Hay Fever!

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Dress: Vintage, 1980s Gary Lenn of Sydney

Heels: Betts floral satin

Clutch: Betts floral satin

Cuff: Wallace Bishop silver

Hinged Bangle: Heathergems (from Pitlochry, Scotland)

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Had the pleasure of attending a matinee performance of Noel Coward's Hay Fever with a friend this week. In typical Coward fashion - he was also the author of such hilarious outings as Private Lives, Blithe Spirit & Easy Virtue - it was a cross between a comedy of manners (or rather, bad manners!) & a high-brow farce.

Written in 1924 & first performed in London in 1925, the play is set in an English country house & deals with the travails of the four eccentric members of the thespian Bliss family & the outrageous carry-on when they each invite a guest to spend the weekend. The self-indulgent, self-centred behaviour of the hosts - who effectively "pair off" with the wrong people - finally drives their guests to flee but by this time, the Blisses are so engaged in a family row that they scarcely even notice!

www.theguardian.co.uk

Despite being written 90 years ago, the themes explored in the production are still relevant today: the power & potency of youth & how women feel when its first blush is gone, the selfish & selfless reasons people fall in love & infatuation & finally, the emphasis that society places on looking as though you "have it all" but Coward is NEVER preachy - he makes his pointy clearly & concisely through shrewd observation shrouded in wit. And make no mistake, this wry brand of comedy still elicits laughter, with most of the audience in stitches throughout the performance, not least due to the stellar acting chops of seasoned performer Felicity Kendal of The Good Life & Rosemary & Thyme fame - what a joy to see her in person, so clearly relishing her role as "ageing ingenue" Judith Bliss! 

For such an occasion, I decided to wear something a little left-of-centre with a subtle art deco vibe - in this case a 1980s-does-1920s dress by Sydney designer Gary Lenn, given to me by a dear friend who knows how much I adore vintage clothing from all eras. The bright blue crepe fabric really draws the eye while the leaf-print lace details (a popular 1920s motif) at the shoulders & waist provide further visual interest & the pleated skirt catches the breeze & adds that touch of flounce that is perfect for the springtime. See below for close-ups:

To bring the almost 30 year old garment up to date for 2014, peeptoe platforms & a matching envelope clutch were added in a floral print satin that picks up on the blue of the crepe & adds in shades of pink, red & yellow. Keeping the accessories simple & sculptural, I added my silver cuff & a silver hinged bangle with pink, red & yellow Heathergem pendant attached for a further pop of colour.

For those of you who don't know about Heathergems - a company based in Pitlochry in the Scottish Highlands adept at harvesting, dyeing & compressing natural heather before fashioning it into unique & stunning jewellery pieces - click here to visit the website.  

"I love to see things as they are first, and then pretend that they're not." 

Words to live by, Noel. 

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