I’m exceedingly excited about this upcoming weekend,because for the first time, the Love Vintage Fair is coming to Melbourne!

You’ve seen a few of my eye candy posts of the Sydney Fairs, but this will be the first time I can bring you the inside scoop from Melbourne.  Over three days you’ll be able to come and enjoy the offerings of over 60 dealers from all over Australia. Clothing, textiles, jewellery and all kinds of ephemera make up just some of the treasures on offer. But that’s not all!

There’s great prizes for the Best Dressed in Vintage; (- 1st Place will win a Classic Pinup Shoot valued at $600 sponsored by the talented Helen McLean Photography) Swing Dancing demos, and of course the most marvelous vintage fashion parade put together by Circa Vintage and yes I’ll be up there too wearing some incredibly beautful pieces.  The ladies from The Lindy Charm School for Girls will also be doing vintage hair & makeup demonstrations.

I’ve been flat out these last few weeks working on a secret project for the fair and can’t wait to show you the results. You’ll find me right next to Circa Vintage and the main stage, so please do come over and say hello! I have some complimentary tickets to give away too, so just leave me a comment on this post and I’ll draw the winners at random tomorrow evening so you can get your passes for the show.

All the details

Friday 27th May  5.30pm – 9.00pm      Saturday 28th May   9.30am – 5.30pm

Sunday 29th May   10am – 4.00pm

Exhibition Hall, Melbourne Showgrounds, Epsom Road, AscotVale

Tickets at the door – Adult $14, Pensioner $10, Child $5

More information on the Love Vintage Website.

This is the perfect opportunity to bring your mum, bring your nana or even bring your kids along for an education.  In fact, I’d love to see some children dressed up for the Best Dressed in Vintage this time, so break out the bloomers and let the little darlings loose!

Can’t wait to see you at the fair!

Winter in Australia can be really miserable what with the rain, sleet and all round bad weather; especially in Melbourne. But in June, there is one absolute lifesaver of an event that will fix every kind of Seasonal Affective Disorder. Wintersun!!  This fabulous nostalgia festival has been running for the last 24 years and is going from strength to strength.  This year for the first time, it is being held in sunny coastal town of Port Macquarie, where all of my favourite vintage festivities will come together.

Originally begun as a bit of a Show n Shine type of event, Wintersun has grown and morhphed into the biggest and most lauded nostalgia festival in the country.  Running over ten days (yes that’s 10 big ones), there is everything from cars to pin up girls, markets, vintage fashion fairs, vintage parades, the best swing and rockabilly bands from around the country, dance work shops, fashion and style workshops (that’s me amongst others), and more retro contests and activities than you can handle!

I’m telling you about this now so you can start planning your winter get away and shining your dancing shoes. In fact, let me give you an idea of a common day at Wintersun for me…

9am – breakfast on the balcony, swathed in silk and watching the shiny, souped up classic cars drive by.

10.30am – a bit of a promenade down the street with my vintageous lasses, arm in arm as we head down to the market.

10.45am – pose for photos with cars enroute and eye off the talent.

11.00am – find beautiful vintage frocks at market; squeal with excitement and make deals as to who gets what without loosing an eye.

12.30pm – lunch on the terrace at main street, checking out dapper chaps from behind our sunnies and making plans for the evening.

2pm – Vintage fashion parade – strut some stuff.

4pm – Hanging out en’masse in our apartment, doing each others hair and talking beauty tips (yep, super girly)

5pm – Cocktails and comparison of purchases. More excitement, donning of sequins and a little dancing around the living room.

7pm – Dinner with as many suitably attired people as you can muster, all descending upon a local establishment where Mojitos are on the menu.

8.30pm – Arriving at the first band venue

Until at least midnight – (or 3am for some of us)- Continue to dance until you can’t stand up, laugh, joke, chat and give those vintage frocks the time of their lives.

….. then do it all agin the next day!

So just what is in store this year? Well read on and click through to Wintersun’s VINTAGE ALLEY for information and ticket details for each event.  Be there or be Square!

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Tickets for all Wintersun events can be found here!

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And you know what… you can even apply to be the next Face of Wintersun!

So book your tickets, pack your suitcase and come hang out with me vintage style!

Over the last week, I’ve received an avalanche of emails all wanting to know what to wear for the Royal Wedding celebrations. It seems that there are a host of events happening to mark the occasion, from High Teas and formal garden parties, to backyard BBQ shenanigans. And while it is highly likely that you’ll know the common dress code for the later (plastic tiara anyone?), it is the much more formal events that seem to be causing the most consternation.

If one was actually attending the nuptials in person, it is likely that you’d already be familiar with some of the more subtle do’s and don’t of such an occasion.  But given that most have had little exposure to truly formal events, I’ve put together this little guide to help you in your quest for an elegant and perfectly royal appearance.

Young, chic and sophisticated; this look pulls together all the rules without coming off fusty and old fashioned. Tone on tone camel with sharp black accents and tailoring, are given a little cheek with a 20′s style cloche and high heeled brogues.

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First, the rules.  Here we’ll apply the same rules that a guest of the Royal Wedding uses as their guide.

NO sleeveless , strapless or spaghetti strapped dresses on display. If you do choose to wear almost sleeveless, the arms must be at least partially covered by a shrug, jacket or some type of bolero.  Leave the pashmina at home though, this is no ordinary suburban wedding.

NO bare legs. Stockings or tights of some description are a must for a polished appearance.  But if your shoe is a peep toe, please make sure you buy the toeless style specifically designed for such an occasion. Reinforced toes on display are just ugly.

NO above the knee dresses or skirts. The correct length for a day dress at a formal wedding is either right on the middle of the knee or just below. Ankle length is for evening only.

Many of you will be watching the Royal Wedding at cocktail hour, the perfect time to really amp up the swank factor. This ensemble keeps with rich, jewel tones and a soft feathered hat; but anchors the look with the geometric lines of the Louboutin shoes and studded leather cuff.

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HATS are a must for a formal church wedding of this magnitude. If you choose to wear a hat for your event,  choose a hat that compliments your outfit and ensure you know how to wear it. Not every hat is designed to be just plonked straight on top of the head, in fact most aren’t! It’s all about balance, both in the lines of your outfit and the embellishments. No overdoing the look unless you want to come off like the mad hatter.

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A simple, but killer two tone option for your Royal Wedding look. A little change of accessories to take you from day to night, or perhaps just for different personalities. One great feature dress paired with a vintage hat and ultra modern matching accessories, show fashion savvy and ingenuity on such a formal day.

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GLOVES may be seen as a somewhat archaic tradition, but they offer the opportunity for even more accessory shopping, hence why I never say no. Gloves should only be pure white if you are doing your First Communion or Debutant ball.  In the case of the Royal Wedding, your gloves should match your other accessories and be the correct length.  That is, no long gloves for day wear. Instead choose wrist or bracelet length gloves.  If you have a High Tea event on April 29th, these would be the perfect lady-like addition to your outfit.

COLOURS are all important when attending formal weddings. Despite what fashion editors may tell you about what is acceptable at modern weddings (Melbourne is shocking for this), black is not only an inappropriate choice, it is also a cop out. Wearing black or white to the Royal Wedding would be a major social faux pax, so think a little harder and try something else.  Instead of black, look to slate greys or deep blues. Instead of white, look for a chic nude colour or a rich camel.

A formal evening option, this ensemble is pure class. A soft, draped jersey dress in an unexpected olive hue, set off with modern pieces of antiqued gold jewellery and sculptural McQueen heel.  A faux fur shrug, red lip and rouched satin gloves make this look positively regal.

It is all about taking those time tested rules and thinking outside the square.  What may at first appear to be an old fashioned set of guidelines, actually make a wonderful blueprint to work your stylish wonders within. And no, not all of us will have a budget befitting the Royal Couples guest list, you do have one up on them – your very own SKM Royal Wedding Style Guide!

Before I begin, let me say that I had no idea that yesterday post would be such an emotive issue. Indeed, I am aware that representations of Blackamoor’s in all sorts of mediums (including the famous Golly in the Noddy books), have caused much controversy. However, in the context of a vintage collecting blog my thinking is that the beauty of my piece would be appreciated in the same way as if he had appeared on Antiques Roadshow or The Collectors. It seems this is not the case, and hence I’m now having to defend both myself and my beautiful man.

I’ll say this first, as one reader pointed out, it would have been wise to put some sort of disclaimer at the beginning of the post explaining my intentions, I have now done this. However I assumed (that was my first mistake, never assume anything) that my readers know me and as such would have a very good idea of the context and intent of the post. When it comes right down to it, offence  is all about context and intent.

I’ll get right to the meat of it. Yes indeed, there are many representations from history that we find offensive, hurtful, racist and sexist. When we consider their original intent, to mock, belittle or devalue individuals; they are indeed hurtful. But it isn’t their meer existence that causes the problem, it is the intent they are imbued with. And this is why I have no problem having a piece like this in my home; because not only is he highly collectible but I think he is beautiful.

The question that remains under debate is whether having a piece like this (an indeed another reader said that the cartoons in last weeks Raffles post were equally insensitive), glorifies harmful stereotypes and by extension makes me a racist? This is a question one can only answer for themselves, as I believe the answer to this lies as I’ve said, in both intent and context.

To give an example of something else I believe is beautiful but has also unintentionally caused offence and hurt stemming from a similar historical context is this. Once, when all dressed up in my 1940′s outfit, hair done and ready to hit the dance floor; I was told in no uncertain terms just how insensitive this was.  The venue for the dance was my local RSL Club (this is Returned Service Man’s League Club for those of you overseas), and the problem was that by dressing in war era style at a venue where many elderly soldiers went socially, it caused great distress by bringing back memories of the war.

Now where I had only seen beauty and romance (even though fully aware of the historical implications of the period as I am with the Blackamoor), my intent was not to cause distress. My context however, was poorly chosen and so I no longer break out those outfits at venues like that unless specifically requested to.

So I come back to my original point, that of intent and context. This blog is my life, my home and my space. It is one that I choose to invite you all into to share a piece of and over time I feel I’ve gotten to know many of you. And this is why I would share a find like this. Because in the context of both the vintage and collectable subject matter of the blog and my intent in appreciating his beauty, I feel he can still be appreciated (albeit with understanding of his origins) and loved.

The irony in all this talk of giving offence and being offensive, is that through some readers conviction of their viewpoint, they have taken the path of calling my own moral character into question, name calling and frankly causing me more hurt and offence than it is likely the image of the barman caused them.

I realise that you can’t please all of the people all of the time, but neither is my intent to stir up trouble. I know that just about everything I post on a daily basis could cause hurt or offence to someone of another culture, but I rely on the honesty of my intent and the vintage context of this space to give it relevance.

Just as posting images of Gil Elvgren’s pinup work are not intended to glorify the objectification of women, neither is posting the pictures (or simply having in my home) the beautiful Blackamoor barman intended to condone racist attitudes.

So no, I don’t “Think this shit is funny” as one reader accused me of (I have no idea how they came to that conclusion); and I will continue to collect and appreciate works like this. And yes, I will keep him on display on my bar no matter who was to come over for cocktails, as by very virtue of his existence he has now become a symbol of a time passed and a conversation piece in which we can celebrate that passing.

My little junior vintage hatbox

Every week I get emails from readers asking the same questions; how do you pack when you travel? And while the destinations may vary, the principles of successful holiday packing do not. What I’m going to share with you is the thought process behind the how and why of my packing system.  It won’t be an expensive list of things to buy and how to create a carefree Riviera look. But it is a plan that you can apply yourself; whatever your style and wherever your destination.

1. How much space do I need?

Even before I begin to think about what might be needed to wear, I firstly start to build a picture in my mind of just how much luggage I’ll need. Here’s what you need to think about-

What is the airline’s luggage weight limit?

Will I have to carry these bags alone and how many changes of transport will I have to do that for?

Will the luggage be so big and heavy that I’ll need work boots just to drag it around? (Oh so very un-glam)

How much shopping will I be doing? At which destinations and what size of items do I intend to bring back?

Are there different luggage weight allowances on internal domestic flights in the areas I’m visiting?

You may be able to tell from this list that these are tips I’ve learnt over time, sometimes the hard way. And one other hard and fast rule I’ve learnt to apply is this; never bring large carry on. Not only are you not guaranteed a space for this, but it leaves you no wiggle room for that magic luggage expansion that happens on the very last day of your trip.

Keep hand luggage to a minimum both for your own comfort and speed of boarding flights.  Generally my hand luggage consists of those things that are irreplaceable like my vintage hats and jewellery; even then I keep it small so I don’t have to carry too much around airports.

Now that you have a mental picture of the size of luggage you need to bring, you can start thinking about the weather, activities and events you’ll be enjoying at your destination. Here is my secret trick to planning the perfect outfits…. I simply imagine the hollywood film version of myself on holidays. What does movie me wear for dinner on the beach, or when dancing a tango, or simply lazing in the shade with a book? Sure, it’s a romanticised version, but it is a great launch pad for ideas.

2. Write it down

For each possible activity I write down a generic description of what I need to wear. Swimming? Bathers and something to wear over them. Shopping on a hot day? Long cool dresses and good walking shoes.  Once you have this little list down you can start thinking of which items fit the bill.

3. Pick a pallette

Choosing a basic wardrobe colour palette for your trip is the key to making a few pieces go a very long way. It also saves you from needing to pack a large selection of bulky matching shoes. On my last trip I picked a base palette of red, white and blue, allowing myself a bit of green in there too as an accent colour. Here is the overview of my outfits for a two week trip-

This is what my bed looked like as I packed for my two weeks away. I haven’t pictured accessories, underwear or toiletries here so this isn’t the sum total of my suitcase content. But aside from those other small items, this is it. Keep in mind that I was away for two weeks; one at a beach and the other a lively city.  I needed to dress for heat, humidity, walking, lazing, shopping, dinners, conferences and meetings.

In the interest of illustration and helping you piece all this together, I’m going to break it down.

Firstly; scarves, pashminas and sweaters.

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You’ll notice that the colours I’ve selected all work within my defined palette for the trip. I had two pashminas, two little cropped sweaters and one long polka dotted scarf.  These will be your best friends on a summer holiday.  When you are in and out of air conditioning, dining as the evening cools, or simply looking to cover bare skin for modesty; these all do the trick.

The secret is to find pieces that are made in good quality yarns and with a very fine weave. That way they roll up to nothing and you can always carry one in your handbag. The ones I packed are made of angora, cashmere and silk. Breathable, natural and investments that will last you ages if you take care of them.

Let’s break down the rest of the key pieces…

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Far left from top down

Zebra print sheer beach cover up – can be worn over swimwear or over singlet tops. Just belt for shape and add some great jewellery.

Black lightweight cotton skirt – made of cotton voile this works for beach wear, dinner wear and day wear. Separates are your friends.

Bikini - I will only wear this at the pool. Not to the shops, not to dinner, and certainly not to play table tennis in as I saw some girls doing.

Leopard print dress – Again a light weight cotton dress with a shirred waist line, primarily worn poolside. On it’s own it is a bit basic (even in spite of the print), but with a black cinch belt, great shoes and a chunky bangle it becomes far more chic daywear. I wouldn’t wear this one to a more formal evening out as the cotton is too light weight to be fancy enough for my taste.

Center from top down.

Stripped peasant style top – again light weight cotton, but super fitted with a side zip. Cute with long or shorts skirts, heels or flats.

Red faux silk dress – cool, comfortable and will take you from the shops to a night out at dinner. Just change up the height of your heels, add a little cropped cardigan and a flower in your hair.

Gingham halter neck dress – Day or night, gingham works, It doesn’t translate to more formal settings, but a beachside dinner, or wine and tapas at a local cafe; gingham and halters come together to make you feel all Roman Holiday.

Red winged bust top – One of my best friends. Because it is so structured with boning, shirring and a convertible and removable halter strap; these babies will take you anywhere. With a cropped sweater , to make the best feature of your waist line, these can become chic little tops for cocktails when paired with an ankle length skirt.

1940′s reproduction 2 piece swim suit - yes, for swimming; but the top piece can also work as as singlet top for cute casual day wear. To make it look less like swimwear, I like to pin a large fabric flower onto one of the should straps at the neckline.

Far right, from the top down.

Large brimmed red hat (out of shot) – for sun protection, drama and mystery. See also hangover cures.

Navy and White ankle length jersey skirt - bloody brilliant! Whether in stripes or a solid colour, a long jersey skirt will take you easily from a comfortable plane ride to a swanky dinner. It can be worn with almost any style of top (steering away from the cut off versions to avoid any muffin incidents), and looks equally as great with flats as it does with heels.

Blue cotton voile 1950′s reproduction day dress – This one will do secret rendezvous, lunch dates, and with a few rhinestones for good measure; even a formal evening dinner.

Blue winged bust top – read the description of the red winged bust top so I don’t keep gushing about these.

Hawaiian print dress – Happy hour anywhere!

Khaki culottes - They are the skirt that isn’t a skirt, the solution to more active pursuits that can’t be handled in a skirt, and far cooler and more forgiving than jeans. The French know their stuff.

4. How to Accessorize

Picking a small but cohesive selection of accessories is key to getting several different looks from each of your outfits. These make the difference of day to night, formal to casual and are also the way you introduce your own personalised flair to each outfit. Here’s what I took to change up my outfits.

Belts – Simple, inexpensive elastic cinch belts in black, red and blue

Jewellery – For day time I chose chunky beads and a scrimshaw bangle in red or white. For evening I picked clear diamontes. A small necklace, super sparkly earrings and a pair of dress clips that you can wear on tops, shoes, bags or even in your hair.

Flowers – Both fabric corsages and faux flower pieces.  Each one has both a crocodile clip and a brooch clip on the back; that way they can be pinned on hair, bags, shirt, hats, used to keep scarves together.. you name it! A selection of four key colours and you’re good to go.

Shoes – two pairs of wedge heels, one black ballet flats and one pair of flip flops for the pool. That was it! Not having any short skirts in my capsule wardrobe meant that flats and wedges would work for any occasion. I stuck with red, black and one bright floral pair for a bit of fun.

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All in all, there really isn’t all that much here; but each piece (minus the bikini) must do at least three different outfit combinations, otherwise it just doesn’t make the cut.

5. The Finishing Touches

Just as they do every day at home, the finishing touches to your holiday outfit are what take your look from clueless tourist to chic international traveller. And what are they? Your hair and makeup. Being well groomed at all times on your holidays not only makes you feel better but it will save you money too. Hear me out on this one…

When you find yourself in a new city or even at a fancy resort, you are constantly bombarded with images of good looking people, just as you are at home. It may be the pictures of the gorgeous lady getting a massage at the spa, or it may be the urban dwellers you’re bumping shoulders with over a sale rack.  Nothing will make you reach for your wallet on holidays faster than when you feel inadequate. Yes, it happens to everyone no matter how much above it we’d like to think we are.

When you’ve given your outfits careful consideration as to when and where you’ll be wearing them, you need to pay equal attention to your hair and makeup.  Learn some quick and easy styles that don’t take an hour with the straightener each morning. If you’re going somewhere humid and your hair hates you, be prepared. Pack a small bottle of macadamia oil for emergency smoothing and plan some sleek styles that avoid the issue altogether.

Makeup needs to be simple, straightforward and climate friendly; but even when at the beach I don’t leave my red lipstick at home. I just pick the right formulas. Heavily tinted lip stains, mineral makeup that doesn’t melt and waterproof everything else. ( Come to think of it I really need to write a whole post on ‘beach face’).

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In short, consider the whole package. Does it live up to that ‘movie’ version of the holiday in your head, and will that woman wear what you’ve chosen for her? Is it too much hard work or do you need to simplify?

Once you’ve got the basic strategy down, you can mould it until it is the perfect fit for you. It works for summer or winter, the simple holidays or the fancy.  I’ve written a hell of a lot here, and as I’ve deconstructed what comes naturally to me, I realise that it isn’t about the little details of what I took, but why I packed each piece. And I’m hoping you can see the big picture emerge from all of this.

Of course, this may leave you with even more questions and you’re always welcome to ask away in the comments section. But for now, go forth and know you can really relax when you get to your destination; packing ninja that you are!