Have I told you lately how much I love you? This week has been a week of reader love and I have had so many lovely emails from those of you I’ve not met on comments before. I love knowing that I am read by Burlesque Dancers, Accountants, Academics and Lumber Jack Show presenters! I even occassionally find myself in a store looking at a dress thinking, “Oh such and such would love this!” Anyway, all this has put me in a very upbeat and optimistic mood which I plan to use for good (as opposed to evil) this weekend. Here are my good intentions.

Watch My Fair Lady with Audrey Hepburn and spend the day singing the show tunes.

Get productive and tackle mending a pile of vintage garments I have put aside that need some TLC.

Sort out my collection of Kawaii stationery and put it in places that it will get used everyday.  I have a collection of stationery and stickers dating back to when I was seven!

Go on a fragrance hunt.  I’m looking for a new signature scent and although I know what elements I’d like to find in it, I haven’t yet found one in Australia.  I’m looking for something with a strong tobacco and bergermot scent if you have any recommendations.

Create a new display in my china cupboard.  I have a great old Victorian antique china cupboard in my front hall. At the moment it holds a collection of world costumes dolls from my childhood.  I’m thinking of getting creative and putting some of my favorite shoes, handbags and toys in the instead. Just like my very own shop window.

Plan some fun outfits for the coming week. Some mornings when it is cold and frosty, I find it hard to get inspiration and all I want to do is wrap up in cashmere pajamas.

1. Smart Suit, 2. Sakura vs. Sasuke, 3. Re ment colazione, 4. Untitled

Links a la Mode

• Style Symmetry – Seven Questions with Susie of Style Bubble!
• Solo Lisa – Canadian jewelry line DESIGN + CONQUER puts a bold, quirky spin on the meaning of geek chic
• The Coveted – Win a $250 gift certificate for Avelle (formerly Bag, Borrow or Steal) luxury handbags!
• Agent Dreamer – Hearts Idil Vice
• Tickle the Blog – Make your existing make-up into summer beauty must-haves!
• The Musings of Ondo Lady – Too cool for school, NYLON magazine have just recently celebrated their 10th anniversary
• Dramatis Personae – Ashe Mischief Asks Herself “Why Develop Your Wardrobe’s Color Palette?”
• fete a fete – Guerlain’s new summer Terracotta lip glosses, Fard Indien, and the new Rouge G lipstick!
• The Capitola Fashionista – The 15 Must Have Sandals for this Summer
• Style With Anna – The Hottest Swimwear and Bikini Trends for Spring/Summer 2009
• A Few Goody Gumdrops – is giving away a Hana Elite Ceramic Flat Iron for Mother’s Day. Enter to Win!
• Capitola Girl – So ready for summer on The Devil Wears Etsy
• Two Thousand Things – Celebrity Walk-In Wardrobes and some pictures for reference
• The Curvy Fashionista – A Curvy Fashionista declaring her fashionable existence in a straight world
• The Fashion Grail – Get Miranda Kerr’s look for less!
• Misslikey – my view on the night at Met’s
• Fashion Pulse Daily – Khaki goes beyond its preppy stigma with the new Gap designer collaboration
• Brick My Lane – DIY: how to make an “organic” spike Rock’n’Roll belt

Enjoy your weekend all!

Seeing as I have been lax on the outfit posts of late, I am picking up my act and promise to mend my ways.

Today’s outfit is for an occasion to see Miss Four at work at school. I get to draw pictures and play games, while she shows me around as Queen of her domain.

So I was going for warm, comfortable and of course, cute. If you like the hair let me know and I’ll add it to the list of new tutorials to serve up.

Anyway, the outfit was a hit with the under fives. They especially approved of my sapphire legs and the pattern of my dress, as it was all going on at their eye height! Now that’s what I call dressing for children!

Dress: Red Berry, Tights: Sapphire by Voodoo, Shoes – Novo, Earrings – Six

SKM and Prey Producer Robert Galinsky

Last week I frocked up to attend the Melbourne premiere of the new Australian Candy Horror flick Prey. After receiving an appropriately disturbing invitation to the event, the night did not disappoint. Reaching the tall wrought iron gates of what appeared to be an abandoned manor house, we were greeted by a silent and morose gatekeeper who ushered us up a candlelit path. With no real directions to our destination we followed the candlelight.. and the sound of wood chopping. A lesser person would have turned on their heels at this point fearing an elaborate ruse, but with my love of the alternative, weird and the downright wrong, I was in my element.

And I wasn’t disappointed. Described by Producer Robert Galinski as the filmic equivalent of “KFC at 3am”, he was right on the money. Starring Natalie Bassingthwaighte, (with a somewhat disconcerting faux American accent,) the story starts slowly in a very shorthanded version of reality before descending into a fantastical landscape of moving paintings,  an oversized moon and more weird looking snakes than I’ve ever seen in one place.

“Prey tells the story of six friends who head to the outback on a four-wheel drive adventure and come face-to-face with an ancient supernatural evil. The three couples drive into a sacred site where they unknowingly awaken a 5000 year-old curse. Inspired by true unsolved events, Prey follows the group of 20-something’s into a vortex of serpentine fear; afterlife and psychological confrontations that make them question what is real and what is imagined.“

So you ask the question, did I enjoy it? Well, while I wasn’t scared out of my seat, that is until a chainsaw weilding manic crashed through the cinema door, I was laughing my arse off. (No need to hit the gym this week!)If you are looking for hidden depths, scintillating subtext and masterpiece theatre, then please don’t watch this film.  On the other hand, if you appreciate some serious schlock horror and like to be in on the joke, then Prey is for you. This film hits the mark perfectly for its audience. It is just the thing to watch after a big night out with friends. Break out the biggest bowl of popcorn you can find and don’t go easy on the beer, Prey is the perfect accompanyment to midnight munchies.  Just watch what you’re eating.. you never know what could be in that bowl in the dark.

The time has come to announce the big winner of our Mad Men Style Competition, and what a hard choice it was! In fact there were so many great entries that I have decided to have both a Ladies and Gentlemen’s winner!

Jen for her amazing Betty’s Day creation!

What an effort.  The hair styling, the perfect shoes, the demure look and the presentation. Congratulations Jen. There is a fabulous prize pack of vintage booty heading your way.

Perfect skinny suit and satchel, great shot, it looks like Jack is headed over to my place for a sneaky lunch time martini. Top notch job! Some appropriately masculine vintage booty will be crossing the Atlantic to make it to your door.

A BIG thank you to everyone who took the time and effort to enter the contest.  I hope this has been as much fun for you as it has for me.
This isn’t the end of the Mad Men treats, in fact SKM’s Mad Men Style Salon still has some tricks up it’s sleeve!

The results of last weeks outfit experimentation are in.. and I love it.

For a closer look, click on the images to visit the larger versions on Flickr.

Can you see the influences from yesterday’s Inspiration post?

Blue Velvet Tail Coat: Cue A/W ’09                    Black corset shirt: Cue A/W ’09

Skirt and belt: Portmans A/W’09                       Opaque stockings: Voodoo

Shoes – Novo A/W ’09                                             Skull rings: Diva

Hat: Courtesy of Nana’s 1988 wardrobe         Eyeliner: Electro Rave by Boujois

Eyelashes: Wild Damsel by 1000 hour