Rachel Roy - Beautiful draping...

This is one of my current favourite outfits, having used it three times in the last month or so, as it is so easy to throw on and so comfortable...

Dress: Rachel Roy Viola wrap dress (looks much better on the model, of course) - am grateful for the stretchy waistband
Shoes: Christian Dior Extreme Python sandals
Bag: Chloe lambskin bracelet bag
Bracelet: Tom Binns Faux Real

What first made me fall in love with Rachel Roy's designs were her beautiful drapey pieces...Her debut Spring/Summer 2007 collection of hers is still my favourite, especially the draped yellow strapless dress (which was my first purchase of hers):





firstview.com

Some other gorgeous pieces of hers I love...






style.com

REWIND: Dries Van Noten & Rick Owens outfit with a touch of Barcelona

This is the outfit I wore to the Noir Fashion Event I posted about here, as previously mentioned, I was in quite a hurry when I got dressed, and realised I was using 3 pieces from the same Dries Van Noten collection. I just shrugged my shoulders and went: "ah, well! At least I'm dressed"...and ran out the door:




Dress: Rick Owens draped silk dress with pockets (I have one hand in my pocket...)
Jacket: Dries Van Noten sequined cropped silk jacket
Sandals: Dries Van Noten
Clutch: Dries Van Noten silk & leather jewelled sequined & beaded clutch
Necklace: purchased from Gaudi museum in Barcelona (love it!)
Ring: Swarovski Nirvana
(please excuse my super excited face)

In less than 2 days I leave for a short weekend trip to Melbourne, not quite a 'leisure' trip (poor hubby has the exam of his life, and is quite stressed about it), but I will try to squeeze some shopping in (or at least some window shopping)...hm...what should I pack?

The Return of the Prodigal Outfit Post: Batik, Beading and Tapas

click to enlarge

Yes, it has been quite some time since I last posted an outfit post, apologies to you all who have written to say you have missed them...

Last night I went out for dinner with hubby and my cousin, who was visiting from interstate, and we went to one of my favourite restaurant for 'tapas' (not entirely traditional). The weather has warmed up all of a sudden (although it will drop by 15 Celsius from Monday to Tuesday), and in warmer weather I love wearing this Batik print vintage sarong (acquired from my mother's wardrobe, it is actually older than me!). Inspired by Dries Van Noten's latest collection, I decided to dress my batik sarong up a little:


Dress: Batik vintage sarong skirt
Vest: Dries Van Noten top worn back to front and open (it is actually meant to be worn under another printed top)
Shoes: Marni patent sandals
Bag: Chloe lambskin bracelet bag
Jewellery: Necklace from Bauhaus, Swarovski Nirvana ring

The actual 'front' of the top, I absolutely adore the beautiful beading...

I had planned to wear this outfit with my Topshop sequinned jacket, but it was just too warm when I left the house...I forgot to put my Bauhaus bracelet back on when after taking the jacket on.

TAPAS


We started dinner with a Pink Sangria: Brachetto, Aperol, Rosso Antico & Fresh Pink Grapefruit juice; and on the right: Ocean trout, mandarin jelly, mache & carrot (unfortunately this looked better than it tasted, and it did look too pretty to eat, we found it too sweet...)

Hervey Bay scallop, sweet corn polenta, popcorn & basil (absolutely delicious!)

Kingfish sashimi, sago, cucumber & mint

School prawns & saffron rouille

Hubby's favourite (he ordered another two just for himself as 'dessert' after we ate these): Mini wagyu burger with pancetta & beetroot chips

Duck, beetroot, cinnamon tea cake & chocolate (yes, you read right, chocolate! Another dish that sounded/looked more interesting than it tasted...)

Beef carpaccio, pickled mushrooms, wild rice & crispy egg (the crispy 'noodle' things around the runny egg was absolutely incredible...I quite enjoyed this dish).

Dessert: Chocolate fondant & pistachio ice cream

It was my dad's 60th yesterday (he is currently in Japan) and my little sister's b'day on Thursday (she and my other sister are in Marrakesh 'for the weekend', how unfair is that?). FELIZ ANIVERSARIO!!!

Hope you're all having a fabulous weekend...I am off to the beach.

Guest post at Dream Sequins - Fannie Schiavoni

The lovely Deanne at Dream Sequins is away on holidays (lucky girl!), and generously offered me (and other bloggers) the opportunity to write a guest blog post, you can read mine here on the amazing Fannie Schiavoni...I want every single piece of hers, such gorgeous works of wearable art...

Thanks to Dianne of The Swelle Life for generously bestowing the 'Divine' award to me!

In adherence with this award, I must list my five guilty pleasures...drumroll please...

5. Taking pictures of food at restaurants. I get funny looks, and today at dinner the waitress asked me what my pictures were for (I also took a picture of the 'specials' on the board, and she thought I was an industrial restaurant spy, even though I'm on the VIP list and get emailed the specials anyway). I do not care (although I will blush furiously when asked, because I love taking the pictures and reliving my meal afterwards)

4. Singing along to music in my car (especially Carpenters, and 'Diva' music)

3. I also listen to an 'old people's' radio station most of the time (I do like the oldies), my friend is horrified and calls it a 'grandma' station...

2. Re-watching snippets of Twilight on my computer

1. And like Dianne's, my number guilty pleasure is shopping! And I get as excited in a good menswear/homewear/furniture/fine food store as I do at fashion stores for myself..

And now, I would like to pass on the award to these Divine bloggers:

1. Nathalie at Dress Your Day with Dreams (who's birthday is coming up soon!)

2. The Photodiarist

3. Romeika at A Room of One's Own

4. The Glamourai

5. Kira at Kirafashion

Blue crush and Teppanyaki

Friday night I had a Japanese Teppanyaki feast...and inspired by the Japanese 'theme', wore my Akira Isogawa embroidered dress, started with the blue, decided to go all blue on a whim...


Akira Isogawa Resort '09 silk embroidered dress
Burberry navy leather jacket
Burberry Prorsum large metallic flower necklace
Dries Van Noten beaded & sequinned sandals & clutch

It was an absolute feast...


Started with Kangaroo Island lobster salad with creamy sesame dressing


Followed by fried nori rolls of king prawn tempura with soba noodles


King George whiting with pesto paste


It was fun watching the chef cook the teppanyaki as we sat around him


And to see him flambe the wagyu we were about to eat


The wagyu was the highlight of the meal, absolutely delicious...Wagyu beef strip loin served with fried garlic


Shitake and abalone mushrooms with garlic chives


Crab and shitake mushroom miso soup


Hinode grand dessert (from left to right): tofu creme brulee (a little weird), mirin sabayon with red bean, green tea-ramisu (these last two were delicious!),


I absolutely love my Burberry washed leather navy jacket...bought this in Barcelona, and was photographed by El Periodico with my sisters, hubby after we left the store, laden with shopping bags, ending up on the following day on the newspaper! I did not even realize the jacket was navy until I took it to the counter, which made it even better...love the texture of the leather and the ribbed sleeve cuffs, collar and waist...