Meet me by the pond for a ciggie (or two)

Posted by dramaofexile in Outfit and tagged with 1920's, 1920's dress, 1930's evening bag, antique jewellery, Australian vintage blog, bob cut, bobbed hair, Carlton Gardens, dunhill, flapper, Gatsby style, Love Vintage Show, modern vintage, Outfit, pearl necklace, vintage blogger australia, vintage cigarette holder, vintage fur May 18, 2013

Late 1920′s silk dress with ecru lace bib – Ebay

Blonde fur stole - Nook Vintage

1930′s cream velvet beaded evening bag – Shag

Straw hat - Thrifted and customised by me

Pearl neclace and rings – My great grandmother’s

Hosiery – Jonathon Aston

1980′s does 1920′s t-bar shoes – Lost & Found

1920′s Dunhill cigarette holder – gift from friend

Hello you beautiful things,

I’m currently sitting in bed, in my new room, with a full goblet of red wine. Completely exhausted yet exhilarated from a completely fab weekend at the Love Vintage Show. This year was better than ever, and I had such an amazing time, picked up some incredible gems and drank way too many champagnes. These are some photos (courtesy of Evie) from last night, as we waited for the doors to open at the exhibition building in Carlton Gardens whilst sharing a cheeky cig by the pond (how good is my new ciggie holder?!) . I’ll be posting a full review soon on the Vintage Shops Australia blog, as well as here- so do stay tuned.

Big smooches,

Red Velvet

Posted by dramaofexile in Outfit and tagged with 1940's dress, 90's inspiration, bob cut, bobbed hair, kneee high socks, nancy downs, red velvet dress, The Craft, Vintage Style March 18, 2013

1940′s Red Velvet dress with Ecru lace collar – Sunday Best Fair a few years ago

Chiffon bow in hair – Alannah Hill

Shoes – Wittner

Belt – On extended borrow from a friend

Brooch – gift from Jesse

Socks – Alannah Hill

This is what I wore a few weekends ago to my dear friend Rhianna’s birthday dinner, who was up from Tasmania for a visit. It was a freak cooler evening so I was able to dust off the velvet for a brief encounter before the heat took over once more. I’m a sucker for velvet, and this beauty has been a staple in my wardrobe for years now, and though it may be falling apart (which I realise from these photos is more apparent than I had hoped) I still can’t get enough of it.

This was a particular ‘cute’ outfit for me, which a few years ago would have been my general ‘look’ but lately I seem to hop, skip and jump a lot more and really every day is becoming more different. I guess I’m just feeling a lot more feelings lately, and my effort levels are rapidly declining. Hence the past week I’ve taken to slicking my hair back, wearing tartan skirts and going for a look more reminiscent of Nancy from The Craft. In general, just a lot more 90′s, which is an era that does not normally jump out at me.

So in the spirit of my 90′s phase, repeat after me…

light as a feather, stiff as a board

Lady of Leisure

Posted by dramaofexile in Outfit and tagged with 1920's, 1930's, beaded bolero, bed jacket, bob cut, bobbed hair, flapper style, Tap Pants, Vintage Lingerie, vintage panties, vintage sleepwear March 4, 2013

I recently acquired a whole bunch of new vintage lingerie – 1930′s and 20′s silk tap pants, 1940′s dead stock panties, some bustiers and a divine late 1910′s hankerchief hemmed baby pink step-in (to feature another day). Because I got a booty on me (or a booot-aye) it’s hard to find vintage lingerie that fits me in the hips AND the waist, or is in strong wearable condition. So now I have a new personal stock pile I am being a lady of leisure any chance I can get. I generally throw my kimono on for modesty but today I felt like being a bit more glam and pranced around in this beaded pink silk bolero that I never seem to wear (I don’t really do pink) but love to pieces.

I am wearing…

Baby pink lace bustier – Salvation Army

1940′s mint green panties – Clara Fox

Beaded bolero – Alannah Hill

In other news I am excited to tentatively share with you guys that I am in the process of organising with Di of Clara Fox to run her stall at the Love Vintage Winter Show in May. I’ll keep you all updated, and if all goes to plan I can’t wait for you all to see the stock she has at the moment! Drool worthy, sell-your-first-born kind of amaze.

Let’s Do It A Dada

Posted by dramaofexile in Outfit, Personal and tagged with 1930's opera coat, All Tomorrow's Parties, Black Velvet, bob cut, bobbed hair, Einstuerzende Neubauten, Outfits, personal, velvet beret, vintage beret, vintage blogger australia, vintage coat February 21, 2013

Ohhh man, I’ve had the busiest week! So much to share, so much happening, I feel like I need a good cuppa and a nap from life. So many friends and family have been visiting from Brisbane over the past couple of weeks, I’ve been working basically every day and have had so many social commitments that this nanna ain’t used to (I seem to have thrown my partying ways to the wind as of late).

The absolute highlight though has to be scoring a last minute ticket to All Tomorrow’s Parties on the weekend. I put off buying a ticket ages ago as it was pretty $$$, and didn’t organise time off work so I was resolved to the thought of dying in the shop whilst everyone I knew was seeing my favourite bands. In a nutshell, after some facebook and gumtree detective work I managed to nab myself a ticket to the Sunday, and had the raddest time. I’m so bummed I missed Swans on the Saturday (like, so bummed let’s never mention it again), but I did get to see Pere Ubu (who performed The Modern Dance in full), Beasts of Bourbon (my guilty pleasure) and Einstürzende Neubauten (enouuuuuugh said). A total all-time of mine and Jesse’s, Blixa Bargeld was just too damn sexy we needed a double dose and ended up going to their side show on the Tuesday at The Palace.

To be perfectly blunt it was just fucking PHENOMENAL, no words can describe etc. Although I do have to say that the show at The Palace was the worst, ruddest and messed up crowd I’ve ever seen at any gig in my entire life- it was like being in a sports bar. No-one would shutup! It confuses me that at ATP the crowd, that was so much bigger, was so respectful you could hear a pin drop. Anyway, not to rant but by godddddd it got up my goat.

I decided to dress accordingly and gothed it up slightly more than usual. I wore…

1930′s black velvet opera coat – Lended to me by my babe friend Audrey

Dress (worn underneath) and hosiery – Alannah Hill

Art Deco velvet and rhinestone belt – Ebay

1940′s black suede pumps – Clara Fox

1940′s black velvet beret (that I can’t get enough of lately) – Ebay

I brought my camera with me to the sideshow (I decided to leave it at home on the weekend, cameras and festivals don’t mix), but unfortunately my battery died just before the came on stage! But here is a photo from fasterlouder.com from Sunday’s show at ATP. Nothing does it justice though, Blixa Bargeld just gets sexier and sexier with age, like a fine wine.

I’ll leave you with their song, The Garden. One of the hits, they opened with it at ATP and it was just so amazingly beautiful and perfect I could have cried, I tell ya.

Hier ist auf das Wochenende, Liebhaber!

Oh Brother

Posted by dramaofexile in Outfit, Travels & Treasures and tagged with 18th Century Art, Art Gallery, Australian Blogger, bob cut, bobbed hair, brother, Edwardian style, family, Melbourne, NGV, Outfits, Patrick Butler, Travels & Treasures, victorian style February 11, 2013

My little brother Patrick has been visiting for the past few days. As his first time in Melbourne I was designated tour guide, and we jam packed all the sights into a few days, including a trip to NGV. This basically entailed us recreating poses in the 18th Century art rooms, me drooling over some amazing shoes, and checking out the current Ballet & Fashion exhibition.

Patrick

I actually died when I saw these

Runs in the family

I wore…

1940′s black velvet beret – Ebay

Victorian style cream pin tucked jacket – Lost & Found

90′s cheesecloth skirt with mother of pearl buttons – Savers

Antique gold beaded collar – a gift from my mother

Leather satchel bag – Puff’n'Stuff

Belt – thrifted in Richmond

Lace up boots – Zomp

The Ballet & Fashion exhibition was really beautiful, and there were some pieces by Richard Nylon (who was my millinery teacher whilst I was studying) from the ballet Aviary: A Suite for the Bird, which he worked on with costumes designed by Toni Maticevski. Definitely worth checking out.

It’s Patrick’s last night in Melbourne so we’re off to Prudence for one last drink. Patrick’s impressions of Melbourne so far – very flat, relaxed smoking laws and daylight saving is freaking him out. A very observant brother I have.

Happy Monday darlins.

Lulu in Berlin

Posted by dramaofexile in Inspiration and tagged with 1920's film, Alfred Cheney Johnston, American Venus, bob cut, bobbed hair, Louise Brooks, Louise Brooks documentary, Lulu In Berlin, Pandora's Box, Silent Film Star, ziegfeld follies January 28, 2013

Ok so you guys, I’ve been trying to think of the name of the Louise Brooks documentary/interview I saw last year whilst home alone with a bottle of vodka and I finally found it. Everyone should watch it, she’s like 70 years old and I absolutely looovvee the way she talks and the fact that she has this long, long hair. It’s really beautiful though, do yourself a favour and watch all 4 parts.

I’ve tried to avoid doing the standard Brooksie post, but every now and then ya gotta binge on a favourite, y’know?

And of course now I have to share some of my favourite Louise photos…

Louise Brooks in Pandora’s Box directed by George Wilhem Pabst, 1929

Louise Brooks and Adolphe Menjou in A Social Celebrity directed by Malcolm St. Clair, 1926

James Abbe, Portrait of Louise Brooks, wearing Jean Patou dress for Prix de Beauté directed by Augusto Genina, 1930

Fritz Kortner and Louise Brooks in Pandora’s Box

Victor McLaglen and Louise Brooks in A Girl in Every Port directed by Howard Hawks, 1928

Louise Brooks in Diary of a Lost Girl directed by George Wilhem Pabst, 1929

Portrait of Louise Brooks for American Venus directed by Frank Tuttle, 1926

Louise Brooks in The Show Off directed by Malcolm St. Clair, 1926

Louise Brooks in Pandora’s Box directed by George Wilhem Pabst, 1929

Alfred Cheney Johnston, Portrait of Louise Brooks for the Ziegfeld Follies publicity, 1920′s

Sugar Mountain

Posted by dramaofexile in Outfit, Travels & Treasures and tagged with Best friends, bob cut, bobbed hair, Gabrielle Delacour, Melbourne Music, monochrome style, Music Festival, Revee Bendixen, Sugar Mountain, Sugar Mountain 2013, white lace January 27, 2013

Photobooth, Revee and I, Melbourne 2013

Last weekend Revee and I went to Sugar Mountain at The Forum as one last hurrah before she had to set sail back to Queensland. We took the opportunity to take some snaps of us together as it’s getting harder and rarer to find ourselves in the same city these days.

I wore…

Lace top – Alannah Hill

1990′s velvet skirt – Savers

Leaf and berry headpiece and tights- Alannah Hill

Amethyst necklace – Alice Euphemia

T-bar shoes – Lost & Found

Revee wore…

1980′s lace and leather dress – thrifted in Brisbane

Lace-up boots – mine, from Zomp

It was one of the first ‘festivals’ I’d been to in forever, I tend to stay clear of those types of events but the line-up was totally amaze with the likes of HTRK, ESG, Hunx And His Punx, local Brothers Hand Mirror (who totally ripped it up), Action Bronson, Peanut Butter Wolf and more. The visual artists were also totally rad and there was just so many positive vibbbbes, know what I mean? The Forum is actually a really beautiful venue, it used to be the place to go to see ‘talkies’ in the 1920′s, and has this Romanesque amphitheatre vibe with gargoyles and statues littered around the joint. For those that follow me on Instagram, you would have seen that Revee and I got pretty friendly with a couple of the handsome statues.

I’ll leave you guys with some shots of the bands, from my ‘gram, and this sexy video from the night of Brothers Hand Mirror.

HTRK, Sugar Mountain, Melbourne 2013

ESG, Sugar Mountain, Melbourne 2013

Hunx And His Punx, Sugar Mountain, 2013

Picnic in the Park

Posted by dramaofexile in Outfit, Travels & Treasures and tagged with 1920's dress, 1920's style, 1940's style, bob cut, bobbed hair, cupcakes, flapper dress, flapper style, vintage bloggers australia, vintage meet-up, vintage picnic January 21, 2013

On Sunday afternoon I hopped down to Edinburgh Gardens for a picnic with some lovely vintage ladies, organised by Jacinta of Razzle Dazzle Rose/Betty & Ginger. It was so nice to meet some like-minded women and have a good ole’ chinwag over the best picnic spread I ever did see!

This will hopefully be something of a regular occurrence, and if yesterday was anything to go by then I can’t wait for the next meet-up!

I wore…

1920′s wool dress with silk pleated under dress, embroidered panels and tassels – Junk Company

Berries in hair – Self made

Antique coin holder necklace – Amor y Locura

T-bar shoes – Lost & Found

Hosiery – Leona Edmiston

Beautiful Margeaux and her amazing hat!

Marianna of Esme & The Laneway and Jacinta of Razzle Dazzle Rose

Marianne of Esme & The Laneway and Jacinta of Razzle Dazzle Rose

Little Minky

Clara of Clara Cupcakes and Danika of The Sapphic Dress Diaries

Jacinta & I

I am still dreaming of those meringues…

Bringing In The New Year With Gloria

Posted by dramaofexile in Outfit, Shopping and tagged with 1950's dress, australian vintage, bob cut, bobbed hair, Fabulous 40's & 50's, Gabrielle Delacour, Gloria Swanson, Gloria Swanson by Forever Young, Melbourne Vintage, navy, Outfit, straw boater, vintage, vintage beading, vintage blogger, vintage outfits, Vintage Style, wiggle dress January 4, 2013

Helloooooo 2013! I hope everyone had a magical New Years! I’m feeling particularly positive about the fresh start this year brings, and have many schemes and dreams up my sleeve that I am determined to make happen.

The beginning of the year has started off super hot, gone are the cardigan days! Upon waking to 40 degree heat today, my boss let me know that she had decided not to open because of it. Ahhh lazy retail! So in my impromptu (much welcomed) day off, I decided to whip out the new love of my life, my Gloria Swanson 1950′s dress.

This darling was a gift from my amazing mama for Christmas, and is a genuine Gloria Swanson design! I almost died – anyone who knows me knows how much of a Gloria worshipper I am. The silent screen star added clothing designer to her professions in the 50′s, designing under her label Forever Young which was a play on both her own indestructible looks and the desire of older women to look younger. The label was manufactured by the Puritan Dress company between 1951 and 1981.

The babe herself, Gloria

My little navy dream is a 1950′s original Gloria Swanson by Forever Young, complete with matching cropped jacket that snaps in at the waist with a bow. The beading in the neckline is to die for, and girl do I love a strong shoulder pad! Plus it’s perfectly lightweight for Melbourne summer, making this my new go-to outfit.

I am wearing…

Dress & Jacket – 1950′s Gloria Swanson by Forever New from Fabulous 40′s & 50′s (Vintage Garage, Collingwood)

Straw Boater – costume shop in Brisbane

Hosiery – Sheer Vintage Pins by Leona Edmiston

Shoes – 60′s mary-janes, thrifted in Richmond

I’m now going to take this day off to put pen to paper and organise the mess that is my headspace. I never make new years resolutions, but this year I feel like shit needs to happen! Top of my list are…

1. Give more time and love to this little corner of the internet! I’ve let my little blog go a bit, and I need to focus and not be so lazy/haphazard! I’ve got so many ideas, I just need to stop daydreaming about them and DO them!

2. Keep building Blue Moon Vintage Salon. You guys have no idea the amount of treasures I have just waiting to be listed! Again, it’s the lazy bug (and my complete inaptness with things computer/internet related).

3. Be the healthiest me I can be. Cut back on the booze, step up the gym and change back from vegetarian to vegan. This is the one I’m most scared of, I have ZERO willpower! Especially when it comes to the red wine!

4. Make more of an effort in keeping in touch with old friends

5. Learn French

6. Get out of the city as much as I can

7. Budget like a slave so I can save and travel by the end of the year! Aim: a white Christmas .

I guess we’ll see how I go! 4 days in and I haven’t swayed yet! Do you have any New Years resolutions?

Holidaze

Posted by dramaofexile in Outfit and tagged with bob cut, bobbed hair, Fitzroy, Gabrielle Delacour, holidays, Melbourne, Melbourne Vintage, Outfit, vintage blogger australia, vintage blouse, Vintage Style, vintage sunglasses December 26, 2012

1960′s Blouse – Love Vintage Fair

Pants – Thrifted in Brisbane

Shoes – Lost & Found

Brooch – Christmas gift from Jesse

Sunglasses – Vintage Garage

I’m officially on holidays! Yesterday we hosted an orphan Christmas at our house and had the best Chrissie I think I’ve had in ages! Was so chilled, with so much food and gin and good people. I got some amaze gifts, including a crocheted 50′s poodle bottle cover (she is such a lady, with a diamante nose and velvet collar), two lovely antique brooches, candles, perfume and books. Spoilt rotten, I tell ya!

So now I’m off work until the 2nd of January and plan on making the most of it. Although I’m having a ball currently sitting on the couch with Chairman Meow, eating pistachios and multi-tasking eBay, Louis Theroux and catching up on my blog reading that I can envision myself not moving from this spot for a whole week…

Happy Holidays from Jesse & I!