Polyester to the max and some crimplene as well

Well everyone, I am having a an hour or two by myself at home this evening, which means one thing: uninterrupted free time on the internet!!!!

What I want to show you are the three fabulous frocks which I have bought via Trademe recently.  Now I am sure you will agree with me, that sometimes buying online is not always successful.  Sometimes it feels like I have bought more "misses" than "hits".  Descriptions can be hilarious and appalling at the same time depending on the spelling mistakes.  However my last two purchases have more than made up for the past mistakes.

So in one week I made 2 purchases - one was 2 dresses for sale together and another which was ambiguously titled "Someone's treasure".  The listing for two dresses caught my eye because of the patterns on both dresses.  Usually when things are sold in twos or threes, or mores, there is one very ugly item, or one item which is not vintage, so when I saw the pics I knew I was on to something.  To my delight there was a "buy now" for $20 so I buy now I did.

Firstly, for your viewing pleasure is an Osti Fashions maxi dress with a charming border print.  If the fruit were red I would say they were plums, but they are brown, so I have named this my "nut" dress.  I wore it on Saturday with brown boots and my yellow lurex cardigan and a denim jacket.   The fabric is polyester - a thicker, denser version of most of the Osti dresses I have seen.

This dress is a wonderful fit - it seems to have panels down the side which are very flattering, although it is slightly tighter across the stomach than I would prefer, I just love the swishing of the fabric around my ankles.

Here is a gratuitous close-up of the tag for all you tag lovers out there.  Egad, in that photo you can see the shocking state of my nails and my cuticles.  One thing I have learnt with polyester is "thou shalt not have rough nails", else pulls and tugs will happen.  After taking this photo I gave myself a manicure.

Secondly on the menu tonight, is a dress which on first glance could be printed with pink camouflage pattern but if you look closely its grasses and stuff, but freakily, some of it is upside down like floated inverted islands.

I have coveted a pink dress of this colour for quite some time: okay well maybe not quite this colour but a light pink.  This is a good-old-fashioned shirt dress with buttons up the front.  Alas the belt has been lost but I wore it with grey tights, silver waist cincher belt and my favourite grey cardigan.

Again more tag porn, its not a brand I am familiar with, but my collection is only in its infancy.  I guess its around 1968 or later as it is Made in New Zealand and in the metric sizing which I think came in around this date.  I know that decimal currency came in July 1967.  

As I mentioned earlier, my second purchase was entitled "someone's treasure" and there was no photo in the main listing but the title appealed to me so I clicked and look what I found:

Personally, if this was my treasure it would not be on Trademe for $10.  No way.  My photo is a bit better than the one which caused me to bid and swoon almost simultaneously.  I was delighted when I won, and a teeny tiny bit concerned that it would not fit me.  What was I worrying about????  I tell you, if the dress fits, wear it.  All I need now is an excuse reason - hoping my Dear H will take me out on a date.

As you can see from the tag, its made in Melbourne, from Crimplene, and as its an Aussie size 14 it does fit me.  Its essentially a maxi shirt dress and it has very little shaping and less stretch.  However, I will be wearing it, and then posting a photo.

In some ways, this is the dress I had wanted to find when I went to Melbourne for my holiday, but didn't.  I imagine it would have been a lot more than $10, so I have myself a bargain.  Due to the uncanny successes of these purchases I have sworn off Trademe for a while.  Well, for a week or so.....


So I have worn both the pink and the "nut" dress.  Now my challenge is to wear the purple lurex crimplene number.  I think a big dress needs big hair, but what about jewels?  The long sleeves would not be great for lots of bangles (if I had any to match) and with the fairly simple collared neckline what kind of necklace would work?  Maybe big earrings?  I would love to know what you think!