Taking Stock

Belated Christmas greetings, Snapettes. I hope you are all having a wonderful holiday full of seasonal blessings of peace and joy, spent with family and loved ones.

I hope also your stockings were filled with good things, not lumps of coal, which would certainly ruin these fine vintage Schiaparelli stockings. I bought them a little while ago in a thrift store, but have not yet dared to wear them for fear of ripping them. They are a size 10½, which I discovered refers to foot length and indicates they are a UK shoe size 7. This is a little bigger than what I wear, but bigger is better than smaller surely! And how pretty is the pink print on one of the stocking tops?

Here’s to continuing festivities as we take stock of what’s passed these last twelve months, and countdown to a new year!

What I Actually Wore #0156

Serial #: 0156
Date: 31/10/2013
Weather: 18°C / 64°F
Time Allowed: 12 minutes

First of all: LOOK AT MY HAIR! I have no idea how I made it look so perfect regularly, because I am pretty damn lazy low maintenance about hair styling.

It was Halloween, and I decided to go not at all thematic (it’s not really a big holiday in Australia) and wore bright pops of colour instead. The outfit started with the teal leather skirt (the brand on the label is Suede); the ribbed jumper I am wearing is actually a real ultra-violet, but the hue is impossible to capture with a camera (the shade is captured better in the close-up below); and the shoes are cobalt. I like to mix colours that are close in hue, but slightly off or unexpected – the violet and teal are an unusual combination.

The really standout item is the tights; these are not traditional fishnets, but rather skin-toned illusion hosiery with the fishnet pattern applied as flocking. I managed to wear the pair a few times before they laddered.

I’m wearing sterling silver hoops, a cuff and a ring (since lost!), the latter two by the jewellery brand Roun, which is now defunct. I bought quite a few pieces from them in my minimalist phase – I considered the cuff a real investment, although I rarely wear it now.

I’ve been carrying a small bag as well as a larger work tote these days, but back then I was usually only carrying a large tote, which is why there is no handbag in this picture. This day I wore my beloved vintage 70s white leather trench coat that has long since died, and a white leather oblong tote by Elise Carrell, which has also worn out. In fact, the only item from this outfit that I still have in my wardrobe are the suede and patent wedges, and the jewellery, as the jumper and skirt have gone in my most recent cull just last week. Still, overall I like this look.

Items:

Jumper: op shop
Skirt: Suede, vintage 80s
Tights: Leg Avenue
Shoes: Mollini
Earrings: Baku
Bangle: Roun
Watch: Kenneth Cole
Ring: Roun

Photos: January 2014

What I Actually Wore #0155

Serial #: 0155
Date: 30/10/2013
Weather: 20°C / 68°F
Time Allowed: 10 minutes

Right on theme is this outfit out of the archives: it is very graphic with the stripes and stars, and I still like it. Stripes are one of my outfit go-tos – a default, if-in-doubt wardrobe staple. I still own all these items in fact, except the starry tights ran off and have been replaced, and the shoes are in storage as they are actually quite uncomfortable because of the inflexible glitter fabric of the uppers. I still love the idea of the glittery Dorothy-inspired shoes so I can’t bring myself to sell them online, as was my original plan – nor do I want to inflict them on some unsuspecting buyer!

I happen to be wearing a few souvenirs from my trip to Spain: the skirt is by a Catalonian designer, and the ceramic earrings and ring were both bought in Barcelona; the ring always seemed to me to be a suitable memento of Gaudí’s famed and fabulous sculptural architecture in that city. The herringbone skirt looks wintry, but it is made of a linen and rayon blend. (The skirt looks like it has a rosy tint on one side, but that is actually the reflection of the sunset.)

According to my notes for this outfit, I also wore my vintage 60s black velvet and fur trim coat, and a matching vintage hat, a soft velvet cap with fur trim that pulls down over the head like a turban, which I think may be even older – possibly even 1910s or 20s. I also carried a favourite white leather tote from a now sadly-defunct Melbourne designer label. I don’t know why I omitted to photograph them!

Items:

Top: Meredith
Skirt: Celia Vela
Hat: vintage 1920s
Coat: Fashion Gems of Melbourne, vintage 60s
Earrings: souvenir
Ring: souvenir
Stockings: Leg Avenue
Bag: Elise Caarels
Shoes: Wittner

Photos: January 2014

Starry Tights

While we’re on the subject of stars, let me bring your attention to these amazing starry tights I once owned. I have often waxed lyrical about my love for long socks, but once upon a time I went through a phase of “tattoo tights” – that is, nude hosiery with printed patterns that gave the effect of a tattoo. (Imagine tattooing your legs all over with stars!)

I managed to amass quite a collection before my hatred for all hosiery made me abandon tights almost entirely for a few winters. These tights are by Leg Avenue, and not only did I have stars, but polka-dots and fishnets too! I have a strong feeling that I shall be soon investigating the basket of tights in my closet – there are quite a few unopened packages lurking in there. Stay tuned for more stocking shenanigans!

Photos: October 2013

What I Actually Wore #0149

Serial #: 0149
Date: 07/10/2013
Weather: 18°C / 64°F
Time Allowed: 8 minutes

I was on a minimalist kick at the time, and this is a rare all-black outfit for me, but the best thing about it is obviously the tights. The giant fishnets are not true net tights; the pattern is actually printed on nude hosiery – if they were actual net, I imagine it would be quite a task to make sure all the lines were straight.

I have a love-hate relationship with tights. They are obviously practical in winter, but I find it a bore pulling them up and down – and heaven forbid they are a little worn and saggy! That is the worst. This pair, which I bought online at Ozsale, were quite fragile too, and I ended up ripping them after a few wears. Fortunately, I was able to replace them when they reappeared on the same site.

The dress is by Australian label Saba, and I purchased it at a thrift store because I liked the cut – it had an origami-like fold on the right side. However, I did not like the fact that it was polyester, and it ended up going back to the op shop a year or two later.

Odd earrings – one silver and one black onyx bauble – and two rings of the same materials, and black patent Mary-Jane heels finished off the outfit.

Items:

Dress: Saba
Tights: Leg Avenue
Shoes: BCBG
Earrings: handmade
Ring: (silver) Roun, (onyx) souvenir

Photo: January 2014