MSFW: OUTFIT DAY 3

Top: Cocolatte

Trousers: Target

Bracelet: Equip

Shoes:Wittner

Bag: LA Market.

The story...

So the camera clutch has made another appearance (and I guarantee it won't be the last!) - it's just so easy to use, and fits everything I need in it, plus the kitchen sink. Yes, I am one of those people who packs unnecessary things in their bag, just on the off chance that a situation may arise where it will come in handy. It rarely does.

I wore this outfit to the Wittner runway. What an evening! I was lucky enough to end up sitting front row(!!) at the end of the catwalk, which meant I had a great view of all the beautiful shoes and entertainment of the show. I also met the gorgeous Style Gallivanter, who has the most incredible hair you will ever see! So lovely and friendly too. To top off a fabulous evening, Michael Wittner himself came up and said hello, and like a starstruck fool I babbled about how much I loved his shoes and that they were my life. Good one, Brittany, good one.

Stalker picture - reserved seating signs for Mr & Mrs Wittner 

Because the runway was in the hub rather than town hall and the weather was still so beautiful, I went for something slightly more casual. I'm in love with these houndstooth print skinny trousers, and the block black panel on the side gives them a great slimming effect by breaking up the print. I paired them with my new black top from cocolatte. I bought it in a panic shop the day before fashion week, along with a few other items, but I like it more and more each time I wear it. It's a high neck cut that exposes the shoulders, but my favourite thing about it is the fringe detailing on the front. It doesn't photograph particularly well (or at least not on iPhone cameras!) but has great movement in real life. 

My mega high platforms came out to play again (I couldn't not wear Wittner to the wittner show!) and my hair and makeup were simple and natural.

What's your favourite of my MSFW outfits so far? Comment or follow and let me know!

Brittany x

MSFW: OUTFIT DAY 2

Shirt: H&M

Skirt: Topshop

Belt: Sportsgirl

Bag: from a market in LA

Shoes: Wittner

The story...

Today was the RMIT Student Runway, one of the most highly anticipated events on the MSFW calendar. It's loved for its creativity, boldness, character and lack of commercial restrictions. Because of this, I wanted to wear something a little different and eye-catching. In terms of the Melbourne fashion scene, I like to think of my dress sense as unique and original, but I'm not totally wacky and out there like some amazing ensembles I spotted. This was my compromise!

The turquoise skirt was a statement piece I had to have. It's totally unlike any skirt I own (and creases like mad!) but I love the unsymmetrical hem and bold colour. True to form, the first thing my Dad said was "What happened to the other half of the skirt?" - classic dad gags and Happy Father's Day! 

To let the skirt do the talking, I paired it with a simple white sheer shirt. There was much debate over what colour bra should go underneath (nude looked granny-like and I did not have one in the same blue as the skirt) so ended up opting for white to make it look like part of the shirt. 

The spirit of the night in mind, I decided to go for a bold clash in accessories, with a hot pink skinny belt over the turquoise skirt. Given the skirts unusual bottom, I went for my highest strappy black and cork heels to ensure my legs looked long rather than stumpy (hence the headless picture!) 

Rather than choosing my bag to match any of the existing colours in my outfit, I went for a funny statement. Given I'm media, why not take my camera clutch!? The 'camera' is an old leather handbag I bought in LA almost six years ago on my way to Australia. I've actually only used it once or twice, so thought I'd dust it off today. It's got short handbag straps which I don't like, so I just tucked them in to turn it into a clutch.

Makeup: I tried something different by experimenting with colour - tying in the hot pink and turquoise of my outfit. I bought Sportsgirl's hot pink lipstick in 'strawberry' the other day, loving how the colour made my eyes look really blue. I used turquoise pencil eyeliner to line the bottom of my eye, as well as a flick on the top. It's just a cheap pencil from Priceline, but it's very pigmented and bright.

To confess - for day one I didn't have time to paint my nails, so ended up going naked (nails that is!). It almost ended the same way today, given I had 20 minutes between finishing work, getting changed and hopping on the train. I just made it as the doors were closing but had to paint my nails on the train. Not my finest moment (or nice habit!) but these are the things you do for fashion.

New friends - Georgia from melbourneandgeorgette

What do you think?

Brittany x

MSFW: OUTFIT DAY 1

Jumper: Vintage from Wardrobe Weekender

Necklace: Sportsgirl

Skirt: Topshop

Clutch: Sportsgirl

Shoes: Wittner

Rings: Assorted

The Story...

I bought this black and white textured skirt from Topshop with Melbourne Spring Fashion Week in mind. The white patches are smooth while the black is more of a velour material. I love the monochrome trend, but wanted to do something a little different with it that would make me stand out.

Cue this bright red jumper. It's SO FLUFFY and soft, and I love the bright colour. It's from the '80s so has plenty of padding in the shoulders, but I think this just gives it a bit of drama and shape. It does have diamanté studs around the neckline, but I added the chunky silver chain to toughen up the ladylike look. 

These are my favourite heels ever - dainty but on trend with their sheer front. The black and silver back on the back tie the outfit together nicely. Finally, I added the red clutch to set off the jumper.

Makeup: (apologies for the bad quality selfie!) nothing too out of the ordinary for me - liquid eyeliner for cat flick eyes and a lashing of Sportsgirl's bright red lipstick in Bombshell. 

Melbourne Spring Fashion Week 2013 (MSFW)

Spring has finally sprung and in Melbourne that means only one thing - Melbourne Spring Fashion Week. Fashion fever takes over City Square and Swanston Street is filled with well-dressed people in towering heels tottering down the street.

                 

As you know, I'm a contributor to a fantastic online magazine called Onya Magazine. This year, I'm lucky enough to be attending five shows for them - Designer Runway 1, RMIT Student Runway, Wittner Shoes Runway, Designer Runway 2 and the Resort Show.

My reviews and pieces on these shows will all be on Onya, so I thought I'd use my blog to share my outfits (so much pressure on deciding what to wear to these events!) and the behind the scenes snaps. Before I had the opportunity to attend any fashion shows, I was always highly curious about what they were like. Hopefully if any of you feel the same, I can satisfy that curiosity! One tip - they rarely ever start on time. Still, I suppose that's why they call it fashionably late!

I hope you enjoy these posts. I'll be posting links to my Onya reviews as they go up. If you've got anything specific you want to know/ask, just leave me a comment!

Brittany x

Mixed Assortments

I recently made an Instagram account for the blog (@halcyonfuturefashion - go follow follow follow if you haven't already!). I'm using it as a way to showcase what's on and going on with the blog, as well as mini 'blog-bites' - smaller posts on a daily basis. 

A mixed assortment from the last week..

Candy Colours - turquoise Lovisa necklace paired with a gorgeously soft candy floss pink Topshop knit.

Mint Sorbet - Sally Hansen 'Mint Sorbet' on the nails, my new three band Sportsgirl ring and Sportsgirl turquoise tote in the background.

Back on Black - University is back so I took this sneaky accessories snap while waiting for my philosophy lecture to start. Wearing my Lipstik cut out boots with tassels and 'tote-ing' (terrible pun!) my Zara black leather bag. I bought it a few months ago for only $49.99 - and that was full price!

I really do think Zara has some incredibly well-priced accessories (and clothes, but less often), given what you'd expect to pay for a similar bag had it been in Sportsgirl/Forever New etc

Feeling Blue - finally got round to repainting my chipped mint nails - the weather was unusually glorious with blue skies a-plenty, so I stole some inspiration from that. The sky blue is from Barry M cosmetics, a brand I don't think is available in Australia. I absolutely love this colour, so always buy myself a few bottles whenever I'm back in England. I still really like the effect of the accent nail, so chose a slightly darker and glossier blue from Rimmel London.

Also spy my Sportsgirl silver floating rings!

 Birthday Drinks - With it almost being my 19th birthday (three more sleeps!) I had to do the obligatory teen club outing. I won't say too much about the dress, as I want to do a special blog post on it, but it's from online store Harpers Dresses. I felt amazing in it, and had a brilliant night too. 

Finally - Arrived home from work to find my British Vogue had arrived! Turned out to be the perfect end to a very good day, with a few bits of news I'll hopefully share with you very soon!

Brittany x

A Cosmic Connection

The EOFY (end of financial year) sales may be quickly drawing to a close, but there are still a few gems to be found in the shops. What I promised myself would only be a window shop the other day in Melbourne Central was broken after a trip into French Connection. With a wardrobe now bursting with clothes, I was quickly drawn to their accessories on sale, where I spotted this gorgeous monochrome cosmic print scarf. Reduced to half price at just $19.99, I didn't take much convincing to buy it.

As I tend to do with new things, I wore it for dinner with the girls that night, pairing it with a red mohair jumper, matching red lips, baroque print shorts, black tights, heeled boots and a leather jacket.

Nothing beats a sale: Topshop Adventures

Moving to Melbourne from London five years ago, one of the things I found hardest to adjust to was the lack of British High Street. The idea of shopping without any of the shops I loved and was used to, such as Topshop, H&M and of course Primark was one that filled me with dread. Alright, not dread exactly - I could never feel that way about shopping! - but it certainly posed some challenges.

When you're familiar with a place, you know exactly where you need to go for certain items. If I needed new underwear, M&S was the place to go. Jewellery at a price that wouldn't break the bank? H&M was your (wo)man. Cheap anything? Primark. It took a while and a few (expensive) mistakes to figure out my equivalents here in Australia.

Luckily I've discovered the great fashion secrets and shops we have here in Australia, which I'll hopefully be doing a blog post on soon. But needless to say I am still extremely excited that the shops that I loved in England are finally beginning to reach our shores (Zara and Topshop last year and H&M to arrive later this year!)

Topshop is a shop I've always loved, due to its fun and stylish designs, incredible designer collaborations and obviously clever branding and marketing. One thing we haven't always agreed on however, are the prices. For me, Topshop was always the place for a treat - yes, the items were gorgeous but you were paying quite a lot for them.

A good day at Topshop Chapel Street!

Probably because I'm no longer 13, and maybe because I've become accustomed to Australian prices (where I feel like its harder ((but not impossible!)) to get good quality fashion items for lower prices a la H&M/Primark), Topshop now seems a lot more reasonable.

And when they have a sale on... Well, you don't argue with reason, people.

And so I found myself in the crazy crowd of Topshop sale goers last week. Racks upon racks of discounted clothes greeted me as I stepped through the doors, so the only thing to do was roll up my sleeves and dive in.

I was surprised at how heavily discounted many good items were and as a result it was hard to stop myself just grabbing everything in sight. Luckily Mum was there to restrain me.

Peek inside my Topshop bag

I tried on a few things, including the athletic 'GEEK' t-shirts that everyone has and I've been wanting for a while. Unfortunately they only had it in the crop version which I felt going into WINTER might be a tad limiting..

Anyway, I felt with two holographic cat bags (whaaat!?) filled with goodies, which in addition to the knowledge that i'd made myself some good savings, makes it a very good trip in my mind!

My Purchases

The Evening Dress

 This would have to be my favourite buy of the day. There was just one left on the rack which I made a quick beeline for, ready to elbow anyone who got in my way. It's a gorgeous turquoise sequinned figure- hugging 'disco' dress. It's quite long, probably just above the knee, which I think makes it a lot classier than if it only just covered my bum. As well as being sparkly and my favourite colour at the moment, it was also massively reduced - $65 down from $131. I couldn't wait to wear it, so ended up taking it for a spin that night for drinks with friends.

The Bodycon Dress

Now I think this was actually spotted by Mum (giving credit where it's due!) but as soon as she showed it to me I was sold. The design is striking and reminds me of liquid gold, and the material is gorgeously silky. Again this one is also longer, but I think it looks better shortened so thats probably how I'll wear it. Made some massive savings on this one too - $23 down from $73!

The Cozy Jumper

This was perhaps my most practical buy - a pinky/brown knitted jumper. Close up you can't really see the geometric pattern but I think it's quite playful. It's extremely cosy and I quite like that it's more pastel colours - it will look great with some very blue jeans and boots for winter. Another great save - $26 down from $86.

The Nail Varnish

Top: 'Green Room', Bottom: 'Plume'

So as I've confessed in previous blog posts, this year I've become a serial nail varnish buyer and now have quite the collection going. I've been hunting for a Tiffany coloured blue nail varnish for a while now, so I was extremely excited to finally spot it in Topshop. I also couldn't walk passed the galactic purple, so that ended up in the basket too. I think they were about $12 each, which is a bit above average for nail varnish, but i'd fallen in love with the colours.

Having never tried Topshop nail varnish, I was initially rather disappointed with the quality. I decided to paint my nails 5 minutes before I was due out (silly idea I know!) so only had time to do one quick coat. The consistency was watery and the colours very pale. The following day, I tried a few more coats and was much happier with the colour (as seen in the picture - excuse the chips!). The turquoise is slightly more green than i'd hoped but I love the purple. What do you reckon of the quality of Topshop nail varnish/make up collections?

Taking my disco dress out for a spin!

With loads of stores now having their end of financial year sales, it's definitely time to hit the shops! It's a great opportunity to pick up things you've been eyeing up for a while with big discounts, or just treat yourself to a few indulgences. What do you reckon of my bargains? Would love to hear what new items you're loving at the moment in the comments below!

Brit x

Easter Weekend; Halcyon Future on the go!

Firstly I hope you've all had a brilliant Easter and indulged in lots of hot cross buns, Easter eggs and time with everyone you love! It's one of my favourite times of the year as it signifies the reunion between one of my true loves and I - the Cadbury creme egg.

Yes, it's sad that one can feel so much love for an egg shaped chocolate but I just can't help myself. It's the epitome of everything chocolate should be - fun sized, chocolatey and stuffed with something unexpected in the middle.

My sister and I (mainly my sister - she's the far better cook!) actually made the Cadbury creme egg brownies this year, which were delicious but, as expected, very very rich and sweet.

Our Cadbury creme egg brownie masterpiece

Aside from all the chocolate, (and speaking of true love) this Easter weekend I also attended the wedding of a family member of my boyfriend. As a bit of a soppy and hopeless romantic, I love a good wedding, so I was really looking forward to it. Add to that a black tie dress code and an excuse to dress up - bonus!

I think there's always something a bit daunting about dressing for weddings, particularly if, like I, you don't actually know the couple in question that well. Obviously you want to look good but you don't want to steal the limelight, plus there's the challenge of finding something that's suitable for both the church service and the reception!

I ended up going for a figure hugging black mid-length, long sleeved dress with a split, my favourite black/silver ankle strap heels, a silver chunky necklace, silver rings and earrings (various gifts from le boyf) and hot pink clutch and nails. The dress was one of those ones that look pretty ordinary on the hanger but that you put on and just feel amazing in. That's really the key to dressing for any situation - the most important thing about an outfit is how you feel in it. If you feel fantastic, that will radiate through and you will LOOK fantastic!

My boyfriend and I <3

It wasn't until we were sat in the service that I realised this would be my first church wedding. With a lot of my family being Jewish, obviously the wedding process is slightly different. Despite there being no crushing of glasses and lifting up the bride and groom on chairs (haha!) the wedding and service was absolutely beautiful - complete with candlelit tables, a gorgeous floral chandelier and a breathtaking view of the Melbourne skyline.

Melbourne skyline and floral arrangements

The gorgeous floral chandelier - handmade by the groom!

The 'on the go' part of the title is in reference to the fact that I've just downloaded the blogger app for my phone so can now post on the go! Hopefully that means more frequent posts, but we shall see!

Brittany x

March On

Fashion fever has finally faded in Melbourne as the L'Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival drew to a close last week.

If you've read my last few posts, you'll know that I was lucky enough to attend a few of the events. Obviously I haven't had the luxury of attending multiple fashion weeks around the world, but I love LMFF largely for its accessibility and proximity. So often fashion can be so involved with itself that it forgets that the public and the consumers are actually some of the most important people in the industry. LMFF celebrates that - with runways and seminars that anyone can buy tickets to, as well as a huge range of free pop-up and cultural events all over the city.

My mum and I have been going every year since we moved to Melbourne from London (coming up to five years now!) and it's something that I really look forward to doing. We've been to a range of runways, presented by Vogue, Instyle, Grazia and this year Madison. There's always a fantastic atmosphere and a luxurious feel to the evening and this year was no different. We went to the later show, which meant we missed the opportunity for beautiful sunset photos over the docklands but did enjoy some champagne in the Woolshed Pub. I'm yet to see a runway show in which all the clothes bowl me over, but i love the atmosphere and excitement associated with seeing a catwalk show live, as it's something you normally associate with VIP and exclusivity.

The Madison show had an impressive line-up of models including Alice Burdeu, Cassie van den Dungen and Rachel Rutt modelling the collections of designers Megan Park, Flannel, Alannah Hill, Hardwick, Jayson Brunsdon, Aurelio Costarella and Kirrily Johnston.

My favourite would probably have to be Hardwick, who I hadn't heard of before but I thought their collection to be extremely wearable - with lots of sheer, black and lace. Alannah Hill too had some gorgeous coats in bright colours, but looked similar to ones I've already soon before. I'm a massive fan of playsuits (current count is at least 6 in my wardrobe) so I enjoyed the silk brocade jumpsuits from Jayson Brunsdon as well.

Alice Burdeu in Hardwick

Jayson Brunsdon

Cassi van den Dungen in Jayson Brunsdon

All photography from LMFF official photographer Lucas Dawson

Not the best photo (mum photography!) but what I wore to the Madison show. I went for a blue silk floral patterned shorts and peplum top, white Zara jacket, black tights and heels, salmon clutch, bright accessories and a cheeky Topshop lipstick in 'Brighton Rock'.

My write up of the High Fashion High Tea is also now up online on Onya Magazine, which I hope you'll have a read of...the food was absolutely to die for and has affirmed that afternoon tea is most certainly back on the menu!

High Fashion High Tea - LMFF event

I also covered the 2013 LMFF National Designers Award for a university assignment and was lucky enough to interview two finalists (and hugely talented designers!) Livia Arena and Michael Lo Sordo. I was only able to use a few quotes in my assignment but found them both so interesting to talk to that I will hopefully write up a profile of them here for you to enjoy... stay tuned!

Brittany x

My Week Living The Dream

This week has been an amazing one - full of interviews, events and writing that have totally reassured and convinced me that a career in (fashion/arts&culture/music) journalism is exactly what I want to do.

To read more about it, scroll down or click the links below.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

These are my three very different looks I wore for my three fashion related assignments for Onya Magazine.

1. The opening of The Woodsfolk in Hawthorn on Wednesday evening.
I'm wearing a white long top from a boutique in Phillip Island, leather skater skirt from H&M, My favourite Wittner shoes and a studded leather clutch, also Wittner.
 - See Part 2 or the full review on Onya Magazine.

2. VIP Launch of the Wardrobe Weekender, Captains of Industry on Thursday evening.
I'm wearing my mum's black silk draped top, skinny herringbone trousers, the same Wittner shoes and an electric pink, black and white clutch from Dangerfield.
- See Part 3 or the full review on Onya Magazine.

3. High Fashion High Tea, L'Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival at the Park Hyatt on Sunday afternoon.
I'm wearing a monochrome silk shirt from H&M, leather skater skirt also from H&M, black/silver chanel-style jacket from Sportsgirl, red suede heels from Novo and a red leather/leopard print bag - a christmas gift from mum!
- See Part 4 or look out on Onya Magazine for a full review very soon...


Which one is your favourite? Would love to hear your feedback!

Brittany x

My Week Living The Dream - Part 4

This is a fashion-related part of a larger series of four blog posts about 'My Week Living the Dream' - don't forget to check out Part 1 , Part 2 and Part 3

Just as I thought the fashion assignments for Onya magazine couldn't get any better, I found myself waiting in the lobby of the Park Hyatt for the High Fashion High Tea event presented by Fashionista's Australia (Emily Power) as part of the L'Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival. It was absolutely surreal. I was sat on Table 1 - the official media table - surrounded by extremely stylish women (and a few men!) about to have afternoon tea at one of Melbourne's most luxurious hotels. Pinch me!

Although I was doing it stag this time, it was a glorious afternoon. I was sat alongside many fashion bloggers who I admire, including Phoebe Montague of Lady Melbourne, Sarah Willcocks of Style Melbourne and met some new ones that I quickly became fans of, including Cecylia. There were finger sandwiches, tarts, cakes and scones galore - as well as a catwalk show, shopping avenue and amazing goodie bags. Watch out for my full review, to appear on Onya Magazine very soon....

That concludes my week living the dream! It's been absolutely amazing and has made me even more determined than ever to work hard and be successful in I believe is the most interesting and exciting career paths I could possibly have chosen.

Brittany x

My Week Living The Dream - Part 3

This is a fashion-related part of a larger series of four blog posts about 'My Week Living the Dream' - don't forget to check out Part 1 and Part 2

The fashion fun for Onya Magazine continued on Thursday night, this time at the VIP launch of The Wardrobe Weekender, a highlight of the L'Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival's cultural program.

This time I had my mum by my side as my +1 and we had a lovely evening. The basic philosophy of the event, organised by Lala productions and The Clothing Exchange, is a simple 'swap-shop' format. Everyone brings clothes they no longer wear to swap with others. I was a bit confused and ever so slight weirded out by the idea at first, not being a particular lover of second hand clothes, but after attending I can honestly say I'm a changed woman (limitations and exclusions apply!). I got myself two new (to me) items of clothing that i can't wait to wear and cleared out things in my wardrobe that were taking up unnecessary space. Not only that, there were also stalls of local boutiques and designers offering fantastic one-night only discounts, a complimentary glass of bubbly and vintage frocks for hire! Check out my review and please keep an eye out for any similar events coming to a town near you - can't recommend them highly enough!

1. My outfit for the evening. Recognise those trousers!? 2. Vintage clothes for hire 3. Mum and I went for dinner afterwards and had what I reckon is the best pizza outside Italy. Maybe even in Italy as well. The place is called +39 on Little Bourke Street. Thin bases, delicious tomato base and the speediest service i've had in a long time!

Firstly, I'm so grateful that i'm able to be getting experience in the industry by writing things for Onya as a contributor. I'm also hearing about and attending events that i would never have heard of otherwise - and hopefully by writing about it, am doing the same for you! I would really love a career in fashion journalism, so to be attending the events i'm attending and getting the opportunities i currently am is absolutely a dream come true.

My Week Living the Dream - Part 2

This is a fashion-related part of a larger series of blog posts about 'My Week Living the Dream' - check out Part 1 on my other (media focused) blog 'The Brit Estate'

For those of you who read my other blog, you'll know that the past week has been like a dream for me - full of assignments and interviews that have given me a taster of what a career in journalism could be like. This week I was given a number of fashion events to cover for online magazine, Onya. The adventure continues on...

Wednesday

Today was the first of three events I was assigned by my lovely editor Sandi Seiger at Onya Magazine. The event in question was the opening of a new 'family store' called The Woodsfolk in Hawthorn. It was a lovely evening - the shop looked fantastic, decorated with fairy lights and full of quirky items such as toadstool shaped lamps, pom-pom rugs and wine-bottled shaped candles. My auntie visiting from Canada was my +1 for the evening and together we enjoyed the delicious food on offer (my personal favourite being the homemade chocolate brownies and mini chic tops!). You can check out my full review on Onya Magazine.

I believe they were also visited by the contestants from the latest series of Nine's 'The Block' - which isn't much of a surprise given how lovely their stuff is! Watch out for the show later this year to see them featured.

Keep reading for Parts 3 & 4!