Style Notes: Don’t fall victim to this sticky fashion faux pas – What’s worse than a VPL? A VPS! (Visible Price Stickers under the soles of your shoes!)

Eva Longoria Image Via

Eva Longoria Image Via

I feel the need to warn you about a dreadful fashion faux pas that I have recently been noticing more regularly around the city of Melbourne. A fashion faux pas so bad, it has claimed victims amongst the chicest of the chic, the most famous of celebrities and the trendiest of Melbournistas.

Madonna has done it, Eva Longoria has done it, even ultimate style maven Gwyneth Paltrow has been a victim! I’ve seen it happen to the most polished of Melbourne women strutting down Collins Street oblivious to the teeny tiny thing they forgot to do while getting dressed that morning. You’ve heard of the dreaded V.P.L or visible panty line and don’t even get me started on its tacky ugly step-sister the visible bra strap but what you may not be as familiar with, is the sneaky little cousin in this family of fashion faux pas. Without further ado, let me introduce you to the V.P.S – the Visible Price Sticker (particularly those stuck on the bottom of high-heeled shoes!)

Basically, you could be wearing a head to toe amazing outfit but making this little mistake could instantly diminish your style cred and ‘le horreur’ of it all is that while everyone else can see it, you may have no idea you are doing it!

Any girl worth the red soles of her Louboutins or purple soles of her Peeptoe shoes for that matter understands how eye catching a pop of colour can be under an enchanting pair of pumps. Therefore, I stress to make sure you remember to remove the price stickers off the bottom of your heels before you wear them!! That deserves a double, if not triple exclamation mark ‘!!!’ because you would be so surprised at how many polished and professional looking women I see on a day to day basis strutting around the city, immaculately dressed all for one little but alarmingly distracting flash of white, or god forbid a flourescent sales or reduced price sticker stuck to the bottom of their heels.

If they were a jaw-droppingly expensive pair of shoes, don’t showcase it to the world behind you, it just cheapens the entire look of your outfit and we all know money doesn’t buy class so it’s best to keep the price to yourself. Of course, even if they were an absolute bargain, you

Gwyneth Paltrow Image Via

Gwyneth Paltrow Image Via

don’t want to spoil your little secret, so make sure you remove those sticky little devils before you take those brand spanking new heels on their maiden voyage about town.

If you are finding the price stickers are tricky to remove or leave a sticky residue, then apply some Eucalyptus Oil with a cotton ball or cotton pad to the sticker which helps remove the glue. Just be careful to apply the oil only to the soles to ensure the oil does not destroy the material of your shoes.

On a side note, if one day I fall so in love with a pair of heels that they don’t leave my feet from the moment I tried them on in store, help a sister out and let me know I’m flashing a dollar sign on my soles, and I promise I’ll do the same!

Madonna Image Via

Madonna Image Via

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Style Notes – Spring Racing Carnival 2013

Spring Racing Carnival is in full swing and Melbourne Cup is just around the corner, but every Melbournian knows that it’s just as much about people watching as it is watching those horses. Spring Racing fashion can end up being a bit of a gamble in itself if you’re not entirely sure on what to wear, but these simple style suggestions should see you taking a punt on the fashion sweepstakes with great confidence.

Here are my top five bets on Spring Racing style:

  1. Key trends this season will be futuristic fashion with sharp monochrome pieces or graphic prints and patterns, pinches of metallic statement pieces and detail in unexpected twists and turns. You may find yourself not just saving the black and white for Derby Day this year.
  2. There will also be a fusion of futuristic fashion with ladylike details such as higher necklines, pastel colours, shift dresses and girly accents like diamonds and pearls as well as flower crowns!
    Wayne by Wayne Cooper Harlequin Chain Detail Dress. Available here.

    Wayne by Wayne Cooper Harlequin Chain Detail Dress. Available here.

    Jayson Brunsdon Black Label Transparent Floral Body Con Dress. Available here.

    Jayson Brunsdon Black Label Transparent Floral Body Con Dress. Available here.

    Seduce Diamond Girl Shift Dresss.  Available here.

    Seduce Diamond Girl Shift Dresss. Available here.

    Seduce Hypnotize Dress. Available here.

    Seduce Hypnotize Dress. Available here.

     

  3. Put those statement necklaces and earrings away girls! Unless your head wear is extremely simple or understated, you don’t want to overdo it with large earrings or a necklace that would clash against your choice of headpiece. A splendid cocktail ring or a collection of dainty and elegant gold, rose gold or silver rings may be all the bling you need to complete your race-ready look. I love Samantha Willis’ Fine China cocktail ring collection which uses white opal as the centrepiece, set off with a vintage, art deco flair.

    Samantha Wills Fine China Art Ring. Available here.

    Samantha Wills Fine China Art Ring. Available here.

  4. Its seems that this season you cannot get away from the two-strap stiletto heel, it is hard to find a single shoe store that has not started selling their own take on this popular style. With that in mind, do not forget you’ll most likely be sinking those thin little heels in grass all day, so my advice is to ditch the stiletto and go for a dressy pair of wedges (like the below metallic silver pair) or at least go for a thicker heel that will make it much harder for your tootsies to start sinking like they’re in quick sand! If you still have your heart set on wearing a pair of stilettos, take a look at Starlettos. Starlettos are rubber heel protectors you can slide onto the bottom of your stiletto heels to literally stop that ‘sinking’ feeling.
    Love Nikki by PeepToe Madrid. Available here.

    Love Nikki by PeepToe Madrid. Available here.

    Jo Mercer Chance. Available here.

    Jo Mercer Chance. Available here.

    Gorman After The Chase Heel. Available here.

    Gorman After The Chase Heel. Available here.

  5. My money on the millinery for this racing season will follow on from the key trends, in that we will see the futuristic and modern fashion trend through strong shapes and monochrome colour in fascinators or alternatively, soft pastel colours, flower crowns and Gatsby-esque 1920’s style headpieces. My word of advice is, don’t go for over the top, crazy expensive choices in headpieces (exhibit a). Instead, go for unique or custom-made. Looking at previous fashion on the fields’ choices, it’s not hard to see that most of the time, less is more, or more modest and elegant pieces beat over the top, eccentric headdresses that just start to look costume like. If your choice of millinery starts becoming a sculpture in its own right, think about how heavy and annoying that thing if going to be perched on top of your head for one long day. Instead, I strongly recommend not just picking a fascinator ‘off the rack’ from any department store or accessories stop, but if you are creative enough, head down to your local craft store such as Spotlight or Lincraft and make your own! If you’re not too much of a creative or crafty type, check out local designers selling gorgeous one off pieces. You can find styles that certainly won’t cost a fortune and be guaranteed a truly unique piece you won’t see anyone else sporting on raceday! Local Melbourne designer Horus and Harper have a selection of dainty headpieces with an ethereal quality you can buy via their Facebook page, as with Brock and Eddie who stock a gorgeous selection of modern, colourful and truly chic fascinators. For beautiful flower crowns, head to Lady Petrova, or for an especially authentic flower crown, head to a florist like the lovely Jaclyn Roma who can pick out flowers and a design to perfectly match the rest of your outfit and create a flower crown especially for you!
  6. Brock & Eddie Millinery. Available here.

    Brock & Eddie Millinery. Available here.

    Horus and Harper Headpiece. Available here.

    Horus and Harper Headpiece. Available here.

    Lady Petrova Flower Crowns. Available in store or enquire online.,

    Lady Petrova Flower Crowns. Available in store or enquire online.

The Spring Racing Carnival is a great excuse to try something new or be a bit experimental in your fashion choices, so have fun with it! Don’t forget to add a generous dose of SPF in your make up to ensure you don’t end the day with unsightly sunburn and whatever you decide to wear,  make sure you’re comfortable! You don’t want to look back on your day with your only memories being of how annoying that heavy fascinator was or sinking pair of heels were. Above all, you not only want to look gorgeous, but feel gorgeous too! Hope you fond these simple style tips helpful when putting together your race-ready outfit, now giddy up and happy shopping!

Love,
Melbourne Darling xo

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Chadstone VIP Shopping Party Wednesday 18th September

SambLook out shoppers! Chadstone Shopping Centre is hosting a VIP Shopping Party tomorrow, Wednesday 18th September 9am-11pm with a range of enticing offers, complimentary goodies and in-store activities!

If you have already attended any VIP days hosted by Melbourne Shopping centres this month, you will find that a retailer will offer the same discounts across all shopping centre VIP events, (usually a discount of about 20-30% off RRP depending on the retailer) so if you’re lusting over a new item for the warmer weather, this may just be the extra incentive you’ve been waiting for to snap up your perfect Spring Fling wardrobe piece!

 

For a full list of offers and activities, click on the following link.

Melbourne Darling’s top stores to visit:

  1. Peeptoe Shoes: 30% off storewide
  2. Sambag: 15% off Sambag SS13 collection
  3. Santini: 25% off full priced merchandise
  4. Forever New: 20% off merchandise
  5. Florsheim: 30% off full priced footwear and handbags
  6. Sportsgirl: 20% off full priced merchandise and 30% off reduced merchandise
  7. Alannah Hill: 20% off merchandise
  8. Colette By Colette Hayman: 25% off full price merchandise

 

Melbourne Darling’s Top Buys:

  1. Alannah Hill Summer Fling Top
  2. Forever New Christie wrap zip skirt
  3. Forever New Sophia Printed Hotpant
  4. Peeptoe Shoes Miss Golden State (also comes in a versatile nude and silver colour)
  5. Peeptoe Miss Hollywood
  6. Peeptoe Shoes Textured Bow Ring (also comes in a gorgeous Rose Gold colour)
  7. Sambag Mia Rose Gold Cracked Metallic Leather Sandals
  8. Sportsgirl Mini Stevie Bag (also comes in a lovely stone shade)
  9. Colette by Colette Hayman Key Ring

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