Chocolate Tour

A couple of weeks ago, my friend took me on a Chocolate Tour of Melbourne City's best Chocolatiers. She had bought this voucher as a birthday present for me last year and we finally got around to using it 11 months later! It was worth the wait. It was a gorgeous day in Melbourne. Our walking tour started at 2.15pm at Koko Black at the Royal Arcade (sorry I hadn't started taking photos at that point), we then walked a few stores down to Suga, next stop was The Chocolate Box...

....followed by Haighs....

.... then Ganache...

...and concluded with churros at Hairy Little Sista. YUM!

There was chocolate-tasting at every stop. And our lovely guide, Suzie shared interesting facts about the history of all these establishments and also the architecture of the buildings we came across along the way; things that are so easy to miss in the hustle and bustle of our everyday lives. For example, the Crabtree and Evelyn store at the Block Arcade is located where the Singer (sewing machine) store used to be and still has the original murals on the ceiling including the Singer logo. Fascinating!

 By the end of the 2 hour tour, you don't even want to think about chocolate any more. But still it was a good experience to just slow down and admire the things we take for granted in this beautiful city, whilst enjoying delectable chocolate treats. I would definitely recommend this tour to all Melbournians, Non-Melbournians and of course, to Chocoholics! You can choose from their various tours to find dates and times that suit you from their website http://chocoholictours.com.au/switchboard/.

Now, all I have to do is find ways to burn off the calories consumed over this 2 hour chocolate indulgence :P....

Currently Coveting

Black leather with gold detailing

Neon

Sequin Jacket

Lace Skirt & Asymetric Skirt

Long, loose trench

Arm Candy

Colour Block Pants and Coloured Coat

Black & Gold accessories

Preparing for Spring

This weekend, after a very very long time, I felt like my old self again. Shopping alone, just for fun, not for a particular outfit or occasion, examining all the shops in the area and then going back to the first, racing to get from one mall to another on public transport to get in before the shops close to get that one piece that I'm suddenly obsessed with but is only available in my size at another location (in this case from CBD to Chadstone at 4pm), fuelling myself with only sushi and coffee, something you can have on the go without wasting precious shopping time. Here's what I bought...

Embellished cuff Top - Zara; Scarf - Portmans; Blue Mini Skort - Zara; 5 Row Chain Link necklace - Lovisa; Earrings - Lovisa.

Though none of these were on sale, I was still happy to pay full price as they are all pretty unique and versatile pieces and most of them were selling out fast. The Skorts were all sold out in that colour in the city and so I had to rush to Chadstone. The top was the last one in my size. The scarf was the last one, too. The earrings there were plenty of but the necklace there was only one more remaining. 

The necklace is pretty cool, it sits almost like a turtle-neck, like the top of a suit of armour. The SA at the store was wearing it and I loved it as soon as I saw it on her and I loved it on myself, too. I don't know when or where I'd wear it, but it'd have to be for a special occasion....

Home Organisation

People who know me in real life (lucky buggers!), will not believe that I have written this post. Me and  home organisation don't normally go together. And yet here we are today. Well, I think, I am as qualified as anyone to talk about home organisation because a busy (*cough lazy) person like me will always find the quickest, easiest way out to make their home look less messy and more dressy. 

I like pretty things. But often because of the amount of pretty things I have my surrounding space doesn't look as pretty as it should. And then living in a rental adds to the complication as I don't want to invest in storage that I will have to lug around with me when I have to move houses that may not even fit or look good in the next property I move into. And changing the sheets on my bed is as DIY as I get. 

So here are a few cheap and versatile solutions I've found that have worked for me...

As soon as you enter my house, the first thing you will see in the hallway is an exhibition of my shoes.

Expandable 2 tier Shoe Rack x 2 (so I can buy more shoes!): $10 each (Kmart)

The red, white & black drawer like boxes are originally Paper Planners from Typo. But I use them for storing shoes...

...because not all shoes can be kept on display! Some need to be tucked away only to be brought out for special occasions.

Paper Planners: $19.95 for Large and $14.95 for Small (Typo). I bought them on VIP night, so a further 30% off each. You can even label the front of the boxes so you know what's in them.

Next, I shall show you my dressing table. The top of my Malm chest of drawers: $99 (Ikea) - used to be the most cluttered part of my room. Just because it was an empty, flat surface I would chuck anything and everything onto it from food to dirty clothes to keys. Then I realised, if I filled the space up with a few things I regularly use and others that are merely there for decoration, I wouldn't be as tempted nor will I have enough room to cover this space up with unsightly objects. So here's what I came up with...

Face mirror (I don't know what it's called but I love it): $20 (Ikea)

Pot (faux) Plant: $7 (Ikea)

White and Red Ramekins used to hold my jewellery, hairclips etc.: $2 each (House)

Makeup Brush Holder which is actually a glass that once housed a scented candle: $2.50 (Ikea)

Scented Candle: $10 (Spotlight)

Large picture frame: $5 (Ikea)

A cute photo of you and your loved one in the colour scheme to match your decor: Priceless! ;)

And for my jewellery that doesn't fit in the Ramekins...

Metal Birdcage Noticeboard used as wallart/jewellery stand: $29.95 (Typo) - VIP night discount 30%. 

And if your bedroom is like mine with not even a nail to hang a wall clock on, you can buy adhesive chrome hooks from BigW or Kmart at around $4.

The key, I think, is finding unique ways of utilising your storage and not just shoving everything you use into drawers but rather showcasing it for ease of use and transforming storage into decor and vice versa.

Hope you enjoyed this little insight into my house and the way I live. :)

Weekend Dinner Outfit

What do you wear to a weekend dinner out with the beau when it's cold outside? Do you suffer a little for fashion? Or dress for comfort? I do a little bit of both sometimes. Honestly, it depends on where we're going really and also how we're getting there. Since we were going to a nice place and were going to mainly remain indoors shielded from the chilly winds, I decided to brave the cold and wear a skirt (I could've worn tights but it wasn't too bad without them). But also, made sure I could brisk walk so I wasn't in the cold for too long, and only ballet flats could help achieve that. So here's my Weekend Dinner outfit:

Black Silk Tank: *$5 (Dotti)

Black Cardigan: *$24 (Cotton On)

Bow Necklace in Soft-Gold: $19.95 - Portmans

Siri Pleated Skirt: *$23.99 (Forever New)

Red Wallet/Clutch: $30 (Charles & Keith - Singapore Airport T3)

Heather Embellished Ballet Flats: *$58 (Forever New)

Outfit Total: $160.94

* = sale prices

I had well and truly worn out my Santini Blitz Ballet Flats bought almost a year ago and it was my go-to pair for work and play. But I loved the style, comfort and versatility of it. Luckily I found a very similar pair at Forever New - so I grabbed them instantly! Not as comfortable as the Santini ones which were really soft, but it does the job.

Short post today. Will come back with more soon. I will leave you with words that have been motivating me lately...

"Slow progress is better than no progress."

Sunny Winter Weekend

A couple of weeks ago, before the almost sub-zero temperatures, we actually had a gorgeous sunny weekend in Melbourne. It felt more like Autumn than Winter. We spent the day in the City. Had lunch at South Bank. 

Navy Cape Coat: *$123.25 (Forever New)

Black Top for layering: *$15 (Portmans)

Jeans: *$45 (Zara)

Glitz Black Bling Flats: *$60 (Santini)

Bag: *$53 (Forever New)

Outfit Total: $296.25
* = sale prices

I can't remember where we ate (sorry, that's really unhelpful), but I remember what we ate: A Reuben Sandwich (hidden under potato crisps), Beef Skewers, LOTS of Fries with Aioli and Apples Ciders. 

Could use another warm day like that, right about now!

The Project

The last 10 days have been pretty eventful. That's why I haven't had the time to blog - I've been out there, actually living life for a change. ;) The next few posts are NOT going to be in chronological order, but you don't mind that, do you? No? Great!

So, we did something very unusual and exciting after work last Tuesday (which is very unlike us). We were part of Channel Ten's The Project's live studio audience! It was the day of the Brad Pitt interview - sadly, that part was pre-recorded, but it was still great fun to be part of all the buzz. Backstage, we got to hear stories about the crew gushing over Brad (who wouldn't?!) and how Dave and Carrie embarrassed themselves in front of the Star.

During every ad break, Hughesy would come up to the audience, interact with us and make jokes. It was quite entertaining. I'm surprised how he manages to do that without losing focus, because they'd interrupt him mid-joke and give him about 30 seconds notice before he had to stop chit-chatting and be camera-ready for LIVE tv!

We were not allowed to take photos in the studio. The 2 images above are courtesy The Project's official website.

In the ad breaks, one of the Producers, Dan also kept us entertained by quizzing us on Hollywood Trivia and gave movie tickets and Network Ten goodie-bags to those enlightened few who got the answers right.

If you want to be a part of the show, tickets are free! All you've got to do is email them with your preferred dates and the number of seats you'd like. It's a really fun, unique way to spend your otherwise boring weekday evenings. Even if you don't live in Melbourne, let them know when you plan to come down next. Most people in the audience were out-of-towners when we went. Details here.

I did take one photo outside the studio, though. Just to prove I was really there. ;) (Anybody can go there and get clicked, you say? Well, proof is in the yellow stage-pass band on my right hand. :))

Studio Audience/Tuesday Work Outfit

Red Shift Dress: *$35 (Forever New)

Cropped Navy Blazer: *$25 (Jeanswest)

Black Tights: *$8 (Target)

Glitz Black Bling Flats: *$60 (Santini)

And FINALLY a NEW BAG!: *$53 (Forever New)

Outfit Total: $181

* = sale prices

Oh and on their website you can also find out who Carrie's (and sometimes Charlie's or Rochy's) outfits are by over here. The day we went, 11th June, Carrie was wearing a Manning Cartell dress and Peeptoe shoes.

More outfit posts coming soon. Stay tuned...

First Day of Winter

Happy Winter everyone! Ok - let's face it, there's no such thing. It's like saying "Happy Monday!" But we soldier on and make the most of what we've got. How do you make the first day of winter a happy one, here's how:

Step one: Rug up.

Step two: Put your favourite, most comfortable boots on.

 Step three: Share a yummy, hearty breakfast (and some coffee) with a friend.

We went to The Pantry in Brighton. I had the Manchego Cheese Omelette with Spanish Tomato Toast.

Saturday Winter Brunch outfit:

Chunky Knit Cardigan: *$59.99 (Portmans)

Black Top: *$10 (Esprit - more than 5 years old!!)

Knit Scarf: Gift

Khaki Slimfit Cargo Pants: *$25 (Cotton On - more than 2 years old)

Brown Boots: $40 (Iniu Shoes - South Wharf DFO - more than 2 years old)

Outfit Total: $134.99

* = sale prices

That's all from me today.

Happy first Monday of Winter! (Oh boy, I have no tips to help you with that one ;) Good luck!)

Random Shopping

If you've Liked my Facebook page, you'll know that last week was Chadstone's VIP shopping event - a day of exclusive offers - a day that comes around once every few months - an event that I never miss. But I'd also made plans to meet a friend on Sunday for a day of shopping at Highpoint because she'd been wanting me to see the new and improved shopping centre - which I must say, was a welcome change to my usual haunts of Chadstone and Melbourne Central. So on my very tight budget, I had to spread out my shopping over the one-day-only offers and things that I wanted but could buy at Highpoint. So here are the few random purchases I made across the 2 days of shopping...

From Chadstone:

Forever New Rani Lace Top - $79.99 less 20%

 I love this colour for winter!

Forever New Penny Pretty Cardigan - $49.99 less 20%

 This "pretty" cardigan, you can't clearly see in this picture, but it has sequins sprinkled all over it.

From Highpoint:

Glassons Scoop Neck Merino Top - $29.99 down from $39.99

Even $39.99 is a great price for Merino wool tops. At $29.99 this was an unmissable bargain! Warm and soft. Can't wait to wear it.

Bardot Flocked Sweater - $50 down from $89.95

I thought this was a great buy at $50 - it actually looks quite high-end. I liked it when I first saw it but didn't buy it and then all along our shopping trip I couldn't stop thinking about it, so I had to have it!

Typo Eiffel Scissors - $14.95

I saw these scissors on Pinterest and thought these would be so cool to have as a desk accessory. The link on Pinterest took me to a New York blogger's page. I thought she must have found them at a little vintage store or some place exquisite and unattainable - but the link on her blog led me to Typo! Of all the places! I was ecstatic. Very random, I know but I still love it (I love anything Paris or Eiffel Tower-related) and I'm glad I found these (and so easily!).

Thus ended my Random Shopping spree. Quite productive, I think, and not much damage done.

BARGAIN ALERT: Highpoint Shopping Day - Wednesday, 22nd May. And if you miss that, Melbourne Central Shopping Event - Thursday, 23rd May. Happy Shopping!

Forever New's Travel Collection was My Idea!

I'm not saying I invented Travel bags, definitely not. But you can't blame a girl for wanting to write an attention-grabbing headline ;). However, I would like to think I played a (small) part in it all coming about. 

The Jet Set Collection

No, I don't work for Forever New. I just spend a lot of time and money there. I distinctly remember, a little over a year ago, on one such shopping expedition of mine, being drawn into the Melbourne Central store because the window display caught my eye. It wasn't even really the window display, it was a part of the store (on the right hand side) that's visible from the street and also once you walk in to Melbourne Central and is like a walk-in closet space almost - people who've been there will know what I'm talking about. Anyway, back to the point, so on one of the shelves was this gorgeous looking, vintage style suitcase and perched on top of that was a cute purse. I looked around for a price tag for the suitcase, but couldn't find one. I grabbed the floor assistant, who happened to be the Store Manager and asked if the suitcase was for sale. She said it wasn't, it was just part of the visual merchandising but the purse was. I said to her "That's too bad! You should really sell luggage as well." And she nodded in agreement and said she would pass on my suggestion to headoffice - and in a really genuine way, not in an I-really-couldn't-care-less-about-what-you-think-we-should-and-should-not-sell-but-I'm-just-going-to-say-"I will let Headoffice know"-so-you-get-out-of-my-face-and-stop-wasting-my-time-way. I knew at that moment that my suggestion was going to be passed on. And a few months after that incident, they started selling the occasional wheelie bag. And now voila - an entire Travel Collection (so, it definitely must be doing well).

I'm not saying, I want to take all the credit for this. Surely other people might have given the same suggestion and once they'd heard from a few people, they must have decided to take the idea on board. But I'd like to believe I played a part in it. :) It looks good, doesn't it! I'd definitely buy it.

That's all folks! ;) xoxo

1st Birthday Giveaway - WINNERS ANNOUNCED!!

WINNERS:

1st Prize - Statement Necklace: Katherine Ryan

2nd Prize - Assorted Stretch Bracelets : Stacey Carter

3rd Prize - Extra Large Stud Earrings: Szappanbubi

Please email me your postal details at: fashion.sans.fortune@gmail.com 

Again, a very big THANK YOU to all those who participated. Hopefully, there will be many more giveaways and you never know, you just might win!

xoxo 

Miss Pre.

1ST BIRTHDAY GIVEAWAY

Fashion Sans Fortune turned 1 on 25th April 2013! HAPPY BIRTHDAY FASHION SANS FORTUNE!

Thank you to all my followers and readers for your love and support and enthusiasm! I have really enjoyed blogging this past year and can't believe how fast it's gone!

I wanted to celebrate the blog's 1st birthday with a Giveaway so, all followers old and new can be a part of this celebration. And here are the awesome prizes....(yes, plural, there are 3!!!)

1st prize: Gorgeous Statement Necklace in Vintage Rose coloured stones and Gunmetal plating

 

2nd Prize: Assorted Stretch Bracelet Set

3rd Prize: Extra Large Stud Earring with Clear stones

How to win one of these 3 great pieces of fashion jewellery? Easy:

You MUST be a follower of Fashion Sans Fortune. So, if you aren't a follower yet, simply click on the "Join this site" button on the right hand side bar - and then...

- Leave a comment on this blog post and/or;

- Follow Fashion Sans Fortune on Facebook and/or;

- Follow me @miss_pre on Twitter and/or;

- Tweet about the giveaway

Each of these step gives you 1 entry into the giveaway. The more you do, the more chances you have of winning.

Anyone can enter. No matter where in the world you are. Once the winners have been randomly selected by Rafflecopter, you can email me your details so I will be able to send you your pretty presents. So click away...

Tip: Facebook and Twitter icons on the right hand side bar will take you straight to the FSF accounts.

Disclaimer: It is sheer coincidence that all the prizes are from Sportsgirl. This is NOT a sponsored giveaway.

Giveaway ends Sunday, 5th May at 12am AEST. And winners will be announced soon after.

Good Luck!!

1st prize valued at $29.95
2nd prize valued at $19.95
3rd prize valued at $14.95