Clothes ... and changes.

Clothes

My favourite game as a child was dress ups. Mum would sometimes let me wear her shoes during my experiments.  She had these amazing red patent leather platforms, and all of her shoes fit me perfectly when I was around 10. Her feet are tiny. Her cork soled wedges were too high for me to balance on, but the leather uppers were hand painted with small pink roses. Mum still has these shoes. She let go of a lot of things in the 80’s, and in the 90’s I took all of her 70’s stuff that I could fit and wore it till it fell apart . I ended up giving Tamasin one of the best dresses mum wore in the late 70’s  because I couldn’t fit it anymore. She looked amazing in it, but then, she’s so beautiful that she could wear any old crap and still look cute.

I’m thinking about clothes a lot right now because of all the changes that are occurring.  In the 90’s I wore quite a lot of polyester. This seems unbearable now, but in my 20’s I had a vast collection of 70’s frocks and it was rare that you’d have seen me wearing jeans. As a teenager, I was not one of those privileged North Shore girls who flicked their (very straight or spiral permed) hair and spent their considerable pocket money on a nice pair of $300 Zambezi shorts. I couldn’t take part in conversations where someone was saying “oh god, I know I shouldn’t have, but I had to have it!” about some linen skirt in Cuntry Rd or Esprit.  I wanted something that was magical and fun to wear, something that took me to another place. As much as I appreciated the costumes of punk and goth, I didn’t want to commit to one ‘brand’ in the way I looked. I enjoyed op shopping more and more,  finding cheap frocks from the 40’s, 50’s and 60’s (which was still possible in the 80’s) and pairing them with boots. I felt like Anne of Green Gables and Kate Bush combined.

By the time I was 22 my wardrobe was so varied that it looked like several different people must have shared it. I liked classy things. I liked slutty things. I liked funny things. I liked hats, big earrings, plunging necklines, short skirts, long socks. From the time I was around 22 to 25 I lived in a fantastic oversized flat on Mt Eden Rd. It was positioned above an Op Shop, a pie shop, and next door to a whorehouse.  Living above the op shop meant I often grabbed amazing things before anyone else could, and I once scored a lime green crotched skirt and matching cardigan. The best thing I ever got was a large creepy doll from the 1950’s. She cost me $3. I love her, I like to think that she’s a protective energy, that she might scare away thieves and naughty ghosts.

 When I moved out of the Mt Eden Rd flat, I gave so much stuff to that Op shop that they asked me to stop; they were running out of room. In the night I would sneak down and put another bag of stuff outside their door and hope that someone would walk past and take it.

These days I’ve only just figured out how to wear silk. I found a couple of amazing vintage silk shirts this year, but they’re so ‘good’ that I wasn’t sure when I’d be able to wear them. One morning I threw one on over a singlet and knew I’d finally figured it out. Layers and casual. The shirt might have cost a shit load originally, but since I only paid $4 for it, I’m wearing it with the ease of an old t shirt. What’s amazing about silk is that when I sweat it doesn’t show up! This must be something all those silk experts know, but was new to me. I also have an incredible cream (vintage Thorton Hall) silk nightie that I’m gonna wear like it’s a rag from K Mart. No more ‘saving’ things. I bet that’s how I’ve got these things in such good condition. Someone kept saving it for good, and then they died. This nightie is long. It reaches the ground and it’s like walking in a waterfall of  thick liquid cream. I wore it around and then to bed last night, and I’m sure I slept better for it. Now I’m full of half formed plans to buy ugly silk shirts and make them into pillow cases.

I scored a Helen Cherry silk slip with cute pockets from Dressmart for $10 yesterday. It’s got a really lovely pattern on it, and although it’s not sexy, I couldn’t resist the fabric. The way things feel makes such a difference.

Scored lots of excellent baby clothes too. I touch them and imagine a baby wearing them with its soft skin and inability to know where they start and something else begins. Ti is looking really pregnant, and Tam’s womb fruit popped out in early October. The Painter and Miss Monday are back together and I’m wishing them well! The sexy ex has a new lover. Rob got an amazing contract for his business. Things are changing. Friends are having babies, travelling or starting courses of study or courses in Love. I’m in a new and loving relationship. It’s time to wear silk, eat strawberries, grind my own coffee beans and learn the guitar. Year of the Dragon. You fucking bet!