It's So Easy ... Sometimes

Wonderful, drenching rain means tea, crusty old movies, hot scones and sewing.
Thankfully we've had plenty of it all here so I'm feeling rather smug and happy.
And bloated.

This is one of the three-skirt bargains I picked up from the Red Cross op-shop last week where I bought three skirts for $10.
The waistband on this one was too small so I unpicked it, added some fabric to the waistband, re-did the gathering to fit my waist, then sewed it back on.
The next day I got a blood-bomb and my waist shrunk a couple of inches. 
WTF is that about?
So I unpicked the sodding thing, re-made the waistband, re-gathered the skirt and sewed the fucker back together.
This skirt is lucky I love it, despite it reminding me of the 80s when I didn't have a pre-menstrual waistline like saggy elastic.

These two don't have to worry about such news-dominating issues.

1970s Coffey movie t-shirt - Creative Markets
1950s tapestry handbag - gift from my beautiful sister, Merilyn

Fishnet t-shirt - online sale

Skirt - Red Cross

Shoes - vintage market

Jewellery - Camberwell Market and op shops

Tights - both from Sock Dreams

Getting as much wear out of this wee dear until my waistline explodes again.

Some skirts are kinder than others and there's really nothing more comfortable than a Franken-Skirt.

It's a t-shirt in a skirt and if you need to rustle one up in a flash, here's how:

Grab a guy's t-shirt (bloke's t-shirts are WAY cooler than chick's ones).

Cut the sleeves off.

Slice the top off.

Sew up what's left of the armholes.

Grab some stretch fabric and cut a rectangle that will fit around your waist and stretch over your hips.

Sew the ends together to make a circle.

Fold the circle in two, wrong sides together.

Zig-zag the waistband to the top of the t-shirt, stretching the band to fit the skirt.

Put the skirt on.

Do a dance.

Here's some music.

Sequin top, Marvel t-shirt - op shops

Gold lion necklace - gift from lovely Miss Ada

Boots - second hand from local boot maker

Leggings - Black Milk

You're welcome.

Love Desiree xox

Linking to Patti's Visible Monday.

We Can Get Together

'Ere what's this then?
Us outdoors in the sunshine?
Has the world turned on its axis?

Not quite.
The Phoenix was well enough for a Sunday drive and picnic in his pride and joy, his 4L MKIII Ford Cortina, a beefier version of the Gene Genie's car.
That's what Sundays are about aren't they?  
Last week Tania Freckleface described her ideal Sunday and this is how we spent ours today.
We took a drive a few miles north from home to Nudgee Beach's leash-free dog park and to Redcliffe.
Very simple you understand, but it was just right for us: a glorious sunny day, three petrol heads in a grunt car, a delicious picnic, fantastic company, admiring other people's dogs without out the hassle of shit and fights, a search for sea shells, a bit of colouring in, great coffee, ice cream, fish 'n chips and pecan pie.

The Phoenix spent a couple of decades living in Sheffield, home to the lovely Curtise, and he gets quite a kick out of describing the local lingo.
Here he's describing the concept of a "scrape", where a balding man disguises his scalp with a comb-over and if the issue is particularly worrisome, a bloke will "look like he's scraped his hair up from his armpits".
Clearly these matters are quite understandably disturbing to a child, even though I'm sure she won't need to worry about perfecting a "scrape".

How about those amazing sunnies huh?
Got them for The Stylist on sale from Dolls Kill.
She also needed to wear her new pink boots.

We ate, we danced, we threw my hat about, we lolled about in the sunshine, we marvelled at a nutty sculpture.
Sunday indeed.

I hope you've enjoyed a marvellous weekend!

Desiree x

Face the Day

Yesterday I watched an interesting episode of Stylelikeu's What's Underneath Project, a series in which interviewees remove layers of clothing while deeply personal questions are posed to them.
Dominique's statement that she could never determine if she was capable of leaving the house unless she was wearing baubles and a boa, rang true for me.
I didn't have anything particularly challenging to achieve that morning, yet I knew I wouldn't be able to get anything done if all my colours matched perfectly, nor if I was wearing griege.
To me, THIS does certainly not go with THAT ... no two outfits are ever the same.
If I've been experiencing particularly rapid-cycling mania, which has been happening a lot lately, I need my comforts.
For a quick pick-me-up my comforts are: red lipstick, liquid liner, big earrings, big rings, bangles, scarves, huge headwear, big footwear, hair dye.
If I have more time or I'm worried about blowing a gasket, I have other friends to help me through a rough patch: glitter eyeshadow, masses of necklaces and more rings, 1930s nightie-frocks, layered hosiery, furs and repeat. Twice.

Miss Camel Toe did a fine job of helping me through the day.
She's my hero and I love her so much, I don't know what I'll do if she ever runs away.

To quote Rog, "being in your body is a good place to be because it's the only place you can be".
So I guess if person's body and mind are at war with one another, there is no room for fast, faddish fashion... one must find a way to peace.
I found my peace in layering a Japanese haori jacket over leather shorts, my Miss Camel Toe t-shirt and a 1930s scarf-tying experiment.
That was yesterday, today is today and I cannot predict what I need to wear to feed my soul tomorrow.

How Very Grand!

As a highly fashionable, in-demand, stylish, social butterfly, my diary is rammed with appointments, invitations and A-list events where I score tons of free shit.
I often forget to tend to things boring people do like wash my hair, trim my pubes, pluck my brows and turn on the dishwasher.
So yesterday when The Stylist and I decided we needed to make a show of being super-ordinary and do something other than homework, colouring-in and ignoring the dirty washing pile, we dropped everything and went to see The Grand Budapest Hotel.
We couldn't make it to the premiere opening because I was soaking my bras that night so better late than never eh?

I had about two inches of regrowth to blitz on Friday night so thought I'd may as well put a few drops of pink hair dye in the conditioner.
I have a very short attention span and a bit of old-lady-memory-loss, which is an interesting combination - I often get quite a fright in the morning as I stumble to the loo after a night spent with the dye bottle.
Beats a hangover.

Ain't she cute?  And looking grown up? Eeeeek!

Wool beret - Etsy

1920s men's tailcoat - eBay

Red Nose Day tshirt and "Perfect" badge - gifts from fabulous Tralala!

"FREEK" necklace - custom made by Bones Couture

1980s earrings and 1950s ostrich-skin bag - second hand

Green necklace - market

Leggings - Black Milk

Boots - retail

Oh and the hair?  I mixed about a teaspoon of Manic Panic's Hot Hot Pink with a cup of conditioner and left it in for about 40 minutes.

I made the biggest roast pork in history with impressive crackling like leather straps and burnt my hand on the oven.  Worth it.

I wanted to look like a lobby boy and I think I could have pulled it off if it wasn't for the handbag.  

In other news, I finished off a dress for The Stylist.
Now we can be matching. 
The fabric is a cotton sheet and the pattern (dated 1974) - both from op shops.
It's a bit wide in the bodice and shoulders, but it's my first go in making something for the wee lassie in a while.
I wanted the dress to be big enough to wear in a couple of years if she wants, even if she ends up spray painting, studding or shredding it in ironic teen defiance.
I think the puffy sleeves are damn impressive.
I do love a puffy sleeve don't you?

Oh and this is the pattern (also dated 1974) I used to make these two frocks.
Clearly it was a very stylish year.