worn so far

1. Fave thrifted denim / Kmart top / Forever 21 scarf    2. Thrifted floral dress / purple lips / Target wedge sandle

1. Thrifted patterned blouse / purple lips $3     2. Best and Less blouse / Seraphim chain /  Hat Cabramatta 

1. Carnival casual w fluro muscle shirt from Hawaii    2. Basic face goodness

1. Denim / bindi / Uncle's beanie for birthday dress up   2. Knott flow on Sundays

So I've definitely eased off with the ootd shots. I still love getting dressed up but I'm just kinda fine with wearing it and moving on. Don't get it twisted, I still love reading blogs and looking at creatively styled ensembles but for me, it got to a point where I wanted to photograph everything.....then I kinda thought I could spend my time doing other things...like live life.

That's not to say the outfit shots will stop. Hardly. I'm just not as inspired right now so here a few shots of what I've been wearing off my humble phone. Still ridiculously drawn towards that 90's aesthetic. I love the deep lip colour, and a more casual look. Ugh it's me all over. Little effort and then I'm off.



Big love,


Falala Mele.

Wedding OOTD

Dress DIY / Shoes Target / Shell Headband Philippines / Fan Gifted in Tonga

So here's a quick outfit post from my cousins wedding on the weekend. 

When I moved back to Nowra I found an old bag of material and I made this oversized sack dress. 

I made a few dresses using this simple square design. 

Full wedding post will be up once I return from New Zealand.

Big Love,

Falala Mele.

Beautiful things: Thrifted wedding look in Hawaii

Aloha lovely people. Just wanted to share my wedding look for Mary and Trevor's wedding held in the Kameamea School Oahu chapel. The setting was so pretty and  the church was perched high up in the mountain and gave a breathtaking view of Waikiki. I have more pics to come later as these ones are just off my phone.

So before I left Mildura I donated the majority of my belongings to the various opshops around town. I was in a hurry but I quickly had a look around and I found this floral vintage dress and I thought it would be perfect for the wedding. It's light, cool and the white and pastel colours give it that fresh spring feel. Winning wedding outfit for $8. I picked up the white shells from and ABC corner store for 90 cents. Paired them with White sandals from Big W. I would have preferred a pastel yellow for contrast but that's all I could rustle up before I left the country.

Wedding was beautiful.....but I'll fill you in on that later. Until then, aloha!

Beautiful places: Oahu, Hawaii

Aloha Falalas,

I hope the new year is treating you well. So far my trip to Oahu Hawaii has been surprisingly beautiful. Cliche perhaps, but I've been told by many that it's so built up and commercial; you can be forgiven for believing that you haven't left the mainland.

I however, feel as though Oahu has managed to preserve that 'local' feel even with the influx of tourists and their unapologetic aloha shirts. I love that shit, people flock here to relax and kick back with that 'aloha flow'.

I've been feasting on Hawaiian barbecue as well as those convenient ABC sambos when we are on the run. As soon as I left town, it felt like I was really in the islands. The coast, the surfers, front yard barbecues and sweet melodies decorating the air from those big ass trucks. Man, I love Hawaii. It really is a beautiful place and it's not just cause of the hypnotic blue waters but more so because I've felt so much aloha (love/heart) from the locals.

Our circle island tour guide Hanalei shared his sweet and spicy dried fish with this curious food-obsessed tourist (yeah man it was yummy....kinda like a fish jerky sad the Korean sauce made it!), we've had people get off the bus and physically lead us in the tight direction and today we bused it out to the west side to go visit Uncle George in a notorious part of town. A local man came up and asked my friends if they were tourists. 'Yes' they replied. 'Are you safe?' He questioned. 'Yes' replied my sister. They wandered over to the bus stop together and the man waited until the bus arrived. 'Bye' he waved as we piled onto the bus and off he went. He wasn't catching our bus like we originally thought, he was dropping the girls off to make sure they were okay.

Stuff like that is truly beautiful. Strangers chat and the younger always address older people with respect and love. 'Yes Aunty, that's what happened' she stated. Interactions so beautiful and honest, it just made me really happy and I was almost overwhelmed with respect for the cultural teachings and the emphasis on respect and family in my Polynesian culture.

Today is Saturday, my Sabbath. We had planned to visit Uncle George for our free Stand Up Paddle Boarding lessons, and then walk around to the local SDA church to fellowship with the locals, but fellowship found up. God's message was shared through the people he sent our way. It was a very special day today and it needs a post of it's own but it just made my aloha grow. I mean, I believe people are good but when it occurs consistently I'm still surprised.

I'll share a few photos from my phone but you can see most of my daily happenings on my Instagram account @mele2541

Iolani Palace

NYE feed BBQChicken 

Big aloha,

Falala Mele.

endings and beginnings

Endings

My time in Mildura. The people, my job, students, friendships have been authentic and fulfilling. I'm so grateful for the experience.

2013. For many it has been a tough year however I'm always excited at the thought of another year unfolding. A friend recently said "I don't celebrate the new year anymore, I celebrate a new day".

Be thankful & bold and seize each day.

Festive Season. Even though there's still about another week of the festive season, I'm thankful for the abundant amount of family, food and time to just stop and breathe before it all starts churning away again.

My sister is underneath this heap :)

Beginnings

2014

New Goals: Health and well-being + travel and living abroad 

Grounded in my home roots (let's see how I handle this)

New adventure.... I fly out to Hawaii tonight, so Happy New Years in advance.

Whatever your truth, seek it and live it with conviction.

I wish you all the joy, health and happiness you could ever imagine as one year ends and another begins.

Big Love,

Falala Mele.

Aussie Curves: Headwear

Dress: Vintage Thrifted $2 / Hat $3 Cabramatta / Boots Target 

I'm not sure when it happened, but I think it may have started after my first summer trip to New York 3 years ago. I found a cute little white hat in Harlem for like $6....I never realised it at the time but hats seem to be another little outfit saver for me. I'm always short on time and the trusty hat always seems to liven up my dull outfits. These pics were taken in the afternoon. We'd had lunch, watched some movies, rolled around on the carpet.....we may have even had a nana nap....but I got up and put this lavender beauty on. I picked it up at Cabramatta for $3 from one of those awesome dollar shops. YAYURR! 

Big Love,

Falala Mele.

teenage dream

Thrifted Threads: Dress $4 White Cardigan $4 Shoes Target Glasses Equip Earrings Prouds

Thrifted things make me feel like I'm living a teenage dream. 

All the things I could ever dream of when I was a teenager. Pretty clothes, cool shit. 

The type of gears that let everyone know; you were the shit and you knew it.

I was a complete poor soul. But I think everyone was. Nah that's bullshit. People were cool. I wasn't. 

I was a quiet, good, half-caste girl who was fat and couldn't afford all that fancy shit. 

It didn't kill my life like it did for others. 

It didn't sit at home and pine for it. 

I just waited around and grew into myself. 

It was nice dreaming away about all the things I wanted to become. 

I was connected to my family, friends and music and looking back, 

it seems to be the best youth ever. 

Things are getting messed up now days. 

You get everything you want and you get it quickly.

Now I realise that a lot of shit doesn't matter.

But it's nice to get all things that make me feel

like I'm living the teenage dream.

Big Love,

Falala Mele.

velour lips & quick visits

Hi!


Yes I know, it's been forever. I've been busy. School, niece, family & saving. All the necessary boring stuff that makes up a huge chunk of life. Amongst all the ordinary stuff, I was delighted to have my sis Emma come and visit my sister and I.

She brought gifts. The beautiful Australis Velour Lip Colour range. Two colours each. I was pretty keen to see how this gloss turn matte lipstick would work and I'm surprised by the punchy colour and staying power. It lasted through dinner and I literally had to wash it off. Cool for you makeup buffs out there.

My whole outfit was based around the lip colour. I decided to wear my rose blouse as a contrast to the lip colour. I love this thrifted find. Think it was like $2. Black skater skirt and boots. Casual and comfy. Went straight out to dinner after this. Thanks for making it all the way out here Emz. You are the bomb sis.

Big Love,

Falala Mele.

Aussie Curves: Celeb Copy Cat Aaradhna

So I've climbed out of the woodworks to participate in my fave Aussie Curves theme.

Yes. The Celeb Copy Cat week was something I could not miss out on. I had so much fun last year trying to pull together an outfit to match the effortlessly dope Solange Knowles (see post HERE). While everyone in Australia is going cray cray for big sis Beyonce cause she's here at the moment.....I'm totally pissed that I will miss Solange's quick summer tour and New Years concert. She is on my MUST-SEE list and unfortunately, I will be in Hawaii when she is visiting Australia. WHYYYYY??

Anyways, back to this post..... So I've chosen to copy the beautiful Aaradhna. I'll forgive you if you haven't heard of her before. She is New Zealand's very own RNB & soul queen. I knew of her from way back because all of the polynesians were buzzing over that Adeaze track 'Getting stronger' and the good music has not stopped. 

She has recently dropped the superb album Treble & Reverb. Honestly it's soooooo fucking good. Yes, it needs the swear. I'm never excited about new music because there's so much stuff out there these days and I don't have the time to find that needle in the haystack.

But this is exactly what her album is. 

It's the first whole album I've actually bought in a long time and it's a real collection of stories that progresses and takes the listener on a journey. Yes. A real album. Thank you music gods.

Her track WAKE UP has kept me running on the treadmill when my legs have felt like lead, and the entire album is on high rotation in our house still....pretty sure we were playing it this time last year. 

Besides dying over her music, I've also watched her style evolve. I love her appreciation for vintage (and I assume thrifted) dresses and prints. I love her because she's talented, real and polynesian. Aaradhna looks like a lady and sings like a queen. I can't wait for the day I get to listen to her sing live.

I found this gorgeous pic of her on Kiwi blogger Lani Says Aaradhna's Media Showcase post. I love her dress and I have picked up a few like it when I was out on the thrift. My outfit was a dress and a blouse but I cut the dress and made a skirt, just because I do that sometimes. Both are thrifted of course. I love that she is wearing flats. I'm forever living in chucks and dresses. I love that she is a natural beauty. 

Do yourself a favour. Listen to her music and follow her on instagram @aaradhna and twitter. She is one of the few people that are worth following.

Big Love,

Falala Mele.

Aussie Curves: LBD

LBD. 

Little Black Dress aka Lifesaver.

Throughout the years my personal style has changed a lot. Sometimes I look back at old photos and either cringe or laugh. There's rarely a photograph where I think "Dayum girl.....you had it right then." 

I mean when do you ever truly get it right? 

At least there is the LBD. It's like your best friend; reliable and it always makes you feel good. It always has your back and it's fuss free. Throw it on with a few accessories and you can transform your look instantly. I have two that currently sit in my wardrobe and I wore my Forever 21 LBD to my cousin's graduation party. I picked it up in New York on my first ever trip in 2011.

Mum, Theresa, Dad and I with Sia on her graduation.

I helped organise my cousin's grad party so throughout the evening I was running around with family to ensure that everything was running smoothly. I had like an hour to get ready after setting up the hall so this LBD was a beautiful timesaver. I paired it with my leather belt and brown wedges for a subtle contrast.


 Look at how beautiful my family look in their LBDs. Perfect for all shapes and sizes.

The ladies loved the boys show. 

 

Also thought I'd add in a little LBD flashback. 

LBD 2011

LBD 2012

LBD 2013

Big Love,


Falala Mele.