OUTFIT OF THE DAY | Print & Bow

My Outfit:

Top: Dissh

Shorts: Dissh
Bracelet: ASOS
Sandals: Kmart

Hey loves! Hope you've had a lovely week - I'm so sorry for the lack of posts over the last few days! I've been a bit busy (I got a new job at last, after almost 5 weeks back in Brisbane!!) and honestly a little bit unmotivated, but it's holidays and I knew I needed to get my butt into gear and get back into things!

Last weekend Dissh was having a 20% off all full priced items sale, so of course I picked up some things! The top and shorts normall would have totalled $100 but I grabbed them for $80 and I'm so so happy because I just love them! The shorts are the cutest and look really nice/dressy and classy, perfect for almost any occasion. And the top is high-neck (hello obsession) and black (hello again, obsession) and cropped (yup hello!!) so of course I'm loving it! And I think that put together they make the cutest lil' outfit that I wore to uni the other day actually!

What do you think of this look? Let me know below xx

Chontelle x

Khaki & Plaid

My Outfit:

Khaki Jacket - H&M

Oversized Plaid Shirt-Dress - Melrose Ave

Stockings - Big W

Black Boots - Famous Footwear

Yesterday was a pretty great day, albeit a cold one! Mum and I went in to the city for the day for some shopping & lunch (see my previous post on Gekkazan, the best Japanese food I've had in a long time)!

Let me just say, the shopping in Melbourne is amazing. Of course it is, though - after all, Melbourne does hold the title of Shopping Capital of Australia! I picked up some amazing bargains, with all but two of my purchases being dramatically reduced! *happy dance* I grabbed myself a new pair of black suede-feel boots reduced from $60 to $20, and a huge bag full of sale items from H&M for both mum and I, including the fab Khaki Jacket/Coat I'm wearing in these pictures! I'm actually considering doing a Haul post (or maybe even a Youtube video?) so if you'd be interested in that, please let me know! :3

Anyway. So the jacket is from H&M, and it's already one of my favourite pieces. I've wanted a khaki jacket for years now so I'm so so happy that I've finally gotten myself one! It's so comfy and surprisingly very warm considering it's not that thick! Perfect for layering!

My oversized plaid shirt-dress is also a relatively new purchase, from Melrose Ave. I've wanted one of these for a while now (ever since Kylie Jenner bought the shirt-dress look to my attention via good ole' instagram), and this one is just perfect! Super comfy and warm, lovely thick flannel material and (imho) looks great on! And of course, once again I've paired my outfit with my staple imitation doc's, my favourite and comfiest shoes!

You may not be able to tell, but it was super cold and blowing a gale when these photos were taken, to the point that I almost didn't bother! But then I spotted Melbourne's Parliament House and thought how great the photos would look taken on those stairs, and here we are! #priorities right?

What do you think of this look? Love it, or hate it? Let me know! 

xx Chontelle Louise

The Autumn TAG

                  

So I found this Tag on another blog (Emily Likes Makeup) and thought it seemed like a fun idea. This Tag was originally created by Makeup Pixi3, who has tagged anyone that's a blogger to do it too! So definitely check those two out! 

Anyway, here's the Autumn TAG! By the way, if you're reading this, then I Tag YOU to do the Autumn TAG next! xx

For Autumn, what is your...

1.  Favourite thing about it?  It's a tie between the fact that I can break out the baggy knit jumpers and knee-high socks, and the way the leaves fall from the trees and scatter the grounds. This is actually my very first Autumn being able to experience this in person!!! In Brisbane, it's basically a constant cycle of Summer/Spring/Summer/Spring, meaning we'd miss out on all of the perks of the cooler seasons! So as lame as it is, I'm super excited as the Autumn leaves fall this year!

2.  Favourite drink?  I'm still not over the fact that this isn't available here in Australia (it's criminal!), but my absolute favourite drink for Autumn is the Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks. To. Die. For. But as far as my favourite available drink for Autumn, I'd have to say it's a Caramel or Hazelnut Latte!

3.  Favourite scent/candle?  It's a tie between my Vanilla Caramel Candle from Peter Alexander, or my Reeces Peanut Butter Cup scented Candle. I love sweet, creamy scents over Autumn/Winter!

4.  Best lipstick?  I have only tried this once before but I'm planning to order three beautiful autumn/winter shades from Lime Crime's Velvetine collection - Red Velvet (tried & loved) and Wicked are lovely red shades, while Cashmere is a beautiful, soft pink/cashmere shade. They go on liquid, but dry in a beautiful matte that literally makes your lips look like velvet. 

5.  Go to moisturiser?  I really can't choose just one moisturiser for even a month, let alone an entire season! It changes all the time, however as a general rule I like something very hydrating for the cooler months because my skin gets dry quite easily when it's too cold.

6.  Go to colours for the eyes?  I like to stick to natural shades, so creams, golds, and browns - perfect for Autumn imho.

7.  Favourite music or band/singer to listen to?  I don't really have any specific seasonal favourite or general favourites haha, but I guess I enjoy softer music or like, less upbeat? I'm loving Style (T Swift), Take Me To Church (Hozier), Jealous (Nick Jonas), Don't Tell Em (Jeremiah), and Earned It (The Weeknd), right now!

8.  Favourite outfit to wear (i.e. boots & a scarf combo)?  I don't have a favourite outfit in particular, but rather favourite looks. Baggy sweaters, high-waist jeans, and skirts or dresses with stockings - all paired with cute matching boots! Did I mention I'm obsessed with boots?

9.  Autumn treat (i.e. a new scarf or bag you have your eye on)?  I'm really loving this chunky plaid scarf that's at Cotton On at the moment, so I'm hoping to grab that one sometime soon!

10.  Favourite place to be?  Either rugged up in bed with my cat on one side and some food on the other, or sitting in the back corner of a cosy little cafe enjoying a hot drink and some yummy cafe food!

xx Chontelle Louise

Knee High Knits & Leather

My Outfit:

Denim Vest - Valley Girl

Red Floral Blouse - Sophie Charlotte Italy

Black Leather Skirt - Mombasa Rose

Knee-High Socks - Cotton On

Boots - Famous Footwear

I'm obsessed with knee-high socks at the moment - they're my favourite thing! Perfect for the cooler weather we're experiencing down here in Melbourne at the moment. I colour matched the socks with my floral blouse from Sophie Charlotte (one of my favourite tops to date), and I think it worked out pretty well!

I got this leather skirt on clearance at the beginning of the year from a local Brisbane store Mombasa Rose, it only cost me $5 down from $35 so it was one heck of a bargain! I haven't worn it much because I've just been a bit confused on how exactly I was going to style it. I decided to be brave and wear it for this look with my staple black leather shoes (obviously neither are real leather). I finished the look off with a splash of denim in the form of this vest from Valley girl, which I think really adds something special/different to this look!

I've been super busy finishing up and submitting my resume to a huge number of retail stores, and also a few cafes (but fingers crossed for retail!!). Here's hoping something happens soon! It's getting a lot cooler here, Winter is well and truly on its way! I'm a mix of happy because I love colder weather (and all the winter fashions that come with it), and dying because oh my gosh, I am not used to this weather! Right now, Brisbane is like an average of 25-30 degrees, but Melbourne is more like 15-20 if that. So a good 10 degree decrease in temperature for this Brisbane born & raised girl. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad to be away from that terrible, humid heat, but my body is not sure how to deal with the cold just yet and I wish it would just get with the program! Haha!

Anyway, what did you think of this look? Love it? Or hate it? How's your week going? Let me know below!

xx Chontelle Louise

OOTD: Market Day & Coffee!

My Outfit:

Turtle neck sweater - H&M.

High-waisted skinny jeans/jeggings - Valley Girl.

Beige leather style boots - Spend Less Shoes.

Grey/silver shoulder bag - Ruby & Kit.

Mum and I decided to visit the Queen Victoria Markets in the Melbourne CBD today for a change of scenery. We'd been planning to check the markets out since we got down here but something had always gotten in the way, or we were too late (terrible time management between the two of us, like mother, like daughter). 

The temperature today only reached a high of 20*C, and it was much lower this morning. So the plan was definitely to dress warm and cosy, but also comfy and casual. Obviously jeans are a staple closet item during the Autumn/Winter season, so these light denim high-waisted jeans/jeggings from Valley Girl were the first thing I picked up. I absolutely love these pants - they're super comfy and look good paired with just about anything. The material is soft and relatively stretchy, meaning it doesn't feel stiff and uncomfortable as you go about your day (and is perfect to wear when going out for a meal, ie. no need to loosen a button or two). Not to mention, I have a bit of an obsession with high-waisted clothing!

I paired the jeans with this lovely soft, dusky pink turtle neck sweater that I recently purchased for only $30 from H&M. Honestly, I was really hesitant about this purchase as despite my love for sweaters, the whole turtle neck look is not something I'd usually go for. However, for some reason the sweater caught my eye, and when I tried it on I fell in love. The material is so warm and cosy, I never want to take it off! And the fit is perfect, it's a bit slouchy (which I love) and it still compliments my figure. 

I got my bag on sale from Zelows back in 2012, and despite being a little worn from constant use it remains one of my favourite accessories. The neutral colour of the bag makes it possible to include in just about any ensemble.

I decided to round off my look with a pair of beige, low chunky heeled boots. I've only worn these boots before on a couple of occasions, as even in winter it can be too hot for boots in Brisbane. But now that I'm in Melbourne I decided it was high time to take these babies out of the closet and indulge my obsession of boots. Meaning, you can expect a lot more OOTD posts featuring boots! Anyway, I loved the way the light, creamy beige colour of the boots complimented the dusky pink of my sweater and my light coloured hair. These boots were also the perfect choice for a day of walking around the markets, as well as the CBD. 

What do you think of my OOTD? Yay, or nay? Let me know in the comments below!

xx Chontelle Louise

What to do on a stopover in Helsinki, Finland!

Coming from Australia, the usual flight path to the UK and Europe includes a stopover in Dubai or somewhere in South East Asia. While this may be the long-preferred and definitely the much quicker route taken, it can make travelling to Europe quite an expensive option - especially for those of us travelling on a tight budget.

The solution? Fly with FinnAir!

Some of you are probably thinking, "I've never heard of FinnAir, is it any good?" and I'll be the first to admit that I thought the exact same thing when the airline came up in my search for cheap flights to Europe. FinnAir is a Finnish airline (obviously) that has been gaining popularity with Australian travelers for its cheaper-than-average fares between here and Europe. A ticket from the east coast of Australia through to Europe/UK would usually set you back between $1700-$2100 return, and that's if you get in early. With FinnAir, that same ticket can be a bargain $1350-$1550!

Now, before you rush to your local travel agent to purchase your tickets, there is a downside. As I said earlier, the Australia-Dubai/Asia-Uk/Europe route - while being more expensive - is also the quickest, with an average journey time of 20-26 hours and only one stopover. With FinnAir, you will be required to have two stopovers. The first, in Singapore (or Hong Kong) with Qantas, before changing carriers and flying FinnAir to Helsinki, Finland, and then again to your final destination. This journey can take on average, 30-36 hours, possibly more (as many flights don't cdonnect and leave you with a lengthy stopover).

If this hasn't deterred you, the next step is to plan for your stopover.

Since you're likely to be going a fair bit out of the way on your way to your final destination, you may as well make a day out of it and book your flights to arrive at Helsinki Vaanta airport early in the morning, and depart in the late afternoon/evening. This way, you'll be able to make a day out of your stopover and visit Helsinki city!

So, I've put together a list of things to do/see on your stopover in Helsinki, Finland!

1. Visit Market Square by the water, a lovely place to find some local meals, produce, and pick up some souvenirs! Not to mention the gorgeous waterside view!

2. Try some Finnish food! I loved this traditional Finnish pasty with a rice/custard-like filling, Riisipiirakka!

3. Go for a stroll through Esplanadi, a local park with some beatufiul scenery. It looks like something out of a fairytale, or my secret garden.

4. "Bad Bad Boy", a peeing statue and helsinki's answer to the Manneken Pis in Brussels, Belgium. Strangely enough, it seems to totally fit in here. I've heard that this is not a permanent structure so it may no longer be there, but here's a picture anyway!

                                     

5. Visit some of Helsinki's most well-known churches/cathedrals, such as the Helsinki Cathedral (pictured), Uspenski Orthodox Cathedral, and the Temppeliaukio (aka, the rock church).