Kolide

About Kolide

Posts by Kolide :

BEHIND THE SCENES AT OPI 40TH ANNIVERSARY CAMPAIGN

Opi 40th Anniversary.

Last July (2020) we featured in and produced the 40th Anniversary Icon Series for OPI Australia. During such unprecedented times, we were so honoured to be part of this incredible campaign to celebrate the iconic OPI shades and the women who love to wear them. Featuring a unique mix of talented creatives, the shoot took place at the iconic Casa Studio, the home of mixed media artist Dina Broadhurst.

Colour plays such an integral role in the world in which we live, from fashion to art to beauty to interiors; and each individual within the campaign had their own unique experience of colour and their own take on their chosen OPI shade.

Here are a few fun snippets of our day.

Download a quick guide to the Southern Highlands.

Be the first to find out Kolide Advice…

Keep up with the recent scoop by subscribing via Bloglovin’ below

Byron Bay in Winter.

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

If you know me you would know that I don’t mind to do the occasional trip to Byron Bay every year (sometimes twice). I’m always asked to share my favourite places and I usually do the good old copy and paste from notes – instead ta-da i’ve managed to write a blog. This particular article is based on my most recent trip in June – proving that Byron can be a great opt for a cheeky winter getaway.

Stay.

Being an avid traveller to Byron I can’t help tossing up the accomodation, as there are some serious luxe options to available. This trip we landed with The Bower, Bryon Bay – a motel-style concept with a great resemblance to Tulum slash NYC boutique accomodation (If that’s even possible). Depending on what you are looking for and willing to spend, there is a range of different rooms to choose from ranging from “The Bower” suite’s to the ultra luxe and spacious “Bower House’. The accomodation itself is not right in the centre of town but a short 10 minute stroll up Bangalow Road and smack bang neighbours with one of the best cafe in town – The Byron Bay General Store!

Pros: Resort style pool with plenty of lounge areas to flop. I have found a lot of the boutique hotels around town usually lack this and you’re usually finding yourself waiting for other guests to leave so you can enjoy the space.

Cons: In Summer the short stroll can feel longer in comparison to staying in the heart of town BUT you can always opt jumping on one of their bikes.

Dining out.

Okay get ready – this is probably the no.1 question I get from people heading to Byron Bay and I have a long list of favourites.

Just going to flag – plan your breakfast and lunch meals so you can get through these foodie spots. Folk for their coffee and also Avo toast with silverbeet & mint pesto, dukkah, garden greens & toasted seeds, topped with a poached egg and a wedge of grilled citrus. Bayleaf Cafe. Right in the heart of town, not only is it ubbberrr easy to get to but holy smokes the food is amazing. I always opt for breakfast a strong oat latte and their famous Dukkah poached eggs with organic sourdough, heirloom tomatoes, mozzarella and house made dukkah. Lunch time is also major goals – their seasonal salads are delicious – if you ever see the Buttermilk Chicken with soba noodles do yourself a favour and order. Top shop. A great depiction of Byron Bay – sit outside on one of their rugs and enjoy one of their delicious burgers with a milkshake- my favourite is The Chilli Chicken. The Byron Bay General Store. Situated right next door to The Bower – this place is packed to the brim after 9:30am so make sure you get in early. My personal go-to is their Avo Alfalfa with avo, mixed sprout salad and tahini or Greenday (GF) Herbed Zuchhini Fritters, roasted cauliflower, edamame, kale salad and coconut and cucumber labne! The Roadhouse. A locals favourite, this place is a vibe for breakfast, lunch, dinner or cocktails at sunset. Dinner and drinks is a particular got-to for me because of their cocktails and pizza’s. Bang Bang a new favourite for us and is a HUGE vibe for a fun night. I know it’s a huge call but their Chilli Margaritas have to be one of the best. In terms of food – every dish I’ve ordered the last few visits I would order again. Stand outs being the Prawn Toast, Moreton Bay Bug Bun and the Pad Thai. No Bones. Okay so don’t freak out but it is a vegan restaurant but just so happens to be one of my Boyfriends favourite places for dinner (and yes he is a huge meat lover). Not only do we enjoy the food immensely but playing guessing games on what they have used instead of duck in the “duk pancakes” or squid in the “Konjac Calamari” – it’s actually crazy. Must have’s – Duk pancakes, Konjac calamari strips, Crispy fried chicken, Cauliflower bites and the Creamy field mushroom pasta, truffle, parmesan. Light Years. Our go-to for years for their delicious bites and cocktails. A great place for a fun dinner out. Must have’s – all their cocktails. Eggplant, Katsu, Bao Buns, Vegetarian Spring Rolls, Shiitake Chestnut wontons and Cumin Spiced Cauliflower. di Vino. The best for a classic Italino dinner – picture all the favourites. Must order – Arancini balls and the Pappardelle Al Ragu. Mez Club a repetitive favourite for pre-dinner cocktails and one of their delicious seasonal dips with hot bread – atm it’s Artichoke dip and WOW. WOODS. The sister of Folk – is positioned up in the hills of Byron in Bangalow. One of my favourites while I’m visiting to enjoy a coffee and one of their baked goodies. Doma. If you have a car make sure you drop into the small town of Federal to purely enjoy a feed at Doma – it’s the best Japanese you will every have. Make sure you order multiple cone-shaped hand made sushi rolls. Harvest. Another favourite spot to visit when you have a car, it’s not too far from Byron, located in the small town of Newrybar. My personal favourite is their deli for some pre-made lunch goodies and freshly baked cakes. If you’re wanting something a bit more swish – just jump next door to their restaurant! Raes. Last on the list but one of my all time favourites for the ultimate luxe Byron experience. Long lunch at Raes is always a very memorable experience – not only are you facing the beautiful Wategos beach but enjoying top end food and service in one of Australia’s most well known restaurants. Highly recommend dropping into the cellar bar for a sneaky cocktail pre or post lunch. Must order – Oysters, one of their pasta dishes (all seasonal but I always opt for their seafood option) and the market fish. This all must be washed down by one of their cocktails – obviously I opt for their seasonal margarita every time!

What to do

Beach hop: Don’t just settle with the main beach – make sure you take full advantage of being around some of the best coastline in the world. My personal favourites that are all close by – Belongil beach, Wategos, Little Wategos and The Pass.

A day in the Byron Hinterland: Take a drive through the green hills up into Byrons amazing hinterland. First stop Newrybar to drop into Harvest for a bite to eat and then a quick browse in Newrybar Merchants. Next up the famous Bangalow – coffee stop at Woods and then a browse at some of our favourite homewares boutiques – Island Luxe, Bisque and Our Corner Store. Lastly Federal – for my all time favourite lunch spot – Doma.

Shopping at Byron: My go-to is Habitat Byron where you will find a hub of favourites such as The Beach People, Nice Martin, One Teaspoon and Tigmi Trading and Habitat Collective.

The Farm Byron: I mean you can’t go to Byron without visiting The Farm! Not only will you get a great feed but enjoy roaming around the farm and meeting the resident animals!

Nimbus and Co: Can’t go past a good infrared sauna – you will have at least one rainy day in Byron and this is the perfect opt.

Follow my blog with Bloglovinby Ella XOX

Download a quick guide to Byron Bay

Be the first to find out Kolide Advice…

Keep up with the recent scoop by subscribing via Bloglovin’ below

Our pick n mix from Nude Lucy’s new Autumn drop

Our pick n mix from Nude Lucy’s new Autumn drop.

Our conversations around fashion are shifting lately. For us, we’re becoming more inspired by ethical and sustainable options that speak to a vintage aesthetic. This shift is also influencing how we and many others are purchasing.

Having admired and loved Sara Gustavsson’s work and impeccable eye, when we found out she was starting the fashion label In Awe, we were excited. Think vintage pieces with a 60-70s style.

Every carefully curated piece on the website has sustainability and fairness at its centre. All the pieces are vintage items inspired by Sara’s lifestyle living underneath the Hawaiin sun with surf and beach all year round. The pieces are informed by the 60s and 70s era to balance vintage and modern. Big VIBE.

10% of all proceeds from these beautiful pieces are being donated to Ho’ōla Nā Pua. Ho’ōla Nā Pua is a local Hawaii (Oahu) based organization working passionately to end sex trafficking on island.

Our biggest tip – check the website regularly because things sell fast.

In Awe

Be the first to find out Kolide Advice…

Keep up with the recent scoop by subscribing via Bloglovin’ below

Kolide Book Club March

Kolide Book Club

Kolide book club is BACK with vengeance. Every month we’ll be reviewing a selection of our top reads for you to enjoy. This month we’ve got some heavy reads, some that feature critically important issues and some straight up sexy fiction. We hope you enjoy and please send through some of your favourite reads to us, we’d love to include (dying for some non-fiction options too please).

Dolly Alderton // Ghosts

Having admired and loved Sara Gustavsson’s work and impeccable eye, when we found out she was starting the fashion label In Awe, we were excited. Think vintage pieces with a 60-70s style.

Shuggie Bain // Douglas Stuart

The fact that Shuggie Bain is Douglas Stuart’s first novel is truly astounding – this book gripped me from start to finish – something one can read over a few days. The story of 1980s working-class Glasgow is magnificently told by Mr Shuggie Bain as he grows up on the tenements (housing estates) of Glasgow. The beautiful Shuggie navigates his world through poverty and living with a Mother (the magnificent yet profoundly flawed Agnes Bain) battling the woes of alcoholic addiction. What is most poignant about this read is the way that Stuart evocatively masters the colloquialisms of Glasgow riddled with unemployment, a crippling recession and the weight of drink and disability. It is both heartbreaking, eye opening and laced with a perseverance that echoes the very same determination of author, Douglas Stuart. Although not entirely autobiographical, “Not a word of it is true, it is all written in truth,” Stuart was the youngest child (as Shuggie is) of an alcoholic mother, besotted with her own Elizbeth Taylor fantasies (as Agnes is). “If you’ve ever loved someone with addiction,” he said, “you’ve developed a lot of strategies to save them from themselves and also to protect yourself. My mother always felt so hard done-to in life and so overlooked — she was never voiceless, but she felt voiceless, I think, because men and society didn’t want to hear from poor women in the ’80s. Too ugly to look at, too uncomfortable to even comprehend. And so I used to sit down and I would say, ‘Let me write your book.’ And she would love that.”

Ordinary People // Diana Evans

Rodham// Curtis Sittenfeld

Nothing better than when a non – fiction character is given new meaning through the lens of fiction. Let us ask the question we’d all love to know the answer to – What if Hilary Rodham hadn’t married Bill Clinton. Thought provoking, puzzling and weirdly intimate, we see Hilary in a new light, faced with a new world filled with possibilities.

Past The Shallows // Favel Parrett

I would like Parrett’s voice to that of a young Tim Winton. Set on the south-east coast of Tasmania, the novel explores the story of two young brother’s as their Father battles the unpredictable ocean to make a living. He is also an alcoholic who harbours a tragic secret that is destroying him. Parret’s vivid description of the Tasmanian surf and swell makes you feel as though you are right there with the young boys. The book is both devastating and profound – my only criticism is that it could have been three books longer – so many things are left unsaid.

Girl Woman Other // Bernardine Evaristo

Not sure how to feel about this book, it was quite a difficult read. Following the lives of 12 very different characters, mostly women, black and British, the 12 chapters explore the stories of their families, friends and lovers, across the country and through the years. This book was critically acclaimed and highly recommended, and I really wanted to like it. The younger plotlines were somewhat unrealistic, where the characters overcome very horrific and difficult traumas like rape and drug addiction just by the power of their will. The tropes of public discourse were for me, generically addressed ‘gender is a social construct’ – we know this. However, in spite of this – I finished the book and recommend it to others for the purpose of discussion on these very important issues.

The Vanishing Half // Brit Bennett

A perfectly written and complex novel deserving of all the hype that it has received as it grapples with race, loneliness, abuse, motherhood, gender and identity. Based around the tale of the Vignes sisters, identical twins but for the shade of their skin. Growing up in the deep South of California one twin runs away and passes off as white for the next twenty years, while the other is left to piece together the puzzle with her Mother up until the 1990s. This novel is a brilliant portrayal of American history passing, looking well beyond issues of just race.

A Lonely Girl is a Dangerous Thing // Jessie Tu

The story of a sex-addicted, Asian / Australian who was once a vioin prodigy interestingly delves into desire, shame and discipline. The novel is an easy read, like most sex fuelled novels however the lack of multiple narrative points of view makes it one dimensional at times, and somewhat unrealistic. Jena Lin can be irritating at times, yet unashamedly unapologetic. However, I’m still recommending this one because it’s an interesting (and most importantly, easy) read that explores female desire and the very true pain of being human in an often fragmented and harrowing world.

Made In Scotland // Billy Connolly

This book came recommended to me after I was looking for a more light hearted, funny read. Normally I’d prefer fiction but I devoured this one. I was also very interested in Scotland after absolutely loving Shuggie Bain (see above). Legendary comic, Billy Connolly returns to his working class roots and what it means to be Scotisth. This book is hilarious and upbeat, despite a difficult upbringing and is a true love letter to Scotland and the people who made him.

Be the first to find out Kolide Advice…

Keep up with the recent scoop by subscribing via Bloglovin’ below

Our go-to swimwear labels

Our go-to swim

Despite all the trends our one constant this year has been the gift that keeps on giving: gold jewellery. From the classic letter plate necklaces, a fine gold and pearl bracelet, a zodiac inspired chain or a chunky gold ring, we’re all about those GOLDEN vibes. Whether it’s a single gold chain, layering textured bracelets or stacking delicate rings – these are a few of our favourite brands.

Charlie Mae

Arm of Eve is a self professed love story to the modern woman featuring intricate gold jewels, delicate beading and beautiful pearl features. We fell in love with this brand a few months back, mesmerized by their Pearl and Glass beaded necklaces, gold textured rings and bracelets and fine chain detailing.

Cleonie Swim

Zulu and Zephyr

Juillet

Be the first to find out Kolide Advice…

Keep up with the recent scoop by subscribing via Bloglovin’ below

Feele – An Aussie Brand Taking Basics to the Next Level.

An Aussie Brand Taking Basics to the Next Level.

2020 was the year of the ‘basic’ and we love it. Matching sets, athleisure and lounge wear became the uniform of the WFH crew which turned out to be the uniform of the world as we navigated unprecedented times. Even though it’s 2021, that trend isn’t going anywhere.

Feele was founded in 2020 with the philosophy that to feel good, is to feel good at home, first. Their neutral sets, sweats and intimates aspire to transcend home to the world in a luxurious way. We lived in their ribbed boxer shorts and bralettes – comfortable, quality and premium that can be dressed up with a crisp white shirt for sophisticated styling.

An Aussie Brand Taking Basics to the Next Level.

Be the first to find out Kolide Advice…

Keep up with the recent scoop by subscribing via Bloglovin’ below

In Awe – changing up the fashion game with their genuine vintage and ethically made pieces.

Having admired and loved Sara Gustavsson’s work and impeccable eye, when we found out she was starting the fashion label In Awe, we were excited. Think vintage pieces with a 60-70s style.

Our biggest tip – check the website regularly because things sell fast.

In Awe

Be the first to find out Kolide Advice…

Keep up with the recent scoop by subscribing via Bloglovin’ below

Your Hair Needs this – For Real.

So, full disclosure here, we were contacted by Sitting Pretty to try out their clip in halo hair extensions. Now that we’re nearing the end of our twenties, we can safely assure you that we’ve had a lot of experience with everything hair extension related. We’ve seen it all and some of the sights have not been pretty. Picture radically thinning hair post tape hair extensions, split ends, and irritation just to name a few.

We began our journey with the intention of trying the product and if we liked it, we’d post about it. To be transparent, we were expecting to be disappointed and for history to repeat itself. However, nothing could be further from the truth.

First step before ordering, make sure your hair is at the colour you like it at before sending the team 2-3 photos of your hair, including your ends, in good lighting to show true colour (#nofilter please). One of the experts at Sitting Pretty will colour match you before you can choose your halo.

We’d recommend opting for “thick” (which is the longest kind) but then getting the hairdresser to cut them to your preferred length – that’s what we did. They are super easy to put in (think a clip in halo) and they literally add instant volume, length and thickness to your hair. They sit beautifully and look super natural. They are perfect for special occasions (wedding vibes), Saturday night’s on the town, events, casual days, whatever your heart desires. – we even wore them horse riding and the photos were simply divine.

Sitting Pretty Halo Hair