A-line and Peplum

I’ve always felt like skirts and dresses are the most feminine pieces a girl could wear. In the past year fashion has taken a turn to styles that I really love. A-line designs have come back and I truly hope are here to stay. They are also known as empire waist or skater skirts. Flowy, a-line skirts and really accentuate the female form and the illusion of an hour glass figure. A lot of emphasis in the years before was on skirts being very tight fitting. However, I really love this style as it brings me back to visions of Marilyn Monroe and the dream female figure.

A-line designs are defined by being fitted at the waist and flowing outwards over the hips, giving the impression of the shape of a capital A. This cinches in the waist, highlighting it; and allows the fabric to skim over your hips. This gives a beautifully feminine shape by giving curves to the hips and bust (the hour glass shape).

A-line skirts come in every colour and pattern now and give such a feminine look to an outfit. I really love this style as it celebrates that women should have curves and that curves are beautiful. 

A style that came in last year, and is still here now, that I also adored is peplum. A peplum is an overskirt or large ruffle attached at the waistline of skirts, dresses, jacket and blouses. Peplum skirts and dresses became very popular as they are very flattering and curve-enhancing. Peplum instantly dresses up an outfit and makes them dainty and girly. 

Next time you're shopping, try out some peplum pieces and give them a try! 

Christine 

New Fashion in Town for your Pet!!

Superman!!!!!!

When I was a kid, I remember the only thing that puppies used to wear was just a collar. It can be a fancy collar with bells or ribbons. But the pet fashion was definitely dull back then comparing to the current trend. It is so much more interesting now in taking care of a pet. You pick clothes for them, you find cosmetics for them, and then you can dress them as your cute princes and princesses.

Thanks for the help buddy!

Their fascinating photos have always got me laughing in tears. They are simply hilarious and adorable. And the fact that their owners have put in so much time and effort for their pet makes me appreciate their love and creativity. But then, when I look at this puppy disguised as a panda, I start to wonder how does it feel when it is walking around. Will other puppies see him differently? Will it feel weird for the sudden change of its look?

Pikachuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu

This makes me start thinking, whether pet fashion is shifting from hoping to take care of the animals and provide them with warmth, to pure human projections of what they see as nice for their pets so that they can show them off to friends and on the internet.

No one can find me now.... ;p

To me, it's absolutely fine as long as we're keeping the animals physically comfortable. I doubt all the dress-ups will cause some permanent "mental trauma" like what a lot animal rights activists claim. As long as you are not strangling your pet, and you don't mind spending the big bucks, I have no problem with the trend.

Heyyyyyyy Sexy Lady!!

Janice

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

Leggings Faux Pas

Many believe that leggings are not pants. However in Australia they have become acceptable to be worn on warm days when leg-hugging jeans are too hot to wear. To avoid the many possible shames of leggings that may occur here are some Do’s and Don’t’s J

DO wear them with the appropriate coloured underwear. Please. I have not gone a day without seeing a girl wearing obvious in-your-face underwear.

DON’T wear any form of bright/colourful underwear. No matter what colour your leggings are (mainly black), they can show through. Especially when you’re bent over or in bright light. Yellow underwear under leggings = No. Pink underwear under leggings = No. Polka dotted underwear under leggings = No. You get the point. You may think you can get away with it by not bending over throughout the day, but girl, trust me. I can see them when you’re walking in front of me up the stairs.

DO wear them with the appropriate type of underwear. Black seamless underwear under black leggings are best. As they don’t show panty lines and are the same colour.

DON’T wear underwear with frills, bows, or any other texture. Against the thin material of the leggings they do show through.

DON’T wear super tight underwear. Because then it becomes very apparent what kind of underwear you’re wearing (granny, boy leg, bikini, thong, etc). However, don’t go the opposite route and wear large, saggy undies.

DO buy good quality leggings. This is for the sole purpose of opacity. See-through leggings will defeat all efforts in choosing the correct underwear.

Okay ladies, now lets talk camel toe (sorry guys if you’re uncomfortable). No. No. NO. It’s so simple. Just don’t wear leggings pulled up so high. Before you leave the house, check they aren’t tight and pulled up around the crotch region. Simple. No one likes to see it, and if pointed out it can be painfully embarrassing.

So girls, remember these rules next time you decide to wear leggings in public. But if you’re at home do whatever you feel comfortable and wear that crazy underwear!

Christine 

Fast Fashion

So the other day I opened my wardrobe, flipping through my dresses and shirts, suddenly I am surprised how many "Fast Fashion" labels I have. H&M, ZARA, Forever 21. Some of which I have never even worn before. Then I started asking myself, "When did I get all this stuff?"

I am sure someone out there is sharing the same feeling cos the thing is, they are just too cheap. They provide you with easy daily clothes at at extreme bargain price. $10 tank-tops. $15 slimming pants. It is almost impossible to walk out of these stores without buying a piece or two. Plus they changes their designs constantly so you'll always find something new that suits you when you visit a store. They also provide you with clothes suiting for different occasions: formal, parties, casual. Anything you need. And the best part is they take reference from high-end designer labels, modify them, and Bam! There you have a set of Marc Jacobs outfit for 10% of the price.

One problem is because everything is so cheap and easy to get, shoppers tend to end up with more than they need. But they don't care! It doesn't hurt them at all that they have to throw away a pair of $5 flip-flops or $15 jacket. The most important thing is to keep up with the trend. They wouldn't even bother to return the piece in case they don't like it when they got home. This causes a massive waste of useful materials and unconscious excess spending from consumers.

And since the clothes are so cheap, fast fashion labels have actually sacrificed. I once bought this sweater in one of the shops and I couldn't stop scratching my back for the entire night. So it's not always good to go for the cheaper option. But for a student like me who has limited financial resources, it'd probably take some time for me to walk away from this convenient and helpful industry. For now, I am definitely recommending these guys for you all who wanted some nice pretty treats to yourself from time to time, without emptying your wallet.

Janice