Fashion Fix-It

From the Forever New Collection

I'm getting back to basics this week and shoring up my wardrobe with some cracking buys pre autumn winter. You'd think that with the size of my wardrobe this wouldn't be necessary, but as it seems I have been buying for love rather than need of late, I am seriously bereft of some essentials. So I made an actual list, knocked back two coffees and tried to put on my blinkers as I focused my eyes on the prize.

For very affordable chic, I've just discovered how great Forever New is. A big step up from the style offerings of Valley Girl and Tempt, but still in the same(ish) price range. It's all up to you what you make of their pieces, as there is enough variety to get creative and turn a piece from this seasons trend into your signature look. I was particularly turned on by their range of very cutting edge trend accessories. Wandering through the racks I could clearly see the reflection of certain bloggers iconic style, and at the price the possibilities are endless. Yes, one did end up in my possession for a little jewelry cannibalism.

I'm on the wait list for this stunning sapphire velvet tuxedo jacket by Cue. Drool... But in the meantime, I've snatched up a ST-UNN-ING houndstooth number and a couple of very tailored shirts. During a small wardrobe crisis on the weekend, it came to my attention that I did not own even one white shirt! How on earth that happened I'll never know, so I took immediate steps to remedy the situation. After searching several top name stores I was very disappointed by the bland offerings - until I got to Cue. I can always count on them for superb tailoring and unexpected detail.

Portmans high waisted stretch skirt with back ruffles

I cannot remember the last time I went into Portmans and it is possible I've never bought anything there before. But if this weeks offerings are indicative of their future direction, I'll be back in a heart beat. I came away with the perfect black knitted tank, a little cropped cardi, ( a favorite of mine and I had so much trouble choosing only one), and the piece de resistance - this great black skirt. Not having an "office job" to go to these days, there are a few things that haven't been replaced over time. One was the classic pencil skirt. For the longest time I couldn't find just what I wanted, and never got around to making it. Yet, I focus my shopping thoughts and lo and behold it appeared, in the shape of this high waisted stretch number above. I had rather a hard time sticking to the plan with so many pieces right up my alley. In saying that though, you may walk in and not at all see what I see, but the secret is in the styling. Of course outfit shots with all these pieces in traditional SKM style are all forthcoming.

Suede Victoria heels from Witchery

Last on the list was a new pair of classic peep toes in black. I hardly need to tell you why I've chosen these babies.
Love.

**Shhh... something is happening. Stay tuned for a big surprise this week**

You're Such A Doll

Barbie portraits used by permission. Photographs by Torno Photography.

This year, March 9th mark Barbie's 50th birthday! And my doesn't she carry it well? With an army of designers and plastic surgeons (quite literally) at her beck and call, it is no wonder this lady can still knock 'em dead. For her upcoming birthday she was being presented at New York Fashion Week with 50 new outfits by some of the world's most illustrious designers including Diane von Furstenberg, Anna Sui and Vera Wang. But why should she have all the fun?

Celebrating the style of a little lady we have all owned at one time or another, I've put together a selection of outfits just for you to channel your inner Barbie. And while I'm not a huge advocate for that awful phrase "dressing your age", I went with a certain feel for each age group. Feel free to mix, match and possibly steal from others as you please.

So whether you are a fabulous fashionista, a domestic diva or a queen in need of a new frock; get yourself a little Barbie style this week and celebrate the woman she made you.

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?

They're Here!

Now they can be yours!

After being inundated with emails and constantly stopped in the street about my fabulous wide leg, vintage style pants, I've decided to offer them as custom orders through Etsy. I am offering sizes 8-16 (Australian) at this stage, but am happy to take custom orders for other sizes too. Just send me a message on Etsy for more details. Each pair will be custom made to your height so that there are no alterations to be done and you don't loose the lovely cuff detailing.

Every time I wear these I get so many compliments, and as they have quickly become a staple of my wardrobe I've decided that they are just too good not to share. So get in quick to order yourself some serious style. Originality guaranteed!

Pick of the Bunch

Porcelain poodle

While out shopping for school supplies the other day, we were disappointed to find the store we needed was closed. But there was a ray of light. A little Op Shop I'd forgotten about just happened to be next door. Given that I had two little ones in tow and was very short on time, I figured I'd pop in for a quick reconnoiter and come back when I had more time. It seems though, that my many years of bargain hunting have honed my eye well. In ten minutes I whipped around the store and collected all these goodies for the grand total of $30!

1980's sun dress with matching belt.

1960's Red beads that are the sister of those yellow ones I picked up the other week.

Matching peach peignoire set

Matching late 1960's/ early 70's baby doll peignoire set

Deco style patent leather clutch with faux tortoiseshell closure

As my friend recently said, I think I have very good shopping karma.

The Accidental Environmentalist

Image by Simply Memories

Growing up I always thought that "Environmentalist" was a bit of a dirty word. It was used as a put down, a slightly more acceptable version than "Hippy", but none the less it tended to be said with scorn. The people I knew who cared about trees and nature were a rather smelly bunch, all knee sock with sandals, unshaven in various forms. I secretly referred to them as "wholemeal people". Yet somehow their message reached me in such a gentle way I never knew it was hidden inside me until recent years.

I consider myself very fortunate to be of the generation that grew up right before the mad mad sense of consumerism we have now hit. There was no tween fashion, no fast fashion and the concept of buying something new everyday would have had people in stitches. Only the crazy rich people did that sort of stupid thing, we thought. Yet slowly, slowly this has become the norm. As everything has the bejezzus merchandised and marketed out of it, we seem to walk along in a haze of consumerist fog. But there is hope on the horizon.

Living in Australia, land of drought and natural resources, I have gradually become more conscious of doing my part. We have rain water tanks collecting what little comes from the sky, power meters to monitor and reduce consumption, and have even been known to do a little vegetable growing. Yet it was the change in my wardrobe that has surprised me the most.

While continuing with the major household purge project, I stood in front of my wardrobe wondering where all this space I was supposedly reclaiming had gone. And while it seems that my closet still runneth over, I noticed something very interesting. About 85% or more of my wardobe is recycled or made by me! This means second hand finds, vintage clothing, hand me downs and swaps, as well as the many items I have successfully made. Unlike some other ethical fashion bloggers, I did not set out of a particular mission to buy nothing new, or consciously boycott the need to consume, as you well know I am a legendary shopper. But somehow, the concept of waste not want not, and the belief that there must be a better way has painted itself in broad strokes across my wardrobe.

I consider myself fortunate that I want for nothing and can afford to go out and buy whatever I want at any time, yet I wonder if looking at a wardrobe full of new fast fashion purchases would make me feel as proud. I love the challenge of creating a stylish outfit from my treasure hunts and not looking like a bag lady or starving artist. There is more opportunity for creativity, art and personal flair when you are not lifting your look, item for item, from the pages of your favorite glossy; and indeed a much greater sense of achievement. But even more so to realise that your fashion choices are the right ones for generations to come.

Not only will I teach my daughters to dress well by example, but to learn the art of ethical style. Perhaps if we women, the biggest consumer group of all, learnt to change this one compulsion, we could single handedly change the course of global warming? We will without a doubt make a difference in the amount of product wasted; in poor working conditions and environmental damage; and in supporting our local economies.

It seems like such a small thing, looking at my wardrobe, and would have been nothing earth shattering to our grandmothers; but given the frenzy we have all been in, it is. Perhaps the title of Environmentalist may not fit me yet, as I am a long way off spending my weekends on reforestation projects. And my look has a lot more hip than hippy to it. So for now lets just say, Super Kawaii Mama - Giving A Damn.

Addition & Subtraction

Over the Christmas period I had a little time to indulge in my favorite hobby; Op Shopping (that is thrifting for those of you not from these fair shores). Everywhere I go one of the first things on my entertainment agenda is a visit to these little gold mines in the hopes of unearthing what to me will be treasure. Some days I am blessed by the rummage gods, and other times I find myself scraping and attempting to put a better spin on things that are really just trash. Such was the case on my most recent visits. It was slim pickings but I did find this very cute, rigid straw bag. It is a deep chocolate straw and nice and wide. Perfect for something summer weight, but still looking a little more formal than the usual raffia offerings.

Bag - Grand total of $1

I also made another score on the vintage front with a visit to Nana. It seems one never comes away from these occasions empty handed. My Nana is one of those ladies who still wears hats and gloves to church on a Sunday, so her collection is tightly held. Recently she decided that other than her spiritual outings, she no longer has anywhere very fancy to go that requires the more fancy of hats. Thus, I'm now the proud owner of a natty little blue cocktail number with netting, and the most divine navy and white creation that reminds me of a sea anemone. I said something along those lines to Nana when she showed it to me, but she seemed a bit offended. Perhaps her knowledge of marine creatures is a little limited, or the hat held some greater significance... we'll never know.

Cocktail hat modeled by Harajuku Lovers perfume bottle.

The sea creature for my head.

Now I'm not entirely sure that stores entitling themselves as "Antiques and Collectables" fall into the realm of thrifting, but they can be treasure troves nevertheless. So on a relaxing Saturday afternoon the other week, the Mr surprised me by assembling the family for an outing of coffee at a little playground that also happens to adjoin just such a store. Perfect; latte for him, swings for the girls and lots of old things and dust for Mama. With only $20 in my pocket, my eye sight narrows, honing it on the bargains within. And so it was that I came across this little box, (the style of which has been on my aquisitions list for some time) and set of yellow beads. There is something very cheerful about them both in a girly summery kind of way. And although the beads are yet to have an outing, the box is helping me fight the battle of the ever growing accessories collection.

And now, with all of those acquisitions out of the way, it is back to my purging. I think my wardrobe has an eating disorder.

Getting Bento

Penguin Bento

Piggy Bento

I don't usually pack lunches for my family. The Mr. eats out every day and so far the closest I have come to packed lunches is for official picnics or snacks in the park. This is all about to change. Miss Four is off to start school at the end of this month so that means packed lunches and snacks every day. While I'm at it I'll also start packing lunches for the Mr. in an attempt to encourage healthier eating and saving a ton of cash in the process. Of course, as with all my endeavors, I see this as a challenge on which to unleash my creativity and competitive spirit; and it is with this in mind that I have decided to tackle the challenge of packing lunch Bento style!

Realistically I don't expect my bento's to turn out quite as flash as those from the very talented Lucky Sundae on Flickr, but still this is a lunch to aspire to. Over the last few years my lunch menus have left much to be desired. Always an after thought I usually end up with tuna on toast, a boiled egg or whatever the girls didn't eat. Not very nutritious and certainly not very appealing. But I am hoping that if I have two people to make these little treats for, that it will be just as easy to put together a few more and I might get to indulge in some more inspiring and attractive lunches on a daily basis. The biggest thing that is holding me back with these is the time it takes to make them. There is always so much to do of a morning that adding in an extra hour to make lunch just doesn't seem like fun. If any of you make these yourself and have some suggestions, I'm all ears!

White Whale Bento

While in a rather foodie mood, I took stock of my kitchen and the state of my cupboards. It seems that they have been suffering from a bad case of "I might use that one day," and a clutter that subsequently leads to only a few items ever being used. So it was out with the old gadgets... and in with the new. With all the ridiculously good sales at the moment I have no excuse to still be cooking in a fry pan that leaves more teflon on the food than in the pan. And I did make that resolution to eat only the most fabulous of breakfasts so... I headed into Harris Scarf where they had a huge 30-80% off everything and picked up these treats to make both breakfasts and bentos all the more fun.

Cookie cutters from General Trader Store for cutting shapes into vegetables, fruit, cheese and just about anything to make it fun.

My very first proper egg poaching pan, a griddle pan that I shouldn't kill in two minutes (which is what happened to the last three Jamie Oliver pans!), and a super slicer to make things thin, curly and cool without loosing a finger.

For those of you in North America, the idea of cool gadgets and accessories for food isn't all that foreign. It seems that you have a plethora of stores devoted to just such embellishments. But here in Australia it is relatively slim pickings, and requires a good knowledge of secret specialty stores to find groovy things. So I am searching through eBay for most of my specialty bento supplies at present. If anyone in Australia knows of any stores here in Melbourne, I'd be eternally grateful for any recommendations. Browsing the racks for miniature sauce bottles, plastic grass and hot dog cutters shapped like Hello Kitty is my idea of fun!

Etsy Love - Pink Delight

It has been some time since I showed you some of my favorite Etsy finds, so today here's a peek into my current favorites. I came across these pretties while seeking inspiration for a new reader request project I have on the go. I wonder if any of you can guess what it might be? Only those fashion super sleuths or psychics will guess this one.

Kimono Dress from Sky Creations

Buffalo Girl print from Pinky Toast

Valentine Gift Tags by Krafty Chic Designs

Bow Tie Scarf by Mousse Au Chocolat

Poopsie Necklace from I'm Your Present.

The Making of a Voluptuous Vixen

The gorgeous Kerosene Deluxe - Plus Sized Pin up.

I recently received an email from a reader who is wanting to put a little more sassy in her step. After having children however, she now finds herself wearing a somewhat larger clothing size and is faced with a dilemma.

"I really love your blog, your style and your approach to life, which is why I'm writing for some advice re vintage/50's vamp styles for women bigger than a size 6...all the retro shops I can find supply basically nothing over a size 12, with *very* rare finds in size 14...I *would* like to dress in a way that has a distinctive style and pizazz of my own. Are there shops that sell gorgeous retro/psychobilly/50's vamp style clothing in other than uber skinny sizes?"

Size and/or weight is not an issue I have discussed on this blog before. But perhaps it is time to remedy that, after all I wasn't always this small and I know first hand the dilemmas faced by many of you when it comes to putting together a unique look.

Firstly, the silhouette is key to a great retro look. This means that even if you don't have a waist, create one. If you want to go really retro you could go in for a girdle or even a corset. Although corsets are somewhat restricting they can be very sexy for a special occasion. In the absence of period appropriate underwear, I suggest getting hold of some of the Nancy Gantz shapewear, or Spanx for my USA readers. It can be purchased inexpensively, is easy to move in and has the added bonus of helping you to improve your posture. Being able to stand tall with our shoulders back, strips kilos before your very eyes. Even better, it gives you a nice smooth line to work with.

Make the most of your womanly assets and wear a good supportive bra that does the lift and separate job well. If you are really looking for a vintage vixen look, you could always source a bullet style bra on Ebay or other online vintage stores. You'll find these over at What Katie Did too.

When it comes to vintage and retro styled clothing in larger sizes, there are two major problems. With original vintage, people were generally smaller in those eras, so the chances of finding something to fit is not high. With reproduction vintage, the bricks and mortar stores cater to the 8 - 12 market, so pieces made in quantities like this are somewhat cheaper to find. However, the good news is that there are some great reproduction makers out there who will custom make to your measurements for a reasonable price. When I say reasonable I mean that, should I be making these for myself, the price they are charging would cover my time and materials but wouldn't be looking at serious profit.

If you sew this will be your savior. There are vintage patterns galore on Ebay and you can also find some great resources here on A Dress a Day. You don't need to necessarily find patterns in your size, just Google - "How to resize a pattern" for loads of links to find the one that explains it to you best. I learnt to sew fairly recently for this express reason, as the stores never had anything I wanted.

Additionally, you can always look for clothes that work for this look in your regular stores. The trick is to pick things with the right silhouette ( circle / flared skirts, single button cardigans, lots of red and black etc), and pair them with retro accessories to translate something ordinary into the extraordinary. A great elastic waist cincher belt, that can be found everywhere from Supre to Myers to Ebay, and is one of the tricks of the trade to turn your look into Retro Goddess.

So much of what I wear day to day is not authentic vintage ( I can't bare to see them ruined by the children), but I style them in such a way that they take on a retro flavour. It is about injecting the right stylistic elements into your look to create the overall image you want. For instance; the classic pin up look relies on a smaller waist to hip ratio, utilises lots of curls and flowers in the hair, and is nothing without the ubiquitous red lips. You can achieve this at any size, and even if your waist isn't usually visible, create it with the help of undergarments, belting and cross over styles.

Adding this Retro Goddess flavour to your look can be achieved in two key ways that don't rely on clothes at all. Hair and Makeup. For simple hair go with high ponytails and a rolled fringe. When your skills advance a little more, check out the great range of vintage hair tutorials on You tube for more inspiration. (Yes, you'll find mine there too). The basics for the vintage goddess look are windged black eyeliner and red red lips. Check out this tutorial for a great starting point. What you do outside of that is up to you. You may want to add a dramatic beauty mark, heavily penciled brows or something else to make it your signature look.

Links for your looks

Daddy O's Retro - a gorgeous range of all sorts of reproduction vintage styles and dresses up to 3XL!

Hey Viv! - Stocking Vintage and reproduction vintage wear including XL sizes.

What Katie Did - Super Sexy, super glamorous lingerie with some bras up to a 42 DD

Mode Merr - As their slogan says "Dressing every girl from XXS to XXXL!"

My Baby Jo - Fabulous collection of pin up style clothing and vintage styled accessories. including things for your pad. Some styles in sizes up to 16.

Whirling Turban - For classic pin up looks custom made to your size - this is the place to be. Very very reasonable prices too!

Etsy - For a fabulous range of accessories, just search for your favorite style. eg: rockabilly, psychobilly, goth etc... Support hand made and look killer to boot!

Pinup Girl Clothing - Skip the clothes and go straight to the shoes. From hoochie to down home, these girls have your look covered.

I've kept this as short and sweet as possible for you all (as with most things I could ramble on forever), but I'm happy to answer any other questions. So with all these secrets to add to your kit, you're ready unleash your sexy self on the world.

*** I'm off to the seaside for a little pre Christmas respite, and with the internet connection here being on holiday speed too, posting may take a hiatus for a few days. But don't go away, more tantalizing reads are soon to come. **

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!

The Way We Wear

I woke up this morning to torrential rain, a warm bed and a strong desire to stay there. But there was an even stronger motivation to venture out into that diabolical weather. Today the Vintage Fair came to town. So I got up, got fancy and headed on over Williamstown for a visual vintage orgy.

Unlike many vintage, collectable or antique-y type events, this fair focuses specifically on the sartorial and all its many accompaniments. It is rather like a combination of being in a older relatives closet and a museum exhibition. The joy is in the hunting and the subsequent discovery of a hidden treasure just perfect for you. Your eyes do a quick scan and you find yourself drawn to certain colours and patterns, that your fingers are itching to feel. More often than not, this is an exercise in appreciation only, as the likelyhood of finding that darling organza poppy print dress to be just your size is not high. But in these instances, the inspiration is ample while the outlaying of precious cash is not.

Pair of 1890's children's boots. So tempting, but for $190 as a mantle decoration, I sadly had to pass.

I was eyeing off some stunning canes, in particular an amber handled, dog's head style number. Props are a wonderful thing to have, but the temptation to poke people, or whack stray children with it, would have proved to much for me.

This is just another reason that I so enjoy these vintage fairs. I may not find just what I am after, but it helps me to hone my eye. Is that really silk that you spy from fifty paces, or simply a nifty rayon? As in most cases, practice makes perfect, and shopping for good vintage is no exception. There also seems to be a shopping rule of thumb that, should you head out with something specific in mind, you will never find it. So it pays to have a back up lust list, but beware, mine seems to be taking on Biblical proportions. And today, my back up list came to the rescue in the absence of fashionable purchases. Enjoy.

Vintage table cloth in just the colours I'm planning to paint the kitchen.

One of a couple of Ladies Home Journal's I picked up, (circa 1952) I love all the advertisements in these and they even bring me more pleasure than the latest Vogue. (Shhh...)

Girl's Story Book. I read these by the dozen growing up and I love the perfect little world they illustrate. Everyone dressed so nicely, had lovely manners and even the naughty kids were relative angels. I am trying to build my own collection to read to the girls to compliment all the other morally suspect entertainment that is bound to come their way.


Illustration from the Girls Story Book. I think they may be a nattily dressed ladies rowing team. Either that or the timber industry was looking for a more stylish way to market their product.