In celebration of my 1 year "BLOGIVERSARY," (I know, I know, where does the time go?!) I decided to take a trip to Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary - one of my favourite places in the entire world & the site of my first "location" fashion shoot for Franny Gets Frocked - accompanied by my mother & long-suffering photographer, Joanne.
After rediscovering this idyll that childhood dreams were/are made of in 2014, I have become a frequent visitor, soaking up the calm of the bush-meets-the-'burbs atmosphere, the smell of the eucalyptus & wattle trees (particularly after rain), the glitter of the sun on the meandering Brisbane River & the majesty of native Australian fauna like koalas, kangaroos, emus, platypus, cockatoos & rainbow lorikeets... & then there's the tea & coffee - some of the best in Brisbane if you ask me.
Want to check out some of my best-loved Lone Pine posts? Click here & here for a trip down Memory Lane...
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Dress: Asos neoprene
Jacket: Bonds stretch cotton "hoodie"
Vest: Emerson @ Big W "puffer"
Brogues: Ziera patent
Tights: Razzamatazz 40 denier
Bag: Anthea Crawford vinyl
Koala Ears Headband: Souvenir, Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary
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When it comes to an attraction like Lone Pine, comfort & ease-of-movement is KEY. This black & white horizontal-striped neoprene shift from Asos is ideal - stretchy so I can cuddle a koala, below-the-knee so I can bend down & feed the kangaroos & scoop-necked & sleeved to protect me from the sun's harmful rays.
As far as I'm concerned, the cooler months are the best time to visit, meaning that a comfortable jacket is a MUST. Enter the iconic Australian brand that is Bonds & their classic, grey-marle hoodie - just perfect for Winter days spent enjoying the "Great Outdoors." Obviously, hoodies are traditionally worn as workout wear or paired with faded blue jeans but I believe they can add a relaxed, casual vibe to dresses due to the quality of the stretch cotton fabric & tight bands on the hemline & cuffs that provide the garment with a modicum of shape.
Misty morning air meant that a further layer was required - this time a black, sleeveless "puffer" vest from Emerson @ Big W. Avid readers of this blog may remember the myriad of times I've lamented the "bad rap" that "puffer" jackets & vests suffer courtesy of fashion commentators but the sleek line of this particular brand (thankfully!) renders it different from the rest - all the warmth of duck down without the bulk.
Black patent wedge-heeled Ziera brogues & matte 40 denier Razzamatazz tights "anchored" the look, while a black, cobalt blue & grey leopard colour-blocked vinyl handbag from Anthea Crawford was large enough to act as a "tote" to carry all of my belongings... sunhat, bottle of water, sunscreen, spare pair of tights, etc.
Deciding to eschew jewellery, the only other embellishment was a sweet pair of furry "koala ears," bought at the Gift Shop on a previous visit & donned with a "wink & a nod" for a finishing touch of whimsy...
Well, now that all of the FASHION is taken care of, scroll down to see how the day unfolded...
So much to see & do!
For more information about the Sanctuary, including ticket prices, click here to visit the website...
Wild Lorikeet Feeding... or "taking a wing to the face at brunch"
Koala Cuddling
Kangaroo Feeding
Kangaroo Selfie!
Platypus skeleton
Giving a donation so that the remarkable work can continue...
Finally, I just want to say a big THANK YOU to everyone who had supported the blog & this fledgling fashion blogger over the past year. Your faith in me is much appreciated! Remember to keep checking out Franny Gets Frocked to see what shenanigans I get up to in year 2!
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