The Mess Loves: Goddess Flora and Emily de Molly!

Hello my dove!

On Thursday, I went to the Clipsal 500 for the first time. I know it might seem a bit strange for a sequin high heeled, fairy floss eating cupcake enthusiast to be so excited over a car race, but I have to say- I honestly had an amazing day! The first thing I saw when I walked through the gate was a glittering purple Vegasmobile. It is my all time fantasy car. Amaze.

Sexpotmobile!

 

 

For those of you who don't know, the Clipsal 500 is a four-day long car racing event held in Adelaide each year. There's a bit of a stigma surrounding the event that it tends to 'bring out the bogans'- the beer-bellied, the crass-mouthed, the rat-tailed, the car-paraphenarliea-adorned, the drunken hob-nobs. I have to say that while there certainly were... shall we say... lots of 'car-over-enthusiasts' about the place, they were all so obviously enjoying the day and the culture surrounding the race that it didn't even matter!

 

The atmosphere was rich and colourful, full of excitement. I never understood why they call car racing a 'sport'- it always seemed to me that all it requires is for one person to sit behind a wheel and go round and round in circles at high speeds. I can now say that I have a new appreciation for the sport, and the teams that make these events work. Everyone involved, from the drivers to the spectators, is enthusiastic like no other. I'm so glad I went and experienced the Clipsal 500- at the very least, it's something to tick off my bucket list!

 

. . . . .

 

Now, the real reaosn I'm writing to you today is to share my new-found excitement for Etsy. 

 

Etsy is an online marketplace for crafters of handmade goods to sell their wares. Mittens, photoframes, jewellery, bridal veils, beaded shoes, tea cosies... the list is practically endless. Until I came accross a spectacular bottle of nailpolish on Pinterest, I really didn't have any appeciation for exactly who and what can be found in this cyber-treasure trove. So, last night, I logged into my newly created account and made three purchases that I am super, super excited about...!

 

The Mess Loves...

 

Nail polishes by Emily de Molly! 

 

 

'A Touch of Vintage'                        'Girl's Best Friend'

 

 

These might actually be some of the best sparkly nailpolishes I have ever found. Emily de Molly colours are bright and vibrant, super sparkly and totally amazing. Easy bottle is 12ml in size with ball bearings inside so they don't congeal and settle on the bottom. Emily de Molly polishes use 'high quality suspension bases' for all the glittery colours. This ensures that the glitter doesn't sink to the bottom of the bottle, which means less shaking and more even sparkle coverage. All the glitters are solvent resistant, too- helloooooo, long-wearing! 

 

I bought the 'Girl's Best Friend' pink holographic polish (!) and the 'Touch of Vintage'- I think this one in particular will be a brilliant addition to my manicure kit, because it's wearable over any base colour imaginable. Can't wait to try it over a lilac-coloured polish!  

 

 

Flower crowns by Goddess Flora!

 

 

 

 

These magical wreaths of deliciousness are handcrafted by the 'hopeless romantics' at Goddess Flora. Fully customisable and 100% beautiful, they are the perfect topper to any outfit- particuarly those of Spring and Autumn!

  

I've just placed and order for a hot pink crown of sheer delight (pics coming as soon as I recieve it). I already have big plans for the first few outfits I'll be crowning with one of these beauties...

 

. . . . .

 

The best part about Goddess Flora and Emily de Molly is that they are both owned and operated by Aussie girls! Goddess Flora herself Holly is from Sydney, and Hayley of Emily de Molly is from Canberra. Love supporting Australian businesses!

 

I can't wait to share my goodies with you when they arrive! Head on over to Goddess Flora and Emily de Molly to check out their amazing stores!

 

 

Holographic sparkles and Vegasmobiles,

 

MJ x

 

 

 



Back to Basics: Create A Style Map!

Thanks dothetwirl, Stephanie and Heather!

Hiya sweetcheeks!


Q. What do the above three wardrobes have in common?

A. Nothing!

Isn't that fabulous?

The first one reflects a romantic femininity. The second an eclectic vibrancy. The third a casual effortlessness.

. . . . .

When a person goes through a bit of a crisis, it's typical that once they've pulled through the other end, they begin to wonder- who is this person? Who is this stranger that I lost sight of all those years ago? Emotional reactions, thoughts, language, external relationships and routine aren't the only things that need to be rediscovered once lost. The same is true of style, aesthetic, passion and excitement.

The things that make you tick, the things that you love and appreciate- they are all the things that make up who you really are. These things are the truest reflection of your own beautiful form. And yet it's easy to allow someone, or several people, to take those things away from you through maintaining detrimental relationships.

So- what does all this have to do with our wardrobes?!

Most of us tend not to really think about what we're wearing every day. We all wail loudly that we have nothing to wear, while staring emptily at a faceless mass of fabric and faux fur dangling from wire hangers. Mis-matched socks, broken jewellery, clashing patterns, things that are too big, things that are just a fraction too small. Our wardrobes have become towering terrors that mock us as we stand in our underwear every morning, attempting to dress.

... perhaps I may be overstating the facts of the matter a little. But, the truth remains- my wardrobe, and by wider association, my personal style, is currently a diabloical mess.

The other night when I couldn't sleep, I began mulling over all of this in my head. I've been feeling exceptionally frustrated lately that I can't seem to channel the vibrancy that I want to through what I wear. I consider myself to be a happy, sparkly, spontaneous type of person. I like to have fun and I'm a real girly girl! I love pink (and I refuse to apologise for that). I am obsessed with glitter and sparkly things. I love hats and fascinators and flower crowns and pretty much anything else you can wear on your head. I love to paint my nails and I love to paint a false beauty mark on my cheek. So at one thirty in the morning, I got up, sat on the floor in my pyjamas and drew this.

This brain storming tool is called a mind map. You might recognise the clouds, lines, squiggles, notes and illustrations from any group project you ever had to do in primary school. Remember those big old sheets of butcher's paper that the teacher used to hand out? Well, buck up, Junior, because mind mapping is an awesome way for you to jot down all your thoughts, make bizarre connections and understand your own thought processes to help you learn more about yourself!

This particular design is my own personal style map. All the headings surrounded by red cloud lines are the major things that I personally love about clothing, and what I have always pictured myself wearing. Let's take a look, shall we?

 

. . . . .

Style Icons

These are women that, in my opinion, stand out from the crowd. They are stylistic, bold, confident. I love their own interpretations of femininity, and they all bring something unique and a little bit off-beat to the table!

Marie Antionette

(from Garet Thrussel)

 

Katy Perry

(from Touch Puppet)

 

 

Betsey Johnson

(from Huffington Post)

 

 

Lana Del Rey

(from MuuMuse)

 

 

 

Zooey Deschanel

(from Just Jared)

 

 

Marilyn Monroe

(from Fan Pop)

 

 

Edie Sedgewick

(from Moblog)

 

 

Carrie Bradshaw

(from Pauper to Princess)

 

Colours

These are the colours that I gravitate towards in stores. They are the colours I always notice on other people walking down the street. They are colours that reflect me and my personality!

- Bright pink/ fuschia
- Aquamarine/ turqoise
- Bright purple/ lavendar
- Mint green
- Bright yellow
- Black/ white (when striped or polka dot-ted!)
- Silver and gold

Patterns and Textures

I've always really struggled with patterns and textures. I love them but I've struggled to work with them. These are a few that I adore and that I want to learn to wear confidently!

- Leopard print
- Polka dots
- Stripes
- Cow print
- Sequins
- Glitter
- Furs (faux)
- Tulle (think TUTUS!!!)

Shapes

I'm having a girly girl blowout at the moment- crushing hard on all things pretty (including pretty mental)! I really want to make an effort to embrace my figure- while it's slowly shaping up, there's no denying I'm packing some decent curves. I'm tired of self-conciously covering myself in loose, floaty, oversized garmets. Bring on the cinch, yo!

- Full, twirly skirts
- A-line shapes
- Deep V or sweetheart necklines
- Wider straps
- Cinching with belts
- Tighter tops

Accessories

I LOVE to accessorise. See the following:

- Flowers
- Jewels
- Bows
- Statement rings
- Statement earrings
- Looooong necklaces (pearls!?)
- Flower crowns
- Hats/ fascinators
- Any other type of headwear imaginable
- Scarves

Shoes

I am a shoe freak. An addict. I just can't help myself. I love towering heels and strappy flats. There are, however, a few little additions and tweaks I need to look into:

- Flat gold glitter lace ups
- Enclosed neon yellow flats
- Anything jewel-encrusted
- Turqoise/ pink pumps
- New boots for Autumn (this will take some serious consideration!)

Face + Nails

I adore 60's inspired makeup- the dramatic eyes and amazing pale lips are so bold, and yet so indulgently lady-like it hurts. Loving the super-defined eye crease, loads of eyeliner and killer sets of false lashes!

- 'Cat eye' eyeline (big kicks)
- White liner on bottom waterline
- Full set false lashes
- Full, candy coloured lips (pinks and corals)
- Faux beauty spots!
- Shimmers
- Pink cheeks
- Fun nails (pinks, turqoise, lots of glitter)

. . . . .

What you wear is supposed to be a fun, honest expression of who you are and what you're all about. I can't wait to get stuck into shattering out my wardrobe, and to start dressing to reflect who I am. It's been far too long since I felt truly happy in my clothes- time to start making positive changes in this area, I think!

The next instalment in this series will be all about picking through my wardrobe, making connections bewteen colours and patterns, identifying existing common themes and things that I'm not vibing any more. If you want to join me, why not create your own style map? Start having a think about what you love to wear, what you don't, what you wish you owned, what you need to chuck out. Bonus points if you snap a photo of it and post it to our Facebook page!

 Let's start cultivating some amazing style!


Cat eyes and pink kisses,

MJ x

Fringe Festival 2013!

Hey there, Sexpot!

Ah, Sunday. A lazy, luxurious, lounging day. A day reserved specifically for the browsing of the internet, the baking of cookies, the watching of movies, the twiddling of thumbs. I feel pleasantly refreshed this morning after a decent night's sleep, which I haven't managed to achieve for a few days- I was sooo tired last night! I hope you are having a lovely Sunday morning, and that you have nothing to do today other than sink into a delectable pile of squishy cushions and soak up your considerable awesomeness.

. . . . .

 

For the most part, Adelaide is a sleepy little city that sits at the bottom of Australia doing nothing. Often times, Adelaide is described by others who have visitied here as a 'big old country town'. Our CBD is a grand total of two square miles. It is surrounded by rolling parklands. There is precisely one shopping strip in the CBD, and perhaps four hotspots within the centre of the city for cafes and dining. All in all, it's teeny. You can walk from one side to the other in half an hour.

However once a year, a massive, loud, whirling, fizzing, exuberant, fairylight-covered mess erupts at the Eastern end of the city. This gargantuan spectacle attracts visitors from all over the globe, and performances of every nature fill all the nooks and crannies of our sleepy little town for four glorious weeks. I am, of course, talking about the Adelaide Fringe Festival.

It is, without a doubt, the most exciting time in Adelaide each year. Every person I know looks forward to Fringe time, because at Fringe time, something magical happens. Where there was once a rolling, hilly park at the end of a cafe strip, a giant, magical playground seems to erect itself as though by magic. This fantastical construction is called the Garden of Unearthly Delights.

Thanks, Mike Krebs!

The Garden is a sumptuous playground of sights, smells and sounds. There's an astounding array of international foods ranging from Cuban to Turkish to Italian. There are several pop-up bars dotted under the canopy of fairylight-covered trees, including a bar set up in a disused double decker bus. Performers trek from all over the globe for the chance to share their talents in the Garden. You name it, we've got it- rope tricks, jazz bands, jugglers, midget comedians, sword swallowers. There are sideshows and rides, circus tents, glittering costumes, impromptu performances... it's absolutely, truly spectacular. It's my all-time favourite event on the calendar in Adelaide. Maybe even in Australia. And I got to visit the Garden on Friday night!

Here are a few happy snaps from my adventure- sorry about the poor quality, they were taken on my iPhone 3GS! (Don't laugh at me!)

Fairy lights in the trees <3

 

 

Left: The Claw ride! The hot pink carriages were so pretty spinning round and round and round and round and round and round ...

Right: The FERRIS WHEEL!!!

NOTE: I had been wanting to ride the ferris wheel at the Fringe for about three years and never had the chance. I made sure I did it this year! I even got a sneaky ferris wheel kiss at the top- best night ever!

 

 

Myself and the gorgeous Carmel, flipping out on our rickety old ferris wheel ride with our respective 'beau's!

 



 

 

Top: Aqua Balls! I had never seen these before, so imagine my delight when my most hilarious friend paid to crawl inside a deflated, giant balloon, get puffed up to the size of a teenaged elephant and bob around in a pool of water! Absolute hilarity.

Bottom: The boys on the dodgem cars. Bless.

 

 

 

Two of my most favourite, favourite things combined- a cupcake ferris wheel!

 

 

The Garden is such a fantastical place, filled with magic and wonder. It's like stepping back in time to a nineteen fifties circus show. I can't wait to get back there and get some more great photos (although next time, I will make sure I remember to take my DSLR so I can get some decent pictures!).

 

I also happen to be going to a Fringe show hosted on Rundle Street (which is right near the Garden) on Thursday evening with my lady friends- it's called Champagne Cabaret and it sounds like it's going to be an absolute hoot!

 

Check out the Garden of Unearthly Delights, and have a look at the wider Adelaide Fringe Festival programme!

 

 

Ferris wheel kisses and all that jazz,

 

MJ x

 

  

Valentine's Day Outfit!

Valentine's Day Outfit! by mjvoguevagabond featuring a lace cocktail dress

John Zack lace cocktail dress
$47 - nelly.com

Maxi skirt
etsy.com

High heel
$62 - styletread.com.au

Coast clutch
$94 - coast-stores.com

Freshwater pearl ring
1stdibs.com

Mother of pearl jewelry
$390 - wolfandbadger.com

Stella Dot bracelets bangle
stelladot.com

Accessorize flower ring
accessorize.com

Wet Seal chain necklace
wetseal.com

Matthew Williamson flower hair accessory
$620 - matthewwilliamson.com

Bite beauty
$38 - theiconic.com.au

Glitter eye makeup
$6.20 - eyelashesdirect.co.uk

Love Her Look: Dame Edna!

Hellooo, Possums!

What better way to kick off the new Love Her Look series than with one of my all time favourite style icons: the stupendous Dame Edna Everage!

 

 

Dame Edna (character created by Australian comedian Barry Humphries) was born in the rural Australian city of Wagga Wagga as Miss Edna May Beazly. She married Mr Norm Everage at the tender age of nineteen, and took to the stage performing stand up comedy with fervour. Now a raging international success, Dame Edna spends most of her time between her homes in Sydney, Los Angeles, London and Switzerland (when she isn't giving the Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard elocution lessons or vitising her close friend the Queen of England). For more information about Dame Edna's illustrious life and stage career, check this out!

STYLE SIGNATURES

Hair

It goes without saying that Dame Edna's spectacular lilac 'do is recognisable from the farthest corners of the globe! While her hair as always been varying shades of pink and purple, one thing remains the same- the candy coloured clouds of sheer delight have become as much her signature as her ... ... ...

Glasses

 

Ahhh, the glasses! Bejwelled ocular sprays of sheer delight! Based on the classic cats eye shape but with extreme additions, these glasses are a great example of how one defining alteration can help to characterise your entire personality. They are spectacular, hilarious... and just a little too much. Sort of like the gorgeous Dame Edna herself!

Jewels

Check out the picture above. I can't actually seperately count how many rings, necklaces and bracelets she is wearing, can you?! Dame Edna is like a great, glittering, globe-trotting sequin with purple hair. She shimmers and sparkles- most probably born from a desire to be as luniescent as possible on stage! I think it's admirable to take that idea forward into every day life. Where do you feel the happiest, the most powerful? What are you usually wearing? Could you somehow incorporate that into your style everyday?

Clothing

 

I suppose it's fairly obvious that anything that Dame Edna Everage wears is luridly bright, exceptionally shimmery and totally and compltely fabulous. Varying shades of pink, purple and blue seem to make up her go-to colour pallette, however if you Google 'Dame Edna clothing' you will be treated to a spectacular array of outfits that are truly incomparable to anything else! Sequins, pearls, diamentes and tassles are all common embellishments.

Dame Edna approaches life with observant pateince, and an almost child-like naievty that makes her totally and completely hilarious. She is vibrant and welcoming. She is recognisable as a brand in her own right, and she is consistently fabulous. There's a lot we can learn from the gorgeous Dame Edna Everage!

Here's a look I put together on Polyvore, drawing inspiration from Dame Edna!

 

 

This might just be my new dream outfit.... click links to check out items still available for sale!

 

- Headband - Etsy

- Glasses - ASOS

- Top - Marc Jacobs

- Skirt - Chicwish

- Shoes - Christian Louboutin

- Purse - Lulu Guinness

 

I am lusting after that purse!!!

 

. . . . .

 

 

What inspiration could you draw from Dame Edna's style? Perhaps a slightly sparklier ring? Maybe you could try opting for a brighter colour when you're getting ready to party on the weekend? Or, of course, you could always just dye your hair purple and be done with it...

 

 

Precious Possums and hot pink sequins,

 

MJ x

Things I Love Thursday!

G'day, gorgeous!

How are you this fine Thursday? You know the drill- Thursday is a day to celebrate all the things that made us smile this week! As always, a quick disclaimer: the orgininal TILT movement was created by Gala Darling, but we're joining the party because hey, a little weekly gratitude never hurt anyone!

. . . . .

 

Right at the top of my TILT is THIS SKIRT!!!

 

... as you can see, I had a tiny accident this morning. A tiny accident involving pleated purple lurex. I apologise to no one! I <3 Vintage! Especially sparkly vintage! And because insane bright purple pleated lurex wasn't enough (haha) I decided to team it up with a white lace tshirt and some giant glittery jewellery. Stupendous white lace platforms will also do the trick (though I may swap for gold sandals if I wind up leaving the house today!). I feel like this might be a good outfit for eating lychee and violet sorbet...?

What else was trending in my Mess this week?

• Ice skating
• My single barrel hair curler
• Toothpaste
• English Breakfast tea
• Icy cold apple cider
• This song by Mumford & Sons (major flashabacks to the New Years Eve countdown! Aw!)
• Salty popcorn
• Diamante stars
• Dragonflies
• Pink pens
• My phone charger
• Caesar salad
• Treadmills
• Recieving books in the mail
• Nail files
• Sleep ins
• Sleep overs
• Wedding chit chat
• Valentines Day plans (my first one ever!)
• And this text message from E Bear:

Yay! I Love Thursdays!

. . . . .

In other news, I'm going to start a series featuring some of my all time favourite style icons soon! I'm really excited to introduce another regular feature to the Mess. If you have any ideas or suggestions for things you might like me to write about, don't hesitate to drop me a line here- or even if you just want to say hello!

Don't forget to 'Like' The Beautiful Mess on Facebook too- I post each new blog entry on the Page, so it's a great way to keep up with what's happening here. It's also the perfect opportunity to actively participate by joining the chatter via the comments and start meeting lots of lovely new people!

And please, my dear- don't forget to comment on the Facebook post with your Things I Love Thursday list this week!

"And when it rains on your parade, look up rather than down. Without the rain, there would be no rainbow."

 

            - Gilbert K Chesterton

 

 

 

 

Lurex rainbows and minty freshness,

 

MJ x

 

Things I Love Thursday!

That’s right! I have decided to incorporate this fabulous initiative by Gala Darling into my very own blog! Things I Love Thursday, for those of you who don’t know, is an opportunity to share all the tiny little things that have made you smile over the past week. It’s a chance to be thankful, and also, to recognise the beauty in the seemingly small and insignificant details of your Mess.

Ready?! <3

Phone chargers
Staplers
The bubbles in champagne
Emails from University
Job interviews
Pink highlighter pens
The truth
Tissues
Lavosh bread wraps
Pink lipstick impressions on my Mickey Mouse coffee mug
Flight confirmation emails
Fresh flowers in my hair
Giving roses on Valentine’s day
My mascara
Shaved legs
Sun on my face
A confident strut
Mersey Valley cheese
Mum’s cups of tea
Kisses from my dog
New underwear
Crisp fresh salad

What do you love today? What made you smile in the last week? Leave a comment or share on my Facebook post!

Glitteringly,

M x

Engage Fabulous Style

Good morning darlings! I am in an unnaturally refreshed mood today as I selpt for FOURTEEN HOURS last night. Amazing! I feel like I could take on the Universe! (How appropriate- this blog is about me taking on my own world, after all.) Do you now what I'd love? To find some other people who want to committ to this project with me. We're right at the very beginning, here and now, this project is less than a week old- what better time than to recommend this page to a friend who might enjoy it, or someone who you think is ready to start Cultivating, and doing something new with their Mess.

Begin to Cultivate Your Personal Aesthetic.
Today is my first pay day (!) since deciding to embark on this fanciful journey. I'm filled with almost innappropriate levels of excitement over the fact that I will soon again have real, live money in my bank account. And while that is very exciting, as there are things I really do need to buy such as food, razors, shampoo and these leggings (because let's face it, they are gorgeous)- don't think that your creativity and Cultivation is limited to having a few dollars up your sleeve to bandy about buying fairy lights for your bedroom, or an entirely new nail polish collection. No, no, no. In fact, I'm going to help you out.

* Top 10 Money-Free Ways to Engage Fabulous Style and Promote Positive Change In Your Very Own Mess * 

1. Re-read a favourite book that you haven't picked up in years. Engage with the characters and get back to the roots of what your truly enjoy.

2. Pick some fresh flowers. Stick them in vases, jam jars, coffee mugs, anywhere that will make the whole house smell like a florist. (Just don't let the neighbours see you if you intend to pilfer their award winning roses).

3. Paint your nails in colour coordination with your outfit. Hurray, colours! You may even have a few nail art gems lying around the place- go crazy! Imagine having glittering jewel encrusted nails when you sip on your next triple-shot-latte at your local coffee house. You might make someone's day. And please, please, please wipe off any mistakes with nail polish remover before it dries on your skin. There is nothing that says 'unpolished' (forgive the pun) like a messy manicure.

4. Throw out anything smelly or rotten in your fridge. Have you ever noticed a person's expression when they've opened the door to a pongy fridge? It's repulsive, and yet so easily remedied! Stay on top of it! You know as well as I do, that ham went off two weeks ago...

5. Go through some magazines and tear out pictures and words that inspire you. You don't have to do anything with them just yet- we'll have a look at ways to use these things in the near future- but spend some time collecting and reflecting. Plus- it's fun.

6. Go through your iPhone/iPod/Andriod/MP3 and make notes of music you haven't listened to for years or don't like. Delete. Why take up precious space on your phone and in your Mess on things that don't thrill and excite you? Poo! Be gone!

7. Check out some different Blogs. Sign up for Blogger, or Tumblr, or any other blogging website that tickles your fancy. You don't have to post anything, but you should be granted to use of a 'next' button- once you view a blog, hit 'next' and it'll take you to another random one. Why not? Engage with others and add their beautiful, different colours to your Mess. (Just make sure you come back here evenually).

8. Apply a fresh coat of your favourite lipstick. Drink a coffee. Enjoy the coloured imprint on the coffee mug.

9. Air out your quilt. We spend almost half our lives in bed. We sweat in them, spill tea in them, other people sleep in them (including animals)... stick your nose deep down in your bedding and take a whiff. See what I mean? Not cool. Chuck it on the clothesline, or drape it over some chairs outside in the sun. Make your bed a bedbug free zone.

10. Get off your computer. It's not going to run away. Go outside. Sit on the lawn, or in your favourite deck chair, and get to work on numbers 1, 3, 5 or 8. And that, gorgeous reader, is exacly what I'm going to do.

M x