Sunjellies Jasmine Bag

You might have noticed from my instagram photos that I don't leave home without a Sun Jellies bag. I always grab a cardigan, some sunglasses and an umbrella and throw it all into my Sun Jellies tote on the way out. Until recently I gave up on bags because I found it so hard to keep them clean and organised because I have a habit of accumulating so much junk in my bag throughout the day, but because Sun Jellies bags show everything that's in them they are much easier to keep tidy.

I love Sun Jellies totes because the style goes so well with all of my summer dresses and all I have to do is grab a bag in a colour that goes best with the outfit I'm wearing that day. When it comes to versatility, the Jasmine bag in cream is the one I would recommend if you are thinking of buying your first Sun Jellies tote but can't decide on the colour you want because there are so many to choose from. The Jasmine bag looks great with whatever colour you're wearing!

Sun Jellies currently has 25% off everything on their website to celebrate Small Business Day in the UK, so if you have been thinking about getting one for yourself, not to mention as a Christmas present for someone you love, now is the time! Use code SHOPSMALL25 at the checkout and treat yourself to Sun Jellies adorable range of bags, shoes, notebooks and tattoos.

Dress - Bernie Dexter

Bag - courtesy of Sun Jellies

Shoes - Novo

Sunglasses - Ebay

Pink Swing Trousers!

I love wearing vintage swing trousers, but always have a hard time shopping for them. I am pretty short, so the hems pool at my feet and the waist is usually too big. But for the first time ever - I actually have a pair of trousers that fit so perfectly that they did not require a single bit of alteration! These trousers are by Vivien of Holloway and are made with vintage sizing, so it is important to completely disregard your high street size and measure yourself carefully following the guide on their website. In accordance with the Vivien of Holloway size chart I went with the size 12, size 26 waist, and found the fit to be extremely comfortable with room to tuck in a blouse.

I took these trousers for a bike ride this morning and was very pleased with how nice and cool the fabric is - perfect for a bike ride on a summer day. While I do often wear shorts when I ride my bike, trousers really are a more sensible choice as they protect the sides of my legs getting grazed and bruised by the pedals. A small feature that I really love too is the little pocket at the front - I put my keys in mine, but it could also be great for holding lipstick for touch ups on the go! The top I'm wearing is the Vivien of Holloway Gypsy Top in Classic White, a true wardrobe staple that I already see myself styling with many outfits to come. This particular top has a peplum that can be styled tucked in or out, and an elastic waist - very useful for this time of year when I tend to expand a little as a result of indulging in rum balls and mince pies.

Vivien of Holloway is another great UK vintage reproduction company who have a huge range of dresses and separates, and I wholeheartedly could not recommend their swing trousers enough as they truly stand out in terms of quality and era authentic appearance. Although Vivien of Holloway is a UK brand, they ship internationally and for us Aussie girls, there is Melbourne retailer of Vivien of Holloway - Christine's!

Top - courtesy of Vivien of Holloway

Trousers - courtesy of Vivien of Holloway

Shoes - Bait Footwear

Daisy Jean Floral Designs

Australia is cookin' at the moment, seriously, the country is one big oven and you may have heard that all of the Australians are trying to come to terms with the heat - even though this is something that happens every summer. I turned to my most reliable summer favorite, the playsuit, to get me through the last few days. Growing up my all time favorite past time was climbing trees. My childhood home had huge camphor trees in the back yard and I spent every day of the school holidays working on building a tree house and seeing how high I could climb without killing myself. Our new back yard is full of trees and I got distracted while we were taking blog photos and started climbing this luscious fig tree which was all too tempting because it was so easy to climb!

November has been an extremely busy month and I have enjoyed taking some time away from the online world in favor of getting to meet some of my favorite bloggers in person and spending time together offline. Last weekend I had the pleasure of meeting bloggers who I have been following for as long as five years, thanks to a fantastic meet up organised by Bonita and Ellen which you can read all about on Lavender & Twill and A Wild Tea Party. On top of that, a few nights ago I caught up for drinks and Mexican food with Brisbane vintage ladies; Kim from Say Cheesecake Photography and published pinup model Honey Holloway. In Sydney I met the fabulous Missi, the creator of Daisy Jean Floral Designs who made the stunning flower hair clip I am wearing in these photos.

That's right - these are actually artificial flowers, hard is it may be to believe considering they appear as if they were only moments before picked off a hibiscus plant and tucked into my hair! This is the first time I have ever worn hair flowers before on the blog as I am extremely picky when it comes to hair flowers and find many styles to be too over the top for my taste. I am a huge fan of Daisy Jean Floral Designs because not only is the quality of the blooms the most superior in fabric and feel, but they have a natural, understated appearance that adds instant elegance due to the balanced way in which each piece is designed. The flowers are attached to the hair with a metal clip that does not have any teeth so there is no risk of hair being tangled and is extremely sturdy and remains in place all day.

Hair flowers - Daisy Jean Floral Designs

Playsuit - Tara Starlet

Shoes - Bait Footwear

Modern Atomic

Maybe it's all of the Wes Anderson films I've been watching lately, because when we put together our house I found myself going for very bold, bright, cheery colours and so we ended up with a very colourful living room! On the outside our house is a very typical fifties ranch style design (though recently renovated and modernized) so I felt it would be fitting to have at least one room in our house that pays a homage to some of the elements of classic 1950s interior design. I love the look of the classic atomic home, however to me personally sticking to period detail was not a priority as much as comfort was.

Instead, we went for a few authentic vintage pieces from the 1950s and the rest is mostly from Ikea and Kmart. The good thing about vintage being so trendy at the moment is that it's become easier to find modern furniture that has a vintage look to it. Our vintage pieces in this room are the Don Rex chairs which have been freshly reupholstered and the sideboard that we use as a television stand (tv not pictured as modern flat screens are not quite so pretty)! As it is, the living room does not feel complete just yet - the walls are a little bare so in the future I will be adding a few more posters and maybe some plants - maybe more cats - kidding!

Five Fabulous Swimsuits!

Eloise Parisian Black Stripe Two Piece Bikini

Eloise Sunny Days Floral 2 Piece Bikini

Marilyn Swim Dress in Midnight Rose Garden

Grace Retro Swimsuit Cherry Bomb Black

Alice Two Piece Vintage Bikini

It is always a great pleasure to blog about Australian made vintage reproduction brands and Sirens Swimwear is not only a home grown company but in fact a local business who have a little shop just down the road from my home. It is through searching for vintage reproduction swimwear that I first discovered vintage fashion in the first place, and over the years I have trialed a wide range of vintage reproduction swimwear brands. When it comes to purchasing vintage swimwear it isn't as simple as buying a dress. Swimwear needs to be as supportive as good foundation wear to create a flattering silhouette, and be sturdy to withstand being battered by waves, scratched by sand and not lose it's colour from constant exposure to chlorine.

Since buying my first Sirens swimsuit last year, Sirens Swimwear is the first brand that I have encountered who create swimsuits that are resistant to constant wear and retain their pristine appearance, making them a glamorous investment that will last for many summers. Shopping for swimwear can be daunting - whether it is trying the swimsuits on in changing rooms or the anxiety caused by being uncertain of which size to order, so the clever folks at Sirens Swimwear have come up with the Ship the Shop program that allows customers to order five swimsuits to try on and then return the extra swimsuits at no extra return shipping fee. The Ship the Shop program is as easy as picking out five different swimsuits in your size and paying a deposit fee for one swimsuit in order to pick out your favorite - or ordering five swimsuits in a range of sizes to find the one that fits you perfectly.

To trial the Ship the Shop Program I ordered five swimsuits in different styles and cuts in order to find the swimsuit that was just right for my figure. Being a petite girl with a full bust I have always had a difficulty finding bikini tops that are both flattering and supportive. I was most impressed to find that Sirens bikinis provide the same support as a high quality bra, with full cups to support a variety of bust sizes and under wire. I love high waisted bottoms as I find them to be the most flattering and modest, and what I love most about Sirens high waisted pants is that they are made with shape wear lining to create a smooth silhouette. This is the same for Sirens one piece swimsuits, which are made with shapewear lining all the way through to provide excellent support.

With Sirens swimsuits designed to create the most flattering silhouette, it is important to size up from your regular size if your measurements are in between sizes the same as you would when purchasing foundation garments. This is why the Ship the Shop program is an excellent idea as it takes the stress out of working out what size to order! The lovely ladies behind the Sirens brand are dedicated to creating elegant swimwear that makes all women look and feel stylish and seductive and is available in sizes 8-20 with bust sizes A-F+.  As you can see I had a lot of fun trying on all of these beautiful swimsuits and deciding which one to keep has not been an easy task - so thank goodness that Christmas is just around the corner! I will be writing about the swimsuit that I chose to keep in a future post, but for now I would love to know - which one is your favorite?

To order your own Sirens swimsuit be sure to use the code harlowdarling to receive free shipping off your order!

Bob Your Hair and Rouge Your Knees

If I could travel back in time to any decade, it would be the twenties. I would go to a hair dresser right away and get the marcel wave. I have given up all hope in finding a local hair dresser that knows how to do vintage styles, because if there was such a thing you would not find me sporting the same hairstyle every single post! So I am going to wait for time travel to become possible - which is more likely to happen than finding a hair dresser that won't give me a blank look when I ask for a marcel wave. Something I truly do not enjoy is experimenting with my hair. I find it so tedious and frustrating that I give up immediately - which is what happened with this attempt at a 20s look!

The second thing I would do once I arrived back in the 1920s would be to go shopping and buy a lifetimes supply of outfits. When I first discovered blogs, I read blogs about silent era stars and twenties and thirties fashion exclusively. I knew however, that none of those looks were accessible as true vintage from that era is extremely frail, and not to mention expensive. And so ever since, I have waited for someone to come along and start making reproduction 20s styles. Unfortunately most of the time 20s looks are made deliberately costumey to cater to the oh so trendy "Gatsby wedding/party" theme but every now and then I do find pieces that aren't cliche.

This particular dress is actually by Hell Bunny - who have delighted me with releasing some great 20s and 30s dresses this year which are a stark contrast to their usual fifties dresses that I also love. That said, I would love, love for twenties looks to become more popular so that I could wear them more often! Things have been very quiet on the blog in the last two weeks because we moved house and it has taken a fair while to get the internet set up. In that time I have been busy setting up our home and I am excited to finally be able to take blog photos indoors! The room in these photos is my study and it is currently a little bare, but I am looking forward to decorating it with more art deco pieces to go with this beautiful art deco vanity and gramophone (that works)!

A Perfect Day

Photo - Cassandra Sutton

It's hard for me to believe that already a week has passed since our wedding! At the time we were so busy putting everything together that it was a very full on time, but in the end everything came together even more beautifully than I could ever have hoped. It was a beautiful day spent together with our loved ones and everyone was so wonderful to pitch in. Our wedding was entirely DIY and I am shocked to say that we came through to the other side without a hitch - thanks to the help of everyone who was involved. It made me realize how insanely lucky we are to have so many amazing people in our lives who worked so hard to make everything happen and ensured that everything ran smoothly.It was exhausting, but it was absolutely worth it.

With all of the stress and adrenaline of everything involved with getting the wedding set up, after we came home we were both hit very hard with a particularly bad case of the flu, from which I am yet to recover, so we have decided to wait until next month to go on our honeymoon. I would like to say a huge thank you to all of you who have commented here on the blog, on instagram and messaged me with your well wishes and support, it makes me feel incredibly lucky to be part of this wonderfully kind online community. In the coming months I am looking forward to sharing our wedding photos and talking more about the DIY that was involved for our wedding and some of the ways that we managed to make our dream wedding happen while sticking to a budget.

Orange County

Now I am completely aware that blogging this particular Bernie Dexter dress in an orange orchard is nothing ground breaking, in fact, I think every blogger who owns this exact dress has already blogged it in an orange orchard! But what could compliment this dress better than an orchard bursting with sweet juicy oranges? This orchard was right outside my window this weekend where I spent a few days on a farm, and got married - but more on that in a future post. For now I am glad to be back home after an exhausting few days, before its time to get ready to move into our new house!

Dress - Bernie Dexter

Shoes - Novo

Six Beautiful Vintage Blogs to Follow

I stopped buying fashion magazines when I started reading blogs, and now every time I find a new blog to read I get extremely excited and begin to look forward to each post. Blogs will always be a major source of fashion inspiration to me as I am more interested in reading about real lives and wardrobes that are relevant and accessible to me. In the last few months I've been really enjoying following some of the newer vintage and retro blogs that have appeared on the scene, and blogs that have been around for a while that I have only just discovered.  I thought it would be fun to share these blogs with all of you in hope that you will enjoy them just as much as I do!

Gussets & Godets

London based blogger Christina from Gussets & Godets is a true English rose who loves attending flower shows and decadent high teas, all of which her readers are invited along to through her beautiful photos. Christina is an avid seamstress and her blog is full of the marvelous creations that are based from vintage patterns and will be sure to inspire those of you who sew or have a passion for vintage dresses.

Meghan MacWhirter

Canadian pinup bombshell Meghan's style icons include Jayne Mansfield and Diana Dors and she can rock a wiggle dress like nobody's business. Her blog, Meghan MacWhirter, is a fabulous compilation of immaculately styled vintage reproduction outfits and dreamy photography reminiscent of the aesthetic of Sofia Coppola and Wes Anderson.

The Vintage Anatomy

Croatian vintage beauty Josephina is a doctor and a fashion blogger, and has a style that is to die for and a wardrobe of vintage pieces that inspire equal envy. With the beautiful Croatian landscape as the setting for her blog photos, her blog, The Vintage Anatomy, is full of breath taking architecture, cobble stone streets and outfits reminiscent of the elegance and glamour of Lauren Bacall and Katharine Hepburn.

Gwenstella Made

Singapore based vintage blogger Gwenstella of Gwenstella Made is impressively creative when it comes to taking ordinary items of clothing and giving them new life as vintage inspired pieces. Her style flawlessly transitions back and forth between 60s mod to 50s pinup girl with a beautiful wardrobe to match, consisting of vintage and pieces created by Gwenstella herself!

The Homemade Pinup

As you might guess from the name, vintage blogger Lauren makes her own wardrobe by hand and does an amazing job creating vintage looks from authentic vintage pieces, vintage reproduction and garments that she makes herself. This lady is proof that you don't need a big wallet to put together a beautiful and authentic vintage look and is a great source of inspiration for ladies looking to create classy vintage looks on a budget.

Retrocat

German blogger Retrocat's vintage reproduction wardrobe is the stuff of dreams, and the amazing photography that accompanies the outfits makes her blog an absolute treat to read. Retrocat's style is a beautiful combination of adorable pinup looks and flawlessly accessorized outfits outfits inspired by old movies.

What got you into reading blogs?