Milan AW10 | Tommy Ton

When all else fails, go for the shoes. And what fabulous shoes he's captured at that. It looks like the paper bag idea has hit a trend below the ankle, and no one's complaining. The overall look gives the sense that there's a relaxed elegance approaching the finishing touches to an outfit.
When relaxed just won't do, go for naughty and nice all in one. These dangerous bows might be a contradiction in themselves, but the fierce effect gives strength to an otherwise soft idea.
You might be late, late for a very important date, but never fear with two watches. Always on time for the shows, you might be the only one, they're notorious for running late due to a number of reasons but most importantly to simple be fashionable. Done in style, this shot by Tommy Ton shows that individual style rules in Milan.

Fashion on our shores

Just because we're in the middle of all the international shows doesn't mean to say that exciting things aren't happening here.
To begin with, Matty Paroz has begun a new website called How Big Is Your Eco and it's the only one of it's kind in Australia, as a directory for eco-ethical fashion. Log onto the site and become a fan this month for the chance to win $500 worth of Australian Made cosmetics from Inika. Such a fantastic initiative like this is well overdue in a country that tries to approach life in a natural kind of way. Good luck Matty, and well done!
Witchery have also launched a movie on their website to coincide with the launch of Angus & Julia Stone's new album. Witchery is blazing ahead with defining their niche market and giving those customers exactly what they want.
And finally, it was a sad day when Belinda Shoes closed on William Street in Paddington, but very exciting prospects are opening the doors. Jac & Jack now has it's own stand alone store, and happy days up the road where Vanessa Bruno closed and Belinda is now open with more than just shoes.
Australia is providing the perfect slate for fashion for every conservative idea and budget. Still call Australia home.

Fleur Wood Warehouse Sale

I've always loved Fleur Wood's Warehouse Sales, there's always a treasure amongst it. If you're in Sydney and free on the weekend, make time to visit. You won't be disappointed.

Milan AW10 | Day Four

Salvatore Ferragamo is a brand that carries a lot of history behind it, and this collection didn't disappoint. The garments were ready to protect against the elements, and there was a utilitarian mood adapted for an urban existence with jackets and capes draped beautifully over shorts, pants and skirts.
Missoni, known for unbelievably intricate knitwear in all patterns but most famously for zigzag patterns in any kind of fine or chunky knits, kept things a little more loosely referenced for this collection. It was more of a patchwork influence, and the mash of colours worked very well against the herringbone softer palette.
I always admire Marni, but top to toe can be quite full on for those of us particularly in Australia. AW10 has a sporty feel again that was missing last season, however it was given a little spin with peplums and padded hips included in many of the jackets and dresses. The colours are always a little hap hazard as well but that's not to say they haven't read the mood of the season well and given us many exciting options away from gray or black so heavily favoured by other brands.
I don't know about anyone else, but I thought that Dolce & Gabbana played it very safe this collection. They did what they do best with corset inspired references littered throughout the corporate garments, and animal print was prim in pencil skirts. Either way, it was true to Dolce & Gabbana's aesthetic and established them as a strong force this show season.

Moroccan Lemon Chicken Couscous

With the advantage of having Monday's free to write, cook and do as I please, dinner tonight was a mix of improvisation and following a recipe. As I mentioned a week or so ago, there's a list of dishes that I'm dying to try from this month's Delicious Magazine. The Moroccan couscous provided the inspiration tonight, and my special delivery from Maggie Beer's Farmshop added that special je ne sais quoi.
1) Start by coating a large chicken breast with a tablespoon of oil and a tablespoon of Moroccan spices, credits to Masterfoods. Set aside.
2) In a large pan, place one chopped preserved lemon wedge and a tablespoon of the juices with two chopped zucchini's. Cook until zucchini softens, roughly 3-5 minutes.
3) Remove from the pan in a separate bowl and place chicken in the pan, cooking for about 6-7 minutes.
4) Add the zucchini and lemon back to the chicken and mix well. Add a tin of whole peeled tomatoes and a tin of drained cooked chickpeas.
5) In a separate heat proof bowl, add 2 or 3 cups of couscous and one cup of boiling water. Cover and stand for 2-5 minutes until all water is absorbed. Fluff the couscous with a fork, careful not to mix.
6) Once chicken is cooked through, serve couscous and Moroccan mixture together in a bowl or plate. Season as desired.
Zingy and tasty couscous, this dish is full of flavour.

Harpers Bazaar March 2010

Australian Harpers Bazaar is fast becoming the fashion icon it was under Alison Veness-McGourty about 5 years ago. It lost it's footing slightly along the way, and now under Edwina McCann's direction, she's steering it into the first stop for fashion forward ideas. Take all the magical film and fashionable moments you can think of and place them in a sixteen page spread with singers, actors, models and designers fronting the headline acts. Here you have the spellbinding 'A Fashion Wonderland' appropriately coinciding with the Alice variety out on Thursday. Edwards Coutts Davidson is the mastermind creative director behind the story and various design and photographer collaborations unfold between the highly imaginative pages.
Stand outs include Emma Lung's Beauty and the Beast, who can beat that fairytale anyway. 101 Dalmatians with Rachel Taylor as Cruella DeVil also provides fantasy and fabulous scale of grand proportions. Sin-derella combines beauty, movement, dance and a little S&M to keep things interesting. Why not? These professionals use their bodies to express every kind of emotion and it comes through in this setting to great affect.
The brilliance of a shoot like this is that it stands out at an international level. Australian design, location, talent and photographic techniques play out on their own stage and if this is the way of the Australian Fashion Industry, I couldn't be more proud to showcase it to the world.
Once upon a time in a house at Harpers, they all lived happily ever after.

Donna Hay Cranberry and Oat Cookies

I love that to Danna Hay, a perfectly balanced diet is a cookie in each hand. Couldn't agree with her more as I sit here on a chilled and rainy Monday afternoon following precisely her instructions, one hot little cookie in each hand.
Not beating about the bush, it's a packet mix, but one of the few packet mixes I can have without any dairy present. So it's simple enough to follow, all that's required is a bowl for the dry mix and cranberries. I also added some chopped dates at this point too, only because they're scrumptious. To add to the mix, 80g of softened butter (Nuttelex in my case) and one egg to combine it all together. As try as I might, the mix was still a little dry so I added a tiny dash of soy milk to bind it all together and it did the trick. Then spoon onto a tray and you're set. They only take about 12 minutes in a pre-heated 180C oven so don't stray too far from the kitchen. Cool on the tray for about 5 minutes then lay out on a cooling rack and there you have it. Bliss.