Much Ado About Garbage Bags

These are strange economic times we live in. We are meant to be watching our dollars, buying investments rather than throw-aways, going all organic and green, simplifying and downsizing; and yet, there occassionally comes a moment that is really quite small, yet somehow so significant. Ok, that's a slight exaggeration, much like when fashion magazines claim baggy-crotch pants are hot, but sometimes little things stick with you as an indication of the times. Not surprisingly, my little epiphany came under the fluro lights of Coles (FYI, NEVER go there on a Thursday arvo when pensioners and bogans get 'paid'. It is a nightmare congestion of slacks, ugg boots, random children and painfully slow checkout lines).

Wandering down the cleaning aisle, I paused to ponder the best value garbage bags, as one must do in times like these, when I noticed a brand selling silver bags, so they can match your stainless steel kitchen. WTF?! The label had a picture of a lady looking as though all her dreams had come at once, and a quote 'I love my new designer kitchen, and now my garbage bags can perfectly match my stainless steel decor". WHO gives an arse about the colour of garbage bags??? I'm all for accessorising but if the biggest worry you have in your life is complementary waste disposal, then I wash my hands of you (but only if the soap colour matches the bathroom tiles).

Much like Posh Spice's $175k bag, it seems slightly vulgar. And a tad pathetic, much like our neighbour down the road who never fails to run out and get her garbage bins in the minute the trucks have rolled past. It's possibly sad that I know that she does, but they usually come by when I'm leaving the house. Actually I bet she adores colour-matched bin bags. I quite delight in leaving our bins out all day (oh the horror!) figuring it's a) a man's job to get them in, and put them out, hooray for sexism; and b) not a job worth mucking up my manicure for. Not that I have one, but just in case I did. The servants can do it, dahling!

Similarly, in this month's Madison there's a lovely lifestyle spread on a gorgeous family home in Sydney, but after earlier features on crime and disaster, it seems a bit odd to note on one picture "Mrs. X reclines on her leather pouf, her dress complementing the antique vase on the sideboard" (not quite those words, but it was "dress matches furniture"). I know I dare not enter my living room unless my shoes match the carpet, and heaven forbid entering the kitchen in anything but perfectly toned silver! Though I could always use those garbage bags and make a stainless steel-esque frock in case of such an unmitigated fashion disaster.....

The Froscars

I only watched one segment of last night's Oscars ceremony, (erm, I forgot it was on) but for the 5 mins I watched, all I could think was "SJP's boobs arrived without her". I mean, no wonder Daniel Craig kept stuffing up his autocue.

But, despite Slumdog Millionaire's grand sweep and the usual indignation that the people who actually make movies (ie the writers, producers, art directors, costumer designers) get played off the stage halfway through their speeches ; the Oscars is really about the Frocks. The Froscars, if you like.

If you Google "oscars dresses 2009" one of the first links is about how Miley Cyrus looked like a princess. She didn't. She looks like Ariel with mouldy scales.

Kate Winslet, on the other hand, looks stunning in this gooorgeous silvery grey number. I'm a bit of a fan of some one-shouldered action. On frocks, that is, not some weird x-rated fetish.

The cut of Anne Hathaway's Armani dress is lurvely, but the copious crystals means that spotlight beside her look like it was planted there to be her accessory. Still, I wouldn't say no if someone offered it to me to wear.

It's a cult!!! Teen stars going all mermaid-y on us!!! Now I love a bit of tulle, but I was in a wedding (as a flowergirl) in 1991 and the bridesmaid's dresses looked like this. Retro cool only goes so far. The fact that V-Hudge or whatever stupid name she's been lumped with was barely a foetus in 1991 isn't an excuse. There are PHOTOS from back then and they DON'T LIE, girl.


Strapless, sparkly Valentino is always going to be a winner, and if Jennifer Aniston hadn't let a rogue braid from primary school stealthily attach itself to her hair before she left the house, this would be a stellar outfit.

Oh no, my two-year old attacked Heidi Klum's frock with her safety scissors! And I thought baldness was the only excuse for a massive combover part. That woman in the background clutching a sensible cardi did a better job, love.

I can't believe this woman's name is Meryl. She is fabulous.


"I don't do memo's, dahling" - Sofia Loren missed the note about ageing gracefully. You can tell the man next to her is thinking, "eeew, old lady cooties". Or maybe the mustard colour smells the way it looks. Pity.


Reese at least looks as confused as her dress does.

Possibly modelled on a meringue, but hell, if you can't go all out when you're nominated (and successful) on Oscars night, when can you? And you know, you could wear it again to get married in. Investment dressing, indeed. Top marks for the chic acessories, too.


Nicole turned one of Sunday Rose's art'n'craft creations into a frock. Ok ok, I know she's too young to be gluing just yet, but sheesh. Clag and endandgered bird feathers do not a nice frock maketh. At least she looks suitably pissed off about it.

See, I love Tilda Swinton. She looks like she doesn't give two hoots about a) being there, b) being there and looking like everyone else or c) bras. She migh raise eyebrows with her outfits but can you imagine her in say, this:

actually, yes. But it'd look cool.

And finally, it's always great to see Aussies making it big in Hollywood. But when it comes to fish-tail frocks, Melissa George, bigger is not always best. In fact, never. It would be increditbly difficult to go to the loo in, but on the upside if you got toilet paper stuck to your hem no one would ever know. Smart girl.

Pics from: JustJared, Yahoo Movies

Twitter rhymes with Fritter

The Web is a mind boggling place. You (or maybe it's just me) can spend hours going from one link to the next, discovering a plethora of new sites and directories and shops and god knows what else. I'd heard of Twitter before but not really bothered with it, dissing it as something I'd stick to for a few days and then forget about. Which, tbh, is probably still true. It's yet another (albeit very cute) site where you can update your status for all your 'followers' to see - the cynic in me smirks: what a world we live in, constantly needing to be reassured that people care about what we had for brekky, that we are worthy of being 'followed' in our never ending quest for social acceptance and reverance. Pft. - from a business point of view however, it is a nifty tool. You can follow the Frock's updates, mainly about new stock becuase I don't think you want to hear about "Sharyn is spending half an hour comparing flights to the Whitsundays" or "Laura is STILL trying on the new Motel stock" etc etc; here: http://www.twitter.com/frockyou . If you must have the latest before anyone else, then this is the way to do it! (See nifty update box thingy there----->)

I'm following, among others, Richard Branson, and The Cut, and am sorely tempted to add Britney Spears. It's sorta like Facebook except you can be 'friends' with, or at least by gossip mag standards a 'source', for celebs! And, naturally, you can link your Twitter updates with your Facebook updates (I did this with the Frock You facebook page, though I haven't checke dif I did it right). That way, EVERYBODY, EVERYWHERE can know about your itchy foot or the fact you are on the loo! Hurrah!

Currently there's alot of updates from NY Fashion Week, which is great and actually mostly interesting, but if there's particular blogs or sites or stores you are a fan of (not FB fans, genuine fans) it's a great way to keep updated and quench our zealous Gen-Y flavoured thirst for new information. I'm not sure it has caught on enough yet to make random people you went to primary school with suddenly interested in your doings (thankfully, let's keep that as a thinly tolerated Facebook quirk), but it's definitely made me fritter away many minutes following link after link...and giving me that smug cyber-reassurance one can only get when Shopbop is your first follower. Kudos.

Autumn/Winter '09 Catlaogue online now!

Finally, after a mountain of requests, thousands of emails and phone calls, one very busy weekend, too much time fiddling with photoshop, and yours truly nearly strangling several staff members (justified due to catalogue-related incidents, fyi, not random psychopathic attacks), the catalogue is finally online!

You can download it from our News page (which is always empty because I always forget to update it. Needless to say the next job going at the Frock will be for an "online marketing manager" which means you get to play on Facebook and Twitter all day). But I digress. Everything in the catalogue is click-to-buy, and in a weird twist because of the delay, alot of the items have now arrived instore which means you don't need to wait! You can go on the waiting list (just email us) for other must-haves throughout the catalogue which aren't instore yet.

There will also be limited print runs, but quite frankly I'm so pleased that it's finally available for public viewing that it will be a few days before I can be bothered fussing with it!

Enjoy our first Frockalogue, we hope you love it and hope it gives you some winter wardrobe inspiration!

Autumn/Winter: prepare to fall in luuurve!

Not with the weather obviously, nor was that some sort of psychic prediction about your personal life. Simply, A/W '09 is so romantic and lovely and gosh darn pretty that you'll want the gorgeous summer weather to bugger right off so you can wear it! A new box of Motel arrived today (the Lily dress is already online and selling even though we haven't got all the photos yet; it was used in a Drop Dead Gorgeous ad a few weeks ago and the hold list is running hot!) - I suggest you get in quick tomorrow night and Friday when it should be all up because last season the whole lot sold out in a week, without any form of advertising; it was like all these Motel-devotees suddenly sauntered out from the hills, snatched what they could and retreated quick smart from whence they came...you have been warned!

A new label sure to please grown-ups, Mimosa has also just arrived (look out for it online in a day or two) and it's very Audrey-esque, classic, gorgeous, sophisticated, and one of our pricier labels, but in this season where the R-word prevails, my tip is to invest, invest, invest. (And when I say pricey, everything we're getting is under $200 anyway which is comparatively cheap, especially for winter coats!). Accessories start at $39.95, coats will be about $180, dresses about $150 and basics about $50. You've probably seen it in magazines recently, and Frock You is one of the few stockists online (and they gave us free scarves to prove it!) so you are a very lucky bunch of ladies...

Our current fave pieces are from French Kitty - cardis with bows never fail to please! There's a stack more waiting to be photographed an uploaded so keep checking back. We've also got a nice big carton of purse-friendly Living Doll, whose ranges just keep getting better and better - maybe I shouldn't say this, but they often show their ranges from samples and between you and me, you are getting $400 dress styles picked up at Barneys, re-modelled and sold for $80. It's awesome.

And speaking of awesome, (ooh, segue) be sure to check out Style Collective, a new initiative by a lovely lass called Amanda. It's basically an online directory-cum-magazine-cum-sales alert-cum-latest and greatest, helpfully divided into Urban Style, Junior Style, Bridal and Urban Living. It's updated every day and is beautifully laid out. Add it to your favourites now!

Catalogues and other catastrophes

I would just like to say, that the catalogue is done and finished but due to technical details beyond our comprehension (they type that bore you before you even get a few syllables in) it's becoming impossible to upload it onto the wbsite. Or even onto here! We have the very helpful peeps at Mantis working on it, so stay tuned...(by the way, new A/W is arriving by the truckload every day so if you're bored at work have a good click through, three are some gorgeous pieces by GRAB and Lucky 13, shoes by Nude , the usual awesomeness from One Teaspoon and by the end of this week we'll have two super cute jewellery labels on the site!). A full run down to come when I finish cyber-strangling the website admin system.....

Frock You Autumn/Winter '09 Catalogue Sneaky Peek

It's been many long nights, cups of coffees and urgent phone calls in the making, but when Mat (yes, it's time to name and shame) stops planning his London trip and finishes the last bits'n'pieces of our inaugural, interactive e-catalogue, it'll be available for one and all in all it's glory. Here are some sneaky peek piccys (hint: this A/W is one of the best seasons ever. Recessionista-chic might be taking hold but it'll be easy to do with the clean lines, simple shapes and gorgeous detailing of these collections. Plus, one can never have enough coats. Ever.)

We shot the Country Weekend spread at Windleigh farm, in the late afternoon against a stunning background. Plus, it makes gumboots look damn cool. The idea is "ladylike charm" with lush knits, intricate details and rich textures. The above strapless dress by Motel is covered in red roses, looking striking with the simple black knit longline cardi by GRAB. The knit dress is also by GRAB and I have to admit I hated it at first, but then we put it in context and it has a real warmth (figuratively and literally), and super chic cut to it. I'll be putting my hand up for one!

The other piece everyone must have (welll, not everyone cos we won't stock six billion of them) is the Andriod denim trench below. It's super super super cool, classic yet modern, and one of those pieces people will stop you in the street to ask you where you got it.

The zip skirt is already instore here ($89.95) and if rock chic is your thang, this is definitely a must-have piece for your winter wardrobe. And you can wear it in summer, just ditch the tights! See, recessionista-shopping is as easy as that....the cute knit with it reminds me a little of a futuristic, Star Trek type piece, but is super soft and very delicate, making a cool contrast with the skirt. Anyway, it's about time fashion moved forward instead of rehashing old shapes. It will be available next week!

You may have noticed new winter stock hitting the store - new pieces will be added every day so check back. Hot sellers so far as the Lucky 13 Bandage Dress ($129.95_ which sold out of it's first run in a day but luckily lovely Irena at Lucky 13 expressed some more down to us, so we're all restocked, and One Teaspoon's 3/4 Holster Bodysuits, in grey or black - a fabulous basic for a streamlined silhouette and a bargain at $69.95!

Look out for more GRAB, French Kitty, Little Potty Red Shoes and Sunny Girl over the coming week!