Easy Breezy Boho

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Dress: Flirt by Mr K chiffon

Wedges: Novo suede & rattan

Bag: Mascotte vinyl

Scarf: Millers polyester

Necklace: Unknown wooden beads, resin beads & shells

Thick Brass Bangle: Vintage, American (from Frock Up Brisbane)

Thin Brass Bangle: Tree of Life

Wooden Bangle: Windswept & Interesting, Mt Tamborine turned wood

Ring: Thousand Island Dressing wood & shell

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Spent a leisurely Saturday with the family, travelling to Sunnybank & basically stuffing myself full of delicious Asian fare - Yum Cha, Tea Fusion milk tea with tapioca "pearls" & Chub Chub koalas with custard filling - before traipsing around the Brisbane Antique Centre in the hopes of finding something long-forgotten, newly-rediscovered & ah-mazing! After all, my birthday is a mere 6 weeks away...

Easy, breezy boho was the name of the game for this last day of summer - a vivid green printed chiffon trapeze-style dress with shoestring straps & floaty, asymmetrical bodice overlay detail that really "popped" against my bobbed brunette hair & hazel eyes. 

What is truly interesting about this particular dress is that it was actually intended - by the designer & manufacturer - to be an "After 5" dress, worn to occasions like weddings or birthday parties celebrating "significant" ages like 21 or 30 or even 50, I suppose... I completely disregarded this recommendation & decided not only to rock it in the daylight hours, but to match it with distinctly "boho" or "gypset" accessories for a casual - yet special - weekend vibe.

This long, somewhat bulky necklace makes quite the statement, made from wooden beads in shades of green & natural brown, green resin circles replete with "flower pieces" trapped within & one large piece of shell in place of a traditional pendant. A close-up is available below, if you'd like to see it in all its bohemian glory:

To match the necklace, a trio of bangles were chosen - two brass, one vintage & one modern mixed with a smooth, turned & lacquered wood option that I picked up from a funky little shop at Mt Tamborine many years ago - as well as a large, circular shell ring with mosaic outer rim to match the shell of the necklace & evoke a "beachy" vibe...

Comfortable shoes were a must, so these Novo suede & rattan wedges with leather ankle straps were given another outing, mixed with a vinyl handbag from Mascotte in an usual shade of tan with black piping around the edges. The finishing touch to this eclectic ensemble, however, was the bird & floral printed polyester chiffon scarf, from my local Millers store, that I tied in a large bow around one of the handles & left to dangle against the more graphic pattern of the dress. Pattern-mixing for visual interest yet again. Well, there are so many amazing prints out there this summer, it seems a shame to limit myself to one per outfit!

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"...and so, become yourself, because the past is just a goodbye..." 

A little Crosby, Stills & Nash for a laid-back Saturday in the suburbs...

"...& feed them on your dreams..." 

Teach Your Children just seemed appropriate for a family-orientated weekend, you know?

It really is such a wonderful gift when you have the kind of relationship with your parents & sibling/s where you actually WANT or CHOOSE to be together when you could be spending your time with ANYONE. In my opinion, it's a testament to the mutual respect, deep understanding & abiding love that has been fostered between us as a family unit through amazing & effective parenting.

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Still hankering for more?

Scroll down for a few little snippets from the day; mostly food related, I admit...

Getting my Yum Cha on...

Delicious Sticky Rice...

To. Die. For. Egg Tarts. My favourite dessert food ever!

Whetting my whistle with a tapioca "pearl" filled coconut milk tea...

Indulging with Chub Chub custard-filled koalas that come in the sweetest little box...

...And the last one...

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Leafy Green

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Dress: Flirt by Mr K chiffon (from Figure 8 Fashion, Ipswich)

Vest: Emme silk & fringe

Wedges: Novo suede & rattan

Bag: Novo patent

Cuff: Southbank Markets resin & diamante

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Yesterday's pictures - with amazing lush, green background - were shot by my best friend Belinda at her home in a leafy green suburb of Brisbane after a day spent watching "The Theory of Everything" at the flicks & shopping up a storm at the refurbished Indooroopilly Shoppingtown... & before an afternoon & evening spent in "toy assembly hell" punctuated by  moments of joy while devouring delicious, home-cooked fare...

But I digress.

This gorgeous pastel & monochrome swirl print chiffon Flirt by Mr K trapeze dress was intended to be/marketed as an "After 5" option, but I could immediately see its potential as a stunning smart-casual, day-wear choice, particularly when mixed with a black silk, sleeveless, long-line fringed vest, pair of suede & rattan wedges with leather ankle straps & boxy, black patent handbag for a laid-back, bohemian vibe. 

Scroll down for a closer look at the stunning high, draped neckline.

Cue "selfies"...

Jewellery was kept minimal - a single statement piece all that was required. 

The piece in question was a chunky, resin rose cuff with diamante accents - found at the Southbank Markets - to pick up on the pastel shades from the dress' unique print. 

Keep scrolling for more pictures from the afternoon & evening...

Jeremy getting ready for some afternoon fun with his Aunty Frances & new toy...

Helmet at the ready.

"Adult Assembly Required" - Talk about an understatement!

After taking 2 (sometimes 3) adults almost 4 hours to click the extremely tight pieces together, Jeremy's new "Water Play Set" finally sees its first drop of the water - at 8pm on a school night. We'll just call it an "epic present fail" & leave it at that... Although, I must say it was hilarious when he thanked me "for keeping up the good work" 2 & a half hours in...

About to tuck into a delicious home-cooked meal. There's nothing better, particularly when your best friend is cooking it for you... Beef mince, carrot & zucchini pot pie with beans, broccoli & corn. Yum.

Jeremy enjoying said meal...

Clearly it tastes as good as it looks...

When Chinese New Year sneaks up on you...

Thank you for the lion marionette, Uncle Louis & Aunty Louise! Jeremy loved it!

It didn't involve "Adult Assembly," so that - in itself - was a bonus...

HAPPY NEW YEAR - Year of the Goat 2015! 

Peace & love to all.

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And my verdict on the film that has generated a great deal of Oscar buzz, particularly for its two superb leading actors, Eddie Redmayne & Felicity Jones?

No word is more accurate than amazing. Amazing likeness to the real-life people they portray. Amazing screenplay encompassing so many years of an abundant life. Amazing cinematography with events occurring both in "real time" & as stylised "almost-private-family-home-movies." Amazing soundtrack that truly captured the emotion & gravitas of the situation, the diagnosis & the love between Stephen & Jane. Amazing life. Amazing lives. Even more amazing ending when you realise that despite the fact that she stood by him when he was told that he had a mere two years to live - erroneous as he has had at least another 50 - they still parted ways some twenty years later, though continue to be friends... 

I suppose that life isn't a fairytale after all. It's real & it's messy & it can be hard & at times, manifestly unfair. The best we can all hope for is time. Time to be together. Time to make things right. Time to change our destiny. Time to live life as best we can with what we have. After all, as the man himself so eloquently said, "Where there is life, there is hope."

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Rainbow Serpent

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Dress: Flirt chiffon (from Figure 8 Fashion, Ipswich)

Wedges: Novo suede & rattan

Bag: Gift (from Louise) leather

Scarf: Gift (from Louise) chiffon

Scarf Pendant: Cute2Boot silver

Bangle: Oxfam upcycled paper strips

Hinged Bangle: Oxfam silver

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Running around town in a vivid trapeze-style dress with a print I can only describe as anaconda-on-acid... And just in case you hadn't gone completely cross-eyed yet from looking at that pattern for too long, I've gone & added another in the form of a teal, yellow & bronze chiffon scarf covered in tiny clock faces on gold chains. 

The trick to clashing prints for an eclectic look is to make sure that at least one of the colours match - in this case, the teal - although this isn't really a hard & fast rule as there are other considerations including print scale & theme, both of which I have clearly disregarded here... Well, I suppose it really depends on your "eye" for colour & whether it feels as though it "works" visually. 

Morphing the scarf from "accessory" to "piece of jewellery" was as simple as taking a silver filigree flower pendant from my pink silk/cotton scarf & sliding it onto this one, the size of the circular pendant matching that of the clock faces inherent in the scarf's print. To complement, a thin silver hinged bangle from Oxfam - bought for my High School Formal all those years ago - & a thick handmade upcycled paper-strip bangle (also from Oxfam) were added.

With regards to finishing the look, the yellow bag with black piping that Louise gave me for Christmas was again trotted out, chosen to match the yellow flecks in the scarf & the whole look was anchored by a pair of unbelievably comfortable black suede peep-toe wedges with ankle straps & neutral rattan heels.

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