PERSONAL DRESSERS APPLY HERE

ASKING readers to dress me has been the best idea ever. Julie, of Four Leaves, suggested a skirt and boots combo for the Maiden Threads top.

Ta da. I wore this to work on Thursday and snapped it using the timer function and a makeshift tripod of mags and books before racing out the door.

THREAD OF A STORY

I HAVE been flipping through homewares and fashion magazines and while I, like any reader of these magazines, enjoys design and aesthetic beauty, I cringe at the frippery and waste.

One of the reasons I like op shopping is because nothing is truly precious. Whatever sentiment was attached to an object is gone with the passing of the owner, or moment in time fading. I am drawn to engraved watches and jewels, trophies, silver platters and tea settings. I never buy them; their stories don’t belong to me.

My nana turns “things” over regularly. Her daughter, my mum, suggests it’s a throwback to growing up in the Great Depression. In her comparative “wealth” my nan buys the best of what’s available to her. To that end she has been stocking up on beautiful linen and adding her own handmade touch to it.

Her knitted edgings on pillowslips, tablecloths, bathroom towels and other Manchester are precious pieces among her family. They evoke stories and a shared knowing. My mother can set the table and I’ll ask if the work is Nana’s and it’s a nod or “hmmm, yes” and the rest is understood. My sister can phone and ask how to launder the knitting and I know what she’s talking about. My Nana can phone and ask if I got her parcel and I know what she means.

There are secrets in the knitting, little white lies, hunting for cottons and linens (“the ones with a gloss, Kate” or “only 300 count, the others don’t wash as well”) the dragging out of linens for special occasions, to be photographed and sent to Nana for her approval (see, we’re using these things, we love you).

One day, long after I’m gone, these things will be among the piles of once known and loved items on an op shop shelf. They’ll have had their day and may even be sought after as social history pieces or to add to collections of antique textiles – and that’s the way it should be.

THINGS HAVE GOT MESSY

I ORDERED a Bundle of Mess T-shirt from design student Mayzelle, of Maiden Threads. It arrived earlier this month and I’ve already rocked it out a couple of times. She’s asked me for pics of how I’ve worn it. Eeek. While the op shop challenge pushed me to be photographed in my fav op shop pieces, I am still not good at having my picture taken. Shocking actually. I am usually behind the camera. Savvy readers of this blog will note I bailed on being photographed in the second “fashion spread” of the op shop challenge, preferring instead the InStyle magazine style of shoot. Clever, hey? Did you notice?

I’m turning this one over to you. How do you think I should wear Mayzelle’s design? Inspire me and I promise I’ll be in a photo. And, if you want to see how to take one outfit and wear it a hundred ways – or 365 ways, as the case may be - check out The Uniform Project. I won’t go on, it’s done the rounds.

LET THERE BE LIGHT

NO, there wasn’t much sunshine around on the weekend, or much of last week. What little there was cast a strange light and unusual shadows.

I'D LIKE TO THANK ...

THE News Limited 1degree Op Shop Challenge has been judged and of the 10 finalists, I wasn't the overall winner. I did keep amazing company though and tonnes, let me say it again, tonnes, of CO2 emissions were saved.

Thank you all for your contributions and I’m keen to keep the challenge going on a less frenetic scale. I’ve got some sweet op shop finds to show off and am going to make a dedicated effort to do some more drawings of my finds. I’ll keep the list of op shop challenge bloggers on my sidebar. To be listed there, please link to a post from the op shop challenge week and give me a heads up on your own post.

In the meantime, these are just some of the great resources found while hunting for challenge stats. How’s this one found on the Peppermint Magazine website. I’d been bellyaching about not having dry clothes over the past fortnight. Knowing a dryer emits 3kg CO2 for every wash, I guess I won’t be buying one. And this: 700,000 tonnes of clothing sent to landfill in Britain each year.

Along the waste not, want not line, Planet Green advocates being selective in your purchases and buying second hand. The Ethical Fashion Forum supports sustainable practices in the clothing, footwear and textile industries and its site contains great links, tips and facts for industry and consumers.

Over here freelance journalist Amanda Ryan has written a great piece on how to avoid the pitfalls – not that there are many – of buying second hand clothing.

Lastly, take a squiz at Eco Fashion World and Abigail Doan’s blog Ecco Eco.

P IS FOR PINKIES AND PESTO

IF the rain holds off until the weekend I will be tending to my very waterlogged garden. The basil needs to be pulled, along with a heap of summer herbs that I’ve let go to seed. I think it’s too late to thin the carrots, but I’ll see what I can do. Last week I stripped the basil of its falling leaves and made the last pesto of the season. See my stockinged feet?

I KNOW PEOPLE WHO DO STUFF

I HAD one of those funny “a-ha” moments last week. I suddenly realised I knew people who did stuff. You know, had made something of themselves.

I have three talented friends working in the television industry, a number of friends who are dedicated teachers - one in particular working with very difficult students and juggling a role as year adviser. Another is about to move to Colombia to teach. I have one friend in publishing and living overseas, another friend working in the aid field and again living overseas, one working with victims of sex trafficking and another an advocate for the health, safety and rights of sex workers. I have a friend who pitches to bring big corporate conferences to town – and as a result knows every nook and cranny of Sydney like the back of her hand. I have another friend communicating the inner workings of a big bank to its customers and stakeholders. I have friends who are cops, childcare workers, community advocates, journalists, mums, dads, accountants, beauty therapists, sole business operators and postal managers ... by golly. I’m so proud.

WASTE NOT, WANT NOT

JUST in case you were wondering, we ate mulligatawny soup on Saturday, bean nachos and lemon meringue cake on Sunday and a leek, butter bean and creamed corn soup last night. Planning ahead is consistently cutting both costs and waste. How To Shuck An Oyster, wrote a terrific post on food waste over the weekend. Well worth a read.

COLOUR IN SPADES

MORE rain has meant I’ve had to juggle a dwindling wardrobe. The washing pile is now a mountain and any sign of a blue sky or stiff breeze has me sorting the whites from the colours. No problem sorting the colours if they’re all as bright as Kate Spade’s current collection. Sigh. Thank you Winter Solstice for heralding a swing to longer and warmer days, and thanks once again to Oh Joy for reminding me that somewhere else in the world there are people enjoying summer.

BEER AND FOOD (AND FRIENDS)

THE Likkle Girl Who Wurves Pwetty Things knows good stuff. Not only is she an amazing cook she also knows where to eat out. Her local could well become my local. The Local Taphouse is my pick for the next time I’m out with the girls in Sydney. They were out without me last weekend and I got the obligatory mobile phone call and spoke to a random pub stranger – thanks guys, always a pleasure. As for the Taphouse, who couldn’t love a place with a menu that states quite simply: Beer and Food? And it has a blog. Get out.