Tuesday, June 30, 2015

Aloha!

Aloha! 

I know you have heard me talk for MONTHS about my Hawaii adventure and well, the time has come to board that plane and go and sun myself  in tropical island delight (INSERT COCKTAIL POOLSIDE IN HAND).
This is a special trip as we are celebrating my awesome-sauce husbands 40th birthday and we have his family flying in from Australia to meet us - so there will 12 of us to be exact.


So that leads me to this. I want to be TRULY present. I need to honor this time. I have poured my heart and passion into this blog in the last 10 months, sometimes juggling more that I should, but so willingly so.  I am always encouraging Mom's to take care of themselves, to give back to themselves. So I will practice what I preach. Take the time off on vacation to truly disconnect, be present, spend time with my loved ones, make beautiful memories with my little ones. (For the record, this is not easy for me to not blog - I feel like it's such a part of me).

But I wouldn't leave you empty handed. Below you will find a list of some of my most popular blog posts for the past year.

When I come back, I will be rejuvenated, full of inspiration and have so much to share with you from my wonderful Hawaiin adventure. Mahalo.

Rest assured, I will still be posting on Instagram and Facebook so you can keep up to date with my vacation shenanigans and outfits. Follow me and let's be friends. 

So on with your summer reading for 2015.

A Shopping Ban for 2015. A fellow Aussie fashionista has put herself on a shopping ban for 2015 and shops her own closet, every.single.day.

Yummo Kimono. These beauties are a fun item for SS15, pair it with your swimmers at the beach or with some cute shorts for the markets. 

Jump (suit) for Joy. Another SS15 fashionable and fun item.  See my inspiration.

Seven Chambray Shirt Inspirations.  A staple in any closet (or should be), here is 7 ways to pair it with what's in your closet.

Maxi Dress 12 ways. More fabulous inspiration for a summer staple, the maxi dress!

Shopping with YummoMummo.  See how I took this beautiful Mom (Mum) of 4, spent $220 and made her 18 fabulous outfits.

7 Day Nail Polish Challenge. See this nail polish put to the test as I scrub dishes, clean pre-school toilets and hit the gym and the supermarket. 

Four Hair Tutorials. These super simple and step-by-step hair tutorials by YummoMummo herself, will have you looking fabulous and out the door in minutes. 

Write me a comment below and tell me what you are up to this summer?

Friday, June 26, 2015

My summer haircut 2015

My friends know me so well. I can't do a thing without wanting to share it with my readers, well, that's what a blog is for right? Sharing?  Sharing is caring!  So on that note,  I had 6 inches cut off my hair last week.
I have my foils done every 8 weeks so I find when it gets longer, the ends get quite bad from the constant bleaching. As much as I would like to have 'mermaid hair', I have come to the realization that it will only happen if I get extensions. With a good 6 inch cut, I got some bounce back with less hair weighing my locks down. Va Va Volume.

I can still put it in a low ponytail, whack on a trucker hat or my fedora, style it with some fat curls, create beachy waves or dead straighten it. A very versatile cut. 

So check out my LOB (Long Bob). Officially one of Harper's Bazaar's summer haircuts for 2015. Check out my inspiration in Rose Byrne's A Line Lob.

More Bob/Lob Inspirations 

Rumpled Lob


A-line Bob

Classic Bob

Chin Length Flip

Side Swept Bangs Bob


Straight Bangs Bob
Tell me your favorite hair of summer 2015!
Leave me a comment below................... 

Monday, June 22, 2015

How to dress for Black & White photos.

A dear friend was preparing for a black and white photo session and asked for my help in finding the perfect outfit. When it comes to a photography session, it's sort of a one-shot-kinda-thing so you want to get it right on the day when it comes to your wardrobe and makeup. 

So onto the outfit. I am showing you in B/W and color so you can see the outfit in real. But we chose wardrobe items that were comfortable, made her feel joy (to put an extra big smile on her face), made her feel confident, and worked well with B/W photography. Namely, patterns and textures. Texture in the lace top and pattern in the kimono. She paired it with some blue jeans for pure comfort.

I'd suggest taking your smart phone into the change room and taking a selfie with the outfit on, so you can get a sense of how the outfit will look in black and white. 




 Love this outfit, a chance to play with a SS15 trend, The Kimono. I think this is Vince Camuto. From Nordstrom, current. The lace top is her own, Cabi, not current.
Following are some tips on clothing and make-up from Schumacher Photography, the company that did the actual photography session.  (The photos you see here are by me, obviously not a professional photographer, but taken for the sake of example).

"Clothing tips
The more your wardrobe reflects your personality, the better. Patterns and textures look great in black and white photographs. Wear clothes that you feel comfortable in. Avoid wearing clothing with logos. Wrinkled clothing can be distracting, so select clothing that does not wrinkle easily. For parents 3/4 or long sleeves are preferable to short sleeves. Neutral tones are always a good choice. Please avoid wearing blacks and whites. These tend to be too dark and too bright for black and white portraits. 
 
 
Make-up

Keep your make-up light and simple. Eye make-up should also be kept to a minimum. Avoid dark eye shadow, as it will make your eyes look too dark and heavy. Nails should be neat and freshly manicured if possible. Make sure to use a natural hue. Avoid reds and dark hues, as they will appear black in black & white images, in both your make-up, lip gloss and nail polish. Remember, less is more."
I found the following super helpful tips on Shutterfly. And we used this as a guide when shopping.


  1. "Color is important, but in a different way than you might think. When an image is rendered in black and white, the colors of the scene become varying shades of grey, from solid white to solid black. Blue will appear much darker grey than yellow, which will appear very light grey. It is the contrast of colors that makes a black and white photo interesting. Avoid wearing solid black or white.
  2. Contrast is very important. If your background is dark, you do not want to photograph someone wearing clothing that will appear dark and have him or her blend into the background. Same concept goes for a light background and light clothing.
  3. Choose clothing that lightly contrasts with the skin tone of your subject. This way they will appear as the focal point of the photograph.
  4. Look for clothing that has texture, rather than patterns. A nicely textured solid looks much better than a busy pattern or print. Subtle patterns or prints are ok, but avoid designs like wide stripes, plaids or repetitive patterns.
  5. For group photos everyone should not be wearing the same colors and style, but they should not conflict. Try to find complimentary styles and colors, but allow each person’s personality to be reflected in the clothing they wear.
  6. Have fun, experiment with the photos. Do not just take one photo, have your subject try on a few different outfits if you have the time."
For the full article read Shutterfly's article here. 

So I'm hoping you have found some super helpful tips on what to wear when being photographed in B/W.  Summer is a great time to get your camera and capture the beautiful memories. 


DON'T FORGET.......
YummoMummo can do wardrobe for YOU! If you need a wardrobe audit, outfit inspirations,  personal shopping or help finding the perfect outfit, then let's make you the Yummo to my Mummo. yummomummomelissa@gmail.com


If you want to keep up with my daily outfit of the day posts (#ootd), follow me on Instagram www.instagram.com/yummomummo

For my daily fashionable Facebook antics www.facebook.com/yummomummo

Leave me a comment below, I love to read them.



Tuesday, June 16, 2015

Make a Statement (jewelry).

One of the most common questions I get as a Wardrobe Stylist and Fashion Blogger is about how to accessorize.  People are always curious about rules / no rules / accessorizing OTT or not?

Well firstly, in my YummoMummo book, the number one rule in fashion is YOU HAVE TO FEEL JOY IN WHAT YOU ARE WEARING! So if you love to accessorize, go to town. If you like to keep it a little more understated, stick with minimal and you will still rock it. 

For me, the "joy" was in these earrings below.... 

I like to wear a statement piece any which way, either dressed casually or decked out in heels. Give me a plaid shirt or a black dress, I think the statement piece still works. 


I love the following combination. It gives me a chance to play with the neon, edgy trend of SS15. I found this necklace, not "supposed" to go with it, but I felt it did. You'll see the beads don't marry in with the earrings but the color does so what is what TIES them together. 







Following I have played with some stacking. It's the same necklace but in two different colors. Stack them alone or pair one with matching earrings. Fun. In the first picture, I could add some simple gold studs if I wanted to keep it simple with the earrings and still tie in the gold.

Following is a great chance to dabble with a SS15 trend. You've heard of the back/front earring? Well, check out the back/front necklace! The left necklace needs an open neck to see the detail and could be paired with some gold leaf earrings for that extra statement or a simple pair of gold studs. The one on the right looks like a pair of headphones. LOL. It had a matching bracelet but it made absolutely no sense when I put it on. I felt ZERO "joy". 
I love the idea of pairing these earrings with the bracelets pictured. $5.99 for a set of 4 (either in all gold OR gold/turquoise. These earrings are SUCH a statement and quite long, they would almost touch a necklace if I was wearing one, so for me, I think these are best worn with the bracelets. 

All pieces are inexpensive at $20 and below. Available at H&M. 

TRY THESE PAIRINGS:
  • Statement earrings / statement  bracelet
  • Statement necklace / less statement earrings / statement bracelet
  • Statement necklace / statement bracelet
  • Statement necklace / less statement bracelet
  • Statement necklace / statement earrings - especially if you are trying to get dressed up and have a solid color up top to not compete with all the bling!

AND DON'T FORGET: 
  • Play with stacking. Stacking necklaces, stacking bracelets for what's known as an 'arm party'.
  • Play with the latest trends such as front back earrings, ear jackets, neon colors, front/back necklaces.
  • Floral necklace with a striped tee is a lot of fun and a great chance to play with mixing patterns.
  • When jewelry tarnishes, try spray painting gold or silver paint. I have done this on less expensive pieces and it's done a treat.
  • Don't hang metals on door handles etc, I use wooden hooks. Also don't spray perfume on your neck as it will tarnish the metal, spray on clothes or wrist.
REMEMBER.......
YummoMummo can do wardrobe for YOU! If you need a wardrobe audit, outfit inspirations,  personal shopping or help finding the perfect outfit, then let's make you the Yummo to my Mummo. yummomummomelissa@gmail.com


If you want to keep up with my daily outfit of the day posts (#ootd), follow me on Instagram www.instagram.com/yummomummo

For my daily fashionable Facebook antics www.facebook.com/yummomummo

Friday, June 12, 2015

A simple white skirt FIVE ways!

I am going to level with you. Summer vacay from school is here! This makes it super interesting for me as I try to juggle three kids, lose my train of thought every interrupted  second and have zero time to get things done (LOL). While I type, my 3 year old is rolling his toy plane over my head and keyboard, and my older two are being asked for the upteenth time to tidy up after themselves so we can get going for the pool! Bless.There you go, just a funny snippet to put a smile on your face and say thank you for your patience, love and support of YummoMummo. All feedback has always involved the words, 'authentic' , 'obtainable', 'affordable' and 'real' so the proof is in the pudding.

So onto more important things and why you, my lovely readers, are here..... to read with me on my fun journey through my passion for fashion.  I am on the countdown for Hawaii with my lovely husband, kids and in-laws as we celebrate a much anticipated 4-0 for my better half. So I need to start thinking about what I will be packing, as everything needs to be uber versatile, comfortable and travel happy. So take one white skirt, mix it with a  few accessories and wear it a few different ways to create 5 vacation outfits. 
I am wearing the Gauze Midi Skirt form Old Navy / Current / $28.00 HERE
I've pulled the skirt up to create a flowy dress and belted it with a thick belt at the smallest part of  my waist. Could also be fun to belt it with a scarf. 

 Here I am wearing my daughters kimono from Justice.  You know how I love to dive into a wardrobe and see what I can pull out!  Even if that's my 9 year olds wardrobe!


Without the vest, think "Just out of the pool". And the beads scream Hawaii! 
 Perhaps here I am off for lunch downtown in Waikiki! (Insert cheeky lunchtime Margarita in hand).


I love this outfit. Paired with my super sparkly and lovely gold shimmery sequenced top and a gold belt. Ive tucked it in a bit for a more polished look. Some gold flats and I'm ready for the luau. Mahalo.


DON'T FORGET.......
YummoMummo can do wardrobe for YOU! If you need a wardrobe audit, outfit inspirations,  personal shopping or help finding the perfect outfit, then let's make you the Yummo to my Mummo. yummomummomelissa@gmail.com


If you want to keep up with my daily outfit of the day posts (#ootd), follow me on Instagram www.instagram.com/yummomummo

For my daily fashionable Facebook antics www.facebook.com/yummomummo

Leave me a comment below, I love to read them.

Monday, June 8, 2015

Wine, Women & Shoes for AHCF



If you follow me on social media at InstagramTwitter, or Facebook, then you would of seen my post that I was attending Wine, Women & Shoes (WW&S) last Saturday night.  This was the first time I have been to WW&S and holy moly, I had an absolute ball.  The event I attended was to raise money for AHCF (Alternating Hemiplegia of Childhood). To learn more about this disease and how you can help, head to http://ahckids.org. I was so privileged to be able to support and donate to such an incredible organization. 
AHCF (The Egan family and their community to be exact) produced this amazing event with the signature of Wine Women and Shoes.  AHCF partnered with WW&S in the hope that the name "Wine Women and Shoes" would help their rare disease reach more people.  They are a very small foundation with approximately 400 AHC patients in the U.S., and 800 worldwide.  The disease is often misdiagnosed as seizures so the probability is more like 8000.
My fabulous friends - Amy, Lisa, Keiran and YummoMummo herself! Amy had her baby today, her third, a girl! 36 hours after this pic was taken. Doesn't she look fabulous and good on her for donning her heels and walking the field! 
The equestrian fields were decked out with so many wines from local vineyards, and being so close to Sonoma and the Napa Valley, I can totally appreciate this. There were also vendors selling everything from handbags, to jewelry, to chic sunglasses, clothing and apparel. Who doesn't like to literally walk the field shopping and enjoy so many delicious wines. 


Look at that be-aut-iful California sky! Onto the outfit...... you know I LOVE a chance to get dressed up! I love that I can pull out my faux fur in the summer and just pair it with a spaghetti strap.  I paired my chunky black metallic ring with a fun black beaded bracelet that's all tied up! Love it! Statement jewelry fun. I am always working on my make up skills (thank you You Tube) so I was pleased with my eye make up (although a pro might differ in opinion). And lastly, the most important part of an event that involves shoes - what to wear, what to wear! My black pumps with cheetah platform. Ties in with the fur. Roar. (Disclosure: this pic was taken with kids coming in and out of that door behind me every 30 seconds). The neighbor's kid must of wondered why on earth Mrs YummoMummo is dressed and standing in the corner like that.  I'm amazed I managed to capture this shot! 



 The view from where I was sitting, first row in front of the catwalk. Best seat in the house in my  opinion! 
Macy's put on a show of what fun trends to look for this season. This show was amazing. I loved all the outfits and all the models were authentic and real Moms and women, just like you and me. 
 We were gifted some GREAT swag ($450 worth to be exact) so here is my friend Keiran showing you how excited we were. The vibe in the room was so electric, so supportive, so loving. It was like being in an Oprah audience. Sorry men, but sometimes I feel like if we could of harnessed that energy in the room by all these women, we could solve world peace, hunger and the global financial crisis. 
I chased this woman down the equestrian field and just had to ask her if I could take her picture. I really hope I am rocking it and having as much fun with fashion and style as she is at her age! You go girl! (I think she is maybe still wondering why this crazy blonde Aussie girl approached her for a picture - i gave her my card so I hoped that explained it all). 

DON'T FORGET.......
YummoMummo can do wardrobe for YOU! If you need a wardrobe audit, outfit inspirations,  personal shopping or help finding the perfect outfit, then let's make you the Yummo to my Mummo. yummomummomelissa@gmail.com


If you want to keep up with my daily outfit of the day posts (#ootd), follow me on Instagram www.instagram.com/yummomummo

For my daily fashionable Facebook antics www.facebook.com/yummomummo

Leave me a comment below, I love to read them.

Monday, June 1, 2015

A shopping ban for 2015! Say what?


What if you went on a shopping ban for 2015?  And that means - NO shopping, all your inspirations come from what you already own AND you shop your own wardrobe every.single.day. 

Well, meet Bec! My new Instagram friend @ilovethatskirt.  She has done exactly that, put herself on a shopping ban for 2015. And guess what? She is loving every minute of it! I found her story so inspirational, that I wanted to interview her and bring her story to you. 

As my readers know, I am constantly bringing inspirations from my own wardrobe to my blog or my social media pages. Just follow me on Instagram @yummomummo to see my daily "Outfit of the Day" #ootd. Maybe you have a similar item I am wearing in your wardrobe, and just weren't sure how to work it. I am a Mummo on a budget, so I need to be very frugal with what I have. I believe that style and fashion should be affordable and accessible to anyone. Every woman deserves to feel great and honor her fabulousness. 
Meet Bec (@ilovethatskirt). LOVE this dress! From Bohemian Traders. 


1. What prompted you to go on a shopping ban?

Well I am (was) the true definition of a "shopping addict"!!  I loved shopping online and in-store and was forever asking people "where did you get that from"!  At the end of last year I was looking through my wardrobe to find something to wear and found 3 items that still had the tags on and I just thought to myself "enough is enough".  I realised that I have enough of everything - I have enough jeans; enough tops; enough gym gear; enough dresses and enough shoes! I really did not need to buy anything else.  So I wanted to set myself a challenge of just using what is in my wardrobe instead of shopping!

This skirt screams FUN!

2. What has been your biggest obstacle thus far?

My biggest obstacle has probably been changing my mindset.  My best friend and I used to live together and whenever we had an event or party coming up we would always go and buy something new to wear instead of re-working something we already owned.  So changing my thought patterns from "I need something new" to "let's re-work what I have" has been the most challenging!

3. Tell us three things about yourself we might not know?

Ohhh well I'm sure there's lots of things - but it might not be very interesting haha! 

* I have always lived in Brisbane (Australia) and whilst I would love to try living somewhere overseas, I also love that my family is within 5 minutes drive. 

*  I have the most amazing group of girlfriends from High School who I am still friends with.  We catch up once a week usually and we are now going through the engagements, weddings and babies stage together which is really exciting!

* I have two older brothers and I was essentially a "surprise" for my Mum and Dad!  My brothers are a fair bit older than me and whilst they never helped me with my makeup they certainly shaped my early style - I was a big tomboy growing up!

Chambray shirt versatility. A great staple.


4. What is your best piece of style advice?

I know it might sound cliché but the older I get the more I realise that great style is all about confidence.  I don’t think I ever understood this in my early twenties but now I totally get it.  I could be wearing something that isn’t “on trend” or isn’t the “latest” style but if I feel confident then that is all that matters. Clothes should make us feel good about our bodies and about ourselves and I think that's really important! (YummoMummo here - Might I interject and say "Amen, Sista!", I could not agree more).
Corporate sheek.  So elegant. Wool skirt from Witchery, one of my fav Aussie stores.

5. If you could take 3 clothing/accessory items onto a deserted island, what would they be?

Ohh good question!! I would take a striped tee (I love love love stripes), my favourite leopard print flats and some denim shorts - this is basically my "go to" look in our hot Australian summers so I figure it would be perfect for a deserted island :)

Coffee shops in Australia are something I truly miss! The metallic shoes are awesome!

6. How would you describe your style?

I would have to say that my style is classic, girly and a little bit fun! I love midi-skirts and dresses but then I also love throwing on a tee and jeans! I work in a fairly corporate area so through out the week I have to be quite dressy, so on the weekend I like to have fun and mix it up!
Thanks so much for having me!

Can you imagine how much $$ Bec will save in 2015 from her shopping ban, not to mention the time spent not shopping. Definitely great food for thought! 

YummoMummo can do wardrobe for YOU! If you need a wardrobe audit, outfit inspirations,  personal shopping or help finding the perfect outfit, then let's make you the Yummo to my Mummo. yummomummomelissa@gmail.com


If you want to keep up with my daily outfit of the day posts (#ootd), follow me on Instagram www.instagram.com/yummomummo

For my daily fashionable Facebook antics www.facebook.com/yummomummo

Leave me a comment below, I love to read them.