The dilemma

The weekend before last, we spent Sunday in Greenwich- so green, so relaxing, and felt a million miles away from the centre of London despite being a stone's throw from Canary Wharf. We caught a ferry down the river from Westminster, ate fish & chips and strolled around the market and park. Bliss.

In Greenwich market, there is a vintage store- incredibly, I've forgotten the name of this place, but there is only one. You'll find it if you look.

The store was nice enough- a mix of eras, some of it a bit tatty, but also some fun pieces. I flipped through the racks for a couple of minutes, nothing really catching my eye. Until I found this skirt (and a simple day dress- will post a pic of it at some stage).

You know those stories of people that find, like, vintage Versace in a car boot sale or Chanel in Oxfam, or something equally ridiculous? This is my story.

This skirt is vintage Dries Van Noten. It is in perfect condition- not a stitch out of place. 

The dilemma then? I think it was about £20. It would have cost upward of £500 to buy new and I could easily sell it for at least £300 on ebay. The shop lady  clearly didn't know what she was selling. I thought about telling her for all of half a second before throwing my money at her and running out the door.

I adore this skirt- this is me doing a celebratory jig.

(Skivvie- Uniqlo; Skirt- Dries Van Noten; Necklace- a gift from B; Boots- Opening Ceremony)

Would you have said anything?

Thought not.

Tx

A mighty big ruffle

No other way to describe it really.

Like a big, crunchy, gothic tribute to the type of thing you see around the neck of a sad, french clown. Or a confused ballerina a la Tim Burton- especially with the straps I like to wear criss-crossed around my torso.

On the plus side, this thing is so big it makes the rest of me look relatively small (if a little bobble headed). On the minus side, a sudden gust of wind and it will slap me in the face. I know. It did today.

(Jeans- Lee; Boots-Acne; Shirt- Country Road; Ruffle- Sass & Bide; Bag-Givenchy) 

I wore this to work, reasoning that the monochrome palette and sobriety of the rest of my outfit balanced out the silliness of my ruffle. My colleagues thought otherwise.

This does remind me a bit of the frill necked lizard from the old Australian 2c coin. That might make me love the ruffle even more.

Happy Monday!

Tx

One more for the road...

Am clearly on a bit of a posting spree today! But this continues the sunglasses theme, so indulge me.

These pics were from last saturday when B and I had a date night- not anything too extravagant, just a simple commitment to going out and doing something other than take the easy option and camp at home with the tv and some take out (and it is usually me that wants to stay home and vegetate). B planned the date, and definitely gets brownie points for originality.

We started with a visit to the Museum of Brands, Packaging and Advertising in Notting Hill. Great place!! Like teleporting back through the ages to see the types of things that nestled in typical British cupboards and pantries over the decades. I highly recommend.

Then we went to Tiroler Hut for dinner- a nearby Austrian restaurant with rustic fare, excellent apple schnapps and a quaint little old man playing a keyboard in the corner.

Kate wasn't there (in case you were wondering), but this is the photo they use on their website which is pretty hilarious and dated looking. Nevertheless, they have hearty food, generous portions and really friendly staff. I felt a bit like a stuffed sausage myself when we left, but a great place to visit if huge quantities of meat, mash and beer appeal.

Finally, we watched 'This must be the place' at the cinema. Bizarre flick. Sean Penn as some kind of Ozzy Osborne/Robert Smith/Michael Jackson hybrid character is superb. I loved it. B thought it was just plain weird. You decide.

This is what I wore:

 (Skirt- Carin Wester; Jacket- ASOS; Skivvie- Uniqlo; Sparkly socks- Tabio; Shoes- Opening Ceremony; Bag- Givenchy)

I'm also currently obssessed with this paprika coloured lip pencil from Nars- it's a Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in 'Red Square'. It's loud, bright and lasts all day. Most of all, it makes me smile.

(Sunglasses- Club Monaco; Necklace- Kenneth Jay Lane)

B- thanks again for the great date :)

Night!

Tx

My thursday nights, for the next couple of months...

...Will be spent here. Nope, it's not my deserted (but well lit) office building. It's Central St Martins. Taken at about 6am from the looks of it, as the place if usually heaving with students.

I bit the bullet and decided to study something I've always been interested in, Fashion Journalism (if by interested in, I mean dreamed of since I was pre-teen and realised that there was such a thing as an actual job that paid you to write about something as delicious as fashion), in one of the most renowned art and fashion schools in the world.

Honestly, I feel a bit sheepish admitting this as I might be rubbish. And be completely out of my league. And you may expect better posts than this.

But I'm excited to see how it plays out, even if it only jump starts my creative energy a bit.

Wish me luck!

Tx

Ker-ching!!!! Jackpot!!!

...Of the vintage sunglass variety.

We spent today pottering about- a lazy start, a lunch box from Ottolenghi eaten while we perched on a neighbour's planter box, and a stroll through Portobello market. All in all, a lovely, lazy Sunday (as  all Sundays should be). But despite our best efforts to accomplish very little, B and I unassumingly hit vintage gold.

The place? Hilary Proctor on Portobello Road.

The merch? A myriad of furs (from boleros to full length coats, all kinds), bags, and mens jackets (B snaffled up a fantastic Harris tweed jacket that fits like a dream)- all of exceptional quality. And, obviously, sunglasses. That Hilary has an incredibly discerning eye.

I was grieving the destruction of my blue framed Marc Jacobs sunnies, which I have worn incessantly for about 2 years and were sand-blasted to smithereens in the Moroccan desert dunes. But in this little bag (Delilah making a cameo appearance in front of me)... lies my summer eye-wardrobe.

Item 1: Classic gold-rimmed vintage Dior's with graduated rose tinted lenses and cut outs at the side. Very 70's poolside glamour. A little OTT and a bit glitzier than my usual style, but I fell in love with them instantly.

Item 2: Another pair of vintage Dior's with a bit of a 50's reference. I really dig the slight cats eye shape-since I can't carry off the very streamlined cats eye shapes that are everywhere at the moment (particularly adore the ones in the latest Prada campaign but they unfortunately make my head look like a tennis ball... albeit a slightly less fuzzy and yellow version) these are a great compromise. I also love the silver checked detail at the corners that reminds me of some sort of futuristic snakeskin print.

(T-shirt- Antipodium; Jacket- Onitsuka Tiger)

 Item 3: Giant, square YSL's with nude frames that fade to clear across the nasal bridge. Also with graduated lenses, but a little more 80's with chunkier frames and ostentatious gold logos on the sides.

As an aussie, I feel naked if the sun is shining and I'm not wearing sunnies. So I was overjoyed to stumble across a treasure trove of beauties on what was, in truth, a very wet and grey London afternoon. A veritable journey through the decades. I'm pleased as punch.

K- when you come to London in June, I need to take you there.

Here's hoping we get at least 3 days of sun this summer so I get to wear each one.

Ciao,

Tx

Spring has sprung!

If not entirely evidenced by the weather, at least in my attire?

 (Skirt- Asos; Shirt- Rittenhouse; Cardigan- The Kooples; Shoes- Opening Ceremony)

You can just about make out the blossoms on the tree behind me. And, apparently, on either side of my face. Or are they moose antlers? Hmmmm....

 Anyhoo... a close up on my lovely pansie-style clip on earrings. A gift from my bestie, K.

Ciao,

Tx

In orde? (From Amsterdam)

That's 'alright?' for those not fluent in Dutch.

We spent a very relaxing weekend playing tourist in this beautiful city- whiling away the hours strolling by the canal, eating and drinking al fresco, and people watching. Sure, the place has a seedy side, but Amsterdam on a sunny day is a pretty sweet place to be.

(Cape: Zara; Cardigan- The Kooples; Floral jeans- Current Elliot; Fur- Vintage; Necklace- Marni; Sunglasses- Vintage)

Resplendent in art history (the Van Gogh museum was excellent), there are sculptures and various other artwork in every public space, people making merry on the canal in big and small watercraft...

 And bicycles everywhere you turn. Regular bicycles...
(Note the leaning houses are not an optical illusion- they perch perilously on the canal banks, actually angling in towards the water)

 Ridiculous bicycles (this one with it's own bar in the middle of all the pedals- why choose between drinking and site seeing?)... and my favourite, a saccharine pink baby with those funny little beads on the spokes that move around when you pedal. I want it!! (If only I could actually ride a bike)

Notwithstanding the glorious weather, I managed to look grumpy here by the tree.

 (Shorts- Paul & Joe; Shirt- ASOS; Jacket- Vintage; Cape- Zara; Shoes- Russell & Bromley)

A marginal improvement. And a closer shot of the new vintage jacket- it has these amazing studded crosses in the sleeves, and the label declares this is 'ranch wear'. Definitely me-wear. Amsterdam has has fabulous vintage shops- my favourite was Laura Dols.

Ciao!

Tx