New York, The Greatest City on Earth.

New York City is the international centre of everything from fashion to food. I briefly visited New York in 2009, but only for a few days. However at the beginning of this year I was again fortunate enough to return to this iconic location.

A trip to New York would not be complete without a visit to Central Park. While we were there, we were lucky enough for it to snow. So we got to see this iconic park covered in a white layer a snow. It was so beautiful strolling through the grounds, seeing little squirrels jump around in the snow. You cannot visit Central Park without having a quick skate at the ice-rink. Even though I was absolutely rubbish and spent most of my time holding on for dear life to the side rail, I had such a great time.

In New York City I think I now understand the phrase “shop till you drop”, because that is certainly what I did. This city has a greater variety of brands than the entirety of Australia. Every shop I walked into, I could have easily have bought at least four items. This means that a lot, I mean a lot, of self-discipline was required. Also everything is so much cheaper, it actually makes my heart hurt. I never realised how expensive Australia was until I visited the USA.

However this large quantity of choice can be overwhelming for some, so I have compiled a list of some of my favourite shops, and shopping locations.

H&M

This brand is a worldwide phenomenal which are best know for there affordable clothes, being particularly popular with younger demographics. These massive department stores are generously scattered throughout New York City, so I guarantee you won’t have much trouble finding one.

Comme Des Garcon

This is a French based brand, which has made the leap over to the American and European market. Their quirky love heart clothing designs are worn by various celebrities. These shops are a little scarcer, so make sure you plan a trip to them, you won’t regret it.

SoHo

This famous vicinity of shops in Downtown New York is a must for any shopping lover. They have a huge variety of brands such as Kate Spade, Topshop and Joe Fresh, within such a compact space. You could literally spend an entire day walking around this amazing area, spending a fortune I may add.

Sephora

The one thing I promised myself before I left Australia is that I would not buy any make-up at home, and I am so glad I did. Sephora is almost like a make-up department store, for more high end products. They have numerous deals and gift sets, so you always feel like your money is well spent. Again this brand is located all throughout the city, and is definitely worth the trip if your make-up bag is looking a little sparse.

Finally if you are going to eat at one café or restaurant while you are in New York City, make sure it is the Magnolia Bakery. This place will change your life. This extremely famous cafe has such a massive variety of cakes, you feel like your putting on weight just looking at the selection. But don’t worry it is completely worth it. There is a cake flavour for everyone and I guarantee you won’t be able to stop at one.

A delicious red velvet cupcake with cream cheese icing and lime cheesecake from Magnolia Bakery

New York has the power to make you feel famous, just by walking past well-known locations that you have seen in movies. Every restaurant you walk into, you are almost bound to see someone famous, or at least someone who looks to be. I can honestly picture myself living in New York City, and who knows, one day I may end up there.

Monthly Favourites | November

Flower Headband
With Summer officially beginning yesterday, a flower headband seemed like an appropriate accessory to own this season. I love headbands, as they are an easy way to jazz up a quite plain outfit, adding a burst of colour. I purchased this headband online from Princess Polly for $40. Some headbands can be quite painful behind your ears after longer periods of time, but I have found this one to be quite comfortable so far.

Pink Ice (Pale Pink)

White Skort
I haven't owned a skort in years, and I remember when I was younger I used to be in love with them. When I was browsing online one day, I saw a picture of the beautiful Eleanor Calder (Louis Tomlinson's from One Directions girlfriend) with one on. Then I had a look online and saw that Market HQ had a design available that I liked. So I purchased it online for $60 and it arrived on my doorstep by the end of the week. This will probably be one of my staple clothing pieces for this Summer as it is extremely light and comfortable, and can be easily dressed up or down depending on the occasion.

Skort (White) - Size S/8

Tangerine Nails

Nails is Stage Dive

This would have to be the nail colour that I have been absolutely adoring this month. I was given so many compliments on the colour as it is quite unique. It is almost a fluresent orange, but isn't. I purchased this awesome colour from Topshop for £5, which at the time was about AU $9. I found that the quality was really good and the colour lasted for quite a long time without chipping. Topshop has such an amazing variety of nail polishes that I know I will be purchasing more of in the future.

Catching Fire Fashion

Last night I went to the movies and watched the second film in the Hunger Games series, Catching Fire. As it is always colder in the cinemas, I opted for a slightly warmer alternative. I decided to pair my newly purchased vertical striped, three-quarter length pants with a simple black top. As always, I felt that I needed to add an extra pop of colour, so I wore a pair of hot pink leather brogues that I got handmade in Vietnam about 2 years ago, but are starting to come into fashion again. To complete my look I wore my prescription glasses and my hair in a side braid, embracing my inner Katniss Everdeen. I also bought my sister a mockingjay pin for her birthday, as she is also in love with the series, so I felt that it was the final touch to my evening look.

Pants: ASOS Just Female Striped High Waisted Skinny Jeans (Black/White) - Small
Pin: Ebay Mockingjay Pin

The Movie Verdict

Upon leaving the cinema, I felt like it was my first chance I had had to reflect on the movie, as there had been so much crammed (in a good way) in 146 minutes. The whole film was action packed, never having a slight lull in the storyline, as all of the information was vital to the plot. I loved this as it meant that I was never bored and continually entranced within the dystopian world.

I am not a massive reader but when I stumbled upon the Hunger Games books awhile ago, I couldn't put this fantastic story down. So when I heard about these novels being turned into films, I could barely contain my excitement! The cast for the movie is phenomenal, having Jennifer Lawrence portraying the strong heroine Katniss Everdeen flawlessly. She is accompanied by the adorable Josh Hutcherson as Peeta Mellark and fellow Australian Liam Hemsworth as Gale Hawthorne. All of the more minor roles are also fantastically executed, bringing the whole franchise to life.

The second book has always been my favourite, so I couldn't wait to see how it would be captured on the big screen, and I was not disappointed. The visual effects were outstanding, making the audience feel as though at times they were in the arena with the other tributes. Everything was bigger and better than the first movie. At the end of the film, I was so hyped up and in the most inspirational mood. I felt like I wanted to start my own revolution. That's what a great movie does, makes you think and evaluate your own life.

Dressed to the Nines.

Last night a group of my closest girlfriends and I attended a University Ball, and we had the best time. Even though we knew no one there, we had a great time on the dance floor and at the Photo Booth. Many people believe that you must spend a fortune on everything for a formal or ball, but last night I proved that theory wrong. I managed not to spend any money on the evening as I did my own hair and make-up, borrowed a dress and I already owned all the jewellery and accessories that I wore.

I borrowed an open back, navy blue, high neck dress from a friend. This dress style is something that I usually wouldn't go for, but I though that I would try something new and different. I chose to pair this with bold red lips, clutch and shoes, and both my earrings and ring were silver. I think that this colour combination is always a winner, and goes so seamlessly together.

Countryside Wedding.

If you have read some of my older posts you will realise that this the second wedding I have attended...this year! I literally have only ever been to one wedding before 2013, so obviously this must be the year of love and tying the knot.

This second wedding that I attended was again in the country, but this time the dress code was a lot more casual. As the ceremony was going to be held outside I decided upon flats over heels, as heels and grass are the combination from hell. I paired my much loved summer sandals with a loose and flowing dress. I am absolutely obsessed with this electric blue colour, I think that it just looks phenomenal on anyone! Blue and silver are just the perfect combination, so I decided to pair my dress with a pair of fine detail silver earrings and my vine ring from Cushy Living. With the casual dress code, that meant that I had to keep the makeup simple and light. Nothing too dramatic. A simple cateye and nude lip is always a winning match. I was actually lucky enough to have my hair done by the hairdresser for bridal party. As the dress was quite simple, I decided to go for a half, braided up do, paired with soft curls. I was really happy with how my hair turned out and it managed to stay in place for the entire wedding.

Dress: Witchery
Shoes: Witchery Sandals (Tan) - Size 41

The ceremony was held outside, with a small and intimate gathering of close friends and family. Thewedding had a vintage and country theme, which i absolutely adore. As each guest arrived, they were handed a small, white embroided cotton and lace umbrella in order to shield themselves from the hot afternoon sun. I thought that the location was beautiful for the ceremony, as in the background you could see rolling hills of the countryside.

We then moved into the reception, which was held inside and consided of five courses of extreme fine dinning. The food was exquisite and the entire evening was a huge success. I must make a special mention to the best man however, as he gave one of the funniest speeches I have ever heard in my and he had the entire room in stitches.

Weddings are such a beautiful time to celebrate the love of two people. I wish the bride and groom a beautiful life together as a married couple and I hope they share more amazing memories together.

"Love is a condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own."

Monthly Favourites | October

Summer Sandals
Every Summer I have to buy a new pair of sandals as each year I seem to "over love" them and wear them out. I am a sucker for a comfy pair of sandals that will last me through the warmer months. Now I usually go for a tan pair of sandals, that way they are able to match pretty much any other outfit. However this year I thought I would be a bit adventurous and go for a pop of colour. This cute shoes I purchased from Witchery and were only $80. I don't mind spending a little more on sandals, as I know I will get my money's worth. Also I am loving this lime green colour. I think it perfectly complements the silver.

Sandy Sandal (Citrus) - Size 41

Check Pattern
This fashion season I have been seeing a lot of this check pattern in the Northern hemisphere. So I thought I would be a part of this and I decided to to purchase a cropped shirt for this summer season. When I see this pattern, I automatically think of the Australian bush, as this is the style of shirt that I see a lot of the country folk wear. However the pattern now has more of a fashionable twist. I purchased this shirt online from Topshop. in was £28, which at the time was about $54. I have been pairing this shirt with denim shorts with either the top button done up, for a more "preppie" look, or just with the top buttons undone to be a little more casual.

Short Sleeve Check Shirt (Multi) - Size 10

Converse High Tops
My wardrobe has been desperate for these shoes for such a long time! Even though they are not the most appropriate shoes for summer, I most definitely will find more than a few occasions to wear them. They are a just a really comfortable and casual pair of shoes to wear. Converses are brilliant for a full day of university or any other activity that involves a lot of walking or standing. I managed to find a shop that was having a massive converse clearance. However as the red colour is one of the classic designs, mine unfortunately were not reduced. I was still more than happy however to pay the full retail price of $80.

Chuck Taylor All Star Hi (Red) - Size 9

One Direction Concert
On October the 21st, I went along with my sister to the One Direction concert. Can I say that I was not disappointed even slightly. The five boys bought so much energy to the stage and they bought a different attitude to all the songs they produced. You could tell that they made a really conscious effort to connect and interact with all their loyal fans. The arena that we were in was relatively large, but the band made an effort to connect with people, even right in the back row. The staging for their show was also amazing, having various English themed backdrops. I was fortunate enough to go to their concert last year, and I could see how much the group had developed vocally and as performers. I sure whoever has been to their Take Me Home tour will completely agree with me.

Spring Sunshine.

For the past few days at home it has been really hot, and I have a feeling that the rest of this Spring/Summer is going to be a similar temperature. In order to escape the heat I decided to the movies with some friends. During the hotter months it is important to wear light materials and colours that won't encourage any additional heat for your body. This is what I decided to wear on my outing.

Dress: Quirky Circus (Yellow) - Size 12
Shoes: Witchery Sandals (Tan) - Size 41
Sunglasses: Miss Shop

Church Bells Ringing.

I have only ever been to one wedding in my life, however I was only about two years old and have no recollection of the event. So on October 5th, 2013, I attended the beautiful wedding of my eldest cousin to her now husband.

Choosing an outfit for a wedding is always difficult and it is important that you dress to suit the occasion. For the day I decided upon a short cocktail dress from Princess Polly. I have had this dress for a few months and when I spotted it online I thought it would be the perfect clothing choice. With my dress I wore a pair of tan, strappy wedges that I have had for years and are probably on their last legs. However I can't throw them out as they are so god dam comfy. As the wedding was an afternoon event, I decided to keep the makeup very natural looking as I didn't wanted to have anything too dramatic. For my hair I did a high bun, as it was a windy day and I didn't want to constantly be worrying about my hair. When accessorising my outfit, I again chose to keep it simple. I wore a pair of rose gold square earrings which I purchased from Sportsgirl.

Dress: Lift Love Up - Size 12

The ceremony was a small and intimate service held in a beautiful white chapel, with only close friends and family attending. We all waited in anticipation for the bride and bridal party to arrive, while the groom nervously shuffled at the alter. Then the moment was upon us and the music began playing. Everyone turned to see the brides dress and we weren’t disappointed. My eldest cousin looked absolutely beautiful in a high-necked, lace dress and many tears were shed throughout the ceremony. And yes, that is the ring bearer at the front in a suit. It was pure perfection.

The decorations were stunning, as the rustic country theme was perfectly incorporated into the bush art gallery reception. The couple included many personalised and interactive decorations, putting their spin on the wedding.

As the sun set on the beautiful country location, music filled the air of the reception. Some lovely speeches were given, making us laugh and cry. It was lovely to see how other people perceived the newlyweds relationship and had watched their friendship blossom into love. Many of my elder relatives found their dancing shoes and decided that they preferred to be on the dance floor than in their seats. The cake was baked and decorated by the grooms mother and was extremely scrumptious. It looked as though it should have been in the window of a high-end bakery.

All in all the wedding was an absolutely beautiful day. I wish the bride and groom and lifetime of happiness and best wishes for their new life together.

"Love is the reason. Lifelong friendship is the gift. Kindness is the cause. Till death do us part is the length."

Simple Yet Elegant.

Last night I was heading out for dinner with my family to our favourite Italian restaurant. It is quite a fancy place, so I felt I had to dress for the occasion. This dress I have had for years, yet it is one of the comfiest items of clothing I own. As it is very plain, I find that I love to accessorise with a pop of colour, my favourite of course being red. So I thought I would share with you what I decided to wear.

Dress: Witchery - Size 10
Shoes: Le Saunde - Size 9 (Red)
Necklace: Return to Tiffany Heart Tag Charm and Chain (Sterling Silver)
Lipstick: Mac Cream Sheen (Brave Red)

Monthly Favourites | September

This is a monthly blog post I think that I will do, showing you all what I have been loving over the month. I know it's a little after Septemeber, but oh well. Being the first month of Spring for the Southern Hemisphere, September brings the heat back to Australia. This month in particular seems to have been particularly hot, feeling more like a mid-summer day.

The Colour Coral

This would have to be one of my all time favourite colours. I feel that it is just such a beautiful tone that makes you feel happy when you wear it. Every year it seems that I have a new favourite pastel item of clothing, and I think it's because it's just so easy to pair with accessories and very versatile. Coral is a perfect colour for spring as it reminds me of flowers beginning to bloom.

My first coral purchase was this cropped, collared t-shirt that I bought online from Topshop. It was only £29, which at the time was about AU$42. I have been pairing it with either white or denim shorts and accessorising with silver jewellery. It is such a lovely lightweight material, which is perfect for the hot days in Australia.

Shortsleeve Geo Burnout Shirt (Pink) - Size 10

Next is this cute coral bag that I purchased from Witchery. When I first saw the bag it was $100 and even though I liked it, I was not willing to pay that much for a small bag. However I couldn't get this bag out of my head as I thought it would be a really cute accessories to brighten a spring outfit. So I went into Witchery prepared to pay when to my happy surprise the bag had been heavily reduced to $56. It has honestly been the saviour of my wardrobe, as well as an absolute bargain  and I am so glad that I bought it. I seem to be wearing a lot of monochromatic clothes at the moment, so adding a pop of colour to my outfit really helps to add another level.

Sammy Cross Body Bag (Tangelo)

Jo Malone Perfume

I am not a massive perfume person, as I find most fragrances to be quite overpowering. But the other day I was looking at some other fashion blogs and I kept seeing this brand Jo Malone pop up. So I decided to do some research and I found out that you can buy it here in Australia. So I went into a department store with a Jo Malone section and I instantly fell in love. I ended up spending a good chunk of my day smelling the different scents and I finally decided on the flavour English Pear & Freesia. It smells phenomenal! It has such a fresh scent, so I think it will be a perfect way to complete your summer look. It is not the most affordable purchase, being $90 for the small bottle, but I highly recommend you at least go and smell the different scents.

English Pear and Freesia Cologne - 30mL

Sheppard
I have been absolutely loving this Brisbane band over the entire month of September. If I had to classify their music sound, I think I would have to say it is a mix of Indie and Pop. They have recently had huge success with their debut album Let Me Down Easy, being played on national radio. The band was first discovered on Triple J Unearthed, a website for artists and bands to post their music and gives the public the opportunity to rate it. At the moment the band of brothers and sisters only has an EP out, which is actually amazing. I can't wait for their debut album and I highly encourage you to go check out their youtube channel and listen to their music. It gives off such a great summer vibe.