Daily Outfit: Buried Treasure

Growing up, I always had a tendency towards buried treasure.

When I got something that I loved, I would squirrel it away safely and try to make it last for as long as possible. For example, after seeing a particularly risqué add for Gucci Envy and becoming obsessed with the label, my mother bought me one of those 5mil perfume samples. This lasted me for four years, and I think that I still have the original bottle somewhere to this day.

The only area where my buried treasure hoarder mentality has not applied, ever, is with food.

Daily Outfit: Clash of the checks

 I really wanted to go for another triple clash-athon today with checks, but sadly I do not have a necktie, bowtie nor neckerchief that is in any way checked or gingham.

I decided on the black bowtie to really contrast the checks of the blazer and shirt, and I think it looks quite good, even if the bowtie is a pre-tied clip on job.

Daily Outfit: The Tie That Binds

It is only just starting to dawn on me now, but in 12 sleeps I’m off to Finland for three weeks, with an additional week’s holiday here in Australia when I return – and I won’t need to wear a necktie for that entire period!

It’s not that I don’t enjoy neckties, because I genuinely do.

The issue is that the necktie has come to represent my 8-5, Monday-Friday job which pays my bills and offers me great benefits etc; but which I am actually not even remotely passionate about. It is in many ways the leash with which I’m currently tethered.

Daily Outfit: Collegiate

I’m looking very collegiate in today’s daily outfit, if I do say so myself.

One of the first things that I noticed when I got to University was that there isn’t really the same University culture here in Australia, as the one that I grew-up lusting after on American TV shows and movies. As such, I’ve found that I will jump at any opportunity to buy-in to that idyllic ‘college life’ and collegiate style ethos that I wanted to be a part of.

This University of Canberra jacket is one such example.

Daily Outfit: Preparing for Finland

Given the comparatively balmy weather we’re having this weekend (18 degrees in autumn is balmy for Canberra!) I decided to utilise the opportunity and to trial an outfit I was planning on packing for my trip to Finland in two weeks time.

I’ll be in Finland in early summer. The average temperature for the month of June in Finland is 18 degrees. So, it made sense to me trial wearing the shorter-length chino shorts from ASOS, just to see how I’d fair temperature-wise.

Daily Outfit: Shades of Blue

This daily outfit is another in a series of experiments in my Blue Goth wardrobe. With the exception of some orange accents, everything that I am wearing is in shades of blue.

Which, admittedly, is one of the reasons a colleague asked me which Smurf I was this morning.

My response was Grumpy, which in hindsight was one of the Seven Dwarfs, not one of the Smurfs.

Daily Outfit: Casual Thursday

I was at a training day all day today, and so I decided to take the liberty of dressing more casually, given that I didn't have to be in the office and I didn't really have anyone that I wanted to impress. Also, I wanted to be comfortable.

I'm sure that the way that I wear this double-breasted blazer isn't for everyone, but I really love it this was. It kind of feels like having a big blanket draped around my shoulders, and I love the way that the lapels sort of flap about when I walk, almost like wings :)

Fashfest 2014: Designer Review – Corr Blimey

Last but by no means least in both the Fashfest shows and my personal reviews of the menswear collections, we have Corr Blimey’s 2014 collection Berlin.

Hands down, this was my favourite collection of Fashfest 2014.

Daily Outfit: Weatherproof

We've officially entered the week between autumn and winter where Canberra's weather gets all Melbourne and we experience a multitude of weathers and temperatures in a single day.

Today's outfit was an attempt to dress to this ridiculous phenomena, and to head it off at the pass as it were.

I figured wearing jeans and a polo would be suitable for most warm-to-mild weather, but adding the sweater and the neckerchief made it that extra bit chill-resistant. And, both were easily removed if it turned balmy.

Fashfest 2014: Designer Review - SZN

I won’t lie-I had really, really high expectations for Susan Dlouhy’s collection for SZN. Being Fashfest alumni and something of a prodigy on the Canberra Fashion scene, it was hard not to build slightly unrealistic ideas in my head about what would come down the runway.

Nothing could have prepared me to have my expectations so thoroughly exceeded.

Daily Outfit: Pleasant Pheasant

I was really unimpressed with all of my thicker neckties, like this thrifted silk number with the pleasant pheasant motif, until my friend and colleague Jarrah taught me how to tie a Windsor knot.

Now that I can do it, I can see the value of a thicker necktie, and it is in fact my default way to tie my neckwear now. It just looks classier than what I was doing, the name for which I don't know.

Fashfest 2014: Designer Review – Tuffys & Tuffetts

I'll be perfectly honest, I was not expecting to review Tuffys & Tuffetts at all for Fashfest 2014, because I had no idea that they did both men’s and women’s underwear. Tuffys & Tuffets were not on the list of menswear designers I received, so I just wrote them off as women’s wear I probably wouldn’t care about.

And, as it turns out, that was something of a mistake.

Daily Outfit: Silver Atom X Corr Blimey

OK, fair's fair, I did not actually wear this amazing neckwear from Silver Atom to work today. I don't own it (yet), and it is on loan from Corr Blimey for an exciting opportunity that presented itself to me.

However, it is so magnificent that I couldn't help but throw it on today for my Daily Outfit photos.

The amazing piece was created by Silver Atom Designs for the Corr Blimey collection Berlin, which showed at Fashfest 2014 earlier this month. For a few twists of steel wire, it is remarkably comfortable to wear and in my humble opinion, incredibly beautiful.

Travel: Three Weeks to Go

This time in three weeks time, I will be aboard a plane headed for Singapore, for a three-hour layover. After that three hours it's back aboard and off to our main destination, Helsinki, Finland.

For anyone who has been following this Blog for some time, you will be aware that I am VERY late to the whole travelling abroad thing. I left Australia for the first time in 2013. 

Despite the fact that I've only left the country twice, and both flights were under 10 hours, I can safely say that I am a terrible traveler. I don't enjoy the actual travelling part in the slightest- planes are uncomfortable and other people are gross. So, seeing as I am now faced with two 20-hour plus layover flights, I figured it would be best to start taking matters into my own hands, and investing in some travel clothes.

Fashfest 2014: Designer Review – Perpetually Five

If there is one thing Canberra has come to expect from Fashfest Allumni Mitch Thompson and his label Perpetually Five, it is a bit of spectacle, and that is certainly what was delivered for the finale of Fashfest2014 Night Two – The Scientist.

Daily Outfit: Stripes on Stripes on Stripes

I’ve gone a little batty for stripes on stripes in this daily outfit.

In my humble opinion, patterns are really where you have a chance to show off and peacock a little when it comes to menswear, especially corporate menswear. It can feel like you are stuck in an endless cycle of following the heard when you’re a man in an office: Monday – Blue shirt, Tuesday – White shirt, Wednesday – Pink shirt. However, patterns help break out of the drollery and to set yourself apart.

Fashfest 2014: Designer Review - Mont

Reviewing a line of Adventure Wear/Equipment, from the lens of a luxury and menswear blogger, was always going to be problematic.

To be honest, it has been really difficult for me to review the collection presented by Mont at Fashfest 2014 objectively. In fact, with all my reviews I'm really asking two questions: Is it wearable, and would I wear it? As I am not a remotely active person, and the idea of going and climbing a mountain, sleeping in a tent, and most of all having to invest in special clothes so that I wont get frostbite and loose toes or worse; well, it just doesn’t appeal to me in the slightest.

I will, however, do my best to keep the bias of my own sedentary lifestyle out of this review.

Daily Outfit: A lack of fallout

I went to work today expecting all sorts of hysterical fallout after the Federal Budget was handed down last night. I'm a Public Servant, as I've mentioned before, and so the Budget has a more immediate effect upon my colleagues and myself than it does most Australians, especially when it comes to something like whether or not we're going to be paid or lose our jobs or be relocated to somewhere ghastly like Cairns.

The Hysteria, however, never came. Well, no one around me really freaked out or had a meltdown, which was massively underwhelming. I was actually really pleased overall with the budget personally; though I would have greatly enjoyed some office hysterics.

Fashfest 2014: Designer Review – Braddon Tailors

I am kicking off my in-depth reviews of the Fashfest 2014 menswear collections with Braddon Tailors, as this was the first Menswear collection shown.

The photos for this post were generously provided by the amazing Ash from Silque Photography and Design.

I really enjoyed meeting Pip and Tarun before Fashfest kicked off for the year, and learning about their business and what it offers Canberra was a highlight of the year so far for me. I was really excited to see what the boys had in store for their runway show.

Daily Outfit: Gameshow Host Vibes

I’m not really sure why, but I’m getting Gameshow Host vibes from today’s outfit.

Between the coral shirt and the patchwork necktie, I’m feeling like I could be hosting some sort of community access television game show. I'm not saying that this is a bad look, in fact, I sort of dig it. I'm just marveling at how different I can look from one day to the next, based solely on what I throw on my back.

Daily Outfit: A little bit country

This daily outfit that turned out to be a little bit Country was, originally, inspired by an outfit that Leandra Medine of the ManRepeller blog wore to fashion week somewhere.

Leandra’s outfit was very chic – pale double denim shirt and jeans with a beautiful navy blazer/trench and a navy leather clutch. I tried to replicate this outfit using pieces from my own wardrobe, but it wound up having a very Country-Western look by the time I was done with it.

Daily Outfit: Neckerchief love

I don't know what it is, but I am loving the neckerchief at the moment. 

It is not only stylish and really different to what 95% of other men in my office are wearing, but it is also delightfully comfortable and warm. I honestly can't see why I've only taken to wearing a neckerchief very recently. And now, I am thinking that I need to buy some more in different colours and patterns, so I can have more diversity in my accessories and pair them better with different shirts and daily outfits.

Daily Outfit: Table cloth or scarf?

Taking a break from the whole ‘Blue Goth’ look today and wearing this beautiful wool scarf/table cloth that I thrifted from Material Pleasures in Fyshwick. The scarf is 100% wool and has a gorgeous floral motif printed on in the Russian/Soviet style.

I say scarf/table cloth because I honestly don’t know which this is supposed to be. It is an odd choice of material for a table cloth, but at the same time it is huge and an awkward shape for a scarf.

Daily Outfit: Excuses and exaggerations

The best thing about maintaining this blog is that it is basically a semi-valid 'excuse' to spend a significant amount of my time playing dress-ups with my own clothes. I love having the challenge of making new combinations from my own clothes, especially now that I am moving towards a predominantly navy wardrobe. Today's outfit, for example, was really basic, but it was also really comfortable and warm.

Daily Outfit: Jogger Jeans

I bought these jeans off ASOS the second that I saw them, and was just lucky that they were on sale at the time. In fact, I bought two pairs.

I'd been obsessed with owning a pair of elasticised jeans, also called 'Jogger Jeans', since I first encountered the idea with a particularly sexed-up offering from D-Squared. I was probably lusting after these and planning to make my own for at least three years before I got my hands on a pair.

Slight problem, then, that my best friend Margaret absolutely hates them.

Daily Outfit: Fashfest Day Five at East Hotel

I threw this daily outfit on in a matter of seconds as I was running around the house like a complete maniac trying to get my shit together and get to Kingston for Fashfest Day Five. I slept in after staying up late the night before editing photos for my re-cap (and having had several champagnes the night before), so I was a bit of a mess. 

I didn't even look at what I was wearing until I got to East Hotel.

Fashfest 2014: Day Five at East Hotel

Today I headed to East Hotel in Kingston for Day Five of Fashfest 2014.

Day five, presented by Hustle&Scout, was a unique opportunity for people to meet with the designers who showed their work at Fashfest 2014, to get up close and personal with the huge array of amazing garments, and of course to shop the runway for anything that you saw and fell in love with.

Fashfest 2014: Night Four - The Visionary

It is hard to believe that Fashfest 2014 has drawn to a close.

Tonight was Night Four - The Visionary - and I have to say I can see why every designer who appeared tonight fit under this moniker. The atmosphere was positively thrumming at 3 Molonglo Drive, Brindabella Business Park at Canberra International Airport, and it was such a pleasure to be present to see-out the final night of Canberras most dynamic and exciting fashion event.

Fashfest 2014 Daily Outfit: Eye on Canberra

The final night of Fashfest 2014 called for something flamboyant and a little over the top. Logic would dictate that I should have worn my sequined hoodie on closing night, but knowing that I had this puppy chilling in the back of my wardrobe, I decided to go this the bird for the final night.

I purchased this top back in 2010 when I attended the (then) L'Oréal Melbourne Fashion Festival. I saw this jumper walk down the runway at the Alpha60 show and was instantly mesmerised, and I knew that I wouldn't be happy until I owned it.

I've worn it twice. It cost almost a quarter of what I was being paid a week back then, and I was so terrified that I would destroy it that it has sat in the back of my wardrobe, unworn. It seemed fitting to bring it out tonight.

Fashfest 2014: Night Three - The Philosopher

Night three of Fashfest 2014 - The Philosopher - was a real surprise for me. I went into the night thinking that there really wouldn't be much to interest me, and came away thoroughly surprised. Not only was there menswear that I wasn't expecting, but there was a huge diversity in the styles of the designers that made for a unique and engaging show.

Once again the Fashfest team went above and beyond, providing a world-class event that I know that they are proud of, and with good reason. Everything ran smoothly, everything looked amazing, and the atmosphere never dropped once. Thank you so much for all your amazing work.

Fashfest 2014: An open letter on Front Row Etiquette

Fashfest night three has drawn to a close, and instead of the exhilarating high and desire to relive the collections that nights one and two left me with; I find myself despondent, and frankly a little pissed.

Let me make this blatantly clear before I go on—this has nothing to do with the wonderful Fashfest team who have put their all into every night and element of the event and who have, for what it's worth, blown my mind.

No. The anger I am feeling tonight is directed firmly at my fellow audience members. Specifically, this is aimed at four men seated across the catwalk from me, who went ahead and ruined my perfect streak of meeting interesting, lovely people seated in the front row, with a catty and raucous attempt at living up to every 'bitchy-gay-fashion-guy' stereotype ever penned in the most basic of sitcoms.

Fashfest Daily Outfit: 50 Shades of Orange

Well, 5 shades of orange actually.

For the third night of Fashfest 2014, I decided to try out an all-orange outfit, just to see how it is received. I can't say that this is something that I would wear really, although recently I wore this outfit almost exactly, and received quite a bit of praise from my colleagues. I'm not convinced that this is a solid way to go for every-day wear, but it's fun to bust out on appropriate occasions. And if Fashfest isn't an appropriate occasion, then I don't know what is!

Fashfest 2014: Night Two – The Scientist

Night two of Fashfest 2014 is done and dusted, but what a fantastic night it was. The talent on display last night was mesmerizing, and the crowd could sense that they were in for a truly remarkable experience of what Canberra has to offer.

Once again the Fashfest team went above and beyond, providing a world-class event that I know that they are proud of, and with good reason. Everything ran smoothly, everything looked amazing, and the atmosphere never dropped once. Thank you so much for all your amazing work.

I was delighted to meet two local ladies, sitting beside me in the front row, who were there as a treat for themselves for the second year in a row. If you read this, thanks for your company and conversation, and it was lovely to meet you both.

Fashfest Daily Outfit: Tied up in silk

It is the second night of Fashfest 2014 tonight, and I am off to 3 Molonglo Drive, Brindabella Business Park in the Canberra International Airport precinct for another night of front-row coverage of Canberra's premier fashion event.

Fashfest 2014: Night One - The Artist

 The first night of Fashfest 2014 was a great night out, showcasing the talent that Canberra has to offer in an exciting venue, to a live music soundtrack, attended by those Canberrans with a love for fashion and design. The work on show was impressive, and the looks both on and off the catwalk were really inspiring.

The Fashfest team put on a really great evening, and I was so thrilled to attend amd see just what Canberra can do. I will admit that being a born and bred Canberra, I can be a little jaded about events that the ACT puts on. Any reservations I had about Fashfest were completely obliterated last night, and I had a fantastic time ctaching up with Bloggers, Designers and the Fashfest team.