RAFW hasn’t quite met the fashion ivy league that New York, Paris and Milan have come time for front rowing at Fashion Week. Anna Wintour was largely absent, as was Anna Piaggi, Chloe Sevigny, Kate Moss and the Olsens; all renowned for getting many write-ups on their chosen Fashion Week outfits. Shall we blame it on the monstrous seas between us? Too far to travel, too busy, are we not pretty enough?

Whatever the reason, let’s look on the bright side; it does alleviate some of the pressure to look good. Of course it’s not all trakky-daks, hoodies and uggies, there is most definitely a touch of glamour and splash of serious styling. But in Sydney there’s not so much of the sunglasses inside and head to toe Prada/Chanel/Marc Jacobs that we see in the front rows (and most probably all the rows after it) of NY, Paris and Milan. Instead, the RAFW off-catwalk fashion promoted a way of dressing that seems very unique to Australian fashion; the mixing of high-end fashion pieces with more affordable pieces or even downright cheap ones picked up from op-shops.

Truth be told, the fashion off the catwalks is almost just as interesting as the fashion on the catwalk. Anyone who says they aren’t eyeing front row outfits, making mental fashion do and don’t notes, and having a small chuckle when they see an A-lister commit a fashion faux pas is telling fibs… fibs, I tell you. We all do it, and it’s all for the greater good of fashion and style.

Interestingly enough, there may not have been a huge array of knockout, jaw-to-the-floor outfits at RAFW but there were also far fewer sartorial sins than often seen at international fashion events. It has to be said, it speaks volumes about your sense of style if you can dress in Balenciaga and still manage to look like you got dressed using the clothes from the boot of your car. It is all too true that there are far too many “what was she thinking?” moments when perusing the photos of fashion week attendees internationally.

Come RAFW, the leather jackets were out in force, as were black opaque tights, heavy industrial heels, red lips and tussled hair. But apart from these few recurring staples RAFW brought it’s very own sense of style to the table, an Australian one. And there is nothing wrong with that!