Franny Gets Frocked: Dinosaurs, Art & Train Rides

Tuesday 9 May 2023

Dinosaurs, Art & Train Rides

Dress: Taking Shape jersey, twill

Cardigan: Kitten D'Amour silk knit

Sandals: Easy Steps via Myer leather

Bag: Soul Nook Collective vinyl, wood

Bag: Gift, woven twine

Bangle Stack: Gift, vintage Mexican silver

Bangle: Gift, vintage 20th Century Antiques & Collectibles silver

Brooch: Etsy glitter resin

So elated to be sharing all the beautiful pictures from a day spent exploring Southbank's Cultural Precinct (after a train ride over the Brisbane River) with a trip to the Queensland Art Gallery & of course, Queensland Museum's newest traveling exhibit, Dinosaurs of Patagonia with my cousin & her two rambunctious future art pundits or paleontologists.

For the occasion, I'm wearing an outfit that worked well for the cooler morning before transitioning into an outfit that was also appropriate as the weather warmed up - a beautiful mixed material dress from City Chic with black jersey racer-back bodice & large-scale floral twill high/low midi skirt in shades of purple, off-white & tan, a cropped purple silk knit cardigan with diamante buttons from retro-inspired label Kitten D'Amour to ward off the chill in the air while providing shape by ending at the smallest part of my waist, a pair of white & tan leather sandals from Easy Steps via my local Myer store for the ideal fusion of comfortable & stylish (& with a nod to art deco sensibilities) & a tan vinyl crossbody bag with wooden clasp from the delightful Soul Nook Collective boutique in the old church at Marburg to carry all the essentials including facemask & hand sanitizer. The gorgeous monochrome woven twine tote bag was a thoughtful birthday gift from a dear friend as well & the perfect size/shape for carrying all the little extras including hat, water bottle, extra coat & the all-important souvenirs. When it came to jewellery, I chose a few special pieces - a stack of vintage Mexican silver bangles that some dear friends brought back from an overseas trip, a single, slightly thicker vintage silver bangle from 20th Century Antiques & Collectibles (formerly of Coolangatta) that my younger brother gave me as a birthday gift one year & finally, a funky glitter resin brooch in the shape of a brontosaurus (a sweet little nod to the theme of the day) that I found at a random little boutique on Etsy & thought added that final flourish.

Without further ado, scroll down to see how it all unfolded...

Marveling at the Water Mall's waterfalls as well as the five cast bronze pelican statues (1982) by Queensland sculptors Leonard & Kathleen Shillam...

Whale Mall moments...

Honestly, this has been my favourite part of Southbank's Cultural Precinct for as long as I can remember. Despite the fact that they are fibreglass, there's just something magical about the whale sculptures & how it feels walking down the long concrete walkway & hearing the whale song bounce around you as you go.