Queen of the May

Did you know it’s May Day today? In the northern hemisphere this time of year was traditionally celebrated with dancing around maypoles and the crowning of a May Queen in honour of springtime fertility. The origin of May Day holidays lie in the festivals of Flora, the Roman goddess of flowers, and the Gaelic Beltane.

I am crowning myself Queen of the May today with a vintage 1950s red velvet bandeau bedecked in silk flowers. This gathering of red and white carnations is over-the-top in both senses of the word. 

Queen Guinevere’s Maying, John Collier, 1900

May Day, being a spring festival, is not celebrated in Australia since May falls in autumn (pardon the pun). What a pity, because what silly fun it must be to skip around a flower-bedecked maypole like Guinevere. Amusingly, Wikipedia describes a May Day procession as ‘cheerfully pointless’ – but that’s the point surely? Everyone feels more lighthearted when the sun shines, and when better to throw an alfresco party!

Land Girl Goes To The Farm

Today was Anzac Day, a public holiday in Australia, and while all Australians and New Zealanders remember the fallen men and women who fought for their countries, it is also a day that many will spend with their friends and families.

It turned out a gloriously sunny day. I attended a barbeque for a family reunion at one of my cousin’s farms on the outskirts of Greater Melbourne, and that seemed like an appropriate opportunity to dress as Land Girl – cue a beloved old green jumper, over-the-knee woollen socks, houndstooth hat and suede boots, and, controversially, a denim skort. To my indignation my sisters insisted I was ‘dressed-up’; I was moved to protest, “but I’m Land Girl today!”

There was much tramping through long grass (those were good boots to avoid snakes with), exploring dilapidated ruins, flirting with cows in a nearby meadow, and breaking and entering an old hay shed just for the opportunity to quite literally roll in the hay. What a fragrant smell! There was also plenty of eating, drinking and being merry with long-lost cousins. There were so many of us, and so many little offsprings bouncing underfoot we all wore name tags.

All in all, a lovely day. I hope you dear readers have had an equally fun Thursday.

Thanks to Niece #1 for taking the above photo. 

Views of a neighbouring propertyMy cousin’s farm in Narre Warren North

April Fish!

One of the silliest holidays on the calendar celebrated by many countries around the world is April Fool’s Day, with the media of many countries often getting in on the act too for grand scale pranks.

Quite a different custom prevails in France, Belgium, Switzerland, and Italy. Children and adults take part in this tradition of attaching paper fish to one another’s backs and shouting, “April fish!” One Swiss work colleague of mine has fond childhood memories of this innocent pastime. The custom possibly harks back to a French poet of the sixteenth century who referred to a poisson d’avril – an April fool, which literally translates as April fish. 

In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries April fish postcards became popular in France, a charming excuse to send quaint greetings to a friend. And it’s a fair excuse to eat fish for dinner tonight too.

Scroll down for more April smiles.

Click on image to see more vintage April fish postcardsClick through to buy a set of 25 antique French postcards, at Etsy store French Country Life

Easter Wishes

Happy Easter dear readers! Today I bring you fashion inspiration courtesy of Peter Rabbit. Now I don’t wear bunny brown all too often, but when it’s offset by a blue 1950s silk jacket, a vintage hat with a saucy feather, and lace-inset gloves, then staid beige becomes quite pretty.

I hope you all have a lovely and peaceful Easter, and as Peter would say, don’t stuff yourselves with too much chocolate – chew on a carrot instead! 

Vegie patch image from Northern Gardener.

Life’s A Breeze

Fashion story from Australian marie claire. This comes close to my favourite shot out of the whole editorial.Ah, suffering in this relentless heatwave Melbourne is treating us to, I am fantasising about being on the Riviera right now, living the life in this fashion editorial.

I love Friedemann Hauss’ photoshoots – they are always so elegant, the women so soigné. There is a serene and effortless air about them. There is no frantic rush. Life is a breeze.

I wish I could feel a breeze right now.

Oh, and I almost forgot to mention, I really love the minimal fashion too. Now sit back, scroll down and relax, ahhh. (Click on the images for bigger versions.)