Swing, Brother, Swing

Last night my friend Jacoba and myself went to our first ever swing dance class with The Swing Sesh. I have wanted to do classes for quite some time but I was always too scared to go or even to ask anyone to go with me! With some encouragement from the positively lovely Fleur De Guerre (after I said something to the effect of being too chicken to go on one of her photos on flickr) I decided 'to heck with it' and asked Jacoba if she wanted to go along with me. Luckily for me she did but couldn't make the classes until last night, so I waited until she could come with me.

They do a mix of dances in the class and last night they taught the Charleston. I left a little confused, always thinking of the Charleston as it was popularised in the 1920s with lots of twisting knees, jazz hands and kicking one's legs about, but I've since learnt that the dance has changed a bit since then (according to Gospel of Wiki). Then again, I don't know a lot about dancing and certainly not the swing dance scene so it's not surprising that I should learn something new!

This isn't just the Charleston (I also noticed a little clip of the Black Bottom - the Black Bottom sure looks like a lot of fun!) but this is always what I've pictured when I thought of the Charleston.

It was a lot of fun, at any rate, but also rather embarrassing. I haven't taken a class in any kind of dancing since I was about 13 so one can only imagine I'm more than a little rusty! I also had to touch a lot of strange men but, as I was concentrating with all my might on not falling over, I didn't really notice that much.

I was at TAFE all day so I didn't put a terribly fancy outfit together - this is one of my 'Grease extras' type outfits. I did get a couple of comments, though, from fellow students who thought I had dressed for the occassion! I had to tell them it was just my normal way of dressing. (It's not the first time someone's mistaken my regular dress for costume, though).

Scarf: op-shopped
Blouse: Living Doll
Cardigan: Cotton On
Belt: Gift
Skirt: Harris Scarfe
Stockings: Myer
Shoes: Big W

I'm pleased to say that Jacoba and I shall be returning next week and the week after and so on. Next week we are finishing the Charleston and the week after that we're apparently starting on the Jitter Bug! I'm looking forward to that.

I've also just realised that I've made it past the 50 'members'/'followers' mark!! It's a bit exciting. Thanks, again, to everyone who has supported this blog thus far. I've been having a lot of fun with it and I hope everyone is enjoying it just as much as I am.

Love,
Andi B. Goode
x

Hairspray, gimme gimme control!

On Saturday I woke up with a case of the

Mean Reds so, in hopes of combating this feeling, mum and I went out to lunch. I felt that a little deviation from my regular style was in order and gave myself a beehive. Besides my ponytail and faux bangs, this is the easiest style, that I do, to achieve. I put the back up in a messy French roll.

I would love to be able to do this kind of beehive, one day, when I can be bothered taking the time to learn how.

The day out cheered me up as did finding this book in an RSPCA thrift shop.

Raymond Chandler has certainly become one of my favourite authors over the past year, even if I've only read two of his books to date. I plan on scanning the front and back covers of this one so I can print them out, again, and frame them for my wall.

In keeping with a 1960s theme, I Mad Men'd myself! (And made myself a Mad Men boyfriend, too, and stuck us together in photoshop).

It's really far too much fun.

Love,
Andi B. Goode
x

8 Femmes

Winter was back in full swing, today, and in honour I thought I would do a little post about one of my favourite winter films. A little while back I was trying to think of movies for each season and realised I could think of lots of summer films but hardly any winter films which weren't about Christmas. Now, I do love Christmas films but I like to watch them at Christmas time. Then, I remembered François Ozon's 8 Femmes (8 Women). This is a great film to watch at any time but its winter setting makes it a wonderful film for the season! It also has some absolutely beautiful costumes, which I find very inspiring.

I just love Isabelle Huppert in this film. She's wonderful as the neurotic Augustine.

Catherine Deneuve is still incredibly beautiful!

The film is essentially a murder mystery crossed with a musical, so it's perfect for me. Each of the characters has her own song - this is one of my favourites.

I wish I could raid this film's wardrobe! I especially want the all pink ensemble.

Love,
Andi B. Goode
x

Tag! I'm it.

I mentioned the other day that I was given this Badge of Honour from Rosina Lee as well as the Kreativ Blogger award from Jessica of Chronically Vintage and Catherine of The Renegade Bean - actually, I didn't realise until afterwards that Catherine had tagged me, too - and I want to thank them all very much!

The Badge of Honour rules:

Copy the logo and place it on my blog
Link it back to the person who gave it to me
Pass it on to five fellow bloggers
List 10 things about myself

I. I’m left-handed.
II. My all-time favourite movie is Rocky Horror Picture Show.
III. I’m a bit of an anglophile.
IV. My favourite colour is pink.
V. I currently own 45 dresses, roughly half of which are vintage.
VI. I want to learn Italian.
VII. My two favourite bands are The Beatles and The Smiths.
VIII. I wish it were summer, right now.
IX. My favourite kinds of films are musicals, film noir and queer cinema.
X. I’m a procrastinator.



The Kreativ Blogger rules:
• Thank the person who nominated you for the award
• Copy the logo and place it on your blog
• Link to the person who nominated you for this award
• List seven things about yourself that people might find interesting
• Nominate and post links to the seven Kreativ Bloggers you nominate
• Leave a comment on each of the blogs (or otherwise notify the recipients), letting them know they have been nominated


I. I cannot ride a bicycle. When I was little I had a bike, with training wheels, and started to learn how to ride it but I outgrew my bike before I could ride it without the training wheels. I never bothered to get another bike so I just don’t know how to ride one.

II. I’ve been a vegetarian since I was about 15 years old, which makes it nearly eight years. I have to admit that I was partly inspired by Sir Paul and Linda McCartney as well as my growing realisation that I couldn’t justify eating meat, to myself, anymore.

III. I’m currently halfway through my third – and final – year of a Bachelor of Visual Arts and Applied Design at AC Arts TAFE. My major is photography; I went into the course in 2007 with the intention of majoring in drawing or painting but I kind of fell in love with my photography unit in my first year. I’ve come to realise that, while creating art is enjoyable to me, I much prefer learning and writing about art and I’m thinking about pursuing that path next year. But here's an example of the photo series I'm working on at the moment (it's still a work in progress) - it looks better printed out.



IV. I’m a bit of a collector; I collect vintage dresses (obviously), cameras, porcelain animals as well as various other things. Past collections have included Beatles related items, anything to do with bats, Barbie dolls and teddy bears (a collection I still have but I haven’t had any new additions in quite some time).

V. I’m quite addicted to mysteries, especially those involving murder. This is why I love Agatha Christie novels (and the absolutely gorgeous TV adaptations of her stories) and whodunnits in general. My favourites are always British and often set in the past.

VI. I tend to go through phases where I’ll be super interested in one thing and can think of nothing else – I think, due to the internet, these phases don’t last as long as they used to so I could change from one to another as quick as once a week. This year I’ve been through a phase where I read nothing but Agatha Christie novels and then one where I listened to nothing but Frank Sinatra. The Sinatra phase also involved a fair bit of swooning and wistful sighs.

VII. I have a rather odd habit of breaking into this strange semi-British accent. I think it’s a testament to how much British television I watch for I can’t think of any other reason I would do it.

And I am going to be a rebel and not tag anyone but anyone who feels the urge to do one or both of these, then go ahead!

Love,
Andi B. Goode
x

I think it suits you!

I just adore women’s suits from the 1930s and 1940s. I remember watching On the Avenue not too long ago and almost weeping from sheer want of the gorgeous suits in that film. Alas, I cannot find any images from that film but I do have some pictures of other lovely suits for you all to look at.

{Click to Enlarge}

These two images are from Gosford Park. The costumes in this film are absolutely gorgeous and actually what I enjoy most about the film. These two images are, if I recall correctly, from a scene when all the ladies are sitting around before a day of riding or possibly waiting inside whilst the men are out riding!

{Click to Enlarge}

This is the beautiful Lolita Haze in a suit she made (her blog is Vintage Starlet - if you aren't reading it, you should be). I think this was one of the first times I really took notice of suits and realised that I absolutely love them - especially in fabrics like this. I think it's because this kind of colour, especially in a suit, makes me think of tweed.

{Click to Enlarge}

Photo on the left from The Library of Congress, not entirely sure where I got the image on the right. Oops!

{Click to Enlarge}

Photo on the left from scanned from The Sketch, photo on the right scanned from a True Romance magazine.

#1: Classic 50s ladies suit from tammym1972 #2 1950s tweed suit from purevintageclothing #3 1940s-1950s women's suit from glamorousvintage #4 1940s black skirt suit from vintageveronica

I suppose I really oughtn't start talking about suits and not at least mention Coco Chanel! And mention is all I shall do because many a better informed person has written about her before me but what an amazing and influential woman! (Queens of Vintage have had a few articles about her, of late - my favourite is the top 10 iconic designs).

So many lovely suits! And now, by golly, I have my very own! This absolutely gorgeous suit was made for me by my wonderful mother. She used one of Simplicity's Retro Patterns (3688) which you can find here.

{Click to Enlarge}

Hat: Vintage, 1970s, Exclusive Vintage Clothing
Faux pearls: Hero Vintage
Top: Deborah K
Suit: Made by mum!
Stockings: Love Kylie
Shoes: Big W, these are the ones I bought the other day.


My friend, Cally, said I looked like Carmen Sandiego - she said it was the hat. I do like to make characters up for my outfits but I couldn't really decide on one for this. Maybe a reporter or a detective - something fun and romantic like that! I'm so happy with my suit. Huzzah! I think they're a winter must-have for any vintage wardrobe.

Love,
Andi B. Goode
x

P.S. Forgive the terrible 'punny' title.

School days, school days (Outfit post)

On Monday I bade farewell to the holidays as I saw myself back at TAFE for the first day of my final semester. It’s all a bit daunting, really, but it didn’t stop me from putting on a lovely frock! I had planned on wearing the suit Mum made for me but it was such a lovely sunny day I decided to wear this dress, instead.

{Click to Enlarge}

Glasses: 2$ Shop
Faux pearls: Hero Vintage
Dress: 1940s linen day dress, Dress-Ups on Unley
Stockings: stockingshq.com
Shoes: Shoe Shed

In the photo on the left I am ever-so-cleverly covering up the loveliest detail on the pockets of my dress but here's a close-up of (one of) the gorgeous pockets.

{Click to Enlarge}

Now, this is one of those dresses that are a little tricky to get off – I find that tends to be the case with dresses that zip up on the side. I remember mentioning how those kinds of dresses are so difficult to take off to Gale who runs Red Ruby Vintage, one day, and she gave me a little tip, which makes it easier to get out of them. Basically, she told me to bend over as though I was diving into a pool and pull the dress off over my head that way. So, whenever I find myself a little bit stuck in a dress that’s what I do! I make sure that I pull it up so that it’s under my arms before I ‘assume the dive position’ and then I ease it off over my head that way. I have to be gentler with some dresses than others, depending on their condition.

Hopefully that was helpful (and actually made sense) but I have a feeling I’m just an awkward silly billy who never thought of the most logical way to get out of a tricky dress!

I would also like to take the time to thank both the lovely Rosina Lee and the also lovely Jessica of Chronically Vintage for passing on the Badge of Honour and Kreativ Blogger Award to me, respectively. I didn't foresee the internet problems I would be having so, as it stands, I haven't the time to pass these on myself. Hopefully I will be able to soon, if not I am happy just to say thank-you and to urge anyone who isn't read either of those blogs to do so! From tomorrow, my internet should be sorted and I shall be able to catch up on everyone else's blogs from the past few days. Hurrah!

Love,
Andi B. Goode
x

Rocking at Hogwarts

On Saturday night my mother and I went to see Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. I, of course, saw it as an opportunity to dress up (to tell the truth I see most things as opportunities to get dressed up!) and decided my outfit needed a Harry Potter flavour to it. I had also just re-watched The Delinquents (I plan on making a post about the fashion of this film sometime soon so keep your eyes open!) and was feeling in a rather rock and roll mood. Thus, my Rock and Roll Slytherin look was born! (Although, I have a feeling rock and roll isn’t a particularly Slytherin kind of music - I've a feeling they would go for something more 'refined' - but my wardrobe seemed to accomodate a Slytherin look better than any of the other houses.)

{Click to Enlarge}

Cat-eye glasses: a costume shop in New Jersey
Cardigan: Myer
Belt: op-shopped
Dress: made by mum
Petticoat: vintage, Dress-Ups on Unley Road
Stockings: Leg Avenue
Shoes: Big W
Brooch: Over the Moon Antiques
Bracelet: I can’t remember where I got this from but it’s a snake, which is why I wore it.

{Click to Enlarge}

Just me being a little bit silly. I couldn't resist!

I wish Narcissa Malfoy had had more screen time – she is a lady who has great style, in my opinion. To tell the truth, most of the Slytherins have fabulous style. It’s strange that, in contemporary cinema or television at least, the ‘baddies’ seem to have far more style and flair than the ‘good guys’. There was definitely a bit of a vintage feel to Narcissa's costume but I find, as with most fantasy despite the era in which it is set, a lot of Harry Potter costumes have an old-timey quality to them.

{Click to Enlarge}

I must say that I love her coat and her hairstyle has a slight vintage feel to it, as well, I think.

I was going to say that I haven't the time at present to catch up with all of the things that need to be caught up with but that's not quite true - time, I have, but download limit I do not. It's nearing the end of the billing month but my download limit is practically gone and, as I get charged per megabyte over the limit, I daren't look at anything much at present! So, in a few days, I shall have an awful lot of catching up to do! I hope this post finds everyone in good health and I shall be back when my download limit is renewed.

Love,
Andi B. Goode
x

My name is Andi and I'm a shopaholic

{Click to Enlarge}

I know boater hats have been quite a popular trend (well, they seem to have been, anyway) and I’ve looked at all these pictures of girls wearing them on wardrobe_remix and I’ve thought ‘Golly, aren’t they cute? But boater hats…are they for me?’ Then I was flipping through an old issue of The Sketch that I have floating about and I saw this fashion spread in which some of the ladies are wearing boaters (pictured above)! That was the moment I knew I must have one. I never thought my search, as it were, would be as easy as it was, though! Sunday, Mum and I made an impromptu visit to the Fisherman’s Wharf Markets at Port Adelaide and one of the first things I set my eyes upon was a Boater Hat! The night before, I had ordered a bracelet from etsy and promised myself it would be my last purchase for a time. Of course, this was not to be - not only did I buy the boater hat on Sunday, I bought other things yesterday, as well!

{Click to Enlarge}

Boater hat from Fisherman's Wharf Markets, 15$; vintage look lace-up oxford heels from Big W, 20$; my favourite shoes in the entire world from Big W, 11$; vintage look peasant top from Big W, 20$; a whole bunch of great CDs from Salvo's for 2$ each; pink glass urn type thing from Fisherman's Wharf Markets, 4$; strawberry vase from Salvo's, 3$.

I have the perfect skirt to wear with the peasant top - Mum and I just converted a dress I picked up at Goodwill a few months ago into a very cute skirt! I'll have pictures soon. And I plan on wearing the oxford heels (they're 4 inches, by the way, which I was going to say makes me a little bit taller than the average Australian woman but, according to google, I'm already average height!! I always thought I was a shorty at 5'3"/160cm but, then again, google could always be wrong. I hope it is - I liked thinking I was shorter than average) with a suit Mum has made for me.

{Click to Enlarge}

My outfit from yesterday-
Blouse: op-shopped
Vest: op-shopped, this is actually part of a twin-set
Trousers: Target.
Wing-tips: a shop I can't remember the name of in Brunswick Street.

I'm usually not the kind of girl who likes to wear trousers - I adore them on other women but I always feel like I've stepped out of the house wearing my pyjamas when I've got them on! However, every now and then I'm in a trousers kind of mood and yesterday was just one of those days for me.

Also, a lovely lady - from Melbourne - I met through Queens of Vintage has just started up a blog: A Stitch in Time (Or...This Vintage Life) which I'm very excited about!

Love,
Andi B. Goode
x

Six Little Things

I was tagged by Shallow Mallow for 'Six Little Things That Make Me Happy' (I've just realised now it was 'little' things). And here they are! (If you count the images, there are seven, but I've counted 'Merlin' and 'Being Human' as one under 'TV shows' or 'TV shows which are slightly silly and certainly not realistic but funny things happen in them and there are cute boys - very cute boys in my opinion - too').

I know I'm meant to tag other people but I'm rather awful at that so consider yourself tagged if you are reading this!

A few other things in this rather brief post:

I wrote this little piece on vintage shopping in Adelaide for Queens of Vintage.
The lovely Miriam wrote a little about me on her blog. I was rather chuffed when she asked me if she could on flickr!
And both Chronically Vintage and Letters from the Home Front listed my blog for the Water Cooler Wonders award. How lovely!

My tea shall be getting cold if I don't eat it soon, so I shall leave you all with thanks for the support I've been getting with my blog - I didn't expect it would do this well so soon! And I hope anyone who reads this is well.

Love,
Andi B. Goode
x

Australian Pin Up Girls

The other day, I mentioned I was really excited about watching Paper Dolls: Australian Pin Up Girls of WWII and, after watching it, I certainly wasn't disappointed! It was lovely and actually quite touching. Some of the women who had been pin up girls were interviewed, there was a lot of original footage, both of the girls and actual war footage, as well as still images. One of the women interviewed was still clearly very upset when talking about how the battalion she had been in correspondence with basically didn't survive the war. She said she wasn't a 'very good mascot' for them. Although some parts were a bit upsetting, it was so lovely to see this kind of history of my own country for a change.

As it seems virtually impossible to find images on Ye Olde Internets of Australian pin up girls of the time, I did a little bit of screencapping. (You can see more images in this set on my flickr - I don't usually upload so many things at once on there but, well, these were all too lovely!)

I'm itching to get my hands on some of those magazines, now. I hope these are enjoyed! And if anyone gets the chance to watch it, do!

In other news, I have been longing for some saddle shoes for ever so long. Alas, they are not to be found in old South Australia and, when I have seen them (at rock and roll festivals) they are made of leather and I boycotted leather shoes a while ago, now. So, when I found these online I thought they were perfect! Unfortunately, they don't ship outside of the United States. Woe! And so, my search continues! But I can still look at the picture and dream about them, can't I?

Lastly, I leave you with another image of yours truly, taken yesterday before afternoon tea with Mumsy, Dad and his lady, Babs.

This is one of my favourite coats - I got it from Target last year. My dad thought it was actually vintage. I think this kind of red is perfect for a gloomy winter day.

Love,
Andi B. Goode
x

Live it up and love it up, amigo!

Yesterday, Mum and I decided we were bored of staying home every night so we booked a table for two at Montezuma's for dinner tonight. I haven't been there since I was a little girl - it was very lovely. The decor is very festive and the food was incredibly yummy! I had vegetarian enchiladas and, for dessert, 'platano de pina' (I think that's what they called it) which involved a banana, pineapple, ice-cream and a cinnamon tortilla. I was going to order a (virgin) Pina Colada until I saw the dessert list and decided I'd rather have that. It was nice to be able to indulge in my favourite sin - gluttony! I was so full afterwards I felt about ready for a siesta.

Also, Mum and I had been listening to the soundtrack for Fun in Acapulco today so I had this song stuck in my head the entire time we were at the restaurant:

It would have been okay, but I could only remember one line! Oh my. At least it suited the restaurant.

I took advantage of the occasion to wear one of the new dresses I bought the other day.

{Click to Enlarge}

Faux pearls: Hero Vintage
Cat Brooch: I bought this at a sale some of the acting students were having at my TAFE
Dress: Gymnasium closing down sale
Stockings: stockingshq.com
Shoes: K-Mart

Unfortunately, I didn't realise the back of my hair was still damp when I brushed it out so the curls disappeared immediately. I set about attacking it with my curling iron and fixed it a little but I wasn't too fussed - I don't usually worry if the back of my hair is less than perfect because, well, I can't see it!

Before we went to the restaurant, we swung by JB Hi-Fi so I could pick up a copy of Paper Dolls: Australian Pin Up Girls of WWII. I'm so excited to watch this as I missed it when it was on tele. I've heard nothing but good things about it, too!

Once again, thanks to all who have supported me and left lovely comments thus far! It's very encouraging.

Love,
Andi B. Goode
x

Baking and (More) Shopping

Once again, thank-you to everyone who left me such lovely comments! They're very much appreciated.

Yesterday, Mum and I went out to get her tyres replaced. I can't say that was a particularly thrilling experience! However, when I got home, I baked a quiche. It was very yummy, even though it had nearly an entire block of butter in it!!

{Click to Enlarge}

My baking outfit:
Cardigan: Cotton On
Dress: Made by Mum
Apron: Christmas Gift
Stylish leopard print slippers: Big W
Cheese and Onion Quiche: Made by yours truly! I swear, it tasted a lot better than it looks.

Today, I spent the day in town with one of my lovely friends, Stef. We had intended to go to the cinema to see Samson and Delilah, but we preferred the idea of wandering about and chatting. So, that's what we did!

{Click to Enlarge}

Hat: Vintage, Salvo's
Cardigan: Cotton On
Dress: 1940s, Exclusive Vintage
Gloves: Goodwill
Stockings: stockingshq.com
Shoes - Shoe Shed
Sunglasses: Salvo's
Pearls: Hero Vintage

When Stef and I were wandering through the Art Gallery, a lady stopped me and said: ‘I hope you’re not offended by this but you look like you’ve just stepped out of one of these paintings!’ Oh my, I thought, what a lovely compliment! It’s just as lovely as when one of my lecturers told me she always looked forward to seeing what I would be wearing next and that I was like a living piece of art, myself. By golly, some people are nice, aren't they?

I had intended to only spend money on things I needed - hairspray, blush, etc. - but I came home with a new make-up case and a dress. It was very naughty of me!

{Click to Enlarge}

Dress: 1930s/40s Rayon dress. I bought this from Red Ruby Vintage - I'd seen it a few weeks ago, I think, and it's been on my mind since then. So, I went in today, thinking 'At least try it on!' and, gosh, aren't they famous last words? Gale told me another girl had tried it on the other day and bought 3 or 4 dresses but put this one back. To me, that was a sign! I tried it on and it fit me perfectly so I knew that it had to be mine. It was 130$ but I got it for 100$! Not a bargain, really, but, oh my, that dress is wonderful! And I love the detail of the cross-stitch Rosella on the shoulder. Also, there's something very Snow White about this dress. I just need a blue bolero or cardigan!
Make-Up Case: Look how shiny it is!! Not vintage, but isn't it pretty? And only 10$, too!
Bag: Not vintage, either, but it has a vintage-y feel to it. 10$ I actually bought this yesterday, when Mum and I were waiting for her tyres to be fixed.

When I got home a package containing this and this was waiting for me! The little black hat is going to be put away until Christmas (Mum bought it for me), but the navy hat is all mine, right now! It looks quite nice on, too. I was very happy.

I've vowed to stay away from vintage shops for the next few weeks, though, in hopes of mending the hole in my bank account. Will I stay away? Only time will tell.

Love,
Andi B. Goode
x

Shopping Day with Dad

Yesterday my dad and I had a ‘daddy-daughter’ day – we had lunch at the 24 Hour Bakery on O’Connell St, which was nice (I had a gourmet vegetarian pasty and a blueberry Danish) and, as often happens when we have these days, he bought me a few lovely things! I suppose he does rather spoil me but it’s nice.

{Click to Enlarge}

#1 – I think this is a 1960s dress; I got it from the closing down sale of Gymnasium Vintage for only 10$. The tag inside reads: Fashioned by Gina of Melbourne.
#2 – This is possibly the best bargain I’ve ever got – it was only 2$ from the Gymnasium closing down sale. 2$!! It’s a 1960s dress, too, and I’m not usually too into the 60s but it’s gorgeous, in perfect condition, fits me like a dream and was such a bargain that I’m willing to make an exception! The tag inside reads A Stanley's of Melbourne Creation
#3 – Not too sure about this. I’d say it’s no older than the 1970s but I thought it had a bit of a 1930s feel to it. 5$, Gymnasium
#4 – 1950s bathing suit, Red Ruby Vintage, 48$. I’ve wanted a vintage (or vintage styled) bathing suit for ages so, when I saw this, I knew I had to get it. It is absolutely gorgeous – looking at it makes me salivate just a little bit. The tag inside reads: Ada of California
#5 – 1960s two-piece bathing suit, Gymnasium, 5$. Just after I picked up the other bathing suit at Red Ruby, I found this at Gymnasium! I don’t usually like purple, and was thinking of getting this to possibly pass it along to someone else, but once I tried it on I knew I couldn’t part with it. I wish it were summer!
#6 – Sun hat, Salvo’s, 5$. Isn’t this hat gorgeous? I’d been looking for one this style and size but in plain black for a while – I still want a plain black one but the polka dots are so lovely and fresh. I have a white dress with black polka dots that I think this will look lovely with. Again, I wish it were summer!

My outfit for the day:

{Click to Enlarge}

Cardigan – Myer
Blouse – op-shopped
Earrings – Good Will
Faux cameo – Gilles Street Markets
Skirt – Part of a suit made by my wonderful mum. The jacket is still in progress but I couldn’t wait to try the skirt out!
Stockings – op-shopped
Shoes – Shoe Shed

When I went into Red Ruby Gale, the lady who owns the store, told me I looked like I’d just stepped out of the 1940s! That made me very happy, indeed. I love going in there - not only are all of the clothes beautiful, but it’s lovely to have a chat! The lady at Gymnasium commented on my hair, as did a fellow customer. I love compliments but I always get a tad embarrassed. I hope I accept them graciously, though!

Thank-you to those who commented on my post, yesterday!

Love,
Andi B. Goode
x

A Wink and a Smile

Greetings pals and gals! For anyone who doesn’t know me (and I’m sure there are many of you) my name is Andrea, but, as I’ve taken to calling myself ‘Andi B. Goode’ on Ye Olde Internets, that’s what I shall be known as from here on in. I've been thinking about starting up a fashion-y type blog for a while but wasn't sure about it. Anyway, I've obviously decided to go for it and here I am!

Last night my friend Jacoba and myself both attended our first burlesque show! Now, living in Adelaide there isn’t a lot of that kind of thing around (or, at least, not to my knowledge) but there are some lovely ladies who perform under the name ‘A Wink and a Smile Burlesque’. These were the ladies we saw at La Bohème (the only bar of its kind in Adelaide!) – it was a lovely introduction to burlesque. Miss Cherry Valens was the highlight – I particularly liked her routine to ‘Stray Cat Strut’ (she had a lovely little top hat with cat ears attached to it!). I was also rather captivated by the lady who did belly dancing but, by golly, I’ve forgotten her name! Ho-hum.

Unfortunately my camera is Le Crappe so, alas, I could not take a single decent shot! I did, however, snap some pictures of my outfit before I left!

{Click to Enlarge}

I have definitely been channelling my inner ‘femme fatale’ this winter but, well, isn’t winter the time for femme fatales (femmes fatale?). Gloomy skies, heavy with dark grey clouds, glistening city streets slick with rain, the howling wind and other ominous wintery sounds. It’s all very noir! Of course, it’s only in appearance that I channel the femme fatale – as Brian said to Sally I’m ‘about as fatale as an after dinner mint!’

The girl sitting next to me at La Boheme struck up a conversation as she liked my stockings (she liked the seams) – I like that people take notice of things like that! Anyway, we chatted for a few minutes but awkwardness overcame and I turned back to Jacoba and waited for the show to start!

I suppose I’ve said all that needs to be said, at the moment. Here’s a close-up shot (of moi, of course!) from last night for good measure:

{Click to Enlarge}

Over and out,
Andi B. Goode
x