Wednesday, January 16, 2013

The Pretty Things are Going to Hell

No don't look at the hair, I had no idea the wind had blown the bejesus out of it.
But I must say it was a welcome cool breeze, so I wore the delicious 1970s nylon frock Mrs D of Hello the Mushroom sent me last week.
A perfect fit.
And gosh, a bit of tan-action going on there with all the swimming we've been doing this summer.

Summertime also means mosquitoes come a'flocking and I end up a'scratching, resulting in delightful join-the-dots scabs and scars.
Hmmmmm.



Evidence of lots of sea and sand: peeling toenail polish.
Meh!



Frock - gifted by Mrs D of Hello the Mushroom
Crochet bangle - art gallery bargain
Anklets - gifted by reader, Tra-la-la
All other jewellery - thrifted
Bag - craft market
VW Melissa wedges - Melissa sale
Well that was a few days ago.
Today I found this gorgeous print in the Salvos for $10, it's called The Ice Cream Vendor, by Huldah Cherry Jeffe (1901-2001).
I did a wee search on Huldah and many of her beautiful paintings depict exquisite red-cheeked Parisian lassies with huge sparkly eyes and bright red lips.
So charming.


I even love the crumbling frame.
I have a "thing" for imperfections, they convey warmth and a life well-lived.

The latest treasure joined my wall of portraits of women.
I've been collecting pictures of interesting female faces for about a decade now, I ran out of wall space long ago, yet I can't give it up.
I'm not interested in landscapes.
I love faces or paintings of furnished rooms: evidence of humanity.


My two Madonna's chat, debate and bicker constantly.
I bought the Vogue single from Nelly of Vintage Wishes.

This rather old and faded patchwork quilt covers up the sofa cushions that are getting tatty - just three bucks from Vinnies.


There seems to be an abundance of lovely old aprons in the op shops and I love this one of Australian wildflowers.
I picked up both the apron and gingham tablecloth for a couple of bucks from Vinnies.


No time for make-up today.
Not a scrap.
Only time to slide on this glorious 1960s slip I snapped up for a song from The Slipperie's Boxing Day sale.
It has embroidered flowers on the bodice and frill **faints**.


Another Etsy bargain, this time from Niddiebone; a 1930s fine silk bed jacket for just five bucks!
Yes I did scream with joy when I unwrapped it.

1960s rayon slip - Etsy, The Slipperie
1930s silk bed jacket - Etsy, Niddie's Rag and Bone Shop
Green skull necklace - craft market
1950s tapestry bag - gifted by my dear sister
Anklets - gifted by Tra-la-la
All other jewellery - thrifted
Shoes - as before



I hope you're hanging in there, you can do it, yes you can!
Love Desiree xo

40 comments:

  1. I LOVE the two Madonnas!!!

    You look smashing, as always. I hate what sand does to a pedicure.

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  2. In my mind, I'm laying all over your couch. Love your wall of women

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  3. There is always so much fabulousness in your posts I never know where to start! Firstly, love the gifted dress, I knew it would look great on. Love love the wall of women, what a great idea and your cushion collection - sigh! I used to try and cover my tatty old sofa (a freebie) with throws and cushions but it never looked as fine as yours. The tapestry bag is delightful and I would never have been able to tell you weren't wearing make up. Gorgeous as always xxxx

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  4. I think sand and sea are a great reason for a scraped pedicure. In fact, no better reason!
    I love the little bed jacket. Aren't bed jackets one of the best inventions?

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  5. I think your hair look cute! And - bed jackets is probably the best garment you can have in a wardrobe!

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  6. The embroidered slip dress is just so major-- you look gorgeous! I love how I feel/look after getting to spend a lot of time in the sun and water. I never did give a shit about perfect nails :) Love the pictures. One of my fav parts about vintage art is the (usually) distressed frames.

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  7. What a cozy homey sofa you have!!! I could just sink into it with a good book and a cuppa tea!
    Love both your outfits--you definitely can rock a slip and the new frock is gorgeous!!

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  8. Hello Des!
    You look gorgeous in not a stitch of makeup. *FOR REALZ* Your slip and bed jacket are rather lovely and that painting is quite sweet *literally* *hehehe*

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  9. Oh God, Desiree, so much to swoon and drool over. Firstly, you - love the first dress and the bed jacket. SEcondly, I love seeing snippets of your home. The wall of females is fabulous. I know what you mean, I'm not usually a landscape fan. I want to snuggle down on that sofa of yours. Cushions, patchwork and blankets - *contented sigh*.

    Are you referring to the Stooges' song in your post title: "Your pretty face is going to hell"? It happens to be one of my favourite songs EVER and I'm going to have that in my head for the rest of the day. Which is a very good thing. xx

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  10. Love the print of the first dress and the dots on the slip. Totally awesome! I don't wear make up unless we're going out. Too much work if no one but the cat will see me.

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  11. I love you with or without makeup, dressed up dressed down, in a slip or in a suit I just love you!
    XXOO

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  12. I love both of these dresses on you Desirae! That blue one is really pretty on you!

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  13. You look great in that slip dress!

    and I love your art wall and crochet bangle! :D

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  14. I like to read that you collect female faces--I painted a landscape once for my parents, and didn't have the "happy" feeling that painting female portraits always gives me! :) Also: love that blue polka-dot slip.

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  15. Love-worn all the way here too!
    And Mah Gawd - The Slipperie - ABSOLUTE GENIUS name!!

    We have a selection of ladies in the nip in the bathroom (ours isn't as posh as this one)
    http://www.campbell-fine-art.com/items.php?id=326

    Whilst we have lots of Janey Morris brooding away in the living room and a big nuddy Klimt in the middle room.

    I love your couch and am joining in with everyone else who is bouncing on it.

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  16. I can just imagine feeling right at home at your place...if that doesn't sound too weird! love your collection of pictures, pillows and blankets...nothing worse than visiting a house with blank walls & no colour!
    and seriously noone can stack bangles quite like you! x

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  17. And joining in with the guess the lyric - is that Mr David Bowie on the Stigmata soundtrack? (EARWORM)

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  18. You have such a cozy inviting home. I love the way you have it decorated. Fabulous dresses. I especially love the navy one with the red dot hem. That is adorable.

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  19. Happy New Year lovely! I hope you are surviving the heat wave - you're certainly looking stylishly hot in those pretty summer dresses. Love the two madonnas on the wall - that made me smile.

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  20. you are a beacon of stylish gorgeousness in the wilting heat, and lawks yes to an apron like those - i'm after a frill fest of an apron x

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  21. I love your new painting! Her style reminds me a lot of Strevens, look him up - oh and M Debil too, I think I own one of only two pictures of his work online. Anyway back to you.... you look stunning in that dress you were sent! gorgeous. Almost demure in these outfits, demure but never boring. They're both so fabulous. That blue and red dress is rather glam. Love a good apron! xxxx

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  22. Desiree the print of that first dress is so strangely alluring, I love it! It's kinda conservative, but you umph it to the max as always. And the blue slip dress is purty!!! How do you look so gorg with no make up on??? I'd look a fright...!

    Catherine x
    http://notdressedaslamb.com

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  23. I just knew I would love that first frock on you....and I DO!!!! Super groovy & I love the style. Your windswept hair looks fantastic too. I so want to sit on that glorious sofa of yours & sip a frappe....the patchwork quilt is to die for!!!! We would have been fighting to the death for that if I'd been there...Hehe! And that slip looks incredible on you, I love the red details. Super foxy lady!!!! Mwah Xx

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  24. I love love love love love both of these outfits.

    Your hair makes me SOO happy- I love it SO much!

    I have an obsession with Huldah. One of the first things I ever bought from my job is a print of a girl holding a package in the park by Huldah. LOVE it. :-) It's in my sewing room.

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  25. I so adore your lovely, lovely slip and that amazing bedjacket ($5 is just the best) and I am so happy that you wear them out and about as is because they - and you - look so smashing! I love the couch quilt and the wildflower apron.

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  26. Your collection of painting is just perfect and I love very much how you displayed the two Madonnas!Mrs D's dress is beautiful and that silk bed jacket is a real bargain!I'd like to collect more clothes from that fantastic era!!You are gorgeous even without make-up, my tanned natural beauty!!!
    Lots of love & baci!!!xxxxxxxxxx

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  27. I love the shots of your home! It looks so cosy & lived in - I can't stand houses that have no personality, or that look cold. Yours looks lovely!

    Love both the outfits too - those frocks are gold!

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  28. Loving your new print its so sweet. Im with you on paintings of ladys i have a real thing for them to. Loving your finds you look stunning in your blue slip. dee xx

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  29. Love your hairstyle in the 1st pic its crazy ! Great finds, that bedjacket is wonderful and i like that print. So gorgeous ! xx

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  30. There is so much awesomeness in this post! The gifted dress is beautiful on you (I think your windblown hair is rather cute), and that embroidered slip is worth a "SQUEE!!" I like your wall of interesting women, especially the dialoguing Madonnas. Your place looks so colourful and cozy!

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  31. *Gasp*! at that blue slip, it's DIVINE! And when you need a break from being fabulous you can just jump straight into bed with it too. Love seeing inside your colourful house :) xx

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  32. A bit of sexacious lusty tan action going on,baby!MMMMM, you look all warm, tousled and sexy summery! I can smell the sand and sea and coconut tan lotion from here!Love the new frock from Mrs D and ADORE the slip from The Slipperie! PHWOAR! No one, bu no one wears a slip like you!!!
    Speaking of awesome, that gorgeous Kelly-Marie of A Harem of Peacocks has got some fine goodies on Etsy at the moment, I totally thought of you, here's some gorgeous pieces!
    Love and lustipops!
    XXXXXXXXXX

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  33. Fantastickle slip you have there. Rather liking you without make up, and with wind blown hair.

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  34. Everything is so right with this post I don't know where to start. I adore your hair (though I can totally see you with a big of a bouff). The outfits are amazing and you must turn heads wherever you go. I've added you to my blog list so I don't miss a moment of your adventures.

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  35. Bejayzus Mary and Madonna, I am SO behind...

    I love this slip so much - EMBROIDERED RED FLOWERS!!! Yes please!

    I love your hair all wind and windblown and Wuthering Heights-esque. You are so stunningly beautiful without a scrap of makeup. I am DESPERATE to shoot you - let's meet in the middle (Port Mac?) for a weekend of photos and fun and faffing!?

    Your sofa is my kind of sofa and I love that wall of women - makes me want to shuffle a few things around in my shack and do an homage wall - would you mind terribly??

    You are a rock STAR.

    Sarah xxx

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  36. Working my way backwards through your blogs Desiree, I am so far behind this week too and I hate to miss anything. So much beautiful stuff here, I do like landscapes if they're really lovely, but when it comes to drawing I always draw people, I don't even like having to do a background for them, I get bored at that point. Your home is sooo lovely, we should do one of those holiday swaps but I'm afraid you'd be getting the short straw coming here! You'd land in a very messy house with two yappy dogs, a grumpy cat and a bunch of chickens to look after. You look gorgeous as always, that goes without saying, I love the peeling nail varnish look anyway. Your first dress makes me think of dresses my mum wore and I thought she was so pretty in them, so are you. xx

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  37. lovely dresses and you look summery and gorgeous, love your genuine style to slip on a dress and some fabulous bijouterie and rock it!
    besos

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  38. I love both your frocks to pieces. I am slowly getting better at the eBay and Etsy things. Most of my purchases have been jewelry and one coat, must figure out how to find the vintage dresses in my size.

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  39. Oh my, the dress looks perfect on you! I'm so glad I sent it your way!
    The wall of portraits is amazing, I wish I could have my own apartment again to display my collections!!!

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Just do it ...

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