{Kate Sylvester’s Lee Dress, $475 @ 47 High Street}

I’ve been deeply inspired by Kate Sylvester’s new collection, and would love to win the lottery and buy the entire collection. But everyone wants to be The Secretary and I doubt a mere peasant like myself could afford such garments even if it was on sale. Yeah yeah, first world problems…amiright?

It makes me sad to lust over unattainable objects, so I decided to take a picture instead to remind myself that some beauty is only meant to be admired from afar.

P.S Check out all the handprints at the bottom right of the shot. You can tell people have been pressing their face up to the windows, gazing in envious wonder at this beautiful silk dress…

{Zabanna Web Ring & Studs SOLD OUT, Diamond Spike Earrings $65 @ Onceit}

This month has been all about investing in jewellery. Even though I have some very beautiful dress earrings, the majority of my day-to-day stud earrings come from chain stores. And life is too short to wear cheap crap.

So all my Diva/Bling/Wild Pair jewellery is going into storage (to give to my family or charity) and I’ve been poking around the sales to find designer sterling silver jewellery. And once again Onceit comes to my aid, offering me goodies on a virtual platter. I’d never heard of Zabbana before, and looking at their website makes me regret my ignorance. I mean, just look at this awesome Bread Tag Pendant! Not a big fan of the bags though, sorry. Too much hardware.

So I picked the Diamond Spike Earrings first because they look sexy and dangerous (and also the only item that didn’t sell out immediately). And the Web Studs and Ring I managed to get into my shopping cart through sheer luck and perseverance. I figured even though it’s nice to mix up different types of jewellery, it would be nice to have a matching set. It’s probably the only matching set I have, to be honest.

Of course they’re not quite mine yet, they’ll turn up at the end of the month. I only can only hope there’s nothing missing in my order, unlike last time!

{Misty Lang’s Trust Tunic @ 7 Remuera Road, Newmarket}

When quasi-celebs like columnist Wendyl Nissen get the shit stick in Ponsnobby, what hope is there for a positive shopping experience for regular shoppers? No wonder everyone is migrating to international online shops . Why wouldn’t you when there are no queues, no snarky shop assistants, and no hidden costs?

But should we give the physical act of shopping the flick? I don’t think we should give it up entirely. One, it gets you outside walking around. It’s the best exercise a fashionista can get! Two, just because you don’t find clothing that fits doesn’t mean that you won’t find some great accessories lurking around. I once went into a store that had absolutely nothing for me clothing wise, yet I found the cutest coral crystal cocktail ring sitting in their display.  And three, even if you find absolutely nothing of value you can still be inspired by the advice and style magic of helpful shop assistants (who are as rare as hens teeth). I know I wouldn’t have started wearing bright colours this summer if it hadn’t been suggested to me by a lovely boutique owner (who shall remain anonymous as I want her all to myself).

So when you’re looking for something in particular, try a Google search. If you want to cast your net wider, then hit the pavement and be inspired by independent boutiques, consignment stores, or even (gasp) a good quality chain store!

I think it’s a good compromise, no?

{Leopard Ring, $30 @ Silo Park Markets}

If you’re new to this site, you might find my interest in leopard print rather over the top. If you’re a regular reader you’ll be fascinated at how I’ve managed to keep my obsession down to three items this month.

It started off rather innocently, I promise. Mr J and I were bored one weekend, and we decided to go check out the new Silo Park in Wynyard Quarter. As we were waiting for our Toro Churro order, I casually glanced into a market stall and saw this ring sitting in a pile on the table. I knew that it could be something unique if I just customised it a little…

The picture on the left has been kept unaltered to give an impression of what it looked like before. I then ‘improved’ on the design by carefully filling in the crevices on the side with gold glitter nail polish. As you can tell by the picture on the right, it gives off a nice lacquer effect. Another great reason for using nail polish is that you can remove it with a cotton bud soaked in nail polish remover should you make a mistake or don’t like the end result.

{Zara Woman Leopard Envelope Clutch, $15 @ Mercy Hospice Auckland}

And here’s the perfect clutch to go with my new ring! This little treat was displayed in the ‘valuable’ section of my local hospice. It must have been put out just as the last of the lunch rush left, so I was very lucky to nab this accessory before someone else. Brand spanking new, 100% leather, and still have change left over from a $20 note. Perfect for fancy drinks with the lady friends or a sexy lunch date.

{Evil Twin Hot Hot Heat Hi-Low Dress, $103.85 + shipping @ ASOS OR $50 @ Brand Clearance}

Now I’m not a fan of the mullet dress, but this print was so red hot I couldn’t turn this dress down. I also like the fact that it has sturdy straps, a flattering scoop neckline, and it’s perfect for casual summer daywear. The shop assistant was rather miffed that I got to it before she could try it on for herself! On a bum note, the back of the dress drags on the ground. Since there is nothing I can do about my Hobbit genetics, I won’t be wearing this out until it’s altered. So a bunch of stock images with teenage waifs wearing my dress will just have to suffice for now.

And that is it for the first month of 2012! Next month I’ll be focusing on hair care and saving up for The Designer Garage Sale. Will I see you there?

{One Teaspoon Lonely Hearts Coat}

Thanks to the mild winter this year, the majority of outerwear is being sold off dirt cheap. I’m stocking up on super-sized faux fur coats for next winter (my crystal ball foresees a holiday in cold climates next year), and I found this long, oversized coat half price on TradeMe.  For a Size 12, it almost swamps my frame, but at least it’s quite a decent length. I’ve been looking for a longer coat for when my Stolen Girlfriends Club faux fur doesn’t cut it against the icy wind. And this one is so snuggly! Since I was saving up for a holiday, it’s the only thing I bought that month. It was a real gamble, so I hope my investment pays off in winter!

{Inked by Adam Craft @ The Tattooed Heart}

To me, tattooing is a permanent work of art. It literally lasts a lifetime! I’m lucky enough to live in a part of the world where tattooing is part of the indigenous culture, and has transformed into a form of personal expression. I like to think of my tattoos as a personal fashion accessory that I will treasure always.

{Models posing outside Town Hall at Auckland Diwali Festival 2011}

{Naked Palette by Urban Decay}

The first reason for wanting this palette was rather superficial. I simply wanted one because Rumi on Fashion Toast had bought one. And buying to keep up with the Joneses is just absurd in this day and age. But when Gracie Lou was auctioning a palette for charity, how could I resist giving to a good cause?

The money I paid is going towards life saving medication for a 20-month year old boy with Atypical Hemolitic Uremic Syndrome. His name is Jethro Morrow, and he’s already had seven surgeries and the medication that could help him costs half a million dollars a year. Who wants that kind of price tag put on their child's life? Thank goodness there are plenty of friends and small businesses who are helping the family raise money.

If you would like to help, please go to Support Jethro Morrow and give a donation, bid on one of the charity auctions, or maybe buy half a dozen cupcakes for a feel-good treat.

{Images from Lookbook.nu}

The colour orange is very flamboyant to a lay-dee whose wardrobe is full of neutrals and blacks. The exuberant tone makes it one of those ‘love it or hate it’ trends, and it does take a lot of moxie to slip on something so vibrant. Thankfully my mixed heritage medium-olive skin is perfect for this shade (it also suits sun-kissed blondes). But if you’re rather pale in complexion, you might want to stick to a softer shade like peach.

WARNING: Be very careful with your application of fake tan when you wear this colour! You don’t want your tan to be the same hue as your outfit.

A full orange ensemble may overwhelm some people, but you can still bring the zing to your outfit by teaming it with eye-popping accessories, wearing coral lipstick (like MAC’s Vegas Volt), or painting your nails (try OPI’s Atomic Orange or a more subtle apricot shade Melon of Troy).

I shan’t be colour shy in my new citrusy maxi dress from Milly Boutique. I’m hoping to wear it on the weekend for The Little Big Markets.

Of course this won’t happen if the weather isn’t bright and clear this Saturday. So everyone wish for sunshine!

Tired of spending my weekends inside, I decided it was time for a day on the town. Of course Mr J hates the CBD due to multiple acts of vandalism to his car and the cost of parking, so asking to visit a store or browse downtown is met with a resounding “Are you f**king kidding me?”. Due to this attitude, I decided the best thing to be done was to put our hands at the mercy of public transport.

After breakfasting in Ellerslie township, we took a bus into the city and took a tour through the re-opened Auckland Art Gallery. Then we took a lunch break in Fort Street, battled the crowds at The Cloud, and finally made our way to Black in Fashion.

Black in Fashion: Wearing the Colour Black in New Zealand is a pop-up exhibition created by the New Zealand Fashion Museum to celebrate our love of wearing the colour that has come to define our countrymen. It’s a mish-mash of Kiwi culture, encompassing sport, music, history, film and television.

My favourite iconic outfit? The Cybele Iridescence dress (seen here in gold) that was used as Loretta West’s wedding dress in Outrageous Fortune. That dress started me off on a Cybele love affair, no doubt about it.

If this has piqued your interest, please ‘Like’ my Facebook page for more photos. Also, you should ‘Like’ New Zealand Fashion Museum on Facebook!

I might be visiting the exhibition again with my friends, so there might be more photos coming soon!