Wednesday, November 30, 2011

How Meredith Vieira (and her shoes) made my year...

















Former Today show host, Meredith Vieira made my year for two reasons:

1. Best book I read in 2011: Meredith Vieira’s chapter in the book, Divided Lives: The public and private struggles of three American women is one of the most moving biographies I’ve ever read.


When you see what Meredith went through at CBS (including reporting from Romania within weeks of giving birth, repeatedly being told by male colleagues not to wear her hair in a ponytail and not to wear jeans to work) it makes you think the $10 million she was earning on NBC’s Today show isn’t half what she deserves for pioneering the role of women in television journalism.


2.Best Youtube video I watched in 2011: The Youtube video of Meredith Vieira’s final episode of the Today show has cheered me up no end. It’s not often you can say that about a farewell video.



via YouTube

Meredith Vieira’s green dress is absolutely gorgeous. It contrasts awfully with the brown sandals she was wearing beneath the desk (there are clips of her in ugh boots). She thinks of practicality as well as fashion. Despite her enviable shoe collection Meredith still brings comfort shoes to work. Meredith Vieira, I miss you!


via NBC Today website

And although it’s no match for Meredith’s Christian Louboutins, an excerpt from my shoe collection:



But Meredith Vieira probably draws the line at buying burgundy heels from the Salvation Army Store in Croydon (pictured above)...

Monday, November 28, 2011

Op shops of the Inner West...



                         via Australian Red Cross website

On the weekend my friend and I did a tour of op shops in Sydney's Inner West. We hit the Salvation Army Store (Croydon), Australian Red Cross Shop (Burwood), Smith Family (Burwood) and ended the day with a quick visit to Vinnies (Hurstville).

The Salvation Army store on Parramatta Road is a mecca for recycled furniture. We are still thinking about the vintage inspired fabric couch (think deep green and pink patterns) that we saw for $160.00! But that couch... wouldn't fit through my narrow doorway. So moving on...





















The Australian Red Cross Shop in Burwood is like a solar system of retro dresses. I accumulated two floral dresses, three skirts and a blue handbag... because I always seem to need one?!

By the time we got to the op shops in Hurstville we were so tired neither of us could face more rows and rows of recycled clothing. Altogether a good, if exhausting, day out in Sydney's Inner West.

And still dreaming of that couch...



Three Op shops of the Inner West:

1. Salvation Army Store 176 Parramatta Rd, Croydon - good for furniture & shoes
2. Australian Red Cross Shop 36 Railway Parade, Burwood - best selection of retro skirts, I love them!
3. Smith Family 38 Railway Parade, Burwood - a small collection of dresses, good but very limited

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Pay (off) day at Pitt St Mall...


Thursdays are less pay day and more pay-off day for me as I exercise financial responsibility, pay off my lay-bys and settle my debts first. This pay day I have paid off the following:

1. 2 lay-bys at Sportsgirl (orange & green vintage dress and vintage fabric skirt)
2. 1 lay-by at Cue (rose-print work dress)

Paying off laybys is always a relief for me. The pride I take in doing so is less about the items I'm paying for and more about honouring and completing financial committments. It's sensible and my closet stays looking like this:




And like this (from right: Closet of Work, Closet of Recycled Dresses, Closet of the Everyday)...

Monday, November 21, 2011

In a Wellington wonderland...



In December 2010 I went shopping in Wellington NZ. I found a list of vintage clothing shops on the New Zealand blog, NZ Girl which also recommends places to eat. Good shopping needs good food, or coffee at least. In Wellington, my five favourite places to eat were:

1. Fidels, Cuba Street – best food, fast service
2. Deluxe cafe, Kent Terrace – a bit of a uni student hang-out but great food, artistic decor & perfect ambience
3.The Library Bar, 53 Courtenay Place – their lime mousse & gin semifreddo is to die for!
4. Hummingbird Café, 20 Courtenay Place – food was superb & staff were really nice
5. Floriditas, Cuba St – lovely décor but my waitress was a bit rude


AND it’s all a blur of clothes and colour but...

Five favourite vintage & recycled clothing stores in Wellington:


1.Ziggurat, 144 Cuba St, Wellington – first class fashion boutique with a sizeable collection of dresses from the 1950s, most were made in New Zealand (and didn’t fit me)
2. Missy’s Room, Cuba St, Wellington – cutest range of dresses from the 1980s and a nice selection of handbags from the same era
3.Recycle Boutique, 209 Cuba St, Wellington – combination of op shop and fashion boutique, the store has clothing racks dedicated to designer labels as well as general op shop fashion
4.Most Wanted Vintage, 81 Aro St, Wellington – hidden away in picturesque Aro St this gorgeous shop is a must-see, clothes from a range of eras including costume pieces
5. Aeon, Cuba St - for the window displays - a splash of colour on a cloudy day!

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Adelaide looks better in retrospect...


In September I embarked on a four day holiday to Adelaide. I compiled a list of vintage clothing stores to visit and set off on my adventure only to be somewhat... underwhelmed.

I missed out on shopping at 'Red Ruby Vintage' because of "Winter trading hours". I stood at the window and dreamed... But honestly, is Adelaide a metropolis or a sleepy coastal town? I walked from the CBD over the Torrens River to North Adelaide Vintage Fair. My proudest purchase was a sleeveless 1980s summer dress made in the UK. It's pale green and mauve with goldfish swimming across it.



Three (I couldn't think of five) places to shop in Adelaide...
1. Australian Red Cross Shop 284 Rundle Street, Adelaide - see post "Shoes my doctor liked"
2. Irving Baby 33 Twin Street, Adelaide - more retro than vintage but has some great skirts and jewellery, like Newtown shops in Sydney (without the freak crowd)
3. North Adelaide Vintage Fair 200 Jeffcott St, North Adelaide - again, the dresses!!!


Saturday, November 19, 2011

Shopaholic in Summer Hill...



Today I set off on a walk through Summer Hill. I planned to stop only for coffee, but I ended up in a little shop on Smith St called "My Messy Room". It has the cutest children’s clothes and toys. I found a Christmas present for my nephew, Joshua who's 18 months old.

With my debit card out (credit cards are too dangerous) I also bought a brooch made of vintage fabric to add to my collection. I came to the conclusion that you’re a shopaholic when a walk turns into an excuse to buy a present, turns into an excuse to buy another brooch...

Friday, November 18, 2011

Canterbury Fair lady...


On Saturday 15th October 2011 my friend and I went to the Sydney Love Vintage Fair at Canterbury Racecourse. An overwhelming array of vintage clothing including from some of my frequent haunts "Mrs Peel" of Leura and Mittagong Antiques Centre.

I was frivolous if not abandonned with my spending, though I'm normally on a tight budget. My friend convinced me to try on a lime green 1980s party frock. It was covered in pink and orange geometrics complete with ruffles around the waist and shoulder pads, of course. Unfortunately it looked awesome and ended up in my bag of purchases.

I also bought a 1950s dress with blue, strawberry and caramel coloured patterns. You can see it hanging in my Closet of Recycled Dresses. It's a beautiful dress but very hard to get in and out of.

I never thought I could tire of vintage clothing but after two hours my enthusiasm was beginning to wan. A word of warning, the Sydney Love Vintage Fair is spectacular but there are a lot of stalls, a lot of people and very few change rooms.

Discovering the southern suburbs...


This year I've been more adventurous driving in city traffic. I got my licence in Cawdor, a rural township where a traffic jam meant a herd of cattle on the road or sheep or horses up ahead. Driving in suburban Sydney is daunting for me. I spent the greater part of winter on the road discovering op shops in Sydney's south.

HURSTVILLE: 'Vinnies' in Hurstville is enormous. It's spacious, well-organised, a good place to stock up on the necessities. I bought several jumpers, blouses and my sorbet coloured Ben Sherman jacket from here. It lifts my mood every time I wear it. 'Vinnies' Hurstville is a rewarding op shop experience but I was disappointed they didn't have a better selection of dresses.

ROCKDALE: The dreses, I was next to discover, are hiding in Rockdale. 'Vinnies' Rockdale has an entire section dedicated to retro wear including 80s dresses, suits and skirts. I bought a sweet little dress in pale pink for $8.00 and a late 90s sundress with wildflower patterns for $4.00. I like collecting dresses that are a bit different and that I know won't be worn by anyone else.



                           Vinnies Australia via YouTube

I genuinely take pride in supporting St Vincent de Paul through op shopping. I volunteer with their Compeer program. It recognises the importance of friendship to everyone and helps people living with a mental illness to overcome social isolation.

Vinnies Hurstville, 183C Forest Road, Hurstville, NSW
Vinnies Rockdale, 445 Princes Highway, Rockdale, NSW

One hour in Milton...


Milton is an historic town on the South Coast of New South Wales. It's also home to my favourite shop in what I've seen of the world. "Nikki B's" is the perfect blend of dresses and tea cups, jewellery and collectables. The store is arranged by colour: blue, green, pink etc. It's full of suprises.

Two weeks ago I had an hour to spend (and I mean literally spend) in Milton so I stopped at Nikki B's and this is what I bought:

1. a shirt dress in lichen green, caramel and pink
2. bright pink clip-on earrings (think 1980s)
3. two rose-patterned dinner plates (English Grindley china)
4. a pale yellow skirt with a white zipper at the front



The sum total was less than $60 and I had the experience of shopping somewhere that feels like you're stepping back in time. After a coffee at the Pilgrim Cafe and a visit to Millhouse Art Gallery I went home happy. I love Milton!

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Shoes my doctor liked...


I don't live to shop but I do shop to live. It keeps me inspired. I like discovering treasure troves of antiques & collectables for my home. I love vintage fashion and retro threads. My style is mix and match. Before I got a home loan I despised op shops. Now I appreciate them for their thrift value and for the chance to uncover something unusual or forgotten.

When I'm short on time I shop at Westfield Pitt St and Birkenhead Point, Drummoyne. Recently I bought a pair of bright pink flats from Sportsgirl and orange flats from Nine West. I love the colour of those shoes and so does my doctor.


There's nothing more delightful than walking into a shop that feels like a better version of home.

My five favourite shops...

1. Nikki B's 76 Princes Highway, Milton NSW - the cutest retro dresses, tea cups, costume jewellery and collectables

2. Mrs Peel Shop 7/166 The Mall, Leura NSW - handmade & vintage jewellery, handbags and vintage fashion

3. Australian Red Cross Shop 284 Rundle St, Adelaide SA - for the charming decor and so many dresses!!!

4. Reclaim 48 Lackey St, Summer Hill NSW - for the most beautiful handmade cushions and adorable English china.

5. Victory Theatre Antique Centre 17-19 Govetts Leap Rd, Blackheath NSW - the floor feels like it's about to cave in but there are so many things to find here!