Frock on Friday - Maximum Dunedin Style

Hello Everyone, hope you are all having a lovely Easter Friday.  It is hot and sunny here - the day started all misty and foggy and mysterious, and now the cloud has cleared and its blue sky and hot sun.  

I thought I would do something a little different for FOF today as it is a public holiday and I am not at work.  I have been slopping around the house in old cargo pants and a faded bambi tee shirt, but then I felt inspired to show you something different: three dresses you have not seen before:

Top left: yellow and orange vintage cotton sundress (ReStore $7) with white thrifted leather belt

(Butterflies Hospice Shop) 

Top right: Debra Fashions of Melbourne lurex purple graphic maxi (TradeMe $7) with green Melissa shoes (TradeMe) and green accessories

Bottom right: House of Raymonde, Made in NZ, (new Hospice Shop on Jetty Street $8) with Melissa Ocean shoes (retail)

Bottom left: Vintage Eastex, Made in New Zealand polyester maxi dress with bow tie (Toffs $2)

with orange Melissa sandals (TradeMe)

Its stifling hot now so I am wearing the orange paisley sundress - having quickly adjusted the zip at the top back.  Sadly my trusty Husky sewing machine is not 100% and I suspect he needs a thorough service.  The bottom thread tension only works when the dial is at 10. Not a good sign.

This week Monday was a public holiday but I went to work while Dear H and Darling D stayed home.  I wore blue and gold (top right) as the Otago provincial colours are blue (for the sea) and gold (well, for gold really).

Top right: vintage shirt dress (TradeMe) with gold belt and gold shoes

Bottom right and left: 1980s, sleeveless Princess Diana type polyester dress with button detailing and pleated front (Toffs $2) with black necklace and belt and blue cardigan (St V de P)

Tuesday was great - I met up with the funny and stylish Ella from Owl in a Lark World.  She wore the most amazing floral top and purple Doc Martins.  We talked about all sorts - literature and university and thrifting and blogging - and went on a pilgrimage to Toffs where Ella scored a great green dress.  Then we called into the new Hospice Shop on Jetty Street and I found the orange coloured House of Raymonde dress.  Ella found one of those awesome vintage collanders with a rounded bottom.   It was so good to meet up with a like minded thrifter, and, we are planning on doing it again.

Alas, there is no photographic evidence of Wednesday and Thursday but I hope the photos today show you that Dunedin is a hot bed of op-shopping and thrifting fabulousness.  Off to read a book in the sun.....it is a public holiday after all!  

Frock on Friday

So, have you had a frocking good time today?  

I went for the understated elegance look today - what do you think?

1980s red polka dot dress, $2 Toffs
Black necklace, Presbyterian Support Shop
Buckle and button bracelet, made by me
Ring, obi, bangle and shoes all retail

I tried a couple of different looks this week too - with mixed results.  

First up,  I love the colour of the purple skirt but it is very heavy with a huge amount of linen mix fabric.  But for this reason I feel massive wearing it.  I did feel a bit bloated and yucky too that day, and it certainly did not help.  The jacket is a vintage Canterbury sportswear jacket which I cut down and added some darts to the lower back to give it more shape.  Forgive me for the bright yellow cricket wickets in the background - I was too tired to crop them out!

Purple pleated skirt Presbyterian Support
Canterbury applique printed jacket Trademe
Black trousers retail
Orange Melissa sandals Trademe
Top made by me, fabric from Spotlight

Yesterday in a fit of laziness I wore trousers which I don't think have featured on this blog before.  I bought them retail for my birthday 4 years ago.  They have an interesting detail at the cuff - pleats and a tie.  I felt very cool calm and collected in this outfit.  The trousers are still a good fit and the slippery top made by me is much better with a belt out of the trousers than tucked in.  

The weather forecast for the weekend is excellent, which means I will be working on moving a very very large pile of mulched material around my section where we are going to build a house.  I plan to wear cut off jeans and an old tee shirt and gum boots!!

Hope you all have a great weekend! xx

Hi Everyone and a big welcome to my new followers and readers. Thanks for all your lovely comments about my pink polyester dress worn on Friday.   

Firstly, I want to show you what I did in the weekend - I went with Dear H and Dear D to the lovely town of Lawrence for the St Patrick's Day Parade and market and met the delightful Vanessa and Warren from Two Squirrels.  YAY!!

Left: Vintage home-made blue and green rose dress from 1950s, found at a garage sale in Sawyers Bay.
Worn with vintage du Barry shoes, Presbyterian Support Shop, $1
Green satin sash from a dress bought at Recycle Boutique
Vintage bangles and necklace

I was so happy to finally meet Vanessa and Warren, having been a fan of their lovely blog for ages, and they were both every bit as kind and friendly as they seem on their blog.  Their stall was gorgeous and yes I did buy a couple of things which I will share another time.  

The much needed rain held off long enough so we could all enjoy watching the parade of bicycles, vintage cars and tractors and meander up and down the main street looking at the various stalls. I bought some Ginger Marmalade and Cherry Preserve.  My family enjoyed ice creams and candy floss and looking at stalls with books.  

Lawrence is a small town which rose in importance and size during the gold rush of the 1860's when gold was discovered at Gabriel's Gully nearby.  There are lots of heritage buildings and although it was very overcast and not the best light for taking photos, here is a small collage to show you:

Bottom left Methodist Church Book Sale - old organ used as a book display,
right, old wooden building now in private ownership and sadly neglected
Right top: old building painted in great purple colours, bottom, Fantail bird
made from scrap iron

Do you remember those vintage cotton frocks I found at ReStore?  My original post is Here.  Well, over the last few weeks, when time permits I have been sitting with my trusty Husqy and refashioning one of them.  As the dress has princess seams on the front and the back, and some of the sewing was crooked and seams puckered I decided to take the whole dress apart, I can tell you, my stitch ripper has never done so much work!

Here is it on the first wearing on Tuesday: 

Vintage cotton dress - refashioned by me, found at ReStore for $7
worn with grey cardigan from Recycle Boutique
White glass beads, Trademe
Belt and shoes both retail

For my sewing/refashioning followers I can report that overall I am quite happy with the fit - the original dress was probably for a modern size 18 - so I did have to make quite a few adjustments. Luckily when I put a seam down the front the fitting across the bust improved dramatically.  Also to assist with the sizing I put a zip in the back - previously it was a "pull-over-your-head-dress".  However,  I have not got the fit right so the top 10 cms of the neckline and zip sticks out across the shoulders.  Thats why I am wearing a cardigan to keep the top of the back flat.  As it does not have sleeves I have made it so I can get a long sleeved top underneath which will mean that the dress can be worn in winter as well.  I think it will be a good match with tights and boots.  However, for the time being the dress is now on the fixer upper pile on the back of the couch!

So, how about you, have you got an item of clothing you have been determined to wear, even if its not the best fit?  Do you use a cardigan to conceal a neckline, or a belt to pull in a baggy waist?  

A vision in pink and polyester

Hello Bloggers - hope you have all had a good week.  Last Friday I wore a geometric printed polyester dress in blue and purple and I told you that I had a version in pink.  Thanks to all the wonderful comments I thought I would wear the pink one for Frock on Friday:

Pink Polyester Osti Fashions Dress $2 Toffs
Pink Melissa Shoes bought from Melissa website
White Flower, pink bracelet and watch both retail
Knock-off Vivienne Westwood Orb earrings from Trademe
Iridescent vintage necklace from Butterflies Hospice Shop

The dress has nice touches - a pointed detail on the cuffs and a v shaped collar (visible in photo top right).  The dress is a bit worn and there are a couple of possible cigarette burns on it, but unless you sit on my lap you would never see them!

I forget which day I wore my Diane Freis dress again - this time with orange and cream accents: 

1980s Diane Freis dress $2 Toffs
Bone necklace and orange beads and bracelet Trademe
Cream vintage bangle Butterflies Hospice Shop
Jacket retail and leather belt thrifted
Orange Melissa sandals Trademe

I love this dress so much - it is comfortable, really well made and the fabric is excellent quality.  There are so many colours in it I can team it up with lots of different accessories.  Possibly the best $2 I have ever spent.  

The weather is definitely changing from summer to autumn.  One of my favourite plants is finally flowering - I think its called Sedum.  Anyway it is magnet for big furry bumble bees.  

I spotted the black necklace I am wearing on a mannequin in the Presbyterian Support Yellow shop a couple of weeks back and had not worn it.  It was $6 and I think the long beads are bakelite.  I am not sure that it as dramatic as the bumble bee on the sedum but I love the contrast of the shapes with the brightness of the dress. 

Earlier this week I wore trousers for the first time in ages and ages and I am actually posting a picture!  

Hennes trousers $1 Red Cross
Leather jacket $8 Salvation Army
Vintage Triumph Shirt from Retro Star Vintage in Melbourne
resin bangles from Savemart
Red necklace and obi - retail
Charles Jourdan bag $2 Toffs
Patent leather Miss Molly Brogues $2 Toffs
Handsome cat, model's own

Yes, I am posting a a gratuitous pussy photo as well.  He just cannot resist a photo shoot.  He was very suspicious about my bag on the ground.  In the house he will often try and get into a bag and go to sleep.  Anyway, back to the outfit.  I still fit the trousers - to my surprise - and I was fairly comfortable in them too.  Somehow though, I did not feel quite my normal self with out fabric swishing around my legs in the form of a skirt or a dress.  

Right, thats my lot for tonight.  Plans for the weekend include washing, cleaning, cooking, etc etc.  Oh, and hopefully some sewing!!

Frock on Friday

Vintage Osti Dress worn with thrifted belt and beads
retail denim jacket, bambi brooch and shoes

Friday feels like it was a long time ago!  

I love this dress - I've had it for ages.

I think I found it at St Vincent de Paul 

and it was about $5.

To my delight I found another one in pink at Toffs on the 

$2 rack.  This one is in excellent condition

and a larger size and longer length. 

I walked and I talked, I frocked around and I remembered.

Me and my best friend Lisa wearing our spectacular bras made from
fabric flowers, marshmallow hearts, jelly babies, tinsel and feathers.
Bottom left, the awesome team tent.

I am a wordy person.  When I have strong feelings about something I respond with lots and lots of words.  But, there are other times when I am quiet, because the words are filling up my heart and soul.  

During the Relay for Life I walked and I talked, I frocked around (I even did some op-shopping) and I laughed, 

I smiled, I was also silent and thoughtful, almost praying at times  and I remembered family I have loved who 

were taken from us by cancer.

Monster Mash

Hello Everyone, 

I cannot believe that it is Wednesday tomorrow - this week is flying by.  I have a few outfits to show you - so lets not muck around:

First up, lets do some backwards things - Frock on Friday: 

Vintage blue dress $2 Toffs
Orange beads and orange bangle - Trademe
Blue bangle - Hospice Shop 50 cents
Neon shoes retail
Birdcage earrings retail
I had fun in this outfit - one of my colleagues said I looked like a geisha girl!  The dress is a little large for me but I don't care.  I love the sleeves and the lace detail on the front.  It really is this colour - sometimes photos can show up too bright or dull.  Its a homemade dress from the 1960s I think - a Toff $2 special.  The obi I made myself from some Japanese themed craft cotton about 4 years ago.  The birdcage earrings were a happy impulse buy while in town with a friend on Friday lunchtime.

Before Friday, there was Thursday:

1980s  yellow skirt $2 Toffs
Zambesi for Glassons tee shirt $2 Hospice Shop
White leather belt 50 centrs Hospice Shop
Yellow shoes and yellow flower - retail
Earrings by ODI

Again, a $2 Toffs skirt which I think dates from the 1980s, and it only needed a good wash and an iron.  I love polka dots and I love stripes, so imagine my happiness when I found a skirt with a dot and stripe pattern.  Very happy. 

I also really love the big yellow flower.  It. Is. Very. Bright.  

Before today, there was yesterday.  Yesterday I channelled some pacifica and wore a mens Hawaiian style shirt, made in Australia of soft rayon with a cool car and surfer pattern.  

Would it shock you if I said it was also a $2 Toffs special?

Nah, you are getting the general idea from these posts.   

Retro rayon shirt $2 Toffs
Red skirt $4 Hospice Shop
White belt 50 cents Hospice Shop
Denim jacket and yellow shoes retail

Yesterday it was beeping cold and a southerly so I was not standing in my usual "take the picture now" spot.  My hair was in a quiff of sorts until the southerly untangled it.  If you can see it, on my jacket is a tiny enamelled Bambi brooch.  

So where does this blog post end?

Today of course!!

Truly Fair vintage dress $8 Presbyterian Support
Fabia vintage shoes $2 Hospice Shop
Cardigan $4 Hospice Shop
Paua necklace and bracelet gift
Paua ring - Barking Fish Emporium Port Chalmers
Opal Ring Trademe

Today was calmer and warmer!  YAY!  I read somewhere that New Zealand has had the warmest February since 1973.  That is a long time.  I think I am the most tanned I have been too.  You can see how wrinkley my hand is and yes, its bad for me to get burnt because NZ has very high UV.  I wear sunscreen on my face everyday. After seeing that photo I think I should wear it on my hands too.

Right, so now I am up to date with outfits.  

Lots of other things have been happening.  

Meeting with builder about house.  Lots and lots of emails between us and the draughtsman.  Working on the enormous pile of wood and trees on the section trying to sort stuff out to put through a shredder / chipper thing.  Looking at all the nettles and weeds and thinking how quickly mother nature takes over bare land.

My 11yo goes to school camp tomorrow for 3 days.  

She is gleefully telling me she will be 13 next year.  

Getting a pile of clothes and shoes ready for her to take makes me realise that my baby is growing up.

This weekend I am taking part in the Relay for Life which is a fundraiser 24 hour walk for Cancer.  I have taken part in the last 3 held here but this year it is inside the new roofed stadium. So there will be no chance of torrential rain and mud spoiling things.

I doubt there will be outfit posts as my team are wearing an assortment of tinsel items from the $2 shop :-(

Someone suggested a "onesie" from Bed Bath and Beyond.  

I made retching sounds.

I will wear decent walking shoes, jeans and a tee shirt.  

Relay for Life is not a reason to buy more $2 made in china tat, or polar fleece onesie.  

Thank you all for your comments and feedback.

I will try and post a FOF before I start the relay. 

Hope you all have a good week! 

:-)