Food Love: Summer Strawberry Shortcake

It's the last week of summer! Officially anyway, but we all know that this crazy Australian weather might mean the hottest days are yet to come.

There are some fabulous summer fruits still available and I picked up some beautiful strawberries for $1.00 a punnet - time to get baking (and another resolution ticked off)!

Here is a fantastic recipe for Strawberry Shortcake (a fancy scone if you will) that will impress everyone and taste delish.

Summer Strawberry Shortcake

Prep Time: 35 Mins

Cooking Time: 20 Mins

Serves: 4-8

Ingredients

2 punnets strawberries, cut in half (quarters for big berries)

5 tablespoons caster sugar (white sugar is also fine)

1 1/2 cups thickened cream (plus additional 1/2 cup for serving)

1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

2 cups plain flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

pinch salt 

to serve: icing sugar and whipped cream

Method

Rinse well, drain and hull your strawberries, then cut into halves or quarters.

It's hard to do this without taste testing...

When your strawberries are cut, puree a quarter of your quantity.
Add the liquid to the remaining strawberries.
Add three tablespoons of sugar and the balsamic vinegar, mix well and allow to macerate in the fridge for 30 minutes.

I used flavoured balsamic, but ordinary balsamic vinegar is fine - whatever type you have!

While the berries are doin' their thing, gather the shortcake ingredients.
Sift flour and baking soda then add remaining sugar and salt into a large bowl.
Gradually add the thickened cream, using a spatula to combine.
NOTE: your mixture will be a scone-like consistency - use your hands to bring the mixture together and form a dough - DON'T KNEED or the dough will be tough.

The shortcake mixture will resemble scone mixture

Lightly grease and flour a 5cm-deep baking tin (I used a square tin) and press dough into base. Be sure to evenly cover the tin (the dough will be sticky, use lightly floured hands to press into tin)

Get your hands dirty!

Place into a pre-heated oven at 180 degrees and bake for 18-20 minutes - the shortcake will be cooked but not too golden on top. Cool completely.

While short cake is cooling, grab your remaining thickened cream and give it a whip - add vanilla essence if you're feeling adventurous.

When shortcake is cooled, cut into desired serving size (I was generous and cut four - will comfortably cut eight pieces), then cut each piece horizontally to create a 'sandwich' of shortcake.

The dough won't rise, but the height is in the stacking

Get your deliciously macerated strawberries from the fridge. Layer a tablespoonful of the juice onto the bottom half of your shortcake 'sandwich' then pile on a few berries. Then smear cream on top. Add a few more berries. Smear more cream onto the lid of the shortcake and carefully place lid on top of shortcake stack.

Sticky fingers

Give your shortcake a dusting of icing sugar and garnish with a few more strawberries.

A fine dusting

And there you have it! A fabulous summer strawberry shortcake to share with your sweetheart!

YUM!

The beauty of this recipe is the minimal amount sugar it requires. Sugar free is optional, just increase your quantity of balsamic vinegar to three tablespoons to macerate your strawberries. Also, thickened cream can be substituted for 'light' thickened cream for a (slightly) more healthy option.

Enjoy lovers x

Elouise

My take on current trends - Autumn/Winter 2015

I know it doesn't feel like it but there's only a week left of summer!! Adelaide is still boasting 40 degree days and Brisbane is still shrouded in humidity with lots of rain about, but relief is in sight. 

It can be hard to imagine being cooler, which can mean you don't feel like shopping for Winter clothes yet, but I'm telling you this is the perfect time to shop for them. If you start shopping now you get the pick of the bunch of all the latest designs for the cooler months. 

Better still, there's trans-seasonal pieces in stores at the moment, perfect for the mild winters that we get here in Brisbane and further north. Think casual anoraks and parkas and light-weight trenches like this beauty below from Sportscraft. It's all we need for a Brisbane winter and if you're from the southern end of the country this will get you through those "not too cold but not too warm" days during autumn before winter really hits. 

Sportscraft Drape Trench Coat: It will literally go with everything!

A word of warning: If you wait until winter really sets in there will be fewer light-weight options available. By that stage its only knits and heavy coats remaining.

You might have noticed a 70's vibe if you've hit the shops lately and no you're not mistaken! Flared jeans are already available from your chain stores and they're inclusive of a higher waist line too (bye-bye muffin tops! Hooray!) But it's not just the jeans that have received a 70's makeover - you'll see striking 70's inspired prints, bold florals, faux fur and hints of velvet too. Not to mention beautiful wide-brimmed felt hats and tassel trimmed bags! Don't let the 70's vibe scare you off though, it's all about taking one or two items from a trend and mixing them into your current wardrobe to make them work for you. Less is more.

Country Road

Two styles lingering on from summer are the A-line midi skirt (finishes just below the knee) and culottes. Both options can be made to work for winter with brogues (above) or boots (below). Get your monies worth by making them work hard for you all year round - refer to the Cost Per Wear Ratio below.

Veronica Maine clothing, Tony Bianco boots

Cost Per Wear Ratio

Total cost of the item / estimated number of days you’ll wear it = the cost per wear

For example, if you spend $500 on a great winter coat, wear it for about 100-150 per year over the next five years, it’ll cost you about $.67 to a $1.00 every time you wear the coat. The more you wear the coat, the lower the cost per wear. On the other hand, the trendy top you bought for $20 at your local Temt, that you wear only three times before throwing it out, costs you around $6.50 everytime you wear it, making it almost SIX times as expensive as the coat.So what’s the moral of this shopping trick? Value, not low prices should be your focus when budget shopping. Remember a bargain is only a bargain if you actually wear it

If it's just the colours of the coming season that you're on the hunt for then read on because there's something for every taste. Monochrome (black and white) is still huge and not going anywhere or if you'd like a softer approach then winter-whites (stone, beige, off-white) and greys (50 shades perhaps!) are everywhere too and they look spectacular paired with metallics. 

Jen Hawkins in Toni Marticevski

Other colours include mustards, burgundy, aubergine, violet, persimmon (orange), khaki and navy. To really turn heads try head to toe in one colour like white, grey or navy but mix up the textures.

More Sportscraft goodness

More stripes and animal print will be around and this is A-OK with me! I can't get enough of either of them! I'm also happy that flat shoes like brogues and loafers are still popping up because I'm all about comfort! White sneakers are being sported by fashion it-girls but not just with active wear and I like it!

Seed Heritage: Khaki on animal print

Midi skirt with white sneakers
image source: oraclefox

Lastly, we can't forget the fellas! Blues will always be around for the boys but greys, burgundy and khaki will be popular for them too. Don't worry flares are not rearing their heads in the men's department anytime soon, straight leg jeans and chinos are still on the cards. Team them with check shirts, puffer vests and military inspired jackets. As for shoes, trainers, loafers and lace-up boots will have the boys covered. 

image source: Myer

For those that really want to make an impression, 3-piece suits are now hugely on-trend for the office and shouldn't just be saved for special occasions. Love a man in a suit!

image source: man and bag

So that's my Autumn/Winter wrap up! What will you be trying?

Your stylist,

Megan x

Walking TALL

I have been plagued with bad posture my whole life. One of my aunties used to ball up her fist and push her knuckles in between my shoulder blades to force me to stand up straight. My mother would regularly remind me to ‘put my shoulders back’ to encourage straight backness. In fact, my posture worried her so much that she took me to a GP who agreed something wasn’t right and sent me for x-rays to check for scoliosis (this was significant for my ‘my life is a book’ phase - if you’ve read Deenie by Judy Blume, you know what I’m talking about). Even now, my loving partner will catch me in an unguarded moment and ask ‘why are you standing like that?’. Of course, I was not always particularly convinced that there was actually a problem with my posture. Until, a physiotherapist friend of my parents asked me this confronting question: ‘El, why do you stand like an 80 year old woman?’ I was fifteen at the time. When it was backed up by photographic evidence, I had to concede that I did have the appearance of an 80 year old woman with musculoskeletal issues. Not an awesome discovery for a 15 year old girl.

You’re probably wondering why I’m sharing all this information? Well, apart from being a little cathartic, I am getting to the wider point of taking care of our bodies (which I will explain shortly) but first, I need to further explain what I have come to realise about myself whilst planning this post.

I choose to have bad posture.

Kind of ridiculous right? How does someone choose to have bad posture? Firstly, it was proven that there was no medical explanation for my bad posture. More recently, I became aware that there are those who have no choice in their bad posture (namely my dad who actually has scoliosis which causes him daily pain). There is actually no excuse for me to slouch. Again, what does this have to do with anything? Well, once I took ownership over my spinal habits, I wondered what led to my (subconscious) decision to hunch up my shoulders and tilt my head down. And it starts way back in my tweens...

In primary school, I was one of the first girls to get boobs. I was also one of the first to wear a bra (in training, of course). At the time, this didn’t thrill me. Why I wasn’t completely stoked about boobs, I now feel a little sad about. BOOBS! Is there no greater symbol that I am woman?! WO-MAN! I should’ve been celebrating and proud of my new additions. Except that these boobs attracted a lot of unwanted and cruel attention. Unwanted attention that mostly came from boys. And what does one do to avoid unwanted attention? Minimise the very thing that makes you stand out. So I shrank into myself. I hunched over so so much, that surely my boobs wouldn’t be noticed, those mean comments would stop and my bra strap wouldn’t be flicked. I wore my brother’s t-shirts hoping they would swamp and/ or swallow me whole. Every time I heard mum whisper ‘put your shoulders back’ I was actually hearing: ‘thrust out your ample bosom into peoples faces!’ - an idea I was obviously not keen on.

This is all very psychoanalytical, but suffice to say that I was not confident nor proud of my body and this was reflected in the way I stood. 

Which brings me to the power of WALKING TALL.

Don't worry, it's not all sitting in grass and posing

I have been researching a lot about how to maintain good health. Overwhelmingly, when I looked into posture, it contributes a great deal to our physical and mental health. And it really is so simple to change our posture habits. Here’s what I’ve discovered:

Confidence: according to The Confidence Code (an amazing book that I will review very soon), sitting and standing up straight can give bursts of confidence which leads to greater efficiency in many tasks. Stand up straight and you will feel empowered to get jobs done well.

Happiness: upon reading a similar blogpost at Fast Company, when we sit and stand up straight we are more likely to remember positive memories, and think positively more generally. Pretty important for feeling happy every day. 

Energy: good posture is important for maintaining good circulation, which keeps our mind alert and energised. When we slouch, our oxygen tanks (lungs) become compressed, lowering the amount of oxygen released into the blood stream. Less oxygen leads to stress and fatigue according to www.redbookmag.com. Keeping your chin up will keep you going longer.

Mindfulness: engaging consciously with our bodies is useful for minimising negative thoughts. Wriggling your toes, for example, is a common suggestion from mindfulness therapists because we cannot, effectively, focus on wriggling our toes and a bombardment of thoughts at the same time. Purposeful posture will assist with mindfulness practice and quieten your mind.

Musculoskeletal benefits: according to the health wiseos at Huffington Post, good posture can help ward off the effects of osteoporosis and other age-related bone/ muscle issues. Good posture requires an engaged core, supporting and strengthening the muscles around the lower and middle spine. General movement will become easier and maintained over a longer period of time.

Cue my current posture habits. I don't always get it right (using a fitness ball instead of computer chair is helping), but just being aware of the need for better posture increases my effort to make it better. 

And the very good advice my physiotherapist friend gave me at age fifteen had nothing to do with thrusting out boobs or even putting my shoulders back. It was at simple as this:

“Tuck in your bum, tuck in your tummy and picture an invisible string attached to the top of your head. Imagine that someone is pulling that string upwards. Your body will do the rest.”

What do you think readers? Are you a conscious posturist? Any other tips you can share? Would love to hear your thoughts.

And choose good posture - walk like The Rock!

E xxx

NB: This post is of a general nature and should not be used in replacement of advice from a trained medical professional. Care has been taken to be thorough, but you should consult a doctor if you are experiencing ongoing issues related to your health.

Happy Galentine's Day!

Obviously Valentine's Day is a 'holiday' many people recognise. Some out there even celebrate with the same enthusiasm as Christmas. I don't see the fuss, surely we don't need just one day a year to appreciate the one we love? Or maybe we do...

If you're fortunate to find someone special to spend time with, it's pretty great and we should be grateful for this every day. But what about the other loves of our lives? I'm speaking, of course, of our lady loves.

Leslie Knope (my hero and fictional star of Parks and Recreation played by Amy Poehler, my other hero) is the innovator of a new, glorious day of celebration conveniently dated 13th February. 

GALENTINE'S DAY.

Essentially, Leslie created this day in honour of the spirit that no other than awesome ladies can share with each other. Regardless of what our relationship status, our girls will always be there to rally when we need them.

So enjoy, appreciate and celebrate your closest Galentines! If you're still unsure about what this day actually is, you can get up to speed here (thank you Buzzfeed). If you would like some awesome ideas on how to say 'I love you' to your Galentine, head here and here (thank you Pinterest).

This post is dedicated to some very special women I am so lucky to call friends - without you it would be a very boring life!

Hope you get lots of Galentines!

Food Love - Raw Carrot Cake

I LOVE CAKE! Pretty much any kind! Chocolate cake, sponge cake, pineapple upside-down cake, cheesecake and especially CARROT CAKE!!!! Mmmm! I'm salivating just thinking about it!

However, in the last couple of years I've really learned to listen to my body when it tells me what it likes and what it doesn't like. If you too start listening you'll notice what foods are making you feel bloated, slugglish, nauseous or worse! For me sugar, wheat and most dairy has me not feeling my best and unfortunately for me they're all contained within most of my favourite cakes!

Depriving myself of my favourite foods is somewhat difficult and unsustainable long term so I wanted to find some alternatives to satisfy my sweet tooth without leaving me feeling guilty or coming down from a huge sugar high. Don't get me wrong, I still cave in to foods that I know don't make me feel great (I'm only human after all!) but the key is knowing what makes you feel good.

I recently stumbled upon a cookbook in my local health food store entitled Eat Dessert for Breakfast. Its a book of gluten-free, refined sugar-free and diary-free sweet treats, which are just to die for! I whip up the treats in no time in my Thermomix (I love my Thermi!) but a food processor or blender will work fine too.

Check out author Nicole Joy's website here.

This is not a sponsored post, nor am I telling you what to eat, what's healthy or to jump on the latest "fad diet". I am telling you to be mindful and love yourself enough to give your body what it needs and wants.

My most recent creation has been Carrot Cake with Lemon Frosting. It's made from nuts, carrots, pineapple, coconut oil, dates and honey so it's packed with goodness! Get the recipe here

What have you been making lately?

Megan x

What to wrap your ears around

I spend a lot of time in a car - it's not unusual now for me to travel between 50-100kms per day when work comes up. I don't mind the travelling - so long as I have entertainment to keep me going. It's been a while now since I listened to commercial radio. Call me an old fuddy duddy, but the same pop songs repeated several times a day broken up by annoying, relentless ads just ain't that appealing. I switched to talkback for while, but this was turning me into a cynical old fuddy duddy, so it became pretty clear I needed a change.

You may or may not be familiar with podcasts - online audio programs to listen to at your leisure. They cover a range of topics, from finance and business to gaming and films - often it's just people getting together to chat about their particular interests. The downside, these podcasts are usually only interesting to those who produce them and not many others. Podcasts became a bit of a niche - tune in at your own risk - but if you get burned you're likely to tune out.

So, obviously podcasts aren't a new thing, but there has been something of a podcast rejuvenation over the past 12 months. As we see technology expand further and social media grow, certain 'techie' companies are  going from stride to stride - visual content for example is massive (think Instagram, Snapchat, Youtube), but where does that leave audio?

Which is where this podcast rejuvenation comes in - the US in particular has seen rise to some of the most successful podcasts OF ALL TIME (in the history of the internet). And hot dang, are they worth a listen - I've tried and tested through my many hours on the road. Get ready to wrap your ears around these badboys:

Serial (This American Life) 

Serial broke records when it became the fastest podcast to reach 5 million downloads and streams - and it was only released in October last year. Produced by the forerunners of podcasts, This American Life, this amazing podcast will have you hooked from the beginning and you will then binge-listen to all episodes as quickly as you can. I don't want to give anything away, so if it seems like I'm being evasive this is deliberate - also, don't google Serial to suss it out. Just listen cold and it will make the experience so much more worthwhile. Then get everyone you know to listen so you can have into-the-night conversations because it left you with so many questions (*hint: it's a suspense/ mystery, but that's all I'm saying).

Listen when: you're working out and you want the time to go by really quickly without you noticing

Start Up (Gimlet Media) 

If you're wondering how I knew all that thorough podcast information at the beginning of this post, it's largely due to this little gem. Alex Blumberg is CEO of Gimlet Media - a start up tech company that's trying to crack the social media game. He's great at creating podcasts, but running a company is a completely different story, so he decided to capture his experience for us to enjoy. It's pretty good - he records EVERYTHING - and there's a lot to take away from listening to his journey. Get ready to chuck in your day job and create you're own start up.

Listen when: you're on the commute to work and you need to feel amped up

Invisibilia (NPR)

Invisibilia has only been around since the beginning of January and there are six episodes to date. It's awesome - to hear them explain it, Invisibilia is about 'invisible forces' that control human behaviour. The first episode is about The Secret History of Thoughts. The next episode is about Fear. Their research is so incredible and it's intertwined with real-life stories. Every episode is a one off - there isn't an order for listening, which is great because you can pick and choose what takes your fancy. Requires a bit of attention, but it's very fascinating. 

Listen when: exploring the mind is what blows your mind

Ok, so you're probably thinking at this point, that this list so far is very USA heavy - fear not! The following titles are more local options for you:

WILOSOPHY (with Wil Anderson)

WILOSOPHY isn't a new podcast, but it has been on hiatus for a while (Wil Anderson is also involved with TOFOP/ FOFOP - a comedy podcast also worth a listen). Various reasons, but he admits in the first episode that he lost the vision for creating this podcast. Anderson is a well-known Australian comedian and social commentator. The success of programs like 'The Gruen Transfer' and 'Gruen Nation' has established Wil as an authority of pop culture and the media generally. WILOSOPHY is an exploration of Anderson's relationships with different people, how they influence his life and their own life influences - often other famous (Australian) people. Worth a listen, a lot of the topics are quite deep - not necessarily the funny man stuff we're used to.

Listen when: you're feeling existential 

Sleek Geeks (with Dr. Karl and Adam Spencer)

With the exception of Brian Cox, I don't believe there are two better communicators of science and maths than Dr. Karl and Adam Spencer. Sleeks Geeks started as a TV series, but has transitioned nicely to the podcast. Dr. Karl and Adam discuss a range of well known topics and work to debunk a LOT of myths about science (*spoiler alert - paleo diet and coconut water enthusiasts may be disappointed). Again, each episode is unique so you can tune in anytime and get enthralled by Dr. Karl's passionate rants.

Listen when: you're in the mood for learnin'

TED Radio Hour (NPR) 

Okay okay, TED is technically a US based program, but its shows are sourced from around the world. TED is the epicentre of new ideas, innovations and inventions and the TED Radio Hour is a treasure trove of the best of TED Talks to date. Scroll through the backlog of programming, including those in Australia and find what interests you (I guarantee you will find something interesting).

Listen when: you need to restore your faith in humanity



Just a few to get you started - or have you been into podcasts for a while? Leave us a comment on any others you can recommend!

Elouise x

Our Noosa Babymoon

babymoon

ˈbeɪbɪmuːn/

noun

informal

1. a relaxing or romantic holiday taken by parents-to-be before their baby is born.

   "on the eve of my third trimester, we boarded a plane for a week-long babymoon among the quiet canals of Amsterdam"

As soon as we were introduced to the term "babymoon" I knew I wanted in on it!! After all, it'll be our last chance to get away and relax for a (long) while! 

Last week my husband and I made the 1.5 hour drive from Brisbane to Noosa Heads for a 3 night babymoon to rest and recuperate before we welcome a baby into our lives. For us it was essential to be somewhere close to the beach and walking distance from restaurants and boutiques, plus it had to be somewhere within driving distance as I'd left it a little late in my pregnancy to be flying anywhere.

So Noosa ticked all the boxed; great beach, fabulous boutiques and amazing restaurants! (all of my favourite things!!!)

Bliss!

Baby bush turkey got a bit lost!

Beach to ourselves

Where we stayed: SEAHAVEN NOOSA

http://www.seahavennoosa.com.au/

You can't get much better than this! Its located on Hastings Street (the tourist hub of Noosa) and it's situated on absolute beach front. The resort is sophisticated and modern and contains 3 pools in case sitting poolside with a good book is more your thing. We opted for a 1 bedroom serviced apartment and I tell you what, I could move in there in an instant! It boasted a stunning kitchen and bathroom, king size bed, beautiful furnishings and direct access to the pool and beach. The staff were friendly and couldn't do enough for you...I honestly couldn't fault the place!

Hubby checking out the place

View from our room shows the pool, then the beach

Kitchen and living area

Where we dined.

Bistro C - Situated right on the beach with a relaxed yet refined atmosphere. We had dinner there one night but they're open for breakfast and lunch too. Think dishes like crispy-skinned Atlantic salmon, caramelized pork belly and their famous calamari! Yum! We were told by multiple people that Bistro C was a must-do in Noosa and boy were they all right! http://www.bistroc.com.au/home.html

Season Restaurant - We'd been here multiple times when visiting Noosa for day trips. This place is also right on the beach and they too serve breaky, lunch and dinner. Even if you only call in for a coffee (or espresso martini if you're lucky) you're sure to be impressed. Our favourite dinner dish was the beef cheeks with Massaman curry sauce but they're menu really caters to everyone. http://www.seasonrestaurant.com.au/

Miss Moneypennys - This place won Best Regional Bar in Australia from the Australian Bar Awards 2014 but they're more than just that...they're food is delicious home-style Italian and Mediterranean! If you're not pregnant you'll rejoice at their extensive wine and cocktail list but I was excited about the dessert pizza on offer!!! OMG! Banana and hazelnut chocolate pizza!!! http://www.missmoneypennys.com/

Streets of Harlem - My go-to place for a morning coffee (I allow myself 1 weak coffee per day) as it was directly across the road from where we were staying plus I love a coffee shop with a bit of local flair and individuality. Nothing pretentious, just friendly service and unreal coffee.

Coffee, post morning swim

Where we shopped.

Hastings Street is filled with beautiful fashion, gift and homeware boutiques - some locally owned (my favourites) and some more well known labels like Hugo Boss, Witchery and Lorna Jane. My hubby is lucky that I'm all set for maternity clothes so I'm not buying much until after the baby arrives. I made one clothing purchase, an Australian designed tunic that fits me now (at 31 weeks pregnant) and can also be worn post pregnancy with some skinny jeans and the front tucked in to give me some shape.

All in all we had a wonderfully relaxing holiday, spending most of our time swimming and sleeping in. Noosa was the perfect babymoon destination and after noticing lots of young families we've decided we'd like to head back when there's three of us.

Love!

Megan x

Make the most of your vintage

It's no secret that I love vintage clothing. I shared with you a while ago some tips for op-shopping and how to maximise your vintage bargain hunt. However. It's one thing to find epic, one-of-a-kind vintage items to brag about, but it's quite another to pull it off with your wardrobe favourites. This is a regular dilemma for me, but I have got a few little nuggets to pass on to make the process a little easier (also FYI, when I say 'vintage' I mean pre-loved clothing generally - there are probably vintage purists out there who will think this is sacrilegious, but same same - we're not picky here).

It begins with the key piece - your vintage find. In this post, my key piece is a fabulous A-line, high wasted, full length skirt that I found for $7.50. It has no label and is very likely handmade. It's brown with a beautiful gold weave, checkered throughout the fabric. On a hanger it's pretty drab, but I absolutely love the style and the infinite potential it offers.

The vintage skirt

Immediate considerations: 
colour

Muted, dull colours is often what makes or breaks vintage. It will look old and dowdy if brighter colours aren't incorporated somehow. You can achieve brightening your look by choosing bright pieces or accessories to lift the overall effect. I chose gold accessories which enhanced the gold thread of the skirt.

length
The length of the skirt went all the way from under my boobs to my toes. For an average height person, I am swamped by the fabric and look like I'm playing dress up with my nana's Sunday best. To overcome this, I rolled down the waste band to achieve a midi-skirt length, which is not only on trend for this summer, but tailors the fit to my height. With heels, the proportions are just right - I only need to make sure that the fabric rolls aren't peeking out (it helps if someone is watching out for you).

Gold accessories highlight the gold tones of the skirt

Secondary considerations:

texture

The textures and fabric of clothing play an important role in style. This skirt is heavy and anchored by it's long length. Choosing a lightweight top lifts the overall look, achieving a sunny, summer appropriate outfit. 

modernising

As I said, it would be SO easy to look drab in this vintage skirt. Updating the look is achieved two ways; firstly, mixing prints. You can't quite tell from the picture, but the skirt is checkered - by choosing a floral top, an opposite print, the look is more modern. The floral pattern also has similar colour tones to the skirt - shades of brown and beige occur throughout, achieving a consistent colour pallet. Secondly, the top is a razor cut, cropped style, which allows for a little skin and softens the body of the skirt. This top had two layers which made it longer, but I tucked in the second layer to accurately proportion the two pieces.

Mixing prints with a common colour pallet will update a vintage piece

Final considerations:
comfort
It's important for all clothes to feel comfortable, not just stretchy pants. When we are comfortable in our clothes, we are confident and this shines through. WE wear the clothes, the clothes don't wear us! I loved wearing this outfit to a recent family wedding - I felt good, I got to wear a favourite vintage piece and people complimented me. This is crucial for pulling off vintage - be proud to tell others about your find and wear it like a boss!
polishing
It's the little things that will pull this whole look together - a bright lip and nail, a block heel that Megan advised us on, and my outfit has come together nicely.

Top: Target Collection Skirt: Vintage Shoes: Wittner Necklace: Vintage Lipstick: DB 'Fire Red'

So what do you think readers? Ready to attempt the vintage scene? Or do you already? Would love to hear about your own vintage love!

mwah mwah mwah
Elouise x

Month one down

Hello lovers!

First of Feb already - who saw that coming?! Looking back, January is quite the blur... Lucky I didn't make any impossible new years resolutions, because turns out that I managed to eat, drink and be more lackadaisical than the entirety of 2014. BUT I did tick off my resolution for month one!

My aim for January was to have at least one walk that was for the sake of being out in nature. Whilst this particular one wasn't the only walk, it was by far the best - Max and I spent the weekend at one of SA's true natural gems: Innes National Park. We walked across Pondalowie bay, from the Fisherman's   village, past the surf break to Royston Head. It was sunny but fresh, I spotted blue bottle jellyfish that washed ashore and dolphins showed up to keep the surfers company (sadly, no shots of our ocean friends). I investigated a shipwreck - it was very Ship to Shore.

Ahoy mateys!

Hm, seems everyone escaped unharmed (I think)

Simply glorious

Blue bottle jellies

Just me and my footprints...

...And those of some tiny shore birds

Completely natural shot - chins and all

January can be a hectic month - hope yours wasn't too crazy and you managed to take time for you. What's coming for February?!

E x