Lack of Colour- The Spencer Boater

Lack of Colour - The Spencer Boater hat. Photo: My own instagram: @maddiejaydee

I've had my eye on a few hats from Lack of Colour for a little while now and I recently decided to just bite the bullet and purchase one for myself. I ended up choosing The Spencer Boater ($45.00 AUD) and I'm so glad I chose this one! This particular boater has an 8mm brim, so it's not too large and I don't look like I'm trying to accessorise for a trip to the outback (thankfully). 

The hat itself is made from natural straw and features a trimmed black bow to add a little detail into the mix. Even evident in pictures, the hat is very high-quality and definitely won't bend out of shape or ruin easily. In regards to sizing, I would definitely recommend properly measuring your head. I was feeling a little lazy and simply decided the safest bet would be to go with the middle size (you could choose either 56, 57 or 58) and I think it wouldn't have been a bad idea to go with the 56 instead. In saying that, the hat does fit me, it's just quite loose and would definitely fly off easy if things get a little windy. If you're thinking about picking up a hat from Lack of Colour for yourself, I would do it as soon as possible as they truly are fantastic (and limited edition unfortunately)!

Thank you for reading today's short post! 

Love, Maddie ♡♡♡

Little Black Dress

"One is never over-dressed or under-dressed with a Little Black Dress."

Above is the now famous quote by the eminent Karl Lagerfeld; a quote which has since defined the fashion industry. Luminaries such as the acclaimed Audrey Hepburn have donned their own LBDs', further highlighting the importance of a black staple piece in ones wardrobe. 

Until recently I had never found that predominant component of my own wardrobe; I had never had a love affair with a Little Black Dress of my own, there was no 'love at first sight' for me. Everything had either been too expensive or too low cut for my liking, or even the wrong material. I was always on the search though; often wishing I had a black dress to wear to various occasions - something that was easy to wear, yet made me feel incredible. 

It wasn't until I began to work at my current place of employment did I spot my LBD. And I can tell you; it really wasn't love at first sight, but it has since grown to have the highest rank in my wardrobe. I now (and for the past 3 months or so) work in a large well-known department store, which features various brands and labels in 'concession stores' (i.e. a company or label is showcased in a certain section or 'stall' within this larger department store). Zimmermann is one of these concession stalls, and has since become one of my favourite labels. 

A co-worker had actually tried on and purchased the 'Trinity Scallop Dress' by Zimmermann in white and it looked absolutely gorgeous against her tan skin. It took a bit of convincing from my co-workers for me to try the same dress on in black. I was slightly intimidated by the revealing cut-outs of the dress, but somehow ended up in a dressing room. Recently, I had purchased another pice by Zimmermann and was very wary of the price tags. Knowing the quality of the garments was exceptional and that I had the ability to lay-by the item I slipped into the dress - it wasn't perfect; but I saw it's potential. 

Details of the 'Trinity Scallop Dress' by Zimmermann

The black didn't wash out my pale skin, the cut-outs weren't promiscuous, the dress skimmed the top of my knees and the flirty halter neck styled back enhanced my shoulders. Unfortunately, the dress was slightly big around the back and gapped when tied up. After talking to the stylist we concluded that it could be pulled in slightly and with it pinned in place I knew I had to have it. With the dress placed on lay-by I knew it was the right decision; a busy holiday period meant I was continuing to save money and surely a Christmas and New Years treat wouldn't hurt right? 

After what felt like months, but was only a few weeks I had the dress off of lay-by, into my wardrobe and right back out again to the alterers. It took a few days but soon enough I had my very own LBD. I loved it; it fit me well, was flirty and girly without being too in your face and is something I could easily dress up or down. I have managed to wear the dress twice now; to an anniversary dinner with my partner and to New Years Eve celebrations. On both occasions I felt incredibly comfortable, covered, confident and beautiful. I wore the dress casually with Tony Bianco wedged heels and a colourful clutch, both of which could be switched out with black or nude accessories for a more elegant and formal look. 

♥ Photo Taken from my Instagram; @tayla_jw

I hope you're all doing well and have enjoyed a very safe and happy festive season. I just thought I'd share with you all my own LBD; do you have one?

Thanks for reading!
Love, Tayla xo

Barbie loves Wildfox

Because I'm super lazy when it comes to outfit of the day posts and am terrible at attempting to take photos in public, outfit shots are something that rarely make it onto the blog- though I do want to try and change that.  I recently picked up a piece from the Barbie Dreamhouse collection from Wildfox and thought I might share it with you today- my attempt at a sort-of-outfit post I suppose! 

   ♥ Just being a bit silly- photo taken from my instagram @maddiejaydee 

♥

When I first saw the promotional images for the collection it was difficult to determine which piece I wanted to buy- the pastel pinks, lilacs and mint green are right up my street and would fit nicely in my wardrobe. Eventually I decided to pick up the My Resume Hippie Crewneck Tee from Princess Polly (an Australian clothing store and official stockist of Wildfox) because whilst it was a little plain, it means I can wear it with nearly anything. 

The shirt itself is typical Wildfox 100% cotton (soft as can be) and has slight distressing to give it a real 'vintage' feel. It also happens to be scented! Yeah, you heard me- this piece smells like a candy store and it is really delightful! On this particular day I wore the tee with my American Apparel high-waist denim shorts but I'm sure it would look just as cute with a black tennis skirt or simply some jeans of any colour. 

I guess that's it for today- just a short post sharing this adorable purchase. Did you like the Barbie Dreamhouse collection? What was your favourite piece? 

Thank you for reading, love Maddie xo

Wearing what you want

Over the years I've gone through my fair share of 'phases' with fashion and it's equally as amusing as it is horrifying looking back at photos of myself from about five years old to just recently at fifteen or sixteen and thinking 'why on earth did I wear that?'. It's a question I will no doubt be asking myself in the years to come, looking at various photos and memorabilia from now and the years to follow. I consider myself very lucky with the way in which I was able to present myself and my 'fashion sense' (or lack thereof) throughout my life so far, and despite thinking about how weird some of the outfits I've seemingly thrown together in the past are, one thing I have noticed is that I am always wearing what I want, within reason of course. 

Photo taken from my Instagram- @maddiejaydee

As a person that's always worn things I personally like, I never really considered the way in which many people don't actually get to wear what they like simply because they're shy or embarrassed or scared of what others might think. It breaks my heart knowing that when I see a flouncy floral dress I will happily throw it on without a second thought when someone who loves that very same dress won't wear it because it's slightly out of their 'norm', or is worried about they way in which it will be perceived by the people they know- that being their parents, peers, friends, etc. 

Obviously, I have no control over your life or the way in which you choose to present yourself (and no one should be telling you how to dress anyway) but I really want to tell people to wear whatever the hell they feel like wearing, with the exception of particular events such as funerals, weddings, visiting various religious sites, etc. You want to wear that black bra under that sheer top that will more than likely cause old men to glower despite the fact that they have no say in they way you dress? DO IT! You want to wear that beautiful pink dress despite constantly being stereotyped as a 'tomboy'? DO IT! You want to wear teeny tiny booty shorts and an adorable little crop top? DO IT! 

Basically all I'm trying to say is that no matter how scared you may be by people and their ridiculous attitude to the way other people dress, you should wear whatever you want regardless of their reactions. Sure, it may take you months of prancing around in the mirror at home before you actually decide to wear an outfit out, but I can assure you- wearing what you want is very freeing and incredibly satisfying. Gaining confidence to wear what you want will take time but be patient with yourself and one day you will be able to look back and think about how happy you were wearing that outfit (no matter how horrid you think it may be now) or how proud of yourself you are for eventually stepping out of your comfort zone (not that comfort zones are a bad thing, but stepping outside of a comfort zone you've drawn for yourself because of other people's reaction to something as simple as the fabric everyone wears to cover up our bits and pieces really couldn't be a bad thing). 

Of course you may run into horrible people that will mutter various 'degrading' complaints at you, but you can take that all in your stride. Wearing a sheer top with a visible bra underneath is not slutty or disgusting or offensive (what kind of an insult is 'slutty' anyway? Stay away from anyone who participates in 'slut'-shaming, we should all be free to sexually express ourselves), there is absolutely nothing wrong with wearing teeny tiny hot pants and a crop top, there is definitely nothing wrong with wearing a dress on those days when you just want to feel pretty, there is nothing wrong with dressing in a way that 'does not suit' your body type (people's opinion on what suits different body types annoy me to no end) and there is never anything wrong with dressing in a way that is not considered 'normal' for your gender- who cares about gender norms nowadays anyway? 

I doubt this will be all that helpful and I'm sure there are many posts similar to this floating around the internet, but I wanted to express my feelings on the subject of 'fashion policing' and hopefully I've gotten my message across! 

Thank you for reading, love from Maddie xo

p.s, Sorry for the lack of posts recently, Tayla has been incredibly busy and I've been incredibly lazy and uninspired!

Goggles.

I have glasses and I hate them. I got my first pair of specs or "goggles" as I call them when I was in grade 6. For seven years I have struggled with my need for vision and my hatred for glasses. 

Lots of people ask, "why do you hate glasses?" and the plain and simple the truth is that I'm lazy. I hate carrying them around in my bag and I hate cleaning them and having to put them on.

When my eye sight started getting a little fuzzy around the edges all those years ago, I was provided with these absolutely horrendous blue wiry frames with lenses that enabled me to read properly. Now, I was a pretty athletic kid when I got them (what the hell happened there!?) and I despised wearing them... eventually mum got tired of battering me about them until I started getting some pretty intense headaches whenever I was't wearing them whilst reading. 

When we first moved to Mackay I again, was fitted for a new pair of frames and prescription lenses: pretty standard as over time your face shape changes and so does the prescription your eyes need. I actually loved these frames; they were a slim, slick purple plastic with blue and green detailing on the sides. They really suited my face shape and made me appear quite 'grown-up'. Quite sooner than expected this prescription wasn't quite working for me so back to the optometrist I went. 

My next pair of glasses were what I thought were the coolest most rad and hip pair of frames that were ever made. Looking back I really regret my decision to purchase bright purple ray-bans. Mum tried to talk me out of them and I wish I listened... they did not suit my face shape nor were they comfortable. The lenses in these frames were called "access" lenses. I'd have preferred to keep my original slim purple frames but unfortunately, I need to have a bigger frame to accommodate for the access lenses. Basically it meant there was a different prescription up the top of the glasses than to the bottom; which meant the upper lense made it clear to view boards at school whereas the lower lense made it easier for reading. Funnily enough these are the type of glasses that old people wear; yup, 15 year old Tayla was wearing old people lenses. The school I went to was full of "can I try them on?" type of kids and another fault in my purple spectacles was that so many people tried them on till eventually they didn't fit my face properly. Not to names names but one kid I remember had quite a large head in comparison to mine and he constantly badgered me so he could wear them: NOT cool. 

When I moved to Brisbane and my eyes started getting fuzzy, strained and tired even when I was wearing my glasses we knew it was time for a new prescription. We went to a new optometrist and he was excellent at explaining what was going on with my eyes. He explained I have a stigmatism which means my eyes aren't the usual shape, and that I was both long sighted and short sighted. Lots of people are, but it's hard to create the 'perfect' prescription to cater for both. The reason I had access lenses beforehand was to cater for this issue but I really didn't enjoy the 'gradient' effect of the prescription so we decided to stick to a distance lense that would help me in classes and on the computer. I got them fitted to a brand new frame and this time I listened to mum and went with a smaller, square framed tortoise shell print ray-ban. I loved these glasses and they were great for about 12 months until I started uni and my eyesight deteriorated again. 

So this year I started uni and was wearing my glasses a lot more than I was used to. I started getting headaches and strained eyes as soon as I tried to read something with my glasses on and after a few weeks of nothing improving we headed back to the optometrist. Again, he explained what was going on with my eyes and they were basically deteriorating as all peoples eyesight does. We discussed my options in length and I was provided with the opportunity to again, have the access lenses and give them another go or to have two pairs of glasses: one for reading and the computer and one pair for driving and lecture theatres. Due to the headaches I got previously from my access frames me and mum decided we'd try having two pairs. I am sticking with my beloved tortoise shell ray-bans and they have been fitted with new lenses for distance; these are the pair I will be wearing most often whilst I'm driving and at uni. The second pair, a new pair that are black and slightly rounder than my ray-bans are my reading glasses. I am surprisingly happy with how they look on me and am absolutely amazed at the sharpness of words and peoples faces when I put them on. In order to counteract the fast deterioration of my eyesight I am going to do my best to wear my glasses more often; no more being lazy, no more whinging... I only have one pair of eyes after all! So there we have it; my new glasses and my spectacle history. 

Do any of you guys wear glasses or have the same laziness issues as I do? What do you think of my new spectacles?

Hope everything is going well!

Love from Tayla xx

Hat Days.

Accessories... some girls love them, some girls hate them. I'd say I sit right on the fence; I hate overcomplicated necklaces or bracelets and usually pick up my simple rings, stud earrings, maybe a necklace if I'm feeling fancy. But the one item I do reach for quite often? A hat. 

Top: Black Zimmermann ribbed t-shirt. Hat: Mushroom coloured hate from Sportsgirl. 

Not only are hats super good for your skin and health by providing the sensitive skin on your face with vital shade against those pesky UV rays, but a hat looks super cute and is a perfect tool to hide a bad hair day. Got a little bit of grease lighting going on? No problem: hat it. Got that sprinkle of winter snow making an appearance? BAM: hat it. Got some wonky cow-lick thing going on that no matter how much your straighten it, it just will not sit flat? No problem mate: hat it. 

I own quite a number of hats, majority are black felt and I think they are the perfect accessory to make a plain and simple outfit into something with a bit more statement. This mushroom toned hat featured in the photos has an extremely wide brim which makes it perfect for sunny days; as a pale person I do not enjoy my face getting a little too toasty. I think this kind of warm grey really lightens up my face and make my appearance quite feminine and girly (unfortunately this exact colour is no long available online, I managed to find mine in store a few weeks ago. The black version of this hat can be found here).

I think hats suit everyone of any style, with any face shape and with any hair colour: it's all about finding what hats work for you. I started out with a cute black bowler hat, progressed to the ever popular floppy brimmed hat, then a more structured felt hat (featured in my Splendour photos) and finally to this one. I think my favourite hat is this one, although I do find the others more wearable as black goes with more of my clothes.

Hats are super cute, great sun protection, an easy way to jazz up an outfit and are the perfect tool to hide disastrous hair. What do you guys think? Hats- love them or hate them?

Hope you're all going well!
Love from Tayla xx

Recent Etsy finds

Hello hello everyone! Today I wanted to show you all some of the sweetest bits and pieces I've found on Etsy recently.

I'm sure you all know by now that I'm a huge Sailor Moon fan so when I stumbled upon some of Laura Goodings art on Instagram, I fell in love instantly and went straight onto her Etsy store. Her store, Mikomi Art and Accessories, is full to the brim with all the goodies an anime/disney/comic book lover could ever want! After a long look at all the choices on Laura's store, I decided to go with the Mini Sailor Moon sticker pack ($5.47 AUD) and a Sailor Moon brooch ($8.75 AUD). These arrived within the three business day shipping expectancy and there was no problem with payment, delivery or with the products themselves! The stickers really aren't that mini, I guess I would call them a regular sticker size but they're perfect for decorating all your bits and bobs- though I am having trouble choosing where to put them... I might have to buy some more so I always have some. My personal favorites are Sailor Uranus (Haruka Tenoh) because she's my favorite Sailor Scout and Sailor Venus (Minako Aino) because she looks like a cuter version of Barbie. The brooch was a lot smaller than I expected but really is amazing quality. The smaller size is very convenient because I am able to wear it much more often than I expected to.

This next item was actually very, very kindly and unexpectedly gifted to me by one of my amazing penpals, Jenny and I just had to share it with you all because all of her items are adorable! Jenny's Etsy store, Circus Crochet, features a range of cute animals and items that would serve as the perfect gift or treat for yourself or someone special. I'm so in love with the Amigurumi Unicorn (pictured below) she gifted me and it sits happily among my manga in one of my cabinets.

I also picked up another brooch- I have a thing for brooches at the moment, from Sconnie and Jam. This is a wood laser cut deer cameo brooch ($20 AUD) and it's just the cutest thing I laid my eyes on. I actually picked this one up at some night markets I attended a few weeks ago and I wanted to feature it on the blog because the quality of this is amazing! Sconnie and Jam have a large range of hand made jewellery, art and homewares and I definitely want to buy some more pieces from their Etsy store soon!

Last but certainly not least, it this adorable Deer printed Tote bag from Alicenightingale, a store I have wanted to buy from for a long time. I also managed to pick this up from the night markets and it is unfortunately not available on her Etsy store right now, but she has some really amazing clothes you can have a peek at instead. I've personally plan on saving up for the original print Fox Dress though I think it may wash me out a little too much. All Alicenightingale items are handmade in Australia and are really amazing quality. 

What are your favorite Etsy stores? 

Thank you for reading, Love from Maddie xo

Black is Best

Black lipstick was something I always dreamed of wearing. I desperately sought out a deep black that didn't wash me out, make me look scary or "witchy" and was easy to apply and wear. When the latest Lime Crime Velvetines were released, I purchased all the new colours as a gift for Maddie; I knew we'd both want to try them and we'd wear them often.

I first tried out Salem (the browny/red) and Wicked (the bold, deep red); I liked them both but I just couldn't pull of Black Velvet. In some lights it has a slightly greenish tinge and it emphasised the yellow tones in my teeth and I did not find it at all flattering. Other times when I tried it out it contrasted way too much with my pale skin and made me look sickly and unwell and downright scary. 

My friend Bec recently tagged me in a picture on Instagram of someone wearing the lipstick, and it really inspired me to give it another shot. I made sure I had all my makeup done before applying the lipstick, and ensured it was dark enough (I used a fair bit of bronzer) in order to make sure the black lips didn't wash me out. I wore really simple makeup, so the lips were the focal point of my face- a small amount of foundation, blush, highlighter, eyeliner and mascara. When I was first applying the lipstick, it did start to look a little greenish, so I just waited for a coat to dry and then kept applying over the top in order to get a deep, dark black. It was pretty successful, I ended up using 2 coats of the lipstick over my entire lips and a third coat over the centre of my lips for extra coverage. I used a cotton bud (Q-tip), to clean up the edges and corners of my mouth and was actually pretty happy with the results.

I honestly think having my hair straightened really helped; I'd tried it with curly hair before and it emphasised the "witchiness"of the look, which I was trying to avoid. Straightening it avoided frizziness and I think it really works with the dark look I was trying to achieve.

A lot of people were asking me on my Instagram (you can find that here.) where the top I was wearing was from so I thought I'd answer that here. The mesh turtleneck long sleeved crop top is from Australian brand House of Cards, a brand I simply adore and own quite a few pieces from. Underneath that I was wearing a bralette from Sass and Bide; I am 100% completely addicted to bralettes, especially my Sass and Bide ones... I am fortunate enough to own quite a number; as someone lacking in the chest department they are simply so comfortable and easy to wear underneath t-shirts and shirts like this one.

This entire outfit and my makeup made me feel incredibly confident and badass. I'd definitely wear this out dancing with friends or to a concert. It's got quite a gothic feel to it, and although I didn't intend on it being 'witchy' you could definitely argue that it is. Personally I was going for more of a chic black focused look and I think I am on the right track to achieve that. I think it would look a little more glamorous with a little black dress and simple shoes but I was going for something a bit more casual. Overall I really liked how this look and lipstick turned out and it's definitely something I'm going to be wearing more often. Hopefully some of you try it out; let me know how it goes!

Hope you're all well, love from Tayla. xx

The Mimco clutch

Never in a million years did I ever think I would be buying a bedazzled crystal embellished clutch from Mimco. I've never really been particularly fond of their designs or ranges before, but that all changed when my eyes spotted their current range that's in stores now.

I'm not really a clutch person but I need something to take out with me that is big enough to hold the necessities (lipstick, phone, money, I-D, etc.) but is small enough that I can keep a hold of it all night without things getting annoying. The plain Lovely pouches are what actually caught my eye, especially the one in Blossom Pink, but then the sparkle and shine of this clutch caught my eye. It's called the Sporto Small Pouch (AUD $99.95) and it is simply gorgeous. This is a satin pouch that is embellished with crystals, beads and rose gold hardware. What attracted me to this clutch in particular was the plain backside, giving the clutch more use than just an evening wear clutch. I will just simply flip the clutch over and I have a beautiful pink satin clutch. This clutch is the same size as the medium Lovely pouches so I can fit the contents of any normal bag inside. The only worry I have with this clutch is the satin getting stained or if the crystals and hardware gets caught on something and get pulled off. 

Do you like Mimco designs? What's your favourite? I'm thinking of saving up some money for one of their Secret Couch bags in the same Blossom Pink colour!

Thank you for reading!

Love from Maddie xoxo