C’est La Vie!

Bonjour! Look what Facebook Memories threw up at me a few days ago! I had forgotten about this t-shirt that I wore for a little while. It lasted for so short a time in my closet I am surprised and pleased that I actually managed to capture it on ‘film’.

C’est la vie is one of my favourite sayings – except I like to whimsically destroy the French and pronounce it as ‘sest la vye’ (much to the mutual bemusement and amusement of French and French-speaking friends over the years). So when I spotted this in a window display of the chain store Rivers, I very excitedly rushed in to purchase one.

It was quite inexpensive, and the main reason I eventually culled it from my wardrobe was because it was polyester/cotton, and it was a slogan – I had segued into a minimalist style at the time. But after I shared the memory on Facebook, mourning its loss, my sister Star popped on to comment that she had inherited it!

I was glad it had gone to a good home, but if ever it should find itself unwelcome … hint hint. I feel no shame in casting such hints at my sister, the one who baldly states, “When you die, can I have that buffalo hide handbag that you bought in Hong Kong years ago?” She has coveted it for many years, and every time she sees me carrying that bag she feels impelled to remind me that she would like a mention on my will.

The day these photos were taken I was lunching with some male friends at a Vietnamese restaurant after our karate class. An extremely dubious shot of my chest was also taken by one of them. Or I guess it might have been me trying to take a selfie back in the days when the Hipstamatic app had no front-facing camera – I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt!

Photos: August 2014

Homage to Her Royal Majesty

It was a sad day last August when iconic French fashion designer Sonia Rykiel passed away (from complications of Parkinson’s disease). She was a fashion legend, and was the inventor of the Poor Boy Sweater, which features high cut armholes and a shrunken fit that makes it cling to the body. It was her own solution to finding stylish clothes to wear during her pregnancy in 1962. Italian-made, and sold through her husband’s store, it was eventually featured on the cover of French Elle magazine. And so the Queen of Knits was born.

I own a few knits from her label – two with pom-poms – which have featured in this style journal over the years, but this striped sweater with the skinny necktie was my favourite. (You can see it better here.) Sadly it developed quite a few holes that I darned, and continued to wear until it looked just too sad. I think I eventually donated to charity, and now I wish I had kept it as a Comfort Sweater to wear around home.

In these photos from three years ago, I am wearing it with black wide-leg trousers and a red wool beret. (I love my hair here too!)

Photos: August, 2014

These Shoes Were (Not) Made for Bushwalking

I don’t just dance in my red shoes, I go bushwalking in them! What insanity is this? I hear you ask. It was unintentional. I went on an outing with my three sisters to the ranges, ostensibly for lunch at a French café, and wore an outfit for a perfect summer’s day, including a favourite red silk dress, a straw bag bought in Spain, and a brand new pair of laser-cut red heels.

We did have lunch, but also decided to take in the sights, and a little detour to walk in a garden … which ended up being at the bottom of a very big hill. Unsurprisingly, bandaids were needed at the end of this effort. Still, I looked good doing it!

Photos: February 2014

Almost Boho

While I have never identified with boho style, I do have quite eclectic taste, which includes embraces of boho’s defining characteristics: patterns, embroidery, ethnic costume, colourful beads, etc.

I have been attracted to embroidery for a long time, partly because of my Slavic background, and had always wanted to own a traditional embroidered blouse. (I only wish my grandmother had taught me to embroider before she died, but that occurred long before I was even interested in needlework.)

I came across this blouse in a vintage store, though it was a more modern piece, probably originally from an inexpensive high street store. Made from cotton, with a crochet trim, and colourful floral embroidery, it was cut in a smock style, and had three-quarter sleeves. Of course I wanted to wear it immediately (despite the chilly winter) so I slipped it over a black wool turtleneck. The combination has a hippy, almost boho flavour.

But I only wore the blouse once or twice more after this occasion in June, 2010 – because I never felt quite right in it. It was just too boho for me! The blouse eventually was donated to charity; the beloved grey cords died; and I don’t recall what became of the black turtleneck. The coat is the only survivor of subsequent wardrobe culls.

Amusingly, I currently have an even nicer embroidered peasant blouse, this one a warm yellow-cream, and I have not worn it once! It’s too pretty to toss though.

In My Dreams shrugBut for a truly beautiful, designer embroidered garment I know where I would go: Nevenka, a label designed by Croatian-Australian, Rosemary Masic. She is inspired by the same traditional embroidery, but her stunning designs are modern and exquisitely cut from lovely fabric – the lace alone is jaw-dropping, and distinctly Eastern-European rather than the French or Belgian style lace such as Chantilly or Valenciennes (typical bridal fabrics) that we might be more familiar with. Being half-Croatian myself, these fabrics really resonate with me.

Luxe though these garments are, they are certainly bohemian in style.

Fierce Warrior skirtLive in the Moment dressWater Runs Deep dress

Green as Leaves

While we’re on the subject of mohair, last summer I came across this photo of me wearing a favourite jumper, taken 12 years ago by my then-boyfriend at a café in a little laneway in Melbourne.

How I loved that jumper! I still do, although I have not often worn it for a while as our winters have not been quite cold enough in the past few years. It is by the Sydney label Katherine, and was quite a splurge for me back then. The knit is a wool blend, 50% being mohair, so I call it a ‘super-jumper’. You can distinctly see the ‘halo’ (or fluffiness) created by the mohair content in the knit. The only drawback is that the turtleneck does make it extra-hot and a bit itchy around the neck too. This winter has started out so cold already I expect I will happily wear this jumper this year. It's a classic style that will last forever.

Detail, the colour matched to reality as close as possibleI am not quite sure what to call that lovely shade of green however. A cross between moss and Kelly? Or the colour of the leaves of wintergreen (aptly), although I’m sure many leaves are this indefinable shade of green? Wikipedia offers up a colour called – at first glance, unfortunately – ‘Hooker’s green’.

Wikipedia offers up a colour called – at first glance, unfortunately – ‘Hooker’s green’.

One of Hooker’s botanical drawings

Inquiry lead me to Byrne Smith, writer of the blog ‘The Painting Life’ who had already done my detective work for me. Back in 1850–55, Hooker’s green was named after the English botanical painter William Jackson Hooker (1785–1865), who compounded a pigment especially to illustrate leaves in his paintings, and the colour was thereafter produced commercially and sold as such by manufacturers.

I do find the etymology of colour names absolutely fascinating!

The photo was taken in August 2004, on the most rubbish digital camera, which is why I’ve vintagified (I just made up that word) it in an effort to improve its appearance. As for the pensive look – I think my boyfriend was taking a tiresomely long time to compose the photo!