Coffee, writing in the sun and making sandwiches…

* Top/Dress from Cowboys and Angels (used to be in Canberra but is now closed. *throws head back and wails at the sky*. I wore a skirt with this in public FIY.
* Cardigan from Giordano
* Metalicus waist tie from another dress
* Tights from Coles
* Clogs from Funkis
* Earrings by Marco Gianni from Bijoux Jewellers
* Scarf from… a pile of scarves in my cupboard.

I adore Friday afternoons. It’s the best time of the weekend.

What are your plans lovely one? I’m having a quiet dinner this evening and a raucous girls night out tomorrow with karaoke and dancing!

Love Carly

x

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Why don’t you…?

* Wear a skirt to the gym? A flirty little pleated netball number? A flashy ice-skater tutu? A snazzy little jersey mini?

* Paint your nails beautifully? So you can admire your manicure as you grip the rail on the stepper?

* Tuck your locks into a wide stretch headband? Leopard print? Floral?

* Buy silver sneakers? Wear them with short socks?

* Slick on a little mascara? A tiny dab of nude eyeshadow? Rock up to pilates looking polished?

* Accessorise? Funky sweat bands while jogging? Leg warmers in yoga?

* Wear a 1950s floral bathing cap while swimming laps?

* Choose a palette that’s exclusive to your workout? Pastels? Slick racing stripes? Varying shades of grey?

Have a great work out!

Carly

x

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This evening I attended a fundraiser for the Social Studio on Smith Street. Basically it’s an amazing organisation that assists immigrants with specific fashion construction skills to design and sell ethically sound clothing and to keep them out of the slave labour trade. Brilliant. The event was appropriately hosted by the divine Lee Lin Chin who made an eloquent speech about how high fashion houses have a moral responsibility to use ethical means of producing their wares and that consumers cannot continue to turn a blind eye to the origins of their wardrobe. The clothes in the fashion parade were stunning and original – there was a breathtaking purple silk, one shouldered maxi dress that caught my eye. Although I imagine it will look far less spectacular on me than on the six foot four Somalian goddess modelling it…

* Dress by Nina Ricci
* Shoes by Nine West
* Perspex bangles from Equip
* Circle scarf Smaggle Made

Love Carly

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Naught or Nice – Which one are you?

The Ugly Crush

A few tips on how to thrift…

How to Steal the Style of Betty and Veronica

What were you wearing when?

How to Make a Necklace Out of Laddered Tights and Stockings

A Brief History of the Life of Coco Chanel

What are your best features?

Fat Fashion and Positive Body Image

Style and Manners for Meeting the Parents of Your Lover

Enjoy!

Love Carly

xxx

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Here is what I wore for running around the city, drinking coffee, trying to get into closed galleries and grocery shopping.

* Jeans from Jag
* Shoes from Nine West
* Top from Maxine’s
* Cardigan from Country Road
* Coin necklace from my grandfather
* Wheelie Bin necklace from Tae
* Earrings from Girlprops

And thank you so much to everyone who responded to my What’s Your Almost Name? post. I’m really enjoying reading your descriptions of your other selves. Please pass it around, I would love to hear your friends’ responses too!

Love Carly

xxx

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One of my favourite blogs of all time is 1000 Awesome Things. It’s just like an injection of sunshine with every post. One that really made me smile was this post Your Almost Name. The name that your parents almost called you.

I love the idea that your parents had a little bit of choice in who you were going to be by naming you what they did.

My almost name is Phoebe. I love my actual name, Carly, very much. It definitely suits me… but I think I could have been a pretty amazing Phoebe.

I would have been less loud if I was Phoebe. More polite. I think she would have played a musical instrument. She might have played soccer. She would have liked dogs and would have been a vet or a nurse. She would have been kinder than me, more sensitive. She’d volunteer in third world countries and she would have loved cake.

Carly is brave though. And she is never afraid to speak her mind. No one ever thinks that Carly is dull. Carly is funny, she’s creative and she’s rational. She’s a hard worker. She’s ambitious and she never, ever lies.

My parents thought about it and they chose Carly. That’s pretty awesome isn’t it?

What about you? What’s your almost name? And who would he/she have been?

Love Carly

xxx

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I’ve had a rather charming day today… have you?

* Tights from Bonds
* Skirt from Cotton On
* Singlet from Supre
* Jumper from Country Road
* Cardigan from Jeans West
* Boots from Nine West
* Waist tie from Metalicus dress (I wish they sold these separately I wear it nearly every day)
* Necklace from Roomy Smaggle from Greece
* Bangle from Diva

I’m loving layering grey cardigans at the moment but I’ll admit I’m looking forward to the warmer weather. I do love a floral sundress…

Love Lady Smaggle

xxx

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I’ve received no less than five lovely emails in the last week asking me where my outfit shots have gone! My every day style is a little less fabulous than a few years ago because my life is well… dirtier now and I’m not sure if you all want to see my studio outfits but lets try it and see shall we? Here is what I wore to the studio, the post office and all afternoon as I sketched and wrote…

* Dress from DFO in Melbourne.
* Tights are actually thermal marino underwear from Big W. I wear them as tights and they are so toasty.
* Boots from Shoo Biz.
* Scarf Smaggle made – You can learn to make one here.
* Cardigan from Country Road.

It’s also hideously freezing here in Melbourne so most of my outfits are covered in jackets and scarves. I can’t wait for cardigan weather…

Oh and please let me know if you want more outfit shots of the work/studio persuasion.

Love Lady Smaggle

xxx

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I’ve been doing some research into the meaning of colour for my next jewellery collection and I’ve been utterly addicted to combining the descriptions and deciphering the meaning behind the different hues.

Here is my summary -

Black

- Proud, elegant, strong, ambitious.

Red

– Energetic, powerful, determined, passionate, desirable.

Purple

– Regal, noble, luxurious, mysterious, creative, wise, magical.

Pink

– Youthful, fun, exciting, immature, childlike.

White

– Innocent, clean, pure, organised, proud, independent.

Orange

– Joyous, enthusiastic, fascinating, happy, attractive, successful.

Yellow

– Intellectual, energetic, cheerful, warm.

Green

– Harmonious, fresh, fertile, inspirational, restful and healing.

Blue

– Deep, stable, trustworthy, loyal, wise, confident, intelligent, faithful, truthful.

Grey

– Timeless, practical, solid, reasonable.

My question is… what colour are you?

Think about it.

Love Lady Smaggle

xxx

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Why don’t you…

* Buy a beautiful tin of artist’s pencils? A magnificent sketchbook filled with blank parchment paper? Fill the pages with delicately shaded scribbles and patterns?

* Take a class? Millinery? Leather work? Embroidery?

* Spend the afternoon at your library in the DIY section? Home interiors? Gardens? Fashion?

* Keep an old fashioned scrap book? Filled it with torn pages from magazines? A whole page of colours you love? A page of beautiful blondes? A page of coffee tables?

* Colour code your wardrobe? Start with neutrals hanging at one end of your wardrobe and slowly work your way to patterns and brights?

* Get out your sewing machine? Whip up a few cushion covers? A couple of pretty head scarves? Some drawstring bags to keep your delicates in?

* Make a cake? For no reason? Decorate it with marshmallow flower petals and pink coconut?

* Paint?

Have a beautiful weekend!

Love Lady Smaggle

xxx

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