Its The Queen’s Birthday and She Brings Gifts

Gifts of cute lil tops to be specific. If I were to get one, it would definitely be the marble print ponte but everything’s a steal so get them all lads! I always get so jealous when I see Labour Day weekend posts so here’s one for the Australians! For the rest of the world, I’m sorry its just an ordinary Monday but go on with your ordinary day with the knowledge that I probably won’t be leaving the house for about 3 weeks because its exam time and its time to get a cracka lackin’. Fear not as SS will not be neglected because I preshot everything and you can still expect a post from me every 4 or 5 days this month!

 Alycia Fluffy Knit // Dharma Ribbed Tutle Neck //  Hether Textured Tailored Boyfriend Coat 

 Pyjama Blouse in White or Navy $12 from $38

Contrast Collar Check Tank $10 // Lace Trim Ponte Top $10 // Printed Organza Crop Top $10  all originally $40!

 

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Coming Up Rosy Gold

Anything copper or rose gold I am down. Particularly love it when its paired with maroon, pink or navy. What I like most of all about this bomber is the little pocket by the arm. I’ve never been one for magic tricks but when I whip out my opal card in two seconds and slam it on that rainbow circle triumphantly, I chuckle to myself a bit whilst all the plebeians have to go through the process of taking out their wallet from their bag, behind, etc. and flipping through their cards in slow motion.

// Bomber Jacket: H&M (similar here) / Cropped Sweater: Miss Shop (similar here) / Peplum: Forever 21 (similar here) / Leggings: Dotti / Slip Ons: Zu (similar here) / Purse: Coach / Bracelet: Pandora / Watch: Vintage / Ring (c/o): Elyia / Scarf: Old (similar here) //

Pictures by Adela 

Blaze of Glory

I am really uncool. Like watch The Big Bang Theory on Friday nights (GUYS SHAMY!), crack dad jokes and prone to flushing from any kind of alcohol consumption kind of uncool. But these shades make me feel hella cool and when I leave my house I imagine I’m off to my warehouse converted to office sharespace where I lounge around in curvy chairs and think of fresh ideas to make the world more yeezus. In reality, I’m just off for the daily commute where I spend 40 minutes reading about influential people in The Collective and Times but let me do me, kay?

The outfit unpicked:

Plaid on plaid, yes on yes. Miss Shop Coat (similar) and Old Button Down (similar)

Shadiest Shades from Ray-Ban

The best tee ever which I have worn here and here from Lil Muse Clothing (c/o)

Leggings for speed walking across campus from Dotti get them in store for 60% off

Fresh new Converse for ruining from Urban Outfitters 

Birds of a Feather Mirror Together

I’ve actually been on a three week shooting hiatus so I decided today was the day to get off my behind and and put it in this wild midi number from Lil Muse. I have to admit, I’m not a big animal print person … I think this is the first animal print that has ever made its way into my wardrobe. Animal print frankly scares me but I threw myself in the deep end by trying out a double animal print mirrored midi body con skirt. What a mouthful! All full of words that usually do not exist in my closet vocabulary!

Making a statement can be terrifying. Committing to pink hair, a sleeve tattoo or a house made of glass would be impractical for most of us. For those brave souls who have that level of commitment, I applaud you. That doesn’t mean the rest of us can shy away from standing out every once in a while and I honestly can’t think of a better non-permanent form of expression than the way you dress. So go on, try that tucked away piece in your wardrobe and let that feeling of liberation wash over you.

Initially, when I started SS I was determined not to put outfit details at the bottom. I wanted SS to be simply a source of inspiration not an add to cart type of a site. More recently, I have been receiving messages and emails asking me where certain details are from so from this day forth, I will try my best to put details at the bottom. Keeping in mind, I’m just a broke student so sometimes my stuff is from two seasons ago and will not be available anymore. Today’s outfit however is still available online so I definitely recommend you check out the top and shoes since they are heavily discounted!

Top: Cotton On KN Alanis Cut Away Crop Skirt: (c/o) Lil Muse Snake of Paradise Skirt Shoes: Betts Slave Heel in Stone

NEO-DADA

“Your lipstick stain is a work of art” {5SOS ‘She Looks so Pefect’}

I hope you guys are having a lovely weekend! I recently went to The Art Gallery of NSW to visit the Pop to Popsim exhibit which runs until March so I totally encourage you to check it out if you live near by! I think one of the reasons I love this movement so much is neatly summarised in the guide itself: “Pop was one of the defining art movements of the 20th century. It was radical because it brought the realms of mass entertainment and consumerism into the halls of art galleries and museums …. While for many this new art was a shocking betrayal of high cultural values, for others it was a liberating encounter with the world that people actually lived in.” 

Although, I wasn’t able to take actual photos of the exhibition, I still shot some of the patterns found in this really neat pop art book that they had in the interactive area. Then I took my pictures in the permanent areas of the gallery which are architecturally breathtaking.

Taking cues from pop itself, I went with a lemon yellow cropped tank top with little ruffles at the bottom. I haven’t worn something this cropped since my middle school days but I thought this was so cute with high waisted pointe pants and some easy ballerinas. Then the highlight of the outfit is my cute little speech bubble bag which is the definition of pop and something that I have been obsessed with since my friend Emi got it for me. They’re like the Sophia Webster ones which have cheeky phrases all over them 😉 I have a bit of an affinity for small unpractical bags like these so lookout for some potential DIYs in the future because I hear Olympia and Spade inspiration calling!

So tell me, do you love a bit of Lichtenstein or do you admire Andy Warhol? What’s your favourite decade in pop? Pop to Popsim itself was divided into seven sections: The Future is Now, Swinging London, The American Dream, Euro Pop, Made in Oz, Late Pop and Popism. I hope you enjoy the visual delights and check out those crazy rainbow flowers i saw in Martin Place!

Photography Credits: Outfit – Adela Other – Myself

STYLE.

You got that long hair, slicked back, white t-shirt And I got that good girl faith and a tight little skirt And when we go crashing down, we come back every time ‘Cause we never go out of style {1989 Taylor Swift ‘style’}

I think its plenty ironic how I finished my last High School Certificate exam yesterday (which meant that I would never have to wear a school girl skirt again) but then the next day I go for a plaid skirt with a white top? If this outfit has any deeper psychological meaning to it, I really do not care to know.

Instead I would like to think that I am paying homage to Taylor Swift’s 1989, particularly my favourite song ‘Style.’ As a post HSC celebratory gift to myself and an inevitable purchase anyway because she is one of the few artists I still buy physical albums for, I got 1989 yesterday after agonisingly having to wait a few extra days. My favourite songs after Style are: Blank Space, Wildest Dreams and Wonderland. If you are think Taylor is a Slayor, then we are automatically friends and you are obligated to tell my what your favourites are too 🙂

Anyway, the plaid skirt is a nod to the whole No its Becky inside joke that she has with the Tumblr community, the cropped tee is for all the cropped tees she’s been wearing lately and the brogues are for Fearless era Taylor because that will forever be one of my favourites. And to top that all off, the heart sunglasses are inspired by her last era: Red.

Apologies for my rudeness, but HEY, welcome to THE BLOG. My name is Karen and I’m in that blissful, wonderful period where I have just graduated high school and have four beautiful months of mindless wandering and a summer vacation that is really, genuinely going to be longer than 104 days*. I figured that in between my trips to the beach and marathoning situational comedies,  I would do something that’s been on my summer bucket list for a long time: start a blog and have a domain! Thusly, Style Smorgasbord DOT COM was born on the 1st of November 2014. So make yourself an iced tea (or maybe a hot one if you’re in the northern hemisphere) and take a look around. I hope I can bring a little bit of sunshine into your day and if all goes well, some leaves, rain and flowers too?

* If you can get that reference. FOUR FOR YOU.