Blood On The Leaves

My eldest son turned 25 this week. Imagine how old I feel!

One of the things I love about having adult children is the exposure to new ideas they give me. I mentioned to my son the other day that I didn't really understand why Kanye West was held in such high regard. He sent me a link to a wonderful explanation of how Kanye has used the human voice in revolutionary ways within the hip-hop genre and had thus progressed music as a whole. I now feel like I have a whole new appreciation of the artist and I can listen to his songs with a completely different perspective.

I have had a similar experience with a fashion style recently. Up until now, I have avoided low-cut or open neck styles on dresses, for obvious reasons. I felt that they were one style that made no sense for me and would never have a place in my wardrobe. This was despite loving the look of the simple, plain slip dresses used as the underpinning for many outfits in the exhibition of costumes from the Miss Fisher Mysteries.

 Dress: Alpha60

Risk of scar exposure: High 

And then I noticed Veronica Maine styling their summer collection with high-neck knits underneath open necklines and I suddenly got a new appreciation of ways that I could make the style work for me. I had a number of tops that I had relegated to layering pieces last summer and it occurred to me that they would work perfectly for this job!

Tops: Cue 

To my eye, the tops need to be short-sleeved and high-necked for this to look intentional.  I tried it with T-shirts and did not like the result nearly as much. Of course, it is always possible to layer over the top of a dress like this too.

  Long tunic: Dogstar

Crop top: Carla Zampatti

So I have gone from being sure that slip dresses were unworkable to being excited by the versatility to the style and enjoying the ability to pair it with things I already have

A new dress and a new type of music to enjoy! What more could a girl want?

Blood On The Leaves by Kanye West

Biding My Time

This is the second experimental sale purchase I wanted to show you. I bought a winter dress by this brand, Alpha60, last year and loved it. This dress was in their summer collection  and caught my eye when I saw it on their website during the sales. Alpha60 don't have a store in my city so I couldn't try it on before buying it, something I always prefer to do. I was a bit concerned that the neckline might be too low or gape-y but I decided that I could always wear a T-shirt underneath and went ahead and ordered it.

                                                             Dress: Alpha60
                                                             Culottes: Uniqlo
                                                             Necklace: Frank Ideas                         
I have to tell you that it is one of the most comfortable and versatile dresses in my closet. On very hot days I wear it on it's own, and the top is just fitted enough not to cause a problem with gaping or chest exposure. I also wear it with a shirt underneath when I want more coverage, and today I have worn it over a pair of culottes to give more volume and length at the bottom of the dress. The asymmetry and drape make it visually interesting and the sides can be buttoned together at the back to create a sleeker look. I am now putting "strappy sun dress" on the list of things that can work for me.

One important point: I do think that fit is important with this style. I suspect that if the top of the dress hadn't fitted quite so perfectly I may have felt much more anxious about wearing it with nothing underneath.

Happily, the Alpha60 size guide appears to be quite accurate. I have had pretty good experiences with ordering the right size online and I think it may be partly because I take chest, waist and hip measurements periodically and use those when deciding what size to order, rather than the number on the tag. The only problem I have had so far with biding my time and stalking pieces online has been that sometimes my size sells out. But as someone over at YouLookFab sagely remarked, "It is not necessary to own every pretty thing in the world"

Do you buy clothes online? Have you been happy with the results so far?
Biding My Time by Busby Marou

Confident

Happy New Year to everyone!
I was unfortunate enough to be struck down by a gastro bug shortly after Christmas, so it was an early night and light rations for me, but overall 2015 has been a good year.

I was diagnosed in mid-2013 and spent the rest of that year recovering physically. 2014 was all about difficult conversations, re-negotiating relationships and recovering emotionally. 2015 has been the year I have managed to be me again. If you are struggling with the difficult physical or emotional work a cancer diagnosis brings, please believe that it will get better. And in the meantime, there is always fashion!

 

                                       Camisole: Uniqlo
                                       Pants:Cue
                                       Dress: Gift from my baby sis!
                                       Shoes:Wittner
My beautiful baby sister sent me this dress for Christmas, and I think she must have read my mind because I have been wanting a shirtdress that I can wear open as a long jacket, for a 1920's style look.
This is not a figure-revealing silhouette and I like the long, straight vertical lines, which I think are quite flattering on a straight body. However, the true beauty of this style is really only captured in movement: the dress billows around me in a very satisfying way. I suppose it is another version of a cape.

I like to wear a top and bottom of the same colour when wearing a long jacket over the top. I think it makes the outfit more cohesive and reinforces the tall, slim look of this style.  I'm wearing a simple, close-fitting, inexpensive Uniqlo camisole as a top and I think the simplicity works well when there are other aspect of the outfit doing the heavy lifting style-wise.

I hope 2016 is a year of dreams coming true for all of you and I am confident that whilst the year will hold both triumph and disaster, we will prevail! Many thanks to all who have read and commented over the last year. I hope I will have your company again this year. xx

Confident by Demi Levato

I'm Growing A Beard Downstairs For Christmas

One of my concerns about living in an age where pubic hair is apparently passé is that post-mastectomy, being hair-free can look child-like. That's not an appearance I want to cultivate, so I was very amused when Kate Miller-Heidke released a single in support of Decembeard, a fund raising effort by Bowel Cancer Australia. You can watch it on YouTube, but there is also a "Donate for Download" option below, if you are partial to the comedy Christmas song or would like to support a great cause. For those who feel like that is entirely too much information, I give you pictures of my Christmas dress for 2015!

                                                     Dress: ScanlanTheodore
                                                      Sandals:Wittner
                                                     Bangle:Mimco (gift from a friend)
You may recall that a new dress is a childhood Christmas tradition for me, and I try to choose something dressy enough for seasonal parties. I wear mostly neutrals, but I fell in love with the colours and print of this dress. I worked for a number of years in rural Australia and this print reminds me of the beauty of the Australian bush.

It is made of silk, and is very soft and light and cool, perfect for summer parties. I also love the way it drapes: it does not cling to my chest and the gathers at the waist are just the thing for disguising the effects of holiday indulgence!

I also wanted to show you my Christmas present from my lovely husband: some beautiful, delicate leaf-shaped earrings. I think they echo the print of the dress beautifully.
I wore this dress on Christmas day and had a wonderful time with my boys, their girl-friends and members of our extended family. I now have a week to relax, read and have some down-time before work starts again. I hope you all had a very happy Christmas surrounded by people you love. xx

I'm Growing A Beard Downstairs For Christmas by Kate Miller-Heidke and The Beards

Decembeard Donate for Download

Living In The 70's

Hello! The weeks seem to be passing so quickly at the moment, and the weekend is over before I have had time to think about an outfit to show you! I will try and be a little more consistent now university has ended for the year and the days are getting longer.

A huge trend that has hit all the shops here this Spring has been the 70's look. I am not a big fan of boho style - it is generally too unstructured to really make my heart sing. However, this resurgence of 70's style has brought with it the return of the flare and the bootcut. I really like the freshness of the new silhouette, but I was concerned that it was not a look I would be able to wear. It seemed to me that the extra width on the bottom would require a fitted top to balance it and I usually prefer some volume over my chest, especially in the warmer months when I am not wearing a jacket or cardigan.
The solution I have found has been the tunic top.

                                                     Top/dress: Cue
                                                     Pants: Cue
I had several in my closet from last summer, and I have bought another one this season to get the "white-out" look. A few of these are dresses which are a little too short to be work-appropriate. They are now going to do double duty as  both at-home summer wear as a dress and over pants as a tunic for work.

I think the trick with this type of pairing is to choose a tunic with a triangular shape.That way, the top flares out in a way that echoes the pants. The shape also draws the eye down, and the narrow, fitted shape on the shoulder and chest becomes a part of the overall silhouette rather than the focus of the outfit. Wearing all one colour also helps create a long vertical shape that de-emphasises my chest. This is essentially a longer version of the trapeze top silhouette that I wore a lot last summer but with the fun addition of flared pants.

One of the things I love about fashion is the excitement of the new, and the clever reinterpretation of the old. How do you feel about the return of the flare?

Living in the 70's by Skyhooks

Ne Me Quitte Pas

A few weekends ago, we attended the Brisbane French Festival. I particularly wanted to go because, along with the great food stalls and the wonderful atmosphere that comes from having all the people around you conversing in French, the Festival had invited  Parisian designers Jerome L'Huillier and Mette Pedersen to create a fashion show and answer questions. The fashion was lovely - lots of bright prints, which my husband loved!- but the most interesting part for me was the Q&A afterwards.

A young designer in the audience asked Jerome for tips about building a successful business and competing with big fashion houses with their enormous marketing budgets. His reply contained two ideas that I found interesting: firstly he believed that whilst, when he started out, talent and hard work was enough to ensure success, he no longer thought that was sufficient. Secondly, unless the public are prepared to support local designers and pay a fair price for their work, the market will contract and the only two options will be either fast, cheap fashion like H&M or the very expensive, high-end design houses like Dior.

                                                       Dress:Alpha60
                                                       T-shirt: Sportscraft
                                                       Shoes: Wittner
The talk really made me think about the value I place on my clothes and the necessity of being willing to support things that are important to me. And I do believe that fashion is important. Over the last few weeks, I have been exploring Australian designers and last week I bought this dress from the new-to-me Melbourne designer Alpha60.

I think this may be the perfect dress for a flat chest. It has an overlay that covers the chest and long pieces that can be either tied to emphasise the waistline or allowed to fall free and create flattering vertical lines. It is a wool blend and so will give me some much needed warmth - even though I live in a warm part of the world, I feel the cold and I anticipate this will be worn until the beginning of Summer. I am quite thrilled to have found another possibility for my clothing choices and I hope that Australian designers continue to receive support in their quest to provide us with interesting and unique fashion options.
Do you have any local designers that you especially enjoy and like to support?

Ne Me Quitte Pas by Nina Simone

Dress You Up

I am a big fan of dresses. I love the femininity and elegance of wearing a dress and it is hard to beat the ease of a dress and heels for a special occasion. Unfortunately, I have found it hard to find dresses I feel good in. The majority of them are definitely made for curves. I thought I would show you a new dress that I do feel  good in, and which I think works well with a straight body. This was my birthday present from my husband. The fabric is lovely and the simplicity of the style really appeals to me.

 

Dress:ScanlonTheodore

Shoes:Wittner

This is another example of clothing that does not disguise my chest. I like the smoothness and drape of the fabric and the contrast between the volume at the back and the straightness at the front. I wore this to a work Christmas party and felt quite stylish. I have also experimented a little with accessories and layers for the days when I am feeling a little less brave about my body shape.

I have showed you this crop top once before, and I usually wear it with skirts, but I am happy with how it looks over this dress also. Having it as an option provides me with a bit of extra choice and versatility in how I present myself. Sometimes, I don't want the flatness of my chest to be so obvious and a crop rescues me from that concern.

Do you like dresses? And if so, are there styles that especially appeal to you?

Dress You Up by Madonna

I'll Change Your Mind

One of the joys and the challenges of being married is compromise. Joyful, because it gives me the opportunity to understand and accommodate another person's viewpoint and to soften some of my own sharp edges and certainties. Challenging because there is sometimes a fine line between allowing another person to influence me and sacrificing something that is central to my sense of self. Happily, one area that has been easy to compromise in has been that of clothing. I have moved to wearing neutrals over the last 12 months, but when I asked my husband what outfits he preferred, it became clear that he likes me to wear bright colours and patterns.
I mostly dress to please myself, but I do particularly enjoy it if my husband like what I am wearing.

                                                           Dress:Veronika Maine
                                                           Shoes: Wittner
This is the dress I chose this summer in an attempt to please both of us. The fabric is very soft and cool and feels lovely in the heat we have experienced recently. I also enjoy the fullness of the skirt as it feels quite feminine. The high neck works well and the loose style is one that I think is particularly suited to a flat chest. As for the colour, I have come to quite enjoy the bright and cheerful effect of the vivid colours. Putting it on feels like a little holiday after a long stretch of wearing neutrals. This has been one compromise that has been joyful and it is possible that my husband may even have changed my mind!

Do you have any styles that you have changed your mind about?

I'll Change Your Mind by Kate Miller-Heidke ( Warning!Video is not for the squeamish!)

Holy Grail

Christmas is drawing ever closer, and I am starting to receive invitations to the parties and get-togethers that always happen at this time of year. I agonised a bit over what to wear to some of the more dressy parties. Before my mastectomy, it was easy to find a suitably glamorous dress to squeeze myself into but dresses have become a bit tricky now. Party dresses in particular seem to be designed to emphasise curves and cleavage and I have discovered that finding dresses that look good is a much greater challenge than finding separates.

This is the party dress I settled on for this year. My husband calls it "The Princess Dress" and I have to say that I feel like a princess when I put it on. After many disappointments trying on dresses, there is something quite magical about wearing a dress that I feel beautiful in.

Dress: Carla Zampatti

Shoes:Wittner

Clutch:Mimco (birthday present!)

 

I have had a few realisations in my search though and you may find some of my discoveries helpful:

*Part of the glamour of party dresses for me is they are a bit sexy. They show skin. Or are body con enough to reveal a shape. So I chose a dress that showed my shoulders and arms. But really, you could apply those ideas in any way - a cinched waist, an open back, a column skirt, anything that makes you feel good about your body.

*The styles I have found most friendly to a flat chest have been trapeze styles (which have the added advantage of disguising a tummy) and shift styles. Shifts are especially good if you are fairly straight and slim as they fall straight from the shoulder and give a really lovely 1920's vibe which is very simple and elegant. The key is to pick a beautiful fabric that drapes well and moves with your body as you move. I also think  a grecian-style dress that falls from gathers around the neckline and shoulders would work well, although I haven't come across that in a dressy fabric in my searches to date.

*This is the time for heels! if you only wear them once a year, a Christmas party is the time to break them out.

I hope you all have a blast as the festive season fills up your calendars.

Do you have an outfit Holy Grail that you have been searching for?

Holy Grail by Hunters and Collectors

Your Friends Will Tell You Who You Are

I have a group of friends from University who have remained in touch for the past decade and a half. Every year, we have a weekend away together, with a prize, "The Cumquat Cup", being awarded for the most entertaining or outrageous behaviour. Last year we did not manage to get together; the combination of young families and new babies, stressful new jobs and health issues conspired against us. However this year we are making up for lost time with a weekend in Canberra for the Floriade festival, so I thought I would show you my weekend-away.

One of the themes often discussed on the forum at YouLookFab is the problem of buying clothes for your fantasy life - the life you wish you led but actually don't. The good news for me is that this whole weekend is the fantasy life I have in mind when I choose clothes -sitting around talking and drinking wine, frequenting cafes and restaurants and maybe even catching some live music.

Floriade. I wanted something comfortable with plenty of eating room. Leggings and jumper are optional, depending on the weather. Comfy shoes are a must.

So my final tally: 1 pair of jeans, 1 skirt, 1 dress, 2 tops, 2 jumpers, 2 pair of shoes and a coat.

One of the wonderful things about this weekend will be the freedom to present myself without reference to anyone's expectations. My friends love and accept me whatever I wear, and in a strange city I am unlikely to meet acquaintances unexpectedly and so have no need to dress for that possibility. I plan to enjoy every minute of my fantasy life.  Do you have a fantasy life you wish you could dress for?

Your Friends Will Tell You Who You Are by Kate Miller-Heidke

Got My Mojo Working

A few months ago I talked about fashion eras in which being flat-chested was advantageous and I was surprised to realise this week that I have not shown you this dress before. I currently have three dresses in my wardrobe and this is the one I have been reaching for most often, just because it feels cool both physically and psychologically!

Dress:Cue

Sandals:Joanne Mercer

I think it has very clear 1960's Mod influences. It is a simple shape, a short style and it actively avoids the appearance of curves! I feel positively Twiggy-esque in this dress and the associations with the music and fun and non-conformity of Mod culture are very appealing to me.

As you can see, the front is cut very straight, avoiding the appearance of empty fabric that haunts me with most of the dresses I try. I have been experimenting with how to transition my wardrobe into Autumn this week, and have found that this dress also looks good with a long-sleeved knit top underneath and the sandals swapped out for boots. But for now, whilst temperatures are still in the 30's I am happy to wear it as is, and grateful for the extra ventilation provided by the cut-out back and the shorter length.

It is now a little over 6 months since my surgery and I was profoundly glad to realise recently that I feel like I have my mojo back. Whilst there will always be ups and downs, most of the time I am able to love my body for it's strength and resilience and functionality and feel confident and attractive in how I dress myself. We all have our scars and imperfections and accepting them may be the first step in getting mojo working and living life with joy.

Every 1's A Winner

Yesterday was Melbourne Cup day, and although up in Brisbane we don't get a public holiday and although I was going to work rather than the track, it still felt like a good excuse to frock up.

 

 

I think this dress will be a favourite this summer, as it is soft and light to wear and the print is neutral and works with lots of different accessories. I have had a lot of trouble finding dresses that look good since my mastectomy. So many of them have been cut to accomodate breasts, and there is something a little sad about that empty fabric when I try them on!

 

 This dress has gathers at the neckline and an A-line shape that provides a bit of volume. It actually looks quite cute without the belt, too, but I wanted to define my waist on this occasion.

Dress:Stella

Jacket:Cue

Booties:Wittner

I was listening to some Melbourne Cup fashion advice on the radio a few days ago, and the stylist cautioned that it was OK for expose the knees OR the shoulders, but not both. Since I would hate to be arrested by the fashion police, I added a jacket over the dress.

I think the trapeze shape of the jacket works well with this dress. I have struggled with styling this jacket, as it is such a modern shape, but I think the key may be to pair it with a little more volume on the bottom.

It's always good when you feel like you picked a winner, whether it is on the track or in your wardrobe! I hope you all enjoyed the race that stops a nation, especially those of you lucky enough to live in Melbourne!