Covet With Me

Vintage treasure hunting for beginners

Lorna — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 04:15:40 +0000

Finding that hidden vintage gem in an op-shop full of everyone’s throwaways is no mean feat, but it’s something Sydney op-shop fashionista Brittany Lee Waller has mastered – and she’s making a pretty penny out of it too.

Brittany Lee Waller

Brittany’s the stylist behind Instagram’s Pretty Vintage Drifters (@prettyvintagedrifters). Her almost 2,500 followers bid for the op-shop finds she shares on her feed – which range from brightly coloured silk mini skirts and dresses, retro cable knit jumpers, Levi’s cut off short shorts, vintage swimsuits and blazers in just about every cut and style imaginable. She charges up to $70 for her finds, with prices dependant on the amount of work she puts in to make them sellable.

Brittany came across this black lace mini dress in a bag of clothes a friend’s gran was throwing away. What a find! If it wasn’t sold already, I’d be buying it for myself.

What makes Brittany such an expert op-shopper though, is that she doesn’t simply pull her finds off the hanger and post them on Instagram for sale – she has vision enough to know how many of the items most of us overlook can be altered to be more wearable. Whether that means cutting off sleeves, changing hemlines or playing with the shape of a garment – you know you’re getting something original and very special when you buy a Pretty Vintage Drifters piece.

Brittany decided to keep this silk dress for herself – its floral pattern is bang on trend.

I spoke to Brittany about where her sense of style originated and in the hope she’d be willing to share some of her favourite op-shops with aspiring vintage treasure hunters. Here’s what she had to say:

Where does your sense of style come from?

I’ve been raiding my Mum and my Grandma’s closets since I was about 11 or 12, so I guess I’ve always had a thing for nostalgia.

Somehow pieces from the past that speak of rarity, seem to speak the loudest to me. I also love to mix and match eras, be it a 70’s tapered silk blouse with a high-waisted, acid wash mini or a cute little 50’s sundress with some 80’s leather ankle boots.

I mostly like to have fun and change it up, a lot of my inspiration comes from old photographs or fashion spreads from vintage magazines found at op-shops. My mum’s old photo albums are my favourite.

When did you first start op-shopping?

Probably about the time I’d exhausted all the options from my Mum’s closet!! So I would have been about 13. I started sewing and making my own clothes at the same time, so it mostly came from a desire for new fun items paired with a lack of finances – only natural for a teenager!

Who are some of your style icons?

Brigitte Bardot is my ultimate style icon. Mostly because she was both culturally and socially defiant with what she wore. She could go from red velvet flares and an oversized knit to hot pants and a midriff striped button up in one day and be a mega babe in both. She coined the 70’s St Tropez look perfectly.

Lauren Hutton also had a showcase style for her time. For now I love Jess Hart and Rumi Neely. I love their use of fabric/pattern clashing like denim and leather or lace and plaid.

Describe the best piece you’ve ever found in an op-shop. Where did it come from?

I found a pair of 1970’s Helena Rubenstien sunglasses in a small Red Cross op shop on the South Coast. They’re light tortoise shell, a feminine aviator style, with gold detailing. They are pretty much the bees knees and probably worth about $500 now. I think I bought them for about $4.

Which do you think are the best op-shops in Sydney?

If I told you I’d have to kill you!! Naturally, better items are found in suburbs that harbour less of a socially perceived price tag. People assume places like Mosman, Double Bay or Woollahra would have great vintage because they’re expensive places, but it’s totally the opposite. Suburbs that are quieter or more industrial will be the places you find the golden items.

Coastal towns are also goldmines! Of course Newtown and Surry Hills will always have great finds, but they are a bit more expensive and more so vintage boutiques rather than Op Shops, so I’d say look just outside those suburbs to places like Redfern or Stanmore.

I’ve got regulars on the Northern Beaches but I couldn’t tell you where they are.

What’s the trick to finding a great piece among all the “noise” in an op-shop?

It’s that old chestnut of ‘look outside the square’. Most of my favourite pieces are things I’ve found and altered, either just taking up the hem, cutting the sleeves or going as far to make it backless.

If you find a dress with a great print but it’s slightly too big, don’t deny it the privilege of hanging around with your fab self. Buy it and if you can’t sew, find someone (friend, family or local dressmaker) that can fit it to you. It’s part of the fun! Then that piece becomes one of a kind.

What’s the secret to making a vintage piece your own?

Make sure you buy it because you love it and absolutely couldn’t imagine another moment without it in your arms. If you buy it because it’s similar to something you’ve seen in a magazine or on your favourite model, then that’s just fashion lust. If you buy it because it looks perfect on your figure, makes you feel careless and flirty, and you’ve never seen anything like it before, then that’s true fashion love!

You should also make sure you will wear it more than once and have other things in your wardrobe that will make it shine.

What would you say to those people who might feel a bit intimidated about wearing vintage pieces?

I’d say get over yourself. When it comes down to it they’re just clothes. They’re meant to be fun and an expression of your mood or character.

Vintage lets you paint a picture of who you want to be that day – whether it’s a powerful career woman or a travelling gypsy. And, you’re not going to walk into a bar and find someone else in the same get-up as you. That’s the best bit!

Team these high-waisted neon swimmer bottoms with a black bandeau and you’ll become an instant beach babe.

Here’s the vintage colourful floral silk mini dress Brittany wears in the photo above.

Reclaimed Levi’s short-shorts. Every girl needs a pair.

This is Sophie, a happy Pretty Vintage Drifters customer in her lilac chiffon mini dress

I think it’s about time Brittany started a blog chronicling her op-shopping adventures – don’t you? That’s one that would sit firmly on my must-read list.

Currently, she’s working to get a pop-up shop in Manly off the ground. So keep your eyes peeled, treasure hunters!

‘Tis the season of sales madness

Lorna — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 01:21:56 +0000

Net-a-porter’s wares might be out of reach for most of us, but that’s what sale season is for, right?

The covetable online boutique has cut prices by up to 70% across a crazy number of products. There are 65 pages of sale items in the clothing section – I jest not!

There are plenty of coats, blazers and jersey dresses going for a song. So even though it’s a stinking 43 degrees in Sydney today (and around much of the rest of the country too) and a coat is the last thing you want to think about, consider the fact that you’ll be buying next season’s styles at a steal.

Can’t really argue with that, can we?

Catch you all later, I’ve got some serious browsing to do!

The writing’s on the wall

Lorna — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 08:32:25 +0000

Happy 2013!

If, like me, you went back to work today, you’re probably wondering what the year ahead will hold and thinking about what you can do better/differently this year.

It seems a great many of us are pondering this, as I’ve noticed a sharp rise in the number of inspirational quote images people are sharing on Instagram since the New Year ticked over. Well, why not carry this enthusiasm with you into 2013 by putting it on your wall permanently?

Quote prints aren’t just great for evoking a specific feeling in you every time you look at it, they also inject a great punch of character into any room. And they’re crazy affordable!

Here are a few of my current favourites:

Live what you love print

I bought this ‘Live What You Love’ print for one of my girlfriends as a housewarming present. It’s such a simple message, but one too many of us don’t follow! It comes in a wide range of colours, you’ll be able to find one to suit your decor. From Etsy.

Comparison is the thief of joy print

Well said, Mr. Roosevelt. This one’s from Etsy too.

You Shine So Bright print

Don’t forget to shine. This on-trend grey and yellow print is from Hard To Find.

You Make Me Happy print

Inject some sunshine with this print from the awesomely talented team at Blacklist Studio Prints.

She believed she could print

Believe you can, with a little help from this print. It’s from Etsy.

The World is your Oyster print

Sieze the day. This one’s from Se10Gallery.

You Shine Today print

I love this vintage typography print. Buy it from Etsy.

Be Yourself print

Don’t forget to be yourself. Another one from Etsy.

You Look Lovely Today print

Put this near your front door for a boost as you leave for the day. From Se10Gallery.

Focus On The Good print

This is something not enough of us do! Buy it from Minty Prints.

Image credits: Se10Gallery, Blacklist Studio Prints, HardtoFind, Etsy, Minty Prints.

Christmas gifting for the girl who has everything

Lorna — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 00:30:24 +0000

We all have a friend or family member who responds to a request for their Christmas wish list with a “But, I already have everything I could ever possibly want”. Pretty unhelpful, right?

I actually caught myself saying this the other day and gave myself a mental slap on the wrist. I am incredibly fortunate, but I’ve got to admit that despite this, I still spy things I wish were mine on a regular basis. What woman doesn’t? So, if you’re faced with finding the perfect gift for someone who says they have it all (news flash: they’re probably just being polite), here’s what’s on my wish list this festive season. They’re the kind of things people might not buy for themselves, so I’m hoping they’ll help to give you some inspiration when you hit the shops:

Dinosaur Designs bangles. I’m willing to bet your Mum/sister/best friend would adore adding some of these Australian designed and made resin bangles to their jewellery collection. The Abstract (below) and Sorbet collection are my current faves.

Dinosaur Designs

Personalised stationery - I’m having a bit of a love affair with paper goods at the moment (old school, I know), which is why some personalised stationery is on my wish list. There’s nothing more lovely than receiving mail the old fashioned way, so I plan on sending more letters via snail mail in 2013 – and what better way to do it than with something totally unique to you?

Rifle Paper Co makes the most gorgeous paper goods. I love these typography notes – they’re fully customisable, from the colour of the font to the words in the header.

You can also find literally thousands of designs on Etsy. I love this grey and pink option from IDesignThat.

This grey and yellow option is perfect for someone with more modern taste. Again, from Etsy.

A bright clutch: I don’t care what anyone says, you can never have too many clutches. A bright clutch is the perfect way to add a fun pop of colour to your wardrobe, and could be the perfect gift for that friend who isn’t sure the neon trend is for them. You’re giving them the option of introducing it on a much smaller scale. Baby steps!

Not on a budget? Then why not think about this Proenza Shouler number. I love the neon yellow punch! Buy it from Net-a-Porter.

For those looking for a more affordable option, you can’t go past this hot pink Marcs clutch at $99. I have it and get LOADS of comments on it every time I take it out. It delivers a perfect raspberry pop of colour to a predominantly black outfit.

Samantha Wills Bohemian Bardot Ring – every girl needs some SW in her life, and this festive season I’m coveting Samantha’s Bohemian Bardot ring in white.

I love the effortless vintage feel of this ring. And it comes in a range of summery colours – there’s something for everyone!

Neon Ikat Oz Print by LonaDeAnna – Anna White is a Sydney-based stylist and artist and her Etsy store LonaDeAnna is full of her original colourful prints, which I’ve been eyeing off for months. The best part? They’re crazy affordable!

This Ikat-inspired print would be perfect in my spare room. Do you recognise the shape used in the print? It’s patriotic too!

iPhone candy. We take our phones everywhere with us nowadays, so it only make sense to treat them as an accessory. I’m coveting Kate Spade’s range of iPhone covers, but if you’re looking for something a little more original, you could have a monogrammed case made up for your loved one. There are hundreds of options on Etsy.

Monogrammed iPhone case from Etsy. Grey and pink are such a great combo!

Inject some sunshine into someone’s life with this lime green and navy iPhone case from Etsy.

I’m loving this glamourous Kate Spade iPhone case. Gold foil polka dots? Yes please!

Diptyque candle in Mimosa – diptyque candles are the ultimate in luxury. The french parfumeur has been making premium fragrances for 50 years, and on a recent visit to Mecca Cosmetica I fell in love with their Mimosa-scented candle. It’s divine! The packaging is simple and elegant enough to match almost any interior design scheme too.
diptyque candle in Mimosa

What’s on your wish list? I’d love you to share it below.

Image credits: Dinosaur Designs, Samantha Wills, Rifle Paper Co., IDesignThat, LonaDeAnna, PinkBerryPatch, Net-A-Porter, Saba, GandGAccessories, AModernStyle, Kate Spade, diptyque.

Reindeer jumpers – love or loathe?

Lorna — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 09:00:59 +0000

I’ve been paying more attention than normal Christmas-inspired fashion this year, and I’ve been surprised to find one unexpected piece growing on me: the festive sweater.

(Oblige me for just a few minutes and put aside the fact that we’re going into summer in Australia, which means most of us couldn’t wear one of these even if we wanted to.)

For me, the thought of a Christmas-themed sweater initially conjured up images of a miserable looking Bridget Jones, cigarette and glass of chardonnay in hand, at the most boring Christmas party in history.

In short – total dorkfest.

But designers like Moschino, Isabel Marant and Marc Jacobs have completely changed my perspective by releasing some quirky, but incredibly chic options:

Moschino Reindeer appliquéd knitted wool sweater, featuring a peanut print and button eyes – cute! Buy it from Net-A-Porter.

MASON BY MICHELLE MASON Reindeer-intarsia wool and cashmere-blend sweater. Also from Net-a-Porter

Phillip Lim Snowflake-embellished wool-blend sweater. Festive and elegant! Available from Net-a-Porter

Another Phillip Lim Christmas-inspired sweater, that’s anything but dorky. From Net-a-Porter

It doesn’t have to be literal. This Preen Cashmere Cube Sweater is almost a Picasso-like take on Christmas! From Shopbop

Markus Lupfer sequin-embellished ‘Santa Claus’ sweater. Why wouldn’t you want to wear sequined version of the jolly fat man? From Net-a-Porter

This Proenza Schouler abstract snowflake-inspired merino jumper features a very on-trend neon pop. Buy it from Net-a-Porter

You could dress all of these up with a pair of skinny jeans and heels, or down for daytime with some casual denim and flats. Either way, I’m loving them.

So, are you coveting these festive-inspired creations too, or could you not care less? I suspect this is the kind of thing you either love or hate. Do tell!

Image credits: Net-A-Porter, Shopbop.

The fortnight that was

Lorna — Sun, 09 Dec 2012 04:13:59 +0000

I had intended to share some of my fave Instagram pictures here each Sunday, but I’ve been a bit lax this past fortnight. With the silly season approaching, engagements and multiple birthdays happening in my family, I’ve been a little distracted!

The upside is that I now have two weeks of photos to share with you – hooray!

Enjoy.

Living in an apartment means we have limited space, so we’ve decorated a wire Boabab tree we picked up in South Africa to bring some festive feeling in.

If you live in Sydney, no doubt you’ve dined at The Boat House in Palm Beach. I adore this spot, and it was all lit up this night for a special dinner for two. I’m a lucky girl!

My boyfriend popped the question two weeks ago, and our families threw a surprise brunch to celebrate. How cute are these home made banners?

This is the spread from the engagement brunch. It was like something you’d see in a magazine!

There are no colours more gorgeous than those that come from nature. What a simple but effective way to dress up a table AND serve fruit.

Each year, my girlfriends and I all get together in December to have our own little Christmas celebration. This year we had it on Balmoral beach – what a view!

I’ve been collecting prints for a while now for this gallery wall, and it’s finally coming together. My favourite is the little girl print in the foreground, which I bought from Etsy. Click here to visit the store.

I have a DIY Christmas present project in the works, and my herb garden is going to play an important role in it. Stay tuned!

No matter how grey the day, Sydney Harbour is magnificent. This view never gets old, even after 23 years in Australia.

A trip to Bacino Espresso is my Sunday morning ritual. Where’s your favourite coffee haunt?

Until next time!

Crushing on Rue Chambon

Lorna — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 00:06:27 +0000

Did I mention that I’m obsessed with statement jewellery? Well, true to form, I’ve been eyeing off this piece of Samantha Wills gorgeousness for months now.

Samantha Wills Rue Chambon Necklace

It first caught my eye a few months back on Instagram when it was just a sketch, and I’ve loved watching it go from drawing (check it out here) to reality on Samantha’s Instagram feed. I adore the white howlite, rose quartz and black crystal mix, and have even planned all the outfits I would team it with in my head. Does anyone else do that? Now I just need to invest in it. Christmas is coming though…

I’m a huge Samantha Wills fan – it seems as if everything she touches turns to gold. I had the pleasure of interviewing her in my day job as a journalist, and have closely followed what she’s up to ever since. She’s a really inspiring and successful Aussie ‘gal, who’s making it in New York – and watching her achieve big things and create a beautiful legacy is actually one of the reasons I decided to start blogging. I have huge respect for young people who start businesses and work hard to grow them into something amazing, and who can ignore her talent for making incredible jewellery?

Samantha’s now turned her hand to paper goods, having just launched a stationary collection, and it’s seriously girly and covetable. Check it out here.

If you’re not already, you need to follow Samantha on Instagram. You’ll love seeing how she develops the pieces you find for sale in her store and getting a peek into her Über glamourous life. Find her at @samanathawills.

Coveting Adore Home Magazine’s Christmas edition

Lorna — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 10:05:41 +0000

I discovered Adore Home Magazine earlier this year, and its bi-monthly issues have been a staple on my iPad ever since.

It’s a beautifully designed publication put together by Brisbane-based graphic designer Loni Parker, that gives you intimate access to gorgeous homes from around the globe and and to the latest and greatest homewares.

The Christmas edition is out now, and is full of colourful ideas for the festive season. Read it for free by clicking here.

Adore Home Magazine, Dec/Jan issue

Loni is also now publishing a sister magazine for the brides to be among us, called Lovely Wedding Magazine. As a newly betrothed gal, I’m just as smitten with Loni’s wedding mag as I am with her interiors one! She has an incredible eye for beautiful things.

Lovely Wedding Magazine, Summer Issue

The best thing about reading a digital magazine? You’re just one click away from that covetable piece.

A whimsy day for a special bride to be

Lorna — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 08:40:43 +0000

My little sister is getting married in February, and as maid of honour, it was my duty (and pleasure!) to organise a Kitchen Tea for her.

She’s crystal mad and a real girly girl, so I knew in my mind exactly how I wanted the tea to come together. I envisioned a whimsical garden party, that was quite traditional but still had enough sparkles to satisfy.

So, with a lot of preparation and some major help from the ladies in my family, we managed to put together an afternoon full of pink favours and sparkly treats for the bride to be.

Here’s a look:

I wanted to set the tone right from the get go, and these gorgeous and whimsy invites did just that. We bought these and had the customised via Etsy. Check out the SetTheDateInvites store by clicking here.

White tables with mismatched flowers as a centrepiece. White, pink and silver pom poms adorn the trees.

The centrepieces, up close. We bought mismatched bunches of pink and white flowers, and displayed them in glass jars of varying sizes. Add some tiny sparkle scatters and some butcher paper for guests to write on, and you’ve just a multi-functional and beautiful centrepiece!

We made these pom poms for about $1 each. Don’t you even think about spending money to have these made for you – it’s easy. Thanks to Polka Dot Bride for the super easy step-by-step how to.

Tea for 45, at my sister’s Kitchen Tea

Pink straws and love heart shaped shortbread

G&M cupcakes and heart-shaped toppers

Pink and white marshmallows made for the perfect table centrepiece

It’s all in the details. Pink meringues, turkish delight and finger sandwiches made for a stunning spread. Add to that heart tissue paper table scatters from Pom Love on Etsy and you’ve got a tea to remember.

A special touch for the bridal party. We made a little tag for each member of the bridal party to wear on the day.

From Miss to Mrs. We bought this sign from a party store and had letters printed at a local sign store, owned by my aunty and uncle.

A string of self-adhesive diamantes jazzed up a tall-stemmed glass filled with pink foil chocolate hearts

The very best touch was something we couldn’t prepare ourselves – an afternoon full of sunshine! Thank you to the weather gods for ticking that off the list for us.

Instagramming my way through the week

Lorna — Sat, 24 Nov 2012 00:45:37 +0000

Oh, please. Don’t even try to pretend you’re not addicted to Instagram.

There are plenty of things to love about it, but one of my most favourite things about Instagram is how it allows me to visually revisit my week – and what a week this one’s been.

I finished up with the company I’ve been working for the past 18 months, hosted my little sister’s kitchen tea and spent some time exploring my new suburb after moving a couple of weeks ago. Oh, I also had a bit of an online shopping splurge at JCrew, one of my fave stores (they’re offering free shipping and returns on international orders through to Dec 30 by the way – perfect for Christmas!).

They say a picture’s worth a thousand words, so here’s the week that was through the lens of my iPhone:

I could not be more obsessed with Jacarandas at the moment, and saw this one dropping purple all over this vintage Rolls.

Tea for 45, at my sister’s Kitchen Tea. How gorgeous and whimsical are all these mis-matched cups?

That’s me! My Mum made these tags for all the ladies of our family. I adore her handwriting.

The brief? Lots of pink, diamantes and hearts. I think we filled it

The bride to be and I

I’ve had my eye on a pair of neon violet JCrew jeans for a couple of months. They’re offering free international shipping and returns ’til Dec 30, so I took that as a sign!

I finished up at my job this week, and my colleagues bought me this bracelet set from Witchery. How great are they? I’ve always been a silver-wearer, but rose gold is really starting to grow on me. Covet!

Want to connect with me on Instagram? Find me at @lorna_brett