Tiptoe through the Tulips!

 September has been a rather jam packed month. It began a new season, the colours changed, the weather became more warmer if not more windy, fashion week rolled out, my blog turned 2 (let's hope it's not the terrible two's) and many many more occasions and happenings to list here. So, when it all just gets too much, sometimes you just have to bake yourself some gluten free muffins and hit the road for a scenic road trip moving far away from the bustle of the city. That's what we set out to do last Sunday when our intention was to visit the National Rhododendron Gardens in Olinda, up in the beautiful Dandenong Ranges. It was a special day to celebrate Hanami day, when the cherry blossoms were to be in full bloom, only Melbourne weather sprung early and the blossoms had already had their peak, leaving only 20% of them left. Once we got off the train though to catch the connecting bus and saw the cue of Japanese who were not deterred by the lack of blooms, we knew there was no chance of getting on a bus that only runs 1 per hour! So-back on the train where another wonder of nature awaited at the Tesselaar Tulip Festival in Silvan.

Fashion schools grace the runway at MSFW

Wrapping up MSFW, which already feels like a long time ago with a first for Melbourne Spring Fashion Week history. A show featuring students from varying fashion institutions in Melbourne, giving them a platform to share their designs with the retail hungry punters which filled the Melbourne Town Hall. The avant-garde met with street wear and ready to wear all the while wowing the crowd with their creativity and expression in design. A high standard to come out of these schools and I hope a continuing staple in the MSFW calendar.

The weird and wonderful on show from RMIT at MSFW

Each year, this runway show draws a crowd of enthusiasts hoping to witness some bold, unique and daringly wacky fashion catapult down the runway. Well, this year was no exception. The 4th year RMIT school of fashion and textiles students provided us with a spectacle that we expect, clothes that may never be seen other than on a runway and practicalities of fashion that in this instance, get thrown out the window.  It's a chance for these students to throw creative caution to the wind and let their imaginations run free(I think some may have let them run wild) before the reality of creating a lucrative career in the fashion fickle world begins upon leaving the safety of the institution. Good luck to them all I say, it is a bold endeavour and always great to see unbridled creative freedom.

Levi's rock the runway at MSFW

This is a show I look forward to- being a free show is a bonus indeed, but the Levi's runway show at the MSFW hub in the city square always draws a fashionable crowd both on and of the stage.

I absolutely love denim as I think it just looks good on anyone and is easy to dress up or down. Levi's have been carving out great denim ensembles year after year and their clothes tell a story for me which is what I love-and rather appeals to the tomboy in me.

MSFW Designer Series Runway 2

When you think how much fashion passes down the runway by the end of fashion week, it is staggering, and also sometimes a bit of a blur. Hence it is always nice to look back at your photos and re-live the event and study the clothes further. Wednesday night was the 2nd designer series runway with a great collection of designers on show. Lots of digital prints, animal prints, metallics, white was a dominant colour with splashes of blue, orange and green thrown in the mix.

MSFW Designer Series Runway 1

What may already seem like a long time ago in fashion circles, last Saturday night was the official opening of MSFW with the 1st runway show gracing the Melbourne Town Hall. It's hard to keep up sometimes but as each model whizzed past me and my camera struggled to click on time, I was rather pleased with what I was seeing come down the runway, with both the clothes, hair/make-up and styling.