Telstra Perth Fashion Festival is just around the corner, so (as is customary amongst fashion bloggers) I thought I would run through what to wear, and what not to wear, to a week long fashion event

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Elle Campbell dress | Egidio Alves heels from Elle Et Lui | Zara clutch

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Photos: by Ryan Ammon in the gorgeous canola fields of Northam

 

With so many fashion weeks and festivals taking place over the course of the next two weeks – Telstra Perth Fashion Festival being the closest one to home – it is the perfect time to rehash Mon’s do’s and don’ts of fashion week attire…

Don’t wear anything too far out of your comfort zone.

Yes, fashion events bring out some of the biggest, craziest looks from the back of people’s wardrobes, or those that are yet to be released from a designer’s collection, but this doesn’t mean that you most definitely have to go big or go home. If you are unfamiliar with the term ‘peacocking’ it is essentially describing the act of finding the craziest outfit that you can, and parading about in front of a fashion event in the hopes that you will get papped.

If wearing outlandish clothing isn’t ‘you’, don’t do it. If you are more comfortable in a simple slip dress, wear your simple slip dress – you can always tell when someone is wearing something just for the sake of it.

Carry a decent sized bag.

If there was one thing Jenelle and I learned at MBFW, it is that a clutch bag or teeny cross body is not practical. It looks pretty, yes, but if you want to be able to fit your phone, some water, makeup, your tickets, your wallet, your car keys… you get the gist… you need something a little larger than a dainty clutch. If you are planning to take photos with a camera, you can add that to the list of things you will need to fit in your bag/get annoyed at having to carry because you can’t fit it in your bag.

Try to find something that is a nod to the fashion you will be celebrating.

If you are watching the Prada runway, by all means, dress head to toe in Prada, but I have always found it odd seeing people swan into an event that is celebrating local fashion, wearing as many high end labels as they can find. If you are at Telstra Perth Fashion Festival, wearing the work of a Perth designer is always a nice show of support (I have gone with Elle Campbell here), or even an Australian designer. Of course, that isn’t to say avoid designer clothing, just be mindful about what you are wearing, where.

For the love of God, wear sensible shoes.

Runway shows last all of 5-7 minutes. That means you will be seated for no more than 15 minutes, but standing for up to 2 hours at a time (assuming you get there with ample time to mingle and check out the installations). Standing for 2 hours in pinchy, ill fitting, poorly cushioned shoes is not a pleasant experience, and it will leave you with battle wounds for the following events. Moral of the story, make sure you slip your feet into something comfortable and well worn in!

I have been stocking up on some statement shoes from Elle Et Lui recently, all in anticipation of the upcoming Telstra Perth Fashion Festival (I mean it – I have these, these and these!).

The designers that they stock are smart – despite the apparent height of some of their heels, the shoes are all extremely wearable, walkable AND photo worthy (the male designers literally try on every heel they design, and wander around in them to make sure they are going to be practical for us women!). If you aren’t quite into the sky high/statement heels like me, they also have a great range of lower heels, flats and more neutral shoes to pair back with a statement fashion week outfit – like these gorgeous nude and black ones.

Make sure your outfit is relatively comfortable.

I say ‘relatively’ because, well, we can’t always have optimum comfort if we are trying to dress fashion forward (because pyjamas don’t always count).

Fashion events involve a lot of standing around, sidling through rows of people, squishing into seating and even stair climbing. If your outfit is too tight, rides up or has itchy embellishments, you can be assured it will annoy the hell out of you for the good few hours you are there. I normally opt for jumpsuits, drapey/loose dresses and top and short combos, purely for their practicality over that of a tight pencil skirt or really slinky dress.

If anyone else has any hints and tips for fashion week dressing, I would love to hear below!

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In Collaboration with Elle Et Lui Shoes