Instant Goddess… tests out her EQ:IQ

The autumn winter collections are now appearing thick and fast.  Last week, I was invited to the preview of EQ:IQ’s collection and according to EQ:IQ below is a taste of what we should be wearing this season.  EQ:IQ prides itself on “intellectual designs for creative, confident and independent women” – that’s us Goddesses!  Leather detailing and trims together with purple and berry shades, plus rich opulent prints are some of the key notes in the collection once again echoing A/W trends reported in an Instant Goddess blog a while back …glad to see that we were bang on the money Goddesses! 

Look 1: black skirt with leather waistband ($2400), “Stevie” boot price TBC |  Look 2: print skirt ($2400); orange bag ($3900) | Look 3:  black shaggy knitted vest ($3400)

Look 4: black leather dress -also available in deep blue – ($7900) | Look 5: purple shirt; black skirt, yellow bag ($3700) | Look 6: black coat with leather detailing ($6200)

The rich, print dress below has to be my favourite of the collection, and the short leather jackets are particularly noteworthy…it’s just a shame about the hefty price tags!

Print dress ($3900) |  Blue leather jacket ($6900) | Oxblood red leather jacket ($6900) | Black padded leather jacket ($9900)

EQ:IQ – CENTRAL/CENTRAL
1f Central Building, 3 Pedder Street, Central

 

Last Days of Summer

But hang on a minute…all this talk of A/W 2012 and we still have a good couple of months of sunny temperatures to contend with, so we won’t be busting those leather jackets just yet.  If you’re still after a new bikini or beach cover up whilst in the Central/Central building looking at EQ:IQ I stumbled across two new shops, one being Echo which has some great bikinis and beachwear.  Best of all they have a promotion on at the moment and when you buy 2 bikinis you get 60% off.  Bikinis are priced around the $650 mark so definitely worth some further investigation.  There’s also 50% off kaftans which after discount some were coming in at the $290 mark again definitely worth consideration!

 Echo – CENTRAL/CENTRAL
1f Central Building, 3 Pedder Street, Central

 

Oh, Betsey J!

The other new shop I came across in the Central/Central building was Betsey Johnson, the New York designer known for her “celebration of the exuberant, the embellished and the over the top”.  Betsey has been rocking the fashion industry with unique and individual designs since the 1960s and with her quirky accessory designs, this is definitely a shop worth stopping in….

Butterfly statement necklace ($1900) | Neon pink clutch (approx $800) | Sunglasses ($750)

Betsey Johnson
Available at CENTRAL/CENTRAL
1f Central Building, 3 Pedder Street, Central

And the Best of the Rest

These little beauties cropped up on my shopping radar…animal print, studs and jeggings are still going strong this coming season I’m pleased to report.

Animal print jeggings from M&S  ($429) | Steve Madden gold stud flats ($1900) | Autograph leopard print shoe boots from M&S ($949) 

 Hair

This week Andrea Clark, Creative Director, of The Mandarin Salon at Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong  tells us the tale of a pony tail

Ahh the humble ponytail.  It has played a huge part in history and it has been used, loved and abused all our lives.  From the fountain style our mother gave us as children to the unloved ponytail we put together for a session at the gym, this hairstyle has many incarnations but when done correctly it can also be incredibly sexy and elegant.

Do you know how to hide the elastic?  And should the elastic be covered in fabric to prevent cutting into the hair?  Would you love to know some ponytail variations, like wearing it asymmetric at the nape and adding an accessory?  What about getting height at the crown for a 60’s style pony?

Anything is possible if you arrange a play date with your stylist or me.  I have shown clients many different variations of this simple look and the best advice I can give is to accessorise with different pins and interesting bands, back comb a little at the crown and always style the fringe (bangs), otherwise your ponytail doesn’t stand a chance no matter how neat it looks.

Midweek Meal Inspiration

I do love a fishcake and always on the search for a good recipe, I came across Loraine Pascale’s Sweet Potato & Salmon Fish Cakes with Chives & Lime.  I’m not actually a fan of sweet potato so just used potato instead and I like my fish cakes to be more fish than potato so I doubled up on the salmon.

Recipe
500ml fish stock
400g sweet potato, peeled and diced
200-250g salmon fillets, skin removed and each one cut in half
Large pinch of paprika
Squeeze of lime juice
1 bunch of fresh chives, finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 lime cut into quarters to garnish (optional)

Coating
1 egg lightly beaten
100g dried breadcrumbs

Directions

-These fishcakes can be either shallow fried in a little oil for 2-3 minutes over a medium heat or baked in a pre-heated oven for 20-30 minutes at 180c/160c fan/Gas 4.

-Pour the stock into a sauté pain and bring to the boil.  Add the sweet potato chunks and fish and cover with a lid.  Cook for about 10 minutes (although this may vary according to the thickness of your fish) until the sweet potato and salmon are cooked.  You can tell that the fish is cooked because the flesh will be very shiny inside and will be same colour all the way through.

-The sweet potato should be nicely cooked through and ‘give’ easily when a knife is inserted into it. Take the pan off the heat and drain well into a colander set in the sink, then return the fish and sweet potato back to the pan, add the paprika, lime juice, chives, salt and pepper and the beaten egg, then mash.

-Take some fishcake mixture and squidge it into a fishcake shape – this mixture should make 4-6, depending on the size you want them.

-For the coating, put the lightly beaten egg in one bowl and the breadcrumbs in another.  Dip a fishcake into the egg, spooning the egg all over and turning it around so that the fishcake is completely covered, then dip it in the breadcrumbs.  Repeat with the other fishcakes.  If you are going to shallow-fry them, they will hold their shape better in the pan if they are left in the fridge for an hour or so beforehand.  Not essential, but good if you have the time.  If you are baking them, they can go straight on a very lightly oiled baking tray and be baked straightaway in the oven for 20-30 minutes.

-Serve the fishcakes in a large bap with loads of lettuce and mayonnaise and accompanied by lime quarters and a good glass of wine!

*Tip:  I double egg and breadcrumbed my fishcakes to ensure complete breadcrumb coverage! 

 

Yogi tea saying of the week: “Don’t look for happiness.  Discover and uncover happiness where you are”.

Instant Goddess saying of the week: “Happiness is a good fishcake made with love and a glass of crisp white wine”.

 

Until next week Goddesses and remember you are always, always worth it! XX