What I Actually Wore #0153

Serial #: 0153
Date: 23/10/2013
Weather: 16°C / 61°F
Time Allowed: 10 minutes

I wore this outfit to work, and to Cinematheque, a club for cinephiles in the evening. I was glad of the coat and scarf going home, for it was freezing.

I like to sometimes dress in almost all monochrome – as long as it’s not all black, which is very un-Melburnian of me. If you’re not confident about mixing colours, going monochrome is a nice easy way to put an outfit together, with perhaps one or two other complementary colours in your accessories, such as the red I have used here. Black and white are of course non-colours, and they go with everything.

Whenever I do a story on these archival outfits, I amuse myself discovering how many of the items are still in my closet. (I am photographing current outfits, but I am running years behind!) In this case, some of these items are still in my closet, and the others have replacements.

I still mourn the loss of this vintage 70s white leather trench coat that I won for a song maybe a decade ago on eBay ($40) – I wore it out until it looked more grey than white, not from dirt but from actual wear. I still sort of regret culling that, although I would not wear it even if I still owned it, so that’s silly. (Call me sentimental.)

The red wool beret was a gift, but it was actually too small for my head; maybe it was a child’s hat. I have replaced it with another from the thrift store. The shoes, which I originally bought in an op shop, wore out, but I found a pair by the same brand that were almost exactly the same except for having a punctured brogue pattern – also from the thrift store, and never worn. Such a bonus because this Aussie shoe brand no longer exists: some kind of fashion miracle! These socks were a favourite cashmere blend; while I darned the toes several times, they eventually wore out beyond repair.

All the other items I still own, although the cardigan (note the Juliet sleeves) has been in a darning basket for some time, with moth holes in the tie belt that need repair. Emptying that basket out is one of my winter resolutions, so this picture is a timely reminder.

Items:

Top: Kookaï
Cardigan: Nanette Lepore
Skirt: Celia Vela
Coat: vintage 70s
Hat: vintage 80s
Scarf: souvenir
Socks: Philippe Matignon
Shoes: Scooter
Earrings: self-made
Necklace: souvenirs
Ring: Roun

Photos: January 2014

School Lessons

I have rediscovered a novel way to wear socks! Step 1: don big fat long socks. Step 2: scrunch down to ankle to form monstrous ankle warmers. This is how we actually wore socks as a fashion statement during one mad phase in high school, only our school uniform decreed they were white back then.

I don’t actually walk around like this, never fear. On days which suddenly turn warm and I feel like I’m about to pass out from heatstroke of the shins, I take a surreptitious breather under my desk for a few minutes. In fact I did so this very week. Ya gotta do what ya gotta do!

Photos: April 2017

The Cup Sleeve

I am totally making up this name for this sleeve. It’s not like any other sleeve lurking in my closet, and nothing like I have been able to identify elsewhere. I have discovered an amazing pictorial Japanese fashion lexicon via Pinterest, which has all manner of sleeve designs in it (some that more closely resemble alien appendages than anything you would slip your arm into) – but even that does not seem to have anything similar to this sleeve.

It is like half a straight sleeve; unlike a cap sleeve which is cut diagonally from under the armpit, this sleeve covers the shoulder entirely, and is cut straight across. It cups the shoulder, like a mushroom cup, or an umbrella.

This silk blouse is designed by Cue, an Australian label that has been around for a few decades. I own quite a few garments by its sister label Veronika Maine, which favours unusual and complicated cuts (making ironing extremely difficult and laborious at times!), and this looks like it has borrowed from the VM approach.

Visit the full gallery here.

Spot the Difference

Every now and then I come across an item of clothing which inspires me to make a homage to a vintage fashion photograph or illustration. This vintage 60s leopard-printed fur jacket and matching pillbox hat reminded me of a vintage Vogue magazine – from November 1939, as it turned out.

The coat and hat came from a Melbourne thrift store, and my corsage is actually a wool felt hair-tie that I bought in Vietnam many years ago. It was a lot of fun creating the look of the cover; the original Vogue cover is here below for comparison.

You can see all my Vintage Homages in the gallery.

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