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!

Floaty Floral Strapless

It is entirely too easy to justify cute circle skirted dresses. I feel like I am getting double the value of a frock if it means I can fit a crinoline underneath it. It makes the petticoats seem like a reasonable investment and it usually makes me celebrate my smart investment by purchasing something else to be worn with them. (and so the cycle continues....Is it any wonder I need a whole room to hold all this stuff?)

This one was on an entire rack of similar styled frocks. (warehouse factory store on Brunswick St in Fitzroy- Melbourne in case you were wondering...)  Funny - but if they were spread out around the store I might have even bought more than one of them. Because they were all bunched in together I almost got bored of looking through them all. I chose my favourite fabric based on colours featured and what I will be able to wear with it. I was attracted by the light denim blue feel to the base colour. I also like the pen drawn quality of the paisley in the background. Just when you think that is enough to warrant picking the garment from the rack- it hits you straight in the eyeballs with the vintagey roses in shades of coral, burgundy and a buttercup yellow. Sweet.

For this photo I have gone with a white crinoline, black peep toed wedges and a small yellow and white lily in my hair.  I seem to be in this weird gravitational pull towards yellow at the moment so I think I will be focusing more on the beautiful buttercup when accessorising for real.  I can wear it with yellow heels for a night out- or a pale yellow cardi and brown boots for day wear. I think I have justified it enough as a smart purchase now. Almost didn't even mention it was only $25!

Purple Paisley

You gotta love a good 60's shift frock. They are pretty versatile overall. They work in Summer- and you just need to throw them on with tights, boots and a cardi for Winter.

Minor length issues aside (it is quite short... no bending down in this one!)- I really like this dress. It has been around for close to 8 years now and has had a great deal of wear in that time.


I seem to have a bit of a soft spot for paisley. This was is particularly awesome with its purple and dusk pink colour scheme.

Paisley Power

Seems like there is a 70's paisley theme to my week. It wasn't intentional but I could possibly keep rolling with it!

Today's frock is a green and blue paisley number. Purchased from the New Lynn Red Cross about 5 years ago. Turquoise and kermit green are 2 of my favourite colours- and you don't often find them together in the same fabric.

I really like the cap sleeves on this dress. It's a nice point of difference I think.

I have worn it today with some moss green suede slouching pixie boots. (They even jingle slightly when I walk- as the buttons on the tops are a little loose) I found them on trademe. I surprised a few people with them as they were the flattest footwear I had purchased in a LONG time.

It's still kindofa slow transition into being accurately represented as a midget on a more regular basis.

Brown Paper Packages Tied Up With String

The Sound Of Music is one of my all time favourite movies. EVER. I spent many many hours of my childhood watching and singing along with my Grandmother.

The reason I am talking about "The Sound of Music" is that the dress I am wearing today has always reminded me of the play clothes that Maria makes the children out of the curtains. I think it may have even been her first night in the Vonn Trapp household- and she is belting out "My Favourite Things" in the storm when the idea hits her. (When the dog bites, When the bee stings, when I'm feeling saaaaaaad... and so on) It is pretty much impossible to wear this frock and not have that very song running through my head at some point in the day. Like now in fact.

I have always been a sucker for green 70's floral/ paisley patterns so this was a no brainer purchase when I found it in a red Cross Op Shop about 8 years ago. I like that in Summer I can wear it with my olive green high top chuck taylors (like today) or jandals- and in Winter I can wear it with tights, a cardi and long boots. How very versatile...

I may be at work today when everyone I know is at home- but I simply remember my favourite things and then I don't feel sooo baaaaaaaaaad!

Straight Off The Rack...

I'm going to be honest-today's outfit didn't have a lot of thought in it. I woke up late (again) and didn't have the luxury of a quick trial and error before I left the house. Technically there wasn't anything specifically wrong with what I chose- it just felt kinda... meh.



I do really like the cut of the dress. Wrap around with a slight puffed cap sleeve in a paisley pattern is all good. This dress is from Principals originally but I bought it from the good old Rainbow Op Shop on K Rd. (Given that I walk past it like 4 times a day it's no wonder I own so many things from there!) While I do like the dress- I think part of the appeal was that it was a dollar. That's right. A whole dollar. I am fairly sure I would not have given it a second look had I seen it in Principals in it's first life span.

Occasionally I can get a little side tracked about how much I like something just based on the price. Sometimes I can confuse really liking something with the plain fact that it seems like a fantastic bargain.

In saying that- I'm back to my I don't NOT like this dress- but I have felt kind of boring and mass produced all day. I have attempted to lift the overall vibe by pairing it with my silver "space cowboy" boots.

I now feel extra obligation to put a bit more effort into tomorrows ensemble!