Now, it wasn't so long ago that I was quite convinced I would never wear a denim skirt again, but - as I'm learning these days - never say never.

Back in the 90s, I had an awesome A-line black denim button-through mini with white stitching. I wore it paired with a little white tee, a black cord waistcoat, knee-high white socks, black brogues, a black pork pie hat and a fake nose ring to the Laura Blue Light Disco, 1993 and I ROCKED it.

I don't have any photos of the look, sadly, but here's my quick artist's impression:


Bangin', am I right?

So when I saw very similar skirts making their way onto shelves this season, I was like "Surely I'm too old to wear those again?"

Then I decided I wasn't and went ahead and bought these in my recent haul from Mix Apparel. On my 37th birthday, no less.

Here's how I'm styling the look for 2015. The first is the Side Zip Denim Skirt and the oddly named Pop Over Knit Blouse from the Mix haul, worn with Converse, Kmart sunglasses and hat from Rivers.

The skirt is quite nifty in that it has working zips on both sides to create side splits.






And in motion:


Two looks with the Denim Button Front Skirt, the first with a knit stripe from Best and Less with Big W peeptoe booties:







And then for cooler weather with tights, boots from Target, a Big W knit and Zalora bag from The Iconic.








Also, if you want to see another take on this skirt, check out Em over at The Illusive Femme who bought the same one!

What is your position on denim skirts?

So . . . it's MUH BIRFDAY TODAY!


I am still quite happy to celebrate birthdays and have zero issues with my new age, which is 37. Apart from the fact 3 and 7 are both odd numbers and that doesn't sit well with me *shudder*. Ask me again when I jump into the next age bracket on surveys and questionnaires, however, this week it's all about the celebration!

One of the emerging trends of awesomeness is the birthday voucher from companies getting you in while you're all abuzz with celebrating and/or buying yourself presents on behalf of your spouse.

Here's a round-up of the birthday-related offers I've received:

$5 off next purchase at Chemplus
10% off code at ASOS
$10 gift voucher from Jeanswest
$30 gift credit at Mimco
Free pizza from my local place, Pizza Bite
15% off at Best and Less
$5 voucher from Priceline
20% off at The Iconic
Free burrito at Salsa's Fresh Mex

In related news, a month or so ago, in an effort to be better with my bucks, I switched my car insurance to Coles Insurance (despite their achingly irritating television ads) as they could save me over $20 a month and were offering a $100 Coles gift card as a sweetener. It arrived recently, and after the initial disappointment of it not being a Coles Myer gift card and wondering what I was going to spend it on (groceries for the family? As if!) I remembered Mix Apparel!

I've only bought from Mix a couple of times before and was reasonably pleased with the items I got but hadn't really bought anything else since; my local Coles doesn't stock Mix so it's a mission to get to one that does and I embarked on that said mission this week and was pleased to find they had all Womens Bottoms for $19. I'll leave you to make the lady bum jokes yourselves.

Side note: when fetching that link for Mix above, I was reminded of the floral shorts I bought last season and wondered where they were. I later discovered a whole bag of summer pants stuffed away at the top of the wardrobe so that was exciting! #rediscoveryourwardrobe

Back to the story at hand. With my $100 voucher printout at the ready, I tried on a million things and ended up with these items:

Side Zip Denim Skirt Usually $29 - $19 on special

Rib Cuff Soft Pant Usually $25 - $19 on special

Denim Button Front Skirt Usually $29 - $19 on special

Pop Over Knit Blouse (??) $19

Denim Moto Jean Usually $35 - $19 on special

Mandarin Collar Top $19

God, I love free money.

I also popped over to the Health & Beauty aisle and picked up a Maybelline Hyper Sharp Wing eyeliner as recommended by my friend Lizzie for 50% off, so it was a win all round. I then achieved a lined eye this morning before work! Can you believe it??

Bus selfie. Can and will.

Outfit posts will be heading your way in the future so you can see how I ended up styling these bits and pieces. I am in a state of shock that I suddenly own not one, but TWO denim skirts. Never say never, amirite?

Bought anything from Mix lately?

As a veteran online shopper and frequent internetter, I was very surprised that I had not heard about AliExpress until quite recently, by reading Carbon Chic.

Amazed at the frankly overwhelming range and skeptical of the prices, I decided to make a couple of orders of low-priced items and see what came back (if anything).

I bought two long necklaces and a skirt on November 14 and the items duly arrived exactly a month later on December 14. All transactions went smoothly.

Here's my order summary.

Item description:


My photo:



It says in the item description that it's made from clay but that doesn't seem to be the case, it's a very lightweight, almost plasticky sort of metallic resin if that makes sense. I like it and have already worn it a few times, including Boxing Day. The only issyew is the way the pendant is joined to the chain; it makes it flip around and face backwards most of the time but it's nothing my jewellery pliers and a brass-coloured loop won't fix. And for 35 cents - THAT'S RIGHT, 35 WHOLE CENTS, I am physically and possibly legally unable to complain. What can you even get for 35 cents these days, let alone something wearable?

Next up:



My photo:




Stepped it up a little price-wise and paid almost a full dollar more for this piece. The pendant is lovely but the chain is a little "silver". It needs to be dulled down somehow for a more vintage look but I am still very happy with it. Can probably swap it out for another chain.

Finally:



Splashed out big time on the last item and spent a crazy $11.04 (these prices are all US so it will be slightly more in AUD) in the selected colourway you see in the big picture.

Now, when I see "free size" I blithely assume that will fit because free means one size fits all, right? Perhaps reading the measurements first (and then actually comparing them to my own measurements) would be a better plan. However, the skirt is actually very nice. The material is a nice shiny cream with pretty flowers, just like the photo and it has a zipper and a half-slip lining. It feels kind of fancy. The band is smooth at the front and elasticated at the back. And happily, it does fit! Admittedly, I had to wait until after the Christmas gorging was finished and I'm wearing it pretty damn high on the waist but it does fit. I'm wearing it with one of my $5 Kmart tees, the wrong bra, Kate Spade "Annika" sunglasses, some cream cut out wedges from Savers, a scrappy ponytail and no makeup.

I haven't ironed it because LOL

This week, I've been participating in the What The Teacher Wears Style Challenge (#wttwstylechallenge)

It's not the reason I haven't made any posts this week, I don't really have an excuse for that. However, I have enjoyed the prompts which were all very accessible and quite easy to rustle up a conforming outfit for the day.

Day 1 - Midi-skirt Monday

I re-rocked the outfit I wore in this post.




The photos are better in that one. On this day I had very little time to myself to go out and get any photos so I was stuck with sneaking a mirror version after work.

I've got a Kmart white tee ($5!) tucked into a Khoko spotted midi skirt from Harris Scarfe and silver triangle necklace and earrings recently snagged from Sportsgirl

Day 2 - Tropical Tuesday

After identifying tropical as a gap in my wardrobe, I pulled out this navy bird print dress as the closest thing I had.



I bought it at Rivers when considerably pregnant and hadn't worn it for a while. Two people complimented me on it so I guess it will get more run time this summer!

I wore it with those ubiquitous white laser cut Rubi loafers and stuck a big white flower in my hair for that tropical feel. I've also got some pink frangipani earrings from Big W in.

Day 3 - "Midweek Monochrome"

I had a few options that I was tossing up between here and settled on this because I thought it would be a cooler day than it ended up being . . .




The spotty top is from Chicabooti. I like it because it has an elasticated waist that I wish I had pulled down a touch more for the photo but what can you do.

I wore it with those bargain Review pants from Savers, cuffed 'em up and threw on a pair of Joanne Mercer heels for a little height. I went with pearl accessories to go with my white dots and that Pink All Up In Your Face lipstick I got last week at Priceline.

Day 4 - "Floral Thursday"

I wanted something simple and easy to wear.



Bang. A scuba floral-print dress, also from Chicabooti and, in fact, bought the same day as the spotted top above, some black Fiorelli sunglasses and Kiss Of Life Rimmel lipstick. It's a bit light on accessories . . . I was in a rush!

I never thought I'd say it but I do dig this neoprene/scuba fabric. It's forgiving.

Day 5 - "Printed Pants Friday"





I started off wearing another pair of pants and another black top. Changed the top. Changed the pants. Changed the shoes. Changed the necklace. I ended up in another $5 Kmart tee, these printed pants from TEMT and those doggone Rubi flats again. I *really* need some new shoes. (My husband disagrees with this statement). I'm wearing Sportsgirl earrings and my Tiffany and Co necklace. I also added a coral cardi last minute, which this photo pointed out to me had some sort of yellow crust on the shoulder! EW.

Throughout my younger years, I often dreamed about belonging to a fashion subculture and really owning and working a defined look.

Unfortunately (fortunately), I never found anything I liked enough to commit to full-time. I just liked too many different styles so I wore a bit of everything and played "dress ups" with friends who were much more disciplined.

Then I got older and realised wearing what you like is actually cooler than any subculture could hope to be etc etc find yourself, it's a journey, blah blah. Except rockabillies, man, their look is the shiz.

Anyhow, this pick-and-mix attitude to fashion is how I ended up rocking this ensemble one night to a goth club . . .

I did. I totally did.

Don't judge. It was the early 00s and we (okay, I in particular) were all about the glitter print and the mesh overlay.

I loved that dragon top hard. The skirt I was neither here nor there on but it was glittery and probably the darkest thing I had at the time.

I mentioned the boots last week and my fringe has already come under fire in several previous Throwback Thursday posts.

But what is going on with my eyes??

I'll tell you, MORE GLITTER!

Never got the hang of the whole "not smiling" thing either

I had, and possibly still have (#hoarder), this pack of four small containers that screwed into each other, containing face glue, hologrammatic hearts, silver stars and iridescent face glitter respectively which I busted out for special occasions. Like going to the goth club.

When are they going to play some Spice Girls?

Their powers combined plus a powder that was way too pale (or that may just have been my Melbourne tan) turned me into some sort of disco zombie junkie.

My go-to Posh point

Will we see this style back again soon?

I not-so-secretly hope so.

I didn't manage a #ThrowbackThursday post last week because I was too busy having lunch and gossiping with Bridie of bridiemarie.com so this is a bumper edition.

How's this one, circa July 1997.

Werk!

Cara de who now?

Derp

I  had a bit of a self-indulgent pity party about why I can't / won't wear the latest summer trends.

On reflection, it was really quite negative, morose and boo-hoo. It's only my fault if I'm dagging around in ugly clothes; it's not like somebody else is buying them for me and forcing me to wear them at gunpoint. And yes, while I do have friends that legimitately look like they've just stepped off the same Bonds swing-tag I snapped off my latest tee when they're allegedly dagging out at home, that's no reason why I shouldn't lift my game. 

Turning to the internet for advice, I read this article at Fox In Flats.

It spoke to me. I am that person. I love to dress up for work and when I'm out and about but around the house and if I'm not going anywhere of importance (where I might see someone I know), it's all baggy sweats and hoodies, more often than not streaked with some form of child mucus. As soon as I get home from work, I'm all "hey" to my husband, then it's straight into my pyjamas; printed flannelette in winter and oversized souvenir t-shirts and shorts in summer. I catch sight of myself in reflections or go to take a selfie with my daughter and be like "Who even are you? And why are you saving all your best looks for work instead of the people you love?"

So as of now, I've decided to change my approach.

Last Friday, I mentioned K-Mart currently have $5 basic tees that are soft, comfortable, non-see through, have a nice wide v neck and come in a good variety of colours. It's amazing how much difference just wearing one of these with a pair of 7/8 pants instead of a printed sports tee lifts an outfit just a touch but is still comfortable. I've bought them in both my regular size and a size up for comfort to wear with Cotton On Body lounge pants around the house.

And would you believe, I feel better already.

The other day, it was super hot and all I had planned was the grocery shopping. Usually, this would be a job for shorts and a t-shirt but I chose a comfortable Katie's maxi dress (which may or may not have been worn in the late stages of pregnancy) instead. When I got home, I didn't change but kept it on. 

And I felt better.

I took a style cue from a friend and tried a basic tee with a floral print skirt for a day out rather than a work dress or jeans and top. 

And I felt better.

I went to Cotton On and tried on a singlet and a pair of print pom-pom shorts similar to the ones I was going on about.

They looked absolutely terrible so I was totally justifed in my previous post but at least I had a go. 

This Thursday, we take a leap further back in time before Port Hedland, taken at a friend's house in Gladstone, (SA not QLD) circa 1996, aged 17.




This is not my bedroom - I was never into Johnny Depp, Christian Slater, Matt Dillon or River Phoenix enough to grant them precious poster real estate on my walls - but I certainly had Edward Furlong, Brad Pitt and Dieter Brummer, and probably Kelly Slater.

So what am I rocking here?

• Carefree expression
• Long hair don't care, complete with the sketchy fringe I suffered through for most of my life
• White sleeveless button up shirt - origin unknown - artfully tied at the middle with what appears to be a black crop top underneath.
• Midriff - back when I had one.
• Indian-print cotton maxi skirt with irritatingly jingly bells on the ties that I absolutely LOVED. I believe it was purchased from the incense/crystals/candles shop in Port Pirie. I googled "incense Port Pirie" to see if it still exists but was indundated for links to what appears to be illegal synthetic cannabis so excuse me while I erase my browser history. I believe I also purchased (voluntarily, with my own money) a purple tie-dyed bell-sleeved velour top, complete with its own set of jangly bells which was often teamed with this skirt in the cooler months. Sadly, no photographic evidence exists from what I can gather. 
• I know for a fact there are a pair of these on my feet . . . 

• . . . because what else would you wear with such an ensemble in 1996? Franky, I'm surprised I'm not wearing my floppy black velvet hat.