Daily Outfit: Monday Lobsters

It is always good to kick the week off wearing something that you love.

Today I had the two-fold joy of wearing one of my coveted lobster neckties in a daily outfit that I'm actually really thrilled with. It wasn't even something that I consciously planned, outside of that I would wear these clothes together today, it just happened to be a look that I feel really worked well together and looks pretty great on me.

Getting to wear one of my lobster neckties was an added bonus.

Daily Outfit: Dressed But Not Impressive

I am counting my lucky stars that I wore this outfit today, as I had a surprise meeting concerning a job that I had applied for, and it could have been significantly uncomfortable had I been wearing some of my less-corporate clothing.

Daily Outfit: Professor Salmon

It was probably a little ambitious, in hindsight, to try and ease myself into wearing the very collegiate/preppy material, tweed; while simmultaneously trying to get my money's worth from a shirt I hate.

All I got all day were Professor Salmon vibes.

Daily Outfit: Rococo Underpass

I've been wearing my chinos to work a lot lately, and to be perfectly honest with you, it's got me missing my jeans.

I decided to bust out one of my least-often worn pairs of jeans today, and to pair it with a bit more of a luxe/dressed-up look on top. I love a good juxtaposition, and I'll happily make jeans the basis of just about any outfit. The shirt and necktie are both completely over-the-top patterns, and the double-breasted blazer adds a certain level of the dramatic to the look. 

Daily Outfit: Bright Taupe

I'm starting to realise just how much adding a garment in a colour other than blue really livens up some of my daily outfits.

Case in point, these taupe chinos. I mean, taupe is hardly a bright colour now is it? It's pretty staid and boring really, and yet when 90% of your wardrobe is the one colour, adding a piece to an outfit in a different colour really elevates the whole outfit.

Daily Outfit: It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane...

It’s Superman!

On my necktie and my sneakers, that is. I decided to get a little matchy-matchy with my Friday Daily Outfit, so I’m wearing the two accessories that I own which feature the Superhero I have had a crush on since I was a kid.

Luxury: Braddon Tailors Trunk Show

On Thursday evening past I headed to the Braddon Tailors' studio in Canberra's CBD for their new-season Trunk Show, held in conjunction with Henry Carter neckwear and accessories.

Daily Outfit: Sweats at Work

Today I am headed down to my parent's farm on the far-south coast for their annual Finnish Independence Day celebration; so I wanted a daily outfit that translated well into three hours in the car.

For transparency, I feel like I must say that I wasn't brave enough to wear the track pants to work in the end, even on 'Casual Friday', so I wound up changing them out for a pair of dark jeans.

Luxury: Braddon Tailors Trunk Show this Thursday

This is something of a public service announcement for any men or women in Canberra looking to get their hands on the best bespoke suits, ties and accessories that Canberra has to offer.

This Thursday 24 July, two Canberra companies are joining forces to showcase their impressive wears for men who appreciate the finer-side of mens fashion and who understand that first impressions really do last.

I will be joining Pip Morgan and Tarun Charker of Braddon Tailors, along with Jason Sergott of Henry Cater, and more than 50 Canberran gentlemen; and heading to the studio of Braddon Tailors for a unique trunk show of some of the best men’s winter fashion available in the nation’s capital.

Daily Outfit: Orange Knits

A pop of bright orange against a sea of dark navy is clearly a winning combination in my book.

Daily Outfit: Dressing for War

Today’s daily outfit was an exercise in dressing for war.

Now, I don’t mean to trivialise war or what our service men and women do; I am talking about the sort of personal battles that we each face on a daily basis. Right now my work situation is a bit fraught, and I was feeling like today I might be in something of a firing line. So, being a big believer in dressing to how you feel; today meant dressing for war by armouring myself.

Luxury: Braddon Tailors

It is no secret that from the first time that I heard about Braddon Tailors, I have been something of a fan.

It should be no surprise then that I jumped at a recent opportunity to visit the Braddon Tailor's studio in the heart of Canberra's CBD, to check out their new range of neckwear and accessories.

Daily Outfit: Ranua Zoo

Today's daily outfit photos were taken at Ranua Zoo, a short drive south of Rovaniemi. 

I can honestly say that I had been looking forward to this since we started planning our trip to Finland and a random Google search turned it up as something to do in the area. Ranua is unlike any other zoo I have ever seen in my life, almost seamlessly integrated into the forest around it, with huge enclosures and some of the animals just roaming around free!

I got to see a Red Squirrel in the wild at the zoo, so that was pretty cool and special; plus there were Polar Bears, Brown Bears, Grey Wolves and loads more.

Daily Outfit: Sporting Style

Today I'm getting about in a sporting style by wearing one of my favourite neckties ever.

The thing about this particular necktie is that it is pretty beaten-up. I bought it at least second hand from Etsy, and it is a pure navy silk fabric with a woven gridiron player motif. It has worn through to a really sad threadbare state in several places, and you can see the padding on the inside of the tie. 

To me, however, that's a part of the charm of the piece.

Daily Outfit: Red Lobster

For me, lobsters are synonyms with luxury.

Growing up in the late 80s-early 90s, TV shows and movies, as well as magazines like Vogue Living represented lobster as the food of the rich and famous. In my forming mind, the links to luxury and high society were cemented during these formative years, meaning that by the time I became a young adult, lobster seemed to be some sort of ambrosia that meant you had made it.

If you could afford a lobster dinner, you were someone.

Daily Outfit: Countdown Mode

I'm officially in Countdown Mode for my trip to Finland, Estonia and Sweden in under a week's time, and so the outfits that I have put together for this week are, for the most part, very much focused on clothes that I will not be taking to overseas with me.

I guess it was sort of like setting myself a challenge, to see what outfits I could piece together after I'd taken my favourite/most comfortable bits and pieces out for the trip.

I'll leave rating the outfits to you, however.

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.

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.