“I had never danced in my life. I trained for four months, seven days a week, five hours a day. I had one day off on my birthday. I lost 20 pounds. I tore a ligament. I dislocated my shoulder. I have two scars on my back. And it was worth every minute. But I will never dance again… I was like, Well-I wear heels; I can do this. I was wrong: Christian Louboutins are uncomfortable, but I screamed the first time I put on a pointe shoe.” Mila Kunis talks about the film Black Swan to W magazine

“I got rid of all of them. Only because I just don’t think a lot of people have style in Hollywood, or at least not what I like. I think everybody looks the same. I come from fashion, and who knows better what I like than myself?” Diane Kruger on not using a stylist.

“You’re no different than anyone else…So please, don’t push your luck.” Judge to Lindsay Lohan.

“You are my idol. But I’m six husbands and some big jewels behind.” Kim Kardashian adores Elizabeth Taylor.

“No, I’m not adopting a Mexican child. Adam Sandler adopted four last week and that never even got mentioned.” Jennifer Aniston.

“I’m so petrified about all the paparazzi. They did Victoria [Beckham]’s cellulite. I mean, come on! I mean, it’s terrifying. Really, you’re, like, scared to death.” Iman

“She is a slut. Because she’s stunning, elegant and amazing and I’m so f–king jealous of her 32 Birkin bags.” Joan Rivers loves Vicky Beckham.

‘I’m freaking out! I can’t believe I’m going to be 30! At least I still look like I’m 20.” Paris Hilton on her birthday. Looks 20. Brain of an 8 yr old.

it’s Sale Time! it’s Sale Time! it’s Sale Time! it’s Sale!

Eclettica
What: 50 to 80% off sale. Gorgeous bags, samples, seconds, clothing and vintage references!
Where: Signature Prints, Unit 2 Hayes Rd, Roseberry, nsW
When: Friday 18th Feb, & 19th Feb, 2011 from 10am to 5Pm.

Bassike
What: warehouse sale: Everything from Tees, tops, jeans and Trenchcoats!
Where : 356 South Dowling st, Paddington, NSW
When: Friday, February 18 - February 20 10:00am -  4:00pm

Miljo
What: 50 to 70% of fashion, clogs and the most stylish home wares!
Where: 23C Curlewis St,  Bondi, NSW
When: from 17 February while stocks last.

What: Wide leg, high waist denim jeans.
Why: What a divine look from Derek Lam. A white shirt and wide leg jeans from New York fashion week last October. Last year. What?! So long ago in fashion time but please look at it. So chic, so right, so simple. A clean, white shirt back with chic wide leg jeans never looked so fabulous!
Wear: Also seen at Celine, this an easy look to get together. You want 70’s style jeans in a floppy relaxed fabric. Wear it right now , like Gabrielle Hackworthy below, with a white equipment shirt and toss on a blazer. (An Hermes shoulder bag would be nice too).  Try wide leg jeans with a grey or stripe Tee or with a camel coat. In winter you can wear these jeans with a biker jacket and, of course, the faux fur vest seen everywhere. You need to add a thin belt with the shirt tucked in. The idea is to show off the waist. This is an ageless look and anyone can wear it. Wear with wedges or heels that peek out from under the hem: Talk about leg lengthening.
Where: Sass and Bide, Gap, J Brand who ship to Australia, Notify and MIH Mid rise flare at net a porter, Calvin Klein at Just jeans, 7 for all mankind at shopbop, and Sportsgirl .

Jessica Simpson is on the cover of New York Magazine and laughing all the way to the fashion bank. ‘Who is fashion for? Ask Jessica Simpson, and she’ll tell you it’s for anyone with a hundred dollars or so to spend. ‘ Oh dear. Nymag.com

US Vogue Launches First-Ever iPad App: A Lady Gaga Exclusive; vogue.com

The Street Is Their Oyster! Two photo-bloggers, the Sartorialist and Garance Doré, in a very rewarding ménage à trois-with fashion. Cute.  Nymag.com

Check out the Shoe Christian Louboutin designed For Blake Lively; ‘The Blake’  Fashionista.com

The fabulous ( ex Voguette) Sally Singer Talks about the second issue of T magazine:
“I want to make sure that the reader who reads the front page [of the Times] doesn’t think of T as this strange dispatch from ‘Project Style’ that they can toss away with everything else,” said Singer. Wwd.com

We love Andre Leon Talley ! He talks about the New York Fall shows  ” The average woman, I don’t think, is going to give a hoot about a skirt to the floor as she navigates herself from her morning wake-up moments, to dropping the kids off at school and going on to the office. However, a young fashionista might do that to be edgy and cool, but she’s going to have a hard time. Look at all this dirty snow. Do you REALLY want to go out in the snow with your clothes sweeping through the old - four-week old - mounds of snow all over the sidewalks? I don’t think so. It’s not a pretty picture.”  Listen to it here: Nymag.com

Want more ALT? Read his fabulous and amusing fashion diary on Vogue.com Vogue.com

Apparently Bloggers like Sea of shoes Jane Aldridge are reportedly in talks to become Chanel ambassadors. But she has enough shoes! Fashionista.com

Morning T: Cecilia Dean: one of the founders of Visionaire, talks with Horacio Silva about taking fashion risks and embracing the marriage between fashion and art. And her Eco lifestyle which includes breeding bees. So chic! Nytimes.com

Who Buys These Clothes? They Do! A Peek Inside the Closets of Shoppers Who Pay Full Price for Designers’ Latest Runway Looks. All Money, No taste. wsj.com

Lane Crawford Fashion Director Sarah Rutson talks through her days at New York fashion week ( check out her divine  Burberry shearling boots! I die!) Fashionologie.com

The Nowness follows ‘Facehunter creator Yvan Rodic as he roams New York, bumps into Terry Richardson, and reveals the secret to catching his eye (play hard-to-get).  Fashioncopious

Anna Wintour speaks! She loves looking at the fashion editors and what they are wearing as much as we do! ‘Anna Wintour Talks to the Telegraph Uk Hillary Alexander Nymag.com

Fashion sensation Arizona Muse takes over Dazed’s March issue with four separate covers - the first time Dazed has shot an entire issue with just one girl.Dazeddigital.com

It’s Lauren Santo Domingo half naked on the cover of the newly redesigned Town and Country: can’t wait to read it! Townandcountrymag.com/

Happy 15th Birthday  to British Vogue.com! See the birthday cards fashion’s finest sent to VOGUE.COM

The Paris Wife: A Novel [Hardcover] by Paula McLain.

A deeply evocative story of ambition and betrayal, The Paris Wife captures a remarkable period of time and a love affair between two unforgettable people: Ernest Hemingway and his wife Hadley.

Though deeply in love, the Hemingways are ill prepared for the hard-drinking and fast-living life of Jazz Age Paris, which hardly values traditional notions of family and monogamy. Surrounded by beautiful women and competing egos, Ernest struggles to find the voice that will earn him a place in history, pouring all the richness and intensity of his life with Hadley and their circle of friends into the novel that will become The Sun Also Rises.

A heartbreaking portrayal of love and torn loyalty, The Paris Wife is all the more poignant because we know that, in the end, Hemingway wrote that he would rather have died than fallen in love with anyone but Hadley. Fabulous!

$13 Publisher: Ballantine Books (February 22, 2011) Amazon.com

Balenciaga and Spain by Hamish Bowles.

This unprecedented volume accompanies the first exhibition to consider the impact of Spain’s culture, history, and art on one of its greatest designers of the twentieth century, the legendary Balenciaga.
Hailed as “Fashion’s Picasso” by Cecil Beaton, Cristóbal Balenciaga (1895-1972) created an innovative oeuvre that transformed the way women dressed. From the opening of his Paris fashion house in 1937 until his retirement in 1968, Balenciaga’s visionary, ever-evolving designs and impeccable standards seduced generations of the most iconic, best-dressed women in the world, Gloria Guinness, Pauline de Rothschild, Princess Grace of Monaco, and Diana Vreeland.
Exploring the profound and enduring influence of Balenciaga’s native country on his work, this book considers the influences of Spain’s greatest artists, from Zurbarán, Velázquez, and Goya to Picasso and Miró. This illuminating and lavishly illustrated volume will be a must-have for art and fashion connoisseurs.

Publisher: Skira Rizzoli (March 29, 2011) Amazon.com

Here are my picks for this week as I roam and rummage the shops on the hunt for the best buys of the week.
Economy Class:

Trenery:

• Love the short, double breasted wool melton peacoat in camel…yes, get ready you are about to see camel explode in all the stores. . I love camel with bright colours actually like red shoes or red jeans (So Isabelle Marant non?) but if you can’t do that look try a camel peacoat with denim. And let’s face it: a peacoat is perfect for the office with black pants. You can toss it back with a short leather skirt and voila! $299. Also you got to love the model Kirsty Hume in the latest Trenery catalogue. She is so understated and looks divine in everything.

French Connection : Lots of stripe here are usual ….but wait there’s more!

• I know it’s way too hot to even think about wearing it but you should check out the tan cotton, canvas aviator jacket. It’s the hot buy in every respect. It has a faux fur lining. $199. Not bad price. You could buy an aviator jacket in leather but the cotton is cool. It’s very throw-it-on-casual-oh-la-la. When you do come to actually wear it to keep warm think about trying it with a skinny jeans or something narrow. Just so you don’t look voluminous. Like a magnum.
• The long sleeve dress is also a key trend for this winter. They were a big trend on the runways about 2 years so it’s interesting how it takes about 2 years to filter down to the real world. I see a black (as well as print yellow/grey) drape dress in a cotton jersey. You could almost wear it now with bare legs and then into winter later with boots and hosiery. $199.

Esprit:

• I think the dark denim blazer here is a winner. You can push up the sleeves and throw it on over everything. It has cute brass zip pockets but don’t worry: not too over the top and glitzy. We can’t be doing glitzy and denim. EWwww.This is a perfect number for yummy mummies to wear with slouchy black harem pants or with skinny cargoes. Could work with shorts. Handy little number to have in the wardrobe to just toss on. $149. I have looked high and low for a photo on the internet but sorry there ain’t one photo.

Sussan:

• I am loving cotton wrinkled and faded khaki green utility pencil jean skirt. If you know what I mean by that description. It’s a great piece to wear now $69. I saw a skirt like this on Jenna Lyons from J Crew : I think it’s the original Dries Van Noten and you can see here how it really works with the cute Dries Van Noten animal print scarf and pointy heels. Also here are khaki rolled up chinos style parachute pants. Not sure of the fit but they come with their very own brown belt for $79. Please wear these pants with heels. Please.

Sportsgirl:

• Obviously there is a lot of stuff here - and it is stuff- that is way too young for groovy older types such as my good self. But it’s worth peeking in here, I always say, for cheap but chic little fashion numbers. I like the V neck cape cardigan in grey or camel. Sort of like a poncho with sleeves in a fine knit. It has a zip front. It’s a loose look. Great to wear very soon when it gets chillier but not full on winter. $89. Also buy the tres groovy light khaki ( yes, there is more khaki!) sleeveless poncho/cape/ jacket. Ha! It’s a mad fashion mix of all these trends - it even has a drawstring hem and a hood - and it works. $69. Wear with a chic classic skirt or pant to tone this little baby down. There is a cool khaki parka on sale now $69. ( TIP: This week the parka was on all the runways at NYC fashion week: Meaning? this look is not going away)

Business class:
Marcs:

• I spy a cute double breasted navy fitted peacoat with military brass buttons. It’s shorter, neater fit which is so right with high waist pants or skirt. This will give you a great shape even if you don’t have one. It seems to have a peplum and cute little puff shoulders. Funny; Marc Jaocbs first did those shoulders which puff out about 10 years ago and they still look right. $279. Also check out the fabulous felted short military jacket, very aviator style. Tres chic. I saw it on the website but not yet instore. $329

Sass and Bide:

• There is a cute V neck, rib Tee in a khaki knit with a patch pocket that is tres chic $50. Love the black with white splattered spot Tee shirt $110. Spots were a huge part of the Marc Jacobs show tow days ago at New York Fashion week so you know they are going to be hot.

Gorman:

• I see some cute cork wedges here : Very inspired by Marni or Celine I think with a covered front , a sling back and a peep toe. I like the white stitching up the front. They have a nearly horizontal platform and the cork is so light which makes skipping and running around shopping like a maniac a real breeze. Go for the chic taupe or black $229. Also here are the fabulous ISSON cat’s eye sunglasses.  Cool.

Country Road;

• Love the short black waiter’s jacket with a half  lapel. You will live in this. How do I know? Because I bought the summer version in silk last season and loved it. I pushed up the sleeves , of course, and tossed it over a simple tank back with green khaki chinos. A chic friend of mine was wearing this with an embellished Tee and grey topshop skinny jeans with cute red ballets flats. Cool. The blazer continues to be pivotal in the wardrobe. I like the tailored sharp shape at the back $249.
• Buy the cotton military patch pocket shirts with epaulettes in every colour. Black , taupe and khaki green. You will look like Emmanuelle Alt editor of French Vogue. See below. Ha! Especially if you wear stripe Balmain pants. Ripping the shoulders is optional. Otherwise just toss on with skinny jeans. If you don’t rock that skinny jean/pant look then tuck this shirt into your fav full skirt or wide leg pants and belt it. $89.

Bassike:

• Love this store. Not a lot of new winter pieces yet instore but you don’t go here for over the top fashion. You go here for great basics and things you want to wear to build a wardrobe. I love the menswear. I see a fab green khaki military shirt. Just buy one of these military shirts and thrash it for the season please. Also I see cool low slung cotton khaki chinos: Love with sexy point heels. The relaxed fit is perfect for you. $220. You want, of course, the lovely T shirts. Did you know it’s about tucking half your tee shirt in? mmm, I thought you had no idea. Bless. The girls at Bassike have solved this fashion styling maneuver by designing an asymmetrical Tee. One side of the tee can sit over your jeans. $80. Cool. Also check out the long sleeve Tee with a one pocket in every colour. $100 Easy chic.

First class;
Acne:
There is a sale rack and there it was ! Yelling out to me: a fabulous leather aviator jacket in dark grey donkey. Now on sale for about $800. You should also look at the fab black silk, sleeveless utility blouse. It has serious pockets on the front and a drawstring waist. Love this to wear right now. It has a bit of military look about it but it’s not full on. Oh yes, and it’s black. Always good. Now on sale for about $250.

New in for next season is some lovely soft pastel pieces that might work for some people but I walked straight past to the black sleeveless drape silk dresses.  Yes please! About $299. Great prices. Also check out the soft light denim blazer and the amazing necklace with all sorts of jingle jangles things like feathers and knick knacks.

Easton Pearson:
Funny heading in here after all the black in Acne. It’s an amazing sea of colour and print. Love it. But it can be tricky to wear. There are some stand out pieces of course. There is a major sale happening instore with incredible multi print patchwork silk dresses with sequin trim now about $800. You want the black feather skirt now $600 and the lovely simple white muslin dresses now about $200. In the new winter collection, of course I went straight to the grey which is immoral in Easton Pearson. Oh, but you’ve got to love a grey cashmere V neck cardigan with black trim and divine silk lining and pockets at the front. So Tina Chow.

Peach, prosciutto and mozzarella salad...adulterated via SMH from When I Get Home by Matt Moran

What an easy little salad!  Perfectly delicious to throw together on a hot summer’s night. You can have it as entrée or as salad as the main event. If you serve it with fish as a side dish you can always ditch the prosciutto and just mix the peaches, mint, mozzarella. It’s about the mix of simple flavours.  I have added a little touch of lemon rind to add a tangy taste. Matt says to blanch and then skin the peaches. I say I can’t be bothered.

You need for 4 fashionista or 2 hungry surfers or 20 models

20ml extra virgin olive oil
20ml balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper
2 ripe yellow peaches
1 handful rocket
¼ bunch mint, leaves picked
2 buffalo mozzarella balls, cut into 12 pieces
4 slices prosciutto, torn into pieces
Lemon rind sprinkled over it.

• Slip into your fav Pucci caftan.
• Climb out Chloe wedges and slide into Hermes toe thongs.
• Pour a huge gin and tonic.
• Inhale.
• Pull out the chicest white platter.
• Now chop up the peaches. You can blanch and then peal them if you have the time. Or ask George Clooney to do it.
• Tear up the mozzarella or bocconcini and toss on.
• Sprinkle over the rocket.
• Ask George Clooney to head out to the kitchen garden to snip a small bunch of mint leaves. He loves that.
• Add the mint to the platter.
• Zest some lemons to sprinkle over the salad.
• Throw on the prosciutto so it drapes itself over the salad. Think Donna Karan A/W 2011.
• Make the salad dressing and drizzle it over the salad.
• Season it baby. That’s the secret.
• Chic!