Monthly Archives: August 2012

ShowTellShare One Hundred and Five

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Show: Out and about in a vintage Prue Acton designer dress, with pockets, and collar detailing. Love it!

Tell: Glasses from op shop, Tatty Devine necklace and earrings, Prue Acton vintage dress, Sportscraft belt, leopard-skin stockings, Fluevog boots.

Share: I’m a public transport using gal. And most of the time that works out just wonderfully. But the thing is, I don’t really know my right from my left, so unless I’m super prepared I can often get myself completely lost, especially in situations where *normal* people would have no issue (I’m using The Hawaiian First Officer as my judge of normal here. And yes, even with the help of Google Maps). Why am I telling you this? Well because I got myself completely lost today, making me late to meet with the lovely Cara Levinson, Community Development Coordinator for City of Syndey Council, working at Green Sqaure. Fortunately, I sorted out a solution – yes, Cara just came and found me! – and then we had a great meeting and chat.

Then next I was off to meet with Camilla Couch, TAFE Outreach Coordinator of Sydney Institute. I got to meet many of the other TAFE Outreach workers as well, and we had a wonderful time talking through the logistics of The Social Outfit. These women know their TAFE stuff in and out, and were very welcoming and warm.

So, all in all, a *good* day. Sounds like we’re heading in the right direction ;-) xo

ShowTellShare One Hundred and Four

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Tell: Uniqlo skivvy, handmade kimono top gifted to me, belt from op shop, vintage handmade skirt from op shop, Fluevog boots.

Share: I want to give a shout out of *thanks* to two people and organisations who’ve met with me last week, and shown their support for The Social Outfit. First up is Maree, the Coordinator from the Newtown Precinct Business Association, and secondly is store owner, Ross from Planet Furniture in Surry Hills. Both Ross and Maree have been very generous in their time: meeting me, hearing all about The Social Outfit model and thinking of ways they can help us develop. What Maree doesn’t know about Newtown isn’t worth knowing, and Ross has been involved in Sydney creative design for over 20 years. So yeah, I trust their advice! It means the world to me when people come together, share their own skills and insights, and move toward a common purpose: like better employment and education opportunities for young people from refugee backgrounds in Sydney. Thanks Maree and Ross! xo

ShowTellShare One Hundred and Three

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Show/Share: I’m not sure what to say other then I *really* do still love Ken Done fashion and colour. The evidence is clear, I think… I hope… xo

Tell: Ken Done glasses, Wa-Nyika earrings, scarf gifted by my sister-in-law, Dangerfield skivvy dress (bought when I was all of 19, I think), Ken Done cardigan, belt from op shop, Ken Done skirt handmade, Caledonia tights, Happy Socks, Fluevog boots.

ShowTellShare One Hundred and Two

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Show/Share: Some days one has no choice but to wear Double-Denim, and This. Is. One. Such. Day… xo

Tell: Necklace gifted by my aunt, Esprit skivvy from op shop, denim jacket from Cat Protection Society op shop, Saba belt, Dragstar denim skirt, Fluevog boots. Ken Done clutch. Snake bracelet from op shop**

**Technically, both my necklace and bracelets are belts… but for people much, much smaller than me, and since when has an item’s original purpose stopped me?!

ShowTellShare One-Hundred and One

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Show/Share: Sorry, you’ll have to forgive me for not looking at you, but I’m completely distracted by this *fantastic* new Australian novel…

What you’re seeing is ‘The Burial’, by Courtney Collins: a dear and spectacular friend of ours. This is her first novel published by Allen & Unwin, and I’m so very proud of her! I can’t wait to start reading this story in earnest…

Now, an odd segway. Sometimes, I play word-association games with fashion. So, The Burial is about a female bushranger. I think, ‘Bushranger. What fashion? Bushranger? Umm, I know, a jumpsuit**.’ Thus, here’s me wearing a jumpsuit to show-off the book…

And if you’re thinking, who the hell wears a jumpsuit in the Australian bush?! … Then I probably should remind you of this photo of me in the early What Ken Be Done days, whilst in a Noosa rainforest:

** I should also add that many of my fashion word-association games end with the answer, ‘Jumpsuit’. I really do love jumpsuits!

So congratulations to Courtney, and happy reading and creative days to you all! xo xo

Tell: Kmart skivvy, vintage S.L. Fashions jumpsuit from Hawaii, Jonathan Aston tights, other retail tights, Fluevog boots.

Oh, and some double-tights fun as well:

ShowTellShare One Hundred

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Show/Tell/Share:

Earrings from Wa-Nyika, Uniqlo skivvy, handmade necklace, ‘Dress Code’ Made in Australia 1980s dress from op shop, SpinDance petticoat, Sportscraft belt from op shop, Jonathan Aston stockings, Calendonia stockings underneath, Fluevogs, bag from op shop. Bracelets from Australian Museum. By the way, both my necklace and a ring also had insects in resin… I’m nothing if not thorough… xo

ShowTellShare Ninety-Nine

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Show: Animated Panda Leggings. It just screams *Saturday Night* to me! xo

Off to a darling friend’s birthday party…

Tell: Ken Done glasses, handmade earrings, Jessica Dance necklace, Carla Zampatti silk jacket, Uniqlo skivvy, Saba skirt as dress, Katies skirt from op shop, Black Milk leggings, Fluevogs, vintage Oroton glomesh purse from Fairfield op shop ($12 of joy!).

Share: *Technically* my eyebrows are purple here, but I’m just not sure the colour is coming through enough… may need to test more! And, of course, the *beloved* Ken Done large 1980s frames. I love. The Hawaiian First Officer does not. Fantastic!

Hope you are enjoying your *good* self this evening xo

ShowTellShare Ninety-Eight

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Show/Share: Each day, celebrating another step ahead… Today’s big news is that we now legally exist, for *real*! That means The Social Outfit is registered as a Not-For-Profit organisation in NSW. Next stop, getting charitable status! We’re a sister organisation to The Social Studio, and we have exactly the same purpose: to provide education and employment opportunities to people from refugee communities, and to celebrate young refugee’s talent and creativity…

A *BIG* thanks to Meredith Turnbull for handling the process of our incorporation; so lovely to have a seasoned professional in both Not-For-Profits and social enterprise overseeing that all the paperwork is in tip-top-order! xo

Now to find out more, check out our latest news, in my favourite format, A Comic Newsletter:

And you know me, I always do *love* some comic book creativity xo xo…

Tell: Earrings from US, Diane Freis 1980s shirt, Tatty Devine necklace, Saba belt, Miss Shop dress from op shop, Black Milk ‘The Woman in Red’ leggings, Fluevogs.

ShowTellShare Ninety-Seven

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Show:

Tell: Handmade earrings, Sussan skivvy from op shop, ‘Embassy’ dress from second hand store Newtown, Saba belt, Fluevog boots. Below: hand-knitted scarf by my grandmother, crochet cape from op shop.

Share: I bought this vintage dress from a second hand store for $5. I like it. I hope you like it, too. That is all. xo

ShowTellShare Ninety-Five

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Show:

Tell: Esprit skivvy from op shop, vintage purse necklace from Berlin secondhand market, ‘Demi American Fractional Fittings by Janelle Melbourne’ dress from second hand store in Hobart, belt from op shop, Fluevog boots.

Share: This is my Friday outfit, as I headed off to the STARTTS head office in Carramar (NSW Service for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture and Trauma Survivors). I met with STARTTS CEO, Jorge, and also with the wonderful staff, Jasmina and Felix. It was a really productive meeting, and I feel *so very pleased* that STARTTS has agreed in principle to support our The Social Studio work in Sydney.

This is my Jaeger wool jacket recently found at an Auburn op shop. Bargain at $8, very warm, and it has the ‘J’ for Jaeger – and Jackie – on the front. *Tops*!!

I’ve also been having some Yayoi Kusama love recently, and then I spotted this ring at the Young Bloods design markets recently, made by Somboun Phonesouk. It was love at first sight…

ShowTellShare Ninety-Four

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Show:

Tell: ‘Leesa’ shirt from op shop, The Social Studio silk dress as skirt detail, red dress from op shop (underneath), vintage belt from Shoreditch, London, stockings from Japan, Fluevog shoes.

Share: Today Sarah, one of the *talented* Sydney Outfit members, and I went and visited Bourke Street Bakery. We met with Paul and David, who are two of the owners, as they are also involved in the Bread & Butter Project, a new social enterprise working with people from refugee communities in Sydney. It was great to meet and talk with them about how we are developing The Social Studio model here in Sydney. With both projects having such complimentary aims, I’m sure this won’t be the last time that we meet. And, I’m always happy to take trusted business advice on board, and both Paul and David gave us some *top* ideas. Thanks to them, and onwards we continue! xo

ShowTellShare Ninety-Three

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Show:

Tell: Necklace gifted by my Dad from Africa, dress-jacket from op shop (label long gone), Jill Fitzsimmon dress from op shop, Saba belt, Lacoste sample boots.

Share: There are some pieces in my wardrobe that I’ve had for years, like probably a decade, that I haven’t yet worn but that I also can’t get rid of because I know they have *potential*. Today’s dress-jacket** is one such example. **OK, I know it’s really a dressing gown, but as you well know, that’s not going to stop me wearing it to work!

I found this ‘jacket’ in an op-shop somewhere, and I’ve always loved it for the graphic poster prints from the 1920s etc. I think it’s because it’s more ‘muted’ in colour that I haven’t yet taken it out for a ‘spin’. Well, until today. And, as I walked into my coffee local, for the morning caffeine, a woman who works there saw me and said, ‘My Mum used to have that dressing gown! Wow.’ And then she get’s this look as memories come to her. Ah, clothing, holder of so many stories…. xo