New Norcia New Beginnings

I'm back! Laying in bed recovering from the massive photo trip that I went on yesterday. So this post will be small on words and big on photos.

Dress: Vintage from eBay
Heels: Zu

This dress is bound to be a summer favourite. It is an original from around 40 years ago, purchased from Suzie (Divinity in Design) who is great to deal with. It features the loveliest geometric skirt and a tie up top.

So where did I go yesterday? New Norcia - Australia's last remaining monastic town, about 1.5 hours drive north of Perth.

On the way back my friend and I spied a little dilapidated building which begged to be photographed. So over the barbed wire fence we went.

The floors were creaky and hole-ridden which added to the fun.

The house was full of old woven bags containing flour. But most of it had solidified. The writing on the walls indicated that it was regularly frequented in 1965.

Oh yeah, I failed to mention that this dress is COMPLETELY BACKLESS. Heads turn. Especially when worn with these heels (which are, by the way, totally and utterly comfortable).

Photos 1, 2, 5, and 7 taken by my friend Peter. 3, 4, 6, and 8 by moi! All in all, a very productive day.

(Currently listening to: The Rolling Stones - Under My Thumb)

Lacing Up

This came in the mail yesterday:

Thank you Imelda Matt! I had a browse through the Zu website and this took my fancy.


At the store the salesgirl could not believe that a voucher for 60% off actually existed. She asked me where I got it from and I replied 'from the despotic queen of shoes, of course'. She looked at me with a blank stare on her face and then proceeded to try to get me out of the store as quickly as possible.

I love the laces! So many possibilities. I spent the last hours playing around with awesome footwear lace concoctions. Absolutely delightful.

On a sadder note, all this constant shoe lust has meant that I am too behind on my mid-semester assessments. Assessments require time and concentration, so unfortunately I will have to give up blogging for the next fortnight. But I promise to be back with lots of frickin' awesome outfits when mid-semester break begins! Until then...toodles!(Currently listening to: Aerosmith - Love in an Elevator)

Photography Q&A

Recently I've received some emails concerning my photography on this blog, so I'll try to answer some commonly-asked questions in this post. What a great way to make a filler post, too!

1. Who takes all the photos on your blog?

Me! Well, 95% of the time. If I decide to utilize a friend's photographic abilities instead, I will always credit them at the end of that post. So if my post doesn't mention the photographer, then it's just me and my tripod.

2. What equipment do you use?
My camera is the Canon 450D I received for my birthday present. It's really quite a terrific entry-level DSLR with the ability to take some great shots. Lens is the EFS 17-85mm that came with the body in the enthusiast kit, but I am looking to upgrade pretty soon. Oh, and my crappy plastic-y tripod, of course!

3. Do you edit your photos? If so, what program do you use?

As much as I'd love to say that all my shots look immediately perfect, I do actually do a little bit of fixing up. Preferred programs are either Picasa or Photoshop CS3, depending on how much time I have and how lazy/uninspired I feel.

4. How come your photos are relatively small in size?

My original photos are over 12 megapixels and humungous! But I always cut them down, for ease of uploading. Plus, I know how frustrating it can be when you want to look at some pretty pictures and it takes ten damn minutes to load. For example, as much as I enjoy Rumi of Fashiontoast's style, her insanely large photos prevent me from visiting her blog too often. And if one requires detail, click to enlarge. I usually include close-ups anyway.

5. So you only take pictures of yourself...how very narcissistic!

I also take pictures of...shoes? Nah, in real life I actually enjoy photography on all levels, some photos are obviously inappropriate given the stylistic nature of the blog so I try to exclude them. However, I am quite keen to share my photos, so maybe a flickr account is in the works! As always: click to enlarge!


And finally, 6. How do you take photos of yourself outside without looking like a total idiot?

I don't. Trust me. I've had many a funny looks from businessmen and many a schoolboy attempting to steal my tripod. It's all a part of the experience, I'd like to think.

Ciao for now!

(Currently listening to: The Shins - Australia)

Mad About Shoe

Today really isn't about my outfit. I mean, I like it, it's kind of geometrical. But there's something way more important I'd like to share with you...

Shirt: Miss Shop
Dress worn as a top: thrifted
Skirt: Stella Forest
Heels: Dolce & Gabbana

What? D&G? How is she able to afford that on her penniless student budget, you say. EBay USA, that's how! I set myself a limit of no more than $200 for a pair of shoes, and I haven't broken it! Cue footwear editorial...

Okay, so they are a bit high. Not very practical. But I don't care much for practicality anyway. They are quite comfortable, the only downside being that the leather is slightly stiff, but that will ease after several wears. These babies come in at 11.5cm high, perfect for stomping around in as Spring approaches.

Best thing about them is the glorious floral print, very antique looking. I know floral is too huge this season and everyone has their floral dresses and skirts (including myself). But floral footwear, that's still kind of unique, in my opinion. Like, boho, but not hobo.

Don't you just love being upstaged by your shoes?

(Currently listening to: Frank Zappa - Bobby Brown Goes Down)

Bushwalking

Okay, so the skirt finally made their real debut today when I went for a photo trip with a friend. Who would've thought tutus and scraggly shrubs went together so well...or not! This photo finally shows it in all its glory, look - it has a bow on the front. And pockets too! For aspiring ballerinas to stash their mobile phones in, of course.

Cardigan: Country Road
Skirt: ASOS
Bag:Marina Galanti
Camera: Canon 450D

The day was so lovely and warm, tights were omitted. But I really wish I had worn something a little more inspiring on top.

Oh yeah, I'm wearing the RMK brogues too. I need to get them re-heeled...worn them way too much this winter.

This photo shows a closeup of my rings. I'm not a big jewelry person (or accessory person, as you may have noticed) but I always have a few rings on my fingers. The one on my middle finger I found when I was cleaning my room. It was a present from my first boyfriend. I hated it then but surprising enough, I love it now. Luckily my fingers haven't grown any fatter.

Thanks to my friend Peter for the above photographs and for watching me prance around showing off my skirt and act like a general retard.

(Currently listening to: Neil Young - Daddy Went Walking)