Dressing in cold weather sucks

Hey guys, sorry for the non-posting, but how cold has it been in Melbourne lately!?!?!? I've been snuggling down in jeans, hoodies, converse and duffel coats. Last night I made an effort though, because we went out for drinks. Having a perm has made it impossible to blow dry my hair after washing so I had it up in a very messy bun sorta thing. And I think the coat is the only not-seen-before item in this picture (I bought it last year but don't wear it much)...I need to mix it up a bit!


Boots - Nine West; Dress - Target; Scarf - Myer; Trench Coat - EDC by Esprit

Keep warm guys!

- Robyn

Kind of blue+yay for cheap shoes!

So, I've kind of been having a crappy week. Job satisfaction is at an all time low and I canNOT get a retail job. Someone bloody employ me already! I've seen some of these girls that call themselves SAs, I can tell you I'm a damn sight more presentable, eloquent and knowledgable than some I've seen, but of course having no retail experience immediately makes me a heathen in the eyes of the head office. Grr. Anyway. I was in Myer today and found cheap cute shoes ($19.50!) so that kind of improved my mood.


Shoes - Myer; Skirt - Esprit; T-shirt - Love Police (it's a Muse band shirt); Scarf - vintage; Coat - Bauhaus.

Oh and I recently (re)discovered the joys of the children's clothing section. Because I've quite flat chested I can fit into the larger children's sizes, which means cute pieces (like the cardigan below) at lower prices than in the women's section.


As above, with Cardigan - Target.

I probably won't update before Monday, so hope your weekends are all better than mine.

- Robyn

Channeling cartoon characters+crazyass weather+suburban artiness

So I FINALLY found a black pencil skirt that fit in Supre of all places (I've been looking for one for quite a while). It's not high waisted but I'll live! I have a much smaller top than bottom (in case ya hadn't realised!) - I'm a size 8 top and size 10-12 bottom *sigh*. My measurements are actually 32-25.5-38.5 which is just a mess. Most high waisted things don't fit both my hips and waist, and I can forget about most rigid shift dresses (size 8s won't fit my huge arse, size 10s swim on my non existent chest). That's my rant for the day.

On Sunday I went down to Malvern RSL to see Connie Lansberg do her thang with some awesome jazz musos, then in the evening went with my mum to see Clare Bowditch, who was completely enchanting. She had Guy Blackman and Hot Little Hands supporting. Guy Blackman were like the Whitlams only not as good, but I really dug Hot Little Hands, despite the strangeness, and got their album afterwards. It's very very good. When I came downstairs after getting changed Kat said 'dude you look like Daria'. I should've worn my geek glasses and a hoodie.


Oooh, I look grumpy! Twas late and I was tired. Boots - Hot Topic; Skirt - Supre; L/S Top - Dotti; T-shirt - from the Grates gig; Cardigan - Jay Jays; Scarf - Myer.

Then today, OMG wtf was with Melbourne's weather!? It was like summer in July...crazy. I wore my new floral floor sweeping dress to hike up to the bank to put my pay in and felt like Elizabeth Bennet waiting for Mr Darcy to sweep me off my feet (well, Colin Firth was in Melbourne over the weekend but he never called, the sod).


Dress - General Pants Co (can't remember the brand, cbf checking); Blouse - vintage; Vest - Sportsgirl; Sunglasses - Dotti; Shoes - Target
OK, so maybe Elizabeth Bennet wouldn't have worn Dunlop Volleys. But I bet she would given half a chance.

I also took some arty photos surprisingly enough with my phone on the way there, so excuse the self indulgence.



- Robyn

Back In Black and the Grates Surprise Party

Tonight my wife George and I went to see The Grates, one of our favouritist bands ever. We couldn't believe it had been so long since we saw them live (the last time we saw them was October 2006. That gig was recorded and released on DVD. You can see us in it - Patience called me a motherf***er). They were holding a 'surprise party' to celebrate the release of their latest single Burn Bridges from the upcoming album Teeth Lost, Hearts Won (god I sound like an advert right now). It was at Ormond Hall, next to the Belgian Beer Garden on St Kilda road, a pretty nice venue. They as usual put on an AWESOME live performance, marred for us only by the two absolute dickheads in bad costumes 'dancing' around and injuring other people. Me, George and two other girls ended up trying to pummel the living daylights out of them in frustration. But I digress.


George looked smokin hot, although godDAMN was it cold (and windy, as you can see!). I love love love her fuschia tights paired with the black dress and jacket and the bright purple scarf. Perfection would be to add a little splash of bright yellow somewhere. She's also a thrifty girl - her jacket is A|X (she used to work there) but the scarf is Cotton On and the dress is Supre.


Patience started out the gig wearing a fuschia sash around her dress but discarded it after a couple of songs. She asked us to form a hole in the crowd so she could come down among us to sing Rock Boys...it was amazing. She's also given me an unhealthy desire to get an American apparel lame bikini top. I'm hoping that desire will no longer haunt me when I wake up tomorrow morning.


And what would be a surprise party without little party bags? We got heart shaped lollipops and the cutest badges.


So finally, what I wore: Shoes - Joto; Socks - Target; Leggings - Target; Dress (worn as skirt) - Supre; Top - mum's; Belt - Target; Scarf - Myer. All (well mostly) black - I also had on the Jay Jays black leather jacket and my black gloves (as well as the geek glasses) but left them downstairs when I took photos. I ADORED the big scarves Country Road had for winter...but at $120 they were way out of my price range. I got this one on sale in Myer for about $20.


And yes, my turnout is shocking, my point is shameful, my arms are all over the place, my posture sucks and my shoulders are probably too high...but I haven't done ballet for 8 or 9 years now. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it!

- Robyn

I would just like to point out

That exactly one year ago today I was at the Corner Hotel in Richmond, watching Crowded House who are my most absolute favourite band in ever. I was brought up listening to Crowdies but they broke up when I was 10 and I figured that I'd never get to see them live. My fantasy, never-gonna-happen gig was always to see them play the Corner Hotel which is a great intimate live venue. Then last year they reformed and blah blah blah, they announced a fan club show at the Corner. First of all I nearly died because the announcement came on email while I was procrastinating going to bed, and I wouldn't have got the email in time otherwise. Talk about lucky. So yeah, this time last year I was living my dream gig. Good times!


This is how close I was! It doesn't get much better than that.


I should add, both those guitars are Gretsches. I own one like the black one, but it's silver (and a much less expensive model!). I don't play it much though because it's way, way, way too heavy and cumbersome, and the strings need changing which are a biatch to do on that sort of guitar (it has a bigsby, which is a spring loaded tremolo arm) and the wiring's gone funny and I'm too lazy to go get it fixed.


This is my died and gone to heaven moment though...I met Mark Hart, the guitarist/keyboardist for Crowded House. He is like my ultimate musician hero because he's AWESOME at guitar and keyboard and piano and melodica and lap steel and singing and pretty much everything. Plus he's the nicest guy ever.

Oh, and please excuse the hoodie and backpack. I'd been in Sydney for Live Earth, then flown back down that morning and gone straight to the Corner at about 12:30 pm to wait all day for a good position (me, obsessed? Never!). I compromised by wearing my Chanel red lipstick...shame it didn't suit me!

So yeah...no interesting outfit today because I was working, although funnily enough my friend Pat, who I had met at this gig and hadn't seen since the beginning of the year, dropped in to say hi, so that was cool. He's a pilot and is working one month on, one month off. Bastard. Tomorrow I'm going to the Grates Melbourne Surprise Party so expect a very costumey outfit (ooh I should post my Split Enz costume photos...they were very strange!).

- Robyn

Job hunting in cold weather

Just as well I was job hunting in a shopping centre today (Chadstone to be specific) - it was bloody freezing!!! I've got my fingers crossed that I get the position I was after, and if you would like to cross your fingers too I'd be most grateful. I don't really know what exactly I was going for, kind of vintage glam girly grungy whatever style today.


Shoes - Joto; Dress - some random cheap shop on Chapel St (the Windsor end!); Top - old thermal of my mum's; Scarf - mum's; Jacket - Jay Jays; Clip - Mimco


This is without the jacket...it's actually a very girly palette for me really.


My lovely new Mimco hairclip - I got it on ale for $20! I think it will match my big band dress well.


And another lovely Diva ring.

- Robyn

Geek glasses=genius

Sorry for not posting for a bit...I've been busy doing things etc. Plus it's bloody freezing. Anyway I ordered some geek glasses over the internet and they came last week:



I look like Nana Mouskouri don't I...


Skirt - Jay Jays; T-shirt - Threadless.com; Vest - Sportsgirl; Cardigan - Jay Jays; Jacket - Big W; Scarf - Rubi; Boots - Target; Glasses - scarletribbons.co.uk

And lastly, some friends came over for lunch last week, including young Ethan with the cutest winter hat EVER:


Cuuuuuuute!!!!

- Robyn

Yay for Jay Jays!

So I was in Southland doing my banking on Monday and walked past Jay Jays, and saw that they had a copy of the much-lusted-after Luella ruffle miniskirt, for $29. Made me very very happy. Then yesterday I was rifling through the sale racks at Sportsgirl and chanced upon this denim vest for $20.



Top - Sportsgirl; Vest - Sportsgirl; Skirt - Jay Jays; Leggings - Target; Slippers - Kmart :P

I've also got straight hair at the moment...here is a better photo because I looked slightly crazed in the first one.



I will have to put up better photos of my new uber cute bow clips, which I got from the Bendigo art gallery on Saturday, when we went up to see the Archibald exhibition.

- Robyn

Bling bling

I was just doing a bit of shopping yesterday...went to Allans in the city (Tuesdays seem to be new gear days for me!) to buy guitar strings and a new tuner (I stupidly left mine at the high school. $45 down the tube. le sigh.) and to lust after guitars. I played a REEEEEAAAAALLY nice Epiphone Casino. It was even, dare I say, nicer to play than the Gretsch Electromatic 5120. Won't be buying any new guitars soon though...I have to first get a tuning pedal, a volume pedal and a proper gigging amp (Fender Blues Junior here I come!).

So anyway I was walking past Cotton On and decided to go in as I know they sell cheap and cheerful shoes now, and they had a table full of EXACT COPIES of the Dior gladiator sandals SJP was wearing in the SATC movie. I know what I'm getting next pay. Super duper high so I'm going to have to practice walking in them, but SO NICE!!! (What is with me and Caps Lock today...)

But yes, was shopping, and popped into Diva. I bought a cute 'silver' ring with sparkly sparkly crystals so I have something fun to wear when I'm playing guitar, then was queuing up at the register when I saw...the Lego ring!!! I immediately grabbed one. I remember seeing it on the net aaaaages ago but it was a sterling silver and diamond version and cost a pretty penny. Yay for cheap jewellery shops ripping off nice jewellery and selling it to me for $10 a piece :)




- Robyn

PS I'm going to Karaoke on Friday night....yay for not working Friday nights anymore! Any suggestions on what to wear?

Ballet tonight, tights and peeptoes

We went to the ballet tonight (it's weird, we have like months without the ballet then they go and put them all on at once). I think I changed three times before settling on this. I forgot this dress was around, which is weird because when I do remember it I wear it all the time.


Dress - Forever New; Cardigan - had since I was 8; Belt - vintage; Jacket - Big W (thanks, fashionfake!); Tights - Witchery; Shoes - Nina.

I would have preferred to wear chunky leather gladiator style heels but I own like five pairs...these were my year 12 formal heels. I don't wear them often at all, but am trying to get used to it, since I now have to gig in them

Video from Friday night

Our very first song of our very first gig, Fascinating Rhythm. Shame I was too busy trying not to throw up to enjoy myself (I have performance anxiety issues).


- Robyn

PS we have a myspace page too.

All that Jazz

So last night was the first gig for Connie Lansberg and the Sisters of Sass. Oakleigh Junction Hotel Sportsbar, perhaps not the most illustrious of venues, but it was packed with family, friends and random dudes coming in for a drink and being hypnotised by the sight of an all-girl, all-glamorous, all-sequinned big band rocking (swinging?) the house. My faithful guitar now has a curved scratch marking the path of my sequinned sleeve as I strummed away so I'm deciding whether to buff it out every time I play or just let it get a bit trashed. I ended up in a vintage American sequinned dress which Connie received yesterday (she collects vintage American beaded tops and dresses). Apparently I look like Agent 99, judge for yourselves as I don't watch Get Smart.



Dress - vintage; Boots - Sandler; Belt - vintage.

- Robyn

Go wildcats!

I had my first performance in front of an audience (not counting drunken karaoke appearances) since I left school tonight...and ironically, it was at school. My little sister and mum went to see Michael Buble so because I am such an awesome sister I played bass for her in her school bands. Unsurprisingly I was quite nervous, and I did drop a couple of clangers here and there but it was great to get back up onstage, especially because I'm playing tomorrow night with my other big band, the one I'm actually getting paid for. If you're in Melbourne and up for a bit of jazz, come down to the Oakleigh Junction Hotel tomorrow night at 8 to see Connie Lansberg and the Sisters of Sass. It's $10 entry and we'll be playing some awesome jazz.

Anyway onto the clothes...yay for not being a student anymore! It means I didn't have to wear the simply horrible performance uniform (I seriously did not think a skirt could be that unflattering till I owned one). I have realised however that I am seriously lacking in black shirts (apart from my work ones, which all smell faintly of chip fat despite repeated washing and so are not good for wearing anywhere other than work). I wore the bowler hat to and from because it was intended for the drummer of the big band to wear, but because I was carrying two guitars and had no hands free, I ended up wearing it myself.


Blouse - Black Friday (from Dangerfield); Singlet underneath - Supre; Jeans - Sportsgirl; Shoes - Sandler (from Myer)


As before, with Cardigan - Jay Jays; Jacket - Jay Jays; Hat - Mimco

- Robyn

Liam photos

I'm sorry about the lack of photos the past couple of days...I haven't been wearing anything of interest (skinny jeans, the jacket already pictured, converse) because of the cold weather and my increasingly untidy wardrobe making it impossible to find what I want. After my last exam on Monday it's time for a serious overhaul.

Anyway Liam was amazing as he always is, and this time there were so so many people at the gig! Last time we saw him last year at the Northcote Social Club there weren't that many, but I guess with all the publicity and stuff the public are catching on to his genius. Well my friends and I were at his first ever solo gig in Melbourne last year so we can say we were there first...lol...we're wankers.



He had the lovely EJ Barnes on backup vocal/percussion/autoharp duties as he has done for a while. She's very funny and they bounced off each other well. She was having problems with her vocal looping pedal leading her to scream 'FUUUUCK!' a lot into her mic (and she can really scream) and was taunting Liam about his (lack of) height. Liam smashed his guitar into the ceiling upon taking it off for the first time, and it wouldn't stay in tune after. EJ asked if he had to stretch far to reach the ceiling.


- Robyn

Introducing le chat

This is my little sister Kathryn. She's 16 and has a much, much better sense of style than I did at that age...at her age I was trying to be a punk.


Singlet - Cotton On; Cardigan - that random one I stole yesterday; Skirt - Volcom; Shoes - Emily the Strange.

I'm seeing Liam Finn tonight...very very cool musician (and yes, the son of Neil Finn of Crowded House fame, my absolute most favourite band ever). Liam does crazy one-man-band guitar loops and drums and is a talented bugger. Check out his music here.



Coat - Sportsgirl; Scarf - Cotton On; Dress - Target; Boots - Nine West.

And finally, thanks to my myspace-obsessed immature sister:



- Robyn

Yay for hats!

I felt like wearing my Mimco bowler today. I feel like I need to get some value out of it...I bought it a few months ago in a moment of insanity when I was working heaps and hence (relatively) flush with cash, and this is why I need a more regular work schedule. I'm hardly working the next couple of weeks because of birthdays and gigs (one I'm watching, two I'm playing) so I'm really flat broke at the moment...argh. That hat could have gone towards my physio bills or a guitar pedal...oh well.



Hat - Mimco; Blouse - Quirky Circus; Dress - Bras N Things (It was a nightie I bought on sale for $10. Score!); Cardigan - stolen from my sister; Shoes - Sandler; Bag - my mum's.



I look better overexposed.

Oh and I only had five hours of sleep last night, hence the zombie face. I had to be up early for rehearsal and was kept up reading James Morrison's (the trumpeter, not the singer-songwriter) autobiography, Blowing My Own Trumpet. Seriously the funniest book EVAR.

- Robyn

The colour of your guitar DOES matter.

I've been playing guitar for about two years now, and I've been helping out my old high school with some guitar related matters over the past couple of months (my little sister Kathryn plays bass in the Stage Band, so I do have a legitimate link still!). Last week they gave me this old Yamaha to restring, which I finally got around to yesterday and I noticed that it matched my outfit pretty much perfectly. I think I need a canary yellow pleather waist belt, don't you? (and yes, I'm lazy and couldn't be bothered putting a strap on the guitar...besides I didn't have one which matched my outfit!).

Sex and the suburbs

I am very bad at the first post thing...but wanted to start a fashion blog having been inspired by a lot that I've read. So, first outfits first, right?

Last night Brendan (my boyfriend) and I saw the Sex and the City movie. It was kind of long but the clothes and accessories were pretty amazing. I love the studded belt Carrie wore with a lot of her outfits, and the blue dress with the long sleeves and the big gold chain-link necklace.



Dress, tights and boots - Target, Cardigan - Jay Jays, Scarf - Cotton On
(hey, the blog *is* called Chain Store Whore for a reason!)

Oh and the very cool wallpaper behind me is courtesy of Brendan's stylin little apartment. I'm jammed between the table and pantry in his kitchen.

Hopefully by the time most of you read this I will have links for my favourite blogs somewhere on the page.

-Robyn