Bright and sunny.

Oh, winter. I catch the train to work and everyone is so dreary in their blacks and greys. I'm going to try bring a little sunshine to people's lives by dressing up in bright summer colours.  This will be my first real winter for five years, let's see how I can survive :-/

These photos were taken when the weather in Melbourne was slightly better than it is now... 

Dress designed and created by Franki.  Photography by Franki.

Eyelashes by Primark (with surprisingly NO infection considering how cheap they were).

Lady Petrova Winter 2010.

Lady Petrova is a Melbourne based fashion designer who brings a breath of elegant and feminine air to the city's boutique shopping area, Flinders Lane.
Her new winter collection, 'The Collector, is available now at her online store: http://ladypetrova.com.

 

LADY PETROVA: WEBSITE

Melbourne in the 1930s.

Speaking of the races, that reminds me of a purse that I bought the last time I was in Melbourne just earlier this year in January. I was on my favourite shopping strip, Brunswick Street in Fitzroy, browsing the vintage shop Hunter & Gatherer when I came across this small purse.

Inside was a ticket to the Flemington Race Course for the 3rd of November 1936.
You can only just imagine how excited that made me. My friend at the time (and several others I've told the story to) told me that it's more likely that the store staff just put the ticket in, that it doesn't necessarily mean the purse was used by a lady back in the 1930s. I don't listen to them though.
I'd rather believe that in 1936, the purse was filled with a powder brush, some pennies and mirror, clutched tightly by a well dressed lady in a bonnet with a small feather, hopping off the tram with her friends, excited to see her first horse race...
Or something like that:-)

So I scoured the interweb for photos of the people of Melbourne in the 1930s.
I saw bonnets and sequins and intricately detailed pieces. Fashion was a lot more complicated back then. 

I really admire the effort that women would have had to go through.

 Info and credits to these photos below:

Don Nicol - National Library of Australia

Miss Bridget O'Brien - Picture Queensland ~ State Library of Queensland : digital image collection

Mrs. Marcus (Marjorie) Barlow - State Library of Victoria

Cyril Ritchard with two unidentified female performers - National Library of Australia

Rosemin Melbourne.

This weekend, the city of Dubai is preparing itself for the World Cup horse race. I'm not attending this year - but if I was going, I would definitely be wearing a dress from Rosemin. This Melbourne-based fashion designer stocks items so wonderfully, ultra feminine.

Below are some pieces from their 2009 S/S collection. 

Check out their website, linked above, and read the statement of this brand whose "designs are statements of confidence, history worn in photos of happy memories and art waiting to be hung and fitted to the right person." Sounds pretty cool huh? It IS! The store stocks seriously unique dresses, perfect for any special occasion.

If anyone in Melbourne complains about not having anything to wear during the Spring Racing Carnival, they obviously haven't visited a Rosemin boutique yet. Now, if only they stocked over here in Dubai...

Loreal Melbourne Fashion Festival 2010.

I read in the Khaleej Times today that Melbourne Fashion Week has kicked off for 2010 and it made me feel a bit homesick! Just hearing about this huge event back home from a local newspaper made me sad! Melbourne is the fashion capital of Australia (I'm not just saying that because I'm from there, honest!), truly a city just bursting with creativity and individuality.

I love the contrast of florals with edgy jackets/shoes on the catwalk. Also, the tribal pieces in the Tina Kaliva collection are just stellar.

What do you think of the outfits above? These are some of my favourites from what I've seen so far.

PS - you can click on the pictures to enlarge!

Cotton candy.

All this talk of pastel hair colours made me get my pink wig out. I wish I had a longer one but they're so hard to find, especially here in Dubai (apart from the crappy plastic Halloween types). This one was purchased in Melbourne a few months ago. Bought it from this small wig shop opposite the Vic markets. It was pretty cheap, about 20 bucks only (and it's so soft, feels lovely through the fingers).

I could never permanently dye my hair one of these cotton candy colours, although I would love to. Maybe if i was naturally a blonde I would. With such dark hair I couldn't do such a drastic change. It does work though, the pink hair on someone with naturally dark hair.
See Lily Allen and Audrey Kitching.

And if you do the pink hair, you've got to go with the whole look, right?
Hello Kitty eyeshadow tattoo, courtesy of - not sure - google?
Electric lightning storm nail art, courtesy of Katy Perry.
And fairy bread, lots and lots of fairy bread, courtesy of fond memories from a childhood in Australia.

xoxo Melbourne.

Melbourne, my hometown, my first love.

Everytime I make the trip home (usually once or twice a year)... it stresses me. I love the city, I spent the first 20 years of my life in that city. I think that's why going back tires me out so much. Too many memories and things trying to hold me back.

This is why I like the current track I'm headed on.

On this particular sunny day in Melbourne (my last day there actually), I'm wearing  Kate Moss for Topshop print dress with a Jeanswest denim vest over it. I love the vest, I've been wearing it almost over everything since I got it! So nice to 'conservatise' the outfit, especially in places like Dubai. ;)