Ring around the Rosie

The British bombshell does casual-cool.

Ciao, summer

...And what a superb summer it has been, filled with fabulous friends, food, freedom and FUN. My last day of the season equally entailed the first day back at uni, along with an epic tomato chutney and bocconcini panini over lunch with my Mum and a spot of afternoon shopping. I'm feeling recharged after the blissful (!) holiday break, and trepidatious yet excited to get back into the swirl and swing of reality and a regular routine. Wishing everyone a magical start to the mid-season!

Easy, breezy, beautiful

Miss Bosworth keeping it casual-chic in a simple sweater/skinnies combo offset with classic tan accessories (and flawless blonde hair!).

Wardrobe overhaul!

There is most likely at least one point in your life when you've moaned: "Urrrghhh, I've got NOTHING to wear!". My problem is, I have plenty of clothes to wear, I'm just not particularly fond of them anymore. I feel that my taste has evolved drastically in recent times, and the aesthetic which appeals to me now differs significantly from previously. Upon the inevitable quest of 'finding oneself' that the course of life induces, I've undergone a lot of fashion experimentation in my time, yet I feel that I'm finally settling into a distinct sense of my personal style.

Example: Last week while getting dressed before a party, I first chose to wear a vivacious vintage frock comprised of a chaotic pattern featuring a spectrum of bold brights. I have long-adored this dress, and thus worn it numerous times. But it just didn't feel right, and before heading out the door I scrambled into a chiffon maxi skirt and a silky, sleeveless collared blouse, both of which were black. "That dress just isn't meee any more," I whinged.

While I suppose I used to consider my taste 'eclectic', a quirky amalgamation of vast-ranging influences, I now prefer something more refined and coherent. While I'm not prepared to completely overlook my penchant for bohemian flair and rock and roll edge (nor discard my raw stone jewellery and collection of studded bags), I want these inspirations to influence my wardrobe on a smaller scale, rather than resulting in a mishmash of contrasting, incompatible clothes.

As I've gotten older, I've found myself drawn to timelessness rather than trendiness, to minimalism rather than maximalism, to groomed rather than grungy. I'm enthralled by the beauty of French culture, the sophistication of New York style and the practicality of Swedish fashion (which I've mentioned here previously). I find myself endlessly inspired by street photography blogs like Garance Doré, Vanessa Jackman JAK & JIL and Stockholm Street Style, all of which tend to capture an aesthetic that appeals to me immensely.

I believe a person's style philosophy should correspond with their personality and lifestyle. As a picky perfectionist, I like the concept of having a harmonious "capsule wardrobe" filled with versatile, complementary pieces. I want to wake up in the morning and have a multitude of outfit options. Besides, when you have a collection of simple staple items, you have more room to experiment with trends and accessories - without looking like a walking fashion victim. I've started embarking on a major wardrobe overhaul by eliminating the abundance of unwanted statement pieces, keeping the gems and adding the essentials, starting with the basics. I'm donating half of my wardrobe to charity (minus pieces that hold sentimental value, like the kooky dress I wore to my eighties-themed 21st party).

In terms of shopping (the fun part), I've been focusing on the "KISS" mantra ("keep in simple, stupid") and keeping in mind this dire heat (!) until it cools down a bit. The pieces I'm building upon include well-cut tanks and tees, collared shirts, more midi/maxi-length skirts, super-skinny jeans, tailored shorts (preferably paperbag/cuffed), a-line/full mini skirts, slouchy pants, cigarette-leg trousers and simple flats. I'm adhering to the colour palette below -  a monotone base with accents in navy, khaki, beige and nude. If I find an awesome style, I won't hold back from purchasing it in a few colours. As for patterns, I'm saying yes to stripes (love a Breton shirt) and polka dots, no to crazy clashing prints.

Subtitled 'Albright' sleeveless shirt / J.Crew tanks / Boy by Band of Outsiders 'Easy' Shirt / T by Alexander Wang 'Classic Jersey' t-shirts / Isabel Marant 'Tobias' pants / Something Else slouchy and tailored pants  / Something Else shorts / Balenciaga A-line skirt / Monki 'Melli' and 'Donna' maxi skirts / ASOS 'Minx' loafer / ASOS 'Mikey' brogues / ASOS 'Leigh' t-bar ballerina flats

If you're interested (and have made it this far!), the gorgeous Geneva over at A Pair and a Spare has written an excellent seven step segment about her "Wardrobe Rehab" project, and Dead Fleurette is an exceptional blog which documents the writer's "personal journey to a perfect wardrobe". The Fashion Spot forum's 4-5 Piece French Wardrobe thread is also invaluable and incredibly inspiring. I'm going to start using The Swirl and Swing quite often as an online scrapbook-type place to document my personal style musings and inspirations. Perhaps in the future I'll brave up and do an outfit post. :P

First photo from The Selby

February frivolity

Bonjour mes chéris! What a wonderful whirlwind 2011 has proven to be thus far. I'm still switched in to *summer holiday mode*, and soaking up every second while I get the chance! I hope this year is treating you all super kindly, and thanks to those of you who have stopped by and said hello! I'm almost bursting at the seams with inspiration at the moment, especially with the abundance of A/W fashion week coverage currently surfacing, and I'm looking forward to sharing some of my musings with you in the near future.

Here is a little taste of what my February has looked like: hanging bikes at Cartel bar in Paddington, a pal's Alice in Wonderland pantomime at Brisbane Arts Theatre, mouthwatering pumpkin and Gorgonzola wood fired pizza at Pizzeria 1889, veggie packed stir fry cook ups, Indian at Sitar, post-Chinese banquet meanderings in West End, some gigs at The Zoo and Ric's, boyfriend getting arty (and messy!), mustard socks and an outrageous house party (resulting in "Triple Choc Temptations" in the early hours of the morning), the most hilariously hideous sandals ever invented, 3:00am New York Slice after a wild Lambda session, embracing the unlimited amounts of quality food and wine at the Hilton (not to mention the "bibs"), a sunny Sunday lunch with the fam' at Viet de Lite in Southbank and various moments uncaptured on camera (e.g. Valentines Day, oops!).

Love list

Ahoy! I hope you're all enjoying a superb Saturday. Tonight I'm off to a black tie 21st birthday bash at the Hilton, where "booze will be free flowing all night" - sounds pretty sweet to me! Here are ten things which have been floating my boat of late.

1. Vogue's fashion week essentials series, photographed by The Coveteur.

2. Kooky Gregg Araki films.


3. Acne Spring/Summer '11.

4. New Tony Bianco booties.




5. Whimsical artworks by Caitlin Shearer (this one was based on Karla Spetic's Spring/Summer '10-11 collection).

6. This guide from the debut issue of Matchbook Magazine.

7. Garance Doré for Elle UK's March Closet Confidential segment (which can be read here).

8. Leopard print stairs.

9. Stereomood - an "emotional internet radio".


10. InStyle accessories assistant Ashley Shaw for Stylikeu.

Ashley Shaw for Stylelikeu.com from Stylelikeu on Vimeo.

Have an A+ weekend!

Back to school

House of Harlow '1960 Chelsea' sunglasses / Subtitled 'Albright' sleeveless shirt / Isabel Marant necklace / A.P.C. pullover / MAC 'Myth' lipstick / O.P.I 'Dulce de Leche' nail polish / Alice in the Eve 'Marais' leather shorts / ASOS belt / 3.1 Phillip Lim 'K.C.' satchel / Casio watch / Topshop flats

Day to day life seems to always get in the way of frequent blogging. Lately I've been trying not to think about the start of the academic year (three weeks to go!) and the madness that tends to ensue. If you're like me, you'll be spending a lot of time roaming the campus back and forth from lecture to class under the scorching sun. But what I love about my campus is that it is home to the creative industries precinct (including the fashion faculty), which makes for fascinating people watching.

As for dressing up or keeping it casual at uni, I tend to go for something in between. My uni wardrobe necessities are comfortable flats, a large bag and pair of shades, something warm (to throw on inside the air-conditioning blasted buildings) and my simple Casio watch (to motivate me to be on time!). I think the heat-friendly ensemble of cuffed, belted shorts paired with a light, sleeveless shirt will be one of my uniforms this semester - super easy and practical.

The Fashion Pack

Here is an article I wrote for Charlie Magazine's Autumn issue, complimented with illustrations by Sara Brenton. Based on the theme "A Girl Can", the issue is a celebration of female empowerment and reflects upon the most influential style icons of the past and present. Have a flick here!

Wishing everyone a magical weekend!

Stylish Swedes

As a "typical Virgo", I've always been drawn to a sharp, sleek, simple way of dressing, and the Swedes seem to nail this aesthetic down to a tee. Here are three style icons from my go-to Swedish fashion blogs, each of whom combine understated, unfussy elegance and edge. What they share is the tendency to gravitate towards neutral palettes, basic cuts and high-quality pieces, resulting in covetable wardrobes that are effortlessly precise.

Ellen Claesson.

Caroline Blomst.

Victoria Törnegren.

Så perfekt.