Dime a Dozen

I've been in a style funk for a couple of months now.
In limbo for this long, my it's no fun.
Then our local Vinnies and Salvos recently shut up shop for a couple of weeks and reopened in vastly improved, bigger premises just a few doors away from their original digs.
Days later, I was strolling down the street and spotted a new shop, Pop Up Vintage.
Clearly the planets were aligned and it was time for a jolly good rummage to whet the appetite.

I've been wearing cast offs since I was a kid and I can't recall an occasion when I didn't get excited about wearing someone else's clothes.
I learned to sew at a young age and was sewing most of my own clothes by 16 then once I started working I loved treating myself to new gear.
But I always returned to second hand clothes and to this day, I get more of a thrill from finding something odd, used and inexpensive than prancing about in clothes from over-priced, pretentious boutiques.

During the 90s, I wouldn't have been seen dead in saggy floral frocks like this, even when they were popular here in Brisbane.
It was strictly black all the way for me back then, which I still love, although these days my black outfits are usually highly decorated.
But ever since I grabbed this fine cotton frock from Pop Up Vintage for $12, I've worn it nearly everyday.
Just goes to show it's never too late to change your mind about style.

 

Cotton frock - Pop Up vintage shop

1960s beauty case, Demonia shoes, jewellery and 1940s fur cape - op shops and markets

Tights - Sock Dreams

The black sequin 80s top was a closing-time $10 bargain from Camberwell Market in Melbourne during our recent adventures and I found the cotton stretch skirt at the Red Cross shop.

When I took it to the counter I was told if I bought two items I'd get the third for free, so I found two more skirts and paid just $10 for the three.

Bargain-ous!

I haven't worn tube-style skirts since my Madonna days in the 80s, so I'm cracking open yet another time capsule.

1980s sequinned top - Camberwell Markets, Melbourne

1950s leopard-print beret and 1970s beaded bag - Nelly of Vintage Wishes

Fishnet top - online sale

Skirt - Red Cross op shop

Jewellery - all op-shopped

1970s leather boots - second-hand from local boot makers

I've unpicked part of the waistband of this fab 80s taffeta skirt as it's too small.

I can't wait to finish it as I love it!

It's the second of the three-skirt bargains.

The kilt was the third of the three-skirt bargains.

After my recent wardrobe purge, I realised I'm low on skirts and a Scottish kilt for three bucks?

Yes please.

This is my favourite t-shirt in the world.  

I have no idea what will happen when Miss Camel Toe goes to t-shirt hell, but it's not worth sweating over.  

She only cost me a few bucks, so it's no great financial loss, yet Miss Camel Toe has attitude and understands me.

Green leather jacket - Camberwell Market 
Black t-shirt - online second hand shop
Bangles, earrings - op shops
Pink tights - Sock Dreams
Shoes - market
FREEKY necklace - custom made by Phussy

I trawl op shops and second hand markets for ideas when I'm in a style funk.

What do you do?

Baci,

Desire xox

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 Soon Is Now?

Do you know what's really great about decluttering?
Aside from the obvious benefits of sorting through shite to separate things into "keep" and "biff" piles, one finds much-loved treasures.
I rediscovered this butter-soft leather vest, weird petti-skirt thingy and gorgeous sparkly blue belt.
In fact, everything I'm wearing here, including the bag, was taking a break from the public eye.

These things weren't hidden away, just resting, waiting for me to re-visit them.
The belt was a gift from Clare of Miss Simmonds Says.
I've worn it more often in the past year, than any belt I've ever owned.  
I have a small collection of belts, but they're slowly ending up in The Stylist's wardrobe as I find them uncomfortable to wear ... except for this sparkly sequinned number.
Oh by the way, don't worry, The Stylist is getting her fair share of bits and pieces put away for her during this period of clothes sorting ... probably not for long, she's getting very tall!

Leather vest, Amy Winehouse rosary - Etsy

Earrings - Bones Couture

Rubber bracelets - DIY from The Stylist

Skirt, bag, granny beads, bangle - op shops

1950s hat - gift from Nelly of Vintage Wishes

Shoes - second hand market

Bodysuit - retail sale

Gosh look at all that wonky cropping!  I'm linking up to Citizen's Shoe Shine today.
Our tree is finally up and surprise, surprise, no presents are wrapped.  
What are you up to this weekend?
Baci, D xoxo

There's a War in My Mind

There are a number of ways to grow older.
I've chosen an unfamiliar path, an exhilarating one I feel most comfortable travelling along.
Until now.
It's not an unfamiliar feeling.
I vividly recall the unwelcome surprises adolescence visited upon my body ... changes I wasn't ready for and lashed out at without success.
It happened again during pregnancy and post-birth with #1 Son ... stretch marks like welts disappearing into secret places.
More physical and emotional changes went with the second, third and fourth big babies I carried, birthed and fed.
Then a lull, a time when walking, running, yoga and most of all dancing, became my joys.
Then I gave up alcohol and watched my bloated face disappear and cheekbones reappear.
More recently I've liked the creases around my eyes and neck ... now they are deeply etched and I realise yet again, I am unprepared for the next stage of permanent physical changes that come with ageing.
The creases and lines are there on "good" days and "bad", while although menopause hasn't even started knocking at the door, it's something I'll need to start thinking and reading about.
Dear reader, this is not a fishing expedition.
I need no reassurance.
I'm just putting it out there ... I'm talking about ageing, toying once again with the concept, getting accustomed to looking older than I did a few months ago.
And as always I tell myself and anyone who will listen, if we're lucky we'll get to live to a ripe old age.
Life is beautiful.

Yesterday I took my neck crepe to the Salvos where The Stylist snapped off a few pics of her happy but extremely tired Mama.
Fatigue seems to be a permanent state for me these days.
Again ... not complaining, it's just a fact of life.

Black sequin beret, 1950s layered slips, Papua New Guinea bilum bag, necklace and earrings - op shops

Leather jacket - retail sale

Layered tights - Sock Dreams

Miss Camel Toe t-shirt - Ms Mink

Shoes - Dolls Kill sale

Later that day, I took The Stylist to a birthday party where she dressed as Bat Girl.
I guess that makes me Bat Mama here.

Careful of those hooves!

Like Mama's, they've got some real leverage and she seems relieved at being taught to accept growth spurts as a means to becoming stronger.

I hope growing up is easier for my sons and daughter, than it was for me and my peers.

When her cape didn't work out, I chopped the back off one of her brother's t-shirts, leaving the neckband intact so she could pull it over her head.

And I painted a pretty lame upside down bat and told her it was asleep - heehee.

My knitting skills are at the uber-beginner stage, but I made these two pairs of fingerless mittens for our cold mornings.
They're brilliant for using with touch screens.
Here's the super-easy tutorial to make them.

I thought I'd show you my hair in the wave clips I used to create today's 1930s-style hair-do ... with extra pinkage!

1930s Hair with Wave Clips from Desiree on Vimeo.

I do hope you've enjoyed a spectacular weekend, every one of you!

Baci,

Desiree xx

Show Us Ya Pink Bits

I can't pinpoint the moment when pink no longer made my heart go pitter-patter.
It may have been the first time I watched open-mouthed, like a stunned mullet, Madonna grinding her way through Lucky Star.
Thirty-odd years later, gorgeous wenches in Bloglandia bombard my eyes with pinky goodness.
I'm carefully dipping my toe back into the land of fairy floss.

Until recently, the closest thing I had to pink clothing were my 1930s peachy nighties, slips and scanties.
Until Helga sent me this glorious 1960s pink nightie last year.
Glory be it's too deliciously frothy to wear in bed, so today was its first outing ... as a frock no less.
Say hello to my pink bits.

Pink nightie - from hornacious Helga

T-shirt - from the glorious Tralala

Sequinned belt - from babelicious blond, Clare

"FREEKY" necklace - custom made by Phussy

Leggings - Black Milk

Johnny Cash earrings - custom made by Create Beautiful Beads

Leather vest, blue granny necklace, pink sunnies - Etsy

Bangles, pink headband and bag - thrifted 

Green velvet hair bow - gift from Glitters for Dinner

Docs - Solestruck sale

Rings - craft shops

I have other bits to show you, not all pink, but gifts from absolutely fabulous wenches who have been so very kind.

The first parcel was from the absolutely scrumptious Em of Ivy Black Chat.

She knows my weakness for a particular evil bunny.

The necklaces were made by Dee, one for The Stylist and one for me - love this parcel Em!

In today's mail was a parcel from the absolutely divoooooooon Louise of Princess Prudence Diaries.

She sent me this beautiful blue 1960s dress which I adore ... just a couple of wee adjustments and I'll be looking forward to greeting autumn with this baby.

The badges are for The Stylist and she loves them!  I got fab falsies with crowns on them, a bling-bling hip belt, a gorgeous, working vintage watch and lovely jewellery.
What thoughtfulness Louise, thank you so much!

I know, I know, I'm spoilt.

This time by glorious Vanessa of Two Squirrels Vintage, who has recently bought and is settling into an absolutely heavenly old church in Dunedin, NZ.

Circus treasures for a carni bint!

Lily crawled inside the dress and made herself at home.
She was so gentle with it, perhaps she smelled lovely kitty cats?

Just sharpening up my skills with my new training textbook.

Circus frock and vintage glass bead necklace - from the adorable Vanessa

Pink cuff and earrings - from darling Louise

"Anti-Joyce" and "The Insect Circus" badges, sequinned belt - Clare

Giant leopard-print brooch - made by Helga

Headband - DIY, more at my shop Sassy Vamps!

Pink sparkle necklace - from darling Krista

Purple beaded necklace, bangles, DIY'd leather gloves, other brooches - thrifted

Shoes with DIY glitterfication - Camberwell Market, Melbourne

Green skull necklace - craft market

I showed you mine, will you show me your latest goodies?
Have an adventurous weekend wenches!
Kisses,
Desiree xoxo