Max Loves… Kimbra

Kimbra is the latest female artist to hail from little old New Zealand who is having great success in the global music scene. Since releasing the song “Somebody I Used to Know” with Aussie artist Gotye (which has reached number one on the charts in over 20 countries!) Kimbra has gone on to play at festivals worldwide and even performed the hit on Saturday Night Live. Her songs are a frequent occurrence on our instore and office playlists and one of our favourites has to be Cameo Lover check out the video below, her dress is amazing! On that note we mustn’t forget to acknowledge her fabulous style, her quirky combination of Lady Gaga inspired silhouettes and 50’s starlet fashion which gives her a unique look that we love! Her debut album Vows is available on iTunes here.

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Max Pictorial… Mad Men Style at the Office

As we eagerly await season 5 of Mad Men to hit New Zealand TV screens, we had a bit of fun channeling that 50s vibe to create a look perfect for the office! 

Kimberley Top - http://www.maxshop.com/shop/tops/kimberley-top/
Cadillac Cardi - http://www.maxshop.com/shop/knitwear/cadillac-cardi/
Cleo Scallop Skirt - http://www.maxshop.com/shop/skirts/cleo-scallop-skirt/

Max Loves… High Tea

This year is the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II marking her 60th year reigning as Queen and what better way to celebrate this momentous occasion than dining like the royals and enjoying a classically British High Tea. Originally High Tea was a meal for laborers after afternoon tea or dinner which consisted of hearty foods such as stews and meat sandwiches that were designed to provide sustanince for work long into the evening, a far cry from today’s more glamourous interpretation…

Today’s High Tea’s are an indulgent event which are usually made of up a spread of scones, club sandwhiches and variety of sweets to be enjoyed with tea or a cheeky glass of bubbly. Max loves this sweet tradition that serves itself as the perfect activity on a girls-day-out. High Tea is now served in many hotels and restaurants such as the Langham and Britomart Country Club. If not served in your area, High Tea is just as fun to set up at home - gather some vintage china, cake stands, doilies and invite all your friends round to enjoy some home baking. Check out pinterest for some pretty inspiration.

Wondering how to make the perfect cup of tea? Check out the Max Pictorial here!

Love is in the air…

Our VM Manager is jetting off to get married in Rarotonga this coming week - so we decided to throw her a little Bridal High Tea. All the girls in the office brought in their favourite cup and saucer and donned their cutest dresses to enjoy a lovely spread of cupcakes from Yummo Cupcakes, club sandwiches and freshly brewed tea. We wish her all the best for her special day!

Max Loves… Faux Glow

As winter well and truly settles in for the long haul we find ourselves longing for that golden glow that summer gave us, and searching out the perfect fake tan to give us that healthy just-stepped-off-the-plane-from-Fiji look. Now as a team here at Max we have probably tried every tanning product under the sun from spray tans, gradual tanning moisturisers, bronzers to all kinds of foams, lotions and potions…

We had the opportunity to try out this great product from Xen-Tan called Perfect Blend. This product combines the best from both worlds, an instant bronzer and self tanner. The bottle is made up of 2 separate chambers which allow you to customise the colour you want to achieve, you can simply twist the top between a range of 100% bronzer or 100% self tanner. So perfect for those nights out when you want to wear a sleeveless or shorter dress but you’re feeling a little pale. You simply pump out the desired amount – mix together in your palms and tan away! The product absorbs nicely and doesn’t leave that icky sticky feeling which can leave you sans clothes for a good 10 minutes, you can safely get dressed pretty much as soon as you’re done. Another winning feature is the lack of fake tan smell, that can be a deal breaker when it comes to tanning products so it’s great to find one that doesn’t have an overpowering scent and one that fades pretty fast.

The key to a perfect tan is to exfoliate and blend blend blend! Exfoliation gets rid of all the dead skin cells that would soak up the tan and give that patchy look – which screams fake tan disaster! MyBeautyStore.com gave us 2 great exfoliating products to try out and include in our tanning regime. Firstly was the QVS Exfoliating Gloves which are a great way to exfoliate a large surface area and are super cost effective as they can be used over and over. The second product was Sara Happ Vanilla Bean Body Scrub. This stuff is AMAZING not only does it smell devine, but it is a thick consistency which is easy to scrub all over your body and leaves it feeling silky smooth, totally like a spa treatment in your shower!

We certainly know how we will all be getting our glow-on this winter and through that awkward winter to summer bikini transition without reaching Snooki status! Check out all the products over at http://www.mybeautystore.com/.

Max Pictorial… Perfect Porridge

Max Loves… Animal Inspiration

It seems as though the fashion industry has fallen in love with our furry and not so furry friends these past few seasons. Various animals have been inspiring gorgeous prints and textures on a range of garments the world over from python print to leopard print, faux fur to lamb’s wool and even feathers. Here at Max we have well and truly embraced this fun trend. Our Winter Collection features accents of fur on coats, vests and scarves. As well as printed tops and tees in leopard, snake and zebra print. 

Many celebs have been seen rocking this trend throughout Summer and Winter with the real winner being the fur vest with everyone from Kate Moss to Olivia Palermo embracing the look. A fur vest is also a great way to add warmth to an outfit without adding too much bulk, essentially the perfect transeasonal piece!

This week’s delivery has seen the use of animal prints and inspiration used in a more casual application, featuring a range of tops and tees perfect for mixing with any existing wardrobe and the ideal match for your favourite pair of jeans - check out the new arrivals here.

We’re loving this trend and by the looks of it, it’s not going out of style anytime soon! 

Image sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Max Pictorial… How To: Wear a Sleeveless Dress in Winter

Max Loves… Farmer’s Markets

If you love food and cooking there is nothing better than wandering through a Farmer’s Market on a lazy weekend morning enjoying the bustling atmosphere, enticing sights and scents, and hopefully tasting a few delicacies. For a long time many people were feeling disconnected from their food and the growing popularity of Farmer’s Markets allows consumers to talk directly to the growers and learn exactly where the food has come from. Coffee is always readily available as is a vast array of sweet and savoury delights so it is always best to skip breakfast. At Max we are lucky enough to be located close to La Cigale, a beautiful French style Auckland Market filled with tempting treats including amazing crepes made to order.

If you are looking for a Farmers Market to visit in your area check out the Farmers’ Market NZ Inc website for a list by region. Click to view.

If you already have a favourite make sure you vote in the Test Magazine Farmers Markets NZ Awards. Click to view.

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Max Pictorial… Pop Heart