Around three weeks ago Imelda was ferreting around a dusty second-hand book emporium, when a stack of glossy magazines titled 'Fashion Australia' piqued my interest. Flicking through the magazine revealed a superfluous cacophony of Australian fashion, circa 1987/88.
A rare gem,right? Honestly, I couldn’t believe my
good fortune.
According
to the forward penned by Australia’s then (totally awesome) Prime Minister, Bob
Hawke ‘Fashion Australia Volume III is a book about fashion and lifestyle in
the spheres of rural and urban society. It tell a story about the people of
Australia, the arts and skills that sustain world market competition and the
products that carry our Australian to the far corners of the globe’.
Hawkie
continues, ‘We are now in a position where our synthetic fibres account for
roughly one-third of all Australian textile output, placing us at a competitive
advantage in world export markets for both man-made and natural fibres. Indeed,
the textile, clothing and footwear industry provides ten per cent of all
manufacturing jobs.’
My how quickly things change but I’ll leave the ranty post about the halcyon days of
‘Made in Australia’, for another day.
Itching
to unleash da glamor, the Despotic Queen made haste to the Palace of
Despotism.
With
no time for scanning, I quickly photographed a selection images to pump into Twittersphere.
Knocking
most tweeters off their perch was the white Jill Fitzsimons cotton blazer,
with cockatoo embroidery (above).
The first Tweeter to flip their weave was the gorgeous Jennine (aka The Coveted) who hit up Imelda with a number of cockatoo related questions, including, how one (who wasn’t Stevie Nicks) might incorporate a cockatoo motif into their
personal stylin’.
Always
happy to enable, the Despotic Queen promised to find the answers.
Thankfully,
Rainbow Brite and the Colour Kids (via a secret collab with Irregular Choice)
solved Jennine’s cockatoo conundrum with this bubblegum coloured ankle boot.
Before
all you bird aficionados be up in Imelda’s grill, yes I realize it’s not a
cockatoo but it’s freaking close enough.
Tripping
on the light fantastic, this season the design team from Irregular Choice are pimpin’ out the
most explosive collection of colour Imelda has ever seen. Y’all must wonder, if
before they headed back to Rainbow Land, Brite and the colour chitlen’s didn’t yak LSD tainted star sprinkles in the water cooler.
omg... it may not be a cockatoo... but it's a PINK BOOTIE! i'm so sold into irregualar choice slavery....
:)
you gotta love rainbow brite.
Posted by: Jennine | August 07, 2009 at 11:40 AM
I have to say I wouldn't wear the shoes but the jacket is a yes. What a retro find.
Posted by: Make Do Style | August 07, 2009 at 05:14 PM
These remind me of the Camper Twins series, but more detailed. The pink booties are just outrageously fun!
Posted by: Sally | August 08, 2009 at 01:32 AM
Outrageous! You've managed to channel Jill's crazy savant talent for finding images to suit your creative means. Genius...
Posted by: K-Line | August 08, 2009 at 02:31 AM
i love them so much, i would go all punky brewster on your ass and wear one on each foot!
Posted by: jill @ trenddelacreme.com | August 08, 2009 at 08:16 PM
I'm tempted to use that first picture as my new profile photo.
Posted by: WendyB | August 09, 2009 at 05:27 AM
I knew you would one day make an entry about Irregular Choice, my favourite shoe brand!
Posted by: nuvonova | August 09, 2009 at 08:14 AM
And me without my Jenny Kee jumper and Ken Done Country Road skirt! xx
Posted by: hammie | August 09, 2009 at 09:38 AM
Now you've reminded me of a Dynasty worthy, fabulous, 1989 Peacock jumper I have.. I may just have to break that baby out and give my readers a nasty shock.
Posted by: super kawaii mama | August 09, 2009 at 08:23 PM
The connundrum of whether to love or hate IR shoes continues to plague me...i go into the Carnaby Street regularly touching every shoe and inspecting each one in great detail... and still there is no conclusion....!
Posted by: susie_bubble | August 10, 2009 at 04:10 AM