Vintage Vibes

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Dress: Gift

Jacket: Just Jeans leather

Brogues: Ziera patent

Bag: Novo patent

Scarf: Gift

Cuff: Vintage 1970s Tibetan silver

Bangle: Tree of Life

Elephant Ring: Gift

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Spent Thursday trawling through the Woolloongabba Antique Centre with my friend Belinda before enjoying a leisurely lunch at the divine Pearl Café.

Founders Sarah Jane Walsh & Paul Butler believe that “just because Antiques are old doesn’t mean they have to be sold in an old-fashioned setting” & they have certainly accomplished this in Woolloongabba, with the centre being more like a hipster hangout mixed with an old time diner than a stuffy antique showroom. The centre is a window to the past without making the customer feel like they are stuck in the past. Belinda & I spent ages just walking around, excitedly pointing out bizarre, beautiful or kitschy items to each other – many of which our parents already-own-one-of (hers) or once-owned-one-of (mine).

After this wonderful trip down memory lane, we headed (slightly) uphill to the Logan Road shopping precinct to look at Absolutely Fabulous, Colonial Collectibles & That Shop, which sells those gorgeous vintage style dresses with a twist: think pretty florals that are actually skulls when you look up close. 

Our stomachs grumbling, we decided on the Pearl Cafe - which I usually frequent with my brother Louis & love for its distinct French feeling & calming dim-lit ambiance - for respite, deciding on the pulled pork deli sandwich (for me) & the duck ragout (from her)... which we then ended up swapping over halfway through as each looked too unbelievably delicious not to have a taste... I also decided to go the "whole hog" (pardon the pun) & order a strawberry milkshake in the anodised mug, so by the time lunch was over I was ready to roll on back to the car, full & happy. 

Getting dressed that morning, I clearly made the right choice with my loose fit, graphic printed shift dress mixed with a beautiful tree print silk patterned scarf/wrap, perfect for this time of the year when the weather is hot one minute, cold the next. The trick to pattern mixing, in my opinion, is ensuring that all other items "fade" into the background - in this case, the black jacket, brogues, tights & handbag - to let the colours in both patterns take centre stage.