Wednesday 30 July 2014

Remixed Recycling



THE FIND:

 Dress: Vintage 1960s homemade crimpolene
Jacket: Vintage 1960s homemade crimpolene




OUTFIT #1
Booties: Corelli @ Williams
Bag: Vintage K.E. Munro
Bangles: Tree of Life
Watch: Vintage Movado







OUTFIT #2 (REMIX)
Heels: Bon Bons patent Mary-Janes
Bag: Vintage 1950s plexi
Bangles: Tree of Life
Watch: Vintage Movado




THE FIND:

Dress: Vintage 1960s homemade lace & cotton





OUTFIT #1
Heels: C'est Bon pointy-toed glitter
Clutch: Bon Bons glitter
Bracelet: Vintage Kellie's Antiques silver
Cuff: Wallace Bishop silver




OUTFIT #2 (REMIX)
Heels: Betts glitter platforms
Clutch: Bon Bons glitter
Bracelet: Vintage Kellie's Antiques silver
Cuff: Wallace Bishop silver
Sunglasses: Shades Sunglasses Kiosk

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I was delighted to find 2 homemade vintage gems during a recent jaunt to the Ipswich Antique CentreOne good hand-wash & a few small alterations later, I have (at least!) 4 amazing 1960s style outfit options - some perfect for the current season & some to herald the fast-approaching Springtime... 

When it comes to fashion, one of the eternal questions is always: How do I wear vintage without looking like I'm about to attend a costume party? For me, it all comes down to the mix. Although I love my vintage jewellery & have added it to each of these looks, I always make sure there's at least one funky, on-trend element to counterbalance such as neoprene topped booties, glittered platforms & clutches or clear plastic sunglasses. I also keep in mind the fact that fashion is cyclical by nature & many vintage cuts are similar (if not identical) to those being sold in high-street stores, meaning people would have to do a double-take or even ask in order to determine an item's true origin. 

In addition to the environmental aspects of choosing to shop for vintage clothing - for me, it is the ultimate form of recycling - I personally love the sense of history that comes with a vintage dress & the many unanswered questions that accompany it: Did the wearer make it themselves or did their mother or grandmother make it for them? Was it for a special occasion? What adventures did they have when wearing it? These questions provide fuel for my "once a literature student, always a literature student" imagination & make putting an outfit together feel that little bit more special... 


Tuesday 29 July 2014

'Feline' Fine





Gorgeous 30th birthday present from some dear family friends. It says: 
"She leaves a little sparkle wherever she goes..."






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Dress: Chercher La Femme linen
Jacket: Portmans embroidered & fringed silk
Booties: Corelli @ Williams
Clutch: Colette
Headband: Lovisa
Hinged Bangle: Vintage 1940s silver
Bangle: Wallace Bishop silver & elastic
Bracelet: Palas silver, brass & leather

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The best thing about wearing a good quality, plain coloured shift in a luminous fabric & funky cut is how easily it can go from day to night with a simple switching of accessories. I wore this dress for a meeting during the day with my favourite cropped leather jacket (I'm sure you've seen it on this blog a million times...) & patent handbag before switching it up for an evening with the girls by adding a cat themed headband & clutch... fitting when you consider the fact that I call this new acquisition the "Uncle Andrew Special" after a beloved family member who always quips, "Saucer of milk, ladies?" when we get together to gossip... or as I like to call it, share the latest news...





Even Scout couldn't resist getting in on the action & boy, does she LOVE to talk! A true Siamese, she has a comment (or complaint) to make about absolutely everything that goes on in our house... In retrospect, I probably should have thought twice before calling her after Jean Louise "Scout" Finch in To Kill A Mockingbird, as she seems to have taken on many of her namesake's exuberant & mischievous personality traits...





Sticking with the feline theme, I took some pictures of my new Morgan & Taylor wool jockey cap with cat ears! It was a gift & the perfect new addition to my winter hat collection...



Monday 28 July 2014

Bejewelled




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Dress: Asos
Booties: Target
Bag: Novo patent
Bangle: Wallace Bishop silver & elastic
Bracelet: Adorne

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Just something I threw on to run some errands on Sunday morning. The relaxed shape exudes casual chic while the jewel print adds punch. It's no secret that I'm fond of OTT prints & this one doesn't disappoint. In fact, I've been rocking this smock all winter with a myriad of different accessories, depending on my mood - that's the beauty of such a zany print; so many things have the potential to match or "go." 


Sunday 27 July 2014

Make Up Maven












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Dress: Laura K
Jacket: City Chic
Heels: Emerson suede
Bag: Novo patent
Bangle: Wallace Bishop silver & elastic
Bracelet: Pandora
Ring: Pandora

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Couldn't resist sharing a few pictures of my look for a day spent learning the art of make up application from an expert. (Cue nervousness... make up has never been my strong suit...) This dress ticks all the right boxes: elegant yet sassy enough to give me some much-needed confidence, yet edgy with the addition of the wedge booties & leather jacket. 

The man himself couldn't have been more professional, polite & encouraging, understanding that not every one wants to be a make up artist; some of us just want to use the quality products properly in order to recreate a quasi-professional look at home. Mastering the foundation, powder, blusher - not that I needed it... when I was small, our next door neighbour Ray used to call me "Happy Little Vegemite" - lipstick, mascara & eye shadow was easy but the eye liner & false lashes... not so much... 

All in the all, the tutorial was successful as I am more confident in my ability to enhance the "vibe" of my outfit with my make up choices & although more practice is required with regards to the dreaded eyeliner, as God as my witness I WILL conquer the cat-eye look one of these days... 


Friday 25 July 2014

Retail Therapy




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Dress: Gift
Jacket: Katies cupro
Scarf: Suzanne Grae wool
Bracelet: Adorne
Bracelet: Kellie's Antiques vintage silver

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Sometimes, after a day of dreary appointments (ahem, dentist) it's great to recover with some retail therapy & some fast food... 

Thursday 24 July 2014

Songbird








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Dress: Charlie Brown jersey & feathers
Jacket: Katies cupro
Booties: Corelli @ Williams
Clutch: Colette
Watch: Guess 
Cuff: Wallace Bishop silver
Bracelet: Kellie's Antiques vintage silver
Ring: Vintage cameo (once belonged to Aunty Emily)

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Spent a delightful morning watching my best friend & her father perform in the Cambrian Choir’s "Songs from the Hearth." 

All of the tunes performed were beloved “winter warmers” such as Irving Berlin’s Always, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s All I Ask of You & Sting’s Fields of Gold or Christmas-in-July Carols like Let It Snow & Frosty the Snowman… & all for a mere $10 entry fee. Add to this the fact that the interval was spent sipping tea & stuffing in homemade cakes, pastries, mini quiches & finger sandwiches & it was a great way to spend a wintry Wednesday!

As many of you may already know, I love to dress to the theme or “vibe” of an occasion, so I couldn’t resist breaking out my feather-print 60s style shift dress with real feather hemline to celebrate the fact that Belinda is now a bona-fide songbird! It was the ideal mix of classy & cutesy… plus the flowing style came in handy when sampling all of the delicious homemade fare. The addition of black tights & booties helped to anchor such a colourful look & the grey waiter jacket added a touch of insouciant elegance for daytime. 

The pink tones in the ensemble cried out for silver & rose gold jewellery & I was happy to oblige, wearing not only the beautiful watch that had been a 30th birthday present from some dear friends but also the vintage silver bracelet with filigreed heart locket (& tiny key!) that had been yet another sublime birthday surprise. Something was missing, however & I knew it was the rose gold cameo ring that had once belonged to my Aunty Emily, particularly seeing that she LOVED singing & would have thoroughly enjoyed watching the choir perform... while singing along from her seat, of course... 

This happy day of songbirds led me to get a little crazy with the camera & take some pictures with a nifty new toy that is available at Big W called the DigiBird (who may or may not be making his way to the homes of some little people that I know very soon…) These little plastic birds sit on your finger & sing back to you – moving their little heads & beaks in an approximation of the real thing – when you whistle. So sweet & so much easier to clean up after than the real thing!

Speaking of pets - real & otherwise - even Huckleberry the spoodle (poodle & cocker spaniel mix) loved my feather-hemmed outfit of choice, making me  - as the wearer, you understand - more popular than the doggy treats he'd usually do anything for... even behave, sort of... 









Wednesday 23 July 2014

Working It









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Dress: Anthea Crawford crepe
Jacket: Indy C leopard faux fur
Booties: Corelli @ Williams
Clutch: Colette
Bag: Trent Nathan (for Surface Pro 2)
Cuff on Left Hand: Vintage 1970s tibetan silver
Cuff on Right Hand: Vintage 1960s tribal silver

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More than a little chuffed with this outfit that I wore to my latest personal styling appointment with a client in the city. It hits the right professional notes - not too tight, not too revealing, classic lines - but has flair with the bold colour choice & funky addition of the cropped leopard jacket & vintage tribal cuffs. 

As a personal stylist, you walk somewhat of a "tightrope" when dressing for client consultations because you want to appear as though you have a real knack for putting an ensemble together (because you do!) but you don't want to perturb the client by being too experimental or "trendy" either...

You need them to have faith that you can capture their personality & find a style that works for them, rather than just regurgitate trends that you see on the runway or in fashion magazines. After all, as the legendary Yves Saint Laurent said, "Fashion fades, style is eternal." Clients come from all walks of life & some might not be as "out there" fashion-wise, as you are - ie: they would never-in-a-million-years bust out a fuzzy faux fur jacket in the daytime - or they may be the complete opposite & want to put a similar jacket with sequins & a unicorn-style headpiece... It's all about finding clients what they want & then going ahead & finding them things they never even knew they wanted... 

But I digress... 

After fortifying ourselves with coffee from Zarraffas, we went over the plan of attack that I had previously masterminded, hitting up all the stores carrying items of interest or distinctive quality brands. 

Two hours later we had a European River Cruise capsule travel wardrobe full of interchangeable pieces that can be worn independently or mixed back with items already in her wardrobe at home & I had a client who was happily brandishing the "look book" I created for her as we loaded the purchases into her car boot. Now, all that's left to say is...

BON VOYAGE PAMELA!