Frocktober Day 15 - Ladies who lunch...

 40's again in a skirt and blouse combo that didn't work quite as nicely as I would have liked...  The skirt is AMAZING it's military pencil from Collectif and is another Darling purchase.  The blouse was less succesful; it's a lovely piece from Diana Ferrari but it's not quite long enough to tuck in nicely and every time I sit down or bend or do anything I have to tuck it back in.  It's most unladylike.
Today was victory rolls and a snood again, I'm still recovering from the show so I don't quite spring out of bed with vigour ready to do my hair.  I will get back on top of it I promise after a few more good sleeps!


At home with Emmeline



Aligator and I headed into town for lunch and stopped for blog photos at Garema Place's giant silver pillow before heading back to work.

After work I headed home to spend some much needed quality time with my darling dog Emmeline (She's named after the formidable Emmeline Pankhurst, suffragette, protest leader and general fearsome woman).  EM's assesment of the nessecity of quality time was somewhat different than mine...



Glamourous, isn't it?



After changing to take little miss Em to the park I started to pull my hair out and decided I would share this image with you.

Frocktober Day 3 - The Great Canberra Omnibus



Can you tell I have a dog?



Look I did the back!

Today was the 40's again but I actually did the back of my hair rather than cheating with a snood.  After pining my victory rolls in the front; I rolled the back of it up into a barrel in four sections to complete the 40's silhouette I was aiming for!  It could have been neater but for some reason doing the back of one's head proved to be quite challenging!

Given the salior style dress (my first genuine retro purchase and a frock I adore!) I though that a poppy for remembrance was an appropriate flower for the day.  So with a swipe of regimental red lipstick (Yes there were uniform lipsticks in the 40's and they were RED!) I was ready for whatever the day threw at me.


An antique? That's well
vintage that is.



 I accesorised today with my fravourite piece of jewellery. My grandmother's locket.  This piece is an antique and I don't care I wear it anyway.  My grandmother had a photograph of her great-grandmother wearing it as a little girl!  It has come down the female line to me and I am incredibly grateful to have it.  Last time I wore it to a vintage fair someone tried to buy it of me and I nearly bit their fingers.  (At the same fair I bought a wonderful 40's hat that goes with this frock, I will wear it later in the month! Hats and victory rolls = not always compatible)



It's subtle...
No one will notice
... right?


It was good that I felt prepared for anything to because at lunh time a disaster struck!  While crouching to take a photograph for colleague also frocking it for the cause my black nylons laddred from toe to welt! I had a quiz to host! I couldn't cope with the giant ladder so there was post work rush to Myer to pick up an emergency pair of 'Vintage Mesh' stockings by Leona Edmiston.  After wearing nylons, elasticated stockings are horridly uncomfortable and they FALL DOWN nylons all the way particularly if you're a tall girl like me! (Sorry Leona I have new love now...xxx)

So next it;s off to quiz, unlike my colleagues my quiz regulars have seen me do Frocktober before so no great surprises there.  Quite a few comments; "You look like my mother/grandmother at your age", "Very glamourous","Very Imelda May" (<-I liked that one) etc.



I also realised I forget to add the why!
Raising money for the OCRF!



Last year I had many enquiries from my quiz contestants about what I was doing, why, where they could see more and how they could donate so I made up these little cards to give out to save me writing it down repeatedly.  Hopefully it directs a few people to our efforts!  If it has comment! We'd love to hear from you!

Quiz went swimmingly, everyone had a lovely time as usual and the jackpot was finally won, by three teams! 



Travelling in style.

 Then it when it was time to head home.  I remained true to my comitment to rationing of all things; food, money and fuel!  I travelled in inimitable style aboard the Great Canberra Omnibus (nothing to do with not having a licence I swear!)

Keep frocking!

Love and Sparkles, Ivy x

Here is a picture of the fairy light tree,
for no other reason than fairy lights make me happy

Frocktober!

This month I am joining Team Darling's Frocktober effort, if you weren't already aware I'm one of Darla and Bloss's pretty Flamingos at the Darling's pretty pink shoppy in Gold Creek.

You can donate at our everyday hero page here.

Frocktober and I are not total strangers, I took part last year in retro hair and make-up and I will be doing so again this year!  I will also be attempting some war era recipes (with some substitutions; as a Coeliac gluten containing wheat flour is a big no-no). Courtesy and delightful cookbook "We'll eat again" provided by my delightful friend and fellow foodaphile Christopher.

Of course I started Frocktober yesterday with the little ensemble you can see to the left!  A 50's style polka dot frock with big 50's hair and winged eyeliner.

I'll endeavour to post outfits and recipes as often as possible!    I will also be posting to the Team Darling Blog along with the rest on the team so head on over and check it out!

 

Review - GIO Seconds - Point Heel Fully Fashioned Stockings

Those who know me know that I have recently come to a love of all things vintage. As I get older I'm gradually progressing through the ages, from a fascination with medieval fashions in high-school I've finally reached the 1940s and 50s.   Possibly before I die I might just catch up with fashion, however for the moment I am very happy in my 'make do and mend' phase.

I have recently been accepted as a hosiery reviewer for Sweet Pins (www.sweetpins.com.au) this is very exciting for me because I have always had an interest (read: obsession) in hosiery, lingerie and all manner of delightful frippery.  So without any further ado, a review.

Item: Gio' Seconds - Point Heel Fully Fashioned Stockings (size 10.5)

My initial impression was a little sad, this was due to their packaging.  As a long time lover of Leona Edminston's hosiery I have been spoilt for packaging, accostomed to gently unwrapping these delicate pieces of indulgence from their tissue-paper shroud with my little cotton gloves (yes I have hosiery gloves they are a must if you have nails) has become a ritual I promise myself on bad days. The Gios came unmarked wrapped in plastic, but once opened they were a joy to unfurl, as nylon has no strech the stockings are as long as your legs (which in my case is considerable).

The stockings themselves are beautiful, soft with a beautiful satin sheen and whatever imperfection they may have you certainly have to hunt for; I found one on my black pair but haven't been able to locate one on my skin tone pair. Being truthful I'm not really looking if it doesn't leap out at me I anticipate it won't leap out at anyone else. 

Wearing these stockings is a joy, they are smooth, light and as they are fully fashioned and have no strech there is no longer the constant battle to keep them up.  I've worn them with a girdle and my trusty 8-strap suspender belt and my recommendation would be the suspender belt. This is simply because I found the girdle held the stocking just that little bit too low, in contract the suspender belt offers the full range of adjustment which meant I was able to get the fit just right.

The other aspect of these stockings that has me over then moon with joy is the sizing, I'm tall and I have big feet.  This means that buying stockings can be a chore, even the ones that claim to fit me often wind up dragging down two sit the gusset somewhere around my knees, very attractive and comfortable.  Because Gio fully fashioned stockings are 100% nylon they have no strech in them (as I previously mentioned) this means they have to make them in more than S/M, M/Tall and Tall/X-Tall (I'm not sure who decided that X-Tall is 5'11" another fashion industry conundrum) the upside of this is it is easy to find a pair of Gio stocking to fit just about anyone!

I've been wearing these stockings all day and they haven't fallen down, laddered or disappointed me in anyway.  The lack of stretch takes some getting used to, instead of hugging your legs like a demanding child like more modern stockings do nylons instead shift over your legs as you walk in a sort of caress, more like a lover with very soft hands.

I am definitely a convert to what Ms Von Teese calls 'the lovely rasp of nylon'.  If you're thinking about trying fully fashioned stockings do try these and becasue they're slightly less than perfect (like the rest of us) they're so much cheaper you needn't feel bad about the indulgence.