It's so clever!

But we're not here to natter about Victoria Grayson's infamous ice-cold one-liners (Lydia: ''I came to apologize.'' Victoria: ''For sleeping with my husband, or for blackmailing us? I'm just not quite sure which apology I should be aiming my forgiveness at.'' OUCH!), or Jack Porter's adorable charm. Nooo.

Rather, can we take a moment to celebrate the astounding style that belongs to Victoria's personal assistant, Ashley Davenport? It's such a visual TREAT!

Take, for example, this bewitching sunshine-yellow/grey marle number. Now, I don't know about you, but when I go to wear something grey, I'll instinctively try to match it to another grey item. Bor-ing! CLEARLY this where I've been steering wrong. 

And again: a charming coral top worn with a mushroom-hued skirt? Well I'd never! 

It's all in the details, isn't it? You see, Ashley could have whacked on any old pair of gloves, but no... instead, she picks this glorious TARTAN pair! (And doesn't the red from the tartan pattern work back beautifully with her red coat? Oh, Ashley. You GENIUS!)

Why wear a black slip under your favourite cocktail dress when you can don a marvellous red slip?

Or you could just bypass black all-together and slink into a delectable gold ensemble...

Who says that corporate attire needs to be boring? Not Ashley! Instead, she'll just pop on a big, bright belt and strut straight back to business.

Or THIS. This. Ack! The creativity of it almost hurts my BRAIN! (But in all honesty, there's a superb reason why Ashley always looks so outrageously fabulous. Did you know that her character was specifically created for Ashley Madekwe, a real-life fashion blogger?! It was!)

♥

Ringer's Bridget Kelly?

Law & Order's Olivia Benson?

Seinfeld's George Costanza?!

Which TV character's sartorial sense are you currently swooning over?

xoxo

Related I Want... Style! Posts:

x Style Icons: Janis Joplin ♥
x Style Challenge: Floral Tights! ♥

Was it weeds? Yes! (But come ooon. That's hardly surprising, now, is it?! There is a garden out there, after all!)

Was it PIZZA?! No. (But cripes, that really would be shocking, wouldn't it?! And delicious. Shocking and delicious!)

It was $20! $20!

It'd literally blown into my backyard, and I couldn't BELIEVE it. I mean... what?! Since when do $20 notes just fall from the sky and land on the ground like that?! I'm still struggling to comprehend it, but one thing that I do know is... 

Magic does happen. Honestly. Sometimes, we've just got to have a peek around for it! 

'♥

xoxo

P.S. This is absolutely my ''huh? THERE'S $20 OUTSIDE?!'' face:

Related I Want... Life! Posts:

x Have You Ever Wondered What It's Like To Try... Belly Dancing?! ♥
x Do You Have A ''Life List''? (Or, 15 Things I Want To Do Before I Go!) ♥

Creating ultra-chic chignons? PLEASE! Twirling my tresses into elegant, elaborate braids? Well jeez, I'd love to be able to, but truthfully, I wouldn't know where to start.

So when I heard about the almighty current hair craze that is the ''sock bun'' (no joke, I've seen it mentioned at least three times on Twitter this week!), I decided to give it a whirl, and devise some so-simple-even-an-enormous-nitwit-like-myself-could-pull-it-off instructions along the way.

And here they are!

Kim Kardishian rocking ''the sock bun'' (and some magnificent earrings and make-up!).

What You'll Need:

x A pair of scissors (snip, snip!)
x A hair-tie/elastic
x Any old sock (if you've got one lurking around with a hole in the toes, PERFECT. Grab it! You'll be cutting the bottom part off anyway.)

Step One

Remove the toe area of the sock with your trusty scissors and discard it, then roll the remaining length of fabric into a 'donut' (mmmm... donuts!) shape (as pictured above).

Now! Whip your hair upside down and gather it together, pulling it into a high ponytail (the higher the pony tail, the higher your bun placement), and secure it with an elastic/hair-tie.

Step Two

Place the sock donut at the end of your ponytail and pull your locks through the hole in the centre. Slowly roll the sock (along with your hair) down the shaft of your ponytail, starting from the ends of the hair, until you reach the base of your ponytail.

As you roll, continue tucking and spreading your hair under and around the donut/sock bun form (to avoid being able to actually SPOT your sock!). Note: this hairstyle is one that's easiest to master with straight hair, but if you're a curly-haired lass like myself, no problem. Just tidy up any loose strands with some bobby pins and a spritz of hairspray, and you're set!

TA-DAH! One giant nitwit, and a sock bun! (Excuse the fluffy bathrobe I'm sporting. It's positively arctic here in Sydney this afternoon!)

 ♥

What do we think of the ''sock bun''? Is this a hairstyle that you'd try?

xoxo

(Images thanks to Syl & Sam, Squidoo and Beauty Lish.)

What would you do if you were unemployed? Despite constantly, actively searching for work? For a lengthy amount of time?

My dear friend Chris has been in this exact position for six (yes... six) months, and crikey, it's NOT from a lack of trying. Résumé coaches? He's hired them! Tirelessly applying for numerous roles in multiple industries? Oh believe me, he has been, and is!(A text message from Chris earlier in the year: ''so, I literally applied for 50 jobs yesterday. I'm going to smash this!'')

It's been a frustrating time (and can you blame him?! Chris is intelligent, educated and one of the bubbliest, funniest people I know. Jeez, if I could afford to hire him, I would!), but on Tuesday, he cooked up a new game plan:

OPERATION RÉSUMÉ BOMB!

The idea? That we take to the streets of Sydney and ''bomb'' businesses with our résumés, Samantha Jones-post-break-up-with-Richard style! (Do you remember this glorious scene in Sex & The City?! HA!)

Chris preparing for 'Operation Résumé Bomb'. Staple, staple! (The running joke of the day? ''Angry creditors frothing at the mouth? Oh, well. HAVE A RÉSUMÉ! Removalists evicting furniture? Meh. HAVE A RÉSUMÉ! Building about to be pulled down? HAVE A RÉSUMÉ! Fined for littering paper around the CBD? HAVE. A. RÉSUMÉ!'')

We STORMED the retail and hospitality sectors, and guess what?! By the end of the afternoon, Chris had landed not one, but two interviews (high-five!), and I nabbed a bartending trial at The KB Hotel. (No, really! I completed it last night, pouring beers and serving the locals and EVERYTHING!)

The verdict? Never give up!

In the words of the wonderful Chris, ''don't ''try''; succeed. ''TRYING'' indicates that there's a chance of failure, but not if you decide that failure is NON-NEGOTIABLE.''

♥

Have YOU ever completed a résumé bomb? Would you ever complete a résumé bomb? (And isn't Chris insanely brave/brilliant for devising the idea in the first place?! Corporate head honchos, just LOOK at that initiative!)

xoxo

Related I Want... Business! Posts:

x Why You Should Always Grab Your Own Darn Coffee (& 3 Other Things That I've Learned About Business!) ♥
x Ask A Bloggy Question: Should You Trademark Your Blog's Name? ♥

x Preparing To Move... To LONDON! - Squeal! Tremble! Squeal, tremble, squeal-tremble! 

Now, I wish I had an exciting/remotely interesting reason as to why I'm moving to London to share with you. I mean, wouldn't it be neat-o if I could exclaim that I was heading overseas to join a mysterious CULT? (Actually... probably not!) Or because I'd been offered to have high tea with the QUEEN?! Potentially, but the reality is far less entertaining!

I'm 24. I've been uttering ''I want to - no, HAVE TO - move to London one day!'' since I was 21. I figured that if I didn't do it now, then honestly... when would I? I do not want to be an 80 year-old with regrets! (Heck, I don't even want to be a 25 year-old with regrets!) So with that, I made the decision to take the plunge, and I'm booking my one-way ticket ANY DAY NOW!

Will I be miserable and permanently cold and lonely? Maaaybe. Will it be impossible to find any kind of employment? Perhaps. But who cares?! I'd rather have an adventure than die wondering! (And besides, if it's THAT awful, I'll just take myself somewhere else. Scotland? Russia? China?! Anything's possible!)

x Wriggling Outside Of My Comfort Zone - And leaving the house in an emerald-green mini-dress. (When did I become so gosh darn conservative? Around the time I started saying ''gosh darn''?! I have no flipping idea, but I was literally terrified to venture out in that ensemble! WHAT A GRANDMOTHER!) And leaping up when ''we'll never be younger than we are now. Let's get on that dancefloor and BOOTY GRIND!'' is hurled at me. And signing up for beginner hip-hop dance classes. (Oh... my... goodness!)

x Other Little Things - Eagerly awaiting my first order from Nasty Gal (I bought this... and THESE!); big, silly smooches; The Pussycat Dolls (I know... HUH?! But my ears can't stop listening to I Hate This Part or Bottle Pop!); drinks, winks and hi-jinks a-plenty at The Ivy; plotting shenanigans (what crazy new things can I try this week? Suggestions are extremely welcome!); picture messages(stuff traditional text messages. I'm obsessed with communicating through nonsensical photographs!); back-to-back episodes of An Idiot Abroad (fitting, as I plan on being one very, very soon!); and finally, SENSATIONAL lifestyle advice from my (equally sensational!) friend, Priyanka:

''You know, I've just started working full-time for the first time, and sometimes? Sometimes, I feel a little bit mopey about that. A bit bored. A bit BLAH. Life starts to seem slightly depressing, but you know what? I just CRANK Sexy & I Know It before I leave the house and dance around my bedroom like an idiot, singing ''GIRL, LOOK AT THAT BODY!'' to myself in the mirror, and I think ''d-a-m-n... I am FINE... and I'm going to have a great day!''

Suggestion For The Week Ahead

x Follow Priyanka's lead (really... isn't she awesome?!) and bust a move first thing in the morning to an insanely upbeat tune. GO ON. I dare you!

♥

xoxo

Well HEY! Have you heard the nifty news?

Dedicated to sourcing all of the latest deals and steals online (did someone say ''great travel deals''? Hello!), Coupon Codes is the destination to check before you shop!

Offering free discounts, cheap coupons and exclusive codes to hundreds of Australian retailers, it's as easy-peasy as exclaiming ''DONKEYS!'' (although, uh... I'm not sure why you would!) to snap up a bargain from your favourite fashion, beauty, electronic and homeware brands. (Case in point? Just take a peek here! With a quick click, the code 'FESTSUN15''s revealed to save you 15% at Sunglasses Shop's check-out. BOO-YAH!)

♥

Have a gander, and be sure to let me know if you nab anything wonderful! (I'm totally tempted by that G Adventures 'small group tour' offer).

xoxo

Oh-my-goodness-the-noise-is-positively-KILLING-this-night-owl-and-cripes, do-you-have-any-idea-how-brutal-it-is-being-woken-up-by-a-JACKHAMMER-every-single-morning?! I-mean, and-I-thought-the-sound-of-my-alarm-was-a-horrendous-noise! U-g-h!

Instead, I'm going to make like a monkey and leap all over the tradesmen's scaffolding all afternoon... wheeeeee!

What I'm Wearing:

x Sportsgirl dress and belt (I nabbed this on 'clearance' for $30 last month, and I adore it! It's pink! It's FROTHY! I feel like some kind of demented ballerina in it! L-o-v-e!)
x SES crocheted cardigan 
x Spendless Shoes heels (hey, big spender!)
x Second-hand cuff (guess what?! This actually used to belong to blogging/styling virtuoso, Hayley Hughes. I received it from her at a clothing swap party last year!)
x 'CORRINE' silver handmade nameplate necklace, a sweet gift from my silly (yet loveable) friend, Jessy (after returning from a recent holiday to his hometown of Punjab, India, I couldn't belieeeve it when Jessy presented me with this necklace! A close-up is surely needed. I wear it every day!)

Me: ''Wait, what do monkeys do, anyway? OH! They make those ''ooh, ooh, AH, AH'' sounds! AND EAT BANANAS! Look! Do I look like I'm eating a banana?!''
Tom: ''No... but you look like an idiot!''

♥

How are you spending YOUR day? Whatever you're up to, I hope it's a fun-filled one!

xoxo

Of course, it's a goal that's often flung into the 'Too Ludicrously Expensive To Ever Actually Accomplish' basket, but oh, fear not, because international sightseeing absolutely needn't be exorbitant. Here's four easy-peasy suggestions for exploring the planet... cheaply, freely, and most of all, BRILLIANTLY!

Why not...

Consider Becoming An ''Au Pair'', And Enjoy 1-12 Months In Beautiful Destinations Such As Iceland, The United Kingdom Or The USA?

Let's examine one opportunity (as featured here), shall we? Okay!

Meet this sweet-sounding Romanian/Jamaican couple from Bedfordshire, England. Seeking a friendly female to act as a live-in babysitter to their two children (with no experience necessary), they're offering rent-free accommodation (in England... ENGLAND!), and ''pocket money'' of 500 GBP per month, in exchange for 30-35 hours of your time and care each week. A-m-a-z-i-n-g!

Volunteer Your Way Through India, China, Nepal, Mexico Or Thailand?

Psst! Would you like to hear something appalling? My last phone bill was *insert dramatic heart thump here* $652. Terrible, huh?! Uh huh, especially when you consider that for almost the same price, I could've been NEPAL-in' for two months! (Get it? Appalling? Nepal-in'?! Oh, I slay myself with my own lameness!)

International Volunteer HQ (IVHQ) aims to provide volunteer travellers with quality, flexible and safe  volunteering placements in developing countries, and with two month programmes starting from as little as $770 (all meals and accommodation included), they're surely an affordable way to tip-toe through West Asia!

♥

Which countries are you itching to visit? Would you ever consider volunteering? I'll let you in on a little not-so-secret: I completely intend to take the plunge this year!

xoxo

... ME!

H-i! It's been forever, hasn't it?! I mean, vampire bats practically flew out of my internet browser as soon as I opened it this afternoon and everything! (And don't even get me started on the amount of dust everywhere!)

All nitwittery aside, how ARE you? I hope you've been ridiculously well! 2012 seems to be zooming by (seriously, can you believe that we're almost halfway through April already?! Yikes!), but alas, let's answer the title of this post, shall we?

I've Been...

x Disconnecting (I know... what?!) and spending less time online, and more time offline, laughing like a loon with my best friends. (And gol-ly, it's been fun, but I've MISSED YOU!)

x Road tripping, getting ''lost'', and admiring the beauty (and street art!) of foreign suburbs and towns. (Meet Newcastle, in Northern NSW... isn't she a stunner?)

x Accepting all invitations (learning to whip up Nepalese cuisine? Why not?! Rapping with monkeys? SURE! Okay, you're right. That last part never actually happened!), attending each event, and generally heaving an enormous ''YES!'' at everything...

(Oh, look! It's Corey Taylor, lead singer of Slipknot and Stone Sour/ my absolute life HERO!)

x And finally... applying for a British passport! #$%@*! (Did you hear that?! That's the sound of my teeth chattering. Chatter, chatter!)

I'm winging my way over to London (in June... TO LIVE!), and I'm slightly petrified about it (do I have any kind of accommodation lined up? No. Employment? Absolutely not!), but hey... we're only here temporarily, right? Isn't life too short to not scare the bejesus out of yourself?!

♥

This rascal's nattered enough. Tell me about you! Is 2012 shaping up to be an interesting year? Update me, update me!

xoxo

♥

xoxo