The perfect signature

There is no doubt that American Vogue editor Anna Wintour is scary. Maybe Meryl Streep hammed it up in the movie, maybe she didn't, but the fact is Anna proudly wears fur and is really, really, super skinny, like you could break her with a thumb and middle finger grip, and you can tell that she believes one needs to be like that in order to be chic.

But I have always admired the way she maintains her signature style by wearing a Hermes scarf every single day - around her neck, tied to her bag, as a bracelet. Sadly, I have never had the discipline to maintain a signature style and am always flipping around from one thing to the next. However, I can't help but think these First Morning quilted brooches would be the perfect way to establish such signature style. Pinned onto a jacket, a summer frock, even a vintage swim suit, they would look divine, would not be responsible for the death of any cute furry creatures and with no restricted eating required.

This dress will make you 'jump jump'...

Anyone remember the teenage rapping sensation that were Kriss Kross? They sung a catchy little ditty that went, 'Kriss Kross will make you jump, jump,' though the main attraction offered by this spunky pair was that they wore all their clothes back to front. Now, if Kriss Kross were still going strong today, they would no doubt be enamoured by this deceptively sexy number which, when worn Kriss Kross style, would enable the boys to show off the back bow just above the belly button line. Thankfully, they were one-hit-wonders, so Mucke needn't worry about this gorgeous piece being ruined by some gimmicky-rap-duo. Phew.

A Smena night out

Stylish, yet practical and oh-so-versatile belt - check!

Hand-made leather purse just big enough to fit credit card, coins and a few notes - check!

Silk-lined leather shoulder bag for phone, lippie and some choccies for extra stamina - check!

Just add party/gig/special dinner/dancing. Mix together and enjoy.

All by Smena. Made in Melbourne.

K1, P2, K3

I tried to knit a bolero once. It took 2 years and when it was finally finished I proudly paraded it around family and friends. Nobody was impressed. Well they were impressed that I had pursued the project for 2 years, but as someone kindly pointed out, my purple alpaca knit made me look like an oversized plum, only lumpier.

It's safe to say that nobody would call you a giant plum in this First Morning machine knit top. Rather, they would probably say that you looked elegant, sexy even. Definitely not like something they'd picked from a fruit tree.

Sabrina red hot

I once had a boyfriend who, while very drunk, admitted that his favourite song of all time was Lady in Red by Chris De Burgh. As you can imagine, he suffered a severe emotional hangover the following day.

Wherever that boy is today, he would no doubt love this Sabrina sunfrock by Mint Slice Afternoons. As a matter of fact, I love it too. And while I'd never say no to a Mint Slice, or two, it is without doubt the perfect cupcake-eating dress.

Charmed

My reputation may be hurt saying this, but sometimes I really miss Aaron Spelling's defunct withcy TV series Charmed. I mean, Alyssa Milano always rocked her hair and whatever people might say about his acting ability and that video clip he did with Danni Minogue, Julian McMahon totally smoldered as that conflicted demon, Balthazar.

But there comes a time in every girl when she has to move on. And I have to say, these absolutely charming charm necklaces/bracelets by Limedrop make growing up just a little easier.

Cuckoo

My late Auntie Maude always said you could never have too many brooches. One day, when she was feeling simultaneously frugal and creative, she constructed a brooch from an old Vegemite lid. It was not necessarily her most glamorous outfit, but you couldn't deny that she was one hell of a recycler. Auntie Maude also loved her black and white tiled vinyl floor and, being a Virgo, she was always, always on time. Something tells me that if she were alive today she would have loved nothing more than this Betty jo cuckoo clock brooch made entirely from vintage lino.

Three wise men

Bearing gifts, three wise men visited a woman and her sleeping child. The first wise man bought a hand-painted pendant of ceramic, the second gave a pendant of precious silver and the third a glorious picture framed in hand-constructed timber. The gifts were, of course, for the child who was said to be powerfully magical.

After the three men left the woman looked at her child and then at the pendants. She decided that, however magical her child, she was much too young to appreciate such a gift and that such beautiful artworks should be worn, not left sitting in a box for some fifteen years. She knew that Shabana, the artist who created the necklaces, would understand. So the woman slipped on a pretty silver piece of wearable art and felt the magic.

Welcome from Pussycat Black

Ms Mary Mack
All dressed in black
Danced the streets of Brunswick
Heart-shaped buttons all down her back.

Down Edward Street she spun
Her dream shopping list in mind
But where-o-where she wondered
Could she ever find:

A handmade kitchen clock
Shaped round like a doll
Made of vintage lino scraps
And a whole lotta soul.

Or perhaps a summer dress
Nipped primly at the waist
Of vintage floral fabric
Made with love
Not in haste.

Was it too much to pine,
For a purse of leather oh-so-fine
And a printed button brooch
Or a divine smelling soap?

When on Pussycat Black she stumbled
So happy she could burst
Ms Mary Mack discovered
She could finally quench that killer thirst.