Cinderella at the ball

Last night was my work ball, and this is what I wore:

I took lots of photos, but my no blogging about work rule means that you only get to see these two.

I thought it was safer wearing this dress than the Ladakh one. It was definitely more comfortable and less worrying.

My dress and top were by Target, shoes by some little shop in China Town, headband and bangle by Mimco, and stockings by Voodoo. I also wore a champagne coloured trench (a bit like this) by Portmans and carried my Target clutch.

My colleagues looked gorgeous too - I vote us the most attractive table in the room.

For the record, I did not meet my Prince Charming.

Music I've been missing - Angus and Julia Stone, What You Wanted

Julia Stone's lyrics sum up many of my feelings perfectly. I am often too afraid to write poetry as I know my poems won't be as beautiful as Julia's lyrics.

This song, What You Wanted, played on my iTunes a few minutes ago. I have known the song for years, but the lyrics seemed more poignant today. It's the music I've been missing.


I'd forgotten how great this video is too.

So many good things are happening for me right now. And yet I still found myself sad. I have plenty more things to be happy than sad about. I have come to a realisation after discussions with a good friend. I make my own happiness, others make theirs. It's a bit of a weight lifted.

I'm doing ok now. Better than the past weeks. Getting there. I'll be myself soon :) I didn't think it'd be this hard.

Feature on the International Day of People with Disability website

This just in!

I have been featured on the International Day of People with Disability website.

You can view my feature here.

So many exciting things have happened this week! More news to come soon.

International Day of People with Disability (IDPwD) is a United Nations sanctioned day that aims to promote an understanding of people with disability and encourage support for their dignity, rights and well-being. The day also seeks to increase awareness of the benefits of the integration of people with disability in every aspect of political, social, economic and cultural life.
IDPwD brings together individuals, businesses, community organisations, and governments from every corner of the world to celebrate and acknowledge the contributions, skills and achievements of people with disability.
In 1992, at the conclusion of the United Nations Decade of Disabled Persons (1983-1992), the General Assembly proclaimed 3 December as the International Day of Disabled Persons.
Since 1996, the Australian Government has provided funds to promote and raise awareness of IDPwD around Australia, through the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA).

More information on the Australian Government's support for people with disability can be found on the FaHCSIA website and the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations' website.

(Source)

Maggie Alderson book launch

Last night I went to a book launch for my favourite fashion journalist, Maggie Alderson. It was at Readings in Hawthorn, a shopping strip I've never visited before, but want to properly acquaint myself with.

I've been reading Maggie's column in The Age Good Weekend magazine for years - it's often my favourite section. And in the past year, I've been talking to her via Twitter.

Last night Maggie asked for a show of hands to indicate who were her Twitter friends in the audience. A huge proportion of the audience put their hand up. I was very excited that she recogised me and singled me out with a hello at the start of the launch.

Maggie spoke of the friends she has made through Twitter, and I'd agree with her - I've made many new friends through Twitter and also this blog. It's not so taboo now to meet people from the internet. I met three lovely bloggers at the book launch - Semi Expat, She Wore it Well, and Semi Expat's niece Sophie. It was great to meet them, they are as nice 'in real life' as they are on their blogs. I've met a few people from the internet recently! (Maggie is as lovely in real life too!)

Maggie's new book, Shall We Dance?, is set in a vintage clothing store. I can't wait to read it! Tomorrow night after work is reading time.

Last night Maggie told stories of her love of vintage clothing, and also the term 'vintage friendships'. She brought in her favourite vintage clothing, accessories and shoes to show us, and audience members did too.

This is a scarf Maggie adores - she thinks it's been sewn from a dress

Unfortunately all I had to share were my heavily diamante encrusted heels that I'd bought in China Town yesterday - they are for the ball on Saturday - not vintage, merely six hours old at the time of Maggie's launch, but I showed them off anyway. Maggie loved them and said my feet are smaller than hers! (We are around the same height in heels.)

The thing I love about Maggie is how she tells stories about fashion. Clothing memoirs. How friendships were formed through clothing or shopping. Her own fashion dilemmas and successes. I told her this in a card I gave her.

Maggie, it was so nice to meet you and I thank you for sharing the special things in your life.

DiVine columnist profile

My columnist profile has just come onto the DiVine website.

I like the picture of me - it makes me look like a news reader, sans the super straightened hair.

You can view my profile here. The profile also links to previous articles I've written.

I have a few articles in draft to be submitted to DiVine, look out for them soon!

Music I've been missing for the one I've been missing.

I didn't have a completely bad day. I had a great lunch with an old friend I haven't seen since I went to uni the first time around. We covered so much in the hour - just by chance I bumped into him last week and we sat and talked today. It was fun.

But I feel flat. I wonder when this sadness and longing will pass. It wasn't a break up I went through, I don't know what it was. I fell so quickly, and then, nothing.

I'm trying, with all my might, not to. Not to call, not to text, not to think, not to remember. I'm achieving 50 percent so far.

I don't know whether I've found solace in these sad songs, or whether they make me sadder. Like sad movies, I enjoy sad songs. These songs are the music I've been missing.


On a side note, I'd never seen Sinead O'Connor with hair until last week.

I am done talking about things. But haven't processed things in my own head. I haven't loved many, but I hate that I have the ability to fall in love so easily.

That Roxette song is is eerily fitting, in many ways.

Two months ago, I wasn't thinking about anyone significant. Now my heart feels like it's a construction site.


At times I don't feel like anyone understands just why I am so upset, and why I felt love. People care, they offer advice, quick to tell me to forget about things and move on.

I wish I could just fast forward through to a time that isn't right now. To a time when my head is clear and my heart is light.

I can think of a few reasons why I am upset and felt love, but they are so hard to articulate right now.

I really miss you. Really. So very much.

What would Rebecca Twigley do? The bra fitting adventure.

I had my first bra fitting today. I'd never had one before. But I needed one today because of the dress I plan to wear to the ball next week.

I am wearing this dress. I was lucky enough to win this beautiful dress last year from Flair to Remember. I will be wearing it with a cropped mint tuxedo jacket. And probably flat shoes, because no one will see my feet under this length of material.

However, there is an awkward boob situation with the halter neck. And I needed to solve this situation. It's a work function after all.

I was a bit afraid to go for a bra fitting. I just don't want anyone seeing my boobs and adjusting my bra. I am nervous about what they will think of my skin. I don't want to freak out some naive sales assistant with my skin shedding like a scene in a snow dome as soon as I whip off my top.

So I went to visit my lovely friend, Paula, who I worked with at the department store years ago. She now works at a lingerie store. She knows her bra stuff. She's like the Einstein of bras. There are so many variables. 10 DD is equivalent to a 12 D. Bras are hard to come by in a size 8. Playboy bras are apparently the best. Padding can be removed (hallelujah!).

Paula measured my back and bust. I found out many things about my bra size today. I am not the woman I thought I was. I am pleasingly smaller in some ways, and surprisingly bigger in others.

Some girls may be envious of my rack. Some boys may enjoy it. I am mainly just inconvenienced.

Paula said that she's had many women in tears in the change rooms. There were no tears from me. Just laughter. And some frustration. Paula said the nicest dresses are often the most difficult to pair with a bra.

I tried on about six bras and one bikini top. They all made my boobs shift to varying degrees of gravity. When I had an unsupportive bikini top on, I commented my breasts looked droopy, like a milking cow's.

Here are a selection of the bras hanging in my change room.

I found two bras that I liked and bought. Both are convertible. Like a Barbie sportscar. Only more functional.

Of course I am not showing you here. I need to keep some modesty about me on this blog. Hell, yesterday I admitted my pyjama wearing status.

The bras can be worn with my ball dress and also for every day occasions.

Thank you Paula for your excellent customer service, and making this experience pretty damn hilarious.

There were a couple of times where I called out to Paula in desperation:

'What would Rebecca Twigley do?'

FYI - Rebecca Twigley is the partner of an Australian footballer. She is most famous for attending football award nights wearing dresses that reveal a lot of side boob.

Today, in the confines of the change room, I felt like The Twigley in my Ladakh dress.
Except I am 5 foot 2.
Much bustier.
A size 10.
And will probably never be on the arm of a footballer (hello Ben Cousins, I am single, I hear you are too...).

I knew The Twigley would have a solution to this booby situation. Paula and I decided she probably uses Hollywood Fashion Tape. Hollywood tape would not work for me. I am dry and oily at the same time. A Hollywood tape nightmare. The only time I've ever used Hollywood tape was for something that Hollywood tape is not generally used for - sticking some photos together at work. Don't ask.

My solution to less boob reveal is a large round brooch pinned under my bust. Thank you Diva!

I am not the praying kind. And I never ask for prayers. Except this one time. I ask for all of you to pray that my boobs keep themselves nice in my dress next Saturday night. It's a work function.

Hello my name is Carly and I'm a shopaholic.

I was reading a post on Mamamia that I completely identified with. It was about shopping hangovers. Lana, Mia Freedman's assistant, wrote:

The shops like individual gambling tables or slot machines, each one offering the promise of a big win, something new and exciting. Something that will improve my life and make me look and feel better.

I walk into the shops and I just know that I am going to win….

I replied to the post:

Agreed! I often shop to a) reward myself after an achievement and b) to make myself feel better.

Sometimes I dream over the clothes I see in shops, and need to go back to buy them, thinking they’ll complete me somehow. They don’t. The jeans don’t enhance that great piece of writing I am rewarding myself for. And that pretty dress does not compensate for the boy that I long for.

Recently I have shopped because I’ve been sad, and bought SO many things. When I bring the haul home, I realise, I have heaps of clothes, on my spare bed, my floordrobe, on the clothes horse and in my two wardrobes. And I consider whether I even needed the clothes I just bought.

There is a sense of security in a shopping mall and also a sense of guilt like with gambling or drinking. It feels good at the time, but when you realise you should have saved that money for something more important then the regret sets in.

To clarify: I am no longer a shopper where my spending compromised payment of more important things. I've learnt that lesson. I have had a good savings plan for a couple of years now, and I can (sometimes) see progress. I only use my credit card to pay for concert tickets and occasional travel (and pay it back by the next pay day). I have Visa/Mastercard debit cards for online shopping.

Shopping makes me feel good. I list it as a hobby, along with writing, cooking, seeing live bands and eating cheese. I love shopping centres. I love a suburban shopping strip. I love a cute boutique store. I love a (tasteful) craft market. I love browsing online stores. I love reading magazines. I love fashion blogs. And the Vogue Forum. Hell, I even love doing groceries. The only thing I really resent with shopping is when I have to spend around $100 on a chemist visit. Oh, and I don't really like buying shoes.

Considering my sprawling love for all things retail, I manage to control myself quite well. I don't buy everything I see (and I see A LOT in my retail browsing!). I am not influenced by friends' shopping habits. I buy many sale items. I am not a designer label lover. I use layby. But still, I find myself shopping. And buying more stuff. If there was a shopping Olympics, I'd win Gold, Silver and Bronze.

Shopping makes me happy. I don't know how long the post shopping happiness continues. There is probably a mathematical equation to measure this. The clothes I buy make me happy.

I don't drown my sorrows with booze. Actually, when this happens, it's generally booze under $10 (I had $6 wine the other week - UNDRINKABLE!) because I've already spent my pennies drowning my sorrows shopping.

The giant pile of clothes on my spare room bed because they won't fit in my wardrobe, and my floordrobe just looks messy, does not make me happy. (I was going to take a photo and post it here, but I feared Faux Fuschia with her impeccable wardrobe organisation skills may disown me as a friend!)

I need to stop shopping.

I don't need more stuff.

Except for a new bra and possibly new shoes for the ball next week.

I have bought more things in addition to the beautiful things I bought on the beautiful day with Sydney Shop Girl last week, and lots more in the weeks before our morning out.

These are some of the things I've bought recently (in the last six weeks). Pay attention to my justifications for purchase:

♥ Cupcakes for colleagues and I. (I did receive payment for two cupcakes, though). They were delicious. I had the croquembouche one - on the right. I accidentally left one in the fridge at work. Colleagues reading this, please don't eat my cupcake!

♥ Magazines. Did I really need four of them? I only bought Grazia because it had a Mimco voucher. I bought Instyle to read on the plane almost two weeks ago, but only got around to reading half of it in the hospital waiting room last Wednesday. The other two haven't yet been read.

Kings of Leon Come Around Sundown CD. It's growing on me.

♥ Mimco hair accessories. A clip and a headband. I've worn the clip and the headband is for the ball next week. That Mimco voucher made me spend a lot more than the voucher was worth. Clever marketing.

♥ Floral dress. From Harris Scarfe. A very unexpected place for me to buy clothes from. The dress had me at hello.

♥ Hot pink dress from Sportsgirl. Because I have a skirt in the same material and I love it and have worn it about four times in the six weeks I've had it. And the dress was $23.95 from $129. Practically free. And I plan to wear it under the cropped silver and white tee shirt that I have had, unworn, for six months.

♥ Pyjamas from Sussan. Because I love their pyjamas and I have a weakness for them. And they were on sale. And I needed them for my trip away.

♥ Pyjama shorts from Sussan. Because they were hanging near to the pyjamas above. And they were also on sale.

♥ Pyjamas from Temt. Who knew Temt sold pyjamas? These were pretty. And a bit sexy. I rarely wear pyjamas at home, and (without being the bearer of too much information) found I didn't need pyjamas for my trip away.

♥ My giant bag. I loved the colour. I loved the style. I had to have it.

Unfortunately I did not check its size to my height ratio before I bought it. My bag means I get an influx of boys offering to carry it. (There's been two boys offer, and I've taken two offers for carrying my bag.) And I can never find anything in it. So it's beautiful but a little annoying.

Phew!

I have also bought two presents - three Sia CDs and a Ben Cousins DVD.

Ok, so I feel a little sick, and guilty for showcasing my recent purchases. My justifications for purchase seem so silly. Just like Lana in the Mamamia blog post, it's a shopping hangover.

There always seems to be an excuse for shopping:
'Retail therapy.'
'An event to attend.'
'A reward.'
Rewarding myself for NOT shopping!'
'Sadness.'
'Happiness.'
'I just might need that item one day.'
'It was cheap.'
'It was onsale, 75% off.'
'It looked great in the magazine/in store.'
'If I don't like it, you can give it away as a present.'
'It IS a present.'
And the old 'there's always someone I know who shops more than me, so my shopping is just a blip on the retail radar.'

It's time I stopped these excuses. I don't need more stuff. I should be content with the stuff I have. I have great clothes. It'll be fun to mix and match my existing wardrobe/floordrobe/bedrobe. I should save for a rainy day. Because hell, my hot pink silk Sportsgirl dress isn't going to keep me dry.

Hello, my name is Carly and I'm a shopaholic. And it's time I reduce my intake. Not cold turkey, just buy less stuff.

Tell me your shopping confessions. So I don't feel so bad about mine.

(PS: this is my 300th blog entry! This blog has come a long way, baby.)

Music I've been missing - Nelly (?!?)

Those who know me will be aware I have a really anti rap/American hip-hop stance. Hate it. I find it repetitive, violent fueled, often derogatory and highly sexualised. I don't mind some Australian/New Zealand hip-hop (I enjoy some songs by Scribe and Hilltop Hoods). And last summer I quite enjoyed Jay Z's Empire State of Mind. But that's it. Hate the bling. Hate the mouth grills. Hate the (mostly) nonsensical lyrics. And hate the arrogance.

So you can imagine my surprise when I heard the latest Nelly song on radio and enjoyed it on first listen, and turned the radio up on subsequent listens.


Then I got thinking. I have actually enjoyed quite a few of Nelly's songs.

There was this one, which I remember listening to when some family friends took me into Sydney city in 2000 - these boys were quite a lot older than me, and I felt very cool hanging out with them aged 18.

I also have the CD single. Back in the day when CD singles weren't an endangered species, and when I worked in the music section of a department store, I bought about three singles a week. These days...well I can't find enough music that I like to actually fork out money for. I probably buy 10 CDs a year, and pay for about 20 iTunes downloads. The rest, sadly, is free. I've gone back on what I believed in all those years ago.

I quite like this one, when Nelly teamed up with Kelly Rowland.

Ok so it's repetitive, but bearable. I hate the reference to 'my boo' though.

And this one features Tim McGraw.

I have it on good authority that Tim McGraw looks hot in chaps and has a fine arse. I haven't looked - I don't want to cut my friend's lunch. Plus I am quite satisfied with Rob Thomas's arse.

I have found Nelly catchy, and at times, soothing. Actually I prefer the other singer in the duet songs. Alright, so when I listen closely, I hear Nelly's lyrics aren't lacking the bad content I hate so much in rap. And he probably wears grills. But his songs are damn catchy. But overall, I don't switch off when Nelly comes on the radio. And I even have him on a playlist.

I know. I felt my pulse when I realised Nelly was the music I've been missing. I hope never to discover this about rap or hip-hop again. Or discuss it on my blog.

Words from another blogger - not being able to blend into a crowd

This isn't a guest post, rather a reproduction of a blog entry that I sought permission to use. Elle over at maybe in another life wrote something so profound in relation to an article she read that I had to share it with you all.

I could truly relate to her blog entry - the idea that when you have a physical difference/deformity/disability, your privacy is lost and people feel they have the right to intrude - stare, ask questions and comment at their own liberty.

Every single word of Elle's blog entry has resonated with me - what is it like not to be stared at?

I want to write a follow up piece to Elle's blog entry, but I need some thinking time. I want to explore MacGregor's research more, too.

I hope you get as much out of Elle's words as I did. Thank you Elle.

[it wasn't her words that shook me]

Especially important is the lack of privacy that exists for individuals with facial deformity. Most of us can enter social situations and “blend into the crowd”. However, this is not the case for a person with a facial deformity. Facially disfigured individuals often have their privacy violated. Frances MacGregor states, “...in their efforts to go about their daily affairs, they are subject to visual and verbal assaults and a level of familiarity from strangers, including naked stares, startle reactions, ‘double takes’, whispering, remarks, furtive looks, curiosity, personal questions, advice, manifestations of pity or aversion, laughter, ridicule, or outright avoidance. Whatever form the behaviours may take, they generate feelings of shame, impotence, anger and humiliation in their victims.” (MacGregor, 1990.)

I have read maybe 50 journal articles about this stuff in the past three days for my research project and this is the only one that blew me away. I swear MacGregor has a facial deformity or is very close to someone that does. Only my mum, my brother and maybe my best friend would know even half know that stuff. I constantly say to my mum things about when someone does a double take and or if someone serves me at a shop and I can tell, if we were elsewhere and they didn't have to be polite to me, they would be a starer or sometimes a laugher. The pity smiles, children's curiosity, the whispering and the nudging, the laughing and the pointing. The blatant starers that don't care if I clearly notice, the trying-to-not-look-like-I'm-staring starers, the obvious double takers, the second glancers that try to keep walking and look back at me perhaps hoping I won't notice, the starers that when I look at them they give me a pity smile like, "Oh I feel so sorry for you, but thank god it's not me", the curious ones that at least smile normally like I'm actually a person but are trying to work out what's wrong with my face, the starers that nudge their friend and try to subtley point me out, the men that I can tell are surgeons looking at me medically (one even said to me once, "I'm not being rude, I'm just a plastic surgeon trying to work out what you've had done"), the ones that I think have a family member or a friend with a deformity... Who knew they'd be so many different ways to look at someone? 99% of the time, that stuff barely makes me blink anymore.

I've had conversations with very few people about the details of this stuff, but I just can't believe that article. I've never seen something hit the nail on the head so perfectly. I have said to my mum, I just wonder what it's like to blend in. To get on a train and just be another person, to sit down without a thought rather than stand up because sitting down means more staring. To walk past someone on the footpath and not get looked at a little longer than you should be (if not blatant staring, let's be honest). Then walk further past them and not feel the ones that turned and continued looking even at your back. To walk into a pub or a venue and not be nervous of the drunks because being drunk means losing social inhibition - and courtesy; they are the ones that make just staring look like child's play. I just don't know that kind of a life. Being alone and walking into a train full of people and not one person staring or second glancing at you? What is that like?

This is not a depressing entry. I'm not sad or upset in the slightest. This article just amazed me. I thought it was awesome.

(Originally posted at maybe in another life.)

A taste of sunshine

It was a glorious spring day today. I had (a very early) lunch at the Queen Victoria Markets which I should do more often given it's a five minute walk from my work.

After reading The Age yesterday, I was craving a bratwurst sausage. Desperately.

Today's lunch satisfied my craving. Though I had built up the bratwurst in my mind so much that it wasn't as good as I dreamed it would be.

There was cheese. Mustard. And a fat, greasy German sausage. And I sat in the sunshine eating it. Heaven. Even though I needed to be back at work for an event at 12.00 pm!

I also bought some steak, lamb chops and mussels, which I didn't photograph. I am excited about my steak tomorrow night. I will cook it to what I call perfection, 'mooing'. Oh yeah, I got some King Island washed rind brie too.

This is my springtime dress. A bargain at $39 from Target. It makes me feel like I'm on Mad Men.

You can't see much of it (one day I will get a proper outfit photo!) but you can see that it nips me in at the waist. It wasn't warm enough for nude stockings so I wore it with black opaques. And ballet flats. And two tops underneath. And a black blazer.

Next to the bratwurst shop was Colours of the Earth - a shop selling rainbow pizzas. You can read more about it at Spatula Spoon and Sunday.

The selection of pizzas was amazing - pizza bases came in traditional white or wholemeal, and then a gluten free range including polenta, pumpkin, beetroot, black and white rice and seaweed.

I picked two for tonight's dinner. They were SO vibrant. Reminded me a bit of playdough!

Beetroot base with salami, olives, basil and cheese.

Black rice base with ricotta, pesto, tomato, onion, mushrooms, mozzarella and sweet chilli sauce.

They look so beautiful before cooking!

And even better after cooking.

A perfect, quick and healthy meal after work.

The pizzas were delicious.

My trip to the markets was a real taste of sunshine. I must visit it more often.

Louis Rowe benefit concert - The Corner Hotel, Richmond

I've met some pretty fantastic people this year! One of them has been Louis Rowe, who is my co-star on No Limits. Louis is a muso working at a cafe in Melbourne.

Louis in the green room at No Limits

A few years back Louis had a scooter accident in Thailand and severed his spinal cord. This meant he lost all feeling from below his belly button, and is now unable to walk.

Louis has been receiving stem cell treatment to help him walk again. He has traveled to India and China a few times to receive this treatment and plans to go back to India next March to receive more treatment. The treatment is working slowly for Louis.

Here is a video of Louis training for stem cell treatment.


A benefit concert was held yesterday at the Corner Hotel to help fund Louis' next trip. I caught up with my friends Elvira and Jo and a couple of others, and Louis of course.

The beautiful Elvira and I

It was a fantastic afternoon featuring music by legends of Australian rock, and a song or two by Louis.

The line-up was Charles Jenkins, Nick Barker (from Nick Barker and the Reptiles), Kim Salmon, Dave Graney, Brian Hooper (from Beasts of Bourbon) and Ash Naylor (from Even). I loved the story telling through their music.

I met and interviewed a few of the musicians for a future article, and though I was only familiar with a few of their musical histories, I was a little star-struck.

Charles Jenkins and Arthur Starr

Nick Barker

Nick Barker and Brian Hooper

Kim Salmon

Dave Graney

Brian Hooper

Louis Rowe thanking the crowd and the bands

Ash Naylor

Charles Jenkins guitaring Louis up

Louis belting his song out

It was a wonderful afternoon and a great cause. If you'd like to donate money to assist Louis on his stem cell treatment journey, you can make a donation:

Louis Rowe Appeal
ANZ
BSB: 013516
ACC: 490917283.

Rock on Louis!

Power shopping with Sydney Shop Girl

I met the wonderful Sydney Shop Girl (SSG) today! She was in Melbourne and we spent four hours together. I can confirm she is every bit as nice and beautiful in person as she is on her blog.

We crammed a lot in. But unfortunately we didn't get a photo of us together :(

First stop after I picked her up from her hotel was Fraus Crepery and Chocolat in North Melbourne. I take all visitors there.

SSG and I ordered the obligatory hot chocolates. She had tiramisu and I had the classic (I never deviate).

There was major food envy on my part when we ordered different brunches. While I had a delicious crepe called Salmon and Goat (a crepe topped with salmon and eggs and filled with avocado and goats cheese) SSG had an oozy, melty three cheese crepe with a side salad of roquette, muscatels and walnuts. Both were delicious but I seriously wanted to eat all of hers!

Salmon and goat crepe

My hot choc and SSG's three cheese crepe with salad

We chatted. It was so wonderful to have got on so well after 'meeting' via blogging earlier this year. She is very wise. And stylish.

The next stop was two boutique stores on Victoria Street - Kids in Berlin and Call Me Madam. I love these stores because they stock local designer jewellery and clothing which is high quality and relatively unique. SSG loved these stores for the same reason - she found some beautiful necklaces there that were so different to chain store buys.

There were two things I saw and fell in love with, and had to buy. As I once said to my Mum in a store, 'my life will change when I buy these things'. I bought a Dick and Dora brooch set - catching butterflies - and a Lavallier porcelain bangle. I love the floral detail on the bangle and have since seen a brooch in the same print which I may just have to buy!

Dick and Dora brooch set. It's adorable!

Lavallier bangle, worn on my left arm.
For its true beauty (and mine too!) you need to see it in real life.

After shopping up a weather warning in Victoria Street, we headed to a mall where we power shopped for one hour. I found a nightie to wear as a dress come the warmer weather (fingers crossed I'm brave enough to do so!) and a necklace at Sussan, and a pair of foldable ballet flats and a clutch bag from Target to take to a ball I'm going to in two weeks time.

The nightie-dress. I loved the print!

My clutch - stylish AND big enough to hold everything I need!
Who would have thought it's from Target?!

Ballet flats. Can I just wear these all night at the ball!?!

Last stop was Wild Jam in Flemington which is the sister store of Call Me Madam. I love buying cards and gifts at Wild Jam. SSG stocked up on chunky necklaces and I bought two cards.

Cards - I recently bought a friend the rainbow girl card,
and when I gave it to her, she was wearing the same colours as rainbow girl!

The retail therapy and time with SSG was definitely what I needed - I feel 200% happier than yesterday. SSG imparted some wisdom. Retail therapy puts things in perspective.

Sydney Shop Girl certainly lived up to her moniker - she has endurance to shop - and I am very happy she agrees that a Melbourne shopping experience exceeds a Sydney one! It was so much fun meeting her.