Spring Essentials #1: Culotte Shorts

So "florals in Spring" doesn't have to be the rule, for those of you who prefer basics, this one will be a treat...

With the return of the relaxed-fit trend in tailoring over the past couple of seasons, it's no surprise that knee-length culottes are suddenly flooding our social media feeds. However, for those of you, like me, who are  a little unsure as to how flattering the knee-length style will be, (especially if you're not blessed with a 5'10" frame) culotte shorts are the answer. They are comfortable, versatile and on-trend-but-timeless...they also don't cut off the figure at an awkward length...win! Check out the selection at ASOS, very affordable if you're keen on experimenting with this style.

I paired the culotte shorts with a figure-hugging top to balance my proportions and slides for the daytime, however, these would work with a boxy-crop and pumps for the evening as well. On a side note, if you're curious about slides, check out my product review here, hands down, simplest shoe choice of the season.

Photography: Jude Newton (Facebook) (Instagram)

Stay tuned for more key pieces for SS15, definitely some colour next time... 

Top: Kookai

Culotte Shorts: Jorge (Stockists here) (similar ASOS)

Slides: Just Because Luxor

Bag: Alexander Wang (similar - rose gold hardware)

Happy Shopping,

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Transitionables

Because a few rainy days was all it took for me to miss Summer and because I spy a few days in the mid-20s coming up despite it being the start of autumn, I thought I'd go ahead and post my last warmer-weather-appropriate outfit(s) for the season...

An important skill that would have saved me hours of stress in the past, is being able to to quickly and easily transition an outfit from day- to evening-appropriate. With long 10-hour uni days, it can be difficult to find the time to run home, change and make it to an event on time so I've learnt a few things through trial-and-error to maximise efficiency and cater to my laziness (changing in a uni bathroom is the last thing I want to do after a full day of classes). Read below to see how a casual uni outfit made it through the day and to the Chadstone AW14 runway show later that night.

Pick a simple silhouette that can be dressed down or accessorised later on, for me this was a leather skirt in a skater style and a double-layered tank; the lower layer was tucked in and the shorter cropped length was left out. These pieces can easily be called wardrobe staples and are used and abused often thanks to their versatility and basic design. Pair the all black look with a pair of brogues, a denim jacket and basic jewellery and you're ready (and maybe even awake for your 8am lecture). To keep things interesting, don't be afraid to mix metals when picking jewellery, this was a big no-no for me for a long time until I actually gave it a go; here I've mixed silver (necklace, earrings, bracelet), rose gold (jacket buttons) and gold (watch and sunglasses).

Photo credit: Thilina Appa (Facebook), editing by Jude Newton (Facebook) (Instagram)

Double Layered Tank (Portmans - sold out) (Similar from Portmans)

PU Skater skirt (Dotti)

Denim Jacket (Portmans)

Brogues (RMK - on sale!)

Sunglasses (Tiffany & Co. - sold out) (Similar from Tiffany & Co.)

Watch (JAG)

Earrings (Tiffany & Co.)

Necklace (Lovisa)

For the runway show, I swapped the denim jacket for a dressy black blazer with a baroque embossed design; contrasting textures and fabrics is the oldest trick in the book to keep black-on-black looks from looking bland. A pair of white lace up heels, a red envelope clutch and a matching lip colour took all of 2 minutes to add and I was all done and barely able to contain my excitement long enough to shoot these looks before I went to drool over everything at the show.

Blazer (Forever New - sold out)

Heels (Novo - sold out) (Similar from Spurr) (Similar from Tony Bianco)

Clutch (Jo Mercer - sold out) (Similar from Marc Jacobs) (Similar from Olga Berg) (Similar from The Mode Collective)

Happy shopping!

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