Same, Same, But Shorter

I had my hair cut again last Wednesday. I decided I needed the chop a day or two previous, rang my salon, Lady Marmalade, and fortuitously my stylist had a cancellation the next day. Hurrah!

I knew I needed it cut off SHORT, but not quite as short as the pixie last year. I wanted a super-short fringe and for a while looked up pictures of Audrey Hepburn in Roman Holiday (I’ve always been partial to her do in that film). But it turned out it was not quite as short as I imagined, not even shorter than it currently was.

One of the pictures my stylist Alex used as reference for my haircutThen I remembered a fashion editorial from a few years ago that I knew I had put in one of my tearsheet scrapbooks – but where was it? I knew the photos were taken by Ellen von Unworth … I scrambled for half an hour or more and finally found the pages.

Another of the pictures – the back is exactly like this, pretty muchOf course shortly after I arrived for my appointment, my stylist, Alex, asked me if I had brought pictures. “Of course I have!” I told him. “I know how you love pictures.” He approved them, and after a consultation, started chopping away.

And voilà! Just like the pictures, only shorter! (You can’t see the back yet, but you will – I did lots of certified fresh photoshoots today.)

Photo: Last Wednesday

Autumn Marches In

It was amazing how Melbourne turned on the autumnal weather right on cue. The morning began with grey skies and by the time I was walking to work, graduated to rain. I had to wear a raincoat when the day before I was gallivanting about in a sleeveless summer dress!

It was cool, but not quite as cold as this picture suggests, which I took quite a long time ago, wearing one of my super-jumpers – it’s so warm the cropped length and sleeves are a boon.

The umbrella I’m holding is vintage, probably 60s or 70s, and the periwinkle gloves (it’s difficult to capture that colour on camera, but they are definitely purple-tinged) are 1960s. I find that with umbrellas, it’s a case of they certainly don’t make ‘em like they used to, and vintage brollies are far more sturdy because they generally have more spokes. I’ve never had a vintage umbrella blow inside out, no matter what gale is blowing.

By lunchtime today the clouds had cleared, and tomorrow will be quite warm, and Saturday we will return to beach weather! Ah, Melbourne, as the song says, we really do enjoy four seasons in one day.

Happy autumn!

Photo: July 2016

Je ne sais quoi

The Blue Hat, published in Femina, 1949Last year I visited the Christian Dior exhibition in Melbourne, which was quite spectacular. It was interesting comparing the styles of each of the designers who have headed the House of Dior.

They all like to say that while they have their own signature style, they wish to honour the spirit of the house, but I’m not sure if any of them really are completely successful in that respect. Of course fashion must move with the times, but Monsieur Christian Dior simply had that je ne sais quoi that is really epitomised in the illustrations of that other master, René Gruau, in these postcards bought in the exhibition shop.

Absolute perfection – that’s what it is.

Drawing for perfume advertising image, 1963

A Fresh Start

What better jewellery, I thought, for a brand spanking New Year than a pair of earrings that sparkled with fresh, clear colours? These vintage earrings twinkle with bright promise in pastel colours. I am not actually at all sure which era they are from however – perhaps the 1950s.

I am very happy that it’s a new year, for I was done with 2017 and quite ready to dust off my hands and farewell it. I have a few ideas and resolutions for the coming year – some carrying on from the last – and simply feel inspired by the notion of a clean slate, all those empty days and months lying ahead, glimmering and shimmering mysteriously in the distance, like a mirage in time.

While pragmatism forces us to acknowledge our lives can’t all be a bed or roses, may we all feel inspired and motivated to look for the sparkle and magic around every corner. Here’s to 2018!

Firecracker!

Here we are at last – the end of the year. I’d like to say it’s been a blast, but I confess, I won’t shed a tear to see its close, though it seems it’s flashed by so fast. It’s had its joys, and it’s woes, but the time to sing auld lang syne is drawing near.

So I shall say farewell in style, with firecrackers in my ears – a burst of diamonds and a shower of gold to celebrate the year of old—happy New Year, dears!