Three Dresses

POSEUR: The things I do to avoid some good, honest work.

While I'm in the throes of my Honours thesis draft (read: drinking coffee and looking wistfully at a pile of books) I thought I'd take a break from all of that hectic procrastination and ... procrastinate. More to the point, I thought I'd dress up in three of the dresses I've picked up in the last couple of months.

In the last week or so I've developed a torrid love for 1940's clothing and I've been chasing 40s toppers and fit-n-flare coats all over the internet. This is definitely a side-effect of rewatching Charlotte Gray. However, these dresses are all from the 1950s and early 60s. They're also quite summery. And as my city is plunging into winter, I wonder what I'm going to wear them with so as not to freeze?

I also purchased a 1930's lavender toile teddy recently. It's beautiful, but sadly (and stupidly) I misjudged the tiny bust size, as well as the fact that the bust would have to somehow make it over my shoulders in order for me to wear it. The scene where I tried to put on this simple piece of clothing will remain etched in my memory as one of the most slapstick moments of my life. So it will have to go. Sad times.


Why am I wearing sunglasses indoors? Because there is nobody in the world who deserves to see my Saturday morning face ... especially before it falls into place.


Early 60's long-sleeved lace and chiffon dress. I bought this to replace another dress which has a similar skirt, but the style is much more little girl-esque. I'm heading into my mid-twenties - little girl is not quite the look I'm aiming for. Back view.





Don't worry, I'm not about to fall! I always lean on my heels like this. I really shouldn't, it's a terrible habit.


This dress is the current contender for BEST DRESS EVER IN THE ENTIRE WORLD. I bought it a couple of months ago and had to hem and repair it, but god was it worth it! It's made of cream and pink checked raw silk and buttons all the way up the back:


Uh-mazing.


Okay, I'm off to write Very Important Things ... or bake biscuits ...

Oops ...

I have been away for a while. And I really wish I had something stunning to show for my fortnight's blogging sabbatical, but all I have is a couple of painting outfits. It's funny - I've worn some nice things to openings over the last couple of weeks, and have not remembered to photograph them ONCE. I feel like I'm always running out the door, these days. Always in a hurry.

I've been buying a lot of clothing lately, too - mostly vintage, of course! I want to write a post on my recent acquisitions, soon, because some of them are pretty gorgeous.

So - I'm coming up to my mid-year review. Things are a little bit hectic and stressful. And will continue to be for about a month, I think! Yeesh. So bear with me!


Aaaaaanyway - to the outfits!




I wore hot pink gloves with this outfit - and some shoes, too, haha.

Wearing:

• Hot pink beret, eBay.
• Cream 'Country Road' cardigan, opshopped.
• Black petticoat, opshopped.
• 1930s cream petticoat, opshopped
• Black stockings, ooooollllddd.

Added:

• Painting boots (they are sadly dying)
• Vintage hot pink gloves.



God, I NEVER put my makeup on BEFORE I take these photographs. Oh well!!


Back view.


Wearing:
• Navy boy's dinner jacket, opshopped.
• Blue cropped short sleeve cardigan with rhinestone buttons, $4.00 from a landfill-type shop. It's awful quality, but good for painting in.
• 1960's floral watercolour organza dress, $2 from an ex-theatre sale. hacked off at the bottom.
• Black stockings.
• Painting boots. AGAIN. I am going to be devastated when they heave their last breath. One of the soles has detached almost completely. I have THRASHED these boots.




P.S. The Boy Made of Glitter and I both won some moolah (yep, that's right - moolah!) in separate art prizes this week. Yay! His was way more prestigious (and more deserving, I might add) than mine, but I'm excited for both of us!!

The Bag, The Dress and the Belt

On Saturday morning I went opshopping on a complete whim. I hopped out of bed, got dressed in less than a minute and left my house. And drove out to some not-so-near opshops. I went alone, which I haven't done for a long time. It was lovely. I wasn't going to document what I wore (see above, re: dressed in 40 seconds) but then a little girl at the opshop pointed at me as I walked past and said "Look! Daddy! It's a ballerina!!" so I really had to after that. I was beaming - it was so cute.



I wore:
- Early 60's chiffon orange flower dress, eBay.
- Herringbone tights by 'Voodoo'.
- Cream and black quilted target shoes, which I wear even though I KNOW they rip my feet to shreds. WHY.
- Cream 'basque' cardigan, which you have now seen approximately a bazillion times.
- White 'Diesel' glasses. I love vision!

And I scored:


This belt. It's a cheapie belt, but I've been looking for one like this for ages and I'm a bit of a tightwad when it comes to accessories, so ...


A blue bowling bag. I don't know what I'll use this for yet, but I couldn't resist. Pink and I used to pick up a lot of these types of bags years ago, but recently I've stopped seeing them in opshops so much. Airline bags, too. Hmph.

And my absolute favourite (maybe my favourite find ever):



An early 60's heavy white satin wiggle dress, with detachable tulip skirt, with a bow! And it fit, perfectly. The opshop gods have smiled upon me, though I doubted them and considered converting to eBayicism forever. I have hope again!!

Sparkles and Snowflakes

View large.

Last night, I was concocting an outfit for a winter-themed party, and I was thinking about snow and snowflakes, when I came up with the idea of wearing my cream wool crochet stockings over my AA holographic leggings.

I feel like a proud inventor (it's probably been done before, but sssshhhh!)
I haven't put something together that felt new and magical in a long time. Hehe, I think I'm going to have holographic snowflake legs ALL WINTER. It will be my trademark ;)

Dark and Mysterious

At least, according to a painting friend I was talking to last night ... I don't know if I've ever really been dark and mysterious in my entire life. But anyway.

I wore this to the opening of a solo show by one of my lecturers. He is pretty freakin' awesome and the show was beautiful.

I liked this photograph best:



But this one shows a little detail in the black (even if I do look mighty serious):





Wearing:


• 80s Lillie Rubin black and metallic lace dress, eBay.
• Black cheapie cardigan, cinched in with a 'Cue' black patent belt.
• Lilac stockings, over old ballet stockings. welovecolors.com
• Black 1970's buckle boots, which fit me perfectly with two pairs of stockings and a pair of bedsocks on. I love these boots to death.

Also, say hello to my new 1980's Ray-ban wayfarers. They are a piece of saucy awesome.



I need to tighten the arms, though. They fall off a bit. Also, they came in their original packaging and EVERYTHING. Which is intimidating - I almost don't want to wear them in case I scratch them or something!

Painting in Plaid - Dear God, Do I Ever Stop Painting???

A photograph from earlier in the week. Maybe even last week. I am scatty lately and am having trouble keeping track of everything.



I've started calling any type of work I have to complete - whether it's enamel painting, oil painting, gesso-ing, masking - some kind of "party". It totally gets rid of any sense of obligation. Try it!

Wearing:

• 60's or 70's plaid dress. From a vintage store in Melbourne in 2005.
• Black 'Bonds' singlet.
• Blue beret, eBay.
• Grey leggings, Myer.
• Red 1970's boots, eBay, 2007.

Kill Pixie

kill pixie, originally uploaded by The Acorn Helmet.

A male street artist from Sydney who's now based in L.A.

Basically, I just want to lick his paintings like shiny lollipops. Though that probably wouldn't be a good idea. I have to keep reminding myself, day after day - licking paintings is a bad idea.

Website.

Interview.

Like a Wolf

So while things are slow on the blog front (life, as it tends to do, has taken over: and by life, I mean "food and art and being awake sixteen hours a day doing other things") I thought I'd offer up some images of my favourite eccentric dresser, and man of extraordinary talent, Mr Patrick Wolf.







Note to self: Put feathers in my socks and fabric petals on my capes!

I love the song he's just released, as well. The video is NSFW, and if you have a more general aversion to skinny boys in bondage gear, then maybe don't watch this (but if you do, well ...):





I do not own any of the above images. No copyright infringement intended.