Handbag’s can only SOMETIMES be a girls best friend

Not all that long ago I posted an entry titled “Let’s get some shoes” this featured a tonne of weird shoes, and in all honesty got an overwhelming response, for some weird reason!

Therefore I have decided to do another one, titled “Handbags can only SOMETIMES be a girls best friend” because, really I have an addiction to gorgeous handbags and I do sometimes think of them as my best friends, instead of diamonds.  But, if my handbag collection consisted of some of these, I think Id rather kill myself! Here we go….

Classically titled “KeyBag” this clutch is made from keyboard keys – umm, can someone type L.O.L

 This one is really disturbing to me, what is it? a foetus?

This one is weird – yes, but its gorgeous. Made famous by Sex & The City movie. Judith Leiber Cupcake Clutch - RRP: $5,000 AUD.

Your numberplate on a handbag – mmmmhmm classssssy!

I’ve always wanted a handbag with feet, I wonder where I can buy one of these hideous looking things! ha.

 For the rock gods in the house….. hehe. Its kind of cute.
  And heres one for the gardeners in the house! GROSS.

 

And finally, you know you have FAR too much money, when you put your trash out in a Louis Vuitton garbage bag!

Not ‘Just’ for ‘Jeans’

I have been feeling a little flat in the shopping department lately! Most of the regular readers of mine know that my lovely gorgeous boyfriend and I are saving for our first home, therefore I have been rather tight in the last few months and have been slightly limited to what I buy – you will more than likely realise this by the lack of posts I have been doing in recent weeks – well, all thats about to change!

I have a second job now, working from home! It brings in about $500 extra a month, which I have fondly named “Shopping Expenses” this way with my regular well paid job I can save, pay bills and live and with my second, allow myself to still be the regular shopaholic I always have been!

Hence it started on Wednesday, during a routine lunch trip to buy my favourite chicken sandwich I happened to walk past ‘Just Jeans’ – in the window I saw this sparkly top, you know when something catches and glitters in your eyes and you cant seem to take your eyes off it, this is what happened on Wednesday, I walked into ‘Just Jeans’ to admire this gorgeous piece of glittering art!

Despite the $79.95 price tag I couldnt resist just trying it on – my initial dissapointment was that my regular size was too big, which quite quickly turned into delight as it made me realised I’ve gone down a size, hoorah! (Only on top mind you!) I couldnt resist the top, I havent brought  a going out top in forever – so I thought ‘why the hell not!!!’ – credit card, swipe! SOLD!

As I was walking out of the shop a few other things caught my eye, one in particular but as I was in a hurry as Id spent 3/4 of my lunch break trying on tops so I ignored the 2 things and walked right out!

By Friday lunch time Id taken an extended lunch break (no one was in the office) and was right back in ‘Just Jeans’ checking out the item Id be thinking about since Wednesday!

‘Just Jeans – Vintage Wash Jacket $89.95′

I think it was $89.95 well spent, it is gorgeous! I love it, I love the colour, there is nothing worse than an indigo or dark denim jacket yuk! But this white wash, vintage jacket is just what Ive been looking for! Ive recently recoloured my hair to a light blonde, and in Melbournes cold weather there is no way Im going to get a tan, so Ive been enjoying the bottled tan for a while – hence this colour looks really quite flattering agains my skin and hair at the moment! Also in its favour is that it is a lighter colour for summer – and isnt too heavy, so can be worn in both seasons.

Saturday I wore it with black jeans, a grey marle oversized tee with a white singlet, black thongs (was going for the casual look) and a big thick cream wool scarf, teamed with a tan leather and gold bag it looked like a ‘casual – i just threw it on and didnt think about it’ kind of outfit, when really I had actually put a fair bit of thought into it!

I rarely shop at Just Jeans, I think because there isnt one close by my house its not something i frequent often, however Ive also just discovered that they do online shopping www.justjeans.com.au so hop on there and go wild! :)

Here is a little something else I will be getting when the weather gets warmer, I cant justify the $89.95 while its raining outside all the time!

Keep on Shopping! x

Chanel 5076h – Classic

I have pondered, drooled and just loved the Chanel sunglasses range for many years now.  They’re sunglasses have this glamour to them, they urge subtle sex siren vibes, without being too over the top! They also say “Class and Glamour”.  I myself have never been lucky enough to own a pair of Chanel Sunglasses (Glasses yes, Sunglasses NO) depsite dropping many a hint to my boyfriend who did pick up on said hint for me only to unwrap a pair of “Genuine” ones he had picked up off eBay, mind you he had still spend $250, but they were fake! Shame he doesnt know the difference between real and fake!

I wore them all summer, not in public – I didnt want to be known as “the girl with the fake Chanels” and pretended I loved them, and never told him they werent real – when a few months had gone by I sold them, for $50 on some website where you can get rid of old things you dont want any more.  Then my quest continued…

I had two more failures with people advertising genuine ones, that werent actually genuine – they used the genuine photos but sent fake products.

My problem was I was searching for the colour code 50118 which is a brown/grey tinted lense, should I have wanted the plain black 50817 I would have been cool – it would have been easy and I would have had them for years, no such luck here!

I decided to trust eBay only ONE more time, this time I tried US eBay, the US version tends to have alot more variety, better prices and they will usually post to Australia for you if they can make a slight profit on the postage if they didnt offer it in the first place.

I typed in my keywords, which I can do now without even thinking bout it, Ive done it that often – Chanel 5076h 50118, and up they came:

I got them 2 weeks later and I love them like a fat kid loves chocolate, cake and chips! Theyre beautiful, I even catch myself wearing them when it isnt really that sunny!

I guess after the time it took me to find them, it paid off in the end as I appreciated them that much more and felt so grateful to finally own  a piece of Autentic Chanel beauty!

And the best part too…. only $240AUD – when these were at their retail prime they sold for around $600AUD in the shops!

P.S Big Thanks to Kate Hill for stopping by to read the piece I wrote on their handbags, and for the sweet comment! You guys rock.

eBay – Im in love again!

Hello Fashionistas!

Sorry to have neglected you for so long!  Most of you wont know – but I am actually a full time bookkeeper and Office Manager, last week we were being audited! Which left hardly any time to shop, let alone blog about shopping!

Over the last few days I have fallen way back in love with shopping online, I have recently brought the following online:

• Ebay – A Queen Size 4 poster white mosquito net for my bed.
• Ebay – Lauren Conrad’s book – LA Candy
• Ebay – a new Camera charger (my brother nicked off over seas with mine)
• Ebay – a tan leather iPhone case

Now, Im just waiting for them all to arrive! :-)

The thing Im most psyched about is the mosquito net (pictured) Ive always dreamt of it raining outside, and being all snuggled up in my 1000 count (sorry, but I had to – theyre the best) sheets with my little puppy and a good book with this feeling of comfort and laziness surrounding me – I dont get to do this much, but included in this mini fantasy is a mosquito net (calling it a Mosquito net sounds so tacky too by the way!)

I cant wait to just jump into that and sleep for eons! I hope it is here by the weekend! :-)

Next time….. the result of “The Quest for the Perfect Black Bag!”

Accessories & Where to stick ‘em!

I have had many people compliment on what I am about to post about, so thought I would share it with you too.

So much of my salary is spent on accessorising, I am a firm believer in that accessories can really boost clothes you have owned forever! If you are on a budget you can make a million outfits using just accessories…. Theyre bright, colourful, affordable and just like THAT you have improved your look!

At one stage I had my beads piled up in a plastic basket thats how many necklaces I had – they were forever getting tangled and hideous so I had a clean out, many of them had broken or were tarnished so they went in the bin (my prior days as a horder) I also had millions of bracelets and bangles, have I ever mentioned that I dont actually wear bangles or bracelets (aside from special gold ones Ive been given).  I’ll tell you where it all goes wrong, its clearances, sales, little red stickers ….. accessories are already reasonable prices, so when theyre on sale theyre just unbelievably cheap you buy things you arent actually going to wear, you buy them because theyre cheap, and cute!

I have since thrown many of the bangles and necklaces away and have managed to teach myself not to buy severely dangly or hoopy earrings as they dont suit me, so havent yet had to cull any earrings.

One day during a spring clean I got super organised with my accessories and used things around the house to tidy up the mess of beads, gold and sparkles into an “easy to use” display that also looked appealing, trust me sifting through a box of necklaces certainly isnt inspiring to want to create an outfit, but having them on display they can BEGIN an outfit just by looking at them!  In my new home (when we finally get it) I am going to dedicate the “spare room” to all my accessories, as I want a minimalist look in our room (apparently good feng shui!) so this same look with be semi transferred into the spare room!

I hope you like it, and I hope it inspires you to do something similiar if you are anything like I was.  If you have tips of tricks relating to this Id love to hear from you.

  

 This is my jewellery shelf…. decorative rings sit in the martini glass, the good rings and earrings sit in the jewellery dish with the ring holder, then there is my earring holder and a mug holder which has all my watches, bracelets and good necklaces…. the bowl (which originally was a fishbowl, and before the fish even died I knew what they were going to do to it when they had finished habitating in it!) has all sorts of bits and pieces thrown in there, stuff I dont often wear, but cant yet part with! Once youre in that bowl, its likely you will get chucked out in the next clean out! hehe. Oh and then there is a picture of my cute dog! :) I like looking at that each morning when im choosing my jewels!

What to wear for that special occassion?

This week, and actually for a few weeks prior to this week I have been having a “WHAT TO WEAR?” dilemma!

Rarely do I get the chance to glam up and strut my stuff out on the town, Im more your jeans kinda gal – and dont generally wear dresses, despite feeling good when I wear them I actually just dont own that many of them!  So when I was invited to my best friends engagement party and my eyes saw the “FORMAL” dress code I almost died.  Thinking about what I am going to wear has been haunting me for the last fortnight.  I turned my closet inside out trying to think of something – anything, hoping I would find a new dress in the cupboard that I’d never worn before – no such luck!

I trudged around six shopping centres hoping to find “the perfect dress” inside the window – with no avail.  Recently I have gone up a dress size, thanks to genuine laziness caused by something that started as the flu which meant I couldnt continue on with my walking nor did I feel like eating healthily, so I feel disgusting – and this week (the party is on Saturday) I intend to exercise everynight, eat well and drink heaps of water, so by Saturday hopefully I am feeling normal again and can feel a little more comfortable.

The two dresses below were my initial options, however after trying the floral one with the gold capelet last night I realised just how hideous it looks! ugh! so that is fully out of the question. The black and white one is still in the running – I havent worn that one yet, I brought around Christmas time last year – maybe its time to give it a shot, otherwise there is one more I am thinking of which is black – its looking like the hot favourite Im pretty sure.

  This one is out of the running I think.  I brought this on sale at Kmart for about $40, the moment it went downhill was when the straps broke off leaving it as only a strapless!! If I can find the right bolero to go over it it might be ok, but that gold one JUST doesnt go.

  Im thinking maybe yes to this one, its just above knee length and I have a cute black bolero or jacket to go over the top! I could wear it with big black heels and some silver accessories…. I just feel that this one needs an injection of colour, how could I inject the colour? any ideas anyone?

Please help me! :)

I am thinking black dress with black heels – and lots of funked up jewellery.  I guess a trip to Diva would be in order, they have so much beautiful stuff there lately, its just gorgeous, I was in there yesterday attempting to buy jewellery but without knowing what youre actually going to be wearing it can be difficult. 

I dont even know why I am worrying about it so much, anyone would think it is my engagement party, I guess because I havent been out in forever I want to get glammed up and feel nice, all girls deserve that once in a while right? :)

So for the moment, I am going to take my cup of tea and relax and take a 10 minute break from the outfit consuming all my thoughts. I will let you know how it turns out! I can only imagine what Ill be like for my own engagement party! gees.

My life in pictures.

If I had to go ahead and explain myself to you in pictures right now, this is how I would do it:

 

1. Dog.  I am itching for a brand new puppy. Id love one of these little TeaCup guys, theyre too cute.  He would keep my dear dog company.

 

2. Hermes Birkin Tote – I know I have rambled on about this before, but I havent gotten over it.  I guess I could add it to my goals list – it would only cost my half my house deposit!

 

3. Chanel 5076H 50118 Sunglasses.  I have had a pair of these in the black colour way before but they broke, I long for the grey brown tint lense…. long long long, this is going to probably be my Christmas Purchase to myself I reckon.

 

4. Tee – its cute, it tells you all about me really, except change BOYS to my cute puppy and we’re sweet!

 

5. Smokey Quartz Ring – top top top on my priority list.  Can engagement rings be this colour? I love this ring.

 

6. Weird Socks – I love SOCKS, I am always scouting my draws for them – even in summer, I especially love this pair, theyre so cute!

 

7. Gucci Babouska Handbag – SO gorgeous, I love it…. once again, there would go my house deposit.  Oh I long to be rich

 

Of course this doesnt give who I am away completely, but its a snapshot – given alot more planning Im sure this collage would have been HUGEEEE… wouldnt want to bore you though! :)

Kate Hill is my new BFF!

I am overwhelmed in with the amount of hits I’ve gotten on my blog “WEIRD SHOES” – one of my first pieces I ever wrote, thanks for all the comments on it – and its given me inspiration to do another one similar in upcoming posts, so keep your eyes open!

I wanted to share my newest favourite thing with you…. I guess you could call it an extension of yesterdays post.

 

I was exposed to Kate Hill not that many months ago, when I was at Moorabbin DFO – I am a sucker for airy light shop displays and this is what hers was all about as I got closer I saw just how many Handbags, Suitcases, Wallets and Accessories lined the walls and tables. I was in heaven, but unfortunatley a little poor at the time so could only settle for one handbag (A Marc Jacobs inspired cream with gold hardware number) … a few months later I invested in a cream hobo number, I have since gotten rid of the hobo one but still have the MJ Inspired one in amongst my collection.

I hadn’t thought of Kate Hill in a while until the other day when I was shopping at Knox City in Melbourne’s South East (I’d highly recommend it to anyone who hasnt been there before) and saw her shop at the top of the escalators, although it isnt as big as the DFO store it is still enchanting and sweet and pulls you toward it like a kid to candy – come to think of it I think there was big jars of candies in the window. 

At the time I was looking for a new wallet (alas, if you read my last post you will know clearly I didnt find one in Kate’s Store) and saw this BEAUTIFUL bag hanging on the shelf.  I used to be a big wearer of the fake bags, not so much any more – Ive read several articles on child labour, gangs and drug rings that are all involved in the production of counterfeit goods and have since culled all of my bags that represent that kind of thing. Nowdays, I am more into the 100% LEATHER bags in simple hues that can be picked up and taken anywhere – but they do have to have a little twist of “interesting” – I dont do PLAIN boring black leather bags! I just wont. I cant!!

I looked up and saw a grey/old school cobalt blue leather mix bag with two handles, some cute almost unrecognisable ruching and a big chunky silver chain – which also doubles as a handle.  cost $139 on sale down from $219.  I started longingly at is, but would only allow that kind of spending if I actually needed a new bag so I said goodbye to it and hoped to never think of it again….  in the coming weeks I rang Kate Hill 4 times to check the bag was still there and how many were left, whilst at the same time trying to work out how to be shifty enough to sneak to Knox in a lunch break and buy it.  I forgot about it after that – until I was at Knox on Sunday…. it was then that I saw it again – still there, and further reduced to $125.  These are the precise words that came to my head “Credit Card can fit it cant it….. we’ll give it a go” – swipe… its MINE! YAY. I got a cute bag inside a beautiful Kate Hill shopper bag with pink stripes and big black handles, one of those beautiful boutique style bags! The only thing I was annoyed about was not being at the shopping centre longer to be able to tote around my shopping bag!

Here it is…. isnt she cute!  She reminds me of some vintage number, plus there is beautiful blue and white striped lining! The clincher – the phone holder is big enough for my iPhone!

I’m back… with an iPhone and new wallet.

Well here I am - cowering in so you might not even recognise I was gone. Apologies.

I wish I could say I was out at some outrageously awesome Fashion event, or swoiree however I wasnt – I was working! I am a Full time bookkeeper/accountant, and I have an at home job working for a marketing company doing freelance work, so I work two jobs which of late really have taken priority over my whole life – not just my blog!

I havent even been shopping much, I guess this is mostly due to really knuckling down to pay for dentist bills, car insurance and rego, and saving for our house that I really want to get happening next year (with a reasonable deposit!!) but I have come to realise that I can still have heaps of fun on my blog without actually having to go shopping right?

Im doing a course at the moment for work – which to pass you must achieve and set goals, one of my goals (hopefully, you will be please to know) is to update this blog 3 times a week (perhaps, alongside my personal one which has also seemed to dip off the radar!)

So, I guess I will start by saying this…. there are HARDLY ANY cute iPhone covers around avaliable within Australia. I had to venture all the way to CHINA, when I say venture all the way there I pretty much just mean I logged onto eBay and got it that way.  I am a big fan of the iPhone, but Im a bigger fan of making sure its safe…. but at last my long lost dream of a SWAROVSKI crystals cover came alive when I realised they finally made them for a brand of phone that I had.   Before I even got the iPhone delivered I had searched millions of websites and millions of listings on eBay until I realised I could be searching for the gemmed out little sparkling covers that would provide a nice glow to my stylish phone!   However, being on this strict budget I wasnt able to spend alot of money – so my research for the perfect iPhone cover continued, then going on the “cheaper” option, I found one for a total of $35AUD, it arrived the other day and it is excellent quality!   Alot of them are over $100 easily.

Here it is:

Also, brought a new wallet… now this started as a full blown passionate mission, “Operation New Wallet”.  I recently brought 3 in Thailand, totalling a cost of about $20 in total, which in three months have all broken (sucked in my cards, split at the seems, broken zippers) so the other day I thought, this will be fun I am going to get a new wallet, not something I usually buy – with me, a wallet doesnt mean the same thing as a handbag – its just a storage device really so I dont go wild for them.  I took myself to Eastlands and waddled around the various accessories and handbag shops. I spent alot of time perusing the ‘GUESS’ wallets which are quite nice, but a little gawdy – however I did fall in love with a handbag by GUESS – but, the scrooge in me came out and said NO!

I ended up buying this Fiorelli leather number in a plum eggplant colour, I got it home and loved loved loved it more than Ive ever loved a wallet in my life, then my best friend said “I love that wallet, I want it – where did you get it” – she then researched it and 3 days later had it in exactly the same colour (this wouldnt have bothered me beside the fact she has been doing this since we were about 15). I went out with her the other day and when she pulled it out of her bag I just stopped loving it, it really upset me.  This is it, I still love it – but everytime I look at it straightaway I think about her – who has it and it upsets me.  I wonder why she cannot have unique taste sometimes and why it always has to be so much like mine….

If I stopped smoking, I could buy….

Today, or yesterday at 6:27pm I had my last cigarette.   But thats not why I am here, if you want to know more about that you can check out my other blog www.stopsmokingnaturally.wordpress.com (Which I will begin today)… it was more so created as part of a private journey, but if it helps others then why hide it?

 A book Im reading on the subject of quitting smoking the natural way asks you to calculate the money you have spent on cigarettes in your smoking life – I dont want to mention that figure again its too depressing.. it also asks you to add up how much extra money you would have per month if you didnt smoke, well – Id have $82, thats $984 a year, I spend almost $1000 on cigarettes.  That was my final decider to kick this habit for good.

But then, my mind ticks over into shopping mode – ohhh, an extra $1000 I think to myself, I dont think “well, thats excellent I can put $100 more away each month on our house deposit, no I didnt think that Im thinking shoes, designer bags, Im thinking should I spend it monthly or yearly? Should I save it all up and then have this big kitty left at the end of the year – the possibilities are endless.

I know I might be getting ahead of myself a little bit here, one day smoke free and all.  but I have to have a positive to come out of this and aside from my health I think the money Im going to save is definatley the positive.  So I got thinking – here are the things below I am considering with my spare $1000 per year.

	Christian Louboutin Pigalle 120 patent pumps $565.00 – net-a-porter.com
	Gucci Handbags: New Gucci Handbags and Purses 2009, Code: guc103s-211944-fv… $935.00 – styledrops.com
	Ralph Lauren Blue Label | Black New Ash Crested Jacket by Ralph Lauren Blue… $808.50 – my-wardrobe.com
	Dolce & Gabbana – Miss Easy Way Metallic Mini – eLUXURY $720.00 – eluxury.com
	Chanel Faux Gold Domed Woven Shield Clip-On Earrings – Jewelry | Portero.co… $576.00 – portero.com
	JIMMY CHOO 435,00 EUR – colette.fr
	Amanda Lepore’s Sparkly Fragrance: Daily Beauty Reporter: Beauty Reporter B… $950.00 – allure.com
	10k White Gold 1/2-ct. T.W. Diamond Ring $850.00 – kohls.com
	Chanel Vintage Classic 2.55 Quilted Bag $840.00 – bagborroworsteal.com
	Chanel J12 Black Ceramic Watch $699.00 – bagborroworsteal.com
	Louis Vuitton Handbags and Purses $980.00 – purseblog.com