Style Files

I love Street Fashion blogs like The Sartoralist, Advanced Style, Stockholm Street Style, the New Zealand bloggers Street and City Photos and Four Eyes and of course Bill Cunningham for the New York Times.
They offer a range of everyday fashion from ordinary people which is often a cheaper and more original way of dressing based on comfort, practicality and aesthetic. You can see geographical and seasonal trends. I love how New Yorkers cleverly cope with the heavy winter snows.

Photo source

Today I found a fabulous collection of large format fashion books in our local library so will be eagerly making my way through those.

This one being a favourite- Rare Bird of Paradise: The Irreverent Iris Apfel. I adore this woman. She has so much outrageous courage and guts with her personal aesthetic. Plus she is 92! Extreme role model of style.

Japan in Winter

Oh I am so very excited! I leave in a few days to visit Japan for the first time. It will be winter so I am hoping for snow. Too late for blossoms so I will just have to imagine it. See you soon with amazing adventure stories! xx

I want to learn or watch ikebana (Japanese flower arranging).

Visit at least one temple.

Hopefully see a geisha and snow (at the same time would be awesome!)

Visit this cute cafe Hattifnatt in Tokyo.

Run Careless Through The Snow

I recently stumbled across the best sale ever- the local costume shop is closing down which is very sad and the lovely lady is selling all of her exquisite costumes. I feel sad that businesses such as costume shops seem so difficult to sustain these days.


In my desire to support this shop I tried on half of the items and finally decided on two things- a vintage possum fur jacket and a 1960s two piece lace dress and jacket combo- both in perfect condition and I feel very lucky to own these things.


The reactions to my fur coat have been interesting. It is real fur however possums in New Zealand are a pest and a lot of garments are made out of their fur. Some people love it and some are not impressed. My philosophy is that I would rather use this amazing garment than leave it to rot. Here is another fur themed item.

Winter Gardens

I spent the long weekend in Auckland catching up with friends, eating wonderful food at Prego, Nishiki, and Alleluya, vintage shopping at Peachy Keen (my partner purchased what seemed like half of the vinyl at Real Groovy record store) and we walked in the incredible fairytale Winter Gardens in the Auckland Domain.
They were built in the 1920s and are huge glasshouses with an exotic collection of plants and flowers. It is so humid that the plants literally drip onto you.

Snuggly Winter Fashion

Oh there are so many amazing winter / autumn fashion collections out at the moment. I want them all. Lovely photography. I like the pastel shades. Mostly New Zealand designers- great stuff!

Karen Walker

Kate Sylvester

Twenty Seven Names

Julian Danger

Lover

Lela Jacobs

Nadinoo

Nadinoo