Bye Bye Beach Part 2

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Dress: Personelle chiffon

Cardigan: Thredz mesh

Thongs: Havaianas @ Big W

Cross-Body Bag: Sportsgirl straw

Necklace: Katies silver & shell

Bracelet: Du Monde silver & shell

Shell Ring: Southbank Markets

Hat: Big W

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Truly the final gratuitous beach fashion shots... I promise... Enjoying one final sunny day at Greenmount; not a cloud in the sky as we walked to breakfast, people braving the chilly water for their morning dip or splashing in the shallows with young children. Channeling the tropics in this multi-print crushed chiffon dress with tiered & ruffled hemline & watermelon mesh tie-front cropped cardigan. For my last day at the beach I decided to go "all out" with the shell accessories - a silver, white bead & shell necklace, silver & shell beaded bracelet & chunky ring made from a real shell that I picked up at the Southbank Markets. 

So sad to say goodbye to the coast for another year, but I'll leave you with three final shots of beautiful Greenmount... Viva la Holidays! 

Rainy Day Bay

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Dress: Personelle silk

Cardigan: Thredz mesh

Sandals: Sportsgirl jellies

Cross-Body Bag: Sportsgirl

Indian Hinged Bangle: Adorne

Beaded Bangles: Gift

Cat's Eye Sunglasses: Sportsgirl

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Holidays are unfortunately no guarantee of picture-perfect hot & sunny weather, but none-the-less, I made the most of the beauty of nature from the apartment balcony - check out that rainbow in the top three pictures!

This silky, daisy-print shift & black mesh tie-front cropped cardigan ensemble was perfect for the cooler weather & striking when mixed with black & white accessories in the form of an Indian style hinged bangle & mis-matched beaded bracelets with silver disc & bow. Clear jellies & an iridescent cross-body bag were then added to finish the look & keep it trendy & youthful. It is important to wear of-the-moment accessories with monochromatic dresses as the combination is SO classic that, depending on your age, it can make you appear older (or more sophisticated) than you want it to. 

Messing Around in Boats

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Dress: Gift

Soft Jacket: Gift

Heels: Novo patent sandals

Bag: Novo patent

Hinged Bangle: Vintage 1940s silver

Twist Bangle: Hourglass Jewellers silver

Pearl Ring: Gift (from China)

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Messing around in boats - as Ratty from The Wind in the Willows would attest - was a marvelous way to spent a final day in Brisbane with my overseas friend. After attending a photography exhibition at GOMA (Gallery of Modern Art), we hopped aboard a cruiser for a day exploring historical waterfront homes & enjoying riparian entertainment & refreshments as we traversed the tranquil waters, the hubbub of the city a mere memory. 

A seafaring adventure - well, as close to it as I would ever come - required an outfit that was a little bit special & I had just the thing: a gorgeous floral & toile print chiffon dress & jacket combo that had been a gift from the friend who was accompanying me. Cut on the bias, the dress had a floaty, almost dancer-like quality that was pure poetry when caught by the breeze, an effect magnified by the matching "waterfall" jacket's draped lapels, which also seemed to twirl when picked up by the wind. 

Anchoring this look (pardon the pun!) was a pair of black patent platform sandals, buckled up tightly so they were safe to wear on deck, as well as the matching black patent bag. Silver jewellery was then added to lighten the look without overwhelming it (after all, the bright, mixed pattern of the jacket & dress together was quite full-on) in the form of a vintage 1940s fleur de lis hinged bangle, twisted silver bangle & silver & pearl ring that my brother had brought back for me from his recent trip to China. A detailed picture of the jewellery is available below: 

All that remained was to find a broad-brimmed sunhat that looked stylish while offering optimum sun protection, particularly from the glare off the water. Despite the fact that this black & white striped sunhat added yet another pattern into the mix, it didn't overwhelm the look as picked up on the black of the sandals & handbag (top of head, middle of body, bottom of feet). In addition, the large bow on the back was a whimsical touch, playing on the cute countryside sweethearts scene found on the bodice of the dress. See below for pictures of the ensemble, complete with hat: 

When I'm messing around in boats

The world is right as rain

When I'm messing around in boats

Don't ask me to explain

Why I'm messing around in boats

When I'm messing around in boats

My whole world floats

When I'm messing around in boats!