Smaggle Style

Today has been busy but unproductive. I ate a massive felafel salad for lunch and now I feel a little ill. Just heading to the gym even though I don’t feel like it and as a reward I bought the awesome $40 heart sunglasses! I figured I was going to spend at least $25 on a crap pair that I didn’t really want so I might as go the big guns and get the fabulous ones. Can’t wait until they arrive! Tonight I have rehearsal and then I am having dinner with the Smaggles (Mama, Daddy and Baldren Smaggle) and we are all going to watch Ghost Whisperer. I am so excited! Today’s outfit is inspired by my friend Na who is addicted to vests…

* Red maxi dress from Tree of Life

* Denim vest thrifted at Salvation Army

* Black link necklace from Itrip Iskip

* Black patent and wicker wedges from Big W

* Ivory resin ring from Dinosaur Designs

And Browny is back! Yay!

I finally left the sari at home and dressed like a grown up today. Browny comes back from Cairns tomorrow (yay!) so I will be able to take decent daily style shots. Today was lovely I had a delicious soy chai latte and the yummiest beef stirfry that Mama Smaggle saved for me. Work was very civilised and I got everything done by the end of the day. Then I went to rehearsal which was fun even though my scenes weren’t great tonight. Oh and I got a package in the mail so I’m pretty excited about that! And I just ate yummy pasta that Mr Smaggle’s brother cooked for us for dinner and I’m writing this while watching The Chaser… such a pleasant Wednesday evening.

* Black singlet from Metallicus

* Black skirt with tattoo pattern from Munkey Business

* Beaded bolero from second hand store at the Kingston Markets

* Shoes from Marco Gianni

* All of my bangles

* Blue scarf worn in hair and I have no idea where I got it. In fact it might not even be mine…

I do hope everyone had a pleasant day! What did everyone else do? Please share!

I’ve managed to cross a few things off my list for summer but some of these are awaiting arrival. So if they prove disappointing I may have to uncross them. Also status updates on the other items.

* Heart shaped sunglasses (I am really fussy and the pair that I want are $40 from England. I think I really want them though…)

* Bright pink hair streaks (Not until 20th December! Can’t wait!)

* Big clear plastic bangles

* Eye jewels

* Wood soled Japanese thongs (This item is officially being deleted. Wood soled shoes? Comfort factor of zero. I am an idiot)

* Large and thick silver hoop earrings

* 1950’s swimmers

* American Apparel t-shirts

* A signature summer nail polish (I’m considering Opi - they are stupidly expensive but I am not sure if I can help myself!)

* A fabulous hat for keeping the sun off my face (Proving difficult. There are far to many Nana hats going around. Any suggestions?)

* Head scarves

* A fabulous Christmas day outfit

* A really long black skirt (I have been wanting one for years and can only find hippy skirts. My friend said she would make me one if I can find a fabulous pattern!)

* A new black handbag (I found an awesome bag in Sydney a few weeks ago and due to some temporary brain malfunction I decided against buying it. Then the super incredible Mama Smaggle went to Sydney on the weekend and took my lame sketch of the bag and my exceptionally vague instructions of where the store was and she found it! I’m so glad because it’s perfect. I will post a picture soon.)

How is everybody elses’ list going? Anything else to share? Anything you’re having trouble finding? Come on, dish the dirt people! Sharing is caring…

One of my male readers requested that I write a post on men’s style. Well that’s the clean version. What he actually wrote was ‘I want to elevate myself above the level of “sloppy douchebag”‘. Right. Well lets start with the basics then shall we? In boy language so we’re all on the same page…

* For God’s sake wear pants that fit - Sloppy pants are terrible. Do you want people to think that you wear nappies? Are you perhaps using the excess room for storage? Are you hoping to grow into them one day? No? Then burn the bastards and get some pants that hug the parts we ladies so admire. Your bums. Not the other things… Never wear pants that hug those.

* Don’t be afraid of accessories - Hats and scarves boys. Hats and scarves. Both at the same time if you’re feeling a little devilish. I find the difference between a well-dressed gent and a stylish one is usually as simple as a hat or scarf.

* Don’t be afraid of colour - If the colours of your wardrobe are black, grey, brown, green and blue it’s time to start thinking in technicolour. Think red, orange, pink (carefully) and yellow… That’s right I’m talking all the colours that hang on the wrong side of the colour wheel. Little splashes of colour in your belt or your shoes is all it needs. A funky red watch, some crazy neon yellow trainers or a thick dark pink leather cuff. Seriously you will be beating the ladies off with a stick. Actually the men too because they’ll be trying to steal your fabulous man accessories.

* Dress to your body shape - If you are 6 foot 4 and built like a pre-pubescent girl wear skinny leg jeans like a mofo. If you are a gym junkie wear long sleeve collared shirts rolled up to your elbow to show off your amazing forearms. If you are short and cuddly go for tailored shirts untucked with well-fitting pants and a hat to balance you out. It’s not rocket science just look in the mirror and figure out if what you are wearing is flattering. Take a bitchy girl shopping with you. Sisters and mothers are ideal.

* Get your clothes tailored - Don’t give me your ‘I can’t afford it’ sooky-la-la bullshit. It costs $20 to $30 to have a shirt taken in at a tailor and around half that for having pants taken up. Quit your whingeing and just do it. Is $30 (the cost of a few beers and a burger at the pub) worth it to have a shirt that fits so well that ladies will caress it as you walk by…? I thought so.

* Add your own funky twist - Dye your hair a funky colour or wear lots of rings. Maybe wear a short beaded necklace or a long string of leather wrapped around your wrist? If you could send one message to the world what would it be? Try to convey it through your clothing. You don’t speak to everyone you see so give them a visual message about who you are and what you stand for.

* Get over it - I know you love your stinky grey hoodie. And that t-shirt with the marijuana symbol on it that you wore every weekend in year 10. And your first ever $100 suit that you wore to your cousins wedding. Throw it all away. Right now. Anything faded, stretched, sans elastic, too big, too small or half devoured by moths has to go. Anything with Loony Toons, Ren and Stimpy or South Park should probably be confined to bed wear. Unless you want to get laid.

Be observant. Next time you see a guy whose style you admire try to pin point exactly what it is that you like about it. Try and figure out if the look will work for you and experiment with different things. And check out these street style sites that regularly feature classy men in their natural habitat. Here are a few looks that I love…

Hel Looks

His braces look fantastic and they match his shoes. Uniformity on a man makes me weak at the knees. He is also a well built guy with short legs and the braces paired with straight black elongate him making him appear taller. And check out the beard and moustache combo. What an extraordinary man he is.

Hat and scarves! Hats and scarves! Okay I admit the pants are a little scary and perhaps you shouldn’t try them at home but look at how much the red scarf lifts his ensemble. He has combined accesories AND colour. This guy is a genius.  

Skinny leg jeans look fabulous on skinny guys. His t-shirt and jeans fit perfectly and his accessories are awesome. Obviously this look may not be quite right for you but he is still sticking to the general rules. 

Face Hunter

 

This look is fabulous. Clean, well cut and lovely use of muted tones with a splash of rich mahogany. And look at him working his body shape! Oh yeah!

Now this look may be a little Edward Scissorhands for you but he is still working the rules. Well fitting pants, chunky shoes to balance his body shape, fabulously unique hair and excellent use of accessories. The slightly arrogant charm is also working wonders for him.

Great use of colour and very brave accessories. Is anybody else impressed that a guy can pull this off and not look totally homosexual? I mean he could be gay of course (not that there’s anything wrong with that) but the point is he manages to rock a rather feminine look while keeping his sexuality elusive. The saucy devil.

Simple and clean lines to work in with his body shape. The shades are all kinds of perfect. The jeans are a little saggy but I forgive him because of his delicious olive green coat.

Why not double layer two hoodies on a cold winters day? Start thinking out side the box babies! No matter what kind of jeans you wear make sure they fit well! And what a wonderful way to wear a tie. You could almost get away with this in an office job.

Love the pants and the orange vest. The tailored jacket is divine. His confidence is also incredible.

And what’s a men’s style post with out a little Depp? (Ladies this one’s for you…)

Johnny Depp

Most Stylish Men

USAToday

People

Oh Johnny. No other man can ever compete. Okay I can hear the cries of protest from you lads out there wondering what is so special about the way he dresses. I know he sometimes looks like he is wearing pajamas but all I have to say is this…

Meet Vanessa. Johnny’s partner. She’s French. Just something to think about…

Oh and if you choose to ignore my advice and dress any way you damn well like I beg you to do it well. If you are going to spite me make it REALLY SPECTACULAR. Like these fancy fellows…

Hel Looks

I will leave you with a quote from the beautiful Diana Vreeland…

‘Never fear being vulgar, just boring’

Dedicated to Arran.

 

 Guilty weekend confession. I watched The Way We Were for the first time ever. And not because it’s a classic. Nor because it stars Barbara Streisand who amuses me endlessly because she looks like a Muppet. No my pretties I watched this movie for a far, far more stupid reason. Because there was a Sex in the City episode about it and I really needed to understand what a ‘Katie Girl’ was. But I never found out because I fell asleep half way through it. I assume a ‘Katie Girl’ is like ‘Carrie Girl’ but whatever, the point is there are some damn fabulous style tips we should be pulling from Ms Streisand the Muppet Master herself…

Style Tips to Steal

* Lots of black eyeliner - When did women stop wearing make-up? Get out those kohl pencils and liquid eyeliners and make a proper effort with your make up. Smoky eyes and glossy lips are oh-so-Barbara. With lashings of saucy mascara.

* Long tapered red nails - Katie has the most amazing long red nails that are filed into a tapered oval. Stunning. Her fingers look so long and elegant. Diana Vreeland’s nails were the same. None of this short and square French crap lets rewind a few years and bring back the screen siren red daggers of yesteryear.

* Hair that makes a statement - Whether she is embracing her curls in college or creating structural waves Barb’s hair looks like hair with attitude. It knows what it’s doing and what it’s trying to achieve and does it effortlessly. It’s efficient hair. Don’t let your hair ‘be’. Tell it what to do, you’re the boss baby.

* Bangles and Pins - Barbara’s choice accessories through out the movie are chunky bangles and chunky pins. They work perfectly together. Who’d of thunk it?

* Little jackets and cardigans - Perfect for in between weather, Barbara takes work outfits into the evening with little wrap cardigans  and short jackets. Much hipper than clunky jackets or long chunky cardigans. And perfect for pairing your bangles and pins with!

P.S - No outfit post today (or most of last week) pretty much because I haven’t taken off my sari since I bought it. Mama Smaggle says she is going to confiscate it because she thinks it needs a wash. She just doesn’t understand the pleasures of pure silk against her skin or she would she never force me to be without my slinky haven…

Okay I know I only just did a Face Hunter post but I have a massive girl-crush on this gal from the most recent Face Hunter post. I love her cardigan, her hair, her dress, her necklace… she is too perfect. A month ago after a very disappointing and practically non-existent hair colour I have decided to get some bright pink streaks done just before Christmas. This girl has totally re-inspired me!

This is actually yesterday’s outfit but I seem to be incapable of blogging on Sundays. I did try yesterday but my computer was going SO SLOWLY that I got irritated and gave up. But anyways this is what I wore yesterday when Mr Smaggle and I went out for lunch with our friends and ate yummy gelato. Then I went home and drank champagne and ate chocolates with my parents to celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary! And there was an awesome movie on T.V last night. It was such a pleasant day…

* White dress from Big W

* Denim vest thrifted at Salvation Army

* Red bead necklace that my friend Gina brought back from France

* Clear plastic bangles from Equip

* Sandals from Marco Gianni

* Yellow sunglasses from Paddy’s Markets (I lost them but I found them again!)

Here are the Facehunter hotties that slowed me down during my rapid early morning scroll…

A reader contacted me recently with a bit of a dilemma. She was saying how she admired my outfit posts and wished that she worked in a relaxed office like mine where she could get away with dressing like herself. She claims that ‘dressing like an usher’ is expected in her workplace and asked me to do a post on how to dress jazzy in a stuffy office. I do admit that my office is more relaxed than most but it doesn’t mean that I don’t have to watch what I wear. Here are a few pointers to remember -  

• Be mindful of showing skin-  Breasts are not an appropriate accessory for the workplace. Neither are your thighs. This doesn’t mean dressing like a nana it just means to use your best judgement and leave the underwear skimming mini’s and the plunging necklines for the weekend. Or your lounge room. I am the biggest prude in the world and I think that some things should be left to the imagination.
• Wear your jewellery courteously- big clanging bangles are not okay if you share an office. (My office buddy Browny will totally dob me in for wearing bangles all the time but she loves me so it’s fine). With jewellery I always say the bigger the better as long as it’s silent.
• Be neat and well groomed -  This has NOTHING to do with your personal style. Whatever you wear make sure it is clean, ironed and covers what it is supposed to cover. This is simplest rule ever and so many women forget it.
• Ask for a dress code - A few months ago I was chastised at work for wearing ¾ length black pants (I am still trying to figure this one out) so I very politely asked for a dress code so I could avoid such situations again. The dress code was never given to me and I was never chastised again despite wearing many outfits that I would deem much more inappropriate than standard black pants. Just remember you can’t get into trouble for wearing something you didn’t know you weren’t supposed to wear (within reason of course). And if your office is too lazy to find or create a dress code then they don’t have a leg to stand on in terms of your office attire. Also if your boss is having a bad day and complains about something really strange don’t take it too personally and just move on.
• Take advantage of ‘Casual Friday’. When everyone else is wearing jeans on a Friday wear something fabulous. A massive necklace you’ve been too shy to wear or hairpiece made of feathers. Casual doesn’t have to mean jeans. I interpret ‘casual’ as what I wear on the weekends which could be a maxi dress and cork wedges or straight leg jeans with a trapeze top.
• Think about where you work. Obviously if you are lawyer and you like to wear neon body paint and plastic decapitated dolls around your neck, work place attire will prove problematic for you. The secret is to down play it and to do it subtly. Wear a bright eye shadow or some funky earrings. Wear an acid green shirt with your suit. Subtlety is the key to getting away with dressing like yourself without being inappropriate about it.
•  Think logically. If you wear a skirt that is a respectable length and a top that covers your breasts but you accessories with a big bow in your hair do you really think that your boss will say anything to you? Seriously? If he/she thinks it’s inappropriate I can almost guarantee that nothing will be said because there is no basis to the complaint. It’s not vulgar or offensive so there is really nothing that they can say. However if they ask you not to wear it and you still do then you may just lose your job. I will accept no responsibility if that happens but I might send you a condolence lolly-pop.
• Be wary of summer. Summer is the killer season for dressing well and comfortably at work. What’s the go with sleeveless tops? How low can you go? How high can you go? Are t-shirts appropriate? Personally I think if you are going for a sleeveless top (which can be a necessity in 32 degree heat like today!) make the straps thick. Spaghetti straps just won’t cut it and they look far too casual. With low tops and high skirts use your own judgement. Just remember that a revealing boob tube won’t make you any less sweaty and gross than a modest summer tank. As for t-shirts I say go for it! Just make sure they are clean, relatively new and fit well.

Here I have created a few office outfits to help you work in some tricky items in an appropriate manner

Summer Outfit

The trick to getting away with a sleeveless top at work is make sure that the straps are thick and that the top is a relaxed fit. Wearing neutral colours like cream and beige look professional but make sure you funk it up a bit with heels in a vivid colour and some Kenneth Jay Lane bangles. Always Kenneth. Always.

Winter Outfit

Keep mini skirts for winter and wear them with the thickest of opaque tights and sensible boots. Also make sure that you cover up on top to make up for showing a little led. Again starting with a neutral base is the key for office attire and then you can add colour as you go. With a scarf, hat, cardigan and winter layers keep accessories at a minimum - try a chunky cocktail ring instead of your usual earrings.

Casual Outfit

Take advantage of casual Friday! If jeans are acceptable wear them but try to avoid loose styles and washed out denim as these can look to casual even for casual Friday. Stick to tailored dark jeans with a classic cut. Wear a bright and trendy top and be cheeky with your accessories. Wear those plastic anchor earrings that you bought at Dangerfield or the distressed leather cuff that you love. Or you could spend a stupid amount of money on these Disney Couture Tinkerbell earrings - if only I had money to burn. Oh and always match your belt either to your shoes or your bag. Some people would disagree with me but I adore uniformity in an outfit.

And one more thing to tell you before I let you loose in the world of office style - Is it always better to be over dressed than under dressed for work.

My blog broke a little bit yesterday and I couldn’t find it for a few hours so I couldn’t put up my daily outfit or the post that I wrote! But I promise to blog like a little biatch today! To tide you over until I have the time here is a daily outfit that my gay husbands Matt and Ged made for me.

 It’s really frightening how accurate it is.