I Can See Clearly Now

The sun is OUT again! Well, yes, there is the whole gail force winds thing but unless you're on a ferry/anywhere unsheltered, who the fuck cares? It's blue outside!

In other news, I had my hair cut and dyed on Tuesday. This is far more thrilling news than it might seem. Actually, no, it's not really.


Our Vintage & Retro Sale is THIS WEEKEND! I know I haven't been able to shut up about it but I'm even more excited than usual. Maybe I'm just in an excitable mood this week. Or maybe it's because our stock this month is unbelievably good. Like, mind blowingly good. Sydneysiders, you simply must come along. If you're lucky, and flatter my website/writing/incredible good looks enough, I might even give you a bloggy discount. AND, we'll be open an hour longer either end on Saturday and an hour earlier on Sunday morning so you'll have even more time than usual to check out our racks (not in a dirty kind of way). Here are some more photos of me wearing some of said unbelievably good stock. I'll also be selling some super cool cassette tape necklaces like the one in the below photos for a miniscule four dollars. Click for more detail.

The glasses are a present from my lovely housemate Dom, the awesome red jacket and top are both from Anglicare (pay-by-the-kilo op shop), leggings from god knows where, the cassette necklace I made myself, the watch from Paddys market (actually my birthday present from Bobby) and the shoes you should all know by now. Man, I need some new boots.

Heavy Weather

Ol' Sydney town has been incredibly unpredictable on the whole weather front recently. First, we had that bizarre apocalyptic red sand storm, then it was absolutely swelteringly hot and now it just won't stop raining. And I've heard rumours that it isn't going to clear up for another month. Which would kind of be okay, you know, cozy and relaxing; inside, by the non-existent fire (I can be a home-body when required), did we not have to go via the exposed, roof-free balcony to get to our bedroom. It's a strange house and, what's normally a cool feature - stepping out of my room onto the amazing astroturfed balcony every morning is something I very much treasure - becomes the most annoying thing in the world, ever.

"Err, Bobby, why is your hair all wet?"

"I had to go wee."

"So... You pissed in your hair? Wow. This is awkward. You know what, I'm pretty down with most things but that's totally not cool. Like, that's not even kinky-cool."

"What? No. It's raining. And to go to the bathroom one has to go via the balcony. Remember?"

Despite all this doom and gloom, we fought the elements on Saturday in order to do one big Anglicare buy up. We spent four hours in that hell hole and purchased a whole TWELVE kilos of awesome. One party of said awesomeness is this amazing acid wash parka (see below photos). I also picked up the floral top and leopard print leggings which will be washed and hung up by the weekend. So exciting. You wouldn't believe how good our rack of new shit for our market is looking. Like, I think I might actually wet my pants. Oh, wait, I totally already have. Or is it rain? Darn, I have got to stop getting so easily confused.

Anyway, here are some photos of me goofing around in various series of undress. Despite the connotations of that, none of them are sexy, I'm afraid. The up-side of the whole weather debacle however, is the amount of layering I can get away with. Yesterday I wore a jumper ontop of a cardigan. I know, right? That's some fucked up shit.

Parka, floral top and leopard print leggings are all from that second hand pay-by-the-kilo warehouse in Summer Hill that I always bang on about. The little white cardigan and belt were purchased for a couple of dollars courtesy of Vinnies' half price sale last week (it's a charity store, for all you non-Australians). The black leather bumbag, chunky watch and glasses are all from Paddy's Markets. The shoes were from a vintage store in Sydney and the skirt from a vintage store in Paris.

P.S. I'm never taking off this bumbag/watch/glasses/parka. Ever.


P.P.S If you're in Sydney, Vinnies is having yet another half price sale today. Get down there!

Baby's Got a Brand New Secondhand Disguise

Thus far I have visited 17 charity shops in Eastbourne. One. Seven. Yes, this tiny town is crammed full with them. Essentially, it's my dream come true. Today we hopped down the street to find two previously undiscovered aged care charity shops and a little store overflowing with bric a brac. Two beautiful scarves, a perfect cream skirt and a typically awesome '80s belt later and back up the hill we climbed. On second thoughts, bounced might be a more appropriate word choice as I was just that happy. The warm weather proved to be the cherry on top, allowing me to ditch the coat and wear my brand spanking new little structured velvet jacket (which I bought on my second day this side of the world). A yummy delicious velvety cherry.

Glasses: Bobby's
Blouse and belt: Anglicare
Jacket: Marie Curie (charity store) in Eastbourne
Neck Tie: A waist tie from a hooded piece I have.
Trousers: Mum's hand-me-downs.

Photobooth

As mentioned a few posts back, Xiaohan of Sydney street blog XSSAT recently dropped by to take a few photographs of me. It was fantastic as I just did what I enjoy most and played dress ups all morning after which I wandered downstairs to stare wistfully into the distance as I had my photos taken (as is the way of fashion bloggers). They were set to be featured in the May issue of the English H&M Magazine however, due to a lack of space, the project unfortunately fell through.

So, obviously I'm totally devoed. It does, however, mean that I can publish the photos here earlier than I had expected. Thank you Bobby for (as always) taking them. Click for larger images.

And the final product. Photo (below) courtesy of Xiaohan Shen who's photos (including one more from the shoot) you can see more of on her website.

Beret: Christmas present from my Mother.
Grapes: Fashioned out of some fake grapes found at a party store and a length of leather.
Top: It's a XXXL women's blouse worn back to front with one sleeve tucked in. I've been doing a similar thing with a ruffled dress on which I shall - if I remember - post very soon.
Belt: Anglicare
Skirt: It's a maxi skirt I thrifted (also at Anglicare) a little while ago. I often like to wear it as a dress but for the purpose of the photoshoot I decided to tuck it into my tights to create a puffball effect.
Stockings: Home made out of a department store pair.
Gloves: My housemate gave me these as a half joke. They were from an '80s dress up party. She is still incredulous when I wear them out. I think they're sick.

Red Turned White

I'm on a roll. Not in the way that a tumble weed might roll but more the kind of roll the toilet paper gets on when you pull a little too hard and suddenly it's all over the floor and oh shit now you have to go down to the shop and spend your last $6 on some more before the housemates stink up a shit because you used the last toilet paper roll. On a wee. Or maybe even the kind of roll Einstein was on when he discovered that yes, E really does equal MC squared. Okay, I know, I'm not no genius or anything (double negative, anyone?) but, he was German and I'm half German and Hitler was Austrian. So let's just let that double negative sit there.

This much spoken about roll and the successes of the weekend can't be published in a Cheat's Guide to the Owl and the Grapes kind of post because we all know I'm not very good at summarising (you should hear me explain my dreams. They. Just. Don't. Stop.) So make yourself a cup of tea as it's going to be a long one - if you call a few paragraphs long. By my standards, it is. Despite taking a very intense speed reading class when I was in high school, I'm still a slow reader. It's taken me six months to get half way through Lolita.

The long awaited - mostly by me - Part Two of our Vintage and Retro Fashion pop-up store proved more successful than a full-bellied polar bear's nap in the winter time. The extraordinary numbers that came through our door on Saturday was absolutely overwhelming. Thankfully Sunday was a little quieter as, with a hangover the size of Turkey, using the mathematical skill it takes to calculate someone's change proved relatively difficult.


I must give my wholehearted thank you to the lovely and talented folk at Two Thousand for featuring us. I have little doubt the majority of people found us through them. If you live in Sydney and are not a regular reader, get to it and subscribe because reading their newsletter is one of the online highlights of my week. It was an ironically lovely coincidence that the one week I failed to read it, a very kindly customer should inform me that our little pop-up store was featured. Awesome.

Also keep an eye out at XSSAT for photos of Bobby, Elle and I on our roof. I was photographed by two Sydney Street Style blogs during the weekend, it's just unfortunate that I only have a card from one, and my memory isn't all that good in my old age. Yes, I'm only twenty but I wear grandma boots and often find gigs too loud. What do you expect? You can see more photos of us and our store over here. Do join our lovely little group while you're at it, and we'll let you know when we have our next event.

The ice on my finger bun roll was receiving an email from Suzanne of Weardrobe asking if I would feature on their front page (I realise that they have a number of girls featured on there each week, but it's still nice to feel loved - in a strictly business kind of way). I'll post the feature in full when it's published but in the meantime keep an eye out for me on their site.

While we're on the subject of the snazzy and sweet site, I did these photos for one of their weekly contests a little over a week ago. Due to this jumbled brain of mine however, I failed to realise until much later that the competition called for Sequin and Sheer, not Lace and Sheer as I had thought. Not one to let something go to waste though, I thought I'd post the photos up here. Behold, Sequin and Sheer lost in translation (lost meaning jumbled and translation meaning my silly little head).

Dress (worn back to front): A beautiful lace dress from Bobby that I received for Christmas.
Sheer cream top (worn underneath): Another Christmas present from Bobby.
Beret: Darn, I'm all Christmassed out. Indeed, this one was another lovely Christmas present from my Mother
Vest: From a Charity Store in Rozelle, Sydney some time in 2007.
Belt: Anglicare
Bag: $3 also at Anglicare

Update: The charming and kind Xiaohan Shen of XSSAT has posted the photos I mentioned she took of the three of us on our roof. Check them out over here.

Planet New Year

Happy hippie New Year. While it's not something I entirely recommend (I'm actually still - two days later - somewhat hungover), our New Year's was a fantastic night involving lots and lots of vodka thanks to a dear friend winning a years worth of Absolut in a DJ competition. That's 52 bottles of lowered inhibitions. Needless to say, the night ended with my hugging a wall and waving needlessly at Bobby's camera.

On a separate (less trashy) note, sometimes things on your lust list don't cost a thing. Such was the case with my new cut and colour, which was born from finding my Mother has an unexpected talent for such things.

Beret: A lovely Christmas present from my Mother
Bag: $3 at Anglicare
Socks: Very very old
Dress: $5 from a charity store in Newtown. With my tendency to be attracted to such things, you might not be surprised to learn the dress was a gigantuously hideous thing with puffed and tapered sleeves. With some snipping and sewing, taking in and taking off however, I welcomed the new year a very happy lady in red.

Holiday

Our Christmas tree was a beautiful mess of a broomstick and twigs. The self-made birds sat on the branches as the fairy lights glowed and the star sat happily atop the tip. My presents to Bobby were a painting, diary and URL (we're a modern duo) and my dress was a bright orange vintage thing. It continues to be a wonderful holiday indeed.

Dress: Vintage, I bought half a lady's closet from her earlier in the year and this was one of the treasures. The dress' waist tie is scrunched up and sitting on my head.
Sandles: Local shoe store, Nu & Nan
Belt and old binoculars bag: Anglicare

On My Shoulders

Five hundred grams of the three kilos of clothes we bought last weekend.

Vest, shorts, belt, blouse: Anglicare
Shoes: Local vintage store

The Angels Hung Around

As some of you clever munchkins may have gathered from my last post (which featured a new Anglicare find), over the weekend we paid the Angels another visit. Incredibly, the warehouse of pay-by-the-kilo clothes was packed. Quite full. Despite this, we got down and dirty and walked out with three kilos of clothes, one pillowcase and a four kilo curtain. It's a heavy curtain. Before the end of the week, I'll try to post a photo of a few bits and bobs. For now, here's a little peek (of the a-boo kind).

Kitty

If you can tell me with a straight face that you do not find a kitten racing around the room trying to catch bubbles with its tiny paws entertaining, either you have never tried it or you are lying to yourself. While the boy called me simple, it was indeed the most I laughed all evening - so much so that my stomach ached.

Indeed, now that we (the word we being used loosely, and actually referring to my housemates) have a kitten, this is how I spend my Sundays.

Scarf: Chapel Street Bazaar, Melbourne
Vest: Surry Hills Markets, Sydney
Skirt, pinned up at the bust to wear as a dress: Anglicare, Sydney
Tights: Hand-me-down from Mum that I've cut up
Shoes: Cream on Crown, Sydney
(All thrifted)

Waitin' For A Superman

Superheroes are wokkin' (that's hot as a wok). You know the type. A bit of a dark youth, a little hard-done by; an outsider of sorts. Suddenly BAM! POW! WHAM! (and if you're lucky enough, even a little chemical spill along the way) and it's all invisibility and flying at the speed of sound. Next thing you know they're being all Violet Parr and Banana Boy.

Collapsing by the clothes rails in faint boredom, I lay by the fan dreaming of light and airy flounces I did not own. Prompted, it seems, by my visible distress, "I'll give you a theme," Bobby suggested, knowing how prone I am to a theme, "fairytales." Oh yes. It's a bit of a pity I got so lost along the way.

Apparently, as well as being O.K. to the W, superheroes are also incredibly distracting. You've walked through the back of said clothes rails (no, it's no wardrobe I know, but they're bamboo and I'll take a talking panda over an old lion any day) and you're well on your way to Narnia and the fairytales that come with. The apron's tied around your waist, the torn top, oh yes, you're feeling rather Cinderella. And then BAM! What do you know, you're V. You're all colours and victory, Clark Kent and vixen.

Belt around head: Mother's
Crochet top: Sacred Heart Mission
Slogan t-shirt: Thrifted
Teddy bear belt: Coburg Trash & Treasure markets
Green skirt: Anglicare
Tights: Gift from the man
Pastel blouse: Local markets

It isn't quite as cool as my brother's Halloween costume I must admit, of which I am quite jealous (not to mention that mine, in fact, is not a costume at all). At six years old, my brother is as prone to dressing up as I. Is it not unfair that he should get an oh-so-realistic wolf head and I should not? I do suppose he does wear it better though, what with the claws and that. He looks almost as good as he would were he a panda bear.

What is not so super or heroic, now, is my lack of internet. While I'll happily take the blame for stuffing it up, sans it all is proving to indeed be a hindrance, demonstrated by the complicity of posting new Ebay auctions. The above-pictured T-Shirt will be popped up there soon enough, (there's only so long one can keep up the superhero facade) so keep an eye out. In the meantime, catch last week's auctions before they end.

As for whom my hero is, only because you asked, I must say it is the night sky. If only the stars would align and it could provide unwavering internet too, from satellites, fast as a bird (or is it a plane?) Speaking of which, have you seen my space table? Pretty out of this world, huh? (Pun fully intended.)

Also thank you to Missa from Thrift Candy for her dedicated post last week. I am very much flattered.

UPDATE: T-Shirt now on Ebay here! And space table link now working!

Hello sunshine

A week ago it would have been unthinkable. Yesterday, we didn't even blink twice at the prospect. Yes, the weather is finally conducive to picnicking and swimming and beaching and lying in the sun just because you can. It's awesome.

Beret: Salvation Army (charity store)
Mushroom broach: Birthday gift from the boy's super lovely house mates
Top: Gift
Lace: Grandmother's
Top, with the sleeves tucked in and neck folded under, worn as skirt: Local second hand store
Sunglasses: Paddys markets
Old binoculars bag and belt: Anglicare (charity store)
Shoes: Local second hand store

Angel Fingers

No spirit fingers here, we're all about the angels. Angel stuff. Angelic places. Anglicare is one such place. It might look like a hell hole, but dig a little deeper and you'll find some heavenly pay-by-the-kilo treasures.


Anglicare is the Summer Hill sorting warehouse from which the donation-run organisation distribute clothes and knick knacks to their 16 Sydney stores. Simply, it is massive (as well as incredibly exhausting). Clothes are inordinately piled and packed into trolleys and after spending two and a half hours there, the surface had barely been skimmed.

On Saturdays they open up about half of the warehouse, while during the week you can only access a quarter or so, but either way you'll find some goodies.

Four and a half kilos and an incredible Summer heat later (outfit regrettably being more Spring than Summer), we were absolutely knackered. Fantastic.

Camel vest: Surry Hills markets
Egg broach: birthday gift from the boy's super lovely house mates
Scarves as top: also birthday gifts from an awesome neighbour
Black top under scarves: Agent 99
Button up top as skirt: Nu & Nan
Green leather belt: mollini (i think)
Navy tights: avocado
Socks: old and (damn) mismatched
Aviators: John Sundry's.