The FiFi Report 327

Economy class;
Trenery:
I am concentrating on the accessories here: the bags, shoes and scarves are simply chic for great prices:
My picks are:

• In handbags: You want the fabulous green khaki fabric bag - which I have mentioned a few times - It is a great bag for everyday and weekends with a silver zip and a long strap as well as black detailing. Perfect way to add a serious edge of military without joining up for the total army look. Love it wear it thrash it and who cares if it gets trashed. This bag will work hard for you and never complain. Love the long strap and the handy pockets; This is a great travel bag too. The good news? Because it’s not in leather it’s light as a feather even with your Hermes diary and I pad. It won’t break your back. Your physio will love you for it. $99
• Love the very Marni style grey leather bag with brown straps: Again so chic to wear with all the beautiful colours you have in your wardrobe. A grey bag works wonders adding a little joosh to your look. This bag is trans seasonal as well so it could take you through to winter. Love it $249.
• You should buy the standup grey suede bag $249: that stand up shape is cool plus grey is a neutral so it won’t fight with anyone. Grey works with black and silver but also with navy, red and orange. It’s an easy shape and not too fashion. This is not the $1500 handbags you might fret over if you need to put it down….
• In the scarves you want the red and white stripe cotton scarf ( which is also in navy). Toss this around your neck for the easiest way to get a bit of chic in your wardrobe. It will instantly update all those daggy pieces from last season. And because it’s in cotton it’s not too hot. $49
• In the shoes I am loving the natural fabric flats; very Chloe (or something)oatmeal fabric sandals with brown leather trim and a peep toe: easy to wear and a great way to a little texture in the wardrobe. Love with rolled up stone chinos or with your baggy jeans. Add a brown bag and voila: you have got the summer look without even trying $99. They say if you wear a lighter colour on your feet it will make your legs look longer. …bring it on..

Cotton On:
As you guessed from last week’s cheap but chic I am quite impressed with Cotton on menswear! This week I am concentrating on the women’s wear or should I say girl’s wear…Lots of fabulously cheap pieces. You could spend up a storm no matter what age you are and still not dent the bank account..
My picks are:

• The dark blue marle cotton men’s short sleeve with a round neckline are on sale now for an incredible $5…this is not a typo: Yes, $5 each. Outrageous. I can hardly speak. Who knew any item of clothing could be $5? Rush there right now before they sell out.
• The green cotton military Khaki shirt a la Balmain. Just buy this and that’s all you need in the military trend; ( See cheap but chic). You can wear this as Balmain showed it -almost as jacket over a white tank - and with skinny jeans or chinos or sexy mama shorts. If you are over 35 then you can rock this look tucked into a pencil skirt but make sure you wear heels. $34. Is that true? Heels? Yes, it is…
• If you want a long black cotton maxi dress for the beach to toss over your bikini ( answer? you do) then head here for the cute shoestring black tiered (but not flouncey or frilly) maxi dress for an outrageous $49. Bet you can throw that in the washing machine. The dress is slightly empire so it skims over the bits; Wear with fabulous jeweled T bar sandals for any at home by the pool parties.
• Also for the beach are some low drop crutch harem pants: yep, that’s what’s happened: They are now perfect beach pants: which is where they have started anyway. The look is still cool and so right for wearing over bikinis. You can pull these on in black or grey marle jersey with a drawstring for ….$19!…what?!! OMG: it’s less than Italian Vogue…
• Buy the fabulous black boyfriend jacket - which I bought last season - with the stripe lining for that rolled up sleeves look for $49. It’s in a soft jersey and it’s very comfortable. It’s a little longer so will sit over your bottom. We love that. Toss over dresses, tanks, your white equipment shirt. Belt it in with a brown belt over a flirty skirt.
• There is the white cotton (very Equipment style) shirt with 2 front pockets in a floppy fabric and rolled up sleeves. Perfect. It’s all about “the shirt” this season and you have to have one …wear with everything including bikini, PJ’S and track pants. Oh and pencil skirts a la Carine Roitfeld $39. Mais oui.
• You want the men’s hoodies and the Tees from last week…$19 so buy one in every colour and you will live in them ( especially in this weather) and I see that there are men’s green khaki chinos on sale for $28 and they can fit any woman!

Esprit:
You should head for great weekend looks and easy, classic casual dressing:
My picks are:

• The cool brown cotton washed blazer: It’s in a chic and oh so versatile colour to throw over jeans or chinos. Also you should know that camels, browns and neutrals are the big story for next summer so get into that trend now. The jacket has the all important stripe lining so you can push up those sleeves and because it’s in a casual fabric it’s an easy piece to wear out to weekend breakfast and you won’t look too dressed. $129
• Buy the short sleeve navy cotton waistcoat (or is it a vest?) Who knows but it’s cool. If you want to wear it done up it will give you the tailoring of a jacket but you won’t die of heat exhaustion when summer finally gets here. Otherwise wear it undone over a white Tee as a vest with high waist wide leg jeans for a very 70’s look. $79
• You want the cotton tanks that are layered two tanks over each other. So you get a white tank with a brown/taupe tank sitting over the top. Or you could do blue if you like. You won’t do the pink. Please. You know that white next to your face takes 10 years off so I suggest you invest in these tanks toute suite. I love it when the designers do the styling for you so you can just toss it on and walk out the door. Wear with skinny cargoes under a blazer. $39.
• Check out the navy and white stripe ticking blazer: it’s very school boy with white piping and a fitted shape. Wear this with some kind of loose boyfriend jeans and heels. You need to sex it up or you will look like a school marm. No way. Wear it over short khaki shorts with outrageous heels and the must have stripe summer cotton scarf thrown nonchalantly around your neck $139
• Buy the denim skirt that is flippy and cute and cut on the bias so that it’s very flirty. Very flattering cut for anyone with legs that can’t take wearing a pencil skirt with flats. Denim is the trend that never goes away, it’s ageless and season-less. Meaning you can wear this skirt with boots and a fur jacket in winter or with a stripe tee and clogs in summer. $79

Business class:
Scanlan and Theodore:
Always beautiful pieces here and the good news is that there are photos on their website: Oh la la !
My picks are:

• The navy and cream chiffon drape dress in a palazzo tile print: Love a graphic print and this season is all about prints (And next summer too. )$600
• You want the blue and cream animal print chiffon dress with sleeves: don’t die of shock but I am liking animal print: sure it’s in navy but it’s very Lanvin inspired and rather chic. Love navy and black together, this is floating and chic and lovely. $500
• Buy the navy and pink ‘Tropicana’ print dress with drape sleeves and a round neckline $600. Oh yes, it’s time for a little bit of a mad summer print and why not? It’s very resort and I want summer to come. Soon.
• Love the grey frayed edge jacket: This is quite chic because the edges are frayed and it looks cool. Darling: it’s about the juxtaposition of the structured tailored shape of the jacket against the unfinished fabric; It’s super fitted so will look great with floppy pants as well as shorts or a flirty skirt $500. I think it’s also in an indigo denim style fabric. Very Chanel inspired and why not?
• You want the very fitted heavy knit jacket (very Alaia style of knit) $500. It’s a small snug fit and will work over a tank or Tee but not much else so breathe in.
• Check out the grey/blue/silver shimmer tweed shift dress with a simple round neckline: Very Chanel style as well but you will make Karl proud. If you are off to the races then this is for you. It would also look so fabulous with stomp-a-licious heels stomping around out at dinner in the evening as well. $600.
• There are some fabulous drape sleeveless dresses in all sorts of prints and fabrics and colours about $600.

Willow:
A lot of dresses here which are great for dinner or, dare we mention already? Christmas parties.
My picks are:

• The navy blue, and white floral, almost animal print animal top or is it a dress? I think it’s a long top which means you can wear with shorts or skinny cargoes. Of course. If you have to do a print then you should choose a number like this: The colours make it trans-seasonal and easy to work back into your wardrobe: It has a round neckline and buttons down the front. It has big batwing sleeves so the muffin arms can rattle around safely. $449
• You want the royal blue digital stripe ’sea shred ‘ tank in a floaty silky fabric: it’s all about the digital prints this season which I quite like because they have an edge about them and are quite wearable. Which you can’t say for florals which make everyone over 25 years of age look old. Sorry to swear at you. You can wear this top with all your cool skinny cargoes and jeans etc. $229
• Love the black dresses on sale with a deep back drape now for $299. Love the feather skirt /dress: I saw it on the website not sure if it’s instore: I die!
• There is a simple cute orange (or black) V neck dress with big pleated sleeves and it’s called the Edwardian dress: the sleeves are very wide and very dramatique. You could them accordion sleeves. Anyway say it in French and it sounds even more dramatique.
• Check out the amazing dress with cut-outs and frills with a high neckline: I think it’s called rubik’s because it’s got very cube style cut outs: amazing and very dramatique too. I think you will find it in black as well as soft pink blush. Love this with heels as shown as it’s very short. $839
• There is a lot of hot pink I suggest you should keep walking past unless you are made of money. In which case you will be buying Lanvin instead of Willow. Bless.
• I see quite a few racks on sale in David Jones and it’s worth looking through for some fabulous pieces…

Country Road :
It’s all very beachy and casual here so bad luck if you go to the office and need work wear…Oh,  not me, I don’t have an office: I shop for a living !
My picks are:

• The good news is that they have re released the skinny cargoes in grey and khaki faded green: They are the best fit and very flattering and you need them. Feeling that you can’t rock the look? Look at the chic Natalie Massenet : The 45 year old CEO of Net a Porter: Apparently that’s all she was wearing all European summer . Always wear with heels or you will be arrested. Love back with a blazer or a loose little zip blouson jacket $129.
• Check out the silver metallic short cuffed shorts: Yes, very groovy and not for the beach (or the office for that matter) but perfect for day to evening with heels and a loose twist drape tank and a blazer. You need great legs, of course, to wear these shorts. Or for that you need to think you have great legs to wear them. But god, don’t we know that? I ain’t telling you nothing….$149
• Love the printed blue and white Ikat tank top: it’s a perfect little number to toss on under a jacket to add a little je ne said quoi; Handy to razz up the wardrobe in an instant ; Layer over a white tank for a bit of lightness. Love the racer back and the relaxed feel. $49
• There are some blue and white Ikat print ( harem style) trousers but can we actually do that look? Very cool and right on trend, it’s true. All the resort and summer runways were full of print trousers. Yes, very Dries van Noten but it’s tricky to pull off. I must say it goes against the grain of my Table top dressing philosophy: meaning dress from the table top up and keep the focus on top of the body…Who wants to draw attention to their legs? Not many people. Anyway you can rock the print pants when you are in Bali. $129
• You want the white plain muslin shirt: almost tunic style: Very Celine and simple and chic. Now that is a shirt you can wear anywhere: $79
• Love and adore the black chiffon silky drape top: it has a knot on one of the shoe string straps and a double drape at the front on the waist that cleverly covers any muffin situations: it’s flattering on anyone and works layered over a white tank ( a FiFi signature styling look) or just with jeans/chinos/peg leg pants. A chic number to take you from work to evening in a flash. $99
• Buy the rich cream flat gladiator sandals with twisting straps but without any bling or hardware or calories: they are fat free.$99.

First Class;

The Corner Shop;
You can always find so many chic little designer numbers here for great prices :
My picks are:

• The Alexander Wang V neck knit cardigan , it’s very long with front pockets and you can just swoosh around in this over a white Tee and jeans and feel very French and understated. Just because he is an American designer doesn’t mean you can’t look French $675. Sporty luxe: that what it is.
• Love the sleeveless grey Philip Lim Tee dress with ruching detailing: Ok , so it’s sexy and short: so put down that custard pie and cream and start jogging… $595
• You want the Vanessa Bruno beautiful black belted coat $1175.
• There is a Marc Jacobs purple/taupe/red/pink stripe knit sweater: and you know stripes are hot for next season as well so just invest in this little number: I think it’s about $595
• Adore the selection of cute Marc by marc Jacobs bags: there is a great selection and lots of colours ( unless they have left the building )from about $495 so they are not expensive. The cute day bag with the long strap is so cool non?
• I see a brown two handle tote from Vanessa Bruno that is the perfect day bag and it’s not obvious statement bag: more like understated chic about $895
• I want the red Isabel Marant jeans: they are hot! You need these, so 50’s , so sexy , so right with pointy toe heels $375
• I die over the military utility khaki brown shearling jacket with a hood from Isabel Marant $1000. It’s perfect for this freezing weather.
• Love the wor- in sweater from Elizabeth and James and there is also new ship ments arriving from twentytwelve.
• Plus keep an eye out for Australian designers Flannel and Friedrich Gray… (I see leather for summer!)