They say that only people who live in Melbourne know where the best hide-aways are and this is no exception. Down some stairs on Flinders Lane you will find the fortyfivedownstairs Gallery which is hosting the Parallel Tensions exhibition for Melbourne Spring Fashion Week. This year features some of Melbourne's most promising up-and-coming designers with their current collections ranging from soft and feminine, to edgy leather and unique avant garde pieces. 

Melbourne via Instagram

MSFW | Student Exhibition

Melbourne Spring Fashion Week is fast approaching again and returning with it is the Student Exhibition at 1000 £ Bend. This year features incredible use of textures and abstract fabrics as well as light and projection. 

Kirby Hanrahan | Bachelor of Applied Science (Fashion Technology)

Melbourne Writers Festival

So I put my hand up to volunteer at the Melbourne Writers Festival this year, not because I have that much of an interest in books or writing, but because I wanted to go to one particular event and was too stingy to pay for it. I didn't really know that much about the Writers Festival coming into it and to me it sounded rather boring.

The first event I was working at was an evening with The New Yorker at the Melbourne Town Hall. I also had no idea who was speaking at this so I was hoping people didn't ask me (some volunteer I am haha). 

Whitney Eve

I had the pleasure of attending an intimate gathering with Whitney Port at Sportsgirl in Melbourne as she launched her WE by Whitney Eve line. Whitney's new line is a combination of cherry red and faded florals, perfect for the Australian summer. 

Luna 1878

I'm assuming if you live in Melbourne, you've been to the Queen Victoria Markets during the day, and they're fine for passing some time but they're not great. There are always so many cheap and crappy touristy products which really aren't worth your time. But come nightfall, the markets transform into a local artists and designer paradise. The Luna 1878 Markets is a series of night markets during winter at the Queen Victoria Markets, and I went along to the 3rd night. 

Olympians

Today at Federation Square, there was a welcome home for the Australian Olympic Team. I didn't follow the Olympics all that closely but like everyone else, I had my opinions. I went along to this mainly because I wanted to get Anna Meares' autograph on a cycling magazine of my Dad's because he's a bit of a cycling fanatic. 

Whirlwind Day In Doha

Okay so you might be able to tell that this is a bit of a time filler whilst I'm busy and haven't been able to get to any events, hope you enjoy anyway.

Never in a million years would I have even considered going to Doha, Qatar, but when the opportunity came up for me to save $500 on my air ticket to England last year by having a 10 hour stop over in Doha, I decided I should give it a chance. I didn't know if I could even be bothered leaving the airport being in a country so different to Australia, but by coincidence, I found out my second cousin lives (well lived) in Doha. 

Murder Mystery

I normally wouldn't blog about my friends' parties but I just couldn't help myself with this one. I was very intrigued by the theme Murder Mystery and had no idea what to expect. We were asked prior to the soiree if we would like to have a character to play, but I'm not very good at taking role playing very seriously so I opted not to, however I was definitely in the minority.  

Splendour In The Mud

Guest Post

After a 2 year gap year of soul searching in Woodfordia, Splendour in the Grass has finally come home to the real world in Byron Bay refreshed and ready to rock. For those who don't know, Splendour in the Grass is pretty much Australia's biggest music festival. Our answer to Glastonbury even (but not as big). Unfortunately I wasn't able to make it but my best friend did so she's going to write a guest post about her Splendour experience. Enjoy. 

Blast From The Past | Florence And The Machine 2010

So I bet you thought I couldn't possibly do another post on Florence and the Machine, well, you were wrong. This one is about the first time I ever saw her. There's not much I can say here that I haven't already said in my previous posts about her. I think her confidence from this to now has really sky rocketed with her international success and the fact that this tour was at Festival Hall, whereas her latest tour was at Rod Laver Arena.

Mali In The City

If you're heading into the city in the next couple of weeks (which I'm assuming most of you are), you may notice the abundance of elephants hidden around the city. This is in celebration of the Melbourne Zoo's 150th Birthday. I've already expressed my love for my favourite animal counterpart, Mali the elephant, and now you can find 50 of her in and around the city in the Mali In The City display. 

Melbourne Uni Madness

There's nothing more hilarious than watching your friends making fun of everything and anything on stage in front of hundreds of people. The Melbourne Uni Law Review 2012 was one crazy funny night at the Lithuanian Club in North Melbourne.

When In Rome

Thanks to the That's Melbourne Twitter, I received complimentary tickets for the Ancient Rome Exhibition in the Docklands. The exhibition had all sorts of Ancient Roman inventions from weapons to mathematical devices (you can tell I know a lot about history *derp*). 

Shadows Of Envy

If you like good food, art, fashion, film, live music, design or alcohol (or all of the above), pay close attention. Shadows Of Envy are a brand spanking new venue in Melbourne which offer everything I previously mentioned. As well as being a scrumptious cafe and bar, they have an extremely versatile space which is available to creative minds to showcase their work on a platform rarely offered, but desperately needed.

Unexpected Pleasures

Unexpected Pleasures is a contemporary jewellery exhibition (as the picture says haha) at the National Gallery of Victoria. It has some really artistic and really crazy designs but I suppose that's what happens when you fuse art and functionality. There's not much I can really say about this other that it was a good time filler and I enjoyed looking around. Oh, also it's free.

Kawaii Daiso

Why did no one tell me that a Daiso had opened in the Melbourne CBD?! I knew there were 2 in other miscellaneous suburbs of Melbourne but I found out last night that one has recently opened on Swanston Street. Along with my obsession with all things British, I also have an obsession with Japanese culture after learning Japanese for 10 years and going on exchange there when I was 15. 

Hike To The Toff

Cold Hiker are a local alternative/rock Melbourne band who have just launched their EP at The Toff In Town. I feel kind of weird writing this post because it's one of those situations where I know them, but I don't know them, you know? But I am a big fan of their music so I thought I'd share them with you.