T’was The Night Before Restyle…

Oh my goodness Restyle starts tomorrow! If you still have no idea what I’m rabbiting on about then check out my Restyle explanation post or the Telstra Perth Fashion Festival website. 

Over the next four weeks I’ll be posting an outfit every day (yeh that’s 31 looks, I’m exhausted!) so make sure you swing by regularly to see what I’m wearing. Don’t forget to check out the other Restyle bloggers as well (their website links are in the side panel on the right). The seven blogs involved with Restyle 2014 are all SO different. We all have varied styles, passions, interests and strengths, it will be really interesting and inspiring to see how the other girls interpret each of the prompts.  

The next four weeks are going to be a bit different to my normal blogging style. Usually, when I publish an outfit post, I’ve taken the pictures and worn the outfit that day or the day before, but due to the nature of Restyle and the frequency of posts I’ve had to pre-shoot each of the outfits well before they are actually published on In The Dress Up Box. I promise you that every outfit I’m sharing for Restyle is something I’d actually wear in real life. I’ve already worn a lot of my Restyle outfits, and I plan to wear the rest of them very soon. Meeting all of the Restyle prompts while staying true to my own style has definitely been a huge challenge (it was harder than I anticipated!) but it’s been such a fun process and I can’t wait to start sharing everything with you tomorrow.

Another difference you might notice is that I have given my camera remote a rest and called on my clever photographer friends to shoot my Restyle looks. I'll credit the photographer and the end of each post, so make sure you keep an eye out for it!

The very first prompt is Glitter, which is jumping straight in the deep end for me because although I do love my sparkles, I don’t wear much glitter in my everyday life. So check back in tomorrow and see how I’ve managed to make prompt number one work for me!

Jeans: Tory Burch

Jumper: Op Shop

Hat: Op Shop

Jacket: Garage Sale

Boots: Report

Earrings: Collette

P.S don’t forget to follow me on Instagram (@inthedressupbox) and share your own outfits using #Restyle2014

Work Wear Quest

I’m still on my quest to build a better work wardrobe. I seem to be wearing lots of separates to the office, so more fantastic jackets are definitely needed (maybe… how many jackets does a girl need again?). Luckily for me there is a Vinnies that’s only a 5 minute drive from my work, which means I can easily fit in a sneaky lunch time op shop. During said lunch time op shop last week I found this magnificent vintage Rena Lange jacket. IT. IS. AMAZING.

I swear they don’t make clothes like this anymore, well at least not clothing I could ever afford to buy new. The fit of this jacket is impeccable and it’s lined with silk! SILK! I googled the brand and found that they are a German company that started as a lingerie design house in the 1920s and now their current season clothing sells for around $1000! So for $7, this jacket was a seriously good find!

I’ve been feeling very run down lately so I wore this outfit to work today and received many a compliment, suddenly I’m not so exhausted! Hooray for $7 jackets!

Jacket: Op Shop

Skirt: Op Shop

Flower Pin: Diva

Shoes: London Rebel

(definitely should have ironed this jacket properly before posing for photos and wearing it to work... oops!)

Behind the Scenes: Restyle Photoshoot

Restyle is so close! It all kicks off next Friday with prompt number one: Glitter and I am SO excited to share my awesome op shopped outfits with you! I thought I had all of my looks sorted, but after doing a few photo shoots over the weekend I have now decided I’m not happy with a couple of the items, so it’s back to the Red Cross I go. Lace and Cropped are the two prompts giving me grief so fingers crossed I find something good! Are you going to join in the Restyle fun and hit the op shops?

This is me looking totally glamorous at the official Restyle photoshoot a few weeks ago. I definitely didn’t roll out of bed looking like this! There was a brilliant hair and make up team who brushed, curled, sprayed, painted and coiffed me in to perfection. Candice Faranda from Hairloom for L’Oreal Professionnel did my hair in the most amazing 1950’s curl. I’ve tried to replicate it myself at home but have had little luck, I think it’s something probably best left to the pros (that’s Candice and I below with fellow my Restyle blogger Amy!).

Simone from Simone Cohen Artistry did my make up. I asked her to do my everyday make up (winged eyeliner and killer brows) and boy did she nail it! I love a lady who isn’t afraid of a bold eye brow and a bright lip! Simone also runs make up workshops and I think I’ll have to attend one. My makeup skills are pretty average and it would be nice to look a little more groomed in my outfit photos. 

Below are some more behind the scenes pictures from our photoshoot. It was SUCH a fun day, I wish I had a professional hair and make up team for all of my blog photos! 

 Jenelle working it for the camera

 

Vicky looking gorgeous

 

Me being totally awkward 

Dress: Vintage (from MoMos)

Belt: Op shop

Shoes: Wittner

Brooches: Assorted op shop, vintage and new (super stylist Claire Mueller made this amazing brooch cluster on my dress, I’m SO in love with this idea!) 

Blog Makeover

Just a quick post today to mention a few changes you may have noticed around the blog. My lovely friend and talented graphic designer, Elle from Elbo Graphics, did me a massive favour and gave In The Dress Up Box a design overhaul, I’m so happy with it! Change is always good and with Restyle kicking off in less than two weeks I thought it was time for a new look. Elle even designed me some gorgeous business cards, so when I’m wining and dining I can look totally profesh when I whip out my custom ‘In The Dress Up Box’ cards! Now I just need someone to give them to…

This is my regular blogging situation in case you were interested. I wish I had a dedicated space to set up a desk and my laptop, I’d scatter it with random flowers (?!), have a green smoothie and eat macarons so I could take an insta-worthy pic… in reality I usually set up on the dining table surrounded by unopened mail, empty wine glasses and half-drunk cups of tea, not quite as glamorous as I’d like!   

Jumper: Op Shop

Jeans: Cotton On

Beanie: Sportsgirl*

Shoes: Converse

*my house is so freezing at the moment that wearing a beanie inside is totally warranted

Happy Birthday!

In The Dress Up Box is turning one today! Hooray!! This momentous occasion snuck up on my quite suddenly actually, it was just lucky I was scanning through my archives the other day and realised my very first post was published on July 20th 2013. Gosh how quickly a year zips by!

I was SO nervous to start writing this blog, terrified of putting myself out there and opening myself up to criticism and judgement. But I've been so pleasantly surprised to find that I haven't experienced any nastiness since first clicking publish 12 months ago. All I've encountered were nice words, compliments, encouragement and lots of support. The blogging world is full of so many awesome, inspiring, talented, creative people, I'm just so happy to be a part of it and to be putting a little bit of 'me' out there for all to see.

I love writing this little blog and sharing my op shopping adventures, I'm thrilled for the opportunities it has provided so far and am excited for what the next 12 months will hold. To celebrate this exciting day I thought I'd do what I do best... pose in front of my tripod and try to hide my camera remote.

 

Thanks for all those who have been following along from the beginning, and if you didn't manage to tune in to my first post, check it out here, I've come a long way I think! 

Jeans: Dolce & Gabbana, Op Shop

T-Shirt: Op Shop

Belt: Op Shop

Bangles: Op Shop

Shoes: Bally, Op Shop

A Few Restyle Hints

It's two weeks until Restyle officially kicks off (woohoo!) so I thought I’d give you a few style prompt hints to help you on your way... Double Denim is out of my comfort zone, Neutrals is just plain uninspiring and Collar is right up my alley, here’s how I plan to tackle them…

Double Denim

A double denim outfit needs to look effortless, it’s all about easy ‘oh I just threw this on’ glamour. I love the idea of a denim dress with a denim shirt tied around the waist or slung over the shoulders. The most important thing to remember is to incorporate different shades of denim into your outfit unless you are going for the Canadian tuxedo look (no judgement)  

 

Neutrals

Neutral doesn’t have to mean boring! I’ll be channelling Meryl Streep, Katherine Hepburn and Lauren Bacall for this prompt. Lots of layers, slight varying tones of cream, camel and stone and a fabulous hat to top it off.

 

 

Collar

 

  A collar can be worn in a million different ways, but my go-to look is inspired by my ultimate style icon… Cher Horowitz of course! A cute collared shirt layered with a light-weight sweater and a flippy mini skirt? Preppy perfection! 

So those are my hot tips, good luck op shopping, just remember to challenge yourself to try different styles! Restyle is all about fun, so don't forget to do that too!

 P.S none of the images in this post are mine, so please click the on the image if you want to view the originals.

  

Leather Jacket Love Affair

I’ve been longing for a black leather biker jacket for a looooong time but have never been able to bring myself to spend the money on a good one. Nice leather jackets are notoriously difficult to find in op shops (well at least for me!) so I knew if I wanted a good one I’d eventually have to bite the bullet and shell out some decent cash.

Luckily for me the stars aligned and I found this beautiful jacket on super-sale (70% off!) at Witner (yes they sell more than shoes!) AND to top it off I had a gift voucher to use, so I only ended up spending $30 of my own money. I’m so in love with it! This is exactly the type of outfit I always wanted to wear a leather jacket with… floral print, bright colours, conservative style, the addition of my fabulous jacket gives the whole look some ‘I just threw this on’ edge. (I definitely DID NOT just throw this outfit on, it took planning people!)

My light denim jacket is usually in very high rotation over winter, but I think this soft leather beauty may be taking the top spot for a while, I seriously want to wear it every day for ever and ever!

Jacket: Zoe Witner

Top: Op Shop

Skirt: Op Shop

Shoes: Kenneth Cole

Earrings: Random shop in Bali