#aleyesadvices

[aleyes]

Aleyes Advices: Spontaneity ain't always the King

Although I am a 100% fly by the seat of your pants kinda gal this way of livin' has bit me in the seat of my pants a few times too. On a weekend trip to Amsterdam we decided to book when we get there my common phrase 'Lets suss it out first, suss the vibes' was probably dropped to reassure those around. Good.

So we found a nice enough hostel and booked for one night only. Maybe there was a better option? maybe something cheaper? with a kitchen? Who knows? We booked one night.

After a few rounds of 10 Jäger shots for 10 euros, making out with Gina a hot chiccy babe from Sydney it was morning and I was being rudely awoken by clapping of rubbish bin lids in my ears. The rubbish bin lids were not lids at all but merely hands of a stout and brussely lady ordering me to 'GET UP!' One more night, one more night I yelled. Nope, get up, get out. Beds were booked, people are here. Oh jesus, I thought, where the fuck are you? and I put on my bag and headed into the streets.

Fragile, like a dream we stumbled around 'A-Dam' in search of somewhere to rest our weary heads. With everywhere booked we slapped down the cash. 100 euro each for the night for a tiny apartment with bong-stained walls. What an error. Oh my head.

Sometimes fellas, it pays to be one of those organised folk you have heard about in books and on the news. Most of the time though, the seat of my pants does just fine ;)

[aleyes]

Aleyes Advices: How to Look Geeewd in Layers

For the regular Joe, wearing multiple layers and looking like a baben' babe is not a great challenge. For a child of the sun, growing up in a country where its lowest temperature hits a chilly 10 degrees in the + celsius, keeping warm and looking cool is a disaster that didn't wait, it happened.

My first experience with the MINUS was in Prague. A city so beautiful, I wish I could have seen it if it wasn't so cold I was forced indoors for majority of the daylight hours. Headed out on a city tour I wrapped up in literally all of the clothes I had with me. In a word, fuck. Seemingly, Australian jackets are made of paper and did you know wind can pierce into your skin and actually freeze your blood? I found out that fateful day in Prague. At one point I excused myself to the bathroom and put my sisters woollen mittens on my feet. It didn't improve the stakes much.  Headed out on the town I had Vodka as my blanket, but such a dishevelled sight was I with vanity out the door and in with SURVIVAL.  SO, how does one get snapped up for street style and maintain blood in liquid form.

1. Focus on heat retention - you loose 40% body heat out of your head. Wear a beanie, maybe even two? + a good pair of woollen socks! 2. Materials - Make sure you're packin' wool. Alpaca, lama, sheep, angora (check animal cruelty rights with that one) The better the cloth the less you need.  3. Hair - for men, stop shaving, you have a free blanket on your face!  - for lassies, grow your hair and use it as a scarf, i was able to this winter and it was a blessing and I also felt like a wizard.  - for both, legs and whatever else, use your nat-u-ralle fibres to heat your soul (I didn't mention anything about looking good naked)  4. Oh ya lined boots baby! - get yourself GOOD shoes with a lining. Vintage markets sell them by the boot load and they are tres chic

Insulation my friends. Use good products (not necessarily expensive) and you won't have to spend the winter looking like the Michellen man!