Lavender & Twill : outfit

Showing posts with label outfit. Show all posts

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

༺ Is That Dior? ༻

Courtyard of the National Sound & Film Archive | Lavender & Twill Inspired by Dior New Look | Lavender & Twill

Of course, when one galivants off to view daring ensembles and darling frocks, one also has to pull out a fabulous ensemble to suit the occasion…

For my visit to The Dressmaker costume exhibition I tried tor a Dior New Look inspired outfit ~ I feel like it really is the silhouette and style to go for if you ever want to look instantly glamourous and Parisian chic ~ as you see in the movie with all those jaw-dropping ensembles.

I think it worked out to some degree. I do wish I had a cream or white Lilli Ann or Suzy Perette suit jacket to really finalize the silhouette properly. However, the biggest niggle for me was that I must of packed my glove collection away in storage because I cannot find hide nor hair of them, and that meant I had to wear navy gloves with my black accessories and it was the worst. The WORST I tell you!

Except for the fact that my pin curls wouldn’t brush out properly ~ and I was stuck in the 80’s…

So Fluff. Much Pooff.

And that was the WORST ~ the absolute WORST I tell you!

#vintagegirlproblems anyone?

Haha!

I think the best thing about this outfit is that some of the pieces I’ve had since my very first thrift shop for vintage style pieces, and some of them literally arrived in the mail that week…

Believe it or not, the Mary Jane heels predate my vintage style. I’ve had them since 2007 when I first started a full time job. They caught my eye when I was looking for work shoes and I’m glad they did as they are my favourite pair of black shoes with the dainty heel and strap.

My black top I’ve had since 2010 ~ I think? I’m pretty sure I found it the very first time I ever went “shopping” for vintage at the op shops, and it’s stayed with me ever since. Even though I don’t wear black all that often, it’s such a classic, timeless piece that it’s survived many culls that most of my older wardrobe hasn’t. Miraculously it even fits through all the weight gain with my thyroid disease!

The next oldest piece is my faux fur jacket which I bought in 2012 at the Frock It Up Vintage fair and it’s been a heavy staple in my wardrobe every winter. You can dress it up, dress it down ~ I often throw it on with jeans and a plain top, and it’s just been such a fabulous buy.

The handbag was gifted to me from a friend who thought of me when his mother was passing on some handbags. It’s an 80’s piece, but I loved the classic vibe it has and thought it fit so well with this look.

The velvet platter chapeau from 2015 is somewhat faded and misshapen as it’s that dusty brown rather than a true black at some angles, but I really love it because I feel like this hat was worn and loved during it’s lifetime. I’m just continuing the trend of doting on it as it’s a charming, not-too-out-there-but-still-a-statement-piece style. I actually have no clue what era it’s from, but my best guess would be the 1940’s.

I’m wearing my one and only piece of Miriam Haskell jewellery ~ and if you get into vintage jewellery collection, that’s name you will see a lot. She was a very prolific designer, and her pieces are much sort after for statement jewellery. This feather brooch is one of her more demure designs, but it suits my style so well, I’m glad it joined my collection in 2018.

The pleated skirt ~ well, you might have guessed by the long run down that it’s the piece that arrived that week in the mail! An incredibly lucky eBay find that was way prettier in person than I was expecting, this one made me gasp when I opened the parcel.

It’s so long and full, and swishes so beautifully. I was absolutely chuffed to find out that I could fit my biggest, flouffiest cupcake petticoat under there ~ my Doris petticoat in peach. I haven’t worn such a copious amount of pouf in way too long, and let me tell you ~ I was grinning from ear to ear as I spun around in the kitchen showing my mister how epic the fluff was!

Almost a full decade {!!} of collecting vintage and this is the perfect outfit to really showcase the beauty of classic, timeless fashion. All the pieces fit together no matter how far apart I’ve collected them, and in a way, it’s completely ageless. It’s so cool, and a wee bit surreal to think that I’ve been wearing vintage for almost ten years, but at the same time, I’m so happy.

This is so me, even after all this time.

xox,

bonita

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Saturday, July 20, 2019

༺ In the Courtyard ༻

One of the prettiest places that I really enjoyed visiting in Chiang Mai was Nimman One. A group of buildings in Nimman {the district} just outside of the Old City that are arranged around the loveliest courtyard.

I fell in love with this place the moment I laid eyes on it, and instantly knew it had to be featured on the blog!

Of course, it’s difficult to fully portray the beauty of the architecture and surroundings ~ there are lovely tall green trees in the courtyard, and outside of the building ~ and it’s a very popular place. Lots of people walking through to visit the tiny shops tucked away in the walls, my favourite of these being the Monsoon Tea Shop which stock local teas made up into a huge range of delicious blends and flavours.

While we were there, another group was also taking photos ~ but they had set up a mannequin and were taking stock photos. Which was certainly easier than trying to figure out the timing for taking some of the pictures we did!

At night time the whole area is just as gorgeous, as the lanterns light up the clock tower, and the fairy lights that are strung all over the courtyard in the shape of a marque make the cobblestones glow.

Story time though, ‘coz the unexpected can still happen in the prettiest of surrounds!

…So to start at the beginning: I’m wearing a stunning true vintage dress in these pictures, and I just love it. It’s homemade I think ~ no label, and the waist is sewn shut with no opening or fastening so it’s a bit impossible to put on. It’s one of those “wiggle gingerly and smoosh through one boob at a time” kind of dresses ~ and if you’ve ever had one of those you’ll know exactly what I mean!

And all is going fine and dandy with the shoot, I’m so happy with how the whole ensemble looks in this location ~ but of course, it’s tropical heat so I’m “glowing” in no time at all.

And unbeknownst to me, this had caused my dress to stick horribly!

Most of the way through the shoot, and I do is put down my handbag… Then I hear that dreaded ripping sound that is every vintage wearer’s nightmare. Uh-oh…!

Of course, I can’t actually see where the rip is located at first, but that won’t be a problem for long because the more I’m moving around, the more ripping I hear ~ *le GASP*

Obviously, I’m doing my best to minimise my motion, I’m keeping my arms glued down, so I really didn’t think it was that bad until I tried to adjust my hair, and not one, but BOTH armpits had blown out significantly ~ yes, you could totally see almost all of the side of my long line bra through the holes! *cringe*

So now I’m tucking in fluttering shreds of fabric, smiling for photos and trying to make sure no one sees my bra, because OF COURSE everyone’s looking at the strange lady dancing around in the middle of the courtyard.

Thankfully, we finished the photoshoot and walked back to the closest shopping mall, which is Maya. On the way I noticed that there was a tiny clothing stall selling dresses and I stopped immediately to pick up an emergency dress.

It was only when I got changed in the bathroom at Maya that the full extent of the damage was revealed ~ unfortunately it was the worst I’ve ever seen happen in a vintage dress. On one side it was the fabric right next to the underarm seam that had popped, which is perfectly fixable, but on the other side, underneath the sleeve had shredded, and this giant tear went straight across to the apex of the bust, and down the side of the bodice. Somehow that tear had decimated the sleeve completely.

So there went my hope of an easy fix, but there’s enough fabric left in the sleeves to mend the bodice, so thankfully I can repurpose the sleeves for that. Then I’m going to purchase some black velvet and make replacement cap sleeves for the dress. And I’m also going to fix the waist and create some sort of waist opening because it’s just a pain to put on. But now I know why such a stunning dress was priced so cheaply… Haha!

So all’s well that probably ends well, and I’ll almost have a different dress to wear out of the whole ordeal.

But gosh! I've never had a vintage dress {or any other kind of vintage} disintegrate so completely while I’m wearing it, and I really hope it never happens again. I should say that it doesn’t deter me from wearing vintage in any way whatsoever, because even while my dress was literally falling apart on my back, I still felt so elegant in this frock. I loved the way it moved, and the pleated skirt was so swishy. Plus, that little black velvet touch at the lapel really adds that extra detail that I do so adore. So while I might have had the worst experience vintage has to offer with this dress, I also had the best experience at the same time ~ and I love it!

Of course, now I want to hear what’s your worst {or best} experience with wearing vintage. Do you have any fun stories? Let us know if you do, I’m keen to hear them!

xox,
bonita

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Monday, April 29, 2019

༺ Pearl of Asia ༻

We were so lucky this April to spend four days in Phom Penh, Cambodia. We had six days away in total ~ one travel day on either side of the trip, which worked out to be quite a good amount of time for a short tour of the city.

I’m really glad we got to visit Cambodia ~ they have called Phnom Penh the “Pearl of Asia” and I can understand why.

There are so many fantastic historical sights to see ~ and I thoroughly enjoyed the chance I had to spend the afternoon out in the city exploring. {I did that by myself while the children went with the Mister to a waterpark ~ much more fun for them than sightseeing!}

I can’t express enough how beautiful I found the historical, heavily French-inspired architecture throughout Phnom Penh. I love how the French influence has mixed with the local history and culture to create a singularly spectacular city. I really enjoyed visiting the National Museum of Cambodia, and the Royal Palace. The Silver Pagoda was spectacular, and there was a plethora of inspiring colour palettes and patterns that I just soaked up… And took a gazillion photos of!

I think the nicest thing about solo adventuring is the ability to go completely at your own pace and see all the things you really want to see. I’m perfectly horrible as a traveling companion because I want to see EVERY SINGLE LITTLE thing and take photos of IT ALL. I’ve been told on many occasion to hurry up, but that doesn’t work on me anymore as I now know if I don’t get the photo when I see it, I won’t have another chance and then I’ll regret it later! I’m such a visual person, I simply must capture the pictures I find ~ it’s kind of like treasure hunting to me and I love it.

Although I really do enjoy exploring by myself for a day or an afternoon, one thing I have to say is that it’s certainly not great for getting photos of yourself in all the exotic locations! Haha… I’m going to have to invest in a tiny travel tripod for my phone I think…

Alas, it also means that I didn’t get to take the outfit pictures in the city like I was planning. I did manage to get some photos at the housing complex where we were staying so I was glad about that. Not exactly a jaw-dropping location, but it was peaceful, and even the simpler example of a Cambodia building was pretty to me.

The day of these photos was the first one of our trip, and we had gone out earlier on a boat tour of the Tonlé Sap River. Honestly ~ I was sooo impressed that my makeup {and my curls} managed to last all day in the humidity and heat!

Thailand has been so dry, I forgot how humid tropical weather can get, but boy, oh boy ~ Cambodia was a very moist reminder.

I had a very easy time packing for this short jaunt and after I looked at everything in my suitcase, I realised why ~ I’d packed four pink outfits to wear for all four days!

And you know what?

I wasn’t the slightest bit unhappy about that. It made accessorizing easy, my makeup could be a similar peachy-pink look every day, I could wear one pair of shoes {instead of bringing the three or so odd pairs I usually do.. Haha!} and that one pair would match my purse!

Now that might sound a little crazy, but I really do like making sure my looks are complete from head to toe. I miss dressing in true vintage style which really is about co-ordinating each and every part of your ensemble ~ from the undergarments to accessories.

In the spirit of vintage fashion, I try to style each part of my look along the same rules that dictated a chic and elegant ensemble in the 1940s and 1950s ~ and essentially make sure that my co-ordination is on point!

And actually, I had some locals enquiring about my look ~ they thought I was a stylist because my whole outfit was matching so perfectly. It was sort of true, but not really in the way they were thinking… I’m a stylist for myself! Haha!

Creating a capsule travel wardrobe based around my favourite colour certainly made the whole process of packing very simple, and it also meant that each outfit made me feel really happy to wear it. It’s not really something I’d thought of before ~ most people suggest building a capsule wardrobe/suitcase around a “basic” colour such as black, white, blue or tan.

But I think that if you have enough of your favourite colour in your wardrobe, all of the right accessories are probably already there. It’s also going to be a colour, and the clothing, that you feel comfortable in which will create the perfect mood for a day exploring.

Now I just need to find enough purple dresses to create a capsule wardrobe in lilac!

xox,

bonita

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Wednesday, February 20, 2019

༺ Manor of the Setting Sun ༻

Vintage style for a Bernie Dexter dress | Lavender & Twill Vintage style in tropical Thailand | Lavender & Twill Tropical fields and misty mountains in Chiang Mai, Thailand | Lavender & Twill

Oh hai, hey, hello… Yes, of course I like to dress like Scandinavian princess escaping from imminent beheading with her jewel box and her life by hiding out as a goose girl or a pony herder… Why ever do you ask?

…I even found some ponies to go along with my disguise…!

Haha ~ not really. Thai ponies are quite skittish, and these ones wanted nothing to do with the strange lady tottering around in high heels all over their paddocks. I really can’t imagine why!

I did convince one of them to come over to me and say hello, which was the highlight of this photo shoot as far as I am concerned. Nothing makes me happier than spending time with horses, but sadly I didn’t have any convenient carrots in my pockets. I was woefully underprepared for life in hiding as a peasant. Haha!

All the dress up and story telling aside, I really did enjoy this ensemble. I wore it when the Mister and I had our Valentine’s Day date to see How to Train Your Dragon 3: The Hidden World, and I’d totally wear it again anytime I wanted an evening outfit or something a little fancy.

I do love wearing Bernie Dexter dresses ~ there’s something special in the way each one is designed, and the Amy Manor dress is no exception. It’s an older style, as it has been around for couple of years now, but it’s been at the top of my wish list for all of that time.

The delicate pink roses harmonize beautifully with the Renaissance inspired border print, and the puff sleeves combined with the corset waist creates an extremely flattering silhouette. The skirt has a fabulous amount pouf and holds its shape well without a petticoat, and add the fact that it has pockets ~ there couldn’t really be much more of a perfect frock in my eyes.

I styled it with a silk pashmina I picked up in Chiang Mai, and a lovely vintage box handbag that I found on eBay. The handbag isn’t labelled and I have no idea what era it’s from, but the lucite handle is lovely, and I do think you can’t get much more fun than a whole bunch of daisies and poppies on top of your purse!

The last element to this look was the petal pink ribbon with a vintage rhinestone dress clip as a choker ~ I adore these 1950s dress clips but I really, really love choker necklaces. I’m obsessed with how romantic they look, it’s forever a mood.

Of course, the reality of shooting in the heat is far less romantic. I was sooo hot and my water bottle emptied far too quickly! By the end of if, my shoes where off and I was walking around in the dust and leaf litter lugging my camera, tripod, and etcetera back to the car. Thailand is super dry at the moment ~ all the big trees are shedding their leaves faster than you can drop a hot coal. It makes for very crunchy leaf carpets, and a weird feeling that autumn is mingling with spring as the weather heats up after our cool respite for “winter”.

It’s interesting here with the burning season well under way much earlier than normal. It’s wrecking havoc with my asthma but makes for a very aesthetic haze, and loads of charming light. I know I was playing a bit too much with direct sunlight in this shoot, but what can I say ~ I love a good lens flare.

However, one of these days I’ll have to remember to stop playing with sunbeams and get some better detail close ups… Not that you really need to see how scuffed up my heels got running around in the dirt and stubble… All the same, I am curious ~ do you want to see more close up shots? I try to remember to get them, but I think I’ve done a pretty rubbish job this time, so let me know!

xox,

bonita

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Tuesday, August 27, 2019

༺ Is That Dior? ༻

Saturday, July 20, 2019

༺ In the Courtyard ༻

Monday, April 29, 2019

༺ Pearl of Asia ༻

Wednesday, February 20, 2019

༺ Manor of the Setting Sun ༻

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