Frocks & Frou Frou

Top: Dorothy Perkins

Cardigan: Ice Knitwear

Skirt: Manque

Boots: Duo

Here's how lazy I am: I live over the river from the Sophisticate (it's about a seven minute walk) and sometimes I'll stay over at his place, especially on weekends, because it's in the city and there's something really delicious about waking up to the sound of general hubbub under your window going out onto the balcony and thinking "I'm standing in the middle of the city and I'M IN MY PYJAMAS" (at least until someone looks up and spots you and you have to scurry back inside).

This weekend both my visiting Queensland friend and I ended up staying with The Sophisticate, and instead of going home (a fifteen minute round trip) to get a change of clothes... I bought one.

The cardigan was super cheap (two for $30) from one of those el cheapo clothes shops where nothing seems to fit over my generous bosoms but I loved the anchor print and figured I could wear it unbuttoned anyway. The skirt (by local Melbourne label Manque) was an impulse buy bought from Cat's Meow. Manque is a label that has previously escaped my notice, but in an odd little coincidence when I got home from my impromptu shopping trip I had an email from reader Sassydrcil suggesting I check them out. I didn't realise it was the same label until I saw it on the website she linked me to - it's called the Librarian.

The top? It's actually the too-short Dorothy Perkins "dress" that I never got around to remixing, but had been wearing as a nightie. 

Meanwhile, in other news - My Hairy Godmother's going on maternity leave in a matter of weeks, and since I couldn't see past me fringe I thought it wouldn't kill me to get a quick fringe trim at the local hairdressers.

TOO SHORT! You can see my eyebrows for the first time in a year! In the hairdresser's defence, I'd been wearing a cloche hat for most of the day and my hair was flattened when she trimmed, but now it's bounced back, and the result's more Bettie Page than Louise Brooks.

I've decided I have two choices... embrace the shorter length (for at least the amount of time it takes to grow back) or walk around like this for another month:

Wandering past today (on the hunt for non-trashy looking Maneke Nekos) I spotted another very cute looking piece in their window:

I have to say - this has been one of my favourite seasons from City Chic in a long while!

Top: Dorothy Perkins

Jacket: Sussan

Jeans: Sussan

Boots: Duo Boots

Hello, old friend - I kind of forgot I owned you, but then I was going through the top shelf of my closet, and there you were, ready to be rediscovered! Sorry I've been so neglectful, you're an awesome jacket, really. I think I got a bit insecure about trapeze jackets after reading one of those fashion do's and don'ts lists for Ladies With Larger Busts, but really I should have known better. The only "fashion don't" I believe in is "Don't listen to fashion do's and don'ts". Seriously.

Top: Dorothy Perkins

Dress: 8Inkerman

Leggings: Ambra

Shoes: Zensu

Belt: Dorothy Perkins

I know I promised on Twitter to reveal my brand-new Sohomode dress, which I love so much I might just have to marry it. But on a whim The Sophisticate, one of his best buddies and myself have decided to take the weekend off and stay in the country.

In anticipation of spending the next few days curled up in front of the fireplace with both knitting and marshmallows within arms-reach (and also in the interest of not freezing to death) I've donned my most snuggly cashmere sweater dress. Layers upon layers are the way to go.

Hope everyone's enjoying their weekend.

Cardigan: Dorothy Perkins

Long-Sleeved t-shirt: Giordano

Skirt: City Chic

Leggings: Ambra

Shoes: Naturaliser

I'm loving patterned cardigans at the moment, and this one - navy, with polkadots! - was crying out my name as soon as I spotted it on the Dorothy Perkins website. As usual for DP knitwear it's a bit thin, but the style's great.

This winter's the first time I've really toyed with navy and black together - I'd always thought it was one of those unspoken rules (like "blue and green shall never be seen, except with something inbetween") but since I'm a big one for breaking ridiculous fashion "rules" anyway....

Boden used to be the best bet for patterned cardigans, but other retailers are starting to catch on. Try Dorothy Perkins, Giordano, and definitely Friends of Couture - the number one cardigan on my lust-list is from FoC, and is called Magic at Midnight. Yes. Yes it is.

Jeans: Sussan

Striped Top: Dorothy Perkins

Cardigan: Barkins

Shoes: Wittner

Brooches: Catrabbit & Button Tree

Bangle: Phillipa

So I finally managed to find a pair of narrow leg black trousers that I liked, and astonishingly, they're actually jeans.

I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with black jeans. Especially narrow leg black jeans. Alongside a sulky demeanour and too much hair product it's generally recognised as being an Emo wardrobe staple and since I battle against Emo tendencies on darker days anyway I've always tried to steer away from resembling one as I, at 31, am well past their usually mid-to-late-teens prime.

Still, a couple of the groovy gals in my bookclub also embrace the dark denim look and look fantastic doing it, so I'm being a copycat and trying my hand at it too.

I figure coupled with a cardigan, a couple of brooches and a grin I'm bucking the Emo trend and joining them in reclaiming the narrow-leg black denim jeans for those who deserve it the most.

Dress: Dorothy Perkins

Shoes: Diana Ferrari

Belt: Jag

Striped Top: Giordano

Puff-Sleeve Top: Dorothy Perkins

Jeans: Piper @ Myer

Boots: Duo Boots

Continuing on the cool-weather theme it occurred to me that now might be a good time to talk about that most covetable item... the wide calf boot.

I have big calves. Big, strong, wide, calves.

For years I tried and failed to find leather boots that would zip up over my big, strong, wide calves. It was horrible and demoralising and embarrassing and I hated every second of it, but the ephemeral dream of knee-high boots drove me on.

Every autumn I could be found in shoe shops around Melbourne trying to judge with the span of my fingers whether these, these boots stood a chance of zipping up before daring to ask the sales assistants for my size.

Inevitably they wouldn't, and each time I would be subjected to the same mortifying pantomime as the staff member would struggle with the zip trying to assure me that the boots would stretch, while I red-faced tried to tell them that no, they wouldn't.

Well, thankfully, those days are no more, and thanks to the magic of teh interwebs I have not one, but six pairs of knee high boots!

I thought I'd give everyone a bit of a run-down, pair by pair, of the boots that I have in my wardrobe, starting with my first ever pair of wide-calf boots: The Duo Madrid's:

Duo Boots are a great UK based company that fit boots not just by shoe size, but by calf width too. Such a simple idea, but such a brilliant one!

I've got two pairs of Duo Boots at the moment (you'll see the second pair later this week), but I've bought and retired another three pairs so I've had a fair bit of experience with the brand.

All of the boots at Duo are 100% leather, and personally I've found the quality very good, though I've read a few reviews online from the occasional buyer who hasn't had as positive experiences as I have.

The customer service is excellent, and you should definitely take advantage of it because the sizes and widths can fluctuate between styles somewhat.

International shipping isn't cheap - £20 per pair - but it is extremely fast. I'm on the opposite side of the world and I've never had to wait longer than a week from shipping for my purchases.

One of the best things about Duo Boots is the range that's available: They have different heel heights, different toe shapes, different leather styles and colours so you're not limited to a basic all-purpose style.

Top: Dorothy Perkins

Long Sleeved Top: Giordano

Skirt: Tartanista

Stockings: Ambra

Shoes: Zu

At the start of winter, I love winter. I really, really do. Stockings, sweaters, boots, gloves, coats, hats... it's all good.

By the end of winter I'm ready to wave it goodbye and don my floral dresses and flirty skirts again, but at this time of the year I fall upon cool-weather clothes like a starving person.

Last winter was my season of Boots-Over-Jeans, but this year's shaping up to be more about skirts and stockings and over-the-knee socks.

Antipodean readers? What are you looking forward to wearing now that the weather has started to turn?

Top: Dorothy Perkins

Trousers: Jacqui E

Shoes: Wittner

Bow Brooch: Sportsgirl

Just a really short one tonight, because it's The Sophisticate's birthday and I don't want to be antisocial.

It was really cold in Melbourne today - after a record 123 days of over 20 degree days - and I was freezing in this new stripy top from Dorothy Perkins. I actually bought it for layering, but foolishly thought I'd be warm enough without a second layer today (I was wrong!)

I'm actually on the hunt for a good looking pair of narrow-leg black pants, because these bootleg trousers are feeling a bit voluminous. Stay tuned...

Long sleeved top: Suzanne Grae

Short sleeved top: Dorothy Perkins

Skirt: Sussan

Socks: Sock Dreams

Shoes: Zu

You know, I've never been much of a sock girl. In fact, I don't think I've worn socks - as part of an outfit, as opposed to something to keep my feet from slipping about inside my shoes or boots - more than one or twice on Frocks & Frou Frou.

Of course, that was before I was introduced to Sock Dreams.

See, I've always had the same problem with knee high socks that I've had with knee high boots: My calves just didn't seem to possess the right dimensions to fit in them comfortably.

Well, delightfully, the folks at Sock Dreams (bless their little cotton socks) give the maximum stretch measurements for almost every pair of socks on their website, and they even have a "plus sized" category under the search banner so that you don't have to search through every pair you've got your eye on before you find a few that'll work for you.

I bought several pairs of socks that you'll see over the next week or so - including some over the knee socks - and they all fit exactly the way they were supposed to!

Top: Dorothy Perkins - Remixed

Pants: Crossroads

Shoes: Zensu

So I had a very heads-down-bums-up week that culminated in the world's laziest Sunday. Huzzah!

It's come to that part of the year - at the turning of the season - when I'm utterly sick of everything in my collection and hankering for a change in both temperature and wardrobe. I want to get back into my woolies and my boots. I splurged on some new over-the-knee socks and now I feel like I want some new frocks and skirts to wear them with.

But the weather forecast's refusing to play ball, so I'm having to content myself with new shoes and the promise of a much-needed haircut.

Still, I have a list as long as my arm of Things What I Want On Etsy, and I'm in desperate need of a nice going-out dress (honestly, truly, I haven't got a single frock suitable for a wedding or a really fancy restaurant) so I might put up a survey some time this week and let you - my gorgeous, super fashionable readers - make the decision a bit easier.

Dress: Dorothy Perkins

Shoes: Zu Shoes

Headband: Mimco

I love Dorothy Perkins, but why oh why are their dresses always so bloody short? Also, I suspect their fit model is a bit of a freak, because things never seem to fit quite correctly (unless I'm the freak, I suppose...).

This dress for instance - it's non-stretch so I sized up, rationalising that with the tie back it would be better to get a larger size and tie it tighter than a smaller one and have it not fit. When it arrived it was extraordinarily voluminous around the shoulders and arms, slightly less voluminous around the waist and about what I expected around the hips. Which would be great if I were an inverted triangle, but I'm not so I had to do a bit of dress surgery to bring the sides in by inches.

Nothing can help the short hem though, so my knees (not my favourite part of my body) are on full display.

I do love it though... Spots! Stripes! Lace! What part of that is not screaming my name?

Top: Dorothy Perkins Remixed

Skirt: Sussan

Belt: Cotton On

Boots: Boots For Broads

A very special first Frugal February remix for Valentine's Day!

I was going to retire this puff sleeve Dorothy Perkins top (on the basis that I had several black & white striped tops already, and this one was overkill) but I thought better of it, and realised that I could jazz it up a bit with a simple heart applique.

So, here's your step-by-step instructions. Obviously, if you weren't as tra-la-la about hearts as I was, it would work every bit as nicely with an applique of a bow, say. Or a flower. Or, you know, a tomato - whatever you're into.

Step One: Choose a t-shirt & some fabric to use as an applique

I also had a lot more fabric than I needed, so I cut out a thin heart, and a plump heart just for the sake of it.
Step Three: Pin the shapes onto your fabric & cut out your applique.

Step Four: Choose your shape and positioning. It's usually a good idea to do this by pinning the applique to the top and putting it on, since boobs seem to change everything about how an item looks on the body.

Step Six: Sew the applique to the top

Step Seven: if desired, tidy up the edges with a satin stitch
Step Eight: Enjoy!