today is australia day which commemorates the landing of the first fleet at sydney cove in 1788. while i can’t share the ubiquitous BBQ, pavlova and sunburn with you, i can share some of my favorite australian music. of course, australia has its own diverse music scene, i just happen to like indie pop/rock form the early 90s so my mix is pretty biased!
the go betweens – streets of your town from 16 Lovers Lane
its hard to pick a favorite from the go betweens, but streets of your town just sounds so summery. and you actually can see some of the streets in my town in the video clip!
rat cat – don’t go now from blind love
9 year old pilgrim fostered a crush on simon day and his eyeliner and stripes!
the sugargliders - ahprarahn from there and back again lane: sarah 100
one of sarah records 100 perfect pressings (look for sarah 72 for this single)
frente – bizarre love triangle from marvin the album
poor often maligned frenté were my first ever gig, watching from the kitchen of the bar where my stepfather worked.
architecture in helsinki - the owls go from fingers crossed
such a sweet song, from an entirely sweet album!
do you have favorite australians in your music collection?
july 2011 on drawpilgrim.com was aaaalll about my trip to japan! i just had so much to share:
firstly i shared a general wrap up of my trip, then i compiled my favorite colors and patterns from the trip.
and let’s not forget the unforgettable diversion to introducing bonnie and buttermilk’s spectacular clothing!
✽ crochet shorts pattern ✽ granny got the blues cushion ✽ ruffle crochet cushion ✽
✽ multi colored afghan granny rug ✽ larks foot rug ✽ ruffle detail crochet rug ✽
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hooray for vintage crochet patterns! if you’re in the melbourne area check out my beginners crochet classes at little sparrow. absolute beginners and those just in need of a refresher are all welcome and plied with tea, coffee and cake. in just 4 weeks you’ll be whipping up wall hangings like nobodies business!
after last week’s (almost) everything you ever wanted to know about pilgrim post, i thought i’d fill in a bit of that ‘almost’ part: i get asked about my clothes all the time. i have a relatively unique look, so let me share with you the places and the reasons behind what i wear. this post is your one stop for dressing the Pilgrim way (if you wanna)
turquoise birkinstock sandals, white worishofer sandals, american apparel tights, lori marie felt flower brooch, vintage dresses.
what do you wear?
- mostly vintage dresses
- jeans at home and on errands
- cardigans of many sleeve lengths and colors
- vintage smock aprons (sometimes these need a zip or buttons added)
- A line wrap skirts
- trapeze tops/dresses/kaftans and leggings
- colorful flat shoes
- colorful boots
- colorful tights & leg warmers
turquoise birkenstock sandals, pink slip on wedges thrifted
that all sounds pretty average.
i suppose its more about the combinations i put together and the fabric patterns i choose. i dress like i compose a design, there is a balance of awesomeness and “white” space (yeah, its not actually ever white in my outfit). for example, if i choose a crazy paisley dress, i will pick a tight color palette to accessories with to let the dress work its paisley magic. or if i’m wearing a solid color dress, i might just go nuts and add in lots of different colored accessories! i also like wearing things in different ways – e.g.: vintage smock aprons as tops, old bikini cover-ups as tunic tops or dresses.
have you always dressed this way?
pretty much since i was 16. i’ve grown into my look more, i’m more ‘put together’ and my wardrobe more cohesive but i’ve always liked color and pattern and vintage. there was a brief lapse in sanity after i had my son where i thought i should dress like a mother… in sweatpants and junk but thankfully i rediscovered my mojo.
green and pink flip flops miss trish for target USA, turquoise patent leather flats quick brown fox
philosophy? isn’t that a bit precious?
yes it sounds massively pretentious, maybe its not a ‘philosophy’ per se but it helps me to stay focused and not buy all sorts of random trend based things that don’t fit, don’t suit, or won’t last. and that in turn makes getting dressed each day a piece of delicious cake. while i think my style exists outside of trends, its hard not to be swayed sometimes by THIS season’s BLUE or THIS season’s specifc detail e.g.: scalloped hems
so my “philosophy”, my manifesto, my rules, or what have you, are to stick to what i know looks good – the colors that suit, the shapes that flatter and the details that highlight my assets. for me, that includes:
- blues, purples, cool pinks. i’m very pale, with an ‘english rose’ pink complexion
- so that means no yellow, orange or fluorescent colors. i can only just get away with green!
- dresses that have defined waistlines (i’m an hourglass)
- nothing with too high neckline. décolletage is a busty girls best friend: so i flaunt it, just a bit, or i look like nurse ratchett.
- nothing too long – i have pretty cute ‘pins’ (that’s legs)
where do you shop?
(vintage)
(non vintage)
- mod cloth
- ASOS
- victoria’s secret (jeans & basic tees)
- american apparel (for tights, leggings and tees)
- boden (i also get a lot of boden off ebay too! much cheaper and mostly unworn)
i’m sure i don’t have to tell you that when shopping for clothes online you must know your measurement! bust, waist, hip and inseam. it helps to know a bit about fabric too – a stretch fabric will mean a couple of extra valuable inches, a cotton means that sucker will fit you snug if its too small. busting seams is not ladylike! its incredible hulk-like.
and let me clarify – i’m not continually shopping. i check back often, but i probably only buy something quarterly (unless i find something really special!) a colorful wardrobe is not made in a day! i search for fabric patterns i like, colors that work for me and styles that flatter: when all those factors line-up its perfection.
vintage bikini coverup/tunic and emily green necklace - handmade felt dahlia brooch
don’t forget the accessories
a range of colored tights: when your leg skin tone would be described as “ultra white A4″ or “goose flesh” its important not to share that with the world. i choose american apparel tights over color lovers (for example) because they fit me really well and they last incredibly well.
big enamel flower brooches, or a felt dahlia brooch
beads! plastic one-color treasures or a versatile emily green masterpiece
how do you find these things?!
i shop at the places listed above, but finding exactly what i like on etsy or ebay is often a bit of a hunt. oh and its all in the thrill of the chase!
the internet is a wonderful thing with more than you could ever dream of, but sometimes you have to think outside the search box for what it is you’re after. i shudder at some of the search phrases i’ve used and found fabulous things with…
my most used search phrases (in varying combinations):
- 60s
- 70s
- floral
- psychedelic
- scooter dress
- house dress
- cover-up
- apron/smock
- mod
my most reluctantly used search phrases:
- brady bunch
- hippy/hippie
- crazy (yes, really)
your closet must be never ending, right?
its not, really. i have about 20 dresses and skirts of varying patterns and solid colors. the rest is ‘basics’: plain colored cardigans, long and short sleeved tees, tights, and a assortment of colored shoes and boots. i’m lucky that i live in a climate that doesn’t vary wildly, so in winter i will layer long sleeved tees or thermals under dresses and i have a couple of go to coats and scarves to brave the terrifying 12˚c/53.6˚F winters we have here in melbourne.
did i miss anything? let me know in the comments!
its time to decorate with draw! pilgrim’s alphabet print in ‘gum ball’ colorway. this post is something of an experiment, the gum ball color way has never been as hugely popular as the sundae color print, so i’m taking pre-orders before i get new stock of this bright pop color way!
If you’re anything like this family, you spend 90% of your time in your living room… living. so make it bright and fun to match the energy of your bunch! break up some blocks of color with sassy stripes and jazzy cushions. i’m a huge fan of white walls and colorful stuff. this is especially good news considering i’m a renter doomed to cream walls forever! click the pic for product info.
i really can’t get on the bland baby’s room bandwagon (i can’t get on any bandwagon – old sporting injury, y’see). i’m firmly of the opinion that if you’re going to spend your adulthood in beige and gray and black and blah then at least have a colorful childhood. babies in beige? no sir. babies deserve fresh, sweet, gelato colors! I say make the decor fun and whimsical because new life deserves to enjoy all the fun and dazzle that one can stand. click the pic for product info.
do you see the desk? it has pencils. for. legs. and a spiral binding detail. do i really need to explain any more?! good luck getting any serious work done on that sucker! and the rug matches the print like a match made in heaven, so if you buy one, promise me you’ll buy the other (buy the print first though ha!) click the pic for product info.
✽ pink frog bank ✽ vintage mugs ✽ ‘advice for getting married’ booklet ✽
✽ patchwork skirt ✽ enamel flower serving tray ✽ abstract psychedelic fabric ✽
survey says… you want to know more about me! here’s a few vital (and non vital) statistics for enquiring minds:
date of birth:
july 12th, 1982. that makes me a 29 year old cancerian.
hometown:
adelaide, south australia: city of churches and quite a lot of murders. i am responsible for neither. famous adelaideans include tennis player leyton hewitt, actor anthony la paglia, musical lady sia, artist jeffery smart, and lots of other people.
parents:
tim – photographer, chocolatier, restauranteur, sewing machine mechanic, and pawn broker. he was a renaissance man. (deceased 2009)
jill – graphic designer, expert at high kicks (deceased 2004)
siblings:
none. growing up, i was fine with that. having now lost both my parents it would be nice to have a bit of extra family. sometimes i feel like the last of my species.
very significant other:
peter, awesome chap and music journalist extraordinaire
kiddo:
just one 5 year old boy!
education:
13 years at an all-girls school, 2 years working in england, 1 semester of interior decoration, 12 months of nervous breakdown, a quick nap then on to visual communication at university.
what were you like in school?
i was never the popular girl, but i was never the outcast. i was lucky that i went to a small school that supported my self expression, so i’ve always marched to the beat of my own drum. i was great at art, english, drama and history – unbelievably terrible at science, sport and maths. i was so bad at math/sciences that in my senior year there were special arrangements made for me to do photography as my “science” unit. it was quite strange to be in the “gifted” stream for some subjects, and then be failing the basic maths classes.
any secret talents?
i play cello and accordion, and i can get hit by any sporting balls within a 1km radius.
any lack of talent?
i have dyscalculia, i can’t ride a bike, and i can’t drive.
what did you want to be when you grew up?
many different things! i wanted to be a a designer just like my mama, then a face painter, then a librarian, then i wanted to be in advertising, then i wanted to work as an art curator, then i wanted to be a makeup artist, then an interior decorator, then a designer. i still want to be all those things, come to think of it.
what DID you do when you grew up?
my first job was at toys ‘r’ us, then i worked with the curator of australian art at the art gallery in adelaide. i worked for the gallery’s friend’s society and also in their children’s holiday program too! then there was lots of waitressing, and being a hotel maid in england.
twitter follower @hacklocked asks two questions:
favorite ice cream flavor?
i’m lactose intolerant so its only recently that i’ve got some lactase tablets and eaten a ton of ice cream! my favorite flavor? its a three way tie between matcha green tea, thai coconut milk ice-cream, or full creamy delicious pecan maple (come to think of it, anything those flavors is my favorite!)
who had the biggest positive influence on your life
my mum, and her mum – my grandma rowie (roma). rowie raised my mama with the understanding that she was her own person, who had opinions and ideas of her own. she taught mum and then trusted her to do the right thing. my mum raised me in a similar way and although at the time it felt like she was a super hardass sometimes, i think she was a fabulous mother. she gave me so many opportunities and kept me on track when laziness or self doubt set in. now i’m a mother i try and follow the same ethos.
@katrinahigham asks
where is your “place to visit” if money was no limit and why?
hmm i can’t say there is just one place, i really want to visit everywhere in america: i want to road trip it all and thrift it within an inch of its life!!
and what is your prison/last meal?
the prison would have to get thai food from my old local. i’ll have the fish cakes, the really good vegetarian pad thai, the chill cashew duck, some salt and pepper squid, and some black sticky coconut rice for dessert. wash it all down with an a&w root beer float because i would replace my blood with that stuff if it were possible.
if you could be a colour, which one would you be and why?
i’d be turquoise. its clear, and cool. its not too perky like pink, and its not too wishy washy like purple.
did i miss something you were dying to know? leave your question below and maybe i can do part two…
