Time to go shopping

Its no secret that I love vintage inspired homewares and my new online store that I'm in love with is Alice Jean's Soda Pop Shop. I first met the amazing Ms Alice Jean when we were models together up at Wintersun last year. A year later and a lot has changed as the online doors of her store open.

When you jump online you will be greeted with so many great treats its hard to know where to start. For me it was jumping straight to the bath and beauty page, I just can't help myself when I see such stunning items. For instance who can resist a soap that looks like a chocolate cupcake!!!! I will just have to remember its soap and not a snack for when I'm relaxing in the bath.

If beauty and bath products aren't your thing then check out the beautiful childrens clothing, books, games and handmade art and even car hire. So if your looking for something special to brighten your day or the day of someone you know make a trip to Alice Jeans Soda Pop Shop.

A bit of girl time

With the Spring racing season in full swing Ms Leelee and I decided to make good use of our days off and hit the shops. Our first port of call was Chaddy to do the basics and of course hit Koko Black for some much needed chocolate. Yes we did end up finding a dress and shoes, however we were on a mission for lingerie and tops. So with a goal in mind it was off to chapel street.

This was a dangerous plan as it ended up. So we ended up in my favorite lingerie store on chapel Bendon, and spent a large time trying all they had to offer. I'm such a sucker for pretty lace things but sadly walked out empty handed. Anyway with a mission in mind we hit the rest of the shops and did find some bargains including a stunning lace retro dress from the local St Vinnies store. At a $1 it would of been a crime to leave it there.

We even ended up at the Chapel street Bazzar and look at this stunning dress below. I admit it was very hard to walk away from but it was just a bit to much.

So with arms full of shopping and tired feet we headed home. Overall a good day and I managed to show another interstate buddy the joys of melbourne shopping!

Recon for next weekend

Yep, time to jump on the train and head into the city.

The Mission : to search out some cool vintage and alternative fashion stores before next August 7th's get together of vintage and alternative shoppers.

So armed with a multitude of layers for the cold and a very big hot chocolate it was off to the city to pick up AK. Of course we just had to check out our usual haunts like Retrostar, Shag, Route 66 and a couple of others in the city CBD. Then a much needed break out at our cool little hang out Groove Train to see Ms Midnight. Plus as a special geek bonus I got to meet the members of the Fighting 501st Star Wars group. Ok so not vintage but as I am trying to make/find a Mara Jade costume for the next Star Wars event (yes light saber is on order) it was so cool to meet a member and be able to chat with them. If you have ever watched the doco "Heart of the Force" you will understand why I think these guys are so amazing.

How cool is this hot chocolate Ms Midnight made for me, and yes it was super yummy! Then after a much needed break it was off to South Melbourne for inspection of the op shops and South Melbourne market. And of course DIM SUM!!!!

The results was..... ok so we found some good things which means there are more options for the August get together. Plus LOTS of planning on where the group will meet and most importanly travel and shop! So all in order a rather good planning day.

Tiki & AK
AK looking very serious as we ponder where to go next

A big thank you to Ms Midnight for her much needed treats, to Brad and Amy for all their Mara Jade info, and for AK to be open to walking around various alley ways and indulging my weakness at the GPO.

See you all soon at the get together!

A Very Good Day for Shopping

On a very chilly Melbourne morning I rugged up in my finest little black dress to brave the elements and hunt through a multitude of vintage/op shops and retro stores all in search of treasure. Organized by a friend of mine Allan a group of various collectors and lovers of all different era's of fashion we were to spend the day sharing our own 'hidden gems' of the second hand stores.

Needless to say we all had our own agenda of what we wanted to find. For myself and a couple of others it was vintage lingerie. Which although we may not of found it in huge numbers we did come across a couple of places that had some wonderful slips from the 50's and 60's. So of course it was a case of try on and then buy. I walked away with ........

Within the collection I managed to find an ivory silk number label and fabric suggest late 50's early 60's but has such a classic cut. Found at Retrostar in the Melbourne CBD. A great store above Swanston Street housing over 10,000 items which has all different era's in shoes, vintage clothing and accessories. From the 1940’s to the 1980’s, you will find vintage dresses, psychedelic prints, 70’s flares, western boots, vintage t-shirts, jeans or jackets.

Retrostar

Another great find, also from Retrostar was this super cute sage green number.

After Retrostar, it was off to other great stores like Shag, various op shops, Anonymous Posh and so many that I have lost track of all the names, and then off to Windsor and the Chapel Street Bazaar. Which is where I picked up this super stunning black number.

As well as another ivory number. It was very had to walk away from the couple of super cute 1950's prom dresses, but who know's maybe next time.

I even managed to pick up a vintage 1950's Van Raalte ivory slip (image to come) on the return mini trip on the sunday.

After a long day of hunting, finding and most of all making some really great new friends it was time for this little doll to bid farewell under the giant moon of Federation square and head home. So to all who came a big thank you for a great day! See you in 6 weeks for another day of hunting and laughs.

Kitten D'Amour

What can I say except divine inspiration! This latest collection is a wonderfull world full of classic charm and cute to boot gowns. Lets just say there was way too much for me and I went a little into over drive and tried on almost everything….twice.

Apart from the fashion that captivates me every single time I go in to the store, I simply adore this seasons inclusions of mood boards in the displays. Personally I’m a big fan of the mood board as it can really help to get your thoughts together plus I have always found them great fun to make. So to have a few in-store to really help express the ideas and themes behind the collection was a wonderful touch.

The store itself isn’t exactly big, however they have provided one thing that I am very particular about. It is this one simply thing that can let any store, lingerie or otherwise down…..fitting rooms. So many places seem to build fitting rooms as if they were an after thought. In my perspective (and having working in retail fashion I have seen both sides) the style, size, shape and location of fitting rooms can make or break a woman’s shopping experience. Without the right mirrors, lighting and often ‘feeling’ people can leave your store actually sadder than when they came in. I used to know one brand who’s stores had the worst mirrors around, unless you went to one specific member of their group. 9 out 10 store mirrors would make you look ill or 10kgs heavier except for one stores, funny how that store always seemed to do better than the others. Thankfully at Kitten this is not a problem. Big fitting rooms welcome you and your entourage (if you shop with one) so you can try and play with the fashion, which means you will walk away with much more than you thought you intended.

The staff know their cuts well and can put together pieces with skill, and much more than that they listen to you when you give your reasons why something didn’t work for you. For instance I told the beautiful young lass that I loved these two very different dresses; one a semi baby doll and the other a fitted pencil dress, however one was a little tight in the wrong places and the other a bit big. She then went round the store and grabbed me new selection, explaining why these new dress would work, and offering me alternatives to my original including finding a skirt and halter top version of the same print which would compliment both my top and bottom and allow me to mix and match with more. Its with this simple skill of knowing your products that you can ‘soft sell’, however selling isn’t something that this store needs to do.

So with well versed staff and fantastic clothing it was time to get lost in the fashion. Thankfully I had KendieDoll with me to help save the bank balance but i still walked away one very happy little doll. Watch this space for shots of the outfits.

And before you ask yes I did try on everything on this wall, plus a huge amount of stuff from the other walls.

What state am I in? What sky am i under?

Thankfully I’m still awake and actually not doing to bad after flying back on the red eye very late last night. Yep that’s right I touched Victorian soil just before midnight which means this little pixie climbed into bed in search of teddy and sweet dreams at about 1am.

This does mean this week depending on occasions I’m attending I can share with you some of my new divine finds from while I was up north. On this trip I was only blessed with 5 hours shopping (one short trip sat morning and the other Monday morning) due to public holidays and other engagements. However I did still get to visit my absolute favorite store Kitten D’amour on the Gold Coast and lets just say the suitcase was a little heavier on the way home. But really who can resist limited edition pieces that look this stunning and for some reason limited time frames do seem to mean the really good stuff jumps out at you more.

So what did I walk away with……2 dresses, a pencil skirt, 2 shirts, 1 cute little top and a FREE pair of jeans. And as always I’m smitten with the store and the service but more on that later. I’m off to have a nap and dream of shoes.

You never know

Some days you find little gems in the places you least expect it.

Not so long ago Mr and I made our way to the other side of the city to visit Spotswood. I adore this little part of the world. Spotswood, Seddon, Yarra Ville they all have the vibe that time sort of stopped in about 1954 and the rest of Melbourne forget to say anything. However you do get a sense that the beatniks are about to make their way out of the workmans cottages at any moment and the next big thing will begin. However I digress. Mr and I were heading to indulge our inner geek at the Scienceworks Star Wars exhibition. Must say its worth the drive to see these great pieces plus there is science for all you parents who think the kiddies should learn something.
Anyhoo, the other bonus is you get entry into scieneworks museum and one section is all about the home. That was when I happen to stumble across the greatest collection of 1950's kitchen wear and beauty items.

So the plan is to distract the guards while I break in and get all the kitchen goodness I can. It makes you wonder what your grandmother and mother did with all these items.



I am such a sucker for cute packaging



I'd love to have this aftershave bottle collection.

Lingerie of the Week

And the winner is.....
There are times when you want the sexy A team, and others went to pull out the B Team. Just because you are after the more comfort underwear rather than racy doesn't mean you have to be wearing the beige scary granny panties.

While out shopping the other day I came across this fabulous range of womens Hello Kitty underwear. Cute, comfy and rather well priced. Needless to say they just had to come home with me.


These 95% Cotton / 5% Spandex bra and panty sets for women feature Hello Kitty in black and white with pink and white bows in an all-over print. The soft-cup bra has adjustable, elasticized straps and the undies are bikini style. These fun sets are machine washable and easy care.

Forever Barbie

At the moment those of us in Melbourne are lucky enough to have some great Pop Icon exhibitions. There is Star Wars at Science Works and Forever Barbie at Fed Square.

Forever Barbie: A Pop Culture Icon Exhibition

No matter where you go, the mere mention of Barbie™ elicits a reaction. People are passionate, persuasive, and just plain personal about their Barbie story. How could one doll create such a response? Barbie is more than a doll she is a major part of pop culture! To coincide with Barbie’s 50th Anniversary, Fed Square will host a fabulous exhibition celebrating Barbie’s past, present and future. Located within a purpose-built exhibition hall, the Forever Barbie exhibition will immerse visitors in every aspect of Barbie’s illustrious life over the past 50 years as well as give an insight into the future of the world’s most loved fashion doll!

This will be the largest collection of Barbies ever assembled in the Southern Hemisphere. In addition, Barbie’s very own Fashion Designer, Robert Best will fly in from the U.S. for a series of workshops that provide an insight into the design process behind the making of the world’s most famous doll.

Over 300 Barbie Dolls - including some of the rarest and quirkiest sourced from the Mattel® archives as well as Australian Barbie Collectors will sit alongside a collection of accessories that have enhanced Barbie's glamorous existence over the years. Included will be Barbie's fabulous fashions, dream houses, cars, pets and of course the men in her life!

The very first #1 Ponytail Barbie, one of only three in the Mattel U.S. archive, will also be on loan for the exhibition. In an auction on May 17th 2003, at Sandi Holder's Doll Attic in San Francisco a world record was set for the sale of a mint-in-box #1 Barbie doll from 1959 which reached an unbelievable U.S. $25,427.

Tickets: $12.50 - $15.00 / Purchase online at www.barbie.com.au or at any Target store

Times: 10.00am - 6.00pm

Attention Girls

Its time to open the diary and book in your attendance to Charm School

But what is it I hear your asking. Mistress Chrissy says
"What is the Lindy Charm School for Girls all about?

The School is dedicated to reviving the glitz, glamour and etiquette of the early 20th century. The era was epitomized by such trademarks as redder-than-red lipstick, bullet bras, girdles, seamed nylons, sky high heels, sexy garters and classic hairstyles boasting victory rolls and finger waves. We are about keeping the traditions of our foremothers alive... Teaching you the techniques and tricks to achieve that glamourous look whether it be from the 30's 40's or 50's day or night, dancing or dining, we can help you..."

Two intensive 3 hour workshops are being held in Melbourne

Saturday 15 August 2009 & Sunday 16 August 2009

Registrations are now open and places filling fast so if you want to be a part of these workshops then don't hesitate to book post haste!!

1 + 1 + 1= lingerie longevity Part1

What Kate Did Lingerie

Right now you may be wondering what on earth I am talking about. However after recently discovering that many women, including ones I know, are wearing the wrong size lingerie and don't follow the lingerie longevity rules I thought I might share them with you all.

Its pretty simple; most of us like we like to wear a matching bra and panties set. But we all know you can often get two wears out of a bra before washing which means every second time its worn you not matching. So when ever you by a bra buy 2 panties.

Lingerie By Agent Provacateur
www.agentprovocateur.com

Personally I buy 1 bra and the 2 different types of panties, either g-string, boy cut briefs or traditional briefs. Now you may be thinking "I don't have all that spare cash to buy lingerie". Buts is about getting the most out of your lingerie dollar. As panties are usually the first to go have a second set to extend the life of your bra is a good thing. Also when watching the dollar keep your eyes peeled for briefs that can match with bras you already own. My other favourite thing is to sneak into the DFO stores (direct factory outlet) for lingerie companies as you can often pick up a third or fouth pair of briefs for up to 70% off RRP. It just means you have to remember what you already have.

So next time your wondering out to the lingerie department have a think about what you have, what you need and the qty your going to get.

Happy Shopping