asos | Frocks & Frou Frou

Cardigan: Woolovers (remixed with Dandryrions Applique)

I’ve had my eye on the fox-stole cardigans at Dandyrions for years now, but when I saw her new-and-improved style I gave up any attempt at resisting temptation pretty much immediately.

They remind me fondly of a sweater that I was wearing way back when Frocks and Frou Frou was in its infancy, though the Dandyrions fox is much less carnivorous-looking with his sweet little face and whuffly nose.

The fox-stole cardigans at Dandyrions are actually generic store bought pieces from H&M with Lisa’s lovely embroidered felt appliques hand-sewn onto them, but if you don’t see the size or colour combo that you’re after (and Lisa can’t source it for you) you can actually buy the appliques by themselves and attach it to your own cardigan or top.

I’m still working on a fairly tight living budget post-redundancy, so after a bit of deliberation I decided to do the Sensible Thing, and rather than having Lisa from Dandyrions source a cardigan for me I went the cheaper option and decided to attach the applique myself to one of my plain Woolovers cardigans.

The applique arrived quickly, complete with comprehensive sewing instructions, and even thread to match the three key colour elements in the felt.

It was a simple task to hand-stitch the little foxy fellow onto my cardigan. The head and front paws come separately from the body so that you can arrange it to best suit the neckline of whatever top you want to use.

I positioned, pinned, and stitched all in one night while sitting in front of the telly with my boyfriend, and even if you have the most rudimentary sewing skills this should be a fairly straightforward job – you just have to ensure you don’t stretch the cardigan/top out as you sew to ensure the applique doesn’t buckle (or you can just get Lisa to do it for you!).

The little foxy friend wraps all the way around your shoulders just like an actual stole, but with considerably less Cruella Deville.

I teamed it with my mustard skirt, tights, and collared blouse for that kind of Escape To The Country vibe.I think the local wildlife approved….

Blouse: Modcloth

Skirt (remixed): Asos – Similar here

Cardigan: Paper Scissors – Similar here

Shoes: Chie Mihara

My guy and I spent the past four days soaking up the sunshine in (still frankly very chilly) Perth, and arrived back on Melbourne’s coldest day for two years. It’s been a fairly brisk winter, all things considered, and I’m feeling pretty good about past-me’s decision to buy present-me a new winter jacket that’s made of wool, has a hood, and zips up the front (I got this one. It’s magnificent).

I’ve taken some shifts in a lovely local independent bookshop, helping to manage their children’s section while I get back on my feet. It’s actually been really nice to find myself back in bookselling after all these years: comfortable, like coming home. I’ve re-introduced a bit of colour and whimsy into my wardrobe again now that I’m not in an office environment doing business-y things and being a professional boss-lady.

For a while now I’ve been looking for another mustard skirt made of a better quality fabric that my much-loved Breathtaking Tiger Lilies skirt. This one popped up in Asos’ “premium” range but sold out while I was still vacillating over the purchase. Fortunately a lovely reader let me know on Twitter that she’d spotted it in a 16, so I snapped it up thinking I might be able to do something with the fabric if it didn’t fit.

It didn’t of course. Not even close, really, but it was an easy fix to unpick the waistband and loosen the pleats enough to widen it for my girth, and the result’s a winter-take on my favourite skirt. It also looks great with grey tights (I’ve been wearing these, from Sonsee, pretty much around the clock).

Frocks & Frou Frou

Tag Archives: asos

Foxy Loxy

Remixed Mustard