aycH is for HOWDY!

"Aych is for..."
(is back!)

Alrighty kids you know the drill - each week we will publish a visual piece by someone who is engaged with fashion, community and who we find inspiring!

This weeks piece "aycH is for HOWDY!" is by Auckland based illustrator Simon Fletcher. I love this guys creative vision, quirky detailing and passion. I want my kids to read books he illustrates!

Simon has recently started a blog where he will post some of his work and inspirational pieces
- check it out here.

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New Beginnings

Spring is in the air *:-)

Photos: Hannah McArdle

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Clips and Pieces at DD

I've written a few cool articles for Designer Direction in the last month so check em out *:-)

Aych n designer Serena Fagence at the Peroni Awards

Peroni Awards - I was SO so so excited when Peroni put the call out for entrants for this inagural award - $10,000 was up for grabs for the young designer who could capture the peroni spirit click click click....

Interview with Aroha Wikotu of Shikoba - what an inspiring lady *:-) super mum, super designer and off to save the planet click click click

#101 - A Guide to choosing a fashion school and balancing student life - FUNNNN... if you have considered studying fashion DO IT. But read this article first... click click click...

Heart of Misery at Plaything Gallery - Tanja Thompson has to be THE most amazing artist I have EVER interviewed... click click click

Addiction to Love launch - FOR THE LOVE OF OUR HOOD! click click click...

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PINK Ladies

Pink has has a loo named after her!

The Brisbane Entertainment Centre has named the ladies bathrooms after this foxy lady who has sold out all 11 performances at the venue. Preettttty! Read the article here

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Strawberry Fields

Have you SEEN Across The Universe? It's my second favourite movie EVER. (what a review huh!) It's a musical that pieces the music of The Beatles to a story set against the Vietnam war and draws in a love story or two.

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Anna Wintour on The Late Show with David Letterman

The very fabulicious Frockwriter just tweeted the full interview Anna Wintour did for The Late Show with David Letterman *:-)

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Fashionably scathing words at The New York Times

Have you seen the drama that has unfolded at the New York times this week? Cintra Wilson wrote in her “Critical Shopper” a review on chain store J. C. Penney with some scathing remarks about its customers and merchandising. Wilson has since apologized - read the full article here and the reaction to the drama here. Hilarious how "opinion" has created such a reaction eh?

Some quotes:

J. C. Penney has always trafficked in knockoffs that aren’t quite up to Canal Street’s illegal standards. It was never “get the look for less” so much as “get something vaguely shaped like the designer thing you want, but cut much more conservatively, made in all-petroleum materials, and with a too-similar wannabe logo that announces your inferiority to evil classmates as surely as if you were cursed to be followed around by a tuba section.”

"To this end, it has the most obese mannequins I have ever seen. They probably need special insulin-based epoxy injections just to make their limbs stay on. It’s likea headless wax museum devoted entirely to the cast of “Roseanne.”

The petites section features a bounty of items for women nearly as wide as they are tall; the men’s Big & Tall section has shirts that could house two or three Shaquilles. And this is really, remarkably smart.

This niche has been almost wholly neglected on our snobby, self-obsessed little island. New York boutiques tend to cater to the stress-thin, morbidly workaholic, Pilates-torturedManhattan ectomorph.

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Whats in your suitcase?

O the nostelgia of beat up suitcases! I thrifted this red one from a clothes swap last year -I love the thought of all the journeys its been on *:-)

When we were little our family Christmas decorations were kept in an old grey suitcase in the garage and it was plastered with Air New Zealand/Anset stickers and old luggage tags. It only came out at Christmas and turned our living room the holiday season.

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I love you Katy

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Cuteness in a bottle...

My uber cute flatmate Daisy has been creating these little Dolls for a friend - cheeky eh!

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I wish I was a punk rocker...

... with flowers in my hair.



wow, miraculously rushing out the door last night with wet hair and a half done french braid my blond locks were arranged in a very boho esq braid/twist/bun with the drop of a well placed pin... And I always forget how much I love my Gubb & Mackie Tshirt dress...



I have been dreaming back to first year uni when this song by Sandi Thom was hitting the radio waves - it symbolised dreams and desires.. now it symbolises a sort of joyful/sorrowful nostelgia.

Oh I wish I was a punk rocker with flowers in my hair
In seventy-seven and sixty-nine revolution was in the air
I was born too late into a world that doesn't care
Oh I wish I was a punk rocker with flowers in my hair

When the head of state didn't play guitar
Not everybody drove a car
When music really mattered and when radio was king
When accountants didn't have control
And the media couldn't buy your soul
And computers were still scary and we didn't know everything

I'm still that gurl with big dreams and high hopes of a world full of integrity, joy and kindness.

Guess I just gotta go conquer it now eh!!!

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Calming Lavender

I made the most delicious Lavender cookies *:-)

Lavender cookies? Yes thats right! I got a few delicious RAW/Vegan/Vegeterian cookbooks for my birthday and have slowly been enjoying super natural delicious meals.

My fav book at the moment is "SUPER food, SUPER juice, SUPER health"by Michael van Straten.

The chapters are catagorized by: energy, immunmity and protection, cleansing, circulation, positive thinking, healing and sensuality with extra info on all ingredients, vitamins and minerals.



This dreary weather drew me to the "positive thinking" chapter and I have been soothed and calmed by this lavender goodness. The "vital stats" blurb about these cookies reads:

"The protein, vitamins and fibre in the flour and the tremendous calming effects of lavender make these biscuits a far better ( and more enjoyable) alternative to sleeping pills or tranquillizers. Lavender oil is also a traditional remedy for the relief of headaches."

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Look of the day - one for the team!

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RCC 359A

Taking a trip down memory lane and what did I find?

This sign is outside class 359A in the Rogers Communication Centre at Ryerson University in Toronto.

Having just stepped off a plane from New Zealand my friend Sarah and I were totally bamboozled by this clasroom... what exactly happens in there?

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New Spectacles...

Yea yea yeah! Mmmm licious!

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Fashion licious reading...

Miss J Alexander

Image: Fashionista

Just like every man and his dog at the moment Miss J (ANTM) has published a book and its entitled Follow the Model: Miss J’s guide to Unleashing Presence, Poise and Power. Pretty powerful stuff!

Fashionista published this little snipit: “There’s no getting around it - the church is the reason I am who I am today. I thank Jesus I ended up a man with a killer stride that has the power to burn footprints into a runway.” [For more sneak peaks click here]

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Glorious colour

What a glorious sight to come home to *:-)

I <3 living with creatives!

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The Cat In The Hat

Jezebel posted this image this morning of Zac Efron arriving in Vancouver. Ahaha this has brought a little giggle to my day *:-)

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Jai Ho!

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Very much addicted to love

Check out my review of Addiction to Love's debut show over at Designer Direction *:-)

While your sharing the love remember to follow both aych and Designer Direction on twitter!

LOVE LOVE LOVE spunk and attitude *:-)

Photo : Tux Hika

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Mad chai skills

Honourary housmate Josh shares his mad skills

What a way to wake up!

Freshly brewed chai - going to be a good day me thinks!

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Hosanna is dat CHU?

Am I seeing things? Is Hosanna a singer? Or did they pull her in for celebrity power (!) when recording "Thank you for the love" by Jason Kerrison for TV3's "Big Night In" telethon???


New Zealands Next Top Model winner Christobelle, with runners up Ruby and Hosanna made an appearance earlier in the Telethon -NZNTM Judge and "The pretty man with a manly name" Colin Mathura-Jeffree also flashed brifely accross the screen... gee that man is beeeutiful! *:-)

Signature giggle?

thoughts? Am I right? is it her? ahhhh low resolution!
ahhh celebrity status in Kowi land... aahhh...

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Telethon flash backs

In a few minutes the TV3 "Big Night In" Telethon for Kids Can kicks off *:-)

23 hours of fun and games will encourage kiwis to part with some dosh to help kids in our community through Kids Can.

Here are some deelicious photos from the Telethon in 1981 - Look who was one of the presenters making a fool of herself for charity?

My mum!


Whooohooo can you SEE my Mum in the yellow and blue? Thats SOOO 1981....

Success!

Party time!

[Thanks heaps to Sam for the scans!]

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I'm Yours Jason OH yes I am

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EDIT EDIT EDIT

Hey friends,

I'm doing a bit of editing at the moment so things will look kind of crazy tonight -

Yes I am exceptionally cool doing this on a friday night. I know. x

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Reunited!

BFF- Best Fashion Friends~!

WOW I have been reunited with my BFF - the gorgeous and super fashionable Sian Britton! Sian and I were in the same Year 5+6 class and now thanks to the wonder of the interweb we have been reunited. And guess what? She is totally a fashionista!




I dig this gurls style like its '99 ! She's about to finish up at Whitecliffe this year and won the Whitecliffe College of Arts and Design Window Display competition last month AAAAAAND where is Sian doing her internship? SHOWROOM22!

We were reunited last week surrounded by glorious clothes when I went visited to check out the designers Spring Summer collections *:-)

This evening we had a glorious hangout at Cassette and are both so blown away by how similar our lives are! We shared many an embarrassing fashion situation (fun times starting out in this industry!) and shared our deepest fears and inadequacies in this fast paced, addictive and totally exhilarating world we live in *:-)

LOVE! x

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Delicious packages

Whoooohoooooo look what arrived in my mail box!

A very licious Celine Rita scarf for being her 100th follower on twitter *:-)

Quite excited for its first outing! Oo and follow aych on twitter here. deeelicious.

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Fashionistas trade heels for hard hats

Have you seen this article on Ragtrader?

Air New Zealand Fashion Week has teamed up with Habitat for Humanity and will build a house on site at Fashion Week in September. Fashionistas can lend a hand with Trelise Cooper spearheading the event. Rad!

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BE CVL and the pap

Photo: Hannah McArdle

Saturday evening, Mayoral Drive, Auckland.

Speaking of the Pap, I freaked a young couple out while photographing the number plate of this taxi - driving past, camera out the window pointed towards their car.. mmmm they were most freaking out. BUT check out this taxi's number plate - BE CVL. Very fitting!

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Bloggers world @ Addiction to Love

Aych and the pap on the red carpet *:-) totaly digin whole water! X

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Addiction to Love in the making *:-)

Servilles PonsonbySisters Jade and Faye Smythe

The Shortland Street crew *:-)

Kimberly Crossman, Faye Smythe and Ido Drent

just gorgeous...

Whoohooo getting ready at SERVILLES for Addiction to Love's debut show! X

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A spectacular bail

Mid bail

Photo: Hannah McArdle

I'm devloping a bit of a reputation as the gurl who bails. mmm elegant. So, this weekends spectacular bail involved my heel getting caught in a random drain on Vulcan Lane as I was photographing Dan's outfit. Elegant, lady like and the contents of my purse sprawled accross VLane. Awesome. haha.

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Fashionable nights

Ahh Fashionable nights!
So its official, I'm back in the land of the living/socialising/fashionable *:-)

Meal at Sky City, Showroom22 drinks at Cassette Number Nine and then onto more antics - Fashion man Dan Faris was my partner in crime and I love his two outfits [below]

Oo and have you SEEN my licious Twenty Seven Names dress? LOVE! [edit: my lovely flatmate Daisy took the pic below much to the amusment of our other flatmate Alex - I guess life with a blogger means walking in on the odd early morning photo shoot!]

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