Day 13: I'll ride to work tomorrow... or the next day.

The rain is falling, I've had a headache for the last three days and I decided it was time to do something about it. Hopefully I won't be sitting in a doctors waiting room for too long.

It was supposed to be Ride To Work day today. Well, technically it still is, but I'm not riding anywhere in this rain. One of my friends said to me, "You'll make up some excuse not to ride to work." He's right, but I will prove him wrong and ride to work tomorrow... if the rain stops! :) I guess I'm lucky that I own a bike and a car, spare a thought for those with only pedal powered transportation.

I had to do a two part self portrait today...

As it feels like my head is about to explode my outfit for today is based on being snuggly warm and comfort. This is my second skirt for Frocktober (or as my sister likes to call skirts, frock wannabes) it was a full length very 1970s flared skirt which I made into a short skirt. Like yesterday's frock circular patterns are a feature of this skirt. I'm wearing my grey woollen tights I got from Sou Sou in Japan. I bought the best socks and tights in Japan, I think I need to go back to buy some more, they last forever!

Today's song is You Look Like Rain by Morphine. Sorry for the dodgy karaoke link, maybe some of you can do a performance at some stage today.

Day 12 - Vapours

I have been getting teased for having such ugly background for my photos on work days. My reply was, 'if you can find me a pretty location in Mitchell I'll get my photo taken there'. Imgaine my surprise when we found some 80s leather couches on the reserve next to the office. I think they have just been dumped there but we set them up and they made a lovely lunch spot. It's not exacty a pretty location but the 80s pleather does go well with my 80s-ish outfit. I forgot to take today's accesories on my lunch outing so here they are with a special shot of their own. An Esther scarf and a pair of her gloves, in mauve. Yves Saint Laurent! Where ever did she get such things?! This scarf is probably the most valuble and elegant thing of clothing I own.

I just got the latest Islands album Vapours. I'm addicted to it already and todays frock kind of reminds me of their cover art. Check it out. You don't see mauve much these days. http://www.myspace.com/islands

Day 12: tea time!

My work colleague Sarah wore her new frock to work today to show her support for Frocktober. I wore what I would regard as a fairly safe frock. I had a few meetings and thought a sensible frock was in order. It has a nice small circular pattern on the fabric. I wore my new boots from Boots For Broads and they are so comfy, no blisters or sore spots!

For your daily musical dose, check out this remix of the classic Sarah Vaughan song Tea For Two. It comes from the Verve Remixed series which are good to do housework to.

Day 11: Come fly with me...

This batwing style dress is a bit of a classic that I never wear. I think it will be making it to the frock swap at the end of Frocktober. It's a bit Stevie Nicks meets Kate Ceberano. Actually a guy at a pub once said "You look like Kate Ceberano" when I was wearing this dress. I'm taking that as a compliment.

It is cheesecloth with a heavy lace bodice and cuffs on the sleeves. Although batwing sleeves are fun, they are totally impractical. Forget wearing a jacket, this is wrap or pashmina territory. To lift the black I wore a pendant made by my friend Llawella and fishnets over red opaque stockings to compliment the lace bodice.

A work colleague said I looked very Spanish today. Thank you Stephanie. Whilst driving home, my ipod selected Ry Cooder's Chavez Ravine, rather fitting I thought.

Day 11 - Raspberry Sorbet

There was no raspberry beret to go with this outfit but the raspberry sorbet I had for afternoon tea did match it perfectly. The frock was from the Mitchell Salvos and has a kind of Carol Brady feel to it, I think. I bought it with Anna and it always makes me think of her :-) She has a Mrs Brady dress too, if I recall correctly.

The headscarf was one of my great aunt Esther's. When Esther passed away I inherited some of her scarves. I'll have to make sure I wear more of them so you get a chance to admire them. Esther had great taste and they are very cool. When I was at my folks last night Dad showed me this lovely photo of Esther he found recently. She's the one on the right. Don't they look gorgeous?

Update on mum's blue dress

After I wore my mother's blue dress on day 7 of Frocktober Alison asked me if I could find a photo of my mum in the dress. Well, I was over at Mum's for dinner last night and she turned up this one! It's of her, her friend Samir and her dog Bella and it was taken in the late 70s.

Mum asked me to mention that the dress is a Diane Von Furstenburg, which was a big deal at the time. In fact her wrap dresses were so influential they even have one in the Metropolitan Museum of Art http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/1997.487

Diane is still making the same style of wrap dress. You can pick one up here, should you wish: http://www.dvf.com/dvf/home.jsp?storeId=store_us

Day 10 -Green Lantern

A nice green frock today that I picked up from an op-shop in Hawaii. Have I told you that October/Frocktober is Green Lantern month on my super hero calendar? Well it is. Which is great because I love the Green Lantern and I also love green frocks. So it's a perfect match.
This one is a little big for me but with a vintage belt from my mother it doesn't show. Here I'm tidying up the cinnamon scrolls I made for afternoon tea today. Just got back from a delicious dinner at my mother's house. Add to that a quick trip to central cafe with Steve and can assure you that I have been very well fed today. Maybe the dress won't be too big on me for much longer.

Day 10: flowers and frocks

I haven't been to Floriade for a long time. Today was the last day and I really only went to pick up my new boots from the lovely ladies from Boots For Broads. I'm always amused by watching people pose in front of the flowers. I've even been thinking of starting a photographic series of people taking photos of people in front of flowers. So in a slight ironic gesture, my friend suggested this would be a perfect place to take my photo of today's frock.

I bought this frock from Salvo's in Katoomba for $2 and it goes so nicely with my nana blue cadigan. One thing I love about old frocks are the tags. Now it is so rare to see a dress made in Australia, but Made In Sydney and by Big John... what a GEM!

Today's song: Fleur de Saison by Emilie Simon

Day 9: part 2 - Rockabilly Ball

We bravely crossed the border last night to head on down to the Queanbeyan Bowling Club for the Rockabilly Ball. It was a fun night with good old fashion hospitality and entertainment. Libby wore the most beautiful vintage frock she got from a vintage clothing fair at Albert Hall with her sexy red Keds. I wore my Heartbreaker badabing cherry dress from Hoola Hoop in Braidwood.
After eating our weight in bowling club fair we hit the dance floor, alas we didn't win any dancing prizes, but it was so nice to watch so many good dancers strutting their stuff on the dance floor. Here are our favourite dancers...

The song for today has to be You Never Can Tell by Chuck Berry. I can't get that dancing scene from Pulp Fiction out of my head.

Day 9: part one - day play

Libby and I had a bit of stitch'n'bitch this afternoon, which ended up with us spending more time at Wilbur's Cafe than sewing. I'm not sure if any of the three machines (2 sewing machines and 1 overlocker..... ooooooo yeah!) we had set up in various parts of my house got used, however Libby cut out a 1940s pattern to make and I did some hand sewing.

Earlier in the day I rode down to Dickson to see the boys at Mal Adjusted Bicycle Emporium. I'm getting prepared for Ride To Work Day on Wednesday and I needed a few things for my bike. This is my first skirt for Frocktober and just like Libby, I received this skirt in the internal mail. Libby and I have to stop giving each other gifts otherwise people will start talking! It is super comfy to ride in and I love the screen printed circle pattern detail.

It's now time for a nap in preparation for the Rockabilly Ball tonight!

Day 8 - Badlands of Mitchell

First of all, a big thank you to George for taking this photo and to Adria for letting us lean all over her beautiful car in a most undignified fashion. Poor Alison had to come out to Mitchell today to drive the forklift today, but she still frocked up. How awesome is that?!! And doesn't she look stunning. You are seeing another example of her love of polka dots today - this time in purple.


I have one of my more boring dresses on so I jazzed it up with this gorgeous hat - a gift from Mary, who picked it up from a vintage fair. It's from the 1930s and was worn by a bride with her 'going away' outfit. How sweet. Someone told me I look very French today. I'm not so convinced. I suspect I only look French in the way that 1950s musicals set in Paris look French. Which is to say, not very French at all. But colourful.
Et voila http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrIJjB_dyP0

Alison's song for today is Gangsta's Paradise by Coolio. Mitchell is a tough and scary place to work.

Rockabilly Ball

If you're looking for something to do tomorrow night, Alison and I will be at the Rockabilly Ball at the Queanbeyan Bowling Club. It's a great chance to frock up, and with free entry and beers at bowling club prices you'd be crazy to miss it.

http://www.rockabillyball.com/

Blue frocks for everyone!

Libby cooked me the most amazing pizza while we sat and drank wine and chatted about frocks amongst other things. Libby's lovely housemate took this photo of us in our Thursday blue dresses, because we all needed to see a full length shot of Libby in her frock. How amazing are we?

Thanks Mum

Inspired by Emma's frocktober work raiding her mother's closet, today I have picked out an outfit courtesy of my mum. The dress was hers in the 70s. She has a much better figure to fill it out, so it looks a little flat on me. But it's still a very funky frock and very easy to wear.

The shoes are also from her and boy do I love them. So comfortable. They are a little worn and they did have a run in with a large poodle a while ago - and have a few chew marks to show for it. But they are holding up in spite of all that and I hope they'll stick with me.

Oh and sorry for the dodgy self portraits. Couldn't find anyone to take a photo of me today.

Day 7: Mama told me there'd be days like this...

I woke this morning feeling quite feverish and tired (damn this daylight savings changeover week!) and my car overheated on the way home from work last night. Feeling a bit blue, so hence a blue dress was in order today.

To lift my spirits my work colleague invited me to her house for lunch in the sunshine and a chance to play with her puppy, Alfie. She also has the most amazing wisteria flowering in her backyard at the moment. Canberra is so pretty in Spring especially after a long cold Winter.

One of my favourite blues ladies is Etta James, so my song for today is Something's Got A Hold On Me. Check out her fashion, she is awesome!

Thanks to Alfie's Mum for taking my photo :)

A fellow frocker - Raiding Mum's Wardrobe

Have a look at our friend Emma's blog if you get a chance. She's another Canberra girl doing the frocktober challange and has already found some smashing outfits. The most recent one was stolen/borrowed from her mother's closet.
Emmaress: 4 October - Raiding Mum's Wardrobe: "Lovely green and polka dot dress of Mum's I have wanted to wear for ages. The little coat has great buttons. Both from the 60s I think."

Day 6: Working 9 to 5

Today was my first day back at work after 10 days away. Initially I thought I'd have to wear a mix of skirts and dresses, but after looking through my wardrobe last night I think I have enough dresses to wear to work as there are only 17 working days in October for me.

I was feeling a little Mad Men today and this dress reminds me of something from the early 1960s. Although I probably have the same bust measurement as Joan my waist and hip measurement is definitely bigger. She has the most amazing figure.


One of my favourite Visitor Services Officers said to me today, "You look amazing, I have never seen you in a dress before, you look like a real woman." The dress is from Colorado. I nearly got rid of it a few years back, but Libby convinced me to keep it. The handbag was from the Rock & Roll Markets we went to a few weeks ago in Sydney. I love beaded bags. When I was a youngster I had a beaded panda bag. I loved it so much, I'm sure it's still in my toy box at my parents place.

The title of my post says it all, 9 to 5 by Dolly Parton... enjoy!

Gifted wardrobe

Today's frock came to me in the internal mail one day - sent to me by Alison herself. She picked it up at an op shop sale somewhere and thought it might be right for me. Of course I put it on the moment I received it. Not only does it fit as though it were made for me, the blue-y turquoise in the pattern is one of my favourite colours at the moment. Thanks Alison! And the cardigan with it was a birthday present from Paula from many years ago. People wonder why I have so many clothes but how could I not when I receive so many wonderful gifts from my discerning friends.

You know how to whistle, don't you?

I know, technically this is a skirt, not a frock. But I like to think all that volume counts for something. In fact it is so voluminous I have to carry it around with me while I walk so as to keep from tripping over it.

It is from my favourite Canberra op-shop, St Paul's in Manuka:

http://www.stpaulsmanuka.org.au/St_Pauls_Manuka/Op_Shop.html

They always have lovely things and the ladies who work there are so sweet and generous.

This skirt reminds me of something Grace Kelly or Lauren Bacall would wear, like so:

You can see, mine has pockets just like Lauren's. Too bad I can't have Bogart too.

But Paul at work says it reminds him of Vermeer paintings like this one. I think he's right, there's a definite resemblance.

Day 5: Newcastle to Canberra

I left Newcastle at 8am today to drive back to Canberra. I must confess to loving the Conformadore with cruise control and ipod jack. Too bad I have to give it back to the rental place. Did I mention it had double exhausts? Oh, my hoon friends tell me it's dual.... dual exhausts... obviously I've never been to Summernats.

This dress is an old favourite in Summer and my second confession of the day is my addiction to spots, dots and polka dots. The flower pattern on this dress is made up of tiny little dots. This dress also goes well with my Doc Marten boots, but I will be so glad to get home to different frocks and shoes. Although I love my boots, I'm getting rather sick of them, having worn them for the last week.

Song for today: That Drivin Beat by The Hiptones from Adelaide.

Ugg boot Monday

Looks like Alison is still having too much fun on the mid north coast to post photos of her frocks. But I can assure you she's frocking up and we'll see the evidence soon.

In the meantime you'll have to make do with just me.

Today's number is a pretty lazy one for a lazy long weekend Monday (with a delightful cider afternoon interlude). The dress was from a Goulburn op-shop and it was Alison who convinced me to buy it, after I assured her I 'need more dresses like I need a hole in the head'. But she was right because I wear it all the time. Today it's with a Cohen et Sabine shirt over the top and fantastic earrings that Hannah brought me all the way from Morocco. And ugg boots. There were shoes earlier, I promise. This was strictly the indoor version of the outfit.

Day 4: Newcastle

Catharine and I drove back to Newcastle last night and spent today hanging out in Newcastle. We spent the morning sewing and Catharine gave me the dress I am wearing today. I accessorised with her Mum's bangle and Catharine's cute little glittery hooded jacket.

I ended up catching up with all manner of old friends, swimming in the ocean baths, holding babies and playing board games with friends kids at the Lowlands Bowling Club. Even though our trip to Bellingen was cut short my road trip turned out to be an interesting adventure.

I miss the Newcastle music scene, so many great venues and bands, but my favourite Newcastle band is Festivus. These boys are true crowd pleasers.

A Sunday frock for a lovely luncheon. It was a fairly grey day but there are plenty of bright freesias in my front yard to make up some colour.

Daniel picked today's frock, which was bought just before a trip to the states - much to my sister's dismay who thought I should be saving all my spending money for the trip. But it was the right move - I love it and never get tired of wearing it.

Day 3: Blame it on the rain

Well, the Global Carnival festival was cancelled, all my clothes are wet and it looks like we might be trapped in Gleniffer if we don't cross the river soon. This is why I had to buy a new frock from a cute little shop in Bellingen called Fairy Laura's. It is an Om Shantipi tunic. I'm actually wondering if I'll spend more money on new frocks throughout October than raising money for Frocktober!

But this dress is extra special, because it has owls on it and some of you may know this is my nickname (and sometimes dj name) is Sista Owl. Thank you to the lovely Emma for taking my photo. I'm just so grateful to be warm, comfy and dry.

Sorry if you get this bad 80s song stuck in your head Milli Vanilli at their finest!

Day 2: Bellingen and beyond

Mim, Naomi and I checked out The Vintage Nest in Bellingen this morning. It is a great little cafe but also a frock shop. I got a lovely 1950s petticoat... sorry, you won't see photos of me in it on this blog. Mim bought some sexy vintage bathers. Everything was cheap as and I loved their blackboard moto...My frock for today is a black and white number I got from the op shop, but in a previous life I think it was from Kmart. It has been raining all night and all day, bit concerned the Global Carnival might flood. We ended up having lunch and a shandy at the Federal Hotel and watching the first quarter of the AFL grand final (boooooo Collingwood! ...even though I'm wearing black and white). I ended up in a pink plastic poncho for the rest of the day at the Global Carnival, sloshing around, checking out some awesome music.

After visiting the piano accordian man and emjoying so much world music my song for today is J'aurais Bien Voulu by Babylon Circus, a bunch of sexy French men.

Art is better than computers

Just got home from a beautiful day at the National Gallery's new Indigenous Art wing. Got to hang out with my old housemate Nat, as well as Amy and Drew. Amy kindly took this photo of today's dress. It's kind of a psychedelic, overly colourful number that I can't remember where it came from.
And now I have spent over 30 minutes just trying to get this photo onto the blog. Confirming for me that art (and frocks) are better than computers.

Froctober the 1st

Here it is folks, the first day of Frocktober! And to help me out the lovely Samantha also frocked up for moral support. Isn't she the sweetest?! And that's even after she nearly bled to death in a freak accessioning accident earlier in the week - see the bandage on her hand. What a trooper.

(And how good do red and pale blue look together, huh?)

Today's dress was given to me by my other mum Cheryl (thanks Cheryl). My favourite part about it - aside from the lovely lace detail at the neckline of course? It's these clever snap straps under the shoulders - to keep your slip in place. Genius!!

Day 1: Newcastle to Bellingen

My good friend Catharine and I are off to Bellingen today. I've spent yesterday in the Blue Mountains, where I scored a lovely frock at the Salvo's for $2. I have packed lots of Summer frocks, but I'm a little concerned that the weather is going to be chillier than anticiapted, so today I am layering with tights and a little bolero style top. This frock came from a shop in Townsville. I love the colour of the batik and it goes so nicely with my bangle, boots and Catharine's pogo stick!

Song for today: Future Africa by Public Opinion Afro Orchestra, who I'll be seeing in Bellingen!