Sydneysiders could soon be wearing Kate Moss’s glad rags

Toppers - still the number one shop.

Yes, the top shop (ie Topshop) is coming to Sydney.

Check out this link from this story in the Australian press last week.

Sir Philip Green (Topshop head honcho) isn’t actually opening up a flagship Australian store – items will be stocked through Sydney boutique Incu in the same way they were stocked in Barneys department store in the US before the chain opened there in April this year.

But it’s worth noting this Reuters report, from around the time that Topshop went to America, in which the retailing tycoon named AUSTRALIA, along with India, China, Hong Kong, Brazil and South Africa as other “attractive markets” for Toppers.

Sir Philip has also said the store could have about 15 US stores.

The demand is certainly there for an Australian flagship store.

Not only is this petition doing the rounds, but I’ve noticed that even readers of prestigious Australian VOGUE readers are onto Topshop.

I daresay that given the way things have gone in the past, a flagship store will open in Honkers before Oz.

Whatever the outcome, remember my words from a couple of weeks ago: “you may be able to wear the latest Kate Moss sequined Topshop hot pants down Oxford Street in London without anyone batting a false eyelash.

“You may not be able to do the same thing on its Sydney namesake.”

But I’m sure Sydneysiders will still love having a slice of the number one store in town.

What shoes are you wearing at the moment? This week’s poll

Banana Republic shoes (well I am from a Banana republic, after all)

Please feel free to email me at fallon_amy@hotmail.com about anything, absolutely anything. I am accepting comments, criticism, press releases, style advice and free samples.

I’m looking forward to adding a new body con dress to my wardrobe…

And have picked out this little bewdy from my newest favourite store, Whistles, which I’m sure is going to be the ‘body con of the year’. (I’ve already racked up blue body cons – how did I ever survive without them – from Reiss and French Connection, see below this year). Not only does the  cut on this new one look fab, but long sleeves have been in fashion since… who’s been counting? It’s arrived just in time, too, as Grazia is currently offering 25 per cent off the new Whistles collection.

Have been waiting for about six weeks now to get my mitts on this

French Connection body con (still available)

Reiss body con - not mine, but looks almost as good!

2007 was a GAP year

 I couldn’t get enough of the store after moving to London. But then GAP always feels like a dependable friend, who may not always be the most exciting of the bunch (like say, Topshop), but it’s comfortable.

Reliable it was – particularly when I was in Morocco in the Atlas Mountains, in temperatures approaching below zero, on Christmas Day. I lived in this jumper, which at one point I also wore underneath a long, black sleeveless, belted mini dress from Mango, and also on a camel.

Sadly, 2008 wasn’t a GAP year. There were other quirkier options, like the Old Street tube boutique (I’ll get to it later on, but the green jacket that I’m clutching in the pic is from there).

Now that we’re in autumn, and electric blue is back in vogue, the jumper’s out again. 

GAP is currently offering 30 per cent off until September 29 (thanks to fashionista Sarah from work, she’s not to be confused with the other fashionista, Sara, also from work, for passing on the good news).

Something to look out for is their sheepskin boots. (Sadly, my all-time favourite GAP product, their Heaven and Dream perfume has never made it to the UK. Lucky I still have two bottles left from a trip to the US last year).

For those in Oz and other places, here’s a link to GAP on ASOS.

This year may be a GAP year, again.

And after running a marathon… I have green eyelashes.

 

Green eyelids, green toenails, now green eyelashes.

I ran from the Oxford Street tube to Debenhams. 

“It’s sold out,” the woman behind the counter told me.

I sprinted to John Lewis.

“Sorry,” was again the reply.

I dashed to Boots.

Ditto.

Finally, I sprinted to Selfridges quicker than Caster Semenya, my quest for victory pretty much dashed…

“And you’re in luck,” the Estee Lauder rep told me.

Phew. I can now boast that I have not only green eyelids, green fingernails and green toenails, but also green eyelashes (that’ real, not fake) thanks to what is the best colour mascara ever invented – Estee Lauder Limited Edition Sumptuous Colour.

It comes in: sapphire, garnet, amber, amethyst and last but least, emerald.

What’s fab about this product is not only can YOU SEE IT, but the volume is also great.

It appears that it may only currently be available in the UK and US

Spreading the word re the joys of green mascara around the world.

, but my advice, girls the world all over is this: get it and get it quick smart. Get online and get it – in fact in the name of spreading the joys of green mascara across the globe here’s a link to order the green right here .

 

Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Last night on the way to work I was eaten alive by a crocodile (with EXCLUSIVE pic)

 

This isn't page three, it's a fashion blog, but that is my ummn bust peaking through the yellow mesh. Don't think this number quite does it for me.

 Luckily (or maybe not) I survived to tell the tale (and for my night shift)… and I now have the new Christopher Kane crocodile mini-dress from his third collection.

Kane counts Kylie as among his fans. The 27-year-old, who lives in Dalston (not too far from me) recently told one newspaper: “I love that my collection is available to a wider, younger audience through Topshop.

“And the advantage is, it brings more awareness about my own label to a huge audience.”

 I must admit, I’m not one for snapping up designer high street pieces – it goes back to my hellish day spent covering the Kate Moss debut Topshop range in 2007.

As a good antipodean friend (and fashionista) once said while on a whistlestop tour  of London, “I want to buy some clothes here – who wants to wear what every dumb slag back home’s wearing?” The same principle applies anywhere in the world – even to Topshop, it seems.

But as an Aussie girl who’s globetrotted around Africa six times and literally jumped over one in Kafue National Park, Zambia, I knew I was getting the dress – any dress – which had the jowls of a croc emblazoned across the front.

Again, like my swan t-shirt, I know that everytime I wear this, I’ll think of London – and also Africa. But then isn’t fashion meant to be evocative? (I already have plans to wear it not only straight down with a waist-clinching belt, but also, as always, tucked into a black tulip skirt).

As for the yellow body con bandage number with lace inserts, this exclusive picture taken inside the changing room says it all. (I must here point at that at this stage, one is taking photos of one for one’s blog on their own, and it is hard). As Sir David might remark himself on safari (or at least begin), “If we go a bit closer… you can get a good shot of one’s bust. A really good shot.” Yikes.

 I put it back on the shelf, next to about ten others, which has made me wonder, just one week after this collection was unveiled, is it selling that well? (In my queue of about 30 girls, not one was trying anything from the line on, either).

But crikey – as Steve Irwin himself might have said – I’m loving the croc, which also comes on the back of having recently purchased this little vintage number from Topshop below

 

Is it time for a trip to Masai Mara?

Surely it must be time for a safari, soon?

 

 

 

 

The croc dress - as it looks on mannequin Kate. Watch this space to see how I work it.

 

 

 

 

Remember Kylie’s hotpants?

 

 

Probably the only gold hotpants to ever be exhibited in a museum.

Millions around the globe still do. They worked as good as gold for the pop princess in her Spinning Around video, after her stylist William Baker reportedly unearthed them in a charity for shop for a mere 50 cents – “50 bloody cents”, as my friend Sara would say,  ”it’s not even 50 cents, it’s fifty bloody cents!” – and put them on her famous derriere.

Probably the only gold hotpants to ever be exhibited in a museum, let alone the historic V&A in London.

Anyway, I was lucky enough to score a ticket to see one of Baker’s first catwalk shoes at Westfield (yes in antipodean capital She Bu).

 Kylie’s “gay husband”, who has also worked for Posh (now a big designer herself), Bjork, and Jamiroquai, put together his favourite autumn ensembles from the high street.

“I’m thrilled to be creating my first ever show, of my favourite pieces from this season at Westfield London,” said the stylist.

Westfield added: “London shoppers are savvy and they’ve long finessed the art of mixing designer brands with high street fashion.”

While there were no gold hotpants – am I recalling it correctly or did they come from the famous Notting Hill Oxfam – there were creations by a few of my favourite high street stores: All Saints, Lipsy, River Island and Mango mixed with designer labels such as Sienna Miller’s Twenty8Twelve.

I’ve just been perusing the outfits again here and I think it’s possibly too challenging to narrow down a favourite, although I really love Warehouse’s take on the Union Jack, below. Not only is this Aggy Deyn style sweater funky, but it will only set you back £38.

 

What better jumper to wear when Oz next wins the Ashes Down Under?

Also, if you look carefully you may clock the cool bag. It’s from Aussie Leona Edmiston who opened her first London store in Westfield last year.

Already a hit with at least one Londoner – Elle – her work is now gaining recognition in the UK and I’ve just noticed she’s also up on the Marie Claire website, where if you live in Blighty you can try your luck by winning some of her lovely flocks. 

If you’re not that lucky, the Westfield store is holding a VIP preview afternoon between 8-6pm on September 30, with 30 per cent off the autumn/winter collection.

From October 1 – 8 they’re also offering 20 per cent off EVERYTHING IN STORE as part of their mid-season pre-sale.

I have one dress I snapped up (admittedly, during a sale) from there – a white 60s button-up vintage number, with red penguins all over it. Always a conversation starter, I was on my way to Notting Hill only last week when a stranger stopped me on the tube escalators.

“If you ever throw that dress out,” she instructed, “please do send it to my sister.

“She’s obsessed with penguins.”

A quick Google search shows that he may have been available in Western Australia, although a link on this site appears to be broken. I will continue the hunt.

 

The Leona Edmiston penguin dress - that's apparently going to some stranger's sister, one day.

Sorry for my narcissism. But I must tell you what I’m wearing today.

 

What I'm wearing today.

After all, this is the first official post of No Farm Animals in London, which is, I hate to point out, a fashion blog (apparently).

So just because you want to know:

Black and white tee - £29 from Matches 4 LFW shirt. I absolutely love these shirts and bags, and snapped them up from Matches  as soon as I saw them.

(I actually spotted the link on UK Grazia.)

Besides the black and white one, I also got one with a swan on the front. I love it, as recently I went kayaking down the Thames. There were plenty of swans, so no matter where I wear it in the world, it will remind me of London. Awwww.

Anyway movin’ on, cos got to get to Topshop.

Ochre lime green skirt – Dorothy Perkins. It’s classified as “orange” but I think it’s yellow. It was £28 when I bought it, which was circa the beginning of the second Ashes Test when I wanted a yellow skirt to wear with a green top to wear to work to show the support for the Aussie boys. I also wore it out in Soho later that night, and I didn’t get too many bizarre comments about being “too green” (my favourite colour) so I think it worked (although not well enough to earn us an urn!)  It’s now on sale for £15, so quick sticks!

I must say that while I originally thought that DP wasn’t ‘out there enough’ it’s becoming more ‘hip London’ and less ‘Dorothy as in Dorothy from Oz’ (I’m not talking about ‘Straya there, but about the Wizard, if you know what I mean). Their  fantastic use of bright blue and fuschia pink this season is wonderful, as are their studded ankle boots. And most importantly, it’s affordable. In fact one of my friends, Samara, who lived in London for a year, it seemed was ‘always going to pick up a few things from Dorothy’s’. And most importantly, it’s affordable.

Moving right on up – because that new Topshop Christopher Kane croc dress is getting snapped up as I write.

 Black Chelsea Jockey boots – £55 from Topshop. I must admit, that these weren’t the first ones I tried on. When I first decided I was going to ‘have a boots moment’ – which was during a trip to the Bullring in Birmingham with sister – I originally wanted something like these Hawk eyelet cuff sandals. I had first spied “shoe boots” on another fashionable anitpodean in London – Dannii.

 So I really wanted these boots.

But after trying to get them on, I realised that they were meant for one person only – and he’s not a woman. Russell Crowe (as in Rusty when he’s in Gladiator kit).

However these “shoe boots” are so comfy (although you need to break them in at first) and show just enough of my electric green Rimmel nail polish.

 They look great with coloured leggings and tights – I wore them with bright pink leggings yesterday – but also work well on bare legs, which is what was in Vogue at LFW. At the moment I’m wearing them with black “socklets” with bows on the top, courtesy of H&M.

Geraldine Supreme Alice Band – Accessorise for £6. I have always thought headbands were either too David Beckham/Brazilian footballer OR too Paris Hilton.

 But after seeing (500) Days of summer – and being told that I somewhat resemble Zooey Deschanel by a few people, I’ve taken to wearing a few.

Accessorize has a really cheap, but cute range. Only recently I spied a picture of a friend living in Dubai on Facebook with the same one as yours truly.

 Finally, my love heart belt (which I happen to Heart) does not come from London!

It comes from a shop on Crown Street in Surry Hills, Sydney, but you’ll have to wait until the next post to find out where I got it from, as firstly I can’t remember the name of the shop, and secondly, I need to get to Topshop.

Wow, having a fashion blog is hard work. I must be working harder than Posh! 

 

Welcome. So you’re sitting at home drinking a cup of mint tea, post-London Fashion Week.

 

Just another handbag, featuring another fashionable anitpodean, really.

Not that you or I went.

Wherever in the world you are,  you’re thinking that the rate of inflation in Zimbabwe is rapidly spiralling beyond 213,000,000 per cent, and that Iran’s nuclear programme is really a good reason for concern and that there really are bigger things out there than what type of false eyelashes you should be wearing… when…

Here comes another bloody fashion blog – and yes, it’s written by another London-based freelance hack, who should really probably be chasing up more work, instead of writing this right now!

So instead of whiling away the increasingly dark, rainy, long autumn days perusing the aisles of Topshop for the latest studded peep-toe ankle boots, to go with her new bright pink H&M tights that she’s wearing, she’s decided to still do that – but also write about it. Especially For You (as another fashionable anitpodean in the capital once said).

Because after all, it ain’t easy in London. Upon arriving here nearly three years ago in January 2007, I recall reading a magazine article by an established fashion designer  who declared: “It doesn’t matter who you are, or where you come from.

“London is such a fashionable place, that it’s almost certain that upon landing here that you will look like a farm animal compared to the locals.”

But you don’t always have to look like you’ve been shopping at the Yabbie Creek St Vinnie’s Down Under forever!

During the past two-and-a-half years, I’ve had a near-mohawk from a high street hairdressing chain. (Guess how much it cost to fix it. We’re talking triple digits). I’ve been asked (by one sub-editor at work): “Amy, what time is your nursing shift at the hospital tonight?” I’ve been told (by another sub): “You look like MC Hammer.”

But only three weeks ago – yes that’s three weeks ago – I was stopped on the street. Not once, but twice. By two girls (that’s separately). In Bristol. And they weren’t working for The Big Issue, either. And they didn’t ask me for money.

Instead, these words were put to me: “Where did you get that handbag from?”

This blog is for anyone out there – no matter where you are around the globe – who wants a piece of the ‘London look’ without shopping at Primark and without having to literally freeze one’s credit card into a huge iceblock in manner of Isla Fisher in Confessions of a Shopaholic. I cannot promise that it will be turned into a book and movie, a la Julie and Julia, but I am setting myself a challenge – to write one entry EVERY DAY (even if it’s only about the latest type of green eyeshadow).

It’s for anyone coming to London on a holiday, or to live, who wants to know what the best quality high streets are or where the funkiest east end vintage shops can be found.

For anyone not coming to London who still wants to know about them – and how to snap them up online or back home, or find something very similiar.

For my London friends – and also the strangers – who are constantly telling me that they like my black, transparent rose handbag/my Queen necklace/my penguin dress/my green shimmer eyeshadow. (Sigh).

For my Sydney friends, who once told me that I was “always so stylish – even on a camel”. (Sigh).

And last, but not least, this blog is for myself – to keep me busy, creative, sane and most importantly, from imminently attacking that huge chunk of ice in my freezer with an ice-pick.

As for the bag featuring ‘Our Nic’ – I’ll reveal where I got it from (and more), later.

Please feel free to post lots of comments!