As a style enthusiast, I'm always looking for hot new blogs and brands to feed my sensational appetite for fashion, photography and inspiration. In the last year or so I've increasingly been influenced by Australian style blogs. It started with one, and a few recommendations later I'm officially obsessed with Australian style. Their girls pull off this effortlessly chic, surfer off-duty look. They have exquisite individualistic style, a penchant for reinventing classic looks and the country is churning out some of the top style influencers worldwide. Check out five Aussie wonders whose charisma, style and unique point of view have been blowing my mind.
1. Christine Centenera
This past summer Centenera had industry insiders buzzing when she left Harper's Bazaar Australia to join newly appointed editor-in-chief Edwina McCann at Vogue Australia as the senior fashion editor. Centenera is a hot commodity right now. She consulted for Kanye West's debut women's wear collection in Paris, she was a stylist for Australian media darling Lara Bingle and she's quite the street style star herself scoring recurring spots on The Sartorialist, Jack & Jill and Street Peeper to name a few. But Centenera is not your average Aussie beach babe. She's a master of the unexpected pairing. She rocks cutting edge couture with sweatpants and counters feminine looks with sex appeal and edgy accoutrements. She's the only woman (besides Emanuelle Alt) that can inspire a color lover like me to roll out in black from head to toe and feel comfortable, confident and anything but average.
2. One Teaspoon
Booty shorts. That's how I stumbled upon this stand out rock and roll glamor-infused brand. If you're looking for the perfect booty shorts to wear all winter over opaque tights, one that stops just below the bum cheek and has a little extra flair that you can't always find at your local Levi's store, this brand is for you. I first spotted their Bandit Denim Cutoffs as I was searching for Coachella gear and it was love at first sight! They were comfortable, showcased my legs from groin to ankle and included an adorable camouflage print - the perfect booty short! Jamie Blakey started One Teaspoon in 2000 from her bedroom floor at just 21 years old. Today One Teaspoon is carried in over 200 stores in Australia and their international footprint is steadily growing as U.S. favorites such as Free People continue to restock their merchandise. I look forward to the evolution of One Teaspoon as they continue to present the epitome of rebellious cool.
Read more after the slideshow.
3. They All Hate Us
A blog filled with so many glorious fashion shots I have it bookmarked as my homepage for early morning inspiration as I arrive to the office and sip my tea. What better way to start your day than with beautiful imagery of gardens and stilettos, oceanic views and killer beauty shots? I'm a big fan of Elin Kling and Miranda Kerr so their frequent cameos are always welcome along with a plentiful collection of street style. The geniuses behind They All Hate Us are Tash, a buyer for a leading youth retailer in Australia and Elle, a visual merchandising manager for an Australian swimwear label. They consider the blog an inspirational montage of all things they love with the hopes that it will make you smile too.
4. Tony Bianco
I began to gain interest in this precious strappy sandal I kept seeing on the streets of Melbourne. It was so simplistic it could be worn with anything, but so classic it had the power to be a stand out piece all alone. This type of diversity is hard to come by so I immediately set out to find what could be the signature staple of my wardrobe. It took a couple days of research to verify this masterpiece I so craved was designed by Tony Bianco. Tony Bianco is a leading Australian footwear brand. They aspire to attract the street-smart modern woman with shoes that embody the attitude of High Street London and the spirit of Soho NY. So I visited their website, found my shoe for $150 (plus a couple code that made them $100) and proceeded to check out online. I thought it was almost too easy until seconds later when I realized Tony Bianco only wants Australians to wear their shoes. Domestic shipping only, it seemed, as I continuously received a bright red error message when inputting my New York address. Total bummer! But I was not about to let a little thing like shipping keep me from obtaining the clutch piece my wardrobe was missing. I emailed the corporate head quarters in Collingwood Australia and after 38 emails with Alex the amazing office receptionist, me mailing them shipping labels, and $36 in shipping fees I had my shoes and I haven't looked back since.
5. Sass & Bide
Sass & Bide believes "life's too short to wear boring clothes" and I concur. Perhaps this is why I adore the designers and their products as much as I do. Or maybe it's their impeccable attention to detail, their juxtaposition of powerful fabrics, their contradiction of traditional styles as they create runway looks or simply their support for our president Barack Obama. Either way, they're my girl crush. Sass & Bide is the namesake label of Sarah-Jane Clarke (Sass) & Heidi Middleton (Bide), a former accountant and advertising art director who started the line with a customized pair of jeans. Their full range of merchandise is available in over 20 countries and is stocked at online favorites like Asos. If you're in the market for a cocktail dress for New Year's Eve or just a sick pair of jeans, you can't go wrong with Sass & Bide. They have a rad blog as well in case you're in need of a little sasspiration. And get this! In 2013, Sass & Bide will open its first New York flagship store which will join its 18 boutiques located in Australia and New Zealand. I'm so ready!