Buy, Keep, Store: Trends in the Statement Necklace

As far as accessories go, we keep hearing about the wow factor of a statement necklace. Very 2012. And it is. As long as you know the trends for statement necklaces.

Now is the time to BUY:

Museum worthy metal breastplates. 
The more bling and surface area, the better.

Chanel vintage

Etro AW 2012/13

Now is the time to KEEP:

Pendant necklaces

Lanvin AW 2012/13

Now is the time to STORE:

Layered chains (even if they are Chanel...)

Givenchy AW 2012/13

Rule #1: At the end of the day, even though there will always be trends in everything, if you wear what you LOVE & FEEL COMFORTABLE IN (irrespective of the trends), you can get away with anything.

Rule #2: See rule #1.

Topshop Sydney - the lowdown

I went, I saw, I freaked.
It was a zoo.

Since it is faster for me to upload my photos on Facebook compared to the blog, I will do that. But her is a summary of my Topshop experience today.

The facts:

1. I arrived 6 pm, left 9.30 pm with a dinner breather in between.
2. There were 4 floors, top floor was mens (Topman), the rest was womens.
3. There are two entrances - the George St level had the huge queues. The lower QVB entrance had minimal queues.

Comparison to Zara:

1. Topshop is younger than Zara
2. Topshop is trendier than Zara
3. Topshop is cheaper than Zara
4. Topshop quality is not as good as Zara (it looks to me like Topshop has never met a polyester it didnt like)
5. Topshop music is much louder than Zara (deafening)
6. Topshop has a max of 6 items in the change room (Zara has a 10 item maximum)
7. Prices in Topshop are more concentrated around price points than in Zara. Zara has far more variations in price for any particular style (top, bottom, dress etc) due to differences in quality. 
8. Topshop collaborates with known designers - Zara does not.
9. Topshop is offering a permanent 10% discount to all students. Zara doesnt have this type of promo.
10. Topshop's return policy is 14 days for a full refund. Zara's is 30 days.
11. Sizing is similar to Zara - small. 

& yes, while Zara is cheaper than Topshop in the UK, here in Australia isnt the other way around.

Comparison to the Sydney high street:

For those of you who havent experienced Zara, I'll frame my Topshop experience in terms of the Sydney high street (Sportsgirl, Portmans, Forever New, Temt etc)......

1. Topshop is significantly cheaper than the Sydney high street
2. Topshop quality is marginally worse than the Sydney high street
3. Topshop music is significantly louder than the Sydney high street

Seriously though, Sydney needs a store like Topshop. The Sydney high street needs the competition. 

Topshop had a cosmetics area where they were doing free makeovers.
There is a lingerie & sleepwear area.
Plus accessories, shoes, bags, you name it, they had it.


There were also opening promotions - 
- a photo booth where they took your photo & you stuck it up on a board for a change to win prizes.
- if you Instagramed your fave Topshop piece, you could also go into a draw.
- there were DJs on every floor.

How knowledgeable were the staff?

The Topshop staff (like Zara) dont know much about the labels & the marketing of the brand. I had to ask a number of people about some of the different Topshop brands until someone could tell me anything that make sense.

Topshop brands?
Huh?
What Topshop brands?

1. There have women's Petite.

2. They have Women's Tall.

3. They have "Topshop Unique" - this is the collection that shows at London Fashion Week - it's expensive, trendy & edgy but in a glamourous way. Sydney pieces with the Unique label were priced around $230 - $400.

4. They have "Topshop Boutique"
This seems to be better quality than the general Topshop women's range - also a tad more expensive. It also seemed a touch more classy, a touch less "street". The Boutique collection's lighter items were silk, not synthetic. Its knits were cotton & natural fibres rather than synthetic/polyester.

5. Mens - Every type of clothing was catered for - from work suiting to beach clothes and hip accesories. Tops & bottoms of suits are sold separately. 

Prices:

Topshop has more consistent price points than Zara. What I mean by this is that any group of clothing is typically priced similarly & there isnt a huge variation in price. Eg: Apart from "Unique" and "Boutique", most tops are a similar price, most bottoms are a similar price. 

In comparison, Zara has a massive range of quality (& hence price variation) in tops or in bottoms or dresses. Prices for Zara Women differ to prices for Zara Basic which again differ to prices for Zara TRF. Basic & TRF constitute more than 50% of the store. 

Topshop on the other hand produces everything with the one label, except for a small selection of "Boutique" and "Unique". "Boutique" and "Unique" constitute less than 5% of the store.

Typical price points were:

Dresses: $90 
Jackets: $70 or $130 
Leather shoes: $130
Tops: $40
Skirts: $40
Leather bags (med size): $130
Vinyl bags (med size): $70
Jeans: $70 

MENS:
Tees: $40
Shirts: $55
Pants: $65
Jackets: $130 (gaberdine mix)
Jackets: $210 (wool mix & Pant $95)
Jackets: $290 (100% wool & Pant $130)
Jeans: $55

Despite the lower quality of Topshop, I think it will do well in Sydney as it targets a young & trendy market - the young market loves cheap fast fashion - they arent interested in quality/longevity and so Topshop will thrive.


What more can I say?

I purchased....a men's white short sleeved shirt with pale blue swallows for $55. I generally dont buy clothes with animals on them (not sure why as I am happy to eat animals), but this one called out to me. Perfect  for bumming around in, with jeans....The women's wear was too short, too small, too tight, too see through or just plain too ordinary for me. Funnily the men's shirt was an XL (very small sizing...)

Finally, I think the Facebook pictures complete the story of my Topshop excursion....

Tips for building a resort wardrobe

Readers have recently asked about resort dressing.

There are three things to remember when building a resort wardrobe:

1. Buy natural fibres (linen, cotton preferred); or
2. Buy loose & flowy styles; &
3. No surprises - stick to items that have worked for you. Since you'll be living out of a suitcase, now is not the time to try something new (which may not work like your old faithfulls). Know thyself applies more here than ever before. 

Think about what look/style you want to portray, then dress accordingly. There are four main resort looks to think about:

1. Dramatic - bold clashing colours, scarf prints, geometric patterns, bold accessories with gold/silver. The most glamorous of the resort looks. Think Versace, Roberto Cavalli, Escada, Pucci & Dolce & Gabbana.

Versace

Locally, Charlie Brown does this look brilliantly at reasonable prices. She also has outlet stores for a better price. 

Charlie Brown

Zimmerman tends to this style too.
Camilla's kaftan's are also good for this look - but pricey.

2. Bohemian - floral or fauna prints, earthy colours, beads, full skirts, handkerchief hems. Think Isabel Marant. Locally Tree of Life, Tigerlily, Lee Matthews, Little Joe, Megan Park, sass & bide, Fossil, Easton Pearson, Zimmerman, Collette by Collette Dinnigan  and all the denim stores do this well.

Think about taking a maxi dress

Think about taking a tunic style top

Think about taking a sarong that can be used as a skirt.

3. Smart city inspired separates - preppy or tailored, a jacket with neat tops, fitted cardigans, smart walk shorts or a tailored pant. Includes the nautical look. Corporate girls may already have alot of this - now is the time to wear the suits as separates - shop your closet. Think Ralph Lauren. 

Locally, Sussan (for their linens), Esprit, Veronika Maine, Lacoste, Tommy Hilfiger, Ted Baker, Yarra Trail, Ben Sherman, Ping Pong & Witchery are all good brands for this look.

Sussan's linens are perfect for a resort wardrobe

Some examples of the city inspired look.

4. Loose flowy with neutral colours - best in linen, but also in soft cotton. 
The pieces here are tunic style tops and dresses, long line shirts worn alone or as jackets and palazzo pants. Probably the hardest category to find at an affordable price. 

Locally, good brands for this are Akira (pricey), Resort Report, Hammock & Vine, Mela Purdie and Verge (NZ).

Akira

Hammock & Vine SS 2012/13

Hammock & Vine SS 2012/13

Hammock & Vine SS 2012/13

Hammock & Vine SS 2012/13

Resort Report - SS 2012/13

Resort Report 2012/13

Mela Purdie SS 2012/13

Mela Purdie SS 2012/13

Some tips for resort dressing:

1. Try to stick to two base colours for your clothes and add interest & colour with accessories. This is the easiest way for everythng to mix & match, hence you will save space by taking fewer pieces.

2. Make sure you have one evening outfit - good bets are a little black dress or a printed maxi. Glam them up with lots of bling. Go for as much costume bling as possible, so you dont have to worry about security for the bling.

3. For evening, flat jewelled sandals work well. Leave your heels at home.

4. An espadrille wedge is always a great idea for daywear when you need something dressier than a sneaker or flip flops.

5. Multiple coloured Havaianas work well for daywear & take up minimal space in your bag.

6. Get a pedicure before you leave for the trip.

7. Take a warm wrap for the trip - pashinas are perfect. They act as blankets or as cover ups.

8. Take a chiffon shawl for the evening cover up. If you need more, and you didnt bring a cardi, use your partner's jacket on the night. 

9. Apart from the above brands, stores like Target, Big W, Zara & Topshop carry all the above styles to some extent. 

10. Check for any religious or cultural dress requirements applicable to your destination.

11. You must sit down ahead of the trip & plan outfits for each day & evening event. That will allow you to edit down the items you take to the absolute minimum. Trial each outfit in front of a full length mirror at least a few days before you leave - so you have time to make changes & do any final maintenance (spot removal, loose hems, missing buttons etc).

12. For day wear, try to go for a larger bag than you would wear when at home. You'll find you are more likely to fill it than when you are at home.

13. Have a good time & bring me back a pressie

Fitted for Work - a day in the life of - Market Day photos

Yesterday I posted about the preparation we did for the Fitted for Work "Market Day".

The Market Day happens on the last Friday of every month and is a bargain basement sale of all the donations we have received which weren't work appropriate.

Because we only accept items in great condition, the quality presented is well, great. There were many new items too, with tags attached. 

We typically have many local and overseas designer items, most of which we sell for $10-$20. Today, brands included Alannah Hill tops for $10, Sportscraft dresses for $10, a Morrissey dress for $10, Jigsaw items (many), Verge (NZ brand) & TS14+.

The local high street brands sell for around $5 a piece. Today we had brands like H&M, Zara, ASOS, Witchery, Sussan, Events, Cue, Veronika Maine and Kookai.

Occasionally something truly special will be priced at $20-$30. We had a Versace Signature silk shirt, a Max Mara Italian jacket and a Michael Kors trench coat.

There was also a bargain bin for $2 that was overflowing with pretty things.

Finally shoes & accessories were priced to clear.

Oh & we also had lingerie, knickers at $10 & bras at $15 - all NEW. 

The sizes are very varied from 6s to 22s. 

First in best dressed at bargain prices.

Have a look at the following pictures....

A girl cant have enough shoes.

The lime loafers are Lauren by Ralph Lauren & NEW.

The red loafers are JP Tod's - NEW.

The blue suede flats are Italian - lightly worn.

The $10 rack.

The $10 rack & some of the $10 dresses.

The green sweater is Witchery (new). The rasberry dress is  a broderie  fully lined David Lawrence  with taupe grosgrain ribbon trim & binding on the neckline. Each piece is $10.
The RRP of the DL dress would be about $220. The RRP of the Witchery sweater would be approx $90.

Orange Witchery top & a chocolate frock which is fully lined. Each is $10. the RR{P of the top would be about $120.

Pure linen fully lined Sally Smith frock in the colour of the season - mint. Only $10. RRP would be approx $250.

Farage 100% silk shirt dress. $20 Still a bargain - RRP would be about $220.

Red/purple dress is Simona, RRP approx $250 & fully lined. The dress in the centre is a Charlie brown wrap, RRP approx $220. Each piece here is $20. 

An Events spotty dress for $5. The vintage purse is $10.

A "Hi There" by Karen Walker silk dress whose RRP would be approx  $180.
Our price is $20.

Lots of bling most at $5 per piece.

The $5 racks, jackets on the left, tops/sweaters in sizes 14+ on the right. 

More $5 racks, tops/sweaters up to size 12.

More $10 items including lots of cotton & linen dresses & tops.

Why should you go to the Market Day sale?

Because the prices are ridiculously low
& BTW, everything I have photographed was in imaculate condition, apart from needing a press.

For those of you that hate shopping & rummaging through sale racks, this sale is different because its not endless & exhausting and it isnt crowded - so you can take your time.

The change rooms are large, private & well lit with individual mirrors, so the comfort factor is high. 

We dont provide champagne, but we can provide a glass of cold water while you consider what will follow you home.

What did I buy?

2 x Calvin Klein knickers
& a Paula Ryan (NZ designer) jersey cardi in black with long ties (great as another layering layer)....

How can you help?

1. Donate clothing & accessories in good condition to Fitted for Work in your state.  http://www.fittedforwork.org/

2. If you have a few hours a month spare, volunteer your time to Fitted for Work.  http://www.fittedforwork.org/

3. Come to the Market Day sale on the last Friday of every month and do some retail therapy for a good cause. Because Market Day's are specific to each branch of Fitted for Work, details are not on the website - however keep reading my Facebook page & I will remind you as they come up. 

Fitted for Work - a day in the life of - Market Day

As some of you know, every Thursday I volunteer at the Fitted for Work office in Sydney's Parramatta.

A typical day....

Usually a typical day includes styling a few women who have made appointments with us - so they have an outfit for an interview or some mix & match pieces for a new job. To do this we sort through our racks of donations of career clothing to find & give the ladies clothing, shoes, bag, accessories which will suit their work roles. 

We also have make up ladies on hand who can do their face & their grooming to perfection. Finally we do a mock interview with the ladies to make sure they can answer   questions confidently and with poise. 

Today however was different. On the last Friday of every month, the boutique of career clothing undergoes a metamorphisis. The career clothing is packed up and the non career clothing is placed on the racks for a sale - we call it "Market Day". So we spend  time on the Thursday prior doing the switch over. 

What do we sell on Market Day?

The non career clothing/accessories comprise all the donations which were not work appropriate - the trendy funky items, the casual wear, evening wear, denim and anything else that wasnt business appropriate.

Today we had 5 volunteers who tag teamed beautifully to do the switch.

Some of us also did flyer drops in the Parramatta area advertising the sale. 

The end result was very effective - we arranged a terrific set up & the Market Day store looked gorgeous. Everything was ready for Friday.

But silly me, was so pooped by the end of the day that I forgot to take photos. So I am planning to drop in tomorrow (Friday) to take some snaps & perhaps pick up an item or three...since the proceeds are for charity, it's guilt free shopping.

Flyer

In the mean time, here is the flyer for the Market Day.

Time: 11.30 am - 4 pm
Location: Fitted for Work, Suite 37, 70 Phillip St, Parramatta, 2150
Enquiries: 02 9635 9909
Please note the sale is cash only - no credit cards accepted. 




     

The STYLE FORMULA

A while back someone told me that there was a FORMULA for STYLE.

This sounded strange - I had always thought of style as an ART not a FORMULA.

Until they explained.....

"Cheap, Fast, Good.
You can only have two out of three."

yeah, OK...please elaborate...

Generally, when buying clothing, accessories and homewares, you can only have two of those three characteristics. It's up to you to decide which two of the three you want.

1. If you want something cheap and fast, you will have to compromise on quality.

2. If you want something cheap and good, you will have to compromise on fast (ie: you wont be able to find it quickly - you'll need to take time to find it).

3. If you want something fast & good, you will have to compromise on price (ie: you wont be able to find it cheap).

It's very hard to find exceptions to this FORMULA. 

Does the STYLE FORMULA make sense to you?

I know that most of the time I pick good & cheap & I take my time finding it....

Which two elements do you normally go for?

  

Today's Coles Mix haul

After getting my Visa stamped, today, I trecked from Parramatta vicinity to Mona Vale.

Where the heck is Mona Vale & can it BE any further away from home?

The only thing that saved me from getting lost (I have THE worst sense of direction on the planet) was that it was off the end of Mona Vale Road. I was familiar with MV Road because I use it to get to St Ives Shopping Village - a terrific shopping centre for girlie (international & Aussie designer clothes & accessories) stuff & homewares - the mini treck to St Ives has been done many many times bu moi so MV Road was embedded in my normally direction challenged brain.

& why?

The Coles store in Mona Vale was holding two fantastic white "placket shirts" ($19 each) in my size, the last two in my size in the Sydney metro area...they dont transfer & if I purchased on line, I wasnt up to the minimum ($50) for the free shipping....so I spent $12 in petrol to get there...just kidding...hehehe.

I had recently written about these white & black) shirts at....http://www.styleintoaction.blogspot.com.au/2012/08/the-coles-mix-2012-gold-medal-find.html

Funnily enough, I spent $76 in the store (no, not on groceries, $77 on Coles clothes)...so much for the on line minimum.

Coles note: I am more likely to buy on IMPULSE, IN PERSON rather than ON LINE. That's just me.
Wondering if readers are like me or are you the other way around?

On the way to Mona Vale I saw rolling hills & a  fantastic skyline of the CBD.

In Mona Vale, everyone seemed to be blonde, tanned & wearing shorts...& it was 7 pm.
I must have stood out as I am brunette, fair & wearing pants.

Clutching my purchases I took a photo in the centre - good lighting - clothes spread on the back of a bench & me standing on the bench - arial view.....

From left to right:

1. A red (cool toned burgendy) tee (for a friend) $5, on sale.
2. A white "silky" poly cami with back zip $19, & long enough to cover my bum & very Celine.
3. An orange/pink/white sleeveless cotton tee $15.
4.& 5. The two famous white shirts @ $19 each.

Haul total = $77.00
Divided by 5 items = $15.40 average price.
Pretty good, eh?

Postscript: The fact that I already have two of the same white shirts & a black one doesnt make me a hoarder.