Tulle & Lace & Sparkle... Oh My!

"A dream is a wish your heart makes."

Finally posting all the pictures of the outfit I wore to attend a ballet performance of Cinderella (one of my all-time favourite fairytales) as a birthday treat! Avid readers of this blog will already know what a balletomane I am - particularly with regards to the costumes - & this definitely influenced my choice of attire... a veritable barrage of all things tulle, lace, feather & sparkle... Go ahead, take a closer look...

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Dress: Chi Chi London mesh, tulle, lace, embroidery

Heels: Novo patent leather

Bag: Gift, vintage glitter resin, metal

Bangles: Gift (from India) metal, wood, beads

Watch: Vintage, brasss (belonged to my Nanna)

Headpiece: Gift, feathers, glitter, beading

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When it came to choosing the perfect dress, there was only one option as far as I was concerned: this divine fit-to-flare midi-length prom dress from Chi Chi London (gifted by a dear friend) in a dramatic dark hue with burnished gold floral embroidery on the bodice & the layered tulle skirt; the thin, shoestring straps edged with a contrasting scalloped floral lace. Scroll down to see it in its unencumbered glory...

As usual, I donned my usual black, closed-toe platforms to "anchor" the look but they just weren't fanciful enough... Cue these shiny, dainty beauties from Novo with art deco inspired t-bar straps, adding height & elongating my legs while acting as the epitome of comfort - & all this without having to add any of those gel-patch-thingies that they advertise on the television during typically "girly" shows like Love Child or Offspring. There isn't much more you can ask from a formal shoe, is there? 

The touch of whimsy continued with my choice of handbag - a glittery, gold resin "hard case" purse from the 1950s that a dear friend gave me for my 3oth birthday that picked up on the delicate, hand-embroidery that I spoke about earlier. In the interest of full-disclosure, I will admit that I purchased a small blush coloured felt pouch with a drawstring closure (from a shop called Cinta in Ipswich City Square) to fit inside the bag & carry all of my essentials as I don't particularly relish members of the public knowing exactly what I'm carrying with me at any given time.

Avid readers of this blog probably already know that when it comes to jewellery, my motto is "More is More" & this was certainly the case, as I stacked sparkly Indian bangles in shades of black, silver, gold & pink on my right arm (gifted by a dear friend who used to live there) & left the other arm bare save for a delicate vintage brass watch that once belonged to my Nanna & was lovingly restored to its former (read: working) state thanks to my parents.

Finally, there is the headpiece - a feather & bead creation akin to what is worn by ACTUAL ballerinas & brought all the way from London for me to wear for the occasion. Keep scrolling to see it up close...

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Hooray for Aunty Frances!

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Dress: Anthea Crawford satin with grosgrain ribbon

Jumper: Mix by Coles wool

Boots: Forever New vinyl with silver hardware

Tights: Razzamatazz 40 denier nylon

Bag: Rockmans calico, wool, beads

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Posting some pictures from the school holidays when I was lucky enough to spend some time with two of my favourite little men, Jeremy & Oliver! 

On Friday, this simple ensemble - made up of 5 easy pieces - was ideal for "scooting" around a local park with a seven year old, self-proclaimed "aficionado" who pretty much heckled me the whole time for going too slow. In my defense, I probably haven't "scooted" since I was ten years old... & it is not like riding a bike; it's actually much, much easier but I am paranoid I'll fall over & break something (like my nose, wrist) so exercise a level of caution that small boys simple cannot understand.

But I digress.

The fit-to-flare design of the Anthea Crawford dress afforded me ease of movement, while the sweet floral satin kept things stylish & girly. The open-weave pink wool jumper from Mix by Coles (can't beat it for $8 on sale) provided warmth while lending a casual vibe. The sport-luxe black boots with chunky white "creeper" soles from Forever New were comfortable & surprisingly shock absorbent, although next time I will wear socks inside of them for padding purposes, rather than a flimsy pair of 40 denier nylon tights from Razzamatazz. Finally, the black calico cross-body bag from Rockmans was great for carrying all the essentials while keeping my hands free... & let's face it, the bohemian embroidery just added that little extra "something" to the entire look.

Scroll down for some pictures of how the afternoon unfolded...

Jeremy makes his move...

Oliver makes a new friend...

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Dress: Anthea Crawford jacquard

Cardigan/Duster: Tree of Life tie dye rayon

Wrap: Handmade, Eagle Street Markets silk, felt, wool

Boots: Witchery leather, studs

Tights: Razzamatazz 40 denier nylon

Kilt Pin: Dogstar copper

Sunglasses: Witchery faux tortoiseshell

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After "Casual Friday," it was time for "Boho Saturday" with this eclectic ensemble! Basically, it was a pattern-mixing dream: a dark purple, leaf-printed jacquard dress from Anthea Crawford that was classy enough for the City yet casual enough for the Botanical Gardens; tie dye rayon long-line cardigan/duster from Tree of Life in similar purple & pink hues & handmade tie dye silk wrap with felt & wool accents that I picked up at the Eagle Street Markets a few weekends ago, held together with a copper kilt pin from Dogstar that had been languishing in my cupboard for about five years to REALLY set the whole thing off. Oh... & a pair of John Lennon style round-rimmed faux tortoiseshell glasses from Witchery to protect my eyes from the Winter sun.

When it came to footwear, comfort was key so I couldn't go past these flat black boots (again, Witchery) with stretchy side panels, accented with copper studs. Add a pair of 40 denier Razzamatazz tights to ward off the cool breeze & the look was complete.

Keep scrolling for some snippets of the ensuing shenanigans...

Digging a Hole

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