The Dress - Winter Greys

Cropped Cardigan: Old Navy

With the sudden cold flashback of winter that Wellington has been having, I'm beginning to think those summery days were a dream. Luckily I hadn't quite put away my winter tights yet.

Skirt: Portmans

This skirt was another impulse buy with added international funding from Luke. It is a great skirt for the Wellington weather, as there is no way the wind is going to mess with it! However, I will also never win a hurdles race or be able to take the stairs two at a time. 

Shoes: Overland

Overland quickly became one of my favourite shoe shops in Wellington. Every time I go in there I find a pair to drool over. I went ga-ga for these when I first spotted them, and my lovely husband took note of the hearts in my eyes and presented me with them for my birthday this year. He even managed to trick me into trying them on, after I had convinced myself that they were way out of our budget. They are really the perfect winter shoe. I can happily walk around town with the 1.5 inch sturdy heel, and I've even worn them swing dancing a few times. 

Sweater Guard: Virgo's Vintage

What is that, I hear some of you ask? That, my dear friends, is a cardigan guard, and I probably would have been asking the same thing if it weren't that Lilli from Frocks and Frou Frou wore one, and I fell head over heels in love with the idea. Sweater guards originated in the 1950s when apparently women had a terrible time getting their cardigans to stay on their shoulders in a "devil-may-care" way. Perhaps they all lived in a place as windy as Wellington, I don't know. Anyway, so to stop their cardigans from flying down the street, sweater guads were invented. I fell in love with this one on etsy, and have been wearing it ever since.

The most interesting and also most amusing thing about sweater guards is how they stormed the fashion world for a decade and then completely disappeared. Nowadays people (myself included) have no idea what they are. The amusing thing is when people want to tell you they like your sweater guard, but have no idea what to call it, so just start a sentence with "I like your..." while pointing at your chest. To which I smile sweetly and say, "My sweater guard?" and they reply, "Oh, is that what it is." My life mission: re-educate people on vintage fashion one fabulous accessory at a time. 

Until next time :)