Monthly Archive for April, 2011

Ever wondered what goes on at a model casting?

Published on April 29, 2011 in Awesome Things, Models and Rosemount Australia Fashion Week (RAFW). 2 Comments

Girls from yesterday's Kate Sylvester casting.

Yesterday was an important day for the Kate Sylvester camp. It was the first proper day of casting for the label’s highly anticipated off-site show for RAFW. Not one to ever want to miss out on any kind of event involving amazing looking girls, tea, and a whole lot of judging (in the best possible way!) went behind the scenes to check out the modeling talent.

I arrived at apartment 417 of the Adina on Crown Street at 11:15am – an hour after the castings had begun. There were already six girls waiting inside the apartment, one outside. And for the next two hours, more and more of them kept arriving. Girl after girl after girl. There were tall girls, and short-ish girls (notably Anja Konstantinova who is 1cm shorter than me!), girls with x-factor and girls who didn’t exactly wow, girls who could walk and girls who were ‘more suited to photographs’, blonde girls, brunettes, long haired girls and girls with crops. There were girls who were definites, girls who were definite(ly) nots, and girls with potential. And among all those pretty girls that showed up (because, let’s face it, they’re models – they’re all pretty), there were some recognisable faces – including Myf Shepherd, who is back from her modeling hiatus and looking better than ever.

There’s four days until Kate Sylvester’s show. Time is ticking. The only question is: who will make the final cut?

Continue reading ‘Ever wondered what goes on at a model casting?’

My day in Sydney, in bullet form.

Published on April 29, 2011 in Me and Rant. 1 Comment

Hyde Park.

  • This morning my alarm woke me at 4:30am. I was shocked out of my slumber, bleary eyed and half dead due to the fact that I, for some inexplicable reason, had decided not to go to bed until 12:30am. So with four hours sleep under my belt, I fell into the car (thanks for the ride Mark!) and missioned to Auckland Airport.
  • Upon arrival at the airport, I did all the usual things – checked in, tweeted, ate a Bacon & Egg McMuffin, tweeted again, skulled a tank juice (and tweeted about it), etc. I was feeling good.
  • Upon boarding the plane, the good feeling started to feel like a great feeling – we were notified that there was an unexpected tailwind (that only happens .1% of the time, according to the captain) that was going to speed up our flight. We were going to arrive 30 minutes early. Holla!

Next stop: Sydney.

Published on April 28, 2011 in Awesome Things, Me and Organisation. 1 Comment

Me and my buddy Simon, the last time I was in Sydney (October 2010).

Somewhere between October last year and now, I lost my suitcase-packing skills. Back in October, I was organised and calculated and I knew exactly what to take where, and how many pairs of socks I would need and everything. In January I was pretty good, I had one suitcase that took me all around Europe and America, but I did have to buy a bigger carry-on. Now it’s April and I’m going to Sydney in about three hours, and for some unexplained reason, it took me four hours to pack yesterday. I’m taking the same suitcase I took on my 7 week Great Adventure. It’s full. I have lost the inability to efficiently pack a suitcase.

I have six pairs of pants for God’s sake! Six! (This sh*t ridiculous!)

Anyhow, the point is, we all know in reality I’m only going to want to wear half of what I’ve packed, but to prove a point I will probably try to change twice a day in order to justify bringing all these clothes.

Rosemount Australian Fashion Week (RAFW) officially starts on Monday, so I’ve got nearly four whole days to properly hang out and explore the city. Got a recommendation as to somewhere I should go (that I haven’t been before)? Let me know!

PS. It is 4.30am. Note to self: You are an idiot for booking such an early flight. IDIOT.

Olivia Lefebre is one to watch.

Published on April 27, 2011 in Awesome Things and Models. 3 Comments

All Images/via fashionmodel.it

I posted a few pictures of Olivia Lefebre a little while ago now – she was entering the NZFW New Talent competition. Alas, she did not win, but this is no problem! I see she has moved on to bigger and better things! I don’t know much about her – or really anything about her at all (even after a pseudo-extensive Google search), but I do know she is in Milan at the moment (thanks 62 Models blog!) which can only be a good thing.

I like her look a lot. She kind of looks like a cross between Ngahuia Williams and Derya Parlak or something. What do you think? How about those freckles?! (More pics below, and here.) I can’t quite put my finger on what I love about her, but yes, I do think she will do well. I’m going to be keeping an eye on this one.

Continue reading ‘Olivia Lefebre is one to watch.’

Highs and Low(e)s.

Published on April 26, 2011 in Awesome Things and Rant. 2 Comments

Zoe Dunster (62 Models) - one of the NZ girls over in Sydney for Fashion Week. Image/cake-mag.com

Highs:

  1. $39.40 for 10 days worth of travel insurance to Australia! So cheap, right?! Thanks Southern Cross!
  2. Met a girl at the Recycle Boutique who reads my blog. It always amazes me that there are people out there that I don’t know, who see this. High fives!
  3. Started receiving invites for Rosemount Australian Fashion Week. Less than a week to go, readers! Will you be there? If so, tweet me!
  4. This time in two days, I’ll be in Sydney. And the weather report is saying sunshine. Holla!
  5. Tried two new kinds of tea. This may not seem like so much of a ‘High’ but hello Easter weekend was slow, okay?! And the teas are good. The first one I tried was ‘Gran’s Garden’ tea at Dizengoff, the second,  ’Apple Nut Delight’ at 23 Café. The Gran’s Garden is good because it is sweet and fruity and red and someone I know has nicknamed it ‘Gran’s panties’ so it’s kind of funny at the same time. The Apple Nut Delight tastes just like apple crumble. Enough said.
  6. The weather on Sunday.

Low(e)s:

  1. Didn’t blog for 3 days. Blogging FAIL.
  2. Flight to Sydney requires me to be at the airport at 5.30am. FML. Why did I do that to myself? I will be arriving at 8.30am Sydney time which means my hotel room won’t be ready, which means I will have hours and hours of time ‘in limbo’ to kill. Note to self: Sometimes the cheapest flights are not the best flights.
  3. Promised myself that I would take some photos of this amazing overnight bag I got from Jack Spade in New York. Have been promising to do this and blog it for about two weeks now. Still haven’t done it.
  4. It’s getting to that time of the year when I have to figure out my taxes. Considering I have never been self-employed before and that over 6 months worth of receipts are basically just hanging out in a giant envelope – all together, and with no order at all, I have a weird feeling this whole process is going to be stressful.
  5. The weather every day apart from Sunday.

Happy Easter Friday, friends.

Published on April 22, 2011 in Awesome Things. 3 Comments

Emily Baker in Vogue China. Image/via models.com

I don’t know what you’re doing this Easter, but I’m in Auckland. I haven’t gone away but both my parents have and so have some of my friends. Easter is going to be a bit of a non-event – not that I ever really celebrated it in the first place – no chocolate binging or hot cross buns or nothin’. I’m going to guess a lot of you are going to be bored at home, with no stores open and surcharges at all the cafés around, so I have therefore compiled a small list of things to entertain you today:

  1. Firstly, read this article on selling drugs online. Then, read this article about the article. They are both incredibly interesting and informative. Ever wondered how people shoot up heroin? Well, it’s your lucky day because it’s in the article. Ever wonder what the life of a drug dealer is like? Also in the article. And both are reasonably long so they will take up your time fo’ shizzle. Get reading now!
  2. For a fashion fix combined with some New Zealand pride, check out Emily Baker‘s first ever Vogue spread, here.
  3. I have blogged about this before but I bet you guys don’t remember. It’s an online quiz game called The Impossible Quiz. It’s pretty much impossible. I have never been able to finish it, but I have spent hours and hours trying. Literally, hours. You will spend hours also. If it’s not your buzz, have a go at Magic Pen. It’s just as addictive and you get to DRAW! Hoorah!
  4. Wish you had gone to Coachella? Same. But I have never felt more jealous than after reading this post by Annabel at Blushing Ambition, and seeing both the Arcade Fire and Kanye West sets on youtube. Read up, watch the videos and prepare to feel envious and extreme upset that you missed out.
  5. Check out my photo blog. I updated it with some new pics. You can ask me a question! I will (probably) answer it! (Shameless self promotion…)
Happy Easter Friday, friends.

When Tommy met Anna.

Published on April 21, 2011 in Awesome Things. 0 Comments

Image/Tommy Ton, jakandjil.com

This is a bit of a blatant repost, but it’s something I really want to share with people who may not have already seen it. It’s Q & A on style.com with Tommy Ton (of streetstyle-blog, JakandJil, fame) and Anna Dello Russo (of Editor-at-large-of-Vogue-Nippon fame) about their photographer-subject relationship, turned friendship.

Tommy Ton first started shooting Anna about four years ago, in 2007. He remembers exactly when it was and what she was wearing:

“She was wearing a gold D&G chain mesh top. She was very hesitant about being photographed. And then the next morning at Nina Ricci, which was Olivier Theyskens’ first show for Nina Ricci, she was wearing a silver sequined dress and a fox-fur collar and I was like, what is this woman on? I couldn’t believe she was wearing this at 10 in the morning.”)

I’m not surprised. I’ve seen her in real life, she is outgoing and bright and larger than life. She has a presence. He, on the other hand, is friendly, but quiet, and very hard-working. When you’re talking to him outside the shows you get that sense of distraction – like he’s got one eye on you, and one on the crowd, searching for the next great photo.

Anyway, I’m rambling. The point of the post is to tell you the interview is good and interesting and it will make you smile. Brighten up your Thursday – read it here.

Got Cake?

Published on April 20, 2011 in Awesome Things, Food, Me, Models and Photography. 5 Comments

Jordan Rondel is a pretty, young Aucklander with some great baking skills. In case you didn’t know already, Jordan bakes cakes and other treats under the moniker, ‘The Caker‘. Every week she comes up with a new flavour of cake that you can order (if you’re from Auckland) and have delivered. It’s a clever system – it means you always get to try something different. The current cake of the moment is a nutella and banana cake. Previous flavours have included chai latté and carrot with clementine icing. Enough said. A couple of weeks ago she asked me to take a few promotional shots for her. I jumped at the chance. Not only was it going to be fun, it was going to involve a 6 layer, cream and raspberry covered cake. And I will go to great lengths for cake.

Here are some of the shots, including a few good out-takes:

Continue reading ‘Got Cake?’

Awesome things I've seen today.

Published on April 19, 2011 in Awesome Things. 2 Comments

Karen Walker and Mikhail Gherman in their Auckland home. Image/theselby.com

  • Ever wondered what Karen Walker‘s house looked like? Ever wondered how she lives? Whether she has a pool? (She does.) What colour her kitchen stools are? (Red.) What her daughter looks like? (Adorable!) Look no further! The Selby has gone into her (and husband, Mikhail Gherman’s) place and done his thing. Check out the pictures, here.
  • If you love ballet, and you love Chloé, you need to watch this video (below) that combines both clothes from the French label’s dance-inspired spring/summer 2011 collection and movement from New York City Ballet principal, Janie Taylor and corps de ballet member Justin Peck. So pretty.

Continue reading ‘Awesome things I've seen today.’

Highs and Low(e)s.

Published on April 18, 2011 in Awesome Things and Rant. 3 Comments

James getting his wheelie on. Image/onofield.com

Highs:

  1. After two and a half long days of wondering and waiting, and wishing and hoping, I received my RAFW accreditation! Hoorah! This brings stress levels down slightly.
  2. Ono Field. After a long hiatus, my brother is back in the blogging business and better than ever. He’s got a whole new site, a whole new url, a whole new lease on life. (Kind of.) Check it out, if only to see the pretty design.
  3. Tidied my wardrobe. I say ‘tidied’ in the loosest way possible. I rehung clothes and threw a few things out which made me feel kind of good and smug about being organised and clean. But you know what’s kind of depressing? It’s times like these when you realise how much stuff you buy that you will Never. Actually. Wear. EVER.
  4. In other wardrobe related news, I tried on a pair of pants that I have not been able to fit (comfortably) in 6 months, and by some miracle, they are now the perfect size! Hoorah!

Low(e)s:

  1. RAFW in two weeks and I am severely under-financed and under-prepared.
  2. Being a girl. And just girls in general. Girls are just messed up in the head. Well, most are. Girls are cunning and weird and untrustworthy. Guys probably are too, but girls seem to just be that little bit more crazy. And girls are always the ones who are getting screwed over. Poor girls.
  3. So much rain! I do not like.
  4. I bought a ticket to that $34 million Lotto draw. I checked the numbers, thought I hadn’t won and chucked my ticket in the bin. But two days later, someone told me you only need three Lotto numbers to win, as long as you have the bonus ball number. I got excited, went through the rubbish and fished out my ticket. I had three numbers! AND one of them was the bonus ball! I’d won something! My mom just informed me that this is not true, you need four numbers. I have two words to say to that original someone (who knows who they are): You. Bastard.

My favourite things from Twenty-seven Names Spring/Summer 2011-2012.

Published on April 15, 2011 in Awesome Things. 5 Comments

All Images/Supplied.


If there’s anything that Twenty-seven Names does particularly well, it’s pretty. I’m not the girliest of girls, but I do love the idea of girly things. While most of my wardrobe is made up of pants and t-shirts and sweaters and ‘practical’ clothes, I do have a couple of pretty things, one being this beautiful dress from Twenty-seven Names’ Winter’s collection. I have been wearing it a lot lately, much more than I thought I ever would (the best purchases are always like that).

Anyhow, I digress. To the point folks, to the point!. Three days ago I came across the Twenty-seven Names Spring/Summer 2011-2012 lookbook. Yeah, yeah, yeah, we’re barely into winter so why am I thinking about summer, blah, blah, blah. Who cares? I’ve looked at it probably about 13 times now. The collection is super cute. And cute supersedes all seasons. These are some of my favourite things (you can see the rest of the lookbook here):

Continue reading ‘My favourite things from Twenty-seven Names Spring/Summer 2011-2012.’

Something I bought overseas: one of two Uniqlo sweaters.

Published on April 14, 2011 in Awesome Things and Me. 5 Comments

Images/Isaac Hindin Miller

This is only a picture of one. The other I have is a grey marle. I bought this first navy one in Paris, after spending ages walking around the store. It was stifling in there. Freezing cold outside, all heaters blasting in Uniqlo. It was too hot in there! Way too hot for me to feel like trying things, but when Isaac alerted me to the men’s 100% lambswool, crew neck sweaters on sale (€19.90) I couldn’t resist. I picked up the navy XS (and a white XS men’s button down oxford shirt – more on that another time) and ran with it. A week of much, much, much wear and I decided it was time for another, so I went back. (I must’ve gone to Uniqlo about 5 times over that whole trip now that I think about it.) I wanted the burnt orange/rust colourway, but they didn’t have my size so grey marle it was. Grey goes with everything, so it was a good choice. I wear both of these all the time now. They’re super warm, and super easy to throw on. Sure, the sleeves are a little long, but it’s nothing that can’t be solved with a couple of rolls. And for approximately NZ$35.00 each? What a steal!

Continue reading ‘Something I bought overseas: one of two Uniqlo sweaters.’

Lily Watch #25

Published on April 12, 2011 in Awesome Things, Lily Donaldson and Models. 0 Comments

Images/via fashiongonerogue.com

It’s been a while since I’ve done one of these. Because of that I have two Lily Donaldson related items to share with you today. One being the Aldo Spring 2011 campaign – where the socks and sandals trend is still prolific (above and below), and the other much more exciting piece of news being the fact that she is renting out her East Village, New York City apartment on Avenue B:

 

Images/via elliman.com

 

I love this loft!!! Kitchen, huge lounge, two bedrooms, two bathrooms, dressing room and laundry (all spread comfortably over 1700 square feet) for the bargain price of US$7995/month. The place is amazing. This is where I really wish I had won lotto on the weekend.

Continue reading ‘Lily Watch #25′

Wearing the pants.

Published on April 11, 2011 in Awesome Things. 3 Comments

Above - by The Sartorialist. (Check out Anouk Rondel on the right!) All Images/via wearingthepants.tumblr.com

There are some amongst us that have an unabashed love for girls in boys clothing. No fingers are being pointed (we’re all looking at you Isaac Hindin Miller!), but it’s no secret that I am one of the many. I don’t know if it’s because mens clothing just seems to be that much more practical – pants just seem so much easier to wear than any skirt or dress I’ve ever seen – or because the comfort level of loose-ish, boy-ish clothing is just so great. Either way, right now for me – boys clothes are the way to go.

It’s bordering on winter, so now is the perfect time to get your guy-inspired gear on. Pants and tucked in, buttoned up shirts, flat shoes, long socks (or no socks) and sweaters will keep you cute, cosy and comfy through these autumn months. But if that’s too freaky for you, maybe try a few small, non-threatening boy-ish elements like sneakers and plain woollen sweaters. Personally, I’d say start with a loose mens tee (women’s cuts of tee are just plain weird to me with their fitted body and capped sleeves - I find a small mens usually does the trick) and you’ll be a channelling school-boy-chic before you know it.

For those who are interested, Diana at Miss Moss has just started a tumblr of girls in boys clothing, called ‘Wearing the pants‘. It’s great inspiration (and where I got all these images from) so check it out.

Continue reading ‘Wearing the pants.’

Highs and Low(e)s.

Published on April 11, 2011 in Awesome Things and Rant. 0 Comments

The queue for Lotto tickets on Saturday afternoon.

Highs:

  1. Finished Gilmore Girls. All 7 seasons, 154 episodes. Approximately 7000 minutes of long-winded-sentances and super-fast-conversing. That show always makes you feel like you’ve got to listen really carefully. Anyway, I loved it all. How cute is Rory Gilmore?! Pure, pure joy.
  2. This cover (below) of R Kelly’s ‘I wish’. Can’t get it out of my head and can’t stop playing it. Same with Sparks’ ‘When I’m with you‘.
  3. Imagining what I was going to do with my $34 million when I won lotto.

Low(e)s:

  1. I had a FNA on Friday. I didn’t know what a FNA was until I got to Labtests and realised FNA stands for ‘Fine Needle Aspiration’ which, as you may have guessed, involves a needle going into you. This wouldn’t have been a big deal to discover if not for the fact that I hate needles. They freak me out. Especially when they’re going into veins. This one wasn’t going into a vein, it was going into my neck – almost as bad. And not just stuck in. Stuck in and pushed around, back and forth and such. Conclusion? It was gross and I hope I never have to do it again.
  2. Caught that cold that everyone seems to have. Not debilitating enough to stay in bed all day, but still annoying enough that you know it’s there. I’ve had it almost a week now, when will it go away?!
  3. Not winning lotto. Damn $34 million dreams.

Continue reading ‘Highs and Low(e)s.’