Three’s A Charm

Earlier this year I wrote about a fashion mission I undertook: three holidays, three vintage finds. One of them was an antique cash register key that had been repurposed as a pendant. Quite cute in itself, but I decided the necklace would be much more quirky and individual with a little collection of charms.

I’ve never been a fan of charm bracelets: they were too irritating, dangling around the wrist and getting in the way. Also, they were extremely popular when I was a teenager, and that instantly reduced their desirability in my eyes. But a charm necklace I could do.

So far I have collected three little pendants: the aforementioned cash register key, a little sterling silver heel, and an antique Moroccan coin gifted me last year, from a warm-hearted woman who took an instant liking to me. I am currently on the look out for some kind of hat pendant, but I haven’t seen anything I like yet. 

Air Supply

Although I am currently going through a Ballet Russes phase (colour, print, texture, pattern, layers, sequins, stripes, polka dots – PILE IT ON!), I still very much admire the minimalist look as captured in this fashion editorial from Australian Vogue.*

The shapes are simple, but exaggerated; the colours muted and mostly monochromatic, but a great variety of textural combinations, or the contrast of sheer with opaque fabrics give these looks such richness. I don’t even mind that three of these outfits are entirely black!

The velvet Gucci trousers are so lush, especially contrasted with the sheer blouse – its poet sleeves are so graceful too. The origami cut of Antonio Berardi’s skirt is also beautiful, and Calvin Klein’s panelled wool dress is a wonder of subtlety. And I must mention the tassels in the Ferragamo shoes – how sensuous would it be to have those gently swinging at your ankles! The plaited hair is so pretty and bohemian too.

I just wish I had the bank balance and the wardrobe space to accommodate these elegant creations in my life. Sigh.

* Photographs by Nicole Bentley, Vogue Australia, August 2012. It’s not stated, but I suspect this editorial first appeared in an international edition. I didn’t like all the looks in the story either, but that was partly to do with the awkward, slump-shouldered poses of the models (why do they do that?!).

A Hat Intervention

A Story in Pictures

I love green and white together. It’s such a summery combination. So when I saw this houndstooth hat on Etsy recently, I immediately snapped it up. Ironically it’s wool, so it’s really more of a winter hat. However, there was something else wrong with it: it had a rose attached to the band. I didn’t like that. Not at all.

It’s not that I dislike roses. Sometimes I like them very much (especially when people bring a whole bunch of them round to my house). It’s all in the execution (if the roses are accompanied by a box of chocolates, even better). 

This fat squishy one made from tweed immediately put me in mind of the Mills & Boon logo. It looked just a little naff on the side of the hat. Twee, even (sorry, I couldn’t resist that pun). And I mean, whoever heard of a fedora with a rose on its side? That’s just so wrong; it goes totally against the grain. Fedoras are hats with attitude. It had to come off.

I really like using a seam ripper. There’s something satisfying about hacking straight through a row of thread. I like the little snapping sound the thread makes when it breaks … 

Pick, pick, rip, rip …

OFF WITH ITS HEAD! Now this fedora is worthy of its name, and can sit up on my head. Fedora, I adore ya.

What I Actually Wore #0062

Serial #: 0062
Date: 03/03/2012
Weather: 19°
Time Allowed: 10 minutes

It was a chick flick party, and our hostess suggested comfort clothes. It was also a Saturday night, and I saw no reason to wear tracksuit pants, or, as they are charmingly and colloquially called, trackydacks. (Actually, I couldn’t even if I wanted to – no such item has a place in my wardrobe.) I decided to go for spiritual comfort – something that was cute and fun for a Saturday evening, but not up to the nines. Fives maybe.

This denim skirt is currently the only one I own. I bought it second hand, and I like it because it’s not cut like a traditional straight denim skirt – it has pleats under the waistband, and the section at the bottom is gathered to create a slight puff. It’s also pin-striped: vertical stripes in the main part of the skirt, and horizontal at the base. Designer brand details!

Also from the Salvos is the Schiaparelli wool/silk knit. The front panel is silk chiffon, and it features a darling pussy bow. The label was cut out. Pin-striped grey stockings match the skirt and keep me warm on this early autumn night, and I deliberately picked red shoes to clash with the top. I love breaking stupid fashion colour rules.

Just in case my friend doesn’t like it as cosy as I do, I brought along a very warm cardigan: a long knit that is a little large (the dangers of online shopping) but wraps around to keep me nice and toasty.

The outfit is not complete without jewellery: I wear grey pearl hoop earrings, my mabé pearl ring and my silver bauble bracelet.

As expected my friends all exclaim that I’m over-dressed for the party!

Items:

Top: from the Salvos
Cardigan: Sparrow for Anthropologie 
Skirt: Lover
Earrings: Baku
Bracelet: eBay
Rings: NGV giftshop
Watch: Kenneth Cole
Stockings: Voodoo
Shoes: Zoe Wittner

The Importance of Wearing One’s Chin High

Last December, I saw MTC’s production of Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest. It has always been one of my favourite plays, ever since I saw the 1952 version of the film as a child. This time I was much struck by one of Lady Bracknell’s lines – I found it exquisitely humorous.

She instructs Cecily Cardew to raise her chin, for chins are being worn high nowadays, and her daughter Gwendolyn Fairfax obligingly demonstrates the correct angle.

Here, in the inimitable Oscar Wilde’s words:

Lady Bracknell: [Glares at Jack for a few moments. Then bends, with a practised smile, to Cecily.] Kindly turn round, sweet child. [Cecily turns completely round.] No, the side view is what I want. [Cecily presents her profile.] Yes, quite as I expected. There are distinct social possibilities in your profile. The two weak points in our age are its want of principle and its want of profile. The chin a little higher, dear. Style largely depends on the way the chin is worn. They are worn very high, just at present.

Further research discovered another amusing influence on the height of chins. Earnest was written in August 1894, but just 25 or so years later, chins were once more being worn high – brought back into fashion along with the cloche hat:

[The cloche], fashionable from 1908 to 1933, was one of the most extreme forms of millinery ever, with an appearance that resembled a helmet. It was the iconic hat of the twenties decade and will ever be associated with the flappers of the era. It was responsible for the period stance we associate with the era. To wear one correctly the hat had to be all but pulled over the eyes, making the wearer have to lift up the head, whilst peering snootily down the nose. (From Fashion Era.)

How wonderful! I have a couple of cloches among my repertoire and hereby resolve to practice the stance.

Some examples of cloche hats – and appropriate chin inclination

Making the Picture

I had a lot of fun dressing up for this picture. To evoke the look of the era, I pulled out my oldest hat, from 1910, navy wool felt trimmed with a baby blue ostrich feather; a vintage bandeau/collar/sleep mask (the Etsy seller from whom I bought it was undecided as to its original purpose); a newish royal purple blouse by Cue that would set off the collar to admiration; a pair of 70s lace gloves with frilled cuffs; and finally a pair of amazonite oblong earrings. A low camera angle helps to achieve the correct degree of snootiness.

The background image is an amazing Art Nouveau door I photographed in Barcelona, situated on the Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes. It’s carved from beautiful golden wood and inset with stained glass.