Aussie Curves – Pink

October 19, 2013November 7, 2013 / Lisa / 8 Comments

So it turns out I actually don’t own a lot of pink clothes. The weird thing is that I thought I owned more pink than I actually do and I possibly do, it might just be packed up in boxes in New Zealand. I left a fair few clothes there a year ago and haven’t retrieved any of them.

I also tend to stick to the blacks, greys and blues in my wardrobe. It’s what I feel comfortable in.

But I do have this new singlet.

When I put it on and asked Man Piece if it was pink enough he replied that no, it’s purple and I was all, no it’s pink. We settled that it is pinky-purple. (But more pink.)

I think this is going to be my new photo taking place. It’s a lot better than looking back to the street and much lighter than the blank wall of my apartment. Success!

I paired the top with my black ponte blazer. It is honestly one of the best purchases I have ever made. I wear it constantly.

Spijkerkat was singing its praises in last week’s stripes post. It really should be a staple of City Chic’s line. I would have featured it in my stripes post as well, but I have been rather unorganised since returning from NZ and didn’t do one.

Anyway, back to the pink singlet. When I saw it, there was a bit of ‘ooooh, I really like that, must have it’ thing going on. Then there was the 20% off everything sale at City Chic and it was mine.

Singlet top: City Chic
Jeans: Mink Denim, Myer
Blazer: City Chic
Shoes: Diana Ferrari

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Things, they are a happening

October 3, 2013 / Lisa

I’m currently in Wellington for six days, so I might be a little light on the posting. Also, as I have a reduced wardrobe, minimal time and without my DSLR, I won’t be posting Aussie Curves this week (we will see how next week goes), but I look forward to seeing what the other girls come up with for Festival.

One exciting thing you can read in my absence is my latest short story over on The Short Stories Club blog.

I think I mentioned this – I’m trying to write a short story once a month to be published here. Didn’t manage one last month (ugh, deadlines), but it will be a monthly occurrence to boost my fictional writing instead of news/features and blogging. And each month is themed.

Just, ALL THE WRITING.

September was The Servant and I tried to do a modern take on it with an intern.

The Intern

She sat writing, practically shaking with anger as she remembered the day’s events…

Dear Diary,

I fucking hate that bitch. I don’t know how much of her privileged demands I can take. She doesn’t even realise how commanding she is, she just expects everything.

Of course it is my job to do some of the things she requests, but honestly, others are downright insane. They are not part of my job description. She doesn’t even pay me, oh is the life of an intern…

To continue reading, click here…

Dresses that resemble pandas and actual pandas, coz.

October 1, 2013October 1, 2013 / Lisa

Last week I was quite busy contributing to web content myself, so I didn’t really have the chance to read much. To see what I was up to you just need to click here. If you have an interest in buildings, you might like what you see.

Other than that, I watched this video of Joseph Gordon-Levitt in a lip-sync competition where he is amazing.

I love Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

Also because this is the most accurate thing he has ever said and because he is Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

There were the Emmys. Usually I would do a fashion post, but honestly a lot the dresses were uninspiring. For the best moments, go here. For an arbitrary musical number in the middle of the show, go here. And for the best Emmy speech ever, go here.

The dresses that I did like were worn by Merritt Wever (Nurse Jackie):

Elisabeth Moss (Mad Men) in Andrew Gn:

Zosia Mamet (Girls) in a custom-made Honor dress:

Alfre Woodard:

Amanda Anka (Jason Bateman’s wife):

All images from The Hollywood Reporter.

Lastly, what would this post be without some form of cute animal? The weekly animal Buzzfeed goes to the panda conspiracy, because pandas. Obvs.

Jewelry make-over

September 30, 2013September 30, 2013 / Lisa / 2 Comments

I recently had a clean out of some of my jewelry having realised I have spent far too much money on items from places like Equip, Lovisa and Diva. Most of these items really don’t last very well – they tarnish quite quickly and tend to break.

I’ve really gotten over buying this type of jewelry, so I actively avoid going into said shops to look anymore. I don’t want to waste my money on items that aren’t going to last, basically. I don’t wear a lot of jewelry anyway, so the pieces I do have, I want them to last and not, essentially, wear out quickly. Because I will wear them a lot.

In saying that it lead to me being able to re-fashion a few of my necklaces.

These were two of them before me doing anything, looking quite bad. The bird started out as silver. I attempted to blur the background (badly) in this image because it was on newspaper (some sports ad).

I’ve had the lightning bolt necklace for a few years now, I think I picked it up from Diva. It had actually lasted reasonably well apart from the necklace itself. But I decided to re-fashion it to make it look a bit different and bolder.

The bird necklace I got from Lovisa less than 12 months ago, it tarnished quite quickly and I have barely worn it for the last six months.

The lightning bolt necklace after my re-fashion. I just painted it with nail polish. This colour is ‘Riveting’ by China Glaze from the Hunger Games Collection. Definitely the right colour for a lightning bolt.

As for the bird, I coloured the pendant in OPI’s ‘My Chihuahua Bites’.

I wanted it to be a bright pop of colour.

The best thing about re-fashioning necklaces with nail polish is that if it comes off, or you get sick of the colour, you can just pick another colour and paint it again!

The last necklace make-over I did was on a locket necklace I have had for several years as well. Probably picked up from Diva or Equip. It was originally three lockets in one, which was really annoying as they got tangled often. I removed the other two lockets, which were broken, and re-connected the chain. You barely notice where the connection is.

I wanted to try something different with the locket and came across a tutorial for making your own galaxy necklaces by Oh The Lovely Things.

I didn’t get too many good photos of the stages of the make-over so have just left them out.

There are about five different nail polishes used in this make-over.

The dark base colour is China Glaze’s ‘Smoke and Ashes’ from The Hunger Game collection. I then used Revlon ‘Cloud’ and ‘Electric’ with OPI’s ‘Don’t Touch My Tutu’. Finally a bit of OPI’s ‘Rainbow Connection’ was used for glitter.

I’m not that happy with how this turned out, mostly because it doesn’t look very galaxy. I feel I should have used similar colours to what the tutorial used, but I wanted to make it my own at the same time. I guess in time I will grow to like it, but I could always get a bit of nail polish remover, remove the paint and try again with different colours.

This photo shows the other colours coming through – you dab them on with a make-up sponge to get the desired result.

What do you think of this jewelry re-fasion? Have you ever done this to jewelry? What other ways have you used nail polish, apart from on your nails?

One year in AU – what I like about you

September 29, 2013September 26, 2013 / Lisa

Today it has been exactly one year since Man Piece and I hopped on a jet plane and crossed the ditch to live in Sydney, contributing to the terrible “brain drain” of kiwis.

I honestly can’t believe it has been one year – the time has flown by so quickly. I’ve had many ups and downs emotionally in the past year. Turns out leaving your home country can be quite traumatic, even if you are still going to one which is basically the same.

A few months ago I wrote a blog about the things I hated about Australia and I have had this post sitting in my drafts for quite some time – what better time than our one year anniversary in the western island to post it.

Things I like about australia

The pay – it is true that pay in Australia is a lot better than that in NZ. For example, not only have I shopped up large in clothing this year, but I have successfully paid $5000 off my student loan as well. I definitely could not have managed that if I was still on the same salary in NZ. AND I still have some left over in my savings – possibly enough for a trip to the US? Possibly.

I was really enjoying the cooler, more comfortable weather over the “winter” months. It was comfortable, but not cold. Most days sat around 20 degrees and you could feel a bit of a chill at night, but nothing which really sent you running for your winter woolies.

Lots more general things to do. I’ve been to the Sydney Writers’ Festival, done a heap of night photography with Vivid Sydney, escaped to the Blue Mountains for a day (on public transport, no less!) and now there are art installations going up all around the city for Art and About – giant snails anyone?

Lots more shops and options – I can actually go to the mall and know shops that stock size 11 shoes. Although a lot of them still stop at 10. When will stores learn woman have large feet and want cheap shoes too?

Food – there are some amazing food options over here, if you know where to go. One of our favourite places is Snag Stand. Also Ribs and Burgers. And Mad Mex (now in Wellington! Yussss). And Dulche Luna. I will seriously miss Dulche Luna when we leave, there is really nothing like it that I know of in NZ. Also The Tea Cosy down at The Rocks which does a mean devonshire tea.

More shows and gigs happen here. Fall Out Boy announced a gig here, and although I didn’t manage to get tickets, they came and went, and hopefully will be back later in the year. I’ve already been to Legally Blonde: The musical, which has not been in NZ. We went to the Alexander Exhibition, which was on loan from a Russian museum – definitely not in NZ. We had tickets to Post Secret (yes it is also going to NZ) Wicked is coming soon as well. It has already been in AU, but coming back and doing shows in NZ. War Horse was on, although I couldn’t find anyone to go with me, so didn’t end up getting to see it. The Lion King is coming! It’s quite funny actually, where Man Piece and I live, we look down on to empty buildings where posters go up constantly – seriously every morning you will see a new one, they are constantly changing – with that, every new one seems to be announcing a new concert or event or album release.

Part of Vivid Sydney – towards The Rocks from the Overseas Passenger Terminal.

Public transport. Even though the majority of Sydney-siders bag on it and say it is awful, it is so much better than NZ public transport. Seriously, peak hour and you only have to wait three minutes max for a train. People here compare it to New York and London etc, saying they are better, but we’re not in those cities. Each city was built at different times and in different ways, and cater to different levels of population. But I guess it is all comparative. Compared to New Zealand public transport, it rocks. It is even easier now thanks to the OPAL roll-out (Sydney is finally catching on to tap-on/tap-off) and although they are doing the roll-out slowly, it is coming, slowly…

The internet is so much faster and more reliable.

Things are a bit cheaper. My morning coffee costs me $3 or $3.50, depending on whether I get it first thing or wait till 10.30 for happy hour. A large in Auckland was costing me $4 or $5, which is why I didn’t get it every morning. Now I do, because I can afford it.

Anything that I could possibly want is within walking distance or it is a short walk to reliable, reasonably priced public transport to get what I want.

And that’s about it, I can’t think of anything else right now – oh! Ben and Jerry’s! It’s here, I love it, werd.

Yeah, but that’s it, aye. Happy One Year Anniversary to me (and Man Piece).