House of Baulch

This weekend thanks to Instagram I discovered House of Baulch was having a one day sale at their studio in Collingwood. What a find! If you aren't familiar with HoB it's an accessories label that packs a punch with strong statement pieces, bold use of colour and lashings of gold. All things I love in my accessories.Having bought HoB pieces in the past I knew of the label but never had a chance to see the range properly in the flesh, having only seen most things online (www.houseofbaulch.com) Designer Kathryn Baulch was there to help with selecting pieces from the current season, past seasons, samples and one offs.I walked out of there with some amazing pieces that will definitely be featuring in my spring racing wardrobe and my day to day outfits. It was very hard not to scoop up one of everything because the pieces fit so well with my own aesthetic. I prefer to wear accessories that announce themselves- that is, pieces that you cannot ignore and command attention. My favourite pieces at the sale were the tassels and I left with two pairs of jumbo tassel earrings and a neck piece type scarf made of twenty two jumbo tassels that was made for a fashion show. Not having much self control I also picked up other earrings, bracelets, bangles, a bag and a ring.Statement jewellery is very 'on trend' at the moment but can be a little tricky to wear. It is generally accepted that you wear one statement piece and keep everything else fairly simple. However when you have statement jewellery as fabulous as this is I say more is more! Stack, layer and pile on your jewels, its much more fun that way! By Angela

White polka dots

Setting trends wherever she glides, the Duchess of Cambridge, aka Kate Middleton, didn't let a small thing like childbirth get in the way of her impeccable style.Stepping out of St Mary's Hospital in London today clutching the most talked-about accessory of the week (HRH the Prince of Cambridge), there was no fashion rest for Kate as she introduced her new son to the world wearing a simple-but-chic Jenny Packham sky blue sundress with white polka dots.Coincidentally - or perhaps not - back in 1982 another familiar scene unfolded, when a young princess introduced her new baby boy to the waiting media also wearing a white polka-dotted frock.With a distinct 80's influence, Princess Diana rocked a turquoise blue dress embellished with white spots, a white collar, and terribly unfashionable stockings.Given Kate's nod to Diana's post-pregnancy style and her ability to sell out styles in the blink of an eye, it's easy to say white polka dots are the next big trend on fashion's fickle radar. Here are our suggestions on how to channel the new royal trend:Vero Moda polka dot playsuit, £38 at asos.comASOS maxi dress in spot print, £60 at asos.comRosamosario polka dots Loca silk-satin twill dress, £380 at net-a-porter.com Karen Walker Astonished dress, $263 at shoplesnouvelles.com

Marc by Marc Jacobs polka dot dress, £186.22 at farfetch.com By Lisa Tan

Black and White

I'm over winter and over the cold (apparently the coldest Melbourne weekend in 13 years) so I'm planning my wardrobe for when the warm weather hits in a few short weeks.I always seem to buy lots of clothing in the wrong season because I get so excited about the new and upcoming looks. As a lover of new fashion trends I love to check out looks as they hit the runway and watch as they filter into stores, magazine pages and hit the streets.One of the biggest trends coming through is the black and white graphic trend. It's already been creeping into the stores, but come summer it'll hit fever pitch. It's been by far one of the strongest looks coming through and it is one of the easiest to wear. As a bonus you'll easily get more than one season out of your new clothes if you purchase with care.Marc Jacobs was behind many of the B&W looks to hit the catwalk under his own label and Louis VuittonMajor chain stores have already started pushing the look at an accessible price point with a dash through Sportsgirl and Zara showing plenty of the trend already.The key to making this trend work is have a strong contrast between the black and white. It works best if the black and white are used in equal quantities.In regards to race wear, Derby Day shopping will never be easier! Earlier in the year I went to Singapore and stocked up on fabric for my Derby day outfit.I still don't know what I'll turn it into, but it's a start.By Angela.