Queen's Hamlet

 

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Tunic: Romance Was Born embroidered taffeta

Skirt: Romance Was Born embroidered taffeta

Heels: Jo Mercer leather, laces

Bag: French Connection vinyl with chrome hardware

Belt: HellBunny via That Shop patent, elastic

Hinged Bangle: Wallace Bishop silver

Bracelet Stack: Jewelled Bazaar faceted beads

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And now for something completely different...

Monty Python quotes aside, in all seriousness, this absolutely stunning ensemble IS something a little bit left-of-centre for me, a resolute dress & jumpsuit lover, in the form of the Queen's Hamlet flowing embroidered taffeta tunic & tiered maxi skirt in the most happy & vibrant shade of yellow from celebrated Aussie designer label Romance Was Born. Luke Sales & Anna Plunkett have literally been bringing their own unique brand of sunshine & eclecticism to the world of fashion since 2005 & honestly, I adore it. Romance Was Born pieces transcend fleeting sartorial trends & will stand the test of time, not to mention garner compliments wherever you go! I wore this darling ensemble to a recent Christmas Party, styled up with a wide black patent belt to cinch in the wait, a pair of chunky black leather lace-up heels from Jo Mercer, a black vinyl handbag with chrome hardware from French Connection to carry all the essentials, a silver hinged bangle from Wallace Bishop & stack of colourful, faceted bead bracelets from Jewelled Bazaar to complete the look, which - if I do say so myself - was very reminiscent of Marie Antoinette at the Palace of Versailles. Ooh la la!

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Keep scrolling to see the same top & skirt in a different incarnation - this time without the cinch belt at the waist...

A quick stylist's tip just to finish: this season's "two piece sets" are amazing - worn together, they look exactly like a dress & worn separately, they can be used to create all manner of new looks, truly making sure that a purchase is value for money. Below are pictures of the Queen's Hamlet tunic that I've styled up without the maxi skirt, instead adding a pair of sky-high black patent t-bar heels & natural woven handbag with black beaded handle from vintage-inspired label Kitten D'Amour, proving its versatility at a time of the year when dressing up is pretty much an everyday event...

Monochrome Merriment

 

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Dress: Sister Jane tulle, stretch polyblend

Heels: Kitten D'Amour vegan leather with silver buckles

Bag: Review vinyl with silver hardware

Hinged Bangle: Precious Stones Jewellers silver

Cuff: Najo via Precious Stones Jewellers silver

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It might seem an unconventional colour combination (or lack thereof for those among us who may be more pedantic...) but monochrome was certainly part of my Christmas wardrobe repertoire this year. I think what makes it work for a variety of occasions that would otherwise warrant something loud & bright is the fact that each of the pieces are special & rather "out there" in their own right & despite being devoid of vivid colour, are actually incredibly interesting & textural. Case in point: this stunning black tulle & stretch polyblend empire-line maxi dress with its sheer tiers of fabric, plentiful ruffles, maxi length & tight bodice with thin straps from whimsical British label Sister Jane that really ticked all the "party" boxes. For the occasion - a festive gathering in the River City - I styled it up with a pair of funky black & white vegan leather Mary Jane heels with silver buckles from vintage-inspired design house Kitten D'Amour (they actually remind me of the pair of ankle boots that Hercule Poirot always wears in the Agatha Christie mysteries, a pop culture reference that makes me love them even more as he is pretty much my literary intellectual hero), a boxy black vinyl handbag with white piping, bow detailing & silver hardware from Review to carry all of my essentials & finally, a pair of silver jewellery pieces from the inimitable Precious Stones Jewellers (seriously, if you are in Brisbane, you should most DEFINITELY check them out as you will not be disappointed; brilliant customer service, amazing items that you won't find anywhere else) in the form of a wave-shaped hinged bangle & tribal style Najo cuff, respectively.

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