Runway 1 at Virgin Australia Melbourne Fashion Festival

Designers and models and runways, oh my! That's right folks, Virgin Australia Melbourne Fashion Festival (or VAMFF for those in the know...or if you're just just lazy like me) is in full swing and this years program is proving to be the biggest and best line up the festival has seen! Beggining on the 17th of March, runways will, err, run, until the 23rd. But if you missed out on a ticket don't despair, because the festival's Cultural Program is packed with more exhibitions, workshops and talks than you can poke a sartorial stick at, and many of these events run until the end of March.

My Fashion Festival started off with a bang at Runway 1, presented by Miss Vogue, on Tuesday night. An excited and fashionable crowd gathered around Central Pier, queueing outside the L'Oreal tent, people watching and getting photos with the Dulux Dog...not entirely sure why he was there, but he's so adorable it doesn't really matter. But we were all really there to lay eye upon designs by Scalan and Theodore, Bassike, Josh Goot, Christopher Esber, Strateas Carlucci (winner if this year's Tiffany and Co Designers Award), Willow and Maticevski. 

When dressing for a Runway show, one needs to strike the perfect balance between the 'I'm very chic and fashionable' look, with the 'I didn't try to look this good, it's just natural' approach. Never an easy task. For the evening, I selected a flowing pastel skirt for a feminine touch and a simple cropped black singlet for nonchalance. A fierce statement necklace and furry clutch added a bit of necessary tuffness to the look.

The show was impeccably styled and produced, to match the perfectionist ideals of these designers, and filled with the obligatory Melbourne black. Scalan and Theodore opened the show with the sports lux look that had the audience hooked. Black was the main colour of choice, broken up with an occasional metallic sheen and there was not a sky-high heel in sight, with models strutting their stuff in Nikes...much to their delight, no doubt. I gotta say that I found Josh Goot fell a little flat with a slightly monotonous and, dare I say it, dull collection. Things really picked up for me with Willow, who brought a little bit of femininity to the show with polka dots, sheer and the hallmark classic wrap-over designs. These guys know there drapery. And of course, the show stopper - Maticevski. This was the highlight of the night for me. From his opening piece, a ruffle-hem party dress in a pale lilac, his collection showed creativity, control and structured elegance. The structured ruffles were a constant theme to the pieces, striking the perfect balance between masculine and feminine. In a nut shell, nailed it!

 

 

 

What I wore:
Skirt: Zara
Top: Bardot
Necklace: Zara
Clutch: Backstage
Shoes: Target

I Scream Nails Pop-Up Bike Launch

Unless you've been living in a cave with a bunch of dudes who grunt and wear loincloths, you will have noticed that nail art has become a pretty big thing. Like, huge, actually. This global phenomenon, which began about two years ago, has grown in popularity world wide and has moved from simple designs on digits to full blown pieces of art utilising everything from glitter and studs to Swarovski crystals. Melbourne Nail Art group I Scream Nails is perhaps one of Melbourne's best known nail art companies, who regularly provide pop-up funness all over Melbourne! Two weeks ago they held a pop-up nail art fiesta complete with free ice cream and, of course, free nail art, to launch the new nail art bike which will now be cruising its way through Melbourne's streets. And if that wasn't enough, they also organised an appearance from the How Two Live girls of fashion blogging and Instagram fame. Needless to say, I was there faster than top-coat dries.

The talented and chirpy nail artists worked their magic, the How Two live twins chatted away to the crowds and girls happily slurped away on soft serves. Seriously, an afternoon with free ice cream, free manicures and special blogging guests - its no wonder nail art has become so popular...I was half expecting a unicorn to turn up!

Samson Girl Goes Insta

If there's one thing I'm terrible at (apart from resisting the temptation to window shop, eat fro-yo and watch countless hours of Sex And The City) it's using technology. No, really, I don't think you understand how bad I truly am. Honestly, when it comes to anything that beeps, involves buttons or requires me to up-load, down-load or side-load, I'm more oblivious than all the Kardashians put together. It's really a marvel that Iv'e managed to keep this blog going for so long without the computer exploding in my face. So I was more surprised than anyone when I decided to jump on the Instagram band-wagon a few weeks ago: that's right folks, Samson Girl's gone Insta! Apparently it's a pretty big thing - who would have guessed! 

I'll be posting Samson Girl's life in pretty pictures, including my outfits of the day, fashion I'm loving, coffees I'm drinking and food that I'm hurriedly taking a photo of before I shove it in my mouth. I'll also be posting updates about new blog posts! So if you feel like following a fashion savvy Melburnian dedicated to finding the best shops, markets, coffee and food in Melbourne (however tech-tarded she may be) follow me on Instagram at samsongirlblog! Here's a peek at some of my pics...