Bloomin Bond

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Dress: Anthea Crawford shantung

Sandals: Forever New leather, beads

Bag: Forever New vinyl with gold hardware

Bag Charm: Gift, leather & faux fur

Bangles: Gift, mixed metal beads

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Stopping to smell the flowers in a beautiful light floral shantung fit-to-flare dress from Anthea Crawford, embellished flat "toe" sandals with matching cross-body handbag (with compact mirror furry tail bag charm that some dear friends brought back from a recent trip to Japan) from Forever New & finally, a trio of sparkly mixed-metal bangles from India.

Where was I going in such an ensemble, I hear you say? Well, dear reader, I'll enlighten you. I was heading out to enjoy a belated Christmas & Birthday celebration gathering with my Goddaughter & her darling little brother, who has just turned two. Honestly, where does the time go? I'm sure I haven't aged a day... Anyway, it was a stinking hot day here in Queensland, so we decided on the local Leagues Club as the air-conditioned venue du jour for our little get-together, which proved popular with its rich chocolate cake, icy cold milkshakes, comfy bucket chairs & most importantly, dense-carpeted floor ideal for a certain someone's newly acquired musical train to chug-chug-chug along quite pleasantly while the grown-ups chatted.

"I got you those because they go with absolutely everything!"

Are you sure my Goddaughter isn't genetically mine because she certainly seems to be someone after my own heart when it comes to OTT accessorising?!

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Festive Friends

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Dress: City Chic jersey & twill

Sandals: Gia Eppo via Trade Secret beaded, leather, horsehair

Bag: Forever New vinyl with gold hardware

Bangles: Gift, sparkly beaded

Hinged Bangle: Prouds silver, faux pearl

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Celebrated Christmas with some dear friends & their two darling boys in a monochrome oversized floral twill dress with black jersey bodice from City Chic, beaded flat leather & horsehair slides from Gia Eppo (purchased at my local Trade Secret store), pearlised gold handbag from Forever New & finally, mixed metal jewelley - a trio of sparkly gold & silver bangles that a dear friend brought back from India & a silver hinged bangle with faux pearl ends from Prouds.

Well, now that the fashion is out of the way, scroll down to see how the morning unfolded... 

Clearly a Cricket & Lego fan...

A teddy bear (embroidered with your name; thanks Myer!) & ride-on digger elicit a smile from the tiniest festive fellow...

Nothing like being surrounded by wrapping paper...

Hard at work...

Brotherly Love before we hit the road... off to a local coffee shop for lunch!

Partners in Crime

And my delicious lunch - Grilled Atlantic Salmon with Sesame Noodle Stir-Fry & Seaweed. One word: YUM!

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Double Duty

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Dress: Gift, jersey & twill

Heels: Forever New vinyl

Bag: Olga Berg patent with silver hardware

Watch: Pascoe Jewellers silver, calico

Bracelet: Karen Walker silver with cameo

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As a stylist & fashion blogger, most of the comments I receive are part & parcel of a central theme:

Aren't you bored wearing only dresses?

Aren't you worried that everyone has already seen you in that dress?

Don't you feel there's not enough variety in your wardrobe when it consists primarily of dresses?

How do you make dresses fit so many different dress codes & occasions?

As far as I'm concerned, there's nothing better than a dress that does "double duty;" one that can be worn in a myriad of ways to many different occasions (at all times of the year, thanks to leather jackets & black matte tights!) with just a change of shoes, bags & jewellery. This beauty - with its high-neck, cut-away black jersey bodice & twirly 1950s-style midi-length skirt with mullet hemline - is one of those dresses; worn to two wonderful Festive Season celebrations with dear friends...

The first, a Nativity Play & Gospel Choir Performance, meant that "dressier" accessories were required - a pair of sky-high silver vinyl heels with dual buckle details from Forever New, matching silver patent boxy handbag from Olga Berg, funky silver & blue "Cameo" bracelet from Karen Walker & finally, a striped calico watch with large silver face from Pascoe Jewellers.

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Dress: Gift, jersey & twill

Heels: Forever New vinyl

Bag: Olga Berg patent with silver hardware

Watch: Pascoe Jewelers silver & calico

Bracelet: Karen Walker silver with cameo

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After dressing up with high heels & a tiny handbag, it was time to "tone it down" (so to speak) with some smart-casual accessories for a trip to the movies to see the Royal Ballet's performance of Kenneth Macmillan's ballet, Anastasia, streamed live from The Royal Opera House to the movie theatre at The Barracks. Originally premiering in 1967, the haunting full-length production (conflated from a one-act ballet merely depicting what is now Act III) is a compelling exploration of identity in the wake of the turbulent Russian Revolution & the woman, Anna Anderson, who believed herself to be the long-lost Grand Duchess & was certainly an experience on the "big screen."

Instead of stiletto heels, I opted for a pair of silver wedge sandals with cross-over strap detail from Betts for Her, soft rectangular shiny silver vinyl handbag with stud detail from Adorne with a contrasting purple-paisley-printed chiffon scarf wrapped around one of the handles for added flair & the same funky jewellery pieces - the silver & blue "cameo" bracelet from Karen Walker & striped calico watch with large silver face from Pascoe Jewellers.

Enjoying some tall, icy-cold refreshments from Movenpick after the show...

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