A dark blue wiggle dress

I wore this outfit last weekend to a friend's play at Lambassa House, an historic mansion in Caulfield, Melbourne. The play was a real hoot and the performances very good. I always like amateur theatre productions - they are great fun.

The dress I wore is a lovely dark blue, which is one of my favourite colours. But it is very much a 'wiggle dress' - it was very tight around the hips so some shapewear was very much called for (I love a good strong girdle!)

I was able to take a bit more time to get ready than I normally do as my hubby stayed at home to look after the children (one of which you can see running around with his wheely toy to the left - he is a 3 year old terror!). Normally we get a babysitter in if we have a night out and I have to be a crazy multi-tasker - not only getting myself ready, but making the children's dinner, getting the house in order etc.

I love beaded bags and this is a very intricate beautiful piece. The photo probably does not do justice to it. A few months ago I bought a floral designed beaded bag, which I have been wanting to get for ages (the ones that are sort of a cross between a needlepoint and a beaded bag). I can't wait to wear it out soon.

 

Outfit details:

dress ebay

bag Williamstown Vintage Fair

gloves op shop (a rare find!)

diamonte necklace (I have always wanted one of these after seeing Carrie wear it on SATC) ebay

diamonte earrings Callie Whelan, Camberwell Markets (she also has a great stall in the Vintage Garage, Smith St Collingwood)

An Easter Sunday outfit

Happy Easter to you all! I have had a restful Easter doing very little except read books, drink red wine and eat (bliss!). This morning I went to Easter mass which was very nice. I don't go to church as much as I should. But with everything these days geared towards materialism and consumerism it is always refreshing to go to a community-based event like mass. This is my Easter Sunday mass outfit . . .

I bought this Victorian style lace blouse ages ago on ebay. It is very pretty but it buttons up at the back so need a hubby close at hand to help put in on (I need a 'Lady in Waiting'!)

And of course, no outfit would be complete without a vintage needlepoint bag.

(by the way, consumerism doesn't apply to vintage items - one can never have enough vintage needlepoint bags!)

oops, I have just noticed a slight bulge at the top of my skirt where I was not able to fully close the zipper (!). I need to do a few more sessions at the gym and cut down on those glasses of read wine if I am going to be able to fit into this skirt again!

  Because its getting a bit chilly here in Melbourne, I wore this cream vintage beaded cardigan over my blouse. I love beaded cardigans, but find it hard to get any colours apart from black and cream. I would love a blue one like the one Molly Ringwald wears in 'Pretty in Pink' (80s nuts will know what I mean by this!)

Hope you all have a lovely Easter and don't overdose on chocolate! 

Decorating Vintage Style - 1950's sewing baskets

I have been on the look out for a 1950's handmade sewing basket for months and months. They are such a cute way to store bits and bobs around the house. I use the baskets to store my (far too many) books . . .

These baskets are usually made from all sorts of cards and photos, sewn together and then laminated.

The basket above is a very large representation of these vintage items - normally they come in smaller sewing basket styles. I imagine the above version was made by someone to hold knitting needles and wool.

The second basket I bought is a rectangular one depicting old photos from various cities around the world. I am not exactly sure which cities are depicted, but the main two look like something from Scandinavia, definitely Europe somewhere.

Its quite funny though, because on the side of this basket (see above) there are ugly photos of suburban sprawl and what looks like coal plants and furnaces. Quite the contrast from the main photos of Scandanavian harbours! (perhaps the maker was trying to make a subtle political statement!)

 I would love to know more about how these baskets came to be made.

I imagine there must have been groups of women across Australia in sewing or craft circles making them? There must have been thousands made because my mother and all my aunties had one in their houses.

I love the fact that they are 'shabby chic' and so individual, but also because they represent someone's thoughts and creativity (and they are exceptionally well made and sturdy)

If you are interested in buying one of these sorts of baskets, you will need to look around quite a bit as they have become a collector's item in Australia. Any that I have seen on ebay have been quite expensive. I managed to buy these on ebay recently because no one bid on them (perhaps because they are much larger than the 'standard' sewing baskets people collect?).

These are the sorts of treasures you may be able to pick up at a thrift/opp shop - so keep your eyes peeled!