Neutral

(This is how my new haircut looks when I am too lazy to blow dry it)

Headband - Diva
Blouse - Sportsgirl via Op Shop
Skirt - Hand me down from my Auntie
Bag - Vintage via Ebay
Stockings - Kmart
Shoes - Ebay

I've not posted much this week for two reasons; 1) I have enjoyed being a post-exams lounge lizard, clad in a dressing gown from dawn til dusk and 2) I've had to wear my glasses all week, and they don't go well with my new haircut, and I felt like it would be duplicitous of me to take them off for pictures. However, today I got my new contact lenses and left the house - hurrah!

Close up of my necklace. It's marcasite and garnet, and was Tim's birthday present to me this year. I really love it, and am trying to wear it more often (I very seldom wear jewelery - a bad habit).

I went for sushi and light shopping with my mother - I tried on two dresses which I liked a lot, and both did not accommodate my chest whilst being too large at the waist. *sigh* My body shape is quite annoying to shop for - fitted dresses are mostly a complete disaster, and I really should stick to shift dresses and tops with skirts. I always read "Dress for your shape" guides with interest, but there never seems to be advice for big shoulders and chest, small waist and sadly lacking hips and bottom. If anyone has come across anything, do tell me!

I have some new op shop treasures to show you all soon - quite a few frocks which I had desperately hoped would fit me (they don't!) and thus will go to the market stall, and a lovely teacup and saucer and fat silver tea pot (which needs to be polished before it makes a public appearance).

Six things that make me happy...

My exams are over - which is technically terrific, but I haven't quite been able to feel good about it yet. I often take a while to wind down after anything large and stress-inducing, so I think I'll be irritatingly cheerful and relaxed within a week or so.

The gorgeous Eileen tagged me to list six things that make me happy - a particularly good thing for me to do at the moment!

1. My new hair cut. I don't have any more pictures of it yet - for a while I couldn't find the recharger for my camera battery, and the ones taken yesterday sadly show rather too far down my top, for reasons best known to the various photographers.

2. Tea parties! Yesterday (Saturday) Tim and I had a small end of exams tea part - we had lots of sandwiches, scones, brownies, biscuits, punch - and tea!



3. Cutting up magazines. I really love doing this - I have scrapbook full of pictures I've cut out. I try not buy more than two magazines a month, particularly given that this is their fate.




4. Baths. I adore having baths - I don't like to read in them, because I'm afraid I'll somehow be overcome by the urge to drop the book in the water, but it is so very nice to soak and relax.

This is a bath I desperately wish was mine, it's in a beautiful Art Deco house that Tim and I visited on our trip to the Blue Mountains.

5. Books. And having enough time to read a lot! Over the holidays, I'm intending to read every Frederic Raphael novel I can get my hands on, and all the Alec Waugh novels I already own. I'm going to try not to reread anything, but I have a feeling I won't be able to stop myself, particularly when it comes to Evelyn Waugh, Alexander McCall Smith and any beloved childhood books. For very light reading, I'm going to indulge in lots of Kerrie Greenwood's Phryne Fisher novels - how can one resist a beautifully dressed, devastatingly clever and charming lady detective in 1920's Melbourne?

6. My friends, my family and Timothy. The people I love, and who love me, are what makes life worth living.

I could go on with this indefinitely - limiting oneself to six is a good idea!

I'm going to visit my local op shop tomorrow, so I hope to have pictures of treasures from there, and I will attempt to take some photos of my hair that don't impinge on my modesty.

Cropped!

First of all, an apology for my lack of posting. I have had exams, and sadly, exam skin (a sad part of student life) and a non exam related discontent with my clothes and style in general. I think my taste has changed lately - not drastically - but noticeably. As I'm 19, I'm well within my rights to still be developing my aesthetic, so I'm going to be experimenting and playing with different things and variations on old things - as well as sometimes wearing a few outfits very much like what I've previously worn; as I said, it's not that drastic!

May I present the most noticeable change?

Yes, it's a bob! The lovely Eileen from The Shoe of Salvation suggested it. I initially pooh-poohed the idea, but then realised that it was exactly what I wanted - thanks Eileen! I liked my long hair, but it was getting a lot of split ends and, frankly, I was getting sick of it. I'll take more pictures of my hair soon - my camera is low on batteries and the ones we took last night are all from the same angle.


This is what I wore last night. Timothy and I went to Newtown for Vietnamese and gelato (from Gelatomassi!), and then to a play his friend is performing in.

Headband - Myer
Dress - Munky Bizness
Necklace - Antique (family heirloom)
Stockings - Leona Edmiston
Shoes - Vintage


I was also carrying my favourite bag, it's 1950's vintage, from Ebay (I didn't take a photo with the bag last night, so this one is taken from a previous post.

I'm really enjoying not wearing colored tights - probably because it's summer, but probably also because I rather overdid them over the last few months. I'm sure they'll make a reappearance eventually, but I'm enjoying nude sheers and patterned black stockings at the moment.

So, dear readers - I can't tell you quite what to expect next, because I don't know yet! (Hint: it will, however, never involve leggings as pants) But please do come along for the ride, and I'd love to hear what's inspiring you at the moment.

Outfit for a dull day...

Headband - Diva
Blouse - Sportsgirl via Op Shop
Skirt - Second hand store in New Zealand
Stockings - Razzamatazz
Shoes - Vintage

The backdrop is one of the world's most boring, I'm afraid. A shame, the garden is looking very pretty at the moment, I so will try to include it next time. Today was another day of studying, housebound, so I dressed as though I was doing something infinitely more exciting than I really was. The blouse is really quite sheer in real life (even with a camisole underneath it), so I entertained the idea of being a slightly naughty secretary for the day. Anything to make the day more interesting!

I found another picture of Tim and I at my sister's wedding - one where I'm not burrowing into his neck, so I'm sharing that, as well;

(click to enlarge)

And, a picture of us at a wedding earlier in the year, when Tim was still sporting his Patrick Wolf-esque bright red hair;

(click to enlarge)

And, finally, my gorgeous Auntie made the most fabulous fascinator for my sister's wedding. Here it is;

(click to enlarge)

Only fourteen more days til all my exams are over - I can't wait! My first exam is on Monday, for Early Modern Europe. I think a high neckline, opulent colors, lace or ruffles and more jewelery than usual will fit rather well for it.

Housebound

I'm in the lead up to end of semester exams (of which I have four!), so expect my posts to be rather sporadic and the backdrops to be of the back garden variety.

Bow clip - Self made from bow tie
Blouse - Op shop (but significantly modified by me)
Skirt - Hand me down from my Auntie
Tights - New in packet from op shop
Shoes - Ebay

I've not worn white with a neutral before, but I quite like the effect, so will almost certainly do it again now! The tights are actually ribbed, which doesn't seem to have shown up in the photo.

A close up of my hair bow, which happens to show my hair's innadency to get a frizzy layer at the back. And, as you can see, my nose is almost a perfect 90 degree angle (a friend once measured it with a protractor). I used to mind terribly, and always want a cute ski jump nose, but I've come to accept and even be fond of its angularity. Does anyone else feel that for a once disliked part of their anatomy?

And, a couple pictures of my study sustenance.

Tea, nutella on soy and linseed toast and freshly picked lavender (to go in my chest of drawers, not to eat!)

Couscous with tomato and cumin seeds, and apple juice. I like to eat outside on nice days, to get a break from it all.

So, tell me, readers - what do you wear and eat when housebound and studying?

P.S. - I am thinking it would be rather fun to wear outfits somewhat "inspired" by each subject to its exam. I shall see how that goes, and document it if it happens.