I am told, that anyone who has taken the step will tell you that working with an image consultant and personal stylist is one of the best investments they have made in their lifetime…

Read on girls for some insider information…

How we look is directly related to how we feel and the way we are perceived in the world; we all need to wear clothes, we can’t see ourselves objectively, we spend hours shopping and selecting outfits, masses of wardrobe space is taken up with unused clothing and we still think we have nothing to wear!  In short, image matters.

Wider television coverage in recent years – Trinny and Susannah’s What Not to Wear, 10 Years Younger and The Swan – have all raised awareness that it is possible to employ the services of a professional, but those we recognise on TV aren’t always available to us all.

Styled With Love is one of Melbourne’s leading personal stylist, wardrobe and image consultancies bringing a fresh approach to understanding one’s own unique style. Styled With Love helps clients understand the building blocks for creating their own individual style appropriate to your lifestyle and budget.

So what is available, where is best to invest money and how to choose?

Styled With Love conducts an initial interview to determine which service a client actually needs, being mindful of their time and finances.

Styled With Love has identified 3 key elements of the makeover process:

Personal Stylist – can include the broader issues of style including recommendations on hair and makeup. Personal Stylists may accompany a client shopping or equally, visit the home to help understand what a client has, identifying what they think works, what works with assistance and what doesn’t work at all.

Image Consultant – can be a personal stylist amongst a much wider range of services offered to the client. The difference lies in the approach; through a logical and systematic process, an Image Consultant trains and educates the client in all areas of wardrobe planning to suit their lifestyle.

The Image Consultant works with the client as an individual with the aim of educating them in how to ‘do it for themselves’ over time. The client invests in a professional consultation and thus is able to shop and dress independently and individually, acquiring additional shopping or styling advice time to enhance and build on their knowledge of themselves and what works for them.

Colour Analysis – is the process of determining the colours that best suit the client’s natural colour characteristics while assessing hair colour, eye colour, skin tone and the impact of the interaction with one another. Styled With Love is one of only 2 in Australia to be personally trained by the renowned colour professional Wendy Alexander, creator of the 14 Colour Group coding system. This unique system replaces the basic 4 colour groups and fills in the holes created by the four seasonal coding system.

For further information regarding style packages and services, visit www.styledwithlove.com.au

Enjoy, melbgirl x

Grace Boutique is very excited to be involved in Fashion Weekend, which is being held at Central Pier, Docklands, on the 18-20 March during the L’Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival (LMFF), presented by Shop Til You Drop.

Grace opened its doors at 595 Malvern Road, Toorak (Hawksburn Village) in September 2007, bringing to Melbourne what Colette brings to Paris and Barney’s brings to New York, a truly unique retail experience that offers style, sophistication and statement ‘must-have’ pieces.

The owners, Melbourne girls Georgia Danos and Ilana Moses, reconnected the September prior when they were traveling to New York, albeit separately. Whilst they had known each other for many years, it had been a long while since they’d spent time together. New York provided the perfect catalyst to discover their common love of, and philosophy towards, fashion.

Once back in Melbourne Georgia and Ilana joined forces in March 2007, and with unbridled passion (quite spontaneously!) embarked on a buying trip to Paris, London and New York.

Georgia’s background is in Architecture and then Retail Marketing, and Ilana practiced as an Intellectual Property lawyer then moved into Fashion Design while living in New York.

Together the girls identified an opportunity to develop a niche retail offering and experience, by providing customers with a balanced mix of products and brands from around the world and, most importantly, from the store’s own collection Grace.

The delivery of exceptional quality and value are always the source of inspiration, and influence everything – from the design of the store’s interiors, the emphasis placed on exceptional customer service, to scouring the world for unique and beautiful quality products.

Grace is unique because its own collection of clothing and accessories sits cohesively with complementary imported fashion and accessories brands, together providing a comprehensive offering of wearable, versatile and stylish pieces for those in their 20’s to those in their 50’s.

With quality a driving focus, they eschew synthetic fabrics in favour of more tactile silks, wools, cottons etc, and round out the clothing selections with an array of other (sometimes quirky) quality products – Italian toothpaste, carefully selected book titles, letterpress gift cards and decoupage plates.

With beauty, integrity, and a distinctive vision, Grace stocks many exclusive brands with international cult followings such as See by Chloe, Carven, April 77 denim, Anna Sui, Circus & Co, Deborah Marquit,  Les Prairies de Paris (Paris), Rag&Bone, Lauren Moffat, Mackintosh, Tucker, Virginia Johnson, Steven Alan Womens, Samantha Moses, Mother, Nieves Lavi, Rutzou and most significantly, their own Grace collection.

Head instore and check out the gorgeous collections asap!

Enjoy, melbgirl x

Sydney and London’s favourite designer sale is coming to LMFF!

Fashion Weekend  is the only place to stock up on fabulous clothes and accessories from a selection of Australia’s leading designers all offering discounts of up to 70% off  retail price. Designers include Arabella Ramsay, Alpha 60, Life with Bird, Winter Kate, Leonard St, Manning Cartell, Maurie and Eve, Shakuhachi and many more!

Tickets are strictly limited due to venue capacity and it’s highly recommend booking in advance to avoid disappointment.  BOOK NOW

Enjoy, melbgirl x

“The biggest opening runway LMFF has ever staged”

On March 14 2011, LMFF launches ‘Fashion Full Stop; Decades of Australian Fashion’.

Celebrating iconic designers, labels, styles and moments that have shaped this nation’s history in fashion from the 1960s to today. Part runway show, part rock concert and part theatrical spectacular, ‘Fashion Full Stop; Decades of Australian Fashion & Music’ will launch LMFF 2011 with unprecedented splendour, worshipping and wondering at the iconic characters, colours and creations that form our fashion history.

The hour long production will feature live performances from Australian talent including Guy Sebastian, Josh Abrahams and DJ Agent 86; with live dance performances from The Squared Division and The Australian Ballet.

Designers and labels featured will include…

ALEX PERRY
ALICE MCCALL
ALPHA 60
BETTINA LIANO
BILLABONG
COUNTRY ROAD
DINOSAUR DESIGNS
EASTON PEARSON
GORMAN
KIRRILY JOHNSTON
LIFEWITHBIRD
LISA HO
MATERIALBYPRODUCT
RIP CURL
SEAFOLLY
ZIMMERMANN
AND MANY MANY MORE!!

What are you waiting for? Come along on Monday March 14 to relive what has shaped our fashion identity and celebrate all that makes Australian fashion unique!

Giveaways and fashion fun from 4.00pm

Show begins 5.30pm

The Plenary, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre
1 Convention Centre Pl, South Wharf, Melbourne

TICKETS SELLING FAST! AVAILABLE NOW THROUGH TICKETMASTER!

Hope to see you all there!

I have insider information that it will be the HIGHLIGHT of the entire week! Woohoo!

Enjoy, melbgirl x

“UMBILICAL VENTRILOQUIAL” – TRIMAPEE – TEASER from Trimapee on Vimeo.

Enjoy, melbgirl x

‘10 Days of Style’ at Highpoint
Thursday, March 10, 2011 – Saturday, March 19, 2011

Highpoint is celebrating fashion, individual style and the arrival of autumn with ‘10 Days of Style’. Highpoint will be completely transformed into a fashion wonderland where customers can participate in a range of free and interactive activities.

Get in there tomorrow 10 March for some great one day bargains!

Enjoy, melbgirl x

The Spirit of the Black Dress is a fashion photography and textile exhibition that showcases ten emerging Australian sustainable fashion designers.

Today, the event (which is run by a group of independent recent graduates from different backgrounds), was offically launched as part of LMFF.

Committed to raising the profile of sustainable fashion and increasing international appreciation for Australian design, the young designers highlighted are chosen by a panel of industry experts from amongst the best in Australia. The Spirit of the Black Dress are the start of a vibrant fashion community that privileges discourses of fashion excellence paired with strong environmental and social principles.

Check out the gallery for some photos!

Enjoy, melbgirl x

The Spirit of the Black Dress

The Spirit of the Black Dress

The Spirit of the Black Dress

The Spirit of the Black Dress

The Spirit of the Black Dress

The Spirit of the Black Dress

LMFF Trunk Show – Jack London 

Wednesday March 16, 8.30pm

Functions on Chapel, Prahran Town Hall, 255A Chapel Street, Prahan

I am so excited for the Jack London debut show, where we will get to view the Winter 2011 collection  “Urban Warriors”.

Designer Karl Bartl was influenced by the Hard Mods and the punk style of the Skin/Lemonheads and will showcase inspired looks such as camouflage pants and suits tucked in combat boots, styled with braces and heavy woollen jackets. Boys with sharp cheek-bones and baker boy hats will sport camel coloured trench coats and shades of khaki.

The collection continues Jack London’s signature look of rock and roll attitude with classic tailoring that has become synonymous with the brand.

Get your tickets online from ticketmaster QUICK!

See you there, melbgirl x

The L’Oréal Melbourne Fashion Festival (LMFF) and Penthouse Mouse (PHM) have joined forces to showcase Australia’s leading independent designers at a series of new and exciting Offsite Runways supported by Yen on Saturday March 19 at Shed 4, Docklands.

The Festival’s edgy new concept supporting independent Australian designers will showcase the best of local independently spirited labels including Alexi Freeman, Jolet, Leonard Street, Livia Arena, One Fell Swoop, Metias, above, Extinct, House of Baulch, Kuwaii and Trimapee in two unique and dynamic runway events.

PHM recognises the link between fashion, music, art and film and celebrates this in temporary spaces in and around Melbourne. For 4 years PHM and LMFF have united in supporting young Australian designers and artists. PHM explores fashion beyond the consumer and pays tribute to fashion as an experience and way of life.

Offsite Runway music directors and DJs, Hidden Suns, have joined forces with LMFF to produce and perform at the runway events.  Hidden Suns will perform a DJ set at the PHM bar throughout the evening to celebrate the closing night of Festival and experience Australian fashion culture and all that it encompasses.

OFFSITE  RUNWAY 1
Saturday March 19, 8.00pm
Penthouse Mouse @ Shed 4, North Wharf Road, Victoria Harbour, Docklands  
Alexi Freeman
Jolet
Leonard Street  
Livia Arena
One Fell Swoop
Metias
Thanh

OFFSITE RUNWAY 2
Saturday March 19, 10.00pm
Penthouse Mouse @ Shed 4, North Wharf Road, Victoria Harbour, Docklands
above
Extinct
House of Baulch  
Kuwaii
Trimapee

Tickets available now from Ticketmaster!

Enjoy, melbgirl x