1973

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Dress: Vintage, Ralston elastane

Jacket: Katies jersey

Boots: City Chic leather

Bag: Novo patent

Ring: Colette silver, diamate & bead

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Wintertime is pretty much a distant memory in Queensland now, with temperatures steadily climbing even before September 1, so I thought it best to post the pictures of this cold-weather ensemble BEFORE I start uploading ones of myself in my new pair of swimming togs or something of that ilk... I suppose that's what you get when the day starts out at a far-more-than-brisk 3 degrees & ends up a balmy 27!

But I digress. The outfit at hand...

I picked up this amazing, "trippy" early 1970s "flower power" mini - with long sleeves & high, sculpted neckline - at a vintage store on the Gold Coast called Retro Sheila. The store may be small & may open at odd times of the day (or week!) but the stock is pretty darn amazing - & should be, considering the fact that the manager sources quite a lot of the pieces from "down south" in Melbourne or Sydney, as well as Europe & America for a truly varied mix & eclectic trip down "memory lane."

The morning chill factor meant that a further layer was required & this black blazer from Katies was the perfect addition; the cuffed, three-quarter sleeves enabling the dress' vibrant pattern to peek out while the soft jersey "waterfall" front panels allowed the "space age" neckline to remain the focus.

Knee high leather boots from City Chic & a pair of 40 denier Razzamatazz tights kept my legs warm despite the short, A-line of the dress, while a boxy, black patent handbag from Novo held all of my essentials.

And finally, a chunky silver, diamante & semi-precious stone cocktail ring from Colette was worn to draw all of the colours together while lending that touch of daytime sparkle I am so fond of, especially during the sometimes gloomy Winter months. Check it out in detail below, along with the Sportsgirl vinyl clutch - embossed with the kitschy phrase "Secretly Famous" - that I carried swapped the boxy handbag for in order to transition the look from "day to night."

Many I have loved; many times been bitten

Many times I've gazed along the open road

Many times I have lied; may times I've listened

Many times I've wondered how much there is to know

Over the Hills & Far Away - Led Zepplin (1973)

From the incendiary album - with memorable cover art - Houses of the Holy. In my opinion, it's one of their BEST & certainly creates that boho, hippie, early 70s psychedelic vibe... Well worth a listen if you've never seen or heard it before!

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Queen of the (Vintage) Kaftan

Vibrant Prints + Floaty Kaftans = Summer. 

This equation pretty much sums up summertime in Queensland. Vivid patterns & cuts that glide over the body (rather than cling) are a complete Godsend in the heat & humidity, making kaftans a popular option for a myriad of events, which is wonderful... until 4 people at the same party are wearing the same kaftan in the same mass-produced print...

Vintage solves that problem.

The ravages of time mean that it's highly unlikely that someone else at the same event would be dressed in an identical manner to you & the 1960s & 1970s "flower power" or "tribal" prints are certainly a sight to behold. Moreover, there's what I have dubbed the "vintage question mark" thing: Who wore it first? Where did they wear it & why? How did they feel in it? And it was hand-made, you may even marvel at the time, effort & skill that went into the garment's creation. Unless it belonged to a family member, friend or celebrity, it is unlikely that ANY of these questions will ever be answered - but that's half the fun! It's a garment with a history all its own & if you don't know it, you can invent all manner of scenarios that tickle your fancy...

With all that in mind, scroll down for 3 of my favourite vintage kaftans from the 1970s:

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LOOK #1

Kaftan: Vintage, 1970s satin

Wedges: Novo suede & rattan

Clutch: Fair Trade up-cycled cement bag

Beaded Cuff: Unknown (from a long-ago "Jewellery Party")

Beaded Bracelets: from Chinese markets

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Brown was never my colour - until I saw this kaftan, that is! The large patches of white with red & yellow flower design within, bordered by leaves in shades of yellow, grey, red & blue make a strong statement while the sheen of the satin fabric catches the light. Being almost autumnal in nature, it is probably best left until the end of summer, when the days become shorter & the nights cooler. 

Staying with a more neutral palette, I decided on a pair of black suede platform wedges with rattan heels mixed with a Fair Trade "upcycled" clutch made from an old cement bag. When it came to jewellery, beaded bracelets were chosen in shades of black & brown, as well as a beaded Indian-style bangle in shades of brown, red & gold to create a sense of cohesion. 

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LOOK #2

Kaftan: Vintage, 1970s Ralston polyamide

Heels: Novo patent sandals

Clutch: Cosmetics Plus vinyl

Necklace: Adorne silver & beads

Hinged Bangle: Wallace Bishop silver & elastic

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Empire-line kaftans are widely regarded as the most flattering shape, as they pull you in & give the illusion of an itty-bitty waist & long legs. In fact, this somewhat flamboyant Ralston option even has the added bonus of a print with both vertical & asymmetrical lines, further enhancing the appearance of height on this petite blogger. To capitalise on this, black patent high-heeled sandals with a t-bar strap were chosen, clashed with a bright white clutch with tassel & silver studs. 

Substantial pieces of jewellery were required to compete with such a "busy" look - a chunky silver hinged bangle & long necklace comprised of heavy, thick silver chain & large white beaded pendant in the shape of a flower.

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LOOK #3

Kaftan: Vintage, 1970s silk

Heels: Novo patent sandals

Clutch: Adorne lace & wood

Necklace: Adorne black beads

Bracelets: Adorne black beads

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Different stylists, fashion magazines & bloggers have vastly different opinions regarding the "Fashion Rules." One of these so-called "commandments" is that petite individuals should stick to small-scale prints or risk being overwhelmed & looking even shorter... I don't believe this one iota! In this case, rules are clearly made to be broken as this striking, large-scale tribal print kaftan (with empire-line cut) makes me look & feel long & lean!

In order to bring this "fashion rule-breaker" bang up to date for 2015, I added a pair of black patent sandals with t-bar strap & a black lace clutch with wooden handle for a textural contrast. When it came to jewellery, I decided to "go modern" again with this sculptural black beaded statement necklace & matching bracelet from Adorne. 

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Halloween Party

Reader Beware - You're in for a scare!

(Thank you, R.L. Stine...)

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Franny Gets...

SHAKEN, NOT STIRRED

as "Bond Girl" Domino Duvall, played by French actress Claudine Auger in 1965's "Thunderball" opposite 

Connery, Sean Connery.

Dress: Vintage, Ralston cotton (from RetroSheila, Coolangatta)

Heels: Novo patent

Bag: Vintage, Glomesh

Headband: Sportsgirl

Chunky Bangle: Vintage, American brass

Thin Bangle: Du Monde brass

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A vibrant printed 1960s style maxi dress & hair bow are all that's required to channel ingenue Domino, who is unfortunately mixed up in an international extortion scheme to steal American nuclear warheads after her wealthy benefactor, Emilio Largo - actually a super-villain working for SPECTRE - murders her brother, an Major in the Airforce. She & Bond meet in typical fashion - while she is in a bathing suit - & begin yet-another ill-fated romance for the dashing Secret Agent. 

www.vintagemovieposters.com 

Completing this ensemble are a pair of black patent platforms, vintage Glomesh handbag & brass bangles for that touch of Joie de Vivre...  

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Franny Gets...

ORIENTAL

as "Bond Girl" Kissy Suzuki, portrayed by Japanese actress Mie Hama in 1967's 

"You Only Live Twice" alongside Sean Connery.

Dress: Gift, Vintage 1970s satin

Heels: Novo patent

Bag: Target

Flower Headband: Lovisa

Pearl Bracelets: Adorne

Hinged Bangle: Wallace Bishop silver & elastic

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An oriental print, late 1960s vintage satin kaftan conjures up images of only one character: Bond Girl & Special Agent Kissy, James Bond's only ever WIFE! Sure they get married as part of the case, to save his life & to make his trip to a nameless Japanese island with a bunch of Secret Service ninjas (yes, really...) seem plausible, but they DO end up enjoying what can only be described as a honeymoon when the case is said & done, the spacejackings (again, really...) are a distant memory & the threat of nuclear war is no longer hanging over the heads of the world's leaders... 

www.vintagemovieposters.com

Just add black accessories - patent platform sandals & a fan-shaped clutch as well as a striking large floral headpiece -  complemented by the addition of a silver hinged bangle & pearl bracelets & there you go... Instant Kissy Suzuki! Arigato...

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HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

After attending a 1960s themed Halloween Party in which I dressed as one of the best-loved Bond Girls, I headed home for a quick change & then headed out for trick-or-treating with friends dressed in yet another Bond-themed costume before retiring – candy in hand – to watch horror flick Prom Night, followed by the comic relief of the Bette-Midler-driven Hocus Pocus & finally finishing the night off with my childhood favourite, 

Scooby Doo meets the Boo Brothers. 

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Dress: Gabrielle Fratini

Sandals: Corelli @ Williams

Headband: Dollar Tree

Cuff: Wallace Bishop silver

Bracelet: Oxfam silver & onyx

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Sartorially-inspired Halloween get-up... this time NOT a costume. Spooky black & grey stripes & spiders print cotton shift topped off with silver & black accessories in the form of a cuff & beaded bracelet as well as some hilarious dollar store finds - a spider headband & plastic spider rings for all of my fingers! Perfect for sitting around watching scary movies & stuffing my face with candy. 

Scroll down for pics of me trying to look scary... 

Pretty comical, really, considering that I'm even cuter than that Annabelle doll...

“What’s your favourite scary movie?” as they say in Wes Craven’s 1996 gore-&-giggle-fest Scream (the first of 4 films) which incidentally didn’t make this list despite the fact that I LOVE the mix of horror & comedy & the whole poking-fun-at-the-genre thing… We all know that horror movies are often fatally flawed (ha ha, see what I did there!?) when it comes to continuity & plot, so it’s great when someone actually plays on it WITHOUT making a spoof…

Franny’s Top 5 Flicks 

(to watch on the scariest night of the year)

1 Friday 13^th (the Kevin Bacon one from 1980) – I never understood WHY anyone would want to go to summer camp as it just seems like MORE school IN NATURE & I certainly don’t want to go after watching this flick! If you’ve ever heard the name Jason Vhoories or seen that Simpson’s episode where Homer busts in on Bart wearing a hockey mask & brandishing a weapon, then HERE is where it started…

www.movieposters.net

2 The Ring – either the original Japanese version OR the American remake with Naomi Watts) – so scary when turned up LOUD! I nearly jumped out of my skin in the cinema when the horse jumped over the side of the ferry & was sucked back up against it…

www.movieposters.net

3 Prom Night – I like it more than the Halloween movie franchise & it just wouldn’t be fright night without Jamie Lee Curtis, right? And it has Leslie Nielsen & it’s not that ridiculous Naked Gun movie… that alone is a win in my book.

www.movieposters.net

4 I Know What You Did Last Summer (not to mention the horrendous sequel, I Still Know What You Did Last Summer) – what can I say? I was a high-schooler in the late 1990s..! Jennifer Love Hewitt (she was in Party of Five, you know), Freddie Prinze Jnr, Ryan Phillipe & Sarah Michelle Geller – need I say more?

www.movieposters.net

5 Carrie – anyone who hated high school will know what I mean... Stephen King’s 1974 novel has never been out of print & the 1976 Sissy Spacek film has cult status. In fact, it’s even been remade into a 2013 film starring Chloe Grace Moretz & although they may have changed vast chunks of the story, they still kept the infamous Prom Night pig’s blood scene word-for-word. 

www.movieposters.net

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