Strawberry Shortcake

 

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Dress: Dangerfield organza, satin, embroidery

Heels: Kitten D'Amour vegan leather, buttons

Clutch: Sussan woven paper

Hat: Go Bargains woven straw

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Feeling all the Strawberry Shortcake vibes (can you tell I'm a child of the 1980s?!) in this gorgeous cream & white organza puff-sleeve mini dress with sweet lace trim & embroidered strawberries on the bodice from Dangerfield, styled up with a pair of bright red vegan leather t-bar heels with round toes, buttons & bows from Kitten D'Amour for a modicum of height, a red woven paper clutch bag from Sussan to carry all the essentials & finally, a broad-brim straw sunhat from Go Bargains to ward off the sun's harmful rays as I traverse beautiful Queens Park in my hometown of Ipswich, taking a few happy snaps by the famed historic glasshouse, formal garden pathways & Orchid Society greenhouse fountain...

Scroll down to see some delightful flatlays...

Race That Stops A Nation

 

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Dress: Aje organza

Heels: Wittner patent leather, matte leather, grosgrain ribbon

Clutch: Rockmans woven, beads

Hinged Bangle: Gift, Precious Stones Jewellers silver

Cuff: Gift, Najo via Precious Stones Jewellers silver

Headpiece: Target satin, mesh, rattan

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Otherwise known as the "Race that stops a nation," Melbourne Cup Day is certainly right up there on the yearly fashion calendar... particularly for us hardworking stylists. This year, I decided to really go all out on my ensemble - despite the unrelenting heatwave we were experiencing - by styling up a gorgeous hot pink organza tiered & ruffled midi dress with exaggerated rosette shoulder detailing & small waist cut-out from Australian designer label Aje, white patent leather heeled slingbacks with black matte leather pointed toes & a pink striped grosgrain strap from Wittner & a monochrome tribal printed, woven clutch with pink beading from Rockmans (more than 15 years old by now!) to carry all the essentials. When it came to jewellery, I chose some of my favourite silver pieces - a chunky wave-shaped art deco hinged bangle from Precious Stones Jewellers & a circular tribal cuff from Najo (also discovered at Precious Stones) that were gifts from my parents & added a rather large, sculptural black satin, mesh & rattan headpiece from Target (more than 10 years old) to complete the look & really ramp up the drama!

Scroll down to see more of the pictures taken in beautiful, historical Queens Park, Ipswich...

Keep scrolling for a few more precious moments...

From The Past

 

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Dress: Broken to Brilliant Op Shop vintage crepe

Slip: David Jones jersey

Heels: Wittner leather, elastic

Bag: Swinging Chicks Shop via Etsy guipure lace

Bangle: Gift, 20th Century Antiques & Collectibles vintage silver

Bangle Stack: Gift, vintage Mexican silver

Hat: Forever New straw, grosgrain ribbon

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Relishing in the opportunity to take some photographs of this absolutely gorgeous vintage floral crepe bias-cut maxi dress that I picked up from the Broken to Brilliant Op Shop in Brisbane City in one of my all-time favourite places - the stunning Glasshouse & Formal Gardens of Queens Park, Ipswich. I've styled up this homage-to-the-roaring-20s beauty with a long black jersey slip from David Jones (for modesty purposes), a pair of black leather & elastic gladiator stiletto heels from Wittner for a modicum of height & a black guipure lace knot bag from a little Spanish boutique called Swinging Chicks Shop that I actually found by change on online emporium Etsy to carry some essentials while adding much-needed texture. When it came to jewellery, I chose some familiar & beloved pieces - a single vintage silver bangle from 20th Century Antiques & Collectibles (formerly of Coolangatta, now Tweed Heads) given to me by my younger brother & a stack of vintage Mexican silver bangles that friends brought back from overseas. To complete the look, I added a final flourish in the form of a natural woven straw boater hat with black grosgrain ribbon strap from Forever New to ward off the sun's harmful rays. 

Scroll down to see more...

Keep scrolling for even more pictures of me traipsing around the formal garden...

A final few outside the (sadly closed that day) Orchid Society Greenhouse...