Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Sweatin' hard for... leather

Anyone who knows me knows I'm a BIG fan of the leather jacket. In cold weather I wear mine practically every day. What I am currently on the hunt for is a pair of leather shorts and/or pants. Pant would be the practical option as Winter draws nearer, but fashion is never about practicality.

I am also a renowned tight ass when it comes to spending money (hence my op-shop addiction) so I'm on the look-out for something wonderful with a price tag that won't give me heart palpitations.

Rebecca Minkoff -  F/W 11/12
Love the tan leather and belted hem. Acne F/W 11/12


Inspiration:






And I was going to post a few examples of what I might buy, but Evil Twin is a one-stop leather-and-awesomeness shop. It's like everything in the current "The Night Is For Hunting" collection was made for me. Here is a sample of The Night Is For Hunting:

Monday, March 28, 2011

Bloglovin

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Sweatin' hard for... the sheer skirt

This is touted as a summer trend overseas, but I think it's also perfect for Autumn. The sheer skirt looks amazing with heeled boots, military-style boots, woolen jumpers, loose tees, thigh-high socks, leather/aviator jackets, and basically any other current trend.

This is the Wrangler Hamilton sheer skirt from General Pants. A bit pricey at $109.95 but it has the most unique design I've found so far.

For a shorter variety I recommend this from American Apparel:

 At $42 it's a lot cheaper and comes in heaps of different colours. I've had a chance to wear it and it is super comfy. Just don't go buying the cheaper alternative from Supré, it doesn't fit well at all an the quality, well... you get what you pay for.


Overall, I'd say this sheer maxi from Bardot is my favourite. It's pleated and only comes in black, which are two definite selling points for me. At $89.95 it's a bit dear, but then again it is also an item you could wear right through to next summer.


Items to wear with a sheer skirt: jacket from Dom & Ruby / various shoes from The Shoe Shed / glasses from Ray Ban (vintage)
Featureing: Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen / Red skirt from Black Pyramid (vintage) / Chelsey of Mortuaire

Autumn

Autumn is my second favourite time of year. I confess, I'm a big fan of summer, but there's something magical about Autumn. The changing colours and unpredictable weather. Autumn is shy and cosy. Mostly, Autumn is about amazing fashion and outdoor adventures. Picnics with friends. Denim shorts and woolen jumpers. Beanies. Skirts and boots. I'm getting all geared up for Autumn and thought I'd post some season inspiration.










Photos 1/2/3 belong to me. 4/5 from Tumblr. 6/7/8/9 from the wonderful Knight Cat.

Adelaide

I love Adelaide. It's a very small place but always full of surprises. I've been noticing more and more quirky things around town. I think in the last few years Adelaide has learned to relax and have fun. Our citizens are dressing better and more creatively and we're (slowly) starting to shake off the conservative bitch reputation we often have.

I hope to start collecting more photos of the wonderful people and things I see around town. He are some for starters:

 The bathroom in the Exeter is always good for a laugh.

 They tried to make me go to rehab. I went to Adelaide instead.

 How adorable is this? Milk crate with pom-poms. Tinsel. Fairy lights. Retro yellow helmet. Love it.

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Best Op Shops

I op-shop so frequently it's ridiculous. Now that I have no car, my shopping habits have been curbed, much to the delight of my worn out debit card!

Here is a list of my most frequented/best op shops (in no particular order):

Salvos on Broadway, Glenelg
I shop here quite often because I live close by and the range is amazing. There is always new stuff coming in and you can pick up some really good quality stuff. For instance, last time I was there I bought a perfectly fitting navy velvet dress for $15. Amazing!

Save The Children, Glenelg
Again, many a dime spent here as I live so close. They used to be a bit pricey ($15 for a daggy old top? No thanks.) But recently have had 50% off everything sale with no end in sight. And the ladies are always lovely and quick to give compliments.

Savers, Noarlunga
If you live in Adelaide and you haven't discovered Savers yet, you life is just not worth living. Seriously. It's basically a giant warehouse full of amazingness. It's full of mostly women's clothes arranged into style, size and colour (so handy). There's also shoes, LOTS of handbags, menswear, some furniture and bric-a-brac. As soon as you walk in the door grab one of the wheeled baskets - you'll fill it up in no time. Best of all, everything is mega cheap, better than Salvos prices. Win.

Salvos, Brighton Rd
This Salvos is pretty reliable though not as good as it used to be. That said, I've had some great finds here, such as the time the store was full of gypsy clothing. They've had a recent renovation and now stock a lot more than they used to, so it's worth checking out.

Goodwill, Hindley St
This store has been around for ages for a reason. The upstairs bit is always chock full of new and used clothing and some great jewelery. Downstairs is a retro/costume enthusiast's wet dream. So many bad dresses, so little money. And the 50c rack is always a winner.

Salvos, South Rd, Darlington
One of the best Salvos this side of the city. Always a winner for shoes, bags, dresses, everything. Prices are good and there's heaps to look at.

Salvos, South Road, Edwardstown
Similar to the Darlington one but bigger in size. This one can be a bit hit-and-miss but the sheer size means it's always worth a look.

Salvos, Whitmore Sq
Whitmore Sq is not the nicest of places to visit in Adelaide but the Salvos store there is worth risking you limbs/spare change.

Salvos, Magill Rd
Yep, Salvos again. There's so many of them I have no choice but to visit them all. I occasionally dropped in to this one to/from Uni and it was worth it every time. Because it's located in a more affluent area you get all the name brand/fantastic old lady stuff. Rich people have much more eclectic taste than my poorer, more conservative ladies of the south. Patterns, patterns and more patterns.

Anything on the main street in Hahndorf
Seriously. It's all so cheap and the ladies who run the stores are adorable, half-blind and often hidden behind mountains of clothing. It'll take a while to rummage through eveything but you'll come out with some absolute gems.

The one on the main street in Yankalilla
Ok, so I haven't visited this one in about five years, but what I remember was a dank, dark house full of clothing and random items, all ridiculously cheap. It would take days to get through each room and the old lady who runs the place might be dead before you finish rummaging. Only for the adventurous.

Anything in Norwood. 
Money, The Parade, old rich biddies. Need I say more?

And I think that's it for now. A long list, yes, but definitely not exhaustive.

Thursday, March 10, 2011

My looks

I don't have a tripod or someone to take my photo to show how I put together my various looks. So until such time as one of those things become available to me, these laid-out looks will have to suffice.









Jewelery on high rotation

 These are the pieces I wear pretty much every day (including a dark brown leather bracelet I couldn't find). They go with every outfit I wear these days. 

The two beaded bracelets have religious symbols on them, such as the cross and the other one has etchings of the Madonna on each bead. I'm not a religious person but I like the look of these items.

The silver coin necklace was an awesome find at Portmans at Harbourtown for $5. The dream catcher is a piece from my childhood I found the other day and tied onto an old chain.

This amazing three-finger ring is from Sportsgirl. I got it for $9.95, marked down from $24.95. Win!

Again from Sportsgirl, two-finger ring. Got it on sale for $4.95. 

Shoes on high rotation


So...turns out all my favourite shoes are from Rubi. There are two reasons for this: 1. One of my best friends works there so I get a discount; and 2. Rubi are always on trend - often before the other major retailers and often not too long after the style has come out in the Northern Hemisphere.


This wonderful black boots, however, are not from Rubi, they are from Primark in London. Primark on Oxford Street is the most magical place you will ever visit; everything is awesome and cheap. I think I paid about AU$45 for these and they have been my best friends ever since (except in wet weather, haha).

2011 op-shop and new


I think I have an unhealthy obsession with this dress. It's so wonderfully 90s and looks good with everything. Found it at Savers for about $5. I usually wear it with a black belt and boots and teamed with a navy blazer, black leather jacked, knitted v-neck jumper or white collared cardigan.


This little gem I bought at the Rundle Street Markets for $25. The girl who runs the stall also has a stall at Gilles St Markets and all her dresses and skirts are to die for. It has such a cute, girly pattern with puffs and perfume bottles I couldn't go past it.


 I wore the dress when La Dispute played at Enigma a few weeks ago. 


This skirt I perfect for those days when I feel like a bit of a hippie and rockin' the 90s look (as usual...). Looks amazing with midriff tops and bangles, leather bracelets and plaited hair.


 Ah, Mink Pink, you always seem to know what I want. I have been looking for store-bought high-waisted shorts that actually fit for so long. Usually I have to buy op-shop jeans and cut them into shorts myself, because miraculously, older women suffer from the small waist/big bum thing like I do. And these only cost $30 on sale at Attitudes. Hurrah! When I wear these shorts I tend to go a little overboard with the whole southern cowboy look by wearing the read gingham shirt, boots and western-style belt. 


I think as long as I keep buying items like this, I'll be totally set for when I'm a 60-year-old grandmother who drinks too much wine, says inappropriate things to her grandchildren and sells bad abstract art at craft markets. I love this shirt - found at Savers for about $6, it looks great with the sleeved rolled up and worn with high-waited denim shorts (for the teen-hipster look) or with a white singlet and black maxi skirt (for the mature-hipster look).


It took me far too long to get a Joy Division t-shirt. I finally ordered one from eBay and they sent me a large instead of a small. So, as per my usual solution for things that don't fit, I hacked it up. Now it is a giant singlet/dress which looks good with denim shorts or a pleated skirt. Perfect. 

2010 awesomeness

  

This is an old favourite bought in early 2010. It's loose and stripey and wonderful. Found at Edwardstown Salvos for about $5. Looks great tied up with a black maxi skirt, high-waited shorts or black jeans. I usually wear it with chunky heels/boots and dramatic eye make-up or dark red lipstick. So Frenchy, so chic. 


In late 2010 I visited the US (among many, many other places). Found this little gem in a Hollywood vintage shop for $10 (btw - all the best stuff can be found in Hollywood op-shops). I love wearing it with all types of denim for a bit of a cowboy/salute-to-all-things-American look.



I picked this up for $5 at Treasure Island Music Festival in San Francisco. The guy running the stall had ana amazing array of sarcastic and nerdy t-shirts. Had to cut the sleeves and the neckline to make it fit better.


I don't think Americans realise how amazing it is to shop in their country. When traveling through the US/Canada, Rachel and I became BFFs with Forever 21, H&M and Urban Outfitters. This little number came from Forever 21 in NY (East Village or SoHo or something) and I paid about $24.95 (I think). It's such a perfect fit, the fake leather waistband can get a little sweaty in summer, but I'm not one to complain.

2011 op-shop finds: Tops


I bought these items yesterday from Save The Children (shirt) and Salvos on Broadway (bag + necklace). The bag is the exact same as one my sister owns but hers is cream coloured and cost a lost more than the $2 I paid. The necklace is some dorky 90s sun on a natural fibre chain which is perfect because I am obsessed with all things 90s at the moment.

 I wore the shirt last night  - it looks far better on than off.


This shirt I picked up from St. Vincent De Paul on Semaphore Road for about $4. I adore the colours and this shirt looks great with high-waited jeans/skirt/shorts - basically anything denim.


This jumper kind of rules my life right now. Again, totally 90s, I've been wearing it with high-waited shorts and boots or my very-worn black jeans and boots or sandals. I always team this with my silver coin necklace or makeshift dream-catcher necklace. Naturally wavy hair and dark red lipstick complete the look.



This one was hard to photograph. Basically it's a sand coloured silk shirt which hangs wonderfully, shows a bit of midriff and looks great with black jeans and boots/sandals. Found it at Salvos on Broadway for $4. Again worn with dream-catcher necklace and leather bracelets.



Another hard to photograph top as it hangs weirdly on the coat hanger. It's a thick woven singlet I picked up at Anglicare on Hindley/King William for $15.