The end of summer inspires a change in style…

Although we are still in the midst of one hot summer, our glossy fashion magazines remind us that winter is indeed fast approaching. It’s hard to contemplate the idea of woollen coats and crochet berets as we swelter in the heat, but it’s good to know of some options that you can wear for the cooler days ahead.

Here are my top five style solutions for the upcoming transeasonal change.

1. 1. Kimono-style jackets

Casual yet chic, kimono-style jackets are great to throw on over a singlet with a pair of skinny leg jeans. They have made an appearance in stores this summer, most constructed from floaty floral and leopard-print chiffons, and were seen commonly paired with denim cut-offs and black bandage dresses.

These are still an option for autumn, but for the days with the lower temps, opt for one made from a soft jersey – not heavy but enough to keep you from getting a chill. To see what all the hype is about, check out the British brand Topshop and Nicole Richie’s House of Harlow, both of which have some beautiful designs.

1. 2. Small lace-up boots

Let’s face it; compared to a European winter, Australian cities are generally never cold enough to require hiking boots and a ski jacket (though don’t let me stop you if that’s your kind of thing…). So if you’re trying to decide what boots to invest in for this winter, I would say go for the ankle-height lace-up boots – you can wear them all year around.

They are small and light enough for summer festivals, but you can also pair them with some grandma-knitted socks for winter. And for that time in between? They were made for it. The lace-up style is also perfect for that military inspired look, without going overboard on any macho-ness.

1. 3. Patterned tights

Perfect for pairing with that cap-sleeved cotton summer dress or that jersey-knit skating dress, tights are the ‘it’ item for that transitional faze. It is also a relatively inexpensive way of styling your outfits because it means you can retain clothing from the warmer seasons by simply adding hosiery.

If you want to avoid looking too much like a school-girl, you can find a wide-range of patterned tights (polka dots and all) in most department stores. I would recommend looking at Leona Edminston’s range of vintage-inspired tights stocked at Myer stores.

1. 4. Leggings

Before you all tell me that leggings are for the lycra-loving tweens or gym-junkies only, I have a proposition to make. You know that bright kaftan you thought was only suitable for lazy afternoon cocktails at the beach? Well don’t go putting it away in your wardrobe just yet. Let the colours speak for themselves and wear them with a plain black pair of leggings – ankle-length. Then pop on a pair of patent nude-coloured heels, and ta-da, you have an outfit solution for the cooler-month cocktail parties!

If you don’t really like the idea of exposing your booty in some hip-hugging lycra, try a longer length kaftan (cue the exotic kaftans of Camilla Franks).

1. 5. Lightweight pants

For a long time, I was a sceptic. I was one of those people that just hated wearing pants. No matter how many pairs I tried on, they were the wrong shape or embraced a pattern that reminded me of my PJs.

But just this summer, I found a pair of 100% viscose, cream and black patterned pants from Forever New. They were comfortable but with a tailored-edge, lightweight and to top it all off, on sale. I have worn these pants numerous times over the summer, but they are also the type of pants that I know will still be suitable for the upcoming months.

So start looking before all the heavier pants dominate the stores – you won’t know how good they are until you find the right ones!

By Laura Parr

24 Feb 2011, 4:30pm Blog Fashion by admin
Leave a comment

The Rise of “The Fall of…”

I distinctly remember where I was when Michael Jackson died. After a flood of messages woke me up, I spent the morning in my apartment glued to the television, flicking between stations to see if it were really true. Like the rest of the world, I watched as the story unfolded; Whether from grief, disbelief or simply shock, the world was thrown into a disconcertion not seen since the deaths of Elvis Presley or John Lennon. The entire scene was unlike anything I’d ever seen before, but what struck me the most was a paparazzo’s comment that when he sold his photograph of Jackson in an ambulance, he would be able to retire.

It’s a morbid commentary on our society that our cultural obsession with celebrity has entered into such a macabre territory. We love artists on their way to success but once they achieve it, we love nothing more than to watch them fall. We all have commented on celebrities we think are ticking time bombs a la Amy Winehouse and Lindsay Lohan, and reveled when news breaks of a pop star going to rehab. Like the old adage says, everybody loves a good tragedy. Lady GaGa summed it up  perfectly in a recent interview, when asked whether she’s worried about falling prey to the Hollywood curse she responded, “That’s what everyone wants to know, right? What is she going to look like when she dies … when she’s overdosed on whatever they think I’m overdosing on? Everybody wants to see the decay of the superstar.” And the sad part is, that’s completely true.

In late 2006/early 2007 that’s exactly what the world got when Britney Spears went into free fall, divorcing her then-husband via text message, shaving her head, losing custody of her children, and eventually losing control of her financial and business interests. And, unfortunately for her (fortunate for us) it was all played out in the tabloids. It was as if because she was famous, she was seen as a character, not a person, and when she was taken on psychiatric hold, people failed to see a young woman in desperate need of help but rather viewed the footage in the way they would a scripted television show. Major news outlets even had pre-prepared eulogies ready to run if the worst were to happen, but probably the most heartless reporting on the situation came from controversial celebrity blogger, Perez Hilton, who instead of expressing concern for a woman in trouble, commented that “Friday was the busiest day we’ve ever had on perezhilton.com! Over the course of 24 hours, we had over 10 million page views. 10,089,428 to be exact. That’s insane! Thanks, Britney!”

It seems as if we’re all on celebrity death-watch again with Charlie Sheen’s recent battles with drugs, with even “Two and a Half Men” creator Chuck Lorre making light of the situation through his production company vanity card, “I exercise regularly. I eat moderate amounts of healthy food. I make sure to get plenty of rest. I see my doctor once a year and my dentist twice a year. I floss every night. I’ve had chest x–rays, cardio stress tests, EKG’s and colonoscopies. I see a psychologist and have a variety of hobbies to reduce stress. I don’t drink. I don’t smoke. I don’t do drugs. I don’t have crazy, reckless sex with strangers. If Charlie Sheen outlives me, I’m gonna be really pissed.”  The world really is on edge to see the highest paid television actor of recent time self destruct – as long as it doesn’t interrupt the filming of their favourite sitcom’s season finale.

Whether it’s through a morbid fascination or strictly an extension of our celebrity obsession, a celebrity’s death will always make headlines and will always sell papers. Consider it the catch 22 of celebrity, people will always try and tear them down while they’re living, but in death they become more. As John Lennon put it, ironically in an interview with Rolling Stone five days before his own death, “People want dead heroes, like Sid Vicious and James Dean. I’m not interested in being a dead fucking hero, so forget ‘em.” Unfortunately for John, that’s exactly what the public craves.

24 Feb 2011, 4:17pm Blog Street by admin
1 comment

Vivienne Westwood Anglomania Melissa.

Remember those beautiful spring days when you were younger circa the early ‘90s and all you wanted to slip on your feet were your favourite candy coloured jellies? Well once again you can, as fashion extraordinaire Vivienne Westwood has teamed up with Melissa to bring us the best in plastic fantastic!

The Vivienne Westwood and Melissa collaboration was founded in 2008 and will continue to bring us these uber cute shoes until 2012. Melissa shoes are made from a special injected plastic that is 100% recyclable. So as well as looking totally chic you are helping to save the planet- bonus! These quirky, unique, and fun shoes are so loveable your feet will never want to be seen in anything else.

“The most amazing thing about this partnership was to be able to create modern products, with very high quality, for affordable prices,” Westwood said. The shoes are a mixture of her new designs and classic re-makes of her leather products that express true Westwood characteristics in each shoe created.  They’re practical and timeless fashion pieces that will be the perfect addition to any spring wardrobe.

The fusion of Anglomania and Melissa brings you high fashion with a not so high fashion price tag. Accessorised with beautiful bows, hearts and cherries this is what plastic dreams are made of. Undeniably feminine and fearlessly bold in the cutestest of colours which are so adorable, so fresh and oh so now!

nina. ♥

22 Feb 2011, 6:51pm Blog Fashion by admin
2 comments

The Row Fall 2011

Sister duo Marykate and Ashley Olsen showcased their collection early at New York Fashion Week and captured the essence of new street cool with a touch feminity on the side. ‘The Row’ features an array of pieces including new season trends such as the perfectly tailored boyish suit pieces. These included jackets, trousers, and knee length hemmed skirts, along with  black and white lace on lace, beautifully finished fur jackets and scarfs, and the must have accessory, the statement fur headpiece.

The collection is filled with sheer whites, beiges, and nudes, brown and black leather, an array of furs, and a touch of yellow to keep the collection fresh.  ‘The Row’ plays on last season’s leopard  print trend with  flat slip ons and a knee length coat, along with bold shoulders to create a stunning silhouette.

Since the sisters are still relatively new to the high fashion industry, you can see the attention to detail that has gone into every piece. Such details include the waist clinching belts that add a touch of femininity and colour that brings the collection all together.

- Erica Newman

Images from Style.com

17 Feb 2011, 7:57am Fashion by admin
Leave a comment

Thread People is proud to announce it’s sale integration with top Australian shopping site, Shop Til You Drop!

http://bit.ly/shoptilyoudropthreadpeople

Have a look then tell us what you think on our Facebook Fanpage

http://www.facebook.com/threadpeople

Happy shopping!

xx Thread People

16 Feb 2011, 8:33am Blog Fashion by admin
Leave a comment

Breaking Beauty Rules 101.

Backstage at Marc Jacobs Spring 2011. Photo: Style.com

I have an obsession with skin care. I always wash my face before I go to bed, I use a face mask and exfoliant once a week and I always wear SPF (Hello, Casper!). I follow ever rule in the book when it comes to my skin and pressure my friends and family to do the same. For all my prissiness about my skin care routine I have never understood the rules of make-up. Make-up is like another accessory to wear and people break fashion rules all the time right? Sure, there are some rules you should stick too, like non-STD looking lip-liner, the right foundation colour and not mistaking oompa loompa orange for a natural looking glow but should we really be so hung about them?

Out of the all the beauty rules out there the one that has always struck me as the most silliest and useless is the “play up only one feature” rule. For as long as I can remember this has been shoved down my throat by experts who say its looks clown like if you don’t follow it. Smokey-eyes mean nude lips, red lipstick means only mascara and forget about visible blush when wearing a bright lip colour. A bunch of hypocrites they are.

Eva Green, the hot French bond girl, is a fan of a smokey-eye with blood red lips and always looks amazing. Mary-Kate wore red lips with complementing bronze eyes and wild curly hair. At Marc Jacobs Spring 2011 Francois Nars paired deep green glittery eyes with bleached brows and a berry lip. “It’s always nice to keep pushing buttons and surprising — you never want to get bored.” Nars said to Stylelist about the look.

I wore copper eye shadow, with a berry lipstick on my super pale complexion last weekend and got plenty of compliments.

So rules be damned. Push the buttons. Do what you want with your make-up, wear that orange lip with purple eye shadow or that plum lipstick on a pale complexion, you know you can burn the photos later.

Quote from http://www.stylelist.com/2010/09/13/marc-jacobs-spring-2011-backstage-beauty/

Photo: Style.com

15 Feb 2011, 4:28pm Blog Fashion by admin
Leave a comment

blearing lines of entertainment.

HBO

TV is the new cinema. From the cheesy and kinky True Blood to the angst of Mad Men TV is starting to become your favourite indie of the moment and big Hollywood Oscar bait all rolled into one. Yeah, there is still the existent of soap operas and Glee but TV is now becoming something you just don’t want to watch hangover.

If any show represents this the most it’s Boardwalk Empire. Its Martin Scorsese produced, its pilot costed $18 million and it gives Steve Buscemi his first starring role. It’s lush and almost perfect in showing Prohibition Era Atlantic City and even has a low rent version of Scorsese favourite Leo Dicaprio (The Dreamers Michael Pitt). There’s violence, drama, sex, politics, vintage showgirl glamour and everything else you can expect from a HBO-Scorsese hybrid. To put it in its simplest: it’s everything you expect from a movie fleshed out and not something you are embarrassed about watching.  Oh, it if it matters it has also won a bunch of awards.

Boardwalk Empire begins in March on Showcase and the trailer is available here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6Ra8PdXa9k&feature=related

Photo: HBO.

15 Feb 2011, 4:26pm Blog Street by admin
Leave a comment

FLAMINGO SANDS PREVIEW : ON SALE TOMORROW 8AM!

Here is a special sneak preview of the gorgeous swim wear by Flamingo Sands – on sale tomorrow Saturday 12th February at 8am. Enjoy! x

11 Feb 2011, 5:42pm Blog Fashion by admin
Leave a comment

Be Mine xx

In preparation for Valentine’s Day… even if you don’t get lucky.

ITEMS IN THIS SET (LEFT TO RIGHT/TOP TO BOTTOM)

ELLE MACPHERSON INTIMATES BOUDOIR LACE BONED-CUP BRA $79

VANESSA BRUNO LACE BRA $110

OSBALDWICK BRA $62

STELLA MCCARTNEY MARGUERITE RIDING ANIMAL-PRINT $73

MARNI BRA $230

MANOUSH LACE BRA $105

11 Feb 2011, 11:05am Blog Fashion by admin
Leave a comment

Junk Food Television, Or How I Stopped Fighting it and Learnt to Love ‘Jersey Shore’.

As much as I hate to admit it, I love Jersey Shore.

It’s not because of a case of fashion envy a la Sex and The City, or because I relate to the cast the way I do with Friends or How I Met Your Mother, but because of morbid curiosity. This group of 20-something New Yorkers  are vapid, shallow, and hedonistic, and I just can’t get enough.

I like to think that reality shows that following the lives of excitable but essentially aimless party people are insulting to an audience’s intelligence, but it’s undeniable that they’re entertaining. It’s like watching another species walking in our world, so much so MTV has capitalised on our anthropological desires in their marketing campaigns, “[the show] exposes one of the tri-state area’s most misunderstood species… the GUIDO. Yes, they really do exist! Our Guidos and Guidettes will move into the ultimate beach house rental and indulge in everything the Seaside Heights, New Jersey scene has to offer.”

It is much more than mindless escapism, there’s great philosophical arguments that really make you think such as Angelina in season one debating hospitality versus retail, (”This [T-Shirt shop] is below me, I’m a bartender, I do great things!”), to Snooki’s weekly bursts of genius (”That’s the reason why the ocean is so salty, because of all of the whale sperm!”). I’ve learnt how to GTL, how to dodge grenades and landmines, and how to perfect the boutique cocktail, Ron-Ron Juice. I’ve picked up their language and habits. It’s becoming an unhealthy obsession.

As with other similarly-premised reality shows, like Big Brother and The Real World, you feel as if it’s junk food version of television, that is, you know that it’s unhealthy but it feels so good to gorge yourself on. It’s very easy to teeter over to the dark side though. There’s been times when in the grips of a Jersey marathon, I’ve been asked my opinion on world issues and I’ve had nothing to say other than, “Well, I don’t know about that, but J-Woww and Sammi just had a cat fight!” After majoring in international politics, that sentence leaving my mouth was me hitting rock bottom of reality TV addiction.

I won’t lie and say that I don’t sometimes indulge in my guilty pleasure, season three has just started! But I like to think that I’ve learnt how to strike a healthy balance between the real world and the Shore, the first step was to admit I have a problem.

“Hi, I’m Paige and I’m a Jersey-holic…”

11 Feb 2011, 11:03am Blog Street by admin
1 comment