So, I was delighted to find out that there's a sale on at one of my favorite etsy shops Gadzina's Hamper. Because my pocket book is feeling a bit sad lately, instead of buying everything (which is what I REALLY feel like doing), I made some collages of sweet outfits I would make with a collection of the items.
Awesome see-through dress (would be so cute with high-wasted granny panties and a bralette), perfect headscarf, adorable tweed purse, red oxfords, and rhinestone bracelet... all for under 130 bucks!
This would be great with a pair of woolly grey tights or knee high socks for you northern hemisphere folks at the end of fall!
Cowboy meets Asian silk? Too far?
Here's a spring outfit for us southern hemisphere folk. Love love love those slouch boots!
70s bell bottoms with seafoam green bowling shoes? Yes please!
If you haven't checked out the artist collective (Ghosts of Gone Birds), I highly recommend doing so. I may be a bit biased, since it is a collection of art pieces devoted to raising awareness about bird conservation. BUT, there are some incredible artists contributing some incredible art to the cause. Everything from watercolor to installations, from Margaret Atwood to Kai and Sunny.
Artists are raising money for Birdlife International's Preventing Extinction Programme: "we are raising a creative army for conservation through a series of multimedia exhibitions and events that will breathe artistic life back into extinct bird species"
Anyways... enough about bird conservation. One of the members of the "creative conservation army" is Su Blackwell. She makes art out of old books and dresses, and I think she's just great. Here's the piece she made for Ghosts of Gone Birds:
"A box of fading ghosts"
Here's some other gems from her website. Birds feature prominently, as do dresses. As you can imagine, I'm smitten.
Just came upon this gem of a designer 'Nadinoo' on the blog Fancy Fine. Not only do I love Ashley's post (frankly, playing vintage dress up before a night of kareoke with these two is my idea of a dream date), I LOVE Nadinoo's clothes. I love the pastel colors, giant bows, and sailor collars. The cute vintage inspired prints of sailboats and airplanes are exquisite... not to mention the 'bird a day print'. This one just sent me over the top. An ornithological themed dress?! Marry me?
Also, online, Nadinoo made up three fictional characters who go on made-up adventures in their clothes. Super adorable. And one last added bonus, all of Nadinoo's garments are hand made in England. It's always nice to know where your clothes were made and who made them. Check it out: Nadinoo
Hello, sorry I have been gone for so long. I just got back from my island trip and a short hiking vacation with my boyfriend last week.
Seems that the world has been flipped on it's head since I've been gone. Oil spills, worldwide anti-corporate greed protests, islands going without water because of climate change... Needless to say, I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed trying to keep up with the world. Especially since the oil that is spilling into the Bay of Plenty is washing up on the shores of one of my study sites, Moutohora Island. This pristine island is a sacred Maori pa site where hangi stones are collected, also its one of the largest colonies of Grey-faced Petrels in New Zealand. My heart is aching.
Anyways, once I regroup, I will post some picture from my travels and get back to fashion blogging!
This has nothing to do with my travels... appologies. I just found this beautiful article on media indigena and had to share (read: here). I am 100% guilty of buying into modern native imagery. I love Cowichan sweaters and feather headdresses from UO. However, this article has really opened my eyes as to how offensive this type of imagery must be for actual native people, whose artistic traditions were stiffled and made illegal by the very white colonialists who now consume these products today.
To share a quote from the media indigena article:
"Rather than buying a Pendleton-style bag mass-produced overseas and sold at Urban Outfitters around the world, why not buy a t-shirt, sweater or earrings from your local Indigenous craftsperson. Meet them, find out where they’re from, and the history behind their particular craft. In the process, you will be educating yourself about local Indigenous history and political struggles, and putting food on the tables of local artisans."
Heading to NZ anytime soon? Do you like vintage or boutique shopping? Adorable cafe's with delicious coffee and snacks? Cute tiled alleyway streets with street performers, sculptures, fountains, and music? Generally an amazing atmosphere?? Well, let me recommend Cuba street... probably the best urban area in NZ. We went shopping and cafe-ing during the day, then went to some amazing cocktail bars for drinks at night, then out dancing to an amazing 15 piece funk band later on. Just might be the best scenario I can think of! Here's a peak at my favs:
Farmers market!
This was my favorite vintage shop... crammed full of amazing finds! Check out the sheer beaded flapper dresses hanging from the staircase. I ALMOST bought a pair of leapord print creepers... but my suitcase/budget wouldn't allow...
This was my favorite boutique. All of their clothes are handmade by Wellington or New Zealand based designers. Super cute spot!
Finished off the day with a mango smoothie at Fidels, an amazing coffee shop. Had a love affair with their lemon meringue pie.
Statues and graffiti art along the way!
The Rugby World Cup fanzone. Pretty images were projected onto downtown Wellington buildings.
Drinkie time. Yummy cocklails at the Hawthorne Lounge... Plus marshmallo roasting in their fireplace! Awesome!
Drinkie time part 2... The Library bar.
Dancing time! This band is lovely... there's about 15 musicians (2 saxaphones, a trumpet, a trumbone, a keyboard, a dj, some sort of weird blowy piano thing...) and the crowd was very high energy, dancing until early morning.
Spent the past few days getting spoiled rotten in Wellington. I've actually had a fair bit of work to do, so haven't been shopping/cafe visiting/museuming as much as I'd like. But, here's a few photos from around town. Hopped into Te Papa (NZ national museum) for a bit (mostly to see their collection of NZ vogue) and have been hanging around my friend's house out in Eastbourne. I can't help it, her house is a beautiful cottage 30 seconds from the beach! Plus there's native bush in the back, so there are TONS of birds. PLUS she collects vintage stuff, like teacups and typewriters.
My friend's vintage teacup collection - and rad wallpaper! Too cute!
New DIY project - replace door handles with driftwood
Cutest house ever.
This is 30 seconds from where I'm staying. Note: beautiful sunny weather.
Field of Cala Lilies... I know they're invasive... but so pretty...
Even the bus stops are beautiful
Tui everywhere!
Zebra print building - downtown Wellington
Cool statues
Here's my dress - which didn't work out too well in "Windy Wellington"
Maori statue, Te Papa
Apparently the Beatles visited NZ
Te Papa's NZ vogue collection, NZ vogue was only in print from 1957-1968
From the NZ Vogue spread entitled "the Unbeatable All-Blacks". For those of you who don't follow rugby - the All-Blacks are New Zealand's rugby team.
More photos to come! Heading into town for some non-research related fun today!
