it's what's underneath that counts

Collectors are usually those who seek antique model trains, unique coins and Elvis memorabilia. I on the other hand, am a collector of vintage gloves and pretty lingerie.

It's fair to say that gloves you can go without, but lingerie is for most (or so you would hope) a necessity. For me however, it is more so an obsession. My obsession has been fuelled lately by the recent trending towards exposing undergarments as outerwear

(http://colourmeskinny.blogspot.com/2009/07/stay-up-with-me.html)

For me, this trend is what I will be living and breathing this season.

Corsets over tees and a subtle exposure of a lace bra peeking out from beneath a slouchy Alexander Wang jersey tee, sends my heart a flutter(and I'm sure it doesn't sit too badly with our male counterparts either).

My favourite items? My Sass and Bide for Lovable ruffle crop top, my tie-die Zimmerman bra and my mesh faux denim bodysuit...pulled (perhaps a little too aggressively) from a sale rack in Topshop when I was holidaying in London late last year.

So if like me, you are a fan of undergarments as outerwear, may I suggest we rejoice, and refrain from burning our bras. Instead let's expose them for what they really are....mostly sheer, lace pieces of exquisite beauty.

in no great Russh

A lovely friend of mine (no, not the label) gifted me with a 12 month subscription to Russh for my birthday a few months ago.

I received the first edition a few weeks back but it has taken until today to get through the entire edition.

Perusing through Russh is like a million presents in one. Each time I turn a page the excitement I feel for what is on the next page is palpable. So much so that I purposely never allow myself to read more than 3 articles at a time just so I can drag out my Russh experience all that much longer.

Sad. But true.

See above for my Russh favs as seen in the April edition of Russh Magazine 2010.

elvina mae-zing

Elvina-Mae Farkas. If you haven’t heard that name yet may I suggest you pick up a pen and jot it down (underlined) in your Smiggle notebook. She who recently shot editorial for Yen, Culture and Cream Magazines, just to name a few, can now add Melbourne Fashion Journal to her growing resume, having shot their feature story on non other than band du jour – Miami Horror. All this for a girl who only began to dip her fashionably clad feet in the photography pond a mere eight months ago? Luckily for me sometime before Christmas, I managed to wrangle a few trade secrets from the lady behind the camera and it is to my detriment that I am only just sharing this post with you now. If she ever forgives me I hope to one day be privy to witnessing one of her fashion shoots in the flesh, watching her work her magic from behind her Canon 5Dmkii

The seven-year-old child prodigy
Farkas’ earliest memory of ever picking up a camera was at the wee young age of seven. Begging her mother for a camera to take family snaps, she was gifted with a Nikon that came inscribed with her name on the back.

Now or never
It was only at the beginning of 2009 that Farkas made the decision to pursue photography as something more of a career choice rather than a passionate hobby. Having grown up living in Alice Springs (in a tiny town far removed from any form of the fashion/arts scene), moving to Melbourne was something of a risk. As it turns out this risk was to pay off greatly and much hard work and dedication lead to her first big break – being published in a ‘few’ popular overseas magazines (or so she humbly describes)

All things learning curves and trial and error
Having never studied photography, Farkas developed her talent behind the lens through a great deal of trial and error. Photography for her is, ‘something you just have to get a feel for, all the while trusting your instincts and judgments on what looks right’. Feedback and advice from trusted friends who are also industry photographers have been her greatest learning curves.

All things lighting and landscapes
Rule number ONE according to Farkas, ‘CHECK YOUR LIGHTING!’ She claims that lighting plays a vital role in photos as it basically creates the entire mood of any image. ‘Sunlight, artificial light, shadows, highlights, colored lights, no lights! Lighting is the simple most important thing in a picture’.

When asked whether she would like to stick solely to fashion photography, Farkas is certain this is where she wants to remain for the time being. ‘There is something about expressing yourself uniquely through clothing and styling that is captivating to me’. Funnily enough however, she originally began shooting landscapes. Having grown up in Central Australia surrounded by some of the most beautiful landscapes in the country it isn’t hard to understand why.

Inspire me
Inspiration for Farkas comes in many shapes and forms. As far as photographers go however nothing impresses her more than those photographers who are willing to be strange or quirky. ‘Of course I love the legends, but I also really admire all the new kids on the block! At the moment I'm stuck onto Andrew Yee, Camilla Akrans and new goodies Waldemar and Max’.