Very Swish!

Yesterday's trip to Paddington (to attend my weekly meditation class) reminded me of the stunning Swish Occasion maxi dresses that I purchased in a recent sale & haven't had the chance to "style up" just yet... Not to worry, though, as it appears that Summer will be hanging around for a few weeks to come... Regardless, scroll down to check out each look.

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LOOK #1: Emerald Experience 

Dress: Swish Occasion silk chiffon

Kimono: Noughts & Crosses silk & beading

Heels: Emerson @ Big W patent

Cuff: Wayne by Wayne Cooper @ Myer silver, sequins, diamante & feathers

Ring: Gift, handmade ceramic

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For the first outfit, I decided to evoke an art deco vibe in shades of green, black, white & silver. The vibrancy of the crinkled silk chiffon Swish Occasion dress really pops against the three-quarter-sleeved white silk Noughts & Crosses kimono with its black fringing and beaded edges whilst providing a sense of movement commonly associated with the women colloquially known as "Flappers."

For height, I donned a pair of black patent enclosed-toe platforms from Emerson @ Big W; a rather innocuous choice that wouldn't compete with any of the other elements making up the eclectic ensemble. Far from "under the radar," however, was the chunky, heavily embellished - even feathered (!) - cuff from Wayne by Wayne Cooper @ Myer & hand-painted, ceramic flower ring (made by my cousin Renee) that create an overall sense of cohesion.

And of course a backyard "photo shoot" wouldn't complete without this little furry interloper who just LOVES to give poor unsuspecting humans big, sloppy kisses...

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LOOK #2: Indian Inspiration

Dress: Swish Occasion dupione silk

Wrap: Vintage, Indian sari material

Heels: Emerson @ Big W patent

Necklace: Lovisa onyx bead, diamante & tassel

Bangle: Vintage, silver, paper & resin

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For the second look, I decided to play on the vibrant, saturated tone of the raspberry Swish Occasion dupione silk maxi dress by adding an intricately-beaded vintage Indian sari swatch, nonchalantly draped across my shoulders like a wrap.

Picking up on the wrap's onyx beading, I chose a pair of black patent enclosed-toe platforms from Emerson @ Big W (providing me with a modicum of height) & continued the theme with a long, black glass beaded necklace from Lovisa with bronze & diamante pendant & long tassel. A vintage paper & clear resin bangle - replete with famous portrait of a reclining nude by Amedeo Modigliani* - added an extra touch of whimsy & drew the look together. Not bad for $3 at the Endeavour Foundation "Charity Shop" at Paddington!

*Italian/Jewish Painter & Sculptor Amedeo Modigliani was a contemporary of Pablo Picasso, Jean Cocteau, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Diego Rivera & his wife Frida Kahlo in post-Belle-Epoque ("beautiful age") Paris. Nude on a White Cushion (1917) was painted three years before his untimely death from tubercular meningitis & is one of his infamous "Reclining Nudes" series, the sensational "modern art" exhibition having been closed by police after one day due to issues of alleged "obscenity."

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Birthday Brights #1

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Dress: Swish Occasion chiffon & elastane

Sandals: Sportsgirl jellies

Bag: Sportsgirl iridescent vinyl

Necklace: Gift, wood, silver & faux pearl

Wrist Wrap: Gift, wood, silver & faux pearl

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For a balmy Autumn Saturday at home, celebrating my father's birthday & spending time together as a family, nothing beats an easy, breezy, bohemian look. In this case, a mere 5 pieces make a BIG impact, starting with this ah-mazing purple, pink & orange ombre chiffon dress from Aussie company Swish Occasion - its bright hues adding a special touch & its relaxed shape denoting the day's casual vibe.

When it came to footwear, clear glitter jelly sandals from Sportsgirl were chosen. In the interest of honesty, I will admit that perhaps my mother was right all along - you know, when I BEGGED for sandals just like these as a kindergartener some 27 years ago - they DO make your feet sweat. A lot. Especially in the tropical Queensland heat. The way to fix that? Either wear them to the beach (where they will be immersed in water & therefore nice & cool) or in the air-conditioner. Clearly, it was the latter. 

To go with the 1980s throwback sandals, a tiny, iridescent cross-body was chosen from the same store to reflect the colours of the dress. What I love about iridescent vinyl is the way that it is constantly in flux, the colours changing constantly with the daylight. It really makes an outfit "come alive." 

Finishing the look is a matching statement necklace & wrap bracelet combo - oblong purple wooden beads mixed with larger, circular silver beads & a large faux pearl in the centre. 

See below for a closer look: 

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"...one love, one heart, let's get together & feel alright... sayin' give thanks & praise to the Lord & I will feel alright..." 

One Love - Bob Marley & The Wailers (1977)

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As previously mentioned, the reason for the family get-together - not that we really NEED a reason as we actually love each other's company & seek it out on a regular basis - was to celebrate my father's birthday with a few carefully chosen gifts & a home-cooked, marinated lamb roast dinner with mum-made pavlova (topped with strawberries & passionfruit) for dessert! 

Keep scrolling down for a few snippets:

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Moody Florals

 

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Dress: Swish Occasion stretch satin & chiffon

Wrap: Gift, silk/chiffon

Heels: Novo patent sandals

Bag: Vera May satin drawstring (from Navie's Jewellers, Ipswich)

Necklace: Gift, chrome & rope

Bangles: Autograph woven chrome

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Had the pleasure of attending an Autumn/Winter fashion preview & luncheon in the River City today & donned appropriately muted, "moody" florals for the occasion. This gorgeous silver stretch-satin maxi dress with delicate floral overlay is from Aussie brand Swish Occasion, which specialises in "event wear" for top-heavy or plus-sized women from size 12 to 26. To give you a bit of an idea about sizing - if you were interested in checking out the website by clicking here - I am wearing a size 12, which is firm around my ample bustline yet floaty over the rest of my petite frame; summery in cut with a nod to the coming cooler weather...

As I am only 5 foot tall, it is important to wear "open" toed heels with long dresses to visually elongate my legs & these black patent Novo platform sandals with t-bar strap do the job admirably & are supremely comfortable to boot! In addition, they have a slight Art Deco vibe that I carried through in the rest of the outfit with a black satin drawstring bag replete with 3D silver flowers, matching oversized chrome bangles on each forearm & statement silvery/grey rope necklace with chrome beads, shown in detail below:

Once again, I utilised pattern-mixing to complete the outfit in an eclectic & unexpected way, donning a floral silk/chiffon wrap to ward off any chill from the air-conditioning. The red, pink & orange tones of the wrap match those of the delicate blooms in the dress' smoky print, creating visual interest & retaining a cohesive vision. For me, there's nothing better than the marriage of form & function in fashion... & this is it. Scroll down to see more:

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"...how could you leave me when I needed to possess you?..."

Wuthering Heights - Kate Bush (1978)

For some reason, smoky, moody florals always seem to evoke visions of Wuthering Heights in my mind... Ours is not to question why, I guess...

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