Fremantle adventures and Jeggings. Do you jeg?

Hey there funky people!

I hope your Saturday was a fantastic one.
We had a busy day. The thrills of housework in the morning (Yay...Not!) and then we went out for lunch in Fremantle. Jus burgers next to the freo markets was recommended by BIL and so we through we would check it out. Very glad we did. Very yummy!
Hubby had the cheese burger with cheddar and I had the Spanish SNAG.

Spanish SNAG burger and I added 'slaw to it., Yummo!

We both said that the cheeseburger with blue vein cheese will be the choice for next time. Little madam just had all of my chips. The sacrifices a mother makes!

After lunch we wandered down to the esplanade so little madam could have a play at the playground. We were lucky enough to stumble upon the winter festival which was sponsored by lipton Free samples of chai latte. Yes please!
Checked out the ice rink (didn't have a skate) watched a few stacks on the ice (one was pretty serious and an ambulance was called) then back to the park then home again, home gain, jiggity-jig.

The original plan for my afternoon was to find my nearest shopping centre with a crossroad store to try on some jeggings but it wasn't to be. Didn't want to confess to my husband today that the reason I wanted to "duck" to the shops was for jeggings. In our house wearing leggings as pants is grounds for divorce so I'm not sure if jeggings fall into the same category.
My reasoning for jeggings is that I have short, solid chunky legs and I can't find skinny jeans that fit my thighs but will also fit right at my hips/waist. I'm curious to see if jeggings would be the solution. Easier to take up in length than real jeans I'm guessing? Thinner material means I can tuck them into boots (once I find a perfect pair with a generous sized calf if anyone finds them point me in the right direction!)

So do you jeg? Are they more acceptable than leggings as pants?

And as an added bonus random question. What would be on your ideal burger? :)

Cheers to you tonight. I'm about to pour myself a wine :)

Cie


Ps. There are a stupid number of brands mentioned in this post. None of the mentioned brands have sponsored this post or exchanged items of value in exchange for being mentioned. They all just happened to be part of my day. Dammit. I should make them pay me for this shit.

Style? What you really need.

Hi everyone.

I've just reading finished Nina Garcia's "little black book of style"
(you may know of Nina from project runway or as the editor of ELLE magazine)
It wasn't a particularly intellectually stimulating book, how many books written about fashion really are honestly. It's a pretty shallow, fickle industry.
But it did provoke a few thoughts in relation to my own "style"

Nina's list of 10 must have items were...

1. the little black dress
2. a classic men's white shirt
3. cashmere cardigan or turtle neck
4. a trench coat
5. denim
6. a classic men's watch
7. diamonds
8. ballet flats
9. a classic high heel pump
10. a great bag

It made me think, I completely agree with Nina's list but there are a few extra items that women in the real world need. Not all of us live in Manhattan and work for a world class fashion magazine. We can't be perfect all the time. So I have added 10 more of my own

10 real world must have items

1. Pair of black yoga pants with a fold down waistband. (preferably in bamboo... Scrumptious) - for those days you really don't want to get out of your PJ's but need to leave the house for one reason or another.
2. One black and one white singlet with a built in shelf bra - If you can find a seamless one get it in every colour. These go under everything all year around and can prevent those super cleavage mishaps in low cut dresses or shirts. They can also be worn with jeans and a jacket when deciding on a shirt hurts your brain.
3. A giant pair of sucky-in knickers.- Saggy post baby belly? Period bloat? General fat day? No match for these babies. If nothing else they make you stand up straighter because slouching will make you feel like your vital organs are being crushed.
4. One pair of perfect black or brown boots that are comfy enough to wear every day (and go with pretty much everything for 3 seasons of the year) however if you live somewhere like Darwin, replace these with thongs. It's too bloody hot to wear anything else all year around.
5. A pair of jeans that never shrink down in the wash. Freshly cleaned jeans always make me feel like I've gained 5kg. That wriggly dance you have to do to get them on isn't sexy.
6. A jersey dress in whatever cut suits you best. I find that anything with an empire line works best for me, focus on the boobies and skim all the lumpy bits. If you are short like me get maxi dresses taken up. Tucking them into your undies at home is fine but in public, well people give you strange looks, I know from personal experience.
7. The perfect skirt (for you)- Be it A-line, boho, micro-mini or maxi. This is one I have struggled with. I'm over a size larger in shirts than I am in jeans and could just never find the right one. I have now discovered a-line pleated fullish knee length skirts and I don't feel like a mushroom in them. Skirts are like fancy jeans. Put one on and you far more dressy with no extra work.
8. The right jacket. Whatever cut or colour as long as it can be dressed up or down. The sort of jacket that can be thrown or for the school run and also worn for drinks with the girls. And for the love of god don't be vain and get a too small size. You need to be able to move your arms!
9. A wrap dress. Every woman looks good wrapped. My favorite one is white with a collar and capped sleeves and a full skirt. Very 1950's! Wrap dresses are very forgiving. They hide a multitude of sins, can make big boobs look smaller, small boobs look bigger and everything in between. A win-win for everyone.
10. A cute/funky scarf. This is a new discovery for me. I used to be able to blame random marks/stains/food on my shirt on little madam. Now that she's getting older rather than admit I'm the worlds messiest eater I can cover with a long scarf! It also adds colour and interest to your outfit, makes it look like you put some effort in to getting dressed and keeps you neck warm. It's the holy trinity!

I think the biggest thing to being stylish is attitude, if you think you look good and feel good then other people with be tricked into thinking you look amazing. (Strange how that works huh!)

What are the 10 items on your list? Feel free to double up on items from Nina's list (or mine)

Much love.
Cie

Help me to dress myself {number 1}

Ok Guys and Dolls
Get those thinking caps on and keyboards warmed up. This is the first on what I hope to be a series of social interventions on how I dress myself.

This is the first item up for discussion.

A knit dress/tunic I got on Ebay for about $1.00

I have worn it in 4 different ways and I want to know what works and what doesn't.

I want critiques, suggestions, opinions (I like honesty but don't be an arsehole...I have a pretty thick skin but don't want to hear nasty comments about me....we are judging the outfits OK!!

OK here we go!

Go nuts!!

(and one last super serious shot....I'm a sexy devil!)

Much love

Cie

PS- remember to "like" my Facebook page here.

Anti-fashion? Or just a cry for help? :)

Most women learn to present themselves using fashion and dressing to suit their body in their late teens and early early 20s. 
I did the same. I worked out that my boobs and shoulders should be shown off and that I preferred to mostly keep my legs covered (not because I actually had bad legs, although I thought so at the time, but because you show of your best assets and keep the rest covered to avoid looking cheap) 
I got married at 21. I was a size 6/8 and I was super duper fit. Going for a 5km run after work every day was my debrief, a way to separate work and life. (At the time I was in the defence force so I literally LIVED at work so needed separation of the two) 
Then I feel pregnant. 
I was scared of exercising and made the mistake many first time mothers make, I stopped exercising. 
I gained the normal pregnancy weight and probably a little bit extra. Not as much as I felt like I had gained. 
I gave birth to my daughter, I was exhausted but couldn't wait until the six weeks post partum was up so I could go for a run. 
I ran when I could, I ate ok I suppose, not perfect but not terribly and yet the weight wouldn't budge. 

In the past 4 years of my daughters life I have sweated, starved, sworn at the lack or results. Taken heavy duty amphetamine based prescription weight loss tablets and still not much of a change. 

I'm now a size 14/16. I was 53.3kg at 12 weeks pregnant. I'm now 86.3kg. 
I am now at least aware that I'm battling against hormones and insulin levels that come with pcos...BUT... That still leaves me with a problem...

I have no idea how to dress my new shape. 

I have looked at so many fashion blogs. High fashion, thrifty fashion, plus sized fashion. My problem is I can't find another fashion blog anywhere that relates to me. I'm short (only 159cm) I'm not "curvy" or tall enough for the plus sized outfits to work on my body, and the high fashion outfits I adore won't work unless I was 30kg lighter. So where to now? 

Usually one would grab a bunch of girlfriends and ask them their opinion. My problem is after living in 6 different state capitals all over Australia in 6 years my girlfriends are spread far and wide. 

So what's this go to do with anti-fashion blogging? 

I guarantee I'm not the only woman who feels this way. I KNOW I'm not!

So I'm going to start appealing to all my girls far and wide and all the ones I haven't met yet to help me. For the love of the sisterhood help me!!! 

I'm going to post photos of me in 3 different variations of outfit based around a key item each time and I need your god honest opinions. Which ones work and which ones don't and why. It will teach me and in the process teach other women how to dress themselves again! 

Thoughts? You keen? 


Now I need to think of a name for this game. 

Much love. 

Cie

Just one of those random fluffy get to know ya posts

Hello everyone!!

I hope everyone had a great saturday. Our entire extended household is battling head colds at the moment so we are considering buying shares in kleenex and panadol. A thrilling weekend it does not make!

MIL and I did hit the shops in Fremantle this afternoon. there were no thrilling purchases made by me, even though there is a fantastic sale on at the moment. One thing that did catch my eye was a bonus bulk buy pack of NUDE by nature mineral makeup..but alas they didnt have the colour I was after. Bummer!

So as my brain is all kinds of fuzzy today, its just a bit of a fluffy post. As this blog is pretty new I figured that every couple of weeks or though I would tell you ten random things about me (I would LOVE if you all shared ten random things about you in the comments, that would make my day!)

1. If I could spend all day, every day in my PJ's I would!
2. I have cavalier king charles x bichion named Asti. Shes a bit dopey but beautiful in nature lol.
3. I am either an 8 or 9 in shoes....I cant decide which fit I like better, depends on the shoe I guess.
4. I had a salted caramel macaroon for the first time today....I think I'm in LOOOOOVE!
5. My alcoholic crink of choice is Grey goose vodka with good quality orange juice or lemonade. yummo!
6. I want Gloria Gaynor's "I will survive" played at my funeral.
7. I want to buy an unloved cute little house and make it stunning in my own slightly quirky way.
8. I love fashion and have champagne tastes on a not even beer budget, it more like a shandy budget! I hate paying retail prices hence why at the moment I opshop to get my fashion fix. 
9. I always knew I was an ok cook but living with the Inlaws has been a huge ego boost. My MIL raves about my cooking. I guess I must be doing something right. (maybe recipies is something I should start posting on here? thoughts?)
10. I have no one amazing talent. I'm good at lots of things but as far as I can tell I'm not AMAZING at any one thing.

So leave a comment about your weekend or a list of 10 random things or whatever takes you fancy really.


Night all!!
Cie.

Day 2- Out with the old!

What a busy busy day!!
I tackled my wardrobe today. Wasn't looking forward to that at all!

Once upon a time my wardrobe was my pride and joy. A dazzling array of amazing outfits, shoes and accessories that all made me look amazing....And all fit!
Since having my daughter I have gained 30kg. I have worked my butt off to lose it only to get frustrated with the very minimal results after months and months of hard work and slack off. Diets and drugs (prescription) have failed as well. I have recently discovered that I have pcos (Polycystic ovarian syndrome) which has most likely attributed to at least part of this.
So instead of hanging onto the past (and my size 8 jeans) anything that ...
A) Didn't fit (except for the goal clothes that are neatly packed away! Every woman has these...Right ??!)
B) Didn't suit or
C) Didn't fit with the me I want to be and the style of dress I want to wear or
D) All of the above, went out!! (or dumped in a huge pile in my bedroom until tomorrow when I have to photograph them to list for sale anyhow.) I also ditched the shoes that hurt, look the same as at least two other pairs I own or are just not my thing.
It was surprisingly stressful while I was doing it. It was like being forced to recognize that I'm not the same person I used to be, and I don't just mean the shape of my body!
Once I had finished it was liberating! I had loads of free space and could see exactly what I owned. (which turns out to be alot of winter things! Not so useful in Darwin!!)

So as today draws to a close I'm off to bed.

Cheers

Cie