Pop Goes Canberra!: October 2005

I've got two things to say to you....

Mary Bryant

1. There was an awful lot of sex in 1788, wasn't there...

Australian Idol

2. Skip the show, read the blog, it's much more entertaining.

Spring 2005: What's Hot and What's Not

What's Hot

Cocktail parties with ample supplies of lemon, lime, vodka, peach schnapps, soda water, midori, fun people who just wanna dance and drink and make conversation that isn't about work, blue cheese, quince paste, pink lights, potato salad, choolate dipped strawberries, pistachio nuts, comfy couches and decent music!
Saying "fuckin' wanker" in an Irish accent
BioZet washing powder. It smells so fresh.
Bhutan, Croatian Coastline, Tasmanian beaches
September (the Swedish pop singer, not the month)
tATu - again
Fyshwick Fresh Food Markets - great atmosphere, good looking people, good looking fruit and veg, good prices, all in Australia's porn capital! It can't GET better!
Green grass and grass clippings

What's Not

Spiders that bite you in the middle of the night on not just one but two toes and make them hurt and itch all day. Canberra spiders. The face of evil in an arachnid.
Knightsbridge, Braddon - great furnishings etc, and free wine tasting once a month - great idea but pity the wine is pretty crap and the people serving it scowl at you when you actually want to taste some but not buy any due to the fact it's crap
Non-stop rain
Closed car parks that mean you have to walk a kilometre to get to work if you don't want to pay $7 for parking
Australian Idol - who the hell came up with the idea that they are the best contestants ever? What a load of crap. I feel nothing for them. Vacuous is the word!
Coles Supermarkets - no thank you Lisa McCune.

Sunday Afternoon

What awful weather. Bloody cold. Canberra, bring on summer, please. Hurry up. Leaves and flowers etc are here. Please match with warm temperatures. This is starting to get me down. Real sit inside and listen to White Lillies Island and Counting Down the Days weather. I even went as far as listening to most of Delta's Innocent Eyes. I must admit, I really do like Delta. Born to Try is absolute rubbish, but Innocent Eyes, Not Me Not I and Lost Without You all added the requisite element of drama to Gold Coast radio just when it needed it. All The Things She Said, Bring Me to Life and Lost Without You really all came along one after the other and it was rather good really. The only problem with Delta is she's not Swedish. And it is very uncool to like her. Even in pop-liking circles.

Canberra Summer Fashion Review : the latest TV wear

PopGoesCanberra's roving reporter Robyn has caught up with the latest in fashion trends for you, our cherished reader...

Like every other young Canberran with an eye for fashion, I certainly wasted no time getting down to my local Kmart store as soon as I heard the latest collection from ‘Home and Away’ had been released. And this exciting range of ready-to-wear Diamontee Hoodies and Sunset Tanks has kept me on my toes ever since. With confusing names like ‘Denim Surf’ and ‘Active Sun,’ these zany outfits have brought me no end of glee: on weeknights as I mince down London Circuit to join the queue outside Mooseheads - and, on weekends, all the sun damage I can handle.

Diamontee Hoodie
· Set a trend in this cute hoodie, casual with a hint of shine. Also available in pink.
· 100% cotton french terry.
· Shown here: Dusty egg combo with turquoise print and pale blue diamontees.

Mini Terry
· Cute and comfy, this terry skirt is perfect over bathers. Also available in white.

· Urban Mini
· This chic mini is a wardrobe essential this season. Also available in pink.

But the good news is that there’s another collection in the pipeline! Heavily influenced by Bec Cartwright’s ground-breaking take on teenage maternity wear, industry insiders anticipate an emphasis on bump-concealing peasant tops, the aptly named Love Surf Hoodie, and heavily fortified support hose. But if you thought

Summer Bay had exhausted the fashion potential of strappy singlets, ethnic style sandals and undersized polos, then think again. Because the word from Milan Fashion Week is that this intriguing prêt-a-porter range is set to expand for European summer 06 to include not only a selection of men’s boat shoes and slides, but also a controversial ‘ageing Australia’ wardrobe.

Indeed, stew no more over stocking fillers for Dad this Christmas: the Alf Stewart

range is coming to a Kmart near you. Complete with cream coloured slacks, special edition SES uniforms and crisp, sensible shirts,

your middle-aged male relatives will never crave for style again. Rumour has it that the designers even plan to release a limited edition range of home-wares for the man about the Bay. Playfully dubbed ‘flamin heck!’ this premier collection will transform your uncle’s study into the Surf Club in no time once it’s crammed full with cheap wicker furniture, sun and moon cushions and

mismatched bar stools.

If Georgie Parker’s demure range of sleepwear and undergarments (‘Georgie’) were too hot to keep under wraps last year, try to imagine the industry fervour surrounding the neatly pressed chinos and shaker knit jumpers expected to grace the catwalks when David Suzuki’s ‘The Nature of Things’ finally goes live with its much
anticipated ‘David’ collection. And stubbies, blundstones and sensible socks are set for a come-back with the ‘Bush Tucker Man’ series, due for release early next year. Grey nomads of Australia, get your shopping bags ready!

But why stop there? Mature ladies will be champing at the bit to get into this fun range of pant-suits when the ‘Murder She Wrote’ collection hits our stores later this season. Our country cousins aren’t forgotten either: ABC’s ‘Landline’ plans to release a sultry range of RM Williams and slinky Akubras in time for the Christmas rush. And rumour has it that the producers of ‘Compass’ are gearing up for a solid dose of retail therapy following the launch of a new fragrance by Geraldine Doogue, expected in time for the Spring Racing Carnival.

Down the road at SBS, producers and wardrobe personnel are deep in brainstorming mode, leaping onto the bandwagon with a playful twist on personal care in the ‘George Negus’ range of grooming accessories. Meanwhile, ‘Storyline Australia’ and ‘World News Tonight’ are expected to follow suit in early December with a series of tightly fitting chokers, asphyxiating jackets and ‘fair trade’
cosmetics designed to produce the most dramatic, assymetrical hair styles to grace the family Christmas dinner table.

Talking points indeed! My only regret is that Ailsa and Roo are no longer around to mix some true blue Aussie style into the Summer Bay fashion palate. Now there’s a couple of ladies who knew how to dress.