What I Wore: The magical powers of a rectangular scarf

The beauty of having lots of clothes in black (& navy) is that you can mix them all together and no one can accuse you of having gotten dressed in the dark. It's layering made easy. 

The jeans

Today I popped on the trusty Not Your Daughters Jeans in denim wash.

The top

The top is a Marni cotton very A line top/dress with an empire bust. Its as thin as you can imagine, but God bless Marni, its double sided all over. 

STYLE TIP: Empire busts are great for pears.
An empire bust is where the horizontal seam is just under the bust & the top/dress flares out from that point (rather than flaring out form the waist, like a traditional waisted piece).

Looks like a maternity top...hehehe

SHOP TIP: Bought from a designer recycled shop which is no longer - Trunk in Paddington. This was Robby Ingham's store but he closed it soon after his retail manager left his employ. She was the same retail manager who set up The Frock Exchange for the Belinda group. I have bought quite alot of accessories from this store, namely Chanel & Lanvin...stay tuned.

The sweater

On days when you want to feel warm/cozy, any black cashmere will do. This is a NZ brand called Sophie Boxer, which used to be sold by Belinda. This is a 42 and I also bought a 44. The sweater are very plain except for a 2 velvet blingy ribbons sewn on either side of the vee. I unstitched those & voila, I had 2 plain sweaters.

The truly amazing thing about this brand is that it has never pilled. Ever. Apart from my Armani cashmere, this is the only brand I have ever owned which hasnt pilled. 

STYLE TIP: I dont think I have ever bought cashmere at full price. Both the sweaters were purchased at 60% off, around $200 each at one of Belinda's warehouse sales - if you look around you can always find cashmere on sale...it just takes time to locate it & watch it until it does go on sale...

Slight problem now - it has a critter hole which I need to darn up. So sad this happened to one of my basics. 

STYLE TIP: If you love wearing items in toning colours, especially neutrals, you've made getting dressed fast - as your clothes are easy to mix & match. Since the colours worked together with this top and sweater, all I had to do was ensure the proportions worked. The top peeked out enough from the sweater hem to have a ra-ra skirt effect. I never thought I'd be going for this look, but it looked cute and gave the look a feminine feel.

The scarf

STYLE TIP: I cant emphasise enough how a rectangle scarf slung over your neck can hide a multitude of sins.
It is the easiest way to add spunk to an outfit, or if necessary, a distraction.

The only reason I grabbed a bright scarf was b/c the rest of the outfit was so dark and "grab it & go".

In hindsight, I needed it to hide the critter hole. So stylish, not!

The other thing a scarf like this is good at is hiding a belly. 

Back to shopping for cashmere....once Belinda's stores stopped stocking Sophie Boxer cashmere, the lady who owned the licence to distribute in Australia, started having warehouse sales for a mailing list clientele. That's where I scored the scarf. 

I turned up bright and early (just before it opened at 9 am) on a Saturday morning in Rushcutters Bay & this if I hadnt grabbed this, someone else would have. It was the only bright coloured item there. Everything else was neutral.

STYLE TIP: Every warehouse sale has one offs or items which are special. They get grabbed by the people who are the first ones to walk in when the door opens. Its good to be on of those people.

STYLE TIP: The scarf is quite wide & quite long. If I was petite I wouldnt be advising myself to wear it. 

Mr scarf was $150 I think and is 100% cashmere and its in my colours. Worth the loss of sleep to be there early.

The necklace

I have previously introduced you to some of my silver necklaces by Ann Demeulemeester. When I scan ebay for her stuff, all sorts of interesting things come up.

This leather coin purse with silver hardware was one of them. I think I paid about $100 for it & its leather & looked new. Its not soft & sqashy - its moulded & hard. 

Due to my obsession with circles & balls, it had my name on it. She also did an oval egg shape too which I saw later, but I prefer my ball.

It had a cacky cotton cord on it which I disliked, so I threaded a black grosgrain on it, put clear nail polish on the end so it wouldnt fray, tied a bow & voila!

The rings

Multi ring ring was from Funkis (I think).
The wide ring was an ebay find from Linda's Stuff. 

Arm party

I grabbed a bunch of beaded bracelets from my collection which tone in with the colours in the scarf and piled them onto one wrist.

The other wrist wanted to wear an Hermes cuff.

I bought this cuff many years ago when The Frock Exchange opened in Balmain. It cost me $95 and was in mint condition. 
Unfortunately there was no box, but I did a happy dance anyway. Its so classic and will last forever.

SHOP TIP: The Balmain branch of The Frock Exchange has now closed - only the Clovelly branch is still alive. Since these stores are linked to Belinda, they are a gold mine.

The shoes

Black pumps by Tino Lanzi, who has a store in Westfield Sydney, which I used to wear to work. Nothing "fashionable" per se, but good workhorses for those days you need a work horse.

Paid a bomb & they are about 12 years old. If I polish them up a touch, you'd never know they are older than last season. 

STYLE TIP: I am too poor to buy cheap shoes. 

Summary

Probably the main thing I want to emphasise today (other than make sure you protect your woolens from critters) is the power of a rectangular scarf to hide lumps & bumps (belly included). Just swing it around your neck & off you go. 

That & "I am too poor to wear cheap shoes".

What I Wore: Marni girl loves Target

Another grab it & run outfit today.

The sweater

Burgendy red oversize from Target $49
"Cotton/acrylic" - doesnt say the specific mix but feels more cotton than acrylic.

Normal acrylic is against my religion, but I decided to make an exception here.

Also available in a khaki - definitely not my colour

Love the stitching, the vee neck & the way the seams are finished in a different stitch at the shoulders & along the sides.

Oversize sweaters are huge ATM.
Unless you are petite or an apple, you gotta give this a try.
Do it like me & dip your toe with a discount store version. 

The jeans

Not Your Daughter's Jeans

The shoes

You've seen these before.

Marni plastic (rubber?) moulded shoes in navy.
From ebay after seeing them at Belinda.

The bangle

See photo above
Hermes in white & red. A favourite colour combo for me. Always has been. 
Purchased at the Sydney store. Worth every penny. 


The necklace

By Marni from the AW 2005 collection.
From ebay for $300 with the box, dust bag & original tissue.
Love the way I can hang it three different ways.

The rings

1. The YSL dotty ring (another ebay find).

2. A Bottega Veneta silver ring - the ball spins around. Purchased at the Madison Ave store, $330.   There is nothing in this brand I dont like.

3. I bought a set of these Chanel rings in five (4 colours 1 "gold") & from the Sydney boutique.

Then another set of five in related colours from ebay. 

The ebay set overlapped the red & gold, but scored me a purple & pink in addition to the ones in the photo.

I mix them up depending on what I am wearing. 

More evidence that I love circles.

See you tomorrow.

What I wore - Marni with a grocery store tee

Yesterday's outfit was formula for me.
Camel pants, striped tee, navy jacket. Always a navy (or black) jacket. Always. 

Here we go:

the pants look lopsided - blame the photographer, not the brand

The scarf

The easiest way to add a pop of colour especially if you normally wear neutrals.

This one is 100% cashmere from Pink Zebra (this brand now only via clicks, no more bricks), in a long rectangle shape, no fringe. It is a plain knit. I have washed it a million times & its still as good as new. I think I had paid around $300 but it was the right shade of burgendy & it has paid for itself. 

Interestingly, it did have fringe knitted into the ends - I removed it, string by string but I had to be super careful not to cut the scarf.

The brooch

Love brooches - not only are they pretty but they are a great way to bring the eye upwards to the face.

But I only wear them when the fabric of the top or jacket is of a kind that wont leave a permanent mark from the pin. 
I will never wear them on a silk scarf. But this jacket is a wool/linen mix & the memory of wool is amazing (meaning the fibres return to their original)...enter diamante Chanel brooch from ebay, about $250, with original box. 

Love the fact that the diamantes are a rectangle shape. Adds a point of difference.

The necklace

An Ann Demeulemeester I bought from Assin in Paddington, Sydney. Its sterling 925, weighs a ton & I paid a bomb for it. 
I have worn it again & again & it has that antiquey look, so I dont need to polish it. A bargain at any price for something you dont have to clean.

It also has many many clasps so can be worn at various lengths & in various ways. More bargain at any price. 

Hand & arm candy

You have met my Bottega intercaccio bangle & ring before. I adore them. 

But look at the ring sitting in the centre of the bangle.
Its Witchery from about 15 years ago when Witchery did sterling 925. I had paid about $60 odd for it & when they went on sale & found another for $10. Two sizes meant I would rotate fingers. Score!

Notice how it has many rings? My obsession with many circles in jewellery had formed even back then.

The jacket

A Marni from the AW 2005 collection. 

Bought from a Belinda warehouse sale for about $350 - the original was $1,800 something. 

The cut out fabric with the natural inside colour just sung out to me. The fact that the bottom cut out part isnt lined is sheer genius. 

Love the inside as much as the outer

& the outer is TDF IMO too

TIP: Always store jackets (& shirts) with the top button done up. This helps them stay on the hanger & helps them to keep their shape longer. 

If the jacket doesnt have buttons, use a safety pin to do up the top part.....see?

If you're in a humid environment and the item isnt worn often, check the pin every 6-12 months so it doesnt begin to rust. Seriously. Same goes with dry cleaner tags which are stapled onto the garment's tags.

The pants

Hammock & Vine, available at some David Jones stores.
This brand is the big sister to Gordon Smith. Like GS, it is aimed at an older client, but the pieces are more resort like - flowy, larger cuts. Gimme, gimme.

I have latched onto their pants in particular. I have trouble buying pants - when the pant eases over my thighs every other part of me is swimming in it. H&V cut large in the thigh, but retain their slimness in the waist & leg. 

So I watch & buy...I have similar in caramel (the one in the photo is more a taupe), black & I am still stalking for a navy variation. 

The pants were $89 reduced from $140. They have a cargo look, but are slim through the leg. 

The shoes

I have shown navy shoe options here, but a taupe/tan would have worked equally well. 

The heels

I saw these babies at Belinda - they are Marni, moulded plastic from before everyone started to do this trend. They were seriously expensive...about a year later I found them on ebay for $90 plus shipping. Original box included. Score. 

The brown strap works well with the brown tone of the pants.

The flats

The flat shoe option is my go-to flattie brand, JP Tod's.
I have ballet flats, but I dont wear them often, as I am a loafer girl. A JP Tod's loafer girl. I like the fact that loafers last longer & a sturdier.

Finally, the most amazing cheap & cheerful piece:

The top

From Coles - their Mix Apparel range for something ridiculous like $19. 

I bought the navy version in both scoop neck & vee neck.

I also got the black version (ie: black stripes) in both the scoop neck and vee neck.

& I bought a few of each when they went on sale to something crazy like $9.

Coles do a breton (striped) tee every season. Sometimes it works for me, others not so much. This season, it worked in spades.

What I liked about it was it was cotton/elastene, the sleeves were the right length (cap sleeves arent flattering for older non gym visiting arms) & they just fit just right.

Here is a photo I had posted of the others in the range. 

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=423552631043870&set=a.349057078493426.81051.145520518847084&type=3&theater

So what do you think?

Have I give you any ideas?

Can you give me any suggestions about this look or these pieces?

Why your shoes dont have a driver's license

You may recall I am crazy for maintenance.
That's maintenance of my clothes, shoes, bags & jewellery. Cleaning, polishing, mending, dusting, packing, storage, organising, cataloguing etc etc. I love everything about this concept - it's like a religious experience for me.  heheheh.

If however you look at a pair of chocolate textured Bruno Maglis I own and you may be surprised that I just said that....because they look pretty worn & unloved...

In fact, they look like they have been through WWIII....the below photo doesnt show surface dirt - it shows horrible abrasions to the leather......

The right heel base has worn right through to the plastic, all the backs are badly scuffed.

I have worn them many consecutive days (no "rest days" in between), so the shape of my toes have imprinted on the shoe outer and that makes them look icky.

How could I do this to my babies?

Should we call Shoe DOCS (Department of Community Services)?

I am a bad mum.

Or am I?

In my defense, I need to give you some background - 

I bought these from the David Jones warehouse in Birkenhead Point, Sydney in around 2002.

The box lowest price was $218.75, but I would normally only buy when they had "red spot specials" like an extra 50% off the lowest marked price (which they did often)....so I sure I paid around $100 odd. Happy Dance!

Italian leather, the original was $299 (blacked out), their season is SS1998 (top right).

Surprised I keep the boxes, even after 10 years? Dont be - its all part of maintenance.

The box keeps them dust free & protected from pressure of other goodies (no pile of crushed shoes thrown at the bottom of the wardrobe for me). 

I realise some of you may not have the storage room, but if you do, boxes are gold.

Like all my shoes with a single (non platform) sole, I took them straight to the cobbler to get a topey sole put on the shoe.

But instead of going to my trusted cobbler in the city, I decided to try a local Mr Minit in the suburbs (with whom I didnt have a relationship - that's a professional shoe relationship....).

After a lengthy chat about the quality of their work, I left six shoes with them for topeys - big mistake, big mistage, huge! They had a relatively inexperienced fellow doing the job & each shoe came back with a knife cut along the base of the leather all around the shoe near the sole. I was devastated. 

...see the fine cut running along the leather? its all around the shoe.....devastated.....

I had willfully neglected my babies.

 

So now I had 6 damaged pairs - Mr Minit refunded the cost of the soles, but I didnt pursue the cost of the shoes through Fair Trading (in hindsight, I should have...).

I have worn the other 5 pairs here & there, but knowing of the damage (even though no one else notices it) is so disappointing.

As for this Magli pair - they were always a bit squeezy to start with - so I decided to put them in the queue as my driving shoes.

No, I am not talking about J.P.Tod's - the Italian shoes with the rubber dots on the bottom......

I am talking about any old shoe that has seen better days which I dont consider good enough to pass onto goodwill. 

I am talking about shoes that I only wear for driving, so that none of my other shoes need to be worn for driving.

As for the queue, well, occasionally there may be 2 or 3 driving shoes in the queue. When I wear one out completely, I throw it out & start using the next one (as a driving shoe). gee, I'm thrifty.....

I also use my driving shoes as wet weather shoes - as I never wear my loved shoes in the rain - I carry the good shoes in a bag until I have gone indoors. Even if it looks like it will rain, I take the driving shoes with me.

Make sense?

I know anyone out there who is super busy may be rolling their eyes right now - but its just what I do. 


The Maglis have been my driving shoes for about 12 months now & I dont recall ever having worn them in the rain - but look at how cruel the driving is to shoes. Imagine if you had to subject the shoes you really liked to this?  No, No, No. I'd want to call Shoe DOCS.


I keep the Maglis in the garage, next to the car so they are easy to slip on and off. 

So what now lives in the box?

Meet:

Marni toe capped mary janes from Ebay-land.

They are tan with a paintbrush effect on the leather with two cute buttons (red & green) on each straps. 


Marni is known for its quirkiness - & these babies are that to a tee.

& now with topey sole from my city cobbler, all perfect & pretty. Definitely not driving shoes.

Notice the cute rabbit (formed by dots) on the sole? - that's an adorable Marni trademark...


The moral:  

Your shoes dont have a driver's license because driving is bad for their health.

If you can, keep an old pair of shoes near the car for driving - even if your car is an automatic, you'll ruin nice shoes  much faster than if you dont use them for driving.

Should I or shouldnt I?

These Marni cuties are from one of my favourite designer recycled stores.....

They are AU$300 & never worn, except for press photos.

They are in pristine condition, fit perfectly and need a loving home.

The box & stuffing & all tissue is included (I ADORE the packaging of designer treats).

Classic Marni as only Consuela Castiglioni can do - non conventional (is it a shoe? is it a bootie?)....does it have laces? ......no silly!.......wow, it has little holes & a very unusual heels....

Their colour is a mix of dark blush pink, camel and a tinge of orange. Sounds weird, but they work perfectly as a year round neutral.

The eye movement is definitely vertical on these little girls. That means they are leg lengthening & that means they are slimming. Woo hoo!

They are not as camel-y as these photos imply although the middle photo front on view shoe shows the blush tint quite well.

Pretty sure they are AW 2010/11 (southern hemisphere AW 2011).

Oh, & I love the sturdy but Amazonian heels - practical yet wow!

Having some serious financial issues ATM, causing me to have screaming matches with the bank manager on a weekly basis (hahahaha, just joking).....but should I or shouldnt I?

Please weigh in dear readers, I need your guidance.

PS: I'll be posting a detailed blog on the best designer recycled stores in Sydney (including this one) very shortly.