Tuesday Museday #3: Lara Bingle

The style of Lara Bingle is something that has evolved over a short amount of time. I never paid much attention to her outfits in her early days of fame; it is really only in these recent few years that I have noticed her style significantly shift and shape into one which can be described as classic with a modern twist—think plenty of monochrome with hints of patterns or muted colours (such as khaki or camel) and interesting cuts and fabric textures. In this post, I'll be discussing some of my favourite outfits Lara has worn.

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photo c/o Matrix AU

K H A K I

Khaki is one of the few colours deviating from the monochrome palette that Lara employs in her wardrobe. It is a colour I find hard to pull off personally (although I do own one knit in a darker khaki that works with my hair colour), but her colouring works flawlessly with this coat. A long-line coat is an essential winter wardrobe piece—it is a timeless piece that can be just thrown on to add an instant style boost to any outfit. The addition of the caged black stilettos add a dressier vibe to the coat.

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photo c/o Don Arnold @ Getty Images

S H A D E S O F G R E Y

This ensemble is by Bassike, with heels by Dior Amber Sceats jewellery. consisting of a neoprene boxy top and pencil skirt in contrasting tones of grey. The silhouette the overall outfit creates is one which is modern and flattering—pairing a loose fit top half with a fitted bottom balances out the outfit.

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photo c/o Getty Images for Cotton On

S U I T S

Suits immediately conjure up images of work—9-5 office jobs, boredom and an inability to express oneself apart from the rest of the suit-dressed individuals. Lara's approach to the business suit is ultra-modern with the addition and removal of certain elements and the structure of the outfit. By pairing a simple white v-neck t-shirt underneath the slim-cut tuxedo, Lara updates the suit. Combined with classic black pumps, red lip and her ever-popular "lob" (long-bob), the look is business and party at the same time.

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photo c/o Don Arnold @ Getty Images

B O L D L I P

While this jumpsuit seems quite simple and standard, it is made interesting with the deep side cutouts and plunging neckline. Lara pairs it with strappy stilettos and a bold wine-red lip. Red lipstick can be tricky to maintain over the hours, but it really dresses up any outfit and allows for you to keep the rest of your makeup simple.

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photo c/o Cameron Spencer @ Getty Images

P R I N T P O P

Lara dons another suit in this outfit, but this one is more dressed up for the event, with the addition of a black button-up blouse. The satin lapels of the blazer jacket add to the night-time, dressy feel of the ensemble. However, the real show-stopper of this outfit is the choice of footwear—in this case, these leopard print ankle boots. Leopard print—when done right—is super chic and can update any simple outfit. I think that one statement leopard piece per outfit works really well in adding interest—but if you can pull off going all leopard a-la The Nanny then more props to you! By keeping the hair and make-up to a minimal, the shoes are free to do the talking.

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photo c/o Scott Barbour @ Getty Images

C O N T R A S T

Lara's 2012 Derby outfit is true to her simple monochrome style and I think is a classy outfit. It was the only outfit I remembered from this Derby Day, so it definitely made an impact on me! I love the pairing of the wide brim panama hat by The Hatmaker and the bright white Dion Lee peplum dress. Lara pulls off deep-v's so well. This hat really reminds me of Carmen San-Diego—actually, the whole outfit reminds me of her actually, but a more night-time/party Carmen rather than criminal mastermind Carmen. Once again, simple pointed black pumps tie the outfit together.

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photo c/o Splash News Online

S E T S

As I've mentioned many times previously, twin sets (two-pieces, matching sets etc..) will forever be one of my most worn pieces simply due to their effortless and ability to style. The outfit is by local Australian label Scanlan & Theodore, and love the mesh-like texture of the fabric—very sports-luxe but it looks comfy and cosy enough to sleep in! The semi-fishtailed skirt is combined with a matching boxy fit jumper to create a unified outfit, finished off with a pair of caged laced up heels, which always makes a statement.

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photo c/o Ryan Pierse @ Getty Images

S T A T E M E N T P I E C E

This statement headpiece by Ryan Storer could be a hit or a miss depending on who you ask, but for me it is a definite hit!. The two-piece outfit—consisting of a Dion Lee deep v-neck long sleeve crop top and asymmetrical skirt—is balanced by the contrast made between the two pieces. Simple strappy heels complete the look. This outfit proves that even though all pieces used as black, interest and diversity is created out of the cut, fabric or style of the piece.

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Until next time! x

Tuesday Museday #2: Solange

For the second installment of this series, I am going to focus on the style of Solange Knowles, also known as simply Solange. I've been following her on social media for about a year now and I find that her style just blooms. She looks amazing in every outfit she wears, pulling off bright colours and sleek cuts. Below are just a small selection of some of my favourite outfits she's sported.

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C O L O U R B L O C K

This entire outfit is just colour-blocking heaven to me. It is a visual feast for my eyes, Solange just pulls of bold colour palettes so well. The coat is by Milly by Michelle Smith, which matches the feather clutch and works so well paired back with the orange turtleneck and pants. The last colour is the bubblegum pink pumps, matching her lip colour. This is an outfit that could very well stop traffic!

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S E T S

Solange is a master of the matching prints, which is exemplified in this outfit. The entire outfit is by Flaminia Saccucci for her 2011 Graduation Collection (sans clutch and shoes). Her gold jewellery is by Cartier and her nude pumps are by Casadei. I love the fact that the bottoms are a half skirt half pant hybrid, it really meshes well with the popularity of asymmetric trends that have been going around lately.

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R E T R O

This outfit definitely has that 70s Diana Ross/disco vibe about it. The outfit consists of a billowy, bright tangerine orange blouse and white wide-leg pants, both by Gucci. Solange's hair also fits well with the 70s vibe. The bright white paired with the orange creates a crisp, fresh look and actually reminds me a lot of summer and drinking mango smoothies!

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S U I T S

This divine pink suit is another winner by Gucci, so chic and tailored. The masculinity of the suit cut is feminised by the skinny-leg pants and the shape of the blazer. This is the sort of outfit I'd don if I wanted an on point look for power dressing—it has all the right components to bring out the business woman in me, whilst also keeping that air of party as well. Business and party—the best of both worlds!

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M A T C H I N G P A L E T T E

Oh my, the shades of red in this outfit are so on point! Not only can Solange colour block, but she can also match shades in the same colour range without making it look monotonous and boring. It is the textures in the pieces forming this outfit that provide that interest and break up any monotony—the fur coat contrasts with the ribbed material of the sweater and sleek, scuba-looking skirt. This look featured Carven's Pre-Fall 2015 collection (top and skirt) and Malone Souliers Montana lace up pumps in Mink Nappa/Coco Nappa.

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A L L W H I T E

All white is alright! Haha sorry about that rhyme, corniness is my THAAAANG. The perforated tee gives off a very sports luxe vibe, whilst the matching 3.1 Philip Lim Spring 2014 tailored pants dress it up. The bold dark purple lipstick contrast with the all-white theme and really makes the white pop. All white can be a bit tricky to pull off as everyone knows that white is notorious for keeping clean, but I think it has the power to freshen up the wearer, looking crisp and sleek while keeping you cool in the summer.

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Q U I R K Y

The print on this outfit is right up my alley. I think we have gathered by this stage that Solage is clearly a matching set queen. The top and skirt set is from Azede Jean-Pierre's Spring/Summer 2014 collection. I think that this off-beat print might be a little too creepy for some who may have a strong aversion to bugs, but I am not one of those people!

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S I M P L I C I T Y

Last but definitely not least is her wedding gown, designed by Humberto Leon for Kenzo. The entire wedding was so beautiful and I loved the fact that it was not just the bride that wore white, but the guests also, shaking up the tradition that dates back to Queen Victoria's choice to wear a white wedding dress at her wedding to Prince Albert in 1840 (fun fact; I had no idea that this origin was only relatively recent!). The dress is structured with a draped cape overlay, falling to the floor. The gold cuffs really tie the look together, adding a little bit of glamour to the simplicity of the silhouette and design of the dress.

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I hope you enjoyed this post and maybe Solange's style might inspire you as much as it has inspired me!

Until next time! x

Tuesday Museday #1: Rihanna

I want to introduce a new post theme to my blog, where I discuss my muses—people whose style inspire me and influences my own approach to what I wear. For my first feature, I will be discussing Rihanna. I've been inspired and influenced by her Rihanna's style for some time now—she just seems to be able to pull off any look she creates, whether it be edgy and modern, or timeless and feminine.

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L A C E

I absolutely loved Rihanna's look on her debut cover of US Vogue in 2013, shot by Annie Leibovitz. The "Ariel" (the little mermaid) red shade of her hair works so well with the elegant gown, picking up the patches of red in the lacework pattern. The dress is by Chanel's Pre Fall 2011 collection, which featured some amazing Byzantine era-themed pieces. I love lace fabrics—I find that certain pieces can be dressed up or down depending on the situation. For example, a lace midi skirt can easily transition from a daytime (I would usually style with a basic t-shirt or singlet to balance out the figure-hugging skirt) to night-time look with the addition of accessories and a crop top. Providing the lace is of good quality, I believe you can't really go wrong with it.

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S E T S

Ahh, where would I be without matching sets?! Firstly, they are the most versatile clothing to style, because while you can wear them as the set, they can also be worn apart, making for infinite outfit possibilities. I've seen Rihanna wearing multiple twin-set outfits, but one of the outfits she wore on her 2013 Diamonds World Tour is my favourite. I think she looks like an Egyptian goddess in the fiery-red crop top and matching draped, asymmetrical skirt. The outfit was designed by Rihanna's own costume designer, Adam Selman.

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D E N I M

Denim is timeless, and one of its many forms in that of a jacket. In her latest music video (accompanied by Kayne West and Paul McCartney) Rihanna has a natural look going on, stripped down to basics in terms of both make-up and clothing. She wears an over-sized denim jacket in a classic true blue, which reminds me of the 1980's Levi silhouettes which are constantly making resurgences over the years. The jacket is a vintage Sean John jacket. The over-sized, boxy fit is a classic jacket cut and one which I love and I'm sure I'll continue to love.

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F E M I N I N E

This is probably one of my all-time favourite looks Rihanna was worn. For the Christian Dior Cruise 2015 show in 2014, she wore an amazing little pink silk number by—of course—Dior. True to her style, I really like how she edgy-ified (not a word, I know) the dress with her hair, accessories and make-up. Especially those pearl double-end Dior earrings. The dress is the perfect shade of baby-pink with a drop waist cut, with a high-neck and short sleeves. It is classy and modern, and also looks comfortable to wear.

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G L A M O U R

The dress that was the talk of the internet for a week (or more), with divided opinion. While it may have been controversial or too revealing to some, I thought it was elegant, unique and beautiful. The dress was also designed by Adam Selman and features 230,000 Swarvoski crystals. It makes Rihanna look like she is just dripping in diamonds, like a waterfall and also brings her song—aptly titled Diamonds—to the forefront of my mind. The wrap adds a touch of old school Hollywood to the look and the matching gloves and headscarf complete the look. In looking behind-the-scenes images of the making of the dress, I am amazed at how painstakingly each crystal was applied onto the fishnet fabric, . The phrase 'every little detail matters' really applies to this dress and it sure paid off in the final result. She is legit goals.

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L E A T H E R

For the final look, I've chosen one of the outfits she wore in her shoot for Rolling Stone in 2013. In this look, Rihanna wears a Christopher Kane leather jacket from the Fall 2010 collection, a black bodycon knee-length skirt and Manolo Blahnik Chaos sandals. This jacket is my favourite as it has the perfect mix of edgy rock n' roll vibes and feminine floral detailing. The overall look has an air of office-chic through the classic white button up and pencil skirt, but is modernised and taken to a different place through the addition of the leather jacket and gold necklace.

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Until next time! x

Auras

Another Saturday, another week gone by. Next week will be Week 5 of my semester, I honestly can't quite get my head around that fact. It seems like I've only just started by really I've been working away for weeks now! I feel I have a better grip on my time management this year though, after last years debacles which I do not want to return to! But procrastination still gets the better of me sometimes!

This week I have been designing ideas for a poster that focuses on the topic of peace. Since this is also a poster that is to be designed with the intention of being exhibited by the client as a celebration of their 25 years in operation, I'e decided to take the approach that focuses on their legacy and input into the community by creating an illustration of their key figure - Graham F. Smith. The little sketch I've done as a starting point is below.

Here's my week:

1. Beginning a sketch of a beautiful photo of a model whose name I do not know, but she has the loveliest freckles ever!
2. Progress + milky cups of tea, a typical afternoon of yours truly.
3. Finally decided to get my mitts on this little book with some birthday money I had stashed. I think it doesn't even need introducing, the cover is already so iconic I think! Anyways, I've had a brief flick through it and so far I am excited to read it.

For my inspiration this week, I've really been digging simple palettes of black and white with a dash of bright or neon colour thrown into the mix. I used to love constant colour, but right now I've just been looking at more tailored and simple approaches to my personal style. I'm still obsessed with photographic prints, mirror prints and florals, don't think i'm ever going to get over them - they are the only statement item you'll need when you're wearing them. Green is also not a colour I'm greatly fond of, but recently I've been loving a nice palette of fresh green hues to get me dreaming of tropical rainforests and exploring jungles.

Until next time! x

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