Last week I received this email from a reader….

“I found your blog recently and absolutely love your girly inspirations. I’m glad there are sharers in the world, yay the WWW.

As an eighties teenager I was raised with no fashion sense at all, (in some ways that may be a lucky coincidence of fate) so I was wondering if i may ask, is everything in your wardrobe of matching fashion, is it all in your style on these pages? I wonder whether period fashionista’s have two fashion lives or its all the way?” – B

… to which I (of course) began penning a very long and involved reply.  Once I realised it was going to be a short essay I figured it would be something to share with you all, so here is my answer.

If I understand correctly what she is asking  is, is everything I own vintage style or do I have a “normal” wardrobe as well? I can’t answer for all other vintage enthusiasts, only myself.

To answer as best as I can, I am not a vintage purist. What I mean by that is that I will happily mix a 1950’s dress with modern shoes or a 1940’s jacket with a Disney headband (yep, I’ve done that at Fashion week).  I’ve been collecting and wearing vintage for close to twenty two years now, and find that I wear it with varying intensity over different times in my life.  There are indeed times that I wear head to toe vintage, from the hairstyle to the earrings to the shoes; everything is period accurate; but this could be for a variety of reasons.  I understand that there are many enthusiasts out there that participate in “Re-Creation” types of events, which is something  I have yet to experience.  However, outside of specific modelling engagements where I might be hired for this purpose, there is no real rhyme or reason for when I decide to frock up in that manner. It could be just about anything, even a dreaded visit to the supermarket that motivates me to spice it up a little.

Going vintage all the way!

Do I have more than one wardrobe? Yes. But not in the way you might expect. I have (to be honest) about three wardrobes on the go at any one time, and this is to cater to  space limitations.  If I had a dream walk in robe with a place for everything, then I’d only have one.  As it is I have it spilt across three areas in my own room, my guest room and my studio.  I divide it up by things that are currently out of season, things that need repair or alteration and things that are in current rotation. It may sound fabulous but believe me it is a never ending source of angst trying to manage such a cobbled together system. The one thing you will not find…. the old jeans and t-shirt or logoed tracksuit anywhere to be seen.

I don’t have an “on duty / off duty” wardrobe, so everything you see on the blog is the way I dress, all the time.  Yes, sometimes it is more theatrical and intense for specific purposes like show casing that amazing gown from Violetville earlier in the week, but you will also find that most of it is just my day to day look. I don’t fluff about styling fancy photo shoots in things I don’t actually wear, just for the purpose of this blog. Frankly, with two small children to get fed and out of the house on time I just don’t have the time, and when evening comes around I certainly don’t have the energy. 99% of my Daily Outfit photos have to be done in two minutes flat on the front porch.

While I believe that you can add more glamour and magic to your everyday life through what you wear, there are times when I have to make compromises and times when I just don’t have it in me to go the whole nine yards in dolling up. However, my version of dressing down or casual, seems to be a bit different to the generally held standard these days.  The only time you will find me in a dressing gown for the whole day, I must be near death’s door with illness, only appearing from the bedroom to garner more sympathy.

I do own and wear gym clothes (like these), but they will only be seen in the gym or enroute – not picking up the shopping or hanging out for coffee. Now that is not to say that I expect the same from everyone else,  it is just that for me if  I spend a day dressed like this I don’t feel like myself and that doesn’t make me happy.

Makeup free  (if you don’t count lipbalm) going to the gym.

I don’t always wear makeup. There are times and days when it just  isn’t appropriate.  If I know I’ll be spending the entire day out in the garden working hard (ish), then I will usually be seen in my solitary pair of jeans, huge hat, bare faced only with slatherings of sunscreen and lipbalm. Attempting to reapply 40+spf over a full face of makeup whilst also attempting to keep dirt out of your eyes is just ridiculous. Besides which, with a slathering a red lipbalm and huge dark sunnies that is enough glamour for my rose bushes to handle!

I also try to have at least one makeup free day a week. A day to let my skin relax, breath and have a bit of a DIY facial. This is not as relaxing as it sounds however, as it is usually accompanied by screams of feigned terror at the Mama Monster and her masked face. I attempt to salvage my glamour factor in these instances by wearing a fabulous vintage dressing gown, sipping tea  (whilst Tweeting) and imagining myself away.

So B, I hope this is the answer you were looking for, and for everyone else I hope this gives you a better picture of who I am. The short answer is that everything you see on this blog is me. There is no alter ego, no hidden stylist, no pro photographer.  The reason I began writing this blog and the reason  I am so passionate to spend a large chunk of my life on it is to show that should you wish to, it IS POSSIBLE to make your life a little bit more glamorous.

You don’t need to be rich or famous, you don’t need to be artistic or have a team of specialists on hand.

You just need to want it and be courageous!

Feburary is one of the hardest months to find wardrobe inspiration in for me. Here in Australia it is generally as hot as anything, and it has been for a while. So our enthusiasm for fresh summer looks is on on the wane.  The stores start teasing us with thoughts of Autumn showers, but the sun still insists on frying us to a crisp. This week I’ve taken another imaginary shopping trip, delving into the reaches of my sweating subconcious, to put together some late summer outfits to inspire your days.

Light, bright, Ice Queen chic. Looking like a stylish snowflake will take the heat off!

For party or for play, baby blue envelopes you in a cool breeze as you dream of the sea.

They say that green is the most relaxing colour, and the colour most often chosen by geniuses.  Either way, frogs and frills most certainly go together in this look to take you away from it all.

Red may be the colour of passion, but add lots of rosey pink and it is all girly love. It is summer showers and raspberry kisses with a nice tall sangria as the sun goes down…

To see the details of any of the items in these outfits, simply click on the image and follow the link.

See if you can come up with your own monochromatic masterpiece from what you have in your wardrobe – and NO- black does not count this time!

Feeling inspired yet?

Welcome to a new week! Is yours a week full of possibilities or perhaps a Monday morning when you can hardly drag your self out of bed, let alone pull together a decent outfit? Yep; I have those days too. At the moment I’ve been having quite a few as I work later and the days get busier. But how do you cope with the clothing crisis this presents, choosing something simple, easy and comfortable? Many of you have emailed me to ask just what I do in these situations. Do I have a go to outfit or do I have a sneaky pair of flannelet pajamas hidden away for those days? While I don’t keep a single pair of “flannies” (the slippery slope to hell for me), I do have some basic outfits that get me through the tough days.  So I’ve put together a little guide for you to my “At Home – Style Survival Basics”.

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It is cold. It is raining, and your bed looks just so good. But if you have to drag yourself out for a day of homework or housework, you want to be warm and comfortable.  Inevitably, it is these days that you want to see no one, but you still end up having to race to the supermarket for milk. This outfit is as close to going out in pajamas for me as you’d ever see. Comfortable yoga pants, cool t-shirt and a long warm cardigan. All it takes it picking the right pieces when you shop for these items in the first place. Pick a t-shirt with a print or colour that makes you smile and a cardigan with shape and good detail. Anything that is baggy and oversized will make you feel like a Sasquatch – and that isn’t good for anyone’s self esteem! I keep arm warmers on hand (ha ha ) for the extra cold days, and especially if I am typing for a long time, as it seems my hands are prone to turning blue in those conditions! A pair of comfortable ballet flats will get you through all these casual outfits, but keep a pair of warm, stylish boots of hand for outdoor activities. I love these wedge boots for their stability as well as the fact that they look sleek rather than chunky as many boots do.

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It may be grocery shopping, catching a train, returning library books… whatever.  This outfit is the perfect foil when you have serious errands to run, but are in no mood for getting super fancy. You can pop of a great beret and skip the sleek hair, as well as keeping the whole feel soft and comfortable with wide leg pants, a shaped but voluminous knit, as well as a bright coat to top it off. I stick to the ballet flats once again as fighting with a full shopping trolley in heels is likely to put you in hospital for a knee reconstruction! Adding a great spiky cuff and a pair of wicked eyed skull earrings should be just enough of a subtle warning for any other shoppers who feel the need to get chatty with you in your antisocial mood.

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Last, but by no means least, is the outfit you will most commonly see me in on those well earned winter weekends off. I like to call this one “Princess Cranky Pants”. It manages to be comfortable, stylish and yet all the while says, “Back away from the chocolate and no one gets hurt!” I keep two knitted black cashmere dresses. One long and one short. Pairing them with thick opaque stockings, a band to keep my hair out of my face, dark glasses to face the consequences of my actions and one statement accessory.  The statement of this accessory is a particular favorite I came across putting this together for you and is now top of my Christmas list. Thanks Santa- I never said I’d be nice!

So there you have it. Simple, stylish and surprisingly easy. I’m sure you can find your own version of these basics in your own wardrobe.  It just takes a little thought to create your own go to casual look, but once you have it sorted it becomes a mater of grab and go. If you have even only one of these outfits, you need never have a badly dressed day again- and you won’t even have to think about it!

Last week I promised the follow up installment of Travel Essentials, and here it is! Today’s Flexible Fashion is designed for a trip to warm, summery locations. A trip that might see you doing everything from shopping to karaoke parties, lazing by the pool and walking miles to take in the local colour. It took me years to master the art of packing light, but the more I travel…and shop.. the more  I realise, I would sacrifice having the choice of  10 pairs of shoes with me for the space required to bring more home!

The first thing you’ll notice when taking in this page is the theme.  My single greatest trick to traveling light, is to pick a colour palette and a theme, then ensure that everything fits within it.  This time (as I have so often done in the past), I’ve picked a red white and black pallet with a floral theme.  Choosing the right pieces is then all you need to do and viola! Instant capsule wardrobe. This selection is but one variation on a theme.  There are infinite varieties you could come up with but let’s start here.

Every trip requires one fancy dress. Even if you have no special outings planned, you never know when you might be faced with a James Bond moment.  Need an upgrade? Break out the fancy dress.  Met a dark handsome stranger in the bar? Break out the fancy dress. Department store shopping? Break out the fancy dress. You can be assured that my Fancy Dress gets a good work out on each trip. You’ll also need one pair of heels to mix and match with your various ensembles.  I prefer to pick a great pair of wedges as you never know just how far you may have to walk or the condition of the streets.  I’ve seen many a heel meet its end on a cobble stone road.

An inexpensive feature bracelet comes with me everywhere.  It must be big, have impact, and be replaceable – as with just about everything you take.  This is a good time to point out that I very rarely take any of my vintage collection with me when I travel unless the purpose of my trip is specifically vintage related.  I am yet to ever loose my luggage (touch wood), but no amount of travel insurance will ever be able to replace that New Look 1950’s dress I adore.   I rely on my makeup and hair styling to give my outfits a more vintage look. After all, accessories are the key to any successful outfit. And don’t forget a fine knit pashmina – small enough to fit in the hand bag and a lifesaver in various crisis.

The key to getting day wear right is to ensure that each piece can be worn with the others and all in various ways. A little summer dress can become a tunic top over the pants, and button through blouses can double as light weight cover ups.  If you have the room for it, a fine knit black poncho not only deals with an evening chill, but with the addition of your sparkliest accessories, takes on a slightly more evening look. One pair of feature flats that tone with each of your looks is also essential.  Other than the one pair of wedges included in the previous selection, all the other shoes in this capsule wardrobe are flat and easily packable without adding much to the weight or space component of you bag.

Beach and swimwear should be simple. If yours is a predominately pool holiday, you’ll want more than one suit; but that is of no great space concern. Don’t think you can skimp on the sun hat and that you big dark glasses will do all the work – that’s how you end up with a big old chicken neck!  These days, you can find great wide brimmed hats in crushable straw that can be rolled up and spring back into shape.  Note: These are  not the “crushable” kind which often look just that – crushed!  Bring your sunscreen in wipe form to save on weight and space; as well as to prevent any leakage. Oddly, sunscreen seems to be one type of cream that often leaves stains on fabric that can’t be removed.  And don’t forget the cover up.  Choose something from your palette in a solid colour. It shouldn’t have shoe string straps, but a nice wider arm that not only gives better sun protection, but can do double duty as a dress or tunic for day wear.

Hair can be one of the trickiest things when traveling. You don’t want to spend too much time on it, after all you should be relaxing! And for me, traveling in hot and humid climates is the absolute worst when it comes to looking put together.  I end up a mass of frizz with bits sticking out all over the place.  Finally, after paying attention to the locals in many of the hotter and stickier countries I’ve visited, I noticed one of their secrets to sleek hair. It wasn’t theirs! Now when I travel I take a switch or a fauxny-tail piece in a colour to exactly match my hair.  That way I can do something sleek with the front and rely on the switch to do the rest of the work. As for getting Hollywood glam hair without bringing along the rollers, I use my Perfect Pin Curls trick.  All you need is a little smoothing setting lotion, bobby pins and a scarf. Done!

Make sure to bring along a good selection of hair ornaments and you’ll have a different do every day.

Sleep is simple. If you are not staying somewhere where a robe is provided, make sure to include a lightweight kimono in your suitcase. Other than that, all you need is here. A cute but classy nightgown and some fancy roll up jiffies.  That way, should you be hosting nightcaps in your room, you’ll still be fit to work the room.  Some travel candles are a great touch to help you relax, particularly if you’ve had a trying flight, and if you burn them while away, the weight can be replaced on the trip back home. shhhh..  I also like to take a little reminder of home to watch me sleep – it must be teeny tiny too.  The teeny tiny toy touch is something I learnt in Bangkok, when the Hilton kindly provided me with a tiny elephant for my pillow. I liked him so much he now lives on my bedside table.

Being a maximalist trying to travel in a minimalist way, there is one singular key to success that keeps me sane and my creativity intact. Accessories! Stay on colour, on theme and go wild.They take up very little space and change the whole tone of an outfit. It is all about the mix and match, stretching a little to think up new combos and new ways of wearing things.

Of and don’t forget the perfume.. if all else fails… or perhaps if you succeed… you won’t need to wear anything but this!

P.S: Don’t forget to keep on voting for me in the Nuffnang Asia Pacific Blog Awards!

Do you dress for the season you’re in or for the season you want to feel? One of my tricks to surviving the winter blues is by breaking out all the outfits that make me happy. The spring florals, the summer brights and the just because I love them, sparkles. It is only the beginning of June, but already I am feeling the need to perk it up and bit, loose the seriousness of winter and dance in the rain.

Print & Pattern

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Best Foot Forward

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A Date With Winter

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What are your fool proof outfit pick me up’s?