MISSY CONFIDENTIAL
Meet Vanessa Rowse
This Melbourne blogger has mastered the art of always having something to wear...

Missy

Mar 08, 2014 08:12
by Missy

Street style real women photos

quote 1

Street style real women photos

Vanessa, your blog styleandshenanigans.com covers both fashion and home style, what was your intitial motivation for starting the blog?

I have been interested and passionate about all things fashion and home wares/styling for nearly twenty years. I love reading home and fashion magazines and am always researching new and interesting trends and products. My blog is basically a repository for all the research I do anyway and a way to bring all that knowledge and my interests together in one place and hopefully inspire and resource my readers.

Street style real women photos

Street style real women photos

Street style real women photos

Street style real women photos

quote 3

black wedges

This is a terrific little black dress, and we love that you wore it a few different ways for the shoot. 

I bought this dress on sale from Country Road recently (it was marked down from $199 to $129, and then I received another 30% off in the Spend and Save promotion). The black snakeskin wedges are a faithful pair from Nine West bought a few years ago. The neon rope necklace is from Dorothy & Evelyn which I picked up from The Finders Keepers Market last year for $25! 

Street style real women photos

Street style real women photos

black wedgesYou always look super ''together'' – but do you ever wake up in the morning and have nothing to wear ?

I confess that I always have plenty to wear! The challenge some days is choosing something that I feel like wearing and that matches my mood or what I am up to in the day ahead (out and about, a home day, date night etc). For example, some days I don’t feel like wearing jeans or anything fitted, so dresses are often on high rotation!

I might look “together” but I am often wearing similar things in different colours which I know work together. I also have a lot of “set” outfits i.e. clothes/accessories that I always wear together. Dresses are so easy too - just add a pair of flats and one accessory and you are good to go! I am also a big believer in adding a scarf, coloured pair of shoes or a great accessory to lift a basic outfit. Also, if I love something, I often buy the same thing in several colours, the evidence of which are my extensive Salt Water Sandal and Metalicus dress collections!

Street style real women photos

Which store or stores are your go to for fabulous shoes and accessories?


I have bought some great shoes recently from Merchant, Zara and Sambag. For bags and bling, I head to Mimco, Alannah Hill, Lovisa and Diva. For earrings and pendants, I stock up at design and craft markets for something a little different.

We noticed you have 500 followers on Instagram that love to check in for style inspiration! Do you know which was your most successful outfit in terms of hearts?

I think my black dress (as seen in this shoot) has been the favourite to date. Probably because I rarely wear black!

Street style real women photos

Street style real women photos

Who are your style inspirations?

My Mum has always been confident with colour which has rubbed off on me. I also love Duchess Kate’s mix of high street and designer style and the impeccable Cate Blanchett never disappoints.

Street style real women photos

Street style real women photos

Street style real women photos

I love that your blog illustrates that style in terms of fashion and home doesn't need to be expensive. And your home always looks so inviting! Can you share 5 top tips for creating a cosy home on a budget?

1. Layer pieces over time. You don’t want your place looking like a Freedom showroom circa 2014;

2. Shop around. Don’t buy everything from the one place. Look in places that are a little different - from antique and collectibles, op shops and other stand alone places. I generally buy furniture and things for our home on holidays or at markets. For example, I bought an ottoman (that I sit on when at my desk) that was in a change room in a shop (and not advertised for sale) when I was on a weekend away in Mt Martha last year;

3. For a home to have heart, it needs to reflect the people who live within in. Children’s artwork, photos, handmade creations and sentimental pieces are easy and meaningful ways to inject some personality into your home;

4. Head to IKEA ASAP. There are plenty of great designer looking pieces that will add the finishing touch to your home for a song or provide economical storage solutions;

5. Read home magazines, design blogs, the home section of your newspaper and collate a little folder of all the things you love so when the time is right to buy something, you know exactly what you like and where to look.

Street style real women photos

Street style real women photos

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Street style real women photos

If you were packing for two weeks in Italy, what would you pack?

For trans-seasonal weather, I’d pack 5 dresses with a couple of co-ordinating pairs of Salt Water Sandals and Country Road slim line cardys; a pair of Birkestocks (Gizeh) for hard core sightseeing; a pair of harem/printed pants, a tee and a denim jacket for travel days; jeans and a couple of knits for cooler days and a pair of Converse. I’d also pack a messenger bag with my notebook, pen and Kindle. For nights out, a couple of dressier frocks and a pair of wedges and lots of great earrings/small accessories to create different looks. 

Street style real women photos

Street style real women photos

Street style real women photos

Where are your favorite places to shop?

My one stop shop for fashion for the whole family and great home wares is Country Road. I also love Sussan and Metalicus for every day and Alannah Hill and Mimco for special occasions.

I also love design and craft markets and online shopping which takes me from local to international retailers. For home wares, I love IKEA, Freedom, and The Works (Bed Bath n Table) for the basics. I can always find something unique and fabulous at Stampel Studio, Castle & Things, The Super Cool and Bride & Wolfe. One stop online shops like Down That Little Lane and Hard to Find are also great places to find interesting and stylish home wares. I also love the home wares shops in some of Victoria’s coastal towns such as Elephant, Coastal Living, Saltwater and Sandarne in Sorrento and Frith, Rigby’s Homewares and Kiitos Living by Design in Barwon Heads.

Street style real women photos

And this seriously pretty floral dress, it's a favourite?

This Lazybones dress was another sale item - bought from Emilia Boutique in Sorrento last summer. It was the last one, a size smaller than I usually wear and heavily marked down. I loved it so much I gave it a crack and it worked! I have enjoyed wearing it ever since. The pink wedges are from Mollini @ Styletread, which I picked up in the Boxing Day 20% off storewide promotion. The earrings are my favourites - they are by Victorian designer Stampel Studio. Even though they have 6 colours, they go with nearly everything in my wardrobe. 

Street style real women photos

Street style real women photos

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Street style real women photos

On skincare, your skin is immaculate, how do you look after it?

Wow, thank you! I use a mix of Trilogy, Nivea and Ultraceuticals products and have just started using eye cream! I always clean and moisturise my face before going to bed too and I have worn sunscreen every day for years.

What are your 5 favourite beauty products?

1. Lipstick: I love lipstick and am always on the search for the perfect colour. In my lipstick stable you’ll find everything from Sportsgirl and Bloom through to Chanel and Christian Dior;
2. Illuminator: A friend/stylist put me on to an illuminator a couple of years ago and it has changed my life! I use a Face of Australia Illuminator from Big W;
3. Concealer: Essential for concealing the cumulative effects of 3 babies in 5 years!
4. Perfume: I wear perfume every single day and apply it often - it gives an instant lift. My day scent is Givenchy’s Dahlia Noir and in the evenings it’s either Gucci Guilty or Chanel’s Chance;
5. Spray Tan: I don’t get these often but I love them and they make me feel a gazillion bucks!

Street style real women photos

Street style real women photos

Street style real women photos

What shapes, colours and cuts do you favour?

My wardrobe and home basically share the same palette - lots of blues, greens, pinks, red and yellow against lighter neutrals.

I love spots, stripes, floral and geometric prints. I also like a hit of texture whether metallic, tweed, faux fur or wool. I guess you could say I love variety and experimenting in fashion or in my home.

Clothing wise, I was born to wear dresses and I have quite a collection of frocks for all seasons. Anything with a fit and flare cut, plenty of colour and/or retro styling.

Street style real women photos

Finally, Vanessa, what's you regime for keeping your hair gorgeous?

I have a pretty simple routine. I use Charles Worthington shampoo and conditioner (I’ve been using it for over ten years). I don’t use any product but I use dry shampoo a couple of times a week (Klorane or Batiste) to save time in the mornings and to put off washing my hair for another day or two. Some weeks I only wash my hair twice. Winning!

Check out Vanessa's blog at styleandshenanigans.com - from there you can also find links to her instagram and facebook page.

Big thank you to Vanessa for taking the time to meet Missy and our readers!

Photographer 
And a super big thank you again to the very clever Rebekah Jewell at littleredphotography.com.au for these beautiful photos taken in Melbourne. 

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