Kelly Doust introduces readers to her wonderful world of reviving and customising vintage pieces, while bringing a modern and unique twist to wearing vintage clothes – Dita Von Teese
A spot of auction trawling
1980s Zandra Rhodes couture frock, auctioned late 2011
Today’s tip for vintage fashion and fabric hunters, and indeed anyone interested in sourcing rare, high-quality vintage items is don’t overlook the auction houses. Especially if you prefer true antiques to vintage or retro (remember: 70s-80s items = retro, 20s-60s = true vintage, and anything pre-1920s or over a hundred years old is considered antique). Most auctioneers list their items in online catalogues and allow absentee bids, so you can buy from anywhere in the world providing the items are compact (and the auctioneers willing) enough to pop them in the post for you. Ebay’s great of course, but its popularity means bargains are few and far between.
I’m keeping my eye on this clothing and textiles auction, to be held next month by Theodore Bruce. The catalogue should include historic, vintage and designer fashion, accessories, lace, needlework, samplers, textiles, sewing tools and related items. One to watch. And when it comes time to bid, just another hint for auction novices: decide what you’re willing to spend and stick to your guns. Start small by bidding on inexpensive items, build up your confidence noting the forecasted price versus real price items sell for, and you’ll hit your straps in no time. Go forth and plunder.
Nani IRO fabrics
Shall we polka?
Last weekend at Surry Hills Library I ran a craft workshop for around 25, making early xmas gifts whipped up by hand and sharing favourite places to source materials. There was much discussion on Japanese fabrics, yarns and pattern books because as a rule, I think the Japanese have nailed the quirky craft market, consistently producing covetable materials I can never seem to own enough of.
Nani IRO is one such collection of stylish, unique designs. Some are printed on lovely cotton, others on linen blends or 100% cotton soft double gauze, and they’re perfect for fashioning homewares, bags, wall art and clothing. Duckcloth stocks an enviable range, as does Calico & Ivy. I’ve used them for skirts, cushions, curtains and lightweight scarves to name a few. And they wash so beautifully, too – well worth purchasing a metre or two in time for holiday crafting.
Love a wonky stripe
Poppy field
Frocks published in China & Love Vintage
I just returned home after a lovely, meandering chat about vintage on morning radio with ABC 702′s Deborah Cameron and setting up a Minxy Vintage window display at Cammeray Bookshop, when I heard the news A Life in Frocks is being translated into Chinese! What a thrill to see my book written in the language I so struggled with learning a decade ago (Mandarin, that is… although I was living in Hong Kong at the time, I didn’t even attempt Cantonese – typical gwei-lo).
Pop on your dancing shoes & head to Love Vintage
Writing this post in a stolen half hour before heading off to Love Vintage, in full shopping mode and ready to officially open the fair tonight (shopping first, officiating second). Here’s a few reasons why you need to be there:
- Discover stylish, quirky, glamorous gear for girls and guys, plus designer vintage fashions from New York, London and Paris
- Attend my free workshops on how to wear and revamp vintage for a modern look
- Shop for linen, lace, jewellery, antique tablecloths, hand-made aprons, buckles, vintage sewing patterns, magazines, antique prints, jewelled ’50s compacts & lipstick cases, rare Bakelite brooches, the prettiest parasols, and so much more
- See summer and special occasion fashion presented by Mistress of Parades, Miss Bonnie Rose
- Learn tips and tricks for perfect ‘hair and hat’ race-day styling with the Mistresses from the Lindy Charm School for Girls
- Enjoy presentations of gorgeous gowns from the 1920s-70s
- Buy fabulous shoes, hats and handbags to complement a race-day outfit, classic suit to wear in the office, or to-die-for party dress.
Tonight is ‘Best Dressed in Vintage’ night, so dress to impress. There’s also prizes being given out all weekend, so you can rock your favourite vintage look anytime at the show.
Be there or be square.
Learn of the Evans sisters' intriguing story, and see their original 1930s dresses up close
Swing into Spring
Attention swingers, from the experienced to the tentative: this event at the Balmain Town Hall next week will be brilliant, if the last one is anything to go by (for the Mid-Winter Warmer video, click here).
* Get swinging in the knockout dance contest hosted by Swingtime
* Prizes for best dressed ‘mid-century spring ensemble’ judged by yours truly
* Vintage frou from Coco Repose
* Decorate yourself at Vintage Allsorts‘ accessory parlour
* Culinary creativity provided by Love Grub Pop Up Bar and confectionary stall by Jepska
* Polish up your pomade with Atomic Life’s mens’ den
When: Saturday 8th October 2011
Where : Balmain Town Hall
Time : 7.00 – 11.30pm
Tickets : Pre sales $25 + booking fee, available online at Daisy Tickets or $30 at door (if available – sold out last time)
Coiffs and curls optional.
Bombshell accoutrement at Coco Repose
Sixties brocade Wiggle dress from Coco Repose
So by now you may have seen some of the early publicity for Minxy Vintage (thank you, Marie Claire Magazine) and picked up on the not-so-subtle hints I’ve been dropping about its contents. Get ready to see some truly fabulous vintage pieces – not just the ones I’ve given a minor customisation, repair job or total overhaul to, but classic frock shapes from each era with advice on how to modernise or wear them.
The ‘classic’ items were supplied by my dear friend, Jessica Guthrie, designer & owner of Coco Repose. Jess also wrote the Foreword, and has curated an exhibition opening next week at the Sydney Antique Centre, featuring clothing from the 1900s through to the 1980s; much of which appears in Minxy Vintage. Pop along to the Antique Centre from Monday onwards – the exhibition runs for three weeks, and you can buy many of the pieces displayed and peruse the rest of the Coco Repose stall.
Thanks to Jess, the book has some truly rare, museum-worthy pieces in it I was thrilled to have access to. My wardrobe has also never been better since I’ve been raiding her racks.
Simply love these new/old pieces from the Coco Repose store here – seriously glam items to zhoosh up your evening attire. Don’t you think the yellow & gold number would make a magic wedding outfit?
Vintage beaded evening bag
Such a sunny little frock
Fabulous feather pillbox
Candy Stripe Cloud
Tiny things Apple Shelf from Candy Stripe Cloud - perfect for an arigurami (crocheted creatures) display
And more super-cute things to buy. It’s Olive’s 3rd birthday in a few weeks so I’m on the lookout for sweet, original things she’ll keep for decades. On the wishlist? Anything from Candy Stripe Cloud.
Animal-hatted Kewpie Dolls
Village in a Bag play set
Pinspiration & yet more crochet love
Crocheted mushrooms from I Knit
Hours whizz by perusing Pinterest, the virtual mood board for all things inspiring. Type in crochet, and there you have some of the cutest, weirdest things anyone could think to make. Love it.
Don’t ask me why, but I’m obsessed with crocheting fruit at the moment. The plan is to fill little bowls around the house with fancies (just because I can). Here’s the first attempt below – two pears and a strawberry, made from one of my Japanese pattern books (which is entirely in Japanese – a bit of a punt following its instructions, but we get there in the end). The pears measure about 5cm from top to bottom, using a 1.75mm crochet needle. I’m going solo next, and trying to attempt making my own cherries and apples.
Fruitbowl
Below is our pinboard, depository of all beloved imagery in the kitchen, and the crocheted brooch I made Olive recently but am saving for a day when she won’t cause some horrific accident or maim herself with it (bull in a china shop doesn’t come close to covering it, god love her).
Kitchen pinboard = happiness
Klimt would love this Koigu yarn
And check out my new crochet bag, found at the Rozelle markets a few weeks ago. It’s currently storing the shapes below for a new, Swedish-style blanket I’m whipping up in Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino – heaven to touch.
Will this crochet obsession ever end?
A cheery little crochet bag
Another blanket on the way
In it to win it
Cloud mobile by Prue Hilton
Just a reminder to get your skates on if you want to win the $100 Cloth voucher, girls. Prue’s already sent in images of her Rain, Hail or Snow cloud mobile, constructed from the fabric pack awarded recently. At this stage, she’s a sure bet. Entries close at the end of the month.
Don’t feel you have to make something big – here’s what I’ve done with the raspberry Rough Roses print; a simple girls’ frock with velvet ribbon tie and Liberty print bias binding. Easy peasy lemon squeezy.
Mollie Makes
A gorgeous new craft magazine from the UK has hit our shores – check it out at Mag Nation, and read below what they had to say in the latest newsletter – very interesting:
‘You can learn some surprising things by working in a magazine shop. Just like how Google analyses search terms (“runny nose”, “doctors”, “sore throat”) to track flu epidemics, we’ve come to notice that we can get a bit of a taste of the zeitgeist just by surveying magazine sales across our stores.
For instance, if I didn’t work here, I’m pretty sure that I’d have absolutely no idea that there’s a massive craft revival taking place right now. Mags on quilting, scrapbooking, things involving felt and knitting are areas that we’ve watched grow and grow and grow over the last few years. Just recently, it’s got to the point where they’re going absolutely gangbusters… and none more so than a new arrival on our shelves called Mollie Makes.
First published in the UK earlier this year, we’ve just received air freight copies of issue #2. If, like many of our customers, Etsy and crochet and needlework gets your pulse racing then you’ll be kicking yourself if you miss out on this one.’
(I wish I had a) Dowry
Pouf jumble from Dowry
Homewares & accessories fetishism has taken a backseat lately, what with all the fantastic clothing sales on recently and my fondness for the new season’s offerings. But when I saw some of these pieces in Calico & Ivy, I knew I had to secure at least one item from recycled crafts label, Dowry. Heirloom might be more appropriate.
Dowry is a mother-daughter team, Fleur Gunn & Christine Land, from Moruya on the NSW South Coast. They collaborate with local cobblers, seamstresses, embroiderers and upholsterers to produce these one-off gems.
Keep an eye on them – Vogue Living’s already featured the pouf cushions above, and their online store opens soon. I’m coveting a tote bag, still in production, and pear pincushion (below). These are utilitarian works of art.
Swan tapestry bolero
Nice pears, love
Tapestry tote