There’s spring in the air, and spring means all things green again!

I love how secretary dresses from the 70s only need a little prompting to transform into gorgeous 40s style frocks. In this case, a belt.

It’s also fairly warm, what with the long sleeves and woolly fabric. Don’t get me started on the pleats! They make me ridiculously happy.

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Dress: Armstrong & Son Vintage

Boots: Next

Bag: LA Vintage

Earrings: ???

Watch: eBay sourced Rado

Stockings: Leona Edmiston

My nails are in horrible condition right now. They’re hiding underneath a layer of matte black polish. I thought about doing something special with my hair today. I’ve been told it’s the thought that counts…

Ciao!

Weeeell, more like the day before yesterday, but you get the idea, right?

New Years Eve in Edinburgh is a pretty big deal, so I was lucky to able to experience it! We decided to opt for a low key house party, organised over the internet with strangers (!) as we’re fairly new to town and didn’t know anyone. All in all, I have to say it was a wonderful evening. Though, being starved of any human contact for last three weeks sure did make me talkative!

My adventures in austerity have meant that I’ve been cutting my own hair. It was scary at first, but I’ve been dyeing my own hair for years, so it wasn’t too much of a challenge. After a pin curl set it was short enough for a lazy faux bob a la Zelda Fitzgerald. Or at least that was the plan. I paired a comfy, if not a little baggy, black cashmere jumper with a wool skirt as was good to go!

Jumper: Isle

Skirt: Vintage

Pashmena: Gift

Boots: New Look

Bag: Vintage (Out of the Blue Flea Market)

It’s been a while! What is left of my clothes after the big clothing-kull-of-2012, is sitting in a shipping crate travelling over the Pacific Ocean. What was left I packed my suitcase. I chose items that would coordinate well with each other in the hope I wouldn’t die of sartorial boredom before the rest of my belongings arrived. Here are a few snapshots from my travels so far…

Czech Republic

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Germany

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France

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Great Britain

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Most of the time I carried everything in my trusty A is for Arsenic skull print tote and traipsed around in black X-Hi converse. Super comfortable. But I was walking past a store in Munich when I spotted a glossy yellow handbag in the window. Is that a Furla? I asked myself. I ducked inside and asked. It was! The salesperson said they had another in stock, and low and behold on the counter was a patent cherry red Furla Candybag. For fifty percent off. I nearly hugged the poor woman! Isn’t it beautiful?! Glossy red, Italian made, a decent size, vegan and to top it all off, under a hundred bucks!  The stars aligned I tell you!

A little late, but with good reason. So May and June have been quiet months for me. And here’s why;

We’re running away from home!

I’ve been packing boxes and bags for the last couple of weeks. Getting ready for this big adventure has been exhausting, but worth it.

Trousers: Cue

Blazer: Vintage

T-Shirt: ASOS

Belt: Etsy

Shoes: Miss Shop

Scarf: Vintage

Brooch: Markets

Bag: Vintage

We fly out in two weeks. Can you believe it!

Black and red, this is what I wore to work!

This jacket has amazing peplum detailing at the back and I just love the self-covered buttons. I may actually have a self-covered button fetish…

I’ve also started collecting vintage scarves designed by Vera Neumann. How pretty is this sheer red, blue and white number?

Dress: Red Dress Shoppe

Jacket: Portmans

Earrings: Gift

Bag: Vintage

Scarf: Vintage

Shoes: Vivienne Westwood for Melissa

Ciao for now!

I guess being St Patrick’s day and all I should have worn something green. But this dress was calling to me. I’ve been watching a lot of Twin Peaks recently, and the black, grey and red plaid reminds me of the opening theme song. It’s the kind of dress I’d wear out to the diner for a slice of cherry pie and a damn fine cup of coffee. Ya know?

It has some beautiful details, like the black button cuffs at the elbow, and snap-buttons all the way up the front. The cotton is also super-soft.

It’s getting on to autumn in our part of the world. Here in the sub-tropics, that kinda just mean comfortable. I’m looking forward to wearing cardigans again!

Dress: Vintage (Brisbane Vintage Fair)

Bag: Vintage

Shoes: Melissa

Belt: Vintage

Cameo: Antique

Sunglasses: ASOS

Hope you had an amazing weekend!

The lover and I skipped off to Prometheus Bound on Saturday and had ourselves rip-roaring time. There was a makers-market, burlesque dancers, trombone-playing-elmos and Voltaire. It was a chance to dress up, meet new people and catch up with old friends. What a hoot!

My talented sister made this bespoke faux fox for me. He has cute little ears, weighted limbs, a fluffy black tail and sparkly rhinestone eyes. He’s also very warm. I can’t wait to wear him more when the cold weather comes back!

Dress: ASOS

Shoes: ASOS

Hat: Vintage

Bag: Vintage

Faux fox: Bespoke

Gloves: eBay find?

Brooch: Antique

We’ve been enjoying some comfortably cool weather lately. I’ve found that all those grey skies are changing my mood. When it’s cooler I’m drawn to darker colours. We had a party for my nephew’s first birthday today and I felt that stripes, straps and buckles were in order!

This beautiful lace scarf was a gift from a dear friend. Don’t you just love the delicate little flowers stitched around the edge?

Skirt: They Call Me Kitten D’Amour

Shirt: Review

Belt: eBay find

Bag: Vintage

Scarf: Gifted

Shoes: Vivienne Westwood for Melissa

Sunglasses: ASOS

Earrings: Gifted

Hope you had a lovely Sunday!

Like our famous Jacarandas, Brisbane’s Poincianas are a naturalised flowering tree from Africa. They come into bloom just as the Jacaranda blossoms are starting to wither. As things heat up in November, the whole city moves from pretty lilac to vibrant orange-red. Hello summer!

Just as Poinsettias herald the onset of Christmas in the northern hemisphere, so too do Poincianas in the southern hemisphere. They’re red and green; how festive! The flowers are also star shaped, so you know, they get bonus Christmas points or something.

Flame trees bloom at about the same time. So they get an honourary mention. The shape of the flowers has always reminded me of coral.

What better way to celebrate this time of year then to wear the colours of the Poinciana?! I picked up this little number at the Brisbane Vintage Fair several months ago. My obsession with polka dots continues. It had broken cream buttons so I replaced them with pretty purple ones. It also had these amazing full length secretary sleeves. But in deference to the Australian summer, they had to go.

That bruise on my leg is from walking into a coffee table. But I’ve been telling people that I joined the local roller derby league.

Dress: Vintage

Belt: eBay

Shoes: Vivienne Westwood for Melissa

Bag: Vintage

Sunglasses: eBay

Beaded Bacelet: Gift

Tiny pink ring: Christmas cracker find

Heart-shaped sunglasses make everything in life ten times better. I highly recommend them!

Actually, this is what I wore on Saturday, but shhh! Don’t tell anyone I’m posting it two days later!

It has been so hot recently! I know that come December it will only get worse. You may have noticed, but I’ve been on a bit of a polka-dot binge recently. I thought today I would wear some stripes instead!

I love everything about this dress. The lightweight fabric, the pointy collar, the perfect fit, the pleats and most of all the bright diagonal stripes! I think this is a tennis dress from the early eighties but I can’t be sure. It kinda reminds me of marching bands and baton twirling.

It’s been difficult to keep cool these days. Hanging out around the pool helps!

Dress: Vintage

Shoes: Vivenne Westwood

Bag: Vintage

Belt: eBay

Earrings: Cheap shop find

I think this outfit would be rockin with some sparkly red sequinned chuck taylors and a pair of lolita-esque heart sunglasses. Whachya think?

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