Franny Gets Frocked: Southbanked!

Dress: Anthea Crawford satin

Cardigan: Metalicus polyamide

Jacket: Just Jeans leather

Brogues: Ziera patent

Tights: Razzamatazz 40 denier

Bag: Novo patent

Scarf: Sussan woven cotton

Bangle: Gift, vintage, silver

Cuff: Gift, vintage tribal silver & semi-precious stone

Ring: Eagle Street Markets, silver

Spent a wonderful Friday evening with the family, late-night shopping in Brisbane before crossing the river to soak up the atmosphere of the Southbank Night Noodle Markets, browse a little at The Collective Markets & share a meal together...

Large swings in temperature - sometimes 20 degrees or more! - mean that layering is MUST if you're planning to head out in South East Queensland & this stunning, large-scale floral satin dress from Anthea Crawford was the ideal base, the print's navy background providing a welcome change from the starkness of traditional "Winter black."

The first thing I added was a cardigan from Metalicus in a flesh-tone shade. The cropped shade & polyamide fabric mould to the body, providing warmth without bulk & allowing the deceptively simple shape of the dress - bateau neckline, waist pleating - to remain the feature. With my pale skin, it is possible that I can look "washed out" in certain shades of beige, cream, blush or ivory, so a chunky, pattern-mixed scarf from Sussan was added to ensure there was bright colour near my face. In this instance, the print-clash works due to the divergent scale of the patterns (one large, one small) & the repetition of the colour palette.

Deciding to get into the #tgif spirit, I wore one of my favourite statement jewellery pieces - a chunky, vintage tribal silver cuff with citrine semi-precious stones, given to me by a dear friend who picked it up at a market overseas in the 1960s - as well as a vintage silver bangle from India (another gift from another good friend) & a silver ball ring that I picked up years ago at the Eagle Street Markets.

As usual, black accessories anchored the look - a pair of patent, wedge-heeled brogues from Ziera, matte 40 denier Razzamatazz tights & a boxy, patent handbag from Novo - working in with the cropped leather jacket from Just Jeans that constituted the ensemble's final layer. Check it out in all its glory below:

This jacket is what many fashion commentators & stylists call an "investment piece" & truth be told, my very first leather garment... I have to say that it was well-worth the price tag & the leather-cleaner up-sell that really stretched my pennies at the time! It has been more than 5 years since I brought it home with me & hung it up in a well-ventilated area as the tag suggested (well, maybe not, as I have limited closet space, but the intent was there...) & if anything, it's even BETTER than when I bought it - the leather is more supple, the fit is unique mine & the timeless shape, almost Victorian with the collar & buttons, works season after season.