happy friday, bloggers!

Happy Friday! I am completely and utterly excited about the weekend. This week has been a complete drag and it's good to enjoy a two days of rest and relaxation. Although, I prefer to remain positive in my posts so I will point out the five highlights of my week; with the first highlight being the planning of a fabulous sleepover with Izzy Rose. Oreos, chai lattes, gossip and old Bring It On movies (that we can laugh at) are the perfect remedy to one of the worst weeks ever. Second highlight being that I'm super excited about the progress of my overnight bag, the floral is too pretty! Also, tomorrow I'm getting a lovely lamp to prop up on my bedside table for some late night reading adventures. Polyvore has officially become a new hobby also, I love how you can bring out the very best of your creativity in an awesome collage. This collage is inspired by the Elle Fanning picture for Lula magazine, the dreamy paged and whimsically worded publication for lovers of art, fashion and everything in between. 

Onto the collage featuring Chanel muse and actress, Clemence Posey. I stumbled across it accidentally while looking up images on Google. I love it, she looks very pretty in both pictures and the clothes inspired by her style are so feminine, especially the ruffled blouse. 

And, ps; if I have seemed rude by not replying to comments, I apologise, the internet is impossible lately and it takes a long time for a web page to load. As soon as it's back on track, (August seventh) I will reply to your lovely words! 

I hope your weekend is something to look forward to! x

Polyvore featuring Elle Fanning and a blue crop jacket. 

the bold and beautiful

Right now designers and clothing companies are going crazy with bold, bright hues. Elie Saab's gorgeous Resort 2012 collection had me dazed over the simply cut dresses in rich, vibrant tones. I love how fabulous the dresses are and that they barely need any accessories to complement them. While listening to Adele's addictive tunes, I made a red inspired Polyvore. I'm not a major red wearer, although I would wear this look as it features two of my favourite things; chiffon/ organza/ shear and floral. I also love those boots! They are pretty chunky and edgy but because of the light colours, they still have a girly feel to them. 

Also, I recommend checking out Dotti's latest collection of bright clothing, inspired by Summer and the beach. Speaking of which, Spring and Summer are coming up and I'm beyond excited! I have to admit, Winter is becoming more and more tiresome in the mornings when waking up at first light is a necessity. I'm also running out of winter clothes! Spring and Summer mean: floral collections galore, prettier pastels and sun dresses. The latest issue of Teen Vogue was a perfect example of bright, attention seeking colours with the cover that squealed 'pick me up'! I love the latest issue, especially Taylor Swift's beautiful editorial featuring vintage clothing and romantic florals. The only thing that I can be critical about is the spread 'Blue Collar'. I really didn't think it was Teen Vogue worthy and I don't think any of the readers would be caught dead in any of the ensembles. 

Well, before I ramble even further, I wanted to tell you about the progress of my floral overnight bag! I'm super duper happy about the choice of fabric (the old bed sheet) and it's going really well. I've cut out all the pieces and I'm ready to stitch them together. I can't wait until it's complete so I can display it in a post!

Have a marvellous week!

sunday sweet talk

After a lazy Sunday sipping soup, reading a bit of classic Australian literature (Picnic at Hanging Rock) and flicking through some floral cotton at Lincraft's huge sale, I feel rather refreshed and ready to return to school tomorrow to face my maths test! This weekend has been fabulously relaxing and after receiving the latest Teen Vogue issue in the mail, I've had plenty of things to read. At Lincraft I picked up a cute overnight bag pattern. For the quilting design on it, I decided to be a thrifty girl and save a bit of money by using an old bed cover set. It is a gorgeous watercolour floral pattern and it's slightly faded so it as a vintagey feel. Anyway, onto the polyvore (yet again!) it's all things Modcloth. I haven't written about this fabulous store on my blog yet and thought it was high time. Lately I have been finding the most gorgeous things on there. The purple dress is like a dream alongside the cream shoes and floral bag, sigh.  Two of my favourite bloggers are seen wearing Modcloth quite frequently; such as Elyse from Give Me Bows and Bonnie from Flashes of Style. Both of these lovely ladies have such wonderful taste, no wonder many of their pretty outfits feature Modcloth creations.

Onto the academic side of things; for school our newest assignment/ project is presenting a book report in front of the class. I was struggling to find something interesting and captivating to read, so, just for something different I went with Picnic at Hanging Rock. The suspenseful mystery novel by Joan Lindsey about the curious disappearance of three young girls who were amongst a class on an excursion in the early 1900s. I bought the book today and I'm well into it, quite enjoying the mature writing style and extensive vocabulary. I'm also very intrigued to see the film as well. I am ever so curious to find out what happened to those girls on St Valentines Day such a long time ago...and who knows, maybe the book was based around fact?

shabby chic

Today I went into a seriously amazing homewares shop that stocked everything from Parisian inspired paintings, little decorative clocks, floral bedspreads to vintage boxes. The boutique was my ultimate dream and hopefully one day I will be able to furnish a little cottage on the outskirts of Paris with things as charming as what I saw. I have included a picture of what the shop was like. Many of the blankets and covers were quilted and looked wonderful and the boxes and clocks had a vintagey feel. I love the whole 'shabby chic' theme of a house. It makes it unique and pretty all at once and can feel more homely. Today's activities have included some crucial geometry revision and thanks to my brilliant minded mother I now understand everything that I need to! Izzy Rose and I also went shopping for a birthday present for a surprise party. Its a lovely wall hanging with roses on it in a vintagey off-white colour. It also has some lovely swirled hooks to hang a pretty purse or a floral rimmed boater hat. I'm very excited about the party tonight... the only dilemma is that its a black and white theme; I'm a floral girl! Oh well, I will find something. I also included another Polyvore just for fun, I've been going crazy on that website lately and I couldn't help myself! Check out my profile here and don't forget to follow me on Twitter!

there's something about wednesdays...

Roman Holiday by maria.clare featuring denim tops

I quite like this palette, you wouldn't think that a bright purple leather bag and tan heals would end up in the same outfit but it looks surprisingly lovely. This collage has a certain 'holiday in a foreign country' feel to it. It reminded me of Roman Holiday (starring fashion icon Audrey Hepburn). Who doesn't dream of whisping through the ancient city on a white vespa? 

I am very excited about the Teen Vogue issue I will recieve next week, it's so exciting. The articles shown in the index on the website looked pretty intriguing! I'm also looking forward to getting a gorgeous boater hat with a black rim from a dear friend, and along with that comes a gorgeous issue of Frankie. Quirky magazines have a quirky effect on the reader.

School was great today! It was made up of giggles, chocolate muffins, dishevelled teachers and surprise party planning for a good friend. And I can't forget the scheming and plotting with the lovely Izzy Rose* to attract the new boys' attention (hehe). There's something about Wednesdays... xo

*don't forget to check out her new post, the new top she got from America is too pretty!
p.s: I'm new to Twitter! Follow me here

fragrances by vera

Leighton Meester poses on a balcony in NYC for the Lovestruck campaign. 

Doesn't Leighton look oh-so-lovely in the ad campaign for Vera Wang's latest fragrance? I absolutely adore that tulle burgundy dress and the Romeo and Juliet inspired setting. "Lovestruck ... the name of my brand new fragrance…All about being overwhelmed, inexplicably, hopelessly in love. Allowing yourself to feel passion inspite of yourself, the situation, the repercussions. A new definition of Romeo and Juliet! Sexy, sensual, and unstoppable!" quotes Vera Wang. With a pretty tulle bow wrapped around the neck of the bottle, it's hard not to be tempted for a whiff. With a florally, fresh smell and a base of romantic woody notes it's sure to be a popular fragrance. Its will be available in the US in August and hopefully in Australia soon! 

Speaking of Vera Wang's amazing creations, I also love the perfume Princess; available in four variations: Preppy Princess, Rock Princess, Flower Princess and Glam Princess. Although the bottles for each don't generally appeal to older women, they still have a special scent and could suit various ages from 13-25. Zoe Kravitz looks stunning in the campaign where she is lying on a magnificent bed of tulle and silk. 

I have been super bored lately, school hasn't been all that crazy and my friends and I spent most of todays art lesson looking through trashy celebrity magazines that fill your brain with mush. We are creating collages that contain a significant message. I want mine to have something to do with fashion, Dior or pink. Got an ideas?

And p.s, I apologize for the lack of excitement in my posts of late. My brain has been dead-pan lately and I've tried every magazine I could find for some exciting inspiration... hopefully it's all goes up hill from here. I mean, every blog has it's dead days/weeks at some point in time, right?

I hope the start of your week has been frivolous and fabulous! xx

aspiring emma

This is probably the one hundredth Harry Potter associated post you have seen today, but it's unstoppable. Right now, world focus is on Emma, Rupert and Daniel as they say their final goodbyes to the most popular story ever.  I went to see the last film on Friday night and was filled with bittersweet emotion. Happy with the happy ending and sad for the fact that Harry Potter is finished...forever. Anyway, back to the point; what's next for Emma Watson? She is rumoured to be the highest paid actress in Tinseltown, has become a fashion icon, much-coveted covergirl and has brought back the Twiggy style haircut. She is revolutionizing the fashion world with her  girly but edgy attire and numerous fashion designers have been inspired by Emma's charming character and ability to wear and create many tasteful outfits.
I love the above photo. She reminds me of Twiggy with the clean cut outfit and defined lashes. What are your thoughts on this wonderful actress? xx

dreamgirl

I was completely desperate for a pick-me-up after a horrendous day at school so I ducked into the nearest convenience store in hopes I would find the latest Bazaar. Due to the fact that it wasn't in-stock at the time, I bought the latest issue of SHOP instead. It was wonderful. The theme for August was 'rainbows and colorful clothes'. Not only did they have a gorgeous cover girl (Olivia Palermo) but they also did a spread on beautiful Fleur Wood apparel, romantic lace and sweet tones of peach and cream. The shoot took place in a mysterious, smokey forest that added to the romance of the outfits. So, if you need a light happiness booster, I definitely would recommend it to anyone. Read it with your feet up and some ice tea and you'll feel grand. Anyway, my latest time-wasting device is Polyvore. It's so good if you have nothing to do and you are feeling creative. I've been going crazy with collages lately (ahem, the two posts in a row) I couldn't resist posting them, they were so pretty! The rest of the charming photos from Dreamgirl can be seen here.

Olivia Palermo in an outfit styled to perfection.

Feeling adventurous? My latest impulse buy has to be a pair of lace up high heeled boots. I see them everywhere and I'm usually not one to follow major trends but this phase might actually suit me. As stated in the latest issue of SHOP, they have a certain 'Mary Poppins' charm to them. I want to buy something  like these, and style them based around the picture on the far top right. That lacey top is so romantic and pretty and maxi skirts are perfect with boots.

What do you think of Olivia's outfit in the image to the left? I love it! She worked the peculiar mix of colours perfectly and I adore her layering. She looks so chic and well dressed. I really appreciate it when iconic people make an effort with what they wear in public. Well, I best be off. I have to complete a summary on the Middle Ages for History. After that, I think I'll read the latest issue of Vogue Britain with the blankets pulled up to my chin. (Yes, it's still quite cold in Australia!)

Hope the rest of the week is still filled with magic and glee! x

Pastel Pretty

Pastel Pretty by maria.clare featuring floral dresses

I think I've been spending to much time on Polyvore...

rambles about covers, collages and crackers

I decided to spend my last day of holidays relaxing. I wanted to have a lovely, healthy day and feel good about myself. I though a bit of positive self pampering could help me feel a little better about going back to school and continuing work on algebra tomorrow. For breakfast I had plain porridge and honey and snacked on apple and crackers in between. I also got around to making some orange and poppy-seed muffins. Improving your diet can make such a huge difference, I feel really great! And I switched hot chocolate for some honey and lemon tea just for something different and it was rather nice. 

I'm pretty excited about buying the latest Harpers Bazaar Australia with Mia Wasikowska on the cover. The theme of the editorial is Edwardian style. She wears romantic blouses, cinching belts and beautiful Rodarte lace. I can't wait to see her perform the role of Jane Eyre, it's just such a beautiful story and she is perfect for the role. Onto the Polyvore collage; it's sort of a mishmash of all things pretty. The floaty chiffon Topshop dress is just beautiful and goes with the blue heels like a dream. I also cannot contain my excitement for the last Harry Potter film that hits cinemas in less than 48 hours. I've been hidden in the pages of the Deathly Hallows for a few days now, and I know that this final installment of the worldwide phenomenon will be a film to remember. 

Hope everyones week is full of magic and glee! x

shopping bliss

I have just arrived home from a rather splendid shopping trip with my fabulous sister. We ventured around the busy plaza, enjoying the atmosphere of all the giddy shoppers ready to make the most of the stocktake sales. After visiting most of the typical chain-stores empty-handed, we headed to Forever New saving the best till last. I must say their new collection of lacey body-suits, flowy dresses and floral lined denim had me speechless. Don’t get me wrong; this is definitely not the first time I have been struck with awe by their beautiful clothing; the Twiggy-inspired collection for example? I have featured my favourite snapshot from the latest collection; Sunset Boulevard.  Your favourite too?

Unfortunately I didn't buy the dress (above) I wanted from Forever New today, but I did score a lovely piece of lingerie from the amazing brand ‘Chloe and Lola’ from Myer instead. Who could turn down a silk pink bra with white lace trimming on sale?

Eventually the blisters on our feet grew more painful, so we retreated to San Churo (the amazing chocolateria) for a heavenly hot chocolate that was so thick it was almost like a food itself. It was also a bonus that the leather couches were vacant, so we could sink into them and sip our treats. My lovely sister also bought me a notebook with Paris on it from quirky stationary shop, Typo. I shall keep this new book in my bedside table drawer in case of midnight thoughts, sudden story ideas or an inspiration wave of dress designs.

elegant elle

What’s not to love about newcomer, Elle Fanning? The 13 year old sibling of the famous Dakota, has already made her debut in the pages of Teen Vogue and through the eyes of Juergen Teller’s camera for Marc Jacobs. Before she was so recognised, she was simply labelled as Dakota’s ‘little sister’ but now she is being shown in a completely different light. Her acting career has kick-started with We Bought a Zoo, the comedy featuring Matt Damon and D&G beauty Scarlett Johansson (from the delicious perfume advertisement, Rose the One) and the covert thriller film produced by Steven Spielberg, Super 8. (Totally referenced that last sentence from Teen Vogue June/July!)

I also came across this fabulous editorial (not sure where, any suggestions?). Elle is dressed so much like an elegant lady with the exquisite detail of the clothing and her pretty make-up. I have a feeling this actress/model/muse will surprise everyone with her talent, style and the assets that set her apart from her lovely sister, Dakota... (wait, she already has!) 

Well, bloggers, it has been a while! Three days feels like a century! Yesterday we celebrated my Grandpa's birthday with a chocolate layer cake that made me feel twice my size after I ate it, but it was still amazing! Anyway, my Internet has been painfully slow, so I couldn't upload pictures OR posts, so I resorted to leaving my blog for a while. This is my explanation for not replying to comments (rather rude of me!) and I apologise to all of you lovely commenter's who are yet to receive a reply. 

I hope you all have a marvellous week, and happy July!