Pride & Prejudice

 

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Dress: Kitten D'Amour embroidered mesh, lace, polyester, velvet

Heels: Django & Juliette via Styletread leather, metallic leather

Bag: Olga Berg via Myer vinyl

Hinged Bangle: Oxfam Shop silver

Bracelet: Gift, Kellie's Antiques silver, filigree

Ring: Gift, vintage silver, enamel

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Like many women all over the world, I have long idolised the works of Regency author Jane Austen - particularly the celebrated "Pride & Prejudice" - & have often seen myself in the headstrong, intelligent & articulate Lizzie Bennett, so being able to see the tale unfolded in QPAC's Playhouse theatre was certainly a treat! For the occasion, I decided to dress to the theme with this stunning mint green, blush pink & pale blue embroidered floral mesh wiggle dress with soft polyester bodice & velvet-lined ruffle from "girly" Australian label Kitten D'Amour, styled up with a pair of strappy blush matte & metallic leather heels from Django & Juliette via Styletread's online emporium & a boxy blush vinyl handbag from Olga Berg that I picked up from my local Myer department store years ago to wear to my brother's wedding. When it came to jewellery, I wore some beloved silver pieces - a single, silver hinged bangle from Oxfam (first worn to my high school formal quite some time ago), a chunky Victorian silver belcher bracelet with oversized filigree heart locket & teeny tiny key from Kellie's Antiques that a dear friend gave to me for my 30th birthday & finally, a vintage "peace sign" mood ring made from 1970s silver & enamel (another wonderful birthday gift) for that final pop of pastel colour.

Scroll down to see more...

Men At Arms

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Dress: Mossman spotted mesh

Ankle Boots: Wittner patent leather

Bag: Nine West textured vinyl

Rings: Thousand Island Paddington silver

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Those who know me will already know that I'm not necessarily one to read quintessential "fantasy" novels or delve into those imaginary lands full of dragons, unicorns & the like... to the chagrin of a few dear friends, I still haven't cracked the spine on a single Harry Potter tome or watched a single, solitary minute of Game of Thrones... but I must admit that I was intrigued by an invitation to attend a Brisbane Arts Theatre performance of Men At Arms, set in author Sir Terry Pratchett's fabled "Discworld" & billed as a murder-mystery to be solved by the Ankh-Morpork Nightwatch. Now, I am a complete sucker for a juicy murder mystery & spend hours transporting myself to mid-century England to assist the inestimable Hercule Poirot's "little grey cells" or traversing bloodsoaked Midsomer County to discover "whodunnit" before Detective Inspector Barnaby, so I think it's safe to say exactly which words piqued my interest... & I wasn't disappointed. The set was atmospheric, the performances were admirable & as possible THE ONLY person in the entire theatre on Petrie Terrace who hadn't read the book, the twist was awesome! I'm actually thinking of attending another Pratchett-themed play next year.

But I digress.

For the occasion (a cooler evening) I took the opportunity to wear one of my favourite winter dresses one last time this year - a stunning navy spotted mesh mini dress with voluminous sleeves, deep v-neckline & tiered hem from Mossman - with a pair of shiny navy patent heeled ankle boots from Wittner to elongate my frame & a silver textured vinyl shoulder bag with chain strap from Nine West that was ideal for carrying all the essentials without becoming cumbersome. To complete the look, I loaded up a selection of silver & mother-of-pearl rings from Thousand Island Dressing for a little bit of a boho twist.

Baskerville

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Dress: Chi Chi London tulle, lace, embroidery

Shrug: Martini faux fur

Booties: Corelli @ Williams the Shoemen suede, neoprene

Tights: Razzamatazz 40 denier nylon

Clutch: Taking Shape mesh, resin

Cuff: Adorne chrome, onyx

Bangles: Autograph Fashion chrome

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Finally posting all the pictures of the stunning ensemble I styled up to wear to a recent theatre performance of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's 1902 canine crime thriller, The Hound of the Baskervilles. Avid readers of this blog probably already know how much I adore English murder mystery novels - particularly those involving intellectual juggernaut Sherlock Holmes & his long-suffering sidekick (& erstwhile chronicler) Dr Watson - but THIS particular one is my favourite; telling the story of an attempted murder inspired by the legend of fearsome, diabolical hound of supernatural origin.

Due to the "gothic" nature of the tale (& the fact that I love dressing to a theme) I decided a monochrome palette would suit, starting with this amazing Chi Chi London dress comprised of a multi-layered, bright-white tulle fit-to-flare skirt with tendrils of black floral embroidery running down from the waist & a black & silver leaf-print lace v-neck bodice. A sharp dip in temperature meant that a shoulder covering of some sort was needed; enter this sumptuous black faux fur cropped shrug from Martini (purchased from a little shop in Ipswich called Figure 8 Fashion) that not only provided the desired warmth, but worked wonders in terms of outfit proportion, finishing right at the waistline to allow the "puff" of the skirt to take centre stage. Scroll down to check it out in more detail:

When it came to footwear, there was only one choice as far as I was concerned - this dressy pair of suede & neoprene stiletto-heeled Corelli booties that I purchased last year from Williams the Shoemen & have really stood the test of time, cost-per-wear speaking, worn with a trusty pair of 40 denier nylon tights from Razzamatazz, my go-to brand. Rather than mix the heels with a dressy evening-style bag, I decided to go for the unexpected - an "industrial" chrome mesh rectangular clutch with black resin clip from Taking Shape for some much-needed "edge."

With regards to jewellery, my motto was evidently "Go Big or Go Home" as I layered a couple of heavy, woven chrome bangles from Autograph Fashion onto one forearm & secured a chrome cuff with oversized onyx stone centre from Adorne onto the other...

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Bollywood!

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Dress: Anthea Crawford taffeta

Wedges: Betts for Her suede lace-up

Bag: Novo patent

Scarf: Gift, vintage silk/linen (from India)

Bangles: Gift, silver, gold, bead (from India)

Watch: Guess silver

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After some technical difficulties, I'm finally posting some pictures of the amazing outfit I wore to a sublime Bollywood performance last year! (I know, I know, it's hard to believe how fast this year seems to be slipping away... Tempus Fugit & all that, I suppose...) 

Indian fashion & traditional dress is so inspirational with its vibrant, saturated colours; spiritual patterns & opulent jewellery pieces & I hope I have managed to capture the "vibe" with this look, centred around a stunning raspberry taffeta dress from Anthea Crawford with its bateau neckline, capped sleeves, origami bow waist detail & below-the-knee hemline.

Rather than a pair of court shoes or platforms, I decided to add a little "edge" with a pair of black suede lace-up wedges from Betts for Her & carried a boxy Novo handbag made from shiny patent & augmented with silver hardware.

When it came to jewellery, more was definitely more! I loaded my arm with a stack of beaded bangles that a friend brought back from India - perfect for adding some daytime sparkle & the ideal accompaniment to my "Hamsa Hand" fake tattoo from Sportsgirl.

Finally, I wrapped a gorgeous silk/linen printed scarf (purchased by a friend at the markets in Mumbai) around my neck in a contrasting intense orange hue with raspberry accents, providing cohesion by drawing all of the elements of the look together.

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