It seems to be a worldwide phenomenon, yet a strange one.
As soon as winter starts to bite, the population at large suddenly goes into black-grey-brown mode and it looks like the streets are covered in a sea of moving ants.
Why does this happen?
Why do people embrace loud colours in spring and summer only to turn on the mute button once the leaves have fallen?
It's a rhetorical question, but I'm mystified by the phenomenon each year.
I only have this pic to show you I opted for colour this cold and rainy day ... I wore the $2 satin brocade frock I picked up at the Sunday market with bright tights and VW Temptations.
Last week was beautifully clear but chilly and I couldn't stop putting together outfits that looked like I'd fallen into a crayon box.
Last Friday was "free-dress" day at The Stylist and #3 Son's school, which was quite a treat for them ... they planned their outfits days in advance and pondered on what school life would be like if they didn't have to wear uniforms.
I decided I would mix a bit of "free dress" with some uniform - these crazy kick-boxing shorts are what I've been after for absolutely ages and they recently appeared in my favourite oppy, Aid for the Blind, screaming "pick me, pick me!"
They're the closet thing I can find to honour my hero, M. Ali, the greatest.
Why yes, I did get some very strange looks ...
But it's funny how foolish people look when they're sniggering away at a woman floating along in shiny boxing shorts, cape and flowers in her hair, who is staring them down and actually laughing with them.
Suddenly, they just don't know where to look.
Try it sometime.
You'll float like a butterfly.
"The man to beat me hasn't been born yet" - Mr Muhammad Ali
Yes, wearing boxing shorts absolutely does make you want to dance and kick your way down the street.
Truth.
Beads not gloves.
I deserved a piping hot coffee after all that kick-arse action.
As soon as winter starts to bite, the population at large suddenly goes into black-grey-brown mode and it looks like the streets are covered in a sea of moving ants.
Why does this happen?
Why do people embrace loud colours in spring and summer only to turn on the mute button once the leaves have fallen?
It's a rhetorical question, but I'm mystified by the phenomenon each year.
I only have this pic to show you I opted for colour this cold and rainy day ... I wore the $2 satin brocade frock I picked up at the Sunday market with bright tights and VW Temptations.
1950s coat and skirt - eBay
DIY gloves and glitter shoes
Hat brooch, belt, Mighty Mouse t-shirt, granny bag - thrifted
Ballet dancer earrings - gifted by Jet Set Helga
Harlequin hair bow and three beaded bracelets - gifted by the awesome Em of Vintage Sweetheart
Sunnies - shop in Fitzroy, Melbourne
"Mother" brooch - Etsy
Movie ticket brooch - flea market
Tights - Sock Dreams
I decided I would mix a bit of "free dress" with some uniform - these crazy kick-boxing shorts are what I've been after for absolutely ages and they recently appeared in my favourite oppy, Aid for the Blind, screaming "pick me, pick me!"
They're the closet thing I can find to honour my hero, M. Ali, the greatest.
But it's funny how foolish people look when they're sniggering away at a woman floating along in shiny boxing shorts, cape and flowers in her hair, who is staring them down and actually laughing with them.
Suddenly, they just don't know where to look.
Try it sometime.
You'll float like a butterfly.
Truth.
Earrings, t-shirt, shorts, vintage Persian lamb cape, embroidered bag - thrifted
Beaded bracelets - from Em again:)
Headband - more from my shop, Sassy Vamps
Patent Docs - retail
Leggings - Black Milk
Baci,
Desiree xoxo
I hear ya about the winter thing. And here in Melbs it's even MORE dreary! Bah! I have a winter coat that is grey and I'm so deathly sick of it - can't wait til my bright green one is complete. Though at this rate I wont finish it til it's too warm to wear it!
ReplyDeleteAnyways, under the coat I'm always in brights - so rarely wear black!
The kickboxing shorts are rad too :-D Fun sport that! I did it for two years - very brutal and intense - but so fun!
I don't understand it either - you need colour MORE in the winter! I love the BM leggings :D
ReplyDeleteYou have the most gorgeous shoe collection!!! Those purple ones are such beauties!
ReplyDeleteI wear dark clothes with small injection of colour all year round so I don't really change with the seasons haha! xxx
Yep, it's a strange thing, isn't it, that people feel freed up to wear colour when the sun shines but revert to dark/neutral mode in winter. No need to fear that YOU will ever succumb to that, darling! I wonder if it's something to do with buying things which "go" with each other, so if you have a lot of black/grey/brown you just buy more of it, cos it all matches? Along with white and the dreaded beige. (No use calling it oatmeal or ecru, we all know it's BEIGE! Bleugh!)
ReplyDeleteAnyway - delicious you, doing what you do best, being original, sassy, creative and colourful, that's what I love!
Leopard print tights and gold glitter shoes? Yes please! Harlequin bows and red sunnies? Check! Boxing shorts and electric blue leggings? Love!
And I'm so pleased to see someone else drawing attention to their lady garden with a motif on their crotch - you've got bulls, Desiree, big bulls! xxx
Sting like a Bee Desiree! I'd love to be able to kick-box, reckon it looks very satisfying. It is odd about the seasonal colour thing, so much nicer to add colour when it's dull and drab rather than take it away (although your sky is still bluer than ours, and we're in mid Summer!)
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You are fearless my darling, and this is precisely why I love you! XXX Suzanne
ReplyDeleteWish you lived in my town! we get little enough sunshine as it is here in Cornwall, so those butterfly days are fleeting indeed! With 3 kids i don't have energy to dress up like i used to, but one day i'll embarrass the hell out of them!!! Love all your stuff, you have a great eye for colour and details :-D
ReplyDeleteI too am making an effort to wear COLOUR thoughout winter - it's so depressing and boring to see black and grey everywhere! I just love your shiny leggings & leopard tights! And those purple shoes - I must find some. I MUST!
ReplyDeleteOh you are just too too fab for words you sweet humping thang you!! You missed a fab party unfortunately, but there's another one this Saturday at the same place if you can make it, total brood always welcome.xxxxxxxxxxx.
ReplyDeleteJust doing a catch up of your fab blog and I'm loving it all ... M x
ReplyDeleteI love seeing people wear bright colours. Especially in the winter when it's dark and dreary.
ReplyDeleteI love how fun your clothing combinations are! I wish I could encounter people wearing fabulous capes with boxing shorts. So good.
Well thank goodness someone is adding a little color to our world!!! I do love color, I always love to add an unexpected pop of color to my outfit. When ever I catch someone just staring at me I turn look them right in the eye and give them a huge smile....people who stare don't like this hehehe it's my secret weapon lol!! love your vw shoes, she makes the cutest shoes are they comfortable I wonder? ~Your gorgeous no matter what you have on such a lucky girl you are!! Hope the sun is shining for you now and it feels just like a California Summer ~Love Heather
ReplyDeleteAll your outfits are absolutely fabulous. Let others laugh, they have no individuality or are willing to go against the norm.
ReplyDeleteI noticed that too when we moved to Northern Nevada. People just blend together. I like to wear bright hats or scarves with my neutral coats. It makes it more fun that way.
You really are such a fantastically crazy bint, the world would be so dull without your blog. The weather's pretty lousy here despite it being summer, so I'll try to inject more colour into my daily outfits to brighten the place up again. I love that green skirt soooooo much. Xx
ReplyDeleteI have never even noticed this until I moved to Oregon. In CA people wear color all year long, here in Portland not so much. My husband used to always say I stood out because I am the only one in the entire state of OR to wear color, I will gladly own that title!
ReplyDeleteI love your boxing shorts and your mash up outfit, what did the kids wear I wanna see! I work with a gal who follows all those silly fashion rules, rules are for breaking that's what I say!
XXOO
Krista
Float like a butterfly indeed! Those shorts are the baddest and the mighty mouse tee! So many great things in this post. I will definitely take your advice during winter and try to stay in color. You have inspired me today. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteLove that vid! Favorite music style and era.
ReplyDeleteI just adore your posts Desiree. So uplifting and inspiring. I could feel your description of floating like a butterfly while smiling back at the people who stare.
YES!!! coloured tights are awesome (well, but so are you). I thought my calves were too fat for them but last winter I got brave and found I could wear them well.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the inspiration!
Too bloody right! It does my head in at festivals when it's pissing it down and everyone's in khaki and navy waterproofs. I mean I know they don't make the sodding things in neon pink but there's no excuse for a pair of colourful wellies, feck-off blinging earrings or a pair of butterfly false lashes is there? I thought it was just a Brit thing, evidently not!
ReplyDeleteYou keep on being fabulous, don't let the boring, drab old boring buggers grind you down. xxx
Get in, girl! Colour saturation and legs up to yer bum! Bloody loves ya!!xxxxxx
ReplyDeleteJust like Ali...You are pretty and you are the greatest! You do float like a butterfly and sting like a bee. Knock 'em dead! -T
ReplyDeleteLoving those shorts and the glitter hees are FABULOUS! Such a great DIY. x
ReplyDeletemissmilliemae.blogspot.co.uk
So true, all those drab colours in winter are so bloody depressing. There should be a law against grey coats (even drearier than black). I always have a stock of rainbow tights to cheer myself up, and though they aren't anything like as awesome as your Black Milk jobs, I always get compliments! x
ReplyDeletePenny Dreadful Vintage
You are a dream my dear Desireé!! You can´t imagine how HOT!!! is Spain right now... over 40º
ReplyDeleteThe boxing shorts are a true find! And I love the blue tights with the purple shoes. It's true, even in the states, folks go drab for the winter.
ReplyDeleteI love the two bulls on your sun spot, which obviously spread warmth and sunshine to all those who passed by... I call the dark winter colours hibernation wear. Thank goodness for you!!! to keep the lights on.
ReplyDeleteThose outfits of yours are fabulous. And I recognized this muted color in winter thing too and I can't understand it either. The boring wintermonths are exactly when I really need bright and joyful colors.
ReplyDeleteHave a great day.
It happens in Spain as well.But not me...lol
ReplyDeleteLove, love all your colours, my gorgeous friend.
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I love vivid colour! Glad that you have an inspiring crayola fashion walk. Bright bold colours always makes me happy year round. -xxoo
ReplyDeleteI'd love to be seen with you gorgeous kick ass lady! You always deal with the boring plebs so well. I love the shorts! I'd totally wear them too! M Ali would be proud but so would B Lee! xxxx
ReplyDeleteWinter looks the same here - mostly a sea of black, and I confess that my winter coats tend to be black too :( My outfits reflect how my spirit is that day, and in the winter, it is often a struggle for me to brighten things up - perhaps it is the same for most people? Thank God we have people like you to look toward for colour inspiration! I love your Shoes & tights combos, and hot damn, girl, you can even make boxing shorts look good! FYI, I had posted about Mallory Knox's amazing beaded jewellery on my blog, which is where Sarah found it. Mallory was thrilled that my post brought her some business from the other side of the globe.
ReplyDeleteYou should be arrested for not showing enough of the $2 brocade frock. I am brocade obsessed.
ReplyDeleteI am still smitten with those gold pumps - better than Miu Miu.
I am in winter denial and trying to visually assult as many people as I can with colour. :D
xxx
Whoopsie, was signed into refashion account (comment above) ahhaha! Erica Louise xx
ReplyDeleteOh Girl! i love the outfit with the shinny shorts and the Mickey T, i love, love it! So orginal, so clever, so inspiring, i have to find myself something similar it it just too cool!
ReplyDeleteBut for now i will try to wear my brand new H&M hotpants that i got on sale and those suede black boots i wore on the last post, Vix's suggestion
Keep wearing colors, colors in the winter! You will cheer the ants;)
Ariane xxxx
I wish I had somebody who lived near me like you! Everybody dresses so boring here! I definitely sent that bow to the right person, it's probably seen the most light of day with you. xxx
ReplyDeleteYou need to move over here so we can be prosti color biatchs. Everyone here is grey and boring. I wear as much color as I can.
ReplyDeleteI want to see a full pic of that magnificent brocade dress,
You always have me salivating over all your sweet shoes amor. Boxing shorts are a treat, love the way you have style it up with black cape.fuck them !! They just too afraid and ignorant. They wished they could pull off your stunning look.
Besones
Amaze! I love the boxing shorts, you look absolutely fierce in them. I very much agree with you about Winter - why does this draining of colour happen? And why does everyone look at me like I'm crazy for wearing brights in Winter?
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