Aussie Curves RETRO

I've been admiring the Aussie Curves posts from afar for a loooooonnnnng time now.It's partly what convinced me to start blogging again.When  I saw the 'Retro' challenge come up I knew that would be the post to start with.Hence these photos were taken a couple of weeks ago,before my transition to my Mermaid-Ariel hair.

So retro.Le sigh.If I could wear dresses and skirts like these every single day,I would! I was uber excited when I got a promotion at work,partly because I would have 1 office day where I could glam up.Turns out one office day is enough for me.I get restless sitting behind a desk and computer all day.

Anyways,I've posted before about my love of vintage.A childhood with several gay Uncles and a musical loving Mama Frangipani started my retro lust early on.My little home is filled with vintage posters,portaits of Marilyn Monroe,Marlene Dietriech,Ava Gardner and I worship at the alter of Ms Bette Davis.Oh,and I would give up my husband for the diviiiiiine Monsieur Bela Lugosi.Swooooon! *jokingnotjoking........of course I'm joking........maybe.................

Mr Bela Lugosi

I even managed to find a vintage - repro handfasting dress that was a cross between Jane Russell-Marilyn Monroe's wedding dress in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and Grace Kelly's divine number in Rear Window.Complete with a gorgeously kitsch little hair piece.But I will blog about my handfasting another time.In the meantime,here's a couple of photos for those that are curious.............

Oooh,my Scotsman looks diviiiiiinnnnnneeeee!

Off duty,my style is eclectic,ultra femme-ultra-colourful............but I would dress in vintage all the time if I had the budget.Le sigh.Unfortunately,vintage clothing in big sizes is very slim pickings and vintage repro dress prices mean they are a treat,but my collection is building slowly.As for this dress,this is the very first Collectif dress I bought for the size I am now (but that's a different post altogether!),and dammit I wish I'd bought it sooner!

The fabric is a really good quality cotton,so it 'breathe's in our hot Sydney weather,or transitions to winter wear with a cardigan,tights and a petticoat.The cut is just gorgeous and make my knockers look ultra fantabulous.And the print..........oooohhhhh,the print! Collectif designs have the most gorgeous prints - I have a few in frangipani,yellow hibiscus,owl,geisha,leopard (of course),teapots,Eiffel tower and poodle! The colours are super bright and lush,it's withstood about 2 years worth of washing and still hasn't faded.....although I do always dry my stuff inside out.(We dry our stuff in the sun,on the balcony)

Unfortunately this dress is out of print but you can find many more gorgeous prints at collectif.co.uk This was a size smaller than I would usually take,so there is some give in the fabric (I'm a 22-24).I can even scandalously squeeze my bosoms into a size 20,as seen in this post.

**** There are photos following of me twirling joyfully in this dress with my fat,cellulite ridden thighs in all their glory.If you are going to body snark,please leave now.My fat and cellulite does not bother me,so it should not bother you.It's took  me a looooong time to get this confident.And for the record,I've had my 6 monthly check up at the Doctor and have a clean bill of health.All my stats are on the very healthy end of the spectrum.Size is no indication of health.

My best Betty Grable impression.

                                            

OUTFIT DETAILS

Dress - Collectif (old)

Petticoat - Vivien of Holloway  (currently available - was my handfasting petticoat)

Shoes - Primark (Old - Glasgow)

Belt - ???

OOTD #8 - Pink Leopards in the Shire/Fat chicks can wear leopard print #2

The husband-man and I hit up DFO factory store outlet last Wednesday in search of some nice Ralph Lauren shirts for him,as I'm always the one spending money shopping for clothes.

Unfortunately as he's such a fusspot we didn't find anything to the Scotsman's liking,but I did happen upon some garishly bright fuschia leopard print Converse for the bargain price of only $50!!!! 

They are uber kitsch and uber trashy and uber bright and I love them! And they just happened to go perfectly with an equally garish pink and orange leopard print skirt I had in my cupboard.

And yes,my fellow splendiforous curvaceous babes,fat chicks can wear leopard print! Fat chicks can wear garish hot pink leopard print!!!! Fat chicks can wear whatever the feck they want!!!!!!

This is what I wore to my Saturday shift,which is basically a social outing group for my service users.So I still need to be comfy,but can also glam up a little bit more than during the week.My trusty skirt-leggings-hair flower combo is a winner for work.

The shirt is a thrifted oversized Supre top.It's soooo comfy for these unusually hot Spring days Sydney's been having.Hair wasn't co-operating again.Really don't know what I'm going to do with it.Scraping it into a bun is becoming so damn boring........

My splendid arse clad in garish leopard print.

OUTFIT DETAILS

TOP - Thrifted $4 (Supre)

SKIRT - New Look (Glasgow - old)

LEGGINGS - Big W

CONVERSE - DFO Converse Outlet Shop (current $50)

HAIR FLOWER - Diva? (DFO factory outlet)

LIPS - Rimmel Funtime Fuschia overlayed with a light pink Napoleon gloss

OOTD #7 - Frida Kahlo meets Maria Von Trapp.

This outfit was a total spur-of-the-moment-thrown-together-effortlessly-becoming-an-epic-outfit OOTD.I wasn't even planning on blogging this but dammit I looked so damn CUTE! And I got loads of compliments at work today - from both colleagues and service users.One of my guys kept telling me I looked 'so beautiful Steph! So beautiful!' Awwwwwwww.My job ain't so bad sometimes.When I'm at my lowest ebb and seriously questioning whether I can continue in the field anymore something happens to make me smile.

Anyways,this of course was my office day outfit.It has a kinda Frida Kahlo-South American feel to it which makes me happy.Although my work colleagues thought it was more 'Sound of Music'.I then had 'The Hilllllllllllsssss are aliiiiiiiiiivvvveeeee' going through my head alllll damn day!

However,the outfit in general makes me happy.And flower crowns!!!! I've resisted wearing my flower crowns since they became all the rage,but this outfit was just calling for my pink flower crown.Funnily enough,when I first purchased this many moons ago,the Princess laughed at the sight of me wearing it and told me 'it's ridiculous but totally you'.

I'm totally chuffed with the top.I've recently rediscovered my love of op-shopping.Of course as a big lass,it's either one extreme or the other.....I'll find absolutely nothing or a whole pile of gems.A few days ago I hit my local Vinnies and found 4 tops & a pair of sunnies.This little gem being one of them.It's actually 2 sizes smaller than what I would usually wear,so I need to get in my head to not be confined by the size on the label.

Again,this could've been an entry for the Aussie Curves 'Pink' challenge,but I'm not quite ready to put this little blog completely out there yet.

The scarf that's worn as a belt was another op-shop find.I also snaffled 2 bags,including a leather Esprit one for only $6! There was also about 4 pairs of beautiful mint condition Wittner wedges for only $15 a pop,but unfortunately they were just one size too small.Devo! First world problems I know.

As you can see,I loathe ironing.In fact,I couldn't even tell you where my iron is! The Scotsman on the other hand,freaks out if there's the slightest crinkle in his clothes and hanging the laundry out is an elaborate process of shaking the garments out for aaaaaaages,then hanging them oh so carefully straightened on the air dryer.Of course,he does have a point - it means less ironing in the long run.However the skirt is made of a material that's prone to creasing,that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it!!! (Although I did iron it once when I first got it and it proceeded to crinkle with every movement.Le sigh.) Outfit details at the bottom as usual.

Uber cute Accessorize earrings.I miss Accessorize.

SKIRTS WITH POCKETS! LOVE!!!!!!

OUTFIT DETAILS

Hair Flower Crown - Some trashy shop in Miranda Westfield (old)

Earrings - Accessorize (Old - Glasgow)

Top - thrifted ($4 at St Vinnies)

Scarf worn as belt - thrifted ($2 at Salvos)

Skirt - New Look (old)

Shoes - Big W (current)

Lips - Rimmel 'Funtime Fuscia',layered with a Napoleon lip paint that was liberated from the Princess :)

OOTD #6 - Look Mum! I'm a pumpkin!!!!

If I could,I would wear beautiful dresses and skirts all day,preferably vintage.Probably with a tiara,just because,ala Maureen O'Hara in the mansion scene in The Red Shoes. But alas as a big girl it's not so easy to find vintage/vintage repro pieces in XXL sizing.Or when I do,they're out of my budget.Le sigh.So sometimes I resign myself to buying things because they fit well even though they aren't really my style.

Seriously.This is her casual 'relaxing around my mansion' outfit.

I bought this top from New Look impulsively,when I was living in Scotland and had access to New Look weekly.I think it was cheap in the sales,but when I came home I realised it made me resemble a pumpkin.I don't usually wear things so loose.I prefer being nipped in at the waist and looking more hourglass than pumpkin.

Part of starting to blog my outfits was to encourage me to experiment more and wear things I normally wouldn't...........but I have to say I think this one is resigned to the op -shop lot :(

I also deviated from the norm with my make up.Usually it's 2 extremes - no make up when I'm hands on-team leading,or a really bold,bold lip and eyes when I'm on my one office day or off duty.But with the pumpkin outfit I needed something more neutral,so it was on with the coral lip paint-gloss thingy.Really not sure about that either.......

Oh,and these photos were taken at the end of the day hence the frazzled,flyaway hair look.....and I've only just discovered how to edit my photos.I just can't be arsed going back and editing these again.

Yeah,sooooo not sure about this outfit....

Still not sure........

I look like a damn pumpkin!

Pumpkin!!!! Yeah,I can't take myself seriously in this outfit.

Don't know what I'm doing here,but looks better with leggings.

Yep,definitely prefer it with leggings.

Coral lips,out of my comfort zone.

And of course a giant hair flower :)

OUTFIT DETAILS

Top - New Look (Glasgow -old)

Skirt - Big W (old)

Leggings - New Look (old)

Hair Flower - Primark (Glasgow - old)

Shoes - Sportsgirl $10 in the sales (old)

Lips - Napoleon,Liberated from the Princess.

OOTD #5 - Casual Colourful Tropics

Monday of the long weekend,I hung out with la familia as we hadn't hung out in a while and my Papa Barchen is not well at the moment so it takes a lot to motivate him to get out of the house.

Pa Barchen had requested somewhere to get some fresh air,so to our family that usually means the beach.We headed out to La Perouse which is somewhere we have been going to for beach walks,exploring Bare Island and awesome fish n' chips since we were tiny toddlers.

It was blowing a gale,so excuse the windswept look.This is one of my go to outfits for work and just casual days out running about/shopping etc.It's colourful,uber comfy,floral,kitschy and tropical.I'm a sucker for anything kitsch,floral or tropical.Tropical flowers just seals the deal.

Bare Island in the background

OUTFIT DETAILS

Top - Big W

Skirt - New Look (Glasgow - old)

Leggings - Big W

Thongs - Havianas

Hair Frangipani's - Ebay

Bag - Typo ($5 in the sale)

OOTD #4 - Purple in the Park

On Sunday of the long weekend,we had a baby shower for 2 sisters in Centennial Park.Yes,both sisters are preggers and due just weeks apart.Happily weird coincidence,aye?

The Princess and I didn't really know anyone,so we just hung out with Mama Frangipani and her BFF's,our 'Aunties'

As someone who is still not quite ready/sure about the whole children thing and who definitely couldn't afford them at the moment even if I did want them I must admit to a little meltdown in the ladies,as we seemed to be surrounded by 20 - 30 something married couples,who all had babies and their shit together.i.e. Careers,mortgages,the white picket fence etc. Yes,first world problems I know.STFU drama queen!

The Princess gave me a verbal Alexis - Dynasty bitch slap by reminding me that I have a lovely,happy and fun marriage and forwent all the mortgage and career thing to go travelling and have some awesome adventures.....but that's a story for another time.In any case it worked,my sister is always the voice of calm and reason,despite being 7 years younger.

One thing I am confident I do have together is this outfit.

It's one of my go to outfits as it makes me feel gorgeous and confident and happy.Purple is my favourite colour and colour always lifts my mood.Being scandalously low cut,I had to wear a cami underneath,despite the 32 degree heat plus a black skirt underneath as due to my ample bubble butt skirts tend to hang low in the front and rise high in the back.I didn't want to give an x-rated show when I bent over in the middle of Centennial Park.

I bought the dress for $10 in an Autograph sale without trying it on,even though it's 2 sizes smaller than what I would usually take.The sandals were also bought in a New Look sale (Glasgow) for 3 quid/$5.The belt was $2 in another Autograph sale.Yeah,I'm pretty lucky with bargains in the sales.

Mahoosive Hair Flower...Check!

OUTFIT DETAILS

Dress - Autograph (old)

Cami underneath dress -Big W (current)

Skirt underneath dress - Big W (old)

Belt - Autograph (old)

Necklace - Gifted (Tree Of Life)

Sandals - New Look (Glasgow - old)

Parrot Earrings - Accessorize (Glasgow - old)

Mahoosive Starburst Lilly Hair Flower - Paddys Markets

Sunglasses - Cheap shop in Cronulla

The Baby Shower,lovely setting and an even lovelier day.

One of the beautiful mums to be.

After a few hours at the baby shower,the Princess and I made our way to Bronte beach.Miracle of miracles,we got a parking spot! It's hard enough at the best of times,but Sunday it was 32 degrees,and the local Eastern Suburbs team The Roosters were playing in the NRL Grand Final that night. 

Of course,all those factors combined and being a long weekend,Bronte looked like human soup.The water was absolutely gorgeous though and we pretended to be mermaids frolicking in the ocean for a few hours.

The Princess and I were mermaid princess sisters in that little swimming hole next to the ladder .

My favourite Sydney beach,Bronte.