T's Online Shopping Reviews: Brands Exclusive

A few months ago, S sent me an invite for one of those private online shopping clubs that offers designer brands at heavily reduced prices for members only.
Unfortunately, it was a US site and didn't ship to Australia!

Well the idea of private shopping clubs obviously took off, and needless to say, Australia now have a few too.  I was never really keen to sign up to these things in the first place since it would result in massive spammage of my inbox and a subsequent depletion of funds.   But after some infuriating online searches for things that simply ended up at dead-end, members-only links to these sites, my curiosity got the better of me and I joined Brands Exclusive.

This site runs 'campaigns' (sales) for brands that feature current season items at (apparently) up to 70% off.  The checkout service is fast and idiot-proof, and also offers PayPal as a method of payment (yes, I might have already tried it out...  on some shoes...).  Shipping is a flat rate of $8.90 within Australia, which is about average with respect to other online stores.
Do note, however, that by default they will send you emails almost every day to alert you of new sales that are starting.  You can opt to turn these off in your account settings.

Currently, some of the campaigns are:

• Moschino jewellery 
• Royal Doulton and Gordon Ramsey by Royal Doulton (got any weddings you need presents for?)
• Zensu shoes
• Industrie inc.
• Le Specs (so hard not to buy anything from this sale!!)
• Olga Berg (some nice evening bags at ~$20 - good for Med dinner!  Also some coin purses at $7 for those interested)

As most of the items are not sold over the internet, and there's usually only a 3-6 day buying window on the limited stock, you have to be pretty quick to snap up the items you want in the right sizes/colours.

Probably worth having a look at, but caution is advised for those with a credit/debit card and a compulsive shopping habit!

xx T

Click here to sign up for Brands Exclusive!

P.S.:  Hold out for another 3 days for our next "Fashion Focus" - this time featuring some male talent!!  Keep your browsers at the ready ;)

The power of wishful thinking...

At the moment, Witchery has a competition/promotion a little bit like a Willie Wonka golden ticket...you get a ticket by buying a certain magazine or if you're a member, just in an email. The only catch is, you don't know what value your 'ticket' is (they promise a minimum value of $20) until you go up to the counter of a Witchery store with a purchase of $40+

Clearly, this is a huge marketing ploy! And I admit it has sucked me in, haha! If I were to have the 'golden ticket', I would use the voucher to buy the following pretty items:

Silk wrap dress

Linen self-tie shorts

Jersey knotted skirt

This one will do until Santa brings me my Burberry trench (cough cough)

The neutral trend was not intended in all these imaginary purchases! Either Witchery is only stocking beige at the moment, or I have gone mad for the (non) colour...

S

Scarves 101: Advanced scarf-tying

There are heaps of ways to put on a scarf (we don't need to tell you that haha), but here's the steps to tying a long scarf as seen on S in the winter accessories post:

1. Put the scarf on (duh!)
2. Make a loop around your neck by wrapping one end around once
3. Tuck a small section of one of the loose ends underneath the loop (don't pull all the way through!)
4. Take the opposite loose end of the scarf and put it through the loop you've just made in step 3
5. Adjust the 2 dangly ends...
6. Et voila! 

xx T

Winter accessories

True, it never gets very cold here in Perth.  But what's to stop you from digging out the scarves, gloves and hats anyway?

Carrying on with the theme of adding colour to winter outfits, here's a picture-filled post featuring our favourite accessories for winter. (in other words, that means scarves)

Waterman Beach (note it was actually pretty warm despite being the middle of winter... thus the not-so-wintry looks)

Scarves and pashminas from the markets - great value for money and a good way to add colour!

Tried a circle-scarf yet?  No pesky dangly ends!  Circular scarf - TopShop

Silk silk silk!  From the markets in Bali

Neutral colours to mix and match with anything.  Scarf - Sportsgirl

Tie a long scarf in a different way.  Stay tuned for how to wear your scarf like S!  Scarf - SABA

Feeling a little French?  Add a beret! (also disguises bad-hair days)  Beret - Sportsgirl; Scarf - Balinese markets

Monochromatic patterns add some interest to a basic outfit.  Scarf - gift!

Leather gloves!

Handwarmers - Sportsgirl

S wears throughout:  Cream top - no brand; Cardigan - Sportsgirl; Jeans - Nobody; Sunglasses - "Fendi"

T wears throughout:  Black sweater - GAP; Denim shorts - Dotti; Sunglasses - RayBan

Currently Craving: Leather leather leather!

Chloe leather shorts, the very ones that started my love affair.

Nearly every editorial you read these days features delectable soft leathery items. There are leather pants (all hail Sandra Dee from Grease!), leather skirts both long and short, leather tops and jackets... but it's the leather shorts that really catch my eye because of their laid back, sophisticated and relaxed look.

A chic (maybe more $$) alternative to denim cutoffs

Chloe leather shorts seen on the street

Oh, Zara, why won't you come to Perth? (Above shorts from Zara SS10)

Photo credits: vanessajackman, stylesightings, jakandjil, stockholm streetstyle

xx S

You're such a tulle

Asian fashion - my chronic love-hate relationship.  On one such day that I felt partial to the gaudy colours and cutesy cuts and styles, I wandered onto any self-respecting fob's mecca of fashion: Yesstyle.com.
As a bit of an insanely compulsive online shopper, I was instantly hooked.  Thousands of clothes and cosmetics to be found!  

Anyway, back to the tulle:
I was looking at something which had a link to tulle skirts (which I can't say I've seen very much of in Perth) and had one of those moments when I knew I had to get my hands on one for no apparent reason.  To cut a long story short, Yesstyle was all out of stock of tulle skirts.  So I got 2 off ebay instead from a seller called Dani's Choice.

Here's some preliminary shots, styled with a plain black tee (to avoid appearing like a run-away from some ballet company)

And some photos of S's chiffon skirt that we took in the vacant lot next to our friend's house:

xx T

The start of something new!

A new semester at uni is starting for us at le.fanciulle tomorrow.  Don't you worry - we'll be keeping this blog updated as our semester project (to keep us sane, that is) so expect to see fresh posts every few days or so!

Things we're looking forward to in the next few months:

• Having a bit more free time to study, make more blog posts, go to the city, etc.  (S and I both have 1 unit less this semester which means fewer exams and more time!  Yay!!)
• Trying our hand at shooting some street fashion - that's right!  We're looking to make good use of some of our study breaks to poach trendy people around the streets of Perth (first up, UWA - our second home) 
• WEST SIDE STORY.  Need I say more?  We'll post a review after we see it in October sometime!
• And last but definitely not least, passing 3rd year.  And thus crossing the halfway-mark in our course - so exciting!

Got anything you're looking forward to in the second half of the year?  

xx T

Short Personal Rant: Fitting in vs Clothing integrity

There are certain occasions where I have a little inner war with myself...  Do I wear something that I would normally wear (that's the integrity brain lobe speaking) or should I dress so that I look the part (the sheep lobe). It makes me feel a little bit Jan Brady*, to be honest. 


Going to see Karnivool (a local Perth band - rock/prog metal according to wiki) at Capitol in Perth with my two older brothers was definitely one of those occasions.  Even though I love the music, it is not what you'd call "my scene", as anyone who knows me would know!


Sheep lobe: "You don't want to get bashed up by metal heads for looking like Blair Waldorf at a rock concert"
Integrity lobe: "Just wear something normal that doesn't look too out of place"


So, under the guidance of my slightly-more-hardcore-brother, I tried to go for something in between. Ripped jeans, black T with black diamonte shoulder embellishment, plain ballet flats.

Mistake #1: Not wearing a band T shirt
Mistake #2: Wearing suede ballet flats that got beer spilt on them as soon as I entered.
Mistake #3: Wearing a pretty hair clip. I got so many wierd looks.
Mistake #4: Not wearing heels/steel cap platform boots. I would estimate the average height at the concert to be 6'4"

Typical concert goer:

Photo credit: anonymous metal head fan site

*Respect to anyone who gets the Jan reference.

xx S

Chop and change!

Ola!  As you know we've only just started this blog, so expect to see a few changes in layout and design in the following weeks as we customise our look.

The latest change to a 2-column layout allows us to post larger landscape pictures for your viewing pleasure!

Soon, the header will be changing as well (as soon as I figure out how to change it, that is...).

Any suggestions are appreciated!

xx T

My Mane Man: James Brown

I'm rather terrible when it comes to hair-care.  Most likely out of sheer laziness, having been blessed with jet-straight, non-frizzy locks.
But, being a sucker for hoarding useless products, these little beauties came to my attention after purchasing Harper's Bazaar a few months ago.

Enter James Brown London - my new favourite hair product.

• Presentation: easy on the eye, product #1 promises to "repair hair with a luxurious boost of intensely nourishing moisture".  Despite an apparent taste for verbosity, product does not lie!  Fact!
• Smell: both smell somewhat masculine, but clean.  Male relative will most probably steal said product after he is finished with the John Frieda products purchased prior to these.
• Product: Intensive Moisture Mask looks like creamy goop, akin to slightly translucent, over-whipped whipped cream.  Tasty.  No surprises with the Heat Protect Spray
• Leaves hair feeling...: soft, shiny, akin to woman from shampoo ad.  Likely to compel the user towards a habit of hair-flicking, which may result in neck-injury.
• Wallet-damage: very little in fact - about $15 a pop for each.  Only available at Priceline in Australia

xx T