Caped Crusades

I've been on a bit of a bender of the caped variety for the past three days in a row.

My heart is telling me to start blowing the cobwebs off my 1940s suits and frocks, but I'm starting slowly by cracking out some capes and furs.

Hello autumn!

I picked up the rice paper parasol from Aid for the Blind today and put it to good use pronto as I lost my beloved 1960s orange frilly brolly a couple of months ago.
Boo!

Chinese brolly, green granny bag, bracelets, metal locket, sequin beret, 1960s cape - thrifted

Glass bead necklaces - gifted by Miss Danni-Long-Legs

Black and silver ring - gifted by Queen Helga

1980s leather cut-offs - Bitching and Junkfood

VW Melissa Wings - Amazon

Top - dunno

I'm rather sleep-deprived this week, resulting in a rather nasty bout of tourettes-like behaviour.
Which means feeling knackered and close to blowing a gasket, but knowing if I don't make some sartorial effort, I'll feel worse.
So on Tuesday, blindingly bright leggings and a clashing 1960s Scottish wool tartan cape were just the thing to keep my pecker up.

Thank god for crazy leggings.
A year ago I swore off jeans and I'm still on the wagon.
I have leggings to thank for getting me through the past three days.
Oh and my beret to cover a couple of bad hair days of course. 

Sequin beret, pink frilly bag, green granny bag, vintage cape - thrifted

Tops - retail sales

Doc Martens - retail

Leggings - Black Milk

Sunnies - shop in Fitzroy, Melbourne

Brrrrrr ... a bright but chilly Monday morning and hell I look tired!!
Quick, grab something, anything to get the kids and I out the door on time.

I woke up with enormous bags under my eyes but too exhausted to wear anything more than mascara and red lippy - the secret to looking half-alive as opposed to half-dead.
Plus, something super-shiny to take the focus off my face.
(Oops, sticker under my shoe!)

Aren't these wrist-warmers just gorgeous?
I felt quite the dandy wearing these little frilly darlings knitted by the very clever Nelly.
And what with this 1960s cape from Queen Helga to flap about it in and some confetti nail polish, I think I managed to fool everyone into thinking I was actually awake.

Oh the irony of crouching over a sewer and feeling like crap - hehehe!

1960s peach and silver cape, Frida brooch on tiara - gifted by darling Helga

Fur mouse clips (on cape) - gifted by the beautiful violinist and bunny-lover, Claire

Frilly wool wrist warmers - gifted by lovely Nelly

Shoes - F21 sale

Pink lace bag, green granny bag, plastic tiara, earrings, other brooches - thrifted

1940s green glass necklace - De Mille Vintage, Melbourne

Pearl strand - Circa Vintage, Melbourne

Leggings - Black Milk

Crappy black cardigan and top - ummm ... what I woke up in.

 Mother's Day on Sunday was so lovely.
I have four awesome kids that are so kind and loving.
Plus I love that a couple of hours of hair and glitter make up playtime with The Stylist is a tonic for both of us.
Love,
Desiree xo

No-Fear Friday

It's Friday.
It's a day ending in "y".
Be brave.
You can dance.
You can wear anything.
You're alive.
And it's foo funky in here to be shy.

1940s fur cape - eBay

1930s silk PJ top - Etsy

1980s leather cut-offs - Bitching and Junkfood

Docs - retail

Rings - gifted by fecktacious Helga

Bag, bangles - thrifted

Headband - handmade, more in my shop, Sassy Vamps!

Barry M nail paint - gifted by darling Vix

Leggings - Black Milk

Sunnies - shop in Fitzroy, Melbourne

The beautiful Sandy of Vain Glory Sinner awarded me a Dark Sunshine Award (how cool is THAT?!!)

She had a few questions for me:

Favourite colour: Green and 1930s-knickers-peach.

Favourite animal: Cats and fox terriers.

Favourite number: Seven

Favourite non-alcoholic drink: Tea! Tea! Tea!

Facebook or Twitter: FB

My passions: The Phoenix, my spawn, treasure-hunting and wearing my "art".

Getting or giving pressies: Both, but I love finding "the thing" obviously meant for a certain person.  And I love surprises.

Favourite pattern: Lurex and stripes - together.

Favourite day of the week: Everyday!

Favourite flower: Rose.

Thank you Sandy! x

And here's some puppy love for you:).

Have a fabulous Friday my lovelies!

Molti baci,

Desiree xo

Let the Wild Rumpus Start!

If Max didn't have a wolf suit or he was a rather girly Maxine, I'm sure he would be happy to wear wild-thing red ruffled bloomers and a pegasus with a 40-a-day habit.

And purple glitter eye shadow.

The swimsuit print was taken from a post-WWII Japanese cigarette advertisement.
Interesting way to get people to take up the habit eh?

 When I heard the author of Where the Wild Things Are, Maurice Sendak, died today, I immediately started reciting the book I read to Number One Son every night until I knew it word perfect and would recite it at work to my colleagues.
Boy that must have been annoying, but they seemed to enjoy the theatrics of the story.

I was never read to as a child, I taught myself to read and it was probably the greatest pleasure of my childhood.
Second best was herding chooks, "illegally" wearing my sister's precious lace-up knee boots and a Wonder Woman cape while dodging sheep poo in the paddock.
It's Number Three Son (hiding above) who out of all my kids, is completely addicted to reading.
Bless.

 I found this tacky wedding garter in the 20-cent bin at Aid for the Blind and spent the day with it around my wrist.

 1950s silk and fur jacket - over-priced vintage shop

Swimsuit - Black Milk

Vintage cotton bloomers - eBay

Headband - handmade, more in my shop, Sassy Vamps!

Patchwork bag - Two Squirrels Vintage

Earrings, purple beads, silver dancing shoes, garter - thrifted

1950s sunnies - flea market in Auckland, NZ

Today we visited my dog, Poppy, to squeeze the new winter wooly jumper I bought her onto her squirming, wriggling, worm-like body.
We can't have her at our house as we don't have a fence and we're not supposed to have pets.  Boo.
I hope you're having a wonderful week and you have a couple of days left to sign up for Lakota's Jubilee Swap at Faith, Hope and Charity Shopping!
Baci,
Desiree xoxo

Meet Me at Babylon and Ting

"Hey love, just popping out for some milk, tea and fruit!"
"OK, but when we go to the uni thing, can you not look like something out of a Fellini movie?"
"Too late babe."

I love living in my own movie ... especially when there is a vintage silver crinoline involved in the plot.
And comic-print tights.
And plastic shoes with huge feckin' balls on them!

I still have my stage hair from Friday night's hi-jinks ... which is where I bought the crinoline.  
She screamed and shook from the rail, begging me to take her home ... how could refuse?
She's just the thing for a one woman show.

Who needs a stunt-double?
Not me thanks.
I prefer to do my own flat-on-my-arse-work.

Have you noticed my tricky new headband?
Quick, have another perve ... yes, it's double-sided!!
Two headbands in one - bloody brill for a low-budget movie don't you think?

"I'm ready for my close-up Frederico!"

Silver crinoline - Lady Vintage Wears

Double-sided headband - from my shop, Sassy Vamps!

Tights - Sock Dreams

VW Melissa Dragon Ball shoes - shopped by the ever-delish, Suzanne

T-shirt - Madonna.com sale

Earrings - Etsy

Pink sparkle necklace - gifted by the scrumptious Krista

Silver granny beads, silver locket and crochet bag - thrifted

Happyeeeeeee Monday!!!
Desiree xoxo

Hot Damn That's Good Cherry Pie!

Well, well, well.
What?  I say ... WHAT is going on here?

Last night's Garter Belts and Gasoline Nostalgia Festival's Rockabilly Ball, that's what.
Nobody, I mean nobody, could help but get into the party mood with rockabilly bands, vintage clothing stalls, THE best hot dogs, jitterbug 'n jiving, plus 1940s and 50s vintage fashion parades all going off like a smokin' hot rod!

 Oh yes, it's all butter-wouldn't-melt for Mrs Demure upon her arrival.

But thanks to our darling parade organisers, Kitty and Sue, suppliers of all the fabulous outfits and party 'tude, once the music heated up, so did the dressing room.
Look at those gorgeous gams on Kitty!!

Don't scorch yer tongue honey coz I'm a'sizzlin' t'night;)).

The gorgeous wench beside me is Andrea, one of the five other models who took part in two parades last night.
Andrea likes driving and tinkering with her beefcake 60s convertible, doing the jive and is discovering the bliss of wearing girly frocks and make-up.

In yellow brocade, we have Chrissy of the Lindy Charm School for Girls who was our compere and is a whiz with a curling iron.
If you want to learn to walk in a corset with a Marilyn-wiggle, she's your gal.
Bec slipped out of her leathers and black jeans and poured her gorgeous figure into some flippin' amazing 1950s frocks!

 The Kitty's Vintage Kitsch and the Shop Time Forgot stall took pride of place in the dance hall, laden with the most eye-boggling array of fabulousness, enough to make grown women weep.

Now I know why nightclubs and pubs are so damn boring ... they don't have vintage clothing stalls, that's why!!!

The lovely sisters, Emily and Liz, own Lady Vintage Wears and had a metallic silver crinoline, which screamed "take me home!"
So I did.
I'm sure I'll be taking pics of the wee darling when it gets its first outing:).

 These fabulous shoes were a size too small for me.

 But the gorgeous, soft leopard-print knickers with pink bows from Bonsai Kitten, fit-just-right-so-I'll-take-them-thanks-very-much!

 Hair and make-up done, time for some fun:).

 The gorgeous redhead is Miss Evelyn who did the finishing touches to my hair and wow'ed the crowd in this spectacular liquorice-allsorts swimsuit.
Oh and I'm sure there will be many more pictures of the night's shenanigans to come.
But I think Kitty will need to get through the festival and have a good night's sleep first.
Thank you for inviting me Kitty and Sue, you sweet thangs!!
And thank YOU for all your kind words about my third anniversary this week.
I'm touched for the very first time;) !!
Baci,
Desiree xo