Last season I had a rant about boys purchasing and wearing womens’ threads as a result of the skinny jeans and cardigan epidemic -even ladies’ leggings made the cut, but this season the tables have turned! It seems this summer is all about women walking ‘round in their boyfriend’s pants and I ’m not talking about a pair of your significant other’s most comfy trackies. I am talking his jeans; those slouchy, on the hips, low crotched, cuffed, distressed, dark, scruffy, sweeping the pavement slacks. With an eye on the summer season in New York and London some of our favourite fashionistas have embraced this man-style trend. Katie Holmes leads the boyfriend jean generation, slipping into a pair of Tom’s pants with gal pal Victoria Beckham, Sarah Jessica Parker and Rachel Bilson close behind. Before you cringe at the thought of going big and baggy, we all did the ‘smock’ dress and it must be said that skinny jeans have clearly over stayed their welcome. I almost cannot recall a time before skinny jeans and while I may not let them go completely (because they’re hot); it certainly wouldn’t hurt to leave a little leg to the imagination! Glam them up with stilettos or keep them casual with a pair of thongs and a tee, the choice is yours. Now, while I could pick myself up a new pair of denims from Ksubi or Sass and Bide it just wouldn’t be the same. So first things first, I will be MIA for the rest of this week, I need to find myself a boyfriend.

After a long day, I often return home with bags of stuff - from clothes, to groceries, to books and my flat-mate almost always asks how I manage to find something to purchase every time I venture out. Imagine if I came home each day with a bag full of trash. Real rubbish that other people have thrown away... What would she say then I wonder? Well, a group of Melbourne artists are actually taking the trash in as part of the Next Wave festival. One such artist is Melanie Upton who admits to having "piles of rubbish" in her house that she's collected for art's sake. Her most recent work is an installation entitled Beautiful Trash which showcases an array of small sculptures composed from discarded bottles and cartons which have been cast in plaster, concrete or aluminium. Positioned at The Order of Melbourne until May 30, the work illustrates the essence of the consumption driven society we live in, the suffocation of waste production on the environment and its inherent relationship with people. So what are you waiting for rivive your rubbish today!

For those who know me, I have an addiction - to shoes! The Dior stilettos I purchased in London are still tucked away in their shoe bag because to me they're art. The Prada's too. So when I discovered the most recent collaboration to hit the creative industry, my heart stopped momentarily - and I am not exaggerating. Shoe master Christian Louboutin has saddled up with film-maker David Lynch to create an extraordinary photographic exhibition revolving 'round that sexy red sole. Entitled Fetish the show features Lynch's signature cinematic style; dark and twisted with each film still capturing the the simultaneous sensuality of the Louboutin shoe and the voluptuousness of the model who wears it. And yes, Louboutin has pushed design to the limit with a 26cm heel, but since when has the boundaries of art or style been in the box?

What's the latest fashion trend you ask? It's green! But before you trip it to town to secure a new collection of cardigans in every shade of grass imaginable, you should read on. For the fashion pack, going green is about adopting energy efficient practices industry-wide. Today's young designers are utilizing organic fabrics and natural dyes, encouraging sustainability, re-invigorating recycling and investing in green power production. Leading the eco-friendly way is Australian designer Lisa Gorman and this year we see the label's launch of the Gorman Ship Shop. In partnership with the Melbourne architects at NEST; an industrial shipping container, constructed entirely from recycled materials has been transformed into a portable Gorman store (change-room included!). There are no carry bags or cash register but consumers are able to touch, try and then buy the green goodies online at their own convenience. So if you happen to catch a glimpse of the Gorman ship shop make sure you stop!

Whenever I hear about a musician from one band deciding to work with another musician from some other band to launch a whole new band, there's just too much going on. Earlier this year when Artic Monkeys front man Alex Turner and The Rascals Miles Kane announced their collaborative project The Last Shadow Puppets I must admit, I was skeptical. Not about the music but rather how these dashing young UK lads would make the creative project work in tandem with all their other musical commitments. Needless to say, they have and their debut album is indie-genius. Taking inspiration from 1960s music icon Scott Walker, the duo's vibe ensues from 60s guitar pop. And while it's slightly dissimilar from what Turner's fans may be accustomed to, with the addition of strings to some tunes, the album is impressive and fervor full. The pair's self entitled album and debut single The Age Of The Understatement is out now.

It may be a name you haven't heard for a while, but Michelle Jank is back; and she's back in absolutely amazing style. Best known for her jewellery design, France-based Jank showcased her first fashion runway at this year's Rosemount Australian Fashion Week (RAFW) in Sydney.
The designer created an artistic and theatrical tour de force for SS 08/09 that has outshined her fashion friends in all respects. Amidst the darkness of the International Terminal at Circular Quay, guests were greeted by a huge video screen of sun-drenched droplets, while the inimitable hum of splashing water vociferously sounded. And that was just the beginning.
Dryad models drifted down the glossy, black runway in mono-tonal hues of black, white and grey as Grecian draped layers of lissom fabric and painted doves fleeted against their golden skin. Frocks were flanked by bejeweled breast plates, embroidered birds and art noveaux necklaces in a distinct reverberation of Parisian romanticism. Ah, Sublime. And sure her show was one hour late, but worth the arduous wait by all accounts.

Mention the name Ksubi and in an almost instantaneous reaction the unmistakable vision of denim and flannel springs to mind. Whilst fashion is the label's forte, the designers also share a flare for interior design with a 2008 Design Award from the Design Institute of Australia. In a collaborative project with Herbert Mason Architects, Ksubi have created a unique interior space The Bombed Maché,  for their new store in Armadale, Melbourne. Clientele find themselves in a cardboard house tucked within a crisp white shell, where an array of art works line the walls and an exterior garden showcases the label's trivial 'Peaced Off' sculpture. The concept combines elements of  both a gallery space and an installation while remaining retailesque and environmentally friendly with most of the store constructed from 'throw away materials'. One might say it's a winner all round.