Aussie Curves - Feminine

Lately I have felt anything but feminine.

My problem has been that I felt I had let a lot of my beauty care slip. My hair had grown too long, and the ends were very dry, while the roots were oily. I was not using any skin cleanser or moisturizer as I had run out, so my skin was dry and flaky. I had also run out of foundation, and tried to supplement with a cheaper brand, which was simply awful. So, all in all, I have felt pretty miserable about how I am looking.

It has made me realise how important having a beauty regime is. I think taking care of yourself, your appearance, and your mental health is what makes you feel feminine. If my hair looks healthy, and my skin is glowing, I often feel happier. This makes me feel more confident, and I am more likely to wear an outfit that makes me feel good too.

In order to get myself out of this slump I decided to take action. Firstly, found some facial scrub and moisturiser that I had tucked away and started using it. I still want to buy some new skin products, but these were a start. My skin is now looking much healthier. I have arranged to have a facial during the school holidays too.

I also went and tried some new foundation. I took home a sample of a foundation to try (this way I did not make the mistake of buying one that I did not like). I am so far very happy, so will mostly likely buy it while the sales are on.

I also booked a hair appointment. Off went the length and dry ends. I also completely changed my colour to a richer auburn, and added a fringe.

For the photos I dug out a vintage dress, added some bling and pearls, and snapped away.

I feel fantastic. I feel confident. I feel feminine.

Aussie Curves - Second Hand

I really enjoy going for a dig through secondhand stores. Over the years I have found a few gems. I remember a time when I was younger my Mum was unwell and stopped working. After a bit she retrained to be able to work in an office. When it came time for her to go to work she needed office work wear, which she did not have a lot of. I remember she hunted down her clothing in op shops. She found some wonderful clothing, much of it from expensive brands that she would not have afforded otherwise. People always commented on how lovely her clothing was.

I shared some of the treasures I found op shopping  while back in this post, where I also shared some of my tips for how I hunt down items.

Another way I score second hand clothing is through other people. The best part about these is that they are free! Sometimes the clothing is my style and fits well. Sometimes it is not. Anything I won't use I pass along to others or send off to my local charity shop.

In the two outfits below one is a 'handed down' item, and the other is brought from a local charity shop. Both are really gorgeous!!!

My lace dress was given to me by my Mother In Law. I actually have only worn it once as it never seemed quite right. However for this picture I experimented with it a bit and added a thin rose gold belt. It was just what it needed. The belt seemed to give the dress a little bit extra definition.

I really love this dress, and am delighted because I know lace dresses like this are making a bog comeback, with similar dresses being made by Igigi and Kiyonna. I love that the dress has sleeves as it means I can wear it without needed to add a bolero or cropped cardigan. The sleeves actually have a longer bit of lace on the inside arms so that they dip down a bit like 'Morticia Adams'/The excess lace is also split into two so can be tied into a knot. I don;t like the look of it so I tied them up and tucked them in so they couldn't be seen. I plan on cutting them off before I wear it again.

I really love that this dress has a wide V neck which balances out my torso with my wider hips. The skirt also has wonderful pleats that allow the skirt to be a little fuller.

Dress - Vintage

Belt- Equip

Shoes - Spendless Shoes

Earrings - Diva

Ring - Lovisa

Nerida's dress was found at a charity shop. She wasn't going to try it on at first, but was encouraged to do so. Afterall, one of the rules of successful op shopping is TRY IT ON.

The dress is a fitted faux wrap dress from Basque. It looks WONDERFUL on and suits Nerida's shape perfectly. The length of the dress shows off her shapely legs without being too short. The patten is also great with the busy, large print being really slimming.

Like mine, it has longer sleeves which means it can be worn without a cardi or bolero. Nerida added a belt to her look as well, to draw attention to the narrow point in her shape. We are thinking that a thinner belt would possibly look even better and will try that next time.

To add a pop of colour she put on a wooden beaded necklace, which also happened to be purchased from a charity shop. This is the kind of dress that could be worn out for a special occasion, but that could also be worn to work. 

Dress - Basque (Secondhand)

Belt - From another dress

Shoes- Kmart

Necklace - St Vincent de Paul

Bracelet - Tiffany & Co.

You really can find beautiful, budget friendly clothing anywhere, if you look around. You do not have to have a lot of money to wear fashionable clothing. 

Tell us, what is your favourite second hand item you own?

Check out the other great pre-loved fashions from our fellow curvettes