Mikii is here but what to wear

It seems to be the way at the moment that people are travelling/working like me with only being in one place for 3 days. Just like my 24hour stint in QLD Mikii has hit Melbourne for 72 hours. Which brings about 3 questions; how much mischief can we get up to? Where are we going? And what do I wear? This last question brought about another thought…What is Mikii going to wear?

As ladies we are very spoilt by choice, however the guys not so much. Sure lots get reinvented each season but really the basics are limited. Pants – short or long, Shirt short/long/no sleeves, jacket, vest. So this got me thinking about the shopping trips we usually end up on. A couple of new years eve’s ago Mikii and I found this amazing store in the centre of Melbourne called Anton’s. With patterns that blow your mind and limited runs of items its no wonder we walked away with bags on our arms and less in our wallets. Mikii ended up finding 1950’s inspired pants with a very subtle silver pin strip, ivory brocade waistcoat and 1950’s tuxedo inspired shirt. All in all a good hall and from memory some white and black 1920’s shoes too.

So to any men who are reading this little blog watch this space as soon there will be stuff for you too.

Tiptoe

So in a moment of weakness, ok there wasn’t really much twisting of arms, I went and had a pedicure while up north, and found a nice little place to get some toenail art done. Like normal I’ve only gone for one nail on each foot, firstly as I didn’t want to over do it and secondly the design space on toes is a lot smaller. I’ve embraced the pastels that seem to be coming through this autumn and gone for pale blue with a star motive of black and silver. Its nice and subtle and still amazing to see the ladies do these designs free hand. If your thinking about nail art but not ready to dive in I do suggest this as a great starting point, especially if you have a dress code at work as this is something you can do without having to worry about the boss.

Silk Orchid

Found this super cute corset comes from designer Cassi Simpson from Silk Orchid Coresty This is the Chiloh Corset is a great all rounder and will look excellent in any fabric you can dream up for it, be it casual or formal. It also looks great in alternating panels. It is Demi Bust that has moderate hip control and a medium to large waist reduction. It is great for giving you a completely different silhouette than your natural figure is.

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.

Thank you Ms Jeni

Ms Jeni has out done herself again. It was a very simple theme, navy and sailor inspired. I figured with the new influx of navy outfits from Kitten D'Amour it seemed the smart change the nail colors to fit the outfits. The design is meant to be wave inspired.

Sweet Treats in the city

As I’m back in my home town this weekend I thought it only fit that I should make the effort to catch up with one of my favorite lovely local ladies, Ms Firedoll. So with a spring in my step and a scarf packed in my bag it was time to head off into the city and have girl time. Of course this does mean eating vast amounts of sweet treats and yummy hot chocolates, but I guess I just had to force myself to do so.

So after a yummy brunch and a good shop around Melbourne it was time to hit the cupcake bakery. The only thing to decided was how many and what flavour.

So I went with the double chocolate and a vanilla milkshake on the side, but only a normal size. Although the temptation to get one of the massive size ones was there both Ms Firedoll and I went for the normal, but yes I did get 4 more to take home. Plus it was a great excuse to wear my new Kitten D'Amour London to Paris sailor dress, with an extra layer of sweetness with my white tulle petticoat.

So big, so yummy, so want it...it apparently will feed 20 people. Anyone want to be their hands up to try and eat this with me?

Ms Firedoll and her lemon Meringue cupcake, a delicious light treat if there was one.

Whats around the corner

Thanks to everyone who is out there supporting each other and reminding a few of those, like myself, who can be at times forgetful about some of the fantastic events coming up. So if your around this fair nation keep your eyes peeled for glamour in your area, or hop a flight and come to mine.

What’s New Pussy Cat? This Brisbane event is a day to ohh and ahhh over all things girly plus as an added bonus one of my favourite corsetiere, designer and all round fabulous gal Ms Cassi Simpson of Silk Orchid www.silkorchid.com.au will be hosting a stall at this gorgeous event. It’s like a total girls day out with lots of amazing stuff to look at, and some fabulous prizes as well . On the day you’ll find her amazing catalogue for you to look through with most styles plus fabric swatches so if you ever wanted a corset and your in Brisbane take a few moments out to indulge.

Silk Orchid prides itself on prompt service, and excellent communication. Cassi loves it when customers come to her with unique ideas, and adores it when she can make your dreams come true. So come, look, love and shop! Held over 2 days, Friday 14th May 5pm-10pm, Saturday 15th May 10am – 5pm at the fantastic Lightspace, Fortitude Valley. Tickets are $30 and include a glass of wine and a shopping bag full of free gifts and services valued at over $250!!

Looking for something Melbourne based well empty that bank account and head to the Carlton Hotel (197 bourke street) this Sunday for the Hello Sailor Vintage Fair. The Fair will be held over 3 levels including the rooftop (where all the best kept secrets always are in my experience) from 12pm – 6pm.

This event also shows that fashionistas of Melbourne to care about that big wide world as there will also be a raffle for $10 per ticket with all proceeds going to Haiti to provide aid to the earthquake victims. With 3 Gift Packs to be won, worth up to $1000 each, these are truly valuable gift packs, so not only will you be helping Haitians get urgently needed medical attention, food and shelter, you could also win yourself a generous prize.

The Gift Packs include: Metal Couture ship necklace -$350, Cow hide rug - $100, Vinyl - $100, Vintage hats- $80, The Last Supper painting- $50, Scarves- $50, Meal voucher at The Grace Darling - $150, Gift vouchers from heaps of vintage stores - $50-$200, Title Book store gift voucher- $50, Assin gift voucher- $300, Tattoo Magic gift voucher- $200 and much more!

Some stallholders will be donating a percentage of their profits from the weekend, too. Please come and buy a ticket and help us raise much-needed $$$. We have already been very lucky with businesses, stallholders and friends making generous contributions to the appeal. We hope you can all show your support, too. Proceeds will go to Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors without Borders) and The Sanson-Rejouis Family.

So apart from heart what else can you find at Hello Sailor…we there are quality vintage items and recycled designer stock in good condition, at reasonable prices. With 15 stalls over 3 levels (all being outdoors) allowing you to bask in the sun while rummaging through an excellent selection of Vintage jewellery, Trinkets, Hats, Shoes, Books, Mens/Ladies vintage/designer clothing, Accessories, Artwork, Homewares, Trinkets, Vinyl, Cameras, 60s-70s lampshades, 40s-60s hat collection, Animal ornaments, Vintage crockery plus more! See plenty of reasons to go, so hop to it

Now I can’t sing the praises enough of the wonder ladies of the Lindy Charm School. The Mistresses are back to take on Melbourne and Ballarat on July 10th, ensuring that beauty and femininity is all around you. Plus showing you how to do various hair styles and how to find which era is yours. They will also answer the eternal question when red lipstick is appropriate. All the details for their upcoming workshops are available on their website, so make sure your not late for class.

The Australian Burlesque Festival (thanks to SKM for the heads up for this one) is nearly here. Held in Sydney this June, you will transported amongst glamour, sparkles and beauty where ever you dare to look. With local and international guests you are sure to find someone who’ll make you blush, smile and probably want to join them on stage. So bring on the feathers and false eyelashes for an event to remember.

Watch this space for more events!