My Word is My Bond

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Dress: Wayne by Wayne Cooper satin

Heels: Wittner leather, suede

Bag: French Connection suede with silver hardware

Hinged Bangle: Precious Stones Jewellers silver

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These pictures were snapped as I was on my way to hear a panel discussion about the relevancy of Bond movies (particularly focusing those prior to the 1980s) in this post-modern, uber-feminist world & whether or not the so-called traditional "Bond Girl" is detrimental to the psyche of young women or simply just "all in good fun." 

Avid readers of this blog will probably already be aware that I am a serious film buff, especially when it comes to "classic" or "cult" films & I'm not ashamed to admit that the "old Bonds" are my favourites - the ones starring Sean Connery or Roger Moore, that is - as they aren't super serious, intensely realistic or graphically violent, which certainly makes them stand out from the more modern interpretations with Daniel Craig, Pierce Brosnan or even Timothy Dalton. As far as I'm concerned, the films are a product of their time & often their depictions of gender & race are not what we would expect to hear or see in films today. Some of Sean Connery's lines in Thunderball are downright cringe-worthy, to be honest, but I don't take it all that seriously. I enjoy the films for their overarching theme of good versus evil... where good always wins. Let's face it, Bond is pretty much one of the WORST spies in history, jumping into situations headfirst with arrogant bravado that often finds him on the receiving end of some kind of ridiculously complicated punishment that actually allows him to buy time to escape, usually to the detriment of many - if not all - of his co-star's characters & yet, he continues to triumph because he's on the side of good. The fact that he does it beside a scantily-clad, much-younger-than-he-is Bond Girl who is desperate to jump into bed with him at the slightest provocation is, while sometimes tacky or unnerving, is really just a laughable sign of times-gone-by & a fanciful figment of an author's fevered imagination... well, at least that's how I choose to see it. And let's face it, in the cases of Domino Derval (Thunderball, 1965), Aki (You Only Live Twice, 1967), Teresa de Vincenzo (On Her Majesty's Secret Service, 1969) & Solitaire (Live & Let Die, 1973) I kind of covet her retro wardrobe...

After that diatribe, I suppose I should have a word here about the look I styled up for the occasion. I'm feeling very "Bond Girl" as I pose up a storm wearing a gorgeous monochrome polka dot satin "wiggle" dress with asymmetrical ruffled strap from Wayne Cooper Events (exclusive to Myer), a pair of black leather & suede heels with ankle straps from Wittner to elongate my frame, boxy black suede handbag with oversized silver handles from French Connection to carry all the essentials & finally, a chunky hinged bangle in an "art deco" wave shape from Precious Stones Jewellers for that touch of daytime shine.

Southbank After Sunset

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Dress: Wayne by Wayne Cooper lace, embroidery & elastane

Heels: Wittner leather with silver buckle

Bag: Nautica textured vinyl & nylon with silver hardware

Bangle: Gift, wood, beading (from India)

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There's nothing better than a balmy Friday night spent enjoying the sights of Southbank Parklands with dear friends, particularly when it involves taking a spin on the Wheel of Brisbane to view the city lights of Brisbane, dipping tired feet into the lagoon while being lulled by gentle breezes, filling up on delicious deli-style fare from Brooklyn Depot & treating oneself to a hot, sugar & cinnamon coated churro while traipsing around the pop up markets stalls.

For the occasion, I decided to style up something just that little bit extra special in the monochrome colour palette that I have recently come to love, starting with an amazing fit-to-flare dress with deep v-neckline, high/low hem & chunky silver back zipper from Wayne by Wayne Cooper, made from a stunning white mesh lace with large-scale floral embroidery over the top & a thick black elastane lining for contrast... sophisticated with a beachy, bohemian vibe - just the way I like it. When it came to accessories, I chose to mix style & sophistication with a pair of black leather mule-style heels with silver buckles from Wittner & carried a small nylon & texture vinyl crossbody bag with silver hardware from Nautica to keep my hands free... you know, to hold the churro later on... Finishing the look with flourish, I wore a single chunky black wooden bangle with silver & mirrored beading that a friend brought back as a gift from a trip to India.

As always, scroll down to see how the rest of the evening unfolded...

The Air Up There: 

Clearly loving the sights from the Wheel of Brisbane after dark!

By The Water:

Posing with both the city & the bridge behind us, bathed in coloured lights...

Candid Camera:

A few (sometimes humorous) shots between friends

Grecian Goddess:

Channeling Aphrodite, Artemis or Athena by the cool water...

Avid Reader:

Relaxing by the lagoon with a good book...

Delicious Depot:

Nothing better than a juicy pork burger & salty fries, washed down with a refreshing choc/mint thickshake, New York style...

Churro Chewing:

Caught out enjoying a treat along the promenade