The vibe: Out and about in Sydney right now girls are dressed in funky cut blazers, sheer skirts and pattern pants, chunky suede heels, fur vests and layered button up shirts.

The style is very Derek Lam Fall 2012 – I think his 10 Crosby lookbook images (pictured) – could double as a Sydney street style shoot at the moment. The elements of this look, like the fur vest for example can be purchased at a pop-up tent in the Entertainment Quarter or for thousands at the finest department store in town.

It’s fun to see how girls are interpreting the Derek Lam look on the streets of Sydney this Autumn.

(source: Style.com, Derek Lam)

Photographed by Nicolas Moore, Katharine McPhee appears in a fashion spread in Glamour’s June issue wearing a Prabal Gurung dress, Zana Bayne for Prabal Gurung harness and Gianvito Rossi for Altuzarra sandals & an A.L.C dress and Araks bra.

(Glamour Magazine June 2012)

Known For: Wineries, quaint streets, and beautiful autumn colours

Best Cafe: Bills Beans - fab coffee and the people were lovely

Fun Day Activity: Ross Hill Winery for chardonnay and interesting pinot

Must Bring: Frye Boots and a wooly jumper



Surprise Delight: Having a pint with the locals at a random pub while looking at photos of their actual pet kangaroos

3 Years ago, my boy friend (in an attempt to woo me), took me to his family farm house near Orange, NSW. This picture perfect country estate complete with cows, horses, and stunning country side views gave me a very different perspective of the landscape and feel of Australia.

3 years later, we travelled back to the farm and to Orange to relive some of the magic. The drive alone from Sydney was incredible as the blue mountains are a stop along the route. Orange is a perfect spot to visit in the fall. The leaves are golden and red and line the main street. There is plenty to see and do (especially if you like wine and food). We stopped at several wineries and even a cider estate where you could go apple picking.

If you can rent a country house, I highly recommended it. Each morning, we fed the cows, walked around the paddocks, and rolled around with the farm dogs – a much simpler way of life for this city girl.

Ross Hill Winery

Can I keep the puppy?

Source: Images by Ashley Heath

The look to copy: Black tights, black dress and yellow geometric sandals -simple silver hoops, funky silver ring all tied together with matching lip and nail color.

Why PDS loves this outfit: This is an outfit that should already be in your closet. Black dress and black tights or something similar. The addition of a fun bright color shoe spices up this all black ensemble – the addition of lipstick and bit of jewlely makes it a complete outfit. We love that anyone can wear this and look hot. It’s a simple look to copy.

Where to wear it: Birthday dinner at The Little Door in LA, engagement party at the Four Seasons, girls drinks in Paddington

• Ring – Pointed Edge Forever 21 $5.80
• Dress – Mauritz Dress by The Story $179
• Hoops – Nadri small pave hoops $100
• Yellow pump – Sam Edelman ‘Lorissa’ pump $225
• Pink Sandal – Pierre Hardy Neoprene and Patent $941

(source: polyvore.com, people.com, Nordstrom)

Price: $40

Discovered: Forever New Bondi Junction, Sydney

Rational: It looks expensive and hand beaded. A nice cheap clutch is the way to go – you can wear it to the bar and not worry about setting it down in beer or dropping it on the floor while dancing.

Fav way to wear it: This clutch has texture and shine so it wakens up even the most boring outfit. My favorite way to wear it is with a lime green J.crew sweater and purple vintage clip-on earrings, for a bright going out for drinks look. I received so many compliments on this bag during fashion week.

Product: One by One Volum’Express Mascara

Use: Making your lashes full and juicy

Application: Apply as many coats as needed till lashes are black and full. Mascara should be the last thing you apply before you walk out the door

Price: $11

Score: 7/10

Review: The key to a great mascara is the brush. I have tried dozens of mascaras and if the brush works well, your lashes will look great. One to One by Maybelline has a fab brush and is perfect for a fast swipe to make your lashes pop. The best part? The price. $11 is a great deal for drugstore mascara that actually works. It lives up to its name – Volum’Express – because that is exactly what it does; a quick lift. This is a great mascara if you want volume for your work day or for afternoons out shopping. Not bold enough for night, but if you are looking for a great bargain, pick up a tube of One to One Volum’Express in Satin Black (it is a limited edition).

Source: Ashley H

Toni Maticevski Collection

The Look: The white dresses are from the made-to-measure range shown at  a presentation earlier in the week. The runway looks are from his ready-to-wear collection. I love his work – modern, feminine and wearable. My favorite is the white dress pictured below, truly stunning. I only wish his last name was easier to pronounce.

PDS Loves: Gowns, gowns and more gowns. Where can you even wear a gown these days?? It makes us wonder do you have to be an old rich lady or an actress to wear a dress like this…What’s a girl to do?

I remember being an awkward young girl and wanting to be Christina Ricci. I loved her movies like Casper and Now and Then where she always played a weirdo tom boy who got the hot guy (the hot guy being Devon Sawa). That was me in the 4^th grade, minus the class hottie.

She had a couple years where she didn’t quite get it right, but I think she has finally found a great beauty look that suits her. She has a heart shaped face, so her blunt bangs with longer side pieces really helps to keep her in proportion. Similar to when Reese Witherspoon got bangs. She has a heart shaped face as well. Looks dynamite. Ricci’s skin is looking fab and lovin her matte red lip. She is not wearing a lot of shimmer which I quite like because otherwise it would accentuate her already round features (too much shimmer brings attention to bigger areas on your face because it reflects light). She has come a long way since The Addams Family, that is for sure.

(Source: Getty, Richardson)

Style Hong Kong

The Looks: The Hong Kong fashion collection show featured designers Chailie Ho, DoDo Leung, Harrison Wong & Hei Lau. I loved DoDo Leungs dramatic old world lingerie couture collection. I love the black floor length lace skirts, robes with dramatic crown and sash details. It reminds me of what the Queen wears in the movie Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. The vibrant flowy dresses by Chailie Ho were beautiful to watch go down the runway – simple yet innovative in cut.

PDS Loves: People watching at fashion shows. My favorite person to snipe photos of during the week has been Bryan Boy, our favorite heel wearing male blogger. We also love seeing what is going on in fashion in other countries, so much fun!

The international highlight of MBFWA was the debut of style icon and reality star-turned designer, Whitney Port, presenting her two signature fashion lines. Better known for her roles on MTV’s The Hills and her spin-off show The City, Port has been one of the few reality stars that have paved a successful career, independent of her stint on the hit shows.

Presenting in The Box venue, Port showcased her two Spring Summer 2012/13 ranges – Whitney Eve and WE by Whitney Eve – through the installation-style format. Models were perched on white boxes as the audience was able to walk around the layout and view the garments up close.

In true Whitney style, her collections were feminine, flirty and carefree, featuring floral motifs, pastel prints and muted colours in mauve, baby yellow and silvery grey, intertwined with brighter contrasts of tangerine and rose pink. The collections featured tailored and structured pieces like the tuxedo-style waistcoat, all-in-one belted jumpsuit and knitted sweaters, all accessorised with solid hardware, beaded pieces and chunky wrist candy. But, it wouldn’t be a Whitney Eve collection if it weren’t for her signature easy-to-wear pieces – as sheer blouses, lightweight silk jackets, midi skirts, jersey tops and shift dresses all made an appearance and all of which were fun and endearing, in line with Port’s signature style.

Whit even made an appearance during her debut, introducing herself to her Aussie contemporaries and explaining her collections to the audience. She stressed that she wanted to create a line that was comfortable and feminine, where pieces could be easily mixed and matched to suit a particular mood or style, which is synonymous with her brand aesthetic. On the night she said, “[My collections are] for that career-driven, motivated girl who doesn’t take fashion seriously and wants to have a bit of fun with it.”

Influenced by her Los Angeles home and her time spent in the concrete jungle that is New York, her collections effortlessly combined that relaxed Californian style we all know and love, with the fast paced nature of Manhattan where you have to have a thick skin just to get by!

Timid in nature but savvy with business brains, Port’s easy, wearable collection was possibly the best course of action for her self-titled label. She knows her consumer and has used her status to create two lines that are affordable and right on trend. And, in debuting at MBFWA, she now has a slew of Aussie fans who will be running to their nearest Sportsgirl and hopping online to The Iconic and My Catwalk as soon as her WE by Whitney Eve line becomes available in mid-September.

Whilst I can acknowledge that not everyone may be a fan of this ‘type’ of ‘celebrity’, there is no question that Port has her head screwed on when it comes to designing for her younger demographic. Having being thrust into the design world with no formal technical design training, she has handled herself impeccably, admitting that she is still learning through each collection, as her awareness regarding fashion design becomes that much more focused as she grows and develops as a designer.

Whatever your take on this reality-starlet-turned-runway-designer, you’ve got to give her props when it comes to debuting internationally! And, I have a feeling that her launch into Sportsgirl and Aussie retailers online, will be just the boost to her design career that she’s been waiting for.

So, whether you’re a supporter or a ‘reality star hater’, I think that with her pure sensibility and in her honest way, she’s going to give it her all…Whit your support or Whit-out!

Written by Rebecca Glaser

Fashion Journalist and Stylist

Sydney, Australia

Bec’s two ultimate loves are fashion writing and styling. Having completed internships with many Australian online and print publications, worked in-studio with prominent Australian fashion designers and contributed to many fashion blogs, she has most recently returned to Sydney from a 3-month editorial internship at V and VMAN Magazine in New York. She is currently the Junior Features Editor for the Sydney online street magazine, On The Streets Of Sydney [http://www.onthestreetsofsydney.com/] and is also completing her final honours year towards a Bachelor of Design in Fashion and Textile Design at UTS.