Day 359: Thursday 22 April

Early morning wake -up call… GET UPP!!!!

Why does waking up at 5.30am mean I always have puffy eyes? A comment on yesterday’s blog suggested I had an ‘Extreme Make-overish’ appearance. Perhaps over night someone has done a little plastic surgery to my eye bags?

Gotta rush, gotta catch that early morning train, cos my baby works from 9 till 5. No, that’s not right. Gosh, I’m gibbering…

Let sleeping dogs lie-in, cos they're old and need their rest

Top: Suit jacket style. I’m going to work so I need to look the ‘business’

Bottom: Skinny Gap jeans, cos I don’t know

Accessory 1: Denim bag. Not one of my favs but I’m trying to share around the last days of denim around my stuff

Accessory 2: Denim gym boots, here to stay. They won’t be going into the St Vincent de Paul’s bag

Day 354: Sunday 17 April

Flaps Fashion Finale: Day 7

So the week of being styled by Flaps grinds to it’s conclusion.

I was at a loss as to what to wear this morning but some text messaging, a phone call and special bike courier denim delivery has got me an outfit. It’s a bit of a slobbing ’round the house on a Sunday style. But then it is Sunday and I am a slob…

And the Lord said let sleeping dogs lie and denim be worn on the sabbath

Top: Black denim vest almost invisible against the Mark Titmarsh art t-shirt. There are matching shorts

Bottom: Lee denim freshly couriered from the house of Flaps. They are well worn in and (sorry RO) I extended one of the knee rips by putting my foot through it this morning

Accessory: Denim birkenstocks. Mine all mine

Day 319: Sunday 14 March

I have been busy since I last blogged.

In Canberra I went to CCAS  and I got lost and confused in the Museum of Australia before heading back to Sydney. The exhibition at CCAS was pretty good, taken from their emerging artists residency program from 2009. I didn’t get anything at the markets there though as I have been winding down the denim purchasing unless it’s something spectacular, and truly , there wasn’t anything spectacular.

Me and the girls fanged it back up the Hume Highway to Sydney and as soon as I got home I got straight back n the car and drove to watch the opening footy game of the season for the Newtown Jets at Henson Park.

And it was a pretty good game. Lots of tries, the Oh Errol girls were working the crowd doing vox-pops, the sausages were sizzling, the KB beer was cold and the company was witty.

Then it rained and we watched the last 5 minutes of the game from the comfort of the car. Yes! At Henson Park you can park around the edge of th oval and watch the game FROM YOUR CAR!!!

Then there was a North Sydney Bears streaker!

Then the Jets opponents, the Tigers, scored a drop goal meaning the score went to Jets 30, Tigers 31. Then the game was over.Phew I’m exhausted just writing all that.

But wait, there’s more. I rushed home to entertain a couple of friends for the John Waters tribute night at my house. After fuelling up on super delicious garlic chilli explosive Vietnamese food we settled down to watch 2 of the most… I can’t fond the words… hilarious? awful? ghastly? appalling? fantastic? revolting? films ever made: Pink Flamingos and Female Trouble.

Both starring the amazing (R.I.P) Divine, the edgy Mink Stole and the bizarre Edith Massey. After watching those films again last night, for probably the 10th time, it really struck me that Divine was an actor. Out of all the people in the film she is the only one who is acting. The rest of them shout at the camera.

So. Who wants to be famous and who wants to die for art?

In no way can I match John Waters’ vision, Divine’s beauty, Mink Stole’s anger or Edith Massey’s kookiness. So haven’t even tried…

I've got lots of trouble, female trouble, and so does Taxi

Top: Made in Australia denim vest

Bottom: Junk cut-offs

Accessory: Dark denim cap

Day 302: Thursday 25 February

I am exhausted with all the late nights, early mornings, stimulating 1970s Dolly magazine reading and scanning of feminine hygiene ads from the fore-mentioned Dolly magazines.

I was up all night making a special one-off blog on the scent of a woman and why she needs to block it out with a short squirt of fem fresh or Lady Arrid. See it all here…

So today’s blog is short. Me in denim, Taxi in bed. End of story…

Taxi oblivious she is about to be dragged outside

Top: New old jacket, no label, except for some care instructions, Australian made, bought in Nambour

Bottom: Love your Denim scrappy jeans. Looking like a slob today

Accessory 1: Denim gym boots

Accessory 2: Denim bag with fluoro decals

Day 294: Wednesday 17 February

Oh my gosh. I was up at 5.30 this morning. It was horrifying!

Why does getting up early give me huge pouches under my eyes? Does anyone know the science?

So yes, a I’m in a bit of a state of shock today. There’s one bird tweeting as I type, one of the first trains went by and the sky is almost getting light. And my eyes hurt.

Luckily I’m still gorgeous…

Dressed for corporate success, Taxi chews her box

Top: I thought it was  fancy label but on close inspection it turns out it’s a Target stripy denim jacket

Bottom: Cannot remember the last time I wore these 1970s Levi’s slacks

Accessory: Denim bag with loads of buckles

Day 273: Wednesday 27 January

Has everyone recovered from feeling a rush of patriotism, jingoism and nationalism?

I know I have.

Killing in the name of Australia was quite an exhausting experience. I don’t know how soldiers do it.

Anyway, I celebrated Oi Oi Oi by going to Enmore Park with the family. My nieces got crafty with cupcakes, my nephews ran around re-enacting Star Wars.

Nieces bearing hand decorated cupcakes. Such talent

So now it’s back to work today after a few days away. This is what I’m wearing until then. I’ll put on some office gear in a couple of hours, and if I can be bothered I’ll update this here blog.

Shady shot of Taxi, Ugh and me

Top: Supre vest, all rucked up and nowhere to go

Bottom: Abercrombie & Finch cut offs sliding down my arse

Accessory 1: Denim shoulder bag

Accessory 2: Out of sight denim birkies

Taxi admires me blurry and sweaty in red trim

And now I’m heading of to work in this ensemble…

Top: JeansWest shruggie vesty mini jacket. HOT!

Bottom: JJs cheap ‘n lightweight but still slimy

Accessory: Denim bag with red piping, tying outfit together seamlessly

Day 267: Thursday 21 January

It’s  yesterday once more, as yesterday’s early morning trip to the beach for a surf was completely thrown over by the absolutely huge waves smashing into Sydney’s coastline.

Bondi was massive white water as far as the eye  could see. Bronte had beautiful massive waves far beyond my paltry surf skills.

Even Clovelly, usually a swimming pool in it’s calmness, had waves pushing through into the bay, plus all the bonus extras: cardboard, weed, plastic bibs and bobs. But I went in anyway and now have a grazed knee as the swell sort of thrust me up onto the stairs.

So I am giving it another go today. I suspect it will be just as huge as yesterday, but at least I’ll be prepared mentally and can do some surf perving.

Surf perving might suggest hiding behind dark glasses and oggling the beautiful people. I my fkn oath I will MAY do a little bit of people watching, but only for research purposes.

In my book (you can buy it on Amazon) I define surf perving as watching the water, and that will be my main interest today. Definitely NOT people perving. Nope. No way, it’s just not part of who I am, nuh, nope, eyes on the prize not on the beef.

Taxi says 'Take me to the river, the Cook River'

Top: Mum made black denim vest

Bottom: JeansWest denim skirt

Accessory 1: Viv donated black denim cap

Accessory 2; To lighten the look from all those shades of black, Dragstar denim slouchy bag

See you in the surf. And do you like my grandmother’s pussy t-shirt? It’s just about the only thing I have to remember her by

Day 251: Tuesday 5 January

Finally I have made it home. Home sweet home. Home, untidy, messy and a bit dirty, home.

But let me recount my epic journey home. Get a beer, it’s a long blog.

My lunch date in Lennox went very nicely thank you very much, but of course I was running about 2 hours later than I wanted to be. Not to worry, Ugh the Camry can sure fire up when you put the pedal to the metal! Not.

After a couple of pee stops for me and the dog we cruised into Crescent Head on the mid-north NSW coast around 7pm. I did a quick surf check. None. Very disappointing.

Back in the car and we (Taxi and I)  zoomed off at a moderate Camry friendly pace down the Point Plomer Road to find a place to camp. All the dog friendly camping spots were full or so full I would be sleeping with the red necks. So I opted to park Ugh above Goollowah camp ground over looking the beach.

Taxi ate her dinner and promptly went to bed. I fussed around setting up ‘camp’, ate my chicken roll and climbed into Ugh (the Camry)…

Gourmet chicken roll eaten at a dining table over looking the beach

So there I was lying back, reading by my portable (battery dying) light, when a car pulls up. A couple of guys get out and their ute and start fussing around the back of their car. I get nervous. Phew. They are fisherman.

I lie back down and try to read. My light dies. It’s 9.15pm. I try to sleep, but I’ve parked possibly a little too close to the road. Headlights shine straight in my eyes every time (every 5 minutes) a car goes by.

Why did I camp here? I could have camped a little further around about 50 metres off the road instead of 3 metres. I am a drongo.

After a terrible night’s sleep I wake up early, before 6 am because Taxi needs her morning constitutional…

Taxi's poo with a view

So I figure I might as well get up too, get on the road early, maybe even have a surf…

Cosy sleeping nook inside the belly of the Camry

Of course I need to take my daily denim photo first…

Denim with misty beach back drop

Top: Bought on my way up north at Raymond Terrace, first time it’s been cool enough to wear, vintage ‘Leisurewear’ pale denim shirt/jacket

Bottom: Worn for the second time, photographed for the first time, on the epic journey, Industrie jeans

Accessory: Denim cap, freshly laundered after a heavy soiling on New Year’s Eve

I have no idea about my bent kneed stance in the picture, so on with my travelogue…

So I packed up, piled Taxi into the car and went back to Crescent Head. Tiniest surf ever that can still be called surf.

Fuck it, I thought. I’m here, so’s my surfboard, I’m getting wet.

In I go. Not only is it the tiniest surf ever it’s also the lowest tide ever. At Crescent Head that means rocks everywhere. I clamber in slipping, sliding trying not to smash my board. I catch a wave. I fall off arms forward so I don’t crack my head. I grate my forearms across several barnacled rocks. Now I have stigmata.

Time to hit the road. Sort of. I pop into Port Macquarie to visit 1 of my fav’ op shops in the world. And to snap up a few bargains. But of course I can’t leave it at just 1 op shop. I decide I have to do them all.

Hours later, with not too much stuff ( another pair of jeans, a denim cap, approx 10 handi-crafted coat hangers, wine glasses and a blanket) I finally really get back into Ugh and on the road after first making a lunch enagement for Newcastle.

And now I have a confession to make…

People who know me away from the blog may recall an anti-ham rant or 2 before Christmas. The truth is I have eaten ham nearly every day since Christmas. Sometimes I have even enjoyed it. Like today’s superior toasted ham wrap created by Mr M. Tome of Mayfield. How delicious was it? See for yourselves…

Ham, cheese, tomato, pickled onion, green stuff = tasty plus!

But that’s it for the year! I am not eating any more ham (until Christmas) or bacon. No more salty porky meat!

The drive home from Newcastle was uneventful apart from interesting clouds gathering over the freeway and me trying to beat Taxi with Ugh’s sun shade in an effort to stop her chewing her box off. I have a picture of the cloud but not of me beating Taxi while she munches her vagina.

Day 140: Wednesday 16 September

I’m a little blurry this morning, and it’s not because the photographer has shaky hands. My blurriness is the self induced kind, brought on by drinking beer then sangria and THEN vodka. I also think eating copious amounts of meat on a stick has something to do with me feeling off colour.

See for yourself…

Man shows off his meat on a stick

I cannot believe I was eating that very same meat on a stick last night. It looks revolting, although the man does seem quite proud of his meat.

So that brings me to now. I have been down walking the dog in a place known as The Wildside. And it is wild. This morning we saw a kingfisher, along with a large number of cormorants airing their wings, loads of swallows, doves, magpies and fish. Who’d have though the toxic drain that is the Cook River could support all that birdlife?

Girl and dog modelling against a mangrove backdrop, close to Sydney's CBD

Top: I love this Dragstar vest, and wish I didn’t have to give it back at the end of The Year of Denim

Bottom: Ben Sherman jeans, somewhat snugger than the last time I wore them. Is it because they are freshly washed or I’m freshly fatter?

Accessory 1: Mavi denim bag, small but just the right size

Accessory 2: Denim Birkenstocks. I feel a bout of vegetarianism coming on after all that meat and Birkies are one of the ways to spot a vegetarian

Day 114: Friday 21 August

I feel better, not quite the best, but definitely better. However Taxi the dog seems particularly melancholy today. She wouldn’t eat her breakfast (a dog not eating!??!) and we went for a very shuffley walk down the road. Admittedly she is 80 something in human years, but where’s her joie de vivre, her lust for life?

All I can say is last day of work before 2 weeks holiday. Hurrah!

What's wrong Taxi? Tell me

Top 1: Never before seen Howard Showers stretch denim dress shirt. Stylin’

Top 2: Marcs shiney suit jacket. Businesslike

Bottom: A bit like a mullet today I’m dressed business up top, party down below. Super old, super long, super cas’ Levi’s flares. Turn-ups rule!

Accessory: Today needed a handbag, so that’s what I’m carying. Pierced denim handbag, cos I’m a lady

Want to see that shirt a little closer? If you look close enough you can see my bra. Damn you bulging buttons! Damn you!

Pearl buttons + stretch denim = whoah there!