Sartorial Sunday: Pixie cuts

Last weekend, the Herald Sun ran an article titled Melbourne women dare to go short beginning with the words 'The love affair with long hair is over'. As one with very short locks, this is music to my ears. Eventually everyone's style comes into fashion. Might as well bask in your sartorial genius before the tides turn.

I first had the big chop in 2005 but grew it out for our wedding in 2008. Last December I ditched the long locks again and I'm still enjoying this easy, breezy style. Here are some of my fave very short or pixie haircuts. Some of them are on some of my favourite celebs, some just have really good cuts ;)

Natalie Portman

Audrey Tautou

Michelle Williams

Emma Watson

Kate Moss

Keira Knightly

Victoria Beckham

Sienna Miller

Pink

Sarah Murdoch (when she was O'Hare)

Winona Ryder

And some other golden oldies proving that this style is timeless.

 Twiggy

Audrey Hepburn

And moi in April, reading at SJC's wedding in Bali.In my next life, I'll be gutsier and do a Ruby Rose. 

Sartorial Sunday: Wardrobe planning

I can't claim to be fashionable these days, in fact I'm not sure I ever have been. I've always found it too hard to spend with abandon, no matter how gorgeous the cloth. Instead, I try to buy items that fit into my current wardrobe and make old items feel fresh. Buying things that coordinate ensures they will be worn more, making them good value purchases even if they weren't the cheapest initially. Buying pieces and styles you love is also a sure way to get good wear from them. Personally, I love jackets, especially military ones, so I have a few of them in different colours and I wear them to death.

My wardrobe philosophy is not for everyone. It's a little boring and a little organised but I like to hope there is some style to it or a stylish restraint at the very least. Style over fashion, I say. To stop it becoming totally dull, some "wardrobe shopping" is sometimes required, as is some experimentation with mixing and matching to find new outfits. A couple of times a year, I like to take a photo of my outfit each morning for a week. I set up the self-timer on the camera then stand in the same spot and talk to my invisible friend like a real dork as the flash goes off.  I have a good old laugh about what a nerd I am. Here's a recent week.

Quite a few items from this week are a good five years old and others have spent mere weeks in my possession (like the tan belt I was coveting in my previous post on winter office wardrobe inspiration). Mornings are not my prime (as proven by the Wednesday photo) so for years I have been dreaming about an App to take outfit photos that you can later catalogue and tag so that the next time you feel like wearing your yellow cardigan, you can see what other items you normally wear with it and even where you wore it last so you don't always catch up with the same people in the same outfit. Genius, right? I reckon it would help me avoid wearing the same combinations over and over - a concern if you're not buying new clothes and accessories each week. Not to mention the time it would save staring blurry-eyed into the wardrobe unable to remember what looks good with what. There are a few wardrobe planning programs around but nothing that really makes my heart sing. So for now, I will continue with my own little system and bore anybody with any technological nous with the boring but fabulous details of my App idea.

Sartorial Sunday: The Balmoral look

With the interest in the Royals reaching fever pitch on account of Wills and Kate's upcoming nuptials and the temperature cooling here in Melbourne, it seems fitting to focus Sartorial Sunday on the kind of regal fashion that would make you feel at home at Balmoral Castle. Well, as relaxed as a commoner could in such company. An outfit fit for a stroll through the Scottish Highlands, a little hunting, a horse ride or a day at the polo.

I rather fancy this look myself and last winter I finally found a riding boot I liked to fit my large hooves, so now it's all about completing the look (although this season's update of my boot, the Diana Ferrari Simmo boot pictured, is almost having me wishing I'd waited). Not just reserved for visits to the country towns of our childhood and cold afternoons at the football, the riding boot is even sneaking into less corporate workplaces. Hooray for that.

As for the other selected items above, I figured the Queen really rocks the scarf when she is in residence at Balmoral so Kate should get in with Grandma by sporting something like this from Hermes.

The jodhpurs will still allow her to put her best, toned leg forward while exploring the moors with her father-in-law, and James Adler's book 'The Birds and Flowers of the Castle of Mey and Balmoral' will help brush up on the natural wonders of the Royals much-loved summer home. All while impressing the family with her intellect and interests, of course. Fashion may be one of her strengths but do you think she's game to discuss sartorial matters with her new family? I'd love to be a fly on the wall sometimes... provided I could sport an insect-sized pair of riding boots, of course.

Pictured above:
Hermes Concours d'Etriers silk twill scarf
Diana Ferrari Simmo boot
H&M camel coat
Bastyan jodhpur legging
Longchamp Le Pliage medium black bag
Tiffany &Co gold beads earrings 

Sartorial Sunday: Dressing like a Parisian

For this week's Sartorial Sunday, I bring to you Ines de la Fressange's guide to dressing like a Parisian as seen in the March April edition of Lonny mag (how I love thee). Always a sucker for fashion illustration and French style, I printed this little slice of genius to keep at my desk. How selfish of me. Here it is for your enjoyment, if you haven't already seen:

Ines de la Fressange's Ten Ways to Dress Like a Parisian
10. Jeans with gem-encrusted sandals (not sneakers)
9. A pencil skirt with ballet flats (not with heels)
8. A sequinned sweater with men's trousers (not with a skirt)
7. A diamond necklace with a denim shirt, during the day (and not with a black dress at night)
6. Loafers with shorts...and even with socks (not with long slacks and no socks)
5. An evening dress with ultra-plain, open toed sandals (not with the gem-encrusted evening variety)
4. A pearl necklace with a rock'n'roll t-shirt (not with a simple shift dress).
3. A chiffon print dress with battered biker boots (not with brand-new ballet flats)
2. A tux jacket with sneakers (not femme fatale stilettos)
1. An evening dress with a straw handbag (not with a gold clutch)

 Can't wait to read this former model and style icon's book Parisian Chic: A Style Guide by Ines de la Fressange (just released on April 5 here in Australia). Will surely give all readers that irresistable 'je ne sais quoi'?!

Sartorial Sunday - Winter office inspiration

Sartorial Sunday - Winter wardrobe inspiration by Ellise Whyte featuring flare dresses

As much as I love the warmer months, winter dressing is my favourite. It may have something to do with my obsession for jackets and scarfs. Cardigans are also plentiful in my wardrobe and beloved opaque stockings must rate a mention. 

As the days begin to get colder here in Melbourne, we start pulling out the coats and adding to our winter wardrobes. In several states of Australia, the time went back one hour very early this morning, marking the end of daylight savings. Now is will be darker and colder when we get home from work, so today I was inspired to search the web for winter workwear. Can you tell I want a dress with a skinny, tan leather belt this season? And what a good wardrobe base it would make if a girl had several colours on hand! No more staring blurry-eyed into the wardrobe each morning. By the time I was choosing scarfs and accessories on the way out the door, I'd be awake!

Sartorial Sunday: Megan Hess

Today's Sartorial Sunday is devoted to the work of talented Melbourne fashion illustrator, Megan Hess. On March 6, Megan's illustrations jumped off the pages of The Age's M mag in the lead up to L'Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival and I wanted to see more.

 Regular readers will know that the images above and below, with their pops of yellow, were a sure fire way of getting my heart to sing a little happy tune as I searched the web for more.

  

It was soon obvious that Megan Hess is no newcomer to the fashion world with a list of impressively chic clients as Vogue, Chanel, Tiffany & Co and Bloomingdales, New York.

This talented Aussie has even illustrated Candace Bushnall's novels, such as Sex and the City.

In a previous post, I ogled the work of another fashion illustrator, David Downton, with our guest room wall in mind. My heart has now wandered to a talent closer to home. If I was the type to "commission" pieces, I would be looking up Ms Hess right away. Happy Sunday!

Sartorial Sunday: Maxi dreaming

Is it just me or do you sometimes wish you had a magic wand too? It could transport you to sunny resorts and make everyone's heart sing with just a flick of the wrist.

My little bro is having a rough trot so we were down in Geelong to see him this weekend. The area reminds me of my university years and summer holidays at the beach. Unfortunately, it was grey and gloomy today so no frollicking in the sea for me.

I'm living vicariously through my Polly Dolly this week and sending her off for some fun in the sun, or better still, some reading time under an umbrella on a sunbed with a cocktail in hand. Being the kind soul that I am -and so that I feel like I am on holiday too - I've loaned her my white thongs, Tiffany pendant and Savvy Chic book (a birthday gift that I'm reading greedily). Lucky Polly Dolly has a Stella McCartney gloss nylon bag and vintage maxi dress of her own. Sunscreen is a must, so she's taking some 30+ Le Tan. We agreed that it has the best smell and consistency. Bon voyage Polly Dolly. May there be sunshine in your heart and a few teeny rays kissing your face.

This is my entry in the Polly Dolly weekly Polyvore challenge (but I'm trying to learn Photoshop so I used that rather than Polyvore) in conjunction with my own Sartorial Sunday .

Sartorial Sunday: Black Swan

Contrast/Black Swan by Ellise Whyte 

Another fashionably late Sartorial Sunday for you. I'm a fan of the edgy ballerina look so sadly this outfit is not my own and I didn't swan around in it on my own Sunday brunching with friends and then clambering up our roof to lend a hand. Created in Polyvore, it is my first entry into the weekly Polly Dolly challenge. The theme this week was clever contrast, inspired by the movie Black Swan and I've started by dressing my dolly in things I'd wear myself (well, mostly...not sure I'd be brave enough to wear the headpiece!). Not much chance I'll ever own most of these items but I may get around to seeing the movie sometime soon.

L.K. Bennett Tulle Skirt, Black
145 GBP - johnlewis.com
Black tulle skirt »

Eyelash Nude Lace Longline Bralet
$40 - topshop.com
Lace bras »

Jimmy Choo Warwick leather ballerina flats
$395 - net-a-porter.com
Leather ballet flats »

Valentino Glam rose and feather clutch
935 GBP - net-a-porter.com
Valentino handbags »

Atlas® watch
$10,900 - tiffany.com
Butterfly watches »

Simple Feather Necklace
$2,870 - boutique1.com
Chain necklace »

Black Feather Brimless Head Covering
fashion.1stdibs.com

Sartorial Sunday: Ode to Heath

It's still Sunday (just) in Baker Island so I'm sneaking in my Sartorial Sunday even though it's now Monday evening here in Melbourne town. My Photoshop skills are really getting pushed with this new weekly segment as I'm having to edit photos I've taken myself when I can't find my clothes on the net - as in the case of this Sass and Bide denim jacket which was an early birthday present from my mama. I love how it's much shorter at the back even though my kidneys will be crying come winter.

I wore this on Sunday afternoon to a high tea exhibition and a lovely lunch with the Mister. My joker singlet (Kmart find) had its first outing for awhile and made for quite an androgynous look coupled with the cargos, denim and my pixie locks. The addition of the black, patent Stella McCartney for Target bag cleared the matter of my gender somewhat, if only for the fact that it's an oversized handbag and less likely to be confused with a man bag.

I've called today's collage 'Ode to Heath' in honour of the much-loved Heath Ledger and his gifted performance as The Joker. 

"I believe whatever doesn’t kill you, simply makes you…stranger." The Joker