Are You Reddy To Frock? (To The Maxi)

No decade quite owned a full length dress like the 70's maxi. It makes sense on so many levels really. The bright colours and busy patterns synonomous with that period are all so awesome, if the dress is longer you get to see more of them.  "More is more" isn't a philosophy that spans all outfit decisions, but in this case I think it's perfect.

Maxi dresses and I had some time apart for a few years, but I fell in love with them again last Summer and now I am a serial maxi re-wearer. Not always easy when you are of diminutive stature. Let's face it. Wearing a long dress that is far too long and pools around your feet is going to do a pretty great job of making you look as short and squashed as possible. No self respecting undercover midget wants that I can assure you. Hiding high shoes under them can help, but you still gotta be careful.

No matter what the fabric, all long dresses have a few key universal versatilities.

•  If it's cold, you can wear leggings or tights under them. It may be one of the only times I relax enough to not need to match them too. Chances are I still probably would, but I could potentially break my colour co-ordinated fixation under billowing skirts and it might not wreck my day. (don't judge. It's a thing. Ridiculous I know, but a very real affliction even if I am the only one to suffer from it.) Hell. If it's really cold you can go to town. Tights, long socks and legwarmers are even better when they are your own dirty little secret. I imagine so anyway. I can't keep them a secret and keep showing them to people so it's hard to say. It does allow a new  and hidden platform for the ridiculous while not looking like a cartoon character or detracting from the dress though. Legwarmers are amazing, but can be hard to work into outfits as an retired rollerskating adult. Take every opportunity you can to get those puppies on. Im always glad when I have and I usually catch myself making resolutions to do it more often.

•   If it's hot, a maxi is surprisingly cooling to wear. I couldn't explain the scientific logistics but there is a definite breeze you get flowing through the right light floating fabric. A very specific breeze that has never been matched on a shorter hemline. The more breeze you get, the more it floats too. A nice bonus of this feature is that you feel like a princess when you're floating around on your own dress induced aircon. I've been called a lot of things but graceful isn't one of them. If I can fake it with a dress you can be damned sure I am going to notice it. Sadly, being aware of this rare feeling of grace and poise is often short lived when I invariably trip over my own feet or get tangled up in the fabric. While falling over is never really that awesome, it's almost worth it if I can get a few minutes of tapping into my inner disney princess. I dont even really think of myself as a "princessy" kindofa girl, but I think on some level we all are. Who wouldn't want a beautiful gown, handsome prince and a happily ever after? A great trio sure, but let's face it. I'm pretty much happy enough with a beautiful gown. CHECK!

• A maxi can also hide all kinds of things. You don't have to shave your legs for a start. If you ever needed to tape a hipflask to your leg nobody would be any the wiser. And if cartoons have taught me anything, its that you can pretty much sneak 2 (or even 3) people in anywhere if you have them on each others shoulders and a really long coat. I'm not that silly though. Of course that wouldn't work in real life. Nowhere makes coats that long. You could adapt this concept with a midget though. Very easily hidden under a maxi. You can pretty much get that midget in for free anywhere now.  

You're welcome.



Pretty much every maxi has those same great selling points, and that's before you even get to the individual dresses selling points that always grab me right by the eyeballs. Fabric, pattern, colour and extra detailing. Today's featured frock has a lot going for it in those stakes too.

Red is one of my favourite colours to accesorise with. What girl doesn't feel sexier wearing a great red lippie? Exactly. Now I suggest you start with that and just keep going.  Red is a great contrast to pretty much every other colour, and I must say I abuse the crap out of this. Nothing wrong with being a serial colour combo'ist. (Although I do suspect there may be something wrong with using the word combo'ist.)

This maxi is in a firey shade tomato red with an overlying paisley in shades of black and charcoal.  (see what I did there? Fire? Charcoal? I did stop short of using "burned out", but totally defeated my restraint by just telling you about it.) The fabric is just how I like my friends. Bright and ridiculous. This frocks additional features include some tiny faux button detailing down the front, a tie at the back to really add shape and the cutest double layer of arm frills EVER.

I am now freshly excited about long dresses- and it's just in time for FROCKTOBER!

Madame Butterfly

I have recently been reintroduced to the amazing-ness that is Saturday morning "Garage Saling". It's a pretty great way to start your weekend if you can commit to the early start. Coffee in one hand and a list of addresses in the other. Getting to rummage through piles of unwanted trinkets, knick knacks and having that moment where you realise you've found a true treasure in amongst the junk. I've managed to accumulate all kinds of unexpected gems this way but I am always extra stoked when I come across great clothing. You couldn't ever count on finding an incredible vintage gown but sometimes you are lucky enough that one finds you.

Friends of ours were moving to New York and were having an early morning "everything must go" sale at their place. It was a nice mix of BBQ breakfast, social beers, a chance for people to stop in to say their goodbyes, and lots of well organised (but extremely varied) items that weren't going to be travelling with them. I did manage to convince myself that we were paying more of the social visit than looking to buy stuff off them. My best intentions dissolved within 5 minutes of arriving and soon I had committed to helping the cause by taking a set of shelves, a set of vintage postcards and an oil heater. I was about to head back to the BBQ in the courtyard when my eye was caught by something beautiful floating on the back of the lounge door. There hanging up in front of me was the most incredible 70's gown in shades of marigold, deep browns and reds. It was one of those actual jaw dropping moments that stopped me in my tracks for a moment while I registered just how amazing this dress was. It actually took my breath away in those first few seconds and I knew that this dress was something really special.

After checking that it wasn't out with the rest of the items up for grabs as a mistake I found out as much as I could about its history. It was bought originally for a fancy dress party. It had made it out a few more times since- but only ever in a dress up context. It had been very well received in all of its wearings and while my friend was sad to be giving it up- it just hadn't been worn enough to make the cut of the clothes going to New York. With it's fitted bodice, floating full skirt and long winged arms it was indeed a work of art- but a hard one to get into a regular wearing rotation.

 The warm colours and the floral pattern are indicative of its 70's creation and with it's long pointed sleeve/ wings it manages to be elegant without being too hippy. I love that the colour evolves from the bright marigold flowers of the main dress into the contrasting red, browns and black while keeping the same big bold flower pattern throughout. It works well and even though there are a few key points of difference in the cut of the dress itself- the fabric makes the most of being bright without diminishing or overpowering the gown as a whole.

I put it on as soon as I got it home and immediately felt like a princess. Or maybe a butterfly. Whatever the label. It was graceful and delicate anyway. These words aren't often ones that are paired with me (ever!) so it did actually feel like there was a kind transformation when I put it on. I was enjoying gliding all around the house and watching the fabric float all around me when my default unco setting burst the bubble. I had managed to get one of my "wings" caught on the banister at the top of our stairs. With so much fabric to get caught there hadn't been any obvious tension in my sleeves to stop me moving. Sadly I kept going and the banister ensured that the dress didn't keep moving with me. The sound of that fabric ripping felt like a lead weight in my stomach. Luckily for me it was a relatively small and very fixable rip- but a timely reminder that even in a chiffon winged gown I'm still not going to be able to pull off "graceful" for more than a few minutes.

To reduce the risk of another rip I have been admiring it from the stationary safety of the mannequin in the wardroom. I may not have found many places I can wear this frock yet, but at least I can appreciate it as a work of art in the meantime...

Let The Sunshine In

Not being the type to shy away from bright colours and bold patterns I am somewhat used to people commenting on my use of them. This year in particular I have found more strangers than ever before approaching me in the street, office, cafes to let me know that they are picking up what I am putting down. While I don't need the reassurance of strangers as such, it is still nice to know that someone appreciates what I am doing enough to tell me. Apart from one lady who yelled at me out of her car before chasing me down the street and cornering me in a shop. It took away from the compliment itself and left the whole situation quite firmly in the "creepy" zone. The intense look in her eyes combined with the sense that she was the stereotypical type of woman to own 30 cats sure added to the experience. I think the part that scared me the most was knowing that there is a very real possibility that I will be the same when I get to her age. Maybe if I am brutally honest it could be closer to my outright destiny. I will almost surely be terrifying younger women by chasing them down streets to talk about their clothes when I am old enough to be classed as properly eccentric. I may have a bit more room yet to grow into this impending phase of my life but truth be told it probably isn't even that far away.....

But I digress.

Todays featured outfit certainly isn't one that blends into the background by any stretch. I have been using it to force my own sunshine into Auckland's grey days this Winter and it sure has freaked people out with it's migraine inducing brightness. People just cannot help but comment. Most of these are based around "Gosh that's a bright dress" (which can portray admiration or terror depending on the tone)  or a variation of "You are your own little ray of Summer". (usually from the older end of the age spectrum). Whatever the comment. Whatever the intent behind it. I am well aware that there is a degree of "balls" required  to wear this dress with the confidence it deserves- and on the right day I'm pretty sure I can.

As is often the case the dress found me. I had left the house to get a key cut in St Kevins Arcade and this little number was part of the window display in K Rd's infamous "Vixen". It had me transfixed instantly but I managed to break free of the spell and carried on my errands. It's one thing to walk away from a moment like this. It is something completely different when it comes to obsessing over it afterwards. Once that initial "I love it" seed is planted in my head it can be very difficult to move on. In this instance I recognised early that it was already quite far under my skin and could prove to be very distracting. Instead of letting it dominate my thoughts over the next few weeks I went back an hour later to try it on. I had to be prepared for the outcome either way. If it fit me I was ready to commit to the purchase. If it didn't, at least I could stop dwelling on it and move on. Either way it was the first step to breaking the spell I was under and getting control of my own thoughts again.

 (I feel like I need to acknowledge those last few sentence. Yes. This is an accurate depiction of how such things play out in my head. I realise that not many people obsess over such things the way I do but then not many people have an entire room full of clothes boasting a similar history either.  Instead of being vaguely embarrassed of myself when I catch myself deep in the "over thinking" zone I now choose to look at is as "deliberate and well thought out". At this point in my life I am not just comfortable with my passion being much closer to an obsession. I am outright embracing it. )

I did feel a little bad at making Mikey behind the counter take apart his window display for me to try it on- but only for a split second. As soon as I had it over my head it just felt right. I was already sold but if I needed another sign to push my decision it was the reaction I got when I stepped out of the fitting room. The reaction of an audible gasp followed up with a "You cannot leave here without that dress" was made all the better by the fact that it came from a complete stranger who was just browsing in the store. Someone who had no way to benefit from giving me an empty compliment. There was no turning back. It was definitely coming home with me.

The style of the dress itself has elements of a few different era's. It has the full pleated circle skirt of the 50's while still managing to convey the 70's with it's exaggerated collar and extreme polyester fabric. Not a common mix of decades influence but one that works quite well in this instance. 

Yellow may not come across as particularly neutral but block colours in frocks can prove to be very versatile. There are many options in the colour palette to compliment and set it off when picking accessories and shoes-  but some certainly work better than others. Red with yellow can feel very "McDonald's". Green with yellow can feel a bit like "Australian sports team". It didn't take me long to realise that pairing it with a deep cobalt blue was the best way to get the most out of both colours with the perfect balance of neither toning it down too far or over intensifying an already bold base. I had the basic concept ready but wanted to give this outfit a special occasion in which to unveil it in. As luck would have it there was a friends 40th a few weeks later so I decided to wait till then to bust it out officially. The ensemble was mapped out and complete. I didn't need anything else to realise the vision. Or so I thought....

A week or so later I walked past the window of Vixen again on my way to our local bar. Not only was my eye just caught by the window display it stopped me in my tracks completely. I literally ground to such a halt that my long suffering man (whose hand I was holding at the time) came close to girlfriend induced whiplash. I could feel myself being physically pulled in closer to the window in the same way that cartoon characters float on the smell of a hot baked pie. There in front of me was the most perfect pair of statement shoes to compliment my dress. I don't think I ever could have imagined them better. Yellow vintage pumps from the 70's with a splash of cobalt blue detailing and a smattering of black polka dots. The shop was closed so I took a photo on my phone. I spent the entire next day not just thinking about them but actually dribbling over the picture. Needless to say I ran back there as soon as I could to try them on and they fit. They were now forever cemented as the perfect finishing touch to an ensemble I was already very excited about.

When you put the shoes directly next to the dress there is a subtle but noticeable difference in shades of yellow. The shoes have a warm orange undertone while the dress is definitely has more of a cooler lemon shining through. As I am almost guaranteed to be not just the only person to notice, but the only person to care I can let this minor fact go. The block colour of the dress is offset by the blue leopard cardi to give it some texture (a plain blue cardi was just too flat) and the black tights pick up the black in the pattern while providing the contrast to make both the yellow pop and to further tie the blue in. The shoes work like a dream to pull the entire context together and work just the right amount of each colour to give it balance. Plain yellow, blue or even stock standard black shoes just aren't enough. It isn't just that these shoes match the palette I have chosen here. They actually lift everything to the next level. They give an impression of everything else being carefully chosen to work with all of their elements rather than the complete opposite.


I am yet to even try to get these shoes into another outfit or consider replacing them in this one. Even if this frock and shoes only ever get worn with each other I am still happy. What they may eventually lack in versatility they certainly make up for it by complimenting each other so well. Like Bert goes with Ernie or Lucy goes with Desi. Pretty cool on their own but the dynamic they create together is undeniable. At some point I may well stumble on different wearing options for both pieces but I also get the feeling that I have already tapped into some weird next level clothing nerd chemistry and one that could not be topped. It doesn't often get better than this. I have plenty of other items and ensembles that I can put my energies into fine tuning and testing new ideas. This one is perfect already.

Tropical Orange 70's

I may not know what the weather is doing where you are dear reader- but I can tell you that here in Auckland it's starting to feel very Spring-y. We had that first really sunshiney day that pops up at the end of a dreary and wet Winter earlier this week and suddenly there is a better mood all over the city.  The office workers were out in force exercising in Victoria Park and I was there too. I wasn't so much exercising as appreciating their energy from a safer distance. (Basically translated as sitting on my arse in the grass with a sandwich and juice) I was enjoying the first signs of warmer weather in my own way however. I took my cardi off to give my bare arms some sun time- and I ate my first strawberries of the season too. They were delicious. Thanks for asking.

With the warmer weather coming so does the increased outfit options coming up with the seasonal rotation in the wardroom. I will always be a sucker for a good "out of season" bargain so there is often a stash of new things ready to be tested out once the seasons start to change over.  I am quite skilled in squirreling things away so now I get to rediscover Summer frocks that found me on rainier days.  It is always an exciting time I can assure you.!

This particular 70's maxi was another trademe find. When I originally purchased it I swear it was a red dress. To this day I do not know if it was my poor old eyes starting to fail- or the resolution of the computer I was sitting at. Either way it matters little. Turns out I like this dress even more as an orange frock anyway.

I know I have said it before- but there is something about migraine inducing bright colours on a polyester fabric that just get me every time. This particular maxi certainly has some notes of Hawaii coming through too, So much in fact I wore it to a luau party we had recently. Next time I will be mindful of having a tropical themed dress up party in the middle of August. It was a good idea in theory- but the older I get the more I find myself being genuinely concerned about people being cold. It is usually in the context of my inner monologue and often comes with a mental finger waggle. You know the type. The "I bet your mother doesn't know you're out in public dressed like that young lady. You will catch your death of cold" kind of a deal. Anyway. I digress.

I have teamed this bright orange piece with yellow heels and matching hair flower for this picture but it also lends itself nicely to a pair of orange cork platforms I have kicking around too. With the fabric showing tones of green, yellow, and white- it gives me a few colour options to play around with when it comes to my footwear and hair accessories anyway.

Wearing a yellow lei seems to give the dress a certain somethin' somethin' too. Pictured above standing in front of our party art installation. "Stair Lei To Heaven". Seriously. Don't ask....

Baby Blue 70s Gown

Who doesn't love a great 70's gown? Well. You are all entitled to your own opinions- but frankly speaking if you aren't picking up what I am putting down you are WRONG. (heh)

I absolutly love 70's era vintage. It was my first foray into fashion from any decade outside the one I am currently living in and overall it has been pretty good to me over the years. Some fantastic things came outta the 70's. Queen. Fondue parties. ME.

 I struggle to walk past a rack with brightly coloured nylon and polyester frocks from this time period without squealing. (maybe a little bit of dribbling too. Lets be honest....)

This frock has been kicking around in my life for quite some time now. I think I must have picked it up about 12 years back. Sadly it doesn't get anywhere near enough wear time in. I may have to start just wearing it into the office or something. Casual Friday's need a bit of a pick me up anyway.

Baby blue and polyester is quite a statement in itself. Throw in a halter neck with ruffled front, backless... back and make it full length. I'm certain you will agree the overall look sure is something!

I love how this dress is doing such a great job of being the female gown version of the stereotypical baby blue 70s tuxedo. You know -  like THIS! I am yet to convince my wonderful man to don one to match me- but I haven't given up hope completely...

I have teamed this frock with some extra special shoes. I even glittered them myself! I was already fairly appreciative of the black pumps they used to be with the sparkly bows on the top. Now that they are     blue-dazzled (see what I did there?!) they are much MUCH cooler. Glittering your own shoes is deceptively simple but can be quite messy. I would strongly recommend a tray and an abundance of newspaper under your work area. I didn't realise exactly how messy this little project was going to be- so the first pair I sparkled up left a shiny trail of destruction through much of my bedroom. Ok. The entire house. My boy was less than impressed when 2 weeks later he was still finding glitter in his hair and on his face...

Blue Paisley

"So this one time- I went to swap a dress that didn't fit and accidentally came out with 5 more... "

You've read that story already.  I will spare you the re-details. While I am unsure if that is a real word- I am sure you understand what I am saying by the context I have used it in. Nobody can ever tell me I'm not doing my bit for the evolution of the English language that's for sure!

This dress ticks a lot of boxes. Fabric colour. Fabric pattern. Fabric feel. (a nice floaty Summer weight) Dress cut, (length and the cute little puffed sleeves) and lastly accessory options. I think it rated well enough on my internal checklist that it made it through to become one of the 5 that followed me home that day.  

Often the first thing I am drawn to in an outfit is the overall colour scheme. Once that's grabbed me the other selling points become apparent- but you always need that initial hook to make you pick it up off the rack. Colour and pattern always seem to be mine. It has a nice mix of cornflower blue, aqua, beige and a deep gold over an indigo background. Straight away I could see that the options for shoe and belt colours would not be limited to one combination. I do like it when I don't have to commit to an outfit looking the same every time I wear it...

The paisley print gives it a very distinct 70's feel- but it isn't a typical style or fabric used to really encompass that decade.  Because it's a "revamped' vintage dress it's hard to peg the era it would fall under exactly- but I think the overall effect works well so it doesn't really matter! Is it just me or does anything in paisley also have that "old man pajama" feel? Maybe that is just me...

For the showcasing of this frock in the Frockstar forum- I have paired it with a bronze belt and matching wedges. Sadly these shoes are on their last legs (so to speak) - and I don't know that they would survive even one more last attempt at wearing them out of the house. They were dangerously close to disintegration even getting them to the lounge for the photo! It's a pity as the whole ensemble ties in exceptionally well with the particular shade of Le Specs I have on my head.... Must be time to find a replacement pair of bronze shoes so I can replicate this look again!

The Great Frock Swap (Part 1)

You may recall a couple of posts ago my anguish at the "One That Got Away". (or more aptly explained- "The Dress that Didn't Fit".) You may also recall that my dismay was somewhat thwarted by the excitement of not just swapping the dress for one that did fit- but also timing it so that the exchange happened on the same day the 300 new frocks were showcased in store. I swear the first thing that went through my mind on Friday morning was "Yay! Its new dress day!" Yay indeed. The great frock swap certainly didn't disappoint.

The only trouble with seeing that many great dresses all at once is that you certainly run the risk of that good old problem. Total sensory overload. There is such a thing as too many colours and patterns for any average brain to handle at any one time. Thankfully mine has been well trained over the years (and every day when I walk into the wardroom too!), and I was ready for whatever the racks could throw at me.  After the first walk through I hand picked my favourite 15 and went off for round 1 in the fitting rooms. I whittled 15 down to 3- but then figured it would be silly not to have a second whip through the racks in case I had missed anything. Round 2 in the fitting rooms commenced with another 22 dresses...

I should possibly point out at this juncture that I swear I went into this situation with the best of intentions. I transferred some extra money into my savings account so I couldn't accidentally spend too much. I had a plan. I had 1 dress to swap- and figured I had a buffer where I could come out with 1 more. Maybe even stretch it to 2 if they were amazing. My mental pep talk was clear and I was good to go.

So back in store and I had now tried on a record 37 dresses in one go. The 3 I set aside had now skyrocketed to 7. 7 dresses was WAY more than I intended to buy. After some careful consideration I further condensed my selection into 5 that I absolutely could not live without.

The really silly part is that I felt like I deserved some kind of personal reward for not buying all 7 of them! I swear I even left the store feeling like I had done really well instead of leaving the store realising that I had completely blown out my Friday Frock budget.... Never mind. This is a good time to reiterate my shopping mantra to anyone that questions my decisions. "You can't put a price on my happiness".

So that takes us up to the frock featured today. It was one of the lucky 5 that made it through my stringent choosing process. I particularly like the colour combo in this dress.  A white background (always a brave choice with my history of spilling things down my front!) with an unusual mix of teal green, khaki, coral pink, red, cerise and a deep purple. Lots of options for co-ordinating accessories there. I was also drawn to the pattern given that most 70's frocks have flowers OR stripes. It's not often you get them both in the one garment!

This time around I have matched it with the good ol' red peep toed wedges, skinny red belt and a red hair flower. Next time I will try and be less boring with the accessorising. Red is a great staple- but I feel like I fall back on it a little too often...

P.S Now that "The Great Frock Swap" is complete- I can tell you which shop I went to! Smoove on Little High St in Auckland City. If you have not yet been there- you need some Smoove in your lives. Trust me!

Green+ Flowers+ Retro Dress = Awesome

2 posts in 2 days. I am now the proverbial short, fat balding man driving a big ass convertible. Totally overcompensating.

To move away from that vaguely disturbing image- I will move on to more exciting things. Like the happy and (Fliss perfect) combination of green, flowers and red accessory options all in the one retro dress. YUSS.

I am picking this dress to be from the 70's but it definitely has a hint of 50's about it too. It is a demure length with a slight swing to the skirt. Not a "fit for crinoline" kindofa shape- but swingy nonetheless.

I am not usually at a loss for what to call colours. In fact- I think I can go head to head with the best of them. This is largely thanks to my history of working in a frock shop- and also to my bumper box of crayola's from my childhood. I can give a fairly accurate (if not often ridiculous) name for just about any shade you can show me.  That's not pink- it's salmon. Not browny orange- but burnt sienna. Not bluey grey- its petrel. I'm sure you get the gist. The background colour of this dress is a bit of a conundrum for me. It's a "not quite" colour. Almost white but not quite. Almost pale green- but again not quite. For a moment you think it could even be cream but then you are back to not quite. I do not like that I don't have a name for this colour so have just made it my mission to come up with an accurate and believable word for it. Stay tuned.

The rest of the dress is easier to explain. Lucky for everyone really. The floral bouquets have a little house on the prairie 70's quality to them and mix in shades of white, peach, dusky red and a dark sagey green. This gives me many options on footwear, belts and hair accessories- but I have stuck to red to lift the flowers. (and also because I don't have a belt in the right shade of green. Rest assured I am working on that too!)

This dress was purchased from the Cuba St Recycled Boutique in Wellington. In fact- the last 3 dresses featured on Frockstar were all bought at the same time. It was a very fruitful stop. I will endeavour to post the shoes and sparkly waistcoat purchased the same day further down the street. The shopping gods were definitly smiling down on me that day!

P P P Poker Dress

To me Summer is all about sunny days, jandals, fresh fruit and BBQ's with good people. Nothing quite kicks off a great Kiwi Summer in Auckland like the Grey Lynn Festival. 

To sum it up for the uninitiated- it is a day full of markets, fresh food, live music and general entertainment, scores of people and picnics and a genuine sense of community. These parts all make up a fantastic way to celebrate the beginning of Summer - on the 3rd Saturday in November.

My personal G.L.F tradition is heading in early before the sun gets too hot- and hitting the markets. They are guaranteed to be full of bargains and clever crafts- and I look forward to them immensely.  This year was no exception!

I have had many great purchases from these markets over the years (like THIS one!) and people travel from all over NZ to sell their wares and crafts. This year I was fairly restrained in my spending- but came away very happy. I bought a new wheat bag and matching slippers. (Genius right! Now I can have toasty warm feet next Winter) I also bought some homemade coconut ice and this fantastic 70's sun dress. An absolute steal at $20.00!

Its no secret I am a sucker for Summer dresses from the 70's and this was a no brainer purchase. It is a beautiful shade of cornflower blue with a deck of card theme print. It made me think of poker straight away.

I suck at  playing poker but have been learning from my ever patient boyfriend. Apparently the hardest thing about playing with me is that you have no hope of ever telling when a person is bluffing if they themselves do not know when they are bluffing either.

Green and Stripey in the Key Of Flissmas

I cannot believe it is December again. 2010 has flown by and we are on the downhill slide to the festive season and another year already. I predict 2011 will be a big one- but before I get ahead of myself lets get 2010 all done and dusted! 

The first of December has always meant a couple of things to me.

• First of all its the day that you are supposed to put your Christmas tree up.
• It is the day that you are officailly allowed to start listening to Christmas music (if a. such things float your boat and b. you do not work in a mall)
• It is also the day of the year that I become very aware of how many red and green outfit combos I have while vaguely attempting to welcome in another Flissmas.

Don't get me wrong- I can go ridiculous on a Christmas theme should I choose to. I just try to celebrate the start of Flissmas in a slightly more subtle fashion...

This is a fine example. Red and shades of green meets 70's nylon in diagonal stripes. One of my favourite parts about this dress is the way that the stripes have been used to create its own pattern. I like that they are off set by each other on the seams to give a "criss cross' effect with the center focused on the (in built) belt buckle. It is finished off with a zip up front and collar with black stripe trim. They really don't make 'em like this anymore...

This dress has been kicking around a long time now. So long I do not recall where it came from or how much I paid for it. Sadly I have a less than flattering memory of this dress burned into my brain. I used to be substantially... heavier than I am now. I wore this dress to the Waiheke Island Santa parade during the heavier years- and was asked by a friend of mine when I was due. Not my proudest Frockstar moment by a long shot- but nice to know I can safely wear it these days without providing the illusions of pregnancy!

Squiggle Frock

One of the most amazing vintage stores I have ever had the pleasure of visiting has to be the Lost and Found Market on Smith St in Meblourne. It is a literal maze of clothes, shoes, furniture, bric a brac, jewellery, games, books.. you name it. All across a multi level warehouse of awesomeness. It really is the kind of store that deserves at least an hour to make sure you havent missed anything. I don't get sensory overload often in shops- but this one is a high risk store for being totally overwhelmed. Having been here before I was suitably psyched up and ready to peruse.

I bought 2 dresses from Lost and Found that day. This great little number being one of them.

A 70's era white shift dress with a collared feature and covered in navy blue squiggles. Simple yet very effective.  

I have teamed it with red peeptoes and belt. I think that this  is a combo I will stick with for future wearings too. The style of the dress itself is a little flat when not cinched in at the waist. I know I can also go with a blue or a white belt- but I do like the additional contrast of a 3rd colour.

Blue and White and Long

If I had to explain this dress- I would liken it to a Ming Vase. It has a vaguely Asian style feel with the almostcross over  (the illusion of one at least)  as well as the obvious colour combo.

This long 70's dress feels great on. It is light and hangs really nicely. It doesn't get a lot of wear time at the moment and I am putting that down to it being long. (yes- another one) I am still deciding if I should get it altered to knee length to see if if gets out more. I really love the fabric- so I am unsure that I want to lose that much of it just yet!

It would be the ideal dress to wear at the beach over togs I think. I am not that much of  a beach girl really so maybe that's another reason it hasn't had a lot of wear previously!

What do you think? Should I take it up or leave it long?

Barefoot and Floral

This may seem like a strange concept- but even though I have owned this dress for about 5 years I found it again yesterday. It has been in my 'bag of clothes to get fixed or altered" rubbish sack hiding behin my coats for quite sometime now. Every few years I remember that such a sack exists and it's like Christmas!

This long floral number screams "Little House on the Praire" to me. It is distinctly 70's and I cannot imagine wearing it with shoes. This is of particular note asI am not a barefoot girl by nature. I have way too many pairs of shoes to ever consider not wearing any of them.

This dress was a birthday gift from an old flatmate of mine. It is quite beautiful in it's own way but I always thought it would get a bit more of my attention if it was shorter. I can imagine it a little above knee length with dark tights and brown boots. Hence it living in the sack of things to be altered...

The fabric really appeals to me. A dark bottle green with 70's flowers in shades of orange, brown, pink and white.

For now I have put it back up in the long green dress section of the wardroom to see if it gets additional wear purely by proxy of being able to see it. If it still doesn't in the next few months I will get it altered.

Road Cone

As the title of this blog post suggest- this is my very best impression of a road cone.

I don't think you can get much more orange than this. This is what I would describe as "Extreme Tangerine". I am not sure I could spend a day with someone else wearing a colour this bright as it would give me a headache if it was in my direct line of sight for too long.



In saying all of that - I still love it. Super intense 70's fluoro orange mixed with a white and brown contrasting stripe down the front- and a matching band on one arm. (I quite like that feature and while usually lack of symmetry messes with me- the lack of it really appeals in this garment)

I don't usually try to mimic the shape of said road cones while wearing it. Honest. Although I did once win an "orange outfit" competition with this little baby. True Story.

Polka Dots to Flowers

This dress is actually a skirt in disguise. I have had it for about 8 years now- and have never worn it anywhere as a skirt OR a dress. I cannot bring myself to get rid of it though- as I love the pattern on the fabric so much!





It has a basic elastic waistband and coupled with the slightly longer than mid calf length- I have always felt it was a little frumpy to wear as a skirt. On me anyways. It could work on someone who is a bit taller than my modest 5 feet 3 inches. I'm not short. I'm funsized.


I think I quite like it as a dress cinched with this black belt- but I'm still not 100% sure. I think I really need to test drive it in public for a whole day before I make my decision. The funny thing is that I know i still wont get rid of it if I decide it isn't right. The fabric is just too cool to let go!





I love love LOVE how it starts off in big bright polka dots in shades of red, orange, white and coral on a black background- and then moves up slowly into little flower buds. The transition in pattern has always really appealed to me. The 70's really were a great decade for some amazing fabric prints.

Green and Navy 70s Flowers

I am really good at holding onto things. Especially when it comes to clothing. I have a hoarding gene that has been passed down the generations of my Mother's side of the family. (How else do you think a girl manages to accumulate enough to have a Wardroom??) This is coupled with a deep seated fear that the second I throw something away I will want it back again. This has sadly happened before and I'm not prepared to go through that feeling again if I can help it. It does mean that every now and then I "rediscover" an article that has long been forgotten about. I must admit I really like when that happens. It's like getting something new all over again- and being able to put a different spin on a frock years after it's initial purchase can be a fun and fruitful adventure.

This dress has been in my possession for a very long time now. So long I can't even remember where it is from. (I am usually pretty good at holding onto that kind of information too!)
It has seen me through many Summers now and has always been worn with bare legs and green jandals until today where I decided to try something a bit different.


(The fabric on this dress is fantastic too. Bright green with white and navy in a typical 70's floral print. )


It is actually amazing how much difference a cinched black belt, tights and stiletto's can make to an outfit. After this "trial run" with the aforementioned today- I was left wondering why I had never thought to try that combination before. I think that I will be a little more open to experimentation with some of my old favourite dresses after today. I may have just opened up a whole new world of possibilities. Yay!

Apple's and Racing Stripes

Apples are a great motif in fashion. They seemed to be in abundance in the 70's- and often coupled with denim for some reason. This is a perfect example of 70's apples. And there is some denim snuck in for good measure...

It is a light jacket in white with a double red racing stripe down on side of the front. Matched to red collar and cuffs and finished off with double apples on each breast. I think it works.

I'm not sure if the red stripes has faded- or the original design intentionally wanted it to be a much more faded version of the other red's featured. I don't think it detracts too much but my extreme need for colour co-ordination can't seem to let it go entirely.




This jacket is perfect for that very mild "Summer cold". You know that kind of cold when it's actually really warm and there is just a mild chill in the air. The last time I wore it out was in a freak Summer thunder storm at Rainbows End. Fun day actually- but that's another story...

Pin Tucks And Pearls

I'm not going to lie to you. I have never worn this dress. Not even once. In fact- I have a funny feeling I didn't even try it on when I bought it- so this shot may have captured the only time it has ever been on my person EVER.

It's not that I don't like it. I think it's quite awesome actually. It's just not the kind of dress that I can wear to work, and it hasn't really fit any of my social activities either. I guess I bought it as a future dress up project and that particular theme has still not showed it's face.

There are a lot of great things about this frock. I love the turquoise colour. I love it's pin tuck detailing on the bib, and I love that it has it's own pearls sewn around the neckline. That is 3 really good features as far as I'm concerned.




I think I have pinpointed the 2 features stopping me from getting this out more often.

• The sleeves. They are weird. Short sleeves that are almost bell sleeved but end up just being kinda gapey. Not overly flattering.
• The length. I have no problem with a great long 70's frock- I just find that I am way more likely to wear one that is short or at least knee length.

These factors are making me wonder if this dress needs a bit of a "Fliss over". Get rid of the sleeves completely and lift the hemline. The more I consider it the more I think it may have to be done.

My track record for actually getting around to dress altering isn't amazing. I have a rubbish bag stashed behind my coats that is full of dresses that need adjustments of some description. I may even have to dedicate a post to before and after shots. Maybe that is the motivation I need to actually get them fixed!

Robin No Hood

Green felt has a certain association with it. If you were a child of the 70's or 80's you may think of fuzzy felts. You may also think of pantomime versions of Robin Hood. I think of both of these things with this stunning 70's cape. But like the title suggests- it's more Robin NO Hood.






Forest green with buttons detailing. This cape sits a little higher than the last one I blogged about- and it does give the overall look an interesting shape.


I stand by my earlier prediction of capes making a come back. I will personally be attempting to bring them back into a higher rotation and will lead by example.

Green Sparkly Jacket

I have often wondered if it is fate that will step in and lead me to find certain garments. I have found items that are so perfectly tuned to my tastes and style that I genuinely start to think I must have a guardian shopping angel leading me to them directly! I admit that it is maybe slightly more likely to be coincidence. And even more likely to happen given the frequency that I am out looking for clothing bargains....

This jacket could have been made for me. An original 70's garment. Kermit green with a gold sparkly floral motif and covered buttons with looped feature down the front. Woooooow.
(best read with your very best inner Flavour Flav accent...)

While the magnificence of the fabric is very hard to capture in a photo- I think this one gives you a pretty good idea. Sheer awesomeness!