A truly beautiful Minxy mix of charm, inspiration, practical advice, and pretty projects to simplify and beautify your life and home. - Jane Brocket, The Gentle Art of Domesticity
Publisher Textiles
'Hibernian House' print in Geeky Green
Don’t mistake the recent silence for inertia – it’s been all systems go here preparing for an upcoming photo shoot for the next book, which is in a few short weeks. It’s all top secret as it won’t be out for a bit, but I’m having a ball making things and running about town collecting bits and bobs for the great reveal.
I’ve fallen head over heels in love with the gorgeous designs at Publisher Textiles along the way, and am kicking myself for not discovering them sooner – particularly as their warehouse studio’s close by in Moore St, Leichhardt.
Owner/designer Mark Cawood prints by hand in the studio and it’s a veritable den of delicious & diverse prints, from seventies-inspired florals and curlicues to edgy pixelated digitals. J’adore.
'Swan Song' wallpaper print
Typewriter cushion from Publisher Textiles
Cara Mia Vintage
Vivienne Westwood hoop(la!) skirt from Cara Mia Vintage
A few weeks ago I re-organised the entire wardrobe, pulling together an Autumn look and passing on old items to a friend’s teenage daughter. Out came anything needing spot cleaning or repairs, as well as those pieces earmarked for full or partial overhauls with snipping and embellishing, which I’ve been working my way through. And I kept a notepad nearby to jot down items to find so I could wear others more often, as and when they sprung to mind.
First on the wishlist was a vintage fur gilet, and I found the best version on shopCOLLECT‘s Etsy site. It struck me how totally gorgeous and professional the online styling for vintage has become – with pieces modelled just as beautifully as any designer shopping site such as Net-a-Porter or Shopbop. To me this is the acme of vintage appreciation, proving the old has become just as desirable as the new (if not more so for its rarity) in fashion. I don’t buy a helluva lot online because I like staying local and trying things on, but accessories and outerwear can be brilliant if you’re stuck finding them elsewhere.
I mentioned Cara Mia Vintage recently, having cooed over some of the most divine and archival designer pieces I’ve seen in the flesh at Love Vintage. Her collection rivals the designer vintage stores I’ve visited in London and Paris, and sits right up there with the Dress Box Vintage concession at Liberty, despite being quite a bit smaller. I wanted to share with you some of my favourites, just to show you how fab these classic vintage looks can work when worn with modern style. This is the way to wear vintage today, and it’s truly inspiring. More please.
Anonymous feather chubby & Pucci skirt
D&G supermodel bustier
Pretty Pucci sundress
Christian Dior lace cutwork blouse
Yves Saint Laurent green linen jacket
Garage Sale Trail
Raggedy Ann 1930s sundress - before
Have you heard about this huge annual sustainability event, organised by the clever people at City of Sydney and local councils across Australia?
This Saturday 5 May’s Garage Sale Trail is looking to be massive, with ambassadors Marnie Skillings and Liane Rossler (Dinosaur Designs) on board, and sales all over the city at Cloth Fabric, The Society Inc. etc. Let’s hope the gorgeous weather holds out for some enthusiastic bargain-hunting. For some excellent guerilla garage sale shopping tips, click here.
I’ll be doing a workshop at the Sydney Antique Centre from 2-4pm this Saturday on how to upcycle vintage & secondhand clothes. There’s a few spots left if you’re keen to sign up, and I’ll be posting some images here on the blog soon so you can see some of the transformations we made to tired & damaged pieces.
... and after