Category: Style

Everyday life, home, Life, Style

A little lounge love

by wattleandashLeave a Comment on A little lounge love
A little lounge love

When Adam and I moved back to Australia one of our first purchases was a new sofa.  It’s one of those pieces of furniture you end up using so very much, so we wanted it to a) be super comfortable and b) reflect the style and vision we had for our home together.

After a day or so trawling furniture stores across the Canberra, the one we both decided we liked the best ended up being from that famous Swedish superstore ;).

We got it back to Wagga Wagga, assembled it and threw on the cushions from our existing sofa. While they didn’t look bad, the cushions were years old and had started to enter that ‘pancake’ stage. I vowed I was going to replace them and this past weekend I finally got around to giving the lounge that little bit of love it deserves…

Continue reading “A little lounge love” →

Everyday life, Style, wedding

A toile and trousseau

by wattleandashLeave a Comment on A toile and trousseau
A toile and trousseau

It’s just under 150 days until Adam and I get married.  It’s both a lifetime and an instant away. We’ve had a very relaxed approach to the whole process so far, and getting a large part of the planning done in England, before we moved back to Australia, has been a big help.

There’s still dozens of things to do, and we know that week before the big day, when we’re back in the U.K., it’ll be a mad rush, but for now we’re trying to keep calm and collected and enjoy the special little moments that are happening along the way.

I’m exceptionally lucky and grateful that my dress is being made by a distant relative of Adam’s, who lives here in Wagga Wagga with us.

Over the last few weeks, Rose and I have been regularly meeting up, and now my wedding dress is starting to come to life…

Continue reading “A toile and trousseau” →

Everyday life, Style, Thoughts

Hello autumn

by wattleandashLeave a Comment on Hello autumn
Hello autumn

In the last week it feels like autumn truly arrived in my part of Australia… even though winter is technically only a day away!

Suddenly everywhere I looked there were trees with vibrant crowns of red, yellow and orange leaves.  I realised the sun was taking its time to rise in the morning and by late afternoon the day’s glow was quickly disappearing into the night sky.

I’ve waited so long for this change in season and now it’s here, I’m making the most of it before it disappears…

Continue reading “Hello autumn” →

Style, Thoughts, wedding

Postage stamps and pattern drafts

by wattleandashLeave a Comment on Postage stamps and pattern drafts
Postage stamps and pattern drafts

It’s a little over six months until Adam and I get married and planning for the big day is slowly, but surely progressing.

We whizzed through a heap of wedding tasks before we moved from England back to Australia and then we sort of hit a bit of a standstill while we got our lives back in order after a year and a half abroad.

Over the last week or so though, it feels like we’ve got refocused…

Continue reading “Postage stamps and pattern drafts” →

Life, Style, Travel

The suitcase guide: Mackay & the Whitsundays

by wattleandash3 Comments on The suitcase guide: Mackay & the Whitsundays
The suitcase guide: Mackay & the Whitsundays

A little over 24 hours ago Adam, his mum, step-dad and my brother landed in sunny Queensland and made our selves comfortable at my parent’s house.

It’s been around seven months since all of us have been in the same room together and it’s the first time Adam and I have seen my folks since arriving back in Australia.

So far it’s been a whirlwind of cuddles and conversations as we celebrate a holiday, an engagement, and an impending wedding all in one.

Adam and I have travelled very light on this break, as we left quite a few things at my parent’s house before moving abroad. I can’t really recall what – so instead of throwing a few random things in my bag and hoping it’d match up with what was waiting for me in Queensland, I decided to use my recent 10 x 10 challenge to help me pack…

Continue reading “The suitcase guide: Mackay & the Whitsundays” →

Everyday life, Style

The 10 x 10 challenge

by wattleandashLeave a Comment on The 10 x 10 challenge
The 10 x 10 challenge

Just before Easter I decided I was going to try and undertake an experiment with my wardrobe.

I learnt about the 10 x 10 challenge initially through Lee and Caroline’s blogs.  Essentially it’s about taking 10 items from your wardrobe and wearing them, and only them, for 10 days.  Lee created the challenge in 2015 during a month long shopping fast, as a way to garner a new appreciation for what you already own.

I’ve followed numerous challenges (held quarterly) online and always been super impressed at what you can do with just 10 items of clothing, and finally plucked up the courage to give it a go myself…

Continue reading “The 10 x 10 challenge” →

Everyday life, Style

I succumbed to the white sneaker trend and now I understand what all the fuss is about

by wattleandashLeave a Comment on I succumbed to the white sneaker trend and now I understand what all the fuss is about
I succumbed to the white sneaker trend and now I understand what all the fuss is about

As a kid growing up in regional Queensland in the 90s and early noughties, the cardinal fashion sin among my group of friends was ‘joggers and jeans’. It was what dads wore at weekend barbecues and certainly had no place in the life of 13 year old school girls who were trying to plan their weekend outfits for group outings.

Over the last few years though, sneakers and specifically sparkling white ones, have become a mainstay. I’m a sucker for classic, basic clothing pieces – good jeans, white shirts and always a few Breton stripe tops- so I generally avoid trends and stick to what I know I like.  I kept seeing pictures though of classic, basic white sneakers paired with my classic, basic wardrobe staples, and the more I looked the more I liked…

Continue reading “I succumbed to the white sneaker trend and now I understand what all the fuss is about” →

Everyday life, Style

The travelling wardrobe, at home

by wattleandash3 Comments on The travelling wardrobe, at home
The travelling wardrobe, at home

When Adam and I moved to the U.K. I took with me a carefully curated capsule wardrobe, which I hoped would provide me with a solid sartorial base for the months ahead.  It served me remarkably well and apart from a few purchases for work, weather and special occasion purposes, I didn’t deviate far from my ‘travelling wardrobe’.

I’ve been back in Australia a little over a month now and I’ve been a surprised at what I’ve been reaching for time and time again in my wardrobe…

Continue reading “The travelling wardrobe, at home” →

Everyday life, Style, Travel

Jean genie

by wattleandash2 Comments on Jean genie
Jean genie

Before I moved to England I created for myself a capsule wardrobe – a curated collection of tops, bottoms and shoes that would mix and match.  On the whole it’s served its purpose. It’s been so easy to put together outfits, that feel like ‘me’ and apart from a few purchases for climatic reasons, special occasions or work purposes I’ve spent little money on clothes this year.

As I was putting away clean laundry the other day, I spotted a pair of jeans I brought with me from Australia. They made the cut as they were comfortable, fitted well and tucked easily into my Bean boots (which have proven to be probably the hardest working item in my wardrobe this year) . While I’ve worn them a little bit, their slightly faded shade hasn’t felt ‘right’. In Australia in the warmer, brighter days they felt perfect with light, airy tops. In England with the cooler, greyer weather I’ve been gravitating more towards darker colours and time and time again, those jeans have been rejected for my darker wash pair.

So I started doing some research…

Continue reading “Jean genie” →

Style, Travel

Hello pixie!

by wattleandash6 Comments on Hello pixie!
Hello pixie!

For the majority of my adult life I’ve enjoyed regular appointments at the hair salon.  My mother and her mother always had their hair ‘done’ and it was a little treat I always made sure I had money set aside for.  I love the whole experience – the mindless flipping through dozens of magazines, the chit chat with the stylist and luxury of having your hair washed and properly blow dried.

I popped into my mum’s regular salon about a week or so before Adam and I flew to England, knowing it was probably the last time in a little while that I’d pamper myself. Then life sort of happened, and moving abroad, setting up a new house and travelling became my priority.  Then a few weeks ago I had the realisation I hadn’t had a hair cut in eight (!!) months and decided it was time to treat myself once more.

So I did some research, asked girlfriends for recommendations and made an appointment at new a local salon.

Continue reading “Hello pixie!” →