Body Beautiful

Ladies gather round. These women know how to dress for their shape and how refreshing that is to see. Jessica Alba hits the neckline out of the park, playing up her finer features with wide set capped shoulders taking the focus away from the bottom half. Kate Winslet shows exactly how to fill out an Herve Leger body con dress harking memories of Cindy Crawford in the original 90's showcase. Halle Berry makes the most of her bottom heavy silhouette by balancing the effect of a cinched waist with very cleverly positioned cut-outs. And Sandra Bullock is reigning supreme in her Vivienne Westwood. The colour is a little too close to her complexion, but the shape and draping around her shoulders and waist draw dramatic attention to the brilliance of an uneven hemline giving her the illusion of height.
Lesson learned.

The Glass Room | Simon Mawer

The Glass Room's ability to remain a constant throughout a tale spanning seven decades shows it's strength as a metaphor for something fragile and quiet. Simon Mawer has penned a beautifully written story based around a house featuring a room made of glass to demonstrate the architecture of Czechoslovakia in the 1920's and how something so open and clear could survive the German invasion during WW2.
The characters in the book are poignant descriptions of either incredibly strong or incredibly delicate people and The Glass Room reflects this from it's blue prints, to construction, to the final chapter based in the year 1990. They are people who are dealt with a difficult hand far beyond what our imaginations could ever conjure and yet although they may produce some cracks, they never shatter.
Balancing the ever changing stories over so many years is no mean feat and Mawer expresses the pain and suffering due to the German's desire for an Aryan race most precisely through the character of Hana Hanakova. She's outrageously curious and appears to have an inner strength that can't be faltered, but in her 50's she starts to draw on her close relationships to build the foundations after suffering great loss in a concentration camp. The glass serves the purpose of allowing readers to witness what we're not supposed to see as Leisel, Viktor, Ottilie, Martin, Kata and Marika develop one very complicated relationship.
It's an enthralling read and proves transparency doesn't always provide the clarity we desire.

Brogues Rogues

It's a magical harmony when something you've longed for is found at 60% off.
Magical moment is case in point: today + lunch break = those Rupert Sanderson oxfords I was going on about a few months ago when I found my pretty pink Sportsgirl pair. Abra cadabra, alla cazam, these ivory laced shoes are mine thank you maam.
They really are something special from Italy and I was so lucky that of the two pairs left they had my size. What was I saying the other day about holding out until you find something that you just can't walk away from? The need for black ballet flats has evaporated with all my answers laced up in these brogues.
And it's some small miracle that all the shops in Adelaide were closed as well as the fact that I had no room to take new purchases home with me, my wallet was tightly zipped. First day back at work? New oxford flats to go perfectly with my trench? Done deal, case closed.

Do Take Me To Tea

Courtney Brims' work was introduced to me today and I have to say it's enchanting. The finesse of the lines and the ideas slightly morbid fascinate me. You can see all her works at her website: www.courtneybrims.com.au and believe me, if you like things slightly on the quirky side, you might just like Brims' pieces.
The Girl and The Goldfish, Sleeping Beauty and Blossom all resonate with a childhood innocence, but when you look closer, you'll see a danger sketched ever so carefully. Maybe that's the plan. Tea for Two.

Edatrix

It's with no surprise that this time of year is a remarkably good one for looking through ones wardrobe and making a few updates if need be. I'm trying to do just that. There are a few staple pieces that most definitely need replacing after a well worn love affair has ground them beyond repair.
I was lucky enough to receive the magnificent V&A book documenting Christian Dior's work until his death in 1957. I'd briefly studied his 'New Look' that emerged to astounding success after WW2 throughout my years at uni, and now I can completely emerge myself in his style that spawned many trends to my hearts content. That's what started this edit of my wardrobe you see. New look I thought, but I really only need a new pair of black ballet flats to create many new looks amongst what I already have.
This isn't exactly part of my perfect shopping plan, as I try not to have a definite piece in mind to avoid disappointment when I can't find what I want. The solution is the fantastic end of year sales however, and this is the time to make those updates when need be. We were all out to dinner at mantra last week and the age old lesson was raised. If it doesn't quite fit properly or you're not absolutely in love with it, try not to buy it just because it's on sale. You work hard for your dollars and they're better spent on something you've wanted for a while so now it's on sale and you can spoil yourself. Solution.

Unretouched and Beautiful

Jennifer Hawkins is a force to be reckoned with, and the new marie claire out on January 6 proves just that. The Australian Women's Weekly already produced an un-retouched and un-enhanced cover late last year with Sarah Murdoch. Now it's Jen's turn at marie claire and it couldn't be more tasteful. The aim of such a cover is to encourage a more positive attitude towards body image, and support The Butterfly Foundation.
The Butterfly Foundation is dedicated to changing the culture, policy and
practise in the prevention and treatment of eating disorders. The organisation has just opened a resource center in Crows Nest Sydney with the aim of expanding their programs throughout the year. Sportsgirls is also supporting the cause with a calico bag available.
I don't know if seeing Jen Hawkins naked on the cover will really help anyone with an eating disorder, particularly in the knowledge that her image hasn't had any retouching, show looks incredible. She may work hard to look like that, but it also comes down to genes and she's winning. I'm sure this copy will sell like hotcakes though and it's great to know that The Butterfly Foundation will be featured. Support the cause.

A Walking Signature

We've entered a new decade and are all hopefully thinking positively about the future, yet I've walked down memory lane having just returned from a fabulous festive break in my original home town of Adelaide. Sometimes we need to reflect on where we've come from to truly appreciate where we are today and where we see ourselves in the future.
This recent holiday in Adelaide blew me away.
Once Christmas Day had passed, the days following were jam packed with coffees on King William Road (very Queen Street, Woollahra even with its very own stand alone Jo Malone boutique), lunches at Stirling Hotel in the Adelaide Hills, massages in the Barossa followed by a picnic lunch at Maggie Beers, nights out at The 'Ed' Edinburgh Hotel and amazing restaurants like mantra, the markets for our gourmet NYE celebrations and Henley Beach. I couldn't have a greater appreciation for the city I was born in all topped off by a visit to the Haigh's Visitor Centre, could it get any better than that?
I recently read something that's stayed with me and I think it sums up what I like to think we can all aim to achieve this coming year. Become a walking signature of yourself and reflect yourself in a way that not only makes you happy, but makes others around you happy too. Always treat others how you wish to be treated and accept compliments rather than shy away from them. At times when I return to Adelaide, I'm never more aware of the fact that although I may come from there, I've certainly lived and grown up in Sydney. This is a reflection of me and I guess to put it simply, my signature. Keep walking.