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prada sequinned dress
21 May

Sequins And Fur

Who: Modelled by Stella Coat owned by Tess Dress owned by Jodi Where: both the dress and coat are available to hire at Yarn Yarns   History Behind The Dress This beautiful sequinned dress is Prada. Prada was founded by Mario and Martino Prada in 1913. It began as a leather goods shop specialising in trunks and handbags. Mario believed women had no place in business so he left Prada to his son. Fortunately his son had no interest in the business so Mario's daughter Luisa took over, running it for 20 years until her daughter Miucca succeeded her in 1978. Under Luisa and Miucca's direction Prada became one of the most recognisable fashion brands in the world, proving women definitely do have a place in business!   Story Behind The Coat Tess was inspired to buy this coat by a friend of hers who had a very similar one. Even though it was a little too big it was so beautiful she had to have it. Lucky for us its poor fit on her means it now resides at Yarn Yarns. Other than buying clothes that are too big for her, Tess possesses another endearing quality where she is incapable of remembering the names of places, so whenever people ask her where she bought the coat, without fail Tess will say "what's it called again? You know... the shop at the end of my street."   Illustration by Genevieve Lown   Product details: Black sequinned Prada dress: rent for 4 days at $100, or 8 days at $130. Follow this link to hire it: https://shopyarnyarns.com.au/product/prada-black-sequinned-party-dress/   Grey wool coat with fur collar: rent for 4 days at $30, or 8 days at $45. Follow this link to hire it: https://shopyarnyarns.com.au/product/grey-wool-coat-with-fur-collar/   Round white clip on earrings available at Yarn Yarns for $15   Cotton and Woolley xx    
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60s gold dress
27 Feb

The Supremes’ Fashion

  Who: Modelled by Sam, owned by Mara. What: 60's Metallic Pink Gold Gown Where: You can hire this dress from Yarn Yarns. $50 for four days, or $75 for eight days.   History Behind the Garment This dress reminds us of something the members of sixties girl band The Supremes would wear. The Supremes started the trend of glamorous costumes in girl groups. Their sophisticated style has rarely been rivalled, even with today's hyper-invented stars. Before the 50s and 60s people used to buy an album based purely on the sound but with the increased popularity of tv, the look of pop musicians became almost as important. The Supremes wanted to create a signature style that set them apart from all other girl bands. They chose a sophisticated look which would appeal to a broad audience. At the time there were no female African-American fashion icons to aspire to, The Supremes were the first. Their style was idolised widely and set the trend for women in the music scene.   Story Behind the Garment Mara bought this dress at the Conscious Closet. It was so glamorous she couldn't resist. It remained tucked away in her wardrobe till she was invited to a costume party with a broad theme. This was her chance... Mara didn't know what she was going as but she had to wear this dress. She decided to go as tinsel and paired the dress with a silver wig. Mara loves this dress but rarely finds an occasion to wear it. Till that day comes she is sharing it with Yarn Yarns so other people can enjoy it.   Cotton and Woolley xx   Illustration by Mara Lythgo Photography by Kathy Kennedy. Sam is also wearing: 1940s bed jacket, size 8. Rent for four days at $20, or eight days at $30 Oroton glo mesh bag. Rent for four days at $15, or eight days at $23 Gold Mossimo platform heels, size 10. Buy for $90, Rent for four days at $20, or eight days at $30.
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fashion yarn yarns
19 Feb

Hef or Doctor Who?

Who: Cotton What: 1970s/80s Daniel Schagen Men's Shirt Where: Buffalo Exchange, Los Angeles, US   History Behind the Garment   These days it is common for women to wear shirts and ties but it wasn’t always the case. Before the 20th century women were expected to wear restrictive clothing such as corsets and layers of dresses and underskirts. With the commencement of WWI more and more women were entering the workforce, calling for less restrictive and more casual clothing. The 1930s saw actresses such as Katharine Hepburn and Marlene Dietrich adorning masculine suits and bow ties in films. However trousers were still not considered socially acceptable and after WWII women went back to their traditional household roles and skirts. If women were to wear trousers they were under strict instructions from magazines such as Vogue to ensure they paired it appropriately in order to appear as feminine as possible. It wasn’t until the 1960s and 70s when laws were passed encouraging equal pay for women that fashion designers started introducing menswear inspired clothing for women again. It was around this time that Yves Saint-Laurent introduced the “smoking” tuxedo jacket, touted as an alternative to the little black dress. Menswear inspired fashion continues to grow. Nowadays there is increasing demand for actual menswear that is fitted to the female body. We are slowly moving towards the end of gender-specific clothing.   Story Behind the Garment   This is a true story.... I bought this shirt in an op shop in Los Angeles in 2011. I was looking for a costume to wear to a Halloween party and while sifting through all the usual array of oddities that you find at second hand stores I discovered a gas mask. I knew immediately what I was going as, “The Empty Child” from Doctor Who. He resembles a young boy from the 1940s in a gas mask who walks around cocking his head and saying “are you my mummy?” I brushed aside the niggling concern that I was in the United States where Doctor Who was not known, and even if someone did know it it was highly unlikely they were going to recognise this obscure character that only featured in two episodes.  I hunted around the op shop collecting all I needed to complete my outfit, including the pictured shirt. The party I had been invited to was the Playboy Mansion Halloween party. Yep that famous mansion where the dressing gown clad Hugh Hefner dwelled with his bunnies. I had the good sense to realise that a girl dressed as a 1940s child in a gas mask would not be appropriate for a party where less is definitely seen as more.  So instead of changing my costume idea I stubbornly stuck with it and decided to go to a house party with considerably fewer dressing gowns and bunnies. Predictably no one knew who I was meant to be and I ended up leaving early in a huff. I later learned that the Halloween playboy mansion party of 2011 was the year the vast majority of guests were struck with food poisoning. I may not have rubbed shoulders with the Bunnies and Hef but in a way this shirt helped me dodge a bullet. That's what I like to tell myself anyway.   Woolley and Cotton xx   We normally accompany the blog with an illustration but this week we thought a photo was more appropriate. Cotton in her Doctor Who Costume
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fashion stories yarn yarns
19 Feb

Old Soles

  Who: Mara What: Shoes (era and brand unknown) Where: Nth Melbourne Market, Melbourne, Australia   History Behind Shoes   In 1991 some hikers discovered a man frozen in a glacier on the border between Austria and Italy. He was later named Otzi and determined to be over 5000 years old. One of the greatest aspects of this discovery was his perfectly preserved clothing and shoes. It was like taking a trip through time. Up until this moment we had only the vaguest notion of how stone aged people dressed. His shoes were of particular interest in that they were basically a couple of piles of straw on stiffened bear skin. However, when a Czech shoe expert made a replica pair he discovered they were more comfortable and capable than modern shoes. They had great grip, protected against blisters and were very warm. Nowadays we can purchase a pair of shoes for up to $3 million made entirely of rubies, topless shoes attached to the foot with adhesive pads, or heel-less thigh high PVC boots. In the 40,000 year history of shoes they have grown from solely practical purposes to highly varied wearable pieces of art.   Story Behind These Shoes   Based on a true story… Marisa was carrying the pictured shoes in her bag as she walked to the train station from work. At some point on this journey she dropped one of the precious pair. Marisa was devastated but this devastation turned to surprised jubilation twenty-four hours later when on the same walk she discovered her shoe blatantly sitting undisturbed on the pavement in the middle of the CBD. She was ecstatic! So much so she didn’t mind the curious looks thrown in her direction when she stopped in peak hour to scoop up a seemingly random abandoned shoe in an all too enthusiastic embrace.   Woolley and Cotton xx   Illustration by Haley Kigbo  
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yarn yarns fashion stories
19 Feb

Green Sleeves

Who: Woolley What: Kimono Where: Vintage Lost and Found Market, Melbourne, Australia   History behind the style   The Samurai made the kimono famous in Japan during the Edo period (1603 – 1868). When the Shogun was overthrown in 1853 the Japanese ports were opened up for the first time to western culture, and only a decade or so later the kimono was gracing the shop windows of the most respected fashion establishments in London.  It was around this time that the word “kimono” first came about to differentiate it from western clothing. It literally translates as “thing to wear.” Kimonos gained popularity in western culture in the 1970s with increased globalization and the hippie movement. People were adorning sandals from India, jewellery from Africa, and Kimonos from Japan. David Bowie also helped to popularise the kimono when he wore one on tour in 1973. There are arguments that wearing kimonos is cultural appropriation because people are wearing them without understanding the cultural significance of the piece but it can also be viewed as a cultural exchange if you appreciate and respect the history of the garment.   Story Behind the Garment   This is a true story…. Woolley stumbled across this kimono in an op shop and was instantly transported back to her childhood when her Mum wore a very similar kimono as a dressing gown. Woolley remembers sitting at the kitchen table, legs swinging, chin resting on the table-top as her mum danced around the room in the kimono making her breakfast. She remembers her wearing it when she tucked her into bed, or when she was furiously rummaging through her wardrobe looking for something to wear to dinner. But the memory that stood out the most to Woolley was when she had a cold. Her nose was running but alas there was nothing to blow it on, she was bringing her arm to her face to do one big wipe when her Mum stopped her and offered her the sleeve of her kimono, tenderly wrapping it around Woolley’s nose and telling her to blow. Woolley hesitated, looking incredulously at the kimono that she had always admired. Woolley couldn’t understand why anyone would deliberately mess up anything so beautiful and treasured, but she knew this simple gesture showed how much her mother loved her. She furiously blew into the sleeve, her Mum gently patting her on the head. Woolley’s Mum passed away a few years later but she is always reminded of this precious moment when she wears her kimono, and she knows what to use when there is a shortage of tissues.   Woolley and Cotton xx Illustration by Ben Checkley
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Fashion rental yarn yarns
19 Feb

No Hold Fool

Who: Claude What: 1980/90s kimono inspired jacket Where: Beacon's Closet, Brooklyn, US   History Behind the Garment   Throughout history fashion has progressed from simple and functional to wearable art. Claude’s garment is an example of clothing that is not necessarily practical, yet it’s a statement piece with its glittery pattern, shape and pleats which make it stand out from other black jackets. However, once upon a time some of us would not have been permitted to wear such garments. With the increased use of different materials, feathers, embellishments and trimmings fashion became more and more varied over time and by the fourteenth century laws were introduced to put limitations on what people wore in order to restrict and differentiate classes. These laws stated what materials and colours of fabric people could wear. For example people who earned twenty pounds a year were allowed to wear a satin doublet but not a satin gown (the same fabric from which Claude’s garment is made). If you were lucky enough to earn one hundred pounds a year you were permitted to wear as much satin as you pleased, however you were only allowed to wear velvet on doublets and even then they couldn’t be crimson or blue velvet. Thankfully these restrictions no longer exist, otherwise if Claude were a poor student she would be breaking the law by wearing this garment.   Story Behind the Garment   This is a true story written by Claude..... When I used to live in New York City I met a group of cool kids through a video clip set. One of them was Swedish and worked in fashion. He had the coolest and craziest style! We became close and I was very inspired by him, I would borrow his outfits all the time because I was too shy to buy anything similar. He always looked so fabulous! For Halloween in 2013 I decided to dress as Michael Jackson and once again borrowed one of his fabulous glittery embroidered jackets. I had so many compliments that I asked him if I could buy it. He firmly refused as it was one of his favourite jackets but instead he invited me to go with him to Beacon's Closet where he had purchased it. For those that don't know it is the Mecca of every fashionista fan of vintage in Brooklyn. You can sell your own articles as well. No matter the reason for your visit, you WILL find a treasure. So I went there in order to find a similar jacket but couldn’t. Disappointed I was leaving when I saw a rack with all the items that people had tried but weren’t sure of and would leave on “Hold” for the day. That's when I saw it, this amazing glittered kimono. Why would anyone have to think twice about purchasing it when for me it was love at first sight?! So I took it from the rack when no one was watching and went straight to the cashier to purchase it. My first fabulous purchase! Ever since I have been obsessed with kimonos, glitter and sequins, and have not been afraid to look too over the top again.   Cotton and Woolley xx   Illustration of Haley Kigbo
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second hand clothing rental
19 Feb

Dance: Ten, Looks: Three

  Who: Tahly What: Late 1940s/early 1950s dress coat Where: American Rag, Melbourne, Australia   History Behind the Garment   Dior introduced his “new look” in the late 1940s, designing garments with nipped in wastes in contrast with full swirling mid-calf skirts (the style the pictured coat was following). He was accentuating the “ideal” woman’s figure, the hourglass. A variety of body shapes have been admired throughout time. During the renaissance people showed a preference for big busts, round stomachs and full hips. It was thought that these features proved you lived a wealthy and healthy lifestyle. The Victorian era was when the hourglass figure first became popular, while the 1920s admired flat chested, boyish figures with short hair. So why did Dior and other designers decide to accentuate and popularise the hourglass figure that merely 8% of women possess? Perhaps it was due to the fact that during WWII women entered the work force but as soon as it ended they were expected to go back to performing their dutiful housewife tasks.  Therefore what better way of cementing a woman’s place in the home than dressing them in clothes that coveted a figure most admired in the Victorian era, a time when women were seen and not heard. Whatever the reason it is sad that contemporary culture has dictated which body shape women should strive for, when at different periods of time they have all been admired.   Story Behind the Garment   Edith purchased this coat when she was working as a secretary in London in 1951. It was black, it was warm, it could be dressed up and down, it would match her hat and shoes, it would do. She couldn’t afford any other so this was the only coat she owned for the next eight years. Edith wore it to work, to the opera, out to dinner, to the park, and she loathed every minute of it. She could only see the worn holes around the cuffs, her inability to purchase anything else, the boredom. Forty years later Edith’s granddaughter Lucy discovered the coat entwined in laddered stockings in a box at the bottom of her wardrobe. Lucy admired the detailing – the beaded buttons, the scalloped collar, the tailored waste. She asked Edith if she would mind if she had it. Edith sniffed her assent wondering why anyone would possibly want to wear such a boring garment but as she watched Lucy twirl around the living room in the coat she remembered that she was wearing it when she received a letter accepting her into university; she was wearing it when she dropped her purse in the street, only to be picked up by a tall handsome man, the man who she was still with to this day; and she was wearing it when her doctor told her she was pregnant with her first daughter. Edith smiled and for the first time was grateful for her hoarding tendencies.   Story Behind the Name   Some of you may be wondering the meaning behind the name "Dance: Ten, Looks: three." It is the name of a song in the musical A Chorus Line. One of the dancers tells a story about how she never used to get any roles until one day she swipes her audition card and reads the comments: Dance - ten, looks - three. She then "enhances" her appearance, mainly her "tits and arse", and is a lot more successful with both men and her career from that day on. It's sad but probably true that many women feel the need to do this.   Cotton and Woolley xx   Illustration by Cotton Photography by Haley Kigbo
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Yarn Yarns fashion stories
19 Feb

First Kisses and Cigarettes

  Who: Marie What: 1970s Maxi Dress Where: Handed down from Woolley's Grandma   History Behind the Garment   Floral patterns have been around for hundreds of centuries in western culture. They are often thought of as a symbol of femininity and a representation of the natural world. Floral textiles are believed to have originated in Asia and have taken on different meanings in different cultures. For example in Japan the chrysanthemum represents the sun and is a symbol of the royal family, while in China the lotus represents purity. In Victorian England the daffodil was thought to convey chivalry, the gardenia -joy, and the iris represented inspiration. Why is it that patterns such as polka dots come in and out of fashion but every spring floral textiles will undoubtedly resurface? It is unlikely many of us are aware of the symbolic nature of these flowers and pop on a daffodil patterned top when we want to convey that we are feeling particularly chivalrous; or when spring arrives we feel the need to emphasise the fact by wearing garments with flowers on them. Maybe there is no hidden meaning behind floral patterns' continuing popularity other than the simple fact that flowers are beautiful.   Story Behind the Garment   This is loosely based on a true story.... Louisa was wearing this dress when she reluctantly attended a picnic with her sister. She had been hanging on the outer rims of the group, staring into the distance pretending to be deeply fascinated with the surrounding trees in the hope that nobody would talk to her. Her self imposed isolation was not meant to be as she kept accidentally catching the eye of a tall lanky man. As he approached her with an overly confident swagger, she took in his all too snug suit with distaste. While he talked to her she pretended to be interested in what he was saying, all the while staring transfixed at a blob of strawberry jam wobbling about on his shoulder, wondering to herself how it could have got there. He clearly thought it was going well because he asked her if she would like to accompany him on a walk. Louisa shrugged her assent, deciding it couldn’t be worse than lingering around a group of people pretending to be fascinated by trees. At one point the man stopped suddenly and asked her if he could kiss her, and excitedly did so before waiting for a reply. Unfortunately in his enthusiasm he had forgotten he was smoking a cigarette. He almost got away with it as their tightly pressed lips secured the cigarette in place but as they parted the cigarette transferred over to Louisa, precariously balancing on her bottom lip. It hung there for a moment, then dropped in what seemed like slow motion as they both watched to see if it fell on Louisa’s lovely dress. Thankfully it missed. The man was mortified he had ruined what he had hoped to be a beautiful first kiss. In his distress he apologised profusely but for the first time Louisa really looked at him. She saw his kind, gentle nature and eagerness to impress her in his endearingly clumsy and dorky manner. Six months later they were married and they remained so for another forty years till he passed away.   Woolley and Cotton xx Illustration By Carrie Chilton Photography by Haley Kigbo
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chasing the green dragon
19 Feb

Chasing The Green Dragon

Who: Woolley What: 70s dress Where: Yesteryear Vintage, Melbourne, Australia This Dress is available to hire from Yarn Yarns. Four days for $30, Eight days for $45   History Behind Festival Fashion   Fashion enables people to express their individuality, this expression is amplified ten-fold in the costumes we wear to festivals. Nothing holds us back, we are in a happy festival bubble where inhibitions are released and we’re not judged for our fashion choices. The more unique our clothing the more we will be celebrated for it. When we think of festival fashion most of us conjure images of floral headbands, maxi dresses, beads and psychedelic clothing at that most iconic of festivals, Woodstock. Many people attending festivals to this day still reference this style in their fashion choices. However people have been dressing elaborately for festivals for many years before Woodstock. People started wearing costumes to Venetian Carnivals from the 1300s where they would don powdered wigs, elaborate dresses and masks. In 1985 bands such as Queen, Iron Maiden and AC/DC headlined the Rock in Rio festival. Attendees wore eyeliner, leather jackets and long hair. It is a costume that many fans incorporated into their everyday clothing and is still associated with the punk and metal sub-culture. If adorning more elaborate clothing makes us happy because we are able to express our individuality, why do many of us only have the confidence to do so at festivals? Imagine a world where we could walk down the street in brightly coloured headdresses, glitter, and face paint and not feel judged for doing so. Or maybe the fact that most of us only wear this clothing a few days a year just makes it all the more exciting when we do.   Story Behind the Garment   This is based on a true story.... Once upon a time there was a girl named Woolley who went to a festival. On the second night Woolley put on her favourite dress, it was a long green 70’s number patterned with purple and white fireworks. A perfect festival garb and Woolley felt fabulous! Woolley set off to explore the surroundings with her friends. Once they left their happy little bubble of tents they soon found there was much to see and touch. The main area of the festival was a big paddock surrounded by tents and bush land. Woolley and her friends were wandering around aimlessly, basking in the excited buzzing atmosphere that encompasses festival life. They came across a group of people dancing and twirling colourful lights. They were mesmerised by the lights and stood transfixed, unable to tear themselves away. They were interrupted by a beautiful green dragon with a glowing tail. The dragon took it upon herself to introduce herself to the group. Her name was M. M divulged that she knew all the beautiful spots around the festival and that they must not waste a minute more with the fire dancers when there was so much to see. M took them to many amazing places, including a musical garden hidden in the bush, a glowing green waterfall, and a wall that lit up when you touched it. They were so distracted by all the wonderful things to see that they were worried they would lose M. They needn't have feared because her beautiful glowing tail was like a beacon in the dark and lit the path for them all night. Woolley still smiles to herself when she thinks of that night and remembers how much her belly ached from all the laughing.   Woolley and Cotton xx   Illustration by Hilary Green
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yarn yarns fashion rentals
19 Feb

The Conquests’ Clothes

  Who: Tahly What: 90s top and 90s high waisted shorts Where: Top - This top is available to buy at Yarn Yarns Shorts- Passed on from Couch Surfing Host, Los Angeles, US   History Behind the Garment   Seeing as this vintage top has prominent gold buttons we have decided to focus on the surprisingly interesting history of these curious little objects. The earliest known button was discovered near Pakistan and is around 5000 years old. They were fastened with a loop as it took roughly 4000 years after the creation of buttons for someone to have the bright idea of inventing button-holes. For many years buttons were considered ornamental rather than functional. They were a status symbol and laws were set in place to restrict their use. The medieval period was a time when women were questioned by judges for adorning too many buttons, and people could pay off debts by taking a button off their garment. Around the 17th century buttons moved to the left side for women and the right for men, something that still differentiates male and female tops to this day. It is believed that women’s buttons were on the left side as they had maids to help them dress, while men often dressed themselves. Next time you are involved in the contemplative and sensual act of buttoning oneself or someone else take a moment to admire these seemingly ordinary objects with a far more fascinating history than we give them credit for.   Story Behind the Garment   This is a true story…. Cotton acquired these shorts in Los Angeles in 2011. She was staying with a Couch Surfing host in a tiny studio apartment. Their host was a lovely man that allowed Cotton and her boyfriend to sleep on the floor beside his bed for a week. At some stage during her stay Cotton noticed a pile of women’s clothing at the foot of their host’s bed. She asked about the curious pile and he replied bashfully that he had been meaning to get rid of them for a while - they were clothes girls had left behind after he had one-night stands with them. Cotton sifted through the surprisingly large pile and found a denim jacket and the pictured green shorts. She tried them on and finding they fitted perfectly asked her host if she could have them. Cotton often wonders how one of his conquests could possibly have left the house without her shorts but she's glad they did.   Cotton and Woolley xx   Illustration and photography by Haley Kigbo
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