Lou Lou

*

Dress: Anthea Crawford textured pique

Wedges: Novo suede & rattan

Bag: Gift, vinyl (from Louise's recent trip to China)

Cuff: Gone Dotti gold & semi-precious stone

Ring: Gone Dotti gold & semi-precious stone

*

Spent a wonderful Sunday evening celebrating Louise's birthday with dinner at Midam Korean BBQ followed by the cutting of the pink-iced sponge cake & opening of the pink-&-silver-wrapped presents back home. 

For such an occasion, I donned a brightly patterned dress from Anthea Crawford in a stretchy, textured pique fabric with unusual square neckline & asymmetrical waist pleating. The print's white background was a striking - if unconventional - choice for evening, although it worked for the balmy Queensland summer weather, drawing attention to the stylised vintage botanical drawings covering it. 

To "anchor" such a statement dress in a firm fabric, chunky suede wedges with rattan heels & leather ankle straps were chosen, as well as a bright yellow bag to pick up on the stunning colour of one of the butterflies depicted - a Clouded Sulphur or Colias Philodice.

www.butterflyhouse.wordpress.com 

Jewellery was kept simple & distinctive - a thick, gold cuff with semi-precious stone set horizontally & matching oversized ring with said stone set vertically for visual interest. 

Want more?

Scroll down for more snippets from the evening...

Lipstick "selfie" before dinner...

Cooking our own meats...

Chopsticks at the ready...

Enjoying a selection of popular Korean side dishes...

Fun with family & friends... Birthday Girl in yellow...

Testing whether this particular present-wrapping accoutrement would work as a hair accessory... 

Yummy pink-iced sponge cake, made by Mum...

Happy Birthday Lou Lou!

Wishing you a year ahead filled with 

joy, love & laughter.

*

Still want more?

Well, here are a few final outfit pictures from the day.

Same dress; different accessories. Sometimes it's hard to choose. 

I know, I know, first world problem, right?

Regardless, here are the aforementioned snaps - a little preview into my "self-styling" process...

*

Dress: Anthea Crawford textured pique

Wedges: Novo suede & rattan

Bag: Vintage, 1960s rattan (from Hawaii)

Cuff: Vintage, tribal silver & semi-precious stone

Arm Band: Tree of Life silver

Ring: Tree of Life silver

*

Clearly, I was thinking that the small, circular rattan handbag would match the heels on the awesome Novo wedges & that this would give the look a slightly "tribal" vibe, hence the silver arm band, vintage tribal cuff with orange semi-precious stones - to match another of the depicted butterflies, the Viceroy Monarch- as well as the oversized silver butterfly ring that I found my local Tree of Life store.

www.gardenswithwings.com 

*