Aussie Curves: Time Saver

Hi Ladies,


I'm back after the longest ever hiatus in history. So I'm back with the timesaver post and I have to say that this challenge IS my daily life!! I am ALWAYS busy. Throughout the school term I'm up Mon-Fri at 5:30am and I shower at get dressed at the gym. On the weekend I'm up trying to get ready for church and on Sunday I'm up cleaning the house before heading back into my classroom to prep for the week and then I pack my gym bag and I do it ALL OVER AGAIN!

During the holidays I always try to cram in so much when I'm at home so I'm often travelling from the south coast, to sydney, to new castle. Up and down the coast I go and I'm always throwing together whatever I pack (which is usually a night before-throw-together-whatever is clean type of deal).

My time saver is usually an oversized blouse with shorts or tights. It's quick and comfy. Makeup is a dust of bronzer and I will either do lips or eyes. Today I got ready for church in like 15 minutes because we were running late. So I went to cupboard and pulled out my sisters oversized black and white patterned blouse. I would normally wear it with short tights or a tube skirt because the blouse is really big but being church I decided to go with my sisters newly thrifted berry split skirt to keep it modest.

The blouse has a really long tail and it was a little too big and swallowed the skirt so I chucked on a contrasting blazer to pull it all in and tidy up the silhouette. Whenever I want to look clean and fresh faced I always dust my eyes with my gold Victoria Secrets eyeshadow. I chucked on my final contrasting colour (being the red lips) and I left my hair as is. It air dried like that. I like the look because it's not too polished and I seem to be opting towards that look lately.

Thrifted Wonders: Millers Blazer / Polkadot Blouse / Berry Skirt / Ken Done Bag 

So here are my tips for all you busy ladies out there:

1) Always have a bold staple piece that catches the eye. It could be a bold colour, tailored blazer or a patterned blouse. This will draw the eye and keep your overall look interesting even if the rest of your outfit is made up with your basic jean or tights.

2) Wear bronzer! Wear bronzer! Wear bronzer! This is my ONLY must have beauty item. Bronzer makes me feel fresh faced even if I don't get to do the rest of my face.

3) A lick of lipstick does the same for your face as your bold piece of clothing. Draws and attention and  interest and it is much quicker to apply than mascara and liner.

4) Finish the look with a pair of glasses. I have LOADS of glasses and even when I wear a basic black, I keep it interesting with a different pair of glasses. And instead of looking a little frazzled when you're marching out of the door late, you like a woman on a mission!



Big Love,


Falala Mele

Aussie Curves Sydney Meet

A few weeks ago I attended my first ever blogger meet......Is that even what you call them? I'm kinda decades behind everything in the blogger world. I just know what blogs I like and I share the things that I like with you all. 

I was really excited to meet some of the ladies that participate in the Aussie Curves weekly challenge. I had watched these ladies interpret themes, challenge themselves, encourage others and  confront social norms and expectations. It's really grown into a wonderful community of ladies who share everything from shopping tips and discount codes to personal advice on everyday trials and situations and I finally got to meet some of them in 'real-life'. 

I invited my cousin and my niece to attend. I wanted them to meet some fab ladies and experience one of the coolest things ever to come from the internet and blogging; the meeting of diverse, like-minded individuals who lives would never normally cross paths. When you share personal stories and experiences and read someone else's for an extended period of time, a openness and honesty develops and it's weird but you really do become friends without having met them. 

As I'm typing this my mind flips to that show Catfish when online lovers are excited to meet, usually only to be disappointed with lies and dishonesty. Don't get me wrong there are some crazy ass mofos out there but the difference between those people and the blogging community is that there is really nothing to gain from the lies okay so maybe people lie to get a gazillion followers and free shit and theres so many different blogs around you are really free to follow your tastes and interests.

Anyways we were late, we got caught in the rain (don't sweat it......we found some cardboard boxes and used them as umbrellas) and we were backwards in using our smart phones for accurate directions. To cut a long story short we found our way there EVENTUALLY and after a few quick hellos and some awkward moments thinking "I know them but I don't really know them" sorta deal.... I just decided to relax and chat. My sister and I did our usual tag-team story telling thing (we're famous for doing this amongst our friends) and we all started to relax and bust out laughing.

Back: Tay, Niva, Claire, Mele, Caitlin, Theresa Front: Dani & Jo

The glamorous Claire with my sissy and cousin Niva. Don't they look beautiful?

After we left the Aussie Curves meet up we walked to the casino to have a crazy buffet feed with my college girls. I miss them all the time. I was telling Dani that we all lived on the same floor in our dorm and it was the best ever. Rooms were always open. Clothes, food, dvds, shoes and harddrives were always mysteriously moved from room to room. We shared EVERYTHING and in all respects we became sisters. Try to imagine us reunited.
It was loud, and crazy with loads of mocking, giggles and food. Such a blessing.

Worn: Thrifted Polkadot Blazer $2 Thirfted Tie-Dyed Top $2 City Chic Skater Skirt $10

I just wanted to say a huge THANK YOU to all the cool cats who made it out to the city in the rain. It was honestly really cool to meet you all and put your personalities to your blogs. 
I can't wait to do it again.



Big love,


Falala Mele xo

Manila

It has been a few weeks now uh I mean just over a month since I ran away from work and flew to the Philippines to attend one of the most beautiful weddings I have ever witnessed. I know I have ranted about the tropical paradise of Boracay but I didn't get to mention much about Manila. For me, as dumb as it may seem I was like "coooool" I will get to visit another cool place that they sing about in songs, and by cool I'm talking about Ludacris' Area Codes (oh no she didn't!) ughhh yeah I did!

When I touched down and walked through the relatively quiet airport I felt quite at ease. It wasn't crazy at all....the people offered us taxi rides politely while we waited for our driver. As we drove into the city I started to feel like I was being swallowed by the tall buildings. I had the exact same feeling when I first arrived into New York. It was just me being me. I'm a girl used to her open spaces and vast sky and I was just adjusting to my new temporary world.

I loved Manila for the moments that I was there. I wandered down to Greenbelt Mall because my hotel was literally around the corner and while I didn't get to see everything, I liked what I did see (great food, my family and a HUGE ammount of accessories...YEAH BOY).

Get to Manila. It's cheap and there's lots of good shopping and food (filipino and western style cuisine). It's not ghetto. Everyone said it's crazy and a little dangerous but like most places, if you're sensible then you'll be just fine.

Big Love,


Falala Mele

USA Summer Outfits of 2012

Hello my lovely friends,

How are you all? I hope life is treating you well and that your banks are full and your bodies are strong. Today all Australians had a day off work to remember the fallen ANZACs (see my post from last year HERE ) and all those who have or are currently serving our country. It was so nice to have a day off work and to spend time with my sister and friends in the sunshine. We ate pastries and drank tea and I let the day roll on by without doing an ounce of work (even though I packed my to-do list with a million things to complete).

Another thing I did today was book my next trip! I was supposed to be heading over to Spain, Italy and France during the mid year school holidays but for a number of reasons I wont be able to make it this year :(
I admit I am disappointed that I won't be there to soak up the European sun and food this year but I plan to move to the UK for a few months next year. So I'm going to save the money that I would have spent on this trip and make an extended one next year.

Sooooo back to the tickets that I did book...... I'm soooooo very very very very very excited to be heading back to New York this summer with my sister and cousin. I'm also OVER THE MOON to be able to check out some of the FULL FIGURED FASHION WEEK 2013 events. Not only will I get to visit my friends like Deja from Just Daisy and Gabby and Candice but I'll also get to tee up with our Aussie blogger ladies like Danni from DANIMEZZA and Ashley from This is Ashley Rose and Olivia from Wait Until Sunset.

My bank may be empty but my head is full of all the exciting things to come.  So as I prepare to trawl through my cupboard and pack another New York wardrobe I thought I'd compile a set out outfits worn on my last US summer trip to New York and Vegas.

I still plan to wear a lot of colour and pattern this year but I also need to find something white for the White Cruise. For those of you that are going what are you excited to wear?






Big Love,


Falala Mele xo

Insta Boracay

My instagram recount of paradise.

Big Love,

Falala Mele x

Boracay

 Last March I traveled to Boracay (one of the many islands in the Philippines) to watch two beautiful friends take their vows in perhaps one of the most beautiful places on earth. I had no idea it was such a tourist destination but when I arrived on the island I understood why more than a million people flocked to experience it's white sand, clear waters and friendly hosts last year.

There is so much to see and do and you can do as little or as much as your budget, interests and energy allows you. We ate copious amounts of delicious food and soaked up as much sun as we could handle. We participated in pub crawls, had late night sisha sessions, witnessed fire dancing and went water skiing. The other interested parties got tattoos (henna and permanent), body massages. Some bartered with the locals while others went snorkeling, helmet diving, island hopping and quad biking and hiking. The list goes on and on.

The most surprising thing was how affordable everything was. Most Australians flock to Bali or Thailand, but I have to be honest and say that I have never had a keen interest to visit those places. Not because these countries are not worthy of a visit. I guess so many people have been there it's almost as if they are another state of Australia and I guess I just want to be different. I would recommend you check out Boracay if you are thinking about booking a fairly inexpensive holiday. Total return flights to Manila and Caticlan to Melbourne were $1300. Accommodation including breakfast and transfers for 7 days in a family room at The Regency worked out to be about $70 per night per person with 4 of us sharing a room big enough for 6 people. Our dollar buys more than $200 pesos and you can buy meals around that price.

Tipping is not expected but I chose to tip with nearly everything I received service for. The workers are polite and efficient and the in grand scheme of things they work so hard and are paid so little. What may seem like a few pesos to you could make a real difference to them and their families.

I have quite a few shots on my phone so I will upload soon.




Big Love,

Falala Mele

What I've been wearing lately

Hello lovely readers.

I know it's been a while since I have communicated properly and I have to thank all those loyal and interested readers who have stuck around. So I have been extremely busy with the first term of the school year. I have also recently returned back from the Philippines as well as spending the last 2 weeks at home in Nowra with my family and friends. Life has been good and they breaks off school have been magical but it also means that I will have to get back to the grind very soon.

I hope you have all been well. 

Just wanted to share with you a few recent outfit shots. I've been really bad at taking proper outfit shots since I have finally got an iphone. So if you follow me on instagram then you would have seen all of these outfits. Sorry bout that.....I'm no social media maiden so I'm still learning how to juggle all the networks whilst keeping things fresh and relevant. Anywhoooo back to the outfits yeah? What's your fave look?

Church Look:  Dress Kmart / Hat Thrifted / Glasses Big W / Shoes Rivers 

Casual Shopping: Vintage Blouse Thrifted / Shorts Target / Bag Thrifted / Shoes Kmart / Chain Thrifted 

Quad biking and Adventuring in Philippines: Top Kmart / Bag & Glasses Local Vendor / Shorts Kmart / Hat Von Zipper

Church: Singlet Target / Skirt Big W / Shoes Converse / Earrings Thrifted

School Easter Hat Parade: Dress Target / Shoes Target / Glasses Big W

Lunch: Shirt Kmart / Shorts Big W (these were full length pants but I cut them) / Shoes Kmart / Hat Thrifted

I have had a change in my travel plans. My mid year Europe trip has to be put on hold but that's okay because I plan to live there next year. So it's back to the drawing board and I'm hoping to get to New York for Full Figured Fashion Week instead so the possibility of meeting fellow bloggers is really exciting. 

Please bear with me. I plan to be better.

Big Love,

Falala Mele xo