Graniph

My last post was about my love for T-shirts. (I’m not the only one who has a T-shirt obsession; there’s a print journal about it.) I wrote about blank T-shirts, which are good for making your own band T-shirts and screenprinting on them. But what if you’re like me and have zero ounce of creativity but still want to have T-shirts that look cool? Enter Graniph.

Graniph is a Japanese T-shirt website whose aim is to have cutting-edge designs on the “timeless medium” of the T-shirt by making them in limited numbers. They also sell other items of clothing apart from T-shirts like parkas and dresses, but when one mentions Graniph, T-shirts are the first thing that comes to mind.

You can buy T-shirts from their online store for ¥2 500 each (about AUD25) and if you spend ¥10 000 or more they’ll send it for free to your address, anywhere in the world! Otherwise shipping is ¥1 000. They also have a physical store in Westfield Sydney, but the T-shirts are much more expensive there; one T-shirt is AUD45 and two T-shirts cost AUD80. It may seem expensive, but the T-shirts are well-made and the likelihood of running into someone wearing the same T-shirt as you is very low as they’re limited-edition.

You can find Graniph’s only Australian physical store at:

Shop 1001D, Level 1 (Urban Level)
Westfield Sydney
188 Pitt St
Sydney
New South Wales 2000
Australia

Happy T-shirt hunting!

Wendy

The T-Shirt

In last week’s post, I mentioned that I love my jeans. There’s one other thing you’ll find plenty of in my wardrobe apart from jeans and that, my fashionable friends, is the humble T-shirt.

I have more T-shirts than I do dresses, no joke. I have plain T-shirts and T-shirts with prints and T-shirts in the same cut because they fit so damn well on me. Do you know how hard it is finding the perfect T-shirt? I don’t want to be too low-cut because I have nothing to show. Nor do I want it to be too tight-fitting as my body isn’t entirely perfect. Which is why I have this T-shirt in five different colours (yes, I think I may have problems):

The AS Colour Womens Wafer Tee is THE best T-shirt for me. The model in the above photo is wearing my most recent colour that I purchased - Grey Marle. I already have this T-shirt in Black, White, Navy and Royal Blue. It’s not low cut, it’s of a nice length (if a little bit long for my not-as-long jackets), it’s not made of lycra (have you seen a lycra T-shirt after wearing it for a few years? Eugh) and unlike American Apparel (whose T-shirts are featured in the first photo), not too expensive for a plain T-shirt! Did I also mention that it comes in many colours?

I highly recommend checking out the AS Colour website for other cuts of T-shirts and clothing. If you’re not comfortable with shopping online, they also have a retail outlet in Paddington. You can find them at:

266 Oxford Street
Paddington
Sydney
New South Wales 2021
Australia

Are you as much of a T-shirt addict as me? Let us know in the comments below!

Wendy

What About You?

I’m pretty sure at some point of our lives, we have had an outfit or accessory that we wanted so bad we were practically shoving them into our parent’s faces. Well, I know I have. When I was younger, I used to love headbands that would have probably made me look ridiculously cute.

Nevertheless, I eventually grew out of it as I got into primary school as we all had to tie our hair in a neat ponytail, which would always make us look like we’ve been through a survival fight at the end of the day.

However, as birthdays pass, I realize that hairbands to attract me once again. Not those big attentions seeking type. Just the normal simple decorated ones, some with a decent sized flower or design on top. Something that matches well with your outfit and doesn’t overpower your whole look (or face).

Just something simple and nice.

What about you?

 Sheryl

Denim Days

I LOVE my jeans. You could say I live in them. Unless I’m working or it’s someone’s birthday or I feel like wearing a skirt/dress, you can always find me in a pair of jeans. (Actually, I wear jeans to work too but don’t tell management that; I’ve been caught before.) Even in Summer where it’s 40 degrees plus, I’ll wear jeans.

The jeans I tend to wear are skinny jeans. Because I myself am a relatively skinny person, if I wear any other kind of jeans - I used to love flared jeans a decade ago until I grew out of it - they will look ridiculous on me. Skinny jeans thus look like normal sized jeans on me (or so I hope).

Lately, it seems that jeans have been thrust into the spotlight. An article recently appeared in the Sydney Morning Herald regarding David Jones’ new denim campaign, part of which involves taking a picture of your bottom in jeans and sharing it on social media. The article also mentions the General Pants store in the Queen Victoria Building in Sydney where all they sell is jeans (with free alterations if you’re short like me). It also mentions that David Jones’ customers prefer buying jeans that cost between $149 and $179. (Sounds about right in my case.)

As for what jeans brands I wear, I prefer Levi’s and Lee, but I recently bought my first pair of Nudies from work (after driving to THREE stores to get them – they were on sale and staff discount made them 44% off so I wasn’t going to give up that easily) and so far I’m liking them! Unlike Levi’s and Lee, they’re made in Italy, too.

What brand of jeans do you like to wear? Let us know in the comments below!

Wendy

Disclaimer: I work for David Jones. No, unlike the article, I am not trained in ‘specialised denim fitting’ as my department doesn’t sell jeans but I can assure you first-hand my colleagues are, having sought their advice on a number of jeans that I now own.

Dressing up for Interviews

I just started university again after a two week break, and during that time I've went to a few of my friends' graduations. So what happens next? I assume they jump into the nauseating grind of the job search, so here's a little advice to give yourself a little confidence boost when planning what to wear for your job interviews. There is nothing better then walking into an interview prepared and confident; I can't really help with you being prepared but here's some advice I use when getting ready for any interviews.

LOOK PROFESSIONAL!

Pretty obvious right? This being said, looking professional doesn't really help that much but doesn't hurt. However, dressing poorly can potentially make or break the interview. Most interviewers don't notice how we dress, except when it's distracting. The aim of the interview is to hire someone that can do the job and work in teams to do that job, and the way we dress is not an indication of your ability to do these things.

So, what does it mean to dress professionally? That really depends on the job you're applying for, most professional positions working behind the desk will require a suit, while some will only require a simple button up shirt and dress trousers or Chinos. The trick is not to overdress, getting information about the typical dress code in the office before hand helps out a lot. Jobs that require you to meet clients may be more impacted the way you choose to dress so think about the industry!

For suits, I recommend a conservative 2-button dark grey or dark blue suit, with either black or dark brown shoes, a simple striped tie, and a standard white collared shirt. The idea is to keep it conservative, keeping jewelry to a minimum (cuff links etc).


For jobs that do not require a suit, a simple white or blue collared shirt tucked into dress trousers or chinos and a pair of black or dark brown shoes. Go for a blazer if you want that sharper look, but not necessary. Minimal is best, wear what's comfortable.

The entire point is, what you're wearing is so standard that the interviewer can ignore what you are wearing and focus on your resume, personality and how you answer questions. Still, it can't hurt to walk into the interview with confidence and putting some effort into what you wear will definitely help.

Hope the advice helps!
Wei

Fixing your ugg boot Dilema

As the weather gets colder and my motivation to leave the house weakens completely particularly when I’m stuck with the dilemma of deciding on whether it’s suitable to walk out the door wearing ugg boots or it may get me ridiculed by others. I love my Ugg boots. They are like fleecy cuddles for my feet. They are the first things I put on in the morning and the last things I take off at night.  Well, almost the last things - in winter I also wear pants. Der. We’ve seen celebrities, fashion icons, models, neighbors, friends, and work colleagues wearing this winter shoe. Everyone is doing it! You are probably on the exact same boat as I am. But really is the act of wearing one’s comfy home footwear outside of the house really all that bad? Are we so stuffy a society as to dictate the wearing of “proper” footwear just to go up shop and buy some milk? We seem to have erroneously clinched rubber thongs as almost a national symbol, and yet their winter equivalent must still stay hidden behind closed doors. I have been thinking a lot about this lately have decided there are indeed occasions when Ugg boots should be considered appropriate.  I figured you can still wear ugg boots outside, but you need to make sure you are wearing them correctly and fashionably. So here are many ways to coordinate different fashion styles with Uggs. I am going to give you some fascinating suggestions, but feel free to use your imagination!

Since they´re stout, styling ugg boots is about proportion, balance and details. Always wear them with leggings and skinny jeans and add some interesting details on your outfit. You can wear leggings and a babydoll dress. A babydoll dress can create curves for rectangle-shaped figures or hide those few extra curves.

The easiest way to wear your Uggs is with your comfortable skinny jeans and a baggie blouse accessorized by a necklace. This way, you will be comfortable, warm and stylish. Wear baggy pants and tuck them in your Uggs. Accompany this look with a with a tight blouse and cardigan. This is another easy and comfortable way to go about your day in both comfort and style.

It is also best to avoid neon-colored Uggs. If you really want to wear your Uggs in funky colors, do so with jeans and a neutral-colored blouse. You don't want your outfit to compete with the strong statement of your attention-grabbing footwear.

So, hopefully you won’t need to think twice about walking out that door with your ugg boots on. Just do it stylishly and you will pass. Remember, there are always ways in which you can equip yourself with stylish ways to wear ugg boots and it all starts now in the cold.

Nadia