Orange

Orange was my favourite colour when I was a little girl, not even in kindergarten and there's nothing more orange I can think of then the Prada Fur stoles of their 2011 resort collection. I longed to get my filthy hands on one of the imaginative, bright and colourful pieces that reminded me so much of the illustrations for Dr Suess' children's books but the opportunity slipped through my hands. I couldn't find them for sale online anywhere at the time though, there's very little solace found in that minute detail for me because somewhere in the closet of some luckier fashion blogger their hiding in a dry cleaners' bag and waiting to be worn by someone like me.

Orange isn't a colour I frequently wear as part of my everyday wardrobe but it is something I do enjoy looking at after enduring a rather sullen day full of proverbial pit-falls as well as unpleasant verbal exchanges.I certainly could swing for a nice floral blouse in orange, vintage and cheap found from Etsy but I have very little motivation to buy anything at the moment since I have a rather empty looking wallet- fortunately a few eBay listings are coming through and finishing on the weekend and I'll pick up about a hundred dollars in the next two days for work.

I've adored foxes for a while with their contrasting shades of grey, white and black and their orange fur but there is no way that I would wear a real fox fur stole. Online there are a few knitted creations of foxes in yarn to be worn as scarves that I certainly approve of but it is rather difficult to find vintage faux fur in fun colours and shades. I know a good website that sells great vintage pieces at massive spiked mark ups and margins but it seems their fur pieces sell out in seconds, even worse when they're in gorgeously outrageous colours such as blue and green and in faux fur too. There's a monkey fur jacket in deep green at the moment that looks beautiful but I would by wracked with guilt if I wore...

If you ever feel like you live in a dull world savaged by businessmen, grey buildings and the industrious revolution take a look at your local pet shop and try and find some cute little birds with sharp orange beaks that seem to be made of enamel and contrasting peach feathers. Birds are one of my least favourite animals, but even I am willing to acknowledge their cute and lovable nature when their large beady black eyes are shining out at you like that.

I can't imagine myself ever owning a brightly coloured Chanel handbag but I do love the contrast of a hot pink pleated skirt, tied up blouse and the bag all together. There's such a tropical nature about this photograph and the coordination is to die for- it seems that I still have a long way to go as far as styling and dress sense goes but at least I follow some of the best in order to be taught in the noble ways of the fashion blogger.

What better orange idol to follow then the lovely Florence Welch shown performing in one of her dazzling costumes the tassels of her dress thrown around as much as her lovely red hair. I only know of two women that are lovely and eccentric sporting red hair, the first being my favourite singer and the second being a dear friend of mine. Both have been blessed with the skinniest legs you have ever seen, a little unfair considering all the running about I do which has only yielded in strained muscles.

I've always wanted to get a great pair of coloured jeans or something in a bold pattern but never really though of what to style them with; the answer? Why a vintage rock shirt of course, I must be rubbing elbows with my brother a bit too much these days but the simple design of a black band shirt or a white raglan shirt is equally effective. Now if only I can afford to buy a few hundred dollar pair of jeans then we'll be in business any moment now...

There's something that always gets to me when I see a group of models dressed similarly together in the same shade, with the varying shades of lipstick. It's seems like the perfect cult phenomena with the neatly tied ribbons in their hair and the orange icy poles poised at their lips. I wished people like that existed in real life, and perhaps they do but I've just been looking in the wrong places all this time.

Satanic Rituals

I know I'm meant to be seeing the new Star Wars movie in 3D which will be good for my social life, but I went out yesterday and I am quite tempted and content just to spend the day in my home, alone and writing up articles on my blog. It seems next week will be a frenzy of activity as well so I want to enjoy the last few days of holiday as well as computer trolling while I can, but maybe I would enjoy myself by coming out with the girls and doing something enjoyable. Do I begin to ease myself into a busy and social schedule once more with people and in situations I'm familiar with or do I go out with a fight and resist the social future by hiding in my cave behind a computer screen all day? I know I prefer the no-mess and little work needed to maintain my appearance in private... but I really should go out again today since I have work tomorrow and I'll earn the money back anyway.

I've put together a little collage of satanic and creepy photographs and I think the saddest thing about this one and it's caption is the hopelessness of the situation and lack of faith in the human race. I was very much once so drowned in the anguish and dim-reality of depression and despised everyone around me. I radiated heat and felt it at the back of my throat trying to rush out my mouth at times when I was angry and upset. I'm quite glad that's all behind me now.

The largest rituals I would be willing to perform are those which involve feeding a black cat and possibly collecting rosaries- but never in my life would I dream of reattaching them inverted and make a mockery of their symbolism. Shown upside down and above, Jesus on the cross held by a black cat with big golden eyes filled with big black pupils may seem foreboding for those that are the religious type, but I'm afraid for someone of my upbringing it's fairly mundane.

As well as the odd satanic rituals, there's just good old images which evoke the 1960s such as floral wreaths and long blond hair being shaken about in the wind. My childhood lacked a religious and spiritual outlet but that never really bothered my before- in America the Australians were met with the Christian culture shock as well as some who attended church with their host families. I could have been one of those lucky few, but luckily they chose to attend the children's soccer game instead. That was the temple and the prayers and songs were replaced with the helpful but intimidating banter of an Angry Soccer Mom.

I would make a terrible candidate for satanic rituals and being sacrificed in the name of some god- for one thing I can imagine the whole ordeal being very cold and impersonal and I get self-conscious easily. I can't sleep without any clothes on unless I've taken refuge under the covers and wrapped myself in a neat little cocoon of blankets. The candles and crosses would be a nice touch for scenery but I'm afraid my days of burning candles obsessively, tending to the flame and wax levels are over. I think I may develop an unhealthy and costly obsession if I decide to buy another one...

I prefer to think of myself as the hapless victim dressed in white dress, lying on a beach somewhere and becoming victimised by my 'saviours' trying to work off a thousand year old debt. Fortunately I'm not in a movie, don't wear white if I can help it and also don't own a pair of thigh high stockings to tease the boys. It's not stocking weather yet anyway and so I usually prefer black when it boils down to giving my legs a little extra warmth and layers to protect them from the cold. White is just such a naughty nurse stocking colour to wear... not very classy these days.

Although there are many colourful and delightful clubs to join at my university as well as volunteering positions it seems that none of them include chanting in a pentagram, surrounded by colourful wisps of incense, droning in an ancient language without any clothes. I wonder if the photograph above was staged or indeed if some hapless art student stumbled across this scene in his local park and decided to get a snap of it. I would predict staged though, the angle of the scene is above, indicating the use of a tree branch or step ladder to elevate one's position from the ground and create an angle for the photograph.

Beach

I had every intention of going to the beach last Saturday, but without having written the date down in my diary I had signed up for work the night before I realised when the beach trip was happening. It's a shame really since every experience one way or another had to include egotistical men who have no idea what really happens in the real world and are used to getting their way through complaining enough. 

I wouldn't have minded a day at the beach after all this had happened as a way to unwind but my shift was in the middle of the afternoon and the second last of the day so there was nothing really left to do except for enjoy the burn and sting of a hot shower. Water and cleansing is so therapeutic physically and mentally, I almost wish I could have more than one shower a day sometimes- to clean my hair and prepare myself in the mornings as a remedial way to energise oneself and then finally before going to bed to feel comfy and adjust the correct temperature.

There seemed to be a bounty of straw and floppy hats going for a dollar each at the second hand shop I loitered in front of today but I do like the allure of a smartly structured and brimmed straw boater hat a bit more. I do like the occasional floppy hat usually in felt and if it can be helped with a feather in it since they are the most helpful one protecting oneself from the skin and you can still look feminine and gorgeous while wearing one. Hats can be so subjective sometimes and although I do want to shade my face from the sun... I have some sort of fashionable reputation to uphold you know.

I know that I was the disciple of water and it's soothing nature but I do think that soaking in moss-infested water is taking it a bit far- yes, yes it's all very artistic and probably represents the spread of some disease plaguing some sort of metaphorical cause but I can't really imagine a more traumatising experience then having moss cling to my skin. Water is meant to clean you, not to stain your lovely white dress as you float about in it with a peaceful and mundane expression on your face and act as a magnet for small aquatic vegetation.

When I imagine trips to the beach, I like to envision myself as some beauty wrapped in a shroud of modest sheer white material as well as spectacular and bright sunglasses and a wide brimmed floppy hat. My last trip to the beach encompassed cheap broke moccasins, a t-shirt in bright green, board shorts and a broad rimmed and daggy looking hat borrowed from my mother that made me look more like a childish version of the Grudge. Not exactly how I planned to look but I suppose we all build up impressions of ourselves that can be hard to live up to at times.

I have many a wonderful of memory of swinging on what was affectionately known as 'The Tarzan Rope' at my local pool and I think it has been a bit of a crime that I haven't been there in so long. I had weekly swimming lessons and it was indeed the only sport I was encouraged to participate in as a child, my brother prospered at it but I instead chose basketball instead. That choice has been the greatest mixed blessing of my life.

It hasn't been a great aspiration of mine to go the swimming pool with my boyfriend and cling to him for dear life but I was sort of looking forward to a beach trip with my sweetheart sometime this Summer. Well, with only a few weeks left and Valentine's Day just around the corner I may be able to persuade him to be sea bound but I doubt it. In the grand scheme of things, it's not that vitally important to me but it would be nice to have that ticked off in my mental Summer check-list.

One of the wonders of the beach and shoreline that I don't think I'll completely understand is the amount of caves, small little islands and moats speckled along a shoreline. Of course it completely captivates my imagination and makes me think of scenes from Hayao Miyazaki's Ponyo and Disney's 'The Little Mermaid'. One of my dear friends adores walking around and exploring nooks and crannies as well as climbing so it was fun running around after her last Summer as well on a few school camps. Ah, memories.

In order to think pure thoughts and be in a serene place of peacefulness, I think that pure, white linen clothing such a s a sundress maybe something gorgeous and showy such as this midriff piece worn by model Bambi could be worn to the beach. I rarely take a dip in the ocean and feel liberated by bathing in the water but I think I would be happy with strolling around yellow sand beaches, getting sand in my shoes and feeling the cold ocean spray and wind whip my bare skin. I'd love to have a midriff dress such as this, there must be something viable and close to this design handmade on Etsy...

Having a map/ network of train systems from a foreign land has been a small aspiration of mine but there's not a lot of available wall space in my room and I'm content to spontaneously decorating with magazine cuttings when the mood takes me. Instead I'll just buy some white sundresses and vintage lace pieces instead to satisfy my urge to get in touch with my inner hipster.

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!