Smaggle

It’s a been a while since I’ve done a links post so I thought I’d share one today so y’all have something to read while you eat your lunch time sanga…

Dawn Tan. I love her.

BJonesstyle makes a fab collage of the uber awesome Carrie Bradshaw.

Pets on Furniture make me smile.

A gorgeous nail tutorial from the Cherry Blossom Girl.

A reader sent me this today which was not only interesting for all star signs but particularly appropriate for Virgos. See Word Analysis Version 2. Yep.

Fashion Hayley, Sea of Ghosts and several other bloggers are donating goods and services to the Queensland Flood Relief Charity Auction. Bid big!

I have two new articles up at Lustable. One about buying computers online (eep!) and one about buying men’s clothing in which you get a sneaky peak at Mr Smaggle’s sexy bum. Oh la la!

I won’t assume you’ve read Hyperbole and a Half but if you haven’t you’re a freak. This one is the story of my life. Oh and an interesting fact that you may not know, ‘hyperbole’ is pronounced ‘hi-per-bowl-lee’ not ‘hyper-bowl’ as I have been saying for a good fifteen years.

Total Eclipse of the Heart Flow Chart. Enough said. Oh and if you haven’t watched the literal version, do it now.

And while you’re at it watch Baby Monkey.

Have a wonderful Tuesday! Or Monday… wherever you are!

Love,

Smaggle

xxx

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I went out for dinner on Friday night with the Smaggles and had one of the most simple and delicious cocktails I’ve ever tasted. I then sneakily recreated them the next night for my girlfriends for a balcony session. Here’s how I did it…

Ingredients (Makes 4)

Four scoops of lime gelato or sorbet
Four shots of gin
Ice
Juice of a whole lime

Whack it all in a blender and serve over ice with mint and lime slices.

The perfect summer tipple! This also works with lemon gelato and sorbet and I imagine it would be rather delicious with raspberry sorbet too.

Love

Smaggle

xxx

If there’s one thing that men are afraid of in fashion, it’s colour. The men in my life constantly shroud themselves in black, brown, green and the darkest of blues. Many of them ask me for style advice so I’ve compiled a little list of subtle and friendly ways for the average man to add a little something extra to an otherwise ordinary outfit using colour and pattern.

Consider a colourful accessory. In red, orange or yellow.

If bright colour is too much for you, why don’t you lighten up a little? Wear some cream, tan or beige.

If you really can’t bring yourself to step away from your trusty dark hues, why not play with pattern? Mix different width stripes together or add a paisley tie.

Oh and just a side note… tailored suits are ALWAYS in style.

Love

Smaggle

xxx

All images from The Sartorialist edited by Smaggle.

Busy day with airport trips, article writing, planning, scheming and dinner with the Smaggles. Delish!

* Levi Demi Curve Straight Leg jeans from Just Jeans. These jeans are THE BOMB. I love.

* Top from Ebay but it’s by Country Road

* Belt from BCBG in Manuka Plaza in Canberra

* Shoes from Nine West

* Bangles from Dinosaur Designs

* Sassybax strapless bra top. It’s the best piece of underwear I’ve ever bought. Perfect for under singlet tops when you don’t want extra straps showing.

* Earrings are Disney Couture from Ebay

* Ring sent to me from Jewellery by LuShae. They do gold and silver plated pieces which are quite affordable if you need a little extra bling and your wallet doesn’t stretch as far as diamonds and pearls.

* Eyeshadow is Dollipop by Sugarpill. I bought it as part of my $150 challenge at Lustable and I’m experimenting with ways to wear it. I’ve become addicted to make up tutorials on YouTube so stay tuned for some Smaggle beauty posts soon!

What are your plans for the weekend?

Love

Smaggle

xxx

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* Match your nail polish to your car? Fire engine red? Zippy silver?

* Ditch your everyday handbag and carry a beaded clutch during the day?

* Drink your coffee black?

* Wear rose tinted aviators? With peachy eyeshadow?

* Only use soft, white cotton sheets on your bed?

* Be perfectly groomed? Eyebrows plucked? Nails filed?

* Be calm? Move slowly? Don’t rush?

* Wear scarves in your hair? With hoop earrings? A la gypsy?

* Hang your jewellery around your house? On the door knobs? The head of your bead? Let your favourite pieces decorate your house when they aren’t decorating you?

* Never, ever feel guilty for buying books? Realise that knowledge has no price?

* Wear feature eye makeup AND lipstick? Break a major beauty rule and not give a toss?

Hope you’re all having a beautiful day… and if you aren’t… what can you do to change it?

Love

Smaggle

xxx

Acne in white…

Acne in black…

Silver…

and red…

Let’s all try monochrome, androgynous yet feminine ensembles shall we? Geisha like shoes with floor length skirts. Simple shapes, clean lines and translucent skin.

love

Smaggle

xxx

Images from Style.com

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How do you go about describing a person to a third party for identification purposes? Are you sensitive? Or blunt? It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that I’m blunt. I was thinking about this the other day when I was relaying a rather hilarious conversation I had with a friend a few years ago when he was talking about a mutual acquaintance.

Me – Who the fudge are you talking about?

Friend – Fred! You know Fred!

Me – Fred? What does he look like?

Friend – He has hair, wears t-shirts. You know! Fred!

Me – I have no idea who you are talking about.

Friend - Fred! Angry, swearing Fred! Chain smoking Fred!

Me – Um… nope. Got nothin’.

Friend – *Sigh* You know… Fred. Tall. Brown hair… *pause*… No arms?

Yep. My valuable time was wasted because my wimpy friend was avoiding uttering the verboten ‘no arms’ while trying to describe a guy who is pretty bloody regular looking when you exclude that crucial piece of information. I assumed that when he didn’t attach the ‘armless’ prefix to the name Fred that he was talking about a Fred with arms. As you assume most people have arms. Which is precisely why lack of vital lifting limbs should be the focal point when describing Armless Fred… the fact that he is… armless. It’s not unkind to call him that. It’s logical.

l frequently get called ‘the one with all the hair’. Often accompanied by the wild gesticulation of splayed hands held in an offensively wide orbit around the describer’s head, suggesting that my hair is a full metre wide. On each side. I used to work with ESL students at a university and was once described as ‘jungle woman’. I was rather chuffed with the English translation but what the student really meant was ‘dirty woman’. That’s cool. I’m unkempt. I’m unruly. It defines me.

Let’s think about it. If Fred overheard the conversation that we had is he really going to get cut up over it? And be all ‘OMG! I can’t believe they said I have no arms!‘. Unlikely.

I’m more than happy to accept less than flattering descriptions of myself if they happen to be accurate and I’m obviously quite relaxed when it comes to describing people myself. Choice phrases include ‘big guy’ (my brother), ‘hot asian’ (my ex-housemate), and ‘massive tits’ (anyone with massive tits).

My question to you is – are you PC when describing other people? Or do you call a spade a spade, so to speak?

Love

Smaggle

xxx

Today I’m wearing…

* Vintage crochet skirt that I’ve had for years. Here I am wearing it November 2007, February 2008, April 2008, and June 2008.
* Sassybax strapless bra top (this thing has changed my life, I swear)
* Lace top from Maxine’s on Brunswick St in Melbourne
* Vivienne Westwood for Melissa shoes
* Waist tie from a Metalicus dress
* Cardigan from Valley Girl
* Earrings from some boutique on the coast I think…

Oh and here are a few of my most recent Lustable articles for those that are interested!

Smaggle does her yearly diary shopping at Notemaker.

Smaggle on being on your own personal stylist.

Smaggle says know your brands before you shop for shoes online.

Smaggle on buying handmade jewellery. - This one is SO worth a peek because my ex-housemate (sob!), dear friend and favourite jeweller Tae Schmeisser is offering a stupid 30% discount for all Lustable readers in her online store. So guy buy yourself a lil’ pressie, there’s a good poppet.

Must fly… I’m making gourmet pizza for dinner!

Love

Carly

xxx

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* Designate a beauty day this week? Put a moisturising mask in your hair? Give yourself an at home mani-pedi?

* Go into work late? Just this once? Have a delicious mid-week sleep in just because you deserve it?

* Light candles for dinner tonight?

* Dress head to toe in one colour? Cream? Grey? Daring red?

* Be a lady? Sit up straight? Demurely cross your legs at the ankle when you sit down? Speak beautifully?

* Eat a piece of exquisite chocolate? And enjoy every bite?

* Take a stroll during your lunch break? Wearing enormous glasses? Carrying a parasol?

* Carry a tiny bottle of your signature scent? Refresh yourself through out the day?

* Tease your hair into a giant bird’s nest? Pin it haphazardly all over your head?

* Write your shopping lists on parchment paper? With a felt tip pen?

Have happy days poppets!

Love,

Carly

xxx

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Weird fact. At this very second, in my selectively photographic memory I’m currently storing only two phone numbers. My own mobile phone number and the landline number of the parents of my best friend from primary school and she doesn’t even live there anymore. That’s some serious wasted brain space right?

I don’t even know my parents landline number. They moved from my childhood home at the same time that I did and I just never bothered to ask them for their new number. As far as my brain is concerned their NAME is their number because that’s how I call them on my mobile phone.

And Mr Smaggle’s number? Not a clue. In the event of a minor emergency the only people I could call off the top of my head are Mr and Mrs Kennelly or myself. Helpful.

I then realised that I have never had my own landline phone and probably never will. How bizarre is that?
I thought it was a rather interesting topic for conversation, especially for the Gen Xs and Gen Ys that populate my readership.

Let me ask you… Do you own a landline phone? Do you have a mobile phone? Does anyone NOT have a mobile phone? What’s your primary communication tool? Texting? Phone calls? Social networking? Do you think the era of the landline is dead?

Share!

Love

Carly

xxx