Vive La France

Dress: Cast Couture

Jacket: Target

Boots: Boots for Broads

Belt: Jag

Earrings Tango & James

Ooh la la. I'm feeling so Frenchy, so chic today - I've decided what I'm wearing next Bastille Day when I trot over to Le Triskel for an "arrogantly French" breakfast at my favourite Melbourne Creperie.

I thought I'd have another stab at wearing this Cast Couture dress with a belt after seeing, er, British Tart I think, rocking hers on Fatshionista.

The secret to the belt is obviously to wear it high.

Tart-an

Top: Sussan

Skirt: Tartanista

Shoes: TUK

Oh dear. Impulse internet shopping and my own inability to read a tape measure strike again.

A month or so ago I got the hankering for a tartan skirt – I hunted high and low and found... well, lots. Mostly pencil skirts.

But I had a very specific skirt in mind. It was pleated. It was wrap. It was, well, basically a kilt.

It was also several inches longer than the one I ended up with.

Even wearing this as low as possible on my hips, this skirt still shows considerably more thigh than I'm really comfortable with. I'm going to make a trek into the hoisery department today to see if I can find some seriously heavy duty opaques, but even so I have a sneaking suspicion that this skirt is going to sit, unloved and unworn, in my wardrobe.

I saw this one at Crossroads earlier this week, and it's calling my name, going "Lilli.... Lilli.... buy me, and you won't have to show off your kneeeeeeeeesss...."

Flirty Skirty

Skirt: Portmans

Shirt: Victoria's Secret

Cardigan: Barkins

Neckerchief: ??? But I can show you the shop!

Shoes: Poetic License

It's been a while since I wore this skirt - love the ruffles at the back, but I just couldn't find a way to warm it up enough for a chilly winter day in Melbourne.

I quite like it worn with a blouse and a cardigan though (it looked heaps better in person).

I think it drew some appreciative attention from a pair of lads in the street - at least that's what I'm choosing to believe because it's balm for my sorry soul.

Do you like the Burberry-style neckerchief/bowtie? I was out and about shopping with the delectable Fiona and we both fell upon them with cries of delight. I bought one immediately, got it home, and stalled. How the hell does one wear a bowtie?

Lady in Red

Dress: Kamikaze

Belt: Portmans

Shoes: TUK

Whoa Mama! Isn't this red dress the bomb? I spotted it in the window while I was on my rounds, and just couldn't pass by without trying it on.

It's made out of a very figure friendly ponti-knit, and is fully lined. It's the most fabulous tomato red - practically the same red as my boots (though of course, you couldn't wear the two without looking like a Pillar Box.) It also came in black, but in the interest of Standing Out In People's Minds I thought I'd go with the scarlet. (I'm going to need all the help I can get when I can finally face the Dating Scene.)

The ladies at Kamikaze were wonderful. It's actually something that I've noticed over the years: The staff at Kamikaze stores are consistently friendly and helpful without being pushy.

I actually prefer the dress sans belt (it doesn't come with a belt) but with the heavy opaque stockings, it really needed something to break up the red. Come the warmer months I'm planning to wear this bare-legged with some fun shoes.

Moving Pictures

I feel a bit like I'm channeling Louise Brooks today in my black and my white, and my new haircut. It's a parallel that's been drawn more than once over the last few days.

So it seems like the haircut's a resounding success.

I don't want to get too sookie-la-la on you here, but I just wanted to give every single one of my readers a huge shout-out and a great big squeezy hug for all of your support.

Reading your comments every afternoon is the absolute highlight of my day - recently it's been one of the few things that has put a smile on my face.

So thankyou.

To everyone.

Top: Savannah @ Harris Scarfe

Trousers: Jacqui E

Shoes: Wittner

A Hairy Tale

Once upon a time there was a Prince and a Princess.

Some time ago the Prince had rescued the Princess when all other Princes had failed to see her, and they fell in love.

After a year the Prince asked the Princess to move in with him. She loved him, so she did. A year after that the Princess moved to another Kingdom and asked the Prince to join her. Her loved her, so he did.

At one point the Princess's Hairy Godmother gave her a fabulous haircut (the Princess feels like it's important that you know she beat Katie Holmes to the fabulous haircut) but the Prince didn't think much of it, and as his opinion was the most important she reluctantly grew it out.

The years passed.

Sometimes the Princess worried that her Happily Ever After (which, of course, entailed buying a Castle, having a Royal Wedding, and then babies) didn't seem to be getting any closer, but mostly she was happy to sit back and watch the world turn.

Then, nearly nine years after the Prince had met the Princess he had a startling revelation.

He was in the wrong Fairytale.

The Prince's Happily Ever After didn't have a Castle, a Royal Wedding or babies. His Fairytale Princess was the kind of woman who preferred slaying Dragons (and Zombies) to wandering the Palace Gardens or baking cakes in the kitchens. He didn't even like cake!

They decided to part.

The Princess was resigning herself to invisibility once again when it occurred to her: Just because she didn't belong with this particular Prince, didn't mean there wasn't another Prince out there. Maybe one who actually enjoyed troubadors and painters, and one who had time to sit down in the evenings and simply talk to her about everything and nothing, rather than rushing off to slay Dragons (and Zombies) into the wee small hours.

This Prince hadn't liked the Hairy Godmother's haircut, but maybe the next one would.

So she went back to her Hairy Godmother with a special request....

Top: Suzanne Grae

Waistcoat: Target

Skirt: Queen Clothing

Shoes: Joanne Mercer

Dusky

Top: Suzanne Grae

Cardigan: Marilyn Seyb

Jeans: Grace Hill @ Ezibuy

Shoes: Joanne Mercer

Oh dear.

I waited too long to take today's outfit shot, and now it's dusk and the flash went off, and no-one looks particularly good in flash lighting. I'm quite shiny. And not in the good Firefly-esque meaning of the word because I'm pretty far away from being that kind of shiny right at the moment.

Never mind - I've been wanting to show off this delicious cardigan for some time now - Himself's Mum bought it for me during her last visit, and I lurve it, but I'm having great difficulty figuring out how to wear it.

Any suggestions?