Something old, something new...

Some of you may remember this dress:



Well, the other day I was inspired to change the way it looked, so here it is again in all its shortened glory.


These pictures were taken straight after I had altered it!

The theme for today is the old wedding adage - something, old/new/borrowed & blue. I've been thinking about weddings today as I saw several wedding parties in the city today, taking advantage of the gorgeous weather (one of them pulled up in the most amazing vintage black car).



Something old... This one is easy - the dress is vintage.

Something new, I'm wearing a pair of tights I bought the other day, that I purchased from Myer for $6 but really they were sort of free because I had a gift voucher to use.

Something borrowed, Nothing in the outfit is 'borrowed' per se, but the whole get-up is inspired by an outfit I saw in Gossip Girl, when Blair is wearing a short navy sailor dress with red tights. The DVD itself is borrowed from my sister (total froth but so worth watching for the incredible clothes!) so I guess you could say it's borrowed inspiration from a borrowed DVD!

Something blue. Again, easy. Both the dress and my shoes are blue.

The dress now has shortened sleeves and a shortened hem. I think it suits the sailor theme a bit better... If sailors wore cute mini dresses and bold colours, that is!


Dress: vintage, from NZ
Bag: vintage from Newport op shop
Tights: from Myer
Shoes: 1st pair - from a little shop that was closing down in Pt Fairy, a few years back. 2nd pair - ebay
Hat: Gift from my boyfriend
Headband: Diva

Grey days

First of all I'd like to say thank you for all of your kind words on my last post. It means so much to me to know that my little project has maybe inspired others - just as I am so inspired by all of you, fellow bloggers!

Also I want to correct any misconceptions about me having some sort of super willpower. I don't. The first 5 or so months of 2008 were really hard for me. I virtually had to ban myself from going into any shops that sold new stuff. I begged and persuaded my poor boy to buy me clothes for my birthday, anniversary, and so on (something which he's usually not comfortable with). However, like any habit, the compulsion to buy new eased towards the middle of year and became almost easy by the end.

They say that in order to break one addiction you must replace it with another - and that was true for me. I merely replaced my addiction to buying new stuff with an addiction to buying non-new stuff.

If you want to recognise true willpower, many of you fellow bloggers pretty much do what I did all the time, barely ever buying new things, without even having to set yourselves a year-long ban. I find that very inspiring!

To answer some questions - no, I didn't cheat; but yes - I was allowed to buy new underwear! Everyone has personal lines they won't cross, and for me the idea of buying secondhand undies is just... no.

So thank you for sticking with me thus far. For now I'm just going to take Skye's advice and just go with the flow, trying to take my newfound attitude with me.

Now I'll leave you with an outfit I styled to enter in a competition. I didn't win the competition but that means I'm now able to share with all of you lovely things. Happy Saturday!









Grey jacket: vintage from CBD opshop - $5 in the lunchtime sale, yay!
Dress: One Teaspoon from '07
Tights: Sportsgirl '07
Shoes: Betts '07
Scarf and Bag: vintage from op shop in Dunedin, NZ
Brooch: vintage, can't remember where from!
Necklace: Drink Me Alice '07

Just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl, year after year

2008 passed for me with just a kiss under the stars. It was a very quiet evening camping in the bush with little to signify what a glorious, tedious and monumental year it had been.

2008 was the first time I'd ever fulfilled a new years resolution! Now that it has passed, I'm a bit sad, and also scared. It was such an achievement for me, not buying anything new, that I'm worried about reverting to my old spend-thrift ways.

Today was the first test - I headed into the city intending to buy a 2009 diary, and hoped I wouldn't be led into too much temptation. In retrospect, it was probably significant that the outfit I wore was almost (bar the necklace) 100% thrifted.




This picture is mainly to gratuitously show off my new yet-to-be-christened easel, my Christmas present from the boy.


Weird close up but hopefully shows the detail of the shirt.

It was a weird feeling, walking through shops and knowing that I was actually able to buy whatever I wanted. It was a feeling of gluttony, like when you've eaten healthily for months and months and are about to gorge on a feast of junk food.

In the end I bought the diary, some underwear and tights, and just one dress. It's a beautiful dress, locally made and not from a sweatshop. It was also heavily discounted so I don't feel bad at all about buying it. I consider it my little gift to myself for surviving the year.


It looks much more flattering on!

Now, though, I'm hopefully going to maintain the shift in perspective that last year gave me. Not buying anything new helped me to rediscover how much I love thrifting; it helped me to break out of the cycle of earning and spending my money; it allowed me to think more deeply and thoughtfully about the environment and the world we live in. So I'm going to try and carry on not buying anything new unless it's absolutely necessary. I'm going to try and think about every purchase and not impulse buy. I'm going to try and plan and budget for each new item and have it be something to celebrate, not feel guilty about.

I've been trying to think of ideas for how to stick to this plan. Do I donate a certain percentage of the price of new items to charity? Do I impose a limit on how much I can spend or how many items I can buy? Do I make a rule that each time I buy a new item, an old item has to go? I'm still trying to decide... but for now it's just my conscience that will dictate it, and I hope it has the mettle to follow through.

Happy new year everyone!


T-shirt: vintage via my mum
Skirt: H&M thrifted from an op shop (I don't think we even have H&M here in Aus?)
Belt: Northcote op shop
Shoes: op shop in Dunedin, NZ
Bag: Camberwell market
Necklace: Drink me, Alice 2007

End of an era

Well, my year is nearly over, and I can't believe I've nearly made it. I'm actually a bit sad because this little project has, in a way, defined who I am this year. Once I got past the temptation of buying new things (which took months, believe me) it was actually a relief in a way to not be spoilt for choice when shopping. I'm terribly indecisive, so op shopping is good for me, because you can't really 'choose' what you find... In a way, it chooses you!



This weekend I went back to where it all started. This dress was actually the very first vintage dress I bought - way back in high school. At the time, Sex and the City (series, not movie) was the fashion icon of the decade, and I bought this dress thinking it was kinda SJP-like.



It's a nice way to finish off this year, as this will likely be the last post I make before the year ends!



What will be the first new thing I buy next year, I wonder? Honestly, I don't know. The impulse to purchase new has virtually gone, and there's nothing I can't think of that I particularly need. However, it'll sure be nice to go into a shop knowing there is something in there that is in my size... and not have to inspect it for armpit stains!

Lastly, after my whingeing to Trish about not being able to find vintage sandals in my size I finally found a perfectly fitting pair, for $3, in as-new condition! (Seriously, the soles weren't even marked). This sort of serendipitous occasion rarely happens to me, so I'm still totally elated by it. I'd JUST put a bid on vintage sandals on ebay too, having given up the hope of ever thrifting a pair, oh well.



They were the best Christmas present I could have ever bought myself... I do believe they're pretty much perfect.

So that's it for me today - happy holidays to you all and see you in the new year!




Dress: from an op shop near my parents' house
Belt: vintage from my mum
Sandals: Northcote op shop
Bag: Camberwell market for $2 several years ago

Guten Tag

Well, the year is drawing to a close and what better time to pass on the tags that I have procrastinated in passing on...

Firstly, from the wonderful Hollie of Vegan and Vintage, a truly inspiring blogger and committed vegan. It's such an honour to be considered for this award, just because of this incredible personal journey of mine this year. Especially as I never intended to make this resolution for any recognition, it was just for myself. (That's why it took me 8 whole months after starting before the idea of documenting it via blog even occurred to me!)



What it means: this award is given for recognition of cultural, ethical, literary and personal values transmitted in the form of creative and original writing.

Being an animal welfare advocate myself, I'd like to pass this onto Sally Jane, as I love the idea that you can look that fantastic while still retaining a conscience of sorts.

The next one is from the lovely Ana B. of On Dressing Up as well as the wonderfully talented photographer extraordinaire, Blair. (Wow, that kind of rhymed a little).



Attached to it is this text:
This blog invests and believes in the PROXIMITY-nearness in space, time and relationships.
These blogs are exceedingly charming.
These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends.
They are not interested in prizes or self-aggrandizement!
Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut,
even more friendships are propagated.
Please give more attention to these writers!
Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more
and include this clever-written text into the body of their award.

This one I'd like to pass to:
Trish Hunter Finds
Lavender and Yolk
Fashion Hayley Hits Home
I'm not Antisocial
Sea of Ghosts
Clever Nettle
Thousand Threads
Only Shallow

Lastly, a 6 random things about me, tagged by the lovely Brook . I'm bad at making lists about myself, so I'll see if I can come up with six.

1) My full name is Mandarin Chinese, and means "Bright and Colourful". Very appropriate methinks!

2) I was never allowed pets when I was younger, however I now spend the entirety of my working day working with animals.

3) I'm not very confident riding bikes especially when there are cars around. This is a pity as I do own a gorgeous vintage '80s Peugeot and long for nothing more than to go cruising down Brunswick St with green veggies in my bicycle basket.

4) My favourite food, and biggest weakness, is hot chips. I love them so much I have to limit myself to only eating them once a month.

5) I don't have a very addictive personality, but I suffer greatly if I don't get my one daily morning coffee.

6) I was vegan for about 7 years, and only went back to vegetarianism when I moved in with my (chocolate loving) boyfriend. However I do aspire to get back to veganism, maybe there's a new resolution at hand?

Wow, that was a loooong post! Hopefully I'll get to post before the new year is out. I can't believe my year of buying nothing new is ending, it feels so surreal.

Rain on my parade

We've recently had some inclement weather down here in the midst of a Melbourne summer. The weekend was so windy and rainy I didn't dare venture out in anything less than knee-high boots.





Hopefully my next post will be more summery. It will also contain some long overdue tags I'm going to pass on!


Dress, worn as skirt: my mum gave to me
Crochet top: thrifted from CBD opshop
Tights: can't remember
Belt & Boots: thrifted from Northcote opshop
Cardigan: ebay from several years ago
Cat: adopted as a stray

Daytime dress

I've been a very slack blogger lately, it's just been so busy lately!

The dress I wore today drew lots of stares while we were out Christmas shopping. I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing. I did feel a bit... prominent.





I've pretty much gotten all my presents as of today, which is a relief. Hopefully this means I will be around more!


Dress: Northcote High School market
Belt: Northcote op shop
Shoes: From an op shop in NZ