McQueen Lookbook. Graphic, furs and bustles..ohmy!

....words.....not....needed....

Style Profile - Baba's got it going on...

TGIF....whopppppp! After a hectic week of running around getting various things studded, kicking Yolanda's aka Jack ass in boxing and of stalking various style blogs I have decided to profile one of my favourite stylist and fashion personalities, Catherine Baba, to end the week.


Now she may be exceptionally skinny, have hardly any eyebrows and to the casual observer slightly ugly, but it must be stated that her wickedness is universal. This is a woman who marches to the beat of her own drum, and you should know that her drum will be the most original and stylish drum in town.

Who is Catherine Baba? Well Australians she is one of us, but has been living in Paris for the past 15 years where she works as a freelance fashion stylist. She has worked with designers Jeremy Scott, Emmanual Ungaro, Moschino, Chanel and Givency and for magazines such as Dazed and Confused, Vogue, Gioello, Stiletto, Above, Paper and Vanity Fair.

I love her as she is a living and breathing photo shoot. What I mean by this is she dresses the way she styles with loads of jewels, bigger than her face earrings, turbans, layers and layers of clothing, sky high heels and usually toping it off with some over the top fur. She is like Ana Piaggi on less crack and was doing the Lady Gaga thing long before Gaga was a thing.

She mixes that ambiguous but classic 1920's/1930's look with that OTT 1970's Disco Diva vibe and then some early 90's ghetto influences thrown in there for good measure. You won’t spot her without a ton of bangles and a cigarette holder...does she even smoke? who the eff' knows.

Note to self: must by vintage cigarette holder tomorrow.

How do I say Catherine Baba is the queen of cool, without sounding like a dick? Ok there is no way...

She has been called "the most stylish woman in Paris" by Karl Lagerfield need I say more? YES! This is my favourite thing about her; She rides her bike around the busiest streets of Paris in some of the tallest heels I have ever seen! Like seriously does this woman have a death wish? I even take off my heels when I drive my car, let alone when I jump on a bike and I've been known to do crazy things for fashion! Bab's takes it to another level.

She is an example that someone who is not traditionaly pretty can pull off amazing looks, just add the most important element and that is confidence. Confidence is totes the key.

Just strut. s-t-r-u-t, s-t-r-u-t, s-t-r-u-t...

Light & Shade Photo shoot

Here is the full story of the Photo shoot I styled called 'Light and Shade', which I have entered into the Sportsgirl Super Stylist competition. It was a play on texture, layers and a touch of bling. While sourcing for this shoot I discovered the relatively unknown label Wondercease which do some beautiful work with organza in interesting silhouettes, the organza blazer is a personal fav.

Also make sure to check out the bottom 4 looks which I love but didn't enter into the competition... 

Look 1

Wondercease Body Suit, Evil Twin Striped Maxi Cape, Alistair Trung Black Nomad Mesh Leggings,State of Georgia Grey Suede Boots and Peeptoe Perspex Necklace. 

Look 2

Wondercease Organza Jacket, Levante Body Lace Briefs, Perspex Necklace and Chain and Crystal Chunky Necklace both by Peeptoe shoes. 

Look 3

Staple Black Mesh Tank, State of Georgia Wonderland Shorts, Alistair Trung Stone Kalahari Crepe de Chine Vest, State of Georgia Black Leather Boots, Belle Bijoux Louisa Zebra Print Belt, Coco Liberace Lindsay Cuff and Peeptoe Multi Chain Cuff. 

 

Look 4

Staple White Cotton Shoestring Singlet, Levante Body Lace Brief, Alistair Trung Black Decoy Ladder Scarf, State of Georgia Black Leather Boot, Peeptoe Chain and Crystal Chunky Necklace, Coco Liberace Silver Paper Link Necklace, Peeptoe Crystal Statement Ring and Mosiac Box Ring which is my own.

 

Look 5

Wondercease Sheer Organza Tank, Staple Khaki Cropped Jacket, Toi et Moi White Vest and matching Shorts, Coco Liberace Solid Gold Necklace and Escapulario Laila brown rope Necklace.

 

Look 6

Lorna Jane Black Crop Top, Soil Heretic Metal Knit Tank and Stone Nomad Silk Legging both by Alistair Trung, Pool Side Shorts and Grey Suede Boots both by State of Georgia, Coco Liberace Lindsay Cuff, Peeptoe Crystal Statement Ring and Mosiac Box Ring which is my own.

Look 7

Alistair Trung Captive Calico Net, State of Georgia Black Flower Bra, Wondercease Wrap Around Clip Skirt, Egg Shape Bangle which I bought from topshop and love, love, love!

Look 8

Alistair Trung Black Trojan Linen Knit Coccoon Top and Peeptoe Multi Chain Bronze Necklace.

Look 9

Alistair Trung Soil Reincarnation Metal Knit Tee, State of Georgia Poison Ivy Vest, Coco Liberace Solid Gold Necklace, Black Briefs are the models own.

Team:

Model: Kym Glasson @ Chic

Photographer: Nigel Lough

Styling by Monica Morales
Hair by Christopher Hunter @ Valonz

Make-up by Corinna Wilmshurst

Sportsgirl Super Stylist

So here in Australia we don't have a Zara, H & M or Topshop, what we have is Sportsgirl, which for you non Australians out there (or Australians living under a rock) is high street to the max! I think any person with wicked style never goes head to two in anything, they mix and match fast fashion, designers, vintage, random shit all together to produce something organic and completely their own. That's why I think 'high street' or 'fast fashion' is so important, they take catwalk trends which we lust after and give them to us at a achievable price point and what we do from there is completely up to us. This is the POWER-OF-STYLING...

So as I have been a Sportsgirl devotee since the age of 12 I decided to enter the 'Search for a Sportsgirl Stylist' competition, where you had to submit a editorial you have styled with 5 different looks and the winner gets to help style the next Sportsgirl campaign. On a whim I decided to enter and I submitted my story "Light and Shade" which I styled in August and this week they got back to me saying I was a finalist! Yeeeeoooow, I am excited as it would be so much fun and such an honour to style the next Sportsgirl campaign. It’s such an Iconic Australian brand and such a great representation of the young Australian woman.

Please get on the Sportsgirl page check out my looks and vote for me, Monica Morales as it's based on  viewers votes and judges votes.

Here is the link http://www.sportsgirl.com.au/photos/photo/monica-morales-look-1/147/freebies/

Print Lovers and Playas

I admit there are certain trend bandwagons I jump on but I have always been a print lover. I still remembered the day I discovered the print king, Pucci, I was 15 and I worked as a sales assistant at cotton on and with my 1st pay check I bought some leather beaded sandals and my 1st Italian vogue. I remember opening and being mesmerized by the colours, beading and beautiful Amazonian woman... faaaark, if anyone knows colour it's the Italians.

So you can image how I've been struggling the past 2 seasons with beige, pastels, beige, floral, beige, black, beige, whites, beige, beige, beige being the key trend. Yes it can look urethral and pretty, don't get me wrong, I like minimal too but really at the end of the day beige is beige and nobody can say otherwise. I mean there have been a few prints like all that amazing Mcqueen graphical stuff, animal print has sky rocketed and I feel like the world has being trying to shove floral down my throat... but I hear myself asking where has the colour gone? Like you know, those obscenely bright, multicoloured prints, the oranges, the bright purples, the lime greens, the yellows, the hot pinks...oh I miss you hot pink! I went to an after party at Sydney fashion week wearing my good friend hot pink and peeps be hating because I dained to wear something not black or eggshell, fuck you eggshell!! Sorry... this subject really got me fired up, sensetiva...

Well in true trend style, what’s in one day is out the next or in this case what’s out one day is back in so I can happily report that, DUN, DUN, DUUUUN... prints and colour are as back as Lilo in jail!

We can always rely on the wickedness of  Proenza Schouler, Christopher Kane, Missoni, Rag and Bone, Holly Fulton, Mara Hofman to deliver quality colour but even the likes of Jil Sander, Burberry Prorsum and Marni who have previously usually delivered very subtle colours and minimal to NO prints are dipping the fingers in it.

Take a look at some of my favourite colourful looks.

Christopher Kane - Resort

 

Back stage at Proenza Schouler

 Holly Fulton

Missoni - Resort

Mara Hofman                                             Blake Lively in Marchesa                             Rag and Bone

And then there was light...

Ahhhhh it's so nice to say you styled this or styled that after years of assisting. I mean there are only so many sky high pumps you can tape and chiffon waistbands you can steam before you start to get itchy feet and want to start calling the shots.

Me and my team were approached by desertfish magazine to do a submission, it was completely last minute as they called us on Wednesday, the photo shoot was to take place on a Sunday and the submission was to be sent through on Tuesday...aargggh! If your not familiar with styling, rest assured that this was no easy task as all I had was 4 hours on Friday to pull 4 looks for an international editorial! The day was heeeeeectic for lack of a more appropriate word. I wanted the tone of the shoot to be otherworldly but OTT and glam at the same time. I knew there would be a lot of light coming through so I wanted the pieces I chose to play on this. Here are some of the untouched photos...

This look was the urethral silver story, slightly more simple than the others but equally as effective. I used the Stamen necklace by Dinosaur Designs, Grey Diploria Necklace by Jessica Stewart, Silk hand tassel bracelet (worn as necklace) by Colette, Small silver Pendant which was my own, Moon pendant which was worn as an earring by Dinosaur Designs,  Diamond Cut Earring, Brooke Bone Rings, both by Colette, Opal Ring and an aray of wishbone bracelets both from Dinosaur Designs.

I love, love, love Dinosaur Designs and used the an obsence amount of it this shoot, but it just tied in so well! This look is possibly my favourite out of the four, I used Chrome Eclipse Ring, Opal Ring, Chrome Bones Fan Choker, Sunburst Necklace, Sunray Stud Earrings all by Dinosaur Designs, Pearl and Bead Mix by Travelling Treasures and the Chain 4 Finger Ring by Melody Ehsani.

This look was channelling a futuristic but tribal vibe, like those African ladies who wear the neck plates but at the same time totally not. I used the Black and Grey Diploria Neckpiece, Pastel Blue Transformer, Pastel Green Diploria necklace all by Jessica Stewart, Perspex Necklace by Peeptoe Shoes, Beige and Pink Studded Leather Headbands (worn as neck pieces) both by House of Hats, Chain Pow Gun Ring, Bad 4 Finger Ring both by Melody Ehsani and Pave Spike Ring by CC Skye.

I’ve been seeing a lot of agate pieces around for summer so I really wanted to do an all agate story, for the drama. I used the Agate Shard Necklace, Sunray Pendant both by Dinosaur Designs, Purple agate necklace by Peeptoe Shoes and Agate Rope Necklace (worn as bracelet) by Travelling Treasures. Watch out for the bulldog clip in last photo, like I said, these are all untouched, thank god for Photoshop!

TAG TEAM:

Model; Melise @ Chic

Photographer; Nigel Lough

Styling by Monica Morales

Hair by Ryam Mitchell @ Valonz

Make-up by Cherrie Michelle

Blog Numero Uno...

Ok....um, so this a bit akward, it's like who's going to want to hear my thoughts? Takes me back to the days I use to write in my diary about Karencita and how much of a mega bitch she was or that my mum was totes not cool because she didn't buy me the Roxy bikini I HAD to have (I'm from Perth, I was 14, Roxy was a cool girls staple...don't judge me).

Well hopefully some of you out there are going to listen to my thoughts and not just my Mum who will comment of how beautiful she thinks EVERY post is, or not... whatever, I just really need a release of my own.

Why Monicaca? Well it's a nickname my brother gave me and through the years it's just stuck. It's pretty much a hybrid of my name 'Monica' and 'Caca' which in Spanish means poo... a-ha-ha...yes my brother is a freaking genius (sarcasm intended). No really, I've learnt to embraced this name, even my Microsoft office licence is called caca enterprises, thank you again Ricardo.

So this is just the ice breaker, Hola, Hi, how are you...blah, blah, blah.... Let's get down to business, BLOGGING. I want the 1st photo to set the tone for this blog, nothing too wanky, nothing too wack but nothing too boring. So while culling through my thoughts, it came to me! I made a bid on this lamp that was being sold on ebay about a year ago... I knew I would lose as it got out of control expensive and I couldn't possibly fit it anywhere in my apartment, but I saved the picture in hope that I might one day find a lamp of equal awesomeness...