Escape to the Chateau

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Dress: Sacha Drake textured jacquard

Heels: Jo Mercer leather, laces

Bag: Kitten D'Amour woven straw, leather, resin beads

Belt: Bohemian Traders embroidered cotton

Bangles: Tree of Life brass, silver studded

Bangle: Ember & Twine wood

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All dressed up & ready to see two of my favourite reality television personalities LIVE on stage in my beloved River City. Honestly, I hadn't been this excited to see a British television presenter since Kevin McCloud's "Grand Designs" tour of Australia a few years ago but seeing Angel Strawbridge of "Escape to the Chateau" fame, definitely topped it! For those who may not know, Angel & her husband Dick purchased a French chateau on a whim & spent years restoring & decorating it - along with their two small children - to turn it into a home & a wedding/special occasion venue open to the public. 

For the occasion, I wore a gorgeous black & gold paisley textured jacquard maxi dress from Australian designer Sacha Drake (shortened a bit for my five foot frame) that I cinched in with a wide embroidered cotton tie belt from Bohemian Traders & styled up with a pair of black leather lace-up heels from Jo Mercer, a natural woven straw handbag with black leather clasp & black resin beaded handle from vintage-inspired label Kitten D'Amour to carry all the essentials including the obligatory face mask & hand sanitizer, a trio of brass & silver studded bangles from Tree of Life & a wooden bangle from delightful "top of town" boutique Ember & Twine to complete the look.

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Bubble Hem

 

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Dress: Anthea Crawford embroidered organza, grosgrain, beading

Sandals: Florsheim leather, gold buckle

Bag: Oh Jo Jo Boutique vegan leather, wood, resin beads

Bangle Stack: Gift, vintage Mexican silver

Bangle: Gift, 20th Century Antiques & Collectibles silver

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Long live the bubble hem! I have adored this fashion statement for as long as I can remember - probably the last time it was popular around the late 1990s/early 2000s - & I'm so elated that it's back for the new season. With this in mind, I "shopped my closet" for a recent special event in my beloved River City & wore a stunning navy & rainbow floral embroidered organza v-neck fit to flare dress with thin straps, bubble hemline & beaded grosgrain ribbon tie belt from celebrated Australian designer Anthea Crawford (in the interest of honesty, I'll admit that I created the bubble effect myself by inserting some elastic inside the hem & pulling it tightly, thereby fixing a small rip that I accidentally created when I got my shoe stuck...) that I styled up with a pair of silver leather sandals with oversized gold buckles & wooden stacked heels from Florsheim & blush pink vegan leather crossbody bag with vintage-inspired wooden clasp from the delightful Oh Jo Jo Boutique at the "top of town" in Ipswich. When it came to jewellery, I chose some well-loved pieces - a stack of vintage Mexican silver bangles that some friends brought back from overseas & a single vintage silver bangle that my brother bought for me from 20th Century Antiques & Collectibles (formerly of Coolangatta, now of Tweed Heads) - to complete the look.

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Black Label

Taking a trip to one of my favourite places downtown, the Ipswich Orchid Society Greenhouse at historical Queens Park with its plethora of stunning plant life, verdant rockery, peaceful pond, wide steps & beautiful old fountain... all hidden behind stunningly ornate wrought iron gates...

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Dress: Jayson Brunsdon Black Label via Myer twill, lace

Heels: Kitten D'Amour vegan leather

Bag: French Connection vinyl, suede

Belt: Sacha Drake embellished organza

Bracelet: Gift, Wanfu Jade jade

Bangle: Gift, jade (from Shanghai Markets)

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For the occasion, I decided to blend in with my surroundings & wore a beautiful tulip print twill midi dress with cold-shoulder lace detailing from Jayson Brunsdon Black Label (exclusive to Myer stores) that I cinched in at the waist with a heavily embellished black organza obi belt from Sacha Drake to create a long, body-lengthening line & added a pair of black vegan leather dual buckle heels from Kitten D'Amour for a modicum of height & a boxy black vinyl & suede handbag with oversized silver handles from French Connection to carry all the essentials including the ever-present facemask & hand sanitizer. When it came to jewellery, I decided to pick up on the shades of green inherent in the dress' black, white & green print & chose a beaded jade bracelet from Wanfu Jade & a simple yet stunning jade bangle from a little stall at the Shanghai Markets, both of which my brother brought back from an overseas trip to China many years ago.

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Finally, a couple of cheeky mirror selfies from the vintage wonderland that is The ShortBlack Coffee Co  in the "top of town" precinct where I stopped in on the way home for a piping hot chai latte that is, frankly, second to none...