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My internet connection has been super dodgy lately...everything's taking forever to load. I haven't been able to read many blogs because photos aren't appearing for me...sigh. I miss my bloggy goodness! Anyway here's what's been happening sartorially for my sister and I the last couple of amazingly warm days in Melbourne.


Dress, shoes and vest - Sportsgirl; sunnies - Dotti. Bad outfit choice - it was pretty windy and I walked around holding onto my skirt all day.


Dress - some surf shop; Top - Cotton On; Shoes - Converse

Yesterday Kat and I headed into the city to meet a friend (hi Jess if you're reading this) and score some bargains at the sales. I got a pretty awesome pair of purple faux snakeskin pumps from Myer for $17, and 2 check shirts from Jay Jays for $25...lucky I waited so long to get them. We also went into the magnificence which is the new Sportsgirl store on Bourke St. I can imagine injuring my already dying bank account there once I start working more hours, and had to tear myself away from a sparkly Minty Meets Munt miniskirt.

Shorts - Target; T-shirt - Billabong; Shoes - Big W

Kat likes to jump, even after eating lunch.

Shorts - Sportsgirl; T-shirt - Target; Shoes - Converse.

Today I took my grandmother to lunch in Springvale for enormous bowls of Vietnamese Pho so dressed down a bit...the AFL Grand Final's just started and apparently we're watching it. I feel like a country music star, especially in my Wranglers, which are lovely and soft and dangerously close to developing a hole in the crotch after three years of wear and tear....sob.

Jeans - Wrangler; Singlet - Cotton On; Shirt - Jay Jays; Sunnies - Target; Guitar (AKA my pride and joy) - Maton.

- Robyn

Today's outfit

Man today was SLOW at work. I spent my whole shift cleaning and reorganising stuff. My boss is back from his month or so in Europe (lucky guy) and says he will start giving me more shifts next week...one can only hope as I am flatter than flat broke at the moment and a Nine West has opened next door as is mocking me with its brightly coloured shoes and doodads. Kat and I went for coffee this afternoon to make the most of the absolutely beautiful weather and made fools of ourselves singing random songs there and back (half an hour each way).


Dress - Secondhand; Belt - Vintage; Jacket - Op Shop; Sunnies - Dotti.
I also wore my sportsgirl gladiator sandals and they are super comfy and didn't give me blisters so I'm happy :) I felt like I was going to go to a summer music festival in my outfit - the dress is just above knee length and very light thin cotton.


Kat suiting the colour scheme in a Cotton On top.

Nice weather the next couple of days here in Marvellous Melbourne - hopefully I can come up with some good outfits to match!

- Robyn

St Kilda Sun

Today Brendan and I decided to head into the city for lunch. We were going to take the train, then figured we could probably drive, but after 45 minutes of being stuck in jams and finding car parks which charged an arm and a leg (literally) decided to high tail it back to St Kilda away from the hordes of suits and high school kids on holiday. Hopefully I looked suitably indie, although St Kilda is so gentrified these days it hardly matters. We had pretty good Mexican food at Amigos and picked up some goodies for a friend's new flat at the homewares store. And it was much nicer than being in the city.


Grates T-shirt - from a gig; Cardigan - Jay Jays; Jacket - Big W; Jeans - Sportsgirl; Belt - Some market; Glasses - Dotti; Shoes - Converse.


I wanted to go to Luna Park but Brendan said no.


Brendan in his very restrained colour palette.

- Robyn

SUNday and a costume odyssey.

Yesterday was quite nice as far as Melbourne spring Sundays go. Mum and I were going to go to the Art Deco exhibition at the NGV but arrived a little late so decided instead to kick back with hot chocolate, coffee and a cheese platter at Walter's Wine Bar. Excellent hot chocolate (my mouth is watering just thinking about it), delicious cheeses, SLOWEST service ever. I had to chop my head out of the photo because it was weird looking (weirder than usual, I mean), but came outside for a photo for the first time - just to prove my house has an outside.


Dress - Supre; Cardigan - Jay Jays; Belt - Vintage; Scarf - Vintage; Shoes - Rubi.

I have also been inspired by the gorgeous Rachael of The Life Aesthetic, who posted some very cute photos of her as Alice from Alice in Wonderland, to post a couple of photos of various costumes I've worn over the past couple of years. I like to dress up, what can I say.


My birthday last year, a friend's house, alcohol, a gachupin suit. Recipe for awesome!


Chinese New Year's parade in the city this year. I got the papier mache goat, lucky me!


Every year our family goes away with a bunch of other families for an Easter weekend of fun, and the last night is always a costume party. This time the theme was loud - I went as a shiny space alien robot and my sister was some crazy ass Japanese girl.


At the first Split Enz gig in Auckland this year. Apparently heaps of people dressed up in full costume and makeup for the Wellington and Christchurch gigs, but in Auckland I was one of two people who made the effort. Funnily enough people were giving me weird looks all night. Blouse - Cotton On; Shorts - Roxy; Tights - Target; Shoes - Joto; Bag - Rip Curl; Glasses - Aotea Square Market (I smashed out the lenses).


Split Enz, 2nd gig - It would be remiss of me not to wear a different costume! Vintage dress of my mum's.

For anyone who's never heard of Split Enz, they were a seminal New Zealand band of the 70s and 80s. Tim and Neil Finn were both in it, and Neil went on to form Crowded House (the lineup of which included Tim at one point). They used to wear some crazy and wonderful theatrical costumes courtesy of percussionist Noel Crombie:

So I wasn't just dressing up for no reason!

- Robyn

Everything old is new again

On my recent jaunt to Ballarat, I picked up, along with that awesome denim jacket, a perhaps not quite so awesome skirt. On the hanger it looked fine, a dark blue floral print maxi skirt, so I ponied up $7 and thought no more about it until I got home and put it on. Turns out it's size 18 and as such has an enormous amount of unflattering hip accentuating fabric billowing out of the waist. I have absolutely no idea how to sew (except for perhaps the odd button) so was prepared to send it back to charity, then on a whim, hoicked it up over a shoulder, added a belt and voila:


Sandals - Sportsgirl; Belt - some market.

What was a hideously unflattering skirt is now (with the addition of one little crafty safety pin) a cute one shouldered dress. I'm waiting for some warm weather now.

Meanwhile yesterday my sister was taking advantage of her 50s curls, which with the assistance of half a can of hairspray survived the night:


Top - Cotton On; Cardgian - Target; Jeans - Sportsgirl; Shoes - Myer.

Unfortunately my sister and I are different sizes, which means we can't really share dresses. I stole her Stella dress to try on but could only make it work by cinching it at the back. Sigh. Curse my flat chestedness.

It works so well with my Hot Topic combat boots, yes?

Anyway last night I was meant to be working but it was terribly quiet at the restaurant (combination of footy finals and school holidays) so I got off at 8:30 and headed into the city for drinks. I probably could have used my cardigan but didn't want to have to lug it around in a bar. We went to this classy place on Lonsdale Street called Seamstress, all decorated with chinese silk garments and bolts of fabric and wooden tiles. There's a sister bar downstairs called Sweatshop, which we didn't visit, but imagined that the drinks would be served by big eyed skinny five year olds chained to the bar and cowering in the presence of their sinister middle aged boss. Or maybe not.


Skirt, T-shirt and Jacket - Jay Jays; Shoes - Rubi; Bag - vintage.

- Robyn

Yesterday's outfits

Sorry for not updating for a little while, I couldn't find my camera. And completely off topic, but the new iTunes is AWESOME. That Genius playlist thing - Genius! Anyway. My little sister Kat had a partay to go to last night where they decided to get all glammed up (I guess when you're underage this is meant to be fun) which for me meant an hour or so of hair and makeup to achieve the 50s glam look she wanted.


Dress - Stella; Shoes - Betts; Shoobits - a gift from the fabulous Fashion Hayley.

I had optimistically dressed for a warm day which turned into rather a cool evening. Oh and I had my hair cut on Thursday. I didn't really know what I wanted so I just told my hairdresser to go for it, and came out with a rather modish bob - I feel like I'm channeling Miss Karen :)

Dress - a market in Malaysia; Belt - Vintage; Jacket - Op Shop; Shoes - Rubi.

- Robyn

A party and the ballet.

On Sunday the lovely Fashion Hayley held a spring fashion week party at her amazingly decorated apartment. I was admittedly slightly nervous to be meeting such stylish bloggers but had a wonderful time talking about everything and eating delicious food that everyone brought, playing pin the pussy bow on the blouse (which was very funny!) and playing with Hayley's adorable dog Hachiko. Hayley was the perfect hostess so many thanks to her for hosting such a great event.


L-R: Super Kawaii Mama, Lady Melbourne, me, Fashion Hayley, Esme And The Laneway, Aus Style.

Phew! That was a lot of HTML. The dress code was our interpretation of spring trends, so I wore high waisted denim shorts belted with a red plaited leather belt and a floral blouse from Target, my trusty green Jay Jays cardigan and silver ballet flats (I forgot to take a proper outfit photo, sorry!).


Lady Melbourne and Hachiko


Hayley pinning the pussy bow on the blouse


Super Kawaii Mama, colour coordinated even when blindfolded!


Hayley's gorgeous little papillon Hachiko

Tonight we went to the ballet to see Manon, last one of the season...always a slightly melancholy affair. I'd been dying to wear this dress ever since I bought it for $20 at Target...like a year ago...so tonight was finally the night! Sadly I didn't get to wear it with ballet flats because of the abysmal weather (gale force arctic winds for anyone lucky enough to not be in Melbourne today) so I ended up looking like a Pirate Madam.


Dress - Gail Sorronda for Target; Boots - Basque; Necklace - Mum's.


Yay for spinny big skirts!

My sister continued the theme of spinny big skirts with a skirt I bought from modcloth.com a while ago and haven't managed to wear - it hits mid calf and is terribly unflattering on me. I have to get it shortened.

Skirt - Modcloth.com; Top - Cotton On; Jacket - Miss Shop.

Hmmm I just realied Kathryn is wearing all my clothes...

- Robyn

Spring has sprung!

Yesterday in Melbourne was amazing! It was 25 degrees with just the right temperature breeze, and sunny and completely perfect. And of course, I was stuck in the bloody restaurant covering for someone. sigh. At least it meant I had last night off (which is not a hugely common occurence) so me and the boy headed into the city for dinner, and found this tiny little Japanese place on Corrs lane where we stuffed ourselves (well not really) with gyoza, sushi and daifuku with ice cream. We met up with a friend and on such a mild night the best place to be was outside James Squire Brewhouse with pints (for the boys) and pots (for me) of some fine beer. Like...Golden Ale or something (I can't remember now). Thanks to my responsible boyfriend, I had Panadol and water before bed and woke up with only a bit of a hangover to come home and make brownies :)

Hope the rain stays away today!


Skirt - Jay Jays; Top - mum's; Jacket - Op Shop; Bag - Rip Curl; Necklace - Kookai; Shoes - Rubi.


Flinders Street Station, 12:03 am (we're old and like to get home early).

And Sushi modelling a new season scarf from Sportsgirl:

I think she pretty much has the blue steel look down pat.

- Robyn

This is for all those days that I don't update

Today was actually gorgeous weather, but terribly windy and I had to go pick up a bathroom mirror for my boyfriend from the glass shop (twice, because the first time I went they said it wasn't ready. GRR. You say it's ready for Friday, it should be ready for Friday. So I had to go back) and do housework and play guitar, so wore this:


Jeans - Sportsgirl; T-shirt - The Disney Store in NYC; Shoes - Converse. (I look grumpy because I'd just got back from the glass shop for the first time.)

So pretty much any day that I don't update, I'm wearing a version of this outfit. Give me some groupies and I'm all set :)

- Robyn

Like a Harpoon in my heart

I've been trying to find a video of last Thursday, but to no avail, so here is my solo acoustic version of what transpired at the Jebs gig. Try to imagine a full band, and to ignore that one bung chord in the bridge.



Also, below is (part of) the reason this blog is called Chain Store Whore and not Designer Label Diva. Being a musician is an expensive hobby. It's not even my guitar either, I borrowed it from my old high school, but I have three others, and one big mofo amp in the other room.



- Robyn

Primary Colours

My scales are currently broken (which is perhaps a good thing really), but I know it's a good day when I can fit into my favourite vintage item, this wonderful vintage skirt I picked up on Karangahape Road in Auckland. That street is seriously the best vintage shopping EVER and I regret that I didn't spend more time there. I think I got the skirt for 20NZD. It obviously doesn't have an elasticised waist, and I haven't been able to fit into it comfortably for a while (I could wear it, but I wouldn't be able to eat a meal without popping the buttons), but today I can, yay! I'm all primary today too. Also, I nicked another one of my mum's lipsticks, this time a really cheap Australis one with quite a nice red colour. Port Red by MAC is still my favourite, but this will help me make it last a bit longer...


Skirt - Vintage; Top - Jay Jays; Cardigan - Coo Ca Choo; Shoes - Rubi.
(yes, I bought more of the cheap Rubi ballet flats...I'll eventually get them all probably!)

- Robyn

bowling, ballarat and bargains

I went to Ballarat on Friday to watch my sister's high school band in a competition. They came third but because of scheduling issues we actually missed seeing them...lol a long way to drive to miss it! We went bowling though. I didn't actually intend to bowl and so was wearing perhaps slightly odd leg wear...I had my Nine West knee high brown suede boots over the socks, promise!



I also had Jess trying to psyche me out when bowling - note the one solitary pin left. I unsurprisingly missed.


Still, justice and my mad bowling skillz prevailed, and I ended up with the winning score (Kevin=me - Jess is also a huge Jebs fan and decided to name me after Mr Mitchell).


And to prove our responsibility, a self portrait at 110 km/h!


So Ballarat wasn't a complete wash-out. Especially because I found this lovely jacket in the st Vinnie's for $5!



Dress - Don't Ask Amanda; Jacket - op shop; Belt - vintage; Sunglasses - Target.

I've decided I'm rocking the 90s look this spring.

- Robyn

Photos from Thursday night

Hmm. I forgot to upload photos yesterday, when we went to Ballarat, and now I'm in bed on my mac and my legs are killin me from work so they'll just have to wait. I do however have a couple of photos from Thursday's gig - just to prove it really did happen and that I'm not (completely) insane. I didn't bring my own camera (typical, the one time I don't bother bringing it!) so only had my phone, and hence have one photo.


Ness, most awesome bassist ever :D

the next couple were taken by my friend Steve on his phone (thanks Steve, although I know you won't read this!):


I think Kevin is laughing at my singing.



I was also extremely lucky to be standing next to Phoebe Hodgson, who runs Jebediah's Myspace and who took the following excellent photos:

Some tasty harmonising on the last lines (well, I hope it was tasty. I couldn't actually hear myself). Also, Kevin is much taller than I expected. His mic was above my head height, and Vanessa had to come over and say 'put your mic down a bit, she's short!' I was on the balls of my feet anyway...I'm not even that short...am I? *sigh*

- Robyn

ARGHGHRHAHGHRGHEARGHRHAGH!!!!

(please excuse the language in this post. I'm incredibly excited right now, for reasons which will become clear).

OH MY FUCKING GOD!!!!!!!!

Um. So. I can't remember if I mentioned it, but tonight I went to see Jebediah, who were my first ever real favourite band. Their second album Of Someday Shambles was the first CD I ever bought. I was also completely inspired by Vanessa, their bassist, who wasn't trendy or anything like the girls at my school, and yet completely cool because she didn't care what other people thought (I was something of an outsider at school - mainly through dorkiness and geekiness). In year 11 I used my formal dress money to buy a bass guitar and amp (and spent $20 on my formal dress in an op shop) then proceeded to learn as many Jebediah bass lines as possible. I only got to see them once, at Big Day Out 2003, so tonight was the first time I got to see them play a full gig, and OMG. They are SO GOOD live! SO GOOD!!!! HEAPS GOOD!!!!!!!

I was already in died and gone to heaven mode with a big dorky grin on my face, midway through the set, when Kevin (singer/guitarist) said 'we're going to play a really old one now...and if you think you can sing one of our songs from 1997 without knowing what it is, put your hand up.' I was right in front of the stage and unthinkingly put my hand up, thinking he'd pick someone else, and then he looked at me and said 'Get up on stage!' and suddenly I found myself climbing up on stage...and looking out and just seeing a sea of faces (600 is apparently the capacity and tonight was sold out). Kevin said 'we're doing Harpoon' and introduced me to the biggest load of people I have ever had to face EVER while I quietly shat myself. It was like karaoke gone completely and utterly mad. Ever since I was 13 I'd harboured dreams of playing bass with Jebediah (and marrying Chris, the guitarist, which I'm still working on) and suddenly I was standing next to Kevin as he started playing Harpoon...can anyone say 'holy shit holy shit when will I wake up'?

Anyway. I completely forgot the words to the second verse and was staring desperately at a girl in the crowd trying to read her lips, but apparently everyone was yelling 'go Robyn!' etc which I couldn't hear because I was too busy having a panic attack whilst surrounded by Jebediah. I actually kinda enjoyed myself from the bridge onwards - I mean holy SHIT! I'm singing with JEBEDIAH!!!!! And Kevin was grinning at me and making guitar rock god poses at me and Vanessa was smiling away and apparently I sang in tune and Kevin and I did the two people singing in one mic thing and then it ended and Vanessa, my all time hero and saviour of my teenage years gave me a beer and I got off stage and collapsed in a puddle of panicked goo. It was a seriously cool experience, although the rest of the set I was trying hard not to pass out (my body does not react well to extreme stress and anxiety).

And the best bit was calling my little sister afterwards. I had called her earlier for Leaving Home and my exact words were 'I was going to call you for Harpoon but I couldn't because I was FUCKING ON STAGE SINGING IT WITH THEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!'

So yeah. Now I have to calm down because I'm up at 8 tomorrow, but my outfit:


Jeans - Sportsgirl; T-shirt - Bonds; Jacket - Jay Jays; Scarf - Vintage; Shoes - Big W.

Sorry for the long, long, long post. I hope you understand.

- Robyn

The glittery, glam life of a 'musician'

Really quick one, as I feel like I haven't slept for days and I'm working tomorrow. The Sisters of Sass played Dizzy's tonight, I think we played better tonight than last time, although I'm still yet to solo. Connie is sadly ill so we had a replacement singer, and I also didn't get my agent 99 dress, so wore this one instead...and had to be very careful to not bend over or make any sudden movements, lest I flash my gusset.


dress - vintage; shoes - witchery.

Might I also add those shoes still haven't stretched much and my left foot feels like the toe is about to fall off...friggin ow...anyway I'm crawling to bed, night all.

- Robyn

two sides to every story

Hope y'all had a good weekend...melbournians how bad has the weather been!? Spring my arse, today was wet and horrible. My wife Georgie had her 24th on the weekend and I wore an optimistically warm outfit:


T-shirt - Bonds; Skirt - My sister's; Necklace - also my sister's; Shoes - Rubi.

I ended up adding a cardigan, scarf and leather jacket for the cold, and some lazy rock and roll 'yes I've been dragged through a bush backwards, what are you going to do about it' makeup to match my hair of the same name:


I borrowed Georgie's MAC eyeshadow in Black Tied for this and just packed it on, too easy. Fluffy eyelashes courtesy of mum's Diorshow Waterproof mascara (I do my makeup in the same bathroom as her and haven't bought mascara for three years now), Stila lipstick in Kelly. I also swear by my Shiseido makeup stick in control colour (which is a very pale green) to take down the red in my cheeks and even out skin tone - I don't wear blush or foundation (mainly because my foundation which I bought two months ago is already too dark).

Tonight we went to the ballet to see Interplay, three new contemporary works, so I had to be a little more...shall we say...presentable. I think I channeled my inner geek/librarian here, all I needed were some glasses. The cardigan was a find from my mum's wardrobe cleanout - it's all wool and lovely and warm, and she stopped wearing it after shrinking it in the wash.


Cardigan - Laura Ashley; Skirt - Esprit; Silk Scarf - Mum's.

I was wearing those silver ballet flats again but it was wet outside and I didn't wear them in. When exactly does spring start again?

- Robyn