Feast for your eyes

A couple of months ago I discovered the world of instagram fitspos/cleaneating/raw vegan advocates. Now to me, this whole concept seemed ridiculous (I mean why would you dehydrate food when you can steam it and it'll be a lot nicer?) Until I discovered the response that these photos get.

Clean eating has become the latest fad, or rather instagramming your clean eating or the view from your run or a cup of tea and a book or even, the juice/smoothie in a jar. By no means am I disputing this because I'm a serial instagram clean eater and I honestly hopped on the clean eating bandwagon purely as a result of instagram.

This however, is not a bad thing. A couple of months ago when I initially discovered this crazy world, I started running every day at sunset. I'd get to this point on my route and honestly think "Oh goodness this would look so nice on instagram" as a result of this, I became so confident in my body and felt so good all the time and finally after way too long, I got into the next round of my school cross country carnival. This, by no means was the problem, because as well as improving my health and fitness, I became more motivated in every aspect of my life and studied exceptionally hard for my exams and in so doing, got the marks I've always wanted. Weirdly enough, this was mostly because of instagram.

The problem however, is that now I've slipped into old habits as the stress of my final year of school builds up and the time to run everyday is scarce...yet I still eat cleanly enough so that on occasion I can instagram my fabulous food or the view from my run and still fool my followers into thinking I'm a health advocate but really I'm only fooling myself. If the photos are there, I become a part of the instagram community. This however, guarantees that I haul in the likes for my photos because if someone is eating healthily and doing healthy things then in liking their photos, you're encouraging them and live through them and even become motivated by them. (Well this is my theory anyway) Which again, I don't think necessarily is a bad thing. It becomes bad however when you become inspired to make something really clean but it just tastes appalling and you never want to eat clean again. 

But it can't be a bad thing to have a community of people who in just by living their life and posting about it, inspire those who follow them to follow the same lifestyle. At the end of the day, this kind of thing "Isn't a diet; it's a lifestyle"

To conclude, here are some of the photos I've taken and edited on some app in my phone to show people how cool and trendy I am.

My first homemade juice (it was awful, pretended it was nice)

Recent creation; raw cocoa and coconut balls

Caption: Run to paradise 

(spent whole time running actually taking photos)

The view from my normal running route (note the vsco effect)

Fog on my run this morning! (Didn't instagram this one though)

View from my run 2.0

Whole foods market in Perth that I didn't buy anything from because it was too expensive. 

Again

First jar juice!

One of the more recent; edamame (so cultured)

Liv xo

my god I'm awful, I haven't written anything in two months and I'm possibly the worst!!

(sorry to my two fans who read this blog)

But I've got so many things to write about so this weekend after my assessments have cooled down I'll make a long post!

Sorry guyz


Liv xo

Style

As I'm writing this, the distant sound of 12 year olds getting drunk for the first time and the more comforting sound of rain on my tin roof fills my ears. This past week has been filled with some beautiful chilly, sunny days and the wet wintery mornings that Sydney's grown accustomed to from the past couple of years. This can only mean one thing, Winter is looming and I cannot tell you how thrilled I am for it.

Thus far the wintery trends I'm seeing are the punk-rocker seemingly androgynous staples coupled with chic black dresses and lush capes and coats. (On the topic of lush capes I bought this beautiful black cape the other week, I'll post a photo when I wear it out. Its $200 of bliss.) But regardless, so far the wintery trends have failed to disappoint. There's studs, gothic romance, bright colours, florals and luxe prints. There's something (in Australia at least) for everyone. But I'm not into the 'Westfield style shopper' pamphlet on how to look trendy this season because I found this quote by Edna Woolman Chase - "Fashion can be bought. Style one must process." I love this quote, because while I'm not necessarily the most fashionable or even stylish person I know, but the people who are most admired in the fashion field are the ones who aren't afraid to wear their own personal style. If you look at Sydney, Copenhagen, Melbourne, Paris, London or wherever's street style websites you'll see a collaboration of quirky people wearing quirky clothes that look beautiful because you know, it's their style. The fashions in shopping centre's are just fashions and at the end of the day people who just wear what's in season will end up wasting looooads of money because fashions go in and out but style is eternal.

That's not to say wear like jeggings if that's your style because that's not stylish, I'm talking grab a whole mix of items and see what you can come up with. Draw inspiration from people, places, photos, songs, movies...whatever floats your boat. I'm slightly in the process of figuring out my style now, at the moment it's darkish lipstick and boots but that's mainly because I just got my braces off so am revelling in the freedom of lipstick. But I have this friend, who as well as being a superstar fashionista has such a unique style, that while I wouldn't necessarily wear everything that she wears (and I'm sure that the same can be said from her to me), but I can still appreciate that that's her and that she looks a lot better than me when I'm wearing some weird dress my nanna bought me with some heaps buckled boots because I'm trying to be a grunge queen. She's got her style and she's not changing it for anyone, and there's a certain admiration that goes along with that because while I can rant on on a blog about the importance of having a unique style I myself don't put these words into practice, which is my mission for winter.

I can do 90's because that's an era that appeals to me, but at the same time I can do 2013 fashions too because that's also kind of a year that is somewhat appealing, I don't know I feel like this is a lot wankier than I intended it to be. But I'm talking, don't not wear heels because you're already tall, seriously only in the past like month I've discovered this...people would love to be 5'10" just embrace it.
You never know, some of your best outfits can come out of you being creative.

Liv xo

Cafe crawling

Quite a few months ago someone I know told my friend that she didn't know what to do when hanging around with us because all we do is go to cafes and markets and all we talk about are cafes and markets. I'd never even realised this before but actually my ideal weekend would be going to some form of market with my friends, buying some fab clothes then going to a trendy cafe and basking in how alternative and indie we are. If not with my friends, my mum's new years resolution was to try a new cafe or restaurant every month so often my response on Monday morning when someone asks about my weekend is "Oh my god I went to the nicest cafe on Saturday..."

And then I got a job in a cafe so really, I'm spending like 70% of my weekend in a cafe or foodery of some description. Spending money that I earn't in pretty much the same place? Sounds crazy but it's shamefully true. Now don't get me wrong, it's not like I spend literally all my time at cafes but I can now safely say that I know all the 'trade secrets' of cafes and how important cafe etiquette can be. I don't even just mean cafe etiquette in the manners aspect but in the what one should wear aspect as well.  

Generally the people who hang around cafes are there to be seen. It may not seem like it, but it's true. Cafes are the nightclubs for the under 18's who rate themselves as cultured. Including me. In order to make a lasting impression at a cafe, because who knows who you might bump into, one needs to dress the part.

I plan my outfits around which suburb the cafe is in, most people don't do this but if I was going to a trendy grungy cafe in Surry Hills I'd be dressing far differently than if I was going to Starbucks. It's a fact of my life. One time my friend who lives a 10 minute bike ride away and I went to the other side of Sydney for breakfast because she'd heard of a really nice cafe over there. 

Family Friendly cafes are a no go zone. Dog friendly cafes are a no go zone. Cafes with play equipment are a no go zone.  Cafes where you're likely to see someone who was on Australia's Next Top Model are where you want to be. I think this is why you have to dress the part because at the end of the day, you need to look like you belong to the elite crowd. It's like Sydney's equivalent to the Upper East Side, except you're from Brooklyn. 

Now once you're all dolled up in the season's latest trends, ready to be snapped up by Sydney Street Style you can finally venture the 45 minutes it takes you to get your morning coffee. Then once you're there, you have to order something off the menu that will photograph well on Instagram. It's a constant struggle, the days of going to a cafe simply for a coffee are long gone. But not after you've scoured the internet for markets in the area or warehouse sales or looked out for signs of a garage sale. It'll look desperate when the Barista asks you what you're doing today if you don't answer with "oh just going shopping you know, then I'll probably go to this gig or art opening I don't know, whatever happens."

Even if you just go to cafes to pick up a bacon and egg roll to nurse your hangover on a Sunday morning, just keep a lookout for those of us who are living the cafe lifestyle. Normally they're 17 year old girls using their iphones to update their instagrams. I'm allowed to say this because I'm one of them, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Liv xo

PS Proper fashion post coming soon!!! (this time it's about winter 2013) x 

f@$h10nis+a

Okay so I'm not a particularly 'fashion aware' person, like I read vogue and have a tumblr and take an interest in models and whatnot but I don't claim to have an extended knowledge on this topic. But there's something that's really not working for me of late and that is the 'fashionistas' of today who have watched the Victorias Secret show in 2012 and now think they have a huge knowledge on models. Now, I myself watched the show but it was more so I could get motivation to get a body like Candice's but there are so many people who upon watching the show now have a feigned interest in fashion and an obsession with Cara Delevigne. The only thing I can compare this to is when the Notebook came out and everyone suddenly loved Ryan Gosling.

Don't get me wrong, I love Cara because she's crazy and isn't so serious in photos but I cannot even put into words how much it shits me when people (mostly 14 year olds who went through the hipster phase but are now moving into the vs phase) talk to me about how much they adore fashion and how Adriana Lima is so revolutionary and how the new Versace line is oh so chic. Especially when they start talking in French to seem high fashion when they don't realise that 'Oh la la' actually means oh dear.

I feel really pretentious and stupid writing these because by no means am I a fashion extraordinaire but I do know the difference between a high fashion model and a commercial model and I can appreciate that the two have a pretty vast difference and while I can appreciate both, I'm not going to pretend that a Victoria's Secret show is the same as a Stella McCartney or Romance Was Born.

I'm going to end this here because I feel like an absolute wanker writing this but I'll end with a few photos.

Karlie Kloss

Stella McCartney Resort 2013

Daphne Groeneveld

K back to unpretentious posts for now.

Liv xo

Overall appreciation society

me

spring 2010

alexa

kate

n'sync

destiny's child

alexa

overalls rock

proper post coming soon x 

You're a virgin who can't drive

As Clueless is undeniably one of the greatest movies of all time and as it was made in the single greatest year of all time and the 90's was just generally a fantastic era, I thought I'd write a post about how fantastic the costume designers of Clueless or rather, the designers of the 90s were.

Every so often, popular culture goes through an 'everything old is new again' phase and at the moment, it would appear that the 90's is the new cool thing. I'm beyond thrilled about this because the 90's is seriously such an under appreciated era and if Clueless isn't proof enough of that, then need I mention the wonders of Space Jam, Destiny's Child and the Spice Girls? Funnily all of my examples showed great evidence of the 90's being rad.

But 90's fashion is back (well in my eyes at least) and I'm just going to mention things that are beyond cool. Loose spaghetti strap singlets - coupled with a strapless bra, these singlets are just brilliant. I've stolen about 3 from my mum, when she bought them they were for pyjamas but the silk fabric is just wonderful and I can't even describe how much I love this style. Cropped spaghetti strap singlets are equally as cool and ever so 90's. 

Cher and Dionne also totally rocked the top button up style before it was even in, and own the effortlessly chic school look with cute stationary, fabulous hair accessories and just a general air of coolness about them, really it's no wonder they were the coolest at their school. Dionne is seriously one of the most gorgeous people I've seen in my whole life and her experimentation with clothes is just beautiful. She kind of reminds me of my friend only with a bit more attitude. 

But Clueless weren't alone with their fantastic costume department, such TV shows as Lizzie McGuire, Friends and even The Fresh Prince of Bel Air totally nails the 90's hiphop look. This begs the question, why wasn't I born 10 years earlier so that I could experience the 90's as a teenager. I'm going to pass the blame onto my parents because I seriously believe that I would've been the Cher Horowitz of my school but now that's just a failed dream. 

Another 90's trend I'm diggin' (also note the 90s lingo I'm using) is 90's grunge! Now, despite the fact that many of the grungey youth of the 90's resembles hobos, the flanno was totally a statement. Similarly, overalls which not only are beyond comfortable but they are cute and make you look like an artist. Printed high waisted shorts were also so fabulous back then and as I recently bought a pair for a solid $8.00, I can safely say that I would've fitted in in the 90s.  

Essentially the 90's were full of fashion hits and misses but as I've got a 90's haircut I feel a rejuvenated passion for the era, a passion that my four year old self didn't grow to have, regretfully so. 

But whatever, I'm outie.

Liv xo