Peggy Pearl

Peggy Pearl has moved - peggypearl.com

2012-02-09T15:04:00.001-08:00

Yes, I have my own URL - finally! To keep up to date with my posts, please follow Peggy Pearl via peggypearl.com

xx PP

The 50 Dresses Project #14: Dion Lee Bra Strap Dress.

2012-01-28T14:35:00.000-08:00

Is it a shirt? Is it a dress? Is it a bra?

This Dion Lee dressis all of these things in a pretty shade of sky blue silk. It’s a littlebit masculine, a little bit feminine, and it breaks the cardinal rule of nothaving your underwear on show for all to see (it is called the Bra Strap dressafter all).

This is one of those rare gems amongst the masses of saledregs currently on offer - there was only one left at Pretty Dog when we visited today and was reduced from $510 to $128 (it's also available through their online shop).

Photo: prettydogshop.com

What I'm drinking right now...

2012-01-27T20:33:00.000-08:00

My latest tea obsession is Tea2’s new bamboo brew. It’s a caffeine-freetea with a woody aroma and the nutty flavour of sweet pea. Delicious, and Ifind myself craving it even on a muggy Sydney summer day.

A bit tricky to get out of the tin (I needed tongs) butworth it. Treat it like green tea and don’t bring the jug right to boil – just usehot water. YUM.

xx PP

Photos: tea2tea.com / Peggy Pearl

The 50 Dresses Project #13: Helen Cherry in Pink.

2011-11-29T02:19:00.001-08:00

Sometimes all you need is pink. Bright, wild, hot pink. Helen Cherry is a NZ favourite and this dress is the perfect shade to clash with this season’s red and citrus shades as we embrace the warmest months ahead of us. For maximum contrast I'd try it with an orange waist belt or yellow shoes, or with white accessories for a more candy-coated feminine look.

Photo: fashionz.co.nz

The 50 Dresses Project #12: Wheels & Dollbaby Gigi Dress.

2011-11-04T13:56:00.000-07:00

When I was 13, I wanted a Wheels and Dollbaby singlet so bad, being the young wannabe badass I was. I’d spotted one in the fashion pages of Dolly magazine that looked like this:

But because I was a skint teenager, and not able to find a Wheels and Dollbaby stockist in Auckland (these were pre-online shopping times) I never got the singlet I so badly lusted after. Now, living in Sydney all these years later, the Wheels and Dollbaby boutique is just a short train ride from home - so the singlet is back on my must-have list for summer.

It’s not just the singlet I’m interested in though. Wheels and Dollbaby’s ‘tough sexy’ aesthetic extends to its collection of glamorous party dresses and it seems only right to include a W&D frock in the 50 Dresses Project. With its red satin, daringly low-cut sweetheart neckline and frilly tulle underskirt, the Gigi dress makes the cut for its fabulous, outrageous sexiness.

Photos: wheelsanddollbaby.com

The 50 Dresses Project #11: Kate Sylvester Magda Dress.

2011-10-24T03:56:00.000-07:00

If you’re after a big dose of pretty, look no further than Kate Sylvester’s freshly delivered high
summer collection. There’s lots of feminine, diaphanous frocks to choose from, but the Magda dress is the stand-out piece that makes my heart flutter – the brass-hued sequins and black silk add dramatic contrast to a simple, demure silhouette. And if the dress itself wasn't beautiful enough to lure you in, Kate Sylvester is gifting every online shopper who spends $200 or more a box set of her beautiful badges worth $55. Who could resist a beautiful dress that comes with a generous pressie on the side? Not me...xx PP

The Saponify Review.

2011-10-18T03:38:00.000-07:00

Mood: Sparkly silver, Kate Sylvester.

A few weeks ago, a delightful little package arrived in the mail from Saponify, an artisanal soap and body care company based in Sydney.

Saponify is the creation of Sarah McManus who makes all of her products by hand in her kitchen (her ‘soap studio’). Sarah’s background as a chef and her passion for flavours and scents influences her Saponify recipes. She strives to make her products as nourishing as possible, using the finest natural ingredients she can source - olive oil, cocoa butter, shea butter, pure essential oils and French clays to name a few.

The first product I tried was the rosemary and mandarin hand and body butter. While luxuriously rich and creamy I found it absorbed quickly into my skin, leaving behind none of the greasiness characteristic of heavy moisturising butters and creams. The woody rosemary scent was heady and rejuvenating, lingering long after application.

Saponify’s sugar scrub is bliss in a pot. The sweet floral scent of geranium combined with mandarin and lavender was heavenly and the shea butter left my skin feeling soft and smooth. Best of all, the natural sugar granules simply dissolved away after a good scuff – best to stay away from exfoliants containing non-biodegradable plastic beads that are washed down the drain and into the sea.

The handmade soaps with their marbled colours and gentle dusting of flowers were just so pretty I couldn’t bring myself to use them straight away. Once I did though, I was surprised by how nourishing they were. They didn’t leave my skin parched like other soaps, and they smelt delicious too. The warm, spicy scent of cinnamon, oatmeal and honey was my favourite of the three I tried, but mention must also be made of the fresh, vibrant pink grapefruit, lemon verbena and calendula soap – a brand new addition to the Saponify range.

The final verdict? Saponify ticks all the boxes for me – beautifully scented products that are gentle on the skin and handmade locally with love using high quality ingredients and no chemical nasties. Get your fix via the Saponify website (they don’t stock in stores yet) – saponify.com.au.

xx PP

Photos: saponify.com.au

The 50 Dresses Project #10: Gorman Carmen Dress.

2011-10-08T22:22:00.000-07:00

Forget the fruit salad hat – wear fruit on your frock! The 50 Dresses Project’s number #10 is the Carmen dress from Australian label Gorman, who are famous for their bright colours, organic fabrics and sustainable manufacturing practises. This would be a perfect pick for Melbourne Cup Day, paired with natural-toned shoes and simple accessories – let the dress be the statement!

Photo: gormanshop.com.au

Kathryn Wilson's Winter 2012 showing in Sydney.

2011-10-02T01:07:00.000-07:00

Mood: Stockings, blankets, vanilla noir candle - Sunday, you complete me.

It was just another unremarkable Monday afternoon.

I’d finished an off-site work meeting and was on my way home in a taxi. But thanks to a lucky last-minute invite in-transit, I diverted to Surry Hills for a very special preview of Kathryn Wilson’s winter ’12 footwear collection.

Dimly-lit Tokonoma Lounge was the sultry backdrop for the evening. Guests were treated to sushi and Hendrick’s gin cocktails while they perused the beautiful shoes lined up around the bar from Kathryn Wilson’s eponymous main line, as well as her diffusion collection Miss Wilson.

The collection was classic Kathryn Wilson: a little bit girlish, a little boyish with a nod to current trends as well as some retro influences – think tasselled loafers, heeled brogues and a feminine take on brothel creepers. The cream studded platform heels made next year’s winter wish list for me, as did the wedges with contrasting colours and textures of velvet and leather.

And Kathryn Wilson herself? It was so wonderful to meet her in person - someone who I have long admired as a designer and businesswoman. Judging from the smiles, cooing and interaction from guests admiring the collection the evening felt a success – I hope it translates to us Sydney-based shoe fantatics being able to buy Kathryn Wilson here next winter!

The 50 Dresses Project #9: sass & bide Don't Panic, It's Organic Dress.

2011-09-30T19:44:00.000-07:00

I’m not sure why this dress is called “Don’t Panic, It’s Organic”. For me the name conjures up loosely fitted hemp or canvas espadrilles – not a slinky, one-shouldered number dripping with sparkly sequins. Name aside, you can’t argue that this statement piece is a fitting choice for the #9 spot for the 50 Dresses Project – the ultimate party dress from sass & bide’s Boogie and the Historymaker ss11 collection.

Photos: sassandbide.com

The 50 Dresses Project #8: REDValentino Emerald Dress.

2011-09-26T03:56:00.000-07:00

On Friday, it seemed as if summer had really arrived in Sydney. Come midday the temperature had hit 30 degrees, the air was thick with heat and the sun was searing when I popped out to get my lunch.

By the end of the day, things were quite different. The temperature dropped suddenly to the mid-teens and there I was, standing in my short sleeveless frock at a rooftop bar, lamenting my lack of cardigan and frozen extremities.

My point is that at this time of year, the weather is about as unpredictable as it can get – so don’t rule out a thicker fabric and long sleeve. And let’s not be too practical here anyway – this REDValentino dress should make your wardrobe for its breathtaking vintage-style elegance alone.

Photo: shopbop.com

The 50 Dresses Project #7: Juliette Hogan Kaylee Dress.

2011-09-23T15:42:00.000-07:00

I have a list. Every time I return to New Zealand there’s a select few stores I visit without fail and “J-Ho” is one as her pieces are so hard to come by in Australia.

I love the stark, simple Kaylee dress from her current “fall in love, not in line” collection. Not only would it be perfect for special summer occasions, it’d also make a striking wedding dress. Accessorizing would be fun too – I’d add lashings of gold jewellery and a statement waist-belt. A timeless summery classic.

Photo: juliettehogan.com

Back to MAC: How to get your free MAC lippie.

2011-09-19T04:25:00.000-07:00

Mood: Hendrick's G&Ts, high heels and homemade frittata.

Ever heard of Back to MAC?

I had. I’d seen the tiny logo on the top of their cardboard packaging and wondered about it, but never thought to ask. Then one day a helpful MAC makeup artist enlightened me. I wish I’d known earlier!

Back to MAC is MAC’s recycling/rewards programme. If you return 6 used MAC packaging items (4 in New Zealand) to a MAC counter, they’ll gift you a free lipstick from one of their standard ranges (this doesn’t include their Viva Glam lipsticks or any special editions as far as I’m aware). So – if you have the patience to hoard all your empty foundation tubes and compact containers till you build up your quota, you will be rewarded!

One thing I have discovered is that Australian counters will accept glass and plastic MAC containers, however NZ will only accept plastic. So bear this in mind if you’re planning to hoard your glass foundation bottles - they’re best to go out with the normal recycling.

Spread the word, MAC lovers – everyone should know about the beauty world’s best kept secret!

Photo: maxtheunicorn.blogspot.com (MAC Colour Craft collection).

The 50 Dresses Project #6: Karen Walker Love.

2011-09-18T00:45:00.000-07:00

At #6, I’ve finally popped my Karen Walker cherry. While the current spring/summer North Collection in store is a beauty, I’m most excited about the resort collection due to drop in the next few weeks. Here’s where we’ll see more of KW’s stand-out prints and a much brighter palette. One of my personal favourites is this girlish dress from the Runaway line with its delicate doily neckline. When it comes to choice of prints, it’s a tie for me – of paler complexion I’d err towards the navy/yellow floral, however the saccharine pink would look beautiful on a blonde.

Photos: karenwalker.com

The 50 Dresses Project #5: Sportsgirl Arizona Maxi.

2011-09-17T00:50:00.000-07:00

It’s time to drop the hemlines and get into maxi dress territory – a trend I was previously wary of due to the sheer number of cheap-looking, gypsy-inspired maxis clogging the racks over the past few years. However the maxi trend of late has taken on a more streamlined feel, and this Sportsgirl Arizona maxi had the requisite ‘wow’ factor to be included in the 50 Dresses Project. It goes without saying the colour-blocking in this dress is also on-trend - I can’t go past the delicious clash of red with melon topped off with a flattering waistband in gold. And the best thing about Sportsgirl dresses? They’re affordable (this one’s AUD$149.95 on the Sportsgirl website).

Photo: sportsgirl.com.au

The 50 Dresses Project #4: See by Chloe Silk Twill Dress with "Big Flowers" print.

2011-09-16T05:31:00.000-07:00

Bright yellow is the colour of happiness, which is one of the reasons why this See by Chloe dress makes the 50 Dresses Project cut. Another is the striking print, evocative of the wild, colourful 1960s and golden summer sunshine – a match made in heaven. But while summer’s still a while off, this piece is completely wearable while the air’s a bit crisper. I’d take my cue from the See by Chloe website, where it’s been matched with a chunky cardi and lovely thick stockings.

Photos: chloe.com, lyst.com

The 50 Dresses Project #3: Ricochet Lantana Dress.

2011-09-13T03:34:00.000-07:00

After kick-starting the 50 Dresses Project with colour and patterns, I felt #3 should be a little more subdued – fitting, perhaps, for this transeasonal weather. The Lantana dress is by NZ label Ricochet whose trademark is clever cuts and understated palettes. I love that I could layer this dress with stockings, boots and a well-cut jacket through the cooler spring months, while in summer it’d be perfect teamed with a smart pair of sandals and little else. Being Polyester is a bonus - it’d be something you could wash rather than dry-clean. And it also wins kudos from me for being made in NZ. Big tick.

Photo: ricochet.co.nz

The 50 Dresses Project #2: Tibi Istanbul Dress.

2011-09-12T03:41:00.001-07:00

While the thought of bare shoulders in September might send shivers down one’s spine, there’s no harm in dreaming of warmer temperatures, right? It also doesn’t hurt to start building your high summer wardrobe early before everyone else gets the pick of the lot, and this is where this Tibi Istanbul strapless dress (from NET-A-PORTER) comes into play. The exotic warm colours evoke warm, balmy evenings and before you know it, you’ll be able to wear this one without a cardi.

Photo: NET-A-PORTER.

The 50 Dresses Project: Introducing #1...

2011-09-10T23:11:00.000-07:00

Some women covet handbags to the point of obsession, others can’t walk past a shoe shop without a second look. My first fashion love is dresses, and because I adore them so much I’ll be profiling 50 fabulous frocks on Peggy Pearl over the coming months. I’ve no strict criteria when it comes to the selection – they could be current season or vintage, feminine and frilly vs strikingly simple, ridiculously expensive or cheap and cheerful. I’ve simply chosen dresses that take my fancy for whatever reason and will be perfectly suited to the summer months ahead.

Without further ado, here’s dress #1. This is the Planet Rock dress from World’s SS 11/12 collection Afrika Bambaataa – a beautifully tailored floral print dress for the modern-day Betty Draper.

Photo: worldbrand.co.nz

Vogue Fashion's Night Out: The Treasure Hunt.

2011-09-10T17:08:00.000-07:00

Mood: All snuggly and 80s in Karen Walker's Liberal & Miserable sweater.

Vogue Fashion’s Night Out is fashion's ultimate street party. For one night a year, retailers in major cities throw open their doors to offer late night shopping, discounts, gifts and pop-up events. The brainchild of Anna Wintour, it was originally designed to reinvigorate the struggling retail sector during the throws of the GFC and since 2009 has become a much-anticipated annual shopping event around the world. Around 600 retailers took part in Sydney last Thursday night alone!

I got in amongst the FNOhunt - a twitter-based treasure hunt whereby 10 clues were fed by Vogue (@vogueoz) to followers, who would then scout out shops, tweet from their location with the #FNOhunt hashtag and gather treats to pull together their own goodie bag. After the hunt one lucky treasure hunter who visited all 10 stops won themselves a handbag from Coach. Noice.

The hunt kicked off at the beautiful Strand Arcade, right in the middle of all the action in Pitt St. Weaving my way through throngs of girls loaded with shopping bags and queuing for fairy floss outside Sportsgirl, I found myself outside Sweet Infinity, trading my first #FNOhunt tweet for a cupcake. Good start – a little something to kick-start the energy levels after a hard day’s work.

Sweet treats at Sweet Infinity.

The 2nd clue found us hunters racing upstairs to Maiolo hair and makeup salon on the top floor of the Strand to claim a 100ml bottle of La Biosthetique shampoo and a 20% off voucher. Steal!

I was soon to realise that FNO isn’t just a shopping extravaganza, it’s also a full-on sugar overload. Post the entree of Sportsgirl fairy floss and Sweet Infinity cupcakes, our 3rd clue led us to Bon Bon, where we collected some delicious chocolate goodies. Clue #4 took us out of the Strand and over to the Coach store, where we collected a $20 QVB voucher. My goodie bag was starting to take shape.

Chocolate goodness at Bon Bon.

There was a half-hour wait for the next clue – cue coffee break and a quick make-up spruce up before we took off again. By this time my feet were starting to ache in my flat boots and I felt some sympathy for the girls on the hunt who were struggling in heels. Note to those who plan to take part in 2012 – wear sensible shoes or YOU WILL DIE.

Our 5th clue led us to Molton Brown, an English company who make exquisite natural body care products. I picked myself up a wee bottle of their cempaka shower gel, in perfect travel size. Cryptic clue #6 (“This fashion retailer is a level ‘above’ the rest. They love a layer and ‘metal’ is their best friend”) saw us head to Metalicus on the upper levels of QVB, where they were serving champagne and cupcakes (yes, MORE sugar) and gifting out $10 vouchers to happy tweeters.

Clue #7 took us to our last stop in the QVB which was Bacco, the Italian wine bar – at this time, I noticed the crowd of hunters was starting to thin a little, most probably due to high heel fatigue. I claimed my little bag of biscuits (by now I had a whole pantry of edible goodies thanks to FNOhunt) and proceeded to the Galeries across the road for the last leg.

Clue #8 led us to Alphaville – having never set foot in the store before I was quite taken with their crisp, monochromatic streetwear. It was here also I received my favourite gift from the evening, a beautiful metal broach (lucky hunters had the choice of two designs).

Lights and monochrome at Alphaville.

A quick slug of fizzy and then it was onto the final two clues of the evening. Next stop was Pelactiv up the escalator (where were given hot pink foil bags which came complete with an entire range of Pelactive skincare – without a doubt the most generous gift on the treasure hunt), then back downstairs to Superdry, where we picked up a $10 voucher as our last gift.

Two final highlights to share with you – the happy DJ in the window of Diane Von Furstenberg and the beautiful Elizabeth Arden girl, resplendent in red. Super super night.

Photos: Peggy Pearl.

Special Auckland Things.

2011-09-07T04:56:00.000-07:00

Mood: Pretty spring-time florals from Helen Cherry.

A lot can happen in 9 months. I’d been away from New Zealand this long, and upon my return last week discovered Auckland had given birth to a rather large brood of fabulous new shops and eateries in my absence. I also took the opportunity to visit some familiar favourites who had been up to a few exciting new things too.

I finally had the chance to visit Playpark by Karen Walker – KW’s revamped Newmarket store (she took over the neighbouring retail space and built – you guessed it – a playground). Playpark is Karen Walker’s ultimate flagship – it’s literally a big girl’s playground with the entire Karen Walker, Runaway and Hi There ranges hanging from jungle gyms alongside handpicked labels such as TopShop, Cacharel and Jac + Jack.

Also worth a special mention in Newmarket was Teed St Larder, a favourite past haunt famous for its to-die-for baked goodies. While there Mr PP and I sampled strawberry & rosewater macarons, macadamia brioche and exquisite pomegranate custard tarts.

I also spent some time at The Department Store in Takapuna where I enjoyed a 1hr Osmosis facial (keep an eye out for the review) followed by a quick refuel at La Boulange. Moving the cafe to the front of the store and giving it a French make-over is a smart move. It’ll no doubt attract passers-by who will be lured in by the smell of espresso and promise of buttery pastry treats.

Ponsonby and Herne Bay had some wonderful new surprises in store. I’d heard many great things about Zus & Zo and it lived up to my lofty expectations. Mr PP and I made a couple of visits to savour their Dutch-inspired sandwiches and I particularly loved my grilled vegetable one with goats curd, honey and pine-nuts (below). The mushrooms with blue cheese and black forest ham also deserves a special mention.

Afterwards, we had a little peek at the new Tessuti store which now plays home to local fashion label Ingrid Starnes along with Charlotte Penman jewellery, Missoni bathroom gear and other pretty treasures.

Last of all, I was taken by the new Britomart complex with its new MAC and Jo Malone stores along with an array of great eateries and bars. I was sad I missed Kathryn Wilson’s pop-up shoe store in a shoe-box – I didn’t know about it until long after I was on the plane back to Sydney. I’m crossing my fingers that it sticks around until Christmas when I'm back!

Photos: Peggy Pearl.

Peggy Pearl Style Maven #4: Rebecca Riegger

2011-08-21T00:54:00.000-07:00

Style Maven #4 is my stylish school pal and fellow Sydneysider Rebecca Riegger. She’s been on the Peggy Pearl radar for some time, but not just because she’s a friend - her creativity really is something to behold. When she’s not putting pen to paper as an advertising art director, you’ll find her experimenting in the kitchen, (most likely using home-grown produce from her immaculate garden), painting pictures, sewing or restoring old furniture. There’s nothing this dynamo blonde can’t do.

Her wardrobe is an extension of her creative, resourceful personality – a mix of vintage finds, carefully selected investment pieces and precious hand-me-downs from her German grandmothers. While she doesn’t have a single style icon of choice, she cites the colourful people that inhabit gritty King St (in Newtown, Sydney) as a source of inspiration for their colour and originality.

Sweetheart lace top from ASOS. Cardigan "from my aunt". Skirt from Wildpair. Grey wool stockings from David Jones Bondi Junction ("they have the most amazing hosiery section"). Boots from Wittner.

T-shirt from ASOS. Scarf from One Teaspoon. "Hand-me-down" cardigan. Jeans "gifted by an old flatmate". Sunglasses from General Pants Co.

Dress from a garage sale. Boots from Sportsgirl. Necklace from her great-grandmother's collection "I kept borrowing it from my mum so she gave it to me."

Dress from Urban Outfitters. Cardigan and boots from Sportsgirl.

Coat from Tommy Hilfiger. Boots from Sportsgirl. Hat from her great-grandmother.

Vintage dress from Ebay. Cardigan from Agentninetynine. Boots from Wittner. Vintage ring.

What do you think makes somebody ‘stylish’?
Wearing something with confidence. That doesn't apply to someone that confidently wears a matching two-piece, velvet tracksuit though. You've got to have taste too.

Where are your favourite shops for scouting out wardrobe goodies?
I shop a lot online these days. I love Asos – free shipping woohoo – as well as Topshop at the moment. Once in a while I find a lovely vintage piece on eBay or Etzy. It's so much easier doing your vintage shopping that way.

What's your favourite fragrance?
I’ve got 3 different fragrances on my shelf currently. Flowerbomb by Viktor & Rolf, Bulgari Pour Femme and Narciso Rodriguez.

What are your favourite skincare potions, lotions and make-up tricks?
I've made the switch to non-animal tested products and I'm still trialling a few different brands to see which ones work the best. At the moment I use a mix of Nivea, Clarins, MAC and Australis.

As for tips, I guess it's the usual “drink lots of water and keep your skin clean”. Since moving to Sydney (from Auckland) I’ve had to deal with heat-waves which makes it a tad difficult to keep my face from looking like the Joker. So I tend to keep make up to a minimum. I never use foundation as it clogs my skin up too much but I do swear by translucent powder. It keeps everything in place.

What's on your iPod playlist at the moment?
Cults and Architecture in Helsinki

What's your most treasured possession?
My Great Grandma’s jewellery and my photos.

Show me what's in your handbag!
Oh god...paper, lots and lots of paper. I travel about an hour each way from work each day so I often brainstorm on the train. I've also got a Clarins lippy, and a ton of hairpins.

Do you have any favourite fashion designers/brands or shops that you like to frequent?
I tend to just buy whatever tickles my fancy. I do buy a lot from Asos and Topshop!

Most stylish city you've ever visited?
To be honest, I've yet to visit a city that’s knocked my socks off in terms of style. I do love Sydney though because unlike Melbourne and Auckland, people aren't afraid of colour. I think because of the sheer mass of people here you can get away dressing in whatever style you like so you see some pretty interesting stuff.

Pearls or diamonds?
Diamonds. As much as I like pearls, they just don't suit me. When I wear pearls, I feel like I look like a kid that has raided my Grandma’s jewellery box!

Maybelline Baby Lips review on beautygoss.com

2011-08-06T16:52:00.001-07:00

Mood: Aubergine dressing gown. Sultry Sunday.

Mid year seems to be the time every year that life and work commitments overshadow Peggy Pearl. After a very dry July I'm back and have a fair few interesting tidbits to share with you over the coming weeks.

First up - my review of Maybelline's Baby Lips on Beauty Goss. Check out what I have to say about this cheap and cheerful handbag staple here (1st review in the list).

xx PP

Frozen in Time: The Marie Louise Salon.

2011-06-29T04:49:00.000-07:00

Mood: Thursday night. Finished the falafel balls. Contemplating painting nails in Chanel Particuliere.

Walking through Newtown in Sydney is an incredible assault on the senses. There's always music blaring from a bar or street busker, stores are crammed with vintage keepsakes and colourful oddities while incense wafts from the Indian stores dotted along the southern end of the strip. The people are special too. My favourites are the lady who routinely walks her pet ferret in the vicinity and the fossilised rocker who, having traded in his two wheels many years ago, now rides in a skull-adorned mobility scooter accompanied by his beloved ghetto blaster.

Just across from the train station is Enmore Rd. Lacking the slightly more polished demeanour of of neighbouring King St, I suspect the Enmore shopping strip largely resembles what the centre of Newtown would’ve been like 10 or so years ago before it became a bit trendy.

Nestled along Enmore is a slice of real estate frozen in time. The striking, faded retro mauve-and-pink facade of the Marie Louise hair salon stopped me in my tracks when I first explored the area.

Clearly the salon had been shut for some time, possibly years. But there were some fascinating photos and trinkets in the mildewy windows.

Intrigued, I wanted to find out more about this mysterious shop. It turns out “Marie Louise” was run by lottery winner Nola Mehzer, who with her brother used their windfall to set up soup kitchens and refuges throughout Sydney. Locals, writers and retro enthusiasts have debated how old the salon is – some refer to it as art deco, while others claim that it’s a few decades younger than that. Regardless of its age, I love to imagine what this place would’ve been like in its heyday – rows of women wearing their best dresses and pearls, hair in curlers under giant dryers, reading magazines and trading stories.

I plan to visit the Marie Louise salon again soon. My most recent visit last weekend didn’t turn up any juicy nuggets of information – the shops nearby were either closed or their assistants too busy to talk. But I plan to scratch the surface further and find out a little more about the Marie Louise story. Watch this space...

Photos: Peggy Pearl

My product review on beautygoss.com

2011-06-12T17:24:00.000-07:00

Mood: Cosy in Moochi black wool and sparkly fingerless gloves.

Beauty Goss is an excellent read when it comes to all things make-up and skincare related. It's a favourite for me online, so you can imagine my excitement when I was given the opportunity to review some products for the editor, Tamsin Marshall.

You can read what I wrote about Clinique's Repairwear Laser Focus here. I'm not going to give away anything...you'll need to click through to check out my verdict on this anti-ageing, wrinkle-busting product!

xx PP

Vogue Online Shopping Night.

2011-06-07T03:10:00.000-07:00

This morning was reportedly Sydney’s coldest so far this year - which makes a night of shopping from the comfort of my couch sound like winter retail therapy perfection!

Vogue Australia is hosting Fashion’s Night In from 5pm until 11pm tomorrow night (June 8th). There’s so many local and international brands offering great deals. Here’s my pick of the bunch:

Melissa Australia
Famous for their fun, colourful and wearable plastic heels as well as their long-running partnership with Vivienne Westwood, Melissa are launching two new boot collaborations with Jean Paul Gaultier and Alexandre Herchcovitch on the evening. They’re also offering 25% off the new collaboration styles as well as discounts on other selected styles and free shipping.

melissaaustralia.com.au

Wheels & Dollbaby
Wheels & Dollbaby are veterans of the Australian fashion scene - they've been making sexy, retro-inspired 'clothes to snare a millionare' since 1987. They're giving shoppers a special gift with purchase during Fashion's Night In - a beautiful pink signature-print scarf. Beauty.

wheelsanddollbaby.com

Photo: Wheels & Dollbaby

MOR
Australian brand MOR make exquisite body care products and candles. Not only is shipping free, all MOR purchases during the evening come with a cosmetics purse worth $29.95. Given MOR's signature rococo-style packaging, it's bound to be pretty.

morcosmetics.com

Sportsgirl
Incredibly generous are Sportsgirl - not only are they offering 20% off online orders, they're also giving away an eye shadow palette to every shopper and one lucky lady will win a $500 goodie bag.

sportsgirl.com.au

Alice McCall
Alice McCall are giving shoppers a generous discount of 40% off their current Winter collection - as well as 20% off sale stock. Your best bet? Visit the Alice McCall e-boutique and earmark your favourite pieces so you can get in before anybody else!

alicemccall.com

Photo: Alice McCall

Melbourne Anticipation #2

2011-05-17T04:21:00.000-07:00

Mood: Skinny jeans and vegan choc brownie - a match made in heaven.

My Melbourne trip is getting closer, and not only am I excited about shopping – I’m salivating at the thought of visiting my favourite foodie places in the City of Awesome. Melbourne is a gourmand's paradise, especially for those with a weakness for Greek and Italian (me!). Here are three of my special spots – two cute and quirky cake shops and a heavenly Italian restaurant.

Little Cupcakes
Irresistibly cute with its pink door and hand painted window sign, Little Cupcakes is nestled away in an colourful alley by Degraves St. They have become famous in Melbourne for their adorable, tasty cupcakes with flavours such as Pistachio Heaven, Cream Latte and Devil’s Dark Choc. Their website is equally as delicious, with its quirky ‘cupcake calendar’ (which shows availability of flavours per day) a standout. Cupcakey heaven all round.

Shop 7 Degraves St. +61 3 9077 0413

Il Bacaro
Il Bacaro on Little Collins St treated me to an exquisite meal on my birthday a few years back – and some of the best restaurant service I’ve experienced. The award-winning restaurant serves authentic Italian in a low-lit, intimate setting. I can’t wait to visit again and sample their current menu.

168/170 Little Collins St. +61 3 9654 6778

International Cakes
This place always wows me with its mountains of sugary treats, but it also has a homely, quaint feel to it too. In keeping with their name International Cakes offer a diverse array of desserts and sweets from around the globe (with a European skew – there’s cannoli, tiramisu and baklava aplenty here).

185 Lonsdale St. +61 3 9663 2092

Photos: Peggy Pearl, eatalmostanything.com

xx PP

Fashion Weekend Sydney.

2011-05-15T04:23:00.000-07:00

Mood: Sass & Bide zebra leggings + sparkly black Chucks (with a side serve of peanut butter gelato).

Rebecca and Emily do Fashion Weekend.

I don’t like sales much. In fact, frenetic sale outings can make me feel downright nauseous. Not that a bargain isn’t desirable of course, but really, there’s nothing appealing about the experience - stampeding hordes of women clambering over each other, claws out, desperate to grab the last pair of size 40 heels. Once I had a pair of cut-price jeans literally pulled out of my hands by a ‘lady’ who should’ve known better. It all makes me feel claustrophobic at best, panicked at worst.

There was no bad behaviour at Fashion Weekend in Sydney yesterday – certainly none that I could see. Sure, the crowds were there in full force, but overall it was a fantastic opportunity to nab some seriously marked-down designer threads, catch a catwalk show, drink champagne and indulge in a little pampering (me? I had my eyebrows expertly shaped and tinted by Kristin Fisher).

There were several catwalk shows scheduled on each day of Fashion Weekend, which also served as a showcase of sale pieces for some of the designer stallholders. Natasha’s spectacular purple jumpsuit was a stand-out piece from early in the show, while Melbourne designer Arabella Ramsay mixed in a few standout pieces from her new season – her bold floral print dress and floral trimmed cream sweater were two of my favourites. Shakuhachi also impressed with their dusky sunset palette – think rusty orange browns and neutrals with lashings of mustard. Autumnal colour was the winner on the day.

Unlike many sale weekends, FWS replenished their stock daily which meant standard sizes weren’t scarce and the racks weren’t empty, even come Sunday afternoon. Cassette Society and Arabella Ramsay offered great bargains with dresses originally in the hundreds marked down as low as $40. Peeptoe had heels on offer for $60. But it had to be Elle Macpherson who offered the greatest savings with all bra sets reduced to $20. There was even a good selection of 12Bs left – definitely a measure of a good lingerie sale since this happens to be one of the most common sell-out sizes in retail stores.

If you didn’t make it this year, grab your BFFs and make a weekend of it in 2012!

Photos: Peggy Pearl

xx PP

Melbourne Anticipation #1

2011-05-10T04:31:00.000-07:00

Mood: Writing this post has made me realise I have nothing to wear...

One cannot help but count down every final second in the lead-up to a Melbourne holiday. I visited for the first time when I was 19 and immediately fell in love with the city’s hole-in-the-wall cafes, graffiti-covered lanes and dark, brooding, effortless style.

I’m back again next week for the first time in two years and CAN’T WAIT to explore the city’s newest boutiques and eateries. Here are the most anticipated fashion destinations on my to-do list; these are three fond favourites from my previous visits. And of course I know I will have a great big list of fabulous new finds once I actually get there to explore!

Green With Envy
Last time I visited Green With Envy I left poorer in the wallet but certainly rich in the wardrobe department, my shiny green shopping bag laden with denim, more denim and heels. Green With Envy flies the flag for prominent Australian designers such as Ksubi, Sass & Bide, Lover, Shakuhachi, Kirrily Johnson, Arnsdorf and Peeptoe Shoes. I can’t wait to visit their Flinders Lane store again – it’s a beacon of light and mirrors, and their customer service is second to none.

268 Flinders Lane. +61 3 9663 8043

Verve
Verve was one of the stand-outs from my first ever Melbourne visit, combining a fashion boutique and cafe into a small, loft-style space (Aucklanders will remember Superette did the same thing with their original store behind Victoria Park).
Aside from the delicious home-made muesli with stewed fruit, I was wowed by the racks of well-priced pieces from up-and-coming Australian designers. Six years on and I’ll need to see whether Verve has changed much – but judging from the 5-star reviews and glowing comments (about their coffee especially) it sounds like they’re still impressing the crowds.

177 Little Collins St. +61 3 9639 5886

Fat
While the name doesn’t exactly scream fashion (which is probably the point), Fat make up for it with their chic, stylish high-casual clothing for women and men. They also have a cool website (with moveable windows!) that profiles their various projects such as t-shirt exhibitions, events and other collaborations. Out of a lengthy list of designers they stock I’m excited to check out the latest from Ellery, Karla Spetic, Life with Bird and Antipodium on the racks as well as Fat’s selection of Moscot sunglasses, Melissa and Beau Coops shoes.

GPO Shop 3 Ground Floor, 350 Bourke St. +61 3 9662 3332

Photos: shop247.com.au, yourrestaurants.com.au, fashionrecord.com

Xx PP

Flowers and fashion, art and design.

2011-04-10T23:38:00.000-07:00

Mood: Noir. Black leggings, cardigan and slip. It must be Autumn.

Being gifted a beautiful bouquet of flowers is one of life’s little pleasures. A friend of mine brought over an exquisite bunch of cream roses the other weekend which took pride of place on my coffee table. Since then I’ve been buying flowers every week as a little treat for my living room (and for me!). It’s amazing how beautiful flowers can lift both your home space and your spirits.

This simple yet exquisite bunch of roses also propelled me to search out the most creative things people have been doing with flowers around the world on a greater scale – whether they’re photographing or painting them, arranging them or doing all of the above at once. Here’s what I uncovered...

Mulberry’s Love Blossoms

Earlier this year, Mulberry joined forces with digital artist Daniel Brown to create a virtual Valentine’s Day flower, fusing fashion with innovative interactivity. Visitors were able to access dedicated page on the Mulberry site where they could customise their floral gift and send it on as a ‘seed’ to their Valentine. Recipients were then able to share their special flower with others on twitter and Facebook.

Although it’s no longer able to be shared with others, you can still see the beautiful flower design on the Mulberry site here. Mulberry have also worked flowers into their Secret Garden-inspired Spring/Summer 2011 collection with pieces such as the suede ‘Flowerbed shift' and 'Flowerbed skirt' (below).

Photo: mulberry.com

The Flower Tree in Lyon...

Visitors to the Place Antonin-Poncet in Lyon are spellbound by the Flower Tree. It was created by Korean artist Jeong-Hwa Choi and unveiled in 2003, removed then reinstated in 2007.

Photo: intriguerie.com

...and Karen Walker’s Vintage-Inspired Flower Pendants

I reckon that the flowers on the tree look like those beautiful vintage broaches our Grandmothers used to wear – incidentally, Karen Walker has created some similar for her jewellery line. This striking silver and enamel pansy pendant is hand painted with a garnet set in the middle and is her website’s featured piece of jewellery for the month of April.

Photo: karenwalkerjewellery.com

Love Bombs by the Flower Drum

Holly Hipwell and Mylee Grace make up the two halves of The Flower Drum, and do all sorts of wild, creative, colourful things with flowers they source from Sydney’s markets. The duo worked on a special project with the Design Files Daily for Valentine’s Day this year, creating Love Bombs – a way cooler alternative to your stock-standard dozen roses. If you want to learn how to make these gorgeous balls of floral awesome (they’re perfect for any occasion), check out the story on the Design Files Daily website and also have a read of the Flower Drum blog for more floral goodness.

Photos: Sarah Christensen.

Viktor & Rolf: Flowers in Fashion & Fragrance

Flowers are one of the most common fashion prints, and it goes without saying they have an essential role to play when it comes to perfumes. However, Viktor & Rolf have always taken everything a step further – flowers seem to permeate everything they do, and on a grand scale.

Viktor and Rolf’s first fragrance, Flowerbomb, was launched in 2005 and last year an incredible work of floral art was commissioned for the fragrance’s 5th anniversary party. Little Pheasant created large sized replicas of the perfume’s iconic grenade bottle made entirely out of pink and red blooms. You can read about the construction of the gigantic flower bottles on the creator’s blog here.

Photo: purelyperfumes.wordpress.com

The Amsterdam-based label are also well-known for adding floral touches to their clothing and footwear ranges. In 2009, Lady Gaga rocked a dress covered in tiny silk flowers from the label’s Autumn 2009 range. Spring/Summer 2010 saw them work exquisite floral detail into towering high heels and boots, and this year Natalie Portman’s Golden Globes dress (a Viktor & Rolf creation complete with scarlet rose detail at the bust) was by far my favourite outfit on the red carpet.

SHOWstudio’s Homage to Flowers

Proving just how important flowers are as inspiration for art, design and fashion, SHOWstudio.com paid homage to the humble blossom by hosting an exhibition of artworks, one-off garments, fashion pieces and artefacts at their London gallery from November through to January this year. High profile contributors such as Vivienne Westwood and Yohji Yamamoto were asked to create their own floral tributes for the event. And in the true spirit of their roots as online fashion video pioneers, SHOWstudio.com broadcasted live performances from the gallery on their website.

Photo: showstudio.com

For more images and coverage of the event, visit SHOWstudio's site here.

Michael Gantner’s Flower Photography

I wanted to end this post with something as simple as what I started it with. Michael Gantner is an ex-advertising creative director turned photographer who is famous for his stunning flower photography. His images are beautifully simple, clean and ethereal.

xx PP

Moochi's online shop goes live.

2011-04-02T21:43:00.000-07:00

Mood: Grey marle Sass & Bide tee, Something Else skirt, Ecoya French Pear candle. Sunday afternoon bliss.

Moochi has had a swish new website in the pipeline for some time. Working there 6 or so years ago, I remember out-of-town moochi-ites desperately asking if they would be able to purchase online any time soon. These fans had to travel far and wide to get their fix, since moochi doesn’t stock outside of their 7 stores in New Zealand. But not anymore. As of last week moochi unveiled their online shop to widespread excitement from fans far and wide.

Aside from the much anticipated e-shop, the whole moochi site has been given a complete overhaul. There’s an introductory video showing behind the scenes clips and snippets from their recent show at New Zealand Fashion Festival (dotted with interview sound-bites from the label’s founder and design director Kellie Taylor). There’s also a blog, with all the latest news on new collections, in-store drops and sales. You can also read their seasonal magazine online if you’re so inclined (though I always enjoy the tangible print version you can get in store). With their grid layout I wonder if they took a leaf from Karen Walker’s website?

My current favourites within the Autumn/Winter collection include (top to bottom) the camel and black striped Squared Dress, chiffon Cascade Maxi, leather Anarchy Jacket with Slouch Pants and the Winged Dress in vivid blue.

The fresh new site is great news to fans like me who live too far away to visit a moochi boutique on a regular basis. There’s a big contingent of expat Kiwi girls in Australia especially who miss the label’s simple, on-trend aesthetic – not to mention that the clothes are so well made they never die. Now us lucky ladies abroad will be able to get our moochi fix without having to buy a plane ticket home.

moochi.co.nz

xx PP

Dita Von Teese and the magic typewriter at Bar Hemingway.

2011-04-01T18:06:00.000-07:00

Mood: Black cardigan, stockings and a flash of colour with Karen Walker's bunting print bag.

Aside from her sparkling Burlesque shows and breathtaking vintage wardrobe, Dita Von Teese is well known as Cointreau’s glamorous globe-trotting brand ambassador. Her signature Cointreau Teese cocktail was born from this partnership, inspired by the fragrances, colours and foods coveted by the luxurious lady herself.

Less well known is Dita Von Teese’s special connection to Bar Hemingway, situated inside Paris’ Ritz Hotel. Dita frequents Bar Hemingway whenever she’s in town and cites it as being one of her favourite places in the world to enjoy an expertly mixed cocktail. If you’re ever lucky enough to visit, order a Cointreau Teese, pull up one of the bar’s sumptuous leather chairs and take a seat at the vintage typewriter there. Type a letter to Dita and word is that she’ll write you back. Pure fabulousness.

If a trip to Paris for cocktails isn’t do-able, then don’t fret – the next best thing is to make the cocktail at home. Do it D-V-T style and find yourself a beautiful vintage cocktail shaker to mix your creation in.

40ml Cointreau
20 ml apple juice
15ml Monin violet syrup
15ml fresh lemon juice
Mix and pour into a martini glass with ginger frosted around the rim.

Source/picture: cointreau.com

PS: The pic below was posted by Dita Von Teese on twitter and the caption read "Fancy Cointreau cocktails at The Hemingway Bar in Paris. Bliss!"

Sydney Street Art

2011-03-26T18:34:00.000-07:00

Mood: First denim day of Autumn. Wet and leafy, damp and cool and moody.

I've been living in glorious Sydney for nearly 10 months now and I thought I'd share my collection of street art pics that I've amassed since arriving here.

Most excitingly, I'm off to Melbourne in May - Melbs is the equivalent of street art HEAVEN for me. Keep an eye out for the pics...

xx PP

More shoes: Kobi Levi is incredible

2011-03-20T02:46:00.000-07:00

Mood: Barefoot and ironic after two footwear posts in a row.

I have just had the pleasure of discovering Kobi Levi’s out-of-this world footwear. Kobi creates shoes that are adorably cheeky and humorous - resembling furniture, food items, pop culture figures and even sex positions, they are spellbinding works of art.

Thanks to Olive B for introducing me to this incredible talent. Image credits to Kobi Levi - you can see more of his incredible designs here.

Olive Oyl

Mallard Duck

Blow

Blonde Ambition

Slide

xx PP

Sarah Riley is back

2011-02-19T15:18:00.002-08:00

Mood: Relaxed animal-print Antipodium maxi and moochi belt on a balmy Sunday morning. Havaianas compulsory.

There aren’t many New Zealand shoe designers of note out there, so I lamented the disappearance of Sarah Riley and her sexy stilettos from the local scene in 2008. She claimed it was a case of not having the financial means to fund her next collection due to a money dispute with stockist Trelise Cooper. The latter defended their position, stating that payment to Sarah Riley had been withheld on the basis that the shoes they received had been were not of a saleable quality.

The jury’s out on what happened. But it was a huge blow to Sarah, so much so that she could not continue business. It also highlights how difficult it is to be a shoe designer in a market as small as New Zealand. For the most part it’s cost prohibitive to manufacture locally, yet extremely difficult to control production quality offshore. It only takes one dud delivery to sink a business, and evidently in this instance it did.

Or did it? After a break of nearly 3 years, Sarah Riley pressed go on her new online boutique in January. The site showcases her comeback collection of embellished heels, flats and boots. There’s a plethora of textures and animal patterns going on – suede, frills and no shortage of her signature snakeskin. My favourite has to be the Koru heel in gold and brown (first up below). Elegant and original.

It’s always heartwarming to see someone bounce back after a fall – and it’s also great to see another (re)addition to the diminutive group of New Zealand shoe designers. Welcome back Sarah!

sarahriley.com

A tribute to Tura Satana

2011-02-11T21:03:00.001-08:00

Mood: Blue bejewelled Sass & Bide for tonight's excursion to The Winery.

I must admit that I didn’t know who Tura Satana was until I heard about her passing a few weeks ago. But after looking at a few pictures on the web, I was transfixed. Her look to me was part Mata Hari, part Bettie Page, and boy did she look sexy and tough. I decided to read up about this enigmatic actress with a major cult following - an icon of feminine strength, aggressive sexuality and vengeance.

Tura Yamaguchi lived an extraordinary life. She was daughter of a circus contortionist (mum) and silent film actor (dad) who spent the first part of her childhood in a World War II internment camp. Her family then shifted to a poverty stricken area of West Chicago, where she was relentlessly picked on on account of her Japanese-Filipino heritage. She took up martial arts after being assaulted by five men at the age of 9, while walking home from school. According to Tura, her Aikido and Karate skills meant she was able to exact revenge on her attackers, none of whom were prosecuted, many years after the event.

She was sent to reform school (apparently that’s what happened back then to young rape survivors) and became a leather-clad, boots wearing leader of an all-girl gang. She was just 13 when she was wed to a 17 year old in Mississippi in an arrangement made by the bride and groom’s family. After the short lived union ended, Tura moved to LA to pursue a career as a glamour model. She kept her ex-husband’s surname, and became known as Tura Satana thereafter.

After several years working as a glamour model, burlesque dancer and bit-part actress, Tura was cast as Varla in Faster Pussycat! Kill Kill! – one of the 1960s’ most renowned cult films. The story revolves around three brutal who head out into the desert in search of a damn good time (read: bloodshed). Interestingly, Tura didn’t have a stunt double and did all of her fight scenes herself. The role was truly made for her.

Though many do not know who she is, Tura Satana’s impact on popular culture has been considerable. There have been songs written in tribute to her – even a band named after her. She has her own biography, her own doll – even her own face mask. And with her burlesque background, physical strength and uncompromising sexuality she was no doubt an inspiration to the more recent breed of Grindhouse filmmakers such as Robert Rodriguez. I think she may have even been a muse to fashion designers, rock stars and celebrities, who in the last few decades, rediscovered the sassy sex appeal of tight licorice-black leather.

Images: Destinyclontz, groupieblog, horrorfile.net.

A belated happy new year xx

2011-01-21T15:38:00.000-08:00

I've been so slack in wishing all my readers a happy new year. Too busy soaking up the Sydney sun, but now I'm BACK and ready for a fabulous 2011!

Here's a little something exciting for my Sydney readers, this weekend only...

And while we're on the topic of new beginnings, don't forget to follow Peggy Pearl on Facebook and twitter. Lots of exciting things coming up for 2011, just you wait...

xx PP

Peggy Pearl's summer wardrobe wishlist

2010-12-15T02:05:00.000-08:00

Mood: Stripped back to Moochi cate cami in this balmy Sydney warmth.

It feels like an age since I posted anything about fashion - I must admit I've had a certain soft spot for magic potions, handbags and artisan jewellery of late. But behind the scenes I've been compiling my summer wardrobe wishlist and with the mercury beginning to rise in Sydneytown (despite the odd storm a la today) - now's the time to finally freshen up that wardrobe in preparation for the glorious summer ahead!

World 'Climb Ev'ry' dress
If I were to pick a party frock of the season, this would be it. Polka dots and scarlet red to die for...oh la la la! Team with a red floral hairpiece and sassy black stilletos for instant race day chic.

Sass & Bide 'Committed to Create' tee
Isn't it radpants that you can now buy Sass & Bide from their first ever NZ boutique on Ponsonby Rd? If you ask me there's really nothing quite like shopping in an S&B store - it's an experience. Pop in and check out this tee from their Papa Sucre collection in store. It's fun, bold and totally wearable for summer.

Kathryn Wilson 'Kimiko' sandals
About a year ago I bought a pair of flat KW sandals which quickly became a summer staple - they're smart and comfortable enough to get me from beach to convenience store to beachside bar in one go. These babies are available in pink, black and white.

Juliette Hogan CT Summer cape
It's amazing how a warm summer day can quickly turn into a cool evening. What better way to wrap up than with this cute cape from Juliette Hogan? The tweed makes it a perfect match with a range of colours - try black, dark charcoal, red and white.

Glassons' swimwear collection
You can't beat Glassons when it comes to affordable mix-and-match swimwear in NZ. Not only that, it lasts - this beach season I'll still be wearing my House of G plaid-patchwork patterned bikini from 2 summers ago. This neat little one-piece is only $29.99, and their seperates start from $16.99 a piece.

Shakuhachi 'Twisted Middle' maxi dress
I've discovered the joy of wearing breezy maxis in Sydney. Despite the length, I've found them to be a lot more comfortable in the heat than my staple short skirt and knee-length tights. Lonely Hearts and Antipodium have done some great maxi dresses of late, but this one from Shakuhachi caught my eye. You can find it in their newly opened Oxford St boutique in Sydney, or at Superette in Auckland.

Stolen Girlfriends Club 'Lara' shirt
The only bad thing about summer holidays is that they come to an end. True, we all have to go back to work, but why not do it in style? This shirt is puffed-sleeve, brethren-inspired SGC at its best, and would look equally as awesome with a pair of fabulous jeans as this mini pictured here. Fierce.

Bon nuit, readers!

xx PP

The Fabulous Finders Keepers

2010-12-11T21:11:00.000-08:00

Mood: Antipodium maxi and layers of Nivea sunscreen to combat Sydney's sizzling summer sunshine.

Every now and then, an inspiring encounter or experience makes me wonder just how some people can be gifted with so much creativity. I often then wonder what the world would be like if such people just didn’t exist – people that can make earrings out of old biscuit tins and human-height imaginary cities out of little more than some coloured paper and craft glue. How plastic and samey everything would be!

This was the very feeling that jabbed me in the ribs when I visited The Finders Keepers, Sydney’s self-proclaimed indie craft and design market. I’d never heard of the twice-yearly event until a friend invited me along, and I confess I expected little more than a few trestle tables worth of cutesy, handmade goodies.

Of course, there were cutesy handmade things – LOTS of them. This was an entire exhibition hall filled with rows and rows of artists, architects, furniture makers, sewers, designers, jewellers all touting their artisan products. All of it exquisitely made, original and beautiful.

Katrina Freene's adorable Hi Tea jewellery range is made out of vintage tins and trays.

Melbourne-based Rebound create beautiful new journals, sketch books and notepads from old, discarded books.

New Zealand artist Alice Rose makes mind-boggling vases that appear 2D. She sells via Gaffa gallery in Sydney.

Cory Child's origami-esque jewellery is painstakingly handmade out of fabric.

Paper city. The Paper Convention Collective ran some pretty cool paper workshops and interactive installations that visitors could get involved in.

Paper cranes graced the ceiling...

...while stuffed fabric plants lined the entertainment stage.

Some other exhibitors worth checking out are:

Leeloo: The highlight from this table of gorgeous jewellery and crafts were the necklaces that emulated lollies from our childhood (think milk bottles, strawberry creams and jelly babies).

Sirens Swimwear: Top marks for the gorgeously curvy salesgirl working it in a 50s-style one-piece. Racks and racks of gorgeously feminine retro-inspired swimsuits.

Secret Squirrel: Cute, simple, breezy summery outfits. Perfect for beach lounging in the Sydney sunshine.

Photos: Peggy Pearl

MAC - it ain't just for your face.

2010-11-29T01:58:00.000-08:00

Mood: An evening of peppermint tea and PJs.

The other week I had the awful misfortune of dropping blusher on our cream carpet...but miraculously managed to clear all signs of the spillage just days ahead of our first apartment inspection. I thought I’d share my unorthodox technique with you.

Step 1: Ensure you have MAC Gently Off Eye and Lip Makeup Remover in your cupboard at all times.

As soon as I realised a hefty chunk of my blusher cake had been squished into the carpet, panic set in. I had no carpet stain remover on hand, and no supermarket close by. Logically, it made sense to grab what I’d normally use to take my makeup off my face with.

Step 2: Pour a generous amount of Makeup Remover onto carpet and rub vigorously with a paper towel.

Yes, it did occur to me while doing this that I was pouring a $40-odd dollar bottle of eye makeup remover onto carpet, but that seemed a small price to pay in comparison to a lost bond and re-carpeting bill. And the vigorous rubbing got all of the visible blusher out – cue *sigh of relief*

Step 3: Douse the affect patch of carpet in water and use a towel to lift the water out.

As the Makeup Remover has some oil in it, it’s important to get it out once you’ve finished to avoid leaving big ugly greasy patches. I repeated this step over a couple of nights, and even threw in some Aesop fabulous face cleanser to try and break down the oil (that theory again – apply to the carpet what you’d apply to your face to remove the same thing). Leave it to dry and...voila! Carpet should be as good as new.

Obviously I can’t promise the same result for everyone as everybody’s makeup and carpet is different – and I take no responsibility if it all goes pear shaped – but if you’re ever faced with the mad panic of removing the contents of your makeup bag from any sort of fabric, it’s worth a shot!

Deadly Ponies plays Santa

2010-11-22T23:42:00.000-08:00

Mood: Topshop dress, Topshop belt, well-loved Storm leggings.

If there's one thing a woman can never go wrong with in her wardrobe, it's a classic, well-made leather bag. And one lucky lady will win one from Deadly Ponies, who are giving away one of their beautiful handmade bags for Christmas. To put your name into the hit, follow these easy peasy steps on Facebook.

1. Become a fan of Deadly Ponies.

2. Post this link: http://on.fb.me/gs8S39 with the following update: "I am a fan of Deadly Ponies...Basically I want to win myself a bag for Christmas and this is the only way to do it, you can too...."

3. Take a screenshot and send the evidence to info@deadlyponies.com along with your name, address and phone number. And make sure you do it all before 11:30pm on Friday 10th December, because that's when the comp closes.

And to Deadly Ponies fans outside of NZ: DP will happily ship the bag if the winner is overseas. It just might not make it to your place before Santa does.

Yippy for pressies!

xx PP

PS: Here's a taste of DP's 2010 Serpent Flower collection - and what the lucky winner might be able to pick from!

Christian Louboutin is coming...

2010-11-20T14:26:00.000-08:00

Um, so – last time I blogged about Westfield Centrepoint being pretty darn cool and all. If you still weren’t convinced, maybe the opening of CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN on level 3 next year will be enough to tip you over the edge!

Frenchman Christian Louboutin is famed for his glittery, exquisite towering stiletto heels complete with signature red sole. He claims he was inspired by the showgirls of Paris whom he used to sneak out and watch as a teenager - how appropriate then that CL can count stage queens Dita Von Teese and Christina Aguilera amongst his many high profile devotees.

Up till now, well-heeled Australian ladies could only find the brand in David Jones’ luxury shoe section, keeping good company next to the likes of Jimmy Choo and Chloe. So I imagine there’ll be a stylish stampede to level 3 of Centrepoint in April next year, which is when the store is due to open.

I don't like malls but...

2010-10-29T23:09:00.000-07:00

Image: Fabsugar

Right so – I would like to premise this post by saying that I don’t like malls very much.

No, I take that back. I DESPISE them.

I have terrible day-mares that transport me back to Auckland’s St Lukes on Saturday afternoon. Firstly I have to play dangerous dodgems just to get a carpark. Then, with my blood pressure rapidly rising, I have to battle my way into this massive, windowless, sterile cube of a building and through the crowds, narrowly avoiding pushchairs – just to get a foundation refill.

So it was with trepidation that I agreed to accompany Mr Peggy Pearl on a trip to Westfield’s newest luxury mall in the centre of Sydney, which opened just yesterday on Pitt St.

And I must say - I was pleasantly surprised. While no shopping centre will ever replace the joy of boutique shopping or rifling through a second-hand store for me, this place was quite an experience. The space-age fit-out with marble floors and polished steel was like no mall I’d ever seen. The fabulously chich French label Paul & Joe have taken up residence not far from the likes of Ksubi and sass & bide – who have a stuffed goat as their store centrepiece. Highlights for the boys there’s Calibre and Ted Baker. We also LOVED Typo, a quirky stationery/gift store with loud, blaring music. And at the upper end of the shopping spectrum there’s Diane Von Furstenburg for those who covet her glitzy wrap dresses, as well as Gucci and the yet to open Armani Exchange – not my bag so much, but it may be yours.

If you’re in and around Sydney city it’s a place worth checking out. Even if just to have coffee in the cute backyard-inspired cafe on the ground floor with the old school clothesline, garden chairs and gnome stools. That was our personal highlight.

Nail polish nasties (and my new favourite colour)

2010-10-11T03:38:00.000-07:00

Mood: A bluer shade of teal.

How’s this for a sassy spring-time nail polish colour?

I came across this during a routine visit to the chemist in search of sunscreen. Called ‘Artful Dodger”, it’s by butter LONDON who are a ‘3 free’ company. This means their products are free of all 3 potentially harmful additives commonly found in nail polish: Formaldehyde, phthalates and toluene.

While I can’t give you a full science lesson on the following chemicals, I can give you a quick run-down of the concerns surrounding them:

Formaldehyde is a preservative, better known for its use in embalming dead bodies. If this isn’t enough of a turn-off, perhaps the fact that formaldehyde has been declared as a ‘probable human carcinogen’ by the IARC (International Agency for Research on Cancer) is. However, it has been debated whether formaldehyde is harmful in such small amounts as found in cosmetics.

Phthalates have been the subject of controversy in recent years. Used to make everyday plastics soft and flexible (such as soft drink bottles and food containers), links have been made between phthalates and hormone disruption, causing infertility, cancer and the onset of early puberty. DBP (Dibutyl Phthalate) is used in nail polish to make it last longer without chipping. It has now been banned from cosmetics and personal care products in Europe and children's toys in US.

Toluene is thought to cause skin irritation, liver damage and reproductive issues. It can also affect the nervous system, causing breathing difficulties, fatigue, headaches and loss of memory. It’s a solvent that’s used to make nail polish smooth and easy to apply. It’s also used as an octane booster (read: performance enhancer) for fuel – yes, that’s the same fuel you put in your car.

But while it’s shocking to learn that most cosmetic companies still use these 3 questionable ingredients, it’s heartening to find other alternatives such as butter LONDON. Other colours in their stable I’m loving are Cheeky Chops, a vibrant sunflower-yellow matte perfect for summer, and Tramp Stamp, a fabulously named shade of fashion-forward chocolate brown. To get your butter LONDON fix in Auckland, try East Day Spa for a blissful manicure/pedicure experience or Macy Home on Ponsonby Rd.

Peggy Pearl Mini Bites #4

2010-10-02T21:10:00.000-07:00

Mood: A day of rain - nailpainting, cyber-window shopping and hearty vegan burgers.

In love with everything Aesop

I was wandering past the Newtown Aesop store in Sydney last night. Pretty cool store merchandising...

A month or so back it was a big pile of Autumn leaves, in the corner back there. It's not a pretty thought but I couldn't help think that it would make a nice home for creepy crawlies...perhaps that's why it disappeared and a big pile of empty tubes has taken its place.

Speaking of Aesop, they've just released their Sage & Zinc Facial Hydrating Cream. It's taken Aesop 10 years to perfect this SPF15 moisturiser, which like all Aesop products is free from parabens and many other harsh chemicals found in other sun protection products. It's a stickier formula than what I'm normally used to, but it's a small price to pay for safe, anti-oxidant packed skincare with SPF.

Can I also mention their Rejuvenate Intensive body balm, a new favourite of mine? Incorporating tangerine rind, sandalwood and vanilla extracts, this smells as good as dessert. Your skin will eat it up.

Romance Was Born

When it comes to theatrics, thematics and overall impact, Romance Is Born is the Australian equivalent of WORLD.* These guys have intrigued me ever since I saw pics of their wildly colourful show at this year's Rosemount Australian Fashion Week. Consider them flagged as one to watch. Check out these incredible pics of their RAFW show from photographer Daniel Boud.

*To clarify, I'm not talking about design style here. That would be an unfair comparison - but in my opinion, both brands' bold, experimental approaches to fashion design put them in the same league, and set them apart from other designers.

Miranda Kerr: Kora Organics

It's an uncharastically soggy spring day here in Sydney - perfect for mooching around the web. I found myself on the Kora Organics website - the natural skincare brand recently launched by super pretty face Miranda Kerr. There's a plethora of great health and well-being articles on the site - organic gardening, yoga, food additives etc. - with a good dose of fashion and beauty thrown in to the mix. The perfect read to accompany an afternoon on the couch with a cup of tea (can you tell what I've been doing all day??)

In other Miranda news, Mrs Bloom herself walked for Balenciaga at Paris Fashion Week - and she's 5 months pregnant, no less. The outfit may be polarising, but her skin is glowing - pregnancy or Kora goodness, you decide.

xx PP

Photo: Getty images.

NZFW highlight of the week #3: Trelise Cooper

2010-09-26T04:36:00.000-07:00

Mood: Bed time. Hello Peter Alexander.

Surprise and delight – don’t we love it? Trelise Cooper did it for me. Tougher, less frilly, more structured and with a heap more attitude than seasons past, these pictures had me weak at the knees (and reaching for my Winter 2011 wish-list).

I loved the bright, adventurous colour palette, loved the sparkle, loved the models (go Louise Tulloch, go!), the shoes - loved it all really. I can say hands down her show was my favourite this year.

Without further ado, here are the pics (thank you again, K2!)...

NZFW highlight of the week #2: Ruby

2010-09-26T01:02:00.000-07:00

Mood: Sizzling days, chilly nights. Country Road cardi = lifesaver.

Cast your memory back to the original Ruby boutique on High St, circa 2003.

Ruby was the height of casual cool. The label was famous amongst the uni crowd for its crisp cotton skirts, minis, t-shirts and parkas – all adorned with that iconic little ‘gemstone’ logo. Remember it?

When original owners Elizabeth Shand and Kate Ashford sold the label several years ago, Ruby changed rather dramatically, in a short amount of time. And to be honest, I was apprehensive. While Ruby was never in any way high fashion, it filled a gap for me that no one else could in the NZ market – durable, locally-made street wear that bridged the gap between functionality and femininity. Cotton drill hoodies and tees were swiftly replaced with mix-matched fabrics, frills, lace and shimmer. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, it was a shock to the system. I’m sure there must’ve been a period there where other die-hard Ruby fans of the old school (like me) felt left out in the cold.

All that said, Ruby has really found its feet the last few seasons, cemented by their very first NZFW appearance this year. Guests were treated to a breakfast showing of flirty dresses and short hemlines juxtaposed with plaid prints and contrasting textures. Very fun, and very feminine. I loved it all - plenty for work and play. Ruby has truly grown up.

Image copyright: K2

NZFW Wrap-up & highlight of the week #1: WORLD

2010-09-25T17:00:00.000-07:00

Mood: Springtime picnic. Strawberries, cupcakes, Karen Walker shift + Kathryn Wilson sandals.

I celebrated Fashion Week in spirit. 2154 kilometres away in Sydney, to be exact. No goodie bags and VIP rooms for me – sitting on the train, rifling through pics and footage on my phone was about as front row as it got, darlings.

But despite having to view most of the action on a 3.5 inch screen, I was still able to soak up the excitement and pinpoint my fave collections.

WORLD’s feisty, electric collection (“Wasted Days, Wasted Nights”) was a true highlight for me. I loved the bright lashings of fabrics, the dramatic dresses, the menswear – oh, did I say the menswear? Can I just say that it's so refreshing to see fashion for men that isn’t a) dead boring or b) a ninja-inspired sea of black. Not all guys want to wear skinny jeans, v-neck t-shirts and black, y’know. A tartan two-piece or PVC coat will do just fine really.

Oh, and I hear the actual show was a wondrous experience, with high tea served in the Langham ballroom. The L-Estrange Corbet Hoopers really do know how to turn it on.

PS: MASSIVE thanks to K2 Images for providing the photos below.

New Zealand Fashion Week: Ready, Set...

2010-09-18T15:27:00.000-07:00

Mood: New black Antipodium skirt + Juliette Hogan cami. Flowers, flowers, flowers.

The twitterverse is littered with tweets from frantic designers and fashion people gearing up for the 10^th NZ Fashion Week next week:

Trelisecooper (two days ago): “Indian food is helping us through the late nights! Fashion Week = Fat Week”

PebblesHooper (yesterday): “Making dinner for mum and dad. Fashion week you’re stressing them out!”

RubyBoutique (today): “The final touches are being made to the Ruby AW11 range for the debut Fashion Week show next Wednesday! Freaking exciting!”

It goes without saying that the pressure on FW designers is beyond intense right now. I can only imagine it would be like getting a massive ad campaign out the door, with all the last minute dramas that inevitably occur. But not just that - you’re the agency owner, and it’s YOU getting the goods out the door and if it flops, well...you flop too.

It’s not any easier for the media. At the Stolen Girlfriends Club show in ’08, I ran in to a bunch of journalists who were friends of my companion. With pallid skin and large rings around their eyes they explained to me how they hadn’t eaten all day and were exhausted from traipsing around various fashion venues. And at 10pm, their day wasn’t about to finish – off they went, back to the office to type up the day’s notes and get their stories in to their editor - pronto.

So the big week this year begins on Tuesday. Wellington label Starfish will kic- start the event with an 11am show in the morning, and the always fabulous Karen Walker - fresh back from NY Fashion Week with rave reviews for her Perfect Day collection - will round off the event with her offsite show on Saturday evening for The Department Store, along with fellow retailers Black Box, Nike and TopShop. Karen has just returned from New York where she unveiled her Spring/Summer 11 range ‘Perfect Day’, but if past NZFW shows are anything to go by, I would anticipate a showing of her current in-store range ‘Salzburg USA’ for the home contigent this Sat.

The shows I will be watching very closely with interest (from afar!) are:

Kathryn Wilson

This is the first year Kathryn Wilson shoes will appear on the catwalk. There has been considerable speculation around who will dress the models (no, it has already confirmed they won’t be nude – who asked that anyway?).

Alexandra Owen

From her original beginnings in Wellington, Alexandra Owen’s profile has risen dramatically over the last few years. She has also recently returned from New York, where her strikingly innovative cuts impressed the fashion world. She goes from strength to strength every season and I can’t wait to see what she puts on the catwalk this year round.

Adrian Hailwood

Not so long ago it seemed Mr Hailwood had disappeared forever, but he is back – and I am eagerly anticipating more of his bold graphical prints, dramatic dresses and sharp tailoring.

Affinage NZFW Retrospective Show

It’ll be an eye-opener to see how New Zealand fashion has evolved over the past 10 years since FW started. The big names - World, Zambesi, Trelise Cooper and Nom D – will show some of their defining pieces of the noughties alongside other designers such as Stolen Girlfriends Club, Cybele and the aforementioned Alexandra Owen (can’t you tell she’s a new favourite of mine?)

And if you aren’t able to get your mitts on a coveted ticket for one of the industry shows, never fear - there’s always the Designer Selection shows as well as Fashion Weekend and the New Zealand Herald Designer Garage Sale which runs from the evening of Fri 24th until Saturday 25th.

Love and smoochies for the week ahead,

xx PP

Fashionable ladies of the world, unite.

2010-09-08T04:33:00.000-07:00

Mood: Paul & Joe Sister dress from Paris (2 years young) + Body Shop shea body butter makes for a pleasant evening on the blog.

From tomorrow onwards, 15 cities around the world will celebrate Vogue's Fashion Night Out. For the second year running, stores and boutiques around the CBDs of the world's most glamorous cities will throw open their doors for a variety of afternoon and evening time events. All of the events are free and open to the public.

Sydney has its own roster of special soirees, all taking place tomorrow (Thursday 9th). There's so many exciting things happening it's impossible to squeeze them all in here, but one such highlight includes Chanel's exclusive preview of their Les Khaki range at the Chanel makeup studio in Myer. camilla & marc are teaming up with Tiffany & Co on Castlereagh St to dish up styling tips for summer, mixing and matching their wares with Tiffany's luxurious jewels (I also hear rumours of a lamington cart which is enough to get me there alone - scrap the diamonds). Megan Gale is in store at David Jones on Pitt St, showcasing her swimwear range (4:45pm) and Hermes are offering visitors the opportunity to be photographed in their scarves and to take home a personalised postcard with you.

This is something I'd love to see Auckland pick up and run with next year. No, we don't have our own Vogue (are you listening FQ?) but it's exciting to predict what NZ designers could do for the event (I feel a follow-up blog post coming on...)

If you're in Sydney right now, and you fancy a bit of dress-up action, the latest issue of Vogue Australia comes with a pocket-guide of all events running. Or, you can become a fan of the event on Facebook (every few minutes updates on the day's schedule are posted).

Excitement!

xx PP

Bleu de Chanel - the fashion film

2010-09-04T16:06:00.000-07:00

Mood: Endless cups of Earl Grey and vintage dresses.

Oh, I love it when fashion and marketing mix.

Martin Scorsese has directed a ‘short film’ (read: TV commercial) for Chanel’s new men’s fragrance Bleu de Chanel.

The film sits on a section of Chanel’s website, revamped and dedicated to the fragrance. It’s simple and beautiful to navigate.

And the fragrance itself? We’re talking top notes* of citrus accord, vetiver and pink pepper, moving on to mid notes of grapefruit and dry cedar, rounding off with frankincense, ginger and sandalwood.

*For those of you who aren’t familiar with perfume jargon, ‘top notes’ are the first, strong scents that hit the nose when a fragrance or cologne is first applied. This then wears off to reveal mid notes, and finally, bottom notes – the ones that linger long throughout the day.

Elaborate fashion virals and web campaigns are becoming increasingly popular as designers look to find more exciting ways to capture their audience. It's all about interaction - in this case, the film is designed to be passed around social media sites and blogs (ah yes, that would be me). Marc Jacobs is another who knows how to create mass hype in the fashion realm, as demonstrated by the website launched several years ago for his new fragrance, Daisy. With its daisy-themed games and prizes, Marc Jacobs brought together a community of fans around the world and created more than just a fragrance - an full-blown brand experience that was all about fun and femininity.

It’s super exciting to see the fashion world embracing techniques a little more exciting than heavily airbrushed magazine spreads completely bereft of a compelling idea. Let's hope this new trend continues.

Happy Sunday xxx PP

MAC & Rodarte: When inspiration goes wrong

2010-08-21T23:58:00.000-07:00

Mood: Icy cold in Auckland. Kate Sylvester knit top meets pizza, couch and a mountain of blankets.

It was announced last Tuesday that MAC were pulling their collaboration with fashion house Rodarte from the shelves. The collection, Juarez, was named after the Mexican sweatshop town of the same name. Rodarte’s designers, sisters Kate and Laura Mulleavy, claimed that they’d been inspired in particular by the droves of women in Juarez who’d toil away late at night in the town’s squalid factories.

But Juarez isn’t just infamous for its sweatshops. Drug and gang violence has led to homicide rates off the scale (130 murders for every 100,000 people), and young women face the shocking (but very real) threat of rape, abduction and murder on a daily basis.

The collection, which was due to launch next month, included product colour names such as ‘Sleepless’, ‘Factory’ (a pale, mint-hued nailpolish) and ‘Bordertown’, as well as an eye shadow with red streaks designed to emulate blood. The corpse-like model in the supporting ad campaign is depicted in what appears to be a sweatshop-esque scene, swaddled in cloth.

The uproar has been significant. People have signed petitions addressed to MAC in droves, and the MAC Facebook page has been inundated with commentary. Many have asked how a global cosmetic company that sells a vision of female beauty could take its inspiration from a situation so ugly and misogynistic – exploited women in grave danger - and then glorify it by selling this inspiration in little plastic pots in the name of fashion.

The call to dump the collection follows an initial announcement made by MAC and Rodarte in late July, in which they pledged to donate $100,000 from the sales of the collaboration range to an initiative set up in support of women and girls’ safety in Juarez. It seems this wasn’t enough for many fashion fans and commentators, who were outraged MAC weren’t donating money to Juarez in the first place. MAC and Rodarte subsequently agreed to donate all profits worldwide to initiatives designed to protect women from violence. Upon cancellation of the line last week, MAC confirmed that they would still be making a charitable donation based on the profits originally projected for the collection.

The counter argument is that MAC and Rodarte have caught the fashion world’s attention and highlighted a serious issue – one that not only affects Juarez, but many impoverished small towns the world over. MAC have apologized themselves in repeated company statements issued, and Rodarte have expressed regret over the controversy: “We never intended to make light of this serious issue and we are truly sorry. Helping to improve the conditions for women in Juarez is a priority for us and we are thankful for all the comments calling attention to the urgency of addressing this situation.”

So what will become of the now redundant collection? My guess is that MAC won’t discard the collection altogether – there are whispers that they’ll simply re-badge the range under a different guise. Given MAC’s track history with their own environmental iniative ‘Back to MAC’ (which encourages recycling of their plastic cosmetic containers) I would expect there’d be no other alternative.

MAC’s next collection, Fabulous Felines, is due to launch in September.

Sydney is Beautiful.

2010-07-24T16:04:00.000-07:00

Mood: Official uniform of Newtown - Doc Boots and skinny jeans.

It’s been 2 months baby, but I’m back.

Moving countries is exciting, yet disruptive. It’s been difficult finding a spare few hours to write about all the amazing things I’ve seen and experienced, in amongst setting up a new life in a vibrant new city.
But now, after 6 weeks here, I have a head full of inspiration to harness. It’s definitely time to write again.

From here on out I will be Peggy Pearl, the New Zealand girl residing in Australia, writing all things beautiful in Sydney, with a nod to my home city Auckland.

My favourite things so far? The exquisite La Renaissance Cafe Patisserie at the Rocks. I’ve always maintained that macarons make you beautiful from the inside out, and La Renaissance create some of the most authentic ones you’ll find in this little corner of the world. Every morning I walk past La Renaissance and my days are all the sweeter for it.

Moving further into the heart of the city, Ivy Bar (in George St’s Merivale complex) has to be seen to be believed – in no way does the name give any indication to the vast size and scale of this place. Ivy is less a ‘bar’ than a complex of bars, restaurants and cocktail areas. The Ivy Lounge is pitched as a ‘1950s cocktail haven’, while Royal George is Ivy's gilded answer to a 'traditional British alehouse'. There are multiple floors, eateries and outdoor areas, the most famous of which is the top floor pool area. Restaurant goers can watch as Sydney’s flashiest partiers kick off their heels and dive in for a paddle after a few too many bellinis. This is people-watching at its finest.

Head west a little and you’re in the heart of gritty, vibrant Newtown. There you’ll find Pretty Dog, one of Sydney’s finest boutiques set in a beautiful terrace house. I was most excited to learn that they are Karen Walker’s biggest stockist outside of New Zealand –can you hear me swoon just a little? KW’s wares hang in good company: Romance Was Born, Lover, Kate Sylvester and Therese Rawsthorne are just some of the many designers Pretty Dog also stock. They’ve also introduced Paul & Joe Sister from France to sit alongside the racks of Antipodean labels – a big favourite of mine ever since I discovered them in Paris several years back.

A little sample of Sydney delights, and a taste of many more things to come.

Bells, whistles and sequins,

Xx PP

Peggy Pearl Style Maven #3: Sarah Finnigan Walsh

2010-05-27T00:07:00.000-07:00

So what does it take to become a Peggy Pearl Style Maven?

Confidence – oui oui. Individuality? For sure. Bravery? Without a doubt. Working a pair chunky pair of high heel loafers without looking like a 90s time-warp is no mean feat, and is thus worthy of kudos. Anyone who wears yellow certainly deserves a look-in. And if you tie-dye your own jeans and look good in them - ten points to you. Boom!

It’s an ambitious, exciting look, and on a wet, windy Autumn Saturday makeup artist/student extraordinaire Sarah Finnigan Walsh showed me how it's done. Then answered some vital questions over a marmite and chicken chippie sandwich.

Top from Alba Australia. Silk shorts from Witchery. Leggings from Kingan Jones paired with Chuck Taylors.

Sequinned top from Kingan Jones. Lee jeans, tie-dyed at home. Vintage David Elman heels from The Salvation Army.

Vintage dress from a second-hand store in Newmarket

Yellow hoodie from Kingan Jones. Skirt from Skylark boutique.

Federation dress. Lace top acquired from a friend's grandmother. Lace gloves found in kitchen after a party. Brogues from Mi Piaci.

Top from a friend's mother. Shorts from a friend. Samantha Wills ring. Vintage Le Specs from Vixen.

Do you have a style icon?
I like Chloe Sevigny's look. Sometimes she gets it wrong but I like that. When you get it wrong you're pushing the boundaries.

What makes somebody stylish?
Knowing what suits you and wearing it with confidence. It's like my high-waisted denim shorts - you've got to be able to have a laugh and say "this is so 90s!"

Where are your favourite shops for scouting goodies?
Skylark boutique - everything there fits so well. (Designer Kathleen Waite) runs with the current fashions but makes them so easy to wear. I love St Kevin's Arcade...and I got my loafers from the Sallies on Dominion Rd!

You're a make-up artist - what's one of your favourite looks of the moment?
Highlighting the skin - make it look nice, healthy and dewy. I do like a heavier brow with a nude lip too. And product-wise I love Bobbi Brown. The eye makeup is fantastic, especially the long wear eye liner gel and cream shadows. Bobbi Brown were the first to make eye liner gels and they're the best.

What's on your iPod at the moment?
I've been listening to Neutral Milk Hotel and Neil Young today. I also like Adele.

What's your most treasured possession?
My gold, emerald and diamond necklace. It was once a ring my Grandma had. She broke it down into five pieces for her five daughters - and then my mum gave hers to me on my 18th.

Show me what's in your handbag!
My asthma inhaler...definitely! (laughs) Always my salmon Bobbi Brown lippie. (Rifles). A Coco Chanel tester, Bobbi Brown lipbalm, iPod, Eclipse mints, Karen Walker sunnies, nurofen, my snakeskin Skylark wallet...a handwritten recipe for apricot shortcake...and assorted receipts!

Pearls or diamonds?
Diamonds. I think pearls are ageing on people our age.

Peggy Pearl Mini Bites #3

2010-05-08T17:24:00.000-07:00

Mood: I am now the owner of a beautifully impractical anorak. Slinky polyester? Stylish, but not very warm at all.

Pret-a-Papier

Prep your brushes, ladies - MAC is releasing yet another limited edition colour range in stores tomorrow. 'Pret-a-Papier' is inspired by the neutral dusky hues of paper, . It's a palette that encompasses beige and brown along with dusky pink and coral shades.

It's a subtle colour range, making it especially suited to daytime wear. It's also a nice contrast to the fabulously loud collaborations MAC have done with Gaga, Cyndi and Liberty of London lately.

Dress Week

Come last Friday I'd already bought two dresses before I got wind of moochi's seasonal Dress Week promotion, which is running this week. But that didn't stop me checking out the new releases and limited edition frocks that hit the shop floors yesterday morning (purely for research purposes). True to form, moochi have re-cut many of their popular basic shift styles in different fabrics, colours and prints. But if you're after something truly special, I'd recommend the beautiful AND versatile Hannah skirt (worn below as a dress) or the saucy sequined take on the Cate slip - a moochi staple. And if you buy up large, goodie bags full of pressies from Dermalogica, Ecoya and Schwarzkopf await. Love it!

Superette

What's with all this sudden generosity eh?? Superette and Cleo magazine are gifting a $3,000 wardrobe to one lucky lady deemed their 'style queen' - plus two runners-up will receive $2,000 and $1,000 to spend in store respectively. To qualify for these incredible prizes, you need to dress yourself head to toe in a brand stocked by Superette accompanied by a short definition of your style. The best entries will be put up on the Superette blog for comments and voting. Too much fun. So pull on your Sass & Bides, slip into your Supras, load up on Lover and get snapping before June 4th to be in to win.

Beautiful!

xxx PP

Topshop presents...

2010-05-01T20:31:00.000-07:00

Mood: Keds for Kokako mission in search of great coffee.

I always thought a strong coffee was perhaps the only thing that could prise a young woman out of bed before 9am on a Saturday morning. The opening of Topshop yesterday proved how very wrong I was…

Yep, that’s outside The Department Store in Takapuna at approximately 8:57am yesterday morning. Hordes of excitable ladies were queuing outside, itching to get their hands on the first drop of Topshop - which is fittingly situated on the top floor of TDS next to Stephen Marr.

It’s been a notable move for The Department Store to incorporate a Topshop capsule collection into its fashion fold. Though a huge success and much heralded by dedicated fans and industry outsiders from day 1, TDS will no doubt be anticipating the impact Topshop will have on widening its customer base and adding some freshness to the existing brands in its stable. The launch hasn’t been without its disruptions though. Thanks to an erupting Icelandic volcano the freighting of new stock has been delayed, and as such the store is expected to run dry pretty soon. The initial word I was given was that the store would only be open temporarily for a ‘preview’ this weekend with plans to reopen fully stocked in a week’s time, but I now understand the store will be replenished and ready for action again mid-week. Fingers crossed – and keep your ears pricked.

I was able to infiltrate Topshop early by booking in for a treatment at Lucy & The Powder Room, and many had the same idea as me. By the time I arrived at 8am, the room was humming, goodie bags were being passed around and the decadent table of foodie treats was looking pretty appealing for breakfast. But first – the clothes. Most impressive were the selections of leatherwear (vests and jackets in black and light grey), fabulous shoes (including clogs for the 'anti-clogger') and bejewelled sparkly pieces.

So now with the initial hype and opening over, all we can do is wait to see what will come next (with around 30 new styles arriving each week, we surely won’t be disappointed). And TDS is sure to be spoilt in turn with hordes of new fans making the trek to Takapuna, just to snap up their own little piece of Topshop.

Sunday packing? No thanks, I'll have a facial instead.

2010-04-19T23:18:00.000-07:00

Mood: Petals and Peacocks. Thanks MAC.

On Sunday I declared war on house moving. Sick of spending the weekend strenuously lifting boxes, I called a break. Not a kit-kat moment – I was after something much bigger and a facial seemed to fit the brief. An hour out of the weekend just for me, in a heaven-scented paradise, dedicated to one thing - getting my stressy skin back on track.

Dr Hauschka seemed to be top of my ‘facials to try’ list. I’d always been intrigued by their unorthodox approach – they shun rough, gritty exfoliants and do not advocate the use of moisturiser at night, in the belief that the skin should be left ‘naked’ to regenerate properly during sleep. Indeed, they were one of the first companies to bring organic skincare to the masses in 1967 long before it became the latest, greatest thing. Many of the ingredients in their products are derived from the nutrient-rich botanicals the company grows biodynamically in their German gardens, all in the name of sustainability and quality. That must have something do with the fact that every lotion and potion in the range smells incredible – think bunches of roses, freshly cut herbs, baskets of fresh fruit and lush plants.

And so Kimberley at Equipoise Spa began the magic with a light, silky cleansing milk, followed by cleansing cream – to be used carefully I’m told, as the oatmeal contained within is deceptively strong but does wonders when gently pressed into the skin. All very nice, but interestingly it was the removal of these potions and lotions that was perhaps most heavenly. Cue cloths soaked in warm water, scented with lemon and spruce bath oil. Delish.

Another highlight was the facial ‘massage’ – highly unconventional, as it involved the use of two brushes spreading silk rose powder across the face. Later in the day my skin lacked that greasy feel that often follows a heavy facial treatment and I wonder if the light powder had something to do with it, perhaps absorbing the excess oil and moisture left behind from the cleanse.

Finishing off with a light moisturiser, I was sent on my way. At home, still bathing in that heady cloud of relaxation that tends to follow a good facial, packing up crockery and rearranging furniture didn’t seem so tough. Total bliss-out achieved.

Peggy Pearl Mini Bites #2

2010-04-12T23:49:00.000-07:00

Mood: Debating the merits of the clog and black see through lace.

Arrrrrgh crikey! Where has April gone already? It feels like my Peggy Pearl guise has been hanging in the wardrobe for far too long. I do have some good excuses though - the craziness of relocation and resulting lack of internet at home has impacted on my ability to pen blog posts. Problem is now solved, however - blogging will now take place at various cafes around Kingsland, Ponsonby and Parnell while a home internet solution is rectified.

Here are some mini bites in the meantime to keep you satisfied until the next course.

New vintage.

With small, niche audiences to cater for, boutiques that thrive outside of the main centres always fascinate me. One such store is Idiomboutique, situated on the main road above the fantastic Med Cafe in Tauranga's cobble-street centre.

Stockists of Stolen Girlfriends Club, Lonely Hearts and Salasai amongst others, they have recently added a vintage department to their online store - http://www.idiomboutique.co.nz/. You won't find inflated prices for second hand goodies here - everything up for grabs when I visited was under $60. My fave picks are the blue velvet dress with drapey pockets ($29.00) and delicious range of leather bags and clasps on offer.

Keeping it simple.

Only a few places stock well-made, consistent basics that last. If you're stuck a plain tee or skivvy, you can't go much further than American Apparel of which Superette have a good selection. I recently pulled out an AA dress bought in London two years ago that I thrashed for a couple of seasons, and it still looks great. Plus they make their gears in downtown LA and have a commitment to producing their products under ethical work conditions, rather than in a nasty sweatshop. Like like like.

"Give Me Liberty of London"

Liberty's, the exquisite London department store steeped in history, has collaborated with MAC on a very limited edition range of cosmetics with cutesy designs reminiscent of a fairytale book. There's also a scarf available that features a print designed exclusively for the partnership.

Peggy Pearl travels.

Big news for Peggy Pearl. I'll soon be blogging from a new location overseas which is as yet undisclosed. But never fear, the focus will remain on items of interest for sassy, stylish New Zealand women - and I'll be able to bring you MORE fashion news as things happen in this exciting new place. Lots more information to come in the following weeks.

xx PP

Peggy Pearl Mini Bites #1

2010-03-27T14:16:00.000-07:00

Mood: Stars on my t-shirt, sparkles on my face.

When it comes to blogging, I’m more of an article writer than a twitterer. But some things justify only a brief mention, and rather than leaving you high and dry for a week or so while I write an essay, I thought I’d introduce...mini bites.

Spot ya.

I wore this fabulous Karen Walker frock to the Axis awards on Thursday night. Hanging on the racks it proved irresistable, despite me promising myself to save all my pennies for the next few months pre-overseas relocation (never lasts, does it?). I don’t regret it though. My three recent visits to KW at The Department Store, Ponsonby and High St revealed that the brilliant spotty print has pretty much sold out across the board – certainly no dresses were to be seen. Could this be one of Karen’s most coveted prints?

These sorts of lightweight, loose fitting dresses can be worn regardless of season, and perhaps that's why I'm such a big fan. I’d like to pair this dress with a slim merino skivvy in winter, either in black or bright cherry red. And despite the lightweight cotton this dress can easily be teamed with a good pair of stockings and some killer boots for those chillier evenings out.

Save my hair.

I wish my hair always looked like it does when my hairdresser* works his magic. Freshly coloured locks have depth and sheen that is sadly rinsed** down the drain in a mere few days post-salon visit. You may like to save your colour by cutting down your hair washes, but then who wants greasy roots on show? Quelle horreur indeed. My solution – scarves. Being brunette I prefer dark colours wrapped around the head that emanate my hair and give the perceived illusion of volume, but you may like to try patterns, especially if you’re of the fairer variety. And if it doesn’t stay, pin it down. Easy.

*I wholeheartedly endorse Ryder salon for the best hair and colour treatments in Auckland.

**I also wholeheartedly endorse Kevin Murphy’s Born Again Wash and Luxury Rinse for shiny happy hair – when you’re not hiding it under a scarf.

Top news.

The big news last week was that Britain’s Topshop will be coming to New Zealand, with the company having handpicked The Department Store as their desired Kiwi location. A selection from the women’s range will be launching on TDS’s top floor in April.

To call Topshop a chain is a huge understatement – it’s one of the biggest fast-turnaround fashion juggernauts comprehendible. Karen Walker, who is largely responsible for engineering the company’s move to New Zealand, confirmed on Sunrise last week that the company launches 300 new styles EVERY WEEK. And the great news is there’ll be no time lag for us down at the bottom of the Earth – we’ll be receiving selected new styles only 3-4 days after they hit the stores in London.

Top Man is said to be arriving later in the year, and their entry into the New Zealand market couldn’t come soon enough. I have long lamented slim pickings Kiwi men have in the lower-mid price range here. I for one know several men who, having spent plenty of time and money in Topshop’s Oxford St Store, will be jumping for glee when the goodies finally arrive.

Pedicures and manicures 'till next time,

xx PP

The Department Store: A Tribute

2010-03-20T16:29:00.000-07:00

Mood: Peeptoe heels and espresso make for a good weekend.

It’s been a big week for The Department Store. Revered international magazine Monocle rated them 1st on their favourite list of retail stars, and on Friday night they held their very first fashion show – a Karen Walker/Black Box spectacular showcased on an outdoor runway in the alley next door.

I adore TDS and if you haven’t been yet, you absolutely must make the trip. The Takapuna-based destination store is a treasure trove of fashion, beauty and design. It’s a magic full-sensory experience where delights and surprises hide behind every corner. You’ll find yourself playing with potion after potion of exquisite skin care in the Marr Lab, ducking through a curious, stand-alone black door at the back of Black Box’s menswear section, and marvelling at Stephen Marr’s lush ‘green’ wall which is a striking design piece in itself.

With that all in mind, you can imagine I was nearly levitating with excitement upon receipt of tickets to the show. Accompanying me was the very dapper Kayne G whose purpose was to provide witty commentary for the evening. And so off we went (me sans camera this time, but that’s another story).

The crowd was a fashion show in itself. I had spent so much time agonising over whether to wear Karen Walker or not, but I needn’t have worried. There were so many eye-catching interpretations of KW lining the runway sides. The seagull-navy blue print was a popular choice for many ladies of the evening, along with the frilly white-trimmed creations and defining paisley print of the A/W season.

So after a good period of people watching we made our way outside to the catwalk. KW was first up showing her current collection, The Village. Seeing her vision presented on the catwalk is quite an experience – and you realise just why her designs are so celebrated internationally. It was an impeccably styled show, full of surprises and twists, yet every outfit shown was so easily wearable. Dresses were layered with dresses, skivvies teamed with summer-weight frocks and frills balanced with phenomenal tailoring. Colour-wise, Karen’s favourite palette of camel, navy and white was accented with flashes of turquoise and sunflower yellow.

Particular highlights for me were the accessories - included the deep bucket hats, the beaded crab pendants and waist belts with fob chains. Kayne was most excited about the ‘safari goddess’ look on show – think camel coat with large gold buttons with matching Pointer hat. I think he fell in love that night.

Black Box then followed with a largely denim-focused show incorporating their labels in stock: Stolen Girlfriends Club, Ksubi, Chronicles Of Never, Ellery, Lonely Hearts (to name a few) teamed with Beau Coops footwear. And where Karen played with navy stewardesses and safari rangers, Black Box delved into Wild West-trailer park territory. Feathers, cowboy hats and sheriff badges adorned models in Ksubi American flag-print jeans, leather bustiers, tassel-trimmed panties and crocheted knits. Denim on denim was also prevalent – formerly scorned, now a hot international trend that Antipodean designers are beginning to embrace.

The hair was all done by Stephen Marr, making this a true family outing for the Department Store. And that’s what I’ve always liked about this place – fashion and beauty get the 360 degree treatment under one roof. Save your pennies and make it a day trip to remember.

blog.thedepartmentstore.co.nz

xx PP

Want to go to the designer garage sale in the weekend?

2010-03-16T12:18:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Bex at Paul Blomfield PR, I have 3 x double passes to this weekend's designer garage sale @ the Viaduct Harbour Marine Village!

If you live in Auckland, comment here (or read the instructions on the Peggy Pearl FB/twitter pages) and I'll pop you in the draw.

Love love

New Zealand Fashion Festival's debut (and mine behind the camera)

2010-03-16T12:00:00.001-07:00

Mood: Last night's panda eyes don't look so bad, especially with knee-length black sweater.

Last night, more than 1000 people flocked to a concrete warehouse in Auckland to attend the very first New Zealand Fashion Festival. Me being one of them, I decided I was going to take some photos.

Me behind the camera? Yes, it happened! Forgoing my big film SLR, I took along my trusty little compact tonight purely for documentation purposes. So there I was, front row, juggling my point-and-shoot, notebook, champagne and goody bag. Oh, how bemused the professionals must’ve been.

For those who haven’t heard about NZFF, here’s a little background. Unlike Fashion Week, the NZFF show is open to the public. It’s a chance for local designers to tout their wares and for fashion fans to enjoy a bit of runway glamour. And unlike trade-only shows where collections are shown in advance to journalists and buyers, all stock on the catwalk is current season. I’m anticipating that High St will be run off its well-heeled feet tomorrow with orders and enquiries.

Workshop were first off the runway with denim on denim combos. Risky, much? I’ve heard this look termed the ‘Canadian Business Suit’ yet miraculously, it seemed to work. Helen Cherry followed with prim tailoring, faux fur and a particularly striking sequined long-sleeve number that I added to my mental shopping list.

Hailwood was the first to show off vibrant colour, incorporating lashings of royal blue, purple and dusky pink into his collection. I was excited at this point to see Louise Tulloch on the catwalk – she’s a fabulous veteran walker. I still marvel at the fact that she became a mum not so long ago and still got what it takes to look, well, like a model.

Andrea Moore was a wildcard for me. I’ve never paid too much attention to her, having never meandered down to the far end of Broadway to visit her shop. However she certainly made an impact last night with colour, colour and more colour. Can’t you see I’m a sucker for it?

I was holding my breath somewhat when Ed Hardy’s turn came, but my companion confessed a certain liking for his sparkly creations – she said they reminded her of LA, as all the boys over there wear Ed. Nothing too surprising here, just the usual graffiti prints and sequin-laden tees. Yvonne Bennetti followed with her signature mix of luxe, embellishment and animal prints (as well as the best shoes I saw on the catwalk all night).

The Carpenter's Daughter was next up, and there was something about the models that made the show particularly magical. TCD had the spectrum well covered – ladies of varying shape, size, ethnicity and age. Often I feel it is irrelevant to point out the ‘plus-size’ of a model in such shows but in this case, the girls absolutely knocked the socks of the younger, skinnier models with their moody ‘tudes. I also liked the collection for its incorporation of current looks rather than sticking to the generic you might expect from such a label - go the red paisley leggings and mustard-yellow cape!

It was interesting seeing moochi on the catwork. You’ll likely know that I’m a big fan of their very versatile, wearable collections, but when nestled between other designers’ offerings I’m not sure that their capsule show made the impact that they would’ve desired. I’d love to see them in a stand-alone show in a more intimate atmosphere, where I believe their clarity of vision would shine through.

Juliette Hogan garnered many oohs and aahs by opening her showing with her piece de resistance of the season – the bow-neck cape. She was followed by Stolen Girlfriends Club with their hick-chic collection of chunky knits, virginal frills and accented shoulders. I noted their showing at fashion week with interest last year, and couldn’t help but think it reminded me of how I dressed during my early teenage op-shop scouring years. Trust me, it’s not a bad thing.

Cybele followed with floaty, Paula Ryan did dapper and were soon followed by the big three of the evening. Kate Sylvester’s collection was the most thoughtfully styled with clever belting and a contrasting mix of feminine-tough. Trelise Cooper presented a delicious citrus colour palette accented with sequined bows and prints and Zambesi ended by showing what they are truly made of – innovation, solid tailoring and classics that will live on and on for decades to come.

Oh yes, and just so you know, the goody bag wasn’t bad either. Hair product, moisturiser, easter eggs and Red Bull. Sitting in the front row it was all I could do not to rifle through it. How terribly unfashionable of me!

Tell me...

2010-03-13T12:03:00.001-08:00

Mood: Is it cold enough to wear jeans yet? I miss them.

I've asked some of you already, but I want to hear more. What's on your new season wish list? I've told you mine....now tell me yours. Post it here, on our Facebook page or on twitter.

Love love xxx PP

Zambesi's winter 2010 show @ ANZFW

The Winter Wish List

2010-03-06T08:59:00.000-08:00

Mood:It's a Black Box extravaganza. Something Else skirt with Stolen Girlfriends Club singlet.

This Autumn/Winter season is pure hell for me.

I’m relocating to Singapore in the coming months (where there is no such thing as winter) so as much as I am tempted by the snugly woollens and glorious coats edging their way in store, I will have no use for them until I return to this cooler climate.

Oh well. At least I get to dream (and then write a blog about it).

I have 10 top picks on my current season wish list. Some are on trend, some are timeless and some are just simply lovable (to me). But all share one thing in common: they would be lovingly treasured as part of my hypothetical 2010 winter wardrobe. Sigh.

1) Ankle Boots
Ankle boots were big a few years back, but the pointier types that graced the shelves back then have been replaced by chunkier, boyish incarnations for winter. I fell in love with Kate Sylvester’s cream studded beauties – but so did everyone else, as they sold out in a record 4 days. I’m told that there will be some samples delivered to stores post the NZ Fashion Festival if you’re lucky enough to get on a waiting list, however I also quite like these cuffed boots from Moochi above (due in stores next week). Tres nice. I would wear them with some bright coloured tights (think red or purple), a hot little mini and perhaps a fitted tee or blousier top.

2) A Tran-Seasonal Dress
We’re definitely spoilt for choice in this area. Karen Walker is the party dress queen and she’s done some lovely light cotton dresses that will look fabbo with a skivvy and tights. I also like Salasai’s Glasshouse dress from Superette (above). Being black it’s an extremely versatile piece and I’d play with layers of colour underneath.

3) A hot little mini
Hemlines have been creeping up further and further over the past few seasons. All summer I’ve been too nervous to bare my lily-whites but with winter comes stockings so I’m keen to venture into mini territory again (ironic, isn’t it?). The little black number above is from Lippy.

4) Sunnies
I have to admit that the mind-blowing styling of Karen Walker’s ‘Sun Gods’ campaign has seduced me. Still, it doesn’t take away from the fact that the new sunnies on offer are incredibly cool in their own right. I think the time has come to replace my Miu Miu aviators (a la 2008) with a pair of sexy specs like the ones above.

5) Leggings
They haven’t yet died the death that many have predicted. In fact, Sass & Bide continue to release different versions of their ‘Rats’ leggings every season. I do like the classic black Rats but the leopard print incarnation is also cool (for the long limbed).

6) A fabulous parka
Ok, so this is one thing I could take to Singapore - great to chuck over a pair of jeans when the rain gets too much. Kingan Jones and Sylvester have done some neat little anoraks but my favourite is Karen Walker’s version in candy blue.

7) A hot new belt
I’ve always maintained that a good wardrobe doesn’t need many belts – just a few good quality ones to cover all bases (waist, hip, black brown and maybe a quirky one to throw into the mix). The Sam Browne belt from Kate Sylvester is so cool. I love it worn with the Venetia dress here – although it looks a bit scary it would actually be surprisingly versatile.

8) A new ring
Lately I’ve noticed a trend in jewellery mimicking bows, ties, belts – basically if you can tie it, turn it into gold and put it on your finger. Zoe and Morgan are a New Zealand brother and sister team who have made it big abroad (even Selfridges stocks their edgy, rock ‘n’ roll jewellery range). I like this forget-me-not ring – it’s cute.

9) A hot leather jacket
It’s a big ticket item, but one you’ll have forever if you choose carefully. Leather lives for a long time if well looked after, getting better with age (unlike pleather which starts to look very shabby, very quickly). Moochi have done a great range of leather this season. The Piper jacket above would be a classic, versatile addition to any wardrobe, and they’ve also done some killer leather pants (they’re very limited so get in quick).

10) Some super mixin’ and matchin’ basics
Everybody needs ‘em. I like Storm for good quality merino skivvies and layering tops, Glassons for affordability and American Apparel for quality and colour range (I have heard an as-yet-unconfirmed rumour that they’ll be opening in Auckland sometime in the near future).

Till next time xxx PP

A short stroll down Ponsonby Rd...and other fashion news

2010-02-26T11:35:00.000-08:00

Mood: Silk moochi shift in bright, summery crimson, teamed with ankle boots.

It’s amazing what a lady will find when she wanders home from work. I’m lucky enough to pass through the mecca that is Ponsonby en route to the Casa. Or should that be unlucky, as I seem to empty my wallet whenever I do!

So now that we’re heading into March, all the new collections seem to be locked and loaded. Wandering along said road I ducked into Superette on Tuesday when they received their new drop of Sass & Bide. Though many have this winter heralded the death of 80s shimmer that has reigned supreme over the past few years, I’m glad to see S&B is still flying the sequined, beaded flag with their embellished t-shirts and dresses. I would definitely put my long-legged BFF into the 42 Pant – just because I’d love to see these on for real.

There’s also loads of other goodies from Camilla & Marc just landed. Special mention goes to the Ida pant (see below).

Juliette Hogan. Bustier central. I will do a feature on how to wear these soon. They’re probably the most confusing item in fashion, but fear not my friends – there is a way to pull this off without it looking like underwear.

Wellington’s Alexandra Owen has opened the doors to her first Auckland boutique in the spot that was formally Sera Lilly’s (she’s moved just round the corner to 2 Williamson Ave). Miss Owen is a valuable new addition to the Auckland pack, with her very sculptural, modern pieces. It’s a while since we’ve seen a new Auckland designer playing in this territory.

For all the new shops opening in Ponsonby, it seems there has been a recent casualty. The Coolstore (purveyor of quirky men’s tees, books and other trinkets) was being stripped bare by moving men as I wandered past...so it looks like they’ve gone to retail heaven. RIP.

And some other news tidbits:

NZ Fashion Festival tix are rocking out the door - are you going to the launch on March 16th? If so, you better get in quick quick quick, as there are only 700 available! The designers, who include the likes of Kate Sylvester, Juliette Hogan, Cybele, Zambesi, moochi and Stolen Girlfriends Club, will be showing a selection of looks from their current winter collections in store. The launch will be followed by the New Zealand Herald Designer Garage Sale on Saturday 20th and Sunday 21st March – always a popular hit with the public during Fashion Week.

moochi have some lovely divine wintery pieces in store, and if you purchase any of them before March 31st you can go in the draw to win a mega giftpack filled to the brim with goodies from Elle Macpherson, Dermalogica, Schwarzkopf and moochi themselves. Apparently the whole pack is valued at $1,300!

And finally, Newmarket has just this week welcomed WORLD back to the fold. World originally opened shop in Newmarket when the corner of Broadway and Remuera Rd was hot retail property. Converting their fashion store into the first World Beauty concept outlet, they disappeared without explanation soon after. They’re now situated in the new Hayes foundry on Osborne St. Welcome back World!

My Hypothetical Purse - #2

2010-02-11T01:10:00.000-08:00

Mood: Post-Kate Sylvester launch buzz. Loving the Venetia ruched dress in Wedgewood blue.

You know what? I’m going to be controversial and pour cold water on this whole Valentine’s thing. The whole corny teddy bear/chocolate hearts/flowers from the dairy thing is too contrived for me. Instead, I say treat YOURSELF (and your loved one, if you must) to something pretty and desirable whenever takes your fancy. Why restrict the giving to only one day of the year anyway?
On that note, here are some of the purse-worthy things I’m loving at the moment. I suggest you scorn Valentine’s Day like me and shout yourself one of the scrummy yummy products featured below. *Hypothetical* purse? PAH. More like a shopping list...

TRILOGY ROSE HANDCREAM
This hand cream is one of the best I’ve tried. Seriously. It smells divine, it ain’t greasy and it works its magic long after application. My hands weren’t screaming out for more an hour later (in fact, they survived a couple of hand washes and still felt moisturised). Add to this, Trilogy products are made right here in New Zealand with all sorts of natural, plant-based goodies – always a big bonus for me.

CLINIQUE SUPER CITY BLOCK
We’re all aware of the Antipodean sun’s harsh impact on our skin, but I’m guessing that it’s only a small majority of us that wear sunscreen every day, even in winter (an absolute must). Being paler than most, I’m religious about covering up, but I don’t like to put anything too thick on my combination skin. I love Clinique’s Super City block – it fairly melts on application, and somehow magically seems to dry up any surface oil, leaving the skin soft, smooth and perfectly primed for foundation. I also love that it is 40SPF, just ever so slightly tinted and ideally sized to carry around in your handbag.

MINI VIKTOR & ROLF
Ever carried around a bottle of perfume in your handbag in case an emergency spritz-up is required? If you have, you’ll no doubt have experienced the ‘dead arm’ that goes with lugging a heavy bag around – because perfume bottles aren’t usually that transportable. Change is afoot, however, and many perfumers are releasing their fragrances in more compact sizes. A personal favourite of mine, Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb, is now available from The Department Store in a very convenient 20ml size vial. Lovely.

AESOP
Ok, so skincare isn’t really something you carry around in your purse, but I’m intensely fascinated by Aesop. This Australian brand is somewhat of an enigma to me. Everything about them is erudite, considered and sparse. Their minimalist marketing approach is, ironically, their winning strategy. Their website and packaging are peppered with famous quotes and poets. They encourage sustainability, packaging their products in simple brown bottles that are easily recyclable. They treat skincare as if it were a fine craft, like painting or writing, utilising the finest botanical ingredients and antioxidants available. I have heard from an insider that their rigorous approach permeates all aspects of the company, right down to the biodegradable trays staff are required to use for pick-up lunches and the matching water bottles that sit in exactly the same space on every table.

Out of all the wonderful Aesop products on offer at The Department Store, I covet the Fabulous Face cleanser (for sensitive combination skin). The Aesop Hydrating Serum is also worth a mention - it’s ideal for skin that isn’t overly oily but isn’t gagging for a heavy cream moisturiser either.

So on that note, my lovelies, go forth and spoil yourself. Every day of the year should be Valentine's Day.

Cleanse, tone, moisturise...PP xxx

Twitter Love

2010-02-09T21:39:00.000-08:00

Mood: An abundance of sparkles, much like a Sass & Bide tee.

Keeping up with the times, Peggy Pearl Blog is now on Twitter, yes indeedy. Tweets can be found at: www.twitter.com/peggypearlblog

And...don't forget that we're also on Facebook, so you can show your love there too. Search Peggy Pearl Blog.

Tell all your friends!

Love you xxx PP

The Last Days of the Summer Sales

2010-01-30T17:09:00.000-08:00

Mood: Lazing about in Sass & Bide tee teamed with Emilyandfin skirt.

The weather’s balmy, the cicadas are out in full force, and designers are only weeks, if not days away from launching their autumn/winter collections. Despite the old saying there’s really no such thing as fashionably late in this industry. Many stores clamber every season to get their new ranges in store earlier and earlier to compete with their neighbours.

But while some of us have already locked up the wallets, saving our pennies in for all of the new season goodies about to hit stores, there’s still some incredible summer bargains out there for those who are more sale-inclined. I spent some time this week traipsing around Auckland to bring you my top sale picks – I suggest you get in quick as many sales will be ending this week.

Kate Sylvester

Kate Sylvester always manages to look well stocked and polished right through to the end of sale season. Perhaps it’s because bits and pieces from the new Diamond Dogs collection are already in store, complementing racks of incredible current season sale pieces, seconds and samples. My two top picks include the adorable Barbara Shirt Dress, now $245 ($300 off) and the iconic star-printed Sylvester Skirt (down to $95 from $255). I highly recommend checking out the samples, seconds and older sale items rack too - one year I bagged a $700 jacket for $150. BARGAIN.

Workshop

Workshop currently boasts some fabulous bargains, with many of their basic Workshop Denim items and classic Helen Cherry garments marked down. I, however, was most excited by the very versatile and trans-seasonal See By Chloe Satin Black Broderie Dress, with its original hefty price tag of $1079 marked down to a slightly more palatable $649. The striped and elaborately pleated Jinny Dress (below) from Sienna Miller’s twenty8twelve line is also substantially reduced at $449, down from $789.

Denim

If you're thinking of investing in a great pair of jeans for winter, now's the time to be looking. Fabric’s denim sales are famously fabulous and currently they have a huge selection of jeans (Ksubi, Acne, Naked & Famous, MIH and more) all under $195.

Ruby

In amongst Ruby’s gelato-hued racks, I found the adorable Madame Hawke cream with multicoloured polka-dotted Lunch Shorts, marked down from $229 to $159. Even better, the Seemly Bodysuit had been reduced down to a very accessible $59 with a good hundred knocked off the original price.

Karen Walker

As usual, Karen Walker has been fairly well cleaned out, and many fans will be eagerly anticipating the launch of her winter collection ‘The Village’ – due in store next week I’m told. Having said that, I think the Cathedral Singlet is worth considering. The knit jersey isn’t likely to look dated next season and would be a worthwhile basic to team with a pair of skinny jeans or tights. There’s a few left at The Department Store from what I could see. Marked down from $215 to $99.

And finally...WORLD

It's impossible to pinpoint one or two things here. WORLD's sales are legendary and the $100 rack at their Deluxe High St store is filled to the brim with colourful and sparkly sale treats.

Love love,

PP xxx

Peggy Pearl Style Maven #2: Tracey Small (Summer Edition)

2010-01-25T00:07:00.000-08:00

Ladies and Gentlemen, THIS is the age of the mash-up.

In recent years we’ve seen sneakers paired with dresses, towering stilletos teamed with MC Hammer pants, hobo mixed with high fashion (classic Stolen Girlfriends Clu b irony at last year’s Fashion Week) - even the marriage of fashion and food. Perhaps my favourite incarnation of the ‘fashion mash-up’ is the mix-and-match wardrobe, consisting of carefully selected designer classics, treasured vintage finds and well-chosen chain store basics. It takes talent to successfully piece together such a wardrobe, and if any lady can do it, that’s Tracey Small – combining flamboyant glamour (think sequins, beads and lashings of gold jewellery) with understated class (well-cut designer jeans, classic heels and tailored jackets).

Tracey kindly invited me into her boudoir where she showed me her beautiful collection of designer dresses, enviable sale pieces and draws filled with sparkling accessories. And that was just her summer wardrobe – we’ll be back in winter to check out how she braves the colder months in style.

Portmans jacket and top, Bettina Liano jeans.

Trelise Cooper dress, Bling jewellery.

Decjuba dress with Diva headband.

Trelise Cooper sequinned sweater, Bettina Liano jeans, Mi Piaci heels.

Trelise Cooper dress.

Portmans top and skirt.

Do you have a style icon?
Lately, I’ve been loving Samantha’s style from Sex & the City after watching all the re-runs on Comedy Central. Also, I love Elle Macpherson for her laid-back beach style. My mum was also a big influence on me. She had very classic taste but was never boring. She described her style in her diary as “white t-shirt, leather jacket, jeans and Chanel No.5”.

What, in your opinion, makes somebody stylish?
I guess the biggest thing is someone that really makes an effort and dresses up for a special occasion. Three very stylish people in my life are my sister Courtney who manages to look super cool every single day by mixing vintage and chain-store buys. Then there is Beth who looks stylish even around the house. I don’t think she’s ever made a bad purchase because she sticks to a colour palette and fit that really suits her and she always looks polished. I’m also lucky to have a very stylish boyfriend - Vlad - who has lots of tailored suits and shirts. Even if it’s just the two of us going out for dinner we will both get dressed up and make an effort to impress each other.

Do you have a fave shop?
Of all the NZ designers Trelise Cooper and Kate Sylvester are my favourites. I love Trelise for all the colour and sequins she uses. Decjuba is another favourite store because they have the most amazing dresses. I can’t even count how many I’ve bought there in the last year. The girls at Kate Sylvester and Decjuba are the best. I’ve also been getting online and looking at frockaholics.com and peeptoeshoes.com.au.

Your ultimate lipstick colour?
I love red lipstick but I’m usually not brave enough to wear it so I wear a lot of pink. I love Estee Lauder lipsticks the most for their colours and because they come in pretty gold cases.

What's on your stereo at the moment?
Best of Fleetwood Mac!

What's your most treasured possession?
My mum’s Rado watch and her pink leather skirt – they remind me of her.

Down to the personals (my favourite bit) – what’s in your handbag?
It’s not very exciting I’m afraid! In fact, I don’t even take a handbag to work! I always carry a hairbrush though and then I have my new wallet (a present from Vlad), my cellphone, lip balm and a toothbrush and toothpaste.

And the number one question - diamonds or pearls?
Definitely diamonds.

Trelise Cooper goes PINK for Air New Zealand

2010-01-08T13:34:00.000-08:00

What are your thoughts on the new Air New Zealand uniform designed by Trelise Cooper?

This is get-up I might wear this to a Remuera Garden tea party (if I was an Eastern suburbs housewife), but not while I'm serving beef stroganoff to travellers and teaching them how to use their oxygen masks. Flying is serious business, and while corporate uniforms need not be boring, I'm not sure that fancy frivolous is the right way to instill a sense of confidence in travellers. But hey, is there another airline in the world with a pink uniform? This will certainly get overseas visitors talking.

It will also be interesting to see how ANZ's imminent rebranding ties in with this risky new colour scheme - and how this will work as a uniform for men. I have yet to see any pics.

Drinking Sangria makes you cool and sexy

2010-01-08T12:51:00.000-08:00

Mood: Beachy - channelling the kaftan.

Cocktails, in my opinion, are so very last decade. For a summer tipple, why not try whipping up a jug of Peggy Pearl's delicious Sangria? Make a day in advance of serving, and all the winey, fruity, ginny flavours will meld beautifully together in time for your summer garden party.

Here's what you'll need:

A bottle of cheap red wine
A lemon
An orange
A lime
2 tbps sugar
Splash of orange juice
2 shots of gin
A cup of strawberries, cut in half
4 cups of ginger ale
A can of diced pineapple (optional)

NB: Organic fruit works best, but is not essential for this recipe.
Empty the wine into a decent size pitcher. Thoroughly scrub the lemon, orange and lime, then cut into wedges. Squeeze the juice of each into the pitcher then toss the remaning wedges in. Add the gin, sugar orange juice and optional pineapple (along with juice). Cover and leave in the fridge overnight.

The next day, add in the ginger beer and strawberries. Serve in wine glasses along with corn chips and a rustic homemade salsa (diced red onion, red capsicum, tomato, coriander and lime). Delicioso!

PP xxx

2000s - A Retrospective

2010-01-07T00:30:00.000-08:00

Mood: Ksubi batman top with leggings.

A fashionably late Happy New Year to you all, darlings!

The first decade of the 21st century is dead and gone (note that I’m avoiding use of that awful ‘noughties’ word here) and I’d like to pay homage to some infamous fashion trends that inveigled their way into our wardrobes over the past 10 years.

Just recently, it hit home that 2009 was drawing to a close when I was invited to a ‘2000s’ theme party and subsequently encouraged on the invite to wear my jeans tucked into my boots. Bullseye, really – one can’t argue that this was one of the more defining trends of the 00s period. And of course, tucking your jeans into your slouchy boots seemed like a natural fashion progression once everybody abandoned their bootcut denims in favour of the skinny jeans we still all covet today. Will we look back on this and cringe? Quite possibly. Especially if our jeans were of the white/pale blue and were teamed with uggs or fluffy Mukluk moccasin boots.

Speaking of moccasins, we should all bow our heads (out of respect or otherwise) to the Boho trend which planted its roots firmly in the 2000s. Many called Kate Moss the original queen of Boho, however the look was also well cemented by Sienna Miller, with her Grecian-inspired evening wear, ditsy florals and fringed accessories – style that she carried through into her Twenty8Twelve clothing range (it’s stocked at Workshop BTW).
Influential Hollywood stylist Rachel Zoe also had a hand in spreading the Boho vibe, dressing her Zoebot clan of pin-thin followers (think Nicole Richie, Mischa Barton and Lindsay Lohan) in vintage kaftans, animal prints, oversized designer handbags as well as lashings of gold costume jewellery topped off with a tandoori-hued tan. Perhaps the most enduring trend of the decade, Boho lives on in its various studded and sequined forms - most notably in the form of Gladiator sandals, which have defied expectations and remained popular for the best part of the last 18 months. My prediction is, however, that they’ll become dreadfully passé once the summer ends down here in the Southern Hemisphere - and girls of the thicker ankle variety will breathe a deep sigh of relief.

From a palette perspective, colour made a splash in our very monochromatic wardrobes – a hangover from the 90s that continued well into the middle of the decade. Olive-skinned New Zealanders began to embrace hues such as mint, blush pink and melon, while those with paler complexions (me me me!) had a raft of deep blues, greens and citrus hues to play with. Workshop, Deborah Sweeney, RJC and Kate Sylvester were notable for their use of colour (as were WORLD, but that’s nothing new). Even the famously dark Zambesi began to incorporate crimson and yellow into their collections.

We all began to wear a lot more pattern too, with many embracing Karen Walker’s iconic seasonal prints. Other pattern-enthusiasts included Helen Cherry, Juliette Hogan and Ruby, whose iconic ‘gem’ and cloud prints graced many a young fashionista’s hoodie on campus when I was at university.

As colour spread, some things started to shrink a little. The 2000s saw the rise of the denim mini with pockets hanging down below the raw-edge hem (another decade trend) which then morphed into hot pants of a similar vein.

Shoes? Aside from the aforementioned (and controversial) gladiators and moccasins, shoes took a turn for the better. While New Zealand is still sorely lacking in the shoe department (with a few notable exceptions), generally Kiwi ladies started to experiment a bit more with their heels. The 2000s brought us Mei Mei, who opened up shop at the very start of the decade, supplying Auckland’s best dressed with all the Barbara Bui and Chloe they’d ever need. Runway in Nuffield St gave us Stella McCartney and Michael Kors amongst others. Mi Piaci opened up as ‘big sister’ to Overland and gave us fashion-forward heels at not unattainable prices. And let’s not forget that-we’ve witnessed the rise and rise of local talent Kathryn Wilson, whose cute-as-a-button shoes are coveted by women of all ages.

And finally, we couldn’t leave off the accessories – the 2000s were draped in scarves, oversized corsages (thank you Sex and the City), larger-than-life sunnies (er, thanks again, Rachel Zoe) and ginormous it-bags – after all, you’d need something sizeable enough to carry your ultimate accessory – a handbag Chihuahua.

Oscar Dress of the Decade

2009-12-23T21:54:00.000-08:00

If somebody asked me to name my favourite Oscar dress of the decade, what would it be?

Not my top 5, not my top 3, not even 2 – just one single couture piece worn to the awards in the last decade that made an unforgettable impact on me.

Well, it would be this. The Emanuel Ungaro wrap gown Cameron Diaz wore to the 2002 Oscars, accessorised with a Fred Leighton necklace round the waist.

A questionable choice in the eyes of some perhaps. This made a number of 'worst dressed' lists but it's a winner in my eyes, and I have my reasons for thinking so. The first of which is colour – this is a veritable feast on the eyes with so many unlikely hues and patterns melding together to amazing effect. Turquoise and pink? Risky, but the dark crimson shades pull it together. Ethnic meets vintage? It shouldn’t work, but somehow it does.

I love how this is a dressed-up version of boho – and remember, this was BEFORE the big trend kicked in. I like the ruffled bed-head hair, it’s cute (a coiffed do would tragically transform this outfit into nana’s nightgown). I love the accessories. It’s an ‘ensemble’ that exudes femininity while giving the big finger to bare skin and frivolous frills. It transforms Cameron from California surf chick to Oscar maven, while still matching her sparkly, bright personality.

This is such a fabulous deviation from the typical ball-gown get up many celebs choose for the big evening, and has stood the test of time in my books.

Sugar, spice and all things nice on this fine Christmas eve xxx PP

Peggy Pearl plays Santa (part deux)

2009-12-21T23:42:00.000-08:00

Mood: Mango chicken with coconut pesto = Sass & Bide jeans blow-out. Opting for loose Kate Sylvester 80s print sundress to hide burgeoning Christmas waistline.

My boy (affectionately nicknamed Tommy Tiger for the purposes of this blog) and I thought we’d be a good litmus test for the Boyfriend/Girlfriend Christmas pressie tips blog. So we traded lists this morning and the result was a notepad of things we’re hoping will turn up in our Christmas stockings. We’ve been pretty ambitious - not sure whether my better half will get the iPhone he’s been lusting after but at least he’s given me an out with a few cheaper gift ideas.

If you’re on the last minute buzz and stuck as to what to buy the lad/lady in your life, this is dedicated to YOU.

Christmas mince pies and pudding,

PP xxx

MY LIST

1) Bling

You could pretty much buy me anything from Karen Walker’s jewellery cabinet. I LOVE her new crab necklace from the superfine collection. But since it’s gold and therefore carries a price tag in the five-figure region I might have to wait ‘till she brings out a silver version.

2) Magic, Mirth & Mischief - all in a makeup bag

Being a little low on 'facentials', I could do with one of MAC’s new make-up bags filled to the brim with cosmetic goodness (from their holiday collection titled as above).

3) Cocktail stuff

I’ve recently discovered that I’m not so bad at pulling together a Margarita or two. And a silver cocktail shaker such as this one would go very nicely in my kitchen. Maybe some nice glassware too?

4) A beautiful summer frock

I’ve been dying to get this dress all summer season. DYING, I tell you. However, no size 8s were to be found when I popped into Juliette Hogan’s Ponsonby store. If anyone can find this dress (and gift it to me for Christmas), I will thank them with endless champagne, Christmas cupcakes and bear hugs.

5) A glorious piece of nostalgia for my home

What could be better than something from Ritzy Bits? Authentic 1960s goodness. This Starburst clock dates would look perfect in my hallway, just across from the radiogram.

HIS LIST

1) Cheap Monday jeans

These are a fabulous fit and well-priced for a good quality jean. TT’s already got a black pair, so I’d probably try and track down this rather awesome blue wash.

2) iPhone

Worth a try...

3) A Crane Brother suit

OTT. Extravagant. And not even a remote possibility, given my Christmas budget. But again, worth a try...

4) iTunes gift voucher

A perfect little stocking filler, and even though TT won’t be getting an iPhone from Santa he can still buy some new music for his humble Nano.

5) Dermalogica Shave System

My two cents for Mr Man. This Dermalogica kit will have your guy looking all scrubbed up and looking smooth. It comes with Pre-Shave Guard and Daily Clean Scrub to prep the skin (minimising the chance of developing ingrown hairs), Soothing Shave Cream and Post-Shave balm as well as Daily Defense Block SPF15. You’ll find it at the flagship Dermalogica store in the Albany Westfield mall.