Covergirl Kara in a warm white jacket and fur hat.
Winter 2009
- A Word from the Editor. Dawson Ko.
- The 3 Budget Commandments for Winter 2009. Stephanie Lau.
- The 'R' Word. Erin Lam.
- Winter Wonderland? Kara.
- Wonderful Winter Wardrobe 2009. Tina Nguyen.
- Fashionable Winter Days Gallery.
- Homebrew: Local Fashion for the Guys. Melinda Seeto.
- Winter Headjob: A Real Man's Guide to Fronting the Freeze Head First. Mike Huynh.
- School Uniforms. An Exposé. (part 2). Dawson Ko.
- End Credits.
The 3 Budget Commandments for Winter 2009
Stephanie's favourites from her personal DIY treasure chest
Kick starting this season's theme of practicality, Stephanie Lau will share with you her three budget commandments.
1. Invest in a good coat
'Good' is defined in the eye of the beholder. In my opinion (and I think a lot of budget- savvy fashion goers out there), 'good' does not have to equate to heart- wrenching price tags or threatening phone calls from your credit provider. You can still be cosy and charming through the winter chill minus the burning bank balance.
Know your body and devote your dreary winter days to a coat that will be flattering. There is really no point putting on a brave face if you don't feel your best wearing an animal trench on the day when PETA reps coincidentally decide to host a rather intense rally in your neighbourhood- people can tell when you are furtively cursing inside your head and/or under your breath. Opt for something warm to touch and versatile enough to match your shifting outfits. Black, brown and grey are the traditional hues for winter coats, but if you want to show a little attitude, don't be scared to pick up some dazzling colours such as tomato red, or even hook yourself up with some classic hounds tooth prints and faux fur collars.
2. Dresses can work both ways, rain or shine
Before you shift your entire wardrobe to frumpy sweaters and mohair galore, you may want to truly consider whether your summer/spring dress collection really does deserve the three-month damnation during the winter chill. You can always tailor your outfit to bring out the adaptability of your dresses, whether it be a floral chiffon tunic or a brightly coloured shift. Team them with a skin- tight skivvy and patterned opaques or skinny jeans, and you have reinvented a deceivingly limited item of clothing. A funky belt, a pair of leather gloves or a statement necklace are also budget ways to complement this look.
PS Find yourself having to eat more mi goreng than fillet mignon in the light of the current economic situation? Never rule out going to the weekend markets or your local St. Vinnies to find more than one diamond in the rough. As cliché as it sounds, 'one man's trash is another man's treasure.'
A good coat is all about versatility: a coat, a dress, who knows?
3. DIY is so hot right now (with pun intended)
Scene #1: Milly goes to uni wearing the new yellow T- shirt she bought on the weekend. She can't wait to receive compliments from everyone she sees during the day- she secretly loves it, especially when her frenemy, Rory, is there to soak it all in. She approaches her group and sees that Rory is wearing the exact same T-shirt. Everyone quickly exchanges glances between the two amidst the awkward silence. Rory tries to add her two cents worth.
Rory: "Come on guys, my auntie chose this T-shirt for me. I only wore it because she begged me to this morning…"
Milly: "Yeah…..my….sister forced me to wear this T-shirt."
Rory: "You don't have a sister….unless your 3 year- old brother Bob is now a girl."
*more awkward laughter and the crickets start chirping*
Scene #2: Milly sentences the offending yellow T-shirt a year- long imprisonment at the bottom of the pile, and follows through by hitting Bob on the head.
Lesson learnt? If Milly had done her homework and prepared her bag of tricks with a few DIY gems, then she wouldn't have had to suffer the loathe from Rory (Note: this case is entirely fictional. I do not know anyone called Rory or Milly, nor do I support the existence of 'frenemies'). Challenge your inner creative flair with fabric paint, studs, fringing, yesterday's breakfast muffin, anything that floats your boat. DIY is THE way to go at times like these, where you want to look hot off the catwalk but don't exactly want to fast for a month. It's also the best of both worlds, where you can incorporate fashion with your own personal style- you can be sure you will not be in Milly's shoes any time soon. Try hand- sewing lace detail to glam up a plain singlet, slashing your old jeans rather than pay for someone else to slash them for you or adding fringing to update a fabric tote.
Disclaimer: These commandments have been devised to assist you in beating the winter blues. Follow them at your own discretion. No responsibility will be taken for reckless DIY endeavours, and the hitting of innocent siblings is not encouraged.
Stephanie Lau
Michelle wears an overcoat from SES, very vintage-cool handbag handed down through her family, canvas sneakers, little black knit dress and stockings (no expensive brands there).
The 'R' word
Erin Lam continues this season's theme of practical & affordable fashion by defining the R word.
With the Global economy continuing its dismal downward turn, you need to only look in magazines, papers or in everyday conversation to hear the term Recessionista being flung about. For those still not in the know, a recessionista is defined as a fashionista on the lookout out for fine clothes and individual style at an affordable cost. Want a clearer idea? Look to the spate of celebrity style icons like Cameron Diaz, Nicole Ritchie and Sienna Miller now seen at flea markets and local op-shops snapping up bargains to add to their already ridiculously overstuffed closets.
But how easy is it really to stay a Recessionista in light of a quickly shrinking wallet and freezing weather that cries 'buy more designer coats and scarves'? Well, I set out to find someone who epitomised the Recessionista at my university (as it is universally known that tertiary students are perhaps the poorest yet most fashion-able people on the planet) and found the effortlessly cool Michelle.
Michelle is all about recycling fashion and says that most of the great pieces she wears that people comment on come from op-shops, her mum's wardrobe or cheap fashion stores, like Sportsgirl or Valley Girl. While the first two places to find fashion bargains may not be surprising, the last one definitely was. The key here being to buy a piece that has character, is made of good natural materials and that you can make suit your individual style (don't bother with anything that looks remotely cheap or appears in a catalogue).
and a closer look at this outfit!
Keep an eye out for sales, which to be honest are happening all the time, as shops begin to feel the burn of the economical consumer. Remember the Recessionista NEVER pays the full retail price on an item. Also, if you don't mind companies having information about you, by signing up to VIP clubs you can get additional discounts, or previews of sales.
Winter is all about layering, tights and versatile pieces that you can mix and match to create loads of different outfits. Follow Michelle's lead and choose items that follow the gray scale in colour, which means blacks, whites and anything grey in between. You will have an infinite number of combinations to make a new outfit for each day of winter, add a dash of colour in the form of accessories and you have fashion made on a tight budget.
So does it take effort? Of course it does. You have to be prepared to trawl through loads of crap before you find something worthwhile and it might not be in your size, so you could end up disappointed and take nothing home. But think about all the dosh you could save by not buying that SABA scarf for $100 and instead pick up an equally functional and stylish one at COTTON ON for a fraction of the price. And if you bring a friend along, then maybe, just maybe the journey will be half as cool as your final fashion moment.
Erin Lam