I tried to put myself on a shopping ban, but who am I kidding?! With a new friend in town it is my duty to show her the lay of the land and suss out all the local op shops and my favorite vintage stores.  With a little bit of cash in our pockets and our eco-friendly carry bags, we set off to make a day of it and a number of gems have been found.

Lovely white woven and beaded handbag circa 1959-1960, made in Japan.

I adore the handle details on this one and it also fits a surprising amount of contents – even my small parasol! A brilliant find for $14 at my Salvo’s store.

I can’t believe you can still buy these! Little plastic rain bonnets that fit in your handbag and save the set from the elements. 3 for $1 at the same Salvo’s.  To be worn with red lipstick, dark glasses and a devil may care attitude.

I like to call these gloves Persian Blue as they remind me of the colour of the Persian kitten I once had.  A spur of the moment purchase at Circa Vintage Clothing as the perfectly matched the dress I was wearing even better than the short navy ones I came in with. Not at all possible to leave them behind.

This could quite possibly be my Holy Grail of patterns (we’ll know when I’ve made them). Also from the enviable collection at Circa Vintage Clothing.  I have loved coulottes for as long as I can remember but can never find a single pair that can hold a candle to the originals.  I had a pair I wore to death in the 1980′s, but even they weren’t as jazzy as these.  Now seeking a suitably fine wool tweed to sew these up.

It may be polyester, but it is also bloody fabulous! I simply COULD NOT go past this late 1960′s skirt suit.  Firstly the jacket called to me from the rack at Lost & Found Market in Smith Street, Fitzroy. But even though it was cute, it had no skirt so the impact just wasn’t the same.  I put it back on the rack and moved on.  Half and hour of browsing later and I uncovered it’s bottom half!  I will never understand why people seperate these things (unless it is to sell individually in the hope of making more money like these were), but I was so very glad that they could be put back together.  She has just come fresh out of the laundry and will be making a debut later this week. Sheild your eyes!

Last, but possibly most especially wonderful was this great find. A pair of ladies shoes from what appears to be the early 1960′s given the style and font used on the insole.  They are a perfect fit and only needed a little TLC to bring the leather back to life.  Finding vintage shoes in my size has never really worked for me, having only one other pair in my closet.  But these are just too cute as well as being practical and comfortable.

For $8, I think they have to win the title of Find of the Month!

Because there are just so many great events on the horizon you won’t want to miss a minute!

This April the fabulous Love Vintage Show is on again in Sydney 16th – 18th April.  This twice yearly event is one that you really can’t afford to miss, whether you adore your vintage or are simply a curious cat. There are stall holders from all across Australia showcasing their vintage wares, from fashion to accessories, textiles to tomes.   I always try and bring a near empty suitcase for this weekend as I know that all self discipline goes out the window!

There are lectures to attend, vintage fashion parades, Charm School workshops and even Best Dressed competitions.  If you live in Sydney you have no excuse for missing this, but even if you are across the other side of the country, this is one weekend you really must plan to make a part of your yearly vintage calendar.

London Burlesque Week is on April 20-25th and if you haven’t heard about this one.. WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN! I’m particularly proud to say that Australia is being represented by some of our most lovely local girls Rosy Rabbit, Trixie Tassels, Sapphire Demure, The Sugar Blue Burlesque beauties and A’dora Derierre.

If only I had the time and cash to spare, I’d be hot footing it over to make sure I saw every minute of this one. (Mental note – save for next year!) London, I am mighty jealous of you right now!

The Ballarat Heritage Weekend is on over the Mother’s Day weekend, May 8th & 9th, showcasing Ballarat’s beautiful heritage buildings, gardens,collections and history.  There are over 100 events planned for the weekend including carriage rides, tennis and croquet!

Wintersun is happening again in Coolangatta June 4th-14th and if you can imagine a week of pure retro heaven, this is it!  Classic cars, Rock & Roll, Cake Bake off’s, Fashion parades, Vintage Swim Suits Shows (yes I’ll be there!) and Dancing till Dawn!

The Australian Burlesque Festival is nearly here too for it’s very 1st Annual year!  Held in Sydney this June, if you love your old school glamour, spangles and sparkles; make sure to head over and check out our Melbourne Minx’s and Sydney Sweethearts, along with international guests.  So I may yet get to our very own burlesque knees up!

The lovely Lindy Charm School Mistresses are back to take on Melbourne and Ballarat on July 10th, showing you what a Victory Roll actually is and how to do them, when red lipstick is appropriate (always!) and just how to wear your stockings correctly.  All the details for their upcoming workshops are available on their website, so do check it out and make some time to get fancy.

Right, well I’m off to try and sort out my own diary for the next few months! So much to do and see… and shop!

Last Saturday was my Mum’s birthday. Being a big decophile, she hosted an evening of old style swank and spangles giving us all another reason to get glammed up.  I’m often asked just what should one wear to a 1920′s themed evening, with far too many people (in my opinion) taking the easy way out and going for a costume hire shop, flapper girl look.  The 1920′s was one of the most diverse and exciting times in fashion history as the old world of corsets and Gibson Girls faded into the modern world.  The best thing about that for party goers in 2010, is that it leaves loads of room for interpretation and finding something that really works for you.  For me, that look was more Silent Movie Star than Piano Hall Floozy.

My whole family tends to the more dramatic end of the scale when it comes to fashion; even my dad gets dragged into the act on occassion.  So before the party started we tried to keep a straight face as we messed around posing it up in front of the fire place.

I tweeted a quick picture on the way in and it seems that this look was a real hit.  It is rather a departure from my usual but I love the way it turned out.  The hair was one of those things that you plan out in your mind with no idea if it will ‘actually’ work, so I was pleased as punch that it turned out like this. It was a combination of finger waves, pin curls and a french roll to keep the length up at the back.  If I can recreate it well, I’ll make a tutorial on it for you.

I wanted the makeup to be dark and dramatic, very Clara Bow meets Anna May Wong. Something that said “silent movie – watch my eyes”, and to make that happen I went with the biggest, lushest lashes I could find.  The “Hepburn” lash from Gorgeous cosmetics. It all looks a bit serious, but I spent far more time laughing and eating chocolate chilli cupcakes than being all dark and mysterious that evening.

I’ve been saving this special post for Easter and now you see why.

The outfit you saw yesterday was for a very special tea party held by One Day in Paradise to celebrate the launch of Australia’s first lolita print from the wonderful Vitae Clothing!  For those of you that don’t know them, Vitae Clothing are an Adelaide based lolita clothing brand.  Each piece is hand made with an eye for detail and quality; yet another reason they make it onto my ‘love list’.

So, back to the tea party.  After I was all frocked up I headed into the One Day in Paradise store where the party was held, to meet with some of Melbourne’s Loli girls and eat the best macaroons I’ve ever had.  As expected, it was a wonderland of pink frills, hearts, bows, lace and tiny hats. Yes, like a tea party in Wonderland, especially given what appeared to be the presence of a small chicken drinking my tea!

There was an awful lot of excitement at this particular party, as given that the Lolita scene in Australia is relatively small, the milestone of having a first, homegrown print is a pretty big deal.  The whole alternative fashion scene is a hotbed of creative talent and the Lolita scene is no exception.  What I find the most admirable about these creatives, is that they follow their passions becasue of just that. Passion.  They have a head full of dreams, ideas and beautiful pictures that they spend all their time finding ways to spread to the world.

Kelly Nicholas is the designer behind Vitae Clothing’s brand spanking new print is called “Usagi’s High Tea”. A bunny, chicken, duckling, strawberry scone covered delight.  It is a border print with little strawberries and love hearts across the body, and has tiny heart button details on the JSK version. Because all the Vitae Clothing is custom made by hand, the print comes in both the JSK style or in a skirt only which allows for more versatility. The only problem I had was deciding which one was the best choice for me!

Vitae Clothing has come together with One Day in Paradise who will be the sole retailer for the “Uasgi’s High Tea” print, and the lovely Marie is coordinating the flow of be-ribboned bunny goodness for all the Lolita loving girls.

Luckily, you don’t have to wait for this one as it is now available for order through the One Day in Paradise online store with all sizing, hair bow and colour way information available there.  The print comes in a Pink, Blue, White or Black colour way.  Guess which one I’ll be wearing? And because it’s Easter, Vitae Clothing and One Day in Paradise have given me ……

ONE WHOLE JSK dress to give away to you!!

This is an extra special competition as the winner will receive:

The exclusive “Usagi’s High Tea“ print JSK in the colour way of their choosing

Made to measure just for you and valued at $170!

How to enter:

Leave a comment on this post that tells me why you love One Day in Paradise, Vitae and Bunnies.

Make sure that your comment comes from a valid email address so we can contact you later!

The Winner:

Will be drawn by random number generator on Monday 12th April AEST

Terms & conditions:

You may only enter once for this giveaway.

By entering, you agree that your email will be supplied to One Day in Paradise and that you agree to be placed on their mailing list.

The prize is not redeemable for cash.

So what are you waiting for? Let me know just how much you love Usagi’s High Tea and a brand new dress could be all yours!

EDIT: ENTRIES ARE NOW CLOSED. The Results Will Be Drawn Soon!