Lady Melbourne: February 2010

28.2.10

New in Lady Melbourne's Etsy shop

This Versace Sport dress is on sale now in my Etsy shop and if you are inclined you can find some serious heels here too!

26.2.10

Happy Friday Give Away!

It's been a while since I've had a give away, but I've been busy putting this superb prize pack together, all with Australian labels involved.

It includes:
1. The latest 'So Frenchy So Chic' CD illustrated by Kat Macleod, an illustrated poster and badge
2. A Gammazon 'Velvet Body Butter' from the CocoNilla range, 2 x Lollipop lip balms
3. 'Clipa' silver hand bag clip
4. A gold 'Starlet' Tampurse

As always, all you have to do is leave a comment on this post to be in the running!

Comp ends Thursday 4th March, 5pm AEST, winners announced Friday 5th March.

Lady Melbourne loves you!

Happy Friday!

24.2.10

Honey and Cinnamon: What is your favourite scent?

Well, thank you all for your kind comments on my nails, perhaps next time I do them I'll video it and do a little tutorial. I promise you that it's really quite simple!

Not that this is fashion related, but I was curious to know about your favourite scent.

Mine is cinnamon, I was reading today that the Roman Emperor Nero burnt a years supply of it at his wife's funeral. What a homage.

I like honey as well, and naturally honey and cinnamon combined is just heavenly to me. The reason I ask is that I'm researching for an article I'm writing on fashion and psychology: why we wear the clothes we do. I'm planning on making it two part, the second being about beauty and scent. I think it's really interesting how we are all attracted to different smells and scents, and why.

Anyhow, your thoughts are as always most appreciated!

Dress: Episode

Heels: Barkins

Earrings: I made them

23.2.10

Tell me the time while I do my nails....

For quite a while now, I've been meaning to try a manicure a la Dita Von Teese with reverse tips, or over stated cuticles depending on how you look at it. I figured the easiest way was to paint fake ones and stick them on, so that's what I did!

I trundled down to my local Priceline this morning, bought a pack of 200 plain fake nails and painted them with my Revlon 'Valentine' polish. Added a top coat and stuck them on, that easy.

I'm not sure how long they'll last(I don't wear fake nails) but even for a week they look cute and achieved perfectly the look I was going for.

I often get asked when I include my little cuckoo clock in the background where I got it. I picked it up about two years ago at an el-cheapo variety shop for $2. True story!

22.2.10

Dear Autumn, when will you arrive?

I've become obsessed of late with organising my autumn/winter wardrobe, what care I for 34 degrees when there are boots to buy online?

I've started collecting pieces of what I want to wear this winter already and this little grey number is the latest edition. I've scoured the town for the perfect cropped, grey, soft leather jacket. When my search turned up nothing(and believe me, I searched) I turned to the internet and found this on Etsy. I picked it up today and couldn't be happier that it's now mine. I just can't believe that someone wanted to sell it.
I've already bought a pair of boots, a trench coat, today's jacket, Sonia Rykiel for H&M stuff is on its way, and I have my eye on the Sportsgirl boots from this post.

Today's outfit is almost head to toe vintage or second hand, and while I don't always post pictures of the tags I thought I'd just show you a more intimate look inside my wardrobe. It's not uncommon for my daily outfits to be op-shop/vintage/second hand finds, but I don't explicitly point out that I'm wearing it head to toe.
I pour my money into my accessories, choosing the thrill of the chase of beautiful labels second hand and at second hand prices. It's funny how we choose to shop, I know girls that wouldn't be caught dead in an op-shop, and then they want to know where my Max Mara skirt came from. Funny.

I received a rather exciting invitation today to speak at LMFF as part of the cultural program. Details are being worked out, but if you'd like to come along and listen to a forum on fashion and blogging I'll be posting the details here closer to the date. I'm very excited and a little nervous!

Tous Les Jour heels

20.2.10

A piece of Paris....

Last year when I was commissioned by N.E.E.T magazine to do a showcase of cool and quirky shops in Melbourne, I came across Velour in St Kilda.

I was of course on a 'work' visit, but work often involves shopping and I couldn't go past this D.I.V.I.N.E vintage dress from Paris. It fed right into my love of black and white, the polka dots were too cute and it's floaty.

I have had it for a couple of months now but haven't put it up properly yet, as it was hot and windy today it was kind of perfect for what I had to do.

Thank you kindly for you responses to the video post, it looks as though I already have plenty of topics to chat about next week! Please do write in if you have anything you'd like addressed and I'll do my best to answer for you.

19.2.10

Happy Friday! Welcome to Lady Melbourne's new Friday videos

As I mentioned yesterday, one of my friends and fellow bloggers suggested that I do a video blog once a week because she'd love to see more of Lady Melbourne TV.
So rather than it being as styled as last time(read: my editor moved to London and I'm rubbish at Final Cut) it will be more conversational between you, and me.

This is the kick off video, please feel free to write in each week!

18.2.10

A House is not A Home

Just a disclaimer before I begin: I do not sit around on the couch all kitted up reading like this, I'd just arrived home and saw the light so jumped into frame. It's my favourite time of day to photograph, honestly you just can't replicate the light. I'm reading 'A House is not A Home' by Polly Adler.

Anyhow this is another contender for fashion week, probably something I would wear during the day I think for kicking around. I just found out today I got a writing gig for the week covering all the shows- freakin awesome! I can't reveal too much(yet) but you'll all be able to read it online which is fab.

I was out at Darn Cheap Fabrics today and in case you don't know it and are interested the fabrics are a/ fabulous and b/ darn cheap.
I've decided that rather than buy a new wardrobe or fuss about what to wear to LMFF, I will just make myself a new 'Lady M' wardrobe. I've been buying up accessories and have a dove grey, kid leather jacket arriving any day now from the States (god bless you etsy.com) so I think I will be sorted by the time it swings around.

I've thought about starting my own little label, after doing jewellery for 7 years I know what I'd be in for and I'm not sure I want to be a slave in my own sweat shop! I know every gal and her Prada bag wants to be a designer but I'm going to keep it in mind.
I will show you my autumn/winter collection I'm going to create just for myself when its complete. It will consist of Lady M staples: circle skirts, silk blouses and cropped jackets. Stay tuned.

Pants: Agent Ninety Nine
Blouse: Carla Zampatti

Earrings: I made them
Cuffs: Bugis St market, Singapore

p.s- One of my readers and fellow bloggers suggested I start to video blog, tomorrow the first installment will go live. You heard it here first.

16.2.10

Her mind was buzzing with questions.....

I think that this skirt is too long so I'm in the process of taking up the hem,but I like it because it's light and the colours just seem to go with everything I own.
I thought I'd see how it looked with a darker, tougher pallet of leather and black and white- there is a lot of black and white in my wardrobe.

The tag says 12 but the waist measures 25" so I'd say that it was made when a size 12 measured completely differently to today's standards. You can only imagine how tiny an 8 must have been if a size 12 is 25"!
To borrow a line from Just Say When, this is pretty much how I felt when I tried it on:

'Her mind is buzzing with unanswered questions:
(a) Who the hell made this dress?
(b) Did some unfeeling fool change the dress/size label?
(c) Has the whole world gone mad?'

You can read the whole article here, but it's a nice little piece on what many of us face when we shop for second hand clothes.

On another fashionable note, the Sonia Rykiel range for H&M has been released in London and you can see a gallery here.
I have my spies in London working to get my hands on a couple of pieces, the sweaters would be just perfect to wear this autumn don't you think?
And don't get me started on the fact we don't have H&M here is Australia......

14.2.10

Get ready

My post about the giant shoulder pads the other day got me thinking about what I'm going to wear to L'Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival coming up in March.

One of you suggested that I keep the shoulders for the event, so it got me thinking about what I'm going to wear every single day of the week. It might sound ridiculous to some of you that I am sat here pondering what I will be wearing for one entire week in the distant future. I barely wear the same thing all day every day, so to think that I will have events, shows and parties to attend kind of sends you into a spin.

I have an over flowing wardrobe but naturally nothing to wear, so for the next few weeks I'll be putting things out there in an attempt to work out how I want to look for the week. I will of course need your help so this is the first contender. I made the jacket and I have a beautiful Carla Zampatti jacket underneath but you can't see it unfortunately.

Jacket: Lady Melbourne

Skirt: Vintage piece, Mother Melbourne wore it years ago, now its mine!

Heels: Urban Originals

Blouse: Carla Zampatti

Leather bag: Value City Savers, it cost me...............................................$7. Read and weep.

13.2.10

Charles and Ray Eames, welcome to my home

I was talking on twitter yesterday about how I had to schlep halfway across Melbourne to retrieve 'something,' but didn't say what.

Well, it was this beautiful Eames chair and ottoman that I bought for His Lordship for his birthday. He has everything he wants so I though that an investment piece of furniture that we could both enjoy would be perfect.

We both like Fler furniture and bought a suite last year, so in trying to keep with the theme of 1950's designed furniture I've added this. Now I'm on the hunt for a coffee table and side board.

The black and white photo is of my brother and I when we were little, and yes, I realise it isn't straight but I kind of like that it's a little off kilter. It's in the original frame and I can't bear to change it.

So, welcome to my lounge room!

11.2.10

Trying to stay dry on the edge of a storm

I took this photo right before the storm hit Melbourne, on my way home from town. I don't normally walk down the street with a book in my hand, but it just looked so good against the wrapping paper for my roses, I couldn't resist.

The flowers are from Flinders St, I buy most of my flowers there on my way home or on my way somewhere because they are convenient and cheap. $7.50 for a bunch of roses is pretty good value if you ask me. I have fresh flowers in the house every week in different spots, I think it brings the outside indoors, plus it just gives me so much joy to look at them.

Oh and thank you for your comments on whether or not I should keep my shoulder pads from the previous post, some of your comments made me almost fall off my chair laughing and I've decided to publish a few right here.

Bucca said...
If I saw you out and about I would half expect you to stalk across the room and throw a drink in someone's face before staring into the distance with a vacant expression lol

Jetsetting Joyce said...
Take them out, quick! You'll lose your peripheral vision :)

katiecrackernuts said...
I also have a jacket with shoulder pads to rival that. Op shop number and man, if you got tired, you could just lean your head to the left or right and have a snooze. Comfy and stylish.

Blouse: I bought it on the island of Burano, off Venice
Skirt: Camden maket, London
Heels: Verali
Bag: Value City Savers

10.2.10

Out of my way: Shoulder pads coming through

I found this little jacket at Value City Savers in Preston, but before I remove the biggest shoulder pads I have ever seen in my life, I thought I would play dress ups first.

I haven't really presented a retro look for a while, not because I don't dress like this but mainly because I thought for a while I might be pigeon-holed if I only ever dressed like this. Plus someone told me it made me look old. Hilarious!

I don't like to take myself too seriously anyhow, so this is Lady Melbourne come 1940's come Dolly Parton for your Wednesday afternoon viewing pleasure.

If you think the shoulders should stay(sooooo on trend) then let me know, I'm inclined to take them out.

Edit: The darling Vintage Verve just suggested on twitter that it's more Alexis Carrington than Parton. Made my day!!

Vintage jacket: Value City Savers
Vintage leather skirt: Value City Savers (photos of tags coming for all you vintage purists out there)

Heels: Verali

Cuffs: All made by me

9.2.10

Sportsgirl winter preview parade and some blogging fun

Last night I attended the winter preview parade for Sportsgirl with fellow Melbourne bloggers Alicia from Sea of Ghosts and Fashion Hayley.

It was cute, fun and typically Sportsgirl- high energy, young and the models just seemed to exude that aura of the girl with the wardrobe we all want.
It can be hard to review a chain store in that you know you are never going to see anything ground breaking or trendsetting, their place in the realm of fashion retail is to interpret trends and sell them to the masses.

I think the key to Sportsgirls on going success however is that they know their market and don't try to be anything they're not.

I have no doubt the autumn/winter collection will walk off the shelves, in particular the shoes and boots that by all accounts were well made, affordable and completely on trend.

These boots, they will be mine.

Me, Alicia and Hayley.

8.2.10

Twirling like a crazy woman

I found this book under the stairs on the weekend, half read with a book mark in the middle. I'm not sure why I would have put it down(probably in the midst of studying last year) because it's quite entertaining. If you haven't read French Women Don't Get Fat by Mireille Guiliano then I would recommend it as the best non-diet diet book around.

I was going to head outside to take my photos today but we are sweltering in 34 degree weather so I am indoor bound.

I like a little breeze to show off the full circle of this skirt but a twirl I realised can suffice. Thank god for curtains so the neighbours can't see me twirling in the lounge room like a crazy woman.

Bag: Inherited

Skirt: I made it! Just do a search for 'circle skirt' and previous posts will come up

Singlet: H&M

Heels: Barkins

Belt: Far East Plaza, Singapore

5.2.10

Happy Friday!

Happy Friday out there folks, first Friday in Feb!

I like to dress for occasions, meaning I like to look appropriate for the venue/event/party I am attending. Hence my post asking your opinions on what I should wear to the tennis.

Anyhow I'm going to the pub tonight and possibly to see a band(relying on other peoples plans is always GREAT) and I haven't worn this dress as yet but thought c'est parfait.

I gave it a test run last night at ladies night and got the thumbs up from the gals- I was a little worried I might look like an ice skater from 1984 who got lost in a biker shop but they put my fears to rest.

Dress: Bought in Hong Kong on my travels and never worn

Boots: Senso Diffusion

Jacket: Sirrico

p.s- thank you my dear readers for the French lesson!

3.2.10

Peppermint Magazine is still available

Sniff, sniff, it's the last month I'll be a cover girl for the delightful Peppermint Magazine so if you want a copy rush to the shops!
I'll still be writing for them in coming issues but I have to say that the current issue is pretty special to me. I never could have imagined in my wildest dreams that I would have ended up on the cover of a magazine when I started blogging.

If you can't get it locally you can buy it online from Mag Nation, or you can read all about it here.

And just to satisfy the voyeur in you, here are the photos of the Peppermint Party I threw to celebrate.

A cup of tea....and a party

Sometimes before I head out I like to have a cup of tea just to relax. It doesn't always happen but my eclectic mix of china tea cups make me so happy. So does my black manicure by the way, Mother Melbourne's not into it at all, but I think against the pale colours it really 'pops.'

Bag: Vintage, inherited from my Aunt Joan

Heels: Verali

Skirt: Tempt

Blouse: Vintage

Cuff: Bugis St market, Singapore

OMG WTF SRSLY I ND HLP!!

Okay, I need to admit something as a blogger and texter: I can't speak Textese. I know some basic abbreviations, but with a mother who was a teacher and having studied journalism, that kind of thing has simply never really absorbed into my vocabulary.

I sat at the computer screen when I was on gmail chat just two weeks ago wondering why Dr.Jones kept typing 'brb.' Does she need to burp but can't type it? Is there a fascinating blurb of a book she wants to tell me about?
I ended up googling the answer.

My friends will contest that my text messages come complete with full spelling and punctuation, I find it impossible to get the hang of txt speak.

So, in an attempt to become enlightened, here is what I know but I am reaching out to you to help Lady Melbourne get with the sartorial times!

WTF: What the f*ck
OMG: Oh my god
LOL: Laugh out loud
BRB: Be right back
SRSLY: Seriously
HLP: Help
BTW: By the way
ATM: At the moment.

1.2.10

This entire outfit cost $35

I haven't posted for a while about how I shop for second hand clothes, mainly I suppose because it's just something that is so natural to me. I am always shopping, I never turn off from what is going on around me in terms of retail.

I. Love. To. Shop.

If someone enquires about what I'm wearing and finds out that its second hand or vintage, the first question I am mainly asked is, 'Where do you find this stuff?'

'I don't know...?' isn't really a helpful answer, but I hope as today's post shows the stuff is out there if you care to look. I found this entire outfit in the one Salvation Army store, spending a grand total of $35 and about 1 hour shopping.

It was all there for the taking, I guess my number one tip is that you simply have to look at everything. EVERYTHING. That means home wears, manchester(I found a lavender wool coat once someone had put under a duvet), furniture, childrenswear, books- EVERYTHING.

Make 'scour' your new mantra.

The second tip is that it takes time to shift through racks and racks of clothing, the reward is that you may just find a complete outfit for under $40. If I've learnt one thing from op-shopping since I was 13, it's that you have to spend time going through everything. Literally pulling every single scarf out of that 1 mt high bin.

Dr. Jones found a black and red Christian Lacroix scarf once doing this(the couture end of the business is now closed= collectors item= $$$) and you've seen some of the labels I've found over the years in op-shops.

It's all out there, happy shopping!

Dress: Second hand $7

Glasses: $3

Cotton trench with leather details: $5

Glomesh bag: $10

Leather boots: $10

Lady Melbourne has a new home!