Love: Australian Designers

Everyone looks to Paris or New York for the latest trends and styles but have you considered Australian designers? Karla Spetic is an Australian designer with the simplistic chic that might characterise BCBGmaxazria mixed with all the colours and cheer that comes with a LV resort collection. But of course that alone cannot explain entirely what the brand entails.

Karla Spetic has a very cheeky way of playing with different colours, textures and shapes that lends it an almost childish and daydreamy air but its chic simplicity ensures that it does not become un-sophisticated. It caters for the little girl inside each of us who likes to squeal with delight at candy hues and yet it also caters for the chic fashionista who knows how to handle her own style. No wonder her ‘10 Autumn/Winter collection was titled “Dreamer”.

 

Karla Spetic two ways by crossthat featuring ankle pants

 

 

I just love her two toned cardis. Wear it with a cute little skirt and you get something casual and girly. Wear it with impeccably tailored slim black pants, fierce accessories and towering studded heels and you get to prevent your outfit from making you look too hard and cold.

Not every Karla Spetic piece is suitable for everyone. Whilst her clothes have designs and cuts to marvel at adoringly, I can imagine that it might not fit with everyone’s style philosophy. But her ability to turn heads without fail is a quality that one can definitely lust after.

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Written by Monica of crossthat.com

Lust: Lavin + Shoe Challenge

Lavin by jennaw featuring platform high heels

After browsing around SSense today, I have such a crush on Lavin. I love the soft colors and sturdy almost boxy lines, I even like the snakeskin even though animal print isn’t usually my thing.

Who’s your fashion crush of the moment? Give me something new to drool over before I spend my rent on Lavin shoes!

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Shoe Challenge Outfit #3

362 days, 47 pairs left

I hate that this photo came out blurry because the outfit was so cute! High waisted pants are so comfy and chic and the black studded flats I could walk all day in without a single foot ache.

 

Lust: The History of Louboutin

What better way to celebrate the day of which single people do not speak and start off Shoeper’s Shoe Challenge than with a history of the most famous of red soles?

Here, 10 facts about the easiest way to a woman’s heart:

1. Louboutin opened his first store in Paris in 1992.
2. Red soles date back to Louis XIV, who wore them to attract attention while dancing.
3. Louboutin was born in Paris in 1963.
4. Before launching his own line, Louboutin worked with Chanel, YSL, and Maud Frizon.
5. The very first pair of Louboutin red soles were painted with nail polish.
6. A 12 year old Louboutin used to sneak out of school to watch the Paris showgirls perform.
7. Louboutin’s red soles have inspired the Louboutin manicure and Louboutin Barbie (now that bitch really DOES have everything!)
8. J.Lo. has a song dedicated to Louboutins.
9. At 16, Louboutin left school to become an apprentice shoe maker.
10. Every Louboutin boutique was designed by Louboutin himself.

Happy Singles’ Appreciation Day!

Love: Gradient Nail Glitter

While browsing through all the fabulous things I could do with my nails if I weren’t an interpreter (which requires plain nails at all times so as not to be distracting) I absolutely fell in love with this gradient glitter from Funky Trend.

I generally try to avoid glitter on my nails since the infamous blue glitter incident of ’02 (my only excuse is that I was in high school), but there’s something so grown up about these flashy tips. Can’t you just picture them with a sparkly cocktail dress or against a simple black clutch?

As an added bonus: because the nail gets ‘natural’ close to the base, you could have quite a bit of grow-out before they started to look sloppy. So much more forgiving than dark colors that start to look grown-out after two days!

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Oh! And while we’re on a beauty post, if you want more info on the M.A.C. Wonder Woman collection I posted about last week, check out Vampy Varnish who got to try out all the colors and took photos of what they look like on real people! (so jealous!)

Love: The Case for Designer Handbags

Ever wonder just what a designer bag has to offer? Granted this is a fashion blog, so if you’ve found yourself here you’re probably already a fan of the timeless labels. But if you’re still on the fence (or trying to bring your significant other over to the dark side for a last-minute Valentine’s Day gift) check out my latest article over at The Bags Blog for the excuse you need to go buy something fabulous 🙂

Love: M.A.C. Wonder Woman for Spring 2011

Wonder Woman and M.A.C. by jennaw on Polyvore.com

Fair disclosure: I love M.A.C. and just about everything they make. If I had an unlimited makeup budget, I’d slather myself in the stuff every day. As it is, I have a few pieces that I mix with my drugstore finds.

Their limited edition collections always manage to find themes you might not associate with makeup (Hello Kitty?) and somehow make them work beautifully. I was excited to spot their latest collection over at Temptalia, though some of the colors leave me wondering. The bright blues and killer reds are definitely not work appropriate but on the right occasion they could really pop.

The full collection includes the makeup basics plus nailpolish, pigments, lipglass, brushes, makeup bags, and a t-shirt all in gorgeous packaging. Prices range from $14-$49.50. What do you think? Where and how would you wear these bold colors?

Lust Love Lose: Golden Globe Dresses

As awards season continues, so do the obligatory award dresses posts (does anyone actually watch the awards shows for the awards anyway?). Here, my unconventional picks for lust, love and lose.

 

Lust:

Jennifer Lopez in Zuhair Murad

Jennifer Lawrence in Louis Vuitton

Self explanatory and fabulous

Hmm….

January Jones in Atelier Versace

I know the fashion gurus are dying over this dress, but I just don’t love the skin in the middle, the fringy things at the bottom, it really does just make me say “hmmmm”.

Lose:

Leighton Meester in Burberry Prorsum

I can’t help it, it just looks like a dress my mom would buy at the thrift store for me to play in when I was little.

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What do you think? Agree? Disagree? Leave your two cents below 🙂

 

Love: How to Buy Authentic Handbags Online

I’m so proud of my latest post over at The Bags Blog!

Everything you could ever want to know about buying handbags online and avoiding fakes 🙂

Lose: TSA Security Overkill

This story cracks me up because my friends have been telling me my shoes are actually weapons for years. Now, the TSA agrees. Taz Arnold had to fight to keep his precious Loubies after the TSA threatened to confiscate them. Looking at the shoes, it might be understandable if you didn’t know that the TSA allows crafting scissors, medical syringes, and knitting needles – somehow I doubt anyone is going to hold up an airplane with a shoe (even a fabulous one).

Check out these pics from the original article on Yahoo:

Here at Lust, Love, Lose, we’re on your side Taz (and loving your Louis Vuitton Keepall!)

What do you think? Should shoes be banned? Would you ever put Louboutins in your checked luggage? Comment away!

Love: The Perfect Friday Night

I so admire the beautiful image posts so many bloggers offer, so I thought I’d try a little editorial photography of mine own. I know that I need a LOT more work and probably a more professional camera to get images that look like they were pulled straight out of a magazine, but everybody has to start somewhere, right?

The perfect Friday night…

So what do you guys think? Something you’d like to see more of? Should I stick to how-tos and lust, love, lose posts? Feedback is always most appreciated 🙂