Happy Belated Friday: Sequins

Sorry... I was meant to have waxed lyrical about how great my weekend was going to be. However, it's been and gone and indeed it was a fabulous weekend. Friends from afar were here for another couple of friends' 30th birthday and wedding the next day. Weddings are really so much fun - a reunion of sorts, paired with great food, dress-ups and plenty of champagne. I am struggling to keep my head up today though... Not only did I get home post-3am each night, yesterday I hosted a dinner party and I made a slow-roast roast lamb - 5 HOURS in the oven. Along with a tricky hollandaise sauce (I had to redo it after the eggs became scrambled...), French lentils and loads of roast potatoes and parsnips. It was worth the sleepy head this morning though. I adore my friends.


I wore a LOT of sequins on Friday night... The 30th was casino themed!

Serious Trivia

As I was driving my delightful new car to work this morning (I have free parking close to town for the next 2 wks = bus-free bliss), my happy mood was somewhat jolted by a ridiculous conversation on morning radio (I hate morning radio more than pumpkin - it is such drivel, so dull and so freakin dumbed down it makes me made. The sooner I get an iPod jack, the better) about how much bullshit Sex and the City is. These conversations are so redundant! If they would bother to listen to the producers, writers, actors and fashion stylists for the show, they would hear the words "the fantasy" repeated over and over. This is the joy of SATC - it's a beautiful escape for us to run away to: where our friendships are perfect and not marred by drama, where the wardrobes are insanely designer, the cocktails are free-flowing (and somehow they don't get you stumbling drunk), and you live in a gorgeous apartment in New York city. I mean for heaven's sake - this is not being peddled as reality! So, as an act of rebellion, I am giving you a little bit of trivia re SATC: 2, and I will pretend that all of this information is life or death information that must be memorised as it may assist in the event of apocalyptical upheavals.

The Newspaper Gets Re-Read
Look familiar? Well, it is.

As Patricia Field, stylist for pretty much everything SATC-related, notes:
"The newspaper dress! Carrie’s worn this before, of course, in season three when she was going to apologize to Natasha for sleeping with Big. It was intentional on my part; the choice of the newspaper dress was motivated by the plot. It was a very iconic dress from the series. It’s not something I generally do, but sometimes — like in the last movie, I dug out her old fur coat. It was New Year’s Eve, Carrie was alone, Miranda was alone, so she grabbed her coat and went to Miranda’s house. The Dior dress is more directly plot related, and this Dior connection goes even deeper. The first season, the last outfit of the last episode, when she was in front of the Plaza and she realized that Big was gone, going with Natasha, she wore a white Dior dress. That was the first time that I used Dior, and when she goes to apologize to Natasha, there’s that underlying thing that there’s Dior there. There’s something symbolic about that brand."

That is so deep.

Like Other Films, Some Scenes - And Outfits - Get Cut
This outfit ended up on the cutting room floor. Sad. I like it.

No Amount Is Too Much (fantasy, remember?)
Carrie's outfit in this scene cost $50,000. If morning radio thinks that women viewers actually think people wear $50,000 worth of threads to sing karaoke, they need their heads read! Lighten up! Nay-sayers, you bug me today.

They Are As Respectful of Other Cultures As Fashion Will Allow
See?

Patricia Field weighs in:
"Here they’re arriving in the Middle East. Once we got there, I went crazy with headwear, because it’s a requirement of the area. Of course, I did it in my own way, as you can see. Usually in cinema they hate headwear; the lighting, the camera, the shadows, and we’re always fighting for the right to use it, so this was delivered to me on a silver platter. Charlotte uses a classic sun hat, with a big brim, which is very Charlotte. The secret is that I wanted her to wear a different scarf in that, but she felt that Charlotte wouldn’t do that, so she won the argument. It was red and white, that Palestinian pattern that comes in checkered black and white. It’s become as run-of-the-mill as leopard print, but she thought that Charlotte, being married to a Jew, wouldn’t wear that. So in the end she wore a simple white one. Carrie’s wearing this Halston piece — it was a bit daring because it covered one shoulder but showed the other, so it was my compromise. Samantha’s wearing these sequin pants from Ralph Lauren, like a cargo type of pant, like a harem pant. It was Samantha’s way of dressing Arabian."

I love that the actresses got a say in their outfits.

Cultural Sensitivities Will Not Prevent the Sipping of Champagne
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"This is in the Middle Eastern desert in a tent. In the course of this desert jaunt that they do, they have three changes, which is really funny. This, to me, is giving you Sex and the City: the hysterical. Miranda’s dress is gorgeous, by the way — that dress is an antique. When I first met Cynthia Nixon at the beginning of the series, she said to me, 'Pat, you're the expert, I'm not into fashion, just dress me, I trust you.' That was a compliment, but in a way it posed a problem, because anyone with any opinions gave them, and Miranda’s style became a muddle. But after the series was over, Cynthia's lifestyle took an abrupt, personal change, and I think it really impacted her. A few months before we started to prep for the first movie, I saw a small picture of her in a magazine, and she looked so gorgeous. She had let her hair grow, and that picture gave me all the inspiration for the Miranda of the movies. She looked 100 percent better."

See, morning radio morons? The hysterical. Gracious me.

Even Though We Know It's Not Real, It's Nice to Dream
I'm pretty sure most women would love to own this Halston dress. The image has been plastered everywhere.

Jane, His Wife

Gwyneth is looking very space age these days... I like it! We have scooted quickly through the end of the 50s/early 60s in fashion terms through to the beehives, bold colours, and (joy!) mini-skirts of the mid to late 60s. The exact era Mad Men is currently in. Fashion barometer. I love it!

Wise Words

As my Body Attack instructor very sagely pointed out the other night as we jumped around like sweaty maniacs - "winter's upon us, and you know what that means? It's almost summer!!" and this was followed by a collective lightbulb moment in the room. And we all worked that little bit harder, as we dreamed of these kinds of scenes in our head..

Did You Know...

* The first couple to be shown in bed together on prime time TV was Fred and Wilma Flintstone.
* The first book ever to be written completely on a typewriter was Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain in 1876.
* The Australian/French movie The Tree just received a 7 minute standing ovation at Cannes International Film Festival.

-- Courtesy of Frankie (I still can't hyperlink: http://www.frankie.com.au/)

Let's Get Physical

Forever 21 - doyenne of uber cheap chic - has finally launched its sports range (they have been emailing since late last year with promises of a sports range). With prices starting at $3.80, I never cease to shake my head in wonderment in the difference in prices between the USA and Oz. Of course the quality is different - but not to the extent the price difference would indicate. Whatever... It looks like a fun range - the kind of thing you slip on for a "jog" when you've told the boy you've just started seeing that you're not too bad at sport when really, the last time you ran was in primary school...

Quick Peek

At the SATC: 2 premiere which was yesterday in NYC. A few girls I know had tickets to watch with SJP... So so so jealous!


It's hard to believe SJP is 45! She looks so amazing. I wonder what her fitness routine consists of? And does she ever eat full fat ice cream and apple pie (I have been)?

Mini-Spoiler

Not a huge one. However, as I mentioned the other day, Aussie soccer players are divine creatures. They apparently receive a nod from the Sex and the City girls when the girls go to a hotel in Abu Dhabi, only to discover it's full of gorgeous athletes by the pool. According to the plot, the hotel is hosting players for World Cup football heats. A couple of players wearing bulge-amplifying Australian-flag Speedos walk by Samantha, played by Kim Catrall, and she leers, "Look at that Aussie sausage!" Indeed!

Note: This pic is from the first film...

Fashion Apps

I'm not sure if I've mentioned to you people that I have an iPhone which I love almost more than life itself. (Not quite... My new car, collected on the wkend, has replaced the iPhone for now - however they are used collaboratively: the map function is essential when in the car with me, as I have no sense of direction whatsoever. I call it an adventure, others call it annoying). And one of my quiet joys is playing with apps or asking complete strangers what kind of "sweet apps" they may have. My little sister, being of the total tech age, is my best source for apps.

OPI - one of my favourite nail polish producers due primarily to the names they give their colours - has launched a new iPhone app that allows you to try out a new shade of polish without even opening the bottle. After customizing the skin tone (!!!), you can test OPI's 200-plus colors on your virtual nails.


I also have the Forever 21 app which provides me with loads of entertainment (you can play with outfits, go shopping etc).

Another that I am contemplating is Style Book(I hate paying for apps - I'm so cheap! - and StyleBook is $4) , which lets you take photos of your own clothing, organize it by categories, and then help you build outfits, make packing lists, and build custom Polyvore-like collages.


One of the freebie apps that boggles the mind is Chictopia - which essentially amasses hundreds of images of amazing outfits and blog postings from the Chictopia editors. This is the type of dangerous app that when you think you've spent just 10 minutes on, you look up from your iphone only to realise you have 20% battery left and it's midnight.

Vintage Nicole

This just like the good old days - pre the insane dieting (ok, she's still pretty skinny, but she's not as skinny) and the blonde hair.

Would You Like Pasta or Havianas with That?

I happen to like Amy Adams, particularly after her ravishing performance in Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day. She was also lovely in Sunshine Cleaning and Doubt. However, I am confused about her choice of baby names. After giving birth to a girl-tyke this week, it has been revealed the baby is called Aviana Olea Legallo. It sounds like the title for a collaboration between Havianas and a pasta sauce company. Or just a bunch of letters strung together to make a "name".

Buffy-Lee/Gluffy/Glee-Buff

Joss Whedon is directing the next episode of Glee. And it features Doogie Howser/How I Met Your Mother star, Neil Patrick Harris.


True Buffy fans (wait - sorry... You didn't realise Whedon wrote and directed cult hit show Buffy the Vampire Slayer? Now you do) will know this isn’t Whedon’s first foray into musicals. In an episode of Buffy (which I personally cringed my way through) Whedon directed a classic all-singing (the whole frickin' thing) episode, “Once more, with feeling” and paired up with Harris on “Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog”, an internet musical series written during the Writers Guild strike in 2007.

Kate Moss Topshop (Again)

Here are some images from the Topshop Look Book for Kate Moss's latest collection...


I feel a little "meh" about this.

Athletes and Trophy Cabinets

I have long held the opinion (since about grade 3, in fact) that soccer players will routinely fill out any list of hottest football (i.e. any code) players due to: their lithe, athletic build; the presence of necks (not so in other codes - yes, I mean you, Rugby Union); the lack of broken nose/jaw/cheekbone rendering their faces ever more lovely; and the strict rules players must abide by, making them charming individuals to meet, be it on the field, in a bar on a Saturday night (I speak from experience) or in Coles in your trackies.

Following my progression into adulthood (that is, the need to work for a living which led me to work at AFL games in corporate suites - cruisy job by the way) I would also add "AFL Players" to fill out the list quite substantially also. Sadly, guys such as Jason Akermanis - a walking headline as he was described today - reduce the "charm" quote with idiotic comments about homosexuals. But by and large, soccer players are the hottest of the footballers. Vanity Fair exemplifies rather nicely here:


If you weren't already... Are you excited about the World Cup?

PS: Here is a fascinating insight from Mystic Medusa re the French soccer team coach:, Raymond Domenech (also an astrologer, and an Aquarian): He has been hugely reviled for refusing to have Scorpios or Leos on his team, using Tarot to make decisions and his link with a Seventies porn star. He’s an Aquarius and he apparently gets booed by the French fans at EVERY match.

Hahaha! Fascinating!

Operation Textbook Romance Claims First Success

Ali has caught the love bug! Hurrah! While I don't believe a book had such a huge amount to do with it, I believe the affirmations and general good vibey-ness assisted. What is this book, you ask? (Clearly you haven't read this blog before). I explained to a (male) friend this morning. The email conversation goes as follows:

He: What are you hearting so vigorously about on Facebook?
Me: Ali (just used the powers contained in a book I posted to her to find the man of her dreams and she's ridiculously loved up.
He: Powers contained in a book, huh?
Me: It's all in the mind. No actually, the book basically just recommends exercising self-restraint and not being too needy or overly grateful at the receipt of male attention. Simple enough...
He: You need a book to tell you that? :-P
Me: Hehehe. Sometimes! It's also full of empowering and loving messages about staying yourself and blah di blah blah. It's actually very good! We've been sending it around the world (starting with me sending it to ali - she's now sending it to another girl in NYC) for girls we think need a bit of encouragement when it comes to dating. I've given the book to another friend here. It's a good read! Not as oprah-ish as it sounds... truly!
He: You’re such a hippie sometimes.
Me: I know. If I were less materialistic, I would be full blown.

Kate Moss for TopShop

The latest Kate Moss collection has been paired with a video... Watch to the end for a flash of her famous derriere...

Food Glorious Food

I have recently enlisted the services of a personal trainer. I don't know why - mainly because I find it so hard to say "no" to sales people, and partly because I'm curious to see what "changes" might happen to my body. In addition to 2 days per week enduring an aching body, I am also asked to keep a food diary to observe my habits. This weekend, I was shocked to discover I barely ate - unless you count countless glasses of champagne and finger food as food.... Today, all I can think about is hamburgers.

Happy Friday: Raceday

Have a great weekend everyone! I'm off to the races on Saturday, and a lovely lunch in the mountains on Sunday. Bliss.

King Lear

Last night I attended my umpteenth Bell Shakespeare performance. Bell Shakespeare Company - headed by the inimitable John Bell - has been running for 20 years this year, and it never fails to impress.

John Bell appears as King Lear, a slightly insecure man who, upon divvying up his estate amongst his 3 daughters, requires that they tell him one after the other how much they love him. Cordelia, the youngest and Lear's favourite, feels that she cannot put into words how much she loves him, believing that it is her actions that speak louder. Lear, pissed off that he didn't get the dotage he wanted, boots her out and instantly disowns her - much to her horror. The other sisters (Regan and Goneril) - played magnificently by Leah Purcell (who looks like an Avenger under her royal dress what with her purple thigh high boots and purple briefs!) and Jane Montgomery Griffiths (most nasty with her make-up and lanky stalking across the stage) - look on in satisfaction, such it is that they now receive a larger chunk of the King's kingdom. Cordelia is somewhat saved by the King of France who has taken a bit of a shining to the sweetest of the three sisters. And off she departs (for a while).


We are then thrown into a web of intrigue with Edgar and Edmund feuding (Edmund = hot as the devilish bastard son of Gloucester), and some serious deceipt working its magic on Gloucester. Edgar departs, and transforms to Mad Tom - scampering about in soiled undies (most off-putting) and dirt - so as to avoid detection from soldiers prowling about looking for the alleged traitor. King Lear, annoyed at his treatment by his greedy daughters, departs in a rage. And then everything starts to get messy. I'm not sure if you are familiar with the story, but King Lear is a fantastic story of greed, sibling rivalry, jealousy, lust, familial loyalty and good old fashioned battles of right vs wrong. Not to give away the ending, but in true Shakespearian form, it is all rather bleak and bloody and tearful in the end.

The performances last night were fabulous - the Fool played with such energy and fun by an elderly gent that every little heart swooned for him. The evil sisters embodied their characters, and Edmund created a contemptible, yet-lust-worthy, jealous brother with aplomb. When Shakespeare is done well (i.e. your attention is captured for the full 3 solid hours of the performance) you leave feeling as though you've been through the wringer - emotionally and intellectually. But you also feel smarter. 5 Stars from me.

Some famous King Lear quotes:

* "How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is to have a thankless child!" - (Act I, Scene IV).

* "I am a man more sinned against than sinning". - (Act III, Scene II).

* "My love's more richer than my tongue". (Act I, Scene I).

* "Nothing will come of nothing." King Lear Quote (Act I, Scene I).

* "Have more than thou showest, speak less than thou knowest, lend less than thou owest". - ( Quote Act I, Scene IV). [Note: A guide to living]

* "The worst is not, So long as we can say, 'This is the worst.' " . King Lear Quote (Act IV, Scene I).

* "We are not the first Who with best meaning have incurred the worst" (Act 5, Scene 3).

Shakespeare was such a modern sage. Every play he writes is bursting with wisdom that is is applicable to today. It never fails to gobsmack me.

Tyra Talks

Unless you haven't seen Tyra Banks' America's Next Top Model (ANTM) or her talk show, Tyra, you are probably well aware that Tyra is grooming herself to be the next Oprah Winfrey. Just as you don't cross Oprah, you sure as hell don't cross Tyra. Particularly when she decides to write a book to continue her bid at conquering the self-promotion globe. Called Modelland, Tyra declares that "Many of the characters will be inspired by some of the models I've known - both nice and 'ice'." What witticism!

Given the infamous duel between Janice Dickinson and Banks, it's quite likely the mantle of "ice" will be firmly held by an insane Dickinson-based character who runs around calling her frenemies "fat".


In Tyra's words:

The story happens in a make-believe place called Modelland. Every girl in the world wants to go there because it's where 'Intoxibellas' are trained. Intoxibellas are drop-dead beautiful, kick-butt fierce and, yeah, maybe they have some powers too. (But I'm confirming NOTHING! Ha. You gotta wait for the book.) The story follows a teen girl and her friends who find themselves magically transported to Modelland, even though they're really not supposed to be there.


Does this excite or terrify you? Do you think this book will be held up by rabid mothers declaring the book encourages eating disorders and school-girl bullying?

I really hope Miss J is in it.

Jessica Rabbit

Here is Miranda Kerr with the rest of the Victoria's Secret ladies channelling some serious Jessica Rabbit-ness...


She actually looks a little nervous as though she is scared that if she makes any sudden movement she may fall out of the dress. However.. Still hot. Would you have the guts to pull something like that off? I recently bought a black leather mini-skirt which I love to death. I don't think I could go the whole leather hog though...

Anticipation Mounts

US Marie Claire is celebrating the imminent release of the second SATC film with a four cover special. I wonder whose face will sell the most magazines?

And here are the girls inside.


I met a girl the other night who is holidaying in New York at the time of the release and has tickets to the premiere! Lucky, lucky lady!!!

More Ways to Spend Your Savings

After yesterday's efforts, I should be exhausted and my credit card should be well and truly in the freezer. Not quite.

Random internet clicking led me to this adorable Etsy store - Pretty Little World. Plenty of gorgeous vintage finds which I am lusting over. Alas! I am banned from shopping. If I wasn't banned from shopping, I would probably want to buy most of these:




I may also attempt to emulate one Betty Draper in this Saks 5th Avenue dress...