55. Black casual beach dress

A simple black dress for a casual sunset BBQ with friends... especially when I eat too much. Also perfect for the wonderful 34 degree days we had this weekend! Plus I got to see my beautiful little sumo nephew Sunday, although he's losing his cute rolls now that he's two weeks old!

Dress|White Suede, Hat|Barkins, Wedges|See by Chloe, Necklace|CK, Sunglasses|Stella McCartney

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54. 10 Things about Elwood

1. Elwood is a Melbourne beach-side suburb right next door to St Kilda, ~8kms from the city. It's quite a trendy suburb full of young families and couples (with dogs it seems).

2. Elwood truly defines Melbourne cafe culture with a cafe on nearly every corner! It’s the perfect way to spend a morning… lazing with a paper and coffee. In fact I ate breakfast at Jerry's today.

Jerry's Cafe | Image co/-

3. It's full of leafy tree-lined streets. This along with the parks, cafes and beach is what attracts people here. Plus its very dog-friendly with lots of off-the-lead parks!

4. In the 1880's a land boom prompted the building of beautiful mansions and large estates, but many of these were converted into flats during the war. Only a few mansions still exist today.

Source

5. Today there are lots of town-houses, apartments and a number of beautiful heritage listed buildings. Homes today are a mix of new, Edwardian, Interwar and California-bungalow style, mixed with cool Art Deco apartment blocks. There is certainly no shortage of flats.

6. People still talk to their neighbours & take each other bins out!

7. Elwood has a very colourful history full of Fire, Fever and Floods. It was once a swampland and Victoria's first quarantine station back in the 1840's. I wasn't surprised to learn about the swampland given our house was effected by the floods in February last year.


8. Until 1959 a tram ran from St Kilda to Brighton - it was the first line to operate the electric system we still use today! I like geeky technology facts like that...

Source

9. Some of my favourite places to eat and drink:


∞ Dandelion for fresh Vietnamese-Asian-fusion dishes packed with plenty of flavour

∞ Jerry's Milk Bar for fabulous breakfasts. The berries & yoghurt are delicious, followed by fresh eggs with spinach and feta. Washed down with a berry smoothie or chai latte.

∞ Lezzet have a mouth-watering slow cooked lamb dish to die for. Plus the traditional wood-fired Turkish pizza is my favourite (rocket gives it the finishing crunchy touch).

∞ Elwood Food and Wine have Friday night specials like pizza and wine for only $12. The food is always fresh (especially the calamari) and staff are lovely.

∞ Easy Fifteen is my chai latte spot, I go here every weekend after Pilates. The chai is made properly with tea not sugary power or syrup. The mixed berry smoothies are one of the best in Melbourne - the perfect thickness with sweet & sour berry tang!

∞ Elwood RSL for a good old chicken Parmigiana

10. In 1940 an underground air raid shelter was built on a former Elwood tennis court. Still intact today in the yard of 23 Mitford Street, it's the only remaining evidence of extensive preparation for air attacks suspected over Port Phillip during the Second World War! Geeky fact #2.

Research sources: City of Port Phillip Elwood Heritage Study and St Kilda Historical Society

53. Beautiful ballet flats

So many beautiful colours, how is a girl to resist! Pink, Orange or Zebra?

All images|Sambag

Another Aussie label to add to my growing list. Not just for their ballet flats, but their beautiful range of clothes which seem perfectly selected to go with all their shoes! I purchased shorts and a gorgeous silk shirt this summer and a cute Anu dress last year. 

52. How to keep a silk top from moving

I wore two of my favourite things yesterday, a girly skirt and OPI red nails... perfect for 34-degree Melbourne days. I had to take the jacket off, it was far too hot!

Top|Saba, Skirt|EmersonMade, Bag|Chloe, Sunglasses|Miu Miu, Shoes|Pedro Garcia, Nails|OPI Red (my favourite colour)

My top is oversized, silk and a little bulky, so I don't wear it very often. To avoid silk tops annoying you and falling out I read somewhere you should tuck your top into your knickers :) Good idea really... I must admit I forgot to do it today. My fiancé thinks I'm the biggest geek when I do that!

Note: this is not a good idea if you're wearing a white skirt that's semi-see-through.

51. January outfit inspiration

I've mentioned before I have an addiction to magazines. So I thought a new way to manage all the clippings I rip out and stick to a board would be to scan first and create a montage... actually to be honest I ran out of room on my board, so I stick pictures on the back of my bedroom door now. My fiancé thinks this entitles him to stick things on there too, but this is another issue entirely (it messes up my wall)... Here's my January wall.

Images (L-to-R)|Shopbop, Necklace|Fallon, Opera Clutch|Rachael Ruddick, Outfit|Net-a-porter, Image|Samantha Wills, Bangles|Samantha Wills, Bagllerina ballet flats, Dress Image|Net-a-porter, Summer Capri outfit|STYD magazine, Perfume arrangement|Eric Cook Design, Shoes|Miu Miu, Yellow shoes|Siren from STYD magazine, Marilyn Monroe Image|Madison magazine, Snake Bangle|Samantha Wills, Lingerie|Miranda Kerr Madison shoot, Summer outfit|Net-a-porter

50. wedding accessories

I'm getting married this year and have two ceremonies to plan for - a simple ceremony at home with family, followed by a destination wedding at a private villa in Bali with our close friends.

We're quite organised already. I have my dress, we've booked the villa, flights, and have a wedding planner in Bali helping us bridge the language gap as neither of us speak Indonesian... probably a good time to brush up on the two years I learnt at school!

So now I arrive at a simple question... Simple or statement jewellery?

Audrey Hepburn image | Grecian inspiration from InStyle magazine

Whilst it is hard to look past Audrey Hepburn's stunning simplicity, I'm leaning towards my one piece of jewellery being a necklace over earrings for a more relaxed-beach-but-still-classic look (if that even makes sense).

Dannijo Adianca necklace

Kenneth Jay Lane hinged collar necklace 

Fallon Serpent Necklace

I do love statement jewellery. My dress is simple and strapless so a statement necklace would be perfect. I often lean towards Ethereal/Grecian style, as I like classic simplicity with a statement twist.

Image from InStyle magazine, October 2011

Or earrings?

All earrings and images from Samantha Wills

49. The Yellow Chair

This morning whilst out at breakfast with my fiancé, he looked up from his newspaper and asked why I had teary eyes. Note, I have been known to get teary at random things... like when George died in Grey's Anatomy (sorry if you missed that episode but it was a few seasons ago), or when the boy was reunited with his horse in the movie we watched last night - Warhorse (sorry again).

Back to the point, I had just finished reading Stephen McGrath's short story - The Yellow Chair about neighbours in an old Melbourne suburb. Inspired by photographs he saw in an exhibition, this story actually came in third place in The Age's short story competition.

Take 10 minutes to read this beautiful story... I like to think that in our lives we still care about others and how we impact their lives.

Illustration by Jim Pavlidis

48. Tribal wear

A quick post with my tribal dress today... I feel very feminine wearing girly dresses! This ball skirt style - made famous by Christian lacroix with his 'le pouf' ball skirt gown - accentuates my waist and works really well with a blazer that finishes at the hip. I don't think it's too poufy for work, plus I'm wearing this with my tried and true navy blazer to make it more formal.

Hmmm, I feel like I'm giving style advice today... this is not the case I just wanted to write 'le pouf' for my sister!!

Dress|Gorman, Shoes|YSL, Bracelet|Vintage from my grandma

This dress came from Gorman. Lisa Gorman creates beautiful organic wear and the most amazing patterns, vibrant colours and things that you can't get anywhere else. I think that's why I love her label so much, I always end up with a few pieces each season. Plus these YSL tributes are my new babies from Mexico (on sale of course)!

47. All black today

When I can't decide what to wear I always gravitate to black. I use the excuse its a Melbourne thing, but its probably more a comfort thing. I'm back in the office today, but luckily have no client meetings so I can wear my trusty jeans. Jeans are fabulous after one too many Marshmallow Santa's over Christmas!

I love AG Jeans and I'd been struggling to find this style in Melbourne to try on. Not only did I find them on a recent trip to Miami, I tried on lots of styles and bought two pairs half price in black and mulberry colours. These are The Legging style - not jeggings - the cut is mid rise, so creates a very smooth line on the stomach above the hips. They contain heaps of stretch but still have a thick feeling, so are really comfy. 

I'm approx 172cm tall, so on me the style comes to my ankle which is perfect for heels and ballet flats. My Mulberry jeans are The Stilt style, which has a slightly wider opening at the ankle, and a soft sateen feel to the fabric.

Top|Satch, Jeans|AG Jeans, Shoes|Marni, Bag|Chloe, Sunglasses|Miu Miu

I'm eagerly awaiting the arrival of my sister's baby (due yesterday) - hurry up baby!!!!