Category Archives: Ken Done

ShowTellShare One Hundred and Ninety-Nine

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Show/Share: A bit of colour and fun from the last two days. Yesterday we headed over to the Finders Keepers Markets…

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Tell: Earrings from op shop, Tatty Devine necklace, Esprit skivvy from op shop, secondhand cardigan, vintage skirt from the 1950s markets, Spin Dance petticoat, retail tights, Happy Socks, Fluevog boots, ‘Glamourpuss’ bag from Faster Pussycat.

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I particularly wanted to catch up with Emma-Kate and her *fantastic* fashion social enterprise, WEFTshop:

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As explained on their website, “WEFTshop is a not-for-profit organisation committed to supporting refugee women from Burma living on the border with Thailand by developing their skills as textile artisans. The fabrics they make are the key to our work and to the freedom and financial well-being of many of these women and their families.” It was lovely to see their wares in person, especially the colour-combinations and the talent and skill involved…

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Then on Friday I got to catch up with Kirsten, who is volunteering for The Social Outfit on some work. Kirsten and I used to work together at the School for Social Entrepreneurs, and I’m so *chuffed* to have her helping us out! Volunteers really make all the difference to this start-up work. Thanks KR xo

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This is me on Friday, remembering just how *ace* yellow and pink work together…

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Tell: Ken Done glasses, handmade necklace, Uniqlo skivvy from Japan, vintage ‘Jonathan Summers of Sydney’ house-dress from op shop, retail tights, Fluevog loafers from Sole Devotion in Melbourne. Detail: Tatty Devine hand ring.

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ShowTellShare One Hundred and Ninety-Five

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Sunday: A beautiful autumn day in Sydney…

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To have some fun, and celebrate my birthday…

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Yesterday we spent part of the day checking out some fabulous art at the Art Gallery of NSW. Not surprisingly, I responded *well* to the more colourful works…

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It’s like looking into a mirror…

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These artworks photographed are by Ugo Rondinone.

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Artwork by Sol LeWitt.

And *naturally* I was celebrating the day of my birth by wearing some new, vintage Ken Done. This 1980s shirt had found it’s way to Italy, when I then bought it back recently via eBay to its Sydney home, probably some 10 or 20 years later. I just love it! And, of course, I was also wearing some handmade work from Abuk at The Social Studio.

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Tell: Handmade earrings, Uniqlo skivvy, Ken Done vintage 1980s shirt, brooch gifted, necklace gifted for my birthday, vintage belt from UK, Tatty Devine bracelet, handmade bracelet made by Abuk from The Social Studio, ‘Diamonds Ain’t a Girls Best Friend’ ring from UK, Sportsgirl skirt from op shop, Jonathan Aston stockings, Happy Socks, Fluevog boots, and Tatty Devine balloon leather necklace.

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Artwork by Ugo Rondinone, adjusted here by the *spectacular* Hawaiian First Officer and me.

And then, because I’ve been a little ‘light on’ with outfit posts recently, here’s some from the last few days…

Saturday: An ongoing love with secondhand 1980s Escada…

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Tell: Handmade earrings, Kmart skivvy, vintage Escada shirt, Anthea Crawford skirt from op shop, Jonathan Aston tights, tights underneath from Japan and Fluevog boots.

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Friday:

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Tell: Earrings from op shop, Saba skivvy, Leona Edmiston dress from op shop, Tatty Devine cat bangle as necklace, Estilio belt, Sportsgirl tights as gift, borrowed socks from the HFO, Fluevog shoes, Tatty Devine balloon bag, gifted ‘Frida Kahlo’ bag.

Just me enjoying my mis-matched, but still matching earrings!

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ShowTellShare One Hundred and Eighty-Four

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This Sunday in Sydney, where the summer-weather just keeps sticking…

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I hope you’re enjoying yourself too! xo

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Tell: Tatty Devine earrings, necklace, and rings, robot pendant from Young Blood Designer Markets, The Social Studio silk dress, singlet from op shop, Black Milk leggings, Fluevog boots. Vintage Ken Done tote bag, vintage Ken Done silk scarf.

ShowTellShare One Hundred and Seventy-Seven

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Share: I feel a lot like I’m chasing my tail at the moment; round and round with many things to get done on my ever-growing ‘To-Do’ list… which is why it sometimes pays to throw on some vintage Hawaiiana on a Sunday, and just try to relax…

Show:

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And I wasn’t alone in this fashion-choice of the day, with the First Hawaiian Officer sporting a *fabulous* reverse-print Hawaiian shirt. Can you believe we found this *gem* in an op shop in Oahu?! Reverse-print Hawaiian shirts became a style around the 1970s (I think), as a more ‘subdued’ alternative to the bold Hawaiian print; often worn as ‘business wear’**. So in other words, the print is just done by wearing the pattern inside out, and the fabric is is still usually pretty bold and fab! I love them… This a ‘subdued’ shirt? I don’t think so!

** Naturally, my lessons in Hawaiiana all come directly from the ‘FHO’, so I’m paraphrasing…

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Tell: Ken Done sunglasses, handmade earrings (re-crafted from necklace in op shop), ‘Royal Creations’ vintage Hawaiian dress found in op-shpp, Saba leather belt, retail sandals. Tote from the Honolulu Academy of Arts.

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Oh, and please don’t forget there’s both Ken Done *gold* and Hawaiian *vintage fun* still up for grabs on our eBay auction page. All profits go directly to The Social Outfit! The support so far has been SPECTACULAR! xo

ShowTellShare One Hundred and Seventy-Four

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Showing My Ken Done Love as we launch our *Ken Done auctions for The Social Outfit!* Check out all the *goodies* set to find new, exciting homes! These pieces online are the last gems of Ken Done donated by enthusiasts during our What Ken Be Done year. Plus, we’ve added some *extra* fun vintage bits and pieces we hope you might like… All money raised will go to supporting The Social Outfit…

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This was me on Wednesday night, off to see two spectacular films as a part of QueerScreen. The first was the premier of Aquaporko!, a documentary story of “Melbourne’s fat femme synchronized” swim team. And the film lived up to the description: it was SO *delightful*! The theatre was packed with supporters and nothing beats ‘wooping’ aloud in a cinema to show your appreciation. And then there was an older, brilliant documentary on the life of Leigh Bowery, whom I’ve loved for years. He was a dressing genius!

The timing of these events seemed quite serendipitous. Because apart from our own Ken Done auctions, I was also wearing Ken Done on Wednesday to pay my own tribute to the artwork of Kelli Jean Drinkwater, who is also the director of Aquaporko! Check out below the *stunning* art-piece Kelli Jean has produced of Ken Done appreciation…

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Copyright, Kelli Jean Drinkwater (Australian artist, activist and filmmaker). Photo by Penelope Benton.

And titled here, by JGRuddock as, “One of the Most Fabulous Pieces of Artwork, EVER.” xo

So there you go. Happiness all round! And now while I skooch off again to keep at these funding deadlines, please help spread the word of our Ken Done and vintage auctions. All money raised (less auction fees) goes directly to The Social Outfit. And supporting us means *doing good in a fashion*… xo xo

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Tell: Tatty Devine necklace, robot necklace from Young Bloods markets, Ken Done vintage t-shirt from eBay, Ken Done 1980s skirt from eBay, Jonathan Aston tights, retail socks, Fluevog boots, vintage Ken Done makeup case.

ShowTellShare One Hundred and Seventy-Two

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Show: It’s wet weather… and I’m invited to a wedding celebration for my dear friend, Tim (visiting briefly from New York)… and I need to get to the North Shore…

Let’s. Do. This!

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Tell: Ken Done umbrella, Ken Done glasses, Tatty Devine ‘watermelon’ earrings and necklace, fluro singlet from op shop, Spin Dance petticoat, The Social Studio silk dress gifted by Jo, Black Milk leggings, Fluevog shoes (from Sole Devotion), Linda Jackson vintage bag.

Share: I love a celebration, rain or shine! And a happy weekend to you, xo

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ShowTellShare One Hundred and Seventy-One

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Share: The Social Outfit just got ourselves an ‘Authority to Fundraise’. Hooray! And why might you be interested? Because within the coming weeks the final 20 or so donated pieces of Ken Done from What Ken Be Done will be up for auction! And all for the benefit of The Social Outfit… Let me explain a little more first…

So, you’re a charity (i.e. got your DGR status and tax concession). That means now you can *fundraise like a fiend*, yeah? Well, NO!

One more form, people! In NSW, if you want to fundraise (i.e. ethically ask people for money via campaigns and request for donations… *NOT* hassling, mind you), you need an ‘Authority to Fundraise‘. You fill in forms from the NSW Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing, and show how you are legitimately doing charitable work. Then a little bit later, they let you know it’s OK, and you can begin fundraising. The Social Outfit got our confirmation this week. Yee-haw!

So if you, or anyone you know, wants some (more) *GOLD* pieces from my Ken Done fashion archive, you’ll soon have your chance. All the money raised (other than the auction fee) will go straight to The Social Outfit! And we’re going to use the money for our pilot program (supported by the City of Sydney). As soon as Kit gets the auctions live, we’ll let you know. You get Ken Done, and WE all get to support creative, great programs celebrating people from our refugee communities in Sydney. I like it!

So, in short: things here are MIGHTY busy, I can tell you…

Also, Kit got her hair cut. It’s *fun*, it’s got *verve*, and we have the photos to show, of course… xo

Show:

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Tell: Wa-Nyika earrings, Ken Done scarf handmade by Susan, The Social Studio silk dress, Ken Done leggings, retail socks, Fluevog shoes.

ShowTellShare One Hundred and Seventy

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Share: ’Twas a coloured-eyebrow kind of weekend clearly…

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Show: Sunday involved a Positive Psychology lecture at the Sydney Opera House, and a festive outfit to match my upbeat mood…

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Tell: Ken Done 1980s glasses from eBay, vintage beaded necklace from Santa Barbara, vintage handmade dress from op shop (with some adjustments by me), Jonathan Aston tights, Fluevog boots.

And Saturday was all about more Hawaiiana…

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Tell: Cambodian silk scarf as hairpiece gifted by my Mum, vintage Hawaiian top gifted by the Hawaiian First Officer, Katies skirt from op shop, retail tights, Happy Socks, vintage boots from op shop.

ShowTellShare One Hundred and Sixty-Six

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Show: Friday Happy Blues…

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Tell: Ken Done vintage glasses, earrings handmade by and gifted from Iain, Tatty Devine fish necklace, Jessica Dance necklace, Reg Mombassa ‘Mambo’ singlet from op shop, Saba belt, Ken Done vintage handmade skirt from eBay, tights from Japan, Fluevog boots.

Share: I have no real interest in surf wear, but I have a deep love for the art of Reg Mombassa (Chris O’Doherty). I saw a retrospective of his artwork in Sydney a few years ago and felt completely inspired by his art practice. So when I found me some vintage Reg Mombassa art via this ‘Mambo’ shirt in an op shop, I grabbed it *hard* with both hands, with no plans to let go anytime soon.

A shout out too, to darling Frances at Corpulent for our shared love of Mombassa (amongst many other things)! xo

The Social Outfit work-wise, I’m back into the swing of things (now only with what I’m calling a *stabby* appendix), with an excellent fundraising meeting with Antonia and David from our Committee last night. Progress, progress.

ShowTellShare One Hundred and Sixty-Three

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More of a ‘Show’ than ‘Share’ today…

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Tell: Ken Done for CanTeen scarf, earrings from op shop, Tatty Devine lobster brooch as necklace, handmade beaded necklace, vintage dress from op shop, Sportscraft belt, retail tights, Fluevog boots and Ken Done bag from op shop.

Vintage 1970s ring gifted by the Hawaiian First Officers’ Mum <3.

ShowTellShare One Hundred and Sixty

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Show:

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Share: New Ken Done frames! I think you can see I was clearly excited about taking these *1980′s-oversize-spectacle-gems* out for their first-wearing-day, and attired myself accordingly with joy…

… BirdMonkey, I partially blame you for yesterday’s outfit, re-inspired as I was after seeing those early 1980s pictures of Nicole K. and her mates in jumpsuits! (See comments here.) Love! xo

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Tell: Ken Done for CanTeen headscarf, Ken Done glasses from eBay (for a bargain! Woot, woot!), earrings from an op shop, Tatty Devine necklace, retail singlets, ‘Easy St.’ jumpsuit from Newtown Red Cross op shop, retail socks, Fluevog boots (oh so 1980s Electric Blue!). Jenny Kee vintage bag.

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ShowTellShare One Hundred and Forty-Seven

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Share: Here’s me, keepin’ on keeping on… (and, in the *spirit of the 80s*, of course…) xo

Show 1: Today…

Tell 1: Handmade earrings, Tatty Devine brooch as necklace, 1980s Esprit oversize shirt, Sportscraft belt, skirt from Kmart, Uniqlo leggings, retail socks, Fluevog shoes.

Show 2: Yesterday…

Tell 2: Anthea Crawford 1980s dress jacket gifted by Susan and from an op shop, retail singlet, Tatty Devine ‘Gilbert & George’ brooch (borrowed from FHO), Ken Done skirt made by The Social Studio (for What Ken Be Done), Saba belt, retail tights, socks borrowed from the FHO, Fluevog shoes.