country vintage

It's the first day this week that it hasn't been rainy and gloomy. I hate the rain, it actually makes me pretty sad. Not to mention the havoc it wreaks on my hair - especially since I cut my fringe (a move I semi-regret due to the fact that: 1) it makes me look really asian - and before you helpfully point it out, I know I AM asian, but I just feel like I look a bit more so with bangs. and 2) I, ironically do not possess the typically dead straight hair that most asians have, so as soon as it gets slightly warm, I start sweating, and my fringe turns into a fluffy, curly, wet mess).

Anyway, today it's sunny-ish; enough to trick me into getting out of jeans/tights/pants. A look I've loved since the beginning of A/W11 is country vintage sort of thing: florals, plaid, cardis, boots, long frilly socks - ladylike with hint of edge. This is my take on it. I get looks every time I wear this sort of ensemble, and while most of the time, I'm sure they're from people thinking that I look like a crazy old nanna, every so often I catch a smile/nod of approval from someone who understands.

cheap thrills

I've been looking for a varsity style jacket since I spotted a bec & bridge one in shop til you drop a few months ago. It was styled with a miniskirt, flats, and a ballerina bun, and I wanted it. But it was also $350, and, as I've previously mentioned, I just can't justify spending that much on a single item.

Today I found it. Or, them, to be more precise. Two varsity jackets, warm & comfy, that fit perfectly - and all for just over one TENTH of the price of the one I'd originally wanted. And from KMART of all places! Sure, the B&B one is of an undeniably better quality, but realistically, trends come and go, and come next year, I'll probably be denying that I'd ever wanted it. So yes, I was willing to trade quality and fine work(wo/)manship for a $331 price difference. Sue me.

sad.

Sometimes I go through my wardrobe and find treasures hidden in it - purchases made what feels like eons ago, that I'd completely forgotten about - but then again, sometimes these things are not so much treasures as they are junk. And then sometimes, whilst putting an outfit together, I suddenly remember a different type of treasure - an item of clothing that, once upon a time, had been a favourite, packed away because of a change of season, or a fear that it would fall apart due to overuse. An item of clothing that would go perfectly with that outfit I'm planing. But I'll get back to that in a sec...

It's gotten really cold, really suddenly. Today made my fingers numb and my bones hurt. And as a result, I've finally come to terms with the fact that it's probably time to pack away the slinky dresses, tank tops and denim cut offs. Probably.

Yesterday, during my ritual planning of outfits for the next (few) day(s), I suddenly remembered one of the aforementioned old faves. My vintage navy blue blazer. I see your lack of excitement. 'So what? What's so special about that?' I hear you murmur. It might not sound like anything too fancy to you right now - but let me tell you a little about this blazer: we go wayyyyy back, me & it. I picked it up two autumns ago, from my local Vinnies store. It was double breasted, had deep lapels, and a pocket on either side, perfect for warming cold hands on autumn days. It also had shoulder pads - thin ones that gave structure, without making my already broad shoulders look too gaga-esque. It was a size 10 and it fit PERFECTLY - a rare occurrence for a vintage find. I wore it religiously over A/W09 - so much so, that one day, while perusing the blazer section of another Vinnies store (dragging a couple of uni friends along), one of my male friends (a super smart medical science nerd, with very little interest in shopping or fashion or what people are wearing) asked 'don't you already have a navy blue blazer??' Yes. Yes I did. And it was worth ever single one of those 25 cents that I'd bought it for. Oh, did I forget to mention the price? Yes. 25 cents. What can you get for 25 cents these days?! NOTHING. Seriously, it wouldn't even get you half a zooper dooper. But I got this, amazing, perfect piece of clothing for twenty. five. cents. I don't even think it'd be possible to work out cost per wear. Let's just say it's like an inverse exponential graph...it continually decreases towards zero, but never quite reaches it.

Anyway, the blazer. I wandered into my clothes room (fyi I've now started sleeping in my clothes room - so let's just call it my bedroom now), and into the short jacket section of my wardrobe - aside: my boyfriend thought it was hilarious that I has a 'light & short jacket section' in my wardrobe. He laughed for ages and ages, and mocked me and denied having a 'light jacket section' of his own, despite these garments clearly being grouped together in his own wardobe - and to my distress, was unable to find it. I checked again, went through hanger, by hanger - I was determined to find it. Yet by the time I got to that last hanger, I was still empty handed. It sent me into a frenzy - I checked my long jacket section, my coat section, my dress section, the wardrobe in my other room, and still, no avail. And today, I mourn the loss of my old friend. I wish I could show it to you - I even went as far as checking all my facebook albums for a picture where I was wearing it, but not a single one. Which is surprising, because I wore that thing heapppssss.

Sadly, a picture-less blog tonight.

Till next time lovelies! xx

channelling the 70s.

I woke up on Friday morning and decided that on that particular day, I'd be going for a vintage 70's look. Yes, deciding on my outfit is one of the first things I do in the morning. Sometimes, it's also the last thing I think about before I go to sleep, even when I'm going nowhere fancy in particular. Sometimes, I even get back out of bed, just to see if a particular outfit I'd pieced together in my head actually works that well when it's actually on. I'm not ashamed to tell you that I often find myself up at night playing dress ups, for hours at a time. It annoys the crap out of my partner, who stays up waiting for a phone call - 'Sorry darling, I got distracted by shoes!'

Anyway, I digress. On that particular day, I was feeling that 70's vibe. You know, the type gracing the glossy pages of the magazine; plastered all over the shopbop newsletters. If you've been reading this blog for a while, then you'd know about my obsession with high waist wide leg pants as of the last few months. While I've still not found the perfect pair (besides, you know, the ones that come with the $600 pricetag), I've found a few that have been pretty close.

I'm not sure if I've mentioned this before, but a few weeks ago I came across an outfit in one of those aforementioned shopbop newsletters, where the chick was wearing amazing camel high waist wide legs over a gorgeous, white, feminine blouse. She had a tan belt knotted over her waist, and wore her hair soft and flowing (I tried to find that particular picture, but it seems to have gotten lost in the abyss that is my inbox. I didn't even take note of the designers. I know, I suck). Anyway, the point is, I fell in love. But I knew there was no way in hell I was going to be able to afford that particular outfit, and still be able to eat for the next few weeks. I wish I could show it to you - it was really quite breathtaking. The closest picture I've been able to find to it is Olivia Palermo at the Mango Spring/Summer 2011 Collection Presentation in Madrid, Spain (pictured below) but the editorial I'm remembering was much more dreamlike - whimsical, yet strangely, somehow demure at the same time. The point is, it inspired me. And I set out on a mission to emulate that look, only on a much more affordable scale. I was pretty happy with the result, I must say.

Olivia Palermo at the Mango Spring/Summer 2011 Collection Presentation

Bardot blouse ($20 down from $80); Camel trousers (a bargain $4.95!); Belt (stolen from my sister's wardrobe); vintage leather bag ($55 from Glebe Markets); Tony Bianco for Wanted wedges ($60 down from $200); Rubi double ring ($2 down from $13); Cotton on Sunnies ($2 down from $20).

Okay so I cheated a little with the belt being my sister's. I found the pants accidentally, in a temporary shop selling mostly junk in Market City. They weren't exactly what I was looking for, and I wasn't completely sure that I wanted them, but I figured for $4.95 it didn't matter so much. Luckily that I made that decision, because I once I ironed the crease in myself, I LOVED them!

That wasn't the outfit I originally started blogging about by the way. This is what I wore on Friday - a little bit of my twist on the same general look...

Top ($10 from @topshop); Verge vintage style trousers ($50 down from $290); Vintage bag ($4 from St Vinnies); Temt Cuff ($4 down from $20); Temt necklace ($4 from $20); Rubi Sunnies ($2 from $20); Tony Bianco for Wanted wedges ($60 from $200); Lovisa ring ($7)

as promised

Some quick shots of the natasha gan maxi dress I picked up, on sale for $125 from over $300. Excuse the embarrassing posing & crappy lighting.

decisions, decisions.

I treated myself to some post-exam/first-paycheck-at-the-new-job shopping yesterday/today (and let me tell you, that first paycheck didn't last all too long). I don't have the gear from yesterday with me (I got my sister to take it home with her because I had a concert to get to last night - fyi, I've decided I'm marrying bruno mars), but it involved 5 pairs of sunnies, 3 pairs of earrings, 3 button up blouse/dress thingies, and two jumpsuits, all for less than $39 from cotton on! I'm talking things for $2 (sunnies, earrings, and dresses) and $5 (jumpsuits & sunnies)! Tiny detour to GAP, to pick up some bday presents for little people (I could spend hours in the baby gap section, everything's so damn cute!). I also dropped by the carla zampatti/bianca spender sale...there were so many amazing gowns at like 70-80% off, but realistically I have nowhere to wear such lavish things, and I couldn't justify blowing 200-300 bucks on a single item that I'd probably never get to wear. Yeah, I left happily with just two leather belts (one carla & one bianca), for $19 each - bargain.

Anyway, I had a bit of a stressful moment today, whilst at parra with the boyfriend. I wasn't meant to be buying anything, but I couldn't resist poking my nose into the wanted shoes outlet they'd set up next to their regular store - you know, just to have a quick look. I ended up spotting the Tony Bianco wedges I'd lusted for on ebay (unfortunately that particular listing hadn't been my size) - in TWO colours. ON SALE. And they had my size in both. I tried the tan ones on. Amazing. Then I chucked the black ones on. Heaven. Did I mention they were on SALE?!

Then started the debate in my head: 'I already have tan wedges. But the tan was so much more wearable for the day. And the leather is so soft. And they're cheaper. But I could totes wear the black for work. But black is boring. But it's also versatile. But so is the tan...'

I tried to do the responsible thing - leave it, walk around, and have a think. I told myself that I'd come back after lunch/the movie we'd come to parra for the purpose of watching, and which ever ones (if either) were still there, it was meant to be. I'm not gonna lie, a little part of me was sort of hoping, for my savings' sake, that they'd both be gone. But I also know how devastated I would have been if that had been the case.

I think you all know how this one ended. With my third and fourth pairs of Tony Bianco's, and my seventh and eighth pair of shoes in general, in just over two weeks.

The last two weeks in Tony B's

Tan Tony Bianco wedges (exclusive to wanted), $60 down from $200


Black Tony Bianco wedges (exclusive to wanted), $80 down from $200

Decisions, decisions...

Tan Tony Bianco Pumps, $40 down from $160 from Pulp


The more practical option - Tony Bianco workman boots, $40 down from $160 from Pulp


The less-glamorous, more practical (and amazingly cheap) shoe buys from the last two weeks: ValleyGirl black brogues, $15 (from $25), Kmart military boots ($19), ValleyGirl black bow flats ($10), Pulp suede leather desert booties $15 (from $100).

Crazy thing is, even with all of my gorgeous new shoes, the shoes I've worn most over the last couple of weeks are actually a pair of my dad's old boots that I'd rescued from being thrown out. Vintage, leather, perfect-for-uni, comfy-as-anything Italian leather boots. My dad laughs at me and says 'nice shoes' mockingly every time I wear them.

just a quickie

Before I say anything else, just a warning that I'm not going to have much time to post in the next few weeks, what with mid sem exams, assessments & a new job. And you know, all the shopping center visits as procrastination in between.

Many purchases have been made this week, which I'll talk about in a later post, when I've had a chance to take pretty photos of them - but for now, just think - Tony Bianco & Natasha Gan, at ridiculously low prices.

Anyway I thought I'd take a break from writing notes, and swing by to show you this mainly vintage outfit I chucked together the other day, with less than 10 minutes to get ready (which explains the crinkled top). I didn't bump into anyone who'd appreciate that kind of outfit that day (my sister teased me as per usual for my choice of high waisted pants, and likened my dress sense to one of her friend's mums - a woman in her 50's).

The top & pants are vintage from Vinnies ($3 each), sunnies were $10 from the markets, bag was another vintage buy from the markets ($55 for Italian made leather), the shoes were on sale for $19.95 from Shoe Box, and the rings were on sale for $5 each from Lovisa.