Things Of Note No. 006

July was a big month… I’m finally starting to feel on top of things again after our two weeks of illness and the school holidays. It’s been nice to get back into our regular rhythm. I’ve realised I’ve fallen behind in sharing some of my favourite things recently, so this is a bit of July in review when it comes to style, interiors, books, beauty & design.

Last week, I had the pleasure of attending a black tie gala with La Prairie at one my favourite hotels, The Capella in Sydney. I wanted to wear something fun, and ended up loaning this Beare Park dress for the evening — I remember seeing the runway photos from their show earlier this year and loving it, and I can confirm it’s even better in person.

Sadly I had to retire one of my favourite pairs of black flats this month. These are the kind of shoe I reach for multiple times a week, so I wanted to replace them with 2x options (to keep a bit of the pressure off!) and also that serve two slightly different purposes. These are going to be my new everyday flat. My friend (the designer, hi BT!) has been road testing them for the past few months, and every time I see her wearing them, I’ve made a mental note to add to cart. Now that they’re finally available, I’m doing exactly that.

This is the other pair I’m contemplating. I love the detail, and the open toe, they’re like a great hybrid take on a mary-jane and a sandal? I feel like they’d be a great option for meetings, appointments and events where I want to be comfortable, but still feel like I’ve made an effort.

The black merino knit I’ve been wearing on repeat now comes in off-white, and felt like an easy addition to my wardrobe. It’s lightweight, incredibly comfortable and I love the addition of the waist tie — it’s a little detail that makes it feel both flattering and considered. Both of these collages are trans-seasonal takes on how I see myself still wearing these knits when the weather starts warming up. Do I need these jeans? They have been on my radar for so long now — I’m thinking yes.

I had a few exciting beauty deliveries this month, and going out meant I had a chance to put them to use. I’m a longtime fan of a vanilla-note fragrance and this BIBBI Vanilla Factory scent delivers the perfect balance of sweetness and spice. I also got to try the new Hourglass Phantom Blur Balm and I can see it’s going to become a cult product for me. I start with their lip liner at the outer edges, and then work the balm from my inner lips outwards, blurring the edges slightly with my finger. The final result is polished yet soft; I love the matte finish and balm texture.

On the beauty front, I also had a fun hair refresh with the one and only David Mallet, fresh off the plane from Paris. He was in town launching his hair care line into MECCA and it’s always a treat to see him. We opted for a little trim, and some new layers around the front — nothing too drastic, but feels nice and fresh as we start counting down to spring.

I’ve also been using Rationale’s new Brilliance Tinted Serum since my holiday, it gives a beautiful soft glow, a subtle tint and is SPF 50+ which makes it perfect for everyday use. I’ve been wearing it alone, with a touch of concealer where needed, but you could also layer under your foundation. I’ve found the key for my skin is investing in a really good moisturiser, and getting that base right. If my skin is nice and hydrated, everything layers better on top. This is my absolute favourite, but I ran out while on holiday, so I’m using this in the meantime. I’ve also been loving adding this liquid or these sachets to my water bottle to keep myself drinking enough throughout winter. Bonus is that they taste great and provide a collagen boost too.

Another addition to my wellness routine is FERM Gut & Digest powder, taken daily. Particularly after a recent course of antibiotics, this has been so helpful in starting to feel like myself again. Next on my list is to build back up to a consistent exercise routine, but this month I’ve focused just on eating well, staying hydrated, and gentle walks with my dog and/or the kids whenever I can. Full disclosure, some of you may remember I worked with FERM on their branding, packaging design and art direction, but I love the product, and will only ever share things in this newsletter that I genuinely believe in.

Toteme’s Archipelago shoot was beautiful — I instantly want to go on holiday again. In the meantime, this pendant is so stunning in its simplicity, and I’m waiting and hoping their lace sarong comes back in stock.

On the Badlands Studio front, we had an exciting project go live this month. Last year, we worked with the Avenue founders on concepting & modeling a new signature motif that will feature on all their hats. For their custom pansy shell design, we started with sketches based on the founder’s childhoods summers by the sea, and progressed to a 3D model which was then cast in metal. I love how subtle the final piece is on their hats, but that up close, there is so much detail.

I recently curated a selection of favourite lamps over on Instagram as part of an ongoing Q&A. It was a real reminder in how important lighting is in setting the mood and tone of a space, and how much they can change a room from a design sense — becoming a sculptural object in themselves. I saved up and purchased the Roattino Floor Lamp, designed by Eileen Gray for Classicon, a few years ago. It was an investment I’ve never once regretted, and one of those pieces that can instantly make a room feel more interesting and layered.

Zara have some great new arrivals, and I find myself particularly drawn to their ecomm styling lately. I could picture myself wearing all the below this Spring — the white knit tied around the waist of a black cardigan is something I’m keen try from my own closet. The black tops I’m very tempted to add to cart…

One of my dreams is to take a design tour of Europe, an itinerary curated to take in all the best galleries, residences and architectural sights on offer. High on the list is The Chapelle du Rosaire de Vence, often referred to as the Matisse Chapel, located in the town of Vence on the French Riviera. Matisse was involved across all aspects of the design, from the architecture, stained glass windows and murals — everything has his artistic touch.

I fell behind on my reading this month, but there was something nice in starting a new book and taking it slow. After re-reading Wuthering Heights (I was in the mood for something melancholy?), Dave Eggers’ Contrapposto is a new fiction arrival I was excited about, particularly as it’s a story about friendship, love, and art that Eggers worked on across two decades. There is something so beautiful about spending that amount of time on the storyline, and it adds another dimension to the character development. Eggers started making first notes for the novel while he was in art school and I love the detailed way he writes about art. It’s making me want to go back to my Fine Arts studies again…

I’m also realising I’m running out of places to store my books. This Jean-Michel Frank space was always the dream — a built in library behind my desk. We don’t have the room for this kind of setup, so for now it will stay a dream, but I’m going to start sketching out some ideas for how we could reconfigure our office space to include some more storage and shelving. I’ll share more on this soon.

That’s all from me this week… I’ll leave you with Rothko as a parting note, because this is the only kind of blue I want to be feeling as we settle into August.

Until next time,

T

I am a creative director, brand designer and one half of creative practice, Badlands Studio. To explore working together on design or creative direction, you're welcome to reach out at talisa@badlands.studio — I'd love to hear from you.

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