Valentine

(Zara shirt, Mika & Gala skirt, Forever New flats, Estee Lauder 'Wild Fire' lipstick, Revlon 'Tangerine' nail polish)

I hate to jump on the mushy Valentine post bandwagon, but I couldn't help but share the delicious breakfast I was treated to this morning. I'm not much of a gift person, and I think my boyfriend has realised that too by making our 'picnic by the lake' a traditional Valentine's custom (reminiscent of how our early dates were spent). For those sharing this day with their other half or those lucky enough to devote this day to spoiling themselves, I hope you all had a wonderful loving day.

Today, I wanted to put a spin on the traditional red Valentine's colour and opted for a coral/orange theme on my nails, lips and feet. I don't often wear flats, purely because it is so hard to find a pair of flats that are special enough to account for the lack of heel but this three-tone pair is packed with little amazing details like the white ankle strap, metallic look heel and the pointed toe yet still keeps its casual 'no heels' appeal.

Happy Valentine's Day! <3

Natural Stones

 (Vintage shirt, DIY skirt, Temt bag, Witchery necklace, ASOS boots, Sportsgirl 'Lace' nail polish)

So as I upload these pictures, I realise that my shirt is absurdly creased, but I promise it was crease-free when I put it on this morning. I am wearing more colour in this one outfit, than I usually ever do -- even if they may be colours leaning more towards neutral. My nails are enjoying all sorts of pastel polish, from a frosty blue to a lilac from Sportsgirl called 'Lace'.

Say hello to my mushroom hair. I can't wait for my layers to grow out, because my hair is way too thick to have that many layers up top. But how many times do we walk away from the hairdressers completely satisfied? Partly because I walked in there, not having the slightest idea what I actually wanted.

Hope this weather isn't destroying everyone's plans. It's a shame that our Summer has only been consistent in rainy days.

Palazzo

(Sportsgirl knit crochet shawl, Temt palazzo pants, vintage shirt, Rubi Shoes clogs, Trade Secret necklace)

I've had this necklace for a while, but I haven't really worn it much. It's one of those pieces that sit much more nicely than expected and look totally different on (than when it's hanging). It was a surprising find but I passionately believe you can find great things in even the most unexpected and unlikely places.

With a simple colour palette of off-white and black, gold bangles helped to make the whole look a little less ordinary. But as simple as this outfit may be, it is seriously comfy. Pants that double as a skirt but don't restrict movement? I'm sold.

If you've been following me on instagram (username: jyslakay), you would know that I have literally snipped off most of my hair. It sits around my shoulders now, no longer finding its way into my mouth if there is the slightest bit of wind. This is my last post with long hair. Don't worry, I'm surprised as you are. It was an impulsive decision and desire for change, and though it'll take a little while to get used to -- it'll always grow out if I decide I hate it!

Pleats Please

(Mossman 'Pleats Please' shirt, vintage skirt, Sportsgirl wedges, brandless bag, Kikki K organiser)

I know I'm late for the whole "Happy New Year/2012/Resolutions" post, but better late than never! January is almost over but I only just bought my weekly organiser/diary for the year. I have 4 books that all serve a unique purpose: to stay on top of deadlines, to spark creativity and record my memories, to store favourite quotes from everywhere, and to write my to-do lists and reminders. I am insanely addicted to collecting new journals and books, and justify it by telling myself that they'll all be put to good use... someday.

But being realistic, having a weekly organiser is essential. Seeing my week's plans spread over two pages is incredibly helpful (but sometimes overwhelming) and brings my level of organisation up a notch.

This skirt still remains one of my most treasured vintage finds, and it is entertaining to wear on a windy day, especially paired with this vibrant mustard pleated shirt from Mossman. Side splits may not be everyone's cup of tea, but anything that blows fantastically with the wind is in my good books.

something blue

(Sportsgirl back drape twist top, Forcast skirt, ASOS boots, gifted bag, Diva rings, hat from brandless store)

Me wearing pink AND frills AND a bow? I can hardly believe it myself. But I do love pastel colours, especially this soft, fairy-floss pink colour. I 'toughened up' this look by pairing it with my favourite boots and chunky rings. I wore this outfit to a special catch-up date with one of my close friends, and we sipped on iced white chocolates and mudslide mochas, while later that night, my boyfriend and I camped in front of the TV eating sushi for dinner.

Just over a month left of holidays before uni starts up again, so I'm going to work hard to get plenty of posts done before I run out of time. Hopefully I'll be able to do more test shoots too, because I've been neglecting my photography way too much lately.

wild fire

(Estée Lauder 'Wild Fire' lipstick, Sportsgirl lurex sweater, MINKPINK peter pan collar blouse, non-branded black dress, thrifted bag, Payless Shoes cobalt blue wedges)

Yes, you read correctly. Those beautiful wedges are from Payless Shoes and they only cost me $29. They caught my eye as I walking past, and I couldn't resist buying them.

I feel like I'm back at high school in this outfit (except my school skirts were always to my knees) because of the jumper over the blouse. When I walked out of my room this morning, even my mum questioned why I looked semi-respectable. I'll admit, I was pretty excited to see grey skies when I woke up because I've really missed layering. The asymmetrical and frilly hems that I layered today made a simple combination much more interesting.

My nails are back to good ol' black, but I'm itching to try new colours. I'm on the hunt for a coral colour to match my lips! Just putting it out there... I am IN LOVE with coral lips now, so that's the only colour that will be on my lips for a long time. I think it's an amazing, fun day-to-night shade. I'd love to hear suggestions of any great lipstick ranges that you guys love!

x

ashes and wine

(Myer hat, thrifted oversized sweater, Mooloola faux leather backpack, ASOS boots)

I thought I had lost my hat, but I finally found it smothered by the mess of my own room, and I am complete once again. It took me so long to find a hat that actually suited me, because most hats just don't suit my face shape, so I hold onto this woolly treasure like there's no tomorrow. I haven't stopped wearing it since I found it again - probably subconsciously afraid that if I put it down somewhere, I'll never remember where or find it again.

I am in my usual colours of tan/white/black today, but thankfully my nails added a pop of colour to the outfit. I'm not anti-colour, I promise, I'm just not one to be attracted to bold coloured pieces when I shop. My peacock feather necklace (psst... it's actually an earring I hooked onto a gold chain) adds some subtle colours too.

Also, anyone with wavy hair who also straightens it regularly... WHY???

I would kill to wake up with wild, frizzy waves everyday. My hair is fairly thick, but it just looks like it lacks so much volume when it's straight. I just like messy, big hair. And for me, the right kind of hair can really complete an outfit.

Hope you all bagged some great bargains at the Boxing Day sale! I know I sure did..

x

heartlines

(Sportsgirl knitted cardigan & grey shirt, lurex dress worn as skirt, ASOS boots)

This dress has been in my wardrobe for a long time, hidden at the back underneath piles of clothes, but only now is it deemed acceptable to wear it in public (as a skirt). It can be a good (and sometimes bad) thing when fashion trends make you dig deep for your never-worn-before clothes, because I hate the feeling I get when I look at a piece of clothing and know that I haven't worn it once since I bought it. I guess that's part of the reason why I enjoy doing regular 'spring cleaning' rounds through my wardrobe because it sparks creativity for new outfits and uncovers things I forgot I ever bought.

The Sportsgirl cardigan is my latest purchase, not only because it's fitting for the current Sydney "summer" weather, but I love the movement at the ends. I'm a sucker for anything that looks comfortable, like oversized cardigans and flowy skirts, and anything that can double as a relaxed Sunday morning outfit.

x

lover, find your cover

 

 Thrifted metallic blazer / High-waisted skirt (belonging to my Grandma) / Acid wash singlet, size L (Forecast) / Mimi Loves Jimi heels (General Pants Co.) / Rings (Diva, Sportsgirl, Forever 21) / Bracelets & bangles (Thrifted and DIY)

Eating lychees and spraying my laptop everytime I bite into one as I type this. The weather was windy and dull today as usual, but it was just warm enough to ditch the maxi skirts and thick socks.

I have two more blog posts lined up, one is a recent test shoot, and the other is more of an update.
A big hello and thank you to my new followers on bloglovin'/twitter/instagram. Even the smallest show of support goes a long way and means the world to me. (And thank you so much for the birthday wishes!)

My lens has officially gone kaput, deciding it would be a good idea to no longer focus. I did my best to try and unjam it, but something creaked and groaned and some critical looking plastic piece fell out... so now I'm trying to save up for the much more reliable 50mm f/1.4. (I do like my 50mm lenses).

I've been feeling a bit uninspired lately, the fashion equivalent of a writer's block, so I'm hoping my new journal will spark a bit of creativity.. (more on my journal next post! or if you're following me on instagram, you'd have already seen a sneak peek).


Photos by my Kevin, as always.

x