Retrospective

 

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Dress: Retrospecd via Oh Jo Jo Boutique cotton

Heels: Django & Juliette via Styletread leather

Bag: Olga Berg vinyl

Necklace: Gift, beaded

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It's no secret that I've always loved retro/pin-up style with a bohemian twist & this gorgeous Monet-waterlily-inspired cotton wiggle dress from Australian label Retrospec'd from the delightful Oh Jo Jo Boutique at the "top of town" in Ipswich is definitely my new favourite! There's nothing better than that moment when a new dress just fits like a glove right off the hanger (no alterations required) & that's what happened here - instant perfection! I've styled it up for lunch with friends by adding a pair of funky, modern blush pink matte & metallic leather chunky slingback heels from Django & Juliette that I found at online emporium Styletread for an absolutely post-Christmas bargain, a boxy blush vinyl handbag from Olga Berg (the one I wore to my younger brother's wedding) to carry all the essentials as it's surprisingly roomy - the TARDIS of formal bags, if you will - & finally, a colourful bohemian beaded necklace (made from vintage glass, clay & bakelite beads from the late 1960s) that a friend brought back for me from the Topanga Vintage Market in the USA last year.

Flower Power

 

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Vest: Princess Highway corduroy

Top: Princess Highway cotton

Pants: Princess Highway corduroy

Mules: Wittner leather

Bag: Elk via Mott & Mulberry leather

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Reveling in those late 1960s "flower power" vibes with a vintage-inspired ensemble that I picked up from my local Dangerfield store on mega sale! I'm determined to wear it as many times as possible before the weather becomes too hot & I'm forced to save it for wintertime 2024. The amazing Princess Highway green & brown floral corduroy pants (cropped into 3/4 length) truly make a statement when worn with the matching sleeveless vest, a white cotton boho-prairie-style floaty top underneath, a pair of tan leather pointy-toed mules from Wittner on my feet for a modicum of height & a tan leather crossbody bag from Elk (discovered at the delightful Mott & Mulberry boutique at Indooroopilly) to carry all the essentials.

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Truly "leaning in" to the era with some appropriate tunes...

Picnic

 

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Dress: Dream Sister Jane organza

Ankle Boots: Wittner patent leather

Bag: Sportsgirl velvet, beaded embroidery

Bangles: Gift, Indian gold, silver, sparkles, beads

Hat: Forever New woven straw, grosgrain ribbon

Gloves: Vintage, Rocklea Collectibles Fair crochet

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What we see & what we seem are but a dream within a dream...

All dressed up like an extra from Picnic at Hanging Rock (1967) for a vintage-inspired blogger picnic with online friends both old & new. For the occasion, I wore a stunning off-white checked organza empire-line midi dress with puff sleeves from whimsical British label Sister Jane's high end diffusion line Dream Sister Jane, a pair of shiny black patent ankle boots from Wittner, a black velvet pouch bag embroidered with gold, silver & brass suns & stars from my local Sportsgirl store to carry all the essentials, a trio of sparkly Indian bangles that a dear friend brought back from a trip to India many moons ago, a natural woven straw boater hat with black grosgrain ribbon tie from Forever New & finally, a pair of off-white crochet gloves that I picked up from a delightful stall at the Rocklea Collectibles Fair prior to Covid 19 restrictions.

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Up Up & Away

 

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Dress: Kitten D'Amour cotton (altered by me)

Petticoat: Banned Apparel via That Shop polyblend/nylon

Heels: Kitten D'Amour vegan leather

Bag: Sportsgirl woven straw

Bracelet: Vintage, Ipswich Antique Centre handmade glass beads

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When I was little, my favourite show was a British children's programme called The Sooty Show & was about a mischievous little puppet bear, his puppet friends Sweep (a dog) & Sue (a panda) & how they drove their owner & puppeteer Matthew Corbett absolutely bonkers with their crazy antics... kind of like a purer, sweeter, live-action version of Alvin & the Chipmunks years & years before that actually happened... The reason that I bring this up is because the episode that I loved the most was the one called "Hot Air Balloon" (feel free to look it up if you need a laugh; it's honestly still hilarious to me as an adult) where Sweep packs his little, vintage overnight bags & gets in this tiny, toy-sized woven hot air balloon & takes off in the breeze, quickly getting out of control but continuing to hum that song "Up Up & Away in My Beautiful Balloon" as Matthew & Sooty desperately follow him in their van, rescuing him when he eventually crash lands in a pond...

This gorgeous, vintage hot air balloon printed cotton fit-to-flare dress with green lace-trimmed neckline (added by me) from vintage-inspired label Kitten D'Amour brings back all of those happy memories & even has me humming the song under my breath as I'm twirling around in the flared skirt, particularly when I've styled it up with a lipstick-red polyblend/nylon full-length petticoat from Banned Apparel via That Shop beneath for shape, a pair of mint green vegan leather deco heels (also Kitten D'Amour) for added height, a natural woven straw bucket bag from my local Sportsgirl to carry all the essentials & finally, a handmade, "evil eye" glass beaded bracelet from Ipswich Antique Centre on my wrist to complete look.

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