Getting ready for winter...

It has been very warm here in Perth, with temperatures above 30C here for the last four months it feels like! Tomorrow is meant to be 21C and raining and so in honour of the coming winter I randomly ordered some tights. I am now looking forward to them showing up, and the weather being cool enough to wear tights.

I was inspired by this post. I had seen Tightology previously and checked out their website but I am fairly sure that the collection I looked at last year was mostly footless tights. In winter I like to have my feet covered and so the previous collection did not tempt me. I try to buy tights that are made in Australia and Tightology tick a few boxes. Their legwear is made in Australia using organic materials. The packaging is 100% recycled. Environmental inks. Awesome!

Here are the two styles that I ordered. Strangely I steered away from the green and yellow and have ended up with the muted colours of red and grey. Now, if they had blue tights with a pattern that I liked...



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Silk accessory

A few weeks ago I was trying to find Koi Girl. Searches brought up only her sparsely populated Etsy store or strange manga references! So imagine my surprise this morning to see Fashion et al talking up the label and the bags!

I have seen Koi Girl previously at the Perth Upmarket, and at one point it crossed my mind that she might have something stylish that I could use as my wedding bag. I am looking to put my camera, phone and credit card into something for the day, and nothing that I have really suits my outfit! I wanted something local and handmade rather than a MiC specialty.

It looks like she is still around and creating and available to purchase in selected boutiques. I might though have to give her a ring if I am after something special...


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Happy supporter

C is very happy about our new Fremantle Dockers scarves. We are off to Melbourne soon to watch them play so I wanted to make sure that we are suitably attired.

100% Acrylic and Made in China. Frownie face!

Socks!

I was sent sock shopping the other day for black socks. I was in Myer practicing other wifely duties (buying wedding gifts for C's friends) so thought that I would poke around in the men's section and see what they had on offer. For some reason the men's clothing is in the basement at Myer Perth, and I felt a little bit like a pervert walking by myself through the aisles of men's jocks.

There were many black socks on offer, and the King Size socks (11 to 14) were all conveniently located together. There was quite a variety to choose from, and I took a while as I was trying to find socks that had reinforced toes. C tends to go through the toe of his socks.

Eventually I found a few Aussie made brands. The Lafitte socks were the only ones on the rack that had reinforcement, and they boast on the packaging that if your sock gets extra holes within the year then you should send it to them with the original packaging and your receipt. They do not actually specify what happens to the socks afterwards but I would be game to find out! The other socks are Humphrey Law and I purchased a total of three pairs for C to test drive.

Hobart

After seeing a small part of Tasmania, it was time to hit be a tourist in Hobart! I had a few items on my hitlist and wanted to have a walk around the city centre.

Of particular note was Thumbprint, a jewellery shop that was closing down. They had some gents dress rings that caught my eye, and I asked what the largest size was. C has quite large fingers and my experience here in Perth has been that the largest size they carry is an X... his ring size has been measured as Z+2 (or Z+3) so about four-five sizes up. I was stoked to find out that they had several around the Z+2 size so I snapped these two up.


I was also in search of a book or two to read, as I had finished the two I had brought from home. I wandered into the local Angus & Robertson... then wandered back out again after I found that they were selling the Popular Penguins, with RRP of $9.95 clearly on the back, for $10.99. I was much more impressed with the Hobart Bookshop at Salamanca, and added to my library there and at the ABC Shop.


Absurdistan is by ABC reporter Eric Campbell, and covers his time as a foreign correspondant for the ABC based in Moscow and in Beijing. I recommend this book. It made me laugh, it made me cry, and it made me think about the world.


Saturday mornings in Hobart means the Salamanca Market. I did not realise just how big and how popular it would be! The crowd was claustrophobic and quite slow. There was however an abundance of locally made timber goods, foodstuff, fresh fruit and vegetables, jewellery, clothing and more.


I was very much overwhelmed however I did manage to find a few lovely items. A cube bag by Sashiko Design.

Organic bamboo onesies by Sahara Bloom.

I also bought some locally made silver earrings as well as a biscuit assortment to take to Easter Sunday lunch!

I was all shopped out so took a detour past Arthur's Circus on my way back to the hotel to get dresed up for the wedding!

Tights and more tights!

My friend N spent most of 2009 living in Melbourne. Along with yummy food and stylish clothes she also introduced me to the concept of funky tights. I have been used to wearing stockings, usually skin coloured although more recently I have branched out and started wearing black! The concept of brightening up my outfit with interestingly patterned stockings had never really registered until N showed me how it could be done!

The upshot is that I bought one pair last year of striped black and brown tights, but that was as far as my adventurousness went. This year I have decided that rather than buying more stockings I will try to find some interesting tights and see how they wear. This selection I purchased in Tasmania. As you can see I have not been very radical in my selection of colours however I cannot bring myself to buy luridly hued clothing. I will keep looking and try to push out of my comfort zone a little bit more.

Stockings from L-R
Levante Chevron Dog Tooth Tights [Tall]
Leona Edmiston Leggings [Med/Tall]
Metalicus Babushka [Small to Medium]
Voodoo Fashion Tights [Med/Tall]

I was happily surprised to find that only one of these pairs was made in China. The Levante are made in Italy, and the Metalicus and xx were made in Australia! For some reason I had assumed that stockings would be one of those items that were always made in China so it was a pleasant surprise to find otherwise.

I was advised by the lady at the Stocking Shop in Hobart to buy my stockings on the large size if I was on the fringe of a size range. My previous experience with stockings has led me to do the opposite, as I have found that if I buy the larger size then they will be loose and annoying!

I shall have to see how they all wear!

Notes: The Voodoo tights are comfortable to wear however I managed to snag a hole already in them. Not a good start. The Metalicus tights are comfortable and I would like to buy the same in different colours!

Stylish scarves

This stylish neck art is made by Perth seller PLUmFISh.

I do love the different textures and the variety of clours and shades that she uses. Winter is coming (according to my calendar) and these would pieces would stand out over the drab black that is so prevalent.

Photos from PLUmFISh' Etsy store

Precious Jewels

Local Perth seller Killer Jewels has some lovely pieces. Handmade resin flowers and Swarovski crystals are a theme through most of the collection and you can find many a striking pretty statement piece.

Photos from KillerJewell's Etsy store.

Surprise purses!

I am currently keen on clutches. I used my Litle Tea Party clutch for the first time tonight, and thought I would see what else was out there on MadeIt.

Woollongong seller Seventh Sphere uses some funky fabrics. I love the contrast of the lining, definitely a surprise when you open the purse!


Victorian seller Nellie's Purses uses more retro fabrics. Some beautiful prints and also a surprise inside!


More later.

Funky Jewellery and Prints

These funky pieces and prints are by adopted Perth artist lesadraws. I love the cassette earrings, and she also has a cassette necklace if you want to coordinate!

Fashion WA

I found a new local site, FashionWA.com, that showcases local WA designers! There is a blurb on each designer, many who are newly formed and working to establish their label.

There is also an online shop, and link to the designers website for more information on their collections.

Groovy Head Band

I ordered some items from Thea & Sami a few weeks ago, including these two head bands. They are made from the off cuts of the organic jersey fabric that is used to make leggings and tops. I love mine! I think that I have worn one of them every day since they arrived a week ago.

(That is not me by the way, the photos are from the Thea & Sami Online shop.)

Etsy: Little Mary Moo

These purses by Etsy seller Little Mary Moo are so sweet! I especially like her selection of fabric, including my favourite Ink & Spindle.

Ink and Spindle vs Nancybird

I love the fabrics by Ink & Spindle. I first came across them at the Melbourne Design Market, in June 2009. I ended up with a few of their products - a cushion in blue wrens in black, a couple of cushions kits in bloem in snow and bonsai in snow and a piece of fabric in Gingko in teal. The cushion kits turned out to be more complicated than I had anticipated, and C's mum sewed them for me. Thank you! I still have not figured out what to use the fabric for, hopefully I will be hit with inspiration soon!


Tegan from Ink and Spindle recently blogged about their collaboration with Emily of Nancybird. I was introduced to Nancybird by my sister E, and C and I purchased her a Nancybird Travel Wallet for Christmas!! Postage was included in the price, and it came beautifully gift wrapped.


Two more great Australian Vendors to remember!

Purses...

E and I went to the Unwrapped Market in Leederville today. It was fairly warm early on, and it was already 35C when we were browsing through the stalls. E's shoes were really not up to the task, and she was continually commenting that her feet were burning through the soles! I of course foolishly did not put on enough (any!) sunscreen so the back of my neck is pink. I do need to buy myself a hat that fits, so that shall be on my list to buy on Monday.

It was a fairly hot day and we felt for the stall holders who would be there until 5pm with no relief. There was an umbrella to share between each stall but it did not cover nearly enough of the table and stall holders.


There were a few old favourites and also some interesting new stalls. E's friend was there with her label Nashi and The Magpie and some cute bolero jackets. It was just too hot to try anything on! Plus, in an (unconscious) effort to not spend money, we had limited cash funds between us. We had both intended to visit the CBA ATM on Oxford Street but it had gone from its usual spot and we had no idea if it had moved or been replaced! Not a good idea to go to a market without cash.

I bought a new purse! It is by Little Tea Party, and the promo picture from the Perth Upmarket blog shows the purse that I bought!


The other product that I was really taken by was the felt being sold by B&M Felt. The product is 100% wool, made in Germany. I was thinking yesterday that I would like to get something nice to use as a centrepiece for the table when we have guests, to lay hot dishes on, and something a bit nicer than multiple cork mats from Ikea! I have to consult with C and see what he would like, and hopefully we can agree on some colours for our table! The table is 1500mm square and solid jarrah, so it would nice to have something square for the centre. My current thought is to have four pieces of the 50cm square felt but we shall see!

After we had browed the markets we headed back down Oxford Street. There are some lovely stores in Leederville, and a couple of my favourites are Remedy and Urban Depot.