Once upon a time in a sunny suburb...

Heyy! No I'm not dead! I havn't even got a good excuse for not blogging in a silly amount of time, but I'm ok, and promise to get posting regularly soon.

I guess this blog was initially about writing about something I love (fashion, not myself) and about doing something creative, that was just for me, that wasn't for school or uni or anything like that, but just for myself, because I enjoyed it. But then somewhere along the way (I know its only been like 3 months and I've probably done less than 30 posts, but hey ho it feels like its been a while) it all sort of started to feel like a chore sometimes. I had convinced myself that this blog was doing something, making a difference somehow, like one day when I got off my lazy ass and posted some photos and had something witty and interesting to say, some big hotshot in the fashion world would just stumble across it and think, 'oh my god, I have to know this girl, I shall hire her immediatly to be a contributer to Vogue' or 'This girl is amazing, and clearly loves fashion, I'll just call my close personal friend the director of buying at Arcadia and set something up' etc etc (havn't we all had these dreams? please say I'm not the only one?!), so I got into this mentality, do another blog post Voni, keep it going, even if you're tired, or busy, you want to be like that girl with the 100/200/500/1000 followers who goes to fashion awards/gets sent Next products/is an Aussie haircare blogger, don't you? Don't you? Don't you?

Well no, actually, maybe I've realised I'm not that bothered, I enjoy this so much more when its just for me, when I sit down and write about a load of old crap, and showcase my bargain bag, or my marginally hidious blouse, or show off my free haircut, because I want to. I don't care whether you like it, or don't like it, whether its gona get me somewhere or not. Its pretty fun having a hobby. I've never had one before to be honest!


I can't be bothered chasing after a 1000 followers, or checking my stats, I'm quite happy in the knowledge that my mum is reading, and The Bestfriend, and I even get the odd page view from The Boyf, even though he's sitting right there in the room with me and took the photos etc (which I think is pretty sweet haha!). If you like my pictures, or my ramlings, or my very strange fashion sense, then please do feel free to visit again and have a read, but thats up to you really isn't it.

Saying all this, if you do actually happen to be the head honcho at Selfridges, please do just ignore everything I've just said, I'm a really friendly, optimistic and driven individual, who is desperate for would love some work experience :-) hahahaha


Well that was all very depressing wasn't it? I've tried to make it up to you with the photos (of course it's not really about making it up to you, because I'm not doing this for you remember :-p I made my bro take these photos after much grumbling, so I might aswell post them!)

Oops, the pool cleaning hose in the background kind if ruins them a bit huh?!

It's cold and wet and miserable here in Manchester, but looking at these pictures is going some way towards warming me up inside (the rest is left to the 4 layers I'm wearing plus blanket, as we can't afford to turn the heating on). It's strange to know my parents are on the otherside of the world, experiencing this beautiful sun right now, and I was right there with them only 2 and a half weeks ago, yet the warmth on my skin is a fleeting memory. These pictures were taken in the garden at about 6pm, after a day out in Subiaco and Harbourtown Shopping Mall, just as the sun was starting to fade.

The pretty theatre in Subi that matched my outift haha!



Don't know why but I quite like this picture, even though pool cleaning equipment is kind of ruining it again!

Vest & Bralet - Topshop, Skirt - American Apparel, Shoes - Zara, Bag & Sunnies - Primark, Earings - Accessorize

 

Despite wearing one of the simplest and most relaxed outfit combo's my wardrobe can muster I got quite a few compliments in the city that day, I can only put it down to the aussie's love of laid-back chic. I kind of love it, throw on your favourite summer skirt, a singlet and thongs (vest and flip-flops) and you're ready to go. Obviously me being me I had to jaz it up with some oversized sunnies, dangly earings and primarni bag. I actually wanted to wear just the bralet instead of vest (which is why I'm showing it off in most of these pictures), as the peach straps and stictching match my skirt perfectly, but I just wore it as a normal bra underneath as I was worried about the dreaded tan-lines from walking around outside all day - it has 2 strappy bits across the back which would have left very strange marks!

Barry M Orange Nails, to match my hair ;-) I love how quick this polish dried when I painted my nails outside, Australia is amazing, haha! Seriously though, warning, make sure you keep the bottle in the shade, it goes all sticky and disgusting in the heat!!

For some reason my little bag gets quite alot of attention in foreign countries, people always ooh & aah it, and I'm like, dude it was a cheapy from Primark!!

Anywho, I found lots of marvelous charity shop bargains whilst in Perth and recieved quite a few beautiful christmas pressies, which I have been wearing over the last couple of weeks in England, so fun outfit posts to come! Check back, or not. Please follow, or not. ;-) Seriously though, I do appreciate you reading, whoever you are (Hi Mum!).

Much love, or not
VW x

Perusing in Perth - Day 1

Hello lovies! I must apologise for the lack of posting, I had some beautiful things planned for last week - eg. what to wear for travelling and also this cute little winter outfit showing my patriotic side (a thick wooly jumper that used to be my mum's with the Aussie flag on it!), but alas I underestimated everything I had to do and the little time I had to do it & never got around to taking photos!

ANYWAY! I'm in Australia now!! Woop! I arrived yesterday afternoon, but the dredded jet lag took hold after my 26 hour trip & I spent the last few hours of daylight having a nap after my mother had dragged me round the house showing me everything, she used to do the same every time I came home from uni back in England, so it felt very familiar hehe!

The weather here is lovely, very sunny yesterday when I arrived and my parents went for a swim in our backyard pool while I napped, but today it was a bit over cast! The estate agent called it 'shark weather', which kind of scared me, but I'm not a beach gal and NEVER swim in the sea, so I suppose it was fine! When I say overcast, well anyone reading this from Aus may well know, this meant too hot to wear anything more than a vest and shorts, bloody humid/heavy air and in the morning I spent about an hour laying by the pool reading and would have burnt without sunscreen on!

It's been so nice just seeing my family again, and we literally had a completely relaxed day, mooching around the house/garden and then on a driving tour of the area. We went for a late lunch at a 'Dome' pub, which is some kind of chain here, and was really yummy, and also spent a few hours wondering around a show home village!

The houses here are just soooo bloody amazing, and cheap! Like millionaire pads back home in England, but out here they're only about £500,000 for a 5 bed house with pool and cinema room and all sorts of great stuff! I'm totally in awe, and am definatly considering a day in the future, when The Boyf and I are all grown up, moving out with the kiddy-winks <3.. maybe.

Posing in one of the luxury show homes! Vogue posters on the wall = my kind of house!

These post is obviously more of a travel diary than anything fashion related, but the pics do show me in one of my favourite summer outfits, which was perfect for todays weather too, I got the vest and shorts in the end of summer sales (see how I wear them at home in the cold winter weather here!) My hair probably doesn't look its best in any of these pictures - I had a proper freak out this morning, there is no hair dryer in the house because my mum says she 'doesn't need one' and I wasn't informed of this until I arrived, otherwise obviously I would have packed one. Not only that but my beauty inept family apparently don't use conditioner (even when they swim in the pool every day, I know crazy right!?) so until we go to a supermarket tomorrow I'm a bit scared of the hair situation!



Vest - Topshop (sale £2), Shorts - River Island (sale £10), Flip Flops - Accessorize, Sunnies & Bag - Primark



These pictures are taken at Mullaloo Beach, we just popped down after lunch, as it started to rain a tiny bit, so I could meet the Indian Ocean for the first time, hehe, and get a feel for it all. Oh my gosh the ocean is so blue, and the sand so white, beautiful! Without my wonderful boyfriend to take pictures of me I was left in the hands of my brother, he didn't do a bad job did he?! I reckon he'll be up to scratch before the fornight is gone! When I sat on the sand dunes I said to Jack, how likely is it that there are snakes or other creepy/deadly wildlife here and he said, 'oh don't worry, there won't be any!', when we ran back to my dad afterwards he said 'oh I probably should have told you, there's a sign over there saying beware of snakes near the sand dunes'!!! Haha!

More chats and pictures to come of my fun family break in the sun!
Hope you're all enjoying the Christmas holidays and if you're in the UK, gutted about all the snow :-p, I got out of England just in time, I think Heathrow closed only about 12 hours later!! It all looks very festive at home though I suppose. I'm off to decorate our Christmas tree now!

VW x

Me and my little (taller than me) brother, the wind blew just as I took the pic, haha!

OOTW - Winter Hates My Face

Like the rest of the country snow finally reached us yesterday, typically on the day I had to make my way into town, so I wrapped up warm in preparation for the chilly and perilous walk to the bus stop... and then sneakily bagged a lift from a very lovely friend (Charlotte Davies you rock!).

After donning my two pairs of tights, two pairs of socks, vest top, dress, jumper, cardigan, coat, scarf, gloves and earmuffs, I realised I didn't go to all this effort to look stylish a warm and no one even see me (I spent the next 7 hours inside Toni & Guy, mostly wrapped in one of those black gowns), so I was brave and ventured into the snow for an outfit post... with mixed results. My face is blue and I have a very miserable frozen expression in most of these pictures, so only chose a few to put up, oh dear.

Jumper - Vintage (Retro Rehab), Dress (seen as skirt) - Vintage, Cardigan - H&M mens, Scarf - H&M, Socks - M&S, Wellies - a gift from Francesca years ago, Earmuffs - Primark, Necklace - Accessorize 

The snow was a lot thicker today, a good 4/5 inches, and much much colder, I don't think I've ever seen snow this deep, especially not this early in the season! Oh & you should know I slipped and fell on my bum last night walking home, I am so achy, have a huge bruise and feel like I broke my hip. It's official, I HATE snow & it hates me :-(

These are not just snowy photos either, they also serve as my 'Before' shots, as when I got home last night The Boyf dutifully took some pictures of my new hair, I'm wearing the same outfit minus the tights and scarf, so its fun to see the contrast and how much a hairstyle effects your outfit. Though since it was dark and subzero temperatures outside we took them in the hallway. Will post them tomorrow.

Gosh you must all be fed up of snow posts by now? I swear its the only news going on in this country, everything has grinded to a halt, and us fashion conscious bloggers are out there in the frost taking photos, what are we like ay!?

Happy 1st of December by the way (and Happy Hanukkah incidentally, if any of you are of the Jewish persuasion!), are you all getting into the festive spirit with this weather? I ventured into town this afternoon for a spot of Christmas shopping and the German Market, I have to say it was nice with the huge snow flakes falling all around us as we wondered the market, mulled wine in hand, very picturesque. I bought a onesie from Primark for myself so am cuddle up on the sofa right now in my giant fleecy baby grow, hehe, I may look ridiculous but my feet sure are toasty!

Loves, VW x

I knew it would happen one day...

A little impromptue set of outfit photos...


I knew it would happen one day, I've always said it would. Sorry, am I being a bit criptic? You need to understand I am perpetually late, to anything and everything. I mean not always ridiculously late, sometimes just a minute or so, never-the-less it counts; lectures, meeting for coffee with friends, catching the bus, birthday parties, you name it I've been late to it before. But I always say that one of these days I'll be on time, early even, it WILL happen.


So yesterday The Boyf and I took a little trip to Chiquitos for dinner (they're doing 25% off with an NUS student card, so get your bums down there for some DELICIOUS mexican food!), then to the cinema (orange wednesday, ohh yea). Well of all the random useless times to be early, 50 minutes early to be exact. It was pretty damn boring I can tell you.

Blazer - Urban Outfitters, Hoody - American Apparel, Shirt - Topshop, Shorts/Culottes - River Island, Tights - Asda, Socks - Primark, Trainers - Reebok, Scarf - Vintage, Necklaces - Urban Outfitters & Accessorize.

This is where we took the opportunity to take a few snaps of my outfit in the empty coridor, which explains the bored looks! I was actually quite glad for this opportunity in the end, because I kinda like this 'thrown together to stay warm and dry' look i was 'working', but it got dark so early yesterday I didn't get a chance to take outside photos and the red walls and carpet look pretty funky don't ya think?


Geeky urban street style? I've wanted to show you my absolute fave shoes for a while, my 'reeboks with the straps' to Flo Rida, reebok freestyle hi-tops to you and me! I got them back in my orange loving days as an 18th birthday present from my grandad (no my 80 year old gramps did not rock up to foot locker and purchase these off his own back, this is just what I spent my £50 on!), and still adore them today, sooo comfy and I love that you never see anyone else wearing them, or at least not very often, I have seen the purple and white versions a few times though! They are the closest I come to 'sensible shoes' and they're neon orange haha. They're sometimes hard to accessories though, so yesterday I just went with the ghetto vibe and slung on my chunky necklaces!

Apologies that you've already seen this shirt though, I just love it so much!

Oh and we saw The Kids are Alright (eventually!), I really enjoyed it, although it wasn't what I expected, if you think its all comedy you'll be a bit dissapointed as theres definatly some heavier stuff in there. Also be prepared for some rather full on sex scenes, some with Yaya a winner from ANTM a few seasons back! I friggin love Annette Benning and Julianne Moore so much, so it was really cute seeing them as a couple!

Anyone else take advantage of Orange Wednesday yesterday, what did you see? We saw the trailer for The Kings Speech and I really want to see it when its out, Helena Bonham-Carter looked fab!

VW x

J'adore Accessories

My friends (all 8 of you, woo!) I have been suffering from a bad case of the flu for the past 5 days, and though I had intended to wear some beautiful outfits over the weekend to use in an OOTW post, I have in fact been living in my pyjamas. Now as fabulous as my multi-coloured stripy Old Navy pyjamas are, I don't think they're worth a picture, and my un-washed hair and greasy skin certainly isn’t!

So instead my lovelies treat your eyes to this feast of accessories! I took these photos a while ago, for no reason other than that I am in love with my new jewellery box (from my amazing trip to Marrakesh in the summer), and wanted to document it in all its glory.

Orange Jewellery Box - Casablanca Souk, Assorted Necklaces and Brooches - My Grandma's and Charity Shop Finds, Sunglasses - Primark, Fascinator - Afflecks Palace, Shoes - KG by Kurt Geiger, Pink Clutch - Jimmy Choo for H&M, Brown Handbag - Vintage, Gold Purse - Vintage 'Glomesh', Green Hat - Vintage, Perfume - Princess by Vera Wang, Clock Necklace - Accessorize, Chunky Gold Chain - Urban Outfitters, Cinderella Jewellery Box - Disney World, Eyeshadows & Lipstip - Barry M

My boyfriend and I moved into a new flat in September for 3^rd year and whilst unpacking I started to re-discover bits and pieces that had been buried in a box or suitcase all summer and placed them delicately around the empty shell of a room. I thought my jewellery boxes looked cute on this little drawer unit as it has a glass shelf which reflects the light in the room, and usually always keep my black fascinator and fave pair of sunnies on ‘Vivienne’ my little wig dummy, from there I just started to dress the picture. I used most of my favourite bits and pieces in these photos, and I love how exciting and colourful the outcome is. I’ve just made a little collage of the pictures in ‘Polaroid frames’ to make it a bit more of an interesting post while I’m wrapped up in my duvet with a mug of Lemsip, but they've come out all horrid and grainy, so here are a few nice big digitals..



Hope you like the pics in this little impromptu filler post! Do have some favourite accessories that are just so beautiful they’re like works of art? I barely ever wear my KG’s but I could look at them all day. And how do you store your jewellery, various jumbled boxes, or a more sumptuous display? My best friend hangs her necklaces and earrings in an old bird cage, gorgeous.

Loves VW x