Fashion of 2018

Interior pic courtesy of  http://thepursuitaesthetic.tumblr.com/ Outfit pic courtesy of  http://stylelovely.com Out of all the color combos I've blogged about, this high contrast couple is a classic. It is also very visually effective and quite safe as it is difficult to get wrong. Fashion styling wise the most flattering proportion would be white on top and black on the bottom, one word of warning however - go for edgy and well tailored pieces, you want to avoid looking like a waitress. The examples above and below are a perfect mix, and I'm loving the white blazer to complement an otherwise very basic outfit. For interiors black and white is also difficult to get wrong, think black floors and white walls as the black jeans and white blazer equivalent, chic and classy. Like any colour combo or theme you can take it too far, and with a monochrome coupling I recommend using some other coloured accents. For outfits - gold and silver accessories or even red lippy are great complem

Outfit pic - Dress from Karen Walker Hi There range Interior pic - courtesy of MadeByGirl So orange and navy would have worked fine as a title but I wanted to be a bit fancier and went for the more pretentious "tangerine and sapphire" title option instead. Either way you'll have to agree that its an intensely bold combo. I bought this cute dress for a friends wedding from my favorite fashion designer Karen Walker and also got to wear to an awards ceremony the following week - efficient cost per wear! Vintage sapphire ring from my mother Are you brave enough to go for navy walls? Are you brave enough to try this combo at all? I will gladly try out the fashion option but with interiors I must admit it looks beautiful but I'm a bit intimidated by this bold combo. Safer option would be to go for some loud accessories. As bold as this combo gets! Only for the brave. Image courtesy of Rue Love chevron! Image courtesy of Living Livelier Image  courtesy of T raditional Home

Recycled grain sack chair, seatbelt cushion - pic from livingetc.com , doily dress from etsy.com I'm a creative soul and so I thought I would celebrate a skill that is dear to my heart.  Some call it upcycling others call it recycling, DIY even and if you were a New Zealander you'd call it good old Kiwi ingenuity. To turn something that had a life served as something else, be it a seatbelt or a coffee sack or a doily - and then transform it into something that is not only useable but stylish, functional and flattering for the home or for you is a feat to be commended. I guess it's all about seeing beyond what is     Suitcase table pic from bywilma.com And seeing what it could be Recycled pallet office staircase image from decoist.com Chalkboard splashback interior pic by camillestyles.com Pallet daybed image from decoist.com Decoupage french sidetable image from fitasebabados.blogspot.com Wakefield chandelier from Pottery Barn - image from indulgy.com Upcycled summer house

Our Wedding 2008 - photographer Carey Conn Interior shot from flicker.com When I think Spanish influence for the home what instantly comes to mind are arches, wrought iron and beautifully detailed tiles. Then for fashion I think lace, fans, peineta (Spanish comb), flowers and frilly layers. I had a strong Spanish influence in my wedding dress attire above, because I wanted to acknowledge my husband's heritage (half Spanish, from Chile) and I also thought these accessories were simply stunning. The peineta and fan were gifts from my Mother-in-law brought from Spain and I had the Spanish lace veil or mantilla made here in New Zealand. Many people think my comb is a Maori heru, and you'll see why from the below examples. From New Zealand to China to Spain, all of these traditional combs are quite similar. From left to right, Maori Bone Heru from New Zealand, Chinese Ivory comb, and far right a Spanish peineta traditionally made from tortiseshell but nowadays made from imitation mo