fashion

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What I Wore: Too pure to be pink

I think that pretty much everyone has a few “holy grail” wardrobe items that they’ve hankered for.  Things that might be slightly impractical or tricky to find, but that you want all the same.  For me, one thing I’ve always dreamed of owning was a Pink Ladies jacket.  Ever since I saw Grease for the first time, I longed to proudly wear one of those pink satin bomber jackets to proclaim my membership of the coolest girl gang ever.

 

So when a pre-loved Pink Ladies jacket popped up as part of Nerd burger’s annual Instagram closet sale, I nearly swooned with excitement.  I’ve been trying so hard to curb my spending on unnecessary items, but I just couldn’t pass up the opportunity to own a Pink Ladies jacket.

 

The jacket is pretty lightweight, so I’ve been waiting for the weather to warm up enough for me to wear it.  I had so much fun styling the jacket.  I wanted the overall look to have a 50’s feel, but to be kinda punk-inspired as well.  I started with seamed stockings and a bodysuit, and added rough animal prints and dainty accessories.

 

I am wearing:

  • Pink Ladies jacket (purchased second hand from Nerd Burger)
  • Black bodysuit from Missguided
  • Black sheer seamed stockings from Voodoo
  • Silver ballet flats (thrifted)
  • Fairest of them All brooch from Erstwilder
  • Dice earrings from Equip
  • Silver signet ring
  • Tiger print mini skirt from Target

 

I opted for bold pink lips and strong winged eyeliner. I felt a little like Debbie Harry with this heavy eye makeup, but I also really enjoyed wearing strong lips and eyes together.  I felt sexy and tough and certainly not too pure to be pink.

 

What are your “holy grail” wardrobe items?

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Things I Love Thursday 22/6/2017

This past month has flown by.  Since the beginning of June, I took a little holiday from work, caught up with loads of friends and celebrated my 31st birthday.  There have been so many things that I’ve felt proud of and grateful for.

This week I love:

  • My friends.  I got so many messages of love and celebration on my birthday and each one brought an ear-to-ear smile to my face.
  • Michael Jackson.  David and I watched This Is It together and it was amazing.  I am a huge Michael Jackson fan and it breaks my heart that he didn’t get to perform his final masterpiece at least once.  I found the rehearsal footage breathtaking, and it’s hard to imagine what the final show would have been like.
  • Putting my cupcake hat on Rupert, David’s cat.  He purred like a maniac and wore the hat for a full half hour before he fell asleep and it toppled off his head.
  • Poking around vintage markets on chilly afternoons.
  • Bean burritos
  • Vegan vanilla cupcakes that look like they were pooped out by a unicorn.

Helloooo! Awesome birthday pin from my brother. #mrsdoubtfire #pins #birthday #geekery

A post shared by Vanessa Bowen (@nessbow64) on

  • My new Mrs Doubtfire pin from my brother.  I am slowly building quite a collection of cute enamel pins, and this is the newest addition to my hoard.
  • Watching the Top 1000 Songs of the 80’s countdown on Foxtel and taking bets on what would be number 1. ( I lost.  I voted Thriller, which was edged out by Living on a Prayer)
  • Kate Lister’s website Whores of Yore.  Kate is a sexual historian who explores the history of sexual practices, language and culture.  Her website is fascinating and funny as well as highly educational.
  • My new heated throw blanket.
  • Watching my cats wriggle on the floor after their dinner each night.
  • The smells of winter mornings: wood smoke, frost and wet grass
  • Booja Booja chocolate salted caramel truffles.  And also the name Booja Booja, which is really fun to say.
  • Skins.  Various friends over the years have urged me to watch this show and I’ve never listened.  Now that I’ve started, I can see why they thought I would love it.
  • The Time Traveller’s Wife.  I’m not usually into romance stories, but this one is so clever and thought-provoking.  Dr Who fans who enjoy the romance between The Doctor and River Song should give this book a whirl.
  • Gloves

What do you love this fine Thursday?

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What I wore 26/4/2017

 

I’ve been kind of obsessed with printed scarves lately.  I’ve been wearing them looped around my neck, tied onto my handbag and wrapped around my hair.  It’s amazing how a simple square of coloured silk can turn a regular outfit into something that feels a tad more special.

My outfits this week have had a distinct 70’s vibe to them as well. I’ve been dabbling with jeans, earthy tones and hoop earrings.

I am wearing:

  • Red nautical print scarf (thrifted)
  • Collared blouse from Temt
  • Bootleg jeans from K-Mart
  • Red slingback heels from I love Billy
  • Gold hoop earrings
  • Penny Farthing brooch (gift from my friend Tom, all the way from Berlin)
  • Turquoise ring

 

I wore this outfit to go grocery shopping, and then drink coffee and read for several hours.

These shoes were purchased last year on sale.  I’d been on the lookout for a pair of red wedges after my old faithful polka-dot pair died.  I was instantly drawn to the rainbow detailing on the wedge.  These are great because they’re nice and low, so they are fairly comfortable.

I kept my makeup fairly natural with a touch of gloss and some groomed brows.  I wanted to keep the look fairly down-to-earth and simple.

 

What have you been wearing lately? Is there a particular item that has been popping up in your outfits over and over again?

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Things I love Thursday 6/4/2017

It’s the first Thursday of April and it’s time for a Things I love Thursday post.  Pour yourself a cup of tea and relax while I share all the things that I’ve loved lately.

 

I love:

  • Celebrating my one-year anniversary with my beloved, David.  He is such an amazing person and he makes me feel so blessed. We have had an awesome year together and I can’t wait to see what adventures the future has in store for us.

  • Having Mr Ringo peer over my shoulder while I read.  He’s such a curious little dude.
  • The late emergence of Autumn weather.  The final week of March was almost unbearably humid and hot.  I honestly wondered if the weather was ever going to cool off.  But like clockwork, April brought a crisp morning wind and a chill to the air.  I’ve happily been rocking knits and socks, and I’ve had the perfect excuse to break out the slippers I was gifted months ago.

 

  • This Deadpool stuffie that David bought me for our anniversary. For our first date, we saw Deadpool and played the arcade machines at the cinema.  So now, Deadpool is kinda “our” movie.
  • Lush’s Ruby Red Slippers bubble bath bar.

  • Argyle vests
  • Putting the sleeves on a jumper I’m knitting for myself.  I”ve already finished one simple jumper for myself, thus completing my new years resolution of knitting an actual garment.  This time I’m working on something with more shaping and raglan sleeves.

 

  • This awesome Monsters Inc tee shirt I picked up for $7 at Uniqlo.  I have a few Uniqlo shirts now and they are such good quality.
  • The Good Dinosaur.  I finally got around to watching it and it made me cry so hard. And also laugh so hard.  And then cry again.  And laugh some more.  It was a yo-yo of emotions.

 

  • finding the final Sandman book to complete my extensive collection in the op shop for just one dollar.  It was a proud moment.
  • Project Runway.  I’ve become a tiny bit obsessed.

  • This room service pizza I got for dinner on our anniversary.  It was not vegan (it had goat’s cheese) but it was vegetarian. It had zucchini, pumpkin, pine nuts and leek. It was so amazingly good that I didn’t even care that I had a food baby for our anniversary-celebration-sexy-times.
  • Actual vegan recipes I’ve made these past few weeks, including an off-the-charts mushroom stroganoff and a mock-chicken and vegetable soup. I’m getting extremely good at this vegan cooking thing.

 

  • Finding a mega-cute heart hoop for my helix piercing.  I’m always on the lookout for unusual body jewellery and I really haven’t changed the stud in my helix since I got it pierced nearly eighteen months ago.  This heart was just the ticket, and it’s so comfortable.
  • Wood fire smoke
  • Being able to snuggle under layers of quilts without exploding from heat.

What do you love this week?

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Daily outfit 20/3/2017

I’ve really been feeling the pin-up vibe with my outfits lately.  Perhaps it has to do with the fact that I’ve been listening to a lot of The Baseballs amazing do-wop covers. Perhaps it’s because the steaming hot end-of-summer temperatures have made me feel all warm and sultry under the collar.  Whatever the reason, I’ve been reaching for my hairspray and winged eyeliner to create the perfect pin-up look.

 

I wore this outfit to dinner a few nights ago, and managed to snap off a few pictures as I raced out the door.

 

 

 

I am wearing:

  • Cruelle De Vil Tee shirt from Threadless
  • Black and white polka dot skirt from Best N Less
  • Red buckled stilettos (thfited)
  • Black studded leather belt (gift from my ex)
  • Dice earrings from Equip

 

I recently purchased the NYX vinyl liquid eyeliner and it’s been a godsend in this hot weather.  The applicator is a very thin brush, so you can easily apply your liner with pinpoint precision.  It dries fast and has the most deliciously patent finish.  Best of all, this stuff doesn’t budge.  I can be sweating like a disco queen under a spotlight and my eyeliner remains crisp and clean.

 

I’ve opted to wear a pretty apple-tinted gloss on my lips rather than my traditional full red lip.  I just find gloss to be a lot more forgiving in the heat.  This one is the Innoxa Antioxidant Lip Glaze which I reviewed a while ago.

 

Although the days are drawing in and the air is a little crisper in the mornings, I’m sure that my love affair with pin up style will continue right on into Autumn.

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American Horror Story: Roanoke style

I have just finished season 6 of American Horror Story and I was completely blown away.  This season was so stylistically different from every incarnation of the show that has come before.  From the way it was presented, to the storytelling and the visual style, Roanoke was grittier, darker and more haunting than the last few seasons of AHS.  I also noticed that the costumes for this season were vastly different from what we’ve seen in the past couple of years from American Horror Story.  After the flash and panache of Freak Show and the vintage decadence of Hotel, Roanoke delivered a set of looks that seemed older, more careworn and somewhat grimier than it’s predecessors.  I thought I’d jump in and take a look at five characters from the series that I liked the most and create a look for each one of them. Starting with the baddest bitch of them all…

The Butcher

The Butcher

The Butcher was one of the most chilling villains AHS has produced.  She’s utterly brutal, single-minded and unconcerned about the prospect of getting blood under her fingernails.  Her look is utilitarian and harsh, with a few feminine flounces left behind from her former life as a proud lady of England.  Colours are muted and stark, boots are scuffed and accessories are few for this terror of the blood moon.

 

 

Shelby

Shelby

 

Shelby’s look is pure yoga chic.  Comfort is the name of the game, with relaxed cuts and breathable fabrics aplenty.  Choose a form-fitting tank top and yoga pants and layer over a poncho or wrap for adventures off your yoga mat.  Flat shoes are best to maintain contact with Mother Earth, especially if you find yourself traipsing through the woods.  Shelby doesn’t wear a lot of jewellery, but I couldn’t resist these molar earrings, which reminded me of one of the scenes that squicked me out the most.

Cricket Marlowe

Cricket Marlowe

 

Cricket is the epitome of minimalism.  His monochrome look embodies dark colours and body cuts and the end result is striking and powerful.  I’ve added the barest of nods to Cricket’s psychic gift with this horoscope-themed bag.  The blood red pendant is the perfect reference to the blood moon, which is the most dangerous time for the inhabitants of the Roanoke house, as Cricket finds out.  Rather than copy Cricket’s white shag haircut, I recommend topping off the look with a mystical turban.

Scathach

Scathach

 

One of the more mysterious characters in the Horror Story universe, Scathach has an earthy, feminine style.  Her clothes are old fashioned cuts, remnants left from her life before she became the witch of the forest.  Earthy tones and natural materials are woven together to create a look that is both arresting and slightly sexy.  The corset lacings and bare decolletage are enticing, but the long skirts and boots keep the look grounded.  Scathach wouldn’t be complete without her crown of antlers, and a still-beating heart to offer her subjects.

Audrey Tindall

Audrey Tindall

 

Audrey’s style is deeply romantic, with elements of 70’s vintage and Victorian era lace collars.  She tends to wear long lines, high necklines and sweeping sleeves and skirts.  Her makeup is minimal and shoes are pretty yet functional. She is utterly elegant, favouring drop earrings which show off her long neck and delicate features to perfection.  And of course, she wouldn’t even leave the horrors of the Polk farm without her wedding ring. What a romanic!
Have you watched Roanoke yet?  What did you think?  Did you have a favourite look from the series?
Psst!  If you liked this post, you may also be interested in checking out my AHS: Coven Style post.
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Logan’s Run Style

One sweltering afternoon last month I stretched out on my loungeroom floor to watch Logan’s Run.  The 70’s sci-fi classic has been recommended to me so many times, that when I found a copy of the DVD at my local library I just had to check it out. There’s something quite special about 1970’s science fiction.  It was an era that had a real obsession with space-age costuming, and the outfits from this time always manage to look both futuristic and retro all at once.  There’s always this hint of disco-fabulousness mixed in with the shiny fabrics and eyes-forward cuts.
Another element that appealed to me was the monochrome styles in each “class” of costumes.  There are four different classes of people who live in Logan’s world and each one wears a very distinct colour palette.  I liked the idea of this kind of social uniform and the subtle differences between the styles of each.  I thought it would be fun to play around and create an outfit for each of the four classes shown in the movie.

The Cubs

Cubs

 

The cubs are the youngest of the four classes, all of them are aged under fifteen.  They wear a palette of yellow, mustard and brown.  These earthy, golden tones are so evocative of the 1970’s, when such bright colours were popular.  The Cubs’ clothes have a playful, childlike element to them, and tend to be somewhat distressed and  torn.

Jessica

Jessica

 

The character Jessica represents the next age group, loosely between the ages of  15-25 (this is not specifically defined in the film).  The citizens from this age group wear shades of green, and their outfits are more revealing than most.  Many of the citizens who are a part of this age group are preoccupied with sex and hedonism, and as such their outfits are the most overtly sexual of all.  Short skirts, transparent fabrics and bare limbs are hallmarks of the green-wearing youths.  Their outfits feature adornments and jewellery to highlight bare wrists and ankles.  Few members of this group wear an ankh charm, a symbol of the idealistic utopia of Sanctuary.

Last Day

Renew

 

The eldest inhabitants of the city wear red, and their clothes are more mature than their younger counterparts.  Although still sexy and form-fitting, they tend to be less revealing than the greens.  Silky, slippery fabrics and gorgeous textures abound, as well as the ever present red life-timer: a jewel fixed into the palm of the hand which turns red upon your thirtieth birthday.

Sandman

Sandman

 

The Sandmen are the law enforcement, and it is their job to catch “Runners” who attempt to flee to avoid being killed once they turn 30.   The Sandmen wear minimalist, utilitarian outfits of black and silver.  The lines are sleek and smooth, fabrics are industrial and adornments are few.
As you can see, each category is distinct in palette and style, and yet all manage to look both retro and futuristic at the same time. This blending of elements makes the costumes from this film so appealing and visually striking.  Any of the uniforms is easy to replicate, and work into a modern-day outfit that evokes the sexuality and starkness of the film’s story.
Which outfit do you think you’d be most likely to wear?