The lovely Violet Le Beaux and Valerie of Dweam, have recently been writing a series of Sunday posts called Sneaker Sunday.  The idea is that once a week we should give our feet the treat they so badly deserve and spend at least one of the seven days in sneakers.  Given that we three are known for wearing elaborate and often sky high heels, this seems like a most sensible plan, however, unless I’m on a treadmill or climbing a mountain, I don’t wear sneakers. Generally I wear ballet flats for running around the house, but these don’t offer much in the way of support and often leave my legs aching worse than when I wear heels. I was determined to find a suitably SKM style solution, so I went on a quest.

A quick street snap of Violet Le Beaux and I on Sneaker Sunday heading out for clay pot lunch. Yum!

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Before I hit the shops wallet in hand, I decided I needed a plan of attack. I needed a rough idea of the sort of shoe that would work with my vintage-y outfits, the level of quality and support they would need to have, the sort of activities I wanted to do in them and just how much I was prepared to spend.

Firstly, what was I going to be doing in these shoes? Well I figured that I needed something I could walk in for hours on weekend shopping excursions, something I could dance in (I’m told that learning Swing Dancing in heels is not usually the thing and I’m a bit of a freak like that), and something that still looked good while doing all this.  The trick about flat shoes and me is that while they may *feel* comfortable on, they also make me feel like I’m a three foot tall lump. So to pass the psych test, they would have to be pretty special.

I knew that looking in sports stores was out of the question so I decided to look somewhere totally unattainable first. My 1940′s Sear’s footwear catalogue! Yep, totally unachievable because they don’t even make them anymore. But, what this did do was give me a strong mental image of the sort of shoes I wanted, the silhouette, the colours, the support style. It also told me that in order to find anything remotely like this in stores I needed to resort to my previous summer sandal hunting technique and target stores that catered for a much older (read retirement home) market. Here’s where I went…

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I headed to the Kumfs store at Westfield Doncaster.  Kumfs are a New Zealand brand known for their comfort shoes and quality construction. They are also known for not being particularly high trend but more classic, so perfect really.

And here are the those that have won the title of my “sneakers”. The “Bromley” from Kumfs.

These are without a doubt, the most comfortable shoes I’ve ever owned. They have amazing support and cushioning, good width, and a nice lower cut around the ankle which is more flattering on me.  A few of you who saw the photo of Violet and I on the weekend asked for details on the soles and their suitability for dancing.  For me these are perfect. They have no grip to speak of, but also aren’t as slippery as dancing on suede soles. It also means I don’t have to change shoes when I get to a dance as I do hate carrying shoes around.  They didn’t come cheap and from memory were about $240 AUD, but I am told they are currently on sale in store so there may be bargains to be had.  The thing that totally sold me on these though was that Kumfs has a 30 day,money back comfort guarantee! Who does that? Wear them for one month and if you don’t like them, they take them back and refund your money. The shoes also have a 12 month warranty, so spending good money on shoes I know I’ll wear for years to come seems like a very good investment to me.

While I was in store I was also on the hunt for another pair of shoes that could take the place of heels on days out where I have lots of walking to do, but still look good when I’m quite dressed up. And then I found them there too!  I came across these faux skin, wedge heels that have a distinctly 1940′s ‘cockroach stomper’ feel about them.  Once again these have a comfort factor of 100 and still look fantastic with my seamed stockings.

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Even though I have been wearing these with almost alarming regularity this last month, I don’t have a single outfit photo on file to show them to you in action!  (Must remedy that this week) they are called “Krista” and were also found in store at Westfield Doncaster.  Sadly, I haven’t found either of these models online to link you to, but it might be a case of calling your local store to see if they have them if you’re on the look out.

So there you go. Now each week I can participate in Sneaker Sunday, even if I don’t have a huge variety of ‘sneakers’ to showcase. Check out Violet Le Beaux and Dweam’s blog for more on Sneaker Sunday.

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Last time we looked at how to maintain a sense of glamour whilst tackling heavy cleaning or dirty jobs. Today’s post is all about how to deal with super chilly weather and not come out looking like a crazed Arctic explorer.  I really feel the cold and finding ways to dress well, especially on those mornings it has dropped to a chilly one degree in my bedroom, used to prove a big challenge.  From the responses I received on Twitter as well as comments on the last post and a number of personal emails, it seems that dressing in cold weather is an issue for many of you.

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Firstly, let me preface this by saying that my experience with cold weather is mostly limited to the type of weather we have here in Australia.  This means that I’ve never lived somewhere that it snows all the time during winter, and although I have spent quite a bit of time  in the snow it was only for recreational purposes where heels and snowboards don’t mix.  So the advice I can give you on this one is really aimed at anyone who finds that their winters get to lows of about zero degrees and not more.  To check out how to look gorgeous in absolutely freezing conditions check out Freelancer’s Fashion blog from Helsinki ( I have quite the love affair with this beautiful woman).

Back to Basics

Keeping warm on the worst of cold days has forced me to remember things I wore as a child that, somewhere along the line as an adult I forgot all about.  Mum would always bundle you into a singlet and thick woolen tights each day before beginning to add the outfit.  As an adult, wearing a singlet was something I’d forgotten about until a few years back, but their rediscovery was an absolute revelation.

• Thermal underwear. It may sound like the reserve of invalids, old ladies and story book hillbillies; but these are about the best things ever invented. When dressing in winter I always begin my layering with whichever style of thermals will work for my outfit. I keep singlet types and long sleeve tops that are made of a super fine knit merino wool that breathes well but traps that layer of warmth as close to your skin as possible.  One of the mistakes people make when layering in winter is to layer up on the outside only. The best way to trap heat is to keep it close to the skin and thermals are the best way to make this happen (well, short of spending the day wrapped in cling film).  You can buy these pieces everywhere – KMart, Harris Scarf, Target etc.. and each singlet top will set you back $9-$20 depending on the composition and whether they are on sale or not.

• Leg wear. Winter doesn’t mean that you have to live in pants, there are other sneaky ways of keeping chill at bay. I love my opaque tights in winter and mixing up an extreme contrasting colour palette is one of the things I love about the season. The trick to getting the best opaques is not to scrimp on these. Buy the best denier (that is closest weave) you can afford.  Not only will it help stop the chill factor, but the higher the denier the less likely you are to put a hole in them.  Brands I like and wear quite often are Voodoo, Jonathan Aston, We Love Colours (online store with amazing range of colours, patterns and plus size hoisery).  Both Voodoo and Jonathan Aston make knitted tights too, so if you need to up the warmth factor, going for a wool blend, close knit, really works.

• And here is a secret that you will most likely only hear on Super Kawaii Mama – what about if you need to wear stockings that are flesh coloured for your outfit? How do you do that without loosing a leg to frost bite?  My secret weapon is compression tights! I buy the kind of flesh coloured support hose that are worn by Air Hostess’s to keep DVT at bay and their legs from aching.  You can get these in a variety of qualities, colours and grades of compression, but the benefit of these is two fold. Firstly, they are lovely and thick but don’t appear so. They cut the wind chill factor significantly and still look good.  But the best part about these is the compression factor – it keeps up the blood flow in your legs keeping you nice and warm,more so than any other style of tights will be able to do.  They aren’t an expensive option either.  The ones I wear for day to day (only a relatively light compression, you can find much stronger) are found at supermarkets and retail for about $7, “Sheer Relief” and from memory come in a variety of shades including black opaques.

• Hats.  This is pretty self explanatory as we’re all taught that 90% of the body’s heat is lost through the head, so wearing a hat is kind of a no-brainer (ha ha)! Once again though, choose a stylish version that will carry you through each day without the need to remove it indoors.  For me, this means a knitted beret – please no beanies unless you are in the snow.  Choosing something simple like a beret is a good, gentle option for those of you that find wearing a more dramatic style of hat attracts too much attention.  They are easy to customise to your outfit or the occasion – adding brooches for fancier days or leaving them plain for stay at home or simple days.  Note- Berets are also a brilliant ‘I haven’t had time to do my hair’ solution to. Pile it all up in there, pitch it at a jaunty angle and you’re good to go.

• Scarves. No doubt we all have the woollen, knitted versions of these; but they don’t always cut it in the glam stakes making us look more like snowmen than ice queens.  A big, good quality, square silk scarf (or even an imitation silk of heavyweight) works just as well but has more versatility. There are infinite ways to tie these for extra glamour factor, but if you find yourself out in the freezing wind they can be tied around your hair and ears for a climate chaser of the more stylish variety.  Wrapping your head in a knitted scarf is more homeless chic that Grace Kelly, hence always having one of these scarves around will save you both from the cold and having to carry a paper cup for change.

• Gloves. Oh Winter, how I love you for you opportunities to over accessorise!  Again, this is an easy one with gloves being available everywhere. And once again it is all about making a stylish choice in the first place.  Having one pair of soft red leather gloves is far better than half a dozen acrylic ones from the $2 shop.  If you like the soft, fluffy feel, be on the look out for felt gloves with feature stitching.  The number of place now also making fingerless gloves and arm warmers have also come to my rescue as sitting stationary, typing for hours on end used to cause my hands to turn blue with cold.  If you find yourself in the same predicament, then arm warmers will be your saviour. There are wrist length frilly ones or simple, over the elbow lengths that can be worn underneath your sleeve for extra stealth warmth.

• Footwear. Boots are the obvious winter choice, but as Miss Lizzy who asked me about the cold in the above comment, can’t wear them, I thought I’d offer you another on of my winter secrets. If you’ve followed all of the previous advice and want a little extra something for the feet, lambswool inner soles are magic!  Most of the versions of these inner soles are actually acrylic (aka Vegan) and can be purchased in supermarkets.  You can cut them down and fit them into just about any shoe or boot, providing you allow for the fact that they will take up about 1/4 of the shoe size point. Eg – if you wear a size 8 shoe, adding these will make them feel more like a 7&1/2 to 7& 3/4.  You can find actual lambswool inserts at specialty fleece stores and they have a better wear factor than the acrylic.  So for about $11, you can feel like you are wearing your fluffy slippers about all day and no-one is the wiser!

And there you have it – my secrets revealed!  I’d like to know how these tips work for those of you suffering from cold this winter and if you have any other brain waves to add, please let us know in the comments section. Remember, if there are tips and tricks you’d like to know to help you overcome the roadblocks in your path to living more glamorously – Write to me and we’ll add it to the list.

Next time  in Secrets to Being Glamorous for Every Occassion- So little time, so much to do.

For some reason, I’ve received more emails from you lovely readers in the last three weeks than ever before.  I’ve been overwhelmed by all the messages of thanks, inspiration and loveliness.  However, there is one common question that bares examination and that is “How do you do it?”

I started writing an answer to this which ended up very, very long and may still not have helped you in any meaningful way, so I have another idea.  You tell me what you believe your road blocks are to living the glamorous life you’d like to, and I’ll do my best to give you some tools to find the answer!

So to get the ball rolling I asked you on Twitter, ” What are your excuses / reasons for not getting glammed up each day?” And here is what you had to say.

CLEANING & Other Messy Work -  Possibly the most un-glam moment in our days, that is unless like me you are apt to get pooped on, ’cause that happens too and it ain’t so fancy.

Here is how to be glamorous (as possible) while cleaning.  Like many other situations, it pays to be prepared.  For me, this means that I have a specific heavy duty cleaning / gardening outfit.

• I don’t own a pair of modern jeans but I needed something equally sturdy so I made myself a pair of denim wide leg pants. I know not all of you can sew, but the key here is that I chose something that was a flattering style, in a good weight fabric, that is easy to throw in the washing machine afterwards.

• Up top, I wear fitted plaid cotton shirts that have a bit of stretch to them. I found a few at the op shop for $2 each, so no budget breaker there and I’m not afraid to get them dirty. The key here is fitted. Wearing something two sizes too big is not necessary. It is not going to keep you any cleaner, make you scrub harder or feel good. If you can still see your shape the whole outfit is going to look infinitely better.

• To keep dust and dirt out of my hair I pin it up and cover it with a head scarf. It gives the whole outfit a bit of a Rosie the Riveter look, and that way if anyone pops around while I’m “at work” I’ll look like I was serious about it and not just having a style stroke in holey old track pants!

• I have pink canvas trainers for working indoors and rose print gumboots for outdoors. Both bought for under $20 each and look a hell of a lot better than moccasins. Your choice might be ballet flats, but please for goodness sake no crocs or gym shoes. They are the antithesis of glamour and will kill all your other efforts in one fell swoop.

• Face. I may not apply a full face of makeup if I plan to be digging holes or cleaning toilets, but I don’t go totally nude. I wear sunscreen (not negotiable in Australia), tinted moisturiser, mascara and red lipstick. That way if I have to pop out to the nursery I’ll feel like a ray of sunshine. And if it is only me and the grungy bath tub? I can make kissy faces at myself in the mirror while listening to Doris Day as I scrub away.

All of this advice is how I tackle a day of heavy cleaning as opposed to the usual tidying up which doesn’t require such drastic measures.  Now, I’m not suggesting that you should follow this advice to the letter and go out and get all retro (but it is fun), however if you take the spirit of these items and translate them for your own unique look you’ll find your cleaning ‘uniform’. What you may be able to recognise in this list is a theme that will run through almost all the subsequent guide posts, and that is; You Need To Have a Plan.

One of the biggest road blocks to looking good each day is not knowing what we are going to put on and then reaching for the nearest pair of jeans hastily slung over the bed.  If you have specific, purpose built outfits for tasks like cleaning, you’ll always know what your go to look is and you’ll be able to significantly cut down on the time it takes to get dressed. Remember, the concept of glamour is not defined by the little black dress. Glamour is about how you wear what you wear – with flair and polish – no matter the occassion. And the red lipstick? Well that works for any occassion and adds instant glamour in five seconds flat!

There were oodles of responses to my question on Twitter and I’ll be answering each one.  If you’d like to have your say about your excuses or reasons for not getting glammed up when you secretly wish you were, leave me a comment and we’ll add it to the list.

Yep, I’ve been at it again. Finally I found some time to make myself another pair of those high waisted jeans I love so much. They are light weight, comfortable and just about the best pants I think I’ve ever made.  Today’s outfit post is also a very good example of why I started taking outfit photos. Sometimes things look one way in your mirror and quite differently once you head out.  It wasn’t until I looked at these shots on the camera that I realised just how transparent the top was and just why choosing a white bra was a bad idea! Straight off the change it before I headed out then.  So you’ll have to forgive the bad choice of undergarments here and rest assured that I didn’t spend the day like that!

Sheesh.. I am so glad I took these photos and checked things before I left!

Outfit Details:

Leopard print top – Zara (Singapore)         High waisted pants – designed and made by me

Snood – Lindy Charm School for Girls Pearl Bow Earrings – Equip

Cream Bow Bangle – Friends of Couture LOVE ring – Equip

Hair bow (almost out of shot) – My Little Rockabilly

Some Daily Outfits give me more challenges than most – especially when children and roller skating are involved! I was invited to take Miss Five on her first skating expedition this week along with a group of mothers and children from her school.  She was SUPER excited about going, wondering if she was supposed to win a gold medal and jump off big stuff! Me, well I used to be a big skater, going a few times a week and carving up the floor…. but that was a very long time ago.  I still had the old skates out away in the cupboard, but the have only been out on the rink about once or twice in the last eleven years.  This presented a whole new wardrobe challenge – just what does one wear when rollerskating with a bunch of five year old children??

I had to think long and hard on this one as my first instincts were to go with some of the outfits I last wore and break out the whole Olivia Newton John in Xanadu tpe of look.  But just in case that may cause the other mothers to shield their children from this crazy woman I decided to go with something a little less theatrical.  There was no way I was going to wear my workout gear for this ,as for me, workout gear belongs only in the gym so I had to think of the next best thing.

After a bit of a rummage around in the depths of the wardrobe I came up with an outfit that I haven’t worn in a while – it was one of my last pregnancy staples!  I have this great skull print jersey dress that has an open, cross over back that I used to wear backwards while I was pregnant with Miss 2. I’d throw this over yoga pants for casual days and it did the trick.  So it was the perfect thing to be both cute and comfortable whilst skating too.

Outfit Details:

Skull Print Dress – Episode    Tank Top – Portmans

Cropped Yogo Pants – Puma   Pewter Ballet Flats – U.B.H

Hair Bow -Bought so long ago I can’t remember!

Skates – Check your local skate store!

Of course it turned out that none of the other parents intended to skate and I ended up the only one over 3 foot tall on the rink!