prairie girl musings

Category: Fashion

A Day at the Market

Lyttelton is a port side town at the north-western end of Banks Peninsula. Only 15 minutes (by car) from Christchurch, it’s the perfect spot for a day trip. Every Saturday, the historic town plays host to a farmers market attracting various local vendors, musicians and entertainers. Offering resplendent views of the Lyttelton Harbour, London Street is also dotted with quaint storefronts and gorgeous cafés.

After settling in for a warm beverage at Lyttelton Coffee Co., my friend Lieselot and I leisurely strolled through the market and nearby shops, sampling breads, cheeses, and olives. The non-profit market is run entirely by hardworking volunteers and the market focuses on community and local trading.

Photos are by Lieselot. Liese is a talented blogger, photographer and filmmaker. If you haven’t discovered her blog, The World is a Circus, make sure you take a look!

July 24, 2016
7 Things I Learnt at MBFWA
I caught the tail end of MBFWA (I’m too lazy to type out the whole name…) and MBFWE (Weekend Edition). For me, fashion weeks are a time to gain insight into the industry and take notes from top bloggers and creatives. And so, I thought I would share some of the things I’ve learnt in Sydney this week(end).
1. Be nice. Australians are a friendly bunch and it’s refreshing to see photographers and media helping each other out rather than being overly competitive with one another. That said, the media riser can be chaotic.
2. Successful blogging, vlogging, YouTubing, etc. is hard work and it can take years of consistent, quality content to gain a real following.
3. On that note, consistency is key. If you follow me on any social media, you’ll know I struggle with this one. Food, fashion, landscape, I want to do it all.
4. Collaborate often with creatives you admire. It’s a fun way to create new content and support one another. Everybody wins.
5. Fashion week can be accessible and authentic. I like that Sydney included a fashion weekend as part of their event. Fashion weeks, by definition, are pretty exclusive, but there’s no reason why we can’t all get involved and appreciate the creativity that’s poured into each event.
6. Rather than trying to attend every single show, reach out to designers you admire and get tickets to their shows. Often times, these are off-site and much smaller.
7. Be confident. It’s natural to feel a little insecure when you’re surrounded by gorgeous models and journalists from The New York Times and Vogue Australia, but remember you’re here for a reason. Enjoy yourself and make real connections.
That’s all for today, folks. Next up, I’ll be sharing my favourite trends from the runways to the streets.
May 21, 2016
See you in Sydney

This week is Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in Sydney, one of the most magical fashion events in the Southern Hemisphere. While I can’t sneak away to Oz until Friday, they’ve extended the event to include weekend shows, talks and events. Pretty cool, right? My friend Robyn of Anywhere I Roam arrived in Sydney yesterday and will be taking photos all week. Follow her on Instagram if you’re interested in seeing what the week has in store!

I’ll be joining Robyn on Friday, Saturday and Sunday for a few runway shows, but I’m also ridiculously excited about the Blogger High Tea. Tiny sandwiches in a beautiful setting? Sign me up!

From stalking Bella Hadid (just kidding…) to trying to fit in visits to all my favourite Sydney spots, follow me on Snapchat to see what I get up to! I’m currently in the midst of a packing frenzy and looking forward to wearing a few of my favourite Australian and New Zealand brands.

See you soon, Sydney!

May 15, 2016
Beyond the Rubble

In Toronto, I was all about finding interesting walls, often returning to Graffiti Alley for inspiration. Street art in Christchurch has become somewhat of a symbol and has come to represent the city in more ways than anyone could’ve ever imagined. Constantly changing, I’m delighted whenever a new piece or installation crops up. As an integral part of the rebuild, local and international artists have been commissioned by the city to create works to beautify the rubble and bring people back to the central city.

When I first came across this pink and orange spray painted wall, I knew I’d have to return for a wee outfit shoot. Spanning an entire parking lot on Manchester Street, I’m drawn to this wall primarily because it features my childhood favourite colours and I love how multi-tonal it is.

If these walls could talk…

May 6, 2016
What I’ll Be Wearing This Winter

Whether we want to admit it or not, winter is on its way here in Christchurch. And while I’m looking forward to hitting the slopes at Mt. Hutt, I’m even more excited to bundle up and actually wear 90% of my wardrobe. I love summer with all my heart, but appreciate the sartorial styles that emerge in colder climates. And so, I thought I’d share some of the AW ’16 trends I’m most fond of.

Burgundy
At Zambesi, we saw a lot of burgundy; burgundy with black, burgundy with grey and head-to-toe burgundy. This colour is so reminiscent of autumn and the changing of leaves. I love how it simultaneously looks macabre and sophisticated.

Calf-length cardigans and white denim
Huffer epitomises street style, and I love how their collection seamlessly transitions from the city to the slopes. I can’t wait to layer calf-length cardigans over silk tops and white denim. Is it just me or is white denim even better in winter?

Leather
I try to get away with leather year-round, but especially in the winter. I’ve invested in a quality leather jacket, but I’m also a fan of this leather dress by Kate Sylvester. I love the way Kate paired it with a turtleneck for a more office-appropriate ensemble.

Pastels
As much as I love black, I am equally obsessed with light pink and lavender. You’ll notice it creeping into my wardrobe throughout the year, but especially in the winter when I live in my favourite pastel pink peacoat.

Neck ties
Neck ties (pictured above and below) have been around for awhile, but what better time to don one than during the cooler months? I love the variations seen in Carlson’s runway show at iD Fashion Week.

Many thanks to my friend, Robyn Wilson of Anywhere I Roam Photography for these runway images. While my photographs suffice for Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat, I’m very grateful for her professional skills!

April 4, 2016
Kate Sylvester On Finding Inspiration

Photo: Luke Foley-Martin

Where do fashion designers find inspiration and who do they credit with their creativity?

Kate Sylvester shares the artwork that influenced her past and present collections and her ongoing love affair with lingerie.

You’ve surely seen Kate’s newest collection, A Muse, inspired by Picasso’s genius, his paintings and his muses who created the evolution of his work. Kate feels indebted to the huge treasure trove that is art, continually celebrating her heroes. “We all have to wear clothes and isn’t it ice to know you’re wearing a small piece of Picasso?” says Kate.

According to Kate, her very first lingerie collection, Vanessa Beecroft’s nude works was “a complete and utter failure,” but taught her tough commercial lessons that she still calls upon today. “First and foremost, we need to be commercial and on-trend,” she urges, a prevailing lesson throughout fashion week.

While many designers create youthful garments that don’t suit women of all ages, shapes and sizes, Kate makes clothes for living in. “I create clothes for myself, for my friends.” This wearability factor is present in every collection, no matter how quirky or elegant the final product. Kate manages to seamlessly draw from history’s great artists and photographers to create pieces that transcend time and appeal to consumers of all ages.

Here are some behind-the-scenes photos of Kate’s F/W Collection. How stunning is the lace Pola dress?

Photo: Gabrielle Devereux

Photo: Luke Foley-Martin

Photo: Luke Foley-Martin

March 31, 2016
Tuesday Tunics

I’ve always admired New Zealand designers for their focus on creating quality fabrics and wearable garments. I admire the ethical means and methods by which they produce their clothing. Many Kiwi designers still make their own fabrics and garments in-house. Others work closely with factories and mills overseas. Speaking to a handful of the country’s most respected designers, I learned about the whole creative process and what goes into making a collection.

I’m a big fan of wearing the same pieces over and over again, giving them new meaning with each wear. Timeless staples will always have a place in my wardrobe and I’m drawn to pieces that are well-made. My ankle boots have been worn to dinner dates, weddings, job interviews and now, fashion week. I’ll wear them out, probably re-sole them, and continue wearing them.

Also, my eyes are partially closed in this photo, but I love the staircase too much to care!

All photos by Luke Foley-Martin.

Vintage coat by Zambesi
Veer tunic by Moochi
Handbag by Deadly Ponies via Belle Bird Boutique

March 30, 2016
A Q&A with Emilia Wickstead

Photo by Chris Sullivan

One of the highlights of iD Fashion Week was sitting in on a Q&A with Emilia Wickstead. As charming as she is talented, Emilia has dressed everyone from Kate Middleton to Gwyneth Paltrow, and counts Alexa Chung as a dear friend. Born in Auckland, Wickstead moved to Milan at the age of fourteen and began interning at sixteen. The London-based designer shares what it takes to make it in the fashion industry and why she once pretended to be her own assistant.

“Selling clothes is just as important as being creative and living in your fantasy world,” Emilia shares. Her mother advised her to study both fashion and marketing in order to learn the business side of things. And that’s what Wickstead did, enrolling in a highly competitive program at prestigious Central Saint Martins.

For those interested in gaining experience in the fashion industry, she suggests interning. “Internships are where you learn street skills and how to be in a work environment.”

She also stresses the importance of feigning confidence at the beginning. When she first started out at 23, she called British Vogue. “I literally picked up the phone, called British Vogue and pretended I was my own assistant called Leila. I said ‘Have you heard of the designer Emilia Wickstead? I would really like to show you her collection online’.” She was speaking to fashion features editor Sarah Harris, (who’s now a good friend) and as a result, got a half-page feature in the magazine.

While the company enlisted in the help of a PR team a year ago, Emilia still runs her own Instagram account. “We have no digital strategy at present, but I love interacting directly with my customers.” She says Instagram is her favourite place to get inspired.

At iD, Emilia sat on the panel of judges for the Emerging Designers competition. She also showed her on spring/summer 2016 collection, her favourite to date.

Photo by Chris Sullivan

Photo by Luke Foley-Martin

March 26, 2016
Crème de la crème

How about a bit of real talk to kick off today’s blog post? If you’re wondering why my background is beginning to feel a bit repetitive, I’ll let you in on a little secret: I’ve been using this sensor feature on my camera where I wave (quite aggressively) in order to take a photo. It doesn’t catch my wave unless I’m up close, so I’ll run up to the camera, wave, and run back. It’s a pretty good workout. It’s a fun activity that doesn’t require my lovely #instagramboyfriend or photographer friends to take my outfit photos. Fellow bloggers, let me know if you have a similar strategy.

I purchased this beige Bassike sweater tunic when I was last in Auckland. It was 50% off at Black Box Boutique in Grey Lynn, and I thought it might be fun to style two different ways. If you’re like me, you can never have too many neutrals in your wardrobe and sleeveless sweaters work perfectly on breezy days.

First off, I paired the tunic with my boyfriend jeans. These jeans have seen me through some dark times, and they are comfier than sweatpants. Yes, that’s right, comfier. They are super loose in the legs and waist.

Boyfriend jeans: Madewell
Shoes: Mi Piaci

Shorts: Huffer
Sandals: Miss Wilson by Kathryn Wilson

Stay tuned for my Dunedin City Guide – it’s coming up next!

March 21, 2016
Instagram Takeovers and Other News

I’ve been fortunate to attend various fashion weeks over the past four years, and it’s fascinating to observe each city’s unique approach.

iD Fashion Week has been well planned, educational and interesting. I’m here for the whole week, collaborating with iD, other bloggers and photographers. I’ve also sat in on a several talks and presentations. I’m particularly fond of the venues iD has chosen for each of its events. The Dunedin Art Gallery has been host to designer talks and shows have been held at the Dunedin Town Hall and the Dunedin Railway Station. While this blog isn’t solely dedicated to fashion (obviously), I’ve learnt a great deal about New Zealand and international fashion and building a brand.

I am currently hosting an #InstagramTakeover with photographer, Luke Foley-Martin over on iD’s account. It goes without saying that Luke’s an incredibly talented photographer and all-around cool guy. We had so much fun working together, so I thought I’d share some of his photographs. This series was taken at the Emerging Designers Judging Panel and at the Ziera Global Launch.

All photographs by Luke Foley-Martin.

March 17, 2016