Funky Funkis

My sister used to have a pair of brown clogs in the mid-90's. I hated them. I thought they were the ugliest shoes I had ever seen. She loved them. She wore them to death.

Clogs are back. And yes, Rach, I told you I still hated them.

But guess what I bought today......

They are Funkis! I can't seem to find the website that originally brought them to my attention last week (it will come to me sometime soon and I will update this post **UPDATE - of course it was the delicious Frankie Magazine!!) but I haven't been able to stop thinking about them since.

Then on Friday, I got my email newsletter from Good As Gold - my favourite jeans store in town - and saw that they are the NZ stockist for Funkis. So I raced down there this morning, determined to see whether or not they would make my ankles look fat (a serious concern when it comes to shoe shopping). They don't!! Hooray!! $219NZD later and I am the proud owner of the most adorable summer shoes I've ever owned. I intend to wear them to death. I'm sure you'll agree they're not really clogs..... They're made from lovely untreated leather, with wooden soles made from Swedish plantation timber, and they are made in Sweden! They're a little awkward to walk in but I'm sure I'll get used to it. The leather is also quite a bit lighter than it is on the website but I'm told it will darken quite a bit over time.

Here they are on my pale little feet (size 37 in these babies! I've never been a size 37 - normally 38 or even 39..) - I fear the traditional breaking-in couple of days may be a little painful.. But as they say - no pain, no gain!

They also sell them in the most beautiful blue, black snakeskin, red, purple patent and purple suede. Love!

Lady in Tomato

This is me. In my dreams. Divine.

Pic: Garance Dore

The Dress

Obviously I have to start this off by confirming that I have no plans to get married in the immediate future, nor have I been asked to get married, or for that matter, asked someone else to marry me!

But there are so many lovely blogs online that I cannot tear my eyes away from.. And as I have done since I was little girl, I cannot help but be inspired for what could be one day.. Too many pretty pictures!

I am mostly resigned to the possibility of never getting married, but I can't say I don't ever want it to happen. I also often say I just want to elope to Vegas with that wonderful guy, and avoid all the unnecessary stress and expense. My Mum would kill me.

Marriage, to me, really is simply a public celebration and confirmation of the love between two people. I do hope that a commitment like that is in my future, and I hope that it does last a lifetime.

So if it does eventually happen one day, I think I really would like to have a special day with just a close circle of loved ones, with a really lovely, fun, party to celebrate. So please forgive me for gathering inspiration from the multitude of wedding blogs.. And where else can I display this inspiration, but right here for my lovely girls! Perhaps I'll get to make use of it all one day.... ;)

Well today ladies, I think I found The Dress.

From this gorgeous blog, 100 Layer Cake, they feature photo galleries from real weddings. It's quite addictive scrolling through them all!

Today's featured wedding was Salma + Ziyaad. And her dress actually made me gasp. It is just what I would choose. Is she not beautiful?! The dress was made by George Wu - a young Brisbane designer - the discovery of which made me twitch with joy that it was not someone so divinely out of the realm of possibility like Vera Wang or Monique Lhuillier..

Anyway - enough talk of weddings that are not my own! Just couldn't resist not sharing this..

Bag Lady

I am such a bag lady. I used to work on the Mimco counter in David Jones. Imagine the staff discount, and then imagine how many Mimco bags I own. Yuh..

Ally and I must be on the same wavelength at the moment, having both just purchased fabulous little brown bags.

I brought one of them over to NZ with me, and decided very early on, when I started catching the bus to work, that this bag just wasn't going to work. It was a typical heavy leather day bag and it was killing my shoulder to carry it around everywhere. So on my limited budget, I tracked down a brown leather cross-body satchel, which has served me very well the past 18 months. I can't believe it lasted that long! That just goes to show how far I've come with my control over money. I used to buy a new bag every 6 months..

I've been bored with my brown satchel for a while now - it just hasn't been large enough to carry all my sh*t, especially through winter when I have lost two lovely woolen beanies because they haven't fitted in my bag, and as such have wandered off my lap when I wasn't looking. So I got some money for my birthday, and took myself along to the Mimco section of Kirks and bought myself this lovely little piece! The Road Warrior Sac. What an awesome name for a handbag!

Like Ally, I also have a few little niggling issues about the level of perfection with this bag - it doesn't have any little pockets for my keys, so I do have to rummage around looking for them. But on the plus side, there is a fabulous side zip that takes you straight into the bag without having to go in through the top zip. I like it. And there's a funky side panel of suede - which I really need to get waterproofed! Waterproofing spray is something I have owned many times in the past - every time you buy a new pair of shoes you are convinced by the shoe store that you also need leather spray to protect them. Where are all those cans of spray when you really need them, I ask you! And I totally love the studs on the bottom. This bag is light-weight, lovely soft leather, gorgeous caramel colour, totally adjustable handle so you can carry it as a handbag as in the pic above, or lengthen the strap to make it a satchel! Perfect!!

Ally - dispense with the guilt - us girls need a great bag to carry our life around in.. So happy you found yours - may have a long and happy life together!

x

Rosemary's Baby

And because I can resist another New York film reference, how divine does Emma Watson look with her new Mia Farrow/Rosemary's Baby haircut?? I think she's totally rocking it.

Pic: Go Fug Yourself

Pic: Marie Claire

A Sartorial Summer

I love The Sartorialist. He doesn't need an introduction - just these four lovely photographs. Could he make a New York summer look any sweeter?

Pics: The Sartorialist

I love that a new city can be an excuse for an entirely new wardrobe. In NZ, my winter wardrobe currently consists of a lot of merino - perfect for layering, black stockings, dresses and skirts, my favourite brown boots, a few pairs of black boots, some slightly inappropriate silver ballet flats (although they really were just inappropriate when I was catching the bus - now that I'm driving, I can get away with them a little better with the quick run from the house to the car, then the car into work!), lots of scarves, my gorgeous new wool coat, beret and gloves. There was nowhere near as much wool in my wardrobe when I lived in Sydney, but I'd like to think a move to NYC would mean I can take my merino items with me.

NZ is a whole lot more relaxed than Sydney - you don't need to try quite so hard, which is a refreshing change. And what's even better, it seems that anything goes in NYC. I can't wait to just take the bare minimum of my current wardrobe with me, and start filling it out with new favourites! Hoping they have as many wonderful little boutiques as we have in my current city. Karen Walker, Kate Sylvester, Moochi, Papercup.. I will definitely miss these places!