the other kate

La Lanphear (I only exaggarated the proportions a tad!)

I am cringing even as I type this but, were I held to gunpoint and told to name a personal 'style icon' I would probably utter the name Kate Lanphear, the current Senior Style Director at US Elle.

You would never guess it though from the way I dress as I don't try to emulate her sartorial style. I'm not blind. What she wears as a towering, willowy slip of a thing would look very, very different on my rotund frame. And lets not get into the ridiculous amount of accoutrements on those wrists. Few can pull off that rock chic look with conviction and I am not deluded enough to believe I am one of those few. It's more her philosophy and approach to dressing that I embrace.

So, what is this philosophy I speak of? It is the idea of adopting a personal uniform which takes precedence over following the latest trends. Like Kate, I favour classics with a twist and unique pieces over resembling a stylistically, schizophrenic fashion victim. This is not to say my wardrobe isn't constantly evolving nor that it is free from containing a number of questionable purchases. It just does so in a far more subtle and steady rate than the average 'fashionable' young woman's. I'm also a big believer in melding the old in my closet, with the new and this ability to seamlessly pair this season's look with tired old wardrobe staples is where la Lanphear excels.

So why choose Lanphear over the French Voguette battalion who adhere to perhaps an even stricter uniform? Easy. Emmanuelle Alt, new editrix at Vogue Paris and her mignonnes (Melanie, Geraldine et all) go for the safe approach. A Balmain jacket is a thing of beauty but the silhouette of power blazer and skinny jeans does get old. Lanphear is able to make her monochromatic wardrobe look constantly fresh by injecting flashes of brilliance from up and coming designers teamed with an arsenal of statement making accessories. And that hair! Could limp brunette locks strike fear into a cut as fierce as Kate's? I think not.

The final drawcard of Kate's style is her individuality. Unlike many of her contemporaries, the pieces she wears are not those same items that saturate the fashion rags, which makes her look less contrived, endearing her to people like myself who would rather wear a paper bag than look like everyone else on the street. After all, isn't that what real personal style is about in the end? Individuality?

take 2, or perhaps it's 3 or even 4

Having never been a particularly disciplined person, it came as no surprise to me that when push came to shove, and my time was stretched very, very thinly, the first thing to be shoved out of my life was the blog. A shame, given how much I actually enjoy writing and pottering about, creating and exploring.

So here goes, my return to missesfancypants! Anyone taking bets on how long till my next lapse?

technologically inept

Does that term apply to anyone else?

It seems the more years I rack up (in age), the less in touch with technology I become. Things I could once do blindfolded, transform into arduous tasks that require several hours on google, trying to figure out the keywords that will help me out. AND even then, things don't necessarily work out and I have to consult little sister or give up. SO, if you notice, glitches, omissions and other weirdities on misses fancypants, apologies in advance and blame my technological (is that a word?) ineptitude (that one is a word).

Okay. I'm going to smash my head against the keyboard now....

(Yes, I know things are missing from my most recent blog posts. Give me a little time to rectify things. Little sister is busy at the moment and google is doing my head in).

catching up to do

In my absence from misses fancypants over the last few weeks, I have accumulated such a large backlog of posts I found it difficult to know where to begin, again. Luckily, Mitsy provided the perfect [re]opener. I chanced upon her blog ART-MIND mid last year and it has become a permanent fixture on my daily blog rounds. Although I've not met her myself, she strikes me as the sort for whom creating is no less an essential than breathing. Her 99 feelings totems are high on my wanted list and it's very easy to see why. Unique and each one handcrafted, they perfectly embody the emotive state they represent. My favourite is Invincible. 


Anyway apart from raving about Mitsy, I do in fact have another reason for this post. As she was kind enough to use my suggestion for last month's mosaic, 'a collection of dreams', I've felt terrible for not setting aside a little time to make one of my own but, true to my mantra of better late than never, I finally got around to it  although not on Big Huge Labs (as it won't work for me), and here it is.

1. day dreaming. best done staring at the clouds
2. wings
3. lyrics from Florence and the Machines' Dog Days Are Over
4. limitless

I'd say it's fairly easy to determine from this list what I dream of.

PS- One of the key reasons I took so long to make my mosaic was that I'd made a vow to strictly use my own content only on misses fancypants. I guess I'll make an exception this time and simply credit my image sources. Thanks to Jon Fisher from SheffieldStar, rebel butterfly and Banksy!

PPS. Sorry for taking so long Mitsy!

if i was driving off into the sunset

The soundtrack for my journey would be California Sunrise by Dirty Gold.

saint valentine, kiss my ...

As the likelihood of my being destined for spinsterhood grows, I find that I prefer to purchase nice things for myself rather than wait for someone to present them to me. This is just as well  because according to those who know me best, I am so particular that shopping for me is supposedly a nightmarish challenge not to be attempted by the faint of heart. BUT, so what if I am particular? At least I know EXACTLY what I like.

Usually I don't require any specific reason for a little self-gifting but certain things do seem more appropriate on Hallmark worthy occasions. Being an independent, young-ish woman (read subtext- romantic loser) I thought Valentine's Day provided the perfect excuse to commence a new annual tradition.

The plan was that little sister and myself would each buy the other a lovely adornment. The inaugural piece? A jordy by Jordan Askill ring. Armed with my trusty credit card, I trekked down to Violent Green at noon to pick out said rings with little sister. Well, wouldn't you know it? Saint Valentine was clearly giving me and my new tradition the finger(har, har) as they were SOLD OUT. Bummer.

Not one to give up so easily I went online where one google search and two websites later yielded another stockist, Mycatwalk.com. Not quite the shopping experience I was after but what to do? Online purchase it would have to be. They should be here before the end of the week. Middle finger (right hand) can't wait for a little jordy action!

Happy Valentine's Day!

triple b

Heya claud! Welcome back to Bris-Vegas!
 

The (not-so) new kid (back) in town is saturated in scathing wit and less than gentle sarcasm. The kid in question? Bogan Boobs BrisVegas (BBB), which provides a refreshing commentary on Brisbane's burgeoning bogan era. Unfortunately if you're not familiar with the local vernacular, the term bogan may mean nothing to you. Just another strange word invented by those strange people down under. Well, allow me to enlighten you...actually allow the Urban Dictionary to enlighten you, with a laugh or three thrown in for good measure (click here). Hilarious!

Anyway, after my rant the other day, I am very excited about tuning into future installments of Bogan Boobs and I wanted to share. Hope you enjoy reading it too.

DISCLAIMER: I must admit my opinion on BBB may be biased, as the author of this blog is a long lost friend recently returned to Brisbane. I have always enjoyed conversing with Claud (and yes, you converse with Claud, not merely chat). As a friend, her intellect can sometimes be rather intimidating (she harbours a fondness for big words) but it is also terribly insightful and you leave each and every conversation a wee bit wiser- if not then at least with one new addition to your vocabulary!

changing the failing

So, I have noticed that I am falling a little short in fulfilling one of my new year's resolutions- to ponder design a little more.

This may be because I am reluctant to add to the bucketloads of 'design-y/fashion-y' crapola that has already been unleashed on the interwebs. I often find when scouring other blogs for inspiration, that those that fail to attract my readership are the blogs that take the wanky and impersonal route of posting opinions that are taken verbatim from established rags and industry bigwigs instead of providing their own fresh and unique look into this highly exposed yet otherwise closeted world .

In fact (and here is where I venture into the highly unattractive territory of ranting like a crazy old bat and for this I apologise), I find these blogs insult their reader's intelligence rather than educate and provide a forum for discussion. Yes, truly original opinions are rarer than hen's teeth but reading something that provides a different take, no matter how slight, is only ever beneficial to your education as a designer. Too many cooks might spoil the broth, but too little may leave a taste that is both unseasoned and undercooked.

So anyway, the reason for this disgustingly self-indulgent post? To continue to make informed opinions on design. To ensure I push that envelope a little bit more but most of all to understand that a designer is always learning, from everyone and everything in their environment and as a result always fine-tuning their own sense of style no matter the medium in which it is expressed.

RANT over and out!

oh dear

next time, it won't be so easy

There are 31 days in January
Today is the last of those 31 days.

And how is my January frock going? Well, I'll be honest. It ain't. Me and my lofty ambitions. [Slaps head in disgust]

There's really no excuse. Busy-ness is everpresent in my life. I just haven't worked out how to fit everything into it yet. BUT in the meantime, I shall be generous (pff!) and grant myself an extension. This time round, at least. Next month, if I miss the deadline, I'll have to resort to penalising myself. Suggestions?

daydreaming

Akaroa - favourite photo from last year's trip

It is a somewhat sad state of affairs when you have returned to work for just over a fortnight and are desperately dreaming of a vacation. So where do I dream of going? Nowhere particularly fancy. New Zealand's south island would more than suffice.

Perhaps when winter returns to the southern hemisphere, a snowboarding trip will warrant a return there. Till then, I will simply reminisce of last year's holiday. Good times...

new discovery

www.manrepeller.com

What can i say about this laugh a minute blog I came across the other day than it is an absolute scream! New York native, Leandra Medine, calls us out on some of the more bizarre sartorial choices that we women make but cause men to scratch their heads in complete befuddlement. The moniker assigned for such items is aptly termed man-repeller. Reading through, I realised that I too belong to the sisterhood of man repellers. My wardrobe provides a glaringly blunt testament to that.

Case in point
I own a single pair of regular black trousers and a single pair of almost-but-not-quite-regular jeans. Everything else (pants-wise) in my closet, falls victim to one or multiple man repelling attributes including but not limited to; drop crotch, harem ; paper-bag waist; high waist; wrap-around. I even own a pair of pants that can best be described as genie jeans! (They are in actual fact chambray, but you get the picture). The only thing that my collection of man-repeller pants have in common is that they are all comfortable, they don't cling to your lady bits AND they add interest to your ensemble (they also add more than a few kilos to your hips/thighs/derriere but who gives a hoot?) .

Having already circulated this blog around work to rave reviews (even though the site appears to be banned on our servers...must be the title...or perhaps the ahem, colourful language...), I decided to honour my fellow harem pant sister with a quick sketch of herself dressed in a selection of SS/11's more man-repelling pieces. Mind you, with her long, long, long limbs, crazy eyebrows, lustrous locks and incredibly lust-worthy shoe collection (hello miu miu) she falls into the category of women who are almost capable of making a paper bag resemble couture but I thought I'd give it a go with the result above. Not only would your sanity be questioned in this ensemble but the subsequent man-repelling power you would yield could possibly power a small village for a year (could it be transformed into electricity, that is).

Man Repeller Medine wears; shirt and belt by Balenciaga; jacket by Proenza Schouler; shorts by D&G; headgear, necklace and shoes all by Marni. No one said man repelling had to be an inexpensive endeavour!

If you haven't already, check out THE MAN REPELLER in all her glory here.

PS- I have just read yesterday's post and it seems someone else had the same idea. Oh well, it was still massive amounts of fun!

to market, to market

the gypsy coffee cart

The West End Markets are by far the best place to be in Brisbane on a Saturday morning. I owe the fella, who first told me of these markets, big time as they have become my favourite Brisbane destination.

Today, as Na-Na is back in town, she decided to be my market-buddy and we ventured there together. Having been affected by the floods and reopened today (hooray!) the markets were quieter than usual. Sadly, some stalls were also missing but still, there was plenty to buy, eat and admire.

now you see me...

and now you don't

First to do once we arrived was EAT! Apart from the (cheap, cheap) fresh produce, the markets are a haven for food lovers. Not only are they home to the best curry puffs on the planet™, there is also a stall that serves lángos- deep fried hungarian garlic bread (amazing topped with sour cream and cheese) and the stuffed flat bread known as lépeny. Usually we pig out to the point where walking becomes difficult so for once, to be kind to our stomachs, we practiced a bit of portion control. This meant haloumi wraps from Wrapture with a coffee from the gypsy coffee cart to wash it all down. Skinny flat white for Na-Na and a spiced mocha for me, thank you very much!

refresh with a kwissh!

Eating done, we traipsed around the market to buy  fruit and veg and check out the craft stalls. I did pick up a few things (which you will see soon) but being a terribly hot summer day we ended our market excursion early with  a refreshing  kwissh (frozen old school lemonade slushy wannabe) topped with frozen rasberries. Yum!

If ever you visit Brisbane, make time for these markets. They are a fantastic way to start the weekend!

a new challenge

The other day I realised that in order to get my derrière into gear, I need to set concrete challenges to ensure I actually DO things. What is this new challenge you ask? Well, it involves a little designing, a whole lot of learning (let's hope!), a fair amount of sewing and no doubt many, many, many days of cursing myself for thinking my ambition matched my skills.

Introducing project...

12 frocks in 12 months for 12 women

It is now the 16th of January so I have 15 more days to complete the first frock. Who's frock? Well, my own of course!

a helping hand

Sitting in our patch of unaffected Brisbane, it's difficult to comprehend the devastation only a hop, skip and a jump away. As a relative newcomer to this city, I do not yet know of anyone who has been affected in any other capacity than losing power to their homes. I do hope this doesn't change but in the meantime we need to spare more than just a thought for those who were not so fortunate.

Some facts;

• 75 percent of the state of Queensland declared a disaster zone. To put it into perspective, that is roughly the size of Germany, France and the UK combined.
• Approx 11,000 homes have been completely inundated with an estimated 14,500 homes partially affected by flooding in the Brisbane area alone.
• 100,000 homes remain without power in Brisbane .
• Flood damage bill expected to be in the billions.

So, how can you help?

• You can make a donation to the Premier's Disaster Relief.
• If you live locally, volunteer to help.
• Provide a temporary foster home for any wildlife that have been displaced by the floods.
• Brisstyle has set up a 'Handmade Ark' flood appeal with the proceeds of sales from participating Brisstyle etsy stores going directly to the Premier's Disaster Relief Fund. Find out how you can get involved.

The outpouring of community spirit has so far been amazing showing us that when disaster does hit, a little support and a helping hand go a long way.  Hope you can all offer a little of both.

after the storm

I love sunsets. The medley of colours, which in any other context would be an assault to the eyes, are transformed into a beautiful spectacle which change each and every day. The other evening, I was walking home when I turned around and saw the (quite frankly, stunning) sunset that I was missing. After so many days without sunshine here in Brisbane, I felt compelled to capture it. As usual I didn't have a camera on me, only my phone, so I had to settle for this mediocre photograph. It doesn't quite capture the gamut of hues that I was treated to that evening but it's enough to make me smile on a rainy day.

make do and repurpose- what to do with your broken costume jewellery

all the ingredients....

In addition to hoarding fabric and magazines, I am also a keen collector of costume jewellery. Don't get me wrong, I am perfectly capable of appreciating the value and rarity of precious metals and stones but give me the faux baubles any day!

Last weekend, I found myself in Diva, a hotbed of mass produced and terribly cheap costume jewellery. Whilst a trip to Diva often yields more misses than hits for me these days, I am still occasionally surprised to discover a gem (ha ha) hiding under all that shiny, shiny clutter. This particular trip, I unearthed a beaded ring reminiscent of Marni. I have been more than a little enamored of Consuelo Castiglioni's designs since Vogue first entered my vocabulary. Their bijoux (as they call it) has, in particular, always caught my fancy, especially in recent times. I find Marni's quirky mix of materials creates pieces that are more art than mere adornment but I best stop gushing now...

The ring I purchased from Diva lasted a mere hour on my finger before the beaded cluster fell off the ring fixture. Well, what to do? I considered bringing out my trusty hot glue and reaffixing the broken component but I realised it was highly out of character for me to purchase a statement ring (I prefer statement earrings or a necklace, see), let alone actually wear said statement ring. With that in mind, I realised that the ring was much more use to me in its broken state. I could refashion it into a brooch using other bits and pieces I have accumulated over the years.

...come together

First the handmade wooden disk bought from a stall now long gone at the West End Markets. Next, some rubber offcuts I had sqirrelled away for another crafty prject (not yet started) from Reverse Garbage. Then, a star shaped earring bought from Diva several years ago for a sparkly accent and of course a brooch pin from my craft supplies. Put all those elements together with the aid of a hot glue gun and hey presto, I have myself a new brooch. It might not be Marni but it is one of a kind. Now, my only dilemma, what to wear it with for its debut?

and another one bites the dust

Another year over and I have been mulling over what 2011 may hold for me. Although customary for most, I seldom make new year's resolutions, and when I do, they are usually forgotten within a week or three.

I've begun to notice many people put too much store by what they vow at the advent of the new year. So much so, that failing to achieve their goals can be a cause of great anxiety and stress (pff-listen to me in shrink mode!). I think it much more realistic if you treat your 'resolutions' as a guide rather than the be all and end all. So what, if you vow to eat healthier but you polish off an entire pack of m&m's occasionally? The world isn't going to end. At least you know that you made the effort to look after yourself. Bearing that in mind, I will draft my set of guidelines to live this year by;

-take better care of myself, my family and the environment
-be more active, creatively speaking
-reconnect with family living in far off lands,
 AND most importantly
-do more of the things that make me happy!

I know that my list may seem rather ambiguous for the most part but I believe the final point is key to making sure I stick with it. Self-improvement is all well and good but not at the expense of having fun and being happy. After all, if your new year's resolutions are not going to contribute to your personal happiness quotient (where on earth did I hear that?)... then why bother!

happy new year!

giving is such fun

...but receiving is sometimes even more fun.


Earlier this week, I received a care package from my long lost friend and workmate, Na-Na. She ran away to Taiwan last month and I have been missing my partner in crime very much. As ever, Na-Na's selection of gifts are without fault. First up the everlasting blooms, above. I am notorious for keeping flowers that are erm... a wee bit past their use by date on my desk at work and clever Na-Na has found the perfect solution- pop up paper flowers. Just the thing to brighten up any dreary day in the office.

Na: "Gee, na. Couldn't you manage a more graceful exit?"

Next were my very own ickle and Lardee. Well, not really...I named the two erasers (for that is what they are) Na and na and although I had fun creating adventures for them for a little while, I'd much rather read the adventures of ickle and Lardee over on Inhae Lee's delightful blog, my milk toof.


Then onto the edibles in the form of some Taiwanese candy. Brightly coloured and cutely packaged it came with a post it note from Na-Na, expressly forbidding any sharing. Happy to oblige!


Last but certainly not least was what i believed to be an unassuming but nonetheless cute little journal. It was in actual fact an activity book. For grown ups! It will be the perfect companion over the christmas break when I will find myself with far too much time on my hands and not enough to do.

Thanks Na-Na for all the gifts!

when i grow up...

...i wannabe a supermodel.

Or in my case, I find I don't know anymore. I want to try it all! Is it a case of career envy? Or is it simply that as a creative, you feel that urge to stick your hands into as many creative pies as possible?

I've always struggled to justify my love for fashion against its terribly vapid reputation and as a result, it is probably one of the key reasons I never pursued it as a viable career choice. I do however, remember trying and occasionally succeeding at making clothes for my barbie dolls when I was little. As I grew up I never did learn to construct life-size garments because I was more the dreamer and preferred to sketch my fanciful designs on bits of crisp white paper i snuck from the printing stash. It is probably a result of all that drawing and dreaming that I wound up in the field I am currently in but more on that later.

Having slavishly read Australian Vogue since I was a teen, I would marvel at the editorials. Back then, I saw them as a tag team effort consisting of merely the model and the garments. Eventually, I came to realise that there were many other players at work to create a successful editorial. The stylist, the creative director, the make up artist, the photographer, the set builders, the photoshop artist and many others.

The above image is one from a teeny tiny collection of photographs from my first attempt at trying to perform all the roles behind the camera. It was certainly an incredible amount of fun and my inner dictator relished the thought of having complete control, something which very obviously doesn't happen in the real world (unless you are perhaps, Karl Lagerfield). Ruth, a friend and my model of choice, possesses a quiet grace and innocence which was perfect for this set of photographs. She was also the most obliging and natural model- putting up with some of my ridiculous demands- even including climbing a tree in heels!

Having 'almost finished' these images for the best part of a year, I finally enlisted the help of our photoshop guru at work to identify those final minor tweaks that had me completely stumped. Sometimes you just requires a fresh pair of eyes to see the things you've missed.

common scents

I have used the same fragrance since i was 18 and have remained, for the most part, very loyal to it. Apart from the odd flirtation here and there, Rochas' MAN has been my scent of choice. It was a case of love at first whiff when a friend introduced it to me in high school. Borrowed from his mother's collection, it turned my pre-conceived notions of masculine and feminine scents on its head. The world of commercial fragrances relies so heavily upon telling its consumers the gender of a fragrance that most of us buy into it not realising we are only tasting half the scents available to us. I mean here was a fragrance claiming to be for men but it was perfect for me, a teenage girl.

Lately I have begun to question what it is about the Rochas that makes it such an integral part of my daily wardrobe. I have certainly grown up a little since i first started using it, and my style has matured a lot. So why do I resolutely cling to this fragrance when virtually all other traces of my 18 yr old self have been discarded? (Remember low-rider jeans?- The horror!) Perhaps it was time for a change and so I began the hunt for a new scent.

This proved particularly trying as I am not a fan of the beauty floor of a department store at the best of times, let alone in the month leading up to Christmas. Bombarded by salespeople left, right and centre- not to mention the sheer number of shoppers (why, oh why does everyone buy perfume at Christmas time?), I almost gave up on the search before it even began. After turning my nose at numerous fragrances I finally found several that i didn't find offensive. I discovered I have a disctinct preference for woody scents and amongst the contenders were Stella by Stella McCartney and Narciso Rodriguez for Her. However, neither managed to break the hold that the Rochas has over me and I left the store emptyhanded.

So why did I come home scent-less? I think I may have come up with the answer. I am by no means a fragrance snob but I do object to smelling overly familiar, especially if I have already associated the fragrance with someone else. I think this may be one of my principal attractions to Rochas MAN. It is a fragrance that I associate with myself and my memories. It may be awhile before I can give up that sense of familiarity. Until then, I think google may have come up with a solution for me. There apparently exists a Rochas MAN Intense. Might give it a whirl but until it arrives in the post-as it is next to impossible to find an Australian stockist, I think I am quite happy to stick with what I will embarrassingly call my 'signature scent'.