fashion find it for you: weekend shenanigans and items bought

WHAT a weekend! Amazing... soooo don't want it to end (but as it is already sunday night, monday morning is inevitably not far away. Poo). This is what took place - in order of occurance:

SATURDAY:

With Ryan out of the house for the entire day, I set about completing a long overdue mission - re-arranging, re-organising and generally re-vamping the wardrobe room. Oh JOY I hear you say. I'll choose to ignore your sarcasm and agree with you wholeheartedly - it was bliss. I have a market stall coming up on the 19th of Feb - and need to compile the clothes that will be moving on to new and excited owners ('It's been really great, but alas Zimmermann shirt/Seed skirt/Vintage cowboy boots its time for you to move on'). I had Power FM cranking on the radio (think the worst of Fox FM times two hundred plus Ballarat = terrible; unfortunately the only station available) and re-arranged the hell out of that lovely little room. Gone are the horrible navy floral dust covered curtains that were a 'welcome house' gift from the crazy old hermit woman who used to live here, as well as the random single bed that 'appeared' magically behind the High Quality Freedom Rack (Ryan had forced this into my room - due to 'available space' and the fact he didn't want it in his man cave). In their place are lovely beige (that word again) Freedom eyelet sheer curtains which let in an abundance of natural light - and, more importantly, SPACE. Room. Now I can twirl and twist and do cartwheels if I feel the need whilst constructing outfits in the new and improved area. It has now become the room of my dreams.

For your viewing pleasure - I have taken the liberty of creating a 'virtual tour' of said wardrobe room (in conduction with a previous post 'Wardrobe room attacks' - forgive me if you are already familiar with this post but it is a vital element of the tour at hand):

WARDROBE 1. Consists of ITEMS I USED TO WEAR TO WORK IN MELBOURNE AND CAN NO LONGER WHICH ARE NOW REDUCED TO WEEKENDS OR GOING OUT FOR DINNERS OR TIMES WHEN I AM IN MELBOURNE – or perhaps more simply NON-BALLARAT APPROPRIATE ITEMS. This includes most of my silk maxi dresses, printed pants, culottes, kimono and fringed jackets and anything that needs a high heel or is worn with wet-look Camilla and Marc leggings. Slowly but surely I am growing bolder in my work outfits choices and pushing the ‘smart business casual’ boundaries so some of these items are getting a little more exposure than before – of which they are very happy about. They told me. I keep these items hidden behind the cupboard doors otherwise I may get sad looking at all the beautiful things that I have that I no longer wear. Sob.

2. HIGH QUALITY FREEDOM CLOTHING RACK – consists of ITEMS THAT ARE ON TREND/STYLISH AND STILL BALLARAT WORK APPROPRIATE (JUST). This includes anything new I get off eBay whilst I try my hardest to work it in to my work-appropriate wardrobe (no cream embroidered Zimmermann maxi kaftan I don’t think that is you), As well as 50’s midi skirts, printed Anthropologie pencil skirts, peach tailored peg-leg pants, silk blouses and colour block boyfriend blazers. Still a little edgy – but I can get away with it at work. Just.

3. FALLING OVER REJECT SHOP RACK – this rack is known as THINGS I HAVE TO OWN TO BE CONSIDERED AS DRESSING SMART BUSINESS CASUAL AT WORK but will never wear outside of working hours. This includes lovely things such as scoop neck stripe cotton tops from Jeans West (bought on one daily excursion to the local shopping hotspot – Wendouree Village), basic tanks, tailored blazers and shirts and fitted black pants. Hot. It also includes my ‘optional’ work uniform which consists of a branded navy polo t-shirt, and matching branded polar fleece jumper – the less said about these beauties the better. I hate this rack.

4. WARDROBE 2 – doesn’t really get a look in. This is filled with MARKET STUFF – which is could also be called THINGS I HAVE BOUGHT OF EBAY THAT DONT FIT/I DONT NEED/WHY THE HELL DID I BUY THEM. The cupboard also features a small section known as THINGS I JUST CANT GIVE UP AND WILL SAVE FOR MY KIDS (like my mother never did) – which consist of an array of random bits and bobs, from a sequined Witchery bolero, vintage calf fur cape that is falling apart (but its GORGEOUS), flared jeans, a fringed flapper dress, my entire collection of vintage cowboy boots and 2x Exclusives for Sportsgirl silk dresses (one of their first designer colabs) that I think (quite naively) will be collector’s items one day.

5. There is also one other wardrobe region that I seemed to have left out of initial post: THE STRANGE CUPBOARD WITHOUT DOORS GAP FOR MAXI DRESSES. There is this weird one metre gap between the door and the chimney in which once upon a time existed a cupboard - but now is only home to a couple of hooks and an unstable 10cm pointless plywood shelf. I DIY'd a 'railing' out of Ryan's levelling twine (something he is NOT happy about as apparently it is cut into certain lengths - none of which exist now), and have hung my much coveted maxi dress collection. They are too long to fit in the cupboards/on the racks - so this ramshackle creation is quite the perfect space for them.

So there you have it. We have now reached the end of the tour, and the end of the day. Lovely.

SUNDAY:

Sunday began bright and early to the lovely sound of my phone alarm at five thirty am. Today was a camberwell market excursion day - but this was not a usual trip. Oh no - today I had COMPANY. Yes - I was meeting up with a gf from a previous place of employment (or two!) of whom I had not seen in ages. Too long in fact. Excited much?

We met out the front of The Well; shrieked, hugged, coffeed up and hit the market. I explained my usual market-perusal route (did I mention I am a creature of habit?), which stalls to avoid, sellers to look out for and to watch out for the leather jacket man who always tries to give you candy (Uh yes. This is true. And scary). There was certainly more chatting occurring than shopping; nevertheless items were still acquired. Cruising down the far aisle we encountered a stall selling suspiciously current season Witchery items - albeit tags removed. Having a larger allocated budget of $115 - this was were the majority of money went. I loaded up an armful - and then had to cut back upon hearing the prices. Final result - three pencil skirts later; black ponti, blue/black/grey stripe, and tan and citrus print skirt - all current season and all $20 each. SNAP.

Next in the line of items nabbed was a vintage 50's style bronze poly midi skirt with cute belt loop detail and a white bird print - all this for a whopping fiver. Love it.

BUT by far the MOST AMAZING purchase of the day was *drum roll please* a Seed Femme LEATHER dress. YES. OMG. Having been on the hunt for one for the upcoming hens for some time now - this was by far the most exciting spy. Price? I was scared to ask. I was down to $55 and still had brunch to fork out for - should I bother checking? Oh yes - WAIT FOR IT - $40 dollars. YEP. Thats it - and that dress is now mine. Love doesn't even begin to cover the feelings I have for this item - building outfits in my head left right and centre. Amazing. Best find ever. And, also snapped up a navy and white printed sample midi skirt that I have seen in store for a huge $6 (bargained her down from a tenner - good on you). Grand total for the day $46 (Seed items) + $60 (Witchery skirts) + $5 (vintage skirt) = $111. Came in at an entire four dollars under budget - fab.

Check them out. I grouped them in colour coordinating outfit images as it is more pleasing to the eye: