Merry Christmas!

We hope that all our readers have a wonderful Christmas with family and friends and that you are blessed with lots of fashionable pressies you can wear!

Portmans Fashion Workshop Competition - Won!

Remember the Portmans Fashion Workshop Competition? It seems the time is right for space glam, so I'll be off to "sip champagne while getting the latest looks from Portmans and the hottest tips from Shop Til You Drop's stylists."

Stay tuned for a report around mid February.

Christmas Wishes

I am surrounded by magazines and brochures luring me with all sorts of treasures ... budget to total luxury. So to retain some sanity and Christmas cheer I've narrowed my wishlist down to a few delights.

Oroton leather bags and wallets - especially the Precious Slim Clutch wallet - stamped snake Nappa leather in cobalt $199.95 is absolutely gorgeous.

I love our local brand Witchery- and for the beach holiday their embroidered kaftan top and new stripey beach bag are perfect. So too are the satin camisole tops, in black or cream.

Ojay shell and resin style bangles around $30.

Very cute 50's-style cotton dresses with names like Amalfi and Siena from Lazybones. They sell for $100 and make you feel like Grace Kelly. Find them at www. glamourpuss.com.au.

And ... for my personal collection, some Royal Albert Country Roses bone china.

I think it's always easier if someone does the shopping for you, but I hope you are inspired to find some gorgeous gifts both to give and to receive.

Merry Christmas to one and all.

Chrissy's Favourite Christmas Gifts

Here are some great last-minute fashion finds for you or your fashion-savvy friends. (Maybe you can show this list to your significant other too!)

Olga Berg framed lizard clutch bag with kiss lock closure (includes shoulder chain). This is a stunning, timeless accessory which can be worn by day or night. They come in eight different hues, but we love the chocolate (shown centre). It retails for $49.95.



Ella Bleau Jewellery have beautifully crafted pieces which would glam-up any outfit. We especially love their seletion of rings which are sterling silver, gold plated or cultured pearls with high quality simulated diamonds. Purchase through their website and they offer FREE shipping to anywhere in the world!


Another lovely gift for the fashionable wardrobe is the scarf. This season, it plays a big role in the long, slim-line version that can be worn around the waist. Popular prints include the animal print, plant/fern print (pictured) and the geometric print. There are scarves to suit everyone's taste and budget. You'll find a great variety at your local department store, as well as fashion and accessory outlets.

Happy Christmas shopping!

NRA Australian Fashion Design Awards 2006

If you were able to catch last night's live telecast of the 2006 NRA Australian Fashion Design Awards you would have enjoyed a feast for the fashionista' eyes. We got to see future offerings of some of our key designers and to enjoy the creativity of some of Australia's newer talent.

The following top Australian designers showed key elements of their upcoming collections:

Alex Perry - a gorgeous selection of full-length formal dresses
Easton Person - featured beautiful silk creations, with peasant-style necklines, textured stipes and bubble skirts (very fresh and innovative) They had to be my favourite.
Jayson Brunsdon - sleek knee and full-length shifts for day and evening
Nicola Finetti - silk, tulle and organza dresses with intricate detailing and beading, and
Peter Morrissey - with more of his very stylish and wearable celebrity style.

Following that, leading Australian retailers, including Country Road, Sportsgirl, Peter Alexander and for the kids, Pumpkin Patch, offerred a preview of the hottest looks for 2007.

Also, an award for Fashion Excellence was given to Akira Isigowa for his outstanding achievements and ongoing contribution to the Australian fashion industry (some of his beautiful, timeless creations are pictured.)

Another fun aspect was the fresh new talent of some of Australia's rising stars in the industry.

Overall, Australian fashion demonstrated a distinctive flavour and excellence that competes well on the international stage.

Portmans Fashion Workshop Competition

Here's my entry for the Portmans Fashion Workshop competition with Shop Til You Drop's stylists. They asked for a creative 25-word answer to the question "Which fashion trend would you like to come back and why?":

“Zero-gee is the only place where glam rock heels are possibly safe, so bring back intergalactic power dressing for suborbital flights with Virgin Galactic!”

Visit Portman's website to have a go yourself!

It's Party Time!

Christmas and New Year celebrations are about to begin, not to mention some holiday time - with occasions to dress up or dress more festively than usual. Summer weather can really bring out the best in us, and this summer, there are some gorgeous, very girlie looks to indulge in.

I know all the magazines are full of wonderful party dresses and myriad options in shoes, bags and jewellery, but if you have limited time and budget, then we've found a few special outfits that can be dressed-up for the Christmas season.

You might need to go from office to party, or from home to a harbour cruise, but its possible to do this with some of this season's dresses. You might also be able to use acessories you've already bought, like strappy high heels (Target $39.99) or a fun basket style bag (Ojay $39).

I found some great budget fashion buys this week:

Target's broderie anglaise sundress - wear with wedge-style shoes or platforms and beads. Keep jewellery light and fun, no serious rocks here! There is a great selection of dresses available, with some under $60. Designers for Target have also produced some gorgeous pieces, they're a little more expensive, but definitely worth looking at.

Ezibuy 's latest catalogue has a great halter neck, A-line style sundress in jewel colours - coral, blue, and of course in black for only $39.95.

Ojay have some beautiful dresses - but be warned they are not exactly budget! They come in prints and floaty fabrics and are excellent for more formal occaisons.

However, the big surprise was Bloch's, the ballet supply stores - found in Bondi, Chatswood, Hornsby and Sydney city. They carry quite a range of flirty summer tops and dresses, mostly under $100. I found a fantastic dress for $99 in a strong print in turquoise/mauve/black or rose/black combinations, they were very smart and could be worn with heels and a tiny clutch or flat slides and larger tote.

If you do need to go straight from work, substituting a more sheer, printed empire line top and platform heels with beaded clutch (say by Jendi) will liven up your more classic skirt or pants. If you think the strappy sundress might need to be dressed-up a little, then take a cropped cardi and some bronze or silver heels.

Of course, don't forget costume jewellery: most chain stores offer current trends like large resin-look bracelet, or drop earrings for very reasonable prices. Think larger pieces, but one or two, rather than an armful of bangles.

With a little bit of creativity you can do the party thing without needing to replace the whole wardrobe! Enjoy the planning, shopping and dressing-up.