i'll be here for the next week!

Whitsunday Islands in the Great Barrier Reef

Attempting to do this 

Wearing this

 (Apologies for the horrible quality, this does not do my new purchase justice)

Enjoying lots of these

Maybe hugging one of these? 

... no, probably not, but they're the best (google dugong if you have not already had the pleasure of doing so)

I can't believe that I've lived in Australia for three years without ever having visited the Great Barrier Reef! I definitely should be doing laundry / packing right now instead of posting, but this is so much more fun.

I'm going to attempt to post over the next week, but I'm not sure how convenient internet access will be. I cannot wait to share pictures and stories!

Bring on the anti-seasickness medication! Woo!

Images via www.smh.com.au

www.nationalgeographic.com

countdown

Tomorrow marks exactly two months until the release of Zac Posen's line for Target. Target is one of the things that I miss the most about the States; for some reason (and by some reason I mean innumerable, legitimate reasons) Target in Australia is tremendously inferior. For a start, it closes at 7 pm and personally, I find that the best Target shopping sprees take place between the hours of 9pm and 12 am.

If you haven't already seen them, here are some of the looks:

I really like these pieces, but I also think that most people - and I guess I can only really speak for myself here - would find the leather jacket priced at $199.99 to be a bit excessive

This is my favorite -  I love the swimsuit and the top

This dress is so sweet

I love this skirt

I like that his pieces are quite eclectic yet somehow cohesive ... I can't wait to see them in person!

Images via www.fashionista.com

swoooon

 ...ing over my new favorite blog, Canned Fashion. Natalie Hughes, (creator of Canned Fashion) is an online editor for Sheer Luxe Magazine and shares her adventures, outfits, illustrations and inspiration on her blog. I love all of her clothing, and her commentary (including frequent references to herself as a "headless chicken") makes me giggle. 

She lives in London and exudes impossible yet lovable coolness. 

Could that dress be any cooler? I think not.

Natalie with Olivia Palermo

One of her many awesome illustrations

And another

Canned Fashion is definitely worth a visit ... or 20!

Images via www.cannedfashion.com

www.reflectionofalice.com

style icon

Not only is my mom an incredibly awesome friend, she is timelessly beautiful and quite stylish. This picture of my mom and dad, (my dad's favorite picture), was taken in 1972. She was 18 at the time:

It's definitely one of my favorites too. Apparently it was taken during a very boozy dinner... I so wish that she had saved that coat for me!

After relaying the details of my impulse jeans purchase to her this morning, she told me about her old Kork-Ease sandals and said that she suspected they might be coming back. I immediately googled them and I think that another quasi-impulse purchase may be in order ... if only she had saved them as well!

My favorite pair

      But these are also badass extraordinaire

    And I love dark brown, ohhh decisions ...

 While they are quite 70's, I'm pretty certain that I'd be able to wear them for many years to come!

Images via www.nordstrom.com

ohh man!

I may have made a bit of an impulse purchase. Yesterday, Keenan, of Keenan Evans, and I went on a bit of a shopping frenzy and we both ended up with extravagant jean purchases. The stars aligned for her and she found an incredibly awesome pair of Sass & Bide leopard print jeans. I can't think of anything more fitting for her ... pun entirely intended. 

via www.keenanevans.com

I reluctantly tried on this pair of high-waisted Acne jeans - 70's-o-rama. Now, don't get me wrong, I am all about the 70's, I just never imagined myself liking anything with a high waist or wide legs. But after slipping them on I was smitten - not to mention that they retail for $495 and I got them for about 90% off! 

via www.tobi.com

They are perfectly bright blue and I can't wait to wear them with heels (nothing like the ones pictured above), a big belt and a fitted, understated top. I'm aiming to channel Jane Birkin in all of her glory ...

... but I am deeply concerned that instead I may be channeling something along the lines of lunatic in a 70's halloween costume. I'm told that I need to just take the plunge and wear them right now ... I am le nervous - any input would be greatly appreciated!

Image sources (in order):

bakerby.blogspot.com

iloveartifical.blogspot.com

shedoesthecity.com

before & after

I love recycling old jewelry and clothes.
 Beading is oh so therapeutic.

 My older sister had this bracelet that she never wore even though she loved the stones.

So she asked me to restring it into a necklace for her, and voila! 

I wish that I could've found a gold clasp somewhere in the scary depths of my bead bag ... I cannot wait to be back in New York where I'll have the bead selection on 37th street at my disposal!

i'm lucky enough to live here ...

Bondi Beach, 6:30 this morning

This is the place I've called home for the past three years and will continue to call home for about two more months. I can hardly describe how much I love Bondi.

This image is taken from www.aquabumps.com - Eugene Tan is a Bondi local who takes pictures of the beach each morning from about 6:30 - 8:30 and sends out a mass email with the highlights. If you appreciate beautiful photography and beautiful beaches (who doesn't?) then I highly suggest that you subscribe!

www.aquabumps.com

I cannot wait to spend this weekend soaking up all of Bondi's loveliness!

necklush

Today, I just so happened to stumble upon Necklush on Etsy and I must say, they're brilliant! These necklace-scarf hybrids come in the prettiest prints and color combinations. Some are even made from organic cotton  for the tree hugger in all of us! 

Natural with Teal

Peppermint Stick

Inkdrop

Summer Orange & Lemon Sherbert

Winterberry

Necklush Etsy Shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/necklush

Happy Friday!

mellow yellow

This morning I rediscovered watercolor pencils and  praised my beloved macbook.

Jean Schlumberger & Jackie O

 

All throughout high school (and for about 6 months afterwards) I worked at Tiffany & Co. While I always loved jewelry, I never truly understood the fascination behind statement jewelry - that was until I tried on a Jean Schlumberger bracelet ... and a canary diamond ring ... and a Victoria Pendant ... I would continue, but you would get bored.

As you can imagine, I developed an addiction of some sort. Of course I wouldn't buy anything, I'd just hold the beautiful pieces and try them on and then squeal when I looked in the mirror.
  

  

The bracelets pictured both above and below are designed by Jean Schlumberger. They are made with 18 karat gold and his signature paillonné enamel. The intricate enameling process involves over 60 rounds of dipping, as translucent colors are continually dipped over 18 karat gold leaf.

 

These bracelets were Jackie O's favorite. She had a knack for collecting them and her favorite one was the white one pictured above.

Schlumberger's enamel bracelets (and his jewelry in general) epitomize grace, sophistication and style.

Images via: www.tiffany.com

If I had a million dollars ...

I would deck myself out in Missoni ... every single day.

It's reversible!

Their prints and knits are unreal. 

I've always been inspired by the 70's.  Missoni prints, while highly reminiscent of the 70's, are timeless. I can't think of a better simple luxury.

Images via: www.net-a-porter.com

Gloria Petyarre

Gloria Petyarre is an extremely talented and renowned Aboriginal artist. Her use of color and texture is absolutely enthralling, especially when you see her canvases in person. 

Her pieces reflect her personal interpretations of natural beauty; one of her focuses (my personal favorite) is medicine leaves, pictured both above and below.

Gloria was born in 1945 and was originally from an Aboriginal community in the Northern Territory. In 1977, her family was relocated to a settlement called Utopia where Gloria founded the Utopia Women's Batik Group; Batik is a technique in which fabric is painted with wax and then dyed - I'm anxious to try it!

Gloria first began working on canvas in 1988.

Her collections are housed all over Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom.

Her sisters Nancy, Kathleen, Violet and Ada are also famous Aboriginal artists.

Gloria painting

Biography Source: http://dacoumelbourne.com.au