Saturday, 2 January 2010

And so it's come to this...

...another blog.

As from now I've decided to discontinue The 16 Diaries, moving my focus to my new blog the robins.


The main reason behind my decision was that I simply don't like the name 'The 16 Diaries' anymore (clearly, I'm very fickle), so hopefully I've picked something with a little bit more longevity now. I don't imagine the content will be too much different to the 16 Diaries, but who knows? Some of the first few posts will be transfers from this blog, some posts I may have really liked or that feature content still relevant, but after a little while it will hopefully be all new material.
I've come a long way since my very first post here on the 12th of June 2007 (and an even further way since my very first blog post ever on my first blog Feminin, 20th of April 2007), and hopefully the journey will continue on for a long time.

Thank you so much to all of my readers over the years, you guys are wonderful! Head on over to the robins to continue this journey with me.

For now,

Catch.

Romany

Wednesday, 9 December 2009

Why, Chanel No. 5 of course...

...Marilyn Monroe famously replied after being asked what she wore to bed. And so began a cult, which to this day sees this very fragrance, Chanel No. 5, as one of the highest selling fragrances every year. And now it seems this obsession is paying off.

The perfume has been hailed the scent with the most pulling power, according to a new survey, conducted by UK beauty store Superdrug. The survey found that those who wore Chanel No. 5 had the most luck attracting men, with one in ten claiming that they met the man of their dreams after spritzing a little on.
After Chanel No. 5, the second perfume most likely to nail a date is Be Delicious by DKNY, closely followed by Ghost.

In fourth place comes Eternity for Women by Calvin Klein, and Hugo Woman by Hugo is the fifth most likely to attract a man, followed by Classique by Jean Paul Gaultier, Cool Water Women by Davidoff...

... Angel by Thierry Mugler, Anais Anais by Cacharel and finally Obsession by Calvin Klein, round out the top ten.

Steve Jebson, Commercial Director of Superdrug, says, "Fragrance has always been recognised as a real mood maker and women use it to add another dimension to their look and create mystique. This research underlines that to the majority of women the right fragrance can make or break their evening out."

What are some of your favourites heart-stealing fragrances? I must say I've had formidable success with Daisy by Marc Jacobs, personally...

Catch.

Romany

[photos courtesy of au.strawberrynet.com, slapiton.tv, teleky.com]

Saturday, 5 December 2009

Decade Hopping

Style.com...

Tommy Ton's weeks on fashion's front lines have made him a keen observer of subtle shifts in the sartorial landscape. The change he clocked at the last round of shows? A movement away from thw aggressive eighties looks that have been so dominant for the last several seasons toward a softer, more feminine style with echoes of the 1970s. "It was refreshing to see a new romantic take on minimalism on the rise," he told us.

I couldn't agree more.

Some are sticking with the aggressive eighties...





While others are moving backward in time to the softer 70s...




Personally, I'm much more a fan of the softer 70s look.
What about you all?

Catch.

Romany

[photos courtesy of style.com]

Wednesday, 2 December 2009

It's all about: Colour...

This season jewellery is taking a colourful turn.


If colourful necklaces aren't your thing, then invest in some sparkle. Necklaces with black ties are everywhere, as I discovered simply through perusing through the online 'racks' of net-a-porter.
Or go for stylishly practical with a coloured watch necklace.



As December Harper's Bazaar AUS has showed us with its beautiful Miranda Kerr cover, coloured jewels are very much IN.



1, 2 and 3 Sportsgirl

Glo-mesh is everywhere suddenly. I took myself for a quick shopping trip earlier today, and every shop I stepped into offered some variation on the glo-mesh bag (I bought the top-left one above in gold a few months ago). But don't stress, old favourite leather bags, especially this 'textbook satchel' for the study-hard girl, are still IN.

Christmas Wishlist 2009

Allow me a moment to be completely materialistic.
And so the Christmas season is upon us once again. Personally, I adore this holiday. The decorations, the food, the togetherness, the Christmas spirit! And of course, the presents... Now that I'm getting older, the idea of receiving presents is making me increasingly more uncomfortable, and I think the right thing to do would be to make this known rather soon. But I'm allowing myself one more Christmas to indulge in the generosity that this season promotes.
I'm the type of person that needs to create lists to clear my head, and I thought what better place to do this than my blog? Here's what I've got my eye on this year...

Photography
Once one buys a Polaroid, it is inevitable that the hunt for film feels like it will never end.
Mainly because it's just so expensive. Two dollars a picture, to be exact, and what kind of wannabe photographer has that sort of cash just laying around? Christmas and all it's present-giving glory is the perfect opportunity to stack up on much-needed Polaroid film for the year.

Beauty
Now that I've finished high school, I'd like to make it my business to further familiarise myself with the art of eye makeup. Don't get me wrong, I'm no stranger to the basics (mascara, eye liner, eye shadow), but being bombarded with images of models and celebrities showcasing this kind of creativity, and furthermore writing about it, has left me with a desire to really understand the technicalities, not only to enhance the quality of writing but also to be able to apply the techniques to myself. One can rarely get away with simply wearing a single layer of mascara on a night on the town anymore (something which I hope to be doing a lot more of, now that I've got more free time).

I would love to know exactly what every single one of these brushes is used for. Any preliminary hints from you all out there?

Fragrance
I'm aware that I have access to more than my fair share of beautiful perfumes, but I can't help but want just a few more. Terrible, I know. But it's only because I have such an appreciation for the fragrance industry. I once read an article about a man who loved perfumes - and who also couldn't fall in love with a woman if he didn't like the way she smelled. So as far as I'm concerned, scent is everything. For some great tips on how to wear perfumes, including which kinds to wear to an interview, on a night out and even perfumes on a budget, head to Become's incredibly helpful Tip Center.

Jewellery
I have a shameful secret: I have never owned a pearl necklace. Usually this is something a girl inherits from her mother (who receieved it from her own mother, etc), but since my mother has never owned one (at least, not that I know of) either, I'm afraid I missed out on this beautiful tradition. Mikimoto Pearls have a gorgeous collection, including the lovely classic with a diamond twist pictured above, if you're up for a splurge.

Suspension of Reality
Yes I know there's no way I could actually get a pair of $885 Louboutin heels this Christmas, but hey, a girl can dream can't she?

Bold

Monday, 30 November 2009

Quote of the Week

"I’d rather have Moss admit, however crassly, that she monitors her weight to an extreme, because it's a sad fact that sickly thin still sells, rather than listen to size zero celebs enthuse about their junk-food habits like they exist in a magical La La Land wherein calories dissipate the moment food touches their tongue. Moss can have her philosophy, and we common plebes ours — buffalo wings and cookie dough taste much better than being grotesquely thin feels."
Lauren Bans's, of Double X, take on Kate Moss's recent weight comments.

I hate to admit it, but I kind of agree. It may be wrong, but at least it's honest. This honesty seems to be something we've lost somewhere along the way...

Friday, 6 November 2009

Come and see the real thing...

Join me on an authentically documented trip around the world, with images I found on this sweet photography blog, Kampol Litkanjanajul, that I stumbled upon recently.

Finland.

Helsinki, Finland.

Helsinki, Finland.

Istanbul, Turkey.

Japan.

Japan.

Liverpool.

New Mexico, USA.

New Orleans, USA.

New Orleans, USA.

New Orleans, USA.

York Minster, England.

York Minster, England.

Makes me want to travel the world all the more...

Catch.

Romany

[photos courtesy of kampoll.com]

Wednesday, 4 November 2009

Fairytale, indeed...

Miranda Kerr stars in this whimsical photo shoot by Simon Lekias, for Harper's Bazaar Australia's December issue.



My personal favourite.


Not usually a huge Miranda fan, but this is too gorgeous not to love.
Catch.

Romany

[photos courtesy of fashiongonerogue.com]

Sunday, 1 November 2009

The city has sex...


For a night on the town...

Catch.

Romany

[photo courtesy of polyvore.com]

Lusting After...


Christian Louboutin heel, $825.
A ladylike black patent pump defines the term 'well-heeled'. You can't go wrong with this sexy but sophisticated extra.

If I can't have these Louboutins, I need (okay so maybe I don't need them) something exactly the same. My current going-out shoes pale in comparison to these babies.

Catch.

Romany

[photo courtesy of harpersbazaar.com]

Sunday, 4 October 2009

The truth...

A while back I placed a poll on my blog asking the question Do you think the fashion industry is to blame for the 'body image' crisis? The poll ended and I saved the results, but for some reason I had completely forgotten about them until I stumbled upon them a few minutes ago while cleaning out old files. Out of sight, out of mind I suppose. I thought it might be interesting to share the results.

Do you think the fashion industry is to blame for the 'body image' crisis?

72% said Yes -- how can young girls feel beautiful within themselves when there is an entire industry devoted to telling them they're not pretty enough?

16% said No --'body image' issues are the product of being surrounded by unsupportive people.

4% said No --the fashion and beauty industries are helping young girls with self-esteem issues, by providing them with products/clothes that make them feel prettier.

4% said Unhealthy 'body image' is not a crisis as far as I'm concerned.

8% were Undecided.



I provided the additional answers to help voters decide.
What do you think of these results? Shocked or unsurprised?

Catch.

Romany

Sunday, 20 September 2009

MTV VMA's 2009 Red Carpet


Was I the only one who thought this year's VMA's were the best VMA's in a long time? Recently the show has been rather disappointing, but the show this year absolutely delivered.
I may even be rethinking my aversion to all things Beyonce (with the exception of Single Ladies, one of the greatest songs of the decade, and one of the best music videos of all time), given her graciousness?

Catch.

Romany

[photos courtesy of mtv.com]

Saturday, 12 September 2009

Wardrobe Envy: Scarlett Johansson

Scarlett in Paris to celebrate the release of her album with Peter Yorn

I have only recently converted from being a Scarlett anti-fan, and seeing her in an outfit as cute as this only makes me like her more. Very french, very retro, very chic.
What do you all think? Yay or nay?

Catch.

Romany

[photos courtesy of popsugar.com]

Sunday, 30 August 2009