Tluxe Blog

Who: Ali MacGraw, 1970s fashion icon, award-winning actress, yoga devotee and Steve McQueen’s better half through much of the 70s.

Her look: Ali’s dark brows, sun-kissed skin and centre-parted hair signaled a shift towards a more relaxed and natural style in the early 70s and marked the beginnings of the classic, all-American look. Her penchant for knits layered up with oversized scarves, camel coats, flares, beanies and headscarves have become a trademark. Personally we’re feeling the love for her more pared back looks such as striped tops, simple Tees and strappy, belted dresses.

How to wear it now: Slip into a Breton-inspired Tee, like our striped tee Killamanjaro or long sleeved Striped Tee serengetti and team it with a pair of ankle grazing cigarette pants for an instant 2013 update something little more laid back yet ultra modern why not try the complementary clash stripes our adis ababa print trousers teamed with boots

Vivid Festival

International Symposium of Electronic Art

If there’s one thing that defines Sydney in summer it’s a dip in the ocean after the working day is done. In autumn, Sydney’s all about the harbour and fantastic local events like Vivid. This is your last week to get down to the Opera House and check out the truly inspirational light shows (pictured).

And if you miss Vivid there’s always the International Symposium of Electronic Art, which kicks off with exhibitions and performances at various locations across the city this Friday.

With our clothing made right here in Sydney, Tluxe is all about supporting the local, so we’re a little biased with our top tips for the electronic arts fest, which would have to be Sydney artist Alex Davies’ interactive cinema installation, The Very Near Future. The bonus is, it’s on at the Carriageworks in Redfern, another of our favourite local haunts. So you can pop down on a Saturday, check out the food market, grab a coffee and physically immerse yourself in art. Sounds like the perfect start the weekend. Enjoy!

Australia produces the world’s finest wool and here at Tluxe we’re proud to be using Australian merino wool in our collections, which is prized across the globe for its truly remarkable attributes. We love it because it looks beautiful and feels amazingly soft against your skin, and as a 100% natural, renewable and biodegradable fibre it stands the Tluxe test for sustainability.

Wool is one of those forever investments that keeps you warm in winter, and thanks to its natural breathability, helps keep you cool in summer. And it’s a great travel companion as it resists creasing, drapes superbly, has natural anti-static and anti-odour properties and is also fantastic at shrugging off stains. And did we say it looks stunning too?

Our own lightweight wool pieces here at Tluxe are super soft against your skin and perfect for layering in the autumn months. For the ultimate toast factor, try one of our merino wool jumpers layered under this season’s essential poncho. It’s one of the best ways to stay warm and look cool right now. 

We love this image of a 16ft, 7.5 ton mountain of discarded clothes, which represents just one day of textile waste in Hong Kong. It reminds us of our commitment to be more mindful of the way we make our own collections. Here at Tluxe it’s important that we use quality fabrics, local makers and modern yet classic designs that will last you more than just one season.

At the moment we, as a society, are buying more clothes than ever and the numbers just keep rising every year. Why? Largely because of cheap, fast fashion which we mostly buy on impulse. These are the purchases, which end up in the second hand clothing bin in no time at all when they fall apart, get out of shape, or just don’t work with anything else in our wardrobes.

We love author Elizabeth L. Cline’s suggestions on how to get a handle on your impulse buys, which you can read more about in her book, Over-dressed: the shockingly high cost of cheap fashion. She suggests:

 -Be more strategic about your clothes shopping like setting a clothing budget for the year and working out what you really need.

 -Look at fabrication labels, and opt for natural fibres that not only wear better but feel good against your skin, like silk, Tencel and Modal – the type of fabrics we use here at Tluxe.

-And why not learn to sew? Mending and altering your clothes is a great way to not only make them last, but create more of a meaningful relationship with what you wear, so you’re less likely to thoughtlessly throw them away.

Buy quality: Tluxe 100% fine merino wool and silk Casbah poncho

And if you’ve no time to sew, invest in quality designs that will last, such as our range of cosy 100% fine merino wool jumpers, cardigans and ponchos, which will keep you feeling warm and looking effortlessly chic as the nights draw in.

Bondi at sunrise... with daylight saving done and dusted we're loving the fresh autumn mornings in our favourite part of the world.

Moody skies over Centennial Park... The April showers have arrived and with them some pretty amazing plays of light across the lakes of Sydney's oldest park.

A country camp-out... we took advantage of a window of sunshine to head to the hills last weekend for a back-to-nature escape.