sarah ayoub, Freelance Writer

‘Please don’t cry, Monique, they say “identical models” but I doubt they will be,’ Chanel explained. ‘The workmanship will be shoddy, the fabrics poor quality. No one can copy the essential qualities of a Chanel.’

And this was the sentence that cemented my decision to love Harold Carlton’s latest book, Heaven, Hell & Mademoiselle (Orion, $32.99). You see, not long ago, I posted on my Facebook status that I was sick of Facebook allowing fake brands to advertise their wares on the site: not only was every fake I encountered tacky and thus not an accurate representation of the designer and the luxury that the house purported, but I couldn’t help but think that the obvious market for these fakes was promoting a lower culture that destroyed the appeal of fashion as an art, and that funded those nasties we want eradicated from the world (there is significant research that shows that fake markets fund terrorist training and groups, among other things).

As someone who has celebrated some of her bigger life milestones with the purchase of a designer good (if only as an investment piece that transformed my otherwise chain store wardrobe, for the use of a family heirloom and as testament to my love of a luxury that goes the distance), and who loves the appeal of advertisements for luxury brands and the chic factor they bring to my inspiration wall, I was able to really resonate with the sentence in Carlton’s book, which gave me some comfort in the face of my frustrations. Not because I had saved to celebrate my milestones with a material object (we all have our weaknesses), but because I would ahte for my creative work to be so blatantly copied in a manner that denounced its value. High fashion and couture is art, so where is its copyright and why are we so quick to embrace the lows of it? Surely we know when we’re not in the presence of the real thing, so why buy into it? (I was given a fake Gucci wallet when I was in year 8. I was embarrassed, even at that age, to be carrying it out around).

I guess what I am trying to say is that creative licence is a lot more than money and style. It’s someone’s love and work stamped on something that requires effort and commitment (most designer bags, at least in the league of Hermes & Chanel, are hand stitched, and in the case of Hermes, made by one person), and the fact that there are some people profiting (albeit in a tacky way) from ripping this work and creative licence off.

The fact that I own a few real designer bags makes me very conscious of the fakes, and I am often quite smug (naughty!) at the fact that I can tell what’s real and what’s not. maybe it’s because I hate liars, and maybe it’s because I worked just as hard to save up for my goods that it irks me to see them paraded around at market stalls with no concern for their true value as a product. Then again, this is the difference in the way that people see fashion: whether as a statement or just as clothes, shoes and accessories that you scope out when getting dressed everyday.

The former are the type you’ll read about in Harold Carlton’s book, and maybe through his tales you’ll be able to see just how much fashion can really mean.

When I picked up the book and read its blurb, I thought that I would hate it and that it would bore me, but I was more than plesantly surprised. Perhaps because I had known little of the author at the time (his last book, Labels, was published in 1988), and I was overcome with a scepticism about how this man, whom I purported to be a fashion journalist, would capture the time, place and exuberance of 1960′s Paris with the might required for a book on the grand dame of fashion: Coco Chanel herself.

But Harold Carlton (whom I discovered actually worked as an assistant designer for two Parisian maisons de couture, and was a fashion illustrator for a number of high profile publications in New York & London) has done a maginificent job, not necessarily for capturing the essence of 1960′s Paris (the storyline itself would have worked no matter the time or setting, and to me, was thus rendered irrelevant to the appeal of the whole book), but for his great story telling, and particularly in his ability to weave together four very different characters, all essentially on the same mission: to find love and work in fashion in Paris couture.

The year that sets the tale is 1968, and four young fashion hopefuls have arrived in the city of love, dreaming to make their way to the top in the competitive and often damning Parisian fashion scene. They have all come from different, often fraught, backgrounds or recent events, and are burdened with both their past and their quest for making something of themselves in the future.

And, lest this girly scenario supposedly lend us the wrong idea that this is a somehow girls-only book, they are not all women: and the men play as much a part in the novel as their female counterparts. Monique’s chance encounter with Mademoiselle herself sets the stage for her successes, and her undeniable natural talent as a seamstress, sees her plucked from the workrooms to a place where she can command a lot more than she’s ever been used to: but will she let an adulterous man and her little relationship know-how affect her career?

Christopher on the hand, is not as devoted to Chanel as Monique: the boy just wants a shot as a desginer in the couture houses. Clawing his way to the top is one thing where fashion is concerned, but as he finds himself letting his English sex appeal get the better of him, he wonders about the choices he has made in the search for success.

Samantha is the New Yorker who has had Daddy pave the way for her too long. The only problem is, when she decides she’s going to make it on her own, she fails to realise that her brash attitudes is not exactly what french society is made of.

And then there’s beautiful Sophie, who has had everything she could have ever wanted out of life, except the answer to a question that has paved the way for her burdening insecurities a little too long.

As their lives collide in mash of fashion, society, culture and relationships, and all in a quest for work, they all begin to realise that what they set out to achieve is not necessarily what their happiness is made of.

• High from a dinner out at Toko Surry Hills on Thursday night, I started it off by turning off my computer early on Friday night, and deciding that I was NOT going to fuss around about all the work I had to do. Instead, I took my kid sister Josie to Civic Video and she chose the all-star Valentines Day for her Friday Night In with her Big Sisters (you’ll meet her soon, she’s reviewing Stephenie Meyer’s latest for Wordsmith Lane). That coupled with the copious amounts of candy corn I ate after tracking it down at a nearby lolly store, and staring at the gorgeous book by JoJo Moyes that I wanted purely on the merits of the cover alone, made for a great night.
• Saturday was an average day, but all weekends cannot be of the grand sort. I went to be weekly osteopath appointment to treat my back (in the aftermath of my car accident it has been really painful and prone to various stuff-ups that I would rather not dwell on) and hit the shops a little while later, where I picked up a gorgeous Cooper St Clothing dress that I can’t wait to wear. The beauty of it is its desk-to-date factor: I can throw on a blazer for work and wear it with tights, then change out of those on my way out. Saturday night I hit Fiance’s Best Man’s Girlfriends’ 21st, wearing my beautiful black tutu skirt, lace top, black patent pumps and a gorgeous red high-waist belt recently purchased from Ebay. The look was polished off with one of my fave clutch purses: the black patent YSL Y-Mail clutch which I ordered over the phone from Perth luxury store Cult Status, and which makes me feel like a million bucks everytime I carry it.
• Sunday was pretty chockers. After an early morning mass at St Joachim’s, I went to see my future mother-in-law and Nanna, and they surprised me ith my very own Mad-Hatters hat (copied from the latest Alice in Wonderland flick by Tim Burton). It’s a little too big for all our heads, so it’s going to make a great centrepiece or decorative item at my Mad-Hatter’s Kitchen Tea Party this October.
• After my busy morning, my plus one and I headed to the Brad Ngata hair salon in Sydney’s Surry Hills/Darlinghurst for an amazing blogger event held by the team at Maxted Thomas PR. The event was a great way to catch up with the staff and other bloggers, as well as play students in the art of skin care and make-up thanks to the pop-up stalls for some of their great clients. Canapes and Champagne were free-flowing in great testament to this agency which recognised the contribution that bloggers and social media users make to the media/beauty industry. Sometimes it’s so easy to be overlooked in favour of the print titles and the like, so it felt great to know that our work still matters to the industry. Big thanks must also go to my gorgeous mate and wedding planner, Danielle of Entertainment Solutions International for being my plus one at the event.
• And before I headed home on Sunday night, to write like a mad woman (see, the work catches up with you eventually) and eat McDonald’s in front of the TV, I joined some bloggers for a visit to the Benefit store in Paddington, where I got my eyebrows professionally shaped and tinted (and then my lashes and make-up done too). I was so enamored with the store and its staff (and my new eyebrows, which almost a day later, I can not stop staring at in the mirror. I tell you, I used to be so modest but post-brow shaping and tinting, I feel rightfully vain) that I had to have a quick chat with their Brow Expert Hannah Terrett about the process and why it’s so great for the face. Try to ignore my animated hand gestures and my frequent use of the word amazing (as you can see I was quite stunned by the awesomeness of the whole Benefit Shebang), and do enjoy my first foray into Wordsmith Lane TV. If you want to check out the Benefit services for yourself (they come highly recommended from yours truly, among other, far more glamorous peeps), call in to your nearest store and check out some of their great brow, lash and make-up packages, most of which are redeemable for product. If you just want your brows waxed, it’ll set you back a mere $25 for a great session with the pros. Watch and see why it matters.

 [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxisILgamKg]

1. The latest issue of Shop Til You Drop: Few people can fathom why I like Gossip Girl and yet dislike it at the same time. The answer: Serena Van Der Woodsen and her dramas, excuses and that ridiculous pout. But I must say she looks spectacular on the ‘feel good’ issue’s cover of the shopping bible – with a big smile to prove it. The feel good issue is all about putting a ‘smile on your dial’ with 102 beauty bargains under $25, 25 stylish reasons to stay in, a $30 Tonay Bianco gift card, a sneak peak into the shoes that will be part of their great shoe drop, and for all you aspiring magazine wordsmiths, a chance to edit the magazine and win $5000. Out today.
2. Burt’s Bees Everyday Starter Kit: I’m going to the Hunter Valley in a couple of weeks and those that know me will get that I hate clutter (in fact, I have written about this on the blog several times). I also hate lugging stuff around with me. I am determined to shake myself out of carrying large tote bags on a daily basis as they just encourage me to carry more than the necessities. Anyway, since I am only going for two or three days, the last thing I want is to be lugging about my full size products in my overnight bag (especially when i can reserve the room they’d occupy in my overnight bag with books and junkfood). This is where Burt’s Bees kits come in. I have recently fallen in love with this brand (now available in Myer & David Jones) because of its basic and earth-friendly range of natural products for everything from hair to hands and feet. Even babies are catered for in products that are made of natural ingredients like milk and honey, shea butter, lemon butter, peppermint, chamomile and grapefruit and sugarbeet. I’ll be taking the Starter Kit (cleanser, body wash, hand and foot creams, face cream, lip balm etc) with me, but you can get a kit of just about everything here. My faves are the Soap Bank & Chamomile Deep Cleansing Cream, and the grapefruit & sugar beet shampoo and conditioner. They both have the most amazing scent.
3. The Making of Modern Australia by William McInnes (Hachette  $35.00): This book has the pride of place at my bedside table this week because it’s one of those titles that takes you back and makes you proud of who you are and where you’ve come from. Best-selling author (and actor) William McInnes weaves the stories and snapshots of everyday Australians in this excellent book that looks at how our beautiful nation came to be since the end of the second world war. Whether it is the stories of how our social make-up and attitudes have changed, or the comparisons between growing up in the country or the big smoke, the book looks at the lives of returned servicemen, new migrants and children over the past 65 years to paint a beautiful picture of the great south land we call home. McInnes captures the history, future, soul and heart of the Australian dream in a heart warming collection. In 1966, my grandfather and his family migrated here and, it is through them that I have a mixed history. With this book, I can understand even more why they chose to become Australian, and I can safely say it’s the best choice they could have ever made.
4. My novel: After months of stumbling blocks, usually in the form of me being lazy or uninspired, I have decided as of this week, to wholey commit myself to getting this book out of my hair. I’ve even resorted to taking the next six months off uni to do it. Wish me luck.
5. Blogs of women I am currently jealous of (but in that Christian, I am happy-for-you-way): First up is Liv Hambrett, who as you all know just left the dreary Aussie winter for a trip to Shangai, London & Santorini (she and I have a special love for that particular Greek island). Not only am I jealous of her adventures, but at her ability to photograph. Check out her blog A Big Life  for evidence of her snapshot talent. Secondly, we have beauty guru and author Zoe Foster. She’s celebrating her 30th birthday in Europe as well, only I am jealous because of the way she looks on her holidays. Not a hair out of place! Great outfits (not singlets and shorts and rubber thongs), gorgeous hair, amazing skin. If I weren’t ashamed of myself right about now, I’d whip out my pictures of me in Europe and you can compare my frizzy-haired tourist look with her sleek Roman Holiday style. Granted, her prowess where beauty is concerned is attributed to this, where as I still need convincing that eyebrows should be waxed and comb-overs are what boyfriends falling out of love with you are made of. Lucky I have started chronicling my beauty lessons on this blog, because it makes me more determined to succeed in my tranformation from lazy, frumpy girl to someone who can brave stepping outside without fear of frightening people away. Next up, I am taking a virtual page out of Ms Foster’s blog  and looking at maintenance cycles. Except our cycles are VERY VERY different. Stay tuned to see how and why, but in the mean time, those who’ve said they’ve never heard of her might understand if they follow Zoe’s blog at Primped.
6. Fake Foundation: Most of you regular wordsmithlane readers know that I am not exactly what beauty queens are made of. Even my occasional beauty post is basic, used mainly to share new things that I have discovered, how to cut my routine times in half or use the best products to minimise clutter or tools,  or even, to set myself new challenges like convincing myself to break out of my dry skin in winter ruts. I mean, I don’t even like to use brushes of I can avoid having an extra thing to worry about. So you can imagine my joy at discovering Benefit’s Some Kind-a Gorgeous ‘foundation faker’. Ideal for those with very little skin woes, the foundation faker provides that even skin tone look we love in foundation without that cake-y effect. It’s cream to powder formula glides on with the coverage equivalent of a sheer tint, to give you an all round and even glow. This means of course that it is not heavy, and is ideal for a handbag to top off your makeup when you’re rushing to make your after-work plans. But I reiterate: girls with problem skin should steer clear of it if comprehensive coverage is what they are after. Perfect for travel (when y0u’re already channeling great skin but need a little pick-me-up for nights out) and for whipping out for touch-ups (because as you know, benefit products are what cool packaging is made up of). $53 from Benefit retailers.
7. Omnilux Light Therapy & my Skin Gym sessions at Ella Rouge: I just joined a skin gym and I am in love. Yes it’s pricey at $999 but considering you get over $1500 and 17 facial treatments (including a mix of omnilux light therapy, which gives you an amazing glow using a non-invasive light method, scrubs, peels, extraction treatments and oxygen therapies) it is so worth it. If you’re in Sydney, visit the Ella Rouge website pronto and try at least one omnilux light therapy session for yourself. Plus, it’s buy two treatments and get one free this July.
8. My latest article in Madison magazine: I am pretty happy to be  one of those people who strives to (and eventually succeeds in) making considerable dents in my goals list on a regular basis, but when I can get a feature in what I consider to be a high-brow women’s magazine on my thesis topic, I am ecstatic – especially when I hit two birds with one stone and that magazine is on my goals list. The latest issue of Madison magazine (August) features my piece ‘When I grow up I want to be a Gangster’, (incentive to buy: good reading, as well as a scarf and $30 Mimco gift card) and I am super excited about it. But in the interest of full disclosure for wannabe wordsmiths, seeing my name in Madison did not come easy. It certainly was not my first pitch to the magazine, and those who are close to me know that I was considerably stressed out about it in the lead-up to the deadline. I interviewed 12-15 case studies, wrote three drafts of up to 3000 words each (the final piece was around 2200 words, but the magazine cut it down to their desired 1800 – not always their preference) and had a very limiting deadline. Plus, the case studies I was looking for were not your average Aussies other – how many peeps do you know who were shot or stabbed at school, or witnessed such behaviour. Anyway, just a bit of advice to those of you who think freelancing is an easy gig: it’s not always the case when you don’t have a massive pool of resources, and when you work full-time. I am glad I pulled through on this one, but there are times (which I will soon share with you) when I have not been so lucky. 

Lovely things to make for girls of slender means

By Eithne Farry (Weidenfeld & Nicolson, $35)

When things are quiet on the wordsmith front (a rare happening these days), I love a good DIY project. I love pouring my creative energy into something other than words, that sometimes, a finished product makes me more excited than polishing off a chapter of my book or a really long feature for a new publication.

Eithne (pronounced Ethna) Farry has even more reasons for DIY projects. The freelance literary editor, radio personality, and author of Yeah I made it Myself loves, as her previous title suggests, making things for herself so much that she’s written two books about it. In fact, she even customises ready-to-wear clothes just for the trill that being different gives her (“It’s the ultimate in exclusivity” according to UK Glamour).

Now, we can get a piece of the DIY action with her latest work,  a collection of tips on making gorgeous clothes and accessories for very little money, or from recycled or thrift materials, or existing clothes.

In addition to the basics (stuff you need for the sewing kit, stitch craft, and notes on rightsides/wrongsides/lengthways/widthways), Farry also introduces us to stitches that we need to know when sewing by hand, and all sort of advice on using the machine (including darts, zips and hems).

Split according to the seasons, the reading girl of slender means can fashion for herself (if you pardon the pun), among other things (it’s a very comprehensive book, despite its cutesy size):

• floral headbands, fabric corsages and ‘gay abandon’ knickers for spring
• caftans, sunhats, silk tops, dresses and shorts for summer
• flouncy skirts, flowered capelets, leather bags and ‘lego’ belts for autumn
• and evening bags, ponchos, ear muffs and scarves for winter.

All the projects can be cutomised to suit your style, but I am particularly excited about learning how to sew and use machines without committing my money (and time) to classes I might not make it to or enjoy.

So if you want more than sewing and have champagne taste on a lemonade budget, get cracking. You’ll soon be the darling of the DIY elite. And perhaps, we’ll be too busy eyeing off your dress to notice.

Unless I have an occasion, I usually look like crap at most times of the day (dishevelled hair and no make-up), let alone in the morning. Good thing I found this traveller’s cup then, to distract from my dreary appearance and give me some style cred on those mornings at the train station, T2 tea in hand.

I mean, isn’t this thermos cup/traveller’s cup the most dalring little thing? I discovered the stationary concept store TYPO for the first time today, and I am nothing short of in love. I could have spent so much money there had I not restrained myself (Lebanese weddings do not come cheap)…but I still walked away feeling slighted for not purchasing the pretty Parisian-themed notebooks and paper clips, the various bookends, and a pretty laptop case.

For all you wordsmiths out there who could use a little motivation, swap your traditional writing materials for these vibrant ones, and watch the love spread in your work. C’est magnifique!

So, there’s a sale at Kookai. Great excuse to stock up on good quality basics. Even if you’re scrimping and saving. Mind you, said sale means you’re likely to walk away with more than just the basics. At the end of my 20-minute stint in there, I walked away with a dress, a pair of shoes, a one-shoulder singlet, a one-shoulder three quarter sleeve top, a three quarter sleeve sweater-thing, and a beautiful, 100% merino wool long cardi in purple. Most of these were adorned with frills to make them that little more spectacular – so basically, they’d take a simple outfit, keep it comfortable, while also giving it a bit of pizzaz. And the shoes, well, they kind of speak for themselves and I simply can’t wait to wear them! I may have not needed about half of the stuff I bought, but considering it’s about $600 in good closet value purchased for under $200, I am NOT complaning.

Good morning Wordsmith Laners, I hope you’re all having a terrific Tuesday, or at least, a Tuesday far better than any Monday and certainly far better than the mundane Monday I had yesterday. 

You see, I woke up yesterday with a lot of optimism for what I would accomplish in the week ahead, like:

• polishing off the Madison article I have been working on for a couple of weeks now (my wordsmith abilities were tested with a very short deadline and a few re-edits);
• doing my regular job, which was going to be busy this week as I attended many meetings and the like
• cleaning my mess of a closet and my mess of a room (actually they’re not messy by normal standards as I am told, I am just a little too pedantic)
• Washing my hair (this, to me at least, is the biggest chore in the history of human events)
• Settling on my property AND celebrating it with dinner, dessert and cocktails with the boy
• Doing some thesis work, after having abandoned my project for almost a month
• Sorting out some more wedding stuff (there’s less than six months to go now!)
• Cleaning out my car (ah yes, this was dirty and messy)
• Reading a few mags, like the latest Shop (with Alexa on the cover, yay!); Madison & Women’s Health as well as Lipstick Jungle (needed a little bit of light reading)
• Doing some copywriting for a couple of clients
• Sharing with you some of my (very pretty) latest buys, all scored at 40% in some random sale
• And basically not stressing out about the week ahead (for a change).

Instead, I:

• had a car accident (thankfully not my fault), and spent the rest of the afternoon screaming about my back pain, going to the doctor’s surgery and the copshop to file all the relevant reports
• freaked out about why the settlement was not going through on my property – turns out the seller had some issues with his mortgager/bank and we had to change the cheque with the deposit, etc, so I hope it all sorts itself out today
• did not eat – yes, somewhere in the midst of that hectic conundrum of a day, I forgot to nourish myself until the very late evening. Thankfully, I am making up for it today with a lovely breakfast of bagels with cream cheese and smoked salmon – happy days!
• ended up calling in sick with back pain, but freaked out about how my work was NOT going to get done and letting down the schools and scripture coordinators I was supposed to be meeting with; and
• stayed up all night stressing about all that I did not do.

However, I woke up this morning with a resolve to take it easier, so I will be:

• Working from home – that way, my job gets done, and I get to rest my back on a pile of pillows while doing everything in bed thanks to my laptop
• Eating, and eating good: Breakfast today is a fresh poppyseed bagel with lashings of cream cheese and smoked salmon, morning tea is apple tea with Jam Fairy cakes, lunch is a yummy stiryfry with noodles, with garlic and ginger to fight the winter baddies, and fresh basil for some extra zing. Snack time is popcorn (sweet and salty – one of my faves) and dinner will be whatever my Lebanese-cook mummy makes.
• Sorting out the insurance aspect of the accident immedaitely so as to put it from my mind – and relying on muscle relaxants and panadol to make the back pain go away at least temporarily
• Promoting my Bride to Be Column - I hope you guys are checking out and if you can tweet it for me, I’d really appreciate the extra promotion
• Commissioning James to ring the solicitors and make sure all goes through for settlement – because I REFUSE to think about it for another day
• Sorting out my phone bill/changing my rate plan to save money in light of the fact that there’s mortage/wedding/travel on the horizon
• Leaving the wedding plans for another week, as I am sure they’re not going to run away (much as I wish they would)
• Reminding myself to be happy as I have filed the copy for the Madison article, which I am super-excited about
• braiding my hair – two braids always make me happy, especially when pinned back in an elegantly classic up-style
• Reading – and blocking everything else from my mind; and  
• playing with the new additions to my wardrobe, which I have included pictures of for your perusal. I’ll be wearing the ivory lace and crochet dress with black leggings, ivory ballet flats, a string of Chanel-esque black and white pearls, a black blazer, a topknot accessorised with a giant ivory bow hairtie, and my Chanel tote. The Jumpsuit is my fave summer buy, which I’ll wear with sky-high stilettos/platforms, bold earrings and bangles, a great cocktail ring and a big clutch when I go out, and some big studs and sandals for weekend daywear. The one shoulder bow-top will pe perfect with jeans or skirts for a night out at the bar/dinner – and my favourite of them all, my swan princess bretton jumper.
• Super-cute no? Especially with jeans or a navy skirt and ballet flats, and my watermelon coat. LOVE. See, when you score pretty wardrbe pieces for 40%, they make you forget everything.  Well, maybe not backpain ;p [slideshow]

• Think you got the latest and greatest when you picked up the i-pad? Well, unless you’ve got some i-clothing hanging in your closet, you’re still not ahead of the fashion pack. Sydney-based fashion dynamo (and all-round cool chick) Davina Reichman of i-clothing has launched the i-tee and the i-tee to keep your nifty new tech piece right where you want it while keeping your hands free. Coco (of 2.55, hands-free fame) would be proud.
• John Grisham, best-selling author of many a legal thriller, (I simply loved A Time to Kill) has tried his hand at writing legal thrillers for young adults. Theodore Boone, Young Lawyer is a tale of Theo, who dreams of being a great lawyer. Soon enough he is dragged into the midst of a murder trial, watching as a cold-blooded murderer is about to go free. But, this is his chance to make it, and Theo won’t stop until justice is served (Hodder & Stoughton, $24.99).
• Girl with a Satchel Erica Bartle, has mentioned me in a piece announcing that 17 year old Iman Krayem of Picnic Point has won Girlfriend of the Year. I congratulate Girlfriend for choosing a hijabi girl as part of their contestants, and not making a big deal of it as per normal media outlets when they do something against the ordinary. Perhaps this can serve to remind us that Muslim women are not unlike us in many respects, and we shouldn’t over-do the coverage when one of them makes it into the spotlight as though it is paranormal. Congrats and all the best on your achievements Iman (fittingly, this means belief in Arabic) – I am sure you are encouraging other hijabi teens in Oz to fulfill their dreams.
• Speaking of mentions, I was also lucky to have been a guest commentator on the release of Sex and the City 2 on the Ted Bull afternoons show on Radio NewsTalk 6PR 882 in Perth. Me likes the media gigs, I tell you! In fact, I have updated my gallery page (and called it ‘Press’) and included anything that is quite nice for me to have here. Thoughts?
• As winter approaches and my skin gets drier thanks to the cooling weather, especially in light of the fact that I fail to moisturise after showering because I just get stuck into my clothes (it’s cold!), I’ll be looking for a body wash that cleans, moisturisers and hugs our beautiful earth. My best bet at the moment is my bottle of Trilogy Body Care botanical body wash ($27) which was a tried and tested winner of the UK’s prestigious Green Beauty Bible categories. Try it, it is infused with lavender, amla fruit extract and kawa kawa (which must be good!).
• In other beauty news, Nivea Fruity Shine is back, perfect for plain-jane lips like mine that only like a hint of colour that’s not overwhelming. Love its red and compact packaging too, which is perfect for the bottomless pits of my handbags. I wish I can carry clutches during the day like Miss Carrie.
• Burqa debate is alive and well all over the globe and I am rather bored of the issue. All the coverage has yet to cement a status in my head on the topic, at least where Australia is concerned. On the one hand, Senator Bernardi speaks for those Australians who deem it unfair to be banned from wearing things that conflict with their identity out and about, while burqa wearers don’t have to, which suggests that perhaps it is not the right fit with current Australian norms as yet? On the other, I feel for women who might be forced to wear it (and they are not all forced) might have to stay at home if it is banned, which would be awfully mean. Love what Mona Eltahaway said of it in the New York Times with such honesty.
• Speaking of things usually associated with the Middle-East and in light of all the SATC 2 excitement, I loved this piece on The Stranger. Literally made me laugh out loud, despite my like for the show/movie. Not usually a fan of political correctness when it gets too extreme (and it usually does) but this is one example where political correctness works.
• All I can think about right now is this gorgeous Samantha Wills ring. I wish I was not saving up for a wedding, otherwise, I would have had to have it immediately.  
• I hope you are all following my column over at Bride to Be magazine. This week, it’s all about budgets and brides. Eeek!
• UK Journalist and Business Mentor Sarah-Jane Adams has released a series of e-books to help young creatives break into their chosen industry, whether it is fashion retail, modelling, or urban music. Buy them at www.sarahjaneadams.com/ebooks and see yours truly mentioned (and dishing out advice) in the e-book on fashion retailing.
• Lastly, I am genuinely sorry I have not been posting. I wish I can say that I have been super-productive and churning out chapters for my book and thesis, but I have not been able to write AT ALL which, as you can imagine, bums me out completely and leaves me with little work done, but not for lack of trying, which means wasted hours at the laptop, hurting my back ( I should master ergonomics). This has come at a bad time as I am on deadline for an article for Madison, the first I ever write for them, and I really wanna ace it. Please God! Oh how I need inspiration. Anyone have any to give me?
• Hope you have had a marvellous week to date, and all the best for Friday and the weekend. Much love to you all wordsmiths also struggling with the walk on wordsmith lane xx

It’s my birthday today and I have nothing to say. So please excuse me while I go eat more cake. I know I am not reliable, but I will be back posting eventually. Probably after I finish reading my magazines, and definitely before I start fixating myself to the recipes in Alison Thompson’s Macaron. Happy Birthday to me!

• Mother’s Day this weekend, and as you can see, this wordsmith has been busy gifting those special ones in her life (future mother-in-law included) with some prettily-packaged pressies (I almost want to keep them myself) to make that day of celebrating them just a little more special. I hope they enjoy their gifts of winter pjs (complete with matching slippers) even though they will be sharing this Sunday with yours truly.
• That’s right, I also have a special day coming up (my 24th birthday falls on May 10th), and given that it falls on Monday week (eek!) I will be making the most of it this weekend. I am still figuring out what I want to do. I want to try and keep it down to something very cheap considering my wedding-saving dramas, and what seems to be winning is dinner at my current obsession Thai in a Box in Burwood, where there are Money Bags to be eaten and stir-fries to be had, and dessert at gelatomassi in Newtown. I am a big fan of their Pannacotta…and green apple and apple pie and lemon sorbet and english trifle oh my!
• The cold front that is winter is coming, but I do not fear, at least where style is concerned. I’ve recently purchased a darling cape from Forever New (and at only $120 it was a style steal) and I am very in love with it considering Rachel Zoe was wearing a very similar one in a photo from last month’s instyle.
• Speaking of current style obsessions, my one comes courtesy of Sydney designer, Erin Louise. The Shire girl is quite popular for he embellished basics (singlets especially) and short dresses (they never do justice to my pasty-white legs and I am never too good with the fake tan) but I am particularly in love with this beanie that I recently purchased. Loving the lilac knit (hand-knitted by her mum and nan) and the embellished crystals and pearls. It is honeymoon love and I am looking forward to wearing it around NYC this December (God willing!)
• Speaking of New York, MAC are giving people the chance to win a trip to New York Fashion Week to see some of Australia’s best fashion talent showcase their collections, in another celebration of Rosemount Australian Fashion Week.  In addition, there will be daily product giveaways from M·A·C’s exclusive backstage-inspired SS 2010 Collection. Enter via www.maccosmetics.com.au\rafwsweeps.
• Don’t forget to drink the same amount of water as you do in summer now that the winter weather is creeping in. You might not feel the thirst, but your bosy still needs repleneshing with 1.5-2 litres a day at least. Give your bottle a work out, but don’t forget to clean it to rid it of lurking bacteria (like lipgloss for example) and try to replace it once or twice a fortnight.
• Head down and bum up for me this week, especially as I continue to work on my thesis, which I am hopefully strengthening thanks to my little ‘better thesis’ guide courtesy of Evans & Gruba. That’s not to say I won’t be flippimng through my latest edition of glossy-fave Madison (fashion + features=fun!), with a lovely SJP on the cover, to get me out of my smarts rut for a little enjoyment. But it won’t all be thesis-related work, especially as I’ll also be speaking at the Walkley Foundation’s Industry Day at Redfern Town Hall on Thursday May 6th at 10:45am, alongside journalists from Channel 9 and SBS. It’s a casual panel on breaking into the industry, so aspiring wordsmiths take note and be there if you can! (And come up for a chat afterwards please). Am trying to get used to my busy diary but it’s not really working out for me at all. I think it comes with the territory of trying too much.
• Trying is a good thing, though, when you’re helping someone in need. Which is why I urge those of you who can to frock up for Sex and the City and watch it for a good cause with Nivea & Sister2Sister. This June, Life Changing Experiences Foundation with the support of NIVEA are launching the inaugural ‘Sisters In The City’ fundraising initiative, with two private screenings of the highly anticipated ‘Sex And The City 2’ movie. Consumers have their chance to strut down the pink carpet before receiving a NIVEA gift bag and complimentary Cosmopolitan cocktail. Amazing raffle and silent auction prizes are on offer – and the SATC experience wouldn’t be complete without a visit to the free photo-booth with friends, all before the movie starts!
  100% of money generated from ticket sales will be donated to Life Changing Experiences Foundation’s SISTER2sister program, a 12 month mentoring program that matches successful women with at-risk teenage girls, helping them to overcome difficulties in their lives.