost crisp! We started off our day going to see the Alexander McQueen “Savage Beauty” exhibit at the Met. Needless to say it was just awe-inspiring and magical, I couldn’t believe it but I actually started tearing up! It's the same kind of sad I experience thinking about Heath Ledger or Daul Kim or Michael Jackson, must wild and wonderful talents have such tragedy in their lives? The exhibition was just so well laid out and perfectly moody, I even bought the souvenir book home! I was hunkering for some scone action so we went over to Alice's Tea Cup to have an amaze ritzy WASPy kind of lunch of scones, cake, cute sandwiches and tea. Moseyed on over to Central Park where we fawned over cute kiddies running around, rapped along to Childish Gambino and we concocted a plan where I have Jimmy Fallon’s babies. As the sun was setting we hit the lake for a boat ride, trying to ruin as many other couples on boats romantic moments by singing Taylor Swift songs at the top of our lungs :P Then we tried to half-drag race these Frenchies in another canoe back to the boathouse. For dinner subwayed back to Soho for some nommy grilled corn. I love these girls to bits + I ♥ New York!

Tell me about winter in Australiaaaa!

x

Amie

Family Affairs "Meteorite Dreams" Fall/Winter 2011

2011-05-30T06:19:00.000+10:00

In addition to interning at Pamela Love NYC (the brand new website design launched on Wednesday with a sale section of vintage clothing selected by Pam check it out!), I am now also interning at Toujours Toi/Family Affairs, a Swiss clothing label based in NYC designed by the ever-so-lovely Nina Egli and her mother Kaya. I first fell head over heels in love with Family Affairs after seeing so many of my favourite bloggers like Rhiannon of Liebe Marlene, Erin of CaliVintage, Rebecca of The Clothes Horse and Carrie of Wish Wish Wish wearing Nina's designs. All the collections have such a romantic, vintage aesthetic, with nods to the 1970's, which is right up my alley with a few peter pan collared shirts thrown into the mix! :) It reminds me of Gorman and the designs that Genki used to produce for their house label.

At this moment NYC's just started to heat up which is a welcome change after one of the coldest winter/spring periods ever. However, flipping through the Family Affairs lookbook for Fall/Winter has me already looking forward to coming back to winter in Melbourne. Nina told me that unlike her previous collections, which were based around a narrative she created for herself, Meteorite Dreams is more inspired by a character she dreamed about. This character is a girl, just coming into her own, who spends foggy London mornings nose buried in the poetry of Blake and Baudelaire and novels of the Bronte sisters, cat in her lap and cup of tea in hand. On a clear day she might go to the gallery, at night she dreams in Raphaelite paintings.

It's such a wearable collection, with pieces you can really mix and match. I adore the Scotland tunic (pictured top right) and the Fellini shirt (bottom right) and let's face it I'm a sucker for a velvet coat always! Unfortunately for Southern Hemispherers this collection might come just shy of the end of winter (dropping around August), but I think many of the pieces are very trans-seasonal and suitable enough for Spring too. You can also still purchase pieces from the Spring/Summer collection 'Ocean Lemonade' at the Toujours Toi/Family Affairs website :) Also keep updated at Nina's blog and twitter!

x
Amie

P.S Updated my current tv/book/music addictions at the side bar! Let me know what you're reading/listening/watching right now!

welcome to manhattan: a video

2011-05-18T10:26:00.000+10:00

new york cityscapes pt. 2 from amy mai on Vimeo. feat kid cudi - up up and away

oh boy i haven't updated in a while! what has happened? i have moved to brooklyn temporarily with some of my friends from the exchange program, but i'll be moving back to the upper west side at the end of the week and i'll be living there until the end of june. i'm really excited to have my own place for a little while, it'll really feel like i'm living/working in new york city! we have had a spot of poor weather this past week and it hasn't been pleasant to go roaming around the city much. i did manage to head over to the brooklyn flea market with a friend to have some amaaazing tacos and also to check out beacon's closet which is kind of like a opshop warehouse consignment store dealio, i found an apc corduroy pinafore there for $25! i've really gotten into apc (and steven alan!) since being here. i really like the crispness and quality of the fabrics and the simple tailoring, its a bit preppy and a bit quirky which i like :) i visit the apc store on mercer street almost twice a week just to touch the shoes and jackets haha. pretty sure that qualifies as lurking/loitering lol. how is everyone? for my peeps in australia, please tell me that the weather is fine and encourage me to come home, i'm seriously not looking forward to coming back to winter :P

x Amie

music is my boyfriend

2011-05-07T14:37:00.002+10:00

its better if you don't understand from amy mai on Vimeo.

janelle monaesus christ from amy mai on Vimeo.

snoop dogg from amy mai on Vimeo.

Gigs are so cheap in the States! Snoop Dogg came to Columbia to perform a free concert with Das Racist and I got tickets to see Bruno Mars & Janelle Monae at the first stop of their Hooligans in Wondaland tour at the Roseland Ballroom just this past Wednesday for just $75! Me and my friends got early entry passes and were RIGHT at the barrier before the stage :D I was just blown away by Janelle and her energy and I think we were all swooning after Bruno left the stage. In between bursts of dancing frenzy I recorded bits of the show. I love how in the Janelle Monae clip, you can hear me and my friend Nicole both gush over her velvet cape and in the Bruno Mars clip, when he asks "Can I dedicate this song to a beautiful girl?", you can hear my friend scream "YESS!!!" I also came away with Janelle's setlist which almost never happens to me! Check out my photos from all the gigs at my TUMBLAH

I can now look forward to Lykke Li, The Script, possibly Panic! at the Disco (judge me!) and I'm still working on tickets for Childish Gambino!!!

from the UWS to brooklyn: first days of spring

2011-04-27T15:01:00.003+10:00

Today was a crazy 26 degrees, which was a complete smack in the face surprise after a week of really fluctuating weather. Some days would start at a pleasant 15 degree morning and then turn into a stormy night and then following days would be pouring down. The spring sunlight makes everything look happier and New Yorkers come out in droves to enjoy the rays while they can. What I love is how quickly people respond to the weather, one day it'll be torrential rain and everyone's got their umbrellas, huge raincoats and boots and at the first sign of light, out come the shorts, summer dresses and bare legs as if it had always been that way! Parks become substitutes for sandy beaches and there are an infinite number of Mr. Softy ice cream trucks around. The mood in the city picks up instantly when the sun is out and excitement is in the air!

x Amie

necessary objects

2011-04-24T01:49:00.001+10:00

Little tokens of pretty much everything thats happened over the last 3-4 months. And I have a large pocketful of theatre, movie and gallery ticket stubs!

x Amie

recent purchases: spring edition!

2011-04-21T02:21:00.004+10:00

1. Shakuchi daytripper long skirt from Shopbop

2. BDG taupe doubled breasted cardigan from Urban Outfitters

3. Fletcher by Lyell chiffon blouse from Urban Outfitters

4. Bass Loves Rachel Antonoff Matilda navy floral saddle shoes from Free People

I'm hoping that just by wearing Spring-y clothes, the weather in New York will just magically turn around to suit my outfit. Fingers crossed! haha. I'm selling a couple Boy by Band of Outsiders items that I impulsively bought at the Barneys warehouse sale on eBay if anybody is interested! I've finally secured housing for the summer and am so so so ready for this school semester to be over. It's really quite bittersweet, our exchange program advisor just created a Facebook event for our final farewell and it still feels like we only just arrived here last week :'( I just remembered this short quote from Thought Catalog's How to live in New York City and it makes me want to cry. I don't want this dream to end!

"When you leave the city, you probably won’t come back. Eventually your life in New York will seem so far away and sometimes you’ll even wonder if it really happened. Don’t worry. It did."

x Amie

free spirit

2011-04-20T09:59:00.002+10:00

Shakuhachi 'Shoot Me' Pre-Fall and Winter

I don't know whether it's because I'm on a Coachella photos stalking high (check out Refinery29 for some great festival style snaps) or because I've been shopping at Urban Outfitters too much (they've got that navajo/ethnic Native American aesthetic thing down to a tee its almost shameful!) but I am still totally vibing that 70s Woodstock style. I want to wear loose long dresses all day long with floppy hats and wear turquoise on my hands and braid my hair and sit on the grass and play my ukulele. But you know, hold your horses, there can be too much of a good thing. I think Vanessa Hudgens' Coachella outfits can explain themselves. It's like "WE GET IT. You wish you were a punk-rocker with flowers in your hair, in '77 and '69 revolution was in the air, you were born too late in a world that doesn't care." I think the key to incorporating the 70s into your wardrobe is to bring it into a more modern setting, contextualize! (Okay, now I know I've been writing essays for too long) Which is what I love about Shakuhachi's pre-fall/winter collection. Not a floral nor feather in sight but the slouchy oversized silhouettes are all there plus some flirty sheer pieces! I love the styling too - I am intrigued by the idea of a single tonal outfit although if you switched up any of the blazers with a staple black jacket it'd work too. The palette of burnt orange, black, cream, chartreuse and taupe is just delicious, it makes me think of Halloween and pumpkins actually! Makes me really excited to come back to winter in Australia after an invincible New York summer :)

Speaking of maxi skirts I managed to nab the last Shakuhachi daytripper floral skirt off ShopBop.com! On sale too! *doing my bargain shopper dance*

xx Amie

new york: isn't it iconic?

2011-04-17T01:48:00.000+10:00

Low-res phone images FTW!

So much of New York graffiti and art is based around re-appropriating pop culture icons, taking them out of their context and completely perverting them or duplicating them until they lose their meaning. How very Warholian. This city is such a visual feast, your eyes are literally running a marathon to take it all in. I was having a Shakeshack burger with some friends and we brought our food to the middle of Times Square and just stood and ate, I don't know how I didn't just black out with overstimulation right then and there. And the wonder of it all is that for local New Yorkers this is the everyday backdrop to their lives, they probably don't even look twice!

can you keep a secret?

2011-04-15T13:49:00.000+10:00

Je t'aime! Te amo! 사랑해! Ich liebe dich! Jag älskar dig! 我愛你! Em yeu anh! I love you!

Thanks all for putting up with the melodrama and sappy sentimentalness of the last post, I have never been more emotional in my entire life than I have been on this exchange during the last 3 months and just needed to get verbal. What is a blog for? I'm glad I'm not the only one who freaks out every once in a while about the future and its comforting to know we're all trying to make it up as we go along :P I finally got my hands on one of these I Love You blouses by Vivetta! And such a bargain too! I don't own an iron here in NY and none of my suitemates seem to either, so I look kind of dishevelled with my crumpled shirt but thats okay, I'll take it.

I'm about to head off to another off-Broadway show for my NY theatre class (I don't know how I'm going to live without weekly theatre performances when I get back to Melbourne!) but I just wanted to encourage you all to go see this movie/documentary about Bill Cunningham, street style photographer for the NYTimes. Whether or not you're into fashion at all, Bill's pure genuine love and excitement for his work is totally inspiring and uplifting. He's not interested in best dressed/worst dressed lists, do's and don'ts or articles that tell you what not to wear, but simply in showing ordinary people looking great. It makes you want to look at everything with positivity and there's a beautiful moment in the film where he's accepting an award and he stumbles, holding back tears as he says, "He who seeks beauty shall find it." It was such a wonderful thought and a sensible outlook on life. I hope I remember to see the beauty in every day :)

x

Amie

rambling woman

2011-04-10T15:28:00.001+10:00

yves saint laurent, akira isogawa, coco chanel working away.

i often wonder a lot about what things would be like if i had just bit the bullet and studied fashion at rmit or msf or fbi or something. especially now being in new york, i've met so many people who have just taken their chances, uprooting themselves to be here or go there, to chase their passions. a girl interning at the same place as i am moved to new york from arizona to study fashion without previously knowing how to sew/draw/design. my cousin moved out of home in cali straight out of highschool to come to new york to be a dancer.

at the time (during/after vce), i automatically dismissed studying fashion as an option, but it was never like my parents flat out said "no you can't apply we won't support you or anything." maybe its was the whole asian parenting thing "yes you can have hobbies/other passions but make sure you have a back up plan if it doesn't work out." it doesn't help that i'm already a pretty timid person to begin with. i'm a dip her toes to test the water kinda gal, not the jump right in stark naked kind. i mean, of course its the most logical/practical advice to give to your kids but that tiny seed of doubt in that advice can fester along in the back of your mind and really hold you back. i think i kind of resented that about my 'culture', i'd wished i'd always been told "yes you can do whatever you want that makes you happy." i think trying and failing is a whole lot better than not trying and not knowing ever.

at the same time though i feel like the last three years of this kind of limbo meandering in some grey area studying "arts" has let ideas change and develop or melt away. and i've realised where my talents lie, the skills i have and the limitations of what i can do and made peace with that. i don't think i'm a good designer, its really rare to have a truly new, original ideas in design and it's not something i can or want to push. but i know i enjoy sewing/constructing clothes and i'm good at translating the ideas i do have into creating a dress or blouse or whatnot. i used to want to be a journalist, but i had bad experiences studying and doing work experience in that field. though i really enjoy the online writing medium and am slowly developing my voice through blogging. and besides if i had studied fashion/journalism straight out, maybe it would've destroyed my passion for it, i don't know? i'm a really infantile person and if i ever feel the slightest bit like i'm being forced to do something i just hate it and refuse to do it. which is why i'm awful at maths/science (my dad used to tutor me relentlessly in primary school).

getting out and about in new york, you realise that almost everyone who lives here isn't originally from here. they come from all over looking to give things a go (career/business/love/whatnot) and whether or not it works out, they find another way to plant themselves here. i've (superdupersupremely) slowly realised that its so important to just give it a go, try some things once at least, so at least you know its not for you or something's not working and then you can try something else or change your approach! and thats a really big deal for me, a person who doesn't even like to try new dishes at restaurants :P

in any case, i feel like i'm following some yellow brick road thats going in a very roundabout fashion on my way to something i have always wanted. and that validates all the time it's taken and all the time i know it's going to take. and that's okay, because i have all the time in the world to get where i need to go.

/endcheesyness

baby she's a wild thing

2011-04-01T15:17:00.001+11:00

Jacket- Madewell, beanie- street stand, scarf- thrifted, dress- APC, belt- Dotti, necklaces- Forever 21, tights- random, boots- vintage

Photobooth photos are ugly yes, but I'm too self-conscious to take outfit photos with the self-timer should my roommate walk in on me doing so, I would be embarrassed haha. Yet again I am wearing two pairs of tights, WHAT KIND OF HALF-ASSED SPRING IS THIS NEW YORK? It doesn't help that all my classmates are like, "You go home in June right? When its winter in Australia? So it's like you get two winters! Oh man that sucks!" Yes. I know. No need to remind me. Ahhh its exactly 3 months now till the end of this glorious trip and sure that sounds like a long time but I know it'll go by in the blink of an eye. I'm going to write an actual post about the living experience of New York soon, I just want to collect my thoughts and try to do it justice because it really has been the most amazing time. I have learned a lot about myself and feel so positive about the future (as cheesy and lame as that sounds). Last year (which was my second year of uni) I fell into that 'sophomore slump' where I was feeling really lost about where my degree was going to take me, I really didn't see the point or use in what I was studying at the time (Cinema & Cultural Studies) since it had no REAL LYF practical value. Since being here and through talking to a whole bunch of really interesting people in the industry here, I get now that it's all about opening my mind to new and different ideas, helping me figure out what I like and don't like and ultimately creates a whole bank of knowledge that will enrich whatever career I end up in. Oh man, I seriously will cry when I have to leave :'( like a torrential rain of tears.

x Amie

BTW! If you haven't been following mah tumblr, I got an internship here over the summer with Pamela Love! I'm so excited and start next week :D

live to eat

2011-03-28T03:49:00.000+11:00

I feel like food on this trip needed its own separate post :P Now I hardly ever eat out when I'm in Melbourne, save for the toasted panini here and there at Animal Orchestra during uni, I am a real tightass when it comes to food. In New York, all that goes out the window. They really love brunch here! I think eating out is relatively cheap given everything is American sized so you're always getting value for your money even if you don't finish it (and then you can take it home for lunch/dinner the next day!). Just a selection of my amazing eats from the last few months.

1. BLT sandwich with chips + pickle from Cafeteria.
2. Double crispy onion burger with bacon from Dallas BBQ.
3. Turkey Avocado club sandwich in a bagel from Espresso Royale Cafe, Boston.

4. Ethiopian mixed vegies + spicy beef at Lucy's Cafe.

5. Late Night Snack, Americone Dream & Strawberry Cheesecake from Ben & Jerry's.

6. French Toast with fruit salad and maple syrup with a side of Applewood smoked bacon at the Garden Cafe.

7. Boston Lobster rolls and chowder.

8. Egg and eggplant sandwich with rosemary fries at Clover Food Lab, Boston.

8. Pad Thai and Chicken Mango curry at Pho Basil, Boston.

9. Ice cream waffle sandwich at Franklin Fountain, Philadelphia.

10. Deep fried macaroni and cheese at The Chip Shop, Park Slope.

11. All bases covered. Calamari, hot wings and ribs at Ruby Tuesday.

12. Ramen at Ippudo.

x Amie

new romantics

2011-03-25T17:30:00.008+11:00

I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Brooklyn based designer Alexandra Grecco for a paper on culture industries in New York and thought my lovely readers would like to hear her thoughts as well on being a young, independent designer in the city!

Taking inspiration from 1950s pin up girls, vaudeville and early screen sirens, Alexandra Grecco is a young designer with an old soul. As a young ballet dancer, Grecco developed a love for “tutus, rhinstones and pastel colours” and daydreamed about acting in silent films. This love for the theatrical and the romantic is obvious in her eponymous clothing line, which nods to the past with classic, feminine shapes that accentuate the waist and fabrics in soft dreamy macaron hues.

Grecco recently released a short film for her Fall/Winter 2011 collection which sees model Celia Rowson Hall (who also directed the video) on the beach, in a café, on the train and twirling on a rooftop to the soundtrack of a piano playing a lonely tune. She is dressed and made up very ladylike, but is enchantingly childish as she pours a mountain of sugar in her coffee. The mood is very nostalgic and the whole film has a warm sepia tint. The character seems like a girl on the brink of womanhood and evokes the aesthetics of coming-of-age film An Education, with Carey Mulligan’s Jenny navigating that transition. It is a theme that befits Alexandra’s description of the “Alexandra Grecco” girl who is “someone who is clumsy but ever so charming…and a bit of a brave world traveller as well.”

Beginning in the fall of 2009 by selling handcrafted silk playsuits and dresses on Etsy that she modeled herself, Grecco (based in Brooklyn) is now stocked in several boutiques in New York, France and Australia as well as her online store. Hoot caught up with the rising star to talk about her start in the business of fashion and where she hopes to take the label in future.

What inspired you to pursue a career in fashion design?
Starting my line happened so organically that when I look back on it almost feels like it happened by accident (in a really good way!). I had gone to FIT for fashion design and spent most of my childhood wallpapering my bedroom walls with fashion sketches and sewing my bedsheets into gowns that it seemed inevitable that I would end up doing something in fashion but I never imagined that I would have had the chance to start my own line. I started selling some reconstructed vintage dresses on Etsy a few years and got such great feedback from customers, so I think that that really gave me the courage to go all out and do a collection.

Can you describe the Alexandra Grecco girl?
I think I once described the “Alexandra Grecco” girl as someone who is clumsy but ever so charming and lovely and a bit of a brave world traveler as well, and I would stick to that. I have found I have a lot of different customers from all over the world and from what I know they all seem really lovely, kind and full of great compliments!

What drew you to the old film star, classic, feminine aesthetic?
I was a ballet dancer for a company growing up so I was surrounded by tutus, rhinestones and pastel colors all the time! I daydreamed about being a silent film actress too. I just love everything romantic and theatrical.

What did you do before launching Alexandra Grecco?
I was working a few odd jobs and interning, having just finished school and returned from a year living in London and traveling. I had only day-dreamed of starting a line before Spring 2011.

How did you go about launching your label?
I learned a lot from interning from other independent designers who really encouraged me to start my own line. I started with a few pieces that I had made, shot a look-book and brought it around to my favorite boutiques in the city.

What about fashion is important to you and what interested you about the fashion industry?
I don’t really think of myself as a part of the fashion industry. Maybe I just haven’t thought about it. “Fashion” doesn’t really consume my everyday thoughts and never has. I really try to stray from trends and honestly, most “fashion” related events or competitions scare me. I’m just creating what I love and going with what feels naturally to me.

Why did you choose to set up base in Brooklyn?
My grandmother grew up in a brownstone in Park Slope, so to hear her talk about her days growing up in Brooklyn always made it sound so magical, and it’s just where I happened to end up too. My boyfriend and I have a nice, spacious apartment/studio that doesn’t cost a ton, and our neighborhood is really developing into a great little community, with small independently owned cafes and restaurants opening up. It’s quiet (most of the time) and the chaos of Manhattan and the garment district feels so far away when I’m at home, but is still not too far when I need to visit it.

What are the main difficulties in beginning a label in New York?
It’s so incredibly expensive! I think it would be expensive no matter where you start your label, however being in the city is convenient because everything is here so you can avoid a lot of shipping costs.

I found Alexandra Grecco through searching for Etsy, has the internet been an important tool for you in getting word out?
Yes, having an internet presence and an online following definitely speeds things along. It’s wonderful to be in charge of my sales and shop announcements via blogging and my online shop and receiving feedback while getting to know my customers is certainly invaluable. I would say a good amount of people find me through etsy.

What have you learnt from starting your own label independently and what have been the main challenges you’ve faced?
It’s an everyday learning process, but there have been super kind people who have helped answer questions for me along the way. I think as long as you have that kind of support and can be honest with yourself about your long term goals, and not take things personally, then it gets easier. My biggest challenge so far has been separating myself from my business in every way and drawing the line between business relationships and friendships. I suppose that could always get tricky.

What is next on the horizon for Alexandra Grecco?
I’m starting a bridal line in the near future, so I’m very much looking forward to that!

What advice would you give to someone hoping to break into the fashion industry?
Ask a lot of questions! Try to solidify your point of view/aesthetic in whatever it is you’re doing and know how to express it. It’s really important to have a concrete understanding of what it is that you’re going to develop and have the passion to back it up.

And lastly, as someone very new to New York City (I’ve just moved here from Melbourne, Australia!) Where do you like to shop in NY?
Welcome! I don’t have too much time to shop for myself these days, aside from shopping for rolls of fabric! I love a boutique called In God We Trust (they have four locations in the city), and Dalaga.

Find Alexandra Grecco at her:

Blog http://gludafindslulu.blogspot.com

Website http://www.alexandragrecco.com

Etsy http://www.etsy.com/shop/alexandragrecco

xx Amie

BAHSTON

2011-03-20T07:40:00.002+11:00

Boston, Massachusetts

The last few weeks have been so chaotic, with midterm assignments and presentations, running around trying to find internships I feel like I've gotten so caught up with the pace of this city. I think it's good to live in a place like New York when you're young and can still keep up, but even I feel so overwhelmed by the speed of this place! There's always plans being made and dates to keep, people to see and things to do.

Last week was Spring break and while there are a lot of wild connotations with Spring break, no I did not go wet-tshirting contesting or anything like that haha. I just got out of the city for a day trip with a friend to Philadelphia (such a cute little city and oh man Philly cheese steaks are my life) and then with another friend for 4 days in Boston (or Bahston, I fell in loooove with the accent). Boston was just what I needed. Only 4 hours out of the city but the pace was so much slower and easygoing, 4 days felt like 2 weeks! We visited Harvard (HAHVAHD) and Mark Zuckerberg's dormroom, MIT, Fenway Park, famous Mike's Pastry for cannolis, ate lots, snuck me into a bar even though I'm underage in America, and shopped and shopped and shopped on Newbury Street.

Now back to reality and deadlines and cooking my own dinners :( oh first world problems, what luxury.

x Amie

chameleon

2011-03-20T02:52:00.001+11:00

Alexa Chung for Madewell Harriet Pintuck dress from, Cotton On cardi, random grey thigh highs, Funkis ankle strap clogs

I thought it would be really interesting to see how I would build my wardrobe from scratch when I got to NY since I obviously couldn't bring all my clothes. What would I gravitate to, would I totally reinvent my style, would it become more clear how I dress? And as it turns out, the answer came back a big fat NO! Still as schizophrenic as ever. Sure I have bought a couple cutesy dresses, I still dress like a child mostly, but I also tried to dabble in Alexander Wang-esque territory with plain black pocket tees, college-kid style with kicks and hoodies and Sofia Coppola uniform of Breton tops and collared shirts. Guess I'll never be cool!

Some photos from my Philly/Boston Spring break soon!

x Amie

young folk

2011-03-08T07:31:00.002+11:00

New York Cityscapes from Amie Mai on Vimeo.

Finally pieced together enough clips over the last two months to warrant a video! Sorry if its a little boring, I really love the landscape of this city. I love the use of space and how they've just built UP! The first part I’m on the way to Yonkers to do some charity, some clips past Morningside Park, then I’m at the Brooklyn promenade looking back at Manhattan, then again in Westchester, cut to bussing across the west to East Village, then on the railway from Flushing back to Times Square :) Hope y'all like!

x Amie

greencard

2011-03-06T08:58:00.002+11:00

The Annex/Antiques Garage. 112 West 25th St, Chelsea.

Antique sellers are funny people. I met this guy, early 40s-ish, who sold collectable books, like first editions and cult novels etc, and he asked me where I was from and I said "Australia!" He got so excited and started unbuttoning his shirt (I was a little concerned at first haha) and underneath he was wearing a ‘Down Under’ tshirt and we got to talking about Australia :) He was saying how much he loved Melbourne, preferable to Sydney (brownie points! haha) and the laneways and the whole vibe and how he didn’t like the US government (lol) and how much he wanted to move down under!

So then he was like, 'Yeah you know to move there you have to gotta have a job or have a spouse there so, like, I was thinking, how 'bout you and I get married? I’ll marry you and you know, we don’t have to get intimate or anything, and then I could move to Australia!” hahaha it was actually kinda cute and funny. Oh, New York characters :P

x Amie

perfect central park moment

2011-03-06T08:45:00.005+11:00

The forecast predicted 15 degree weather today so I decided to brunch in Central Park and it couldn't have been lovelier! I had a cappucino and chocolate croissant at Le Pain Quotidien and strolled on over to Strawberry Fields to sit and soak up the sun. When I could not have been more content with my day, the man sitting next to me on the park bench started playing 'Hey Jude' on his radio/walkman, we locked eyes and smiled. Bliss.

x Amie

podunk tearoom

2011-03-02T02:07:00.003+11:00

Podunk, 231 East 5th St.

'Podunk' in American English (according to Wikipedia) means 'in the middle of nowhere' or something of no importance. While almost every little New York 'hole in the wall' cafe/restaurant/bar feels middle of nowhere, this quaint little tearoom really felt that way wedged between a couple residential apartment blocks and a hair salon! It's tiny, filled with macaron colored mis-matched lawn chairs and tables - almost feels like you're drinking tea in the middle of a garage sale - and all sorts of odds and ends. As you can see in the photo, they have a huge teapot collection! Of course, there's a great range of teas too, that come served to you on a lovely wooden tray (brekky in bed!) and you can also get scones with jam and cream. I went there last week to interview the lovely Connie Wang of Refinery29 for a class paper, who recommended the place and it was the perfect remedy to my cold. I love tea! Best part about it? The owner looks just like Mrs Claus! One of my favourite spots in New York so far, too bad it's a bit far from college.

x Amie

couture fashion week

2011-02-23T08:40:00.003+11:00

Designs by House of Jola, Berrys Couture, Reedas and House of Farrah @ the Waldorf-Astoria Grand Ballroom.

I was lucky enough to attend New York Fashion Week last week, but I also got to experience another fashion event equally exciting and rewarding, just a bit lesser known. Couture Fashion Week is a tradeshow/festival of sorts, which showcases luxury designers and brands hailing from countries like South Africa, Lebanon, Greece, Germany, Russia and Lithuania amongst others.

Though I only saw one show, I could gather that all the designers really incorporated the culture of their hometowns into their garments in the fabrics, prints and textures chosen. None of the names were familiar to me and probably wouldn't be even to the attendees of NYFW, though they must be very renowned in their hometowns judging by the excited cheers and applause of the crowd. And while they aren't likely to burn up the catwalks of major fashion festivals anytime, it was still interesting to see fashion from other countries.

When I think fashion, I generally turn to New York, Paris or Milan. Or if I'm thinking of Australian Fashion, its Sydney or Melbourne. Getting to experience Couture Fashion Week was a great reminder to me that fashion doesn't just come out of the typical style capitals - it's everywhere, it's global!

x Amie

last week: fashion, theatre, food.

2011-02-21T02:34:00.004+11:00

1, 2 & 3. Barney's Warehouse Sale madness. The line stretched all the way down the block and people had begun lining up at 6am! Menswear, womenswear, footwear and accessories spread across two floors, you would think there'd at least be one catfight over a pair of Louboutins but everyone was very civil and actually friendly! A lady saw me eyeing her trying on this pair of buttercream coloured leather Jil Sander oxford shoes and kindly handed them straight over to me when she found they didn't fit her! Unfortunately they didn't fit me either :( I came home with a Boy by Band of Outsiders blazer ($250 down from $1500!!!), a Boy collared shirt ($69 down from ~$200) and two Rodarte x Breathless 50th anniversary tshirts ($39 each), one for me and for my bff! There was another Boy blazer and a golden sequinned Phillip Lim skirt that I wanted desperately, but they were almost $400, maybe I'll check out the sale near its end and they'll be reduced. Fingers crossed haha.

4. Stage set up by the Wooster Group for a seriously trippy, psychedelic take on Tennessee William's Vieux Carre at the Baryshnikov Arts Center. They took it completely out of the time and space that Vieux Carre was originally set and enveloped it in a kind of dreamscape that you didn't know whether it was a really crazy reality or the inside of a writer's mind or what. A really unique theatre experience.

5 & 6. Amazing pork belly buns and ramen at Momofuku Noodle bar. The soup was so rich but light, the egg was so perfectly soft boiled and the yolk was all lovely and runny! My kingdom for a good bowl of ramen!

x Amie

des fleurs

2011-02-17T03:19:00.002+11:00

H&M sweater & jeans, Metalicus long-sleeved shirt.

This sweater is probably my favourite buy so far on this trip. Despite having a severely limited wardrobe, I can always put this on over a top and feel a bit more put together somehow.

x Amie

NYFW: La Vill by Artemiza Cruz "The Hush"

2011-02-15T16:39:00.009+11:00

Somebody pinch me, I think I'm in a dream! Last week I joined the Columbia college fashion magazine 'Hoot' and for my first assignments they are sending me to a couple small designer shows at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. On Sunday I went to cover my first show, it was the debut collection for La Vill by Artemiza Cruz, entitled "The Hush." By some hand of God, I was given a front row seat! The runway was set up in a small all-white studio with a soundtrack that sounded like Nouvelle Vague. As is to be expected I suppose, the show ran a fashionably 45 minutes late. It opened with a young opera singer performing 'I Could Have Danced All Night' from My Fair Lady, which was very deceiving (a red herring or perhaps a clever juxtaposition? I couldn't decide). As the designs that followed were far from anything Eliza Doolittle would wear (before OR after her transformation).

Overall the look was very Taylor Momsen (on a tame day!); kind of gothic-wind-up-doll-in-a-death-march-on-the-way-to-a-party. The models all walked in a stilted, wooden way, some with their palms out like they were zombie brides. The palette was a grungey mix of navy, black and muted gold with a lot of texture in the fabrics, ranging from sequins, wet-look/leatherette, sheer panelling and overlayers and fringing. The shapes were very body conscious or played with volume and dimension, like peplum skirts or assymetrical cuts, to accentuate the female form. Although the models were still not-your-average-woman, I was glad to see they weren't rake thin and some were surprisingly curvy.

Obviously, the clothes weren't exactly my cup of tea although I really thought some of the more modest pieces would be perfect cocktail dresses. I think it was a solid debut, although there wasn't a particularly distinguishing character, and I wish the designer the best of luck in this cut-throat industry!

x Amie

walk, walk, new york fashion week, baby!

2011-02-13T10:26:00.008+11:00

1. & 2. NYFW Signage. I almost had a fit taking the second picture, I was so sure it was Scott Schumann/The Sartorialist, but then I realised he'd never have a haircut like that haha.

3. With Nicole, longing to be inside of those white tents!

4. Fashion pack (of wolves?)

5. & 6. Fierce bitches werqin' it and street-style photogs (some of whom are really super stylish themselves).

7. Lincoln Center

Thursday marked the beginning of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week and of course I was down at the scene doing some really legit journalistic investigation ~~celebrity-stalking~~. My friend Nicole and I got to Lincoln Center at a freezing 9am and lurked hoping to catch Bryan Boy or Rumi aka FashionToast. But I suppose it was too early for them to be tweeting or out of bed. There were plenty of stylish people, ranging from total monochromatic ensembles to the really quirky, but I was disappointed that hardly anyone was wearing any colour! It's Spring Fashion Week is it not? We almost gave up hope seeing anybody famous, so we started walking to the Whole Foods at Time Warner Plaza (I forget why, I was probably out of groceries) and guess who we bump into??? KELLY CUTRONE! OF THE CITY! OF KELL ON EARTH! OF PEOPLE'S REVOLUTION! OF IF YOU HAVE TO CRY, GO OUTSIDE!

Check it out! I think she was wearing Swedish Hasbeens!

I was too chicken to take a photo even though Kelly was super nice to begin with. She gave Nicole a hug and asked us whether we were having fun at Fashion Week (haha as if we were actually attending :P Oh, fabulous Kell! I'll have my people call your people, let's get drinks!). One of her PA's said she liked my Gorman pom-pom coat. And then she had to dash! Needless to say we were just buzzing the rest of the day. Fingers crossed I can catch out Kanye or Alexa Chung or something. Otherwise I'd really want to meet one of the big fashion bloggers :)

x Amie

brooklyn baby

2011-01-30T12:55:00.002+11:00

1. Cheery colourful houses in Brooklyn Heights

2. Famous thin-crust pizza @ Grimaldi's Pizzeria

3. St. Ann's Warehouse theatre

4. Street art

5. & 6. Melbourne-style lunch @ Milk Bar (run by Aussies!)

7. DUMBO

Spent a Saturday in Brooklyn with my friend Bec, who just finished a semester abroad in Montreal. We have this odd habit of running into each other overseas but hardly ever at home in Melbourne, in high school we happened to go on exchange to Paris at the same time as well :P Anyway, we were both missing home so we decided to have lunch at this incredibly Melbourne cafe Milk Bar, which is run by Aussies! Best meal I’ve had all month.

Amie

photobooth outfit posts

2011-01-26T03:15:00.003+11:00

WARNING!!! AWKWARD LEANS AHEAD!!!

1. Jumper- Pixie Market on Ludlow, Dress- Sportsgirl, Boots- Forever 21

2. Hat- Dotti, Coat- Gorman, Cardigan- Zara, Pinafore- Lover, Boots- Forever 21

3. Jumper- H&M, Shirt- Metalicus, Jeans- H&M, Boots- Forever 21

4. Hat- Random Stand in Lincoln Square, Coat- Gorman, Dress- Camberwell Market, Boots- Forever 21

yes! hornberger!

2011-01-25T12:59:00.002+11:00

Oh no big deal. I only got to meet Scott Adsit aka Pete Hornberger off 30 Rock whilst randomly shopping at Century 21!!! Life is complete. Needless to say I was spazzing out, stumbling over my words when asking for a photo. :3

postcards from ny

2011-01-21T16:14:00.003+11:00

1. proud student standing outside the college gates

2. being general idiots in central park

3. tree lights at college walk

4. & 5. my depressing room

6. & 7. my beautiful columbia campus

Y'all can start being jealous... now! :P Its been pretty overwhelming being here but for the most part its really fun. I started 'shopping period' this week which is 2 weeks of trying out every class I'm interested in taking and that's been really intense. We have it so easy in Australia, our schooling year is so short and workload is so little, here almost every humanities class has a weekly 3 page paper AND a mid-term AND a final exam so I'm really freaked out about that. I haven't had much time to go and explore the city unfortunately, although I nicked down to SoHo last week to do some wardrobe-rehab at H&M and Uniqlo :) Tomorrow I'm heading to see an Andy Warhol exhibit of some of his short films and screen tests at the MoMA and then checking out Chinatown for some dearly missed azn food.

Amie

empire state of mind

2011-01-14T14:54:00.003+11:00

Hat- Sportsgirl, Scarf- Thrifted, Coat- Gorman, Jeans- Nudie, Boots- eBay, Bag- Urban Outfitters

Currently navigating the freezing winter in New York, Saturday morning I'm catching a Broadway show and I start classes on Monday! Still can't believe I'm going to be living in the city that never sleeps!

x Amie

BBBQ*

2011-01-05T09:20:00.005+11:00

Girls - Thee Oh So Protective One

food + friends + conversation = A+ summer fun

*The extra B is for BYOBB

"What that extra B for?"

"That's a typo."

Oh yeah, Simpsons yeah.

x Amie

twenty eleven

2011-01-03T16:52:00.007+11:00

Playing with sparklers and Photoshop curves

Welcome to 2011! I didn't make any New Year's resolutions, mostly because they're always the same and not particularly concrete goals like: stay optimistic, be less cynical, take chances, so they can't really be ticked off at the end of the day :P I would just like to get close to becoming the better version of myself I suppose, if all you can ever really be is yourself, then I'd like to be the "best" me? If that makes sense. I would also like to say yes to more things rather than shy away from too much and not let thinking get in the way of doing. But these are things I always want, as opposed to goals to do within a year. Hmph. I guess I have a lot to ponder haha. I spent New Year's day practising driving and going to Springvale (which never closes) for Bánh bao and batteries because my Mac mouse died :P

The second day of 2011 was spent at Camberwell Market where I bought this insane silk kimono and then a late showing of The King's Speech which was excellent, A film about a man overcoming his stammer doesn't sound like particularly compelling stuff on paper, but it was a truly touching and uplifting story and if you've ever felt like you could really be great at something but there's always been that niggling voice and those little doubts that held you back and then you realise that its actually you standing in the way of you, yeah, this film is perfect. Plus it includes Colin Firth being adorable cussing up a storm and rolling around on the floor and Geoffrey "Captain Barbossa" Rush being his cheeky self. And if Colin Firth doesn't get a Golden Globe or Academy Award for this I'll eat my hat.

Happy Monday interweb peeps!

x Amie

P.S packing sux!

melbourne, my love! pt. 2

2010-12-31T08:53:00.004+11:00

Dreams (Fleetwood Mac) - The Morning Benders (5 days till I see them!)

Went down to the catch the sunset yesterday at St Kilda Pier and see the Spirit of Tasmania depart. It's 10 days till I leave for New York and there's so much of Melbourne I'm going to miss and so much more that I have yet seen of my home town. Haha I speak as if I'm dying of a terminal illness or something, but really it's only 6 months! I'll be back before I know it and will have all the time in the world to get to know my beloved city better :)

More of Melbourne here, in pt. 1

x Amie

baby, it's cold outside!

2010-12-28T20:30:00.005+11:00

Having a bit of a panic attack about flights to New York given the heavy snow and blizzards they've been having lately! Their major airports were shut down for a few days over the Christmas period and going by the photos it looks like hell to be walking around outside! I doubt any type of boots I buy here in Australia will suffice the weather over there so I've been surfing Bloomingdales.com to earmark a pair of snowpropriate boots to buy as soon as I land in New York :) Here are a few of my favourites! (haha pinky swear this was not a sponsored post!) Anti-clockwise starting from the red boot:

Hunter original short boot in glossy red $115.00
Sperry top spider 'Pelican' rain boots $68.00
See by Chloe printed rain boots $215.00
Sorel '1964 Premium' boots $110.00
Kors Michael Kors 'Stow' rain boots $125
Ash 'Shine' motorcycle boots $206.00
Boutique 9 'Rivit' short lace up combat boots $140.00
Lucky Brand 'Ginny' lace up hiker boots $119.00
Hunter original short boots in glossy black $115.00

The See By Chloe's are the prettiest wellingtons I've ever seen in my life but I don't know whether I'm willing to shell out $200 for essentially gumboots (but... but... look how pretty!!!) My second choice would have to be the Michael Kors pair, but I am partial to uber bright primary colours like the Lucky Brand and the red Hunter boots :P Oh man, shopping up a storm and I haven't even set foot in the US!

Anybody been to New York in the winter or is there now and can suggest some suitable footwear?

x Amie

noel + bonne annee!

2010-12-28T16:09:00.003+11:00

It was a really sleepy kind of Christmas this year :P One of my brothers, Tim, was away in Japan so it was just me, my brother Dave and our parents for Xmas. Dave and I tried to stay up late waiting for them to come home from midnight mass by watching Despicable Me but we were too wiped out from dinner. So we postponed presents till Christmas Day brekky. Some photo captions:

1. Nala getting into the festive spirit.

2. Under the tree on Christmas Eve.

3. Mum and I dashing to open presents :P

4. Some of my loot haha. Dave got me the Mimco bag I wished for! I'm so lucky to have him as my big brother :) The Friends box set was for the whole fam, the mugs are my Mum's!

And all the photos I took on my brand new Lumix LX5 that I got myself for Christmas + for New York. It has pretty cool aspect ratios like the last square photo and the wide-lens shots. I took a couple videos of Melbourne CBD at night that I'm editing now that look crazy good, obviously I'm having so much fun playing around with it :) I definitely recommend it to anyone (especially if you're not up to splashing out for a DSLR!)

Hope everyone had a lovely Christmas and has a great New Years :) Anybody have any super exciting plans? I almost always have a pretty lame but fun NYE haha. Last year my friends and I rented a hotel room that was on the wrong side so we couldn't see the fireworks (that didn't even go off properly because it was pouring) and ended up watching infomercials and playing Celebrity Heads a la Inglourious Basterds. This year I intend of turning in early watching Community and, if I get a little ambitious, a torrented version of Black Swan. Oh yeah, I'm badass.

x Amie

festive cheer

2010-12-24T08:39:00.005+11:00

Merry Christmas (from my fave TV shows, 30 Rock + Late Night With Jimmy Fallon)! I hope everyone's having a lovely time, happy from spending time with the ones you love and fat from all the glorious food and drink! May 2011 bring you all a fresh, exciting new start and I look forward to seeing you all on the other side! :)

style for a song

2010-12-17T13:25:00.008+11:00

Along with a good cup of tea and a nice comfy bed there is nothing, no pain, no heartache, that music can't soothe. And when all is right in the world, music is there to make those moments even sweeter. There is one other thing that is just as essential to me as fashion (or possibly even more!) and that is music. Nowadays I don't think you can separate the two, as when you talk about artists inevitably you end up talking about what they might've worn on an album cover or in a live performance; the clothes become iconic. Michael Jackson's glittering glove, Madonna's conical bra, Britney Spears's red leather jumpsuit, Lady Gaga's anything-she-ever-wears. The good folk over at 2threads asked me to share which musical artists' styles I'm inspired by and while I could gush over Michael Jackson I won't, but I will talk about some seriously stylish women.

Florence & The Machine - Dog Days Are Over

I was really late on the Florence bandwagon but when I did finally catch on, I was completely taken by how full of emotion her voice is and how heartwrenching her songs are, how powerful she is in her rawness and vulnerability. And I love how what she wears really reflects this too, she can be totally ethereal and like a goddess almost in a floaty, waterfall of a dress and at another performance, a dark brooding vulture of a thing. Oh man and those legs!

Janelle Monae (feat Big Boi) - Tightrope

This woman is a legend. Fierce, flawless, fabulous etc. And absolutely classic. She inspires me in that she needs no embellishment. There's no fancy jewellery, no outfits that scream LOOK-AT-ME, nothing to distract you from her performance or the music (except for maybe the pompadour haha). In an impeccably tailored suit, bow tie and saddle shoes (harking back shall I say to MJ's Off The Wall years?), Janelle shows that less really is more.

Lykke Li - Breaking It Up

Hands down, Lykke Li is one BAMF. Just check out her dance moves and you'll see what I'm talkin' 'bout. She wears basics like a pro, simple drapey shapes and throws on a load of necklaces and bracelets, a bit of sequins and boom, instant cool! Also she's Swedish so stylishness is pretty much baked dried in.

Of course, style wouldn't mean a thing if these artists didn't have some substance behind them. I don't think you can have one without the other, really. *cough*Short Stack*cough* ahem.

So tell me lovelies, which artists/bands' styles are inspiring you right now?

Thanks to 2threads and Altec Lansing!

my fantasy christmas wishlist

2010-12-14T13:33:00.004+11:00

Getting to live in Manhattan for 6 months is already like x 1000000000 Christmases all in one and more than I could dream of so really I couldn't ask for more but just for funsies here is a bunch of things I've been mental-noting in my brain whilst out present-shopping for my family :P

1. seedchild Apple Hardcase purse - I love the kids toy section in seedchild, I wish I had a niece or nephew to spoil with all the cute things they have there!

2. alpha60 wool pleat scarf - Melbourne staple I guess haha, one day I will own one, I suppose they'll always produce them

3. Mimco 'Antoinette' hip bag - deceptively small holdall

4. Panasonic Lumix LX5 - I've been meaning to upgrade my camera and though a DSLR is like a blogger essential, its not exactly travel-friendly, what with lenses and the charger and the camera bag etc, so I opted for a compact digital camera that basically has all the same features. I ordered mine from eGlobalDigital for about half the price of what I would have to pay in store!

5. Lumix optical viewfinder - quite an unnecessary accessory for this camera as its got a LCD screen at the back but for the retro-enthused like me it's pretty neat!

6. Staring At Stars Intarsia fur trapper from UrbanOutfitters

7. Acne Beryl cardigan - I prefer menswear style cardigans, especially ones with a shawl collar, they have more of a collegiate kinda feel, this one is in just the perfect colour and fit :)

8. Russh subscription

9. Vivetta 'I Love You' silk shirt - I've been pining for this top for a zillion years! When will you be mine???

10. Tickets to Late Night With Jimmy Fallon - if you've been following my tumblr you'll notice that I've developed a huge, irrational crush on Jimmy Fallon and would do anything to be in the same room as that much adorableness!

11. Sretsis Ladybird rings

12. Ellery x Graz sunnies

oh yeah and add the Friends box set, Firefly complete series, 30 Rock season 4, Community season 1, Will & Grace box set, Arcade Fire's Funeral on vinyl, and a whole bunch of movies too haha.

What's hitting the top of your xmas wishlist?

x Amie

blossom baby

2010-12-13T18:22:00.004+11:00

Happy Monday everybody! Today I've challenged myself to make as much as I can out of all leftover material in my fabric trunk before I leave in January because for 6 months I won't be able to sew a darn thing! This is the first project I've completed, the idea had been mulling around in my brain for a while but I had had trouble wrapping my brain around making a 'openable' backless dress for some reason. I'm obsessed with backless dresses and cut outs and there are so many cute ones in stores and online nowadays, but being tight-pocketed as of late and bored-as-hell at home (there is only so much Channel GO! you can watch) I decided to test my skillz. The bodice is fully lined with mismatching pieces of scrap cotton and all the hems were serged. I think this is my most professional piece yet!

The fabric is from Spotlight and cost about $15, the HUGE floral print and bright colours really caught my eye (at first I had this earmarked for a pair of high waisted shorts). It does up in the back with push-buttons, while the black glittery ones I found in a tin at home are just for decoration. I like wearing it on its own, but a skinny belt helps to separate top and bottom a bit better. I'm so happy with how my pattern turned out (drafted it myself!), I can't wait to try it again in different fabrics! I'm thinking a black silk dupion for evening's out!

x Amie

happy little vegemites

2010-12-06T09:19:00.003+11:00

I made these little guys for myself and a friend, we're both going away on exchange next year - her to Sweden and me to NY - and even though neither of us are huge fans of Vegemite I thought they'd be nice little tokens of Australia anyways :) Plus I had little visions of each of us going to the typical touristy places and taking photos with our vegemite plushies like the gnome in Amelie! They're made from felt and toy stuffing. The longest part was cutting out each of the letters for V-E-G-E-M-I-T-E from this special sticky-back felt, but I'm pretty happy with how they turned out! I was going to make Nutella ones but then I realised it wasn't Australian! Oh wellz...

x Amie

Qu'il pleuve ou qu'il vente

2010-12-05T12:59:00.003+11:00

Jumper- Knitted by Mum, Floral bodycon- hand me down, Shoes- Topshop, Hat- Scavengers, Belt- Dotti

I've lived in Melbourne for all of my 20 years and still the temperamental weather causes me to curse the skies daily! It will be a lovely skirts-and-bare-legs day when I take the train into the city, then once I'm in the CBD it'll start pouring torrential rain. Or it start off a jumper-coat-umbrella-hat morning and turn into NO-CLOTHES-IS-PREFERABLE afternoon. So I oft find myself very weather-confused and come up with something that is at once inappropriate for both forecast contingencies, like today. Though I was also thinking about Ghost World last night so that might have a little to do with the outfit :P

My NY-centric BookDepository order came last week and its made me so restless the past few days! I got this children's book This Is New York M. Sasek, who has a whole series of This Is... Paris, San Francisco, London etc (I plan on going to all these cities and buying each of them after every trip haha!) and its just so sweet! I love picture books :)

36 days till I'm on that plane!

x Amie

blue lagoon

2010-12-01T09:21:00.006+11:00

1. @KanyeWest, 2. Celine wedges via Taghrid.cc, 3. GaryPepperVintage, 4. Iekeliene Stange, 5. Taylor Tomasi-Hill, 6. Julia Sarr-Jamois

Really feeling turquoise/blue at the moment, actually I think this entry was just an excuse to post that twitter pic of Kanye :P He's wearing leather Phillip Lim shorts! Shopping with him would be the most awesome thing ever. I finally got around to listening to My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy and it is pretty spectacular, it's introspective but worldly, indulgent, self-loathing, theatrical, grandiose and (I hate saying this word because it's just such a cliched buzz word now) raw. Almost every track is a 'single' (kinda reminds me of MJ's Thriller in that way). Lost In The World is probably my favourite song off the new album, the sound and rhythm just surrounds me when I listen to it and puts me in such a mood, but still, I do miss the sampling and the Kanye of old.

x Amie

desktop dreaming

2010-11-22T11:07:00.006+11:00

Dreams (Fleetwood Mac cover) - The Morning Benders

Happy Monday peoples of the interwebz! Hope you all had a swell weekend, I certainly enjoyed mine :) Friday night I went out with Viv and Yosh for a double feature at The Astor theatre in Windsor. It was my first time there and it's such a beautiful old cinema, you can just feel the history of the place. The seats are still covered in leather and they have wooden floorboards! The usher/ticket ripper dudes wore cute red vests and bow ties guys! Haha I have a thing for super old timey aesthetes. We watched Greenberg, a really delightful off-beat romantic comedy by Noah Baumbach, and Scott Pilgrim (for the second time! Still so amazing and totally visually overwhelming!), reaffirming my irrational crush on Kieran Culkin (the better of the Culkins, IMO). Saturday I pottered around op-shops avec ma mere and came across a lovely double-breasted camel wool coat :) I would have included a photo but it's way too hot to don winter garb. Sunday was just the best, I met up with my tumblr crew in the city and we checked out the Disney 'Dreams Come True' exhibition at ACMI and then YUM CHA! All the detail and historical research that went into creating the Disney princesses (even just the concept art) is mindblowing, the original sketches and variations were really interesting to go through too :) Also learning what all the original fables/stories that the Disney stories actually came from is fascinating! Beauty & The Beast was originally written like an instruction manual for young girls who were being married off to older husbands! It was a story to teach them how to behave around and how to take care of their mature beaus. I bought a Sleeping Beauty postcard as you can see in the second photo! For some reason it's the movie I remember the most - everyone else usually says Beauty & The Beast - I remember so clearly this one sequence where the Fairy Godmothers are trying to prepare for Aurora's birthday without magic and it's going all wrong and then they're like "Screw it! We need our wands!" (although more PG) and then two of the Fairy Godmothers keep fighting over whether the dress will be pink or blue :P Such a nostalgia trip and so worth it, concession tickets were only $12! Not as interactive as the Tim Burton exhibit but just so lovely. Definitely go check it out, its on until April 2011!

x Amie

haha this post had nothing to do with the pictures really, apologies!

Also dudes! In anticipation of New York Citaayyy I have decided to clean out mah closet to scrounge up some monies :) selling some vintage pieces on the eBay to start with the first batch includes that TBA coat, a Miu Miu style Kinki Gerlinki blouse and some cute shoes! I'll keep digging and hopefully have some more stuff up soon!

xxx

let's get out of this country

2010-11-15T19:54:00.000+11:00

Hat- Scavengers, Jumper- Camby, Jeans- Nudie, Boots- eBay

I'm on HOLIDAYS! booyah! First thing I did was catch up on all those hours of sleep I deprived myself of pulling all nighters, which felt absolutely glorious. Then Sunday, I went to Camberwell Market avec ma mere and actually had a good haul! The jumper I'm wearing in the photos above is one of the magical finds I brought home with me :) It's vintage 70s, oatmeal wool angora and suede leather, the diagonal dotted lines are actually suede ribbon woven through the wool knit! I'm not sure what drew me to it, I guess I really like earthy textures and colours at the moment. I also picked up a navy wool cardigan with gold buttons and some shiny, gold things I'm gonna pop on necklaces. I'm so envious of all the cool people I watch/read about on StyleLikeU who just happen to thrift/source such amazing vintage one-off jewellery bits and pieces and slapdash them all together to look fantastic. This girl has this superrad necklace and its made up of all these random found objects strung together on the one chain. With these two starters hopefully I'll build up a collection of pendants to recreate the look :)

I post a lot more bits and bobs at my tumblr dudes, you should follow me there!

x Amie

ladder to the sun

2010-11-14T14:37:00.003+11:00

Zero - YYYs

Only Girl In The World - Rihanna

Music videos are inspiring me this week :) Anybody want to share their favourite videos?

x Amie

well dressed couples: keira knightley + rupert friend

2010-11-07T10:00:00.003+11:00

Oh, Keira. Winter looks so good on you. The girl can work coats, boots and hats with the right proportions and without having any of that bulk drowning her frame. And underneath all that bulk and layering still look so cute, stylish and so practical! I'm actually really looking forward to a winter in New York, though it wouldn't hurt having Keira's wardrobe! I also approve of her boyf's sartorial sense, again practical, effortless and cool. Two words SHEARLING JACKETS! Is it just me though or does he look like 3 different people in each of these photos? I count Orlando Bloom, Rupert Everett and Christian Bale. I think he just has one of those faces. I'm also really excited about her new film London Boulevard mostly because it has Colin Farrell in it, who has been M.I.A from the silver screen for faaaarrr too long in my opinion, the world needs moar Colin. I think he was my second ever film/TV star crush, right after Robert Downey Jr. (it was season 5 of Ally Mcbeal that got me)

How amazing is he at doing accents?

x Amie

P.S. 2500 more words and I'm a free bitch, baby!

prada's at the cleaners

2010-11-03T10:39:00.004+11:00

Cardigan- Mum's, Dress- Camberwell Market, Stockings- Myer, Shoes- Mum's, Badge- FrockYou.Com

Quick outfit post! Wore this to see The Social Network last night and as you have probably heard it was brilliant. The style, the pacing, the performances, the score (Trent Reznor, hello!), the dialogue, everything comes together so perfectly to tell this story of ambition and greed and the dynamics of human relationships. I think Jesse Eisenberg gets a lot of flack for playing the same sort of dead-pan, passive aggressive characters, but boy is he excellent at them! Last night was also the night I fell in love with Andrew Garfield who also perfectly executed his character, Eduardo Saverin, as the anti-Mark Zuckerberg. Anyway dudes, GO SEE THIS MOVIE.

Didn't you just want to hold him and tell him everything would be okay?

x Amie

my week in 4 photos

2010-11-02T10:08:00.003+11:00

1. I don't know if I believe in astrology/tea leaves/divination/fortune telling but I always read my horoscope. This one is pretty detailed though and really accurate! There are all these things I need and want to organise for New York but can't obviously because of all my assessments. I' keep wanting to introduce a new design for amourette as well, but always don't have the time to figure out the logistics. And since finding out about exchange, I've tried to keep a lid on my finances, but clearly fate is telling me I need to shop :P Thank you unseen forces of the universe!

2. The cherry blossom trees we planted in front of our house were in full bloom so I took the opportunity to play around with my brother's DSLR. I kind of want to buy one for myself (they have ones now that take HD video!) but I know I would never get around to working out all the functions and settings. But I love how the sunlight got captured in this shot. Can't you just feel the warmth filling you up?

3. I went to the ballet for the first time this week with a couple of friends! We saw Romeo and Juliet performed by the Australian Conservatoire of Ballet at the State Theatre. Stupid flooding that day delayed my train and I missed the first act - I still got to watch it on the small screen outside! Even though it was really pretty and all, I just don't think I'm a ballet person. I NEED dialogue! When Mercutio got killed by Tybalt I was like "SAAAY IT! A PLAGUE ON BOTH YOUR HOUSES!" You could probably psycho-analyse that somehow, like, I'm terrible at expressing myself in real life, so I live vicariously through onscreen/stage characters as they pour their souls out (gag).

4. GOOD VIBES FEST! Y U NO HAVE JANELLE MONAE SIDESHOW!? I'm not even going to be here for Good Vibrations but I'm so upset that they aren't letting their acts perform extra gigs outside of the festival. It has been my lifelong mission (since first hearing Metropolis: Suite 1 three years ago!) to see this woman/legend-in-the-making/head-bitch-in-charge/flawless, fabulous, fierce human-being perform live. As everyone has been aptly saying, Janelle is Fred Astaire, Katherine Hepburn, Prince, James Brown, Michael Jackson, David Bowie and more. If you don't know her already, educate yourself fool.

And how about yourselves? Has this week been kind to you?

x Amie

printemps

2010-10-31T11:13:00.008+11:00

Top to Bottom: Anna Arden, Jo Stein, Unknown, Lonely Hearts. I'm terrible at crediting images, but this is as best I can gather from their filenames.

It just seems so wrong to be indoors, sitting behind a computer when it's Springtime and the weather is just so glorious and the sun is basically kissing your skin! I go to Melbourne Uni (finished classes this week, yay!) and every time I walk past the South Lawn on my way to class, I have to walk by all the happy frolicking people, laying on the grass and every time this is what I feel like inside:

"I'M IN A GLASS CASE OF EMOTION!!!"

Oh well, it's only 12 days and 8000 words to go! I don't usually do these kinds of random-image-photo-set-we-heart-it posts but I hate neglecting the blog for too long :) Some good news! I got my visa approved for the US so it's all systems go from here! Anyway, I hope everyone is doing well and good luck to those tackling their VCE/HSC or kids like me in the middle of Uni SWOTVAC!

x Amie

one-hundred

2010-10-23T16:16:00.006+11:00

Shirt- American Rag, Dress- Lover, Socks- Tabio, Shoes- Thrifted

heartbeats, intimidation has just hit 100 followers (amourette now has 110!) and I just wanted to say a quick thank you to everyone thats reads/comments on this blog! I'm very proud to be part of such a wonderful online community that continues to inspire me everyday and encourages me to keep pursuing what I love. There are a lot of times where I've felt despondent or disillusioned about my future/careerpaths/generallifedirection, but through blogging and reading others' blogs, more and more I realise that there's not just one way to do things, no set road to go down to succeed in life. I'm so inspired by bloggers like Rumi, Nicole of GaryPepperVintage, Alicia of SeaOfGhosts, Emma who runs Pocketto and so many more that have built something that's completely their own and are living their dream! It sounds kind of cliche and lame and after-school-special but you really can do anything if you put your mind to it, of course having a little bit of luck and being at the right place at the right time doesn't hurt either! Anything is possible! That alone used to be a very scary idea to me, but at the same time it's also very exciting :) Anyway, I'm rambling now so I'll wrap it up. Thanks for tuning in!

x Amie

pastel playground

2010-10-20T13:08:00.011+11:00

Apologies for how Sportsgirl-centric this blog is becoming (or was it always like this all along???) But it really is 'our version' of Topshop or H&M and come sale time, it's the best place to bag a bargain. Taking my transformation into Alexa Chung to dizzying heights (is this getting creepy yet?), I recently bought the Eileen embroidered dress in Ivory for $29.95 down from $99.95. Crazytown, right? Total daylight robbery! Anyway I received my free $50 voucher in the mail today and have been hem-and-hawing about what to splash out on. $50 doesn't really get you much these days, unless you're after nail polish or small accessories, but adding on an extra twenty or thirty is really nothing, compared to what I'll be saving! Here are my top lemmings:

You all know I'm partial to a striped top and it looks like a comfy knit ($49.95), but I've been eyeing that blush pink shirt since it came out and its now at a reasonable price ($55.95). As my Mum pointed out however, its made from polyester (sinful!). Jessie of The Velvet Bow recently posted her list of 'Top Picks' from Sportsgirl and included these pastel peach shorts ($69.95) and mint trousers ($89.95), both of which I absolutely adore. Since I'll be spending Winter in NY I'm not sure how practical these will be, but the colours are so happy and fun :) The satchel ($59.95) is probably the best and most affordable 'copy' of the Proenza PS1 I've seen, apart from the Country Road 'Iris' bag from a few seasons ago. The pink embellished clutch ($39.95) is a really cute, Sportsgirl released a blue velvet version last season that I missed out on so it's a contender too! The brooch and ring both really have no purpose in my life haha I'm terrible with accessories as I'm way too fidgety and lose things all the time but they're so cute anyways.

So what do you think? What's on your to-buy list?

x Amie

P.S I bought a coat for NY. From Gorman. I really shouldn't have, I mean, really, essentially I paid for $229 pom poms. But it was so cute and I'd visited the store every day for a week that my friend Viv said, "Yeah, I think you're obsessed, you need to buy it." Besides I'll be representin' Australian designers when I get there! If you want to buy it they have quite a few in stock at the Melbourne Central Gorman shop. I tried on the size 8 and it fit me perfectly, but the size 10 gave me just that little extra arm-room for layering and thermals!

butterfly explosion

2010-10-19T13:32:00.003+11:00

Images via Paperform

There have been hits and misses with the Sportsgirls Like... collaborations but one thing's for sure is that their photoshoots are always gorgeous! Sydney born-and-bred Jessie Hill is the latest Australian designer to lend her talents to Sportsgirl. Moving to Los Angeles at just 17, getting her start as a stylist for MTV, Hill was then scouted to bring her flare for design to cult streetwear label Buddhist Punk. Launching her eponymous label in 2007 at Rosemount Australian Fashion Week, Hill established her design aesthetic as dark, romantic and a touch rebellious. The capsule collection Hill designed for Sportsgirl definitely captures this mood, with bright reds, dramatic black and a frenetic floral print. The range is a little ~flat~ for want of more eloquent words and just seem like cuts Sportsgirl would already have released themselves, but they do photograph beautifully. I am looking forward to checking out the zip skirt, the ruffle above the waistline is really cute, and the beaded animal tank in person though! I actually wish the red floral garlands and leaf/feather cuffs used to accessorize the pieces were available for sale, but I suppose they were just for the shoot!

BTW check it out! My Spring Style Tip got published on the Sportsgirl blog! I've been really good with saving money the last few months, cutting out on lunch/coffee/snacks at Uni and unnecessary spending here and there on CD's, books and magazines, so I'm really excited to have a free $50 to blow on something fun!

The competition is open for the next three weeks I think and they have 3 more $50 vouchers to giveaway! You just have to be registered as a Sportsgirl member to be able to post your Spring tip up (I'd advise to keep it short and snappy with correct grammar/spelling/punctuation etc haha): Enter Now!

x Amie

my day in 4 photos

2010-10-11T19:07:00.004+11:00

1. Eating Things I Shouldn't: I'm already anticipating getting fat from the five months I'll be spending in the US (think of all the hot dogs! the cupcakes! the bagels!) so I really wasn't helping my case by having a Happy Meal for lunch today. Who still eats Happy Meals? It's the only thing I ever get from Maccas. I have always always always had McNuggets with Happy Meals and have only ever once ate a cheeseburger and thought it was blerguh. McNuggets rule!

2. Reading Things I Shouldn't: As the semester comes to a close I really don't have time to be doing any kind of reading not directly related to the essays I am supposed to be writing. But I found this gem at the Baillieu Reserve Section and COULDN'T NOT flip through it! One of the surprising things I discovered: Joss wrote that God-awful zinger moment in the first X-Men movie where Halle Berry/Storm is fighting that Toad mutant baddie guy and says, "You know what happens to a toad when it gets struck by lightning? Same thing that happens to everything else." Has to be one of THE worst your-ass-is-gonna-get-kicked lines ever. Can't wait till I have time to borrow this out! Haha

3. Listening to music I shouldn't: I'm totally gonna lose MAJOR COOL POINTS but I actually genuinely like this song by J.Biebs. Technically its a duet with Usher so do I get a free pass? :P I also love that cheesy as hell song U Smile and that Kanye/Wu Tang Clan/Raekwon remix of Runaway Love. Yep. JUDGE ME.

4. Buying Things I Shouldn't: Okay so I didn't actually buy this yet (watch by Triwa), but I've been planning to for a while now (ever since seeing it on Yen at MSFW! I am so in love with the colour, been tossing up between the turquoise and the coral mini chronos). BUT every penny in my savings counts towards my semester on exchange and I have a perfectly good watch that works fine already so I should just forget about it :S I still want it baaaaaad though.

Tell me lovelies, what are you/have you been doing that you shouldn't?

x Amie

turquoise tropicana

2010-10-06T18:49:00.007+11:00

Cardigan- Cotton On, Dress- Vintage 70s from Camberwell Market, Badge from FrockYou, Belt- Dotti, Tote bag- Sportsgirl, Boots- eBay.

I haven't done a proper outfit post in a looooong time, this post is way overdue! I'm seriously digging long hem lengths for Spring and Summer :) I bought this lovely piece at Camberwell Market last Sunday from a lady selling lots of gorgeous vintage 1970s dresses. This one was my favourite and I circled the market 3 or 4 times before I decided that YES I was going to buy it! I even had to go withdraw from the ATM - I only take about $10-$15 max to the market nowadays to stop me from buying up big haha. The print is of these gorgeous peacocks in a tropical rainforest, the ones right up at the top are embroidered around the edges and the bodice is pleated then top-stitched. I was going to hem it up to just above the knee but I'll think I'll keep it this way!

I'm back at Uni this week and have massive essays to tackle which is NOT fun but I'm not letting it get me down! Cloud Control is on my soundtrack to Spring (specially This Is What I Said) and the sun is shining and even the rain ain't gonna rain on my parade!

EDIT: Okay its seriously POURING outside right now, my parade is possibly going to get rained on.

P.S. I'm selling my natural t-bar clogs from Funkis on eBay and a cute peter pan collar dress too :)

x Amie

when all turns to dust

2010-10-03T20:47:00.007+11:00

The Morning Benders - Excuses, off Big Echo

Just gorgeous. Soundtrack to my Spring/Summer.

Tee- American Apparel, Belt- Dotti, Necklace- Op shop, Skirt/Dress- Savers, Shoes- Funkis

concrete jungle

2010-10-01T10:47:00.004+10:00

Circle collage strikes again! No joke, I love making these (Most images from HelloNewYork.Us, NYthroughthelens.tumblr.com)

Alors, les news I was talking about before! I got accepted by a college in New York and I'll be going on exchange for SIX MONTHS at the start of next year! :D Taxi cabs! Gossip Girl! Hot dog vendors! Magnolia Bakery! Parsons! Times Square! SoHo! Marc Jacobs! Empire State! NBC! 30 Rock! Teen Vogue! Statue of Liberty! Brooklyn Bridge! Bryant Park! Central Park! Central Perk! Wall Street! NYSE! Broadway! Apollo Theatre! Sephora! Topshop! H&M! Zara! The Waldorf Astoria! Bowery Ballroom! Greenwich Village! NYU! Upper East Side! The Met! Yankees! Vogue! Anna Wintour! NEW YORK CITYYYY BABY! *Calms self down* When I was there with a friend middle of last year, I always knew I would come back, I just didn't know how soon it would be :) I'm so friggin' excited it makes upcoming doom i.e essays/assessments less doom-y!

There are so many things to get ready, all this stuff I need to get to be prepared for NY winter (Hello excuse to go shopping!) and not to mention having to get SERIOUSLY frugal for the next few months, saving every penny for the trip :3 If you know anyone hiring in Melbourne, give me a buzz!

x Amie

Sportsgirl Super Style Me Workshop!

2010-09-29T08:08:00.003+10:00

Kym Ellery, SG stylist Elise and model

Last night I went to the Sportsgirl Super STYLEME Workshop at Chadstone and though it wasn't really what I was expecting (or what they were hoping for!), it was fun all the same. I had signed up to receive a ticket (it was a free event) and 120 were sent out, though only about 15 people MAX ended up attending that night. So we had the entire Sportsgirl store to ourselves and a very intimate styling session with none other than Kym Ellery, designer of the eponymous Ellery.

We were shown a total of about 12-15 looks of pieces styled from the new Spring Sportsgirl season, separated into Day, Festival and Evening/Races wear: a lot of 70s vibe looks and muted palettes. I didn't take a photo of my favourite ensemble - which was a long sleeve blush shirt, under a 3/4 sleeve cream blazer paired with pale peach drill shorts, grey ankle socks and tan clogs.

Then a short Q&A sesh followed, with mostly SG staff asking questions - I think it was just awkward because there were so few people. It was interesting (probably not surprising) that Kym started out at Russh, interning there and working at the magazine for 3 or so years, then began working on her label. She mentioned that Nicholas Ghesquiere of Balenciaga, Stefano Pilati of YSL and (of course) Phoebe Philo of Chloe/Celine fame were among her favourite designers. Of her favourite Aussie blogs Alexandra Spencer's 4th and Bleeker and Christina Dietz' SRC783 were at the top. She (Kym) was very well spoken and a really cheerful person, considering the turnout!

I bought a pair of tan ankle socks (I'm getting really conscious of saying 'nude' or 'flesh' after an article in NYMag recently brought up the debate/question "Whose flesh?", which basically challenges the idea that 'nude' infers Caucasian skin) and some 'Carribean' nail polish to receive a free tote with some SG goodies. All in all an interesting night, made only better by some INCREDIBLE news that I will share later!

x Amie

best laid plans

2010-09-25T21:16:00.003+10:00

It's ironic how during term I found plenty of time to blog and sew, in between studying and essaying and general life, but now that I'm on holiday break I've hardly done either! Most of this past week has been spent catching up on some good ol' telly, i.e Season 4 of Mad Men and Gossip Girl (I can love quality and trash television at the same time, can't I?) and beginning my bi-annual Joss Whedon marathon (jokes, it's ALWAYS time for some Joss Whedon), this time I've started rewatching my box set of Angel.

When I'm not coach-potatoing, I've taken to exploring new and unchartered Melbourne territory with friends or rather, not just conveniently sticking to the CBD like we always do. Last Friday I spent a lovely Spring day with my friend Viv meandering up and down Sydney Road in Brunswick and serendipitously chanced upon some really cool shops. Originally we'd planned to brave Savers and pop by the Fat Garage Sale but since the members preview was only the night before we'd figured everything good would already be gone. Plus the minute we walked into Savers we both were just so overwhelmed, my props to anyone who has the stamina to trawl for treasures in that place! I'm much more comfortable with the smaller local op shops run by the sweet old ladies :P

We lunched at Cafe Grandiflora which reminded us both so much of San Francisco for some reason and after that found Title Bookshop, basically an ultra cool Aladdin's cave of books/music/film for the true culture muncher. Not quite High Fidelity but they have some really specific stuff! Interested in 1970s Nigerian Reggae? They've got it. I bought 'Nature' by Ralph Waldo Emersen there for $9, because I thought I'd try and be intellectual + I'm hoping it might make me less attached to my Mac haha

Also picked up this sweet wool akubra/bowler hybrid hat from Scavengers and a Noisettes CD for a cool $2.99 from the Salvos. I have never heard of them before but the sticker label on the case claims they are "London's answer to the Yeah Yeah Yeah's" and Muse and Bloc Party think they're "Fantastic" and "Thrilling", so I was intrigued!

And just to make this post more fashion-y here is what I wore Friday and today:

Gorman anchor jumper (bought at the Warehouse sale, 210 Brunswick St!), Cotton On shirt, Nudie jeans

Mint embroidered blouse- Mum's, Leather belt- Dotti, Lilac shorts- FancyTreeHouse Vintage, Wedges- Topshop

Funny how sometimes the best way to plan a day is not to have any plans at all!

x Amie

how funkis strong is your fight?

2010-09-14T18:05:00.003+10:00

Haha oh yeah, trying to make a pun out of Beat It lyrics. Man, am I lame. You know what's not lame and is actually super awesome? The clogs in the new Funkis collection! The mary-jane-vibe of the ankle strap is so cute! I'm having a hard time picking which colour to get when they're up online :P I have the tan t-bars (which I'm tanning gradually sitting them in the sun) and the navy suede plait clogs, so I'm leaning toward the red... or the black snake... or the blue! Dilemma!

x Amie

forget-me-knot

2010-09-10T15:49:00.005+10:00

These spreads were from the Sunday Herald Sun supplements! I was impressed.

Maybe its my fashion palate maturing, maybe being at University has turned me onto the college-prep look or maybe I'm relapsing into my pre-teen tomboy years but lately I've really been attracted to that real simple, Rag & Bone, Band of Outsiders look. Y'know the kind: shirts, slacks, jeans, blazers, boater shoes, a bit Annie Hall, a bit Katherine Hepburn and a whole lot of cool. This past week I tried it out (unfortunately no photos!) and it felt really comfy and chilled, which is handy when you have about a zillion assignments due in! I think the key to that feminin-masculin look is the balance with tailored and relaxed fits and I suppose the right amount of skin if you're skirting it! I have my eye currently on some American Apparel slacks (they finally made a pair in linen!), in either the Sage or Pewter colour and a few different shirt styles from Dress Up by Stephanie Downey that I spied at Fat and Alice Euphemia. Of course this is all a fantasy wardrobe and I'll most likely be thrifting this look, but all is good because op-shopping is my detox! and now for a long overdue outfit post and the raison d'etre of the post title! hur hur

Cardigan- Cotton On, Silk tee- Perri Cutten, Belt- Dotti, Skirt- Amourette, Shoes(not pictured)- Tan loafers

Oh Amie, you so punny! But not really. I was inspired to knot up my belt today after this post by Alix of The Cherry Blossom Girl (How much do I wish I was her? She seems to have the most amazing, fairytale life!). Who'd have thought such a plain ol' accessory initially created, or so one supposes, for utility (ie. the holding up of pants) could be turned into something much more jazzy? Amazing!

x Amie

Amourette @ MSFW!

2010-09-08T18:04:00.007+10:00

Love on the Run...way @ 1000 ₤ Bend

I can't really put into words how wonderful and how exciting it was to see my clothes up on a catwalk and for Spring Fashion Week no less! Many a late night was spent hunched over a sewing machine or a desk sketching way into the wee hours over the past few months, putting together this little collection of sorts and even though I knew it was coming I still couldn't believe it until I saw it! I can't thank Jacqui and Rachel enough, from Lowbrow Events who organised the whole cool shindig and who were so sweet and so kind to ask me to be apart of it, along with the other awesomely rad designers Eva Q and Captain Robbo. Also I have to thank all my amazing friends and both my brothers who came and supported me, it really meant a lot to have them there and absorb all the craziness! There was a mini burlesque dance at the beginning, a couple band sets and a performance by a few drag queens at the end, srsly an interesting night :P

If you can name the movie from which this outfit was inspired by, I salute you :)

Chiffeni Rofe of The Off Pops wearing the Amourette finale dress :)

x Amie

backstage: melbourne spring fashion week

2010-09-01T17:29:00.004+10:00

Where have I been these past few days? Hopefully these photos speak for themselves but if not, I was fortunate to have had the opportunity to be a volunteer for Melbourne Spring Fashion Week (now in its third day of festivities!). It was a really fascinating insight into what all goes on and just how much work goes into putting an event like this on. My first day was pretty boring - bag packing all the cute gift bags with sponsor's products and getting millions of paper cuts from brand new magazines. The second day at fittings was a bit more fun, I got to handle a lot of the clothes which was really cool and I got to watch a couple of the designers like Yeojin Bae and Gwendolyn at work! PLUS I SAW ALICE BURDEU IN THE FLESH! She was getting fitted for this amazing nude gown, that had millions of pleated ruffles and layers - it looked like J'Aton and a bit like Toni Maticevski but I don't think it was either of them. She is so delicately beautiful and has such an ethereal air about her. My third day was the first official runway show, which included Arnsdorf, Dhini, Material By Product, Kuwaii, Ellery and Therese Rawsthorne. Dhini actually TALKED TO ME! She gave me notes on how her garments needed to sit on the model, it was so EXCITING. I was really hoping Jade Arnott would be there because I absolutely adore Arnsdorf and the new collection is JUST DIVINE, but I think she's in New York right now having moved there. I would have taken more photos but I wasn't sure what I was allowed. Here are a few annotations:

1. Designer Series 1: This was the show last night, I was dressing this lovely girl, Zoe. She made everything so easy, she had taken her own notes of how everything was supposed to sit and be worn so my job was gravy.

2. Backstage prep: I think I took this after our first run at 6.30, getting ready for the second go at 8.30.

3. Garment prep: This was during the day, steaming out creases etc.

4. Gift bags galore: I think we packed about 1000 on the first day. The bags themselves were provided by Gorman and were made from that green-bag material, I was so tempted to take one. I was disappointed the volunteers didn't get to take one each :( oh wells! I remember when I went to the Refinery29 seminar earlier this week Piera and Phillippe both said that the fashion industry pretty much runs on free labour aka volunteers...

5. End of night: Hair & make up rooms with Kevin Murphy. Smelt like burnt hair and hairspray.

It was a really fun experience and a real eye opener that I wouldn't have gotten had I signed up as a front of house usher. But now I've got to come back to reality and catch up on all my bloody Uni assignments!

x Amie

my space

2010-08-27T17:20:00.003+10:00

Council of Softies (The crab is a beach or aquarium souvenir I think, the Domo-kun and Totoro my brother brought me from Japan, Miss Piggy is a childhood toy, the beanie Hedwig is from a Borders pre-order of Harry Potter 5, the bunny head is an Xmas gift from a friend)

Everyone needs their little oasis and this is mine. I don't have a very good sense of interior-decorating (or the wallet to match), but the number of times my Mum and I have dragged an absolutely random piece of furniture/decor from the nature strip to plonk in our house is ridiculous. It's kind of a mish mash of things I've picked up from markets and various other places, as well as gifts. Like that blue framed photo of James Dean I picked up at a Kew church op shop for $3, next to This Is Paris, an children's illustrated guide to Paris that a friend gave me for my birthday. That gorgeous origama Geisha was a Camberwell Market find for $5. Her head is really heavy cardboard and I've never been able to prop her up the right way, so sometimes I'll come into my room and she'll be totally doubled over or leaning a bit crook, which is kinda funny. I like to think she, like me, has her good and bad days ;)

I used to fill my walls with magazine posters from like Pop Hits or things like that of my fave celebs haha I'm sure I have an Orlando Bloom poster somewhere tucked away! Then I started tacking up tear outs and covers from Vogue and Frankie and Russh etc but after a while I kind of craved a clear blank room without so much visual stimulus so I took everything down. But now things are starting to go back up. I love that She's Out of My Life-era Michael Jackson poster, it's a such a rare image of him compared to the terrible ones they always pull out in the media, but I won't reel on about how much I love him because I've already done that many times on the Tumblr!

One thing I wish I had is a high bunk bed with a desk underneath it with a light :P How much space would that save? Unfortunately because of the very 70s design of the house, the ceilings are very low so if I did have a bunk bed I'd be at risk of spiders!

x Amie

crown of love

2010-08-24T22:03:00.007+10:00

Miranda Priestly may have scoffed, "Florals? For Spring... Groundbreaking." But really what accessory is more appropriate for Spring than flowers? Sometimes its good to go back to basics. This bunch of fake flowers had been sitting in one of my boots for aaaages after I'd bought them op shop randomly (I thought they looked pretty ok! Plus they matched these tea cups I bought too) Then recently (well before I cut my hair), after I had a looksee at the new Aje for Sportsgirl collaboration I decided to put them to good use. TAKE THAT Meryl-Streep-in-Devil-Wears-Prada! I defy you! lol. I ended up having enough to make three headbands, one with all three of the different types of flowers in the bunch, one with two, and one with just the white buds! The wirey bits are a little bit pokey and not pleasant but I plan on buying some black velvet ribbon and wrapping it around - though as I do not own a glue gun, securing it may prove to be problematic. As you can see by my bedding I'm a bit of a floral freak!

x Amie

p.s New Arcade Fire is the beezkneez!

p.p.s Please check out my eBay listings :) I'm selling a whole bunch of awesome vintage and will be rummaging my Narnia closet for more clothes to help fund my *hopefully-soon-to-be-eventuating* trip to NY!

dépêche-toi!

2010-08-17T19:42:00.003+10:00

Would Madewell please hurry up and release Alexa Chung's collab already? You guys are killing me! Even though technically its a 'Fall' collection, a lot of it can really translate into Spring, if like me you're Down Under. I love the blush peter pan collar blouse and those velvet shorts! oh and the belted long skirt! Everything is just so easy and wearable and relaxed. I'm also really jealous of the models' hair, I miss my length :(

(Images via LuckyMag)

diy: chloe scallop-hem shorts

2010-08-14T15:22:00.003+10:00

Real Way

My Way

I still can't believe DIY-ing these shorts had never occurred to me before! Excuse the wrinkled/un-ironedness of the butt of these shorts, I just got too excited about my completed project to care about presentation :P Scallopped hems are really tricky, sewing slow mini-stitches is a pain, cutting right up close to the edge of your stitching is nerve-wracking, but I'm getting the hang of things. But yeah, cream pants y'all. It's so resort, so Gossip Girl in the Hamptons, man! And scallops! :D I don't know when I decided I loved them and why I think they're so cute but I do! Can anyone tell me why? Oh well, now I'm all ready to hit the beach when summer comes around :)

x Amie

don't tell mother, but i ate all your bacon

2010-08-10T11:09:00.008+10:00

Lolita (1997), directed by Adrian Lyne

One of my favourite novels and movies. It's a beautifully shot and pretty faithful rendition of Vladimir Nabokov's Lolita. Oh and the clothes! It's such a fitting wardrobe for Lolita's character: this awkward, gangly kind of tween girl trying to play up her idea of a pin-up seductress type, though she can't even fill out her swimsuit, funnily enough. The costuming is just so perfect to me. Not to mention Dominique Swain who is absolutely exquisite and devastating as Miss Dolores Haze. Provided me with much inspiration for some recent sewing. :P

x Amie

10.08.10

2010-08-10T10:24:00.002+10:00

Cardigan- Cotton On, Blouse- Thrifted, Tie- Dress belt, Shorts- H&M

If you switch the first two numbers in the title it becomes my birthday! And then I will be 20! Goodbye teens! Ain't that a scary thought? I guess I have a lot to ponder... Ahem. Excuse my silly fish faces, my brother showed me a couple of photos from a scuba-diving adventure he had up in Queensland and I thought it was quite comical that in your scuba gear you look quite like a fish yourself!

So here's the long overdue outfit post. And since I'd been pining for an Alexa-esque haircut and subsequently got a similar one done, I thought it'd be funny to complete the transformation and recreate one of her outfits. What's creepier is that I just had these pieces lying around! haha *Note-to-self* "Get your own style!" I am glad that we're edging into Spring now and its a almost warm enough to not have to wear tights or jeans, but I'm a little peeved that now my TBA coat (pre-ordered from Maximillia) will soon be weather inappropriate. Darn that whole Northern/Southern hemisphere thing.

And to end this fruitless post, a pretty photo I took last week when we had some a bit of drizzle. Some dear spider had his home drenched in raindrops and while it looks mighty pretty, I'm sure he wasn't too happy when he came back.

P.S Moshtix are now selling tickets for Love on the Runway so hop on over and buy them!

x Amie

Love On The Run...Way

2010-08-05T23:09:00.004+10:00

Greetings loved ones!

I've held off talking about this for ages because I didn't want to jinx it or anything, plus I'm terrible at pimping things out on the blog but here it is! Love on the Run...Way: an independent runway show presented by LowBrow Events in conjunction with Melbourne Spring Fashion Week featuring yours truly and a whole host of other designers, artists and live performers! It's on at 1000 Pound Bend on Little Lonsdale St in the CBD on September 4th (the second last day of Fashion Week). Tickets are only $17 + booking fee through the MSFW site or moshtix.com.au!

I'm still working furiously to finish my set of pieces whilst dealing with being back at Uni after an almost 2 month long holiday of slackage, but needless to say I am supermegaexcited and can't wait to see you all there!

x Amie

p.s I cut my hair! AHH it's so short now compared to the almost Lady Godiva length I had before :S Proper outfit post is forthcoming, otherwise meet me on tumblr!