Boobs! & Being In Print

(How many of you clicked onto this post because of the word "Boobs!" in the title? I hope at least a couple of you did.) ;) For whatever reason, at age 22 my boobs have decided that they're finally going to grow.  After a number of angsty teenage years of being frustrated by my lack of boob - constantly comparing myself to my peers, despising how I looked in swimsuits and wearing the most ridiculously padded bras - I'd finally become totally comfortable with having an A-cup chest, and didn't feel like I needed to change, or pretend I had some giant bust. Small boobs are just as valid as big ones! But then out of nowhere - BAM. My bust increased by several sizes. This was mostly annoying, as I now no longer fit in most of the clothes I have taken years to accumulate (I guess this is an excuse to update my entire wardrobe...?). However now I've decided that I'm going to capitalise on the situation instead, and enjoying (when I feel like it) having a whole lot of cleavage that's never existed before. I've gone on a bit of a nice-bra-buying-binge, such as getting myself this Dita Von Teese bra that you can see the top of in the photos below: top - thrifted | jacket - vintage | jeans - Dotti (old) | necklace - c/o Now or Never | bra - Dita Von Teese | shoes - Yeswalker (old) And I'm trying my best to embrace all my new curves. I hadn't been 100% happy about the appearance of a little tummy either, nor the stretch marks that cover my upper-thighs - but I'm trying my hardest to stop exclusively wearing clothes that hide those "flaws", because they're actually not flaws and I'm going to own them, and wear all the skinny jeans and high-cut swimsuits that I want. So guess who is now a published writer in a real-life newspaper?  Meeee! (posing in a bunch of swimsuits, no less) Most of you probably know that I write for Birdee magazine (and, by the way, I just wrote a new article.) Anyway, Birdee have just recently released their first ever newspaper - and it's amazing. I'm not just saying that because I'm in it - it's legitimately such a great and needed publication, being the first ever feminist newspaper for young wom*n in Australia. This swimsuit article was a reworking of an article I had already had published on the Birdee website, but there's many fresh pieces inside and it'll keep you occupied for hours. You can either buy it from the Birdee website or many newsagents around Australia (click here for the list). Support this thing if you can afford it (it's only $4!) because it would be a very worthy publication to be available to young wom*n in Australia on a regular basis! (You can even buy it if you live overseas, the shipping is just a little bit more costly). Oh! And just one last thing if you didn't see it already on my facebook or instagram page: The reason that I haven't blogged in a little while is because I got a new sewing machine & overlocker, and have been having so much fun playing around on them, including making this dress! I made this from scratch using a pattern that I made myself, and I'm now working on a tutorial for my youtube channel! So keep an eye out for that if you are interested. Much love, Bloglovin' | Youtube | Facebook | Twitter |  Instagram | Chictopia | Lookbook | Tumblr

50s & Nautical Fashion

Hey guys! Just popping in real quickly this morning to tell you about an article that I wrote for Birdee Magazine! As you might have noticed, I've been loving both nautical and 50s pin-up styles and all things gingham lately, so I decided to do a whole write-up on it. I've included a wishlist, a tutorial as well as tips on how to get the style! I'd love it if you let me know what you thought (or leave a comment on the article, I'd really appreciate it!) You can read the article here. Top left image by Mel Sundquist | Middle image from Zipper magazine (March 2014 issue) Bloglovin' | Facebook | Twitter |  Instagram | Chictopia | Lookbook | Tumblr

How To: Swimsuit Styling

This post originally appeared on Birdeemag.com. You can read it on Birdee here. When I was a teenager buying a swimsuit was an immensely painful process. Living in a regional area, I basically only had a few local surf-shops available to me and from that I assumed that the only style of swimmers that existed were those teeny tiny triangle-top bikinis.  Once a year when I needed a new swimsuit this caused a lot of angst about my small bust which I (very wrongly) equated with being less of a woman. On the other hand, any one-pieces were always very functional, unflattering, and, I thought, only worn by little kids.  However, I know now that the problem was with the swimsuits, not my body. There are in fact so many different styles of swimsuit out there, and I wish I’d found out about them sooner. I’ll be running through all the different types of swimsuit I’ve discovered so far, and also demonstrating how to style them up into an outfit – swimmers need not just be for swimming in! Retro-style bikinis   I feel far more comfortable in this style of bikini for the simple fact that they are not flimsy, and are also very flattering. They make running around at the beach or pool a lot easier, anyway, as you’re not constantly having to readjust and double check that your various bits aren’t flying out. These swimmers are great with anything high-waisted. A lace or crochet top thrown over the top works perfectly, and longer-style bandeau tops can be worn with high-waisted skirts and shorts in matching colours. Modern One-pieces I’ve seen some seriously great designs on one-pieces lately. Two unicorns chilling in an ice-kingdom? Check. The other day I saw a swimsuit covered in photo-realistic ice-creams. It was beautiful. These swimsuits are far more interesting than the strictly functional and sporty one-pieces that I remember. Retro-style one-pieces A lot of stores have been making replica vintage one-pieces lately, with very flattering cuts and adorable prints. This Cadillac swimsuit below is one of my favourite pieces ever: Plus, they look damn good with a pair of high-waisted shorts. This particular swimsuit was from Asos, though Modcloth also has a large range of retro-style one-piece bathing suits – however they tend to be a little pricey and I’ve never bought one for myself. They do have good reviews, but if it doesn’t fit it’s somewhat hard to return, because they’re based in America! A solution for those wary of buying swimwear online is below.  Vintage one-pieces I have a friend who somehow manages to always find incredible one-pieces from Vinnies and Salvos, but I don’t know how she does it – the swimsuit pictured below is actually from a vintage boutique. That means it was pricier due to it being hand-picked (around $40), however I think it was completely worth the purchase because it can also very easily be worn as a top. But I always make sure to check the swimsuit section in op-shops, just in case (I’m still on the lookout for that sparkly gold one-piece). A vintage one-piece looks fantastic with a long vintage skirt or some high-waisted shorts and a cropped jacket.  Modern bikinis   Okay, so I know that I just had a bit of a rant about these, but they are okay if you can find the right one for you (in my case, a top with enough fabric that actually covers my bust). They are for those summer days when you’ve bothered to remove any body hair that’s grown outside those ridiculously tiny confines. And they do look cute with a pinafore style dress, I’ll give them that. That all said: summer really shouldn’t be about focusing on your appearance. You don’t exist just to look pretty. But it’s nice to own some swimmers that you feel confident in – then you can forget about them and have fun. 1st Swimsuit is from ASOS (sold out, but this is similar), 2nd swimsuit is from Romwe (review here), 3rd swimsuit is from ASOS (sold out), 4th swimsuit is from Asos (sold out), 5th is thrifted and 6th is from a store in Italy whose name I forget. Have you got any swimwear tips you want to share? Bloglovin' | Facebook | Twitter |  Instagram | Chictopia | Lookbook | Tumblr