Vintage Fashion History

Bendigo Art Gallery will be home to the most fantastic display of vintage clothing over the next three months when it opens The Golden Age of Couture 1947-1957 exhibition on dec 7th, direct from London's Victoria & Albert Museum. It focuses on Europe's post World War Two love affair with high fashion lead by Christian Dior’s New Look. It also looks at the work of his comtempories such as Gavinchey and Balenciaga who "set a standard for dressmaking and high fashion that has rarely been surpassed".

If you don't live in Bendigo or Victoria you can always jump onto Victoria & Albert Museum's website for a history lesson and to ogle the most incredible garments you ever see. Works of Art!

Books to Covet

So I have a Christmas list...it's getting kind of long. Mostly it's all books though (Oh, and that lovely Oroton tote that just goes with everything!)

Christmas for me is generally about books. Big books. With pictures. But also novels, autobiographies, book on business and how to make a squillion bucks...and the odd text book too.

Throughout the year I scribble the name of each desirable new tome to hit the stands into my diary and then come birthdays and Christmas's (or a Myer 30% off sale) I just hand over my list. My dear Husband does not have to think too hard and I get exactly what I want. Everyone's a winner!

Of course, I have to cull so as not to seem greedy which is difficult and generally requires a detailed selection process. You may know it as 'eeny, meeny, miny, mo...'.

So, the hot picks for Christmas include;

Vanity Fair; A Century of Iconic Images - Simply to drool over the pictures of course!

Valentino: Themes and Variations. Ditto - The master of couture - need I say more?


Jenny Kee. A Big Life - Because she's fabulous


David Sedaris: When You Are Engulfed in Flames - He's hilarious and I have a crush. I don't care that he is gay.


Jamie Oliver's Ministry of Food - Because I love to eat...and cook occasionally and he makes it look so easy


Vogue Covers: On Fashion's Front Page - to lust over

all images from Amazon.com...where I have been known to spend a couple of bucks

Australia - Vintage Love Affair!

Are you going to see Australia? I think I have to...but it's 160 minutes long which might kill me...Who can possibly sit still for that long? Who can watch Nicole for that long for that matter! Hugh might save me though...as will all of those fabulous costumes Nicole gets to dress up in.

From what I've caught of the trailer Nicole's character, Lady Sarah Ashley certainly rocks a dress (and a pair of jodpurs!).

Catherine Martin, wife of Director Baz Lurhman, who put together the film's wardrobe and sourced all of the props sure knows her vintage. The film is set in the early 1940's and apparently she had some 300 people sourcing antique or replica items for the movie's backdrops. The fashion of course is meticulously accurate and completely spectacular.

What do you expect from the woman who designed (and won 2 academy awards for...) the wardrobe for Moulin Rouge. She also worked on Baz's other film Romeo & Juliette, the reworking of Puccini's La Bo heme. Oh and that fabulous Aussie blockbuster Strictly Ballroom a few years back.

I really don't care for Nicole's movies all that much...In fact I don't think I even finished watching all of Moulin Rouge even with the fantastic wardrobe... To be fair though she scared the pants off of me in The Others and I loved that indie flick with Joaquin Pheonix that made her famous - To Die For.

As a style icon however, I'll give her credit where it's due. She really does have the most wonderful figure. Her height and her posture makes her almost regal looking and the perfect model for all those incredible costumes. As do her porcelain features and (remarkably?!) smooth,unblemished skin. She always looks immaculate on the Red Carpet and I don't think I've seen her in a bad photo shoot (see the US vogue pictures below...)

She's certainly come along way from BMX Bandits!

I think as a dedicated follower of fashion and someone who lives and breathes vintage I really have to see this movie...if only for Lady Ashley's amazing Salvatore Ferragamo shoe collection and monogrammed Prada Luggage...

Getting Married Girls?

Image copyright of Eco Friendly Weddings

Well, can I suggest you hop onto Eco Friendly Weddings asap? Its a fantastic new website dedicated to the girl (or boy) getting married who want to plan an earth friendly, cost effective wedding. They have a directory of amazing ceremony venues, honeymoon destinations, reception venues, unique gift ideas, bonbonniere, invitations, cakes, catering, and plenty more - all of whom are completely dedicated to providing environmental friendly services.

I love, love, love this idea! Renai, who herself is getting married shortly, set up Eco Friendly Weddings after researching the web for her own wedding and finding a limited number of sites dedicated to helping eco conscious people get organised for their big day.

I often get people emailing me looking for the perfect vintage wedding dress or vintage frocks for their brides maids. A lot of those people are looking for a Green solution to their wedding day and the idea of a recycled frock from a bygone era is not only earth friendly but also very romantic. I really like the idea that the dress has a history and (hopefully) already created many happy memories.

I wear the little 1940's white wedding frock below quite a bit - I absolutely love it and will never part with it. Doesn't even have to be a special occasion...In fact the last place I wore it was to a wine tasting over black tights and a pair of sky high white Mary Janes!

It's a day dress and was possibly worn for a garden wedding or perhaps at a registry office. Terribly demure and made of the most exquisite lace with a cute peter pan style collar. I imagine someone probably wore it with a pill box hat, stockings and maybe a little fur stole if it was chilly...

One of my all time fave vintage dresses - a perfect vintage wedding frock too - no?

Viva La Vintage!

Oh my Gosh, it's been literally weeks since I have posted. Certainly this is the longest amount of time that has lapsed between posts...I do have a (kinda) legit excuse though. I'm in the final days of my uni semester (I hand in my last assessment this coming Friday) and honestly it's been completely, ridiculously hectic for a few weeks. Nothing I can't handle though!

It's all over in a week though and I have so much to do with the reworked vintage label and heaps of fabulous new vintage finds to put onto Bowerbird vintage. I have a whole load of the most stunning vintage dresses from the 50's, 60's, and 70's ready and waiting.

I can't wait to get back into work!

I did manage to take a day out a couple of weeks ago to shoot some of our vintage dresses for the website. The photo's of the gorgeous Gabrielle turned out fantastically well...she's a living doll!