coolchiq

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Full title of the book: Bride & Groom – 100 Years of Fabulous Australian Weddings
By: Jane Hutchinson and Simone McKenna
Publisher: Geoff Slattery Publishing
Available when: Due 11 April 2006
Available where: At selected bookstores and department stores in Australia. The book can also be ordered directly through the publisher
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Mention the word 'wedding' and most of us get a tad sentimental. Not only do we love howling our heads off at the beautiful ceremony, but a wedding makes a perfectly justified excuse for a full-on shopping extravaganza (glam after shopping cocktails included). Other great things about weddings are the food, the champagne and the chances to mingle whilst dressed up looking like a super puma.

Bride & Groom – 100 Years of Fabulous Australian Weddings is as the name suggests, a book primarily featuring wedding couples. As you all know by now, there’s nothing we love more than a great outfit. The book emphasises different fashions in weddings illustrated by 143 pages of character-filled photos. Sensitively presented, we get guided through unique stories behind each wedding couple’s outfits. It’s fun reading how dresses were chosen, what fashion time era influenced the choice, and the destiny of the frocks post wedding. Images of 70’s style ‘Sue-Ellen-Dallas’ dresses, and adorable little nipped-in waisted wide skirts are delicately presented in the book. The different eras are all represented, in a full-flavoured way that makes this book a real joy to read. Soon-to-be-wed couples should look seriously at this book – it’ll make ‘him-in-doors’ realize how that rock-sized diamond on your ring finger could be balanced.

Being used to accessible department stores and strategically situated shops, a Saturday shopping spree can sometimes turn into a hideous experience... Swell sales people operating the store floors, blessed with an ego the size of a planet, and a sales technique focused on cash rich turn over. Need we say more? OK, randomly we’d be surprised by outstanding service, a wonderful environment, and genuine sales manner that doesn’t smell of commission. At such times we’re in heaven.

Walking into Somedays Fashion & Lifestyle store in Surry Hills is like a breath of fresh air. This airy concept store managed by Mattias Friberg, is introducing the approach ‘art gallery meets fashion boutique’, in a fantastic meeting point, just off Bourke Street. Throw in some cool jazz music, add an unvarnished 50’s style décor, and you’re close to the atmosphere this place unpretentiously delivers. Situated on the second floor, their somewhat anonymous existence has a wonderful charm all by itself. Here, their marketing technique is turned on its head, by word of industry people, fashion lovers and people who happen to walk by.

So what are you likely to pick up in a place like this? Well here’s the good news, fashionistas. Forget the traditional Glenmore intersection Ozzie labels. No offence, but there’s got be more than Sass and Bide, right? (though we love them to bits in all fairness...). Designs by Swedish fellow Maria Westerlind, NYS and POUR are stylishly presented in this spacious 150 sqm showroom. The three designers’ individual works fit in wonderfully, amongst charming teakwood display tables, and polished wooden floor.

Launched recently, they also stock a fourth label – Cheapmonday. This make is a denim-focused brand, known for its excellent fit and controversial skull logo. Their core production – Indigo Raw Drainpipe Model – just got accompanied in this ozzie boutique by a set of new cool colours; Banana yellow, Dusty pink and Chinese red to mention a few.

Browsing through the show room is as fun, as it is a different kind of shopping experience. Taking your time through the art gallery, is a must when you’ve looked through their gorgeous selection of fashion pieces. And remember, when you're back to the busy life on Oxford Street again – there are places like Somedays, where you can simply just indulge.

Some would argue that there are already an adequate number of luxury hotels around. But ask committed fashion lovers of Versace and Armani, and you’ll get a different story altogether. Based primarily on loyal clientele, these luxury houses have gradually expanded their businesses into home ware and conceptual life style stores. The most recent Italian fashion house to join this trend is Missoni. Like fellow clothing lines Armani and Versace, Missoni is now getting into the hotel business. Missoni plan to open their first hotel in 2007 in Edinburgh. Located in the multi-million development area of George IV Bridge and Victoria Street, the hotel will offer 130 rooms, a bar, restaurant, spa, fitness centre and boardrooms. Kuwait and Dubai are soon to follow thereafter, and if things go as planned, there will be quite a few Missoni hotels either opened or under construction by 2010.

Since our Converse DIY post the other day, emails have been pouring in about the "design your own"
Converse Allstars. One innovative coolchiq even sent us a picture of a pair she'd designed for herself... Way to go - definitely street worthy, don't you think? Apparently the rather rude text chosen for the heel stripe on this design, was disallowed by the Converse policy. In other words, keep your heels clean.


Oh, and a bit of final info on this subject - Converse don't deliver outside the US...yet. Converse Petitioners are encouraged to comment/sign up below.

Guinness, Blarney Stone, Shillelagh. Yes, we're showing off our vast knowledge of Ireland as you might have guessed. If you associate St. Patrick's Day with green lager and Irish stews, well, this is pretty much what it's all about in Sydney. Stuck in a city, full of Irish ex-pats on 17 March, there's no need to romanticise the glory of the day. The city's full of drunken people already, and going out tonight, we fear to be covered in hops, wheat and barley. A word of advice for everyone in the same situation - leave your Manolo Blahniks for another day, stick your most worn-out jeans on, go for something green on the top, and you've got a top class Paddy's Day outfit. If, like some of us, you have some Irish blood in you, just remember St. Patrick was a Welshman. Top of the morning to You! This shamrock label is available here.

Can’t get enough of fashion? Then you should take a look at FLY’s podcast fashion DVD films. Get a quick fix of Zac Posen, Marc Jacobs or YSL for instance. The zero issue includes 14 short fashion films by established and emerging photographers and filmmakers. Check it out - it’s pretty good.

Chain your wrist to your evening bag? Hmmh... rather the models than us. We’ve always given the bags of Gucci an approving nod in the past. Though we’re struggling to see the beauty of Autumn/Winter 2006 collection, introduced in Milan by Frida Giannini. Predecessor Allessandra Fachinetti’s fall-out with the fashion giant last year, couldn’t have passed many unnoticed. Though in spite of bad criticism from official sources, we’re hoping we haven’t seen the last days of Fachinetti’s excellent designs in a luxury fashion house.

Quite a few websites let you design your own garments these days. Take Longchamp for instance, where we made up our own bag choosing unique colour combinations, size, accessories, etc. This time, we've come across Converse All Stars' 'Design It Yourself' section. Not that you'd think you'd need another design out of their enormous selection of styles & colours but it's still fun to see what you can create. Inspired by all of this, we came up with a few appearances to test our designer skills. Sadly to say, not one of them are particularly amazing... but what we'd love to see is a pair of high Converse All Stars polka dots - now why haven't they come up with this design by now? (If available, please let us know).

A quirky name, exotic inheritance and three sisters' love for fashion design. These are some of the ingredients behind High Tea with Mrs Woo's fashion success. Launched in 2004 by Rowena, Juliana and Angela Foong, these sisters have put together a unique combination of Western influences and Eastern charm. Brought up by Chinese Malaysian parents in industrial Newcastle, Australia, these urban attributes have clearly had a big impact on their fashion designs. Describing their own work as "...somewhat culture-clashing with a certain dramatic appeal..." is a close-defined summary that says it all. Knots, broken heart shapes and wistful prints are some of the key flavours in their most recent collection, named Under the Blue gum, available in stores now. If this collection is anywhere near as charming as their Au Revoir collection, we know we're in for a real treat.

Sydney Exhibition Centre is presenting Fashion Exposed, a big fair trade that'll feature 600+exhibitors. Showcasing the most recent labels and ranges, we'll get a good look at what spring/summer 2006/2007 has in store for us. See ya'll there!

What: Fashion Exposed
When: 12-14 March 2006
Where: Sydney Exhibition Centre, Darling Harbour, Sydney

Not every designer lands with his first collection in exclusive Maxfield, Los Angeles. Not everyone gets a full page in Elle magazine right out of the blue either... Famous for the neo-goth skull prints, this designer's scarves have been photographed with Lindsay Lohan and Charlize Theron, but it's with no doubt Sienna Miller who's the leading muse for Thomas Wylde. Fashionistas along with us will instantly recognise the Academy Awards outfit; the shapeless, ankle length, 60's dress with the signature studded neck-piece. Turning up later on for the slightly more casual event, the Weinstein Co. party, Sienna looks just as glam in another Thomas Wylde piece.