Feathered fashion find

WHEN I saw the black feather-trimmed accessories sitting on the table of a Bondi market stall, I couldn't grab them fast enough.

Surprised they were still there - even though I would have been there bright and early-ish, while stallholders were still setting up.

But the early 2000s were still surprisingly free of the vintage clothing buzz and mania that followed and still holds, particularly Australian designers of the 1970s and '80s - during these years I also stumbled upon a fabulously sexy late '70s watermelon jersey drape mini dress by Merivale. I rarely see the label...ever. 

I digress. 

I don't recall how much I paid for the unusual accessories, but it's taken me til now to delve further into the label.

For wrists or ankles? I'm unsure, but the laces will accommodate both,
while the belt/skirt/peplum is only small enough for a waist.  I love the little utility zip pocket.

Jacques Tchong, of Sydney, was not a label known to me, despite fashion, naturally, being the world I inhabited during my six years there.
As it turns out Jacques was an important designer who was an instrumental part of an emerging subculture.

During the 1980s in Sydney's inner-east, a series of more than 35 parties organised by the Recreational Arts Team (RAT) formed a key element of an emerging subculture. The core of the self-styled Recreational Arts Team was Jac Vidgen, Billy Yip and Reno Dal. Vidgen, an energetic party-thrower who had come to Sydney from Brisbane, became the de facto promoter and organiser of these so-called RAT parties.

A photo of Mazz Image, Jacques Tchong and Gemma at RATmania.
I'd guess it was most likely snapped by famed Sydney social and fashion scene photographers
 Robert Rosen or William Yang.

And it seems I am not alone in wanting to recognise this mysterious designer...

Red on Grey

HOW many vintage furniture shops can one city (and its surrounding suburbs) sustain?

Well, if you are after a piece of mid-century furniture, then your choices are extensive.

Red rider vintage living, on St Kilda's Grey St, specialises in the best of the 1950s, '60s and '70s.

Clean-lined Danish sofas appear to be a specialty, as does Australian furniture labels Fler and Parker. 

The owner/proprietor was lovely and helpful.

Outside the shop. 

Grey St with a Danish and Australian foreground.

Lovely ceramics and glassware decorate mid-century wall units.

This gorgeous wallpaper was in the shop.
Four almost complete rolls of original '70s flamboyance.
We thought about the purchase over lunch, but the pink, blue, yellow and brown paisley floral pattern went 'round and 'round in my mind.
It came home with us.

Fad to Grey

ONCE upon a time, St Kilda's Grey St was a thoroughfare of disrepute.

Replete with prostitutes, their pimps, the men who sought their services, and a range of drug-chasing types, it wasn't the kind of neighbourhood one would choose to frequent for anything beyond a thrill.

But that was then.

Now, the street boasts exclusive apartments (with equally exclusive price tags), a hipster handmade bike shop, cafes, and the ubiquitous interiors shops.

Early adopters came and went (aside from the bitch is back, she still stands proud on the corners of Barkly, Inkerman and Grey), but the most recent tenants actually look pretty well rusted on.

Among them is Scout House, which does a nice line in eclectic loveliness.

Small and inexpensive pieces - soap, candles, stationery and the like - sidle up to attractive cushions, handsome chairs, lamps, beautiful posters and more.  

By night, Grey St's old inhabitants still aren't too far away, but by day, it's a hipsters paradise.

Nice layout. Scout House is an inviting space.

 

What was once a former house, Scout House makes the best of its "home" looks to decorate with an "in situ" style. 

Vintage pieces and new at Scout House.

Educational posters, a globe and colourful cushions lead into the back room at Scout House.

History tripping

Every weekend garage sales, auctions or markets call.

Like alluring sirens, it's hard to resist their beckoning. 

Often we buy something, sometimes we buy a lot of things, other times I just whip the camera out and capture the accessories of a time gone by.

My mum used to wear Tweed. This laminex table top it was photographed on, seems entirely appropriate. 

The Monaro belongs to the Mr.
Farmers was a supermarket/department store in the town I grew up in.
It's since gone, and seeing a paper bag with the all-familair logo was a lovely nostalgic trip, the bag, along with this gorgeous pair of lurex pumps were among the detritus of a recent deceased estate auction.
We ended up as the new owners of an almost complete - and extensive - collection of classical and operatic vinyl of a Mr Jack Atkinson.
We also now own his charming tie collection.
My mum remembers him.
He used to tote a Gladstone bag and walked at quite a clip.
The Gladstone bag was in the auction.

Mr Atkinson's tie collection. Beautiful. 

Ombre, ombre, yeehaa!

I love ombre and I love statement neckpieces.
These one-off, vintage handmade neckpieces are made from stained wooden "spikes" and arranged in a colour-graduated fashion.
Leave a comment or email me if you would like to make a purchase.

Sorry, I am SOLD

Curved wooden spikes (between 5cm-8cm), rescued
from a vintage necklace are now fierce ombre beauties. 

Peacock-feather blues, greens and purples make up this  neckpiece.
Plastic discs connect the necklace to a stainless lobster clasp at the back. 

Showing off the loot

Seek and ye shall find, that's my picking mantra.
And the most recent looking has unearther some particularly worthy loot.

Finally, the disco ball arrives. I've wanted one for some time - god knows why, but they are the kind of thing that turn up on streets, in rubbish, and in skip bins, and typically, this one (with the motor etc still attached), was rescued from the tip. It was thrown in together with a heap of stuff from the Top of the Town hotel, in Burnie (oh, what has the disco ball been privy to over the years?).  The council workers didn't even bat an eyelid when we asked them to pass it to us, after we spotted it in the land fill about to be smashed up. The Panthers plaque was a recent score, as was the retro dartboard, while the white glass and metal light fixture is pure mid-century gold.

Getting to the garagies a little earlier paid off with a good vinyl loot to take home. "$1 you say?" "Why yes, I will take all of these fine, rare pieces of musical history, thank you."

Kookaburra outside my house is looking retro, new Tony Bianco shoes on old leopard, and a remarkably beautiful full moon.

Mine, mine, all mine!

Well, here we are. A look in my wardrobe and beyond. You've asked, I've delivered. Finally.

Enjoy...

Colour-coded wardrobe. Yes, seriously. There's not much in there that was made after the mid 1970s. 

I have a signature fragrance, until it runs out, then I move onto another one.  My current choice, and the perfume I wore to my wedding, Tom Ford's White Patchouli (What about that bottle!  Hello 1970!). Behind that, its most recent predecessor, Aqua Di Parma Iris Nobile. And behind them both: a nearly empty bottle of Madame Rochas.

No, Converse do not need a shoe box, but the others do! I keep the boxes and use the photos for a few reasons: They are well protected and therefore last longer and look better, they  store neatly, and they are easy to find. Nerd!

Old meets new: a double-breasted tuxedo jacket from Zara and a vintage cotton lace and duchess satin frock.

Some of my jewellery. I make it. I buy it. I collect it. I covet it. Ugh. It's taking over.

Meet the Mrs!

So, I got married on May 5. Oh my God, who'da thought it!?  We had a fabulous day and night and it all came together just beautifully in a short amount of time. My dress was made in less than two weeks, by the fabulous Sharon Symons at Studio White. It was my own design and I found the perfect pale pink cotton guipure lace at Tessuti in Melbourne. I wore vintage '60s heels which I bought in the early 2000s from either the Bondi Market or the Surry Hills market in Sydney. They were perfect for the late-'60s style dress.  Tony designed my ring and it was made at Joyce Jewellers (how lovely is the Art Deco label inside their ring boxes?) and I had Tony's ring made in Varanasi  (I dipped it in the Ganga for a special Indian blessing). 

Tony (that'd be him picking me up in the photos below at our reception) is the most incredible man and needless to say I'm the luckiest girl in the world. 

I bought my bouquet 10 minutes before my
hair appointment. The fragrant roses were
perfect. Simple, classic, elegant and
 a little bit old-school - just what
we wanted for our wedding.

Woollongabba gabba hey!

Mid-century modern retailers are the order of the day at Woollongabba. The city-fringe suburb is also home to the 'Gabba and the Brisbane Lions, but we went for the antique shops. The Woollongabba Antique Centre is the pick of the retailers, with a large array of shopkeepers with consignment spaces. Among the best on show were Danish sideboards,vintage lighting, kitsch naked lady art prints, '50s and '60s glassware, a lovely smattering of industria and plenty of vintage frocks, hats, bags and accessories. The fashion was steep, with most dresses in the $100-$200 bracket. Amazingly, I grabbed a great '70s jade polyester disco-stylised kaftan with silver glittery ric-rac detail for a mere $29.

Dudley do good

Annerley is only a few kms from Brisbane CBD and the main street has a lovely little smattering of antique shops and op shops.
But the highlight is Dudley St Espresso & Collectables, which not only has a beautifully curated selection of industria, art and mid-century vintage pieces, it also has great food and coffee.
Admittedly, it was a little like walking into my own home (the proprietors have great taste, obviously!), and while I could have quite happily bought half the shop, we only walked out with a lovely industrial clock. It needs a little love and attention, but, fingers crossed, it will be back to working order soon.