Sailor Stripes

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Dress: Gift, vintage poly-blend

Sandals: Betts for Her patent

Bag: Novo patent

Bangle: Gift, vintage wood & beaded (from India)

Cuff: Gift, silver Ganesh (from India)

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Busting out some vintage sailor stripes for a trip to the hospital to meet new baby Oliver, a little brother for my little kindred spirit, Jeremy! This sweet baby doll dress - pun intended - was a birthday gift from my friend Alice & comes all the way from America. In the interest of honesty, I will admit that when it arrived it had teeny tiny sleeves that I had lopped off by my seamstress Desley to streamline the look & draw more attention to the pointed (double) collar at the front, bib detail at the back & buttons on each corner. Check it out below:

To inject a bit of edge into an otherwise "cutesy" washed-out grey & white look, I wore black underwear underneath the sheer poly-blend material, as well as donned a pair of black patent gladiator wedges from Betts for Her & a cobalt blue patent handbag from Novo for a colour "pop." Sculptural jewellery - a chunky, wooden bangle with mirrored silver beads & silver moulded Ganesh cuff - finished the look with aplomb.

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Scroll down for a little peek at baby Oliver's presents...

 & a little something for his beloved big brother, of course!

I decided to go with a Winnie the Pooh theme, as I absolutely adore A. A. Milne's tales of Christopher Robin & his friends - Winnie the Pooh, Piglet, Tigger, Eeyore, Kanga & little Roo - contained in the tomes Winnie the Pooh (1926), The House at Pooh Corner (1928) & children's poetry anthologies When We Were Very Young (1924) & Now We Are Six (1927). 

The timelessness of the prose, befuddled perceptions of the bumbling bear & his adorable insights into things many take for granted is equal parts charming, entertaining & inspirational. These simple little creatures, brought to life through the power of a little boy's love nearly 100 years ago, often reflect a small part in all of us: humble, silly, wise, cautious, creative & full of life & wonder. Just the thing (in my humble opinion) for growing minds who will one day shape & change their own world, if not THE world...

As the "chubby little tubby" himself says:

"As soon as I saw you, I knew an adventure was going to happen."

"Sometimes the smallest things take up the most room in your heart."

Piglet: "How do you spell love?"

Pooh: "You don't spell it, you feel it."

"Life is a journey to be experienced, not a problem to be solved..." 

"The things that make me different are the things that make me, me..."

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And for Jeremy...

"Promise me you'll always remember: 

You are braver than you believe; 

Stronger than you seem; 

And smarter than you think..."

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CONGRATULATIONS 

Belinda & Arthur on the birth of your second son, Oliver & sweet little brother for the amazing Jeremy! May he have a life filled with health, happiness, joy, whimsy & curiosity...

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