leopard essential

Equipment leopard shirt, J Brand jeans, Stuart Weitzman heels & Comme des garcon clutch

I have yet to meet a leopard print which I don't like. Traditionally the print of choice for grannies and Miss Fran Fine, leopard print has definitely made the jump to mainstream fashion. It's the sartorial equivalent of leaving the abyss commonly known as the friend-zone. Show me an outfit that is lacking an omph! and I'll show you 50 ways that a spot of leopard (bad pun intended) can make it infinitely better. 

But, leopard print should always be used wisely. Just like how you wouldn't marinate yourself in your Chanel No. 5, you shouldn't wallpaper yourself in leopard print - unless you're a Kardashian. Then that's pretty much a prerequisite. So if I'm wearing as much leopard as I am already, it was necessary to keep the rest of my outfit unbelievably simple, which only a small pop of colour being my clutch.

After all, I live in Sydney and not Flushing, Queens. 

x karen

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just a tad windy

Equipment silk shirt | Bec & Bridge skirt | Zimmermann lace-up heels (see here)| Alexander Wang Rocco bag

It's fun to be business on top and party on the feet. 

 x karen

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snake print

Equipment sweater | Alice & Olivia shorts (see here & here) | Willow 'work' boots (see here, here & here)| Celine two tone clutch (here, here & here)

Since turning the ripe of age of 21 a few years back, I've been lamenting my old age. All maladies, real or imagined, have been laid in front of old age's door. The most noticeable of which is the fact that I don't really know how to wear colour and/or patterns anymore, especially in winter. All bursts of colour have been subdued to lipsticks, accessories and the occasional printed denim. When I'm feeling really crazy, I wear navy like its nobody's business.

For the past season or two, the one print that's really gotten past my new-found, age-induced barrier against colours and prints, is the Proenza Schouler snake print and the Josh Goot snake print. So, when I saw this bright yellow snakeprint cashmere sweater from Equipment, there was minimal hesitation before my credit card was out and ready for action. 

Perhaps old age merely meant no prints except for those found on animals? Because I don't think I'll ever stop loving leopard. 

 x karen

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equipped for autumn

Equipment silk shirt | J Brand shorts (here) | Willow boots | Celine sunglasses

This is definitely the most easy-peasy outfit in my wardrobe, especially for the mild autumn weather that we've been experiencing in Sydney lately. Also, I apologise for the awful pun that is my post title, but it had to be done- especially since the act of dragging myself from my warm bed and into the city for work has already completely drained all my mental capacity. I'm wouldn't be surprised if what I'm typing, which makes sense in my head, was just all random letters. Can word salad take a written form? Perhaps its the boggart of brain anomalies? 

Mondays are always the day that I miss my weekend wardrobe the most. Working in a law firm means that I have to dress very corporate to work, its not a simple dress code of just looking half-decent as like my other jobs. Although, I'm not going to lie, there are days where I've passed off black skinny jeans with an office appropriate silk blouse. But those are for truly special days of laziness. Otherwise, I try to channel the Donna from Suits look- in my head at least. In a perfect world, I could go to work wearing this above outfit, down to the comfy Willow boots. The loose silk blouse means that I can snack all day without any worries and the black jeans have enough stretch (and lift) to make even the dreariest days feel good. 

One can always dream.

 x karen

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modern spring romance

Equipment shirt, One Teaspoon jeans, 3.1 Phillip Lim d'Orsay heels, K is for Kani floral headband 

I recently read an article that lamented the fall of chivalry and gallantry due to the feminist movement. I'm a strong believer of to each their own- after all, one person's polite gesture of opening the door for a female can and have been interpreted as someone else's expression of sexism. Whilst perfectly capable of opening my own doors, sometimes a simple gesture can be rather refreshing and reminiscent of the Austen world; a society that was heavily dictated by etiquette and manners. 

However, this article did get me thinking in this fast changing world and even faster changing fashion. How does romance and fanciful notions of Prince Charming translate into our world, and more importantly our wardrobe. If our greatest example is the Duchess of Cambridge and her infinite wardrobe of sensible nude pumps. Should we be foregoing our Louboutins and leather skirts in lieu of tea dresses and wedges should Mr Darcy come knocking on our door? 

The answer is a big, fat - NO!

Why wear a sensible floral dress to a spring picnic, whether its by the Serpentine or Bondi Beach or the Eiffel Tower, when you can restrict your floral to just a silk shirt to be paired with devilishly ripped boyfriend jeans. And maybe a floral crown too because, well just because. And modern romance should be exactly that; a contrast between the traditional notions of romance and our new unrestricted sense of freedom (and who said fashion was frivolous? Look at me being all theological and shit). The outfit should be the girly you that grew up watching Disney movies and the tomboy you that just wants to be comfortable. The heels? That's for the inner narcissist that knows a good pair of boyfriend jeans needs a good pair of heels.

After all, we're not really a boy.
                      
x karen

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insta-loving

1/ Spring means finding beautiful flowers on the sidewalk

wearing: one teaspoon shorts & wanted shoes

2/ my version of after work drinks 

i.e. ice coffee- shaken not stirred

3/ working in the city = being dangerously close to all the shoes

one teaspoon knitted shorts (also worn here) and office wear?

4/ homemade french toast made by ze lovely mz lorah

thanks for the special ingredient! :D

5/ contemplating, contemplating, forever contemplating

kind of regretting my decision against this Equipment shirt now, worn with 7FAM jeans (worn here)

6/ pad thai that looked better than it tasted

7/ I kid you not, walked all the way from Paddington to Bondi

wearing: Bassike shirt (worn here & here) Isabel Marant ra-ra skirt, Senso Bertina boots (worn here)

8/ seriously, instagram more like foodstagram- or instafood

ms chu deliciousness (see more here)

9/ feel in love with this michael lo sordo shirt (see behind meeee)

but the collar looked all funny on me, so I decided to take a picture of me and the funky lights in the change room instead

wearing: ksubi tee, isabel marant skirt, topshop shoes

Hope y'all had a lovely weekend!

I know I did, if you haven't- go and watch Hotel Transylvania. Don't underestimate the power of a good kid's movie

x k

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G.I.JANE wears prink right?

random mesh dress // equipment pink sleeveless signature blouse // topshop ashley lace-front sandals // Sportsgirl military jacket & belt

I don't dare think that I'll last any more than half an hour in the army, but if I was to - then I'm pretty sure my uniform will probably look something like this. Probably explains why I'd get kicked out of the army. But I love the contrast of the electric pink with the military green (and the lime green background)- it's the perfect way to bring a splash of colour to any outfit. 

x

karen

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