༺ 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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Signature Double Rose in “Peach”  | Daisy Jean Floral Designs
Rosie and Ralph Lovebirds Brooch Set | Teacup Girl
Unique Vintage Peach Stripe Picnic Dress | BSS Group
Hello Kitty Travel Purse | Sanrio Gift Gate
Penny Loafers | Big C, Chiang Mai

༺ ♡ ༻
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༺ How to Wear Vintage Style while Traveling ༻

Flying to Phnom Penh, Cambodia was the perfect holiday for us.

I had the best time exploring the city ~ I really enjoyed visiting the National Museum of Cambodia, and the Royal Palace. The Silver Pagoda was spectacular, and the architecture throughout the capital city is so stunning.

During our time away, I realised I’ve been a bit spoiled in Chiang Mai with the weather ~ one thing that was stood out to me was how much more humid Phnom Penh is compared to Chiang Mai currently. It was more like Koh Lanta, southern Thailand on-the-beach level of humidity, or Penang Island in Malaysia.

It also reminded me that I still haven’t written about all the tips and tricks I’ve picked up for dressing in vintage style while in the tropics from living here for the last two years. Some of this also applies for general travel, but obviously if you are heading to cooler climates layering with warmer clothing will be a must. Either way, here are my tips ~ please enjoy!

~ Tips for dressing Vintage Style while Traveling in the Tropics ~

• Sundresses are your best friend. It might be an obvious place to start, but a light 1950’s style sundress will get you through hot weather and allow your legs to keep cool. Alternatively, a peasant blouse with a full skirt, or a 1940’s shirtwaist dress are great options as well.
  
  
• Light clothing that isn’t confining is the goal, but remember that a vintage silhouette from the 1940’s and 1950’s always had the natural waist {just above the belly button} defined.
  
  
• A belt will help to define your waist, and you can also try adding a sash, or knotted fabric belt for a less structure, but still accentuating a nipped in waist. If it’s super hot, a skinny belt is a good way to reduce the heat factor.

• Skip foundation garments ~ seriously, you have too ~ and go for a vintage style brassiere to keep the correct shape underneath. What Katie Did or Rago have amazing reproduction vintage styles, but if you’re a babe on a budget, go to Target or Kmart and skip the pretty bras for the wireless “granny” bras. Look for a ‘lift and separate’ shape give you just the silhouette you need without having to spend too much. If you’re still not sure what style you are looking for research old vintage lingerie ads to find out. From the 1930's through to the 1960's brassiere structure didn't change that drastically unless you are specifically looking for a bullet-bra, and the right style will cover all of those decades.
  
  
• Cover up! The sun isn’t as harsh in the tropics as it is in Australia, but you will still get burnt. Especially if you are outside sightseeing all day. Borrow a tip from sun-safe Asian travellers and carry a light foldable umbrella. It really will save your skin and keep you cooler while you walk around. It’s also more convenient than a big hat to tuck away and get out of photos when you want to snap a picture.
  
  
• It goes without saying, but invest in a really good sunscreen. My favourite out of all the sunscreens I’ve tried is Avène Sunscreen Emulsion SPF 50, which has a matte finish and goes beautifully under makeup, even through a day’s wear of “glistening”.

• Open sandals are a popular vintage vacation style, as well as being comfortable for walking in, but watch out for the tops of your feet getting burnt. Apply sunscreen before going out for the day. Go for styles that strap on so you don’t have to worry about them flopping loose. This will help if you find yourself walking on less than great pavement; or short rocky trails.
  
  

• Carry a backpack. If you are traveling around a lot, carrying a purse isn’t always safe if it’s over your shoulder, and a large shoulder bag can hurt your neck after a long time. Backpacks balance the load and if you are looking for the perfect vintage style backpack – Anello do beautiful backpacks in different colours and sizes – my favourite is found here and here.

• Be prepared to have your hair up continuously. Even if your hair isn’t curly like mine, and can cope with the humidity, it will just be too hot and add extra sweat to have it down on the back of your neck if you are outside for any length of time. If you are inside, most places are airconditioned in the cities, so you can do your normal ‘dos.
  
  
• For vintage style updos – poodles, ponytails, Gibson rolls and braids are great for getting your hair out of your face and off your neck. I love to add hair flowers, or a vintage nylon scarf for a cheerful holiday touch!

• Makeup can be tricky ~ a powder foundation will stay on longer through the sweat, pop it in your bag for touch ups. Try to let your face dry naturally before touching up, if you touch your face while it’s damp you will remove your base. Also, if you apply powder over the top of a damp face, it will get cakey. Wait if you can until it’s dry and then touch up.
  
  
• For eye makeup ~ waterproof mascara is a must, and if you want to wear eyeshadow you will need a primer to help it stay. Try to set your brows with eyebrow powder if you use a pencil or pomade to fill them in, as that will help to prevent them sweating off. I haven’t found an eyeliner that will stay on for a cats eye flick, and so going for a 40’s makeup look will work better for the heat.
  
  
• A good makeup setting spray is invaluable for all day glamour, so try out Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray, or L'Oréal Paris Infallible Fixing Mist for a budget-friendly option that works brilliantly. 
  
  
• If you are wearing red lipstick and drinking a lot {as you need to do to stay hydrated in the heat}, carrying a reusable straw will be handy to keep the lipstick off your face. It’s also great for the environment so that’s an added bonus. Alternatively, look for a reusable drink bottle that comes with a narrow drinking spout, or an attached straw.

• Carry a hand fan. Besides looking lovely and elegant, a hand fan can be your best friend besides your water bottle if you are stuck in a stuffy hot spot!
  
  
• Try to avoid wearing true vintage if you can. You will start sweating as soon as you walk out the door, it’s like walking into a wall of damp heat, or a wet oven. My experience has been that you can only wear a garment once and then it will need washing to remove sweat stains. True vintage won’t hold up to continuous repeated washing, will fade from the sunlight faster, and could go permanently yellow. I’ve a couple of reproduction dresses go yellow even though I wash them after wearing, simply because of the constant sweat contact. The heat seems to set the yellowing into the fabric, so it’s really difficult to remove. If you think your true vintage will stand up to the harsh wear, then by all means go ahead, but personally I think it’s better to wear repro and save your vintage.
  
  
• For the voluptuous ladies, some anti-chaffing precautions should be considered. I really love Dove’s Men + Care Extra Fresh Deodorant stick. I’ve tried other antiperspirants, but this is the first one that’s really worked for me and stopped thigh chaffing. My top tip for this is to go for one that has moisturizing properties, as well as being in stick form. Other types of antiperspirant won’t work, and can make the chaffing worse. I don’t know why, but men’s deodorant seems to work better for me than ladies, but you may need to shop around to find the one that suits you best.
  
  
• Alternatively, you can wear bike shorts or lingerie shorts under your skirts to stop the rubbing, but beware as these can make the situation worse if they stop at the wrong spot on your legs {like the point of contact between your thighs}, or end up rolling up. Plus, the extra layer that will add to heat factor so that’s something to consider. 

• For style inspiration, look for vintage vacation outfits and advertisements, and go super light and relaxed. Linen and cotton are fantastic fabrics if you can find them, but you can’t beat a seersucker for being light and comfortable whilst remaining crinkle free throughout the day’s adventures.
  
  
• Brooches and fun earrings are two of my favourite accessories to travel with. One, they are small and easy to pack. Two, they don’t add any extra layers to your skin as necklaces and bangles can do.
  
  
• A pashmina or light cardigan will come in handy, as sometimes it is actually a little on the cool side if you are in air conditioning.

• When traveling, jersey knit dresses are amazing for a pyjama level of comfort whilst looking put together. Another favourite trick for flying is to bring wipes in your carry on for refreshing and cleaning ~ your face, body or your seat tray. And pop on a sheet face mask for overnight flights for moist, fresh looking skin when you walk off after that 14 hour flight.
  
  
• A top tip for taking photos in all these exotic locations ~ find your favourite poses in the mirror and remember them! Once you have one or three poses down, you can be sure to take good photos.
  
  
• Glamourous vintage style sunglasses are perfect for bright sunny days, so you don’t have to worry about squinting in the light. Cateye shapes look really good with 1950’s sundresses as they were the fashionable style for that era.

I hope you find these tips helpful ~ and if you have any tips or tricks for traveling yourself, let us know in a comment! Traveling is one of my favourite things to do, and I’m firmly convinced you don’t need to sacrifice personal style to do so, unless you wish to. Otherwise, go right ahead and look as fabulous as all those fascinating sights you are admiring!

xox,

bonita

༺ ♡ ༻
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༺ Roses in the Park ༻

I’m not going to lie ~ I’m slightly okay, majorly, in love with this park we found last weekend. Is that a weird thing to say?

If it is, I’m going to say it anyway!

We haven’t really had much of a chance for sightseeing yet, I’ve been way to exhausted and there’s just been too many other things to deal with. Sort of like what happened in Malaysia, we’ve spent our time in Chiang Mai mostly exploring all the shopping centres trying to find what we need/what’s available to us, rather than just looking around for fun.

Oh, don’t get me wrong, the shops can be fun {hehehe} but I really just love exploring a city and seeing all the landmarks and beautiful spots. I’ve been aching to do that here, and now I have the perfect reason too!

For those of you that follow me on Instagram, you would have already seen this, but my Mother-In-Law flew over from Australia last Friday. It’s mostly an “emergency” trip ~ she came bearing gifts ~ namely my desperately needed supplements, and help in the form of looking after the little ones while my body adjusts to being in a more balanced state. Which is actually a fairly rough ride {at the moment I’m on a quarter dose and I’m still dealing with fatigue and all the usual, plus a new symptom ~ nausea… Yay.}.

But it should be over in a few weeks, if it follows in the pattern of my previous experience with this treatment. At least I’m sleeping better at night, and actually feeling somewhat refreshed in the mornings!

Anywho ~ now that my Mil is visiting, I hope that we will have a chance to explore more of wonderful Chiang Mai with her. The Night Market is so much fun, the Old City is really beautiful and interesting, and I’d love to show her the botanic gardens as I think she will really love them!

The weather at the moment is absolutely fantastic for outdoor explorations. The rainy season has finished now, and the days are mostly filled with sunshine and cool breezes to whisk away the majority of humidity. It’s really the best weather you could ask for when sightseeing, so I absolutely want to make the most of it.

We did stumble on this park a bit by accident, we had some time to kill before attending church, but not enough time to go all the way back home and out again. So I searched for the nearest park on Google maps and this is what we found!

It was soooo much better than I was expecting, it was a stunning garden with gorgeous old bridges, pavilions, man-made lakes and canals, flowers galore and tree lined avenues. But best of all, there was really great play equipment for the children!

Yes, I really wanna go back there again….. Haha!

Something else I also love, and that I just have to mention, is my new brooch by Natalie of Fancy Lady Industries.

There’s been a ton of new makers and brands pop up in the brooch scene recently, and it’s really exciting to see all the talent and creativity each brand brings to their designs.

I ordered a bunch from a few different makers, and most of them are still back in Australia, as I get all my mail *cough*online shopping*cough* sent to my mom’s house.

However, my Mil kindly slipped a few of my recent purchases in her suitcase and now I have some new pretties to play with!

I have to say, I was really impressed by the solid workmanship of Natalie’s pieces. The lines are clean and everything fits together beautifully which makes the final piece look so polished and professional. Her artwork is beautiful too, and she has some great designs available!

I really love it when a maker puts a lot of care into creating their pieces, and I adore seeing all the new brooch designs coming out. It’s amazing to see quite a large community of brooch lovers continue to grow, and to know I’m not the only one with a serious brooch addiction…. (｡> ౪ •｡)  Brooching is definitely something I’m enjoying a lot at the moment. I love collecting wearable, miniature pieces of art! I could write a whole essay on brooches, and the art in fashion, but I think I will leave that for another time.

xox,

bonita

༺ ♡ ༻

Peach Peony Hair Flower | Old
"Florence” Japanese Flower Brooch | Fancy Lady Industries
Navy Rose Dress | Zulily
Tan Virginia Leather Sandal | Miss L Fire

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