Product Placement: STUF. SWEET HONEY NUT LIP JELLY

Out at a bar one night, a very savvy friend of mine introduced me to this highly underrated lip balm (underrated because I'd never heard of it before) and promised I'd have lush lips primed for a disco pash in seconds.

Turns out she was right, and the fact that I never got my disco pash paled into insignificance when compared with my own brand-spanking love affair with this product.

Packaged in a generous (yet portable) tub, Stuf. "jelly" has a smooth consistency that glides on easily. Stickiness is kept to a minimum, and the smell of coconut is heavenly. Best of all, it's inexpensive and lasts ages - brilliant to layer over other glosses for added moisture or shine (I slide some on over my Juicy Tube or Glam Shine gloss) or to create a nude lip look which is insanely hot right now.

You can find Stuf. at the Target Centre, shop 9/236 Bourke Street Melbourne, and they're promising a new improved shopping webby soon.

xx

Article: METALLIC FASHION

Feature on the metallics. For the full version click here

Boutique of the Week: TILKAH

Featuring an extensive range of butter-soft leather bags & wallets, jewelry and acessories, Tilkah gets my vote for producing quality merch that's so affordable it's almost criminal.

With a playful, girly aesthetic, the stores are a treat to browse in, and each item reflects current season trends minus the fashion-victim tag. Designs have their own quirky-yet-classic flavour that'll have people stopping you in the street.

For those of you who fancy a bit of spring racing action, Tilkah also produce a range of sweet, chic headpeices featuring pins, headbands and facinators that won't break the bank (or look like those dodgy mass-produced hats that always hit the stores in Spring).

Stores are located in Highpoint and Chadstone shopping centres, as well as at 5/478 Chapel St, so get down to one and see for yourself.

xx

Online Shopping: LISA MARINUCCI JEWELRY

Lisa Marinucci's jewelry label was launched in 2003 and since then has become a fave of magazine editors and celebs Australia-wide.

The easy-to-use online store showcases three seperate collections: Fallen Angel, Majestic Bliss and Sweet Affair, each with it's own distinct design sensibilities.

The collections include a gorgeous range of hand-crafted earrings, necklaces and bracelets to suit any occasion. With European influences and an emphasis on quality materials and unique design, her gear is guarenteed to make you feel like a star.

For info on stockists, or to scope the current range, check out the online shop here: Lisa Marinucci (designs pictured are from the Sweet Affair collection)

xx

Got a boutique you adore? Tell Textstyle about it here

Thanks to Sam for the heads up! x

Hit List: JUNE

I'm off to Mt Buller later this month for a weekend in the snow, so the challenge is finding gear that's practical and still looks hot. Rejoice, 'cause I've put in the hard yards for all you aspiring snow bunnies for June's Hit List. Enjoy.

These awesome vintage Polaroid sunnies from ShadyKids are practically tailor made for hitting the slopes. The wraparound style and tinted lenses are perfect for reducing glare, so score one for practicality. Pick yourself up a pair from shadykids.com for under a hundred bucks.

Milk and Honey are a fave label of mine, and I'm loving this grey knit scarf - "Nina Hagen Grannie" (right) - which is part of their current season collection. It's the perfect length to keep your neck toasty warm till you get back to the lodge. Check out the rest of their gear at ilovemilkandhoney.com

Speaking of heading back to the lodge, this Peter Alexander jumper is perfect for lounging around in. Cosy up by the fire in this season's ubiquitous shade of grey, and prove that casual doesn't have to equal sloppy. Check out the range at peteralexander.com - cool furry hat not included (bummer).

I've still got my faithful Roxy beanie from the last time I hit the slopes, so these cute-as-a-button gloves are the perfect addition to my collection of snow-bound gear. Bonus: they're adorable enough to wear on cold weekends sans-snow.

We all know that a trip to the slopes is equal parts snow sports and socialising. The party scene on the mountains is somewhat legendary and you don't want to be caught out with nothing to wear. This gorgeous white knit sweater dress from White Suede is perfect for wannabe ice princesses to party the night away.

Happy skiing!

xx

Label: BETTY AND FORD

Boutiques like Betty and Ford are why I love living in Melbourne. Located just off Little Collins St in Equitable Place is a tiny little shopfront that the local label calls home.

Aside from giving you that uber-trendy feeling you get from shopping at a boutique tucked away in a little a side street, they stock some top-quality businesswear which is totally worth braving the winter cold for.

The Betty and Ford label covers beautiful limited-run, hand-crafted silk ties (only 12 of each type are made, EVER) and beautifully tailored European-cut business shirts, but the boutique itself also stocks a range of quality cufflinks, fragrances and shoes.

As a bonus, their complementary gift packaging is unique and totally cute, so you'll never feel bad about giving someone a traditionally impersonal gift like a voucher. Double bonus, the service is brilliant and personalised.

They're currently celebrating their first birthday (hooray!) so go visit and wish them a happy one!
Check them out at BettyandFord.com

xx

Trend: MAN-CARDI

It's bloody cold here during winter in Melbourne, and I've always been a fan of the cardi, which is probably why I'm giving the Man-Cardi a tenative thumbs up.

I say tenative because it can easily go so, so wrong. Case in point: at a local bar last saturday night I noticed a floppy-fringed young lad sporting one, but it was black and huge and saggy and just looked wrong. (He was also wearing a pair of black gloves with skeleton bones printed on the back of them - I mean, you're inside, and let's face it, the beer ain't that cold - so perhaps I just wasn't a fan of his fashion sense to begin with)

They don't really look that great on athletic builds (maybe that's why they're so popular with the indie kids?), and chunky knits and patterns should be avoided at all costs to keep the Grandpa quotient down. Keep it simple, sleek and chic.

My boyfriend has a purple and pink striped (okay, I know that sounds more fruity than Bones-Boy) Marcs zip-through cardi which I adore, and his mate has a few I really like (although he's at pains to point out that they're called "knitted sweaters" and not cardigans...) so I think provided you don't pair them with weird skeleton gloves or purchase them off an eighty-year-old obese man you'll look fine. Hot even.

xx

Product Placement: MACLEANS WHITE & SHINE

I know what you're thinking - this is probably going to be really lame, and yeah, it might seem that way. I mean, how often is your favourite beauty product a toothpaste??

But I say: how frequently do you get noticably whiter teeth when you brush, huh? Like, never. Which is why I love Mr. Macleans White & Shine so. It cleans AND polishes. Oooh.

And it's not just the whiteness I dig. It actually doesn't taste like shit, and leaves your mouth feeling all fresh. Trust me, I live with smokers, and I've tried all their whitening toothpaste-y stuff when my Colgate Triple Gel runs out.

Pretty much, if my boyfriend notices I have whiter teeth - he who can't tell when I've had my haircut/lost weight/bought a new top - they they gotta be at least a little whiter than what they were.

Are YOUR Macleans showing? Mine are. Hell yes.

xx

What's On: MMSFW 2007

Okay, so I know it's not for another couple of months, but the good people at Haystac were kind enough to give me a heads up on the dates so I thought I'd pass it on. Sharing is caring, yo.

Official dates: 3-9th September at Melbourne Town Hall, afterparty venues TBA.

Designers already confirmed to show: Jayson Brunsdon, Bettina Liano, Kirrily Johnston, White Suede, Gorman, Alpha 60, Obus, TV, Leopold and Anna Thomas.

What to expect? "...bold citrus and acidic tones in gleaming futuristic fabrics, juxtaposed against whimsical dresses..."

I went to all the runway shows last year, and both Kirrily Johnston & Bettina Liano (among others) put on a good show...so I'm keen to see what they've come up with this year.
Stay tuned for more info.

xx

ANTM: FINAL

Okay, I'll keep it short and sweet. Nothing much happened in the live finale, the show dragged on and on and on, the judges fought (Jez vs Alex...ROWRRR...can anybody say catfight?), the sound was off, Charlotte Dawson out-hosted Jodhi Meares, Alice won and yeah...pretty bland and predictable.

Jordan took out the Viewer's Choice award.

Steph (obviously) scored runner-up.

Nothing exciting happened...the girls both got booked by Alex Perry and Alex Zabotto-Bentley for their RAFW shows, Steph nailed the Fashion Assassin look, while Perry adored Alice's work, blah blah...

Most of the show was spent looking back at the girls' photographic work, the same things were said over and over and over again about each. They bought back all the eliminated contestants, I wanted so badly to slap Paloma off her stool as soon as she started talking. Jane refused to hug Alice, which means I must've missed something...no doubt that will be covered in the inevitable 'reunion' show.

I only have one question: where the hell was KARA? That girl who looked like Cindy from Scary Movie. I swear she wasn't there last night...

xx

ANTM: Week Eleven

This week, the final three (Jordan, Steph and Alice) head over to LA to check out the modelling scene there. Oh, and do some shopping of course.

First task and the girls are asked to pose as mannequins in the LA Napoleon shopfront. They all must've missed the memo about mannequins being unable to talk and move around, and Napoleon wasn't happy.

They get to visit Napoleon's house and they recognise the poolside seat that last season's ANTM winner Ebony posed on, for the Napoleon cosmetics shoot as part of her prize. Ooooh famous-ness. Hold on, whatever happened to Ebony...?

They do a few meet and greet things with agents in LA, with the general consensus being that both Steph and Jordan could find work in the LA editorial market (being shorter and less high-fashion-y, I guess) while Alice would be better suited to the runways of NY and Paris. One agent says she's too "cool, skinny and tall" for the LA market. Go Alice!

This week the girls fly solo on the shoot, and instead of having Jonathan boss them around, the dude who does America's ANTM hung out with them. This week they had to rock a HIGH FASHION look, we're talkin Galliano, Prada and Hermes here, people. Exciting. Steph's styling is shit, and the judges all say she looks like a little girl playing dress-up, I hated Jordan's picture, and Alice actually looks hot.

The best bit was watching Napoleon force the girls to openly bitch about one another while he makes them up for the shoot, asking them who they'd like to see go home, who they like the least, who least deserves to win etc. He's a total froot loop but I love the man.

Jordan kicks it all off by slagging off Alice, then Steph joins in, and finally! Alice gets annoyed and has a few choice words to say to them. She actually dropped the f-bomb (I know, I wouldn't believe it if I hadn't heard it myself!). Both Jordan and Steph think Alice hasn't worked as hard as them, and are totally envious of her natural height and model-y-ness. HAHA. Too bad. Alice claims to be the intellectual of the group, and calls Steph out as the dumbest. She's probably right, you know - she got a cute face but she doesn't exactly reek of brainpower.

Steph and Jordan agree that they want Alice gone this week as she's too much of a threat to them. The three fly home, Jordan is eliminated - I really liked her and she looks amazing made-up, but I was a bit sick of her ghetto-girl thing - Jodhi cries again, and it's down to Alice and Steph.

Go Alice!

xx

ANTM quote-able quotes of the week:
"Well, f*ck you too!" - Alice
"Why, in my spare time, would I decide to learn about other cultures?" - Steph
"Maybe you were trying to be cute that day..." - Alice being bitchy at Steph, who wasn't exactly sure if Chile was just a foodstuff or, like, an actual country.
"Girl, watch out, or you're gonna give us coochie" - photographer to Jordan on the shoot.

Crimes Against Fashion: PART ONE

Dear Sir,

How old are you, exactly? Over 45? Just letting you know that fake tans and blonde-tipped hair do not maketh the man, especially at your age. Same goes for faux-leather jackets slung ever-so-casually over striped, open-necked shirts.

Chest hair is never a good acessory, and besides, it served only to obscure that tasteless, fat gold chain which was oh-so-carefully draped around your neck.

Just a heads up that most young women (as I assume that's your target market) aren't really impressed by such things, and I daresay that next time you're attempting to shake it with a pretty little blonde thing you might be more sucessful if you'd consider making some changes.

Like hopping out of the tanning bed five minutes earlier, perhaps?

Just sayin.

xx

What's On: ALANNAH HILL FACTORY OUTLET SALE

Starting Thursday 31st of May through till Sunday 3rd of June, take an extra 20% off already reduced Alannah Hill gear at the factory outlet sale.

WHERE: 188-192 Brunswick St Fitzroy, Melbourne

Apparently, a big range of both summer & winter gear will be available, so if you're a fan, head on down. I don't adore all her stuff, but I reckon her camisoles are divine, and they make great pressies for real girly-girls.

xx

Product Placement: NATIO PEP-UP BODY CLEANSER

If you're tired of fruit-flavoured body wash, or can't stand the sickly sweet vanilla scented kind, then Natio's Pep-Up Body Cleanser could be right up your alley.

It's difficult to describe: smells a little like peppermint, but it has a pleasant zing which never fails to wake me up in the morning. Overall, it's a fresh, clean, crisp smell, and lathers like a dream.

Contains Bala and Ginkgo Biloba to cleanse & purify, with eucalyptus, lemongrass, peppermint and basil to awaken and refresh the senses (yeah, okay, I copied that off the bottle. It's still brilliant though). It's Aussie made (yay) and is suitable for all skin types.

You can find Natio stuff at both Myer and David Jones, and at around $12 a 200mL bottle it's not the most cost-effective wash out there, but it's a little daily extravagance I can't do without.

xx

Trend: EQUESTRIAN-STYLE BOOTS

That's right, equestrian-style boots. I love 'em.

Think flat, round toe boots, more rigid, less slouchy. Maybe some buckle detail. Heaven. They look absolutely gorge over leggings, skinny jeans, or cigarette pants and teamed with scarves, cute little blazers and gloves.

Pony optional.

And they're practical too. Bonus!

xx

ANTM: Week Ten

There's only a few weeks left in this series of ANTM and I'm tipping Alice to win. Like Alex Perry said a few weeks ago, she's so chic she doesn't need to bother with things like emotion, and smiling.

This week the final four complete some acting workshops to ready themselves for the photo shoot, which was based around conveying EMOTION.

Their mini-task was to participate in a meet and greet with some industry heavies (a few journos and the guy who publishes Aussie Vogue) and they all perform poorly. Mind you, it was a fairly hard task - the girls were understandably intimidated (Johnathan is such a drama queen) and the industry 'heavies' gave them no assistance - usually when you're being interviewed, or are having a conversation with someone, both parties participate. Not so in this case. I actually had to turn it off because it was so frustrating to watch (my boyfriend described it as a "trainwreck"...who's the drama queen now?).

Steph and Anika won the task, and scored a shoot in Herald Sun's Sunday Magazine, which came up pretty nice.

The photo shoot was a biggie, with Ian Thorpe coming back (again) to oversee the shoot which was based around his underwear range. It was pretty obvious who was going home by the time this wrapped up - Steph, Alice and Jordan all nailed their emotions (Lust, Rage & Suspicion) but Anika just didn't seem to have any confidence and fudged Contentment - she just looked uncomfortable.

As I expected, Anika was eliminated, Jodhi cried, the judges decreed she has a future in 'beauty' modelling (I think she'd be quite popular with the lad's mags, personally...) and so now there are three.

Highlights: Alice hitting a male model with a pillow in a fit of 'rage', Jordan imitating Alice's whinge-y-ness, Jordan completely shutting up for an entire minute, Johnathan pretending to be Karl Largerfeld...or someone...he is an idiot.

So, who will win? Personally, I think Alice is an absolute shoo-in. She just looks so damn model-y. I do like the other two as well, though...so for the first time in reality TV history, I'll be pleased whatever the outcome.

xx

Update: head over to the Vogue forums to check out who's managed to snag work since leaving the show...Danica is looking much thinner (I know it's wrong, but I think she looks really good *shame*) and she reportedly said that once she was eliminated, she was so determined to suceed that she got a personal trainer and is now thinner than she's ever been. Hmmm.

Article: SIZE MATTERS

Feature on sizing issues in the Australian fashion industry. For the full version click here

What's On: CHADSTONE'S 15 HOURS OF STRAIGHT SATISFACTION

Melbourne's Chadstone Shopping Centre is hosting "15 Hours of Straight Satisfaction" on Wednesday 30th of May.

The entire complex will be open to shoppers from 9am - Midnight, with selected stores offering up to 60% off their gear, as well as complementary food and drink sampling from 5.30pm.

There's a free shuttle bus service from the CBD which leaves hourly and will take you direct to Chadstone, as well as offering various drop-off locations at major inner-city intersections for the trip home (Check Chadstone's webby for locations) so really, there's no excuse to miss this!

I've been to one of these nights before, ages ago, and I was fairly impressed - my boyfriend and housemate managed to snag some nice stuff on sale. I do recommend checking out http://www.chadstoneshopping.com.au/ first though, to see who's offering what at how much off.

xx

An upcoming sale in your local area? Tell us about it here

Online Shopping: BIRDMOTEL

Finally, an online shop for the girls who wish it was summer all year round! BirdMotel.com is a spunky little 'beach-girl' inspired shopping webby, with a cool selection of summer-y brands.

The site features stuff from Nookie, Grab, Milk and Honey, Tigerlilly, Ben Sherman, One Teaspoon and Mermaid Sister as well as cute jewllery labels Moe Moe, Candy From Strangers, Trinket, and heaps more.

They have an online 'catalogue' that you can order directly out of, either online or over the phone.

At the mo, they're running a sale on selected key winter pieces, as well as clearing summer stock, so get along to BirdMotel.com to have a look and maybe snag yourself a bargain.

BirdMotel pride themselves on delivering excellent customer service and fast delivery, the site is easy to use, it's easy to order and they're happy to exchange or refund if the items you order are NQR. Why wouldn't you wanna shop there?

xx

Know of a great online boutique? Tell us about it here

What's On: MISS LOUISE SALE

Good news for luxury shoe lovers! High-end shoe and accessory store Miss Louise (located on Collins St in Melbourne's CBD) is clearing belts, bags, sunnies and shoes for around $200 a piece, so I hear.

Miss Louise is known for stocking some of the world's most coveted shoe brands - we're talking Jimmy Choo, Alexander McQueen, D&G and more...

The store will be relocating further down Collins St next month, so the sale ends on saturday - get a move on!

xx

ANTM: Week Nine

ARGH! I missed Tuesday's airing of ANTM, and planned on watching the repeat on Sunday...anyway I was flicking through the Herald Sun over breakky today and they ruined it for me...Paloma got eliminated.

Much as I hated her crazy, it was damn entertaining. I have a feeling the show won't be as good without her. Now who will T-Unit pick on?

Stay tuned for an update on the rest of the show...

Update:
Okay, so I caught the repeat of this week's show last night, and it wasn't as dramatic as I expected. I guess it was just because I knew who was eliminated, and all that.

The girls had two photoshoots this week, with Paloma failing miserably on the first. It was made all the more satisfying because she had cockily labelled the task as being "easy" for her. Hur hur.

The girls donned a black hooded lycra bodysuit and were asked to create interesting shapes with their bodies while squished up in a lighted box. The other four did a decent job, but Paloma fucked it up, which caused me no end of delight. Jordan won the prize and she and Steph got to model Bonds underwear in some pub. Sexytime. Paloma bitchily declared it was a crap prize and didn't want it anyway.

The second photo shoot was more involved, with the girls being stuck in a harness and swung from the roof in a flouncy, fluffy ballerina-inspired dress. Both Steph and Jordan freaked, but overcame their gravity/height-related nerves with Jordan eventually producing my favorite snap of the night. All the judges dug Paloma's shot though. Ugh.

Paloma had a dig at Steph for never being the bottom two, while she herself has been there twice, insinuating that the situation should have been reversed. This results in a tiff between them and insults are traded, beds are moved, bithday cards are binned, and in the end a teary Paloma whines at Steph in that annoying baby voice she does when she's trying to suck up, and Steph pretty much calls a ceasefire because she just wants her to shut the hell up. Oh, to be 17 again.

Steph and Paloma end up in the bottom two, and as we know, Steph goes on to the top four.

Highlights: Jonathan Pease introducing photographer Fabrizio as his good friend "Fab" (I mean...honestly. How can you take that seriously?), the girls have a mass bitch at the second photoshoot, Alice attempts to scream really, really loud and Paloma gets snarky after being eliminated..."if Alice wins it's only because of how she looks (uh, durrr...) and that means the competition isn't real" and "if I had wanted to win as much now as I did when it started I wouldn't have been eliminated" and, gem of all gems, "I got eliminated because I'm too good for this." Oh, sweet, sweet denial. Paloma, I will miss you. ANTM just won't be the same anymore.

xx

Hit List: MAY

Here's my most wanted items for the month of May...

Ben Sherman Double Breasted Trench
An absolute classic. I searched for the perfect trench all last Autumn/Winter season - all the good ones under $500 sold out too quickly - so I'm getting my order in for this one quick smart. Featuring a belted waist, pared-back pocket detail, double breasted front and wide collar. Genuis in it's simplicity, and easy on the back pocket at around $150. What's not to love?

Witchery 'Stella' Sunglasses
Oversized, vintage style sunnies in an interesting light tortishell pattern. Featuring darker lenses and metal detail on the arms, these are the perfect alternative to similar plain black styles seen on everyone. Won't break the bank at under $50.

Corpus Grey Acid Wash Skinny Leg Jean
I saw these featured in the last edition of RUSSH magazine, and fell in love with them straight away. They've proven to be a little difficult to source here in Australia, with Sydney boutique Incu the only stockist I could find. They're not everyone's cup of tea ("bit 80's bogan, don't you reckon?" says my boyfriend) but I just adore them. They'd look fabulous pared back with a black, fitted longline tee and boots, or rocking with a statement tee and heels. Big hair optional. They come in around $250-300.

Wittner 'Texas New' Leather Bag
Gorgeous oversized leather tote in either black or brown. Massively roomy, will carry all your junk around with style and ease. Worth it at around $250.

xx

Trend: LEGGINGS

Finally! Something I can really love this winter. LEGGINGS. I wear them almost constantly - lazing about at home in uggies and an oversized jumper, or out and about with boots, a longline tee and trench.

I'm toying with the idea of buying a pair of legwarmers to layer over them with a pair of peep-toe heels...I figure if it can work for Sportsgirl, then why not me?

You can pick up a pair almost anywhere, from under 20 bucks at Target to a couple of hundred for a snazzy gold pair by Romance Was Born.
Just don't wear them under dresses...

xx

What's On: JOSH GOOT FOR TARGET

I know this is a bit old now, but it's been announced that the Josh Goot for Target range will be in-store from the 19th of June.

Like the Stella McCartney for Target collection, the range will feature signature pieces from Goot - sophisticated, sleek and savvy are the buzzwords surrounding the release.

What to expect? racer tanks, pencil skirts, leggings, cardigans, blazers and trench coats, wool featuring heavily, in shades of grey marle, silver, black and navy. All items are priced between $60 and $130, so it could be worth checking out.

xx

Label: WITCHERY

Now, I'm not easily impressed by chainstore brands but Witchery has definitely caught my eye with their yummy winter gear.

I've been seaching for seasons to find a snuggly, chunky longline cardi after spotting an uber-stylish girl sporting one at uni a few years ago. Witchery has answered my prayers and created this perfect grey belted version, featuring cableknit and pocket details. I feel all warm and fuzzy just looking at it.

They have a great range of coats and jackets for this season available in-store and online, covering everything from cute swing coats to trenches to the very on-trend sporty anorak. And the best part? Most retail for under $200.

They're currently stocking all the winter staples, including leggings, boots, big leather bags, cami's, cardi's, scarves and heaps more...definitely worth a look-see if you're wanting to update your wardrobe for the cooler months on the cheap.

Check out Witchery.com to shop online, for styling tips for this season, and store locations.

xx

Product Placement: DKNY BE DELICIOUS

After years of searching, I think I've found the perfect scent. I absolutely love this stuff!

I got a bottle of DKNY Be Delicious (the green one) for Christmas, and haven't stopped recieving compliments about it since. I've actually been stopped by strangers to get the name of it...it's that heavenly. Fo Real. Go try it out.

xx

Trend: ANKLE BOOTS

My hatred of ankle boots has somewhat abated over the past few months. They've grown on me. Just a little, though. Not suffuciently enough to actually be caught dead sporting a pair.

For starters, they're just aesthetically wrong. They look ugly. You can't see a pair and think "now THAT is a gorgeous shoe. I must own a pair." Ever.

They're the trendy shoe guaranteed to make you look like a fashion tragic, or worse, an absolute tryhard. They have few redeeming qualities and I really don't understand their appeal - let's face it, the first notable notable we saw wearing them was Paris Hilton. She of the single mini-glove and sex tape trend. Hardly a purveyor of taste and style, wouldn't you agree?

I've also noticed alot of...um...vertically challenged, horizontally enhanced...mallrat types cramming their feet into them of late (they'll be as abused as the skinny jean soon). Just a tip...larger girls would do well to avoid them. Edgy never beats out fat cow. You'll lose everytime.

xx

Boutique of the Week: STELLA & MYRRH

Located just up the road from Moonee Ponds railway station in Melbourne, Stella & Myrrh is a designer diva's idea of label heaven, featuring an all star line-up of both local and international brands, covering shoes, clothes, acessories, bags and homewares. Don't let the exterior fool you (I thought it was an 'old lady' shop at first!) you're almost guaranteed to fall in love with something each time you visit.

Admittedly, it can sometimes be a bit of a task finding exactly what you're after - stock is ever-changing and always abundant - so some time to have a quiet browse is probably best first time you visit. The girls are very hands-on and willing to help so if you're after something specific or need some help with styling, just ask - they're always one step ahead.

It's a must-visit during the Spring Racing season, as they stock a range of hats, facinators and shoes complemtary to their always fabulous range of frocks. The girls won't let you try on a dress for the races without heels, hat and bag (these things should be done properly, apparently) and while this also makes great business sense, it's like having your own personal stylist. Certainly takes the headache out of matching colours and traipsing around for weeks looking for the perfect pair of shoes.

Last year I got my Oaks Day outfit (a blue silk Camilla & Marc dress and perfectly matched Nude Shoe Co. heels) at S&M, and it's the first place I'll be checking out this coming racing season.

Too many labels to list, but some of my faves including Camilla & Marc, Nicola Finetti, Nude Shoe Co., LIFEwithBIRD and Ginger & Smart are all stocked there...so next time you're on Puckle St drop in and check it out.

Stella & Myrrh: 130 Puckle St Moonee Ponds Vic PH: 03 9375 2855

ANTM: Week Eight

Bi-polar bitch Paloma almost got booted this week. Almost. This girl is possibly the most manipulative, unstable contestant in ANTM history. Doesn't she make for great TV though!

Tonight's theme was PAPARAZZI, and the girls learnt about being papped the hard way. Cue some wonderfully unflattering candids of the girls, including Danica's wobbly bum and thighs, and bam! lesson learnt. As well as being papped, Alex Zabotto-Bentley of Fashion Assassin taught the girls learnt how to juggle canapes, champagne and polite small talk all at once. These are life lessons being learnt, right here. For serious.

Anika wins the pap challenge, and scores some sweet seats to the Mundine v Soloman fight (modelling and boxing...so many parallels. So many.) so she takes Alice and the two enjoy themselves thoroughly. Yawn.

For this week's photo shoot the girls were photographed with their mothers and asked to visually express their relationship. For me, Anika's was the only shot that stood out, but judge Charlotte Dawson slammed it, calling her arms "thick" and her back "hunchy". Is nothing good enough for these people?! All the judges did agree that Danica's shot was her strongest so far.

Anyway. Paloma and Danica (right) were placed in the bottom two, with Paloma narrowly beating Danica out for a place in the top five.

Highlights: Fatty the fish's funeral, Jordan and Paloma mooning unsuspecting Sydneysiders, Steph's bright idea to change out of her bikini and into a flesh-colored G-string on a crowded beach, judge Jez Smith labelling Paloma ugly, Charlotte Dawson telling Danica she's getting a bit fat and Paloma ever-so-tactfully pointing out Danica's (slight) weight gain on Diary-cam, making all of us at home well aware of it.

Next week should be interesting.

xx

Article: HAZY SHADE OF MALE

Feature on men's suiting, check out the full version here

What's On: 2007 LOGIES RED CARPET

I watched the Red Carpet segment of the Logies last night in the hope of catching a soap starlet or some B-grade celeb having a bad hair day, or, joy of all joys, a wardrobe disaster, but unfortch, most celebs played it safe this year and looked alright. Booo.

Burberry-esque bling was the order of the day, adding some much needed sparkle to Australian television’s night of nights. Classic strapless, halter and off-the-shoulder styles dominated with deep blues, fresh greens and timeless black and white proving the most popular colour options.

For the most part, hair was kept flowing and loose. The few up-do’s I noticed kept well away from the shellacked Ray Martin look; for the most part they were unfussy and sleek. Alex Perry was designer of the moment, cladding a quality selection of celebs in his frocks. J’Aton’s wares also proved popular, but most were minus the wow factor of Perry’s. Anyway, here are some of the high (and low) lights of the red carpet show.

Rogue Trader Natalie Bassingthwaite kicked off the event in a plain black Gucci pinafore dress with gold button detail. Boring, yes, but at least it was a decent length (unlike her outfit at the MTV Video Awards recently. Ick)

Catriona Rowntree looked chic and sleek in a green strapless floor length gown from Tea Rose, while Kate Ritchie (right) rocked the understated-glam look in a simple green Colette Dinnigan number featuring a bejeweled, of-the-moment square neckline.

Michaela Banas wore a semi-awful metallic silver number which had some weird angular shoulder thing going on. It wasn’t all bad though, the skirt and bow detail at the waist looked quite cute. She does score big points for sticking her neck out and trying something a bit different, while supporting fresh local talent at the same time.

Getaway presenter Natalie Gruzlewski looked gorgeous in a silk floor length halter with bow detail from Melbourne designer Manuell & Moore, and Megan Gale looked stunning in a floor length white halter-style Alex Perry gown with bling-ified straps, as was the trend du jour.

Stephanie McIntosh (left) stayed true to previous Logies form in her hideously unflattering gown, a lilac/grey strapless number which featured a vertical pleated skirt and bodice separated by thin spangly bands. Not her best effort, but then again, a supreme improvement on that red shocker from a couple of years back.

There must've been something in the water on the Neighbours set, with both Natalie Blair and Pippa Black (far left) failing to impress. Blair’s dress looked in desperate need of an iron, and Black’s fitted, strapless pale blue frock was covered in small, frilly, ruffle-y bits… unnecessarily fussy and decidedly ugly the verdict on that one.

As for the international visitors, (wait; remind me why they even give a shit about the Logies?) Avril Lavigne looked awful in a puffy-shouldered black knit top and grey leopard print leggings. Now, we know it’s only the Logies, dear, but your outfit was just some Ugg Boots short of doing Frankston proud. Jessica Alba looked fairly average in a black and white lace overlay cocktail dress by Dolce & Gabbana paired with black peep-toe heels.

Tania Zaetta bought a touch of Bollywood to the event in a traditional green and gold edged sari, and Love My Way’s Asher Keddie looked fantastic in a flowy, striped metallic number with a loose v-neck. As two of only a handful of celebs on the night who sucessfully thought outside the square, both deserve a mention.

Much as it kills me to say this, Jennifer Hawkins (right) looked fabulous in a white fitted Camilla and Marc frock which featured an interesting zip/ t-bar detail down her back. It looked fresh and fashion-forward while maintaining classic sensibilities at the same time - a definite fave of mine.

Home and Away's Holly Brisley was less than inspiring in a red floor length off-the-shoulder sheath and matching headband. It felt like she was aiming for vixen but fell short and ended up in the realm of cutesy.

Worst frock of the night goes to Nicky Whelan, whose floral and fishnet J’Aton gown turned heads for all the wrong reasons. In some weird designer experiment, Whelan’s fashion Frankenstein featured red mesh cutouts, an off-the-shoulder ruffled neckline and a solitary sleeve. Ew. Ew. Ew.

Generally, a boring affair, but a few outfits stood out from the rest. My picks of the night: Jennifer Hawkins, Megan Gale, Kate Ritchie, Natalie Gruzlewski and Catriona Rowntree. Worst-dressed awards go to: Nicky Whelan, Stephanie McIntosh, Pippa Black, Natalie Blair and Avril Lavigne (why bother?).

Photos from The Age's 2007 Logies Gallery, so head on over and check out the rest of the frocks.

xx

ANTM: Week Seven

Yep, It's official. I'm addicted to this useless, superficial bitch-fest. I have to say though, the Aussie version is heaps better than the American one. Those girls are just straight up crazy bitches. Here's the rundown of last tuesday's ep.

The girls got intimidated by Vogue Australia's ed-in-chief, Kristie Clements, who cracked it at them for not knowing that Karl Lagerfeld is designing for Burberry now (or something), and slammed most of the outfits they chose for the first task. She hardly looked fabulous, so glass houses and stones and all that.

This week's photo shoot was themed COUTURE, and basically the girls were dressed up in freaky shit and had to choose an animal to invoke. It's not easy to look hot when you have a giant black biscuit thing stapled to your head, so full credit to most of the girls for pulling it off.
Anika, Alice, Danica, Jordan and Sophie decide to play a prank on Steph and resident crazy Paloma under the guise of "T-Unit". Yeah, I dunno what's going on there either.

Sophie (pictured) was eventually eliminated for being too generic looking.

Highlights: Alice is asked to "invoke the silkworm" at a photo shoot, the girls from T-unit play a prank on Steph and Paloma and get a massive dressing down at elimination, Sophie is labelled "horsey" by judge Alex Perry, Kristie Clements is surprised when none of the girls say they read Vogue magazine...not really surprising since it's usually such a pretentious wank-fest. But anyway.

xx

Label: HEM AND HAW

This label was bought to my attention just recently for an article on men's suiting I knocked up for TS (insert shameless self-promotional link here).

Not only do they make snazzy menswear, but their autumn/winter 07 collection includes an adorable selection of dresses, tops and pants just for us lovely ladies.

Their gear has a certain naivety about it - clean cuts, simple fabrics, and cute-as-a-button detail generate an air of innocence about each piece.

I've absolutely fallen in love with the little yellow pinafore dress, so wonderfully simple and pretty and best of all - affordable. Tee's start at under $50, dresses under $100, shirts under $90, and jeans start at $120.

Perfect for brightening up a dreary winter's day, don'tchathink?

For more info, stockists, and a geek at the current range go to: HemandHaw.com

xx

Product Placement: ANTI.GRAVITY

Lank locks? Feeling flat? Rejoice! Anti.Gravity is here.

Possibly my all-time fave product from the Kevin.Murphy stable, this product is a godsend to those of us not blessed with a full, thick mane.

Aside from doing what it's supposed to do really, really well, it's light, non-sticky, and smells like lavender. Awww.

For the full KM range and stockists head to KevinMurphy.com

xx

What's On: RAFW

Rosemount Australia Fashion Week is well underway, but because there's already a blog dedicated to RAFW on TS I promise not to bang on too much about it.

Had a laugh the other day at 9am with David and Kim. Kim was rather indignant about some of the antics on the Fashion Assassin runway. Footage of the show, themed Dirty Disco, bent the noses of some 9am viewers a little out of shape.

One viewer, sans a sense of youthful playfulness, labelled the model (wearing a miniskirt and not much else) who bent over at the end of the runway "suitable only for porno". C'mon people, where's your sense of trashy fun! Designer Alex Zabotto-Bentley must be rubbing his hands with glee at the extra media coverage this stunt has scored. Besides, he admittedly doesn't design clothing aimed at the 30+ crowd...so who cares what 9am viewers think. Ouch.

Channel Seven News did a nice job of attempting to re-ignite the skinny model debate by airing footage of a designer backstage at RAFW declaring that Australian models were "porkers" in comparison to their European counterparts. Well, whaddya know! Only earlier today I was looking over some footage of the shows with a friend, who commented: "compared to the girls on the Euro runways, our girls look positively fat!" It's called a backhanded compliment, and with both Vogue and Harper's running skinny model stories this month, the issue has already been covered.

Finally! As a devotee of Australia's Next Top Model, I swear I recognised a couple of the ANTM girls on the runway. Alice and Steph (or their dopplegangers!) were out strutting and pouting with the best of 'em. Still in reality TV land, one of the girls from the last season of ANTM was definitely spotted strutting in MX yesterday.

xx

Trend: HIGH WAISTS

Each season there’s at least one trend that polarizes opinion – you either love it or hate it. This winter, my loathing is aimed squarely at high waisted anything. A Harry Highpants I am not.

Perhaps it was seeing my friend shriek with laughter at the 'denim nappy' I was planning on purchasing (the bloody waistline on those shorts wasn't that high, honestly - nothing like those shorts by Lover). Or maybe it’s because I was gently informed by a professional stylist that high waists 'just weren’t my thing'. Possibly most off-putting was my mum's remark that if high-waisted jeans are fashionable now, then she's been ahead of the pack for years. Hmmm.

Whatever the reason, I've developed a pathological loathing of this should-be-approached-with-caution trend. After all, if they can make Mischa Barton look godawful, what hope is there for the rest of us?

xx

Online Shopping: MINTSHOP

Oh, how I love thee Mintshop!

The online arm of Mint, located in Manly NSW, plays host to a great selection of labels including Sass & Bide, Milk & Honey, Material Boy, Arabella Ramsay, Bettina Liano, Flux, Nudie jeans and more.

The site is super-duper easy to navigate, and their range is bright, fun and funky fresssssh - it's the perfect antidote to a cold, grey winter in Melbourne. Yay!

Check it out here at Mintshop.com

xx

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