Flatlay Fever

Flatlays are the ultimate must-have accessories to every modern-day blogger's Instagram feed. A well placed and professional layout of products - flatlays are the latest strategic marketing tool being used by bloggers and fashion companies alike to subtly promote their product to a wide spread social media audience. If you're an aspiring fashion creative looking to break into this tough industry, having the ability to produce a high-quality flatlay is a great attribute to have and adds one more element to your resume to help you get noticed.

Because of the rising popularity of flatlays (and because I consider myself pretty alright at producing a decent flatlay) I thought it would be a great time for me to share my tips and trick on how to create an eye-catching and professional fashion flatlay.

Life of A Top Model                            Whats In My Makeup Bag                           Shop Til You Drop

USE NATURAL LIGHTING

My first tip is to always use natural light. Natural light is the most flattering you can capture therefore is the most complimentary to produce a good photo. Personally I take my images on the ground in front of a big window but you could shoot on a table, your bed, anywhere as long as its stable and close to a large amount of natural light. I've found you get the best images when you shoot mid-morning or in the middle of the day as this is when the light is at its brightest. Understandably though, us busy fashionistas are constantly working and it can be difficult to find a time, during daylight, to shoot an array of flatlay photos. My suggestion for overcoming this is to dedicate some time on the weekend to put together your images. For example spend your Sunday morning shooting 3-4 flatlays, bank them up on your phone and your Instagram feed is sweet for the next week.

ALWAYS HAVE A WHITE BACKGROUND

If you are really looking to capture a professional and high-end aesthetic in your flatlays its crucial to use a white background. Using white allows the focus to be solely on your products and your well thought out placement. It ensures the products and their labels aren't washed out by a background of similar colours and captures the true shapes of the products used. White also creates a flattering contrast and allows the vibrancy of your products to shine. To create a white background use a piece of white cardboard, a white bedspread, sheets or if you're lucky enough to have access to a studio you could use a studio paper roll.

Alexander McQueen                                                                          Summer Essentials

         MBFWA                                              Urban Decay Launch                               Electrify Mag Launch

CREATE A THEME/MOOD

Creating a mood or theme for your flatlay gives you a concept or idea to work with when compiling products to feature in your flatlay. A theme could be anything from "current fashion favourites" or "Mercedes Benz Fashion Week" to "fitness" or "travel". It can be broad or it can be extremely niche, its entirely up to you, as long as you have an idea to work with you will be able to find and put together an array of products that compliment each other. It is important to keep in mind that you don't have to strictly use products that instantly scream the words of your theme. Be creative and think outside of the box - using products that still have a slight attachment to the key words but are not something you would instantly think of. For example when putting together a flatlay for "fitness" you don't necessarily have to include a plate of salad or a photo of your gym membership. Think beyond these generic items and include your new pair of Nikes, your workout gear or magazine images of fitness gurus who are your ultimate inspiration.

SHOWCASE AN ARRAY OF PRODUCTS

Flatlays aren't all about fashion or beauty products, its an opportunity to share your all-time favourite purchases or products of the moment with your viewers and showcase a variety of different brands. Its important to use an array of items to create a mood and showcase your personality through your images. You can use anything you like in your flatlays from clothing to beauty items, accessories, food, travel items etc. The key is that you place the items you choose strategically and use the products to tell a story. To add depth and personality to your image its important to place your products in different and intriguing ways. For example some bloggers strictly place their products symmetrically and in-line with each other while others will always have their products on a diagonal. Personally I like to use a combination of symmetrical and asymmetrical lines to place my products and create interest at a number of different points throughout the image.

CAPTURE WITH A GOOD CAMERA

Using a good camera is a crucial element in capturing a professional flatlay image. Taking your photos with a clear and advanced camera will enhance the quality and resolution of your images as well as allow the true colours and shapes of your featured products to shine through. Personally the term "good camera" I consider as either a professional DSLR such as a Nikon of Canon or the camera in-built to one of the latest models of a smart phone e.g the iPhone 6 or the latest Samsung. Its also important to note that you should never use flash. In the past I have only found flash to create more shadows to your flatlays and take away the raw and natural element we create with natural light.

              Purple Day                                                                             Breast Cancer Awareness

TAKE TIME TO EDIT IMAGES

 Lastly but probably the most importantly it is essential to edit your flatlay photos before upload. Editing flatlays should only be used to enhance the colour and light captured during your shoot and intensify the quality of the image. I also use this editing time to crop my photos. Personally I think flatlays are the most flattering when cropped to a square as it allows the whole image to be filled with product and the labels to be read clearly. It also increases the professionalism of the image. You can achieve a square flatlay by either cropping the photo taken with your DSLR camera or you could simply take a square image of your flatlay with your smart phone. When editing the elements of a flatlay I always like to enhance the contrast and brightness to create the illusion the background is a very stark white and sometimes, depending on the image,  I will enhance the saturation and sharpness to emphasise the vibrancy of colours and reveal the true and raw shapes of the featured products.

High Fashion: Fashion Flatlays - all images used are my own.

So there you have it, those are my top tips and tricks to producing a professional and high-quality fashion flatlay. Getting it right the first time can be a little tricky and sometimes frustrating when the images don't come out how you want them to, but just take your time and strategically edit and the final product will come together. 

For more fashion flatlay inspo head over to Instagram and follow @flatlaystyle and @flatlays for some amazingly creative images.

orana college

I can't believe it's almost been a year since I started my journey at Orana College and that my time as a student there has just about to come to an end.

This time twelve months ago I was a young, shy 20 year old who'd just moved to the big smoke to follow her dreams. I was an aspiring stylist but had no idea how to get my foot in the door of the fashion industry let alone gain the skills to one-day fufil this type of role. Every fashion course I had looked at was either heavily focused on design or strictly running a fashion business, non of which included topics on fashion styling or any other subjects I was interested in. That's when magically (thanks to Google) I came across Orana College. 

"Orana is a private Fashion Business College located in Ultimo, the education hub of Sydney. We offer a part-time accredited Fashion Business Course committed to giving our students practical skills, pathways and connections useful for their future in the fashion industry and beyond"

 The college was a perfect fit for my course requirements and current lifestyle. A part-time course, only requiring you to attend one day a week that allowed me to continue working, had a heavy focus on styling and still presented me with a qualification at the end. I loved the course because it was also only a short term commitment (one year) and it gave me the chance not only to explore my interest in styling but also gave me the opportunity to learn about different career paths and sectors of the industry that I made not have thought about or considered beforehand. But my absolute favourite part about the college was the feeling I got as soon as I stepped through the door. A feeling of certainty, a feeling of happiness and comfort. I straight away knew this college was for me and that it was everything I had been looking for.

Throughout my journey at Orana I have met so many amazing people and have created numerous life experiences that I will never forget. If it wasn't for the opportunities presented to me by Orana I would never of been able to sit front row at a show as Jennifer Hawkins and Nicole Trunfio walked  past. I would never of had the opportunity to assist on photo-shoots and styling for runways shows and I definitely would not have been able to present professional social media accounts that would go on to opens doors for future networking and exciting opportunities including attending my first ever show at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Australia and being an editorial contributor for New York based online magazine Electrify Mag.

In just one year I've managed to transform from a shy, uncertain girl with big dreams and aspirations into a confident, self assured and happy young woman who is chasing those dreams and ticking off goals one day at a time. Attending the college gave me the chance to explore my passion for photography, visual merchandising and writing all in one and allowed me to realise that I actually don't want to be a stylist but I want to be an all round fashion creative and someone that dabbles in it all. I've learnt that if having a balance in a number of different fields is what I need to do to be happy then thats ok and that I can do whatever I want to do as long as it makes me feel good.

Without the guidence and support of my Orana College teachers, mentors and friends in the past year I would never of been exposed to such amazing opportunities or be as happy, confident and content with my life as I am right now. I'm headed in the most amazing direction to keep chasing my dreams and I can't wait to continue the relationships I've made and find out what the future holds.

For more information on Orana College, what they are all about and the amazing experiences they have to offer head to www.oranacollege.com.au/ 

fashion obsessions

Lately I have been looking for new and innovative ways to freshen up my grungy,  leather, black and plaid based style. I was getting bored with the copious amounts of dark, bikie clothing and button-ups to tie around my waist and I was looking for elements that would keep my style unique and colourful whilst still edgy all at the same time. That's when I discovered my latest fashion obsession: 

bohemian grunge. 

A classic combination between soft, flowy shapes and hard, edgy textures and shades, I love the style because its alternate and care -free. Its a style that truly reflects my maturing self and exudes strong confidence and self assurance. A style that fills my life with joy and keeps me consistently happy and inspired.

 My Instagram feed is filled with a mix of enthusiasts who (just like me) love everything bohemian and/or grunge. They keep me in the loop with all the new and improved trends and elements of these styles on a daily basis and force me to stay motivated.  Some of my main inspirations are Youtubers Cartia Mallan and Karissa Pukas who both have impeccable personal style. Cartia is a free-spirited kitty from Brisbane and I absolutely adore her. She's always putting together fresh bohemian outfits and showcasing the latest trends. She's a huge driving force behind my bohemian traits and I always end up wanting to hunt down or replicate at least one element from her outfit creations. Karissa on the other-hand is a little more badass and brings out the darker side in me. Her grungier style mixed with bohemian accessories and breath-taking prints is a closer example of what my style has begun to evolve into. I'm constantly inspired by her cool and edgy creations and her ability to mix elements from both trends together to put bring to life outfits that always look effortlessly cool.

My biggest celebrity influence is without a doubt Kylie Jenner. In my eyes, she can do no wrong and her ultimate grunge perfection is the driving force behind the harder, more in-depth elements of my style.  I've also been obsessing over fashion sites Shantique Designs and Gypsy Warrior who both produce incredible look books showcasing respectively bohemian and grunge trends and produce aesthetics that are alternate, edgy and super cool. 

I'm literally so obsessed with this trend and can't help but share some photos of inspiration.

Let your mind run wild with the salty air in your hair and wet sand between your toes. 

Be young, be free and dream. 

undiscovered talent | habadakas

When thinking of jewellery I think of dainty little chains, gold and silver and sentimental pieces that last a life time. Traditional and some-what generic. Something that every woman has and if it's not from the jewellers its a fast-fashion piece from Lovisa or Equip. There's not alot of diversity within the jewellery market and there aren't alot of pieces that stand out from the rest, but there's one young lady who's breaking through the boundaries of contemporary jewellery and bringing innovative creativity to the fashion accessory world.

Harriet Culbertson, better known as Hattie, is the 18 year old muse behind the fearless jewellery label Habadakas.  A label that is "vibrant and contemporary" and specialises in extravagant and detailed leather neck pieces. She uses colourful leather and intricate beading to create her unique fabric jewellery range.

Her pieces are armour-like fashionable shields for the body and remind me of warriors (fashionable warriors) preparing for war. Inspired predominantly by Bali and all the country's influential elememts - the people, culture, nature and scenery, Hattie transforms these noticeable elements into breath-taking one-off pieces that attract the bold and the daring. You see the connection through the colour schemes, placement of beads and the structure of her designs. Its avant-garde, festival attire and the breath of fresh air that the jewellery and accessory realm needs.

Her other inspirations include fellow boundary pushing designers including Australia label Romance Was Born and Japanese designer Maiko Takeda. She is inspired by their innovative ways of thinking and fresh ideas. She also finds herself continuously inspired by her magical surroundings and fellow talented Adelaide creatives.

Earlier this year, Hattie launched her debut collection "Hati Hati". The collection which translates to "danger" or "caution" in Balinese is a raw interpretation of Hattie's inspirations consisting of one-off hand-made designs in energetic colour schemes and adorned with intricate and precisely placed beading. The collection brings to life artwork for the body and embodies the bold and brave qualities which her consumers portray. 

She is currently expanding the already incredible Habadakas range with the introduction of cuffs, anklets and small clutches which are again,  hand-made delicately with fine leathers and exquisite beads.

"I aim to encourage my customers to dress fearlessly and more boldly"

Habadakas is an incredibly inspiring, up-and-coming brand. Hattie's ideas and creative energies are bringing to life a new sector in the fashion, jewellery and accessory world. It's rebellious its bold and its brave. Its a brand that I see taking over the world, bringing to life a new realm of individuality and daring ideas. 

I look forward to the journey of Habadakas, watching them grow and witnessing the revolution they are bringing upon the fashion accessory world. For more information on the brand and where you can pick up one of their one-off designs, head to their Facebook or Instagram sites.

Images and information sourced from Habadakas social media and their feature with The Adelaidian

salty sequin dream

Welcome to the second instalment of my photo series featuring the beautiful Maria Reboredo from thefashiontherapistx. Shot once again at Garie Beach,  this story portrays a soulful woman who has attended a gala event the night before. The quiet night turned into an all-nighter and the next morning she has found herself at her favourite locale, the beach. Its her happy place, a place where she can be free, relaxed and forget all her worries. You see her smile from ear-to-ear as the sun shines and she forgets all the troubles in the world. 

She's a dreamer and she's not afraid to be.

 She lives happy, lives free.

Photographer: Lizz Berthaly (Haus of Azile)

Model: Maria Reboredo (thefashiontherapistx)

denim domination

I like denim, you like denim, we all like denim! Not only is it a staple in the average woman's wardrobe, but the right wash just seems to go with everything we own and ensures we're always looking effortlessly cool. There's no denying its an essential and with the 70's revival trend now in full force its pretty obvious that denim is going to contribute to one of the biggest trends of the season, but not in the way we all would of thought! 

Say goodbye to your skinnies. That's the first step of this transition. Yes I know, we all thought our skinny leg jeans would get us through the winter for decades but unfortunately (in the fashion realm) that ship has sailed. Its time for us to break out of our skinny jean habit and experiment with more exhilarating shapes and cuts by saying hello to the return of the mom jean and the boot-scootin flare. The mom jean provides a more relaxed fit and casual aspect to the denim domination trend whilst the flared jean will satisfy the needs of those of you looking for something more daring and definitive of the over-powering 70's trend.

If pants aren't your thing, try out a denim skirt. Mini, midi or maxi, its completely up to you but its definitely a trend you need to sink your teeth (or legs) into this winter. A-line cut is key, flattering a large number of body shapes and emphasising the desired hourglass aesthetic its the perfect piece to get you through the seasons and compliment your shape all year round. 

Finally, for all you modern-day muses of the 70's trend,  its time to invest in a denim one-piece.  A denim pinafore or pair of overalls is the way to go and if you're looking to grab this trend by the horns one of these pieces (if not both) are a necessity! Both options scream modernity and vintage cool. Obnoxious denim overalls will catapult you to a new fashion status with the latest take on the jumpsuit oozing street cred and modern style. While the button-down pinafore satisfies the needs of those fashion-forward, trend breaking souls. Its bold  and its daring, but if you're comfortable with your body and love being on show then you have nothing to hide! Rock this 70's vibe and reach for those ultimate fashion goals.

Jeans, one-pieces and skirts you name it, the 70's trend captures it all. Believe it or not double denim is even now socially acceptable in the everyday world. So to get you inspired and excited to go out and purchase your new must-have denim items I've compiled a collection of my favourite denim street-style hits.  

Enjoy and say hello again to 70's denim.

Lonely Lingerie

Confidence, sex appeal, love. What is lingerie to you?
 A sexy woman who is naturally self-assured and loves prancing around in revealing get-ups for her long time lover? Or an insecure woman? A shy soul who is dying to chuck back on her largest, baggiest oversized tee. Under garments (especially sexy under garments) are a personal topic for us women. We all long to be that confident female and tell ourselves that one day we will have the body of a Victoria's Secret Model, but if we're honest, thats probably (definitely) never gonna happen. So taking a realistic approach, isn't it better for us to learn to love ourselves and find pieces that MAKE us feel sexy, are comfortable to wear and accentuate our natural, feminine shape? 

Well rising New Zealand based label "Lonely Lingerie" is doing just this. Creating sexy, vintage inspired pieces for woman of all shapes and sizes around the world.  

Created in 2009 by Helene Morris and Steve Ferguson, Lonely Lingerie is inspired by vintage corsetry and underwear and designed to showcased the beauty and femininity of the female form. Delicate lace and mesh is used in their collections, giving a subtle nod to their main inspiration with the incorporation of sultry cutouts, detailed straps and subtle but sexy colour palettes giving their designs a modern edge. They're blurring the line between fashion and underwear with long line bras (that can be worn as crops), high-waisted briefs and bodysuits that bring together their breathtaking collections. 

Their pieces make you feel good about your body with flattering aesthetics and designs. High-waisted briefs will allow those conscious of their stomach to hide their biggest insecurity whilst their wide selection of cup sizes (from A-E) give almost any woman the opportunity to treat themselves to a Lonely Lingerie piece. They're also huge advocates for embracing the female form and the varying shapes and sizes of everyday women, which they showcase incredibly through their visual diary The Lonely Girls Project. Born in 2012 the project aims to capture edgy images of Lonely Lingerie's own customers from all around the world and rather than solely capturing their products, the project focuses on telling a story (in one photo) of who these women are, their lifestyle, personality and culture, all whilst showcasing the variety of woman who advocate their designs. The Lonely Girls Project has provided an inspirational platform to showcase real women and empower the physically, culturally and geographically diverse females of today. 

 Thanks to their innovative designs, captivating projects and the rising popularity of alternate culture, Lonely Lingerie has fast become an iconic label of the modern day and is taking over the world one dreamer at a time. So gals, be proud of your body, be proud of your flaws and love yourself.

 Don't be Lonely anymore.

For more information of to find a stockist near you head to
www.lonelylabel.com

sol sana

High quality, superb leather. That's what every girl wants in life right!?

 Well I certainly know its all I dream about. A good pair of timeless leather boots, or an edgy pair of unique metallic sandals. Its what every fashion-junkie lusts for but something that none of us actually know how to obtain or where to find. Emerging designer and entrepreneur Sara Caverley saw this gap in the footwear market 5 years ago. A gap that was screaming for higher-end designs, fabrics and styles at an attainable price. 

This is when the Australia based footwear label Sol Sana was born.

Sourcing inspiration from the industry's hottest runways and high-end design, the brand promises to bring to life high-fashion, stylish footwear that's wearable, comfortable and retailed at an affordable price. They use the most exquisite materials including luscious leathers and an array of fine materials and trims that give an expensive aesthetic to each and every design.

They're a diverse brand who are fun, bold and imaginative, fast becoming an innovative muse to the creative trendsetters of today. They expose super edgy traits that feed the cravings of the youth-driven markets, whilst also providing sophisticated pieces to the more business savvy, feminine woman. And although they've always bought something a little different to the table, their latest campaign really up-ed their game and captured the cultural edge they have over their competitors. The campaign took their images and promotional material from generic, good quality images to a raw, alternate and youthful frame. One that honestly expresses the connection they have with the pop-culture and current trends of modern society.

They've also recently started designing clutches and bags to go alongside their footwear. These accessories exude the same quality and appeal as the shoes and use similar materials to create that luxe vibe. They are the perfect addition to compliment their range and a great starting point to begin expanding their product offering. Sol Sana are continuing to expose their brand to a wide audience which is evident through their impressive lists of recognisable and diverse stockists including the likes of Urban Outfitters, Gypsy Warrior, General Pants, The Iconic and David Jones. 

This past weekend they also showcased their products and ran a pop-up store at one of Sydney's most exciting fashion events, Fashion Weekend. Held at the Royal Hall of Industries in Moore Park, the event brings an impressive list of Australian brands and designers together under one roof to showcase their collections and offer their products to the public for a heavily discounted price. This year Sol Sana sat pretty alongside the likes of By Johnny, Bec and Bridge and C/MEO Collective just to name a few and put loads of happy smiles of the faces on fashion-crazed Aussies who got the chance to snag a bargain piece.

A brand of diversity and immense creativity, Sol Sana are an incredibly inspiring and innovative company. Their designs continue to evolve and surpass my expectations with every collection they put out and I'm always in awe of each and every piece. As they continue to be a standout in the footwear field and reach a broad range of consumers, I'll be keeping watch to see them rise to the top and become one of the leading footwear labels Australia has to offer.

For more information about Sol Sana and where you can find their product near you head to
www.sol-sana.com

fashion ethics

When it comes to fashion and the basic clothing we continuously consume, we don't often think about the ethics of our clothing; what the working standards and wages are like where the product is made, if any animals get harmed in the production process or if the packaging we take the product away in damages our environment.

One company that is an inspirational advocate for ethical fashion and is described by the head of the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Karen Walker,  as a "pioneer of sustainable fashion" is home grown boutique label Gorman.

Founded in 1999 by fashion enthusiast Lisa Gorman, the Gorman label is filled with eclectic clothing that screams individuality and gives a modern nod to tribal prints and textile art. Already an established and well-loved brand for the free-spirited hippie, Gorman introduced their "Gorman Organic" range in 2007 to comply with the ethical demands of the evolving fashion industry and their environmentally friendly clientele. 

Gorman insist that all their factories and manufacturers must adhere to a strict social and ethical code of conduct that covers a number of issues that are controversial and unacceptable in today's modern society. All Gorman suppliers must meet the following standards to continually work alongside the brand. These standards include that: the workplace is safe and hygienic, no child labour is used, there's no discrimination, living wages are paid, working hours are regular but not excessive, there is no bribery or corruption and no inhumane or harsh treatment is practiced. To ensure companies comply with these standards, Gorman undertakes an audit at least once a year on every manufacturer and factory they source from and if any issues are discovered an action plan is put in place to correct the problems with several more audits (both announced and un-announced) followed to be certain that all standards are being met.

In terms of animal welfare, unlike your typical ethical company who may compromise the use of leather and fur to stay ethical, Gorman still stocks products of this substance but insists they go to great and impressive lengths to ensure that all animals are treated in a humane manner and are not viciously harmed in the process. The company is very strict that all leather and hide is solely sourced from New Zealand where they have strict guidelines in place to ensure all animals are treated in a humane manner. 

Also unlike alot of ethically friendly brands, Gorman continues to use angora fibres for some of their woollen products. The use of angora is quite a controversial topic and has sparked a fire over on their Facebook page but despite the controversy, Gorman insists that all their angora wool is ethically sourced and their suppliers shave the fur from the angora rabbits back rather than plucking it or ripping the fibres straight from their skin.  They also hire one of the world's leading independent inspection companies to monitor and regularly check up on their angora suppliers to ensure they comply with the Five Freedoms policy which ensures the rabbits are free from hunger and thirst, discomfort, pain, injury and disease, are free from fear and distress and are able to express their normal animalistic behaviours. However when Gorman does not release details of their suppliers location and 90% of angora is sourced from Asia (where there is no penalties for abuse of animals) it is hard to be sure that this ethical standard is truly met.

Gorman don't only practice ethical values in the production of their products, they also share these values in their boutiques. The interiors of their stores are created with recycled or locally sourced timbers, their dressing rooms are adorned with unbleached linen curtains and all their lighting is energy efficient, vintage pendants that have either be recycled or are salvaged goods.

Gorman also show their appreciation for the environment and enforce customers to opt for no baggage by planting a tree in a South American eco-reserve for every 3 customers who say no to a bag. In 2010 they reduced their use of plastic on packaging by 90% in one year which they describe as "one of our proudest manoeuvres to date". They've also cut their sea-freighted orders down to 63% which is marginally less than many other companies around the world and they actively work to combine deliveries so that shipping and trucking can be less frequent. Finally Gorman tirelessly work  to ensure a high-quality product that is going to last for an impressive amount of time is produced and they love seeing people wearing their vintage Gorman pieces 2, 5 and even 10 years down the track. They also compile a bundle every month of pre-loved or returned pieces to give to charity stores and allow the less fortunate to be able to experience the Gorman world.

It's fair to say that Gorman is an incredibly inspirational brand that really value the ethics of fashion and are an amazing example of how sustainable fashion can be achieved. As the ethics of the industry continue to be more considered in everyday purchasing, it will be interesting to see how Gorman, and the rest of the fashion industry adapt to the demands of the environmentally aware consumer of today.