Dressing up
ALL DOLLED UP
February 20, 2009
I HAVE had this project in my head for a while now. Keen bloggers have been prodding me to gussy up and show pics of me in my op shop finds. There are so many excuses, much of them to do with the fact that when I am looking my best I am racing out the door to beat the worst of the school traffic I encounter on the way to work. By the time I get home, the light’s gone and I’m into the evening’s dinners, washing, planning Guide programs, and I’d like to say homework help but the children are not the studious type.
I have always loved paper dolls and have set about creating a series of dolls sporting my op shop finds. I can draw the pics whenever I find a moment - usually while watching late night television- and without having to wrestle with a tripod or take the pics in the middle of a small house with people faffin' about. I don’t think I’m quite as tall as I’ve made myself and am a bit embarrassed to be showing off my smalls but you can cut and paste the outfits as you see fit.
Now for the clobber. The denim vest is being trotted out quite a bit. I’ve had my eyes peeled for a cute 1980s denim vest – possibly cropped – for some months now. I have found a few good ones but the cropped jackets made me look shorter than I am. This one’s all about the length. I pair it with a Colorado brand skirt bought some years ago. It's an oldie but a goodie and I've previously mentioned it here.
The dress was tucked away among a pile of mutton sleeve wedding dresses. Does anyone think the mutton sleeve wedding dress will ever make a comeback? I was feeling really bummed. My op shop nose was twitching but after 20 minutes of rummaging I remained empty handed. The pressure was on. A mother and her fashionista daughter were also scouting through the racks. I quite literally gave the mutton sleeves a playful whack and was ready to call it a day when lo and behold I spied a flash of black polyester. Nose on full twitch I wrenched the mutton sleeves to the side and there she was. I swear there was an audible gasp from the fashionista and her ma. I snatched my find, marched off to the dressing room and though the belt is significantly tighter than the rest of the dress – could it have been altered to the size four waist for a child – I honoured my nose and forked over the $5 for it. Waa la .
Now for the clobber. The denim vest is being trotted out quite a bit. I’ve had my eyes peeled for a cute 1980s denim vest – possibly cropped – for some months now. I have found a few good ones but the cropped jackets made me look shorter than I am. This one’s all about the length. I pair it with a Colorado brand skirt bought some years ago. It's an oldie but a goodie and I've previously mentioned it here.
The dress was tucked away among a pile of mutton sleeve wedding dresses. Does anyone think the mutton sleeve wedding dress will ever make a comeback? I was feeling really bummed. My op shop nose was twitching but after 20 minutes of rummaging I remained empty handed. The pressure was on. A mother and her fashionista daughter were also scouting through the racks. I quite literally gave the mutton sleeves a playful whack and was ready to call it a day when lo and behold I spied a flash of black polyester. Nose on full twitch I wrenched the mutton sleeves to the side and there she was. I swear there was an audible gasp from the fashionista and her ma. I snatched my find, marched off to the dressing room and though the belt is significantly tighter than the rest of the dress – could it have been altered to the size four waist for a child – I honoured my nose and forked over the $5 for it. Waa la .
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