JUNGLE FEVER!

So as you know, I have come down with a bad case of jungle fever. Its been brewing for a while but has escalated sinceI developed a crush on a very attractive man at H&M. So I thought I would dedicate a post to some beautiful and talented men who have fuelled my jungle fever for years...

Mos Def Kele Okereke Pharrell

This has nothing to do with fashion or life, they're just nice to look at. Here's an update on my life:

This week I worked alot. 65 hours (not including Hot Docs shifts). I also saw 11 documentaries and had an average of 6 hours sleep each night. The TTC went on a suprise strike on Friday night at midnight (while we were watching Eleven Minutes...SUPRISE!) and I had to walk to work on Saturday morning. I need to get a bike STAT! But I am feeling fabulous. I think fabulous is a stupid word but thats exactly how I feel. I bought some clothing items at work on Saturday, an oversized white tshirt, sunglasses that aren't as super trendy as my current sunglasses, an amazing scarf and a shirt I had my eye on for months and finally went on sale this week. I will photograph sometime, I have more time this week.

Thats about all! It is raining and cold today, I had to wear pants to work :(

I got my hair cut the other day, it's shorter!

It essentially looks like this, from Facehunter. It's also a really dark brown, and kind of annoying so far. It will look awesome with huge flowers and fascinators and the like, though.

I also got really drunk all weekend, then set up a market stall at a swapmeet with Esther on Sunday. I think we sold about 80% of what we brought with us, and made about $180 all up.

I've also decided that I will move out before my secondment starts in July, I would enjoy some space away from the family and closer to amenities, work, etc. Do you have any suggestions of where I should look, and with whom? It seems like everyone wants a room lately. I'd rather move into an established house than have to find one/apply for it/bring whitegoods, etc.

I am getting super jealous of Est & Stace's impending vacation, I wish I was coming back to Toronto to hang with you.

I think that the email you sent me about jobs looks AWESOME and the programming assistant is my favourite of the available jobs.

I'm going to get back to being a lazy emailer and good procrastinator now, I have a zillion things to do and no desire.

Secretary's Day!

Today is Secretary's Day (apparently) so all the assistants in my department at work got flowers! Including me! I would take a picture but I don't have a camera... but still, flowers!!! You know how I love flowers.

Last night Kania and I went to see Wesley Willis's Joy Rides, it was pretty great! It was a mix of sadness and happiness, he was such an awesome person but so many sad things happened to him. It kind of made you feel like life isn't fair, but then again he found a way through all the crap to have a really great life so yeah. Here is one of the thousands of pictures he drew...

I have a lot of thoughts going through my head at the moment that are not really in the spirit of this blog but I will tell you later.
HAPPY DAYS!

Employment, etc.

So after our productive phone conversation on Monday evening, I trotted off to work at Tura on Tuesday and stuffed envelopes for 5 hours. That's not the fun part though.

The fun part is that BEAP (the biennale of electronic arts perth) is restructuring in preparation for next year's festival, and I just got a job with them! Starting on Tuesday I will be pretty much the only paid employee at BEAP while a consultant from Sydney comes over and meets with all the heads of arts boards and holds round tables to discuss the future of BEAP, and I am organizing his entire visit. So I will get to meet heaps of people in the arts communities of Perth and be at all these conferences, hella exciting.

Hopefully this will carry on throughout my secondment too and I will be able to earn a bit of cash moneys as a side dish on my final semester's plate. Yesterday I was feeling really flu-ey so I was kind of blergh about the whole thing but today I feel pretty excited. I just received my ABN so I can pay myself, got the key to the office yesterday and am going to have a fun weekend to get amped for it.

Oh and 6 weeks of classes left.. my last 6 weeks!

This Saturday I am going to get a haircut and buy some lip stain. So many catwalk shows have starred lip stains lately, yet I can't find a good pic to post. I hope your busy week is fun and update me soon...

Shopping Adventures!!

I somehow fitted some shopping into my busy busy life this weekend, it was kind of a whirlwind shop, I was in the store for less than half an hour and half of that was standing in line... Anyway, I haven't had a chance to take pictures but here are some things I bought...This is so much better in real life than this picture...
I am wearing this at work today!

These purchases tick off some items from my new wardrobe list (namely "floral shirt" and "sheer blouses"). All the flowers that have been popping up around Toronto this last week has made me want even MORE florals!! Next on my list is a floral skirt, not unlike this one...... from l'atelier d'une fee. I was always a little unsure on what I would do if I did have a floral skirt, like how to wear it and all that, but I really like this look and I have done this with un-floral skirts before, I can make it work...

In life news, my contract at Rogers has been extended until I leave for vacation with my parents! I will be rolling in money by then!!

Friday Shopping Adventures

Well I'm not doing anything exciting with my life right now, so I can't tell you about any awesome bands or great parties at all! I did go and see Off Minor last weekend at the Hydey and they played really well, even though all of their equipment failed at some point.

I have to buy a ticket for Against Me! this week but I don't know if anyone else is going. I'm trying to convince Laura but it's a slippery slope...

So in the past three days I've watched almost 2 seasons of Six Feet Under and yesterday I went shopping with my mum. She bought me a great silk dress (from Target..!) with an awesome ruffled scoop neckline for work, and a pair of DECORATIVE ANTLERS that I really love. We went into Freedom and had a look at all these great homewares, I almost drooled on a desk. Seriously it's gorgeous.

But on the fashion side of life, I am still hunting for the perfect pair of flat slingbacks. I think slingbacks look good with dresses OR pants, and all my flats stretch after a few wears and fall off while I walk. Slingbacks with an elasticated strap hopefully will avoid this problem!

I found a great pair by MIDAS that I can't find an online photo of, they're oyster coloured leather with three big clear jewels on the front. Cute almond toe too. Nothing beats these though...

Marc by Marc Jacobs flats, about $450 from net-a-porter.

I also am experiencing a crush on a boy, I added him to my myspak (before even talking to him, what am I, 15?) so I could lurk his profile. Good times.

Here are some pictures of things I saw in Freedom yesterday:



I also saw a daybed that was like a huge armchair. I loved it.

So today I plan on actually doing some study in my study week, avoiding the Subway DC sale, watching more Six Feet Under and recovering from this ungodly cold. I may convert a floral dress I opp'd into a skirt though! Wish me sewing luck...

rant...

So I would just like to talk about how I don't like Cory Kennedy today. I think I go through phases where I do like her and think that she's cool and puts together outfits really well and all that, but right now I don't. This was first sparked on Tuesday night at MGMT where there were a whole pile of girls who obviously read Cory's blog. Every girl looked trashy and drunk/on drugs and like they would sleep with any guy around, but were still wearing clothes that I would like to own... I just don't get it, do they really think they look attractive like that? They need to take a shower, mend their ripped/ill-fitting clothes and brush their hair. Now I'm all for looking a little dishevelled, I OFTEN look a little dishevelled (mostly because I don't have an hour every morning to do my hair and makeup...) and I kinda like the oversized look, I would totally do it if I wasn't oversized already. But there is a line. I am blaming Cory Kennedy (although I'm sure its not actually all her fault at all...) because she seems be the person who started this trashy/hobo chic look. And I just looked at her blog and seriously, she always looks like she's either just about to fall asleep or just about to vommit. And generally, I like her long wavy brown locks and sometimes she wears her hair in ways that I'm like man I wish I had long wavy brown locks so I could wear my hair like that but fuck, brush your hair when you go out in the morning!!! Especially when you KNOW someones going to be taking pictures of you all day!!

Maybe I'm just feeling a little bit bitter because she is living this amazing life where she gets jetted off to every country ever to experience all this amazing stuff and meet amazing people (and hang out with Emile Hirsch) and be GIVEN all these amazing clothes but hey, if I was her, I would try a bit harder to look like I didn't just roll out of bed. Like if I was sitting front row at Chanel, I would brush my hair. If I was hanging out with Lou Doillon, I would try and look like I wasn't falling asleep. JANE BIRKIN IS HER MUM, HAVE SOME RESPECT. Deep down, I hope that she starts dressing a bit better, brushing her hair before she leaves the house and hopefully doing something good with all the opportunities she has been given, apart from appearing on the covers of magazines and going to parties. Otherwise she is going to end up being one of those "celebrities" who get caught showing their underwear in the drive-thru of Taco Bel. I mean she is young, she has her whole life to redeem herself but she does have a lot to answer for with the fashion choices of the young hipster nation.

Anyway, I just wanted to rant about it. I have had a good run of not encountering her on my daily blog searches and like they say, out of sight, out of mind. I'm just bored and feeling chatty today but I have noone to talk to except the internet.

In other news, Hot Docs starts tonight and I get to work at the party and I get a walkie talkie!!! Sweet. I will update with what films I see when I see them.

Guess where this is from...

Well I hope you are as shocked as I am when I reveal it is from.... FOREVER 21!
Now I can't say that I know enough about Forever 21 to condemn it completely, I have made two trips into the store in my whole life, both trips I wished I was somewhere else... But after seeing Forever 21 cited in many other blogs, I thought I would check out their Canadian website and oh boy, I was shocked. Its like sheer blouse and ruffle heaven! And all for low low prices!! Now I've only seen these things on the internet and some times things don't work out so well in real life, I'm going to the store on Sunday to investigate...
But either way, check out Forever 21 Canada, particularly the dresses and blouses/shirts sections. I'm not saying everything is amazing, it is Forever 21, but there are some gems in there. Some gems I hope to own.

Boooooo

I am sick. I came down with the flu about halfway through Saturday and woke up Sunday morning feeling like death... I don't have time to be sick Mr. Immune System!!! I guess I was counting myself too lucky with not getting sick over winter...
I still got up to some things over the weekend though, including some thrift store shopping (yes I just said thrift store)! I bought two pairs of shorts and two floral scarves, I wore one of each last night to Cloudcult. Faded black denim high waisted shorts and blue scarf with tulips and "Holland" written around the edge. Its awesome. When I feel up to it (and have time) I will post some pictures. Friday night, me, Kania and Kania's coworker David went to the No Cuts, No Splices Super 8 screening/party for Images, it was pretty good although we were all tired and wet after being caught in the rain running from David's apartment to the Gladstone. The screening was a good motivater, alot of them were like hey I could do that, and hopefully over summer we will. This is a still from one of the best shorts, lots and lots of treeeeesss...

So Images finished on Sunday, I couldn't make it to my last shift because I felt so sick :( Hot Docs starts on Thursday night and some good news out of all this volunteering (apart from the 16 screening vouchers I have for Hot Docs!) is that the volunteer coordinator for Images (who is also a theatre manager for Hot Docs) recommended me to be a volunteer captain for Hot Docs! Volunteer captains are kind of like supervisors, they tell the other volunteers what to do and when they can take a break and all that, the job is only ever given to veteran volunteers or people who have been recommended so it was very exciting that she recommended me! Its nice to be acknowledged, especially for something you really want to do.

I don't have much more to add apart from a life update. Being sick leaves me feeling very uninspired. Working at a boring 9-5 job where I do nothing does as well. I'm going to use my spare time today to create a cleaning schedule for our house and work out an outfit that is cool enough to wear to MGMT tonight.

Can I just say...

This is the best thing I've seen today.

Watch this space for plagarised version, as this is 400 pounds.

Always something on my mind...

Some things that have been brewing in the bottom of mind all day.

1. Radiohead tickets - they went on presale today, I picked up three for the lawn area of the amplitheatre they're playing at, we're going to try tomorrow when they actually go on sale for some closer seated tickets. But holy shit, I'm going to see Radiohead.
2. This bike...
I really want a bike, it doesn't have to be this one but one similiar that would go with most of my outfits. My problem at the moment is that I don't have any time to go out into the suburbs to buy a cheap one so I'm looking on craigslist where people put the bikes in the suburbs up for sale for like $200.... But I'm not going to spend $200 on a bike I'll only use for 6 months then have to sell.
3. Men in well tailored suits. Working at a company as huge as Rogers, I see a lot of men in suits and there are alot of ill fitting suits around. I guess this can be translated into clothing anywhere but I've just been noticing the suits more. But yeah, it always looks better when something fits just right.

Ok thats about all, I am off to the second leg of my 13 hour day. Craziness...

Friday Night

Listening to: MGMT - Kids

Today I got my secondment confirmed at Tura New Music. Their GM did my degree and is excited. I might be going on their Pilbarra tour for 2 weeks, over my birthday. I'm excited.

What did you buy Natalie?

So my big pay day was on Friday and I went shopping! Unfortunately, since I went shopping, I haven't had time to eat let alone take pictures of the things I bought so instead I have found said things on the internet and will show you that way!!
So firstly I went to Urban Outfitters and I bought this shirt, the picture on the website really doesn't do it justice, maybe because of the floral singlet underneath... Its wonderful though. It was on my list as well, I wanted more button down shirts and this one is sheer and kinda sexy but its really cute as well. I also bought some earrings with 'N's on them, you know, for Natalie. I've been wanting to start wearing earrings more often, I have holes in my ears, why don't I put something in them! I just have to make sure they don't swivel and become 'Z's, I don't want people thinking my names Zoe...

Next up I went to Sephora, my first buying experience at Sephora, it was actually quite good, mostly because noone spoke to me until I was at the counter. I bought the following items...
My interim fragrance, Maybe Baby by Benefit.
My skin feels creamier already!!

Thats about all to write home about shopping wise. In other news, I am 4 days (or 37 hours) into my first 70 hour work week, its been insane. Images is awesome though, I'm meeting heaps of great people and the volunteer coordinator works for lots of other festivals so making a good impression on her will be a good start for the rest of my time here. That said, I haven't had time to eat dinner the last few nights... But thats not totally from working so much, I have my extraEXTRAcurricular activities. Tuesday was Jens, it was good, but he seemed really sad... and last night I saw Okkervil River and the New Pornographers, featuing this lovely woman...

Neko Case! She never tours with the New Pornographers! Everyone was real excited.

The rest of my week involves more work. I think if I do buy anything new, it will be while I'm at work. I have had my eye on a bag there for a while, its kind of like your black bag from UO but not as big/as nice. I'm also trying to find time to get my haircut, although its now long enough to tie up in a high bun (aka. my favourite hairstyle of last year) so I might just go with it for a while.
One day soon I will take photographs of the outfits I have been wearing lately, I just need to find time to do my laundry so said outfits are clean...

Oh and winter is almost over!!! On two occasions this week I was seen walking around the streets wearing a tshirt and jeans! Too bad its going to be 5degrees tomorrow...

Good Evening!

Hello world! I'm sorry I haven't written, I haven't had much to say lately. But I'm back, after a particularly good fortnight of op-shopping with a renewed passion for fashion. I've taken pictures of about half of my haul, and will describe more later.. I am so proud, I feel it important to document!

Usually I buy whatever takes my fancy, regardless of style, fit, condition, etc. So it was my aim to go with a list of things that would fit into my wardrobe and go well with everything, things that are durable and timeless, and not too expensive.

So I looked at my three favourite things lately; the new Miu Miu line, Chloe Sevigny for Opening Ceremony, and Annie Hall.

I really wanted the picture of her singing the first time in the cabaret bar, with the highwaisted pants and popped collar. But this is sweet too. Cool androgyny; I bought but didn't photograph a long tuxedo jacket with cream silk lining, and this movie explains why I've been wearing oversized mens shirts undone to the bra-line with tight jeans & skirts all weekend!

I love the rockabilly aesthetic of this whole collection; like feminist punk, the type that aren't afraid to wear bondage heels and too-tight pencil skirts. I am still hunting for a long gingham pencil skirt, tacky florals and a good haircut.

So here are my purchases;

l-r: sleeveless gingham shirt, very rockabilly; long sleeved ruffle blouse, very Miu Miu; cream roll-sleeved blouse; and low-cut ruffle blouse, because I need some play clothes too.
Total cost: $11.00

2 out of 3 high waisted skirts I bought; knee-length coffee check with silver thread; above the knee black with pinstripe and awesome back pockets. Add to the navy skirt I bought last week.
Total cost: $14.00

These skirts really make me want the Lover san jose blouse that I tried on and passed up just before I went overseas last year. Sadness. The $300 odd dollars felt like far too much then - it still is now, but I want it more too.

I also purchased (new) a slouchy, cream tee shirt with a cowl neck and cute ties that keeps it together from David Jones for $50, reduced from $150. I tried on these chunky heels in Zomp that are like almond-toe pumps with about 7 straps up the foot, I have been dreaming about them and can feel a lay-by coming on. I also bought a tonne of Elle Macpherson underwear, both basics and vintage-inspired lace and silk numbers. Style Bytes, damn her, is reigniting my love of all things vintage with undergarments and homewares.

With my mid-semester break next week and my welfare check coming in Friday you can bet I will venture out to Midland and Armadale one day in the near future. Like I said, I'm still hunting for sunglasses, a gingham pencil skirt and tacky florals. I might also look for a skinny black tie and deep v-neck sweaters to wear over my many Ralph Lauren fitted shirts I've found by fluke.

I am entertaining my boring lectures with thoughts of the future; post-university jobs and possibilities, oh I have an interview on Friday with Tura New Music, living the punk rock dream and moving to a different state armed with only a suitcase of my belongings, and falling in love. After seeing a former crush on Friday night (but still not summoning the courage to speak), I have been fantasizing about meeting a lover, being wildly in love, and traveling the world together. For the first time in a long time I am actually caring about boys, and getting giddy at the sight of particularly tall, geeky types.

My final point of business is that I plan on losing some weight this winter. I have set a goal and a time (22 June - or end of semester 1) so I will update with my progress, I suppose. I'm 10 days into the program, eating well and jogging daily. Today's soundtrack was The Panda Band, and it was a nice rhythm to run to.

You've got mail!

This was waiting for me when I got home today. It was a gift from Matthew, it totally made me cry and miss home and friends alot :( I ate the vegemite straight away! It tasty like salty brown love...

Springtime!

I am being optimistic with Spring, there have been a few days where the temperature has hovered over 10degrees, its been marvellous. I know its going to be a while before I can get my legs out and hang up my coat for the last time but still, I'm excited. I have visions of time spent riding around parks on my bike wearing floaty floral dresses. Its going to be magical. And what better way to get excited about spring than some floral fashions!


from Facehunter.



All from Lorick! which is the lady who designs most of the clothes on Gossip Girl. By the by, her label is stocked in a store in PERTH!!! I don't know what the price range is but yeah, I love it...

I still have to endure the "April showers" until I get to the "May flowers" but florals are what its all about. I hope these flowers brightened your day!

The Cardinal Rules of Looking Good

Okay so with much ado, I've been looking at ways to improve my wardrobe (or me wearing my wardrobe) without spending too much money on it.

I think we both have a bit of know-how when it comes to looking good so perhaps we can make our own rules about things!

1. You wear the clothes, not the other way around.
It really bothers me seeing people that are constantly fidgeting with hemlines or cuffs or waistbands, if it doesn't sit right, it's wrong for you and detracts from your look.

2. Hem and cuff things properly
Similar to the previous point, it is scruffy seeing jeans that are too long or sleeves that go halfway down your palm.

3. It's all in the underwear
You were talking about this before and I totally agree - the right underwear makes clothes look good. I love how Carrie in Sex and the City can show a bit of her bra and it doesn't look trashy, I think this can only work with a gorgeous bra that is well-fitted. Ditto for undergarments, I don't mind wearing nanna knickers under tight skirts if it means I won't get bumps in the sides.

4. Colour (or lack of)
I know that some colours suit me and others don't, and I rarely like to push this! I know that I have olive skin and dark features, so I wear green and blue and peach because they highlight but not red or yellow or orange because they detract.

Feel free to add...

Reason #524 why I should learn french...

This blog.

So I can understand what blogs like these are trying to tell me.
Thanks to Moderniteter for introducing me to another blog I can't read...

In 1992 I was 4

So here's what's up with me.

It's the Youth Week Launch on Saturday; and it's forecasting rain. I've been working on this for about 2 months now, and honestly I just want it to be over. Plus, when I get my cheque I can buy a Macbook! Writing a 30,000 word paper will be easier when I can bring my computer to the books, rather than carrying hundreds of books home.

I also have an interview for a secondment place on Monday. It's with Tura New Music - they're having their bienniale next year and it would be an exciting place to work when that comes round. I asked a few people what the general impression is - they're a small company who are very stylish, and they sound nice over the phone! All of this has made me a bit more chipper this week.

I picked up my new glasses yesterday - couldn't get a good picture of them, so I found one on the interweb! Since going overseas, I've been wearing my glasses a lot more and I wanted some that are more subtle than your average nerd glasses. These are actually deceptively thick at the top and look more mature than the Prada ones I wore last year. I plan on getting a new pair every year from now on, rather than every two years. Variety ahoy.
So today I am procrastinating from homework, I have a big paper due on Friday that I'm about 2/3 finished. It's the last few sections that are giving me grief, so I will update this blog, work for another hour then hit some op shops. I'm going to go to the High Road area and I am on the lookout for swishy skirts at knee length, sweaters, button down shirts and perhaps even a tie.

I watched about 4 episodes of The Hills today; around the time where Lauren and Whitney go to New York and run the Young Hollywood party. Lauren meets Marc Jacobs! When I get my tax return, one of his pretty purses will be in my paws just in time for my birthday - the loneliest one ever. Hopefully Thomas will be my BFF and have fun with me, it is a Thursday night after all.

Anyway they are doing heaps of work scenes in the show, and the one thing that keeps them looking polished and sophisticated even with unwashed hair and illfitting clothes is their shoes. Gorgeous heels, all the time. I bought these from Faith in London and I am in the process of wearing them in. Last time I wore them out I walked from Northbridge to the Belgian and back, and I didn't fall over once.



My dad gave me his ipod nano today, it's brand new and very pretty. It can only hold 4gb but I only use mine now for driving and walking, so I have put a new bevvy of songs on there. Some features include The Smiths, Lucero, The Kooks, Jawbreaker, Adam and the Ants, Moondog, Jesu, etc. etc. etc. Life is musical.

Last but not least, your life plans have made me think about my own. I only know that I want to be living, or have lived, in a different city by the time I turn 25 in 3 1/2 years, and I want to be heading in a good direction career-wise when I'm 30. That said, a lot of time between then and now to have fun and be young. I've been thinking about Perth, and if my best friends aren't here then the things that I love about this city will be few and far between. So if you decide to move to Melbourne next year, and want some company, I may go with you! I think if I get a job here at the end of secondment, I should put in a year to get a good start, and by that summer I will be ready to make some life-changing decisions.

Excitement ahoy.