I couldn’t help but share another sneak peek of some of my favourite projects in my new book! The gorgeous (and amazingly talented) Candice Lake took this photo while I was at Sydney Fashion Week earlier this year of me wearing the DIY Lace Hem Shorts and DIY Studded headband – both of which you’ll find the tutorials for in DIY Fashionista. I actually reworked the shorts from a pair of trousers I found in a thrift store, and then changed their look completely by adding scalloped lace. The things you can do with secondhand store finds and a little elbow grease! This sort of outfit, mainly consisting of DIY and thrifted pieces, shows that you don’t have to spend a packet in order to feel chic and fit in amongst the impossibly chic Sydney fashion set. A pretty simple equation (which I’ve broken down for you next to the image), this outfit took me from hosting a Harper’s Bazaar lunch, to taking in a few shows and then being interviewed with ease (and then on to a kebab in Kings Cross sometime after midnight – but we won’t dwell on that). Hurrah for DIY!

Note the three colours?

Photo by Candice Lake for ManeNocte

Do you sometimes struggle to pull an outfit together and wish there was a set of style rules you could follow to look simple and chic at all times, without having to think too hard or spend too much time? Well I may have the answer for you: three colour dressing. Never heard of it before? Don’t worry, nor had I. It’s a well kept wardrobe secret  – one that my friend Sara from Harper & Harley uses to help pull her outfits together, the basic premise of which is not wearing more than three colours at any one time.

Some people do multi-colour outfits really well (ie all of Tommy Ton’s muses) but if you’re like me and are looking for a quick and fuss free way to look good all the time (well, most of the time), Sara’s rules could totally help you to create ensembles that are simple and chic, without having to spend hours planning.

Three Colour Dressing
- Try to wear no more than three colours per outfit.
- Because black and white are technically shades, you can be more flexible about how you integrate these into your outfits. For example, you can wear four colors if one of them is white.
-  For metal jewelry try to stick to one shade for each outfit, either gold or silver, particularly for chunky jewelry like statement necklaces and watches. I sometimes break this rule because I like mixed metal but I think sticking with one shade helps with simplicity.
- Thought busy prints were banned because of the abundance of different colours? No way! But when wearing a printed piece, keep the rest of your outfit simple. If you like you can choose a colour out of the print itself to match with your accessories or another part of your outfit which will help to simplify the palette.
- Matching the colour of your accessories is an easy way to limit the number of colours in your outfit (I admit I do tend to lean towards matching accessories, does that make me a stepford wife?), but you don’t always have to. I like it when people match one of their accessories to a piece of their outfit, like bag to skirt, or go for an outfit with two colours and then a bag or shoes that pop.
- Apparently red lips count! 

Naturally there will always be a million exceptions to the rule. You don’t have to dress like this all the time but I’ve truly found that dressing in three colours can really help when I’m in doubt about how to put an outfit together. Need some proof that three colour dressing actually works? Below I’ve pulled some of my favourite street style looks including Lucy, Sara, Jess, Nicole and Hedvig and shown you how they’ve used the three colour dressing concept (I assume without even knowing it) to look amazing.
 

Thought I’d share a few pics of the millions I took while I was in New York. I spent the first half of my two week trip staying in Manhattan, working with Coach, going to a few shows and generally enjoying the hustle and bustle of fashion week. I then moved over to Brooklyn for the second half of my trip and stayed with a friend – relaxing and enjoying the more laid back vibe of Williamsburg and the surrounding suburbs. All in all it was an amazing trip and I felt so lucky to meet so many lovely people and really get to know New York. Here are a few (ok yes well lots) of snippets of the places that I went and the things that I saw, including some holiday must sees and must eats for next time you are in NYC.

My NYC Must Do’s and Must Eats:

•  Hire a rowboat from the Boathouse in Central Park (only like $15 and so fun!)
• Take a Staten Island Ferry trip to see the Statue of Liberty (sit on the right-hand side for the best view)
• Wander the streets of the West Village and Meatpacking district and stop off at Ino’s for a panini.
• Hang out in Williamsburg and have a drink at the Radegast Beer Hall, and have a bite to eat at La Esquina Diner  (brother of the famous Las Esquina in Soho – go there too if you can get a booking!)
• Walk the Williamsburg Waterfront
• Go to the Brooklyn Flea and eat fresh strawberry icecream – life. changing.
• Duck into Beacons Closet in Brooklyn.
• Walk the Highline and then have lunch in Chelsea Market (fish tacos at Friedman’s Lunch were so good, or eat on the Highline itself behind Chelsea Market)
• Hit the shops around Soho.
• Hire a bike in Central Park.
• Go to the top of the Rockafella Centre
• Tour the Garment district.
• Have a sundowner at the rooftop of the Whythe Hotel in Brooklyn.
• Head to the Frick, Guggenheim and Moma Galleries.
• Have an Iced Coffee and bagel with creamcheese for breakfast.
• Go to Eataly from a long lunch.
• Have brunch at Penelope’s in Murray Hill.
• If you can, go check out Early Halloween – you will be bowled over.
• Hang out in the Lower East Side, have happy hour at Schillers Liquor Bar and then Tacos at Taqueria Lower East Side

Anywhere I  missed? I wish I had been there for a month so I could have eaten at more places!

Images: Candice Lake shooting at Lincoln Centre (with Bill Cunningham in the background!) / Panini at Ino in the west village (to die for) / lighting at a cafe in brooklyn / Street signs in Soho / hanging out on steeps in the West Village / Leandra catches the attention of the photographers / The Statue of Liberty / Schillers Liquor Bar in the Lower East Side / Wandering Soho with Jess and Sara / Amazing fresh pretzel at the Radegast Beer Garden in Williamsburg / DIY leather collar denim shirt in Times Square / Nicole outside the Lincoln Centre / Hats at Early Halloween (the most amazing vintage and costume  store ever!) / Rowing boats in Central Park / Beacons Closet in Park Slope / How to get photographed at Fashion Week!

Images: Natalie Joos being photographed by Nam and Tommy Ton / Williamsburg waterfront on a Saturday / Staten Island Ferry / Antique shop in Williamsburg / The Beckermans / Saxophone player on the Highline / Mercer Street in Soho / Button shopping / Central Park on a sunny day / Daily intake of bagels was very, very high / Aimee / Heart shaped confetti in central park / A classic American Caesar salad / Succulents in a store in Williamsburg

Images: Dani Song’s studded shoulders / Guac made on the spot in Brooklyn / Central Park / Power Posse of bloggers – Lauren & Erica, Geri & Sophie, Jenni, The Beckermans, Aimee / Addicted to New York Architecture / Bagel and iced coffee (everyday) / Brooklyn love / digging for treasures in Brooklyn / Looking down on the Lincoln Center from the Empire Hotel / The Highline / Sara hailing us a cab / The West Village