It’s all blue hues for Sapphire

Inspired by Katherine Hepburn, my friend Sapphire (aka Pure Gin) tends towards a masculine style, and would love to wear three-piece suits often if she could. (“I only own one! Wish I had more though,” she tells me.) She’s in the market for a vintage-style suit for starters.

On weekends she is more of a jeans and t-shirt girl, but likes to dress up for occasions, inspired by different fashion eras. Heels are usually worn only for going out on the town. Sapphire has tried to go for feminine, flirty things particularly this past summer, but she just does not feel quite herself in them, which is something I can totally relate to, having several fluttery summer dresses languishing in my wardrobe.

It’s Australia Day on the day I interview Sapphire, and quite warm though not hot. My own original outfit has suffered a disaster (the zip split open on my dress) and we both kick back on the balcony with wine from New Zealand and anti-pasta from the Vic Market.

You’re all in blue, Sapphire; how appropriate. Tell me about your outfit.

The shirt is vintage. There’s no label, so it could actually be homemade. I bought it from Shappere on Chapel St, which sells refashioned vintage clothing, such as old shirt dresses turned into tube dresses. The shirt actually has a small hole, and was discounted because of it. I really like it because it’s cool and breezy, and the colour is a great contrast with my hair. I’m longing for more blue in my wardrobe!

I know you like vintage clothing; do you ever go op-shopping?

I prefer to shop in second hand boutiques, rather than op-shops. The culling and sorting has already been done. Although I wish I did make an effort go to op-shopping more often – but I have to be in the mood or zone for it. I’d like to shop more on eBay too.

Oh, I love window-shopping on eBay when I’m bored! I often have ten things on my watch list and then don’t bid on even one.

I prefer to shop in second hand boutiques, rather than op-shops. The culling and sorting has already been done.

I don’t often see you in skirts. Where is that one from?

It’s from At Store [an inexpensive boutique in Chapel St], she tells me sheepishly.

I wouldn’t normally shop in there, but sometimes you can find some gems hidden amongst the more trashy stuff. I bought it on sale, and I like it because it’s not an ordinary denim mini-skirt. I like that it’s high-waisted.

I like the pocket details, with the triple flaps. What about your shoes?

They are from Zomp, by the Zomp label. They are a copy of a Miu Miu shoe, and I quite like the square cut.

And lastly, your jewellery?

Both the bracelet and the ring were gifts. The glass bead bracelet came from MOMA, New York. A friend of my mum's sent it for my 15th or 16th birthday. At the time I didn’t really like it, by the time I was in my 20s I loved it.

My dad gave me the enamelled, sterling silver ring. [Not visible in the pictures, it’s 60s-style geometric, with little squares and stripes of colour.] Dad used to stock up on knick-knacks such as jade horses and chain-mail fish; stones; and jewellery from Thailand and Hong Kong if they could be made into gifts. He was travelling through Asia in the 60s and 70s.

Well thanks Sapphire – and if your dad happens to have any sapphires amongst his treasure-trove, you should have some earrings made to match your eyes!

What I actually wore #0016

Serial #: 0016
Date: 06/01/2009
Weather: 30°
Time Allowed: 5 minutes

I knew it was really too warm to wear this skirt, but as it was a recent purchase made in Dubai, I was determined to parade it to all and sundry as soon as possible.

On my first shopping foray in a mall of said city, I hit all the better quality chain stores I could afford to shop in – Zara, MNG, French Connection etc. These were all located on the ground floor. I did at one point venture up to the first, but after a peek into a glittering shoe palace where I discovered the prices began at $1000, I insouciantly (“just looking, thanks”) backed away and slunk my way down the nearest escalator, tail tucked between legs.

However, I did wander into a little emporium of the Danish label Staff that reminded me of a Melbourne-style label. A quick circuit, and I had identified two items I was very interested in: this grey taffeta skirt, and a very cute pair of Ali-baba pants with a dropped crotch that would have had me scoffing a few months ago. After scouting the remainder of the prospects in the mall, I returned and happily bought both items. I love the little puckered pleat detailing, and even the noisiness of the fabric.

I love the little puckered pleat detailing, and even the noisiness of the fabric.

As the skirt is grey, I immediately decided it needed to be paired with something loud, and took this acid yellow top out on its first outing. (I found it in a dodgy op-shop not renowned for its good-quality items. It is Veronika Maine, one of my favourite labels, and was marked $10… I pounced immediately.) I liked that the pleats at the neckline echoed the same features in the skirt.

For additional ’tude I stomped into my fierce heeled sandals. They are high on the ankle, making them a daring coupling with this skirt, and its dangerous length.

But I decided to chance it. Fashion is not without its risks, after all.

Items:

Top: Veronika Maine
Skirt: Staff
Shoes: Zoe Wittner
Sunglasses: Agnès B
Earrings: Baku
Rings: Roun
Watch: Kenneth Cole

On pointy-toed shoes

(Left) Advertisement from Vogue Australia, Summer 1960. (Right) Advertisement from Vogue Australia Spring/Summer 1959.

Most people hate ads in fashion magazines. It always amuses me to listen to them complain because they have to leaf through 30 pages of ads before they get to any editorial. Yet they are as much a source of fashion inspiration as the editorial spreads (and often illustrate more affordable content).

Of course, many of the said ads are ugly, but I would like to draw your attention to these whimsical shoe advertisements of the 1960s (it’s good to see Sandler is still going strong). They show so much life and spirit – much more so than their photographed counterparts. It’s such a shame you don’t see more illustration in (mainstream) fashion magazines today.

I love the elongated shapes, the exaggerated pointy toes; so evocative of the era.

(Both pages) Advertisements from Vogue Australia, Summer 1960.

These artists – whoever they were – were certainly inspired by Andy Warhol’s famous shoe illustrations of the same era. Perhaps they are not quite as fantastical, but they are enjoyable nevertheless. I love the elongated shapes, the exaggerated pointy toes; so evocative of the era. They make me want to pick up a brush and ink and start drawing right away.

Drawings by Andy Warhol.

Drink me, eat me

Another lovely birthday gift from an equally delightful friend (Rapunzel this time), this enormous cake of soap hails from Italy via Klein’s Perfumery in Fitzroy.

Knowing I had recently become obsessed with freshly-squeezed pomegranate juice during my holiday in Dubai last December, Rapunzel couldn’t resist presenting me with this pomegranate-scented soap.

“About the pomegranate I must say nothing, for its story is something of a mystery.”

The pomegranate is such a strange and exotic fruit that it’s no surprise there are many stories and myths centred around it. I particularly love this quotation: “About the pomegranate I must say nothing,” whispered the traveller Pausanias in the 2nd century, “for its story is something of a mystery.”

I’m obviously not too shy to wax lyrical. If the delicious scent of the fig-and-almond-milk-flavoured version is anything to go by, pomegranate soap might just be as addictive as the juice – and I’ll be telling everyone about it.

Farewell my kimono

There are too many items of clothing I have owned in the past that I have cast from my closet, and now regret the loss of.

There was the divine, watermelon-coloured velvet coat with the ruched collar; the possibly 40s black crepe tie-back, short-sleeved top; and this chartreuse kimono above. It reminds me of nothing so much as Nicole Kidman’s famous Galliano gown.

The kimono was gorgeously and sumptuously embroidered in coloured silk, and I can only surmise I banished it in a fit of misplaced minimalism. I’m very pleased it is here immortalised along with Rapunzel’s long hair on the eve of the Big Haircut. Unfortunately Rapunzel’s tresses obscure the embroidery, but it was very similar to the cushion and the seat covers (one of which is even now draped over my scanner).

Fittingly, the backdrop is my boudoir, another sad loss to the years. Chin-chin!