You know when you really love an outfit and have grand plans for it? A really great backdrop, perfect matching accessories…only for none of the those things to work out. But it happens, it’s all part of blogging and there are times that I do throw in the towel, and then there are times where I just get on with it and improvise. The latter being the case here, and I feel like I owe this beautiful dress an apology for choosing to showcase it in the most bland and uninspiring of places possible. So instead of taking photos with a really beautiful mural as planned, I thought you know what would be a good idea? Taking photos next to some boring trees, in an ugly park, next to an ants nest. Genius! The green ants were really hospitable though, considering I did stand on their nest several times…
This outfit is special because I have always wanted to own something with Australian native flowers on it. A lot of the time I have an outfit in my head, but it simply does not exist. Or it did, but I’m seventy years too late. One day I was admiring the bouquet of native flowers on my desk, thinking to myself how wonderful it would be if I could own a dress that had these flowers on it. Of course such a thing just didn’t exist, although I’m not sure why to be honest! I guess it’s because Australian flowers are so odd looking, they’re definitely an acquired taste. But to me they are special because they featured heavily in our wedding decorations and have sentimental value for that reason.
So I decided to enlist the help of a professional dressmaker, JacksDaughter on Etsy, and looked at different fabric options until I found the perfect one. In fact, there were so many great fabric options that I had several outfits made in different styles and fabrics. So now my dream of owning an outfit with Australian native flowers is complete, and then some! I’m sure that by the end of the year those of you who have never heard of a waratah or a calistamon will be able to identify them. This dress however may as well be an encyclopedia of all Australian flowers as it features them all.
When I was putting this outfit together I realised that the hat I had planned on wearing didn’t suit the outfit at all. It really felt like there needed to be a hat to balance out such a striking print and I panicked when none of the hats I tried worked. I also didn’t want to be boring and constantly wear something I’ve blogged recently (I’m sure you’ve seen enough of my big straw hat to last a while) but it’s not like I could just pop into the shops for the perfect 40s hat! I sat there for a while looking at black 40s hats online and then after seeing some styles come up, it occurred to me that I could do a really dodgy lazy refashion of a cheap crappy Target hat I already had. So with some hat pins to the rescue I’m hoping that I might have got away with it…
Wearing:
1940s reproduction dress custom made by JacksDaughter on Etsy
Rohan Redtail brooch by Erstwilder
Miss L Fire Bolero heels
vintage 1940s handbag
I think your hat solution was absolutely genius! It certainly doesn’t look like any old Target hat, and it works beautifully with the dress.
That print is really beautiful, I see why you chose the fabric. As someone with no knowledge of Australian native flowers, I have no idea what any of them are, but they certainly are lovely! And the natural background is perfect with them. If you hadn’t mentioned it I would have no idea that this wasn’t your planned location all along.
You totally got away with it, and then some! You look gorgeous and the backdrop is very appropriate with the gum tree bark all around. I love your accessories, especially the little bag. I’ve been feeling the same about hats lately and you’ve inspired me to see what I can do with some of my existing cheap hats. This one really looks the part!
As a non-Aussie, I find the backdrop far from boring, we don’t have trees like that! It looks very Australian, and therefore perfect for showcasing that dress. I also think the simple accessories allow the dress to shine. It’s a stunning print. Great idea on the hatpins, you are most resourceful xx
I had to laugh at the bit about the location or outfit not working out – I can SO relate! Nothing more frustrating. Regardless, I think the beautiful floral print pops so well against this seemingly plain backdrop. It’s such a beautiful dress on you! What a beautiful fabric you chose!
I love this dress and print on you, Jenni from Jack’s daughter does an amazing job at making vintage inspired outfits! 🙂
Agree with Porcelina, when you said boring trees I wasn’t expecting these! Absolutely not boring! You would never know your hat’s secret – that’s pretty genius. And of course, that dress is perfection and I love that it has meaning.
I love the print of this dress, its lovely to have a print that from far away perhaps looks like a standard style of floral but up close is noticeably Australian! You chose a great style for the dress, and I definitely thought your hat here was vintage until I read your text so your refashion succeeded! I am always running out of ideas for shooting locations, especially now that it’s practically winter here and all the foliage is dead again! The green won’t be back until May for me, so I’m going to have to get very creative somehow!