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.

Best. Jumper. Ever.

You may have read the word "favourite" on Frockstar a few times before. It is a word that I tend to throw out often because to me "favourite" doesn't always have exclusive connotations. I can have lots of favourite things and the level of sub categories these can fit into is nothing short of mind bending. I use the word to describe the preferred item of anything I have any more than one of. This jumper would easily fall into my "favourite 70's knitted jumper with Nordic design detailing" category- but I would also tentatively out it out into my favourite jumper. Full stop. It's a big call but one that I am prepared to stand by.

I have had it now for almost 15 years. I bought it from the Red Cross Op Shop on Mt Eden Rd on an op shopping day with a good friend of mine. I was thrilled when I first saw it. That initial wave of excitement you get on an op shop find especially is a great feeling. If you could bottle it I would be taking daily doses.

I had no cash on me when I found it- so needed to duck out to the money machine. Meanwhile my friend I was shopping with was horrified at my choice of purchase. To the point where she decided she wasn't a true friend if she let me buy it. (bless her! ) While I was out getting the cash - she surreptitiously hid it under a pile of linen in the hopes that out of sight out of mine would be enough to stop my purchase. Obviously it didn't- and all these years later I still can't look at it without smiling.



Aqua, poo brown and white is an unusual yet striking colour combination. Thick and woollen. Tried and True. This jumper will be hard to knock off it's place on the top spot that's for sure!

Brain Coat

This is the very first vintage coat I ever bought. It must have been about 14 years ago now- and I remember it like it was yesterday.


There used to be a great second hand clothing store in New Lynn called "The Wonder Warehouse". I'm sure that this store single handedly paved the way for the Savemarts we have today! (The first Savemart started in the same premises when Wonder Warehouse was phased out you see)

I still have a few great pieces from the days of the Wonder Warehouse- but none so special to me as my "Brain Coat".

It is a genuine 50's Astrakhan with a (real) fur collar. Close up the twists in the fur do look just like a brain.



While I don't condone killing animals to wear them by any stretch- this coat was made in a time when it was acceptable to do so. My feelings on fur are not going to change the fact that this coat exists. I guess it isn't a great deal different to wearing leather at the end of the day.

I spent $100 on this coat all those years ago. That was a big investment for me at the time. Turns out it was a smart investment too. I recently saw a similar coat for sale in a vintage clothing store for $600..... Woah. I am fairly sure I could never spend that much on any one fashion piece!

Brown and Khaki. Again.

I do really like this colour combo when the weather gets colder. I put this partly down to the fact that these boots match it perfectly!

I don't have that many long sleeved frocks in the collection. A lot of the time I "Winter Up" the dresses myself by teaming them with tights, boots and cardigans. This is a dress that need no such preparation.

It was another inspired Spacesuit purchase from years gone by. (such a good hit rate with that store... Bring it back to Auckland already!!)




I have never really gravitated towards brown as a colour- but I am still glad that I chose this dress in that shade. (I would call it "Chocolate" but I spose a less tactful person could describe it as "Poo brown")

The collar of the dress is a crocheted lace and almost victorian in the detailing. It has 3 buttons on the bust- and the crotchet details are continued as an empire line and then again around the waist. There are gathers on the sleeves that give the impression of "puffs" and the hemline has a bubble finish as well. Quite a lot going on in one frock really.

I have teamed it with my favourite scarf. This scarf was knitted for me by one of my best friends a few years back and I love it. I'm sure I would have loved it if I found it in a store too- but knowing that it was handmade specifically with me in mind makes it that much cooler!




The boots tie the whole ensemble together quite nicely I think. I'm sure it has been mentioned here before- but my boyfriend always calls me a ninja when I'm wearing these boots. My house has 2 flights of wooden stairs and I'm not especially light on my feet at the bast of times. Add 7 inch resign platforms under my feet and you would think a herd of elephants are stomping around the house!


Another good thing about this colour combo is the coat options I have with it. There are a few khaki green coats in the wardroom and I have a couple of beautiful brown ones too. They are so good I think they deserve their own post in the coming months. Stay tuned for the impending coat collection!

Khaki Hoodie Dress

I know a lot of people are begrudging the colder weather setting in- but I am actually ok with it. I would always much rather be too cold than too hot. If you are cold there is always something else you can do. You can put on more clothes, get a hot water bottle, sit in front of a heater... when you are too hot you run out of options much much quicker.

Impending Winter also means there is an entire section of the wardroom that will get some attention with the temperatures dropping... YAY!




This outfit was one of these. I have a soft spot for this colour combo in Winter- and have a few outfits that this applies to now. Khaki green and brown is vaguely Autumnal too I guess. Plus- it goes so well with my previously posted Harajuku boots!

This dress is an interesting mix of features too. No sleeves, stripey fabric, hooded, bubble hemmed mini with a tie around the hips. Quite the ensemble really.





Another additional feature of this outfit is the pin I wear on my chest. I was wearing this dress the day it arrived in the post (trademe purchase) - and it has become part of this outfit permanently. A tiny weeny little Fender Rhodes pin. Just like the full size one that lives in the Wardroom!

Sparkles AND Flowers

I'm not going to lie to you. I have not worn this dress today. Or even in the last few weeks. That's not to say I don't love it though so thought maybe it deserved it's own post here this week. Well. That and everything I have worn in the last few days has already been posted about...



This dress hails from an op shop somewhere in the Tauranga region circa 2003. There is a lot going on in one frock. First up I love that its sparkly. I am relatively sure that I may have been a magpie in a past life. I cannot walk past something shiny or sparkly without getting a little bit excited. I may not be making a nest out these things just yet- but plenty of time to get really weird on it when I'm a crazy old cat lady....


I also love that it combines the twinkling fabric with a 70's floral pattern. Especially given the colour scheme on gold, brown, yellow and orange.



Finally- I really love the floating collar/ sleeves with the 3 buttons down the front. It really is an amazing cut. Sadly it doesn't get a lot of wear time these days. In fact- I can pinpoint the night I stopped wearing it. I have a very tall, very skinny male friend who ended up wearing it one night while drunk- and he looked MUCH better in it than I ever will.

Glad To Be Plaid

Plaid is a weird word. Like any other - it gets weirder the more you think about it being weird. Bath is another one but I digress...

I like this dress a lot. It's quite demure in the scheme of it all. Until I sit down and it gets a great deal shorter!

This frock came from the Paper Bag Princess and cost me a whopping $12.00. SCORE!

I especially like the slight capped sleeves. While the overall colour comes across as pale brown- the plaid has shades of turquoise and red in it for ease of accessorising.

I opted for red in the form of hair flower, skinny belt and peep toed leopard heeled wedges.

I am quite pleased with the overall outfit. Will trade again.

Strapless Leaves

This frock has been kicking around for a few years now. It was liberated from the Recycled boutique- but was originally from Max.

White or cream clothes are not usually a good mix with me. I have mastered the art of spilling coffee/breakfast/any other form of liquid on light coloured clothing within record time of putting it on. Today was no exception with am incident involving cereal and yogurt being eaten at my desk. Straight in the lap. Sigh. Thankfully yogurt is more forgiving than a lap full of coffee- and I managed to get it cleared up before it became more of an issue. Funny that it almost never happens if I'm wearing black or brown...

So this dress is a great Summer frock. I like the slight ruffled detailing down the front- and the fabric has always seemed particularly "New Zealandy" to me. Something about the colour combo of green and brown in the leafy print does it I think.

2 times the options

I will refrain from saying what a beautiful day it is today. That isn't to say it hasn't been another great one- but I have spent most of it in an air conditioned office so don't really feel like I got to enjoy it!




Today's dress hails from the depths of an op shop somewhere in Tauranga in the last 9 years or so. This was THE staple Summer frock for 2001-2005. I have replaced the zip twice now to keep it humming along.


The fabric is patterned with something between circles and flowers. That kind of "abstract but still hippie" thing that was often achieved in the 70's.




I loved this dress so much in fact- that fate led me to it's Autumnal counterpart. The exact same frock in shades of orange and brown. Those of you that have had experience trawling through op shops and vintage stores will understand that the likely hood of finding your favourite vintage garment in your size but another colour is pretty slim. Damn near impossible for the most part. I actually squealed out loud when I found it on the rack. You could not wipe the grin off my face for days afterwards!





I have actually managed to be on the lucky side of such a phenomenon on a few occasions now. there was even one instance where I found an already purchased turquoise sparkly coat dress. I had received so many comments on the one I had- I bought it again!




To this day I can't really explain the logic behind that way of thinking. Seemed like the right thing to do at the time though. One day I guess I will find the right person to pass it on to- or the right fancy dress party to be a tag team...




So in the vein of wardroom doppelgangers- here is my pretty sparkly turquoise coat dress. (I won't bother picturing it twice as they are quite literally identical) I love that it can be worn as a coat OR a dress. Always nice to have options!