Weekend Wears #1

These babies have certainly done "double duty" this weekend! 

Black patent seems to work with anything & everything (well, almost) & these gladiator-esque wedge-heeled sandals are the ultimate in comfort & style while the ultra-light, boxy handbag fits all my essentials... including the all-important Christmas Shopping List!

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LOOK #1

Dress: Vintage, Shane elastane

Sandals: Betts for Her patent

Bag: Novo patent

Cuff: Wallace Bishop silver

Bracelet: Vintage, Kellie's Antiques silver

Beaded Bracelets: Emmala (from Coolangatta Markets)

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The first day of my weekend was spent traipsing around the Southside Antique Centre with my brother, searching for one-off vintage items to delight & enthrall friends & family before enjoying a chocolate & peanut butter milkshake (yes, really!) from a tiny cafe in the row of shops beside, the walls adorned with framed Tintin prints & old comic strip decoupage masquerading as wallpaper & sharing a meal at The Muddy Farmer Pub across the road. 

The aforementioned accessories were the perfect accompaniment to one of my latest vintage acquisitions, a floral printed Shane muu muu with bow tie neckline detail. Muu muus have a terrible reputation but I LOVE them for the hot & muggy Queensland weather. Here's the trick: make sure that the top of the dress (the neck & bustline) is semi-fitted to avoid the whole "wearing a tent" vibe while retaining the long, loose & floaty aesthetic. 

The black background helps to make what is otherwise a rather casual offering seem dressier & this is enhanced by the touches of black patent & silver jewellery - chunky cuff & vintage bracelet with large heart locket & key. One tiny concession to the muu muu's "tropical" origins - the beaded wooden bracelets with tiny silver charms on my left wrist.

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LOOK #2

Dress: Pygmies cotton

Sandals: Betts for Her patent

Bag: Novo patent

Hinged Bangle: Wallace Bishop silver & elastic

Beaded Bracelets with Charms: Thomas Sabo

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The weekend continued as it had begun: on a mission to find the perfect "stocking stuffers" for each & every person on my list... & enjoy a leisurely Sunday Yum Cha lunch with my mother at the new-look Indooroopilly Shoppingtown, where Carols are on high rotation & little children are already lining up to have their picture taken with Santa Claus. 

To capitalise on the festive atmosphere, I decided to bust out a dress that I had been saving for a special occasion: a shift with large avant-garde Eiffel Tower silhouette dividing the front panel. Simple yet striking. And even better: light & cool brushed cotton.

Once again, the black patent accessories worked with the look to create a cohesive monochromatic image & silver jewellery was the order of the day: a thick silver hinged bangle & black faceted bead bracelets with a myriad of charms - the only "pop" of colour in the ensemble - including one very special addition in the form of a large silver Eiffel Tower, reminding me that it was 2 years ago (almost to the DAY) that I was in the City of Lights with my parents, soaking up all that it means to be Parisian & seeing the sights... the Tower itself, Arc de Triomphe, Jardins de Tuileries, Musee de L'Orangerie, Montparnasse Cemetery, Cafe de Flore & Pont de L'Archeveche...

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Memories, like the corners of my mind

Misty water-coloured memories

Of the way we were

Here's where I hum a few bars of Barbra Streisand's The Way We Were & post a few snaps from my very first trip to Paris 2 years ago... I think it's fair to say that the weather in Europe is a little bit cooler than it is here...

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