aussie curves challenge - festival

my these challenges come around quick.

when i think of festival, i straight away think of music, but there are so many great cultural festivals to enjoy as well.  after all, i am 48 and the thought of being squashed in a mosh pit waiting to see one direction, with some teeny boppers isn't appealing.

saturday night saw us heading into west end for the annual rio rythmics brazilian carnival. it started at the boundary street markets, which is such a vibrant place on friday and saturday evenings, with great food and often free music, interspersed with buskers and performers of various kinds.  did i mention the food.  even me, the vegetarian, had plenty to choose from.

as soon, as i saw this event come up on facebook, i decided to go and knew exactly what i was going to wear and it was going to be gold and it was going to be razzle dazzle and it was going to be straight from the huudaverti runway.  the gold cross over jumpsuit.  how luxe is this?  the fabric came from a local brisbane fabric wholesaler and it was part of our collection in 2013, following our showing in Full Figured Fashion Week, in New York.

this jumpsuit for me has only had one other outing to a work function, but last saturday, it was festival worthy.

i even met elvis and gave him a run for his money in the fashion stakes. couldn't compete with the hair though...

and when the sun went down, the street was closed and in true west end style, the locals put on a show, with music, costumes, dancing, and parading, all while welcoming the onlookers into the mix to enjoy the fun.

  

 

i jumped at the chance to crash the parade and have my photo taken with these amazing people who were out doing what they love.

 

having been to rio, i really appreciate the festival that is carnivale (i've even been to where they hold it).  the brazilians have a passion for life (not to mention caipirinhas) and i felt chuffed to be part of the local event that they had prepared for, for so many months. and i think my festival outfit was right on point.

what i wore:
gold jumpsuit from huudaverti
shoes from midas
necklaces that i have had forEVA
lust for life that is what is known as janergy

aussie curves challenge - swimwear

i love the water - but i didn't always love the water.  it scared me, especially the beach but once i learnt to really swim, i couldn't stay away - from any water. i became a swimmer, i would rise early and ride my bike to swimming training; morning, afternoon, summer, winter, i was always there, swimming, swimming, swimming. i certainly went through my fair share of swimmers.  generally speedos, matched with goggles, a bathing cap and a bottle of much needed talc.

one of my great memories were of beach holidays at scott's head, near where we were born in new south wales.  my sister and i had surf mats and would spend hours in the water just catching waves. this was the 70's and i don't recall seeing a body board anywhere.

i still love beach holidays and have camped for the last 2 years at broken head over christmas.  in regards to swimwear, it's been pretty much about having something that felt good, gave the support i needed, while being somewhat fashionable.  it needed to withstand suncreen, sand and water day after day.

this year, was no exception, till my nephews arrived and as they are full of energy and require water supervision, i needed to get some practicality happening.

the kids just wanted to be in the water all the time on their body boards and quite frankly, i wasn't going to stand on the water's edge and supervise, i was going in to join the fun, but after a couple of goes on the body board, i knew i need to upgrade....to a surf mat. wow did the childhood memories start my endorphins flowing and on my next trip to byron, i picked one up.

the beach was no longer about sitting and reading a book, it was about being in the water, with the kids and pretending i was 10 again, not 48, so sensible swimwear was the go, as this was an all day affair.

i did need to upgrade my rashie, as i was getting one from the surfmat, but when you think you are 10, you just keep going till you can't go any more.

for me, buying swimwear is like buying bras - it's necessary, but can be such a pain, but i'd rather not go without either, same goes for sunscreen.

boardies - Big W (blokes ones)
rashies - both from byron bay
actual swimmer - target

aussie curves challenge - pastel

when i saw pastels on the  challenge list, i kind of went eeeww! i don't think i have really done pastels seriously since the 80's.  i like what i wear to be bright bright bright and brighter. but as this is a challenge, i am up for it.

as i am away at the beach, i struggled to think of anything i packed that is pastel, but bingo, the most obvious thing was right on me - my butterfly kaftan.

i found this fabric at spotlight a few years back and as fabric often does, it lay in the box waiting for its time to evolve into something fabulous and eventually a little beach throw was the end result.

i love that this fabric looks like it's just a pretty pattern until all the butterflies start to evolve.

there is also something so great about throwing on a loose flowing kaftan to lounge around in.  i am very comfortable in this look, as i think sometimes kaftans are often used to try and hide what's underneath, but in my case, i just love the look and feel of them and whenever i wear one, i always feel like i am on a holiday, even if i am not.

so that's it.  my pastel look - now i better go, the beach is calling.

kaftan - made by me

glasses - miu miu

hat - won from the local bowlo

havaianas - byron bay

location - broken head beach, nsw