Creative Outlet

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Dress: Anthea Crawford neoprene

Haberdashery: Kaela's Patch polyblend

Heels: Wittner leather

Bag: Forever New vinyl with silver hardware

Watch: Guess silver

Wrap Around Bracelet: Swarovski leather & crystal

Hinged Bangle: Wallace Bishop silver

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What I love most about being a stylist is the transformative power of fashion; the way that empowering someone through what they wear has a "flow on" effect in their lives. It's not just a frivolous endeavour - the right outfit can increase a person's confidence, improve their outlook & even inspire them to undertake a task they never thought possible. Best of all? It doesn't have to "break the bank," as the saying goes. It's not about how much you spend, it's about choosing the right fabrics & cuts for you & styling them up in a way that is both interesting & appropriate for the occasion. Truthfully, I do wear quite a lot of designer label Anthea Crawford dresses (some gifted by dear friends, some purchased by me) so to offset that expenditure & keep it from becoming too "precious" for everyday living, I like to try & find bargains when it comes to the accessories... you know, that items that really "pull the look together."

Here's where DFO Brisbane Airport comes in! Big brands at low prices. Not everything is reduced (of course) & you might have to rummage through sale racks, but it's worth it to find some absolute gems for a steal... Personally, my favourite stores include Wittner, Review, Blue Illusion, Portmans & Decjuba for big reductions on a wide range of styles & sizes. For Queensland readers, here's my tip: it may not feel like it now but WINTER IS COMING & I am quietly confident that we will need knitwear of some kind to layer... DFO Brisbane Airport is knitwear, jacket, overcoat & gumboot heaven, so make sure you check it out before the big chill actually begins...

For a morning spent styling up some beautiful ladies, I donned a gorgeous large-scale floral neoprene wiggle dress with cold shoulder detailing & below-the-knee hemline from Anthea Crawford. The first time I wore it there was an unfortunate mishap with a pocket knife & a rogue thread on the bodice so I forced to "think outside the box" & head to my local haberdashery store, Kaela's Patch, to find a solution. Cue this amazing 3D polyblend flower embellishment that I had sewn over the offending spot... I think they add just a little something extra to the whole look, don't you?

When it came to footwear, I decided on these blush leather strappy heels from Wittner for the optimum mix of comfort & style & carried a matching vinyl shoulder bag with silver hardware from Forever New... always best to keep your hands free if you're planning on a big shopping trip. Jewellery was simple, yet statement-making & most of all smooth to avoid create pulls or marks on any of the clothing: an androgynous silver watch from Guess, chunky silver hinged bangle from Wallace Bishop & white leather wrap bangle studded with crystals from Swarovski for that touch of daytime sparkle. Scroll down for a final look...