Style It Project – Frocktober Mix White Dress

I’m a big fan of dresses – particularly in the warmer weather. What isn’t to love? They are easy to slip on, cool to wear, they often cost less then buying an outfit with multiple layers (although of course layering dresses is fun too!) and most importantly, I find that dresses are flattering. Another little bonus is that dresses are uniquely feminine and I find that my husband and sons, even at this young age just love it when I wear a dress. I will often get comments like, “You look pretty Mummy” or “You look like a ballerina” and if they will point out something in the cupboard for me to wear, (yes my boys are interested at times in styling!), it will always be a dress.

It makes sense that in Frocktober the Style It Project with Kimba Likes and Redcliffe Style would feature a dress. I bought the dress on sale for $29 from my local Coles Mix section. (Yay for sales!) The dress isn’t a perfect fit for me, it’s snug on the waist and it’s better suited for bigger busts, although the ties at the front can help pull it in and are helpful for those of us sporting a flat pack. I decided to keep it because for that price, I can afford to be forgiving and it’s still looks nice, it’s easy to launder and will be a great frock to wear casually throughout the summer.

The white easily leaves it open to being styled with colour, but except for a bit of colour in my sun hat, I kept it simple wearing this dress to the beach at Bargara recently teaming it with my Rare Rabbit chunky white geo beads. (My little splurge prior to going to ProBlogger, but I am finding so many occasions to wear them. You will keep seeing them on me this season, and probably beyond!)

 And best of all, for trips to the beach with the family – you can climb trees with your sons wearing this dress (the little bit of length helps there!)

Are you a fan of dresses? Why/Why Not?

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Style It Project – Peter Morrisey Zebra Cami

There’s nothing like a little bit of animal print to bring a bit of pizazz to one’s wardrobe. I wasn’t sure whether I was going to like this little cami on me when I saw it for the Style It Project, (even though I liked it on others!) but oh my, the moment I slipped it on in the Big W change rooms, I knew it was a keeper. Plus it was 30% off – score! $13 for a little top I’ve already worn several times. (But keep forgetting to photograph – Sorrrreeee!)

I went with hubby to one of his mate’s 40th birthday in Brisbane recently and wore my zebra cami.  It was already happy I was wearing it as we glided to our venue in the city cat.

Perfect for picnic lunch on the banks of the Brisbane river and then onto a bar then Turkish for dinner later in the evening. Surprisingly for Brisbane I didn’t need to take my jacket off the whole time as the sky was overcast and there was a bit of a nip in the air. My white Sussan linen jacket (current season) was a perfect accompaniment along with my (current season) Rare Rabbit wooden beads.

I have also worn the cami with a jacket to playgroups and shopping. It will be a lovely cool option on its own when the weather warms up too. It’s great with a little white bolero cardi that I picked up at a sample sale at Kaffe Boutique. (Locals: I can’t believe it’s in Cliffo! It’s like a little corner of European class. Who knows it might inspire some of the locals to ditch the uggies and leggings(with short shirts) and dress up a little!)

Today I’m dressed in it ready to take the kids to a concert. We’re seeing Colin Buchanan, we saw him last year when he was in town and the kids were delighted when Daddy brought home tickets last night for them to see him today!

And you know, because it is a concert, I thought I’d look like the cool Mum (Ha!) in my pink biker jacket. Although one look at the five kids I have in tow, nobody will be fooled that I would be riding a motorbike. Yep, it’s a mini-van for me the whole way there.

What was the last concert you went to? I think I see more kids concerts and theatre productions these days then I see the grown up variety. But that’s still cultured, isn’t it? Right? RIGHT???

Linking with Kimba Likes and Redcliffe Style.

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Style It Project: Lee Cooper Spotted Chambray Shirt

I recently purchased a Lee Cooper Spotted Chambray Shirt from Big W to join in the Style It Project hosted by Kimba Likes and Redcliffe Style. I saw Kimba in her shirt as I flicked through my Instagram feed one morning and thought the project sounded fun. I was instantly inspired to style my own after seeing my good friend from B Being Cool working the chambray! So I was in! (And was down at the shops as soon as my children stopped vomitting!)
I love dabbling in a little bit of fashion blogging. Shopping for clothes has been a favourite activity of mine for as long as I can remember. I may not be a high budget fashionista but I do enjoy putting clothes together and looking as best I can. This Big W shirt was a bargain at $25. I’m loving how very comfy it is, plus polka dots are always a win for me! I went for a pattern clash, pairing it with a fresh lemon and black print scarf I bought on sale recently from Jacquie E. My earrings are a throwback to the 90’s. A present from The Accountant early in our marriage. The Euro Ball might not be in still, but I do love these, especially since they come from Hogans, my favourite jewellery store in Toowoomba. The pants are current season from Katies. My winter wardrobe is needing a bit of a refresh as the cooler weather is arriving. I know I’m going to wear this chambray shirt frequently over the next few months. I actually love shirts because they skim over the lumpy bits I don’t want on display right now!

After I had bought my shirt I discovered a little pair of girls polka dot jeans also at Big W for only $17. They matched the Lee Cooper shirt so well, I just had to get them. I realised that I always thought I’d be the type of Mummy who did matchy matchy on the odd occasion with her little girl, yet this is the first time we’ve done it! When I showed the jeans to Immy, her face just lit up. She’s a girl after my own heart and also loves herself a bit of polka dot too. She calls them “my spotties”. I couldn’t resist adding some photos of my cutie pie and I wearing our spotties. I changed the scarf to match Immy’s pink shirt. She’s pulling off a bit of stylish pattern clashing herself with her geo vs. spots!

Are you polka-dot fan?  Have you been needing to update your wardrobe as the cooler weather arrives?
Linking up with Kimba Likes Wardrobe Wednesday
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How to Wear Stripes Stylishly

This week I am joining Style and Shenanigan’s Print Challenge. I like wearing prints, they are versatile, flattering and stylish. My wardrobe has a lot of prints in it, so I shall enjoy finding things to wear for the next six days. Stay tuned to my Instagram (See link on this page, or find me as Happyheart75)

I also thought it might be fun to do some fashion posts throughout the week.

Today’s print is stripes. I do like a stripe over here and and a stripe over there. (To quote Playschool.)

I could see myself wearing this first outfit as I strolled along a beach boardwalk. It’s Autumn here in Australia. This set is bright and cheerful, yet also functional. It’s got the marine feeling with the stripes and brilliant blues, a colour that is very much in vogue right now.

Bright and Casual

Bright and Casual by c-happyheart featuring blue patent leather flats

If I were still teaching, I could see myself standing in front of a classroom in this next outfit. Since I’m not, I could also see myself trotting off to a picnic with the shady pink hat that matches the lovely pink stripe detail on the skirt. I love prettiness, and pink always gives that pretty feeling.

Pretty in Pink

For a more preppy look, a stretchy striped jacket teamed with a stylish pair of brown boots would be a comfortable and stylish option. I’m loving wearing coral right now, not altogether pink, and not altogether orange, but certainly altogether chic. A pretty little clip to tuck the hair back and an infinity scarf finishes the look. (I do not personally own an infinity scarf yet. But I do so want to.)

Preppy and Comfortable

This sweet vintage style dress in a lovely cool mint colour would be a delightful outfit to go to church in. The diagonal stripes are a lovely option adding interest to the detailing in the dress.  
Cool Mint

Cool Mint by c-happyheart featuring sterling silver jewellery

I think the most classic striped combination is black and white. You don’t need to look like a zebra at all, although zebra’s are 100% cool. I love the chevron skirt on this little number. The shoes are also a bold option and absolutely swoon worthy. Every woman’s dream really. There are so many combinations of black and white, thank you Chanel for bringing the black and white stripe to our attention! It’s a truly enduring print.

Classic Black and White

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The Mummy Tummy of a Yummy Mummy – Or – How to Hide your Mummy Tummy

For many of us, we are anxious to show off our beautiful belly while we are pregnant and then the moment the baby is out all we want to do is hide that very same belly. In reality, the belly is still beautiful, for within it beautiful life blossomed and grew safely until the time when that precious baby could join us on the outside world and continue to grow and blossom. As beautiful as that tummy is and what it represents, it often just doesn’t look the best in clothes! However the Mummy Tummy can be cleverly disguised by wearing the appropriate clothes that will make us feel sophisticated and confident Yummy Mummies.

After my post sharing about the complexities of the Post-Triplet Tummy, I thought I might share some fashion tips on how to flatter post-pregnant stomachs in the hope that it may interest other women who struggle with the mummy tummy.

To help me do it, I thought I would learn from my friend B’s tips on how to use polyvore. If you want to look at some gorgeous styling, check out B’s Bbeingcool blog.

What fun I had in Polyvore! If you indulge me, I may just dip my toes in the world of fashion blogging a little more regularly! It’s so nice to put outfits together when you don’t have to pay attention to the price tag! Click onto my polyvore site if you want to find any of the stockists. If the Accountant didn’t check the bank statements so carefully I could be very naughty with some of these little gems!

Underneath each collection below, I’ll explain why the outfit flatters the mummy tummy. These are all outfits I would wear. I was very particular when I put these together that they were, right down to the right sized heel. (I was very tempted to wear ridiculous heels with the playgroup outfit, they suited it so much, but I restrained myself to what I would actually be more likely to wear!)

A Quick Trip to the Shops Before School Pick Up

A nice light summery dress is fun to wear. Make sure it is loose around the waist so it will not attract attention to your post pregnant belly.

Meeting the Girls at a Cafe

Meeting the Girls at a Cafe by c-happyheart featuring slip on flats

I have a very similar blouse to this in black with white polka dots. I wear it all the time. Blouses are your mummy tummies friend. I mean it. T-shirts cling to your rolls. They will often show all the wrong curves. Blouses are a far more flattering option, falling loosely over the unwanted fat that you are yet to work on. Also skinny jeans are great for making you appear slim. Don’t think you have to be skinny to wear them, but do make sure you cover and disguise any muffin tops.

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OK, so wearing a dress isn’t everyone’s favoured item of clothing to wear to playgroup. But I do wear dresses when I feel like it. Providing they aren’t too short, you can still comfortably sit modestly on the floor with children, and truly, dresses are very comfortable. This particular dress would be great for a Mummy Tummy, providing you don’t buy a size too small. Stretchy fabrics help make the fit comfortable, giving room when necessary. This dress doesn’t have a tight waist, which is essential and the darker colour and heavier fabric will draw your eye away from your abdomen, or lack thereof. Another trick is to wear scarves. When they fall in front of your mummy tummy they distract the eye drawing it up to your face. Since I’m not American, I wouldn’t normally wear something so obviously Yankee, but I just really liked these boots and thought they looked really fun! 

Off to Parent/Teacher Interviews

This outfit is all class, because when you sit down to talk about your child’s progress, you really want to appear poised and in control. (Even if it’s only to get you to the end so you can cry in the car. Not that I’ve ever done that. Ahem.) I adore this outfit. It oozes sophistication. Just because you have a Mummy Tummy doesn’t mean you can’t look elegant. I find trousers very flattering, and once again a loose flowing blouse will help cover up any unsightly bits.

A Hot Date With Daddy

There’s nothing like getting dressed up to go out, especially when you have been stuck with the kids for what seems like forever and feel rather drab.  Black is an extremely flattering colour when you are trying accentuate your best assets and disguise the bits you aren’t thrilled about. A LBD (Little Black Dress) is essential for every woman’s wardrobe, and for a post pregnant tummy it is a winner. The best part of the LBD is that you can dress it up a zillion different ways using any type of accessories and colour. In this collection I have kept it simple and classy with black, white and pearls. (I couldn’t resist throwing in a pair of Jimmy Choo shoes! A dream of mine… I also had to add red lippy. The Accountant loves red lipstick – and red nails but I thought that a subtle shade would be more classy with this outfit. My husband also adores a nice perfume. Chanel’s Allure is my absolute favourite at the moment.
Super Mum

These superman earrings caught my eye because I knew my four year old would be so proud of me wearing them. I did a search and found I could indeed be a very super mummy! This shirt would be flattering for the mummy tummy also because it’s that little bit looser which always helps the fabric glide over the chubby bits. And aren’t the Converse fun? Sure enough, as I was finishing off this collection, Trent walked past. It immediately caught his eye and he asked what the shirt was. I told him it was a Mummy shirt and he proclaimed, “That’s so impressive Mum.” He asked if I were buying it, because he thought it would be fun if I could wear it and then he would wear his superman shirt and we could play together! I said I wasn’t buying it and he went on his way, only to reappear a few minutes later and proclaim in all seriousness. “Mummy, you should do some jobs to save up for that shirt. You should go and clean your room, because it’s very messy so you should get a lot of money for cleaning it.” He has got a point. My room is atrocious. I wonder if I could strike an agreement with The Accountant?

So tell me, which of the above outfits would be your favourite to wear and hide a Mummy Tummy?


Linking up today with Essentially Jess for IBOT

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Happy Heart Musings: Valentino and all things Fashionable

Visions of sugarplums may dance in the heads of little boys and girls the night before Christmas, but last night I went to sleep with visions of lace, sequins, bows and luxurious fabrics dancing through my head.

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My sister and I had been to visit the Valentino Exhibition in Brisbane on its final day.

It was a tad busy. Thank goodness we had pre-purchased the tickets and could breeze past the hoardes of women (and a few men) lined up waiting to get in. We actually had also gone with my mother and sisters in law, but we separated partway through the exhibit. Primarily because The Actress (sister) and I were going so slowly since we were taking so long to OOOOHHH and AAAAAHHH over each dress. In fact I think a family of fahion conscious snails would have completed the exhibition before us had they decided to view the exhibit. Luckily there were no snails present, which is just as well, since misfortune they would have surely encountered were they present. Inevitably a snail would be skewered by a stilletto or squashed by a ballet flat in the midst of the eager observants.

It was well worth dilly dallying though. Such gorgeous gowns, full of elegance, sophistication and glamour.

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As I wandered around in awe of such beauty, I became quite contemplative as my mind wandered through the drifts of fabric. I should clarify, I became contemplative, probably after leaving the exhibit. I was far too busy talking with The Actress. I must say, our commentary was highly amusing, and not just to us. We even had a secret stalker, a bored Dad who kept on unobtrusively positioning himself behind us and smirking away. That was until he laughed out loud when I made in depth observations on the precarious walk that the models were doing in their slightly ridiculous footwear during video footage of a fashion parade. He was a little mortified that we had ‘just’ (so he thought) noticed him, that he disappeared into the crowd. Poor guy, his loss, our commentary was by far more entertaining then the official guides.

So firstly I was thinking about how we classified how much we liked the dresses according to how well we could imagine ourselves in the blessed creation. For instance, The Actress could totally see herself on stage in the black 80’s sequined number, lifting her arm out and exposing the exquisite beading whilst singing the dramatic final note.

Valentino, Retrospective: Past/Present/Future will be open at the Gallery of Modern Art, Brisbane, from August 7 to November 14, 2010. <EM>Photo: Katherine Feeney</EM>

She could also see herself swanning around in the pink dress with the matching overcoat with the glorious lining or in Audrey Hepburn’s number that we call the wattle dress, even though we discovered the flowers weren’t wattles at all. T’was a shame, really, it was quite un-Australian of Valentino. (Who does he think he is – like Italian?)

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While I tossed up trying to decide the most appropriate dress to disguise my post-baby tummy,

or just wanting to wear something fabulous in the event of losing post baby tummy.

I would totally be motivated to lose weight, if someone were to give me a Valentino. In fact sister and I decided if someone were to bestow upon us even one Valentino gown each, we would completely renovate Mum and Dad’s house into a ballroom where we would host a grand ball, weekly, wearing our Valentinos. Of course you would never get sick of us wearing the same outfit – it’s a Valentino. Oh, unless it was the hand painted 60’s number. We thought our Gran would have been able to paint the swirly pattern onto it. Maybe she did? A secret rendevous with Valentino. What a great family secret. We unexpectedly met our cousin at the exhibit, and she wholeheartedly agreed that the hand paintings matched Gran’s capabilities.

Valentino, Retrospective: Past/Present/Future will be open at the Gallery of Modern Art, Brisbane, from August 7 to November 14, 2010. <EM>Photo: Katherine Feeney</EM>
For the record, the little black dress up the top right hand side of the picture was one my favs. The photo does it no justice, it was gorgeous. If you were there, hopefully you remember. The Actress and I noted that although we had seen pictures of some of the dresses before, being there, seeing them up close was a totally different experience, and they were all the more splendid in real life.
Valentino, Retrospective: Past/Present/Future will be open at the Gallery of Modern Art, Brisbane, from August 7 to November 14, 2010. <EM>Photo: Katherine Feeney</EM>
If only we were allowed to touch. Before we left, I seriously considered going back to a dress, probably this one with such intricate fabrics and folds to touch it. It totally would have been worth getting evicted from th

e gallery for. I’m to much of a good girl though. A bit too afraid of getting in trouble!

Valentino Evening ensemble (detail) Haute Couture Autumn/Winter 2007–08, Model 170 | Collection: Les Arts Décoratifs, Paris / Photograph: Jean Tholance
So back to my musings. Sorry, got a bit carried away remembering with all the lovely pictures. (I have a weakness for pictures, being a visual learner and all.)
The desire, even the feeling obligation to lose weight in order to wear these creations, was a little disturbing. The dresses are designed for the ‘ultimate woman’s body’. Tall, slim models are the ideals to display the pieces. It is not about the dress alone, there is a certain size – ie. small – that is a requirement within the fashion industry. While I could find some dresses that would be able to hide my lumps and bumps – were they in a greater size – the dresses have not been designed for the ordinary woman. They are made with the elite in mind. The ‘haves’ not the ‘have nots’. There is the element of snobbery of owning a designer gown.
Now I’m not meaning to be completely harsh. Viewing the dresses in total awe and amazement, I know there must be the brilliant minds that God has created, so that they can in turn create such beauty, a celebration of femininity. Valentino, Dior, Yves St. Laurent, Marc Jacobs, etc. are the trend setters. The wealthy wear the clothing with their labels on. However, we do to. The labels are not so grand, but the clothing that we pick up in the stores that suit our budgets, have nevertheless been influenced by the trendsetters.
I think as women we crave beauty. I think we have been designed to crave beauty. To take pride in ourselves, and our homes to aspire to become better and create an atmosphere for others to feel comfort in. My encounter with Valentino was beautiful and even though I will probably never wear one of his creations, his designs have touched my life.
Valentino Evening gown Haute Couture Spring/Summer 1971, Model 238.  Photograph: Jean Tholance
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