Shen Yun

 

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Dress: Aje embroidered organza, cotton

Heels: Django & Juliette via Styletread leather

Bag: Olga Berg via David Jones vinyl

Bangle Stack: Gift, vintage Mexican silver

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

Bracelet: Gift, Kellie's Antiques Victorian silver, filigree

Headpiece: La Plume de Fleur via Etsy faux florals

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Finally sharing all the beautiful pictures of the outfit I wore to attend a mesmerising performance of Shen Yun when they recently visited Australia! For those who may not know, Shen Yun is a nonprofit performing arts & entertainment company (based in America) & operated by the religious movement Falun Gong that revives & celebrates Ancient China's rich cultural heritage through dance, traditional instruments, storytelling & song. It's a feast for the eyes & honestly, so divine in terms of talent, dedication & costuming that it brings tears to your eyes. This year's performance was a display of goodness, wisdom & faith & definitely did not disappoint... Honestly, there's just nothing else like it & I cannot wait for next year!

For the occasion, I styled up this gorgeous pink floral embroidered organza puff-sleeve midi dress with its ruffled v-neckline, tiered hem & self-tie belt (complete with soft cotton lining for comfort) from celebrated Australian designer Aje with a pair of chunky blush pink leather strappy heels from Django & Juliette via Styletread's online emporium, a boxy blush vinyl handbag by Olga Berg that I found at David Jones a few years ago to wear to my brother & sister-in-law's wedding & some of my favourite silver jewellery pieces - a stack of vintage Mexican silver bangles that some friends brought back from a trip, a single heavy silver vintage bangle from 20th Century Antiques & Collectibles (formerly Coolangatta, now Tweed Heads) that my brother gave me for a birthday gift & a chunky antique Victorian belcher bracelet with oversized filigree heart locket & teeny tiny little lock from (sadly now closed) Kellie's Antiques in the historic Brisbane Arcade that a dearly now-departed friend gifted me for my 30th birthday - for that touch of shine. The final beautiful detail was a stunning faux flower crown from the lovely La Plume de Fleur - via Etsy - with roses in shades of blush pink & cream, greenery & native gumnuts.

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Shen Yun in Sheike

 

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Dress: Sheike cotton/silk

Camisole: Forever New satin

Heels: Wittner leather, elastic

Bag: Gift, vinyl, canvas

Bangles: Gift, Alex & Ani gold, onyx

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Finally sharing all the pictures of the stunning outfit that I wore to attend a performance of the utterly divine Shen Yun in Brisbane earlier this year, taken in bushland near my home. Through stunningly beautiful, opulent costumes, boundary-defying dancing & full orchestral musical score, Shen Yun takes you on a magical trip back to ancient China & evokes a lost world of mythical stories & legends that truly takes your breath away. For the occasion, I chose a classic floral cotton/silk maxi dress with deep v-neckline, three-quarter-length sleeves & fluted hemline from Australian label Sheike in muted tones of off-white, mauve, burgundy & green with a creamy, off-white coloured satin cowl-neck camisole from Forever New underneath for modesty purposes, a pair of black leather & elastic lace-up gladiator stiletto heels from Wittner for a modicum of height, a cream vinyl bucket bag with burgundy, black & off-white plaid detailing that was given to me by a dear friend last Christmas & finally, a stack of gold & onyx bangles with charms from Alex & Ani to complete the look.

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Keep scrolling for a few more fun pictures... this time some sweet mirror selfies of the look up close & personal...

Spectacular Shen Yun

This year, I was lucky enough to attend not one, but two spectacular performances by the magical Shen Yun Performing Arts & I have to say that honestly, I could have watched the show a million times more... it's an experience that I just never wanted to end! The seamless & unique blend of traditional heritage, graceful dance steps, exquisite costuming, high-tech backdrops & astonishing orchestral movements really has to be seen to be believed. In fact, I actually struggle to express exactly what it feels like to be an audience member in words... it's literally that visceral & otherwordly...

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Dress: Anthea Crawford guipure lace, satin

Heels: Wittner metallic silver leather

Bag: Nine West textured vinyl with silver hardware

Hinged Bangle: Precious Stones Jewellers silver

Cuff: Najo via Precious Stones Jewellers silver

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For the first performance, I dressed up in a stunning navy blue & silver floral guipure lace shift dress with cold shoulder detailing, delicate satin straps & a below-the-knee hemline from Anthea Crawford, metallic silver leather t-bar heels from Wittner to elongate my frame & a matching textured silver vinyl shoulder bag with chain strap from Nine West to carry all the essentials. When it came to jewellery, I stayed with the "silver" theme & wore a funky silver tribal cuff from Najo & chunky hinged bangle in the shape of a wave from Precious Stones Jewellers, adding a little bohemian touch to an otherwise classic ensemble.

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Dress: Anthea Crawford guipure lace, satin

Heels: Jo Mercer leather, laces

Bag: Yoins Collection velvet, embroidery with chrome hardware

Bangles: Autograph Fashion chrome

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For the second performance, I donned a similar, stunning floral guipure lace dress from Anthea Crawford... this time in a deep shade of burgundy with a stylised "wiggle" silhouette complete with ruffled "cha cha" hemline. Rather than a pair of dainty heels, I chose a chunky pair of black leather, lace up booties from Jo Mercer for a bit of edge & carried an emerald velvet "pouched" crossbody bag with embroidered waterbird, mosaic strap detailing & chrome hardware from Yoins Collection (discovered in a tiny, stand-alone boutique) for a true juxtaposition of texture. Jewellery was kept simple yet striking - a pair of thick, chrome bangles that I picked up years & years ago from Autograph Fashions.

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