Lovely Laidley

 

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Dress: Lorraine via Oh Jo Jo Boutique ramie

Brogues: Dr Martens via Platypus Shoes leather, rubber

Tights: Razzamatazz 40 denier nylon

Bag: Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary suede

Bracelet: Mimco via Lifeline Stores gold

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One of my all-time favourite places to go for a day trip in the wintertime is the beautiful & historic township of Laidley. Surrounded by rolling bush countryside & farmland, it has a main street full of historic buildings (including the post office & tourist attraction Das Neumanhaus), sweet old storefronts, gorgeous little cafes & bakeries & a plethora of sweet fashion boutiques that are a pleasure to browse around in... & maybe take a few things home! On this particular occasion, my cousin, her son & I spent the morning looking around - including a trip to the incredibly large & well-stocked toy & hobby store where some of us may have indulged our Lego obsesson - before heading to the delightful Grace Eats for a leisurely lunch together. 

For the occasion, I donned a purple & tan floral ramie prairie-style mini dress from a label called Lorraine that I picked up from Oh Jo Jo Boutique at the "top of town" in Ipswich, a pair of "crazy horse" brown suede/leather Dr Martens brogues from Platypus Shoes, black 40 denier nylon tights from Razzamatazz to keep my legs feeling toasty warm (stylist tip: get the largest size available if you don't want them to stick to your legs when the weather warms up slightly during the day; ideal for the unpredictable Queensland weather), a funky brown suede crossbody bag from Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary to carry all the essentials & a chunky gold Mimco bracelet that I found secondhand at my local Lifeline store to complete the look & add some daytime shine.

Scroll down to see how it all unfolded...

BLT Burger: Highly Recommended

Only second to their absolutely divine Broccolini Salad that's (sadly yet understandably) only available during the summer months...

Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary

 

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Dress: Kachel cotton

Jacket: By.DYLN via Platypus Shoes denim (pictured later)

Sneakers: Frankie4 Footwear leather

Socks: Dotti cotton, lace

Bag: Nautica via TK Maxx nylon

Bangle Stack: Gift, vintage Mexican silver

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

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Finally sharing all of the transcendent photographs of an absolutely beautiful day exploring Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary (after an unintentional yet extended absence) with my dearest mother & father on a sunny winter's day in South East Queensland. An 18 hectare accredited animal sanctuary housing more than 80 species in Fig Tree Pocket, Lone Pine was founded in 1927 and is the oldest and largest sanctuary of its kind anywhere in the world. Guests can experience at koala moment (up close and personal... although no longer a cuddle), hand feed kangaroos in the paddock, watch free flight raptor shows, sheep dog trials and sheep shearing as well as lorikeet feeding and other animal encounters in a peaceful, natural bush setting by the Brisbane River... & even grab a delicious bite to eat both in & just outside of the park! If your live in the area or are visiting for an extended time, my biggest tip would be to purchase the "Yearly Passes" on offer for the best value for money - they're basically one & a half trips to the sanctuary & you can go as often as you like for 12 months!

For this most recent trip to my "happy place," I wore a gorgeous purple, blush & green floral print cotton ruched midi dress with high neckline from Aussie label Kachel, styled up with a funky, oversized green denim jacket with white contrast stitching from By.DYLN that I picked up from Platypus Shoes to keep warm in the morning, a pair of blush leather sneakers with white rubber soles from Frankie4 Footwear for the ideal fusion of fashion & comfort, little white cotton socks with ruffles from Dotti & a sleek black nylon crossbody bag from Nautica that I found at my local TK Maxx to carry all the essentials while keeping my hands free. When it came to jewellery, I kept it simple: a stack of vintage Mexican silver bangles that some dear friends brought back from an overseas trip years ago & a single, vintage silver bangle from 20th Century Antiques & Collectibles to complete the look & add a touch of daytime shine.

Scroll down to see how it all unfolded...