Susie Bubble

There has been a distinct lack of revered figures of my childhood in which I have feverishly idolised those for celebrity status, talent or looks.  In this strange world of materialism I have found solace in the transformations of mere mortals to socialites purely on their appearance, or rather, their choice of dress. Fashion bloggers and those able to master the art of articulation have been the subject of my study outside of actual academic work- and I crave it. I originally wagged my tongue in contempt at those who chose to study artistic subjects, but internally I was crushed at having to decide between science and creative endeavours during high school. If I had taken the easy path of arts with less hours on my hands, I could have easily fitted in more hours of part time work and become a barista- and fund all my dreams of fantastic clothing and footwear. Instead a lot of my time is spent slaving away over a hot textbook trying to keep up with academic content and lighten the load of any last-minute-cramming (something which is still, wretchedly foreseeable in my future).

It's hard to think that any sort of career could be forged for sitting pretty and smiling for a camera, but it seems that with the explosion of the Internet and sharing thoughts and ideas with people globally, those who stand out visually have a great opportunity to publicise themselves as a product (in the nicest sense of the word). There's such a glamorous appeal about being some sort of fashion insider as well as rubbing shoulders with fashion royalty around the globe, but there would be a certain depth of detail and though for each outfit. Even with a wonderful wardrobe of some of the finest and most outstanding clothes I would imagine that an impressionable outfit isn't as simple as it looks- or perhaps I'm just struggling to excuse my own inability to come up with such beautifully composed outfits myself.

Susanna Lau of the Style Bubble is a icon who I applaud mentally on a monthly basis for excellent outfits as well as being named by the Telegraph as one of Britain's best fashion blogger. There's a certain adherence when it comes to her use of colour in outfits such as this mixtures of blues and browns accompanied by her long black hair. I love that maturity and the certain tones about an outfit that she sets out to create, but also visually weaving in and out of different textures is very youthful and childlike (reminds me of me #1 blogging idol Tavi Gevinson). The jacket pictured above is from an Australian label by the name of Limedrop and is made of silk with a textured appearance of clouds. I love how rich the leather patched knees of her trousers look in comparison to the light blue and white of the jacket.

I do enjoy following the work of stylish bloggers, fashion stores and models alike to keep up with the latest collections and hits with runways as well as longingly staring at all the unearthed vintage gold others before me have been lucky enough to claim for themselves. The craftsmanship, sheen and colour of that skirt would be enough to drive an artist insane with it's vivid patterns of flowers as well as meticulous hexagonal sewn shapes and the Prada brogues are only something I could ever hope to own. Imitation is said to be marked as the highest form of flattery; all I can really say is that I'm thankful for knock-offs of runway brands from China in terms of footwear.

There have been some stunning professional photographs captured of the fashion blogger, including this dream-like image incorporating jellyfish-like movement and a sultry stare down the barrel of the camera. There's such a stunning transformation from the camera+tripod photographs of Lau at home on her balcony posing shyly with head tilted at the ground to the bombastic young woman we see before us. Her sense of style has remained as imaginative but well maintained and controlled but has flourished into something so special and visually exciting. I'm still too much of a wallflower at heart to show off bright blue, orange and yellow all in the same outfit but I do like the cute laced heels worn by the eccentric British blogger. If there's one thing I'll be properly prepared for when any sort of pace is maintained as far as photographing my own outfits is concerned, I will have plenty of amazing and wonderful shoes to show off and a very empty and sad wallet, at the pace I'm going at lately.

Including the same wonderful skirt (possibly my favourite piece from her wardrobe), Susie Bubble has taken on yet another transformation and a subtle oriental hint to another outfit. There have been a number of Mongolian lamb pieces, including a large satchel bag that I've had my eye on with the same texture as those lovely woolen boots worn above and again a series of different materials are all combined beautifully. I love how bright her lipstick is in contrast with that knitted jumper; I could take a useful and practical leaf from the Style Bubble gospel and invest in a good jumper as well as extravagant skirts to wear to university when I need just a little more spark to my day. There's the small inconvenience of having to wear closed-toe shoes just about everyday that I do attend classes, due to the many science courses I participate in and laboratory exercises run throughout the week. Being a well-dressed student in the faculty of science is going to be a lot harder than I first thought.

A ruffled skirt worn with a bulbous sleeved grey shirt and metallic tights?

My love for this quirky British blogger was reignited upon her coverage on the Frankie Magazine website in which they discuss her appearance and interview at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in Australia. I missed her hair neatly pinned in buns as well as those wonderful brand name labels she mixes in with her wardrobes; currently coveting the floral Prada earrings pictured above which look so soft and feminine with the filtered effects of the photograph. I'm not as much an avid reader as I am an avid writer now (and full-time student), but every now and then I will meander to her website and look over her latest musings. It's a little intimidating at times because there's such great length to her articles as well as consistently new material to read through that it feels like a mountain of information pouring over you, wave after wave. There can't really be such thing as too much of a good thing when images and photographs of wonderful, one-of-a-kind outfits are concerned though.

A very chic and European environment suits Susie Bubble well as she shows off another amazing outfit. After seeing this one I was in a frenzy to find a fur skirt as well to sweep around town in and I never did find such an item- although I am currently being lured in by the thought of a vintage faux fur jacket in luxurious tan colour. Despite needing to save money for holidays at the end of the year, as well as study abroad and assurance for the future I remain hopeless as ever when it comes to financial decisions and not buying glorious clothing pieces with large price tags.

A favourite hobby of mine on public transport is picking on stranger's outfits and thinking how they could be improved upon or I simply sit their in awe of them and marvel at them. I could better use my energy to think of what to wear for the next day, or design a clever but humorous iPhone app to determine what clothes look good when worn together. Rather than putting people down nastily or feeling jealous of them and their appearance I repeat my new ceremonial hymn- if they can dress nicely then why can't I? And indeed, why can't I then share that with the online media and try to impress them? I am naturally competitive by nature but I think a positive spin on my primal behaviour is a little more useful then any other means of harnessing it.

Her blog, Style Bubble is six years of cumulative work relating to her outfits, trawl through wondrous boutiques as well as attendance on fashion calender events. It's always hard to trace a fashion blog back to it's roots and where the individual first started and their initial outfits but I would love to one day trawl through and read every single post written by Lau. Time (as usual), is my foe and not friend at the busy end-of-semester trials of assignments to hand in but there will certainly be a little more observation of popular trend setters around the world for style and fashion. As much as I think I have it all together and can put together outfits, it seems I need to break basic habits such as wearing the cosiest jumper and comfortable pair of jeans. Fortunately I am still young, impressionable and reckless and will most-likely fall into the trap of some peer pressure if I perceive daring outfits to be most popular. Watch this space for anymore exciting developments and commentary on cool pieces and clothes.

Lazy Oaf Sweater Dresses

 

I treasure the warmth and comfort a cosy sweater has to offer on a cold day, or just when I need an item of clothing to retreat into after a tough shift at work. My number one priority from the Lazy Oaf online store is this sweet Teddy Bear shirt with bow tie and small little eyes and face on a black background. I've been meaning to get this for a while, but compared to online auctions where the situation is like a pressure-cooker you can take your time when buying from an online store as long as their new collection doesn't push out all the old stock you have your eyes on and you catch some items on sale as well.

 

A familiar motif for those who are a fan of Lazy Oaf or perhaps actually live in England and have the capacity to visit their stores in person is the hiding eyes jumper which you can easily shun by pulling the zipper across your stomach. I suppose for those of you who would love to be a pseudo foster mother to a kangaroo this is a rather neat jumper but somehow, the colour combination of red, grey and black is a little ominous to me.

 

For those of you who love wearing clothing that can double as a cute costume, there's also the clown jumper fitted with white contrasting 'cape' around the shoulders and large pom poms in red down the middle. All you'd need to do is buy some cheap face paint for a few dollars a piece and some make-up as well, a pair of red Converse Chuck All-Stars and you're set for a wicked night out full of mayhem and chaos!

 

The sweaters aren't actually made to be worn as dresses, the models of Lazy Oaf simply don't wear any visible pants for the photo shoots and are a little bit on the long side. Hopefully by the time the weather turns cold I will end up getting this lovely Teddy Bear sweater which is on the sweet and dapper side for myself before the S/S12 collection gets launched. The main figure reminds me so much of my own little teddy bear I would bring to school with me in the first grade when the teachers encouraged that sort of thing.

Lazy Oaf S/S12

I wondered what would constitute a true collection being released and how big your name has to be in the fashion industry to do so- British indie cult label Lazy Oaf seem to think their hot stuff by releasing an official collection for S/S12 but have the new kids on the block truly earned their stripes? They've certainly put together an impressive campaign for their new line with lots of colours bursting at the seems; while the product actually being showcased is the pair of socks in the design of a hamburger, my eyes are drawn to the colourful quilt and makes me want to make my own!

They certainly have an eye for style and know how to amp up their own products, although I should point out that Lazy Oaf don't make shoes and the platform sneakers featured above are made by a little collaboration by the name of Moonspoon Saloon X Buffalo Platform Sneakers. Still, it's nice to be reminded of these eclectic shoes once more and be roused to report on them in another up and coming blog post once I've done my bit here. Although no product is actually being advertised for the company, it's more about the Lazy Oaf lifestyle and about wild and eclectic style.

My fascination with Lazy Oaf started when I began to read Frankie Magazine and was on the lookout for cool new brands and I was also delighted when I saw some of their pieces such as sweaters and backpacks available in one of my favourite stores, Lenko in the Cathedral Arcade in Melbourne. While I have been out of touch with the clothing currently available from the store, I've been a long time fan of their blog as well as artistic and illustrative style and I know what to expect from their collections. Comfortable cotton dresses, skirts and shirts with basic but powerful geometric designs which use at most, three colours.

In the last few years it seems that the design of their shirts has gotten looser and shorter evolving into crop tops with a bit of room and give which is always something I welcome with open arms as far as shirts goes. If only I had a flat stomach to show off as well, then I'd be set. Fortunately Summer will end in just a few more weeks and I can enjoy wearing jeans again with comfy jumpers and layers of shirts.

I always wanted to create something as wild, moody and eclectic as the collage behind these two girls in my own room but it appears the magazines I read aren't as colourful and are severely lacking in wild designs. Maybe it's also because I don't choose to cut up small pictures anymore and rather choose large pages to cut out instead but I've sort of given up on decorating my room in such a manner. This manic, teeny-booper mood has long abandoned me and instead I'm a hardened and crusty teen full of angst- just the way I like it.

On a fun note, I had the very same unicorn pinata in my room once upon a time but it had been bashed for candy already so there were two legs underneath my bed and the head was something I liked to put on top of my own head and run around the room. I'm sure if you raided the Lazy Oaf accessory and lifestyle department as well as searched high and low on Etsy you could find similar paraphernalia to decorate your own digs with.

It would be great to see Lazy Oaf stock brands other than themselves in their online store, luckily for me I know all the shoes they've used in this photo shoot and also where to find them- not that I would ever be game enough to wear them just yet. Besides, I have my eye on many other great shoes and heels and can't be bothered with futuristic and chilling sneaker platforms.

Lazy Oaf have produced a lot of great sweatshirts and jumpers and I know I have my eye on a select few available at the moment but I'm not sure how fond I am of the eyeball motif. Last year there were some great jumpers featuring three-dimensional mouths that could be opened and closed by the flick of the wrist and pulling on a zipper. I sure wish I had seized the opportunity and bought that jumper when I had the chance.

Before I had commandeered my father;s vintage canvas backpack in yellow I had been lusting after a colourful backpack from Lazy Oaf and I'm dying to know where they got their key chains from. I know that Lazy Oaf often like to feature food such as fries and cheeseburgers for their wallet designs and other accessories and I sincerely hope that the furry ice cream key chain is part of their new collection they'll released in a few weeks. I'm very excited about this new and imaginative bag charm- it will look great next to me Deadly Ponies Mr Lure fox tail key chain.

I had been planning on becoming a bit more of a vintage freak and fanatic and this image above is sort of reassuring that the English brand, Lazy Oaf, still fits in with vinyl records as well as pleated skirts. The simple design of two daisies on a black shirt is nicely hidden under a swathe of long hair. Please note: the cheeky placement of the two flowers over the breasts. I can't wait to see all these gorgeous clothes and accessories hit the shelves in a few weeks!

Fierce Kate Moss

I decided to break up my Kate Moss blog posts into two parts so I could really cover the chosen photo shoot photographs well and really get a feel about her with my commentary. There's images new and old and this soft focus still is an old when of Moss in her younger days when she had naturally brown hair- some of the images she stars in are so beautiful and simplistic when she's not really advertising a product or brand. She seems a little more innocent when fully clad in clothing and without her trademark blond hair, but maybe it's a also a generational thing for advertisement and photography.

This is more like the Kate Moss people my age are most familiar with seeing- barely any clothes on and staring down the barrel of a camera with a smouldering and fierce look in her eyes. While I may never have the bravery to bare all in a photo shoots, I can appreciate the comfortable feeling of walking around the house with minimal clothing and shrouded by either a blanket or the doona cover and walking around the house with bleary eyes.

There's nothing like getting back to the basics and abandoning colour photography in favour of black and white- it always accentuates the shading of the contours of the human body as well as covers up any unusual tan lines. Although, when you live in London, I can't imagine any tans originating from there that would be so noticeable. There's a lot of beautiful but terribly obscure photographs of Moss and I can't work out what's being advertised in the shoots other than herself and her body.

 

I love the thick layered crucifix necklaces as well as ornate chains and the sun talisman all hanging from the shoulders and neck of Kate Moss but I'm not sure how I feel about the thick eye makeup; I personally hate seeing thick lines around eyes to accentuate then. It makes it look as if eye make up is running and also the curls over her right shoulder must belong to thick hair extensions.

One of the first images I collected of Kate Moss on my computer was her posing as pop star David Bowie complete with orange hair for Vogue Paris andit really opened my eyes to the professional side of a model and the similarity between their role and that of a model. On occasion they will be asked to portray some else or be something that lies outside their comfort zone so when they step up to that and take on such a role the results can really be fascinating and fantastic.

For someone who's aged thirty-eight and a career that spans two decades, it's rather impressive to still see Kate Moss relevant in the world of fashion today and collaborating with Topshop as well. I can only hope that I look as beautiful as well as rested as she does but knowing my stressful habits and tendencies that will never happen for me.

I love seeing mesmerising art deco and antique jewellery and this is definitely as decadent as it gets- that's the only aspect I'm in love with in terms of the model lifestyle: getting decked out in gorgeous clothing. All though it's not all glamour and grace there are tumbles on runway stages and demanding schedules but they're the most gorgeous people in the world with the best parties too, know the best labels and clothing for the seasons and have the money to back it all up too. Who in their right mind wouldn't want to join them and become one of the beautiful people?