Valentine Frills

With a delightful 30's vintage style print, this silk Collette Dinnigan set with its French knickers stole my heart.

When it comes to giving or receiving lingerie, you need to be fully prepared for battle. The simple act of choosing the right gift for your loved one becomes a mine field filled with innuendo, hidden agendas and holds the potential to delight or insult. His dream ensemble may have you heading for the hills imagining just where exactly you are supposed to put that thing? It may be a delightful concoction conjuring up fantasies of a fire side romance - but with someone two sizes smaller (or bigger as the case may be). Indeed the safest option for Valentines Day and all other significant lingerie buying occasions, is to buy for yourself and call it a gift for your man. Two (love) birds with one stone.

Raspberry goodness, botanicals and butterflies - also from Collette Dinnigan.

How was your Valentines Day?

Happy New Year!!

Yipee! Welcome to 2009, a year that is sure to be full of more colour, laughter, style and frivolity. A huge thank you to everyone who has supported me and had fun reading the contents of my head as applied to the page. There are some exciting changes afoot for the blog this year, and hopefully you should see it before the first month is out.

To celebrate the New Year, and the first NYE that the Mr and I have been free to hit the town in the last four years (!), I decided to wear something super cute, super colourful and warm. Our weather has been crazy here and it isn't even close the the temperatures we usually experience at this time of year. This great dress is a 1980's classic that I thrifted some time ago and has been waiting to be worked into an ensemble that gave it personality. I tried it with a few different combinations of shoes or strappy sandals, but each time the effect was too aging and a bit like I just hadn't updated the closet since 1985. But then inspiration struck and I am so pleased with the final effect. It is about fifty different kinds of awesome if I do say so myself!

Outfit details: Dress 1980's - Syndicate (thrifted), Stockings - Columbine, Platform Shoes -
Urban Originals, Four Leaf Clover hair clasp - a gift from Nana for Christmas, Super Kawaii Bag - eBay some time ago.

Here's to you 2009.
2008 rocked so you have a lot to live up to, but I already have a good feeling about your potential to amaze.

A Very Memorable Christmas

I love Christmas. I love the trees, the decorations, the food (uh oh..) the sense of good will to all men (if you stay away from the shops), and the promise of a new year around the corner. There are lots of lovely Christmas surprises that made their way into my house this year, but before I show you some of the loot there is something else even more special. This year I got the most amazing present of all. Little Miss One decided to walk on Christmas Day!! All curly headed and bow legged, my little cricket figured it was about time to see the world from a different perspective. Full of resolve and with an indomitable spirit, she is toddling around on unsteady legs and must be grateful for the extra padding of a nappied bottom.

In other present related news, I was very lucky this year that both a lustful eBay moment and a generous Santa Clause coincided. And it was with a good dose of glee that this fabulous 1950's lounge setting and bar have made their way into my sun room. I could hardly believe my luck to find a bar that matched the lines of the lounge suite. It is actually taking the place of a toy cupboard and acting as the ultimate in domestic camouflage.

How awesome is this lounge suite! All newly reupholstered in vintage dead stock fabric, it is a dream come true. Of course this means a whole new set of rules for behaviour on my furniture, and yes I do get a little precious about it, but I want this number to last at least another 50 years. These pieces are all a part of my "retro fitting", basically getting rid of lots of modern, mediocre pieces, and replacing them with killer pieces from my favorite vintage era. Ah the joys of good design.

I can't wait to wear this gorgeous pin! I love the chain detail joining the two children together. Their silhouettes remind me of little Kewpie dolls. A big thank you to my brother and his girlfriend for this stylish choice.

Recognise this little lady? I blogged about Gwen Stefani's Harajuku Lovers collection an age ago, when it seemed there was no possibility of finding these in Australia. Thanks to my baby brother and his lady, this cutie pie now takes pride of place on the dressing table. It isn't often that I keep perfume bottles, but this one will be staying in the heirloom box.

And what is that she's sitting on? Thanks to my Mum and Dad and their recent European sojourn, I have the most delightful Versace silk scarf with which to punch up my look. In bright greens, reds and blues, it has a very fresh, young look to it that makes me think of summer time and pool side cocktails.

Also courtesy of Mum and Dad's recent adventures is this handmade silver necklet, straight from the markets of Morocco. It is so silver it has an almost blue-ish hue to it, and demands an outfit of similar gravitas. I'm thinking this one needs to be styled in a 1920's does Egypt fashion.

And of course this little critter had to sneak in. He was actually one of my gifts to Miss Four, but I was rather keen on him too. If you are wondering his name is Totoro. One of my all time favorite anime classics. Having kids makes hiding your penchant for cute toys all the more easy.

So now that the festivities are all said and done, I trust yours was fabulous indeed. And if like me you ate far too much, I suggest walking it off at the Christmas sales or simply dancing you arse off (literally) for New Years Eve.

Merry Christmas Y'all!

Well it is all go over here. With two children, the appearance of Santa and his entourage are high on the agenda and the resulting threats based on behavior are rife. Whilst I would love to have a delightful Christmas post for you full of sparkling outfits, tree trimming and the like, the commitments of life are taking over for the next few days instead. I've been so busy organising the pad for the big day that I haven't even yet planned an outfit, and am sneakily penning this post to you while my guests drink champagne in the next room. Shh..

So let it be said - Merry Christmas to all my wonderful readers and your families. Make your Christmas a happy one. Pop on a little bit of Bing Crosby singing white Christmas, break out the egg nogg and find your merry.

xxx Super Kawaii Mama xxx

Love in the Backseat

While on my beach side retreat, I had a wonderful little moment of serendipity as I strolled down the road with my mum. Parked in the driveway of a most delightful beach front house I'd been eying off for many years, was parked this amazing 1939 Pontiac. Now, I am not a big car fan generally speaking, but I do have some knowledge in this area thanks to a former boyfriend who was a classic car nut. Years of trawling cars shows rubbed off and I came away with a fairly good general knowledge and an ever recurring desire to have one for my very own.

As it happened, the owner of said car was in the front garden giving it a little spif up and after a kindly, "Morning" agreed to let me have a gander and even offered to take a few shots for me. What a gorgeous car! With its bulbous fenders, running boards wide enough to hold a party on and shiny Indian on the bonnet; it was lust at first sight. This is a car into which you could quite comfortably fit a very large ball gown, petticotes et al; as well as the head room for a top hat, beehive or what ever head adornment takes your fancy. Rather than the 'leg room' you find in cars of today, you could almost stand up and turn around to alight from this carriage.

It also makes me just a little sad, as in contrast it highlights many elements of modern design where style and presence have lost out to comfort at all costs, speed and the cheapest product. These days to find a genuine wood grain dash you have to be looking at a Rolls Royce, Bentley or their buddies. To find this kind of backseat party room, you'd have to hire a limousine. And to my mind nothing on the market these days has quite the same mix of Bonnie and Clyde meets Red Carpet style. So it may not be the fastest, the loudest or have the best fuel economy; but the glamour factor of this marvelous car has me quite won over. Perhaps I'd better start penning next years letter to Santa...

Santa Style

Outfit Details: Dress - unlabeled recycle boutique find, Shoes - Mossimo, Jeweled hair snood - Singapore department store brand, Earrings - Diamond studs, Ring - Tokyo department store find.
Shot on location by Nana, Miss Four and Myself at Westfield shopping mall.

Earlier this week I packed up the girls and their Nana to head in for the yearly Santa visit. This is a very exciting day that begins around 5am with lots of jumping around and dancing; and no that sure isn't me at that hour. After dressing Miss Four in her best black and white party dress with appropriately frilly socks and shiny shoes, I thought I'd get a little peace to get organised. However, my knee high stylist insisted on choosing my outfit because I had to be "pretty for Santa". So with a little creative collaboration, this was the result.

Santa seemed rather pleased with it and was rather keen on keeping me by his side. With all that extra squeezing I'd better be getting a darn good present this year!

Happy Halloween!

Halloween is not a very Australian tradition. In fact the main tradition associated with Halloween here is the lack of fan fare and the derision of those brave souls willing to take part. Most poor children are greeted with apples, a handful of beer nuts or a tin of tuna. But not at Chez SKM. I love any chance to dress up as you well know, so Halloween is high on my list of things to love. Whether the celebrations are small or large, I love the opportunity to decorate in theme and wheel out one of my many costumes for public consumption. The neighbours already think I am a little on the odd side, so why not stick with the theme?

Miss Four has been planning for the big event for the last couple of months. She's mapped out a trick or treat route, assembled a few costumes and even done a few sneaky trial trick or treating runs with a neighbourhood girl while Mama was out! So the table is laid, all scary and cute, and the huge dish of candy is by the front door. But where is Miss Four? All laid up on the sofa nursing a stomach bug and still professing her ability to hit the town. I'm not sure that her current "trick" is terribly hygenic though. Still, having a Four year old throw up on your porch could be pretty scary. So we may have to have a Halloween weekend here, as I don't plan to have an unexpected decoration on the lapel of my new costume.

But because I am already in Halloween mood, I have a few treats to hand your way.

Hello Kitty Halloween Themed Wallpapers. You'll find some Christmas ones here too just to get you started for the holiday season.

Hello Kitty Halloween E Cards. - You need to sign up for an account, but all the super cute stuff is so worth it.

Kawaii Monster Buttons. - But you'll have to be quick, only available today!

If you're feeling little more creative, try you hand at a kawaii bento box, like this one!

And to my fellow Australians, get yourself a fun pack of Snickers to keep by the door, because you just never know when a nauseous Four year old dress as Mulan may appear.

*My apologies for the absence of postings over the last few days. I am having both PC and connectivity issues at present, that are interrupting the normal order of things. Please bear with me whilst I whip the appropriate people. *

Japan I Bid You Farewell

There are times in life when in the midst of chaos you find yourself in an oasis of peace. Such is the beauty of Ueno Park. On my final day in Japan, I packed my bags (leaving room in the carry on for last minute shopping) and headed out for a more traditional cultural experience. Strangely, after only a very short time, I already felt at home in this part of town. I had mapped the area in my head, made friends with the local noodle vendor and felt a serenity in the smallest details. Wandering around town with new eyes, I fancied myself part Hemingway, part Bryson. That is to say, creating all sorts of fantasies about the people surrounding me and their lives, as well as making all the usual amusing travellers observations.

On this morning, I finally attained my noodle breakfast, and simply imagined the age old family tradition that had created it. Actually my imagination made up for my lack of language skills on many occasions. After that steaming hot bowl of miscellaneous deliciousness, I headed towards the note worthy Ueno Park; home to temples, museums and a zoo. As I passed the suited business man, asleep on the overpass, empty bottle by his side, I wondered at the social conventions of begging in this city. I has seen many a homeless person during my evening sojourns, but never once had I been asked for money or confronted in any way, unlike in LA where one feels triumphant to walk away with all limbs intact. Here in this busy junction, many homeless men lived beneath the overpass. Constructing lean toos with cardboard boxes, umbrellas and what appeared to be an advanced engineering degree. There was no attempt by pedestrians to avoid their area, nor was there an attempt from those homeless themselves to engage anyone. It seemed a sad state, yet oddly civilized.

My first port of call upon reaching Ueno Park, was the small and beautifully adorned shrine to Hiroshima. Swathed in garlands of brightly coloured origami, it spoke both of great sadness, but also a great joy arisen from ashes. The shrine brought me to the entrance of a temple constructed in 1627 as a tribute to Tokugawa Ieyasu. Keep in mind that I live in a country that was only "discovered" in 1788, so to me this is serious history. The entrance with its giant stone lanterns was impressive enough, but upon reaching the face of the temple, it had an almost tangible air of solemnity and the honorific. This was the first time in Japan that I had been asked to remove my shoes for any occasion, and in this case it was only by signage, as the temple did not appear to be staffed aside from the cashier and a groundsman. Given that it was only a sign asking people to remove their shoes and respect the request for no internal photographs, I was surprised to see that everyone obeyed the rules. (It seems to be the norm in Australia that people assume that rules are made for everyone else but themselves. ) So I compliantly removed my shoes and ascended the stairs. The very first thing that struck me was the scent. The scent of the warm dried grasses in the new tatami matting. I had expected this flooring to be somewhat rough, but it didn't once snag my stockinged feet. In fact, it was both so comfortable and welcoming that I contemplated covering my slate flooring in tatami when I arrived home, although I don't know if the local floor world carry that as an option.

Hiroshima Shrine

Temple built in 1627

Moss in the grounds of the temple. In a perfect world, this would be under my feet wherever I go.

From the serenity of the temple, to the bustle of the children's fair ground. Although I only stopped to take a couple of quick pictures and imagine my girls joy in such a place, I've added this little gem to my list of perfect fashion shoot locations. That is, should I ever be fortunate enough to get back here in that capacity. I had visions of wearing chiffon ball gowns and riding the giant Hello Kitty off into the sunset. But instead, I chose to do the cultural thing and headed to the National Museum. Here were archeological pieces with dates on them I hadn't even considered the existence of. But truth be told, it wasn't so much the exhibits that held me enthralled, but the other visitors. From the corner of my eye I sneakily took in every detail of the Autumnal kimono of the woman walking beside me. Her perfectly tied Obi and silky white Tabi socks. This was quite the novelty for me, as to date I had only seen people dressed in Western attire. It was not only an interesting contrast fashion wise, but to watch them blend seamlessly with the crowd, the traditional with the modern and not an eyebrow raised. Yet another scenario I will never witness on our shores.


After a long day of walking and visual gluttony, I stopped for a late lunch at a local Chinese restaurant. I had a hankering for dumplings and hadn't found a local purveyor of Gyoza (Japanese dumplings) so this would have to do. It was 3.30 in the afternoon and the waitress was about to go home. She was extremely unhappy that I only wanted to eat dumplings, indicating that it was hardly worth her time to serve me such a paltry fare. How was I to tell her it is my favorite food? So after some screaming at the chef, she left him with my order and went home. Oddly, the chef kept popping out of the kitchen to refill my water every 10 seconds and give me a huge grin that left me wondering what her parting words were. After about his 8th visit, he gesticulated towards his face and said "beautiful." Flattered I was, but being the only customer past closing time in a dark basement restaurant, I was a little nervous too. When he brought my lunch I thanked him in Japanese ( one of the three phrases I knew) and decided to take a punt, given the nature of the restaurant, and thanked him also in Mandarin. His shoulders lifted and he smiled from ear to ear, launching into a huge speech and asking me loads of questions. My Mandarin was a little rusty, but was enough that for the first time in Japan, I had an actual conversation with someone! How odd to be sitting in a Chinese restaurant, in Japan, not speaking Japanese, or he any English, yet making a friend. Feeling quite pleased with myself, and full of complimentary pudding, I bid my new friend farewell and headed off to the airport.

An hour and a half bus ride to the airport; during which time I was subject to the loud and rude mobile phone conversation of another Australian on the bus, who believed that the no mobile phone rule did not apply to him (surprise surprise). I wanted to hit him with my shoe for breaking my Tokyo reverie, but instead chose to attack him with my words. Once he was suitably chastised, and I was all checked in, spent my final hour in Japan shopping the gift hall (more photos will follow), and giggling with sailor suit clad, Japanese school girls.

Yes, my time here was short, but the impression has been immeasurable. Should any Japanese company have employment opportunities for this infatuated Australian, please email me immediately!

Japan I Bloody Love You - part two

Let me begin this post by warning you that I bought myself a dictaphone / voice recorder while in Houston, and as such, then took copious amounts of random notes for the remainder of the voyage. Therefore, you'll now be subjected to the edited version of my internal monologue as it was.

Morning one in Japan. I wake up at 7 am (damn that internal clock) and begin to formulate a plan for my day of wonder. I put on my favorite fuchsia dress, black shoe boots, curled my hair and grabbed what maps I had. The plan was to enjoy a leisurely local breakfast of homemade noodles, a stroll in the park and then onto some serious kawaii shopping. After seeking advice on the best shopping precinct from the desk clerk, I headed out the front door and promptly started walking in the wrong direction, all the while blissfully unaware. The streets were beginning to come alive with people on their way to work. And this is where I found my first Japanese infatuation. The prevalence of bikes as a means of transport. Like most things in Japan, there is a grace to the riding of said bikes. The bikes themselves are laid back, Ladies style with baskets on the front and large padded seats. The riders may be men in business suits, ladies in skirt suits and heels and even mothers with babies both in the seat behind and the basket in front. And while they ride with purpose, they don't ride with haste (well at least not here anyway). Simply watching them gliding down the road was a relaxing experience.

Image courtesy of Copenhagenize.

As I continued walking in the wrong direction, I noticed two things about the shop fronts. Firstly, nothing was open at 8am, so my breakfast plans went on hold. Secondly, each shop front was decorated with potted plants. Imagine if you will, the shop front, footpath and curb with council planted tree. Around the council tree, each shop had created a little oasis of potted geraniums, jade plants and even trellised vines. It was quite common place and I wondered if this was installed as a sign of ownership of space, an attempt to increase the serenity in a place you must spend many hours a day or simply an acknowledgment of the role nature and the seasons play in everyday life here. If any reader can enlighten me on the subject, it would be much appreciated. It did make me laugh as I thought of our own Melbourne City Council's reaction to such an effort, as I had once been threatened with a lawsuit and heavy fine for signage encroaching by 6 inches onto the footpath.

Eventually I came across a subway station whose maps inform me that I have been travelling in the wrong direction for about 30 minutes. Resolutely I walk back up the other side of the street, hoping to find an open noddle shop as my stomach is now protesting at the lack of attention for more than 20 hours. With my non existent Japanese language skills and lack of a cohesive plan (you know Virgos for planning) I was beginning to feel just a smidgen anxious. As I turned the corner I saw the sign for what appeared to be the only open eating establishment within that 30 minute walk, and so I headed in for my first visit to Johnathon's. Johnathon's appeared to be an American style family restaurant, (similar to Denny's) and while it didn't meet my fantasy of home cooked noodles by a family whose secret recipe hearkened back generations, it advertised good coffee. And here is where I made observation number two that further increased my crush on Japan.

Breakfast at last and it is oh so good.

The Japanese make life very easy for a tourist. Considering the language barrier you would think it easy to get lost, never be able to communicate effectively and possibly sold into slavery ( just joking.) But everywhere things are illustrated. Menus with pictures throughout, instructions with unmistakable directions on which buttons to press for the perfect coffee, and happy smiling cartoon faces on everything. The art of Engrish is one that often amuses me, but seen in this context, its value is immeasurable and entirely different. I'm imagining life for a tourist in Melbourne, where the only place you get to see pictures on a menu is in McDonald's, and should you not understand English, people simply speak louder and slower as if you are deaf. Japan is the antithesis of this approach. Everything appears to be done to put you at ease and make you as comfortable as possible. As I sat eating my breakfast, any trepidation I may have felt about my adventure melted away. I drank the most excellent coffee I had enjoyed since leaving Australia, plotted to take home the cute restaurant signage (" Drinks Menu Was Enhanced Here!") and looked up to see a huge My Melody stuffed toy looking down on me from a high rise window. Forget Xanax, all I need is a little kawaii Sanrio and I'm good to go.

My Melody (the red rabbit thingy) appears like a guardian angel from above.

Appropriately fortified for the day, I went forth to shop! After all the vintage treasures acquired in the US, my plan here was not to vintage shop, but to gorge myself on a diet of my other passion - the Super Kawaii. My first stop was the Matsuzakaya department store, as nothing else was open prior to 11.30 and I was itching to make first contact. Like an anthropological explorer, it seems that I make my best and quickest efforts to assimilate by immersing myself in a situation with which I am already overly familiar. And a department store was the perfect stage. From the moment I stepped through the entrance way, it was though I had gone to department store heaven. Where Sax Fifth Avenue had been gleaming, it also had the ability to make you feel as though you needed to improve yourself to shop there. Matsuzakaya is another world entirely. Each display is perfectly designed, executed and maintained. Each staff member greets you with a tuneful "Issasshaimase" the moment you enter their visual sphere. Now I know this may sound silly, but I felt like I was gliding around that store on a cloud of visual perfection and obsessive compulsive heaven. Almost as each item was touched by a shopper, it was carefully straightened back into its original, perfectly aligned position - without making you feel as though you had disturbed anything but rather that there was pleasure taken from your attentions. (Okay, this may sound a little over the top, and the reality of this feeling may not be at all grounded in the truth of the matter, but I am simply calling it as it felt to me.)

Anna Sui Brush and cosmetic box, cute rings, Kewpie cuties, Tokyo Romantic fragrance.

I discovered the joy of the embellished hand cloth at the Matsuzakaya store. These are my two favorites I picked up, but in total I think I must have bought about a dozen!

A small selection of all the kawaii paraphernalia including Totoro for Miss Four (one of her favorite films), Babushka Kitty for me, a Gu Gu World shopping tote and more stationery than you can poke a stick at.

More Kitty fun for the kitchen. This lot was actually from the Sanrio Store in Houston; I seek out kawaii where ever I go.

One of a selection of 14 miniature Kittys now gracing my entertainment cabinet.

From the department store onto the best toy store I've ever seen in my life. 6 Floors of electronic, animated and modeling magic. As I walked in the front door I was greeted by the insane yapping of a whole floor of electronic toys such as " Poodle in a Tea Cup." What is it? A small pooddle that yaps incessantly until you place in in the designated tea cup, where it promptly goes to sleep. Even better than said poodle was "F Cup Cookie". A box of cookies that promises you F cup breasts upon there ingestion. Is it that if you eat enough you get so fat that your breast then reach this size? To the left of "F Cup Cookie" was a strangely sexual looking object, that upon closer inspection proved to be a banana protector. And on it went. As you can see, I spent quite a bit of time and money in this store, but I'll leave the Tea cup Poodle for another enthusiastic shopper for now.

*Stay tuned for further adventures in Japan during the week*