Franny Gets Frocked: March 2015

Monday 30 March 2015

Tupper... Wear

Dress: Anthea Crawford cotton

Sandals: Bare Traps @ Simona Ricci

Bag: LouenHide leather

Necklace: Eb & Ive wooden bead

Cuff: Wallace Bishop silver

Bracelet: Spirit's Gift (Coolangatta) silver

After a big day on Saturday, shopping in the City while simultaneously keeping a stark white dress scrupulously CLEAN (see previous post for details), I decided to slow things down a little on Sunday, crawling out of bed late in the morning & leisurely reading the newspaper with a cup of white tea - & 2 sneaky sugars! - before heading off to a friend's Tupperware Party.

Seeing as Summer has decided to push Autumn aside & languish in the Sunshine State, this brightly patterned, brushed cotton dress with sweet cap sleeves, deep v-neckline & pleated waistband from Anthea Crawford was just the ticket for looking fresh & staying cool on a balmy afternoon. I loved the funky interplay of graphic geometric stripes & checks in shades of blue & green interspersed with pink pastel hibiscuses & touches of yellow, particularly when mixed with a marine-blue wooded beaded, multi-strand necklace from Eb & Ive to amp it up & keep it youthful while staying smart-casual. See how this statement necklace - which looks heavy but is actually light as a feather - works with the dress' plunging neckline below:

White accessories are quintessential warm weather options & really set the colours of the dress off nicely; the embellished leather sandals with stacked kitten heels adding a touch of sparkle in the sunshine while the slouchy, white leather shoulder bag kept things relaxed.

To pick up on the aforementioned pink pastel hibiscuses inherent in the dress' pattern, a chunky, silver bracelet full of interlocking flowers - found at a little store on the "main drag" in Coolangatta called Spirit's Gift - was chosen to finish the look, evened up on the other side by a plain silver cuff.

"...this is what the world is for; making electricity..."

Electric Feel - MGMT (2007)

Of all the Tupperware Party attendees, this one was by-far the cutest - my second cousin, Sweet Baby James - who was particularly interested in the merchandise & wanted to chew on all of it, including the brochure. The following snaps are what happens when he had to sit on somebody's lap, rather than roll around & explore at leisure...

...Hmmmm, what's going on over there?...

...What's that lady eating?...

...Why does she get one of those brochures & I don't?...

Saturday 28 March 2015

Whiter Shade

Dress: Anthea Crawford crepe

Sandals: Soft Soul @ Myer leather

Bag: Adorne vinyl & studs

Necklace: Eb & Ive wooden beads

Cuff: Wallace Bishop silver

Bangle: Trinkit Hunter (from India)

Traversed the River City today wearing what I can only describe as one of the most impractical colours (or non-colours, you know, to be completely pedantic about it...) in creation - stark white. Yep, not only was this ah-mazing Anthea Crawford dress with waist tuck detail a difficult hue to keep pristine, it was also made from the softest, textured crepe that just seemed to want to catch on everything... or else I was just paranoid due to the 2 aforementioned aspects of the outfit; you know, either/or...

Long story short - I DID manage to keep it clean & in one piece, which was a minor miracle considering I not only ate a few tiny chocolate Easter eggs that a man in a large bunny suit was jovially handing out in the Myer Centre but drank an entire large Milk Tea with Pearls (tapioca balls) AS I WALKED. And I am usually kind of clumsy or uncoordinated when it comes to anything physical, so I was suitably CHUFFED!

I guess the moral of the story is not to discount white dresses in baby-soft fabrics that require dry-cleaning just because they are a) white b) made from soft fabrics that just look as though they would REALLY soak up a stain, should one be unfortunate enough to be splashed their way &/or c) needing specialist attention/payment to be forthcoming in order to ensure longevity... After all, they are so incredibly beautiful on a variety of skin tones, a fact I have FINALLY learnt for myself after many years of believing some fashion critics when they suggested that those of us who are pale should shy away from lighter colours. Untrue. There's a perfect shade of white/cream/milk/beige/champagne/blush that will suit anyone & everyone. It's merely a case of trial & error which, if you think about it, is really the fun of the fashion.

Moreover, lighter shades are beautiful in ALL seasons, not just the summertime, as some fashion stalwarts would have you believe. Just imagine how beautiful this dress will be in the Winter (if it ever arrives) with a pair of opaque tights, boots, a vintage stole & a cloche hat. Stunning. When this horrid endless summer finally begins to cool, I look forward to posting that very thing on this blog, so don't forget to STAY TUNED, lovely readers...

But back to today's take...

To keep it summery & capture a cruisy, almost-holidays "weekend" vibe rather than a businessy, work-a-day look, I mixed the dress with a pair of white leather sandals with wedge heels & contrasting silver strap across the front, picking up the silver again with a shiny, vinyl bag - complete with studded ends! - in a long, rectangular shape from Adorne.

Only 3 pieces of jewellery were required to finish off the look, though granted, they were each substantial & could be considered statements in themselves. I started off with my favourite thick silver cuff (full of sentimental value due the engraved message inside reading, "All You Need is Love," a thoughtful present from my dear friend Alice) then added a chunky wooden bangle, covered with black lacquer & silver bead work - made in India - that I picked up at an amazing shop called Trinkit Hunter. Check the bangle out in detail either above or below & if you're in the Paddington area or have a few hours to spare on the "interwebs," check out the store it came from... you won't be disappointed.

Finally, I added one of my new Eb & Ive wooden beaded necklaces - in silver, of course, the multi-strand design working well with the dress' slight v-neckline, creating visual interest by adding yet another texture to the eclectic ensemble.

Thursday 26 March 2015

Sunshine Superwoman

Dress: Vintage, cotton tie dye

Sandals: Corelli @ Williams leather lace-up

Bag: Sportsgirl vinyl

Hat: Vintage, straw

Necklace: Eb & Ive wooden bead

Bangle: Gone Dotti wood & ribbon

Finally posting some photographs of the outfit I wore for a day of fun, friendship & exploration in Fortitude Valley with the "Retro Ramblers;" a change of venue from our usual haunt of Paddington yet still requiring a vintage hat & sense of adventure.

This amazing vintage, tie dye maxi dress - made out of soft cotton to keep me as cool as possible - was the ideal choice for such a hot & sultry day, the cap sleeves protecting me from the sun's biting rays & the drawstring empire-line waist detail providing shape while visually elongating my petite 5 foot frame.

The dress' tie dye pattern was so busy & vivid - & done BY HAND by the previous owner, which pretty much blew my mind - that a classic sandals & bag combo was all that was required. Cue these comfortable leather lace-up wedge sandals from Williams mixed with a boxy, vinyl handbag from Sportsgirl, providing edge while blending into the background & letting the dress & statement wooden beaded necklace in a pleasing shade called "papaya" take centre stage. When it came to choosing what to jewellery to wear, this Eb & Ive beauty was a no-brainer - the colour toned in with the tie dye without matching so completely that it disappeared, while the high, slightly scooped neckline was just crying out for something chunky with multiple, layered strands for impact.

After donning such a busy print & a hefty necklace, this simple wooden bangle with ribbon depicting a sweet looking Red Riding Hood hiding in the Deep Dark Forest from the Big Bad Wolf - handmade by the ladies from Gone Dotti, who run a popular stall at the Southbank Markets - was the perfect finishing touch. It's often these little design details, hidden in "plain sight" when the outfit is viewed from afar that elevate a look by making it something extra special for the wearer...

"...sunshine came softly through my window today; could have tripped out easy but I've changed my ways..."

Sunshine Superman - Donovan (1966)

Wednesday 25 March 2015

Instantly #4

For those of you still not following me on Instagram or Facebook, here's a fourth round-up of outfits you may have missed...

Dress: Noughts & Crosses

Kimono: Noughts & Crosses

Heels: Emerson @ Big W patent

Clutch: Adorne lace & wood

Necklace: Gift, black beads

Long, flowing layers for a balmy evening out with friends...

Starting St Patrick's day off the right way...

Kaftan: Vintage, cotton (Gift from Hawaii)

Sandals: Betts for Her patent gladiators

Bag: Vintage, carved nut (Gift from India)

Cuff: Vintage, Tibetan silver

Gorgeous vintage tie dye mixed with retro accessories & modern sandals...

"... a long time ago when the Earth was green, there were more kinds of animals than you've ever seen; they'd run around free while the Earth was being born; the loveliest of all was the unicorn..."

The Unicorn - The Irish Rovers (1967)

Seemed appropriate for St Patrick's Day... I absolutely adore The Irish Rovers, particularly this song, but The Marvelous Toy is also wonderful for both the young & young-at-heart...