Rock Eisteddfod Cancelled Australia Wide

Hands up who is devastated! Ummm ME! I might be 10 years past high school days but boy do I remember how much joy the Rock Eisteddfod bought to the lives of those participating in it.

How can it be that something so crucial, to not only childrens educations but to their ability to express how they are feeling through the arts, can just be axed? Lack of funding? Oh come on.

What are my taxes for? Every fine, every government charge? GST? Really??? Can someone tell me!

Now this blog isn't usually about having a rant or politics, but in this case I think fashion is integrally linked to events such like the Rock Eisteddfod as young up and coming designers get the chance to work on costumes or hair and make up. A way of finding out your natural talents, or just learning to give new things a go.

When I was at school, anyone with creative flair was somehow involved in it and we all shared some amazing moments. So.... what now for the kids?


And what about all the government grants that are given out each year.... do they not think this is worthy?

I really am disappointed I have to say. Can they really blame everything on the GFC?

So its a very sad day when something that can bring so much joy, excitement and pride into a childs life, at a very crucial growth stage, can be ripped out from underneath them.

What do children have to look forward to?

Thats just my 2 cents.

Happy Australia Day!

Oh yes I know I am a wee bit early, but it really should be Australia week! Am I right? I am fortunate enough to have tomorrow and the next day off work and will be celebrating in style with about 20 of my closest friends at a fantastic hotel room with views overlooking the fantastic Swan River.
Here in Perth, for many years the place to be for families and teens has been the foreshore of the Swan River either on the North side (the city) or the South side (South Perth).

I remember back in the day when being a teenager on Australia Day meant grabbing a coke bottle filling it half with bourbon and trawling the foreshore for ...... well nothing.... loitering was at an all time high. It was always fun, we were drunk but there was NEVER any trouble. We were silly and laughing, but well behaved!! We didnt swear at people (apart from each other) we didnt frighten children and we certainly didnt publicly urinate!!

But things have changed.....

.... the fresh faced youths of today.... are out of control. What used to be an amazing day is now filled with high, drunk kids trawling the streets much in the fashion of 10 years ago, except, there is constant voilence, towards other youths or even families. They show no respect to anyone even police or the ambulance officers who try to help them.

And its a sad day. Its a sad day when I choose to have a hotel room overlooking the city because I know the drama down on the shore would never be worth it. *shakes head* what has Perth come to?

It is great though, that in response to this, local city councils around Perth have decided to throw their own little fireworks shows (that are pretty speccy I might add) for families and kids and people in general who dont want the possibility of being glassed or pissed on. Kudos to you councils, for meeting the needs of the public!!

So I am thinking that Perth needs a bit of an Australia Day revamp..... ideas for ways to avoid this nasty situation year in, year out..... I saw this on a facebook page and had to steal it.... its like survival guide to deal with ignorant Australians....

1) Ensure that you have a basic knowledge of martial arts, in case a ignoramus requests you to “kiss the fuckin’ flag”. A swift kick to the balls of the antagonist is efficient, completely defensible in court and very, very satisfying.

2) Carry a can of kerosene and a cigarette lighter at all times. Setting an assailant’s board shorts on fire is an effective distraction and will allow time for escape.

3) Keep a boombox on hand wherever possible, along with a CD of traditional Indian music. This “foreign shit” is known to enrage any ignoramus, who generally prefer the foreign shit from America. Play CD loudly until they are driven away - if this doesn’t work, resort to heavy weaponry.

What do my fellow Australian readers do for Australia Day? Do you keep it low key? Watch fireworks? Spill....

Alannah Hill - A personal Fave

For those of you who love vintage inspired fashion, Alannah Hill would have to be one of your favourite designers. Am I right? Year after year she astounds me with her fresh view on fashion yet still keeping that elegant, funky vintage feel.

Her latest collection does not disappoint and I am pondering over which pieces to get my hot little hands on!

Her use of frills and lace, fantastic colour boards and making florals work in the best way (I did say I am gaga for florals!) And I am particularly in love with her patchwork and floral headbands. I am all about the hair accessories this season!

I love that she wears her own pieces, I think its a true sign of someone who knows what they are doing, its one thing to really love your designs, and not to just be creating them for some form of reward, which in most cases is MONEYYYYY!! But of course I do know that everyone has to earn a crust.

Her fashion shows are MAGNIFICENT and again her use of florals in a fresh way inspires me! If only I could get away with wearing a basket of flowers on my head so effortlessly! Life would be sweet!

So for those of you, who havent heard about Alannah Hill, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN, check out her site and find a stockist nearby, its definately worth a look!

The Year That Was

As we grow older it seems the years roll on quicker and with more intensity. We get busier and our lives seem shortened somehow. One year rolls into the next, and decades fly by and all of a sudden, we turn around and realise we somehow missed so much.

So I think its great to turn back on each year and reflect. Writing New Years resolutions its a fantastic way to think about all you have done in a year and somehow want to improve ourselves and our lives.

My resolutions are usually based around a few improvements in each of the following categories

*Love
*Travel
*Business/Work
*Friendships
*Family
*Money
*Material Stuff (i.e. LOTS OF SHOESSSSS)

I put them in that order, because, well, thats the importance of them in my life. Some years they get mixed up or moved around but generally thats where they sit.

Looking back on the year in fashion, I have to say that I am impressed with the way designers are progressing. Some local Australian talent has really come of age and we are competing with the best. (I am also highly excited about the Perth Lisa Ho store! Eeeeeeee!!).

I am extremely proud to call myself an Australian, I love this beautiful land and think I am totally blessed to be here in this amazing culture and being able to experience its magical abundance of flora and fauna and inspiring people.

So, 2009 is now out the door, and 2010 is full of promises that excite me! Be prepared for lots of new local talent being displayed on this page, and general exciting news that is Oz.

*Question - What were some of your resolutions? Did you achieve all you wanted in 2009? xx

Day 9 - Princess Chic Shoes

Sooooo..... I stumbled across this shoe site...... (this is the phrase that scares my man candy the most) and well. *hearts* I heart anything pink or shoesy.

Aside from the fact that I love it because its a shoe site, it actually has some amazing deals on it! Would you believe! Some shoes even priced as low as $9.95! Yes you heard correct! Brand new shoes for $9.95.

Below is a cute little business card holder I found as well and thought would be nice for a Chrissy present for... me. Heh.

They even have a fabulous section where you can design your own shoe! So lets say you are dying for the new Christian Louboutins, but hey... dont have a spare $1500 floating around, you can get the shoe made for a fraction of the price! Hello! And it will be made to your specs so can you image super comfortable designer looking shoes! Pinch me!

They even have a cute 'high heel workout DVD' which would be a really cute present for someone who just LOVES shoes. Men jump on board for this one, its a shoe-a-holics shopping sensation!

What a find!

Day 8 - Bag an Image

Ever wondered how some women can walk around with a different designer bag each week? Prada one week, Gucci the next, Chanel follows and she's always wearing Tiffany jewellery!

Here's my thoughts on the matter:

1. She has a fabulour sugar daddy.... and probably doesnt want to share!

2. Rich parentals

3. Works way too hard!

4. Winona Ryder syndrome :P

Haha, just kidding ladies! But, you know, now everyone can have this fantastic luxury!!

Its as simple as 'Bag an Image' the great online store that lets you hire new season designer bags and accessories or buy them once used at a great discount. Similar to what Jennifer Hudson had in the Sex and the City movie.

Sounds too good to be true right! Well its all 100% for real! All you have to do is signup, become a lifetime member and then you can start hiring straight away. There is a minimum of 5 days hire, and I think hire is betwee $5 - $20 per day.

For anyone who has lots of Christmas parties on but a limited budget, this is a truely fantastic way of looking the part and feeling like a million bucks!! Lets face it, we are living in a material world *sings to Madonna tune*

I personally havent tried out the bags, because I have too many already, but just wondering if any of my lovely readers have given this a go, if so let me know what you thought!

Day 7 - Lazyguy

Nooooo, this isn't a post about how lazy my boyfriend is and how I wish he would do the dishes more.....(because he is a rockstar and does everything for me *preens*) its about an online menswear store called http://www.lazyguy.com.au/



I stumbled across this great find yesterday and couldnt resist! My man is a bit of a metro and has been known to even accessorise, he would LOVE this site.



Anyway, found some cool shirts on here he would love, and the site boasts brands such as Alternative, bauhaus, david and goliath, deacon and urbanology.



Check out the sale section to get ultra great deals on shirts and sale items, up to 60% off.



Some of the items below I thought were pretty funky, so girls if you are looking for a great Christmas gift for your mans, check it out, you wont be disappointed!



(Oh, and if you subscribe to their mailing list, you get emailed a discount coupon for 10% off your next order! Score!)

Day 6 - Zu Shoes

So come on ladies, fess up. Who has a shoe fetish? Meeeee!!!! *flails hands in the air*. I do!!!!



And what better Christmas gift to receive then shoes! Lovely, pretty and sparkly or patent chunky or stiletto heels! I have always been a fan of ZU Shoes and find them really comfortable to walk in.



Imagine my delight when I discovered they are having a 30-70% off Xmas sale! Oh yes, that is correct, and some of the items on sale are fabbo indeed! Definately worth a look if you dare!

Madison was $150 now $75



Aggy was $130 now $52

Pesce was $200 now $80

Day 5 - Oxfam Unwrapped

This is a great site to get Christmas gifts for that one person, who we all know, who has EVERYTHING. Give them a gift, that gives to someone else.



When you buy a gift from the catalogue, your donation helps support our programs that the gift represents. In return, you’ll get to give a card to the recipient explaining how their special gift is helping others. So not only will your gift giving abilities look good, everyone will feel great too. Have a flick through this catalogue, choose a gift that best suits your friend, relative or co-worker and help continue what we’ve always believed - that giving good never goes out of fashion.




Duck Family - Just like that little black dress you have to have, ducks are an essential item. The gift of ducks helps families in Mozambique by providing eggs, which in turn produce more ducks, and eggs, and of course they can then also be sold to create an income. So our feathered friends are not only practical, they make financial sense too.

Breakfast for an Indigenous Child - Starting the day well is important, especially for growing minds and bodies. That’s why Oxfam Australia supports Doomadgee State School to run a healthy breakfast program for local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. Your gift helps provide one child with fresh fruit, bread, milk, juice and muesli for a month, and helps increase their attendance and concentration at school. $20

Food for a child - In East Timor children often suffer from high levels of malnutrition during the “hungry season” — the months of the year when there is simply not enough food. This gift helps mothers in East Timor prepare nutritious meals to keep their children healthy during these hard times. For anyone with children, this is a must have for your shopping list. $60

And my favourite of all:

Fair Trade Fashion - for only $50 - More than twenty million workers in the developing world are employed to produce the fashions the rest of the world wears — but workers are still paid too little to support themselves and their families. As a result of campaign pressure by Oxfam and others there have been some improvements but with this gift, you can help us keep pressure on big brands to make sure their clothes and shoes are made under decent conditions.

So if you are stuck this Christmas and want to give a gift that counts, dont just go and get something generic make a difference to the lives of people that will really appreciate it.

Day 4 - Dusk

Ahhh Dusk, I have many memories of receiving scented parcels in the post containing many a cute Christmas gift or birthday present.



This Christmas they have some great deals including as pictured below, 3 packs of baubles for $20. Now I know these arent the cheapest but dont stress, the quality is fabulous. These will definately fit in with my Vogue themed Christmas.



(I was actually tempted the other day to just cut out Vogue covers and hang them on my tree but I thought that was a little lack lustre so I decided against it).



Anyway, back to Dusk! For those of you who havent shopped in their online store, its really easy to navigate and they often have great specials. Their Christmas section has categories so you can shop by price as well, Gifts under $20, $50 or over $50. Makes it nice and easy right!




They also have this great offer for a limited time, with only $5 postage. And having used this site before I can vouch for their speedy delivery times, but again make sure you check to make sure you will receive your items on time!

Dont forget to check out their CLEARANCE section which has some great reductions as well. Definately worth a look!

For anyone who is new to their site, you also receive 10% off your first order, so take advantage of a great opportunity! Bargains everywhere! As far as the eye can see!!

Day 3 - Perfume Empire

This is another site I regularly visit and usually gets a bit of a hammering around Christmas time. I love their gift packs and find perfume is an easy gift for someone who is hard to buy for. Especially for men. David Beckham aftershave is a winner every time. Tacky, but a winner!

They are boasting massive Christmas sales and discounts of well over 50%.


They have a great selection, this was the only place I could find FlowerBomb by Victor & Rolf (it comes HIGHLY recommended, I had so many compliments when wearing it) apart from David Jones and it had the David Jones grossly overpriced tag on it, so I went with Perfume Empire.

The site is very easy to navigate and has clearly marked sections for Him / Her / Kids / Giftpacks etc, you can even search in a certain price category or by Designer.


For a great Christmas website, this one gets top marks!


Oh, and delivery time is also pretty speedy, so great for last minute gifts!

" Buy gifts online! Choosing presents no longer needs to be a hassle. Whether you are buying for man or woman, young or old, we have everything to suit your budget and their taste. Our gift sets feature brand name perfumes with products to match, such as shower gel, body lotion, deodorant or aftershave. All of our products can be purchased online, at the same discounted price as our stores. So shop for the right present effortlessly without having to leave your chair! 100% authentic designer brands include Kenzo, Marc Jacobs, Calvin Klein, Diesel, Ralph Lauren and more. Keep the value, save the cost. FREE delivery on orders over $80. "

Day 2 - Ezibuy

I have been a fan of Ezibuy for quite some time. I have been using the site for years and when I got an email informing me of their new Christmas Sale offer I was drawn to find out more.


Basically, for the first 12 days of December they are having a sale with 50% off each category. So the first day was 50% Christmas Decorations, the 2nd day was 50% bedding packs and so on so forth. A great idea I think!


Stock is limited and is on sale for 24 hours only, so you have to sign up to the site in order to get the daily emails about what is on sale today. Alternatively you can just check in each day.


Keep an eye on what you are ordering though and how urgent you need it, make sure you purchase items before their Christmas cut off, sometimes their delivery can take a couple of weeks.


They also have on offer their Clearance section, and under this heading is a '$40 bargain bag'

they have some cute little G-Strings for only $4, and even a bra for $8!


This one is definately winning my votes for getting into the Christmas Cheer!

Day 1 - Missy Confidential

So I stumbled across this page after looking for some great online sales before Christmas and I was more than impressed.





I jumped straight onto their ONLINE STEALS page and found some fab bargains from stores like Damselfly Jewellery, Designer Legs, Mamma Bella, Borne Naked and many many more. This one is definately worth checking out as there are some massive discounts as well as free product offers including a free Maxfactor lipstick with orders over $100. Score!

Also if you are a fan of competitions and free stuff, head to the competitions section and enter to win an Alex Perry robe worth $300! How fantastic!

Christmas Is Looming!

Oh yes my pretties, Christmas is fast approaching with only 22 days left until the big day arrives. This year I have decided I am having a Vogue inspired Christmas. I went through my last 12 issues of Vogue (my bible) and pulled all the major style themes out and decided to decorate my house for Christmas using the last 12 months of trends.

It has however presented a problem, finding items to fit my Vogue theme have been difficult, you know there arent many shops that sell couture christmas ornaments and the ones that do certainly arent in Perth. I am at a loss.

So it has now inspired me to do a big Christmas shop online (I mean where else do I shop!). And in honour of this massive Christmas shop I will investigate different online stores and let you know of any good ones, counting down til Christmas!

This will mean my readers will be able to use my extensive online shopping knowledge to their benefit to bag a stellar gift for their loved ones! What could be better!

Now moving on, I best get shopping eh! The parcels will be flying thick and fast! Excitement!

Estreya New Season Stock

After heading to the launch of this fabulous business, I am now excited to let you know about their new season range of stock that has been released over the weekend.

Estreya's Spring / Summer 09/10 range sees 2 new collections being added whimsically named 'Parisienne Dreams' and 'Flower Girl'. You can probably guess from the names the inspiration behind the collections. One collection has a very edgy french riviera feel, the other is more brights and floral inspired.

The great thing about these collections is that between both ranges I dont think the items were too expensive, most pieces ranging around $15-$30 mark, which is a perfect gift price range. I noted that some of the prior collections stock was STUNNING but also priced at a more boutique level - this means now the fabulous pieces are accessible to everyone! Yayyyy!!

Below are a few of the pieces I just love, and will be getting with the intention of giving them away for Christmas presents, but in all likeihood will be keeping them for myself!

Head to www.estreya.com.au to check out their new range and take advantage of the awesome pre Christmas sale items!!

(Love love love this pic!!!!!)