City Girl's Blog

Style vs Fashion

Toria — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 04:39:41 +0000

I’m having a style dilemma. It feels like what I like to wear, is contradicting what I want to buy. Now it’s a tricky situation. I could just go out shopping and buy the things that I find appealing on the rack, yet I know as soon as I get home, they will be yet annother piece that’s banished to the back of the closet and worn only once.

You see the pieces that Im drawn too in the shops are all girly, colourful, got full skirts or longer hems. They sit on the waist and only really look nice with stilletto heels and lady like accessories. What I like to wear however, is a little more tom boy. Think Kate Bosworth, Rachel Bilson or even Erin Wasson. I’d be more the happy wearing every day, skinny jeans, with a silk over sized top or t shirt, skirts with boots or wedges, simple accessories with a huge handbag. I’m a walking contradiction!

I guess the one thing that I need to keep reminding myself is not to go overboard with trends. It’s easy to get carried away by the dresses with floral print and full skirts but will you actually ever wear them? Are you just buying them because you feel the need to “fit in” with what everyone else is buying or wearing? Style and fashion are two different things. A woman can have exceptional style by wearing her clothes like they were made just for her. Its the woman wearing the clothes not the clothes wearing the woman. Whereas fashion comes and goes. Today is ladylike glamour tomorrow its back to the 80′s.

So next time I have an urge to go buy myself something new, I’ll look at the pieces that Im drawn too, I might even try one or two on, but I’ll not let myself get down because they “don’t feel me”. Instead, I’ll embrace my style, I’ll wear it confidently and I wont let myself get swayed to think that the sunray pleat skirt will be a good purchase because after all, I know what I’ll wear and what will end up being banished to the back of the closet in a weeks time.

A Cup of Joe

Toria — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 05:57:54 +0000

I love coffee. Yes, Love. I’m sure I’m not the only person out there that has a relationship with their barista. They start making my order as soon as I walk through the door and preferential treatment (read: get my coffee before the waiting hordes) happens more often than not. Now I must admit to being a one coffee a day kinda gal, otherwise, you’ll find me bouncing off the walls and not being able to sit still let alone get any work done. Sometimes coffee will even do the opposite of what it’s supposed to do (keep me awake) and put me fast to sleep. Must be the warm milk….
Now Melbourne isn’t short of a good coffee shop and barista is an occupation, where should you be good, gets you the ripest jobs at the best cafes. Here are my tips for the best long black you’ve ever tasted (milk optional).

1. Dukes Coffee Roasters 169 Chapel Street Windsor
– My preferred weekend haunt. Single Origin Drip Coffee that they roast on site and the best scrambled eggs this side of the Yarra. Tip: Get in early for a table it’s busy on the weekends!

2. St Edmonds 154 Greville Street, Prahran
– Again on the south side of the city. This is the place to go if you want a delicious latte with a side of eye candy. Hipster Central and a wicked soundtrack to boot. Oh and the meals here have a slight eastern element (think harissa spiced mushrooms. YUM!)

3. Mr Close Shop 13, Midtown Plaza, 246 Bourke St Melbourne, (Enter from Swanston St)
– My weekday cup of joe. Want a delicious piping hot single origin skinny latte to go? Then Mr Close is the place to go. Also helps that they have a loyalty card and a large size is only $4.50. What about something to eat with that coffee? Then try the salted caramel slice. My favourite!

4. De Clieu 187 Gertrude Street Fitzroy
– My north of the city special. Yes it can be busy on the weekend, but they serve 7 seeds coffee and have delicious, if not a little left of centre food in a minimalist setting with huge windows. I always head here when on Gertrude Street.

Well there you have it, my 4 favourite coffee spots in Melbourne. If you have one that you want to share, comment below!

New Year, New Me

Toria — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 05:20:42 +0000

It seems like I’m always lacking the motivation to get my thoughts on paper (or blog as the case ay be) yet I never struggle to find time to grab a coffee or a new pair of shoes. I blame my awkward laptop and its never ending quest to leave me befuddled by its lack of speed, its tendancy to break down while im in the middle of something important and the agonising time it takes just to boot it up. So what am I going to do about it? Buy a new computer?? I think it’s my only choice.

Well the year has started, I have spent 2 glorious weeks back in the family cocoon basking in sunshine that would melt icecaps with a sky thats the most beautiful cerulean blue with air sweetly scented by the smell of the ocean and coconut suncream. But it’s back to reality today and the desk in the office that tends to be the complete opposite of warm and frankly makes me wish I had a down filled blanket wrapped all around me.

As with every year, promises are made (and broken) and things said that are better off being kept close, but this year is going to be big. I can just feel it. Maybe it’s a change that I have subconciously made or maybe it’s just me growing up and getting wiser, but one things for sure, this year I will be all of the things I want to be.

Image from Out Came the Sun

Im in the wrong season

Toria — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 03:08:02 +0000

There are 8 days left of spring, yet Melbourne still feels like its in the midst of winter – well the weather that is. Grey skies, storms that blow down trees and rain that soaks my knew leather ballet flats and bears them unwearable until they have dried out. On that note, I feel like I should be eating blueberry pie with custard and wrapping myself in a cashmere sweater. It also doesnt help that every second post on Pinterest is about Fall and Thanksgiving. So, I’m going to embrace it for the rest of the day and dream about buying (and weaing) a coat with this amazing detail next Winter.

Tomorrow we’ll be back to posting about summer. Promise.

Image from Pinterest – my new obsession.

Swish & flick

Toria — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 09:13:53 +0000

Gosh I wish I could do the perfect cat-eye liner.

Image from Stolen Inspiration via A Glamorous Little Side Project

Fly away

Toria — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 10:13:02 +0000

I’m really looking forward to the warm days of summer. How could I not when there are Erin Fertherston’s Spring/Summer 2012 collection of beautiful wearable designs featuring whimsical prints of butterflies! There is just something about them that make any day feel a little bit sunnier. Even on cool spring days like we are having right now in Melbourne.

Spring Yellow

Toria — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 03:23:24 +0000

Yellow and mustard (or any shade of) are my current colour de jour. I really like how cheery they make me feel and how just a tiny bit of the colour can go along way in making an outfit.

Images from Pintrest

Homemade

Toria — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 07:21:16 +0000

On the weekend I decided to try my hand at making one of my favourite chocolates – Peanut Butter Cups. In Australia, they aren’t all that easy to come by, and if they are in a store, they are very expensive. So imagine my glee when I found on Cupcakes and Cashmere, this recipe for homemade peanut butter cups. And oh my goodness they were just as I imagined.
I tried mine by making half a batch with dark and the other half with milk chocolate. I can tell you now, the moment I bought them into work they were gone in a flash!

The Chop

Toria — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 04:39:07 +0000

After months of pondering, changing my mind, being persuaded by others, I took the plunge and chooped of my hair.
Now to some, it might not be dramatic, my hair wasn’t to my waist but for someone who has been growing (trying) my hair, it was the most drastic thing I have done in years (bar getting tattooed).

Now my experience was made even more gut-wrenching for the fact that I haven’t had a regular salon to go to in over 6 months after “braking up” with my last one so I had to take a gamble and try someplace new. Thank goodness I chose Shibui on Toorak Road South Yarra. Not only was I treated like I had been going there regularly for years but they were also perfectionists (twice I was returned to the basin for more toner) so that when I finally looked up after my cut and colour, all that worry was for absolute nothing! And now Im in love with my new short(er) hair! I might even take it a little shorter next time!

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When all else fails

Toria — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 10:15:06 +0000

And you have nothing to write…. post an inspiring picture.

How perfect is this outfit?!!

Image by Garance