Teal and Nerdy

So my longtime readers will know all about the annual awesomeness that is the Cornwall Park School Fair. Best. School Fair. Ever.

2011 is my 3rd year running of getting there half an hour before the fair opens- and patiently queuing at the school hall for first dibs on racks and racks of second hand clothes, shoes and accessories. It is totally worth planning a weekend around not being hungover and up and at 'em early on a Sunday morning. This year I met a friend at my favourite cafe for breakfast and a coffee first too. You  need your energy when it comes to such things afterall. (You DO NOT mess with a clothes obsessed derby girl by trying to cut the line...while I have never actually used any of my roller derby blocking training- I have been prepared to if the need arises!)

This year's haul was decidedly smaller than the last few years. I am trying to not buy clothes right now afterall. (Cutting down is going well. Stopping all together is epic fail times) I figured I had been tracking so well in my target to not extend the wardroom's contents any further that I should reward myself with a few bits and pieces. Defeatist much...? I know. I'm not even fooling myself on that one.

This dress ticked a few boxes for me. I love the colour scheme first of all. A beautiful base colour of a deep teal highlighted with purple, pink, yellow, greens and a dash of white. It gives me many shoes and accessory options and I like that.

The pattern on the fabric kind of reminded me of something between watercolour painting as a kid and tie dye. I also learnt that no matter how still the camera is- it will look out of focus in a photo. In fact- the longer you look at it the more sick you feel. Maybe you should stop looking. I take no responsibility for any nausea induced. I gave you fair warning.

I really like the cut of the dress. Especially the button detailing on the top. I find it is quite flattering next to the ruffled neck line.

Lastly (and potentially most important) is that while I am more than aware that I am not a size 8- somebody forgot to tell this dress that! Obviously it is one of those crazy throw backs you find from time to time that are really out of whack with the usual sizings but it still makes you feel damned good! Especially when it isn't even Australian or American sizing. This dress is made on the Switch label that is currently stocked in Farmers. Heh. This little detail was even better than the fact I only paid $1.00 for it. Bargain win!

I have teamed it with black tights and boots for the photo and topped it off with my nerdy faux square framed glasses. Forgive me if I have already detailed my glasses theory- but the shorter the dress the better it looks with glasses. Takes away the tartiness and kinda makes it more geekily (new word) endearing I think.

Thats my philosophy anyway.

Lavender Couch Dress

Ok. I am going to say it before you think it first. This dress always makes me think

"Who shot the couch?"

That's not to say I don't like it- it just has that Laura Ashley/ Curtains/ upholstery feel to it. I am certainly not above wearing something that could potentially make me feel like a high backed chair in a living room. It is yet to be an intentional P.O.F I do admit.

This lavender creation was a Trademe purchase a few months back. A bargain at $6.00.  I know I said I was cutting down on my clothing purchases- but I haven't stopped completely. I like to think I am slowly weaning off rather than attempting to stop cold turkey . I'm not going to lie to you. It's damn hard. 

The dress is a simple halter necked wiggle dress in cream with the floral print in shades of deep purple, pale lavender and a trio of greens. I do like the use of fabric to make the pattern in the dress too. Such a simple idea yet so effective with the "arrow" points of the flowers.

I don't limit myself with such trivial things like the weather or what season we are in to pick my clothing purchases. In fact a bargain is more likely when you are buying out of season. Summer is a great time to buy Winter Coats- especially on Trademe. This dress was bought right as the weather started getting cooler so it may be a while before it gets it's first official maiden voyage. Unless of course I try and "Winter it up" by adding black tights, boots and a cardi. Nice to have options I think. Whenever I wear it for the first time- I will need to make sure I dont't sit still for too long. Somebody may try and sit on me.

80's Cross Hatching

The weather in Auckland city has taken a drastic turn towards Winter in the last week or so. Yesterday was the first time I have accepted it and dressed for the weather. That involved this Winter coat and gloves. I figure that I had better hurry up and blog about this light  Summer dress before it gets any colder!

This frock was a purchase back in January and I remember how crazy hot it was that day. I went out to Savemart in New Lynn for a bit of a rummage. Turns out a smart place to go in the middle of a burning NZ Summer isn't a tin warehouse full of clothes. It felt like I was in a BBQ. Clothes shopping on a day like this is not recommended. It is potentially the worst circumstances to be trying clothes on- and I got over it very quickly. Thankfully not before I had tried this breezy little number on and decided it would come home to live with me. Not long after that I gave up on the shopping completely and got lost in a cemetary with my brother- but that is a very different story....

It has a base slip under a layer of floaty almost chiffon fabric. I have worn it with the halter straps tied behind my neck here- but have also rocked it as a strapless. The dark blue background colour is then off set with some 80's esque paint cross hatching in fluoro yellow, white. lighter blue and pink. It is a very interesting colour combo but still gives a few options for accessorising. I have worn it with a light silver and white stretch belt and some white sandals.

NB- Quiet literally SECONDS before I took this photo I was wearing another pair of white strappy sandals. I somehow managed to get off the couch in such a way that I caught the ankle strap on the bottom edge of the couch and ripped it right out of the base it was attached too. A nice illustration of my lack of coordination and spatial awareness but it was pretty weird even for me. Lucky I had a back up pair for the photo!



I'm Baaaaaaa-aaaaaaack!

I have a few posts now that start with an apology about the time frame between posts. I'm not going to do that this time. I am going to celebrate my return to Frockstar instead of giving you excuses for my absence. I will however give you a  rundown on what has been going on since we last talked. Well- Since I last wrote anything and you read it. No need to be pedantic.

• We are planning to relocate to Melbourne.
• I haven't been buying clothes.

So my amazingly detailed bullet pointed list gives insight into what seems to  have slowed my Frockstarring down somewhat. I have been making every effort to not buy clothes- as the thought of downsizing and relocating the wardroom to another country is scary enough without adding anything else to it. I have been doing pretty well in that regards but it does mean I have been lacking any enthusiasm to blog about newly acquired things. A double edged sword there really.

I am super duper crazy excited about moving to Melbourne but there sure is a lot to do before that happens. The biggest test of my clothes buying self control will be in the next 3 weeks when we go over for a long weekend to see Ben Folds play. (On a side note- OMFG I AM GOING TO SEE BEN FOLDS LIVE FOR REAL! I sure hope he does this at the show...) I will be trying to stay away from all the incredible shops so as to not blow our moving savings. It is going to be very difficult. I might have to sneak a very quick trip into Dangerfield but it will probably need to be chaperoned.

And that takes us up to now.  Lets get back to the frocks shall we.

The dress I am showcasing in my comeback is a great little number I picked up from a small 2nd hand boutique in Glen Eden. I saw it on the mannequin as I was driving past and did a U-turn to go back to look at it. Not only is it a genuine handmade frock from the 50's it had a fairly reasonable price tag of $35.00. When I took it up to the counter I found out that they were having a one day only half price sale- so I got to walk away with it for a cool $17.50. Heh.

The fabric has a woven lineny (new word) feel to it and you can see the criss cross in the fibres. I love the slightly abstract floral feel to the pattern and I love love love the colour scheme of pinks, purples, teal and a hint of brown. It gives me a lot of room when it comes to matching it to shoes. For this photo I have donned a pair of purple kitten heels with a bow feature on the front. You can't see in these pics- but they are purple down one side and completely clear down the other. I always thought that was a nice touch. Slap on some pearls and a crinolene and I am good to go!

It is nice to be back I must say. I am not going to promise any kind of continued regularity though. Not while I am in this self imposed "Don't buy any more clothes Fliss" time anyway. I have a few things up my sleeve though. You will hear from me again soon.