Back in Black

 

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Dress: Anthea Crawford textured jersey & organza

Heels: Wittner satin mules

Bag: Olga Berg patent with silver hardware

Bangle with Charms: Pandora silver & onyx

Ring: Pandora silver & onyx

Headband: Jacqui E satin

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Just a few quick shots of the outfit I styled up to attend a matinee of Ladies in Black, a musical written by Carolyn Burns with music & lyrics by Tim Finn (of Split Enz fame) - based on the popular "sleeper hit" novel The Women in Black by Madeline St John. Set in 1950s Sydney, it tells the story of bookish school-leaver Lisa who joins the sales staff at upmarket department store F.G. Goode's (I think all Australians will know what stalwart of the Aussie retail scene is being alluded to...) befriending the colourful women of the Ladies Fashion Department over the summer that will changes the course of all of their lives. The production deals with the idea of a fledgling nation on the precipice of change through concepts of gender expectation & bias - women working for a living, facing independence within (or without) the bonds of marriage; in essence: what it means to truly become a woman. 

For such an occasion, I decided to wear the ubiquitous colour - or non-colour, if you'd like to get all "scientific" about it - in the form of this gorgeous 1950s-style fit-to-flare dress from Anthea Crawford with textured stretch jersey bodice & multi-paneled organza skirt with embellished grosgrain ribbon belt. For textural interest, I added a pair of retro-style black satin mules with silver heels from Wittner & carried a boxy grey patent handbag with silver hardware from Olga Berg (purchased from an amazing boutique called LaOnda at Sunnybank Plaza that's well worth a visit). Jewellery was kept simple - a silver bangle with onyx charms & matching ring from the ever-popular Pandora, given to me by a dear friend for my birthday a few years ago.

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