fashion as art.

Image From: Piet Mondrian, YSL, Sarah Schofield, We Heart It and Tina Kalivas

When a friend suggested adding YSL's adaptation of Piet Mondrian's artwork to my fashion as art feature, I didn't quite realise just how many other designers Mondrian also inspired. The famous geometric compositions of red, blue and yellow primary colours can be seen to have a longstanding influence on fashion, right up until the present day.

YSL adapted the print on a range of dresses for the Fall 1965 collection. Admirably, rather than solely applying the artwork as a direct print, the design plays tribute to the painter by translating the principles of the De Stijl genre into the structure of the dresses. The appearance remains flat by the cut and placement of colours, mirroring the concept of the artwork. This adaptation indicates how the intelligence of the designer and vision of the artist are able to seamlessly work as one.

Other designers inspired by Mondrian include Australian swimwear designer, Sarah Schofield and world-renowned shoe designer, Christian Louboutin, amongst many others.

You can also see Mondrian’s heavy influence on designers who are currently working with grids and have a minimalist approach to colour block. One such designer is Tina Kalivas, whose Mondrian-inspired fashion utterly embodies the concept of ‘when art meets fashion’.

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fashion find: a peace treaty

Image From: A Peace Treaty

What could possibly be better than beautiful, handmade jewellery? Beautiful, handmade jewellery with a purpose. Recently I stumbled upon the story behind A Peace Treaty and felt the need to share it with my followers. Designed by two friends from differing occupational backgrounds, A Peace Treaty aims to promote ethnic craftsmanship by introducing it to mainstream fashion society. The ethically produced work has a wonderful artisan feel, giving you the sense of one-off treasures, discovered and handpicked from a traditional bazaar.

This social conscious project provides employment to skilled locals in politically stricken countries. Each season travels to a different region and is influenced by the local methods and traditions found there. The result is high quality design mixed with strong ethical purpose.

The materials, shapes and processes create charming and unique jewellery that will work well in your tribal influenced wardrobe.

Support this good cause here.

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dressing for your body shape: petite

Image From: Getty Images

Some people have been blessed (or cursed, depending on how you look at it) with a petite frame and flat chest.

In terms of fashion, there are a lot of things petite assets allow women to pull off that their bigger breasted sisters can’t. They can dip their back hemlines low, discard the side panels of their dresses and plunge their necklines beyond appropriate. The result is feminine and sexy yet ultimately remains classy. Some flat-chested style icons that you can take fashion inspiration from include Rachel Bilson, Erin O’Connor, Frieda Pinto, Kate Hudson and Kate Bosworth.

1. Rachel Bilson. Give the illusion of curves with a tulip dress and refocus attention to other assets, such as your killer legs.

2. Erin O’Connor. Be proud of your chest and make a statement! Being able to plunge your neckline this low is the best thing about having a small chest. Keep the rest of your body covered to draw attention right to where you want it.

3. Freida Pinto. Create a bust with soft folds and accentuate your curves by adding a thin high-waist belt.

4. Kate Hudson. If you are still a little shy to try the plunging neckline, a plunging backline will also work to your advantage. There is nothing sexier than having everything else covered and your back exposed. You will need to ditch the bra to pull this off, but considering our size, this shouldn’t be a problem.

5. Kate Bosworth. Keeping your neckline high is also perfect for a smaller build. Besides adding a little mystery, it can elongate your frame and achieve an elegant look.

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Like what you read but don’t fit into the petite category? Leave a comment with a body type you would like to see featured and I will write a follow up post in the coming weeks.

style is fashion.

Image From Unknown and Sam Robinson

It is a rare and enviable thing to be able to define one’s personal style. For me, style isn’t a definite. It transforms throughout time by mood, seasons and places. I let myself be influenced by magazines, people, photography, art and design. I am not revolutionary, nor am I a trend. I am simply expressing my inner personality through outer physical means.

Some people believe clothes are just an ordinary part of the everyday. However, those who appreciate fashion understand that clothes are more than just a way to keep you covered. Fashion has the ability to tell the world a story and we, as individuals, are able to write each story being told.

Some days my story is an eclectic music video with energetic colours and a no-fuss attitude. Other days I am an unsaturated photograph of a girl wearing daisy chains, dancing without inhibition in an empty paddock in the middle of spring.

The next chapter begins with a summer road trip, lazily passing by endless green fields, listening to feel-good tunes and stopping at unknown towns found by chance. But by night the story is rewritten and I find myself living in between the slick pages of a magazine.

It is easy to say that fashion is individual, unpredictable and ever-changing. And at the end of the day, style is not simply a trend or a fad, but rather a self-confidence that everyone has the ability to wear.

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hometown glory: wonders cease

Image From: The Grand Social and Fashionising

Stereotypical Australia conjures up imagery of relaxed people eating fish and chips at the beach on a scorching hot summer day; tanned long-limbed beauties emerging from the sea with perfect saltwater beach hair; and clusters of men drinking ice-cold beer by the BBQ. However now more than ever, people across the globe are beginning to take notice of our unique and thriving fashion industry – and rightly so. Australians have the uncanny ability to not take themselves too seriously. This humble nature is expressed in our fashion and is what ultimately sets us apart from the rest of the world and makes Australian fashion designers so successful.

Maryanne Edwards and Emma Fitzgerald each make up one half of the talented duo behind up-and-coming label Wonders Cease. Their new resort collection ‘In the Light of Play’ was showcased at Rosemount Australian Fashion Week in Sydney earlier this month and it is no surprise that this emerging label is about to make waves throughout the global fashion scene.

The collection takes a playful turn without straying too far from its ultra-feminine past. It exudes a sport luxe feel in a subtle, flattering way and manages to create unique lines through soft and intelligent tailoring. The distinctive colour palette mixes bold and soft tones and is eerily in tune with the Australian outback – think sunset orange, lake blue and dusty grey. The collection is just a snippet of the talent produced by this pair and the success of the label lies in their ability to make fashionable yet completely wearable clothes. 

So why don’t you revel in some hometown glory and get behind this Australian label – you can be sure the rest of the world will follow closely.

Check out the Wonders Cease website here.

The duo is currently in New York to promote the brand and looking to expand into the international market. I wish them all the success they rightfully deserve.

style inspiration: tough love.

Image From: ffffound, 28monsters and Devin Yalkin

This season, leather has taken an unexpected yet welcome turn. In the past, distressed bomber jackets and studded leather pants were a vision directly born out of the punk era. Today we see leather being moulded and reworked in a more playful and versatile way, challenging the traditional 'tough rocker' image of its ancestors. And while leather has always made a place in every other season, this fresh approach sees the fabric taking on a soft and beautiful form, moving away from its conventional fashion and towards well-designed skirts, shorts and dresses.

Be bold and wear leather from morning to evening by working hard edges with relaxed tailored blazers, sheer shirts and delicate lace textures. Opting for these softer finishes will help your otherwise tough outfit remain feminine. When in doubt, remember to draw inspiration from the runway and you will find yourself adapting to this trend in no time.   

The ageless fabric will mean that these signature pieces will remain in fashion for seasons to come.

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tune it: escaping into dreamland.

A small, humble band hailing from Melbourne, Architecture in Helsinki has a habit of making no-fuss, get-up-and-dance music. ‘Escapee’, off their fourth album Moment Bends, vibrates a contagious energy that has a habit of making me want to crazy-dance around the house naked.

This song is all kinds of wonderful. It has me nostalgic for summer road trips, skinny-dipping in forest lakes and escaping into dreamland.

I hope you enjoy it. Happy Easter!

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style inspiration: snap, crackle, block

Image From: Flickr

Just three years ago I could have been forgiven for thinking I was living inside a ‘Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’ episode. Fluro ‘fashion’ was donned by all kinds of festival and partygoers across the nation – colour so bright it would hurt your eyes. Men and women alike rocked fluro with pride, all the while bearing a striking resemblance to backup dancers in a 1990s workout video.

Fast-forward to 2011 and the older and wiser sister to fluro – the colour block – is a huge trend this season. And although mixing two colours together is nothing new, we now see the trend becoming brighter and bolder as it moves from soft muted tones into vibrant neon hues.

The colour block trend is just in time for our Australian winter, and what better way to beat down those winter blues than by attacking them head-on with a clash of energetic purple and fuchsia pink, or saturated yellow and seaweed green? It's not hard to see that colour blocking is an easy way to inject a new and playful energy into your wardrobe and help you stay well clear of the back-to-black attitude that usually sets in around this time of year.

My tip for successful colour blocking is to be careful not to overcomplicate the trend and to stick to just two or three colours at a time. This can be achieved in the most obvious way with a head-to-toe, look-at-me outfit, or subtly incorporated into your wardrobe just by adding accessories that pop! Once you have chosen what you want to colour block, be sure to keep the rest of your look simple so the colour can be the focus. 

Currently loving: turquoise sea blue and burnt sunset orange.

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collective memory.

Image From: Fashion Bucket

In the past, jewellery took a backseat to clothes. Always an afterthought, we left our cut-out dresses, super-mini skirts and embellished jackets to do the talking for us. Well, these days jewellery has something to say, and it is being heard loud and clear. Everywhere you look, statement jewellery can be seen draped over necks, wrapped around wrists and stacked onto fingers.

This over-the-top trend has not gone unnoticed. My Samantha Wills cuff manages to make an incredible impression on everyone who sets their eyes upon it. This self-indulgent purchase has been a wise investment that will remain on-trend throughout seasons to come.

The ‘Memory Cuff’, with its elaborate elephant motif is not the only impressive animal piece in the collection. Snakes and butterflies also feature, each as beautiful and unique as the last.  So why don’t you treat yourself and let your inner tribal shine? You can take a look at the whole collection here. Which piece is your favourite?

designer profile: michael lo sordo.

Image From: Michael Lo Sordo

It is no wonder up-and-coming designer Michael Lo Sordo is literally being seen in every fashion magazine in the country. His past Spring/Summer collection featured soft feminine tailoring, watercolour prints and accordion pleats. With a sense of young romantics, Lo Sordo manages to create an all over whimsical lullaby effect. If the next collection is half as good as this one, we can expect to be indulged in a cosmic explosion of amazingness.

Michael Lo Sordo, you have left me wanting more.