A trip to Lake Clifton | photos

A WHILE ago I took a drive out to Lake Clifton to see the thrombolites.
These ‘living rocks’ only exist in a few places and can be thousands of years old.

Lake Clifton thrombolites Western Australia | Extraordinary Days

The thrombolites are made up of calcium carbonate structure and a thin film of bacteria on the top and they’re extremely delicate, as well as rare and critically endangered.

Luckily, there are lots of signs to tell visitors just how much damage can be done if they touch the thrombolites.

When I visited a few months ago, the water levels in the lake were still too high and the thrombolites were submerged, but I was lucky enough to be able to see them through the relatively clear water.

I’ve read that late summer and autumn are the best times to visit because the water is low enough that the thrombolites stick out of the water so I’ll have to make another visit soon.

Lake Clifton thrombolites Western Australia | Extraordinary Days

Lake Clifton thrombolites Western Australia | Extraordinary Days

Lake Clifton thrombolites Western Australia | Extraordinary Days

Lake Clifton thrombolites Western Australia | Extraordinary Days

Lake Clifton thrombolites Western Australia | Extraordinary Days

It was an incredible afternoon!
I only had a short amount of time before it got too dark but the sunset, alth0ugh it was cloudy, was beautiful.
I’m really enjoying exploring in my own state more, just like when I went to Fremantle a few weeks ago.
Keep an eye out for more of my local adventures  in the future!

A day in the sun in Fremantle | photos

ANY day spent wandering in the sunshine is a good day!

I took a trip out to the seaside suburb of Fremantle on the weekend with my lovely friend Candice and we caught up over fish and chips, dipping our toes in the ocean and looking in little book shops.

Bright, fun OOTD | Extraordinary Days

This building is just so fun!

Black and white cat print dress & fluoro pink bag OOTD | Extraordinary Days

I love this cat print dress!

Fremantle, Western Australia is a beautiful place! | Extraordinary Days

Oh Fremantle, you’re so pretty.

Fremantle, Western Australia is a beautiful place! | Extraordinary Days

Fremantle, Western Australia is a beautiful place! | Extraordinary Days

Fremantle, Western Australia is a beautiful place! | Extraordinary Days

Fremantle, Western Australia is a beautiful place! | Extraordinary Days

Fremantle, Western Australia is a beautiful place! | Extraordinary Days

Fremantle, Western Australia is a beautiful place! | Extraordinary Days

‘Straya.

Fremantle, Western Australia is a beautiful place! | Extraordinary Days

Oh how I love the sea!

I definitely need to spend more days out there!

Where’s your favourite place to go exploring in your part of the world? Let me know in the comments!

Festival fun in a bright orange kaftan

SUMMER means it’s the festival season!
Just a quick post today as I’m flying off to Melbourne today to see some lovely friends who are lucky enough to live over there!
(I’ll be bringing you photos from my trip later in the week so stay tuned for that.)
I went to the H2Overflow event held in the Perth CBD yesterday afternoon/evening with my friend Hayley and it was such a great experience!

Festival outfit | Extraordinary Days

Time to party!

Festival outfit | Extraordinary Days

This kaftan is in such a fun colour!

I was definitely easy to spot from a distance!
I kept my hair simple with a tidy bun to keep it out of my eyes and threw on a cross-body bag and minimal silver accessories.

Festival outfit | Extraordinary Days

I really need to bring out these sunglasses more often.

Sunglasses are always a must for outdoor events and I picked out this really cute Dotti floral pair for the day.
My silver glitter jelly sandals brought the whole thing together. I’ve said in a previous post that these are really comfortable and easy to wear all day – they’re my go-to summer footwear, especially when there will be lots of dancing and foam involved!

Festival outfit | Extraordinary Days

Shiny nails to match my shiny sandals!

Festival fun | Extraordinary Days

A foam pit with very little foam left!

Festival fun | Extraordinary Days

Silent disco!

It was such a good day!
What are your fashion go-to items for festivals and concerts? Let me know in the comments!

Black and white striped dress

HELLO summer! I wore this outfit out to lunch last week so I didn’t melt in the heat.
This striped dress is something I’ve had sitting in my wardrobe for months but I’d never worn it.
The tags were still on and everything!

Black and white striped dress | Extraordinary Days

The weather was great that day!

As part of my plan to get in control of my finances this year (more about this in my 2015 goals post) I’m trying not to buy any clothes and shoes, which means digging through my existing wardrobes instead.
(Yes, you read that correctly, wardrobes plural. I have a lot of clothes, okay?)
I was fun to pick this out and remember why I bought it – it’s adorable! It’s from a store called SES but unfortunately they don’t have an online shopping section! (What a shame.)
I was worried about looking about like a prison inmate or someone in pajamas but after wearing it, I think it’s a winner.

Black and white striped dress | Extraordinary Days

A high bun is definitely my go-to hairstyle for a lazy day.

I wore a black Cotton On long singlet dress (find it here) and threw in my usual fluoro pink Aldo bag and fluoro pink sandals.
The small belt attached to this dress helps give me a waist despite the stripes but, as it’s brown, I will probably change this for a black belt in the future.
A high bun to keep my hair out of my face and off the back of my neck is also one of my go-to hairstyles.

Black and white striped dress | Extraordinary Days

Fluoro pink every day!

Would you wear vertical stripes? Let me know in the comments!

Full-time fashion blogger shirt

OKAY, I’m wearing this top with only like 80 per cent irony.
When I saw it in an Ally store a while ago, I just couldn’t go past it! I first showed you this shirt in my post about my new 2015 diary.

full time fashion blogger top

Last-minute adjustments.

I wore this for a fun day out of hitting op-shops and lunching with my lovely friend Candice. It was really hot so I tucked it into a little black Cotton On skater skirt (similar here) and threw on my glittery jelly sandals.
This shirt has got a fairly loose fit but I like the shape the rolled sleeves give the shirt and, as it was a bit too thin to wear on its own, I wore a white spaghetti strap singlet underneath.

full time fashion blogger top

Hello, summer!

While we were waiting to pick up Indian food for lunch we snapped some photos in a really cool graffitied alley behind a bar.You can pick you your very own shirt like this one here.

full time fashion blogger top

I’m always searching for something in my bottomless pit of a handbag.

Okay everyone, let’s have a show of hands, would you wear this shirt?
Also, if YOU’RE a fashion blogger, make sure to post the link to your little bit of the internet below so I can see!

Three ways to make your outfit sparkle on NYE

NEW Year’s Eve is almost upon us!
Aside from freaking out about where the year has gone, I’m starting to plan my outfit for the big night.
I’m a huge fan of sequins, glitter any anything else that shines but it can be daunting to put these into an outfit without looking like a walking disco ball, especially for more casual events.
Here are three easy ways to throw in a bit of shine into your look, to get 2015 off to a great start!

blue maxi dress ootd NYE

We’re set for a warm NYE! I’ll be by the pool.

A sequinned belt:
I paired this gold belt with a floaty maxi dress and sandals for a low-key bit of sparkle.
NYE is usually hot even after the sun goes down in Australia so this would be great for a barbecue or a few relaxed drinks with friends.
It’s not too over-the-top but is still fun.
I threw in a plain white clutch so the belt would be the feature and my gold Juicy Couture charm bracelet – a gift from my lovely sister on a recent trip to Hong Kong. (There’s a close-up photo of these jewellery pieces at the bottom of this post.)

blue maxi dress ootd

This outfit is perfect for a more casual shindig.

blue maxi dress ootd NYE

Gold accessories bring the whole thing together.

The showstopper:
This gold sequinned top is definitely in my top ten favourite items in my wardrobe.
You’re not going to be missed in this thing!
This shirt has a black faux-leather (pleather) back and sleeves so it’s not full-on sequins the whole way around.
I paired it with a plain black skirt and minimal accessories – this top does all the talking.

gold sequin top ootd NYE

The faux-leather backing makes this shirt a bit warm, though.

Shiny accessories:
If you’re searching for something minimal to add to your outfit, simple, shiny accessories are always a good option.
This cat ear headband is a bit silly and fun but definitely cute!
Make-up wise I’m going to be keeping things pretty simple – just pink lips and liquid eyeliner.
For this look I used MAC’s Magenta lip liner and Max Factor’s Flipstick Colour Effect in Boreal Mauve 15.

cat ears headband ootd NYE

I love this headband!

Let’s take another look at the accessories I used for these outfits.
The big silver necklace from my dolphin skirt OOTD post would also be a winner, especially if paired with a little black dress.
You can pick up a Juicy Couture charm bracelet just like mine here.

So many shiny things in one image.

So many shiny things in one image.

This bracelet just gets me.

This bracelet just gets me.


What are you wearing on New Year’s Eve? Let me know in the comments!

A whirlwind weekend in Bali

WHAT a weekend!
I’ve just returned from an amazing three-day weekend in sunny (and stormy) Bali!
My entire family headed over to help my adorable mum celebrate her 60th birthday.
I couldn’t get much time off work so I left on Thursday evening and came back tonight, ready for work on Monday.
The weather was SO HOT, steamy and we saw a few evening storms, but thankfully the rain held off until this morning.
I’ve got another post with more photos here but I wanted to share the outfit I came home in.

Topshop striped cat shirt

I can never resist a shirt with cats on it!

I’d picked up the shirt on Saturday from Topshop and threw in my comfiest pair of shorts while we were packing and heading to the airport. (I had some jeans in my bag for the freezing conditions on the plane.)
I use this fluoro-pink bag as my everyday handbag – it’s big enough to fit everything in and the colour makes me feel happy.
My jelly sandals are never a bad choice and they don’t make my feet hot, even though, being plastic, I thought they would.

Silver glitter jelly sandals

The glitter was an obvious choice for me.

When I fly I don’t like to wear a lot of makeup because I feel my skin suffers enough from the airconditioning and being dehydrated so I went foundation-free today. (I’m actually surprised at how well my skin was behaving — having a relaxing few days definitely helped.)
I just put on mascara, eyeliner, a bit of concealer and an amazing matte lipgloss I picked up on this trip – it’s Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet in Pink Pong.

Finding good selfie lighting in a hotel room is always a challenge.

Finding good selfie lighting in a hotel room is always a plus.

I’ve never tried matte-finish glosses or lipsticks before but I really love the effect.
The saleswoman billed it as the brand’s 24-hour lip colour and while it didn’t last an entire day, it definitely held up well to food and drinks.
It was great to travel with my entire immediate family (now at 12 people once you count two brothers-in-law, my boyfriend and my brother’s girlfriend) and I’m lucky we get along so well.
I wish I could have stayed longer but at least I got to go at all.
I really wish I was heading to the swim-up bar for cocktails instead of going to work tomorrow, though!

Take me back!

Take me back!

Have you been on a holiday recently? What are your go-to travel outfit choices?
Let me know in the comments!

A golden trip to the beach | photos

I TOOK a trip down to the beach after work yesterday.
I’m house sitting down in Mandurah at the moment. It’s a little place right next to the sea and it means I don’t have to do my usual two-hour per day commute to work.

Madora Bay beach Mandurah Western Australia

I love the time of day when the lights is just golden.

It was deadline day at the paper and it was crazy so it was lovely to be able to get out into the sun. It makes me so happy that it’s still light for a while after I get out of work now – it makes me feel more human.

Madora Bay beach Mandurah Western Australia

Madora Bay beach Mandurah Western Australia

Madora Bay beach Mandurah Western Australia

I like these little tufty plants so much I put them in here twice! They always make me think of summer.

Madora Bay beach Mandurah Western Australia

Madora Bay beach Mandurah Western Australia

I’m in love with the colours in this shot – not edited at all!

Madora Bay beach Mandurah Western Australia

A puppy had been past!

Madora Bay beach Mandurah Western Australia

Madora Bay beach Mandurah Western Australia
It was a lovely way to end the day!
What are your favourite things to do after a long day?

For the love of summer dresses

THE warm weather is definitely here to stay! (Northern hemisphere notwithstanding.)
I love this silky blue patterned dress – it flows and is light-weight which makes it perfect for any day spent out in the sunshine – preferably with a glass of wine in hand.
I picked it up at Forever 21 a few years ago – the cinched waist and collared top are just perfect.

This might prove tricky on very windy days!

This might prove tricky to manage on very windy days!

Shiny accessories are practically a staple for me.

Shiny accessories are practically a staple for me.

Pink lipgloss brings the whole thing together.

Pink lipgloss brings the whole thing together.

Dress: Forever 21.
Shoes: ASOS.
Clutch: borrowed.
Lips: Savvy High Shine Lip Lacquer – paparazzi.