Chic Illumination: great AUS buys

Showing posts with label great AUS buys. Show all posts

sale alert - it's the new black

I don't know about you, but closing down sales have always caused some inner conflict for this fashion lover. On one hand it's a chance to get our paws on some incredible percentage off savings, but on the other, it means we have to wave goodbye to what could be our favourite boutique down the road, or in this case, a great Australian online retailer.
It's The New Black have announced final reductions in their closing down sale. Once stocking brands such as 7 For All Mankind, Citizens Of Humanity, Ginger & Smart and White Suede they have been a destination for me for quite some time. But alas, it is to be no more. But enough of the sad stuff and on to the benefits, the sale finds! There are savings from 60 - 85% off to be had, presumably until sold out, so get in quick ladies.
Here are my picks to peak your interest, with all images linked directly to the sale pages. Happy hunting!

Ginger & Smart Trancendent Coat Dress

Reduced from $655.00 to $229.25

Is it a dress, is it a kimono? Who cares?! Made from a glorious mixture of silk, satin and chiffon and featuring fabulous bell sleeves this piece is sure to add some fun in your life.

House Of Harlow Black Cary Sunglasses
Reduced from $149.00 to $59.60
Nicole Richie has designed these classic inspired large black shades with a twist. Featuring a HOH logo on the sides in a bronze colour, they are sure to turn heads. They also come complete with a designer hard case. Look like a modern day Audrey Hepburn for less.

Tigerlily Nude Pitch Dark Loop Drape Dress
Reduced from $179.95 to $62.98
Want to achieve the look of layering without the effort this Winter? Enter this piece of delightful draping from Tigerlily. Made from 100% viscose with long sleeves to keep you warm and press studs running down the front centre it's a brilliantly versatile piece.

Mezi Antique Gold Cuff

Reduced from $179.00 to $71.60

If you can't get enough of the arm party and have been eyeing the metallic trend this season then this is the sale score for you. This stunning cuff has a cut out solid mesh look band with 6 raised hexagon shapes.

sale alert - bettina liano four days only

Listen up bargain hunters! For four days only Bettina Liano are taking 50% off almost everything. The sale starts today and continues in stores until the end of Sunday 2nd October. The discounts don't apply to new arrivals and denim items, but that doesn't mean there aren't plenty of fabulous buys to be found.
So, this weekend when your fella is glued to the "big game", take this cue to leave the house (and say "thanks, but no thanks" to that finals barbeque you've been invited to) and in stead head to your local shopping strip and take some joy in the crazy sale prices on offer at Bettina Liano.
There's a sale going on at their online store right now too, where there are some equally fabulous buys to be found. Here's a little teaser - my picks of the sale bunch. All images are linked directly to the sale pages, enjoy.

Trasher Dress in Tea Stain

Reduced from $185.00 to $125.00

This tasty cotton number has just the right mix of girly and grunge. Team with some wooden soled platforms and a knitted cardi for the ultimate vintage inspired look.

Ipanema Skirt in Green

Reduced from $295.00 to $195.00

It's so great to see a quality peplum style skirt at an affordable price! This gorgeous green is calling me from the screen, it's so bright and vibrant. I'd be getting some colour blocking action on with this baby and pairing it with an equally bright cobalt blue.

Ace Light Denim in Blue Ripple

Reduced from $239.00 to $99.00

The ultimate in super skinny jeans. Bettina Liano are renowned for their top quality denim, and if you haven't owned a pair before, crazy prices like this are the perfect opportunity to discover them for yourself.

Kinky Kitty Crop Cardi in Lemon

Reduced from $245.00 to $125.00

The animal print trend is still going strong and showing no signs of waning, but if you find a lot of the animal prints on offer a little too loud for your tastes, then perhaps this kinky lemon number is for you. Wear with a high waisted skirt for a super feminine look.

Neo Infusion Knit Dress

Reduced from $295.00 to $199.00

An ideal addition to your Summer work wardrobe, the body-con style is sure to get you noticed, while the high neck-line ensures you remain looking professional. The beautiful blend of cotton and viscose means it will breathe right through the hottest of working days.

Bandage Top

Reduced from $180.00 to $39.00

A tee with a twist. The super soft combination of viscose and polyester makes this fabulously simple design even more wearable.

Nail Polish - available in six colours

Reduced from $18.95 to $5.00

Colours include: Corvette (bright red), Jailbait (bright coral), Poolside (bright turquoise), Gold digger (sparkling gold, shock), Blue jeans (pictured) and Trashbag (deep metallic green).

9 to 5 inspiration - ships ahoy

The mighty pencil skirt is one item which I believe needs to appear at least once in every woman's wardrobe. As my 9 to 5 outfit below shows, the pencil skirt is a fabulous choice for the modern working woman, but it's options do not, and should not end there.
You can pair a pencil skirt with just about anything for any occasion. Last minute girls night out? Dinner with the lovah? Wedding? A perfect pencil skirt will tick all those boxes, and more. So you may be thinking, what makes the perfect pencil skirt?
It's quite simple really, it's all about the fit. You want your pencil skirt to fit comfortably at the mid-waist, firm enough to help create the streamlined silhouette synonymous with the pencil skirt, yet comfortable enough to tuck blouses in. Length is also key. The perfect pencil skirt should fall to your knees. A little above your knees is fine but unless you've got Megan Gale proportions stay away from anything longer than knee length, trust me this just leads to massive amounts of frump.
Once you've got your waist and length fits sorted then you all there's left to decide upon is colour, split and detail options. Colour; definitely go for black if you haven't got one yet, otherwise there are lots of fun bright options out at the moment to colour block with. Splits; side, front or the traditional back split are all options, they also range from modest to risqué in length. And finally detail; once again if it's your first pencil skirt go for minimal to no detail to ensure your skirt will stand the test of satirical time, or if you're adding to your collection something like the leather band featured on my pick below is a fun edgy detail.

9 to 5 inspiration - ships ahoy by tessthomson featuring a leather frame bag

Miss Selfridge polyester shirt
£39 - missselfridge.com

H M knee length pencil skirt
£20 - hm.com

Giuseppe Zanotti peep toe heels
$277 - farfetch.com

Leather frame bag
£28 - josephm.com

Drop earrings
$50 - witchery.com.au

festival fun - boho odyssey

There is no better time or excuse to unleash your inner tree-huggin'-hippy than the blessed outdoor music festival. Just ask Sienna Miller who practically created the boho look and subsequent trend at Glastonbury Festival a few years back.
What's great about this style is it's relaxed and earthy nature which equals instant chic comfortability.
So what's the festival that's got my attention this week? It's the Odyssey Day Festival being held this Saturday, September 10th at Perry Park in Sydney. Here's what the organisers have to say:

"For those sick of Sydney clubland with its overpacked clubs, aggressive security and bland music policies, an alternative has arrived! Join us for a FREE relaxing afternoon in Perry Park, Alexandria for the first Odyssey Day Festival! Featuring a mish mash of local musicians performing/spinning dubstep, downbeat disco, deep house and a smidgen of funk!"

Certainly sounds like my idea of a great time and while the weather isn't exactly set to sizzle in Sydney on Saturday, it is forecast to be clear and sunny. So whip out your little boho dress (or click through to get this one now from birdsnest.com.au, with their super-fast delivery you'll have it at home right on time) and head on down for a free day of dancing in the park.

festival fun - boho odyssey by tessthomson featuring crystal bangles

Dress
90 AUD - birdsnest.com.au

Friis & Company beaded sandals
€38 - welikefashion.com

Fiorelli clutch handbag
£20 - mylabel.co.uk

Samantha Wills crystal bangle
$199 - frockaholics.com

Oasis crystal earrings
£16 - oasis-stores.com

Cheap Monday glass shades
$50 - generalpants.com.au

Gold belt
$20 - bardot.com.au

breakfast in broome

One of the things I love to do while on holidays is to take advantage of hotel's and resort's complimentary buffet breakfasts. Sure, they've got a hit and miss reputation, but when they're good, they're real good!
I've never been to today's fantasy destination, Broome, and I'd love to go, but not quite as much as I love this little holiday outfit. The braided sandals would be perfect for walking from beach to beach and the printed singlet has just the right amount of kitschy cool.

breakfast in broome by tessthomson featuring cross body bags

Top
40 AUD - birdsnest.com.au

Red Herring white knee length skirt
£7.50 - debenhams.com

BC Footwear buckle shoes
$45 - pacsun.com

Jane Norman cross body bag
£20 - janenorman.co.uk

BCBGeneration bangles jewelry
$34 - zappos.com

9 to 5 inspiration - memo to monochrome

Nothing says "timeless chic" quite like a structured black and white outfit. It's also the perfect choice for a no-fuss, take-no-prisoners professional work look.
Keep yours on-trend with the new rage in pant shapes - the tapered leg, also known as the peg leg. This pant shape may take some getting used to if all your business pants are of the low-rise, boot-cut variety but trust me when I say that this is in fact a far more universally flattering style.
Highlighting your waist becomes a breeze with the higher rise, hips are no longer hugged but rather skimmed over and your heel options become endless with your ankle being beautifully highlighted by this cut.
I'm also swooning over the blazer below, it's just such a fabulous cut and being the super versatile design that it is, would look great dressed down as well. For a chic yet casual look I'd pair it with some denim cut-offs, a bright cami peeking from underneath and some layered necklaces.
P.S. romwe.com, where the jacket is now available, are a particularly awesome online store who offer free international delivery with no minimum spend required. Can I hear a hell yeah?!

9 to 5 inspiration - memo to monochrome by tessthomson featuring white bags

Red Valentino short sleeve t shirt
$94 - farfetch.com

White fitted blazer
$50 - romwe.com

Dorothy Perkins tapered pants
£30 - dorothyperkins.com

Funtasma high heel shoes
$60 - babygirlboutique.com

Star by Julien Macdonald white bag
£24 - debenhams.com

Gunmetal ring
$9.95 - witchery.com.au

sale alert - $30 off zu shoes say what?

Looking for your next hot pair of heels? The higher the better?
Love an exclusive bargain?
Wow, we have so much in common and we're sure to be great pals so I don't mind at all to share with you a lovely little offer from the sizzling shoe brand, Zu.
VIP Zu members can currently score $30 off any item over $100, valid through to end of September. You can take advantage of this offer either in-store with the flyer that was sent out to all members, or you can head on over to their online store and when you've chosen your next sole mates, simply enter the promotional code "SKD512" at the check out. So there you go, you can be a VIP member by default. Shhhhh! It can be our little secret.

Here are my picks from the current new arrivals with all images linked to the sale pages.

Ahoy $100

I'm loving this nautical take on the wedged espadrille, a style that is set to take over this Summer. Pair with a floaty white dress and wide brimmed hat for days at the beach.

Protea $120

This fashion forward sandal has so much going for it, not least of all it's towering combination of a 12cm heel and 6cm platform and is perfect for a night on the tiles. Expect to see more of this flat footed style around in seasons to come.

Sling $140

It's no surprise where this disco inspired baby got it's name. Made from luscious patent leather it's ideal for an overall look that's not for the faint-hearted. Think: sun-kissed pins, micro minis and plenty of head turning.

Gienna $150

What we have here is my idea of the perfect Summer work sandal. The wooden heel is perfect for a daytime look and the reasonably low rise heel means you won't break your back while racing for your train home. Available in taupe (pictured) and tan, it's sure to go with everything.

Colada $180

One of my favourite footwear trends from this past Autumn/Winter was the huge shoe boot trend and, clearly, I wasn't the only one. Everyone is loving some shoebootie action (once I say this word once, I can't stop! shoebootie, shoebootie, shoebootie!) and it seems like we'll be getting our fix right through Summer with an explosion of peep toe, sling back varieties hitting store shelves and magazine pages in the last few weeks. The offering here from Zu is a fabulous example, I'm digging the contrasting tan shades.

weekend warrior - brown town

I'm not normally one for going all colour colour matchy matchy on you, certainly not lately with so many collections featuring lots of bright colour being placed seemingly haphazardly next to one another. One thing I have noticed though, is that while a lot of this colour we're seeing everywhere is an antidote to the neutral tones that took over for what seemed like years, this doesn't necessarily mean neutrals are gone for good.

There were plenty of RAFW 11/12 designs featuring soft pinks, pale greys, muted caramels and off whites. LIFEwithBIRD's collection below is a perfect example.

Celebrities also are also finding it difficult to let go, as you can see here with the gorgeous Dianne Kruger wearing a simply divine Ellie Saab creation from their Fall 2011 collection.

So, this weekend, you can rest assured that your beloved neutral favourites are indeed still on-trend. For a bit of fun, why not throw in some unexpected colour via a set of drop earrings or other accessory.