R - LOU DOILLON

Model.Actess.French.Fabulous

J- Just Cool: Bob Dylan

Musician. Poet. Just incredibly cool.

R - I Don't Think So

Okay so Ballina + fashion = the look you give someone when you're trying not to sway their opinion but you really want to. Ballina just isn't a very fashionable place. I'm not saying that everyone in Ballina is a crappy dresser, its just too commercial. There's too many people that only shop at Supre and think they've got what it takes to become a fashion designer.
So here's my recommendation to you:
If you like being creative and out there with your clothes, don't live in Ballina. You shouldn't care what people think of what you're wearing as long as you love it, but there's just so much fabulous stuff that you just can't wear in a little rural semi-bogan town. Go live in the city, I'm sure you'll find it much more suited to your tastes.

J- When you just wanna feel Australian...

Okay, so I've been living in France for over a month now, and after a lifetime of wishing for pale English-rose skin, brown curly locks, rolling green hills, and endless drizlling rain, I am actually beginning to long for all things surf, sand, and sun! Ironic, I know. So, my goal for this year, besides learning as much as possible French-wise, is to remain as Australian as I can without being? I dunno, pretentious.

Here is my survival kit:

1. Paw Paw cream. It is so dry here, and my lips just dont know how to handle it, having spent their childhood in the humid, Aussie weather. So Pawpaw cream, made in good old Queensland, Australia, is essential. Every 5 minutes. Really.

2. Blondifying Shampoo. I havent been truly blonde for a long time, but there is still a hint of glod beneath that sheet of crappy mousey brown... and I plan on clinging to it!!!!

3. Gradual tanner. I hate being white. It feels so...um.. FAT. Like really unhealthy and dull. So I bought some lovely Granier gradual tanner to keep me glowing.

4. Palmers cocobutter. I dont think its Australian, but it is soooo good. And it smells like The Body Shop which is my fave beauty store in Oz.

5. Most importantly, my Aussie playlist on my Ipod. Yves Klein Blue, INXS, Midnight Oil, Pete Murray, Cat Empire... the list goes on and on. God, we are a musically awesome nation!!

AUSSIE AUSSIE AUSSIE!! OI OI OI!

Oh, by the way, we so do not say "Throw another shrimp on the barbie!" I mean, what the fuck is a shrimp? We call them prawns, honey!! At least, I think we do... seriously what is a shrimp??



Paw Paw cream on all its brilliance. And moi, giving it a well-deserved snog!

R - It's LOVE

RAIN - It's so pretty and nice and when it's all finished everything feels cleaner. Sometimes a big rain storm is just what you need to wash all your problems away. I love the smell of it and the feel on your skin but the best thing to do when its raining is to get a rain date :) Find someone and go out into the rain and dance and get completely soaked and just lose it! Trust me you'll feel so good afterwards and it's oodles of fun. Or if you don't like getting wet just get an umbrella and go out for a walk, or snuggle up on the couch with a big blanket and watch your favourite movie :)



NAIL POLISH - Painting my nails is becoming one of my favourite things to do. I can't even remember the last time my nails werent coloured. Baby Pink, Blue, peach andblack are my favourites. So i'd just like to put it out there that painting your nails black is not emo. Black nails and a cute dress are a fabulous combo and not emo in the slightest.



FRANKIE MAGAZINE - What more can I say, honestly it's fabbity fab with knobs on!



TARTAN - Awesomity filled, Marvellous, Stupendous and rather Swell

J- Rant # 2

After 11 years of wearing a school uniform (baggy shirt andnavy nylon shorts... great..), school in France (without a uniform or even a dress code! Wooh!) is, unsurprisingly, very refreshing. All these kids, letting their personalities shine through their outfits. I could just sit and people watch for hours, discovering new style ideas, and different groups... different patterns in the way they dress.

Because there are patterns. In the French schooling system, you choose a line, when you are about 16 years old, which has the appropriate subjects for your interests or your chosen career (pressure much??) I think there is something like a scientific line, an economics line, and a literature line. I am in the literature one, and it is amazing how obvious it is that these kids are into art and books. They express it so well through their clothes! For the most part, my class likes to wear huge hemp harem pants, thick eyeliner, bold jewellery, and loads of layers and scarves. There are, of course, a few acceptions: the kids that dont care about fashion at all and just stick to the same pair of jeans and dorky black zip-up jacket day after day, and the girls who dress in the more sophisticated, preppy way- black trench, white blouse, skinny jeans, and knee high boots.

If you take a look at the kids from the other subject lines, they tend to be a bit more randomly dressed- like they arent all trying to be different in the same way-, though the 2 main looks are preppy (think Blai Waldorf with less colour) and American rapper (think big hoop earrings, hoodies, tracksuit pants, and massive Nike sneakers).

I just feel like going around with a camera and taking pics of everyone! But that might not go down to well... especially considering my French ain't too swell. But when it is, I promise I'll start!! It'll be tres brill :)

J- Je n'ai pas assez d'argent :(

Okay, so yesterday afternoon, I finished school at 3, meaning I had like 2 hours to fill before the bus arrived. So, because this is France, and you can just walk in and out of school as you please (cool, huh), my friend and I walked into town for a shopping session. Well, on her part, because I, unfortunately, have no money at the moment. Like literally, none. Vair sad, I know, and it was even sadder when I discovered the shoes of my dreams and couldnt afford to buy them! They were converse. And they had the UK flag on them. And "The Who" written on the tongue. Just so you know, I am absolutely osessed with the UK. If anything, no matter how ugly, is remotely related to Britain, I want it. I really really really want these Cons. So, I've told myself that if they are still their when I get my monthly allowance, I will buy them. Fingers crossed...

Gosh, aren't they perfection in a shoe?