* Dress from Country Road Outlet about 5 years ago * Boots from Redpaths in Canberra about ten years ago. Here I am wearing them in 2007. I will cry when they die. * Tights are Digg Free by Berlei from Big W (my new obsession – LOVE THEM! Just FYI I bought these. They’ve been doing the freebie rounds on fashion blogs at the moment but I paid cold hard cash for mine and I love ’em!) * Coat from Sportscraft * Earrings from Bijoux jewellers * Sunglasses are Fiorelli from Myer but you can buy them here too *

Secret Ingredients

Lighten Up a Dark Outfit With Touches of White

I’m a Melbourne girl and have no issues with wearing head to toe black but I’m a bit funny about head to toe solid black. I like to break it all up with touches of a lighter colour and with textures within the darker pieces of the outfit. The little ruffle of visible white  and the speckled weave of my coat make this outfit more chic and way less sombre.

Beware Of Black Opaques With Black Footwear

I love black opaques with beautiful black leather boots but it doesn’t always work. I tried this outfit with my black boots but it dragged the whole outfit into a dark hole. The brown boots, while introducing a new colour are still neutral enough to work with the rest of the ensemble but still pack a visual punch against the dark tights. 

Know Your Hemline Rules… And Then Break Them!

Theoretically speaking, I shouldn’t really wear skirts above my knees. I have a long torso and short stocky legs (like a Shetland pony) so pencil skirts, maxi dresses and skirts below the knees are more flattering for my figure. However this coat tends to look mumsy if I wear it with longer skirts so I’ll bust out a shorter skirt if a) I’m wearing it with coat this length or b) I’m wearing it with opaque tights. 

I’ve been a bit under the weather this week but I’ve been chugging back the olive leaf exact on Nikki’s instructions and drinking cup fulls of honey and lemon tea. Yesterday I worked on some freelance briefs while drinking coffee at my favourite cafe. I then skyped with Mama Smaggle and my three year old niece which was HILARIOUS. She’s normally completely articulate and scarily verbose but faced with her own image on the screen she was so distracted that all she could do was luxuriously run her fingers through her hair and make faux ‘thinking’ faces when I asked her how kindy was going. The kid cracks me up. This evening I’m off to rehearse for my play. It’s called Sexual Perversity in Chicago and weirdly enough I actually played the same part six years ago in a production in Canberra. It’s on at the end of June in Fitzroy so keep an evening free then Melbourne peeps!  

What are you up to these days poppet? What’s big in your world this week?