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I'm currently grappling with the idea of collecting ‘stuff’ to build a life. Right now while a lot of people my age are working on building their lives up with respectable careers, romantic relationships, cars, money and a solid social group… I’m in the process of reducing my life down into a backpack.
I'm selling my car. I've booked a one way ticket. I don't see myself settling any time soon to re-start my accumulation of stuff (and other complexities). Maybe there's something wrong with me? The world puts such a high premium on 'stuff' and I feel that constantly!
I am choosing instead, to live more simply! To have more fun, spend more time with my family. To be more me. Often I think the stuff I have accumulated is limiting me. It threatens to arrest my progression, mentally and physically. The clutter of life really is doing my head in!
I do know homemaking and nesting can be greatly satisfying, but can I have this same satisfaction while keeping the fluidity of life that leads to great and varied adventures? Can I experience life in its satisfying fullness without the constant conveyer belt of stuff weighing me down?
Possessing stuff doesn't feel like a successful life to me. I wish to measure my success in volumes of happiness! I could be delusional, but we'll see! :D
So now that I have shed my stuff to experience the world, I expect that the best is yet to come....!
(Sarah - KOBOMO blogger at large!)
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Whether you're a hard-core hiker-chick traveller, a luxurious cruise junky or just a bit of the wild-hearted wanderer, we've got all your potential packing dilemmas covered!
Here are my top three picks for the suitcase for travel around the tropics!
Oversize pintuck blouse, $39.70 // Leaf green, rust orange, charcoal, navy blue, sand beige, mustard yellow, white, black, ocean green, purple.
This one is fantastically cool and offers plenty of room to move and breath, all cotton with wrinkle affect, easy to shove in the suitcase and no ironing needed! An easy numer to throw on and comfy enough for walking about town in all day // nicely jazzed up with some jewellery for evenings.
Capri pants, $27.50 // Black, melon, aqua, hot pink, white, teal, navy, beige, cobalt blue
So casual, so comfortable, elastic waist, double stretch capri pants! Awesomely comfy & durable and again, require no ironing! Suitable for lazy days on the ship or hard-out hiking. These pants will do you well in humid conditions and look fantastic under tunics or short dresses, coverage all the way to the knees! Another KOBOMO classic you'll never get out of.
Draping jersey kaftan dress, $59.70 // Black
This is a favourite for me! Suave & stylish. This dress is perfect for smart casual nights out on the town with a little jewellery or even a chain belt. Great jersey number for on the plane as well if you want to be comfortably classy and get off in wrinkle-free!
]]>"Colors, like features, follow the changes of the emotions." - Pablo Picasso
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We're all aware that certain colours can have dramatic affects on our mood, feelings and even actions. Colour is very much a communication tool we often utilize when we are feeling strong emotions. The colours we wear can trigger sentiments not only for ourselves but for others too. Naturally most of our feelings towards colours are fairly personal and relative to your own experiences and culture.
Colour experts say that warm colours, namely, red, orange and yellow stir up feelings ranging from comfort to anger and hostility.
On the flip side, cool colours (blue, purple and green) tend to be described as giving a sense of calm to people but are also linked to feelings of sadness and indifference.
Ultimately, while experts have found that colour can have an influence on how we feel and function, these effects are subject to personal, cultural, and situational factors.
So, what are you wearing?
If you took a quick sticky in your wardrobe there would undoubtedly be a couple of staple colours in there, the colours that you feel good in, you find easy to wear. You may also find another abstract colour that doesn't quite blend in, this is likely the item you purchased, took home, but never wore because of its colour. You put it on, and take it right back off because something about it makes you feel uneasy and certainly not confident. This conundrum occurs when our mood influences our colour choice at the time of purchase, and then that mood leaves (thank god for return policies!). When we are wearing the right colours for us, the overall outcome is a sense of harmony between skin-tone and colour and colour and mood. Colourists say that if you wear colours of your season, you will feel more comfortable and confident wearing them!
There are some general mood and behavioural concepts behind colours, here's a couple of brief but interesting colour breakdowns worth thinking about, because we can actually tweak our mood by the colours we wear!
Red is a bold and confident colour, however can also indicate other fiery elements like aggression, stress or even anger. If you notice that you're exhibiting these attributes try to reduce the amount of red you wear even by way of breaking it up with a jacket of a calmer colour. It's best to avoid red clothes if you are already overactive, as the brain is highly stimulated by red, more so than other colours. Instead try a complimentary colour! :)
Yellow often the times we feel like wearing yellow, it's because it's because we need colourful pick-me-up. However, wearing too much yellow is said to intensify feelings of insecurity or fear. By balancing colours with their complementariness, one can counteract the affects of the other.
Green there are various tones of green, and each may make you feel different, negatively or positively. Ultimately though, it is supposed that green gives a great sense of balance, for the days when everything feels entirely too frantic. And as a cooler colour does, generates a sense of calm (unless of course it's fluro!)
Blue be it bright, pale or royal is a colour most frequently seen in clothes. Although light blue and navy blue have very different feelings behind them. Deeper tones of blue are often considered power colours for people. Whereas light blue is more associated with fun. All blues however are cool, calm and it has been said that wearing blue pyjamas can help you sleep! (oh if only it were that simple!)
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Fashion is not just an everyday thing… Yes it’s worn every day and we see it every day but I do not believe it lives in the realm of mediocrity as every other ‘everyday thing’ does. A uniform is an everyday thing, practical footwear is an everyday thing, but in our time off, away from work, away from various domestic duties and in the moments we live for… what are we wearing?
Personally, I have bland days, days where taking off my bed socks is a very real struggle, and walking to the wardrobe and picking an outfit is an entirely different challenge all together. I’m okay with that – as long as I know feeling vibrant is just around the corner! This is where FASHION Vs. CLOTHING plays a fundamental role in our lives. We’re not all fashionistas, but we all know the difference between wearing something you feel comfortable and vibrant in versus something that’ll ‘just have to do.’
Here’s what I think – Fashion is not superficial… why? Because our feelings are not superficial. Not only that but I believe that the way we feel when we walk out the door is going to impact not only our day but the people around us’ day. We’re not all the same, and nor should we like all the same things; hence why people say that fashion can be an expression of self. If it is then what we’re really doing here is of brilliant importance! When you are yourself, you free others to be themselves… that is a sentiment worth living by!
So when it comes to fashion, it's really a liberation of self! freedom to dress how we feel or want to feel and in a way that compliments who we are! The right piece of clothing can give you the confidence to take on the world or a subtle sparkle to help BRIGHTEN YOUR DAY :)
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Jersey is a soft, comfy knit, a fab addition for any woman's wardrobe, mainly because it can be suited to so many occasions! From travel to office, around the house to out for dinner - jersey can be dressed up, down, rolled up and stretched out. Generally jersey is cotton blended with a synthetic material to give it it's stretch. Though everyone knows, when it comes to stretch fabrics, they like to cling! Often this being the case, many curvaceous woman are hesitant to utilise jersey fabrics. Let me assure you, as clingy and unflattering as you may think jersey is, it can do you a few HUGE favours as long as you choose a dress that skims not clings!
We can always help find you the right jersey fit for your shape here at KOBOMO, we're experts in the stuff! We have a jersey dress for every shape, and jersey layers to play with too. A couple of things to note:
If you're top heavy, a v-neck jersey dress is going to look best. Apple shapes, detailed necklines work well for drawing attention away from the midriff, so a set of colourful beads or a scarf wouldn't go astray.
For bottom heavy ladies a tight fit around the top and skimming, loose-fit around the hips or drape style features are going to help smooth out bumps without adding extra weight.
Often even athletic body types can benefit from jersey by CREATING the illusion of curves with the help of a firmly fitting jersey dress.
Jersey has got to be one of the most comfortable and versatile materials a gal could wear! So if you can make it work FOR you, it will be a forever friend!
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The past few weeks we've been traipsing around the chilly hillsides of the Snowy Mountains on brumby, on foot and on snowboard. The Jillaroo/ snow-grom lifestyle is really a blissful existence, though it has it's downfalls, mainly, a serious lack of wifi.
Regardless, we have enjoyed our time in the great outdoors immensly and have been taking the time to let go and breath in the fresh air as well as snap some photos here and there :)
It's a wondrous thing nature, particularly when one is without distractions from the online world. You become more aptly aware of the vast beauty in which you live // A surge in mental energy and growth in your capacity to embrace the moment WHOLLY // Side-affect: heeling from the damage that the daily grind has on your psyche. I think it's imperative for our mental health to feel that total connectivity to nature from time to time, for however long it takes our minds to unwind enough to notice WHOLLY what's in front of us - our family, our life, the true expanse of our surroundings, the beauty in the water rippling downstream and APPRECIATE it, because THESE are the MOMENTS that MATTER.
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Free to Shine is an organisation very close to our hearts here at KOBOMO because women and education are two things we believe in very strongly!
Free to Shine operations aim to take down the act of sex trafficking in Cambodia. Sex trafficking mainly occurs in the most underdeveloped communities where families are desperate for money, for food for their family. More common than not most families believe that sending their young daughters off to the cities with these "business men" is going to result in work and money and ultimately a brighter future than theirs for their daughters. A portion of the work that Free to Shine do is with the families of girls as well as girls themselves to help educate and prevent a situation from occurring in the first place.While root causes of children being trafficked for sex are complex the main contributors include poverty and gender inequality.
The introduction of education to these girls, however, is proving to be to the detriment of sex traffickers. Furthermore the 2006 United Nations Secretary-General’s study on Violence against Children made numerous recommendations on how best to prevent violence against children addressing the immediate risk factors for these children as being a lack of parent-child attachment, family breakdown and abuse of alcohol and/or drugs, stating that attention on policies that address poverty and gender inequality are of paramount importance. The fundamental belief of Free to Shine is that prevention is key, and that if girls are in school, they are far less likely to be trafficked for a number of reasons. Free to Shine seek out those at the highest risk of being trafficked and support them through education and their presence in the community.
Profits from forced commercial sexual exploitation are calculated at roughly 27.8 billion dollars US each year! Trafficked children are subjects of rape, torture, starvation and threats. We are deeply connected to this cause, most of us being mothers ourselves, we are concerned with seeing a brighter future for as many of these kids as we can! For them to have their lives flipped around and reshaped for the better! Education is at the core of this social restoration that needs to occur to keep kids safe!
Free to Shine truly do beautiful and wonderful work with educating girls, rescuing girls and being ever present for them to thrive in their very unlucky circumstances. We are honored to be supporting Free to Shine and contributing to the bettering of the world through the sale of fabulous dresses!
‘All that is necessary for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing.’ - Edmund Burke
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Karen has played out many different roles in her life, from studying psychology at university, to a being a career woman in the corporate world of recruitment. In the end, it was the allure of being her own boss with her own creative direction that lead to the conception of KOBOMO. Karen’s perspectives on life are filled with the refreshing clarity of someone who loves what they do. . Karen has a spirit of generosity and has truly exhibited her essence in so many aspects of KOBOMO and it’s culture. To a large extent KOBOMO reflects it’s architect– a bit of this and a bit of that, a lot of colour and a lot of heart all strung together quite unconventionally.
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“If it really doesn't make you happy, don't do it. If it really makes you happy do more of it. And get paid for it.” - Karen
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A little bit about our beautiful Lee... she's a woman with absolutely no nonsense about her, a quality that possibly stems from growing up in a family of eight and raising three boys of her own. She’s our ‘can-do’ gal with a natural disposition for…well, pretty much anything. A wife, a mother, a long-time small business owner, an active community member and a friend to many. Lee’s contributions spread high and far with great panache and more compassion than you can poke a stick at.
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“Women come in to buy clothes for a whole lot of reasons. I mean a lot of the women come in and they don’t want to buy, they just want to come in and chat and say hi. I mean, they’ve previously bought, but feel comfortable enough to come in and not buy and I think that, that’s when we’re doing our job well. “ - Lee
Trending now - Cuffs & Wrist Wraps
Cuffs will be huge this year with looks ranging from leather and studs, to metallics and more delicate jewelled designs.
When choosing the right cuff/wrap for you take into consideration both the style and size of the cuff.
Firstly your wrist size needs to be considered in relation to the cuff's style, width and textural appearance.
A fine delicate cuff can look out of place on a thicker wrist, whereas a cuff with more width and heavier appearance will look more balanced and appealing. Conversely a small wrist will look overwhelmed by a wide, heavy looking cuff. NB as with all accessories, the main aim is to enhance rather than distract from our unique features.
Obviously the style of the cuff should coordinate with the rest of your outfit to create an harmonious look.
We have a wide range of both cuffs and wrist wraps in store to choose from and we'd be happy to help you select the right accessory for you.
As you know we just looove our colour here at Kobomo. This week we were excited to open a box of goodies Karen has sourced from her international buying trip.
Adding either colour or texture to an otherwise basic neutral outfit will lift it to another level. Here we've created two looks using our new $19.70 light-weight colourful scarves.
These cotton crochet daisy jackets ($37.50) are timeless and add the wow factor more subtly with the addition of their texture.
What's your favourite look, colour or texture?
The weather has finally cooled here on the beautiful Sunny Coast and although we don't have the Autumn chills of our southern neighbours, a change in wardrobe accessories is needed. Welcome the ever versatile scarf and pashmina.
* perfect to add a little warmth & protection. Did you know that in Chinese medicine they say a cold first enters our bodies via our necks? Have one tucked in your handbag ready when the sun goes down or the wind picks up.
* add interest with colour, texture, pattern
* hide upper arms
* wrap around waist as a makeshift belt or sash
* create visual illusions using long horizontal lines when worn vertically draping down the body
* draw they eyes up towards your face by adding a bright scarf around your neck over an otherwise plain outfit
There are so many ways to accessorise with scarves and pashminas they are one of my must haves. We have so many gorgeous ones in store at the moment the hardest part is choosing. Amanda
http://kobomo.com.au/products/pashminascarfwrap-paisley
Although solid colours are more easy to mix and match, the addition of prints can be used to bridge two completely different solid colours eg style some solid coloured capris with a different solid coloured jacket, bridge them together with a printed shirt or blouse that has a mix of the other solid colours. See examples below. Enjoy experimenting, Amanda
]]>Batwing tops remain a popular style option throughout the seasons adding an alternative to your regular t-shirt or casual buttoned front shirt.
The batwing style has the benefit of hiding that sometimes troublesome upper arm whilst still creating a flattering overall silhouette.
This style flatters most body shapes and is a wonderful alternate piece for use as a foundation item to build looks around.
Today I thought I'd offer some styling tips for those whom I like to refer to as the Bootilicious, the ones with gorgeous full-bodied rounded backsides.
Things to Avoid :
+ fuss on the bottom e.g. no embelishments, ruching, pleating or other design elements that will draw attention or visually add bulk to your bottom half;
+ bulky fabrics that will only add extra bulk to your backside;
+ high contrast, eye-catching prints and fabrics that will emphasis and draw the eyes to your buttocks;
+ tops that end at your widest point as our eyes will be drawn right where you don't want them to.
Try to:
+ buy items in fabrics that will softly skim rather than cling to your bottom half;
+ create visually more balanced proportions by widening your shoulders with v-neck and wide necked shirts and tops (eg our gathered rayon tops, Matilda dresses and square tees);
+ draw the eyes up by adding accessories, prints or design elements (we have some gorgeous accessories in store and online to choose from);
+ Wear 3/4 sleeved styled tops as our eyes will be drawn to where the sleeves end (i.e. usually in line with your waist) rather than at your bottom (think our Bella 3/4 kimino styles)
+ ensure tops end at your narrowest part e.g. at your waist or just below your buttocks (not across the middle of your bottom).
+ highlight your narrowest part eg your waist or just under your bust with a thin belt or drawstring styles. (Our Greta styles do this beautifully)
Breaking down a garment into specific design elements allows us to get a better understanding as to the best styles to suit our body type and individual proportions. Today I'm going to focus on necklines.
A wide neckline such as a 'boat', 'bateau' and off the shoulder types visually widen the upper chest & shoulder area. This style work well for those with small to average sized busts but can make more bustier women appear too top heavy. Great style for creating balance for women who are heavier in their lower halves (pair shapes).
A v-neck or tapered neckline will 'divide & conquer' to create a slimmer & longer looking torso. Usually a very flattering style.
High round necklines are popular with some of our mature women who prefer to keep their décolleté covered. This style works well for small to mid sized busts.
We have our signature styles plus new stock arriving weekly with all manner of necklines to suit.
Amanda
It is very natural for us to feel comfortable when viewing things that are balanced and have symmetry. This week I had a delightful customer in store who wanted help to - "find an outfit that disguises my narrow shoulders & scrawny upper arms and hide my wider hips." Here's what I suggested...
To give the illusion of broader shoulders and upper body I suggested our white peasant top (it also comes in black as you may have seen in early posts). The silver embroidered stitching that runs horizontally across the upper chest and also features on the outer edge of the capped sleeves draws your eyes wide and from side to side. Voila! instant illusion of extra width in the shoulder/chest area.
I teamed it with our silver/grey double-stretch capri pants. With their slim fit they balanced out her overall look. The width created by the peasant top design plus its silver stitching were further accentuated by the silver of the pants.
Paired with some of our silver summer sandals she was ready to head to her casual lunch with friends. She was very happy as she had a lovely new outfit including shoes for well under $100!
This gorgeous outfit can be yours too with a simple click through to our shopping cart. Of course you can always pop in store if you live locally too, we'd love to see you.
It seems like only yesterday that we were celebrating the festive season and school holidays yet it wont be long and Easter will be here. With that is mind I wanted to share my tips for packing for a quick getaway focusing on clothing fabric selection.
I personally love natural fibres for their feel and comfort against my skin - they allow my skin to breath and keep me far fresher than other synthetic, hot sticky fabrics.
Our crinkle cotton range ticks all the boxes for me. Firstly they are 100% cotton, they are light and as the name suggests, they are meant to appear with a natural 'crinkle'...hellooo no ironing yay!
Twist them into a soft knot and they will squeeze easily into your luggage leaving more room for those holiday treasures you find. When you're at your destination, unravel and slip them on for cool casual elegance that will take your from day to night with the simple addition of some bling and snazzy sandals (we've got those in store too!).
For a quick freshen up or if you are frolicking a little too close to the water, just rinse them and they'll dry in no time flat ready to go again before you know it.
Available on www.kobomo.com.au or in store at our Noosaville Boutique. New stock and colours just in!
When comparing each one notice where you eye is drawn, does it 'land' on one particular area, does is move up and down or side to side? For example, in the first image your eyes are drawn to the bright border on the sleeves and bottom hem. In the second image your eye will move up and down following the strong vertical pattern effectively lengthening the body. Lastly, the floral print in this dress confuses the eye so that it wont settle in one particular area which is a great way to disguise any problem areas.
This is an easy styling trick to keep in mind and can serve you well to disguise or accentuate areas of your body or to widen/lengthen areas too.
Happy styling Amanda
I’m so happy there’s a day to celebrate being in love; I just think for those who do not have a romantic love, the day shouldn’t be lost and go unappreciated.
Love makes our life splendour and I want to celebrate love just as much as the next person! SO, in an effort to expand the sentiment of Valentine’s Day, so it can be universally appreciated, I wrote a few lines to send to ALL my loved ones. Feel free to share this one and send it on to all those you adore for all the reasons under the sun.
Love Sarah
Batwing tops remain a popular style option throughout the seasons adding an alternative to your regular t-shirt or casual buttoned front shirt. We have a signature batwing styled button front shirt always in stock with the prints changing regularly as we discover gorgeous new fabrics. Our current jersey and cotton-blend t-shirt fabric tops are also a simple, go-to piece to wear on their own or layered over a contrasting coloured singlet or crop.
The batwing style has the benefit of hiding that sometimes troublesome upper arm whilst still creating a flattering overall silhouette.
This style flatters most body shapes and is a wonderful alternate piece for use as a foundation item to build looks around.
Design influences such as fabric prints, zipper, pocket placement, colour panels, even contrasting stitching all affect the way your body will be perceived.
Our gorgeous Ann dress below has a very strong vertical geometric print that will cause the eye to move up and down the body following the pattern. This effectively will create the illusion of height by elongating the wearer.
A vertically balanced body can be evenly divided into 4 equal parts from the tip of your head to the floor.
To create a balanced look if you have shorter legs in comparison with your torso you can employ the following tips:
* belts in a medium to wide width (this will effectively shorten the appearance of your torso), our hand-made Moroccan leather belts and elastic wide waist belts are perfect.
* waistlines just above the natural waist (this will give your legs a longer look and reduce the visual length of your torso too), eg our fabulously cool cotton Greta style dresses
* shoes & sandals that have a long vamp (opening) or expose a lot of your foot (lengthens the appearance of the leg). We have some gorgeous new sandals in store now.
Simple tricks can have dramatic effects...Amanda
Look out for it in gorgeous rich lipsticks, nail polish, fashion and homewares. I love its plush earthiness and the ease at which it coordinates with other hues whether as a strong accent colour or stand alone statement piece. Marsala works well with many colours from taupes, golden yellows, greys, greens including turquoise and teal, and even vibrant blues.
Here are some of our gorgeous Marsala inspired accessories and garments currently in stock. They are available in store now at our Noosaville Boutique or postage can be arranged. Happy shopping, Amanda.
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Fashion trends determine our hem lengths as they rise up and down our legs each season but there is one thing that remains true - the perfect length for your body will create the illusion of shapely legs. Conversely, the wrong length can widen & shorten your appearance.
The best tip I can give is to never end a hem at your widest leg point as it will only highlight the area and add extra visual width (eg if you have thick calves, don't wear garments with a hem length ending there. The same applies if you have wide ankles, avoid ending your hems on your ankle). Although the current midi length is popular at the moment, this length is one of the most difficult hem lengths to wear flatteringly. However, this can be somewhat rectified if you add width to the garment's silhouette (eg A-line styles) as the wider the hem the slimmer the legs can appear.
If you do find the perfect skirt or dress in all other ways (style, cut, fabric etc) but the hem isn't right don't be put off. Most hems can be let down to add some length or shortened to your most flattering length quite simply.
Most of our garments are designed with this in mind. Our Greta below-the-knee dress, Anne Shirt dress and Matilda dress all follow this design rule.
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