boots | Frocks & Frou Frou

I work really hard at being socially adept. I’m a bit of an introvert, and I can come off as stand-offish, cold, or a bit of a snob unless I’m paying attention to how I interact with people. And I’m really not! I’m reserved (and surprisingly shy for someone who’s puts so much of herself onto the internet), but I’m very loving and gregarious when you get to know me, and even a bit cheeky and irreverent when you get to know me well.

Sometimes it can get a bit tiring, having to always work at “fitting in”, especially when I’m around people who aren’t necessarily sitting on my wavelength.

Since moving to Fitzroy, I’ve found myself having to work a bit harder to pass myself off as normal. The bulk of the people living in this suburb seem effortlessly cool; sipping latte’s in tiny coffee shops while interesting dogs stand guard over their fixed-gear bicycles (My brother jokes that every shop in the main drag – regardless of what they actually sell – has a bike in the window).

And while The Sophisticate – black-rimmed-glasses-wearing, apple-product-buying, film-industry-working gent that he is – mocks me for being a “hipster” along with the best of the Fitzroy-ites (Fitzrovians?), I know I’m actually just faking it.

Today’s outfit helps. It’s a kind of social camouflage, and it makes me feel a bit less like I’m being silently judged when I order my coffee in the tiny local cafe on the corner.

I’m wearing the batwing dress from Igigi that was sent to me at the beginning of Summer last year. It’s finally cooling down enough to wear it regularly. Which I totally am. Today I swapped out the kimono-style wide belt for my own slimmer brown belt. I think I actually prefer it this way – It’s not quite as shapely, but I don’t feel like my boobs are so prominently presented.

I’m also wearing a bead necklace that I made myself, after seeing a similar one on Etsy for $40, and deciding it would be a quick and easy project to DIY. It was. Did you guys want a tutorial?

Necklace: DIY

I was thrilled to find a decent bead supply shop walking distance from home (Fitzroy. They like to craft here.) and the supplies for this came to about $7, which is hard to complain about.

My true “hipster” camouflage is my messy top-knot and vintage cats-eye glasses.

I always feel equal parts smug and embarrassed when people ask where I found my spectacles and I get to tell them I bought them at a second-hand dress shop in Kansas City, and yes, they’re really vintage.

I’m also feeling Pretty Damn Pleased that I managed to find some ankle boots in New York that don’t make my curvy calves look like fence posts.

Boots: Miz Mooz

I’d pretty much given up on trying to find ankle boots that flattered my legs, but I got caught short in ballet flats during a rainstorm when I was in New York, and my feet were so cold and wet that I kind of gravitated towards the boots, and spotted these.

They’re fantastically comfortable, with a solid wedge heel and a little secret platform that makes the heels look much higher than they really are. I trekked Manhattan in them pretty much non-stop for the next few days, and they’ve rapidly become one of my favourite pair of shoes. I think the dipped ankle stops the boots from cutting my legs off short, so I know what style to look out for in the future.

Just quickly to finish up, I’ve been invited to offer one lucky reader the opportunity to take her Mum to a special Mother’s Day High Tea hosted by Bursaria at The Abbotsford Convent.

I do love a spot of high tea, and this sounds just divine with its vintage theme. Plus Mum’s are awesome and well worth spoiling, so if you’re in Melbourne and you would like to go into the draw to win a double pass to treat your Mum leave me a comment telling me what item from your Mum’s wardrobe reminds you of her the most.

For me it was – and she’ll kill me for telling you this – a navy blue corduroy dressing gown to which she had pinned a little bell. As far back as I can remember she cuddled me in that dressing-gown, and I was secretly heartbroken when she told me recently that she’d thrown it out. Apparently she kept the bell though.

Dress: Vintage via Thrush

Boots: Comfortview via One Stop Plus

Once upon a time, long long ago, a curvy, wide-legged lass got it into her head that she wanted red boots.

Deep red, not too high heeled, and made to fit her 45cm calves.

They didn’t exist.

After some hunting she found a local bootmaking company that made bespoke red boots. Bright red, but red nevertheless.

She bought them.

Some time later a boot company that specialised in calf width boots brought out a pair of high heeled patent leather boots. Red.

She bought them, too.

But neither pair fit her criteria exactly. The first pair fit wonderfully, but were too bright a red to wear with much in her wardrobe. The second pair were the right colour, but the high heels were close to unmanageable, and they had a lot of space around the tops.

Then she saw these. And she bought those, too.

Third time’s a charm.

Actually, these “Annie” boots from Comfortview are probably the closest thing to perfect that I’ve managed to find so far. They’re synthetic leather, so they weren’t too dear – $87AUD including International shipping to Australia – they had a comfortable little heel, and a bit of a platform. Most importantly, they seemed the be the deep red/burgundy I’d had my heart set on.

There didn’t seem to be much of a calf measurement to go by, so I took a punt and ordered the 8.5 WW from online plus-size fashion mall One Stop Plus. The ordering process was quick and easy – they take PayPal, so I got to do some “neutral shopping” with money that was sitting in my account. The boots arrived quickly – I placed the order on the 29th September, and the boots arrived a little over two weeks later.

They were probably half a size too big in the foot. Maybe a whole size. But they FIT. They zipped up over my calves without even a little struggle. They stayed up well throughout the day, and though as you can see the ankles are way too full, the zipper didn’t warp and dig into my ankle bone they way I’ve found other boots have.

I wore them non stop for a full day of trekking around the city, and apart from needing a pair of good wooly innersoles to stop my foot from sliding around too much, I’ve found them to be great.

They’re not great quality, but for the price I’m delighted.

Now if Melbourne can just stay chilly for a bit longer….

Frocks & Frou Frou

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