We've Moved!

Dear All,

I've finally made the move from blogspot to Wordpress - nothing personal, I just find the system easier to use and as a result the look of the blog is much more modern and fresh. 

You're all invited to join me at www.halcyonfuturefashion.wordpress.com for a little housewarming party. There may or may not be red velvet cupcakes. 

Hope to see you soon,

Brittany x

I've Fallen In Love...

I've fallen in love. It was breathtaking, instantaneous and unplanned. It took just one look, and I was gone. 

Ok, maybe that's a little dramatic, but I do believe in love at first sight, and this was definitely what happened when I saw this gorgeous Mary Katrantzou dress in the window of Green With Envy the other day.

Isn't it gorgeous? I absolutely love the inky indigo winter graphic print, and it's so unusual to see such a design on a ball gown. The boned bodice and wide skirt hark back to a glamorous, feminine period but with a totally modern print. Imagine wearing it to a masquerade ball, or really standing out at a formal event.

Unfortunately, I do not have invitations to either of those things. Even the next best event, my 21st, is two years away. I am also not currently in possession of $3,370, which is what this beauty will set me back. Sigh. Onto the 'I Wish' list.

What are you currently coveting?

Brittany x

I'm Never Taking Them Off.

Thought I'd share one of my favourite buys from the other day with you - these black and white animal print harem trouser from Ally Fashions.

Now I really wasn't a fan of harem trousers before, but after wearing them all day I am a serious convert. So much so that I'm even insisting on wearing them to go out tonight for dinner and drinks. While the style is not the most flattering on the bum, they're so comfy AND a great way to wear this season's printed pant. 

For day, I paired them with my white cat turban knit (animal print overload!), a chunky silver chain and a pair of white converse for a sporty/playful look.

For night time I swapped the jumper for a soft grey t-shirt, leather jacket and wore my black NOVO espadrilles.

(Excuse the dodgy selfie!)

I love that while they're incredibly comfy, they're also versatile, working both day and night. I'd love to get a gorgeous black or white silk cami to really glam it up for the evening. The best thing though? They only cost $19.99! Bargain.

Sundays Are Not Made For Working

Ain't it the truth. Unfortunately working in retail/entertainment, there's rarely such thing as a weekend. Here's to dreaming about lazy days in bed, visiting markets, brunch with friends and soaking up sunshine. I hope whatever your plans are today, you have a fabulous Sunday.

After I return from work, I'm so excited to start the launch of all my big plans for the blog. November (aka TheBigBloggingMonth) will be an exciting and post-filled month on Halcyon Future, with plenty of reviews, how to's, outfit posts, and fashion and beauty inspiration. 

I've also hit 100 posts on Instagram, so for more halcyon fun, don't forget to follow me - @halcyonfuturefashion 

Hope you'll come along for the ride!

Brittany x

Sleek and chic: The New Ponytail

Although my hair is naturally curly (read: frizzy) I do love a straight sleek look. And I don't think there's a more failsafe, go-to hairstyle than the ponytail. But forget the type your mum used to scrape your hair back into when she was getting you ready for school: meet The New Pony.

Sleek and chic, it's a strong look that's also incredibly easy to achieve. Your hair must be poker straight to begin with, and if using hair straighteners make sure you use a heat protecting product. Use an elastic band that's either clear or a similar colour to your hair. Avoid cheerleader hair by opting for a low or mid pony. 

Finish off the style by leaving a small section of hair loose to wrap around and secure over the hair tie. Simple!

Perfect for summer when you want your hair off your face, I'll be pairing it with this season's bold and bright lips.

How will you wear yours?

Instagram: September

Spring inspires healthy eating - soaking up the sunshine with a wholesome chicken salad and tomato and mozzarella

 

Champagne in the front row at MSFW

Matching my manicure to my leggings - monochrome manicure by I Scream Nails

The things we do for research - trying out anti gravity yoga for my other blog 'The Two Review' with my friend Ally.

The best green tea you'll ever taste - Madame Flavour's green, jasmine and pear.

Mini Sportsgirl haul - pink shell clutch, 'eye like it' eye palette and magazine

A sneaky selfie before my uni comm ball (ootn post to come!)

Weekend escape - eating pizza on the sorrento pier

Two fabulous new magazines launched - Miss Vogue and Elle. Reviews coming soon!

A bit of fashion and outfit inspo from Tuluuvintage and Zanita Zanita!

Hope you enjoyed seeing a snippet of my September - for more fashion and outfit posts, don't forget to follow @halcyonfuturefashion on Instagram!

Brittany x

MSFW: FINAL OUTFIT, DAY 5

Dress: Cocolatte

Skirt: Bardot, from Myer

Necklace: Emerging Designer Market, Melbourne Central

Shoes: Wittner

The story...

Apologies for the delay in this post - university and work has been rather full on! This was what I wore for my final show of MSFW - the resort show. Given that summer is just around the corner (and bikini hunting must soon commence), I was pretty excited to see what the seasons styles would be. I can report that we'll be seeing lots of cut outs, graphic prints, bright colours and my favourite - monochrome!

It was rather rainy and cold unfortunately so I was forced to wear a jacket and coat over the outfit, so didn't get to show it out as much as I would have liked. I love this black and white striped dress - it's a basic shift shape and I think looks much more expensive than it was (under $20!)

The only downside is how short it is, possibly verging on indecent when worn without tights. Enter this gorgeous leather solution: my new Bardot skirt! I had a H&M black leather skirt that I bought a few years ago and have worn to death. My mum was so sick of seeing me wear it even though it was ripped and tattered, so she bought me this one to replace it! It's slightly longer and more of an a-line shape that I love. I was torn between sizes though - the 8 fit like a glove which is great for going out in, but I really wanted something I could wear in the day too. I ended up buying the 10, which I have to wear on my hips rather than waist, but its a much classier length. It's a new season skirt, but thanks to a Myer promotion was about $20 cheaper than normal. Yey!

I wanted to keep the looks sleek and simple, so went for my Wittner transparent heels and a silver/black feathered necklace. It's actually more of a choker, which I don't really like, so I simply added a piece of elastic on each end so I could tie it as I liked! My I Scream Nails monochrome mani was still perfect from a few days before - possibly my favourite accessory!

Make-up

To keep with the sleek look, I decided to straighten my hair, tucking one side behind my ear. I was also pretty keen to rock some lippy, but thought red would be too predictable. Cue hot pink! I thought it was a refreshing change from red, and matched the brights we'd been seeing all fashion week. The rest of my face was kept simple, except for a flick of liquid eyeliner.

And so fashion week is well and truly over! The spotlight has moved from New York, to London, Milan and Paris. It was a busy but amazing week, and most importantly an excuse to dress up!

Which outfit did you like best? What other street style did you spot? I'd love to hear your thoughts and opinions, so leave me a comment!

Brittany x

MSFW: OUTFIT DAY 4

Dress: Lipsy London from Myer

Belt: Sportsgirl

Bracelets: Assorted

Earrings: Lovisa

Shoes: Novo

Clutch: LA Market

The story...

Firstly, excuse the closed eyes in this shot. I didn't manage to get great photos of my outfit tonight, plus I'm pretty terrible at posing for photos on a good day, so this is the result! 

The beautiful spring weather continued yesterday, so I thought this white structure peplum dress would be perfect for the Designer Runway 2. I was driven and cared for in style by Renault Australia in their gorgeous new car, the Renault Clio. I don't really know anything about cars (still yet to get my license - getting close though!) but on a purely aesthetic level, it is one very sexy car.

This is what the back of the dress looks like. I love it! I didn't manage to get a shot of the back yesterday, but this is one from the first time I wore the dress, to my uni comm ball last year. 

I contemplated rocking a monochrome look, but ended up going for neon pink highlights instead, with my belt, nails and earrings. I finally got a chance to wear my red/pink colour block wedges too, which I managed to find for just $20 at a Novo clearance store last year. 

I'm not overly happy with my hair here. I had attempted to play with braids, in what can only be described as German milkmaid style (but of course much more fashionable!) that I had spotted around recently, but I couldn't quite get it right. My ride arrived 15 minutes early, so I ended up just chucking it up in a simple bun so you could really see the back (or lack of!) the dress.

I toughened up my look with some silver studded and interestingly shaped thick bangles and (totally unpredictably! 😉) picked up my camera clutch again.

Brittany x

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

H&M TO LAND IN MELBOURNE GPO EARLY 2014!!!

My over-punctuation of this post's title probably gives away the fact that i'm EXTREMELY excited by the news that my favourite high street store in the whole entire world, Swedish chain H&M, will finally arrive on Melbourne shores next year.

They've chosen Melbourne's beautiful GPO on Bourke St as their first store location. They were rumoured to be looking at Chadstone as well as Myer's new emporium.

H&M is the shop i've missed the most since moving to Australia. It's very affordable and is great for basics as well as statement and stylish pieces. Their accessories are gorgeous, and so cheap for what they are too! The chain is also renowned for its designer collaborations - they've done collections with Maison Martin Margiela, Isabel Marant, Lanvin, Karl Largerfeld and Matthew Williamson.

There's no specific date set yet, but keep your eyes peeled early next year! I've no doubt we'll experience the same mania that occurred when Topshop first opened it's doors on Chapel Street.

With that, i'll leave you with this beautiful picture...
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

What I'm Reading

I've spoken in previous posts about my love for books and reading, so it should come as no surprise that I'm rather excited about it being National Bookshop Day today! My first (and previous) job was working at my local bookshop which I loved with an absolute passion. To be surrounded by gorgeous books and other people who loved them just as 

much as I did was to me, heaven. Everyday I got to open up boxes to see new releases as well as be involved with various author talks and literary festivals. Ah the halcyon days!

Anyway, enough reminiscing. To celebrate National Bookshop Day, I've decided to launch a new kind of post - What I'm Reading. In it, I'll share and review any fashion- related book that I'm reading. 

The first book to feature in What I'm Reading is Australian journalist Mel Cambell's debut book - 'Out of Shape - Debunking Myths about Fashion and Fit'. 

I was given this for my birthday by two talented friends Broede and Alia. (We all worked together to produce the 2013 RMIT O-BOOK which you can view online here). I started reading it yesterday and can already not put it down. It's non-fiction, and basically explores sizing and fit in the Australian and International fashion industry and how out of touch it is. When you read about what the Australian sizing system is based on, you'll probably laugh with disbelief! Campbell also shares and explores the dressing room nightmares we're all familiar with - I.e having a mild panic attack when you get stuck in something, and being harassed by a shop assistant to purchase something you know doesn't suit you. 

There's a number of very good points and issues she's made so far, which ill go into more detail when I review it! So far, it's funny, informative and offers a  refreshing perspective on an important and relatable aspect of fashion.

Reading a great fashion book too? Comment below or tag @halcyonfuturefashion on Instagram!

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