Winter Dreaming..

I'm sure I've probably mentioned this a few hundred times, but I'm really not Summer's biggest fan.

Particularly the kind of sweltering, over 40C, bushfire-causing endless ones like what we have recently been experiencing down under!

But just when I am feeling like we're doomed to live in a tropical hell forever, the last couple of days have been deliciously cool (well, cooler), and have me dreaming about all of the lovely, cozy things I'll be able to wear come Autumn and more bearable temperatures!

I've been thinking about the kind of look I want to be wearing for the coming cooler months. I'm going to try to stick mostly to a colour palette of pale blue, mustard, hunter green and deep red, with brown tweeds, grey, black, white and cream for neutrals. I've never been very good at the whole "pick two colours and one neutral" rule for wardrobe planning, so this is my compromise.

I already have some cold-weather appropriate things, but I have a pretty long wish-list too!

Some things on this list include:

1. A New-Look style coat.

Polka Polish / Etsy / Here

I've been searching for a coat like this for such a long time. I've finally come to the conclusion that I'm way too fussy (and poor), so it looks like making my own is going to be my best bet. I'm still thinking about colours, but leaning towards grey with a nice coloured lining, like this one seen on Polka Polish:

Maybe a deep red printed lining? In any case, I hope to start this at least by the start of Autumn so I can get the most wear out of it as it gets colder.

2. More cozy knits

They Roared Vintage / Tickety Boo Tupney / Etsy

I love the look of a pull-over knit with a blouse collar poking out the top, tucked into a skirt or trousers. Knits are so versatile, whether they are button up or not, and make a very useful layer for those chilly mornings and nights. I really need to re-learn how to knit!

3. More trousers

Scan from the Fedora Lounge / Lucky Lucille / Va-Voom Vintage

I already have a few pairs of trousers which will work well with my overall look, but I would like maybe just a couple more pairs.

4. A pair of 1940's-style fur booties or over-boots

Etsy / Polka Polish / Blue Velvet Vintage

I love the look of these adorable boots with seamed stockings and a woollen a-line skirt. I already have plans for a potential DIY project coming up soon, so keep an eye out for that!

5. Long or mid-calf brown lace-up boots

Va-Voom Vintage / eBay (listing ended) / Vixen Vintage

So versatile, so pretty, and so easy to hide big thick socks under :)

6. Blouses

Flapper Girl Creations / Etsy / Etsy

Sure, maybe not a strictly Autumn/Winter piece but I currently have a severe lack of blouses in my wardrobe. I'm looking at making a bunch of them in my chosen colours and various prints to mix and match with everything else.

7. Woolen A-line skirts

Tumblr / Lucky Lucille / Fedora Lounge

So far I've been happily sewing pencil skirts, gathered skirts and circle skirts, but none of these classically vintage skirts. Perfect in wool and tweed, and amazing for avoiding embarrassing skirt vs wind moments.

8. A snuggly-yet-glamorous house coat/robe

Polka Polish / Etsy / Miss Sixties Vintage

Another thing thats been on my to-do list for a while now. My current, very fluffy, hot pink, modern monstrosity of a dressing gown is just not cutting it for me - I want something with the same warmth and comfort, but about 1000 times more glamour. The immensely talented Frances at Polka Polish made her beautiful housecoat (above) herself, so I am determined to do the same, I just need to settle on a colour and fabric type.

9. Mid-weight jackets

All from Etsy; 1, 2, 3

Another great layering piece, which is essential in Melbourne's unpredictable weather. I'd love to ideally have a range of jackets and matching trousers or skirts which I could mix-and-match with each other. I adore all of the styles above so I'll definitely be getting my sewing machine out for this one.

10. Accessories

Tickety Boo Tupney / Here / Etsy

And finally, to top it all off, I'll be looking for some more cold-weather appropriate accessories - such as hats, scarves, gloves, a fur muff and various jewellery.

Is anyone else over their current season? Whats on your wish list?

Lately I've been sewing..

Though I don't have currently have a job, I've been working really hard at not becoming the stereotypical unemployed person, sitting on the couch/in bed watching trashy TV all day (although I can't say I haven't done this a couple of times..)

So in an effort to stay occupied I've been organising, cleaning and sewing up a storm!
I thought I'd share a few things that I've made recently, as well as some of the projects that are on my to do list..



I was given this pattern by Eli's amazing Nan, along with a whole bunch of other vintage sewing patterns and home books (best. day. ever.) As soon as I came across this adorable boat fabric at the op shop I knew it would be perfect for a little nautical-themed outfit..





The darts at the bottom give a really great fitted shape, but the blouse is kind of looser up top for a nice relaxed look.

Ironing.. who does that?

My first time using my sewing machines automatic button hole.. I was very impressed! So much easier than my old sewing machines manual setting!! I went with these clear buttons sewn on with some blue cotton because I just could not find a colour that didn't make it look super tacky.

The collar ended up a little bit different to the picture but overall I'm really happy with it!

I've got plans to make another one, maybe with a different collar variation (round collar?!) in this adorable fabric:

Ladybugs!

After I had finished the blouse I decided I needed to make a matching skirt, which I wore on my Hanging Rock outing. After I had finished the skirt I decided it also needed a matching jacket, just to make it a whole outfit of course!

I drafted this dolman-sleeved cropped jacket from the pattern below.. It's the first jacket I've ever made, and simple as it was I'm pretty proud of it! 

I wanted the jacket to have a more 50's look, so I changed this 80's jacket pattern to include dolman sleeves, as well as more pronounced front darts and also darts in the back.

Then there was the dress I made to wear to the Skyways Are Highways residency on Thursday. I picked up this lovely fabric at the op shop when I stopped in on a whim and as soon as I had it I knew I wanted to make a pretty, summery dress.

I remembered that I had this beautiful 50's pattern in my stash, so drew up a little modified version..

I was so happy with how it turned out - you can see it in my last post :)

My last project for the week was a little bit nerve-wracking. A lady I used to work with contacted me last week and asked if I would be interested in making something for her to wear on a special Valentines Day date. I agreed, and she became my very first paying customer!

I can be a bit of a perfectionist, particularly when I know someone is going to be examining something I've made very closely, so I was suuuuper nervous handing it over! Luckily everything worked out, it fits and she loved it :)

So, whats on my list for next week?

This absolutely beautiful, mid-weight, slightly shiny cotton fabric with a floral pattern in blues, greens and mustard.. I definitely want to make a dress out of this but I'm just trying to figure out the perfect pattern. Perhaps a simple, short sleeved wiggle dress?

(from here)

And out of the light-weight houndstooth-y fabric I am planning on making a little 60's style jacket, cigarette pants AND, if I have enough fabric left over, a simple pencil skirt.

I can't wait to get started on these projects!! Do you have anything you're currently working on or have recently finished? Let me know, I'd love to have a look :)

Yellow flower puffs

Hola!

Happy Valentines Day, one and all. I hope everyone is having a lovely day! 

Eli and I haven't celebrated this year in a traditional sense. No date night or presents, but we did go to the pet store for cat food and came back with a new little feathered friend! I'll share some photos of her/him (we're not sure on the sex yet, waiting for a DNA test to come back) once I take some!

This is the outfit I wore last night to see Eli's band play. I made this dress in one sitting on Wednesday from fabric I found at my local op shop and I'm pretty happy with how it turned out!

Dress - made by me, everything else thrifted

 

The bust darts are a little off due to my lazy re-sizing skills, but it's not too obvious I think. Also this weather is wreaking havoc with my hair.. sweaty AND frizzy, ugh.

circle skirt!!

These shoes were an amazing find at the op shop - all leather, perfect size, suuuuper sturdy and only $7.

 Happy Friday everyone!!

A Picnic at Hanging Rock

Hi everybody!

So due to me misplacing my camera charger and the subsequent loss of battery-power of our camera, things have been a little quiet over here for a bit longer than expected.. oops.

It's also still about a million degrees in Melbourne which, along with being jobless, is really affecting my will to live outfit decisions.. Clothing is highly optional at the moment!

Yesterday, however, was a lovely, cooler, breezy day so we took some Canadian friends out to the sticks to have a picnic at Hanging Rock.

We didn't end up having our picnic there (we got there 40 minutes before they were closing the gates), but we rushed up the rock and managed to reach the summit. Of course we forgot to bring the camera with us, but we got a couple of phone photos..

For those of you who haven't heard of Hanging Rock, it's a volcanic formation about 50 minutes north-west of Melbourne, right next to my home town :)

It's most famous as being the setting of the 1967 novel and 1975 film Picnic at Hanging Rock, which is set in 1900 and tells the story of a group of school girls who go on a Valentine's Day picnic at the rock and mysteriously vanish.

(warning, longest movie trailer ever)

I watched the movie a number of times as a child but have never read the novel. Apparently the author wrote the entire book in the 60's, however just before it was published in 1967 she requested that the last chapter be removed, to be published separately 3 years after her death. The final chapter was released in 1987 as The Secret of Hanging Rock.

I remember after watching the movie as a youngster being convinced the story was true.. I'm pretty sure I tricked many a friend into believing that you could still hear the voices of the girls as they roamed about the rock, lost forever.. Mirannnndaaaa….

Anywho, I wore an outfit completely inappropriate for rock climbing (naturally).

Scarf, shoes and belt - thrifted, top - eBay, skirt - made by me.

I made this circle skirt a week or so ago and I'm completely obsessed. It's so swishy and lovely to wear, I can't believe this is the first one I have owned!
The top is a style I've been after for ages, I found this one super cheap on eBay and bought a black one too. I've basically been living in them whenever I leave the house, they're lovely and cool and very pretty!

I've been very busy sewing lately so hopefully I will have some more pretty things to share soon. I'm just crossing my fingers for a few more cooler days so I can actually make some kind of an effort instead of laying on the concrete floor in my underwear.. hmm.

Merry/Happy Christmas/New Years

Hello hello!

As you may of heard, most of Australia is experiencing a ridiculous heatwave currently, particularly Melbourne and Adelaide (which was apparently the hottest city on the planet today). 

Well, this outfit is from well before all this crazy heat started - before Christmas in fact! I wore this outfit to my family Christmas party the day before we jetted up to Queensland (and later drove down to New South Wales) to see Eli's family for the Christmas/New Years period.

So naturally after spending my days in mid 20 to mid 30 degree heat up there, I come back home to usually cold Melbourne and it is in the mid 40's every day! What is this????

Everything thrifted except top which is really a dress from Portmans. 

I'm sweating just seeing myself wearing a cardigan!

Thats a little bit better.

My computer has decided to voice its distaste for this heatwave by not letting me run any of my usual editing programs, hence the slightly blurry photos.. for some reason re-sizing them makes them blurry when I use the viewer on my computer. But it's honestly so hot I don't really care.

I was very very lucky whilst visiting Eli's family to be given a bunch of vintage patterns and pattern books which I will be sharing here over the coming.. well.. forever because she gave me SO many.
Which is quite fortunate really because with the weather how it is and the state of my finances I really haven't bothered to wear proper clothing since we got back.

So expect lots of vintage sewing goodness and a lot of sadness that we can't just send in a mass order form for all of the beautiful patterns.


I hope everyone had a fabulous Christmas and New Years!!

basics, brilliant lighting and bicycles

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Top - Kmart, necklace - eBay, skirt - made by me, shoes & bag - thrifted. Also wearing seamed tights by Leg Avenue.

First of all, can we just talk about how amazing Eli is for capturing the beautiful light in these photos??!?! I didn't have to do any editing at all, I am just so impressed!!

Anyway! Yesterday Eli, my sister and I went and spoiled ourselves with lunch at our favourite local cafe. Well, actually, we were supposed to be meeting a friend there for coffee who was unable to make it in the end, so we turned it into a bit of a family feast instead!

My sister gave me this top recently as we were both clearing out our wardrobes (it is very convenient living with your sister who is also the same size as you!), and as soon as she did I knew it would look perfect in this simple red-white-black combo.

As I've been trying to streamline my wardrobe I've been reading a lot of articles about finding your 'basics' and I'd say this look is 95% made up of things I would consider basic - a simple pencil skirt (in red, which I consider pretty much a neutral colour), striped black and white top with a flattering neckline and my go-to black low-heeled shoes. Oh, and red lipstick of course!

After our lunch date we headed home and Eli and I spent some time out in the sun riding our bicycles along our street. This called for a slight wardrobe change as it is rather difficult to ride in a pencil skirt! So some little shorts from American Apparel were in order.. but I kept the seamed tights :)

Hello!!!

I'm finally back from my trip (well, technically I've been back for 2 weeks now..) and I finally have a moment to organise myself and get back to this blog!

Sorry for the total silence there.. one of the big things I learnt while overseas is that travelling and blogging is HARD! Particularly when you are on a river cruise in Vietnam drinking cocktails and there is no wi-fi *sob* haha.

I've really wanted to post sooner, but that too has been hard due to a) every single person I know now wants to catch up with me, b) I have no job or money so I haven't really been going anywhere and c) I've realised I really dislike about 85% of the clothes in my wardrobe and have been basically living in my pj's since I got home.

That makes outfit posts a little difficult.

I did, however, put some clothes on yesterday and leave the house to go and see a lovely new friend of mine whom I met at the Vintage Society meet up I went to just before we left. As someone who has always had a severe (SEVERE) lack of girlfriends it is just SO nice to have met a person and just clicked with them.. this is a very rare occurrence!

Anyway, with regards to my wardrobe, I'm on a bit of a warpath to fix it up, starting with a huge purge (the piles.. oh my god), planning a list of basics which I will mostly have to make myself or thrift since I'm on rather limited funds, and then moving on to making some more lovely vintage-inspired pieces to flesh it out again!

So, in the coming months expect to be bombarded with sewing-related posts, and I will also try to make an effort to leave the house at least once a week wearing something half-decent.

I also have lots of holiday photos.. but I'm not sure whether to share them all in a huge post, if at all. Possibly just a few pics here and there? Let me know what you prefer!

Cardigan - Myer, blouse - Dangerfield, skirt - made by me, shoes - Golden Ponies