Estee Lauder's Mad Men Color Collection

If you, like me are desperately hanging on for March 25th and the new season of Mad Men then here is something that may sate you obsession for a while. Estee Lauder have launched a Mad Men collection. The collection consists of a Limited Edition Lipstick in Cherry and a Limited Edition Creme Rouge in Evening Rose.

 Each Compact and carton are inspired by vintage designs from the legendary Estée Lauder 60's collections.

The collection is available now on the Estee Lauder US website and at Bloomingdales

New Hair

After deliberating about it for weeks I finally took the plunge and got my hair all chopped off. I took these pictures above to the hairdressers and this is what I came out with!

Miss Fisher Murder Mysteries

Friday night was the first episode of Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries. Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries are based on the books by Kerry Greenwood. Essie Davies plays Miss Phryne (pronounced Fry-nee) Fisher. A thoroughly modern Millie who sashays through the back lanes and jazz clubs of late 1920's Melbourne fighting injustice with her pearl handled pistol and her dagger sharp wit trying to solve murders. 


Friday nights episode Cocaine Blues sees Miss Fishers return to Melbourne after years abroad. Almost as soon as she checks into the Windsor Hotel, Phryne is embroiled in mystery: poisoned husbands, cocaine smuggling rings and illegal abortionists – not to mention erotic encounters with the handsome Russian dancer, Sasha de Lisse. Her adventure reaches its steamy end in the Turkish Bath Palace off Little Lonsdale Street.


Having never read the books I couldn't say how they compare but I loved the first episode and plan on reading the books soon. I also loved the outfits that Essie wore as Phryne. Here are just a few of them:

My Gorgeous New Vintage Dress

I recently purchased this amazing 1950's dress from Blue Fennel Vintage on Etsy. I can't tell you how much I love this dress. It is remarkable similar to the one in the left picture which is from Dita Von Teese's Muse line for Meyer. Dita's dress is styled on a 1950's one from her own collection so I can only assume it is something remarkably similar to my recent purchase although the dresses in Dita's collection are around the $900 mark and I got this original for the bargain price of around $200. My dress is actually a more red tone than the picture shows.

Now I just need a fabulous event to wear the dress to!

At the Movies: The Artist

As I mentioned last week the hubby and I went to see The Artist which we both absolutely adored. The Artist tells the story of George Valentin (Jean Dujardin) a silent movie start who struggles to make the  transition to talkies.

While George's star is fading, Peppy Miller (Bérénice Bejo), a young dancer who breaks out of the crowd of reporters and kisses George on the cheek at his premier, is on the rise. The newspapers are filled with stories trying to find out just exactly 'Who's that Girl?'

George gives Peppy here big break (and signature beauty spot) on the set of his next movie and she soon becomes a big movie star but she never forgets George or the spark between them.

My favorite scene (except maybe the one with George's adorable Jack Russell) is the tap dance scene at the end of the movie with George and Peppy. The scene was filmed in the same studio that Debbie Reynold and Gene Kelly used for Singing in the Rain and perfectly encompasses the feel of these old time movies. There is almost an air of Fred and Ginger about it.

The most stunning thing about the movie is that it is filmed in black and white and is almost entirely silent except for the odd snippets of sound highlighting the fact that while the world around him has become a noisy place George still can't find his voice.  The film was visually stunning having been filmed in exaclty the style of an old black and white silent movie with no zoom in shots and in a 1.33:1 "Academy ratio,"  but would likely been a flop without the amazing performances from the leads.

Jean Dujardin absolutely envisages the role of male lead in a silent movie. His extensive facial expressions and caddish charm make the movie and even in moments of great vulnerability he expresses his emotions so well without uttering a single word and Bérénice Bejo is simply perfect as the quirky young up and coming actress.

I implore you to go and see the movie which put simply is stunning and deserves every award it gets. In the meantime here the trailer:

P.s for all you fashionistas the 1920's style flapper gowns that Peppy wears in the movie can be bought from Leluxe Clothing

My Vintage Style Evolution

My earliest vintage clothing memory is me and my sister standing on my Nan's huge dinning room table dressed in her old ball gowns and cocktail dresses that she was cutting the bottom of so we could use them for dressing up. I still remember the gorgeous dresses and wish that she hadn't cut them down so I could wear them today.
The dresses included a gorgeous peacock blue beaded jersey dress with tiny spagetti strap with a matching jacket. A 50s style black satin dress with lace collar and a gorgeously floaty hot pink maxi dress style number.

Me in a fairy costume my mum made. 

Check out the multi-layered tissue paper tutu! 

All my life I've been a girly girl and loved dressing up, doing my makeup and putting on my jewellery. My school photo at the age of 7 has me sulking in the front row because my mum put me in trousers not a pretty girly dress on photo day. At the start of winter and start of Summer  my Nan would take me and my sisters out and buy us an outfit each. I remember pom-pomed jumpers and jodpurs, tartan kilts and cute sweaters in the winter and each summer and beautiful summer frock.

My 19th birthday in Ibiza

Looking back I don't think I ever really conformed to  what was in fashion. I spent my teenage years in a whole range of styles but from each style I took items that I still wear today. Be it the corsets and seamed stockings from my Goth days or the form fitting and classic cut styles of my preppy days!

Me on my 20th birthday in my first corset

I really discovered the pin up look in 2007 just before we moved to Australia. The UK high street was full of pin up and sailor inspired items including sailor jackets and full circle dresses. It was then I really got into the whole vintage look and started reading up more about it. I stumbled across clothing websites like Heyday and Pinup Girl Clothing and joined sites like The Fedora Lounge.

Dressing up again! with my older Sister - Easter 2003

Perhaps surprisingly I didn't buy my first vintage item until 2008 - a pair of black kidskin elbow gloves. Since then I've constantly been buying items through sites like eBay and Etsy

What Emma Did - 26th February 2012

This week I have been:
♥ Quitting my job!
♥ Working on new products to sell in my new Etsy store!
♥ Winning tickets to see Our Idiot Brother
♥ Squeeing in delight when my gorgeous vintage dress arrived (an outfit post will follow)
♥  Watching the whole series of Revenge which was awesome!
♥ Getting a lot more DIY jobs done around the house (I think we're actually almost done!)