tree of life

Tree of Life dress, Chanel 'boy' bag, Chloe 'susanna' boots, Celine 'audrey' sunglasses, Hermes 'clic clac' bangle

During the summer months, one of my favourite places to shop is Tree of Life. They offer a great range of bohemian style tops and dresses which are perfect for Sydney's sweltering heat. Considering the mild heat wave that we've been experiencing these past few days, summer is definitely still here and what better way to embrace it than in a perfect white Summer dress?

Whilst I'm all for bohemian fashion, my inner-Karen still wants to wear this (and everything) with black leather boots and still the most perfect black bag in the world. I love the idea of pairing a white embroidered dress with harsh black leather, especially in the studded and quilted variety. It's the perfect way to incorporate a bohemian touch into your everyday wardrobe. 

x karen

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weekend blues

Ellery Escapade top, Rag & Bone jeans, Chanel Paris/Moscow scarf, Comme Des Garcon clutch, Chloe Susanne boots

There's nothing more disappointing than planning and anticipating for the weekend, only to find it miserable and rainy. It's even more bitter when Monday wakes to a bright and sunny morning. I mean, I live in Sydney, how dare the sun not shine on the weekend? 

Somehow my despair at the weather inadvertently translated itself in my wardrobe; blacks, grey and navy. There wasn't a dark shade that I didn't not want to wear that Saturday morning. But my inner-fashion-girl knew that I needed a pop of red and a timeless silk Chanel scarf (stolen from my mum's wardrobe) to brighten up the look. Plus, it's hard to be upset when you're decked out in Chanel.  

x karen

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all stars

Alexander Wang tee (seen here), One Teaspoon denim shorts (seen here, here & here), Current/Elliot 'infantry' jacket (here & here), Chloe 'susanna' boots (seen here, here & here), Alexander Wang 'rocco' bag (seen here, here & here)

This is definitely an outfit made out of my wardrobe all stars, you can just see from all the tags above how much all these individual items have been worn. My love of stripes seems to at an all time high, especially when dressed down with my go-to pair of denim shorts (nobody does it better than One Teaspoon) and my favourite deconstructed trench jacket. 

Hands down, these Chloe boots have been my best purchase all year - they go with absolutely everything and even after almost a year, I still love them like crazy. Is it crazy that I still want them in black & silver? 

x karen

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what's better than regular?

Bassike tee | Mango suede jacket| Current Elliot boyfriend jeans | Isabel Marant Dicker boots (seen here)| Chloe Paraty bag (seen here and here)

What's better than ordinary boyfriend jeans? Well, white boyfriend jeans of course! It has all the comfort of wearing boyfriend jeans plus the added chic of it being white. There's nothing I love more that wearing white with a nice tan...or my Isabel Marant boots.

 x karen

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cosy creams

Sportsgirl knit | Mister Zimi leather jacket | J Brand jeans| Celine bag | Chloe 'susanna' boots 

The one thing that I love all year round are light-weight knits, but I love them more in winter because I can layer them with my leather jackets. I'm a pretty clumsy person, so when I'm hunting for a white/cream knit, it's pretty much a pre-requisite that I have to hunt below a certain price range. Which is probably how I find myself in either Zara or Sportsgirl, its the perfect price range for a knit so that I won't cry when I spill coffee on it. I'll tell you the story of how I spilt hot chocolate on my white silk Ellery another day. 

 x karen

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@thechicndamned on instagram

 1/ Brunch date with the girls (and dudes)

 2/ Winter necessity- I've worn these so much already and still love them like the first day

 3/ Breakfast burrito @ Trio, Bondi Beach

 4/ Ellery pre-order, navy silk tee

  5/ Standard outfit for college of law last week

 6/ Brunch @ Bird & Bear

  7/ Succumbing to Shanghai food cravings

  8/ Monochrome is really taking over my winter wardrobe

  9/ Life changing cucumber mojito

 10/ Pumpkin soup @ Bread & Circus

those skorts

Zara denim shirt | Zara skorts | Chloe boots | Comme des garcons clutch

No doubt, you're probably sick of seeing these skorts on every other blogger. And I myself never thought I'd even be wearing skorts, now that I no longer need to run around the playground and hang upside down on the monkey bars; not that I ever could, I'm really not the most athletic person around...ever. But these Zara variation of the childhood skort, which only ever brings back memories of ugly school sport's uniforms that consisted of large royal blue skorts, have a certain panache that is hard to turn your back to.

At first instance of trying these on, you're left with an overwhelming love for the fun structural element but its dampened by the feeling of wearing a skirt that's just a little bit too short. A friend assured me that it was alright because I was really wearing shorts. Except no one will know until you turn around. So I sized up to avoid any Britney Spears connotations from floating around in people's minds, or leaving chauffeured cars ... in people's minds. Although, really, surely wearing a pair of shorts that look like a too-short skirt isn't nearly as bad as girls who prance around two sizes too small One Teaspoon shorts from are cut up so high on the sides that I can see their kidneys?

Or maybe I'm just getting old and this is what happens. A slow descend into what will evidently be eloquent madness and longer hemlines. 

Except that sizing up didn't really make these skorts any longer, it only meant that there was more room for my to eat. But that I blame on the upcoming winter.

And the nonsense that was my post? I blame on humpday wednesdays. The last time you enjoyed a weekend was a whole 2 days ago and the next time you will enjoy you in a whole 2 days ahead. You're essentially in no man's land. Except not really, you're surrounded by the enemy that I like to call weekdays and you're weekend comrades are equally as far away. 

So essentially, weekdays suck but at least it means more blog posts flying around the internet. Enjoy!

 x karen

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brightside

Zimmermann 'brightside' dress & shoes | Chloe 'paraty' bag | Ray-Ban aviators

I pretty much spend autumn in perpetual fear of winter. As a season, fashion-wise, it an excellent opportunity

to layer up and indulge in thick knits and luxurious leather. But, as a human being who loves my bed in the morning,

the temperature dropping anything before 20 degrees Celsius gives me anxiety. Which is why, at the simplest 

indication of sunshine, I find myself back into my summer clothes like this gorgeous silk Zimmermann dress. 

Silk dresses are my absolute favourite for casual Sunday brunch, effortless dressing at its finest. 

x karen

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the smell of eucalyptus

Bassike tee | Zimmermann blazer | Insight shorts | Comme des garcons clutch| Chloe sandals

I've been so caught up with trying to keep up with MBFW, currently in Sydney, that I'd forgotten that 
somewhere out there, in a dusty dinky corner of the internet I had my own like space and blog. 
I kid, of course, how could I ever forget my baby? 

These shorts are ridiculously comfortable, if denim shorts were capable of being more comfortable
than they already are. It's such a lightweight fabric and rather than a floral design, it's more of
a foliage. It reminds me of warm Australian summers and the smell of eucalyptus trees.

p.s. I'm not sure if anyone else has been trying to keep up with MBFW but I can already see that 
my wallet will be feeling the effects of this in a year's time. 

x karen

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hey sugar, show me all your love

Sass & Bide tank | Kahlo vest | Nicholas leather skirt | Ray-ban aviators | Chloe bag & boots

Ever have that one person in your life that you always find yourself running back to?
Well, these Chloe boots are my equivalent of the Justin-Bobby (or my Scott Disick
for those that are more Kardashian than The Hills inclined). They are the kryptonite 
to my Superman. The Birkin to my Victoria Beckham, if you will. I know, the quality 
of my analogies are on a fast downward slope, however, it's been a while since I've had to 
use my brain. Although, one can argue that to move from the Kardashians to Queen B
herself is nothing but a triumph. 

Either way, the main point is that, after years of agonising and watching the price tag 
slowly grow at a rate definitely not on par with inflation, I bit the proverbial bullet,
closed my eyes and just did it. And boy, did all that adrenaline feel good. It's the perfect
boot for any outfit and I don't really want to take them off my feet. I can't wait until it 
starts getting the aged and worn in look. 

x karen

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