Turbans

Colder weather often leaves me trying to shroud myself in any way that I can- in my younger years I experienced a great love of Sherpa beanies with their woolen fleece to retain all thermal heat. With my "discovery" of Etsy and a rejuvenated love of all things vintage, I love clothes labelled with Mad Men such as stylised turbans and chic office wear blouses and sun dresses. I don't imagine that I'd be as courageous enough to wear something as intricate as an origami wrapped turban to university but I do love the way it brightens up an outfit and offsets an entirely black outfit and matching Mac cosmetics goody bag. I love the dark shade of lipstick in contrast to the fair complexion of the girl pictured above as well.

My family has no affiliation with racing or the Spring Carnival of Melbourne, but it does give one a good opportunity to dress in a fanciful and imaginative way. I for one look forward to an Alice in Wonderland novel themed clutch to spy on as well as my own tea party filled with the scent of Turkish apple. When else will it be acceptable to wear feathers on one's head and bright coral lipstick too?

Although Summer has well and truly left the Southern Hemisphere I'm still keen to buy myself a replacement pair of sunglasses- I imagine that to obtain a pair of cat's eyes glasses covered in small plastic flowers would be quite the rarity. I wish I had a bit of a darker complexion to contrast such sweet pastel tones- I suppose the mark of a good fashion blogger is being able to make yourself shine and the clothes as well. I love the casual throw-away lance over the shoulder and the matching lipstick as well- wonderful for a full pair of pouting lips.

Hipster Sweater

Wearing: Vintage Sweater and printed leggings, This is Make Believe Resin Rose Necklace.

I had been waiting to put together this particular outfit post since Christmas but living in Australia Summer was the wrong time to drop this small and knitted bombshell. For some strange reason my digital camera of twelve megapixels is creating this soft focus and dreamy romantic tincture instead of being clear cut and as distinct as I would like it to be. I figured while I had the red nails I may as well done the knitted sweater I've owned for ten years as well as the old and stretchy and poorly made leggings with an Aztec print. 

The sweater is something I'll wear when going out on occasion if it's cold enough but the leggings are more of a casual sort of thing but they're irregular and poorly made by an amateur, they cost less than twenty dollars so I can't readily complain. I just thought it would be fun to mix the two items together although the white of the sweater and yellow of the printed leggings seem to readily clash with one another. I wonder who really dresses like this on a day to day bases, I don't mind the sweater and with denim shorts  and perhaps I would be more keen on the leggings if they actually fit a normal and symmetrical person.

With limited time to play around with my favourite camera and tripod combination I ended up looking scared and wide-eyed sitting down in the middle of my hallway. I think that I have mastered the look of having my lips ajar and they do look rather sculptural but I should have scanned my floor before including the fallen pen on the left of this photograph before it was taken.

Red Lips, Black Jumper

I don't feel up to being a show pony in front of the camera and tripod today so I decided to showcase a few old photographs from me goofing around with red lipstick. It's good to see these photographs though because it shows how long my hair has gotten now, it's got a good four inches on it compared to the length shown here. I really wish I hadn't lost that tube of red lipstick, although I have others none of them have that coral sort of quality about them but I don't wear lipstick that often anyway so, no harm done really.

If I had the motivation and a second job to work I'd love to collect a few more vintage collared shirts such as the one pictured above but the world doesn't quite work that way and I have to make do with what I have available in my wardrobe. A few more eBay auctions down the track and once I rid myself of some more junk and pick up some cash then I'll probably raid Etsy of cool vintage stuff but until then I should just stick to wearing all the clothes I already have.

Today's the day the Teddy Bears have their Picnic

Wearing: White American Apparel Short-Sleeve Blouse and vintage straw hat with paisley scarf. 

 

Today I had a small catch up with some of my friends from high school and got to enjoy their company in the sun and have a small picnic involving lots of chip bags, partial shade and several naughty magpies. I donned a straw hat since I left the house. not caring about the effect of hat hair and planting it firmly on my head as a fashion piece as well as something to keep away the sun. I can feel the distant heat on the back of my neck and I have a bold mark from where I wore my watch but other than that the signs of the sun aren't clearly visible. 

I hope that during this Summer everyone remembers that there's nothing healthy about bathing in the sun to get a tan when you can get it out of a bottle and be healthy. Skin Cancer is rampant in Australia and I wish people would realise that it is a slow and silent killer, be sun smart in a chic and vintage way and wear a hat.

Sweetheart

This is my first outfit post so everyone please be kind! I really didn't bother with covering up the blemishes on my face properly but I like the shape of my eyebrows as well as the soft waves in my hair from an overnight braid. Yesterday my American Apparel blouse came in the mail and I was excited to show it to you and with a short summery skirt as well. I've had the skirt for about a year now, bought from America and I usually wear it with tights because its so short. I'd love to wear this on Friday to my university information session but it will be too hot for tights and I'll probably just find a different skirt or shorts to cope with the heat.

Wearing: American Apparel Short-Sleeve Blouse, Forever 21 Skirt and Vintage gingham scrunchie.

Fortunately for an XS/S blouse this fits me perfectly and I just love the shape of the Peter Pan collar and since I bought it in white I can easily wear any bottoms with it and necklaces as well. I'm looking forward to wearing this top as a staple part of my wardrobe. I always wear this necklace of an 'A' made in crystals- I got it over a year ago for Christmas from my boyfriend and I never take it off unless I'm going to work. It's sort of my good luck charm.

This is the best I can manage when usinga tripod and darting in front of the camera lens before it snaps the photograph. The outfit's plain and sweet, just like me. In retrospect I could have dressed it up by hanging one of my Diana F+ cameras from my neck but I like the messy bun, gingham scrunchy and my newest blouse. I've still got to figure out strategies as to how to show off the entire outfit properly as well as showing off shoes when I wear some actually. I don't know whether to enlist in the help of someone or try more with taking self-portraits. This would be so much easier if I had a sister who wouldn't mind if I twisted her arm into helping me...

I'm getting my ends trimmed this Sunday and maybe my layers redone as well but I am a little wary of the hairdresser, she's a family friend so I have to be polite and tell her I like her work even if I'm crying on the inside. It doesn't look like I'll be dip-dyeing my hair before my cut but it has been more than half a year since I last got my hair cut let alone trimmed. I like it long, means I can pull off some interesting photographs.

Vintage Kimonos

Bright colours always cheer me up when I'm a little, evidently I painted my nails bright red to chase away the blues when I didn't get my first preference for university but I don't mind the offer I have- there are lots of cool clubs I can join, although the campus is very ugly and was built in the 1960s. I don't have anything against vintage things, but lets just say that the Summer of Love and hippy movement wasn't all that great for inspiring architecture. To brighten up my day some more I've been scribbling notes in my wonderful Rebound Book Diary of Bambi with notes for the units of study I want to take, flicking through Vogue and later I'll trash a nice thick copy of British Vogue for pictures. 

I love the big bold panel at the back of this otherwise plain kimono- the combination of coral red and the bright aqua blue makes the design of the koi fish seem even brighter. I love the long drapery and length of the Kimono, while it may not offer a lot of comfort in terms of warmth I've always been attracted to fashion pieces that allow me to hide under them. A bit of a safety blanket, psychological thing really.

One of the first garments I ever made (poorly constructed) was a kimono from a commercial fabric patternso there's a little nostalgia to see all these lovely patterns and that long draping structure. I didn't have the long sleeves or the length shown here but I did do my best and got one of the higher grades in the class, probably mainly due to who I chose to associate with in that class. I enjoyed the little embroidered detail, dying my own fabric and spending time hunched over a sewing machine- one of my happier memories of high school really. Except for that big-boobed bitch who thought it was funny to throw beads at me from across the room to try and get a reaction out of me. Dumb bitch.

There are sorts of colours as well as sizes and lengths to kimonos and if I were ever bold enough to buy one I would wear it in lieu of a dressing gown just around the house. You have to get the biggest and brighter colour though- my Literature rabbited on one lesson about how colour is used to accentuate mood and that when you become sick you wear more red to feel healthier. I could sure go for a bright red or burnt orange coloured kimono for when I next get sick and maybe some chicken soup and orange juice. I'm generally very lucky though and don't get sick very often, fingers crossed that stays the same in this coming year.

I feel like a kid in candy shop just being able to see such colour and variation in design- the bright red bow at the centre of this kimono doesn't interfere with the structure too much and the Western influence is quite subtle. The dark green and bright red as well as motifs of orange maple leaves leaves me mooning over Christmas all over again- thought it's still only mid-January and the holiday season is quite a while away. Maybe it has something to do with the book I just finished reading the hero and heroine decorating a Christmas tree together like a couple. Still, the hem of this kimono isn't too long and although the sleeves are deep and long, they're not to the full length of the arm so I would say you could get away with wearing this airy kimono in Summer. This is just one of the reasons I'm tempted to learn Japanese- the culture and the fashion are so intriguing and I want to become a part of it.

It seems that there is no limit to the designs and motifs on a Kimono and they look even sassier when worn with killer black boots and black underneath to contrast against the bright colours. I'm a creature that's a little more devious on the inside than I look on the outside and while I do love to wear black, it can put people off at a first glance. So if I were to wear a comfortable and loos black knitted jumper, black tights and comfortable slipper shoes underneath a brightly coloured kimono the black is offset by the colour and I look a little more fun than I really am.

One of my favourite motifs in Kimono patterns is the use of traditional buildings, the pagoda as well as clouds- in the Asian style they both look very alluring and dreamlike. Unfortunately the site I sourced all these images from sells their kimonos for some hundreds of dollars and despite some being original pieces from the 1930s and in excellent condition, I am not happy to pay such a mark-up. I have my eye on a nice blue and colourful one that could be nicely dressed up with some black oxidised necklaces but I'll keep that one to myself. If only I had a part-time job at the moment and could earn a little money with all my free time, spending so much time online and by yourself is sure to be bad for your social skills.

While the eclectic pattern and contrast of colours for this bold floral kimono is impressive, I think someone with a naturally lighter complexion and soft blond hair could pull it off better than I can. When wearing a kimono you can either wear it as a trendy

Vintage Rock Clothing

It seems blasphemous to be thinking about wearing jersey shirts, denim jackets and leather while the 'Devil Wears Prada' is going on in the background behind me, but I do love the feeling of a cosy long sleeve shirt and have been meaning to get my hands on one of these baseball shirts with a white centre and a contrasting colour bordering. These vintage rock shirts featuring bands are the perfect solution to my lust and are great to wear when casually going out to the supermarket but can be worn with attitude, say, Dr Martens and cut off denim shorts? Maybe a wicked printed design, yesterday while waiting around for the bank to open I spotted some neat casual shorts featuring prints of American currency as well as cartoon cigarettes. Classy stuff.

I'm not so fond of the back embroidered motif of this denim jacket (Harley Davidson) so I'll show you the front instead and explain the clever use of styling to make the product for sale look even more enticing. There's a shirt featuring an American flag which enforces the eagle motif stitched just above the breast pockets, an iconic symbol of the nation and a cliche attachment for podiums in which stirring speeches are delivered. The modified denim shorts in a lighter blue and with lace trim are a nice touch which soften the overall look and smouldering stare from the model.

The last time I dared to wear an Iron Maiden shirt was during school and the shirt was my brother- while walking into classrooms to collect money for fundraising I impressed the students to years my senior and heard ripples of conversation around me. And sitting in the room was a boy who everyone at one point or another in the whole school thought was a foreign sex god and yeah it was a good feeling. So I suppose there's something about Eddy that people love, a character seen on all the Iron Maiden merchandise that people love so why shouldn't I give him another chance to be my wing man?

I thought it would be nice to combine the leather jackets in all their studded glory with the pristine and dead stock quality band shirts you see before you. I had to throw out the closest thing I have to a leather jacket due to mold so I'm in the market for a new one; or I'm excusing myself to gorge my eyeballs unceremoniously on the black studded leather. Despite being covered in a shroud of black, the sheer and pleated skirt of the dress thrown over something more tight fitting softens the look and the red hair and soft pink lipstick add just the right amount of colour to the photograph.

Sporting five different types of studs, neatly trimmer black leather as well asfolded epaulets and a long sleeveless look on the edges and that gorgeous golden eagle with a red eye... the pose seems much more befitting a Garuda from Indonesia and the bird on their coat of arms. This is the jacket that caught my attention, made me double take and have a good search around the website which was such a good idea and I'm glad I did. It's refreshing to see the use of a sheer bodysuit and heels with this jacket rather than a vintage rock shirt, which may be worn in real life but the shoot really emphasise the weight of the jacket and does it justice.

Vintage Sweethearts

After discovering that Solestruck shoes offer vintage treats as well as brands such as Jeffrey Campbell, the most fascinating line of Doc Martens and many others as well as a new muse in terms of vintage clothing online I'm in a bit of a fervent mood to see more of the wildly mismatched dresses and skirts. I'm no stranger myself to wearing sun dresses that end at the knee and recreating vintage styles of clothing as new and rockabilly style seems to be becoming increasingly popular. I must say I do like their thick chunky heels of the shoes with tights where appropriate and the pleats and folds of the skirts above. I suppose for a photographer to see a group of ladies, all friends walking together in such a style it would not be an opportunity to pass-up if you could sweetly ask them to line up for a camera lens.

There are vintage materials which I am fonder than others, such as crushed velvet and tapestry the epitome of vintage fabric; these two particularly seem to shamelessly flaunt and embody the vintage style no matter what shape of form they take. I'm fond of both when used for furniture but I also wouldn't turn down a good tapestry bag or a cute velvet skirt. With vintage pieces there can be such care and detail to hide the zippers and stitching compared to the mass-produced atrocities of today's society. And should the two pieces cos the same amount of money, I know how I'm banking on.

Some people hunt around second hand shops oping to find pristine pieces that have never been worn and don't have a history to them. I on the other hand enjoy the rich history, the wear and tare as well as the character of a piece such as these charming platform Mary Janes in black capped off with black embroidered stitching. While they are clearly showing signs of age with material faintly ripping and becoming thread-bare at the bottom the sheer purple socks with pink polka dots and frills adds a more modern touch to them and its eclectic rather than shabby chic.

If I'm not too careful I may even include a post on its own of tights when I collect a few more images to put together; and maybe when I'm more in the mood for it in the harsh Winter months. I only began to wear tights in my final year of high school when the chill was getting too much for me and I was past the age of wearing knee high socks- and when you get used to the clingy feeling of synthetic fabric trapping you, it's almost reassuring.

My favourite vintage throw-back pieces are the sharp and neat collars on thin and airy blouses, as well as soft and furry cardigans and thick knitted sweaters with love in every stitch. I'm probably some sort of hopeless romantic when it comes to the way I dress but I would like to think that I also have a bit of edge about my look especially when it comes to unique pieces and silver jewellery. I like the modern touches to the vintage ensemble of the iPhone in hand as well as the Miu Miu silk cat Mary Jane pumps; they go well with the geeky white socks and the short, black leather shorts.