What I Actually Wore #0043

Serial #: 0043 
Date: 17/09/2010
Weather: 15°
Time Allowed: 5 minutes, easy as 1-2-3

It is fun to be working in an office somewhere, rather than from home, as it means I dress up a little more. The black wide-legged pants are wool, by a brand called Ming which I have never heard of before. They are comfy, and warm, with wool flannel on the front, gabardine on the back, and a pin-stripe trimming the waistband. I found them in an op-shop for $25, and they are in very good nick. A bargain, I say!

On rare occasions I stumble across some item of clothing – whether by pressing my nose against the glass, or flipping through a magazine – that makes my heart palpitate so much that I determine I must own the item, no matter the cost. This was the case with the striped top. (The over-the-knee boots, and the harem shorts were other such items.) This Veronika Maine top was a bargain only in the sense that I loved it fiercely from the instant I saw it, and have worn it many times.

I love the boldness of the wide orange and taupe stripes; the asymmetric draping of the neckline; the cap sleeves. I am very fond of stripes – they always make me think of summer for some reason. Normally I don’t wear colours with black, but the extraordinary width of these pants demanded an equally striking top with character enough to hold its own.

I chose the ponyhair high-heeled mary-janes because they were comfortable enough for the 25 minute walk to work, up hill and down dale through the Botanic Gardens. Silver jewellery adds a bright touch to relieve all that black fabric.

High-ho, it’s off to work I go! (Carrying my Wacom tablet with me rather than a pick-axe.)

Items:

Top: Veronika Maine
Pants: Ming
Earrings: from Palm Beads
Bracelet: from eBay
Ring: Autore
Watch: Kenneth Cole
Shoes: Diana Ferrari

What I Actually Wore #0042

Serial #: 0042
Date: 12/09/2010
Weather: a mild 18.5°
Time Allowed: 10 minutes

It’s very unusual for me to take a long time to dress – I tend to make up my mind quickly as I know my wardrobe well. Outfits generally start with one item, and living in Melbourne requires one eye on the forecast, and one on the constantly changing weather conditions.

Today was no exception. I had already decided to wear a new vintage 40s hat, purchased on eBay. I had stayed up late the night before, sewing on the loops that were only tacked on with yellow thread. I was surprised by this circumstance, considering the hat had been offered for sale at an American department store (its price tags were still attached). Was the buyer expected to decide whether to keep the decorative wool loops, or had a veil indeed been removed, as the seller suggested?

It’s an eccentric hat, and did not prove popular with all of my family (who have patiently borne my sartorial adventures over the years), but I love the tomato red, and its quaint shape. But worn at the wrong angle, the tilt hat does look like it has little antennas, as one of my sisters remarked in amusement! 

The leather trenchcoat is also vintage, 1970s, and was found on Etsy as a replacement for my original white leather trenchcoat, which has lamentably become quite worn. The wear makes the coat look like it’s dirty. Unfortunately the new coat has a bad habit of shedding tiny specks of white paint; I presume it has been redyed. This time I will take the advice of my drycleaner and have it oiled, to extend its lifespan. Hopefully that will also settle the dye. The leather at least is very soft and supple.

In the morning I chose to wear a cobalt blue DL top with the black wide-legged trousers, but by evening I had decided the effect of blue and red was far too gaudy. That evening I changed into a sedate ribbed charcoal grey Saba knit to go out for a glass of red with my friend Lulue.

Items:

Top: David Lawrence/Saba
Pants: Ming
Coat: vintage
Hat: Montgomery Ward, vintage 40s
Earrings: coral, handmade by me
Bracelet: from eBay
Ring: Autore
Watch: Kenneth Cole
Shoes: Diana Ferrari

What I Actually Wore #0041

Serial #: 0041
Date: 17/06/2010
Weather: forecast 14°, cold cold and yet more cold
Time Allowed: 8 minutes

It is true that the temperature of the inner city is always a couple of degrees warmer than outer suburbs. Although I do not live in the CBD, I did find when travelling to Thornbury for work this winter it was always far more freezing when I got off the bus than when I boarded.

So this cold day I picked out a warm wool dress by BCBG, and wore it with long boots and black opaques. The necklace – one I made myself from large textured beads strung on brown leather – was picked out to add a bit of colour.

I bought this dress from a shop on eBay. I was originally attracted by the fact that it was 100% wool and pleated. I have a little thing for pleats which is rarely indulged – when factoring in pleats x cost and the sum comes out $$$$$$$$. This time it came out as $$, so I treated myself.

I have a little thing for pleats which is rarely indulged…

The colour was described as cranberry, and looked ‘crimsoner’ in the photos. I was a little disappointed when it arrived to discover it had more purple tone in it, and was in fact the more mundane ‘maroon’ – not a colour that particularly favours my complexion. This exact same thing has happened before with another purchase on eBay. … You’d think I’d learn, but no.

Add to this that the dress has since become somewhat pilled, and eaten by evil moths in a number of places, and it might be time to retire it from active service. So if I now apply yet another fashion equation to it: cost x wear, the total probably adds up to $$$$.

Hmmm, in summary (excuse the pun): pleats x cost x wear – bad colour = $$$. Not too bad.

The necklace is made from wood and resin beads, and orange and hot pink Indian ‘beaded beads’ strung on knotted brown leather cord.

Items:

Dress: BCBG
Necklace: handmade by me
Earrings: Vietnamese souvenir
Rings: Roun
Watch: Kenneth Cole
Boots: Nine West

What I Actually Wore #0040

Serial #: 0040
Date: 17/05/2010
Weather: a cool, mid-winter day of 17°
Time Allowed: 5 minutes

It’s my first day on the job (a short contract job that is) in a design studio in Thornbury. This is an inner Melbourne northern suburb I have never before been to in my life. Investigating transport options, I discover that the bus stopping not five minutes from my home gets me virtually to the door.

Hurrah! This means I can wear precarious shoes to my heart’s content.

With this in mind I choose a new pair of purple suede ankle boots (so deliciously impractical). 

Two-tone grey; I love the perky patent bow of this belt.I also wanted to wear a new secondhand purchase: a black linen skirt that is a little reminiscent of a balloon skirt, but it tapers at the sides. I choose a soft grey wool top to wear with it. As it is slightly loose I pull out a favourite patent belt: I really like different shades of grey worn together. Silver Turkish coin earrings fit the theme.

These boots were NOT made for climbing rickety old ladders!

I rarely wear black with colours as it reminds me too much of brash Eighties fashion, but the purple boots are just the right coloured punctuation mark to this muted outfit.

It’s the first of many pairs of shoes with which I entertain the girls at the local Thornbury café where I have my lunch.

Items:

Top: Victoria Woods
Skirt: Morrison
Belt: David Lawrence
Shoes: Zoe Wittner
Earrings: Palm Beads
Rings: Roun
Watch: Kenneth Cole

What I Actually Wore #0039

Serial #: 0039
Date: 16/03/2010
Weather: forecast 32°, stifling hot
Time Allowed: 5 minutes

This cute little vintage print dress has been butchered. Not by me: by one of its previous owners. They hacked down the hem and created two splits by ripping open the side seams (and creating a hole on one side). Still, I was enamoured of the lace pattern and bought it anyway. I call it my tablecloth dress.

It was promised to be a stinking hot day the morning I chose to wear it to school (I was doing a short business course for a couple of months earlier this year). The dress is made from a lovely, cool, slippery rayon that is quite thin. As it is also feels rather skimpy on its own (not quite right for business school), I decided to wear a cute vintage slip under it.

Just look at those sweet little hearts on the lace trim of the slip. The matching belt was long gone, so I added my own blue satin ribbon. The whole effect is a little Alice in Wonderland.

It was still hot that evening when I went on a date – sans the slip this time – and my date was quite appreciative of the dress’ skimpiness!

Today the dress is finally being taken to a seamstress friend to be mended.

Items:

Dress: vintage
Half-slip: vintage
Earrings: vintage
Ring: NGV Gallery
Shoes: Diana Ferrari