Sunny Side

 

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Dress: Dream Sister Jane cotton

Heels: Kitten D'Amour vegan leather

Bag: Sussan woven straw, sequins, beads

Bangle Stack: Gift, vintage Mexican silver

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

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Feeling like sunshine personified in this darling yellow & white cotton gingham midi dress with shirred bodice & black tie detailing from English label Dream Sister Jane. The ideal choice for lunch with a friend on a hot & humid summer's day in South East Queensland, I've styled it up with a pair of black vegan leather strappy heels from Kitten D'Amour for maximum height with minimum skin coverage (hello aeration), a natural woven straw handbag with black sequins & beaded straps from Sussan to carry all the essentials, a stack of vintage Mexican silver bangles & a single, heavy vintage silver bangle from 20th Century Antiques & Collectibles for that touch of daytime shine despite the heatwave.

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Retrospective

 

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Dress: Retrospecd via Oh Jo Jo Boutique cotton

Heels: Django & Juliette via Styletread leather

Bag: Olga Berg vinyl

Necklace: Gift, beaded

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It's no secret that I've always loved retro/pin-up style with a bohemian twist & this gorgeous Monet-waterlily-inspired cotton wiggle dress from Australian label Retrospec'd from the delightful Oh Jo Jo Boutique at the "top of town" in Ipswich is definitely my new favourite! There's nothing better than that moment when a new dress just fits like a glove right off the hanger (no alterations required) & that's what happened here - instant perfection! I've styled it up for lunch with friends by adding a pair of funky, modern blush pink matte & metallic leather chunky slingback heels from Django & Juliette that I found at online emporium Styletread for an absolutely post-Christmas bargain, a boxy blush vinyl handbag from Olga Berg (the one I wore to my younger brother's wedding) to carry all the essentials as it's surprisingly roomy - the TARDIS of formal bags, if you will - & finally, a colourful bohemian beaded necklace (made from vintage glass, clay & bakelite beads from the late 1960s) that a friend brought back for me from the Topanga Vintage Market in the USA last year.

Neoprene

 

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Dress: Asos Design neoprene

Loafers: Pitillos via Obsession Shoes patent leather, matte leather

Bag: Resident Store vintage resin, embroidery

Bangles: Gift, gold beads, silver beads

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It's no secret that when it comes to dresses, I've probably worn almost every style in almost every possible type of print or pattern or colour or fabric. I just love to experiment with fashion & new ways to express myself through clothing & this neoprene midi dress with shirred bodice, ruffled neckline & thick tie straps from Asos Design is a real case in point. When it arrived, it honestly looked a bit different to the picture, probably owing to the fact that it was extremely wrinkled after being squashed up in plastic packing bag & I did have a momentary feeling of "what have I done?" but after much careful steaming & a few tries at getting the bows exactly where I wanted them, I was pleasantly surprised by how sculptural the dress is & what a statement it can make with just a few accessories. I've styled it up here for a matinee with a friend by adding a pair of black patent & matte leather heeled loafers with tassles by Pitillos that I discovered at Obsession Shoes at the "top of town" in Ipswich for height & texture/shine next to the matte fabric of the dress, a vintage black & pink rose cross stitch/embroidered bag with gold resin clasp & chain strap from the delightful Resident Store at Mooloolaba (now online only) to carry all the essentials while adding some print/colour/floral/interest & finally, a few silver, gold & pink beaded sparkly bangles from India that a dear friend brought back from a trip a few years ago for that touch of daytime shine to add depth.

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Minty Fresh

 

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Dress: MacDuggal via Sacha Drake embroidered, sequinned mesh

Camisole: David Jones jersey

Heels: Wittner leather, laces

Bag: Forever New vinyl, silver chain

Bracelet: Gift, Wanfu Jade jade beads

Bangle: Gift, Shanghai Markets jade

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Feeling really fresh & sweet in this delicate mint green, pink & blush floral embroidered & lightly sequinned v-neck midi dress from MacDuggal via Sacha Drake that I've styled up with a blush jersey camisole from David Jones (for modesty purposes), a pair of blush pink pointy-toed leather lace-up heels from Wittner for a modicum of height, a blush pink vinyl shoulder bag with silver chain strap from my local Forever New store (more than 8 years & still going strong!) to carry all the essentials & finally, some beautiful jade jewellery - a beaded bracelet from Wanfu Jade & a bangle from the Shanghai Markets - that my younger brother brought back from a trip to China a few years ago to complete the look.

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