Cruella’s Kicks

Two Dalmatians :: Watts // Big Up // No flash

Aren’t these Dalmatian spotted pony hair Mary-Janes simply darling? I squealed with joy when I glimpsed these shoes in a store window in February last year. I didn’t buy them though as I had recently blown my shoe budget, and now I am passionately regretting it. What was I thinking? They would have looked just perfect on my feet. Just call me Cruella …

Shoe Porn

All Tied Up :: Tinto 1848 // C-Type Plate // No flashYesterday I did quite a few photoshoots, and at the end of the day I snapped these eye candy shots with Hipstamatic just for fun. The new Tintype 1848 package makes just about anything look good. Not that you’d ever have a problem with wicked shoes like these.

Temptation :: Tinto 1848 // C-Type Plate // No flashBlack strappy sandals by Urban Soul, dove grey wedges by Finsk.

See more of my photos on Instagram.

Criss-Cross :: Loftus // C-Type Plate // No flash

Dollface

CELEBRATING THE ROARING TWENTIES IN A SPECIAL SERIES

Cupid’s Bow :: Tinto 1848 // C-Type Plate // No flash

I don’t wear much makeup usually. Mainly because I am in too much of a rush in the mornings. Until fairly recently I had all but given up wearing eye makeup entirely because I loathed taking it off in the evenings – every eye makeup remover I’d ever tried stung badly. Now that I’ve found one that does not (Garnier Gentle Cleansing Milk with waterlily extract), I have happily gone back to dabbling with shadow and mascara. 

Dollface :: Tinto 1848 // C-Type Plate // No flash

Last night a little surfing online washed me up on the shores of a 1920s makeup tutorial at Glamour Daze. It was midnight, and feeling whimsical, I decided it was the optimum time to play with crayons and kohl. Never mind that I had to go to work in the morning. 

Out of the Paintbox :: Tinto 1848 // C-Type Plate // No flash

Although I’ve always had strong feelings about the caterpillars above my eyes, I don’t have the nerve to pluck my eyebrows quite as thin as the tutorial suggests, but I did some pruning of the hedges first. And as fraudulent as it felt blocking out my mouth with makeup and painting in the classic 20s lips, they did pull the look together. I don’t think I’d want to gad about in the daylight with pancake lips though – this look is strictly eveningwear. 

No More Photos! :: Tinto 1848 // D-Type Plate // No flash

Four Hundred Pennies’ Worth

Cane Hoops :: Loftus // Blanko Noir // No flashSome of my favouritest things out of my wardrobe are secondhand, and I don’t mean Vintage Important Pieces with pedigrees signed by the queen. I mean just little things I found in the local charity shop for a few pennies.

It’s a real pleasure to be able to shop in a charity store that has not been curated to within an inch of its life. It’s like entering an Aladdin’s cave – the possibility of treasure lurking under every lampshade, behind every worn out boiler suit truly exists. The discovery of some lovely piece amongst the dross is a sheer delight.

These large hoops are woven in cane. I love the earthy look the cane imparts, but the danger of using such a material is the association with dowdy (we Aussies would say ‘daggy’) rattan furniture of the 1980s. But it is the sheer size of them that takes them out of twee territory into chic. At just over 6cm across they are dramatic pieces of sculpture that swing from my ears.

This recent acquisition came from the Salvos charity store in Wodonga in country Victoria, and at only $4 I scored a bargain. And I think I got more than my money’s worth.

Sydney’s Vintage Glitz & Sequinned Kitsch

Rawr :: Watts // Big Up // No flashI’m back from my little three and a half day jaunt to Sydney. I managed to do quite a bit of vintage browsing, although the only fashion purchase I made was a 1960s black and white crocheted raffia cloche that looks very 1920s on. (I have to tilt my chin to a severe angle to see out, so it makes me look like a snooty flapper.)

Pink & Polka-Dotted :: Watts // Big Up // No flashSome of the other delicious things I saw – but didn’t buy – included a 70s lilac blouse with enormous accordion-pleated sleeves (sweltering on), and a wonderful 1980s silk sequinned tiger tee. The latter was $300, and just too expensive for my budget, especially considering the large number of sequinned tops I already own. While I had been there last year, this trip I also discovered that the vintage boutique Grandma Takes a Trip has an upstairs – joy! It was full of gorgeously coloured treasures. I just need to find some more room in my own closet.

Pussycat Pleats :: Watts // Big Up // No flashPsychedelic Prints :: Watts // Big Up // No flash