Fitness Blog IconInstagram-Logo-1indexj]blog-lovin-icon_zpsbf482c6a

Features

Friday, August 30, 2013

...and just like that...my world fell apart...

I'm sitting here alone with a bottle of champagne on this Friday night. How ironic, champagne is usually for a celebration yet I've had the worst day ever. Lets just say I could use some friends right now...

I feel extremely foolish for what I wrote here about work changing my life and how I felt happy for the first time in as long as I could remember. Now I feel devastated, like my whole world has been destroyed; nothing has ever hurt me more and my heart is broken. As you probably know, I've been working in Sydney city for a large multinational corporation as a company secretarial officer. As a casual employee and with my first job out of university, I was led to believe that I would be trained up to take on the permanent role. Today I found out that plans have changed and in the coming weeks I'll be replaced by an individual with many years of experience in the field. There are a few specific reasons why it hurts so much.

Firstly, I found out that the company never had any intention of hiring me on a permanent basis. It was a policy of upper management that recently came to light. I first found out about this job in March and started in July; for almost six months I was given the impression that I'd have a permanent position. I was continually told how fantastic I was at the role and that the intention was always to train me; my coworkers knew right from the start that it was my first ever serious job.  After today's news I've realised that the company merely used me as a casual employee until someone more experienced came along. I've been lied to and misled.

I know the business world is extremely competitive and I'm not the only person who has ever encountered this sort of experience. However, the reason I'm so devastated is because this job meant the entire world to me. I've never wanted anything more in my whole life. I took this job extremely seriously, I was incredibly motivated to learn, I stayed back late almost every day and to be honest I've never ever put so much effort into anything. I surprised myself; as a shy person with major anxieties, liasing with directors, calling randoms on the phone, meeting new people in a large corporate environment and assisting with the running of board meetings, was well out of my comfort zone. I never thought I'd be able to handle such tasks. I tried my hardest not to over analyse and to view criticism as a learning mechanism; this sort of thinking had previously been extremely foreign. I put my heart and soul into this job.It was my whole life. I thought hard work and dedication paid off but I'm no better off.




It was so much more than a job to me; it was the start of my new life; it was my recovery from a very depressing time. I'd been given the world. I felt positive, completely transformed and I was ready to move forward and build a life for myself. I was a different person; I finally though those dark days were behind me. I felt like a success story of depression and anxiety. I used to feel so happy that I'd sing and dance around the house frequently. I'd also drive my husband crazy with my continual conversations about life being wonderful, my years of study being worth it after previously feeling miserable and how grateful I was for the opportunity. For the first time in as long as I can remember, I didn't feel like a pathetic, worthless loser with nothing to offer. I was comfortable in myself and with life. For the first six months of this year I used to lie in bed most days and cry continually. The only solace was my blog. I was so depressed. It took everything within me to find the motivation to start work...but once I thought I'd been given a chance, I thrived.

To an extent I am proud of myself. I can walk away knowing that I applied maximum effort at all times and that there's actually nothing I could have done to get the permanent position. The company secretary was conservative and didn't want to give a first year out such incredible responsibility. He knew that from the start. It's frustrating because I finally felt proficient and capable of performing all tasks. I know I wasn't given a fair chance by this company. If I hadn't tried so hard, there would have always been a lot of doubts and what ifs present in my mind for eternity. In a strange way it's satisfying to know I couldn't have done any more.

Unfortunately it's a little hard to think like that now; I could honestly cry forever. As a person who struggles to find self worth, this is going to knock me back a lot.  My greatest fear now is falling back into a deep depression. 

My manager has been wonderful. She was almost as devastated by the news as I am. She said I didn't do anything wrong, it was rewarding to see my progress and she was impressed by my dedication to the job. If it was up to her, I would have a permanent role for life. She was the first person in a long time who believed in me and made me feel worthy. On the most miserable day of my life, I do feel like I've made a life long friend. I just wish I could have had the honor of working with her; I'm going to miss her.

It's been a difficult day; I certainly have supportive people in my life but not everyone understands. At the moment I don't want to talk about my long term job prospects or how many weeks I have left in my existing role. I need friends who care about how low I'm feeling right now, who understand how important this was to me and who, in a metaphoric sense, will cry with me. One day I will move on, but that will not be today. 

Love to you x

Monday, August 26, 2013

Outfit

1186565_10151555077760950_1416263543_o My 'Please Kill Me Dress' from Alannah Hill is very special. I posted it back in the early days of my blog and I can't wait until the warmer weather so I can start to wear it again by itself. My mother in law bought me this dress a few years ago. It's the first piece I ever owned from Alannah Hill and I couldn't possibly explain my excitement at the time. Although I own many Alannah Hill items now, my first one will always be memorable. Since I don't own anywhere near as many Alannah Hill dresses as I do cardigans, I definitely treasure the few dresses I do have. The delicate floral design is beautiful, the silk material is so gorgeous and the gold lining is a lovely finish (this dress also features a stylish cut out at the back). I love the silk!!! (just had to say that again). I adore how I can style this dress with various shades of pink to create a super girly outfit.A beautiful dress...which reminds me of beautiful times. There are certainly some wonderful sales at the moment. I purchased these shoes from Peep Toe recently for $49. They are wonderful quality and highly discounted. I've wanted a pair of white flats for ages to wear with my lighter coloured floral dresses as the warmer weather approaches. These are a very subtle shade of pale pink but I believe they can pass for white. The addition of gold makes them even more exciting. Finally, I received this amazing Vintage styled Heart Pendant necklace courtesy of Chicnova. It's so unique and sweet; I'm very happy. The tarnished effect is lovely since it adds a vintage touch and the bold red stone makes it stand out. Later in the week I'll show you my other jewellery which I received from Chicnova. I definitely recommend you check out their site. 

Untitledddd
I say this every year. I always find it interesting the impact that the first day of warm weather has on the community. This weekend, out of nowhere, came two summers days right in the middle of winter.The outdoors were busy, summer dresses came out and there was a general happiness in the air...exciting times. This was also the inspiration behind my outfit. I believe it has a real spring feel to it. I also wore this outfit to work. Pink and investment management go wonderfully together. I love purple sparkly nails too! I decided to go for my wedding nails again; UI should definitely have glitter nails more often. Have a wonderful week.

P1110694

P1110729

P1110706

P1110692

P1110703

P1110709

P1110691

Alannah Hill 'Please Kill Me' Dress
Alannah Hill A Lacey Affair Bag 
Alannah Hill I'm a Little Fusspot Cardigan
Peep Toe Miss Gummibear Flats
Kmart Hair Bow
Vintage Tarnished Heart Pendant Necklace with Inlaid Diamante c/o Chicnova

Friday, August 23, 2013

Outfit

In follow up to my previous posts here and here,I thought it was about time I posted these photos featuring my wonderful duck egg blue coat with cat print lining. I'm still completely in love with the gorgeous colour and it's beautifully warm for those early mornings and late nights traveling to and from work. The buttons are so sweet too. The collar is one of the most unique and pretty features; I adore large collars so this aspect undoubtedly stands out to me. I've already written about this piece here so for now, I'll let the pictures do the talking...Thanks for your lovely comments about my coat collection. That is the extent of it; unfortunately I don't have any additional treasures hidden away!

P1110465

P1110458

P1110443

P1110460

P1110440

P1110434

P1110439  
Alannah Hill 'The Secret of Secrets Coat'
Earrings c/o Spark Jewelry
Zu Heels
Coco Land Scarf
Equip Long Diamante Clip 

Linking to: What I Wore Wednesday 

Monday, August 19, 2013

Outfit

DSC_0054Today I thought I'd show you a completely different way that I styled my black cardigan with the leopard print collar. I first posted about this amazing cardigan here. I like to think of this as a relatively classy and sophisticated outfit; hopefully with a vintage element, in contrast with the more casual and fun look when I last styled this cardigan. This is the first time I've worn this skirt. At first I wasn't sure about it but now I love it. I bought this skirt about a year and a half ago because it was an incredible bargain and I was drawn to the polka dots. I always intended to hem this skirt to slightly above my knees and I never got around to it. I was a little unsure of wearing it at this length because it was outside my comfort zone. It's also very different from the cut of skirt I usually wear; I generally find skater skirts more flattering. I'm sure it's pretty obvious that I have a very specific style and I don't deviate from it particularly often. As time went on, I never got around to making the intended changes to my skirt and it sat around in my wardrobe.  Recently, I decided to give this skirt another chance and my opinion of it changed completely. I realised that making it shorter would actually detract from the style and cut of the skirt. I adore it just the way it is. It was almost as exciting as buying new clothes. I'm not sure what else I can wear with this skirt but there must be many possibilities; I'm sure many of my cardigans would pair rather nicely with it. My sisters in law helped me take these pictures a number of weeks ago; I was told I look like I'm going to Paris and I should wear this if I ever go there. To Sara of The Polished Edge, I say I definitely will!

DSC_0055
This is my favourite photo from this set. I spotted a car and was running off the road to avoid it. Action shots are the best. For some reason I'm always fascinated by bloggers who are able to take photos on a road or train tracks. I first took photos on the road here and I thought they turned out really well....wow I have a lot to say about nothing!

Valleygirl Cardigan
Bardot Pencil Skirt
Forever New 'From Paris with Love' Bag
Sportsgirl Heels
Diva Hair Bow
Equip Earrings


A few people have asked about my job so I thought I'd use this opportunity to write in more detail about it. I work in a multinational corporation in Sydney city as a Company Secretarial Officer within Investment Management. Company secretarial is actually a legal job, quite contrary to the name. The main responsibilities are to ensure that the company complies with regulatory and legal obligations and board of director decisions are applied. This involves organising and attending meetings of directors, preparing agendas and minutes, ensuring that the company maintains necessary documentation and registers required by corporations law, being aware of meeting procedures under the company constitution and corporations legislation, liaising with directors, ensuring all returns to the Australian Securities and Investment Commission are made in a timely manner, supervising financial administration, and probably many other responsibilities which I'm yet to find out. As a Company Secretarial Officer, I assist the company secretary and I'm learning so much. It's a incredible experience.

DSC_0067 
Full time work has been positively life changing. I'm so grateful for the opportunity to start my very first job in such an established reputable company.I've also found an area of interest; I always worried what I'd do with my law degree given that I've never had any interest in actually being a lawyer. This way I'm using my degrees but I don't have to follow the traditional legal path which isn't right for me at all. The greatest benefit from full time work is the impact it's had on my confidence and how I feel in myself on a daily basis. As a long term sufferer of major anxiety and with self confidence issues, I never thought I'd be capable of anything like this. The amount of doubt and worry I went through before starting work was intense but for the first time in as long as I can remember I don't feel like a loser; I believe I'm capable of more than I've ever given myself credit for. I finally feel good enough and worthy of happiness. This sense of achievement feels incredible and provides motivation to try my best everyday. I love my workplace, I've met wonderful people; one in particular that has changed my life and values me for who I am.


This is so much more than a job for me; it's the start of the rest of my life. Work has filled a void of unhappiness; for the first time in so many years I feel happy and satisfied with where I'm at in life. It's been a long time coming and every day I cannot believe it's real. I've been through a lot to get where I am today; it's been a very personal journey. At my lowest points I couldn't see a future for myself but now I can't wait to build a better life. Looking back I believe everything happens for a reason. It was all worth it to reach where I'm at now. I never thought I'd say that. I hope it continues to remain so positive.
DSC_0062

I'm still surprised that full time work is actually the best thing that's ever happened to me; I'm always so fearful of trying new experiences and stepping outside my comfort zone but it was exactly what I needed. It's inspired me to think more positively and value opportunities; I hope this will translate into other areas of life. I view long hours at work or stressful situations as a chance to progress my skills. Each morning I try and think about how much I value my current life situation. Take a chance and it may well pay off!


One of my greatest wishes in life is to use my experiences to help others.  When I became depressed, extreme negativity occupied every moment of my every day and drained the life from me; it was incredibly exhausting. But there was the tiniest hope in me that one day, if I ever did get better and feel happy again, something positive could become of my journey. I have no idea how to put this into practice but it's a long term goal that I'll eventually work out. I'd love to help others to feel better and find the joy in life again. This rather ambitious goal motivates me frequently. There is hope for everyone; I've been right to the bottom. Of course, I'm still learning; worthwhile ventures take time. I'll always have to watch my anxiety but taking advantage of opportunities, believing in myself and keeping busy are the best ways for me to move forward and enjoy life. I'm very nervous about posting this, I'll probably experience extreme panic as I hit publish, so please be nice! I have extreme admiration for bloggers who open up to us, share their personal lives, have a genuine desire to help others and raise the broader issues in life beyond fashion. I hope to write more about this in the future; writing is very helpful and satisfying.

DSC_0073



DSC_0075 

"Life is like a rainbow, you need both the rain and the sun to make the colours appear." 

Linking to: What I Wore Wednesday

Saturday, August 17, 2013

Latest Obsession: Midnight Blue

I love midnight blue as an alternative to black at the moment. It's a colour I've overlooked up until this point but it really is very classy, sophisticated and classic. I'm drawn to midnight blue because it's a good option for me to wear to work. As I said before, my personal style and love of bold colours and patterns doesn't exactly align with the fact that I have degrees in commerce and law and am working in those areas. From being a student, I'm so used to wearing exactly what I want whenever I want and I didn't desire to give that up entirely when I entered the workforce. So instead of dressing in conservative corporate wear, I tend to wear my usual style but in darker colours. For example, the outfit I posted here is what I wore on my first day. I also have a dark dress with a white peter pan collar and I like to wear my navy blue cardigan over a polka dot dress. As time goes on, I'm sure I'll push the boundaries more and more because lets face it; dressing in beautiful clothes will increase my motivation to go to work! Midnight blue pieces can make such a statement too; I'm especially coveting those Christian Louboutins. Oh wow they are incredible!

Midnight Blue

Photos from: George, Alannah Hill, Boticca.com, Tarina Tarantino, Christian Louboutin, Market86.com

What are your thoughts on midnight blue?

Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Outfit

1092425_10151528570740950_1375559731_oThese two  stylish individuals, next to me, are wonderful! What great fun I have with my husband and sister.

On the weekend I traveled down to the Southern Highlands for my cousin's 21st birthday party (which was also the location of our wedding (see photos here and here). This is the outfit I wore on Saturday; I've been saving this dress for an event for quite sometime. In follow up to my post here about my love of heart print, I've been looking forward to showing you this dress. It's so difficult to find a dress with such a bold heart print; this was a bargain. New with tags, I purchased it on eBay for a fraction of the original price. It's actually a very versatile dress. I even wore it to work (obviously without the sequin cardigan). I like the colour of the cardigan with the dress and sequins are always a winner, right!? I've had this cardigan for years, I can't believe I've never posted it on my blog before. My shoes and coat are both new purchases. The sales have been so amazing lately; these shoes were only a third of the original retail price. I've never owned white heels before so it's exciting. I bought my coat from the Alannah Hill factory outlet. This is my main tip for acquiring Alannah Hill clothes at half price. Alannah Hill pieces are so timeless and classic that it doesn't matter if this coat, for example, is from last winter's collection. I adore this coat; the buttons and the detailing are so beautiful and girly; I've rarely seen anything so pretty! I've always been drawn to red coats too.

As I mentioned in my last post, blush is my new best friend. Why didn't I discover this before!? A few people have asked which one I'm using; it's physician's formula which you can find here. I chose this particular blush because the whole physicians formula range has the sweetest packaging. As it turns out, I couldn't be happier with my blush; just goes to show that decision making based entirely on pretty packaging can pay off.

I've decided to implement a budget in relation to my spending on clothes and shoes. I'll be starting this week. I'm so lucky with the opportunities I've been given in relation to work, I don't want to waste it on my clothing addiction. For the first time ever I want to be sensible about savings because I'm starting to see a future for myself, all because of work. When I do buy clothes, within budget, I'll probably feel less guilty about it, so it's all good! Full time work also, to an extent, distracts me from the constant desire to go shopping and to spend money.  

Have a wonderful week!

P1110579

P1110572

P1110568

P1110563

P1110555

P1110566

P1110583

P1110560

P1110550

Alannah Hill 'I Cannot Love' Coat
Alannah Hill 'Secret Whispers' Dress
Alannah Hill 'I Told them Nothing' Cardigan 
Wittner 'Layne' Heels
Diva Earrings 
Equip Hair Clip 

Linking To: What I Wore Wednesday

Thursday, August 8, 2013

Outfit

1098120_10151521409725950_1725722010_nI often find it interesting how some of my most unplanned outfits turn out to be the most popular.This is an outfit I put together early one morning before work and I received many compliments because of the unique colour. It's probably one of my favourites right now too. It's a wonderful dress for summer and can also be styled in a myriad of different ways for winter too. If I'm ever unsure about whether one of my dresses fits in with the workplace, I add a detailed black cardigan and this bag and pair of shoes which I specifically bought for full time work. I believe they add an element of professionalism to any outfit. This is the same cardigan that I have in duck egg blue which I posted here, here and here. I just had to buy it in both colours when it came on sale; the little pearls greatly transform any look. 

My life is very busy at the moment; I've been working a lot and staying back late. It feels great to be so productive and I value every opportunity to learn more about my job.It was a lovely weekend catching up with family and shopping. My sister just returned from a trip to Austria and bought me the sweetest little mirror which I adore. It's Empress Elisabeth of Austria, "Sisi!" I've been reading about her on the Internet, very interesting; I just love it when a piece has historical meaning too. I also bought some new makeup products (trying anything different is rather revolutionary for me); I am totally obsessed with blush right now!

P1110510

P1110502

P1110537

P1110527

P1110531

P1110494

P1110507

P1110533

Review Dress
'Alannah Hill 'Ring A Ring Of Roses!' Cardigan
Guess 'Madaket Carryall' Bag
Alannah Hill Hair Bow
Lovisa Pearl Earrings  
Wittner Luscious Heels

Linking to: What I Wore Wednesday

Monday, August 5, 2013

My Vintage Vogue: 1960s Fashion

It's time for another post on vintage fashion from one of my all time favourite websites My Vintage Vogue. For those who don't know My Vintage Vogue is a popular archive of fashion displaying models, designers and photographs from the 1920s to the 1960s.  It is such an inspirational site and all the looks are incredibly pretty, classy, feminine and dressy. The collection is extensive and very impressive; it's a rather fitting and beautiful tribute to previous decades. I love the variety when it comes to 1960s fashion. As I'm sure you know, my favourite decade of fashion is undoubtedly the 1950s and I love how the 1960s draws inspiration from the 50s. I also like it how a myriad of completely different trends have their origins in the 1960s. I have a couple of pencil dresses which I'm looking forward to wearing in the warmer weather. I adore the bright colours and the bold patterns in so many of these photos. These photos speak for themselves. In case you missed it, my post on 1950s fashion is located here.

Untitled
Untitle5dssssssssssssUntkkkitledUntoooitledfffddsadUntitsledtjpg

Photos from My Vintage Vogue