Check out some shots from the Lead a Double Life campaign from Visit Victoria. You can check out the full commercial here (very beautiful!).  The television commercial kicked off a couple of days ago. Featuring Isabel Lucas, the advertisement explores the Daylesford and Macedon Ranges region with Lucas looking ethereal by day while strolling through the countryside. Makes me desperately want to go to Daylesford, with the advertisement showing the romantic landscape with an Autumnal feel.

The Double Life aspect involves Lucas reflecting on her decadent night before, with a full feast designed by chef and owner of The Lakehouse in Daylesford.  I love the scene of her scoffing berries at night with her hands and stuffing her face (might be something to do with the fact that it reminds me somewhat of yours truly’s own eating habits).

images from news.com.au

With extensive investigative work I have found out what she was wearing during the shoot, however it is not overly helpful as it is not possible to purchase either! Her white dress was made for her by stylist Jodie Fried, the evening dress was from a private vintage collector in Sydney and made to fit Isabel. Sorry to dangle beautiful dresses which cannot be purchased! All I can say is Thurley, Colette Dinnigan, Fleur Wood and Alannah Hill all have beautiful dresses with a similar feel.

1. Thurley 2. Alannah Hill 3. Collette Dinnigan 4. Fleur Wood

Incidentally Fleur Wood’s online store launched last month and if you order anything before the end of the week you can get 15% off.

Who isn’t fascinated by the wonderous world of Alice in Wonderland? According to my mother I would demand she read my ‘Alice in Wonderland’ Little Golden Book every night, until she got quite tired of the darn book. In my mind there was something quite eerie and inexplicable about the entire story - and this was intriguing and terrifying all at once! When you throw in Tim Burton’s dark imagination, I think the upcoming adaptation of Alice in Wonderland staring Mia Wasikowska, Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter will be something to behold. When I saw the photos a few weeks ago and the trailer which was just recently released (click here), I fell in love with the richness of the costumes and multitude of colours. I think we could all do with a little bit of Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland in our wardrobes.

Check out the amazing cocktail rings at Fame Agenda at Melbourne Central (Shop 235, Level 2, Melbourne Central, 211 Latrobe Street, Melbourne Vic 3000 +613 9650 2322).

Alice in Wonderland photos from news.com.au

With the return of nineties fashion, the iconic film clip of November Rain from Guns and Roses immediately springs to mind. According to Wikipedia the November Rain film clip, at a cost of $1.5 million, is the thirteeth most expensive video clip of all time. But I suppose this is hardly surprising considering they staged a full wedding, funeral and don’t forget aerial shots of guitarist Slash. Leather jackets - check, ripped jeans - check, heavy black boots - check and embellished military jackets- check. The moment I can’t forget however is Axl’s real life girlfriend at the time Stephanie Seymour’s entrance as she works that poofy/sexy wedding dress complete with garter belt on display. How about her sexy body consious dress post wedding?

If you are feeling nostalgic I attach a link to the film clip

Underwear as overwear trend is hardly a new theme, however in Paris at the Haute Couture shows last week John Galliano’s show for Dior was particularly inspired. Models walked the runway in various stages of undress showing peekaboo glimpses of beautiful 50s style lingerie. The shows was inspired by photographs taken behind the scenes of Mr Christian Dior himself backstage in the 1950s. Beautiful hourglass silhouettes were emphasised with tailored jackets, full skirts in vibrant shades of fuschia, orange, yellow and red. Here in Melbourne we too have a few underwear inspired pieces too beautiful to hide.

runway photos are from www.style.com

As a homage to ‘The Farmer Wants A Wife’ - even though my sister has fought with me hard not to do this - I have put together farmer chic. Farmer chic or workman grunge has already been spotted on many celebrities including Ashley Olson, Sienna Miller and Michelle Williams. However what I love the most is it is a home grown Aussie look and RM Williams would be proud.
 
While many of us refuse to admit that we watch the show the ratings do not lie - many of you, me included were hiding away on wednesday nights refusing invitations or seting our recorders to watch The Farmer Wants A Wife. The last episode was on a couple of days ago so no longer will Natalie G grace our screens discussing the loves lives of Macca, Tim and Jenny to name a few.

My favourite is this leather brief bag by Melbourne label Agenda. I found it at Fokus, a hidden gem down Centre Place, a laneway off Flinders Lane. Fokus is ‘focused’ on real Melbourne style, selling sunglasses, accessories and jewellery all of which are primarily Melbourne made. This leather bag is made from genuine cow hide, a limited edition and stocked only at Fokus (www.fokusmelbourne.com.au ).
Fokus, 18 Centre Place, Melbourne 3000

You can’t go wrong with black and this winter is looking particularly black friendly. Team it with zips, studding, rivets, buckles and chains it is androgynous look wth an edge. Black boots are everywhere including this gorgeous pair from Zomp (www.zomp.com.au) by Fiorentini + Baker $895. While this pair is reasonable pricey it is really an investment - as you won’t need another pair this winter! I first spotted a pair on a particuarly well dressed sales assistant at  Zomp, and another told me she had a pair on layby. This leather look skirt from Lee Jeans is also winner. Ruffles and backless dresses are still going strong and this gorgeous dress from Indigo is divine! All I can say is have you ‘got any blacker??’

As many other people – judging by the hoards of girls who went to see ‘Sex and the City the Movie’ (I had to wait 30 minutes to go the toilet after the film finished) – my life has not been the same since Sex and the City left. Honestly sometimes Carrie’s outfits were so good I wanted to cry (sorry for being a tad over dramatic but Patricia Field’s fashion intuition is unparalleled). Even now when I am feeling uninspired I drag out my trusty DVDs and watch Carrie and Charlotte – the pause and rewind buttons have now faded on my remote….  does that say a little about my social life? …  Anyway Patricia Field strikes again with Confessions of a Shopaholic which is out March 12.

Now I know I am no ‘Patricia Field’, I haven’t smoked enough cigarettes to get the hoarse ‘darling’ out of my mouth, and also I am minus the red clown hair – doesn’t everyone always wonder how these amazing outfits come from someone who looks so random? – but I thought I would pick a few items which look like what Rebecca Bloomwood (to the uninitiated the character Isla Fisher plays) would wear. While the shots released of Isla from the film look particularly ‘out’ there and not that wearable, I have a feeling there may be something in the kitchy brights, gold hardware and colourful jackets and gloves. Indeed it is not a look for the fashion fainthearted but perhaps for the more cautious these ‘brights’ can be highlight pieces to brighten a miserable Melbourne day.

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I am obsessed with all things Gossip Girl at the moment. I have to confess every time I shop I have to ask myself ‘would Serena wear this?’ – god I love that show. Anyway according to the show’s costume designer Eric Daman, Serena’s look is the most difficult to put together. Inspired by Kate Moss, the roll-out-of-bed appearance which Serena stands for is hard to achieve – a look which is effortless but simultaneously stunning. As a minor (make that major) side issue this is also predominantly because actress Blake Lively (who would call their child that?) has a figure which makes me want to weep with envy…..
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