Day 24: Flame Trees

Brisbane looks beautiful at the moment full of flowering Jacaranda and what I thought were known as Flame Trees. I took this photo yesterday on Southbank. My friend and I had a long discussion today as to what 'Flame Trees' actually are and according to the great oracle Wikipedia it seems 'Flame Trees' is a generic term applied to many trees with red flowers.

So I put on my red sun dress to celebrate the beautiful flowering trees, whatever type they may be.

Brisbane was quite warm today and I was a little bit of a cranky pants due to lack of sleep (Queensland, when will you learn daylight savings is a good thing), too many lemonades last night and feeling quite sticky and hot. What can I say, I'm a bona fide Victorian. I picked some geraniums from the garden of a beautiful old Queenslander house as I thought it went nicely with the broderie anglaise fabric of my dress.
I got over my crankiness with a nap on the plane trip home and a drop in degrees (by about 10) will help me sleep well tonight. And of course I can't get Flame Trees out of my head, but check out the Sarah Blasko version. It does the lyrics justice.

Day 24 - Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday to my fabulous sister Petra. Mwa mwa, sweetie darling. I've got the earrings you gave me on to celebrate.

Sadly the polyurethane dress from yesterday didn't have the restorative powers I'd hoped for and I am even sicker today. But I have still frocked up for the cause and struggled off the couch (my home for the day) onto my deck for this shot. Daniel suggested I should take my photo with the blankie I've been wrapped in all day. But instead I've got my grey cardigan, which is more or less a blanket with sleeves anyway. I do love this geometric print dress and it's super comfy - almost as good as a nightgown. Almost.

Day 23: It's Target, darling!

Can't say I'm much of a fashionista today, but I did head into the Gallery of Modern Art on Brisbane's Southbank to see the Valentino Retrospective: Past/Present/Future. This dress came from Target. Anyone who says they don't shop at Target is lying, trust me. It has pale pink spots on black and it's a lovely three tiered Summer dress. I got my photo taken in an uber cool black tiled wi-fi booths at the State Library of Queensland.

I will try to post an entry on the Valentino exhibition within the next few days, it was a great exhibition, but so many beautiful things to look at. Even my underwear matched my dress today. More spots! I tied my hair up in two buns today and my god daughter said I looked like Minnie Mouse, I prefer Minnie The Moocher! :)

Day 23 - Op shop gold

This frock came to me out of the blue today. I was on my way home from pilates this morning and wondering which frock I could wear today (another confession - I don't wear a frock to pilates. Sorry ladies but that's just not going to happen.) I'm not feeling very well so all I really wanted was a day in trackies, in bed or on the couch.

But I stopped in to St Paul's op shop in Manuka on my way home and this dress caught my eye. Only $5! And the best bit - it feels like I'm wearing a nightgown, so it's just the thing for a lazy day. The only thing that worries me about the dress is that it's made with 5% polyurethane. Is that the carcinogenic stuff used to make foam? It feels wonderful so I'm trying not to think about it too much.

PS The lovely ladies at St Pauls asked me to tell you all about their fete on the 6th of November. Hop along if you can.

PPS My kind mother took these photos for me in her garden, and my companion in them is her old, demented dog Aggie. He's cute but he smells sooooo bad.

Day 22: Planes, Trains & Automobiles

Today my transportation needs have included a bicycle, car, plane, train, bus and then another car. Ohh and an escalator (numberous times) whilst trying to figure out which platform I needed to be on at the Brisbane Transit Centre to catch the 131 bus to Algester. I finally reached my destination about 4pm, where my lovely hosts took my photo in front of a giant monstera plant in their garden. Ahhh tropical Queensland. However Canberra was so lovely and sunny I tripped around town this morning without a jacket.

I purchased this skirt many years ago in Melbourne and it's a bit of a stalwart of my Summer wardrobe. It has zig zag stiching in aqua, lemon and pale green which I thought went nicely with my metallic green Catherine Manuell handbag (another favourite of my wardrobe) which is starting to get a bit shabby around the edges, but I can't bear to get rid of it. And my Broad lolly badge is a special feature. I love being a bit of a broad!

My song for today is Spaceship by Phrase. If I had one, I would've got to Brisbane much quicker. Plus I'm having an annual leave day today so this clip is for everyone else at work.

Day 22 - Like it's 1999

Today's frock is a very 90s floral one and, in fact, I pretty sure I haven't worn it since the 90s. Which begs the question of why I still own it. Probably the same stupid reasons I keep clipping bits out of magazines and why I've been saving a 50c piece with a picture of Charles and Diana for weeks now. I guess I was born to work in a museum.

Anyway, the dress is very comfy and just the thing for driving around in the work van and rummaging through the ABC broadcast trailer. The steel caps help with safe rummaging - and also make me look like I'm going to a Smiths concert, according to Matt. Since it's the 90s maybe I'll have to go to Nirvana or Pear Jam instead.

Wine time

It seems Libby and I are making our Thursday night catch ups a regular event throughout Frocktober. Strangely enough we both wore green. On the first Thursday of Frocktober we both wore blue, so the question is, what will the colour be for the final Thursday of Frocktober? Thank you to Steve for taking our photos.

Day 21: Mint Royale

This dress is another that has been sitting in the sewing pile waiting for me to rethread my baby locker with the right colour cotton. I was a little concerned when I bought this dress that it was too bright, but my sister convinced me it was fabulous. It was a wrap dress that was a little too revealing, so I sewed it up. I love the pattern and the chocolately (not brown!) goodness with the green. I call it my Mint Slice dress. Yum!


With all this glorious weather I took my afternoon tea (sun) break on the lawn in the Garden of Australian Dreams. I thought the grass complimented the dress.


I'm heading off to Brisbane tomorrow to visit my beautiful god-daughter and to check out the Valentino exhibition so Libby will be keeping you entertained for the next few days.

My song for today is Blue Song by Mint Royale. I love Mint Royale and this clip is brilliant featuring the wonderful Noel Fielding!

Day 21 - Welcome aboard

Today there were so many fabulous outfits in Mitchell we took a group shot. Claire came up with the brilliant stairway idea and as Samantha pointed out, we look a little like a flight crew in an airline ad. Admittedly a fairly motley flight crew. But stunning nonetheless. Wouldn't you fly with us? Thanks to Adria, Katie, Lisa and Samantha (plus Claire for photographing).

My frock is a vintage 60s cocktail number I got in a Hobart antique store. I'm wearing it with a black pencil skirt underneath (which looks like bike pants in the photo, I know) and my highest, coolest heels. Alison tried to dissuade me from buying this frock, mostly because it's completely see-through and, at the time, I could barely zip it up. Trivial details. I couldn't let it go, mostly because I love the gold belt so much (you can see it in the top photo). Luckily I must have shrunk a bit because now it fits just right.

Day 20 - Polka

I have a confession to make. The other night I wore pants. It wasn't my fault. My mum made me try them on to see if they fit. And then they were so comfy I couldn't bear to take them off. So I sat on the couch and watched a movie in them. I'm sorry. I swear it won't happen again.

To make up for it I wore my blue polka dot dress and the cutest horse brooch that Alison gave me. It is so cute it gets its own photo.

The frock is also cute although I'm afraid this dodgy flash photo doesn't do it justice. Sorry guys, I was feeling pretty ordinary yesterday and couldn't muster the effort for interesting photos.

I'm sure this frock was inspired by the brown polka dot one Julie Roberts wore in Pretty Women. What do you think? I can imagine some girl in Canberra in 1991 thinking she was the coolest thing in the world wearing this frock. Maybe she even had white gloves to go with it.

Day 20: black & white (part 3)

Another black and white dress. This is a fairly plain number and I felt very much like one of those public servant ladies who you may see walking through Civic in a pretty dress with ugly white cross trainers. I've even got my dag tag on to prove who I am and I'm sheilding all of your eyes from the report I feel like I've been writing all week.

Not much more to say, except 10 days to go. Last night I did a frock stock take and I think I'm just going to make it. Next week I'll be bringing out some of the big guns of my wardrobe, so stay tuned!

Today's song? Computer Love by TZU

Day 19: Alison Wonderland

Libby and I seem to have a similar theme for today - red. Throughout Frocktober I've also tried to wear as many items as possible from my shoe collection. I love these shoes, I got them a little shop on Brunswick St in Melbourne. I call them my Alice In Wonderland shoes. They are so cute, but also remind me in a strange way of Russian Constructivism. Can you say that about a pair of shoes? In particular a beautiful book I saw on display at the National Gallery of Australia in their exhibition Revolutionary Russians.

And the shoes go so nicely with my red jacket and stripey leggins. I chose the Jeffrey Smart inspired poles as my backdrop and I kinda feel like an extra in a Tim Burton film.My song for today has two links to this post - Russia and Tim Burton. One of my favourite Russian groups of all time is The Messer Chups, so from their most recent release here is Vincent Price Bible. Tim Burton is totally obsessed with the actor Vincent Price who played the inventor of Edward Scissorhands.

Day 19 - colour saturation

Today was all about red. Too much red some might say. Sorry if I burn out your retinas.

I wore my blood red tights under my boring grey work frock. These tights are a little like the skeleton leggings - they always get a strong response. I bought them thinking red tights would look awesome under shorts. As it turns out they look terrible with shorts (of course, you say! I know, this was only a surprise to me). However, their extreme vividness does lend a certain something to a plain frock. I've also got a scarf of Esther's and my super fantastic earrings from Hannah, made of vintage Bakelite pieces.

Every time I wear these earrings I have someone say 'of all your earrings I think those are my very favourite'. Today it was Claire. She was also kind enough to to take today's photos, on the museum deck. I like the reflections in the glass on the second one.

Day 18: Brownsville

I headed into corduroy land for a second day in a row, but this time in brown - a brown thin cord jacket and stripey thin cord skirt. I had to meet a truck at a dusty warehouse at 8am, so today I dressed very utilitarian. I'm not very fond of brown, but everyone tells me I look good in it.

It reminds me too much of the late 70s and to prove my love hate relationship with brown I found a photo of myself on my seventh birthday. My Mum made my beautiful brown velvet waistcoat and skirt with matching brown floral shirt. It went so nicely with my boots, the wood panelling, the kitchen cupboards, the carpet and Mum's tablecloths... no wait, the tablecloth was orange!

But seriously, I thought I was the bees knees in my snazzy outfit. I loved (still do) velvet and satin, any kind of texture actually. The song for today goes nicely with the era of the young Alison photo, Golden Brown by The Stranglers.

Day 18 - In praise of good sales

I know what you're thinking - that is a beautiful lawn. And you're right. It's all thanks to my housemate Steve's hard work and dedication with a lawn mower. He was also kind enough to take today's photo for me. Thanks Steve!

Today's frock is a 30s/70s inspired, purple silk Morrissey one I got (hugely discounted) years ago. Usually I believe things go on sale for a good reason. But this one is a winner. I can't imagine why everyone else passed it up. Except maybe because the neckline is way too low. But a pretty vintage slip - and my mother's old necklace - fixes that problem.

Day 17: Where's Wally?

As Libby mentioned in her post from Day 16, Frocktober is just over halfway and I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to putting on a pair of jeans. One of my 2010 New Years resolutions was to wear more skirts and dresses. I never set unrealistic resolutions, such as getting fit, that's just plain stupid. So in some ways Frocktober has helped me reach this goal. Lovely ladies such as Dita von Teese don't even own a pair of pants, so if Dita can do it, so can I.

Today's frock is more of a pinafore. This item started it's life as a skirt, then progressed into a pinafore. This is the first dress I have made from scratch. I was mildly concerned when I started making it as I thought it looked like either uniform from Prisoner or a dress a member of some strange religious cult might wear. I think this is mainly because it is made out of jumbo corduroy. Anyone who has visited my house might notice I have a 1950s style chair I reupholstered in the same fabric. I never sit in my chair when wearing this pinafore otherwise I disappear. It's my only magic trick.

I've added a bit of sparkle and teamed it with some grey tights and my stripey red and silver top that my friend Jo dubbed my Where's Wally top. I went lawn bowling with some friends and despite the wind, it turned out to be a beautiful day. Today's musical choice was obvious, I've selected one of my favourite acid jazz groups from the 90s Corduroy for my song for today!

Day 17 - Skyspace

We've finally returned to beautiful weather!! To celebrate I wore my leg bone leggings under one of my favourite frocks - a floaty Bracewell one I got second hand. Some people find these legging too grotesque, but I think of them as very cheerful. Mind you, I spent my first year at the museum happily ensconced in accessioning dead things in jars. So maybe my tastes are different to most.

Today was the last day of the Materiality print symposium at the NGA. I was lucky enough to bump into a friend on my way into James Turrell's Skyspace and got her to take my photo there. The light inside is just spectacular and he perfect antidote to the sad grey weather we've been having.

The most special part of the frock is the racer back, so I've taken another shot of that.

I'm going to leave you today with a picture of the pretty bunch of flowers I stole on this afternoon's walk. My friend Hannah and I agree - be it flowers, fruit or vegetables - if it's hanging over the fence it's ours.

Day 16: Half way to Movember

Well folks, Frocktober is half over already! It's another cold day in Canberra - so cold I had to bring out my hobo gloves that go right up to my elbows. Today's frock is a black silk wrap dress which actually looks pretty fantastic when it's not drowned in winter layers. But one of my winter layers is also fantastic - my vintage pink wool coat, which I had to have tailored to fit me. In a past life it was owned by a woman with a small waist and incredibly large (huge!) boobs. Sadly I only win on one of those counts so it's been greatly taken in up top.

But the piece de resistance of today's frock is the felt 'sushi' necklace, handmade for me by the lovely Adria Hu. She is without a doubt the most stylish woman I have ever met. And since I work with her I get to see her outfits almost every day.

After today's printmaking symposium sessions Alison and I went to the Tiwi Shima opening at Nomad Art Gallery in Manuka, where she kindly took these photos for me.

Now I'm home and warm and enjoying pizza and a Pizzini sangiovese selected by the lovely gentleman at the Providore in Manuka. He was right, it's delicious!

Day 16: black & white (part 2)

Canberra has had a mighty cold snap, but this is a good thing, as it means I can bring out my hats, scarves and gloves. I have a lot of black and white clothes, I guess black and white goes with everything. I got out my black and white brogues today, which I thought looked good with my circle skirt.

With all this rain and wind, the song that popped into my head this morning was The Camel by awesome NZ band Fat Freddy's Drop ...the sun is going to shine again, I know... plus with all this black and white how could I not think of these lovely Kiwi's?

Thanks to Amy and Drew for being artistic directors today, just after this photo was taken I fell off the wall. It was quite funny, if I do say so myself.

Day 15: part two - Print Big

Headed on down to the Kingston Foreshore to the Megalo launch at the Fitters Workshop next to the Canberra Glassworks. We met the lovely Michelle who is also frocking up for Frocktober. She looked gorgeous in her red bird dress and red and pink jacket. I had to ditch the kilt, I felt like an uber dag, plus kilts are heavy... all those pleats! Libby and I kinda coordinated in black and white.

Day 15: I wanna be an anarchist!

Well, not really, I don't think my kilt is short and red enough, nor does it have enough safety pins. Kilts remind me of high school just a little too much. Although back in the 80s the kilt I had to wear as part of my school uniform was maroon with a pale blue stripe. I wore my kilt today for my high school friend Dayle, so enjoy the tartan goodness. Apparently two workmates wore kilts yesterday... a boy and a girl.... oooooo eerrrrrrr! Can't wait to see the photo.

This is a Fletcher Jones kilt. I used to live behind the Fletcher Jones factory in Warrnambool in my uni days and I recall one night climbing the silver ball (sorry Mum and Dad....but hey, I'm still alive!). Most of my family come from South West Victoria and although my family name is quite Scottish, we are actually poor Irish immigrants. All the Scots with the same family name were politically savvy and ended up with a Canberra suburb named after them.
Thank you to Amy for gifting me this kilt, but I need a sporan for my keys and mobile phone. My song for today is fairly obvious from my post title, Anarchy In The UK. Maybe I'll make up a Frocktober playlist or soundtrack.... hmmmm.

Day 15: Materiality

I'm off to the first day of the Materiality printmaking symposium at the NGA today. It's a grey wet day in Canberra again so I've tried to brighten it up with some red lipstick and a gorgeous dress given to me by Emma, who's also doing frocktober. I call it my tablecoth dress because of the check print. It always makes me feel like I should be going on a picnic when I wear it. The shoes with it were another Etsy purchase. They are so comfortable and fun to wear. Definitely one of my favourites.

Day 14: Hawaii Five-O

Today's frock is another Hawaiian junk store find. I love the pattern of the fabric and the cut. In fact the only thing I don't love about it is undoing and doing up the 20 buttons to get in and out of it! It is very worn and tired and I have to mend it just about every time I wear it. Found another small tear in the back when I took it off this time round. Sometimes I think I should set it aside and 'save' it. But what would I be saving it for if not to wear it and enjoy it.
The necklace I'm wearing it with is a pair of 50s opera glasses, as shown in the photo above. I got them from Etsy and they are always good for a laugh. And of course for inspecting museum objects!

I had a great full length shot tken tody with Rachael and John, who also frocked up. But it'll have to wait till I find the right cord for the camera, to upload it. Sorry.

Day 14: black & white (part 1)

I actually hate having my photo taken and I much prefer being on the other side of the camera, so most times I ham it up for the camera to over compenstate. This is one of those times. Not to mention, all my work colleagues knocking on the window trying to put me off!

Thursday's frock is a Trent Nathan button through spotty number which I picked up in an op shop in Mittagong for $8. I could just imagine a Prue or Trudy with a grey bob and a jumper draped over their shoulder in this dress. I highly recommend going to op shop in wealthy areas, I have picked up some amazing shoes and home furnishings from op shops in Toorak and Hawthorn in Melbourne.

This frock is also the backdrop for my logo or header in my first (sadly neglected at the moment) blog fotofraulein. *Sigh* one day I'll have time to think a few creative thoughts again...

My song for today is The Golden Age by The Asteroids Galaxy Tour. It is the song SBS have been using to promote Madmen and it is stuck in my head. I have never heard of The Asteroids Galaxy Tour before, somehow I think they may have been in Eurovision!

Day 13 - Ride to Work Day, for real

Well Alison might have chickened out but I was still stupid enough to ride to work today. Canberra got over 30mm of rain in the last 24 hours - and I feel like I rode through most of it. Today's frock is another simple black one, jazzed up with a sparkly cardigan and one of my mum's old belts. You may notice it's also jazzed up with my steel cap boots. That's because today's original boots, along with my stockings and bag, were so wet from the ride I had to ditch them all and leave them drying in the office. Like so:

Classy. Hopefully they will be in better shape tomorrow. My dress finally dried out about lunchtime which was a great relief. Oh, and a big thank you to Claire for lending me a clean dry pair of socks. Life changing. I owe you.