Zara vs Witchery? Game On! Stay tuned for today’s Zara coverage

Sleuth loves a bit of healthy retail competition, and with Zara flinging their doors open to the public for the first time this morning, it's likely that high-street Sydney retailers are going to feel the pinch in the coming months as we all bee-line to Zara with our life savings ready to roll. 

Portmans Mid City is offering $50 off for every $200 spent from today (20th) until Sunday 24th April for e-port members (sign up at portmans.com.au). A nice sentiment if you're looking for your yearly coat investment, but not sassy enough to draw Sleuth's attention away from the big Z across the mall....

Witchery in particular has come out swinging, offering 30% off all full price merchandise (currently not available online). Witchery's customers are going to be a prime target for Zara, so W have a hefty battle ahead of them, competing not only with Zara's fabulous straight-from-the-runway designs, but also their amazing prices and exceptional quality. 
Of late Sleuth has noted rather high prices in Witchery, so it will be interesting to see W's battle strategy in the coming months.


Ahead of Sleuth's Zara coverage today, below are some hot pieces currently in-store at Witchery that could be worth a peek, but Sleuth suspects your Shopista hearts & minds are in one place, so stay tuned for all-things-Zara coming soon!


Happy Shopping! x

Witchery Flutter Sleeve Dress, perfectly trans-seasonal with tights and booties - $169.95

Witchery Striped Sequin Tunic - adding some night into daywear - $169.95

Retro cool with Witchery's Leni sunnies - $69.95

Witchery's 30% off in-store will really come in handy purchasing the Shearling Jacket - $999.95

Khaki cool with the Tassel Cotton Scarf - $39.95

Reaching new heights in Witchery's Jessica Heel - $169.95

Marching to the military beat in Witchery's Skinny Cargo - $129.95

A Sleuth favourite - Metal & Stone Multi-Strand Necklace - $89.95

So THIS is why we love strawberries - they mean discounted designer fragrances & cosmetics!

Nothing is quite as personal & individual as the fragrance you wear. Whether you're feeling sexy, happy, sultry, high-fashion or anything in between, there is a scent that will reflect your mood, and project a certain 'aura' to those that bask in your ambiance. 
However the days of owning just one fragrance and wearing it day in and day out are all but over. With fashion houses, celebrities, sports stars and even the Titanic (no joke, see below) bringing out their own signature scents, it's hard enough to commit to one fragrance for each day of the week, let alone one for the rest of your life!
Sleuth loves a new scent like a new pair of boots - something refreshing for the new season that will heighten your senses and give your day a real lift.
With so many fabulous scents now available, what could make your collection of fragrances even sweeter? Getting them at well-below recommended retail price, that's what!
Strawberrynet.com.au has emerged as a serious player in the luxury fragrance & cosmetics game, offering a HUGE range of designer scents, skin-care and make-up at prices up to 50% less than the Recommended Retail Price (RRP). 
While Sleuth encourages Shopistas to still shop the brick-and-mortar stores to keep our local retail economy chugging along, if like me you have a penchant for the latest and greatest perfumes from around the globe - this website is the answer to your sweet-smelling dreams!
And with no shipping charges on make-up or skin-care, and very minimal shipping for perfumes, this is one website that needs to be tagged in 'favourites' STAT!
Below are some of the latest scents to hit the market, so it makes sense to jump online and check out the fab designer savings available now! 
Strawberrynet.com.au


Happy Shopping! x

GUCCI GUILTY - one of Sleuth's personal favourites - BUY HERE

30ml RRP - $89 - SN PRICE = $67.50
50ml RRP - $114 - SN PRICE = $83.50
75ml RRP - $149 - SN PRICE = $107

CHLOE LOVE - Sleuth loves this new fragrance too! BUY HERE
50ml RRP - $130 - SN PRICE = $103
75ml RRP - $170 - SN PRICE = $125.50

Oooh pretty flowers! The new spritz in the MARC JACOBS 'DAISY' range - love the light, fresh feeling! BUY HERE
75ml RRP - $115 - SN PRICE = $78
125ml RRP - $145 - SN PRICE = $93.50

Blissful Balenciaga - BUY HERE
30ml RRP - $95 - SN PRICE = $71
50ml RRP - $145 - SN PRICE = $90.50
75ml RRP - $175 - SN PRICE = $123

Put some prep in your step with Vera's sassy new scent - BUY HERE

100ml RRP - $79 - SN PRICE = $76

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On a side note - below is a recent find on a trip to NZ - 'Titanic' eau de toilette.

For those special moments when you want to smell like a sinking ship.....

The countdown is on...Zara opening in 5,4,3,2.....

Ladies, start revving those credit card engines!
We've waited with baited breath, been teased over the years with promises of a local Zara opening, and delved into the OS Zara chains like hungry fash-pack hounds, a purchase from the big Z often deemed more important than the business meeting one was sent overseas for in the first place.
And now here we are, in the very final stages of claiming a slice of this delectable fashion pie as our own, with Zara Westfield Sydney dues to open in FIVE DAYS! 

SWLS Sleuth can hardly believe the big day is nearly here, with sleeps being counted down like Christmas and the purchasing strategy come 9am Wednesday 20th April well under way.
Having just had a peek at the site, SWLS Sleuth can excitedly inform you that some hoarding has come down, the Zara logo is up, and there are BOXES BEING UNPACKED (the use of  CAPS often alludes to the writer yelling, and in this case, I can hardly contain it!)
That's right, the mannequins are being lined up, there are garments already on racks, and there are ladies swishing about inside, helping to turn what is still a (good-looking) construction site into the mecca of our dreams (AND MORE!)

One of the things SWLS Sleuth is most curious to see is the product selection as a whole, compared with our European fashionista sistas. Having been to Zara Hong Kong, Sleuth was a little disappointed, not only for the fact that they were all itty-bitty sizes (understandable with the local clientele, somewhat annoying though for the blood-hound tourists!) as well as the selection not being up to speed with the Northern end of the globe. 
There will always be seasonal difficulties for those of us downunder and surrounds, but hopefully we'll still be able to access the true Zara product that has made this brand such a global phenomenon - hot fashion looks inspired by runway & couture, modified for high-street wear and available at an affordable price.

With next Wednesday the official open day, Sleuth recommends if you're going to hit the store, try and get in as early as possible and miss the lunch-time crowd (which is sure to be manic and desperate for a fashion hit) and with Thursday night late-night shopping, Sleuth predicts this to be another hectic time to go, but hey, it's likely that this is one store that will never be sleepy!
SWLS will be bringing you an on-scene report Wednesday - so be ready to crash-tackle for your size and enjoy the experience that is ZaaaaaaRaaaaaaa (insert heavenly music HERE!)

Happy Shopping! x

Gimme a Z, gimme an A, gimme a Z, another A....what's that spell? MAXED CREDIT CARD!

Sleuth spies....RACKS!! and BOXES!

More boxes, more excitement - what's inside!? The countdown is on for Wednesday when we'll all find out!

Fit for a Princess (to be) - SWLS hearts ISSA

The end of April couldn't come quicker for this SWLS Sleuth! No, it's not the temptation of abundant easter eggs that has fueled my eager anticipation...nor the 5 day weekend....it's the count down 'til we all get to see THAT wedding dress, on who is sure to be the world's next 'fashion idol'. 
Kate Middleton sure has a lot of pressure on her (now somewhat trim) shoulders, but with her recent display of gorgeous garments, we're sure she is going to deliver and have us squealing into our champagnes (come on, you're not having a Royal Wedding party??)
One of SWLS Sleuth's favourite labels that Kate has catwalked on the world stage recently is ISSA, the London-based label designed by Brazilian Daniella Helayel, which was sealed as a wardrobe essential when Kate chose to wear the midnight blue cocktail frock to the official Royal engagement announcement. 
Sigh. Not only was she toting a prince on one arm and Diana's sapphire & diamond ring on the other, she looked absolutely divine in a swathe of blue silk that was a sell-out worldwide within hours.
Luckily for us, Kate isn't always prone to donning designers whose price tags are likened to the GDP of Peru, so we too are able to dream of, and even purchase, original fashion that she is making 'hot right now'. 
Enter ISSA stage left. With fabulous prints, bold bright hues, and with most prices just sitting under the US$1,000 mark...we too can now feel every bit the princess (just waiting for my invite to Sunday brunch at Windsor Castle to arrive in the snail mail....) and purchase a bit of designer history, as no doubt once Kate is officially 'Princess Katherine', everything she wears/touches/breathes on will be high on our hot lists.
Below are some of SWLS Sleuth's picks from ISSA's current collection available at net-a-porter.com


Happy Shopping (Princess Shopistas!) x

Princess-to-be Kate Middleton wearing ISSA

ISSA's ruby red silk-chiffon gown USD $715 - BUY HERE

Add a splash of the Orient with ISSA's printed silk-chiffon Kimono-style dress USD $725 - BUY HERE

The colour of love - ISSA's draped silk-jersey dress USD $495 - BUY HERE

Chic sophistication with ISSA's silk-crepe one shoulder gown USD $660 - BUY HERE

Princess-perfect emerald for ISSA's ruched crepe halter-neck gown USD $655 - BUY HERE

Casual glamour - ISSA's printed silk maxi dress USD $600 - BUY HERE

Market forecast - Love...and a bit of luck!

I have written recently of the evolution of fashion, and the way in which we now shop for it. Nothing could be more true of this than the changing nature of the traditional ‘markets’.

Once a selling space preferred by bohemians, punks, and rock ‘n’ rolla’s to sell their pre-loved gear or hand-made wares, markets such as Glebe, Rozelle, Paddington and Kirribilli were the breeding ground for up-and-coming designers, and those who had a desire to create and sell something original. 

Recent years and the introduction of ebay as a selling forum for second-hand goods has seen the popularity of markets somewhat plummet. With so many cheaper stores now also having opened with both on-trend and ‘vintage’ designs, the desire to trawl through racks of rags at a market in hope of finding a great retro or original piece has somewhat diminished.

What is interesting is the new life being breathed back into this age-old shopping experience, by the very retail giants who used to squash their fun. 

Markets have found a new home, and strangely enough it's within the polished retail space of the new Sydney City Westfield. 

Sitting below the glossy veneer of high-fashion emporiums Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Prada and the like, lies 100 Squared - a funky space housing open-plan ‘stores’, brimming with some fabulous fashion finds.

One store in particular, Love & Luck, caught SWLS Sleuth’s eye as having an eclectic collection of cute accessories, jewellery & gift ideas…along with essential must-haves for thy self…

With most of the wares in Love & Luck being designed and created by husband-wife team Merlin & Sarah Luck, you really get a feel for genuine creativity, as well as finding pieces that you won’t see in your corner knock-off jewellery store.  

Along with their space in Westfield, Love & Luck can be shopped by phone and soon online, and with their first showcase at May's Rosemount Fashion Week to be a sure-fire hit, these are certainly pieces to get your hands on fast! 

See below to peruse through some of SWLS Sleuth’s fave pieces, and tag your own new-season must-haves!

X Happy Shopping!

Love & Luck's retro-inspired Eel skin clutches - YEOW! Add a splash of neon or more subtle berry to your look. Clutch comes complete with shoulder strap and SWLS-fund-friendly $140 price tag! BUY HERE or call 1300 955 556

Oooh-la-la pink - SWLS Sleuth's fave hue to brighten up a winter's day!

Love & Luck's Eel skin collection also includes 3 tier ($79) & 2 tier ($60) wallets and coin purses ($50 with strap) - all in fabulous Skittle-esque pop colours.

Adding some serious growl with this 2-finger panther ring - also available in silver. 

Panther-perfect for $90!

L&L's GORGEOUS bottle necklaces, available in a number of different themes. Above is 'wish', complete with definition and wishing well charm....the perfect gift for a dreamer!

The bottle necklaces come in a range of different inspirations including 'dream' and 'luck' - for $50 these are the perfect gift for someone special (and yourself!)

Rock On! Druzy jewels to get the heart thumping...

Diamonds may be a girl's best friend, but druzy crystal jewellery is the hottest thing to be rocking right now!

In a multitude of colours, you'll find these sparklers not only grab attention, they bring a cool, calm serenity to your high fashion look. 

Whether you decide to dust your knuckles with some serious geology action, or choose to hang your hard side around your neck or wrist, these rocks are sure to pack a punch and make a seriously hot statement this season. 

From YSL to Anthropologie, everyone OS is cutting a piece of this sparkly 'pie', and SWLS Sleuth will be keeping an eye out for blinging rocks a little closer to home...
An honourable mention is ubermodel Erin Wasson's new line 'Low Luv', currently available at Trilby Phoenix, and the molten-hot lines by Jasmine Pennamma & Nina Nguyen. 


Enjoy some of the below rockin' specimens found by SWLS Sleuth, and of course.....


Happy Shopping! x

Erin Wasson's Low Luv Collection Rough Crystal Cocktail Ring AUD $229 at TRILBY PHOENIX - BUY HERE

Nina Nguyen Roswell Bracelet USD $150 at MAX & CHLOE - BUY HERE

Yves Saint Laurent's Aco Stone Ring from SAKS - the queen of all druzy rings!
AUD $198.98 - BUY HERE

Jasmine Pennamma 'Victoria' necklace USD $385 - BUY HERE

Anthropologie Verdigris Couplet Ring USD $148 - SWLS hearts this ring! - BUY HERE

PRIMADINA Ruby Anar Hoop Earring USD $220 - BUY HERE

TOPSHOP Agate Slice & Charms Necklace approx AUD $11.70 - BUY HERE

RIVER ISLAND Turquoise Stone Ring approx AUD $20.25 - BUY HERE

PRIMADINA Amethyst Cuff Bracelet USD $529 - BUY HERE

Dara Ettinger 'Bridget' Ring from NATIONAL JEAN COMPANY USD $89 - Serious bang for buck! - BUY HERE

Nina Nguyen Purple Amethyst Druzy Bracelet from MAX & CHLOE USD $150 - BUY HERE

Jasmine Pennamma 'Paris' necklace USD $200 - BUY HERE

Anthropologie Astral Spectacle Ring USD $118 - BUY HERE

Urban Outfitter's Druzy Rock Ring USD $29 - BUY HERE

Jasmine Pennamma 'Tara' two-finger ring - a serious SWLS statement ring! USD $295 - BUY HERE

Primadina Turquoise & Tan 'Double Date' ring from MAX & CHLOE - love at first sight! USD $165 - BUY HERE

Jasmine Pennamma's 'Carrie' cuff - serious investment! USD $425 - BUY HERE

Urban Outfitter's Raw Stone Ring USD $29 - BUY HERE

Coralia Leets White Druzy Stud Earrings at MAX & CHLOE - BUY HERE