field of dreams

Vintage dress, Rubi shoes, Forever New belt, bag c/o Oasap and necklace c/o Oasap 

Meet yet another op-shop find! This dress was pulled off of the rack by one of the volunteer ladies, with excitement, when I asked her if she had any retro dresses in. It was only $3 and the tags say that it was made in England so that must explain the beautiful quality. I'm hoping to shorten it however, right above the knee, to make it a little more '21st century'. It's quite a lovely frock. I've been very happy with my op-shop finds as of late... I can now say proudly that 70% of my wardrobe is now vintage/ retro and thrifted. I love it so much because not only am I saving plenty of dough, but it's also helping the environment out a whole lot. It's nice to know that I'm contributing to saving the earth! :)

As for the accessories; the gorgeous collar necklace and pretty bag were sent to me from Oasap. I was pleasantly surprised with both items. The quality of the bag is exceptional and I can honestly say I can't fault it in any way! As for the necklace, I was worried that the metal would be quite cheap looking but it looks lovely and the quality is great :)
This location was really surreal to take photos at. I've been scoping out a few new locations for outfit posts and this one caught my eye. It was an open area of trees and a few weeds (I know, weeds! But they were pretty none the less). It was windy and raining whilst these photos were being taken so it added quite a pleasant, dreamy feel to the photos. What do you think?

Thanks to Krissy, my uber cool cousin for taking these photos ♥

70's flare + heidi braids

Valleygirl blouse, Target jeans + platforms, Lovisa necklace, Rubi bag, Wolfcub flower crown, OPI nail polish in 'It's my year' 

This is the outfit I wore out op-shopping the other day! I made the mistake of wearing jeans and ended up suffering in the newly acquired 'summer-like' sweltering heat. It has been so hot lately! It's getting me even more excited for the Christmas holidays though; I can't wait. Anyway, I think this is the first time I've ever worn jeans on this blog! These ones are amazing. I took them to the counter with the $50 ready and she scanned them only for me to find out that they were marked down to $30! Don't you just love that? I've always been wary of jeans, but I really like these. The flare flatters my figure quite well. I felt a little '1970's' in this ensemble, but I like it! Being different and unique is good. 

I'm finally on holidays so I have plenty of time to go to the beach and get some healthy colour in my skin (I'm a touch pale!) and increase my blogging a bit! Oh, and I'm planning on making a Q&A video some time in the near future because I haven't made a video yet and I want you guys to hear my voice! :) If you have any questions you can either comment below or send me an email at avenuemblog@gmail.com. I'd really love to hear from you!

Now I'm off to enjoy a Lipton ice-tea because it's a) healthy and b) delish! 

P.S: Sorry about the quality of these photos! I took them after lunch and the sun was quite harsh. 

Currently listening to: A World of Our Own - The Seekers 

hello-o spring! (instagram update)

Pretty things! Ok, so I was meant to be saving hard for the Canon 1100D + lens this month but spent most of my work money on...well, clothes. I did make a pact however! This month all of my pay will go towards that camera... I promise you! Besides, I bought enough clothing from op-shops lately to last for at least another month ;) 

Pretty food + flowers! That cake is flawless isn't it? It was served at a gorgeous organic cafe and I was suprised to find out after reluctantly digging my fork into it that it was sugar/ fat/ gluten free. It was divine!

I've been attending plenty of markets and food festivals over the last month. Strawberries were a must. As well as that, I was busy enjoying the last remaining days of winter and reading Harry Potter... again. 

You can follow me on instagram via @avenuemaria if you like!

flowers in her hair

At the weekend, Izzy and I finally planned a sleepover. It was loads of fun and we did the usual; ate yummy food, gossiped a little (okay, a lot!) and watched youtube beauty videos. It's so nice not having any more assessment for another two weeks as this week is the last of term three. I plan on spending my holidays working, reading, going to the beach and shopping. Most importantly I want to relax and find the perfect dress for the Year 10 dance. At the moment, I've been loving this, this, this and this. Help me pick the perfect one!
In these photos, I am wearing a dress I thrifted recently that has quickly become a new favourite, a gorgeous flower crown made by Izzy herself, a Rubi satchel, a vintage bangle and Forever New belt.

Anyway, these photos were taken on another morning stroll we took. Something hilarious always happens when I take photos with Izzy! Whilst I was taking her pictures at the gates of a pretty house, she was telling me about the cranky neighbour that lives there. Just as I was starting to freak out a little, we heard a few noises and thought he was going to come out and chase us away! We sprinted down the driveway onto the path, laughing so hard because there wasn't anyone there! I can't decide which was funnier: seeing Izzy sprint down the drive in booties with a look of terror on her face or me sprinting down the drive with a look of terror on my face. It reminded me SO much of the scene in the film Pollyanna where they trespass into the old, angry neighbour's property and get caught! Dear me :)

I hope your week started off quite nicely and you don't get into any mishaps whilst taking your photos!

♥ Props to my peasant friend for taking the pictures ♥

latest discovery: oscar de la renta's spring

Photos from Fashionologie, but enhanced by me on Adobe Photoshop

Oh, I haven't done one of these posts in ages! I always love looking through the latest collections from independant and high end designers. This particular new favourite is Oscar De La Renta Spring 2013 and I instantly fell in love when I saw a snippet of it in my pinterest feed. It's the perfect combination of rich, vibrant sorbet colours with unique textures to keep it original. The dress in the last image is a dream! I love how the tulle has been cut on a raw edge and the middle of the bodice has been ruched to frame the model's décolletage. It's such a classic, 1950's-inspired design and ya'll know how much I love vintage! ♥

It may seem ages away to some (Sally!!) but I'm already planning out the dress I'd like to wear to the end of year dance. I can't help but be excited because it's my first 'proper' high school dance. Do any of you have suggestions for pretty dresses? I'm open to any suggestions, I would love for you to share! 

gingham sweetheart

Asos dress, Rubi shoes, bag c/o Oasap, vintage sunglasses

The weather has been SO glorious lately! I've been loving the warm change, and so far we haven't had to deal with any horrid humidity -- I'm hoping this lasts until the end of Spring. Yesterday we spent the day out at a food festival and it was just wonderful. We had candy floss, nougat and sorbet, tasted local honey and preserves, snacked on strawberries, held some fluffy ducklings and even posed with a cow! If you follow me on instagram you would've seen the picture with the cutie :) If not, the photo is here and I think it's hilarious!

This week ahead is very hectic with school work and I'm anxious for it to be over already. On Tuesday I have a math exam and an english performance due and I should really be studying/ practising right now... but, no, I'm sitting here at my desk, writing up a blog post. Typical me! 

I hope you have a great week!

xx Maria

perfect two

 Vintage dress, bag c/o Oasap , Sportsgirl hat, Target cork wedges

I received this bag from Oasap on Monday and I just love it. It was my first ever sponsorship item and it's lovely. The leather is quite sturdy and it's a convenient size... perfect for carrying all of my essentials for day-to-day adventures. The only thing I was disappointed with was the quality of the metal. The zippers are very poorly made and tarnished. It's still a very usable bag though, and despite the metal quality, I think I will get a lot of use out of it! If you'd like to take a peak, you can here. 

I've been very busy lately, and stressed with school work, so this morning after my tennis lesson, I decided to spend the morning thrifting by myself. I picked up some really wonderful items: the dress I'm wearing in this post, a denim blouse, a high waisted retro denim skirt and a beautiful pink blouse with a collar. It all came in at $13, and I was very impressed! I then had a chai latte and headed home. I think it's important to balance out your life as a teenager... making sure that you are doing your school work as well as taking time out to do calming and enjoyable things. 

xx Maria

winter's song

These are a few snaps that were taken during Izzy and I's neighbourhood frolic a few weeks back. The ending of winter has been a little bitter-sweet for me. I'm going to miss the cosy nights in with a movie, howling wind outside and the crisp mornings but at the same time I'm really anticipating summer. We have already had a burst of warmth. Pretty swimsuits are adorning shops windows, ice cream and berry smoothies are more popular at work, and, wait for it, I saw mangoes today! 

Anyway, here is my first ever 'mixtape' or playlist as such. These are a few of the songs that I couldn't stop replaying over the last 3 months. Enjoy! 

1). Houdini - Foster The People (I'm surprised I haven't tired of this song yet... I've surely listened to it 100 times!)

2). All I Want - Sarah Blasko

3). Happy Pills - Norah Jones

4). Rain On Your Parade - Duffy

5). White Flag - Dido

6). Sunday Morning - Maroon 5

7). Lazarus - Porcupine Tree

8). Sister - The Black Keys

9). I'm Scared - Duffy

10). Breakeven - The Script

Guest post: Lauren of Someone Like You

Mint Lace Dress: Delia's.

Nude Oxfords, Mint Bracelet: Forever21.

Pink Satchel: Plato's Closet.

Hair Bow: Modcloth.

Ring: c/o Style Queen.

Hello sweet readers of Avenue M!

I'm Lauren, a brand new college student studying fashion and the bashful lady behind the blog Someone Like You.

I went to a small high school where everyone knew my name and I knew their names. I was recognized as 'the fashion girl' and had my own label, just as most of us do in high school. Coming to a college of 26,000 students though is a total turn around; one I certainly wasn't expecting.

People don't know your name here and they don't care to. If you wear a dress, you're not going to get compliments and people aren't going to fawn over you because there are 2,000 other girls wearing dresses. You may think you have distinct style, but it turns out...hundreds of other girls dress exactly like you.

It can be hard to find and recapture your identity in college. I've felt lost, insignificant, and like the things that make me, well...me, are gone. It's been hard, but I've realized a lot of things along the way.

No matter where you are. High school, college, the work place -- you're going to feel like you don't matter. You're going to feel small and insignificant and wonder if your opinions and your mark on the world will ever matter. But it's important to realize that you DO matter. You will make a difference. It may not be the same difference you made in another place. It may not be as significant, great, or noted. But it's there. Sometimes you just can't always see it.

Never lose yourself or give up on being yourself. Even though it might seem like there are 1,000 other you's--to simply put it; there isn't. There's only one Someone Like You.

Thank you for having me Maria!

With much love, Lauren.