office gal

*Just another day at the office*

Now I work in a pretty relaxed office these days, such a change from being on my feet in retail for the last 16 years. So I am still trying to balance my love of pinup/gothabilly/gothic Lolita style with some very ‘straight’ people. As we work in a trade style company (sparky’s, mech’s and sales reps) I can embrace my love of the fitted western shirt. I do walk a fine line of corporate pinup (which seems to come out a bit more saucy librarian these days) and western tradie. But it’s all a question of timing; especially as there seems to be this thing called casual Friday (ok so its new to me) but I am trying to get them to embrace the casual dress for a cause that we used to have at school. Like Jeans for Gene’s day, that or get the office in pink for Breast Cancer day. I’ll let you know how that goes, maybe I’ll just settle for everyone getting involved in things like the biggest morning tea.

So I ask all you stunning gal’s out there what do you wear to the office? Or what do you wish you could wear?

Nail Art

Ok so I have taken a leaf out of a couple of fellow bloggers books with my nails this week. Usually the most wild I get is a diamond on the corner of each of them, or colored tips. However after seeing the cute stuff SKM and Violet have done recently I decided to take the next step. They aren’t as way out as I plan to go but I figured I’d take it in stages. So off to my favorite nail bar to see Ms Jeni, and after a pedicure and refill I got my blue nails.

I let Ms Jeni to some ‘freeform’ I think she called it. It was amazing to watch as she perfectly repeated the pattern on both nails with the brush. Then it was time for some sparkle, we all know I can’t resist sparkle, so silver glitter paint and a single diamond was placed on each. I love the results and now really want to up the anti with the designs.

As I have acrylic nails there is also the option of getting new pre done tips. I was eyeing off the Louie Vouton inspired ones, not sure though as there were also some pink cherry blossom ones and I have a really weakness for that pattern. Or maybe just anything in pink...oh the choices

Amazing Autumn

We are officially in autumn, one of my favorite seasons in Melbourne. You get the nice cool days that are just warm enough to wear a party frock but also you can layer it up if you wish. It’s perfect for just walking around this fair city and stopping for coffee and cake wherever your weary feet need to rest. It does mean that I will be heading into the city this weekend to find a couple of new outfits (as I have an event in 2 weekends back up north). Such a shame I missed the worn wild market but I guess that just means I’ll have to hit faster pussycat, route 66 and Circa Vintage to pick up something. I’m thinking a new pencil skirt and cleavage hugging dress is a must.

Fantastic fashions and new friends.

Just wanted to comment on some of the fantastic fashion I have been seeing on my travels. I am always pleasantly surprised when I go around these city’s and see amazing fashion, tattoo’s and makeup. Having such a weakness for lingerie its no surprise that I was taken aback and stunning designs being worn by the girls at the alternative club on sat night. There did seem to be a lot of anime / hyme garu / alice in wonderland/gothic Lolita designs around. Ms Lou looked stunning in her black and red (so wishing I had the camera out) ‘red queen’ inspired outfit and Ms Servitude looked divine in her frilly black number with red accents. I ended up in my blue and white corset and long black silk skirt. I am now on the hunt for photos.

Well I’m back from my whirlwind tour of Qld. Thanks to all of you who braved the weather and came & said hi on sat night. It was great to meet Ms Servitude, Lou and Heidi (sorry if your names are spelt wrong), as well as a lovely Ms who showed me her amazing chainmail jewelry pieces.



So yes I did survive the working weekend, tired and more than little pleased to slip into bed very early Monday morning. If nothing else this was the sort of weekend where planning your fashion can really pay off; which makes me want to share my fabulous travel find with you. I am a strong believer, now, in packing the least possible (this only comes from having to pay excess baggage charges the last few trips that almost cost more than the actually flights). As well as trying to pack light I also love to have my laptop (no real surprise there) and a few bits and pieces on the plane with me. With this current climate of restrictions on planes and being me, I need a bag that allows me to get to everything in and show it all for customs. Usually I travel with my big cream canvas bag that is like the tardis and holds more than you would think, however it also means that I a) fill it so it’s heavy and b) spend ages trying to find things and panic thinking I’ve lost it. Not good when it’s your boarding pass for a flight. That was all of course until I found this delight…….



Now she may just look like a mid size bag, but she is more, so much more. This little gem was actually designed as a toiletries bag for travel, but I have found is the perfect travel handbag. It unzips to show two halves both with a clear pockets and a one side a cute candy stripped mini bag with mirror; now who doesn’t love a mirror in a bag.



Another fantastic feature is that the whole has an inner waterproof lining, well since it was a toiletries bag it makes sense which means when my bottle of hand cream leaked over the weekend it was really easy to clean and get dry. Plus there is a hook thing which means I can hand the bag open from a door handle when at a hotel so I can easily see that I have packed all my stuff as apposed to just guessing that its all there.



If you can’t tell yet I love this bag. I’m seriously considering getting one in red to so I can match it with all my retro gear.
So the upshot of this weekend is the bad has now been road-tested and pasted with flying colors. It survived spills, big wallets and makeup kits, still carried and protected my iPod/phone/camera; and I didn’t loose my flight info.

My hands grope for the light

I've woken up to what can only be described as an "Ani Difranco moment". I have spent the last 24 hours on the go, from my normal day job to hopping a flight and heading to set up for the gig we are doing this weekend. Sure this time of year with LFF in full swing and the Comedy festival in preview most people flock to Melbourne, not this strange little crew, we go where the work is and that being said we are all on the GC for one of the most intense work weekends I've had in a long time.

On the plus side I get to spend the next 48 hours with my bestie Mikii as we are working together and my new mate Ken (working with us too). There is nothing better than we you all get to work (although we are in 2 different venues) together and stay in an apartment together. There is just something amazing about it, the best way i could think is like being a band on tour. We work long days, late nights, live in each others pockets and LOVE EVERY MINUTE OF IT!

If you wanna see what we are up to www.cafeinabox.com

So why an "Ani Difranco moment you might ask? Simply for these lyrics......

"dilate" by Ani DiFranco

life used to be life-like, now it's more like show biz
i wake up in the night and i don't know where the bathroom is
and i don't know what town i'm in, or what sky i am under
and i wake up in the darkness and i don't have the will anymore to wonder
everyone has a skeleton and a closet to keep it in and you're mine

every song has a you a you that the singer sings to and you're it this time
baby, you're it this time

when i need to wipe my face i use the back of my hand
and i like to take up space just because i can
and i use my dress to wipe up my drink
i care less and less what people think
and you are so lame you always disappoint me
it's kinda like our running joke
but it's really not funny
i just want you to live up to the image of you i create
i see you and i'm so unsatisfied, i see you and i dilate

so i'll walk the plank and i'll jump with a smile
if i'm gonna go down, i'm gonna do it with style
and you won't see me surrender, you won't hear me confess
'cuz you've left me with nothing, but i've worked with less
and i learn every room long enough to make it to the door
and then i hear it click shut behind me
and every key works differently i forget every time
and the forgetting defines me, that's what defines me

when i say you sucked my brain out the english translation is
i am in love with you and it is no fun
but i don't use words like love
'cuz words like that don't matter
but don't look so offended, you know, you should be flattered
i wake up in the night in some big hotel bed
my hands grope for the light my hands grope for my head
the world is my oyster the road is my home
and i know that i'm better off alone

now off to work I go, I know the venue...GCCC, I know what we're doing ....juice, who were working for...not sure yet. Lets just hope we can hit the ground runninng.

And here is a little snapshot of the retro gal in her hospitality blacks very early in the morning.

we loose a Lost Boy

Ok so he wasn't actually a lost boy (as he was the younger brother in the movie) but still today we loose Corey Haim (age 38). He may have been just before my time as I was only very little when he was a hearttrobe but I have grown up watching so many of his movies with Lost Boys being my fav as it also features Corey Feildman and Keither Sutherland *drift off into dreams of kiether*

So today I'll take a moment for corey and remember