Shimmering Sharkskin

This Bettie Page dress makes an appearance once or twice a year during Winter.  I am aware it's not the most flattering dress I could wear, with it being double breasted and my breasts being on the large side, but for some reason I don't want to sell it.  Maybe because it shimmers and glistens and makes your eyes go all funny when you try and focus on the gingham pattern.

50's style Dress: Bettie Page
Atomic Brooch: Lucy Luxxe Designs
Shoes: Rebel London

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K-mart's $1 Nail Polish

Can you guys believe this color, simply named Shade 31,  is $1 from Kmart??  It's gorgeous, it's divine and even better.....it stayed on for 4 days without chipping or tip wearing before I removed it.  Seriously.

I don't have Butter London's Wallis anymore but to me it looks pretty much the same.

Who else has bought some of this polish nectar from the Kmart gods??

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I Chopped My Hair and Now Need Help

My hair was dead.  Really, truly dead.  And needed to go.  But it was still a shock, and a week later I am still trying to come to grips with styling and wearing short hair after 20 years of it halfway down my back.

The styling process has gone thru a few horrifying initial stages.......

Like using Hot Sticks.  Fail.  The sticks are much too small, giving me a 30's curl which is a HUGE no-no.

Brushing out a slightly larger stick curl.  The slight frizz curl look was a little bit better than the above Miss Daisy Lou one but still not right......

I used a very large roller and 4 of them sit around my head perfectly.  I rolled to my ears and they simply curled underneath with not much trouble.  The overall effect gives me a slight 15th Century Minstrel Musician look.....but after popping on a headscarf, I think I am quite happy with this hairstyle.

And fabulous glasses makes it look a little better.  But I cannot wear a headscarf every day for the next 6 months.

So, I now need styling tips please!  You can see the length of my hair from the first picture, who can point me to some fabulous styles I need to try and accomplish?

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Prancing Around In Fishnets......It Must Be Winter!

I have admitted defeat.  I have brought my Winter wardrobe back from the dead and pulled out some long sleeved fripperies and my fishnet stockings.

50's Dress: Forever Lovely Vintage, Etsy
Shoes: ASOS
Tights: Myer
Lipstick: MAC Media

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Orly BAKED Collection: Swatches and Nail Art

 

 

ORLY’S INNOVATIVE NEW COLLECTION – BAKED

Transform your winter blues with ORLY’s bold NEW collection – Baked. Inspired by the hot days and balmy nights of seasons gone by, Baked will have you embracing exotic, neon hues to warm your

fingertips up this winter.

A brand new and innovative formula the Baked colour collection has been infused with baked

pigments, specialty micas, vitamins and minerals. The pigment in each Baked shade is milled to a
micro fine particle size and then heat treated at high temperatures to ensure pigment easily disperses
into the base.  Allowing for an ultra-smooth application, maximum colour payoff and superior shine, each polish also contains antioxidant vitamins A and E to help promote healthy nails, while pro-vitamin B5 protects the structure of the natural nail.

What’s more each shade in the Baked Collection is formulated without DBP, Toluene, Formaldehyde and Formaldehyde Resin and are equipped with ORLY’s world famous Gripper Cap for easier application.

Collection features:

• Tropical Pop: Neon Orange
• Ablaze: Bright Orange w/Gold Shimmer
• Lush: Lime Green Jelly w/ Holo Bar Glitter

• Neon Heat: Fuchsia Crème

• Hot Tropics: Bright Purple Shimmer
• Saturated: Violet Crème

Onto the swatches!

Tropical Pop, 3 coats.  I would like to point out that no filters are used in these photos, they really are totally neon in real life.

Ablaze, 2 coats.  This has a gorgeous shimmer in it.  I loved this color.

Lush, 3 coats.  OK, this one is rather......nasty. I didn't like it at all.  It does look much nicer over black as the photos below will show.

Hot Tropics, 2 coats.  This color is my favourite of the bunch.  It's the perfect Tropical shade of Purple and has a beautiful shimmer.

Neon Heat, 2 coats.  This color is explosive and applied like butter.  Gorgeous.

Unfortunately I wasn't sent Saturated, which I will have to remedy as I loved the rest of the collection.... bar Lush!  Maybe if Lush was in a crème base with the glitter it may have worked but it was just too sheer for my liking. 

I did play around with some nail art and decided on a graffiti / comic theme.

Lush looks fab over a black base, and it shows the bar glitter much more clearly.  I used Lush Lacquer Pink Panther for the glitter.

 

 

Orly's BAKED Collection will be available in Australia from July 2014 with a RRP of $18.95.  You can order direct from Orly or check their stockist link for an outlet near you.

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Captain America Nails

So.  My camera got smashed. My nails have been breaking. And I resorted to cutting my cuticles.  My nails are a mess.  This is the best I can do in current circumstances.

 

This is a really semi-on-purpose-rough-gradient of Red, White and Blue with Captain America stamping, as requested by Miss 12.  She took one look at them, shrugged and said "Meh". 
So I'm guessing they aren't all that spectacular.

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Ulta3 Stop The Press

I had a sunset gradient in mind, but it didn't really go to plan.  I reused a sponge with old nail polish on the reverse side thinking it would be OK.  It wasn't.  The fresh polish reactivated the old polish and it came ALIVE, mixing all my colors into one!!  So I ended up with dark orange and purple....but it looked OK.  So polish Queens.....new sponges every time!

Ulta3's Stop The Press over the top and finished with a coat of Seche QD. 

You may notice that my photos suck.  This is because Miss 5 dropped my camera, shattering the Zoom button.  As soon as I purchase a replacement camera, this is the best I can do.

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My 2014 Met Gala Favourites

Blake Lively. 

Vintage Screen Goddess in this dress.

Rose Huntington-Whiteley. 

This Glamazon Chick/Bikie thing appeals to me, maybe it's because I'm in a bit of a 'mood' while typing.  Maybe it's her mile long legs.  Either way, she looks hot.

Brie Larson.

I admire a Fashionista with guts to go against the norm.  I love her hairstyle and mirrored outfit. This is an outfit I would love to be able to wear....and get away with.

The eternally divine Dita Von Teese.

Hello????  Can it get anymore perfect?

Emmy Rossum.

Florals.  The End.

 

 

And Karolina Kurkova.

I really think this is the most stunning dress I have ever seen.  I can't stop looking at it, it's just divine.

 

What dress was your favourite?

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Puppies, Scotties and Cherries

I don't dress in fancy stuff all the time, this is a usual day errand running outfit. 

Altho we are having an early cold snap, I still refuse to rug up in boots and tights.

 

I also wore it a few days later, but it was a non hair washing day so a headscarf came out and I added an Erstwilder Scotty brooch.

Novelty Skirt: Local Handmade Market
Cherry Cardi: Dangerfield
Headscarf: Handmade, Etsy
Shoes: Miss L Fire

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My Bakelite Collection

I had to take photos of my Bakelite collection this week to accompany an interview I have been asked to do, so thought I would share them with you all as well.  To date this is my collection above.  As I type there are a few bits and bobs making their way to me in the mail system.......as usual.

I do have a spend limit on my pieces, and that limit is quite low as to what Bakelite is now worth.  As a result I have to choose wisely and find those BARGAINS! For instance, I won't pay more than $10 per spacer bangle.

 

They are displayed on velvet bracelet tiered racks.  I found these on eBay for $16 each plus about $20 delivery from China.  I color arrange my bangles as I find it makes it much more time efficient when matching outfits.

 

 

The bottom row, bar the end Bakelite elastic bracelet, is all celluloid and vintage copper.  I love my Aztec copper cuffs to death and want more.  They are hard to come by now and when I do see them they are usually priced way too high.

 

 

And the 'bits n bobs'.  My earring collection is quite small.....I need to remedy this.  But a lot of Bakelite earrings come as clip ons, which aggravate my ears, and I absolutely refuse to convert them to posts.  This is vintage BARBERY, SAVAGERY and completely devalues them.  DO NOT DO IT.

 

I do like the screw on style tho, you can tighten these to your liking and they do not hurt my fragile lobes.  The earring posts you can find more on the 70's Bakelite pieces.

 

The above is my current 'favourite' pile.  The bottom marbled on the right and the pink are from Brighter Bakelite, so they have been freshly polished and have the most amazing colors.

I would love to see your stash of Bakelite if you want to send me a link!

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Pinup Girl Clothing Birdie Dress

Now that it's quite chilly, it's time to pull out the long sleeve and warmer dresses.  This mustard floral concoction by Pinup Girl Clothing is seeing light for the first time and it was rather colourful on a dreary day.  They have since released 3 new color ways in the Birdie, but this Bright Yellow remains my favourite.  Who else has a Birdie dress?

50's Style Dress: Pinup Girl Clothing
Shoes: $6 Brands Exclusive Sale
Lipstick: Sleek Mystic
Bakelite: Etsy, eBay, Thrifted

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