Karen Millen Archives - Kate Waterhouse

What I wore this week

20th October, 2022

This week, I’ve been flying the flag for a range of Aussie brands. There’s something about how we do fashion in this country that always brings about fresh designs and an aesthetic that speaks to how many of us like to dress — easy and effortless. I’ve also been able to do a few looks that have run the spectrum from preppy and chic to evening ready which I always really like as I’m able to play dress up in so many different ways. Here’s what I wore this week.

You often see houndstooth in monochrome so I loved that this dress by Aussie brand Leo Lin went in the opposite direction. The vibrant green really gives this preppy style a little extra personality. Whenever I embrace patterns I tend to keep everything pared back so a pair of black and white Dior slingbacks and simple headband seemed the right finishing touches.

Credits: Dress, Leo Lin; Flats, Dior; Headband, Ford Millinery

I’ve always been a fan of beige/camel tones and find it works really well when layered together. It was a cool day in Sydney so these trousers layered with a sweater and coat was the perfect look for the day ahead. There’s also something quite pulled together about layering different hues and is one of my fave ways to elevate existing pieces in my wardrobe.

Credits: Coat (similar here), Karen Millen; Pants, Manning Cartell; Sweater, Venroy; Bag (similar here), Dior; Heels, Aquazzura

Ready for a night out in this elegant long sleeve Gul. Hurgel dress. I love playing with different textures and find you can’t go wrong with black velvet — it’s always a great go-to for evening wear. To complement the diamante accents on the dress I went for a silver slouchy Jimmy Choo evening bag, and a pair of simple strappy slides by Giuseppe Zanotti.

Credits: Dress, Gul Hurgel; Heels (similar here), Giuseppe Zanotti; Bag (similar here), Jimmy Choo

Who else loves shirt dresses? I can’t resist them as they’re such an easy and effortless way to pull together a look. This piece is by Aussie brand, Onte and the understated silhouette, punctuated by gold buttons really ticks all the boxes. It’s an easy piece to throw on for a casual day or if I’ve got meetings or I’m doing the school run, plus it’s comfy too. Also a big fan of the neutral colour — you can’t ever go wrong with a hue that can be worn in myriad ways.

Credits: Dress, Onte

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What I wore this week

4th August, 2022

It’s still all about winter dressing but this week in Sydney we did experience what felt like a glorious spring day which was a nice reprieve from the cold weather. I’m still embracing so many winter warmers in my closet and am having fun rediscovering that part of my wardrobe again after my holiday break. I had a few appointments and meetings this week so I embraced a lot of dressy, elevated looks but luckily I was still able to incorporate some casual ensembles in the mix. Here’s what I wore this week.

Back into winter gear and loving tonal ensembles. I’ve always found layering varying shades but in a similar colour family achieves a really impactful look. I layered a few earthy pieces here and found it added some warmth to my outfit. Also, I’m not sure about you but I loved the break from constantly wearing pants or jeans throughout winter by doing a midi skirt/boots combination. I highly recommend it for keeping warm, but taking your outfit in a different direction.

Credits: Skirt, Camilla and Marc; Top, Venroy; Bag, Gucci, Boots, Seed; Coat, Karen Millen

Doing another take on the skirt/boots combination with this head to toe look from Seed. I wore this look to host an event for Seed earlier in the year and found it be a great go-to look for when I’ve got a meeting or event to attend. Once again I’m embracing tonal hues, but I also love doing crisp whites in winter. It’s a little more unexpected as far as winter hues go and it adds a level of freshness. Loving the resurgence of the knee high boot, it’s definitely a great way to dress up many an outfit.

Credits: Jumper, coat and boots, Seed

This outfit ties into my motto of ‘off duty wear but keep it polished’. Jeans and a white shirt have always been my go-to when it comes to casual wear, but I wanted to take it up a notch so paired it with this Camilla and Marc trench. It’s comfy yet chic and something I do quite often whenever I’m doing a jeans and tee pairing throughout the cooler months. I went for a simple pair of white sneakers and added a Louis Vuitton top handle bag to help me carry all my essentials around for the day.

Credits: Trench, Camilla and Marc; T-shirt, Uniqlo; Jeans, Slvrlake; Bag, Louis Vuitton; Sneakers, Burberry;

This was a shoot day and I felt in the mood to dress up a little so went with this puff sleeve top by Aje and an Anna Quan mini. I’ve worn both pieces so many times and have really managed to maximise the cost per wear on both of them. Being on my feet most of the day, I went for flat Chanel slingbacks to stay comfortable but polished at the same time.

Credits: Top, Aje; Skirt, Anna Quan; Slingbacks, Chanel

Fashion, What I Wore

What I Wore: Saben Launch

27th July, 2022

I’m getting back into the swing of things post-holiday, and the launch of handbag label Saben’s new collection was one of the first events in my calendar. It was nice to be able to get back into work mode, and also take the opportunity to try out some new pieces in my wardrobe. I recently got this top and pants set from Ess the Label and I can already see myself wearing it non-stop this summer. With a beautiful satin finish, it’s oh-so elegant and has the perfect amount of movement and elegance to be worn to myriad occasions. The tunic top has a one shoulder silhouette which gives it a nice design point of difference, and evokes a Grecian feel. Also I’m all about a pair of wide leg pants these days—they’re just so effortless and chic. This pair in particular is so comfortable to wear.

While this set is definitely event-ready, it’s also freezing in Sydney at the moment so practicality won out and I brought along a coat to pop on over the top. This Karen Millen coat has been such a good staple to have, it’s the perfect camel colour, sits at just the right length and looks as great belted up as it does worn over the shoulders. I think everyone should have a camel coat as it’s just the right hue to be worn with so many different looks and always acts as a statement piece. It also complemented my Saben bag perfectly. With its understated design and buttery soft leather, this bag will definitely become a workhorse in my wardrobe. Capping off the look were these fun Bottega Veneta mesh heels, which always adds a quirky touch to any outfit.

Credits: Top and pants, Ess the Label; Coat (similar here), Karen Millen; Heels, Bottega Veneta; Bag, Saben

Fashion, What I Wore

What I wore working from home this week

2nd July, 2020

Working from home outfits during the school holidays are always an interesting proposition— I can go from dressed up for a work call or meeting one minute to super casual and ready to head out to do an activity with the girls the next. It’s been the week for doing lots of denim (kids=comfort) but I did get the chance to pop on a nice dress which is always a great way to elevate the week. Here’s what happened on the work from home wardrobe front this week.

I wore this Ginger and Smart dress last week and decided it needed another outing immediately. I love the astronomy print and the billowy sleeves, but particularly love its versatility. It can be worn with or without the belt depending on how I’m feeling that day.

Credits: Dress, Ginger and Smart; Shoes, Chanel

Comfort is key when the kids are at home so jeans it most definitely is. I love the thick denim that these jeans are made from as it holds its shape really well. Paired with a comfy beige knit, I’m ready for tackling another busy and active day.

Credits: Knit and jeans (similar here), Camilla and Marc

I’ve just gotten into these tanks by Australian brand Henne and I’m already obsessed. They’re a great fit, cut and such a good quality. I’ve been layering them with different jackets and knits, but can see myself wearing them throughout summer with skirts and shorts.

Credits: Tank (similar here), Henne; Jeans (similar here), Camilla and Marc

I’ve always maintained the importance of a good camel coat during winter. It’s so versatile, and this particular one by Karen Millen has seen many an outing. It’s such an effortless piece to throw on over jeans and a tank to dress it up, and most importantly, it helps keep me cosy when I’m out and about (or answering emails).

Credits: Coat, Karen Millen; Tank (similar here), Henne; Jeans (similar here), Camilla and Marc

Fashion, What I Wore

How to incorporate dressier items into your casual wardrobe

28th November, 2017

My casual wardrobe gets a pretty regular workout, given I spend most of my time looking after Sophia and Grace and need to be comfortable at all times. However this leaves me with an entire section of my wardrobe that doesn’t get nearly enough use: my dresses. More specifically those that are on the slightly dressier side and are more appropriate for a work event or classy lunch than preschool drop- offs and playground outings. I’ve always been about having clothes that are easily dressed up or down so I’ve now taken to dipping into that particular section of my cupboard a lot more and have set myself the challenge to have them feature more frequently in my everyday looks.

Take the below dress by Karen Millen; I’m a huge fan of crisp white dresses as they’re generally a lot easier to transform into either a daytime or nighttime look given their blank colour palette. In this instance to help bring the dress into casual wear territory, I found my choice of accessories was key. By pairing it with a candy pink hued bag it added a fun, playful element to my overall look and gave it a slightly more relaxed feel. Flats are often the secret to changing the overall vibe of a dressy piece and by pairing the dress with white sneakers helped to ground the outfit and make it appropriate for a day of running around. The right accoutrements can often steer an outfit into an entirely new direction, and is one of my favourite styling tricks to employ when I need to change up an existing item in my closet.

I’m always experimenting with what’s in my wardrobe so this has been a useful discovery of a great way to double the use of what I already own. This weekend why not set yourself the challenge to turn your dressier pieces into casual wear—you may be pleasantly surprised at the new looks you’ll uncover.

Credits: Dress, Karen Millen, Shoes, Gucci, Bag, Bvlgari,

This post was created in collaboration with Karen Millen

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What I Wore: La Mer World Ocean Day Lunch

27th June, 2017

There’s something about a seaside location that always has me wanting to wear something that’s light and airy. This was definitely the case when I recently attended the La Mer World Ocean Day lunch at Sydney’s Bondi Icebergs. I opted for a white Christopher Esber dress with a sheer overlay—the hue was great for the beachside location but the ankle length and long sleeves kept it winter appropriate. I paired it with my favourite camel coloured coat by Karen Millen and my black studded Alaïa heels provided a great contrast to the neutral hues of my outfit.

Credits: Coat, Karen Millen; Dress, Christopher Esber; Heels, Alaïa

Photography: Belinda Rolland

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Spring Racing: Oaks Day

22nd October, 2015

Oaks Day is all about feminine silhouettes and styling so it’s the perfect opportunity to embrace your girlie side. Pastels are a great go-to colour for Oaks Day as not only is it quite pretty and soft, it also acts as a neutral and is a great blank canvas for different accessories. I paired this dress by Karen Millen with a bold headband to help give the outfit a touch of drama.

DRESS: Karen Millen

HEADPIECE: Desordre

HEELS: Valentino from Mytheresa.com

For more Spring Racing inspired looks with Karen Millen, click HERE.

PHOTPGRAPHY: Cara O’Dowd

STYLING: Hayley Bonham

HAIR & MAKEUP: Ania Milczarczyk

LOCATION: LaPorte Space

To see my Karen Millen Derby Day look see HERE.

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What I Wore: Racing Monochrome

17th October, 2015

The first big event on the spring racing calendar is Derby Day and it’s all about monochrome. However if you’re not in the mood to wear a dress why not try a two-piece matching set? I’d wear this Karen Millen top and Karen Millen skirt to the races but it’s also great as I can wear each piece separately later on with other items in my wardrobe. The Nerida Winter headpiece also helps give this otherwise demure outfit an edgy touch.

TOP: Karen Millen

SKIRT: Karen Millen

HAT: Nerida Winter

HEELS: Cosmopolitan shoes

For more Spring Racing inspired looks with Karen Millen, click HERE.

PHOTPGRAPHY: Cara O’Dowd

STYLING: Hayley Bonham

HAIR & MAKEUP: Ania Milczarczyk

LOCATION: LaPorte Space

Fashion, What I Wore

What I wore: Luxe Leather

3rd June, 2015

There’s no better time than winter to embrace quality luxe fabrics and this winter I’m all about luxe leather. When it comes to leather I think a skirt and jacket are two pieces that will never go astray in your wardrobe. I am loving Karen Millen at the moment and found this great skirt from their winter collection. I also fell in love with this Karen Millen leather jacket which will be so versatile over the coming months as it can be dressed up or down. A definite wardrobe staple.

Skirt: Karen Millen full midi leather skirt

Jacket: Karen Millen signature leather biker jacket

Top: Karen Millen sleeveless knit top

Bag: Karen Millen structured large tote

Sunglasses: Celine

Heels: Alaia

Photography: Josephine Willcox