A Leona lovely and braving the rain.

 

 

Hallelujah!

The frock drought has broken!

Melbourne has been a sodden, rainy mess this past week, but I braved the rain to do some hard core op shopping. I hit 'em all. Hard!

I found this amazing Leona dress with so many pretty colours dancing across a black background at Savers and I was instantly smitten. I thought the $10 price tag was pretty good for a designer label, especially since a very el-cheapo brand dress was the same price.

It is a little roomy but cinched in with a belt I'm pretty happy with it.

And there are so many colours I can choose from to match with.

When I first took it for a spin I was in a blue mood and teamed it with blue tights, blue belt and blue hair flowers. ( I am really trying to break my "no blue" rule)

 

 

You can kind of see the array of shades. Kind of. Take my word for it I have a plethora of choices to match with.

 

 

I unearthed this great 70's doing 40's  Dorsam dress that has had a little wash and is in need of a little mend before she has her debut. Again, some great colours on a black back ground .

 (Are we seeing a trend here?)

 

 

Not my normal style or colour at all, with its shades of browns and nudes in a late 50's/60's  cut, but after trying it on I was sold. And seeing that it had been reduced down to $3-50, well that just sealed the deal!

 

 

Such a cute little bow!

I think what really won me over was the fact that it is clearly handmade and has a name sewn on to it. I am such a sucker for homemade dresses because I imagine that so much love and hope has gone into the making of them. (And I am too lazy busy to make all the dresses I want to make!)

 

 

I'm being drawn to warm and cosy skirts with our freezing weather at the moment so this Town and Country pure wool pleated skirt was a sure thing when I saw its $ 3 price tag.

 

 

Another pair of leather nana shoes. These ones will be fab for summer.

(If I buy things for summer now will I make it come sooner?)

 

 

And now my prize for the week.

I can't tell you how excited I was to spy this lovely in the cabinet of the Savers.

I may have been shaking when I tried her on.

 

 

 

Black velvet! Pearls! Intact netting veil!

Squeeeeeeeeel!

I never find good vintage hats in my op shop travels, so I felt pretty lucky.

And I have just the occasion to wear this Ultra Hat concoction coming up. Huzzah!

So despite  returning home very wet and cold and looking like a drowned rat I felt triumphant and oh so happy with my goodies.

Have you had any great finds this week?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'd like to be..under the sea...

 

I used to want to be a mermaid.

All gorgeous and sexy with my long flowing hair and shell bra.

But then I realised I would have to eat raw fish and sea weed and the like and I'm not a fan of sushi despite continuously trying to like it. Mermaids don't have the option of popping in to a Subway when they get the munchies do they?

And I am really not comfortable swimming with all of the scary/slimy/bitey creatures in the sea.

So being a mermaid was really not a great career choice for me and I'm OK with that now.

Whilst not wanting to cavort with all of the strange and beautiful underwater creatures, I do love admiring (and occasionally recoiling from) them.

And so we took the little 'uns  to the Melbourne Aquarium on Saturday.

 

 

 

 

We oohhed and ahhed over the adorable sea horses and sea dragons.

 

 

Were a little too scared to get hands on with the creatures.

 

 

Clowned around as only young boys can.

 

 

Posed in giant jaws (as you do!).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And were absolutely mesmerised by the sharks and sting rays swimming around and over us.

 

 

 

 

Who could not love the cute little penguins who appeared just as interested in us as we were of them!

 

 

 

After careful consideration I chose a frock with gorgeous blues, green , and aqua for our marine adventure.

 Is it wrong to try and match the underwater creatures?

 

 

I don't think so either!

 

 

We all had a wonderful day and I didn't once wish I could turn into a mermaid.

I'm sure mermaids don't get cuddles like these!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Thanks Lizzy!

Image found here

 

We have enjoyed a magnificent Queens Birthday long weekend  here in Australia and whilst I know Lizzy's birthday is in April I am still going to dedicate this post to an amazing woman who has inspired not only a nation, but a Commonwealth with her beauty, grace, humour and strength.

 

Image found here

 

 This is a gal that drove heavy vehicles during the war, strangled her own pheasants and had to make difficult decisions and yet still looked chic and stylish in divine frocks and to this day, still rocks a good hat.

 

Image found here

 

And thanks to Liz I have had a fabulous long weekend with sleep-ins (huzzah!), watching my son play at half time during an AFL match (so proud!),

 

 

 strolling around the stunning Southbank area of Melbourne,

 

 

 

 

 enjoying family time at the Melbourne Aquarium (a whole post on that excursion to follow because there are soooo many happy snaps!) and a wander through the McClelland Sculpture Park.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Whew!

That's a whole lotta pics isn't it?

Can you tell how much fun I have had this weekend?

Thanks Liz!

 

Image found here

 

How did you spend your weekend?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oops, I did it again!

 

I wasn't meaning to look in the new local vintage shop.

I wasn't meaning to even go near the back wall of bags.

I wasn't meaning to pick up this hand bag.

I wasn't meaning to caress it and stroke it.

I wasn't meaning to fall in love with it.

But I did all of the above.

And this absolutely beautiful 50's tapestry bag came home with me.

(Sigh!)

 

But isn't she lovely!

Lets admire her a little more, shall we.

 

 

I have wanted a vintage tapestry bag for the longest time and this one has the greatest pansy design and best colours and is so well made. (Am I gushing? I think I may be!)

She does have a few issues with her lining but I am hoping to patch or sew the few holes and let her sing again. If anyone has any tips on lining repair please share!

Despite caving in to the lure of my sweet new bag, I was terribly strong and said a resounding "NO" to the adorable black capelet. Will of iron !

I did however spy the BEST 50's jacket I have ever seen. No, really! So my new vintage shop may soon become both my new worst enemy and my new best friend.

(Sigh! Sigh!)

 

 

I felt a bit Parisian today with my knit beret and darling capelet, but the more I look at these pics the more I am not liking myself with the hat. I look kind of...bald. Or something.

Oh well, you live and you learn.

And having a blog and scrutinising yourself is a great way to weed out the looks that just don't work for you.

 

 

I am going to persevere with the beret and try and wear it a bit differently next time. Maybe with my hair down. Or a brighter colour hat perhaps. (Stay tuned on that terribly exciting topic.)

Have you ever tried a different look that just didn't work but you really wanted it to?

 

 

 

 

What ever happened to relaxing on the weekend?

 

After a mammoth night on Friday, having gawked and gandered at the Gatsby Soiree and then hitting a couple of pubs on the way home to ensure we got the most mileage out of all of our finery ( ha ha, didn't we get some funny looks!), it was absolutely necessary to slow down the pace a bit and hang out with my wee clan on the weekend.

I am fast realising that weekends aren't for relaxing anymore.

Gone are the days of waking up at midday, enjoying a leisurely cup of tea and a read in bed followed by a traipse around a market. (Oooohhhh, doesn't that sound like a heavenly day!)

Now we try and fit in as much as we can, and wring every ounce of enjoyment out of the time we get to spend together.

Despite the weekends not being a time to rest up and relax, I am loving that they are now a great time to spend time and catch up with the ones I love best. (Although I still think a bloody sleep in isn't too much to ask!!!)

So last weekend was spent going to my sons football matches,

(Yes two! Saturday and Sunday! Both at 9am!)

 

 

 

puddle play with the little Miss,

 

 

 

and roller skating with the little fella.

 

 

 

As usual I had sooo much fun at the roller skating rink that I almost felt guilty.

I mean, should a lady of mature years be loving the freedom, the wild abandon,the exhilaration , the speed quite so much? I think I love it more than my son!

I was pretty happy to see that there were quite a few adults on the rink and I wasn't the only one letting my inner child get the best of me.

So today, on my day off, I was finally able to catch up on all of the menial and mundane aspects of every day life like cleaning, grocery shopping, baking and general Super-Mumness.

And this is what I wore whilst undertaking the trivial but necessary mundane jobs.

 

 

A splash of green to liven up the classic black and white.

Of course  the op shopped coat and fur collar had to be worn this morning because it was foggy, drizzly and cold.

 

 

Unfortunately more boring tasks await before bed, so I must be off.

Hurry up Queen's Birthday long weekend!